1 10 12 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/0fddc305685aa17f4d3553399f41b9b4.pdf 340148de42cd57771af867cb81c397b8 PDF Text Text arrived. None of us were ready for what Kunzel would pull from his bag of tricks that day. Spontaneous Demonstration Erupts Kunzel Meeting is Circus of Deception and Exclusion by Patrick "Tree" Mosolf The struggle b o etween Erich Kunzel's Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Complex (GCAEC) and the Drop Inn Center has taken strange new turns recently. KLi[lzel and his Board have been making increasingly warlike gestures even after saying the Drop Inn Center does not need to be moved in the first phase of construction. The real casualty in the process has been any sense of democracy, whi'ch is so important if we are to have a jµst society. Background The Drop Inn Center first began to fight Kunzel's plan to move the School for Creative and Pe~rforming Arts into the Washington Park area 15 months ago when the GCAEC architects revealed that 3 out of 4 plans would involve moving the Drop Inn Center. After 12 months of grassroots organizing by the Drop Inn community, an article appeared in the newspaper January 7 saying that the new school could be built without moving the Drop Inn Center. However, at Kunzel's Board meeting on January 31st, a motion to commit to preserving the shelter in all phases of the plan aroused a great d.eal of opposition, and ultimately failed to pass by a vote of 8 to 8. Kunzel Boots Community . . Activist from GCAEC Board Kunzel's next move was to set in motion a series of steps to remove longtime Over the Rhine activist Bonnie Neumeier from his Board . Early on, Kunzel had included 4 representatives of the Over the Rhine low income community on the Board, presumably to build consen~us for his project. Bonnie had been quite vocal in stating that Kunzel and his henchmen had not adequately considered the community's needs before making their plans. When Kunzel tried to streamline the meeti~gs to bypass important issues like displacement and moving the shelter, Bonnie would draw the conversation back to these important considerations. Kunzel apparently did not like dealing with issues relating to the community, for his board moved not to renew her place on the Board. Over the Rhine community activists were debating what steps to take to mai~tain Bonnie's place on the Board when the meeting date, March 141h, nclnrl On March 14th I-had a funny feeling in my stomach, but was resigned to more of the same from Kunzel's Board- a streamlined agenda, silencing the public, and verbal attacks on the community reps. At 4:30 when the meeting was supposed to·start I was still languish ing in the office at the Drop Inn Center. Suddenly we got the news th at Kunzel and his Board had locked people out of the meeting. All of our supporters had come to see Kunzel's meeting but were now stuck outside! Denise Crew, a longtime shelter worker grasped the significance of the situation and called on the residents and staff of the . Drop Inn to go to the meeting. Of course, none of them was allowed into the meeting either. Well, a spontaneous demonstration was formed, with vibrant chants and stirring cheers. The people finally had a chance to express their frustration with Kunzel 's high handed, exclusive process outside of MemorialHall. Clapping our hands, raising our voices, we were unified by Kunzel's discrimination. In the end, rather than helping his agenda, he stimulated more of an uproar which disrupted his own meeting. Mysterious Meeting Change Despite the ·ban on members of the public in ~unzel's March 14th meeting, I managed to get into it by way of participation in SCPA's Local School Decision Making Committee. This group is one of the governing bodies of the SCPA school, and is composed of teachers, administrators, parents, students and community members. Strangely, their meeting had been rescheduled from March 16th at SCPA to March 14th at Memorial Hall (where Kunzel's meeting was being held.) The reputed reason for this was for Kent Cashell to be at the ·GCAEC meeting, and then to meet with the SCPA folks afterward. (Kent Cashell is an administrator for the Cincinnati Public Schools, and is the person responsible for the Facilities Master Plart, which includes designating $26 million for Erich Kunzel's Kunzel, continued on page 3 �5 TREE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-Stat e's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month, 1 2 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar . don~tion. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibesvendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being gi\{en a Streetvibes vendor badge. 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Please send all material to th~ following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513)421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text.:. only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached files) web page: http://cinci.com/gcch Armed-Guards prevented Community advocates from attendiing GCAEC Boar(i-meeting �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Kunzel, tcontinued from page 1 "dream school" for SCPA.) If this is the case, it is sad to think Cashel! wouldn't have time to have a separate meeting with the SCPA folks, whose futures are at stake in this whole plan. But that probably is not the reason. It's hard to know who initiated the combining of Kunzel's Board meeting with the SCPA Decision Making Committee, but it probably involved Kunzel, Kent Cashel! and the SCPA principal. I think the motive was to galvanize support_for Kunzel's plan by impressing the rank and file· parents, students and teachers at SCPA with Kunzel's high profile board. It may also have been intended to alienate SCPA supporters from Drop Inn Ce.nter supporters, since the · SCPA supporters were allowed to participate in Kunzel's meetings whi le the Drop Inn Center · supporters were forced to demonstrate outside. It wouldn't be difficu lt for an SCPA supporter to misunderstand the situation of the Drop Inn Center and label them as "troublemakers". But despite Kunzel's attempt to drive a wedge between the Drop Inn and SCPA, the reality is that the SCPA people have also been left out of the process. · done on their behalf and they weren't even told about it or invited to participate. This kind of thing is the essence of Kunzel's elitist paternalism. It m~de. me feel even more strongly that Kunzel's motive is not so much to help SCPA, but to secure his own legacy. I challenge Kunzel to truly put the power into the hands of the people- members of the SCPA community can negotiate with the Drop Inn Center and other community stakeholders to determine a good locaticm for the Page 3 school. Maybe then all the options could be considered, including renovation of the existing building. Kunzel's handling of the project has · been so clumsy that it's time he abdicated his self serving role and leave the planning to those who can handle this important decision.: the school, the shelter, and the public . . To get involved with the struggle for the Survival of the Drop Inn Center, call 721-0643 during regular · business hours. SCPA is also Marginalized When I first went to SCPA to meet its supporters I thought it would be difficult to relate to them, since one group's interests had been pitted against the other group's. But I soon realized that they knew very little about what was going on, and had been left out of the planning and decision making for their own school. I was shocked when I had to tell the members of the SCPA group about Kunzel 's Board meeting on January 31st: The w}lole thing was being Bonnie Neumeier speaking to Over-the-Rhine Community members who have just been excluded from the GCAEC Board meeting. Community Advocate is Kicked off the Arts and Education Center {GCAEC) Board Bonnie Neumeier was the Over-the-Rhine community repres_ e ntative on the GCAEC Board. This is a statement she issued on March 14, 2000. I have been at these Board meetings with my body. My attendance has been perfect. I have been at these Board meetings with my mind, asking intelligent questions . I have been at these Board meetings with my voice, representing the voice of many, hoping whatever evolves is just and fai~ to the folk who call this· neighborhood home. I have been at these Board meetings with my spirit, for I feel passionate about our people, our land, our years of labor of love to build grassroots efforts, like the Drop Inn Center, that have kept people and our dream alive. ltis no surprise that I am not being re-nominated for the seat I hold. The reason given: "Other people on the Board think that I tend to be more divisive than building bridges; that I am abrasive, disruptive, and intimidating, thus causing other Board members to be quiet" Whoa, if I had that kind of power .... Deep down inside, I know we are a collaborative people, networking all the time to make the impossible possible here in Over-the Rhine. I/We need to stand proud about my/our participation. And know that the real reason for not recommending me for re­ coalescing .. ..You don't go into coalition nomination is an attempt to silence the because you just like it." The reason we voice of the people that this plan and are here with you is that we care about our process has not worked hard enough yet to community staying alive and we don't want understand, engage, res~ect or appreciate. to be drowned out by a dream plan that Getting rid of me will nofget rid of this can't recognize that we've been swimming collective voice. I admit it is not easy to sit · here for a long time ang we hope to stay here with our differences and the varying · afloat. Dr. Reagon also says: - "We've perspectives we bring to the table. I don't pretty much come to the end of a time relish these meetings either; it always feels when you.can have a space that is uncomfortable to me. So I can appreciate yours only--just for the people you that the Over-the-Rhine Community Voice want to be there. There is no hiding can make you feel uncomfortable and place. There is nowhere you can go frustrated. This situation reminds me of an and only be with people who are like article I read and often return to entitled you. It's over. Give it up." The tension "Coalition Politics" by Dr. Bernice Johnson that rises up at this table is a collective Reagon, Director of the Program in Black consciousness about a principle of fairn~ss · American Culture of Smithsonian that Over-the-Rhine people and programs Perf'.orming Arts. She writes this about deserve. That spirit cannot be snuffed out. coalition politics: "I feel as if I'm gonna keel over any minute and die. That is Respectfully, often what it feels like if you're really _ doing coalition work. Most of the time . Bonnie Neumeier----.. ._ --­ you feel threatened to the core and if Over-the-Rhine Resident you don't, you're not really doing no March 14, 2000 �STREET VI BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Kevin Scudder is Next to be Executed in Ohio? By Michael Manley, Ohioans to Stop Executions Note to Streetvibes readers: Kevin Scudder is the next Ohio death row inmate scheduled for execution. Like Wilford Berry, Scudder is a "volunteer" and has waived his rights to further review. Unless a stay of execution is issued in the next few weeks, his execution will be April 25. Although Kevin Scudder has said he wants to die an~ is scheduled for execution on April 25, 2000, there are serious questions conce~g his competency in 1990 to stand trial and his competency now to waive his rights to further review. IBtimately, there may be questions concerning his competency to be executed. Since no evidentiary hearings on these questions have been held, the execution would be unconstitutional until Kevin Scudder has been found competent regarding all of them. It is likely, but not certain, that a full competency hearing would require more time than the April 25 execution date allows; therefore, a stay of execution may be necessary. UPDATE ON KEVIN SCUDDER On January 7 , 2000, Kevin refused to sign a habeas petition and informed his attorney that he wanted to be executed. He wrote to the Ohio Supreme Court requesting that they allow the execution to pro~eed, and the Court set an execution date -April 25, 2000. On January 28 Scudder was moved, for undisclosed ' "security reasons ," from death row at the Mansfield Correctional Institution to the Corrections Medical Center in Columbus, where he remains at this time. On January 10, S. Adele Shank and Sharon L. Ovington, Scudder's attorneys,· entered a next friend petition in the United States District Court; with S. Adele Shank acting as next friend. The petition includes 24 separate claims for relief, beginning with the claim that the defendant "was incompetent to stand trial or go forward with any subsequent legal proceedings. No Get thee to a halfway house U.S. Court Upholds Law to ~ Evict Tenants for Drugs A U.S. federal appeals court has ruled that tenants in public housing can be evicted for a household member's drug use, even if they did not know about it. In a 2-1 decision on Monday, the 9th U.S . Ci rcuit Court of Appeals upheld a 1988 federal law that . allows local housing authorities to apply the Department of Housing and Urban Development's "one-strike" policy. http://news.findlaw.com/News/sl 20000215/courtca/ifornia.html court evaluated his competency in compliance with federal constitutional standards" (Habeas Petition, p. 1). The next friend petition itself raises the question of competency, which must be resolved , before Scudde r may be a llowed to wa ive his remedies. Whatever the courts should decide about Scudder's competency du ring past proceedings, they ultimately might need to address Scudder 's comp etency to be executed, since the execution of the insane has been .found unconstitutional as a violation of the Eighth Amendment. . Now that case has been brought before the District Court, Judge Marbley is proceeding with a competency hearing. The defense and the state are submitting names of mental health experts, and Judge Marbley will select three (one from each of the subm itted lists and one of his choosing). · These experts will examine Scudder and make their recommendation to the court. A full hearing would ensue, with opportunity for cross-examination, and Judge Marbley would issue his ruling based on that hearing. BACKGROUND ON KEVIN SCUDDER Kevin Scudder (37) was convicted in 1990 of murdering Tina Baisden, age I 4. ·The charge of aggravated m"urder included attempted rape and kidnapping specifications. On December 14, 1990, Kevin Scudder was sentenced to death. Even though Kevin Scudder has maintained his innocence of the crime, he told his attorney in December, 1998, that he was "tired of living on death ro_w" and that he wanted to waive his remedies and be "put down" by the state; a month later, he explained to his attorney that "the voices in his head told him not to appeal or he would die that night." That attorney had serious doubts about Scudder's competency, and he expressed them to the Ohio Supreme Court. However, Scudder changed his mind and . Page 4 sought further review of his c_a se. He continued with this determiDation for the last year. Then on January 7, 2000, he refused to sign the habeas petition. When considering. Kevin Scudder's requests to waive his remec:iies, it is crucial to understand that this defendant has a long history of physical and mental health problems, ahd a legal history that raises serious questions about his competency. Physically, he was born with a cleft palate and amblyopia, and he is currently an amputee in a wheelchair and catheterized. Mentally, he h_as received a broad range of diagnoses , including paranoid schizophren ia, organic brain, damage , s ociopathy, an d drug dependence. In,1980, he was charged with breaking a man's jaw, but he ·was fo und incompetent to stand trial and then was fqund not gu ilty by reason of insanity. He was committed to Lima State Hospital for the Criminally Insane and then was sent to the Central Ohio Psychiatric hospital and the Mansfield Correctional Institution. While at the Franklin County Correction Center, he is reported to have attempted to hang himself, and there are further indications of suicidal tendency in the record . The question of Kevin Scudder's ..competency was raised before the murder trial. There was an evaluation by the state· forensic center; on the basis of this report and the "demeanor of the defendant," the .cou rt decided Scudder was competent. However, no evidentiary hearing was ever held, no independent evaluation was ever done, no opportunity to challenge the state report ever was ·allowed . · Since the defendant 's "demeanor" deteriorated during the course of the trial, the court should have reopened the question of competency but failed to do so . . It should be a matter of grave concern, even to supporters of the death pen alty, that Ohio resumed the practice of executions by killi.ng a man suffering from a serious mental illness, and now, one year later, is scheduled to kill another man suffering from serious mental illness. We need to examine closely how the judicial process treats the mentally ill and how it selects them for ,death. For the full text of this article and for additional information, see the " Ohioans to Stop Executions" website at www.otse. org. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Dying for Justice ....... by Jess Ba/few . Did you know that the Supreme Court, in McCluskey v. Kemp (1976) ruled that a certain amount of racial bias is "inevitable" in death penalty cases? And if this bias exists, why continue a system of "justice" so final as the death penalty? This was the predominant theme of Bryan Stevenson's March 2 lecture at the University of Cincinnati School of Law. An Alabama attorney and Harvard graduate, Mr. Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama, an organization which seeks legal representation for death row cases in a state which has no public defender system following the initial trial. Mr. Stevenson recruits other attorneys to do pro-bona work for capital cases, and it is clear that he has his work cut out for him. He had to return to Alabama immediately following his lecture to attempt a stay of execution for a man scheduled to be put to death at midn.ight This man had spent three years on death row·--three "critical" years, according to Mr. Stevenson -with no legal representation. -_ Although Mr. Stevenson w,_as in Cincinnati to persuade attorneys to ~ volunteer for pro-bono capital cases, his lecture at U.C.maintained focus on the inevitability of racial bias in death penalty cases. Using the same statistical analysis that proved smokers are two-and-a-half times more likely to get lung cancer if they smoke regularly, it has been proven that a defendant is eleven times m_ore likely to get the death penalty if he or she is African American and the victim is white. Despite this blatant racial bias - and despite the Page 5 American Bar Association's recommended moratorium of the death penalty because of this bias - the Supreme Cou_rt continues to uphold the death penalty. So the question remains: why do we continue a process of retribution as final as the death penalty when bias has been absolutely proven? Our system of justice is not one­ hundred percent effective in determining guilt or innocence. Just recently in Illinois, 12 of 160 death row inmates were released after their innocence was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Mr. Stevenson gave an example of a man in Alabama convicted of murder and sentenced to life-imprisonment - even though he had over thirtywitnesses to prove he was at a barbecue at the time of the murder. So why continue a punishment that is one-hundred percent final? As Mr. Stevenson so eloquently emphasized, the death row prisoners are "literally dying for justice." Throw Momma from the Shelter wAsH1NGToN, o.c. The mayor's office takes a sudden interest in a chronic emergency at the federal City Shelter. (rep.rinted from the Washington City Paper) ...By Kevin Diaz It's a windy Monday morning outside least the past four years city agencies have Washington's biggest and most beleaguered been sending families there , according to CCNV homeless shelter, run by the Community for director Terri Bishop . She also contends that Creative Non-Violence (CCNV). Squads of so­ the Coalition of the Homeless and Housing Or­ cial workers and health inspectors are expected ganizations recently heard CCNV's plans for a at' 10a.m. The television news cameras start new family wing and that even the mayor's con­ gathering a few minutes before. For the 600 or stituent service staffers had sometimes referred so residents at the shelter it can only mean one hard-luck family cases there , Suddenly, on this thing : They and the rickety structure they call Monday morning in February, getting women home are about to become the backdrop for and children out of this land of leaky toilets and confrontation between municipal scandal and free-roaming vermin has become Public Prior­ damage control. . ity No. 1. A week ago, a lengthy feature in the Washington City Paper reported on the abys­ Pardon Bishop if she's become a little mal conditions inside the shelter, where reporter cynical over the mom issue. "This is all a kneeJason Cherkis lived for a week. The presence jerk reaction to the City Paper article," she says, offamilies with children , Cherkis noted, is a vio­ as the mothers continue filing into the brisk morning air. Bishop wonders aloud whether lation of CCNV's lease, which expires at the end D.C. officials are more concerned with avoid­ of the year. One the eve of publication , D.C. ing bad press tnan with actually helping her cli­ Deputy Mayor for Child and Family Services ­ Carolyn Graham suddenly vowed to take ac- · ents. Some of the clients apparently agree. tion . Though Graham promised to send in the By Monday morning , the mothers were told, bureaucratic SWAT teams the very next morn­ they and -~heir kids had to be out. Word is that ing, they wound up waiting a few more days. But today: after years of inattention , city social the city will find them alternative shelter at D.C. workers are descending on the place with clip­ Village, near the Blue Plains waste treatment facility in fa r Southwest. "Isn 't that where all boards in hand·. The mothers and the child ren are the shit goes?'' asks one of the mothers. -Oth­ among the fi rst to file out the doors of the ers complain that it's far from their jobs and their kids' schools. troubled shelter. There's Angela Barnes, with 6-year old Brittany and 9-year old Brenda; By the time the city workers get to Fedthere's Sharon Holloman , with 8-year-old Felicia era I City- they're 45 minutes ·1ate - most of the and 9-year-old Robin ; and then there's Michelle _ mothers a re already in the street, the place Ragland with her three kids , Ash_ley, i 2, Ashton, · ,having ~en er~ temporarily for a demon-10, and Candice, 8. Most of th.em are wearing sir.@{ion aga ifls.t ,~"f.~ ~ dictio ns . The maneuver red baseball caps emblazoned wrrh the ogos as yielzt€, d a tef~ i\iz: crOJWd.. Most wander saying, "Help the Homeless." . off, but . or~ lhan t001residents and staff gather · The famil!es serve as !"r0ps-in -a w:~i ·' f . · ~;~ ~. Q_ct 1d handicapped-access ramp, where a worlds and symbols with city un1ctdb .11110 µru­ microphone has been set up. About a dozen fess ~c- '-- B shocked that the Federal City Shel­ children play in the park across the street. ter - located two blocks from the mayor's of­ "We don't know what's going on," says fice at Judiciary Square - is actually occupied Barnes, with Brittany tugging at her coat. "So by families with children. Never mind that for at far, they've promised us nothing. The social .. workers just told us we can go to D,C'. Village, but I've heard there's a 90-day limit." Whatever else people want to say about the quality of life inside CCNV 's shelter, it's been home to Burnes since December 6. "They've accepted us," she says. "They didn't leave us out on the street. You've got to give them credit. " While Barnes recounts her tale, five District social workers exit purposefully from a white sedan and file into the troubled homeless shelter. They're there to talk to shelter residents, not to Bishop, and certainly not to reporters. "I'm out of the loop," Bishop says. "They're not com­ municating with me, so I don't know what their plan is." T:hen she adds sardonically: "I'm not sure they even know what the plan is. They've just been told to come down here. And when you work for a salary, you do what you 're told ." Some of the mothers have already in­ terviewed with social workers since the City Paper story.· Those mothers tell the others out in the street that if they don't lea'{e, their chil­ dren cou Id be taken away from 'them . That gets the fighting instinct flowing in more than one mother. "I don't know where I'm going to go," says Holloman. "But I know that if they try to take my kids, I'm going to have to open _up a fresh can of whup-ass. " By early afternoon, the social workers and health inspectors have fanned out through the building at 425 2nd Street. Television crews fol­ low through the corridors, snatching interviews with confused res idents where they can. No­ body from the city is publicly taking charge, so there's general confusion about what's sup­ posed to happen next. "By now, I WqS expect­ ing to see some vans or a bus pull up, " says· Barnes, w ho's heading outside for a smoke. While they're at it, the inspectors decide to pay a visitto the D.C. Central Kitchen opera- Washington Shelter, (continued on page 17) �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 PROTESTERS AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY RIOT IN MONTREAL AP Wire Service - Mar 15, 2000 MT. OLIVE PICKLE BOYCOTT UPDATE by Sonny Williams On March l 7rh at St. Monica-St. George Church in Clifton, more than 22 people braved thirty-degree weather to hear Father Joe Nelson, Director ofthe Hispanic Center for the Carthage neighborhood. Also speaking wa~ Mike Ferner, former Communications Director of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC Union) , Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Ferner said . that the Mt. Olive Pickle Boycott has caused the Kroger Grocery Chain M t. Olive products at .....·... J.'-"l~""' Toledo area. "(The Mt. company is the la~ the South.) iJJ~o toxic ~~:Z;!il!:= Co. call the shots in agribusiness today. They dictate contract terms withfarmers before the crop is ttven planted They tell farmers how much they will bepaid on delivery and workers.are hired based on thatprice,. When confronted, they claim they are not to blame, saying don't employ the pickers, the growers do. " ..... From the web page ofthe Toledo chapter of theAmerican Association ofUniversity Professors. For more information on the Mt. Olive Boycott, call lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center at 579-8547. Or write to Donna, Central American Task Force, 7 45 Derby Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45232. Or call Sonny Williams, Welfare Rights Coalition, 381-4242. "we MONTREAL (AP)-_ Hundreds of people protesting against alleged police brutality broke windows at a police station and damaged shops and cars in downtown Montreal on Wednesday. Riot squads broke up the demonstration and arrested about 100 people. The unrest erupted two days shy of the 45th anniversary of another Montreal riot, when hockey fans enraged by the suspen­ sion of Montreal C~madians star Maurice Richard went on a rampage. Targets of the estimated 400 protest­ ers, some wearing masks, on Wednesday night included McDonald's restaurants, a , bank, a police station, and vehicles parked along downtown streets. No injuries were reported. · · Bernard Vadier, 62, said he was drinking coffee at a McDonald's restaurant when the windows were smashed. "It sounded like a bomb," he said. "The windows.shattered but there was no glass flying. Everyone was snacked. We all left the restaurant. " The protest came a few hours after prosecutors said a hearing would be re­ quired to determine if charges would be filed against two Montreal policemen who allegedly took part in the beating of a home­ less man. The victim died weeks later. Michel Breton, a chief prosecutor, said serious charges against the policemen could result from the special hearing. But Yves Manseau, a spokesman for the protesters, said the special hearing was extremely unusual and showed that police­ men in Montreal were getting preferential treatment. HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK <http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn> 7,500+ ar­ ticles by or via homeless & ex-home­ less people Nothing About Us Without Us ­ Democratize Public Policy kkkkkkkkk*********kkkkkkkkkk****7<kkkkkkkkkkkk************** . HPN maillist - HPN@aspin.asu.edu http://aspin.asu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hpn Where is Giuliani's Compassion? Policies jeopardize homeless' right to shelter by Shelly Nortz Ne~ York Mayor Rudlph Giuliani's plan on homelessness is dangerous and contradictory. Instead of proposing permanent and effective solutions, Giuliani wants to evict homeless people form shelters and arrest many of the streetbound homeless. His plan will not create one new home or one new job for a homeless person. The glaring contradiction between the two new policies betrays giuliani's real motive. Clearly; this is about sounding tough in campa_ ign sound bites and not about compassion : Imagine how a homeless person ·who has fallen through every safety net might react when he awakes to find the police offering him a ride to a shelter, handcuffs at the ready. Giuliani's plan threatens the 10-year­ old legal right to shelter for homeless New Yorkers. In 1979, the Coalition for the Homeless brought a class action lawsuit on behalf of Robert Callaban and other homeless men sleeping on the streets of New York city. On Christmas eve, the New York State Supreme Court ordered the city and state to provide emergency shelter t ~ homeless men, and in 19f31, approved a consent decree establishing the right to shelter for all of the city's homeless men. The court was concerned that the homeless were suffering frostbite injuries and that some had frozen to death in recent winters. In later litigation, the shelter right was gra nted to homeless women and families, 1 too. The coalition has returned to court repeatedly to enforce the decree when there have been too few shelter bed~ to meet the need and when shelter conditions have become especially dangerous. -Just two years ago, the Giuliani administration w_as ordered to open immediately 200 new shelter beds for homeless people whom the city had failed to accommodat~ during the coldest winter months. A truly compassionate· approach would -bring the streetbound homeless, particularly those who are most troubled, into safe, small shelters with legitimate outreach. To be effective, outreach should be conducted not by police officers, but by trained professionals experienced in engaging the homeless mentally ill and helping them to move to supportive ·permanent housing. If Mayor Giuliani wants to claim that his homeless policies are compassionate , he should embrace effective solutions by increasing funding for outreach, working wit the state to build 10,000 units of supportive housing fo r the homeless mentally ill and most important, leave the right to shelter intact so that the homeless have a safe and warm place to go. Shelly Nortz is Deputy Director fcir Pnfirv fnr the Coalition for the Homeless, a non profit .organization that serves a court-appointed monitor for New York City's shelters. �sTREETVIBl·s . The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 Honduran advocate speaks in Cincinnati · ··~·by Sonny Williams In the Wake of the WTO - Seattle ..... from the Open World Conference in Oefense ' of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights, c/o S.F. Labor Council, 1188 Franklin St., #203, San Francisco, CA 94109 . ... ...From the opening speech of the c 'o nference by Nancy Wohlfarth, VicePresident of the California Labor Fed­ eration: First of all I'd like to tell you that there are delegates from 56 countries attending this conference . We are truly a global wo'rkers' conference, representing a workers' re­ sponse to the devastating policies that are being perpetuated by the worldwide multina­ tional corporations who tell us the fantastic advantages of this wonderful "free trade" market. · ...It is terribly exciting to me and I am sure to every delegate in this room that we~ meet two months following the last major, public demonstr9tion of the 20th c~ntury, when over 50,000 people came together in Seattle to oppose this global economy and the so-called free trade policies of the world's billionaires. It was a protest to oppose the policies that are destroying lives of worker~ and entire nations around the world - from the genocide of millions of people in Africa under the guise of "free trade" because we cannot give them drugs to fight the scourge of AIDS that is rav­ aging the nation, to the poisoning of the drink­ . ing water with arsenic in Bangladesh. When we met in the Western Hemi­ sphe-re Workers' Conference in November 1997, few U.S. trade unionists had even heard of the World Trade Organization .... ...... However, through the work of so many people; and I think we owe a greatdeal of credit to the organizers of that very first conference in 1997' our message has been heard. The WTO is now a household word. No longer are these trade deals taking place in dark, back rooms. They are now be­ ing exposed to the vast majority of working people in the -United States and in all coun­ tries across the globe for what they really are - deals that are making a few peopl~ billion­ aires while the rest of the people are driven into dire poverty...... ......from the keynote address on the "International Struggle Against Child . Labor" by Gemma Lopez Limon, re- . s.e archer on child labor at the Autono­ mous University of Baja California at Mexicali, Mexico. ..... . .... In their drive to lower the costs of labor and in the name of "maintaining their com~etitive advantage," multinatio~al corpo­ rations and governments in their servjce are fueling the development of child labor. You find boys and girls working in increasing numbers in the "free trade" zones and sweat­ shops, or maquilas, that are prolifer:ating across the globe. You find child labor not only in agricul­ ture; you fin'd it in big industries, such as the shoe industry in Brazil or the bottling industry The Cincinnati Central American persons in City Council wanting to support Task Force invited Elvia Alvarado of Phil Heimlich's attempts to make Honduras to speak in Cincinnati on her Cincinnati-Garbage Collection employees organizing experience_in Honduras. -She private workers.) said that the people of North America and She says it is a constant struggle to not the government are in solidarity with the · obtain Honduran workers and peasants' poor of Ho-nduras. She is the Chairperson rights, including human rights. The Korean of U.T.C., Union of Honduras, a workers Corporations, who have sweatshops in union in that country in Central America . Honduras, tape the mou~hs of the Latino · She said that in Honduras there is land women, so they can't talk to each other on reform, but the Honduran government does the job. The Honduran women don't have not'enforce the law. She said that because any power, and the men have caused the her ion was only a few people, the problems in Honduras. She said that her Honduran government would not listE~n. work with women is to get them to speak And the problem for 20 years is that the out and be more open with disagreements . land is in the hands of the rich. withthe Honduran government. "The Corporations who own the land have ~old women of Honduras have no civil rights or land to the trans..,national corporations from worker's rights. We always say that we the U.S. and South Korea. The U.S. want to create social change in Honduras. Military has taken over at least 50% of the ''We need North Americans to help land to train soldiers· to go to Colombia, us with educational projects, like tutors for and Panama, to defend U.S. interest in the workers and peas~nts in the rural . Latin America. When U.S. delegations mountains." ·come to Honduras, the Union asks them to For more information on the visit the rural areas in the mountains, but - workers struggle in Honduras, write to Su they never do: · Casa Hispanic Community Center, The Honduran government is talking Seymour & Fairpark Avenues, Cincinnati, about privatizing everYthing. (Like CouncilOhio, or call (51-3) 541-9158. _ uh in India, which subcontracts to Coca-Cola and other soft drink companies . Because it is largely illegal. work, it is hard to quantify the extent of child labor. The International Labor Organization (ILO) esti­ mates there are today approxim~tely 250 million children at work, with close to 1 million · child deaths each year due to accidents on the job. These statistics, according to our research, are low. The statistics that exist regarding deaths and accidents among child laborers are very inconsistent. Many ofus believe that the abolition of · . child labor should be the battle cry, the fight­ ing banner, of the international trade union movement and of all political parties and organizations that speak in the name of working people . Why do we say this? First, it is clear that when boys and girls are at work, they are taking the job of an adult who could and should be employed. This leaves the adults idle, without work. Hiring children also puts a decreasing pressure on the wages of the working adults. The bosses, knowing they have a huge reserve army of child labor, threaten to fire the adults if they don't accept lower wages. Children become _ competitors of the adults on the labor market. This creates a vicious cycle. The drop in_ wages forces the adults to send their children to work, and therefore tends to depre~s wages even further. Sending .children to work, moreover, does not solve poverty, but simply reproduces it. The jobs are largely unqualified , req~iring little or no skills. An unqualified labor force is expanded, as these working children, in their large majority, do not go to school. ....... �. r -r RliT ,. ··>lA=lh~Tri~StC:t~;~ '·"';:;~;,;;r;;;~-Graf;e;;~; . Send your poetry, writings or artwork to . Thundering In Strcctvib'cs, do GCCH; (Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the.Homeless), Lyrics by Paulette Meier 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 ·' Phone- 513;;.421­ You found chances in this place ·. To build upon your affluence . . and build upon your grace. You'd have come sooner if you'd known Now you're brushing up the velvet and · you're polishing the chrome · 7803, E-mail (text): to streetvibes@jnno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net By Anthony Ray Watkins, Jr. I am the light that people can't see I am the light destiny for own history I am the light that shines like a candle In the night in the rwilight, you know I'm right Sometimes I frown on the outside · . But if you look deeply you can still see a smile B~t how can I smile in a world full of so much hate and confusion, there's no illusion Just look at our children ,' :,• :;, ''' ' ':•.;.....=- We -Need Your Creati11ityl SON OF-THE LIGHT ·- . _- ··f!:g:~~.<~~. _CHORUS: You come thundering in You come thundering in You want and you've taken plenty And all the things that we grew You'd plunder them through After last verse go right to ·And you'll drink till o·u r cu,p is empty Blindly thundering. For years we've been a ·nuisance in your eyes. The poverty and homelessness, you cannot disguise. Youid like to rid us from your sight And send your checks for charity, with no disturbing your fine_nights. CHORUS You want to build a world .class place . · : To celebrate the arts with those who have the finest taste.· You'll spend millions foryour scheme. While crumbling scho9ls and program cuts destroy our.children's dreams. CHORUS We'll tell you we have artists, too. Creating hope and healing, weaving tapestries of truth. We want beauty in our community; . · You have 110 right to e~ploit our plight and destroy our sovereignty. · But it's ~ hard knock life, a hard knock fight To do what is right Many a time I wonder; like an earthquake beneath my feet, · why others sleep. Why can't tl~ey see what I see Why is ~verybody in a constant fuss Why can't we all get on that bus? Because everybody's in a rush But still the sun burns with a high glow of light · And still will remain God's first child, , the son of light All that Glitter Ain't Gold What Tender Mercies is all about by Marsha Ramsey . Tender mercies Step Up is a place . permanent housing; the homeless can go to.regain their selfWe have relationship groups which respect and to lift their self-esteem. The · can help you through every day existenvironment i"s drug and alcohol free.' · ence. If you follow the rules you will survive. · It's like living in a village with The staff helps you with your goals, people from all different ethnic back­ and they give you a place to stay if you grounds. Security helps to keep us safe. qualify. Tender Mercies has eight build­ The staff at Tender Mercies are here to ings ih and around the Over the Rhine help you figu re out who you are and area : Dana Hotel -5 W. 12th Street where you want to go in life. We even Rec. Center-.24 W. 12th Street, Pl~as· have a Psychiatrist who comes once a . ant House - 1440 Pleasant Street, New week. The help _is here; all you have to · Morning House-1209 Elm St., do is reach out and ask somebody. · Women 's Building - · 1214 Race St. , There also are many programs to get H~ven Hall - 25" W. 12th, Step Up/Step involved in if you want. All you need to Out - 29 W. 12th Street. You are al­ do is ask. This is what I believe Tender lowed to stay a maximum of two years; Mercies is all about. then you have the option of going into Just recently, nine guys standing in front _, of the Drop Inn Center were suddenly approached by a man that promised · them jobs at $8.00/hr, and a meal. They were taken to breakfast and given a few bucks to put in their pockets. The man then collected all their ID cards and Social Security Cards, saying he needed · to make copies for the job. He took offand never returned. Don' t be so quick to get something for nothing. Just because it might glitter at the time, it ain't ahyays gold. . ' ....... .Pat Mitchell �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 9 My ~lack bag made me cry A show-and-tell for adults that shows how bad homelessness really is and demonstrates the intimacy and horror of what nurses do. ..... Cathy Crowe Dear Streetvibes, And wonder how did you make it? How did you last? . At 23 I came to Cincinnati How did you hold your head up when the homeless, s~parated frorp my husband, burden ~as too ~uch to bear? and pregnant with 3 children by my And how did you bear the burden when you side. We stayed in a homeless shelter thought none was there? (I'll leave nameless) where my children How did you smile were treated less than good. We lived in the face of a tear? in the projects and Over the Rhine and ,And how did you triumph · bounced around from here to there until . in the face of fear? I decided to replant us in some solid How did you have enough faith ground. . ­ . to believe in a better day? I have struggled and fought and ·A nd how did you hav~ worked my way to a somewhat peaceful . enough strength to tackle and content life for -me-and my children. everything in your way? Seven years laterl am still here. I have Who helped you up after every fall? 5 kids now and although my-path has Who was always there been hard and ·my burdens heavy God if only you call? has beeri good to us. We are blessed How did you come through and on~ of God's gifts to me besides in your times of need? my children is the gift of word. Through the grace of God, Here is one of my best so get down o-n your knees. messages: Because just when you thought you could no longer stand, · TIMES OF NEED The Lord was quietly holding your hand. There comes a time in ones life when you reflect upon the pa~t. WRITTEN BY, You put on the brakes, TINA MASER no need to go fast. P.S. I never forgot where I came You look at the years that went by from because I want to spread the in a flash, A trusted friend recently implored me to bring my nursing black bag (actually it's a knapsack) to a very public event that we were planning to attend. He advised me, as o~ly he can do: "People will find your bag so in­ teresting they wjll learn a lot about what you . do when they see what's inside." So I grudg­ ingly lugged my 30-pound black outreach bag, which ha.d given me nine months of a rotator-cuff injury last year, on a five-hour trip . to Ottawa for its five minutes offame. tt was a very public show-and-tell. The last time I had opened my black bag so conspicuously was on the altar of a Unite? Church in Toronto. It was the minister's idea. She invited the children to the altar to sit with me, before they dashed off to Sunday school, at which point I would give the first sermon of my life to adults on the topic of homelessness. One by one, the children were invited to put their hands into the darkness of my black bag to pull out a surprise. To each sur­ prise, the minister asked each child: "Why do you thin_ k Nurse Cathy carrie_s socks in her bag? Why does she carry granola bars and milkshake drinks and vitamins?" The chil­ dren with sweet and innocent expressions of c~ncern, quickly responded with all the right answers. Sadly, I thought to myself, they knew the answers. This time, the show-and­ by flashlight, checked. intravenous drips, tell was meant for adults. The message: See catheters and other tubing. They made hot how bad homelessness is - I'm a nurse, milk in the middle of the night and then, later but I have to carry socks, mitts, a blanke!, at home, soothed a child with too-frequent vitamins, even food! · earaches. On cue, my hands nervously groped I'm thankful, in retrospect, that my hands inside my black bag to find the right con­ always felt needed. To help colleagues tents to demonstrate the intimacy and horror make 30 beds on a ward on a short.:.staffed of what I and other nurses do every day. In.a Saturday morning; to write a 1·e tter for an clinical fashion, I explained their purpose to elderly stroke victim to his long-lost sisters; the adults in the room: to shop for canned salmon and strawber­ "You see, we now see ~igns of star­ ries for the retired recluse that I was told to vation and malnutrition, so I· carry Ensure." discharge from ~y public-~ealth nursing ·"We don't have enough sleeping bags in caseload ("he was not achieving any goals," Toronto, so I carry these space blankets." said my supervisor). · More recently, they held on to a dying "The duct tape is for taping the soles back father's hands. on shoes, but also for taping cardboard to­ These are good uses for hands. .­ gether for a roof." My black bag is still at my f~iend's house. As I spoke, my heart raced. I wondered later Despite being so full, it feels so empty. - how had the contents of my bag and the My bandages no longer cover the wounds way I nurse changed so much? To my sur­ of my patients. My vitamins will not prevent prise, I began to cry. ' the white plague of tuberculosis from taking _It is said that your body holds memo­ another victim. ries, and my nurse hands clearly remem­ I cannot even help someone achieve one bered better days. My nurse hands once did peaceful night of safety and sleep. more useful things. They immunized the fat, Only roofs will do that. And I am not a car­ healthy thighs of infants, they carefully mea­ penter. , sured cardiac drugs to administer to young heart patients, they bathed both the elderly Cathy Crowe is a nurse and works on lady after her surgery and the 24-year-old Ital­ the streets of downtown Toronto. ian-Canadian woman after ~er death. My HPN maillist - HPN@aspin.asu.edu hands once mixed linseed poultices, rubbed http;//aspin.asu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hpn 20 backs a night before darkness fell and, ­ word of hope and find a way to help. A Treat fof Road-weary Feet AUSTIN, TEXAS House the Homeless Inc. will join forces with The Lauterstein-Conway . Massage School and Clinic on February 16th to bring foot massage to Austin's Homeless Community. We will soak, wash, and massage feet then provide new socks and new footwear all for $5.00. Not only does everyone deserve to be touched but they deserve to be . treated with respect and dignity. There is nothing quit so good for the "Sole" as when one puts on new sneakers. "Heart and Sole" will operate on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Wish us luck. ..... Richard HPN maillist ­ HPN@aspin.asu.edu http:/ . �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Snnday; March4, 2000 Dear Mr. Williams, How are you today? --Oood, I trust. I received a short note from you concerning your support for my upcoming parole hearing, and I wanted to at least drop you a Sincere 'Thank you!" for that and I also wish you the best in life and many, many healthy years to a::me. PAN OHIO Sonny Williams is a local representative for Prisoner's Advocacy Network Ohio, which serves as an advocacy organization for the rights ofprisoners. The following letters . were sent to him by prisoners from around.the state and are about their experiences with the courts and prison systems. . While I'm writing would you care to tell me what "PAN-Ohio" stands for and what it represents? As you know I'm being plastered , all over the news and in the papers because of . my upcoming hearing and to be honest it's just , ~ood old fashioned vindictiveness by people who don't know me or what all happened those many years ago . . My story remains the same. "I was · provoked into defending myself and in doing so a man lost his life." But no one wants to hear that because of who he was and what he was supposed to represent. So the story goes LONG LIVE. JOHN AFRICA THE On the Move! · COORDINATOR!! Sonny, got your letter, and as always good to hear form those active in the work of struggle. Long live John Africa! I'm doing good on this end, staying strong and revolutionary as ever. That is a must because the solution to all the problems we face as peoples of the world is in the activity of "total revolution"! -not the way it is twisted to "eonfuse" by this system, but how it is taught by John Africa to be the work people must do to stop supporting this system on all levels by working to rid themselves of all the system training & programming instilled in them. As people work to break free of the addictions to this systems (values, religions, schoolings, alcohol, fears, lies, fashions, drugs, materialism, etc.), the freer people will become and the weaker this system will get without their support. Long Live John Africa Forever! As you can see by this system's murderous lust for revenge, hate & oppression, the death row will continue to swell ion this country. The recent murder of death row prisoner "Beets" in Texas and the statements made by those who wanted to see her dead, ·shows that the Death Penalty is motivated by hate and revenge; and even more dangerous, as shown by · the actions of "Bush", that the D. P. is motivated by politics! That is the most dangerous of all the motivations, because it targets those this system wants to eliminate to try to stop the flow of.truth, such as Mumia Abu Jamal, and those of us · that they fail iri their attempts to murder on the street. This _v icious D.P. must be stopped and completely done away with! When people "volunteer" forthe D.P., it does make the battle harder. But the point can be made that suicide is sJ pposed to be "against" the law and there is no · difference between someone "committing suicide" and someone "volunteering" for the D.P. I heard a politician say on TV · yesterday, that there should be "no time limitation" on justice being done; well, . then, what seems to be the problem when we get to talking a_ b out how justice ain't never been given to th~ slaves & native peoples, how come them same politicians want to put limits on our demands for justice in those areas? How come every time we demand justice for our family they • murdered when they dropped that bomb ·on our children & family; in "1985", These same so call "defenders of justice" want to put limits on us! How come them cops are never faced with the D. P. for all the people they murder on a daily basis? These are the-things we must keep in these rotten politician's faces when · dealing with the issues of the racism, corruption and wrongness ofthe·o.P.! · Well, Sonny, I must close here for now, still much to·do.before I can call it a day. Feel free to write when you want and be sure to make contact with The Move Organization in Philly at MOVE, P.O. at Box 19709,Phila., PA 19143, (215) 387­ 9955, Fax: (215)476-7551, E-mail: movel lja@aol.com This is how any mail to me should be addres-sed from now on.... _ ' William Phillips Africa, #AM­ 4984 1000 Follies Road, Dallas, PA 18612 As always, Take care, stay strong by staying revolutionary in mind and action. On the move! Phil Africa Page 10 on; the truth doesn't matter- only that someqne pays, and in the process many more lives are affected and being destroyed, mainly my family's, and my two children . · It's a tragedy all away around, and just to keep the air clean between us, I am sorry that a man lost his life partly because of my actions. I have apologized to the victim's family the bestwaythat I can, and they've made it clear that it's not wanted oraccepted. So all I can do is go on, try to be positive, and grow, for whatever future that.I may be able to have once all of this is finally over and behind rre. Thanks for your ~ime in reading this and your support, and if you'd like to.keep some corresp6ndence from time to time that would be fine; and if you have any papers on what "PAN-Ohio" is all about, I'd like to read them. Take Care, C. W. Mcintosh Marion Correctional Institution. 3/17/00 Dear Sonny, How you doing, Bro? I had hoped I'd be back to Luc already so I could call you, ~ut they're low walking all these transfers, and it's taking forever. So ·1don't · know when I'll bet back.- They hav e-to operate on me again at OSU in Columbus due to cutting a vein when they went in last time, so that should be this week. Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I thought today was a Nationat Holiday so didn't expect any mail. It's always good having you though. I saw the Newsletter and it was pretty good. I was glad to see that they got it back out. I don't hearfrom Karen at all anyr;nore. I haven't pursued any religious · know, while I've studied groups, Bro-'you tt:le Bible (I am a Catholic), I'm just not too good at relating to religious folk. So how's my little honey Sara doing? Give her a Big ~iss for me, and my love to Lynn Marie. Stay Strong, John, Tiger Political Prisoner, �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 11 TJ-IE CRISIS IN OUR STREETS HAS NOW BECOME THE CRISIS IN OUR PRISONS By Michelle Kitchen, #39440 Northeast Pre-release Center Cleveland, Ohio has exposure ofraw sewage in the bathrooms In responding to Carol S. Manning's ~ditorial due -to inadequate plumbing. The "hotel" I'm entitled, "9hio prisons should not have the frills ~escribing is a dorm style building by the name ofa hotel," I would like the opportunity to ofHale (coined "Hell") at the Ohio address her questions: "If prison is so bad, why Reformatory for Women. do inmates keep going back? If they did not In continuing, Ms. Manning, the like being incarcerated, why did they keep ­ Department ofRehabilitation, and Co-rrections breaking the law?" Both ofthese are commonly or any other prisoner with doesn't supply asked questions in society today. In addition, I ~oap, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, would relish the chance to enlighten Ms. tampons, or douches. These are the "frills~' I -Manning concerning her many misconceptions purchase while I'm in prison and the amount of about prisoners and pris,o n conditions. state pay I earn doesn't nearly cover "frills" Fear ofcrime and increased feelings of because the product costs keep increasing, and vulnerability have hardened public attitudes and prisoners' state pay hasn't increased in twenty ­ led to tougher penalties for criminals, regardless­ years or more. of the sensibility of the policy. Most people The majority ofMs. Manning's editorial entering prison today serve shorter sentences for consists ofconjectured remarks surrounding one minor crimes such as shoplifting, possession of prisoner, Steve Garret. The crisis on our streets_ illegal drugs for personal use, or writing bad has now become the crisis in our prisons, and checks. The amount of time imposed for such the crisis I'm referring to I the lack ofeducation. crimes does little to effectthe elemental reason Mr. G~ret hasworked diligently to "educate" -for criminal behavior; therefore little prevents ­ not only prisoners, in order to help transform them from returning to their "old ways" or the them into productive members ofsociety. He same behavior after release. Recidivism results has also "educated" agencies and organizations from lack ofrehabilitation and education, not outside the institutions in order to shed light on from~ desire to return to prison for its "plush" the state-run bureaucracy ofinjustices that environment. siphon billions of tax dollars out of the The misconceptions stated in Ms. economy every year and resists every effort of Mannings' editorial are confirmation ofher reform. I'm sorry you don't know Mr. Garret . uneducated awareness ofprisoners and prison personally because, maybe, ifyou did he could conditions. She would like society to believe "educate" you in the areas ofstatistics, state that prisoners are given accommodations • expenditures, DRC "smoke screens," and civil C?mparative to "Low ctass hotels" and that the rights. Department ofRehabilitation and Corrections Don't you understand, Ms. Manning, supplies prisoners with all their "necessary'' that edu<:ation is the road to decent jobs and out amenities·. I don't know ofa "hotel" that, ofcrime? The only game I see being played here shelters 265 people in one room, has noise levels is not a game being played by Mr. Garrett, but typically ranging from 80 to 90 decibels, has ice instead a game being played by you and a vast forming on the l.nsides of the walls in the winter majority ofsociety: "the blind leading the months, has no working air ducts and_no blind!" The way I see it, unless the rules change, ventilation in the sweltering summer months, there are no winners. has roach and lice infested -mattresses and me A letter from Mumia to all the attendees ofa rally held in Philly on Jan. 77, 2000: LLJA! Ona Move! First, My thanks to all who made this trip on this cold day, to a cold Philadelphia, on behalf of Life. ­ On behalf of many others on Death Row, I also extend our Gratitude. We live in an age of Death. Politi­ cians shamelessly run on fear and Death today, not even bothering with Yesterday's promises of prosperity, better housing, better education or what not. They will promise you more jails, but not more justice. They will deliver more death penalties, but not truly competent counsel. ­ They will erect more penitentiaries, but inner city schools will crumble. They promise the poor more poverty, and only orphanages for the children of the poor. For those.promises made yesterday ­ still haven't been fulfilled today- So why do we expect them to be fulfilled tomorrow! Why hope for that which is hopeless? Why settle for politicians we don't want! Why settle for a system we don't want! Why settle for it! Why not resist a system that gives nothing but pain, poverty, prison and death to the poor? Why not fight to build the Alternative? ·Why not join us as we fight for Life, for true justice, for overcoming the Amerikkkan way of Repression? I invite you! lthankyou! ' Ona Move! LWA! Mumia Abu-Jamal pillows, has little or no hot water for bathing, or - John Perotti recently had surgery at CMC in Columbus, Ohio. Get well, John!! In Solidarily, Sonny Williams, Cincinnati The American ~cademy of Paralegals is a paralegal school offering its m~mbers both ·law courses and certification examinations, the American Academy of _ Paralegals also provides quality legal assistance to incarcerated pri~oners across the country at costs that are affordable. Tuition, fees, and membership dues are reasonable. Additional information may be acquired by writing the Academy's headquarters at: P.O. Box 2051, Houston, Texas, 77225-0510. . c/-·-· Fully Pardoned Jail ministry, P.O. Box 372, c.c - .........­ ••-.251 S. Mulberry, Troy,Ohio 45373, (937) 440-8828 We offer housing, food, clothing assistance, books and Bible studi~s to prisoners and ex-prisoners. Let's help each other to eliminate misery! ...... James Pryor �5 TREE TV I BE 5 PAN-OHIO Prisoners Advocacy Network Meets Next at Old Presbyterian Cl1urch, corner of Bryden & OhioAvenues, Columbus, Ohio, on April 30, 2000 For further information, contact (513)241-8014 SllliEll/lllfS Prisoners News contains the writings ofpersons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someon_e on the inside by sending us $12 for a year's subscription Sendyoutcomments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 7506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 70 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 INNOCENT ON DEATH ROW A "Shameful record'~ his victims are rotting in prison. · That's how Illinois Governor George Ryan described his state's death penalty system as he ordered a moratorium on executions January 31. Illinois has released 13 innocent men from death row in 13 y:ears. But there are more ·innocent men behind bars. Stanley Howard is one. _ His 1984 "confession" to the murder of an off-duty police officer followed hours of beating and torture by Chicago cops. ' ~ Stanley was handcuffed _ to a wall in the police station, Officer Ja~es Lotito wrapped a plastic bag around his head and began suffocating him - until Stanley agreed to sign anything that was put in front of him. Chicago police later admitted that Stanley was tortured - but he remains on death row. And there's Ronald Kitchen. His ."confession" in 1988 came after he was beaten repeatedly in the groin with a blackjack, a telephone book and a telephone receiver. Stanley and Ronald are two of the Death ~ow Ten - Illinois prisoners sentenced to die based on confessions made during torture supervised by former ·Police Commander Jon Burge. So ma.uy torture charges piled up against Burge that the Chicago Police Department dumped him in 199 3. But while Burge gets a full pension to finance his comfortable retirement in Florida, SICK REALITY The stories of the Death Row Ten show the sick reality of the death penalty. But years of pressure by death penalty a"pponents have exposed the horror of t~is unjust system - from wrongful convictions in Illinois to the execution ofjuvenile offenders in . Texas to gruesome electric chair killings in Florida and Alabama. Now Ryan, a pro-death penalty Republican, has been forced to stop executions. And just days after the Illinois moratorium, President Clinton - who also supports the death penalty- was pressured into considering a similar move for federal prisoners. The national debate around the death penalty has been transformed. As Ryan said in calling a moratorium, the death penalty in Illinois is "fraught with error and has come so dose to the ultimate nightmare. " But the system is just as "fraught with error" in the other 37 states with the death penalty. And the "ultimate nightmare" - the execution of an innocent person - has already happened in Illinois and across the U.S. That's why the Death Row Ten and the more than 3,500 other people living under death sentences should have the threat of execution lifted- n~w! We need to step up the fight to force President Clinton and the other politicians to stop all executions - now! + + + PINE RIDGE RESERVATION STRUGGLES CONTINUE ...ftom the Northern Kentucky AIMsu.pportgroup.... ~p Justice was established afterthe bodies ofWtlson Black ElkJr. And Ron3ld Hard Heartwere found brutally beaten and murdered. Accusations were leveled at the Sheraton County Sheriff's Office in Nebraska American Indian Movement (AI.M.) leaders arrived to organize and lead a protest. The . protesters have been there since. White Clay beer sales exceeding4 million cans a year have received the brunt of the blame for the recent deaths and other general violence and alcohol problems. The Pine Ridge Reservation, just a little North of the Village, is dry. A few members ofAl.M. ofOhio and Northern Kentucky support group and Miami Council orNativeAmericans traveled there in February. They brought supplies, food and clothes. There they found the protesters spirits still high after 9 months. While in Pine Ri~ theymetwith Grass roots "Oyate" Lakota People at Ogalala Sioux Tribal Headquarters. Theywere planning strategies for the future. One ofthe key demands was met, to seize and remove records. They also demanded the removal ofWesley ChuckJacobsO.S.T. Treasury. TheFBiand Bureau ofIndian Affairs supenntendent removed records on January 18th. The crowd ofNativeAmericans applauded as they carried themoutandmembersofCrazy HorseDnun leadthe people in theAI.M. Song. �....~~~~,fto:oi •• ,... ,. • • ·--~ -........ ~~:;:w .. ,-;:F-7:',;~.~.... ~'(f' - .... , S'l°UftVIBES . . ,_ 1ci";«;.;" .-.. "'."""" ,.~ "~---;,~"\:"-~~- N:~1 """•'.:=-:'t~t."'~~~•i:i:~~~:.» .... • ... .:-."*.-~, .....~ .... ·~,... - .... ~ .. -c-:.~~,~ .. ,.,,...,..... • ... • - • -- ~ The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine """'~ - -.. . ..,..,,. ~ . • ~~ ;~ Page 13 ~ ... . ~. , -~~. .. ,.,..,."'s'J. .. L'l ,.,, ~ ~ ,.. ~" - •~\FJ -J-~-;,.•."' ... .., • ~ Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Bills Introduced in OHIO Legislature Courtesy of Stonewall Cincinnati - _ A group representing Equality Begins at Home, a statewide simple, we need this language in plaee right now to protect families lesbian~ gay, bisexual, and transgenderlobbying group, held a January 12 ._from the non-tradltional vahles others may try to bring- into our state. press conference at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus in opposition to a This bill does nothing more than reaffirm that marriage between a bill that would deny the recognition of same-sex marriage in Ohio. inan and a woman is the cornerstone of the most basic unirin our Stonewall Cincinnati Exeeutive Director Doreen Cudnik was among the society, the family." glbt-rights activists who spoke at the conference. She wasjoinedby Eric Sponsors ofboth bills insist that their legislation's sole purpose is Resnick of Stonewall Akron, Sarah Fox ofthe transgender advocacy _to protect "traditional marriage," butas Resnick pointed out,-the group It's Time, Ohio!, and attorney Susan Gellman ofthe ACLU definition ofa "traditional marriage''.has changed dramatically over the Columbus chapter. generations. "In my grandparents' time, it was 'traditional' for marriages The focal point.of the January 12 conference was State Sen. Jay ·to be arranged. Until 1966, states had marriage statutes that made wives Hottinger's (R-Newark) reintroduction of a statewide "Defense of · the property of their husbands. In 1972,_there were states that forbade Marriage Act." A member of the Ohio House, State Rep. Jim Jordan (R- · · marriages between people of different race·s. ·It's our job GLBT Urbana) introduced a H:ouse version of the bill at the same timeHottinger's people to tell the truth about "traditional marriage." bill was introduced in the Senate. (Jordan is·also one ofthe lawmakers The House version of the bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Jordan, who voted to freeze federal funds for HrvIAIDS training unless the Ohio Aslanides, Brading, Buchy, Buehrer, Calvert, Carey, Clancy, Depiero, Department ofEducation agreed to an "abstinence-only" sex education Harris, Hood, Hoops, Jacobson, Netzley, Roman? Taylor, Terwilleger, program.) Tiberi, Willamowski, and Young. Depiero is the only Democrat co­ An identical measure, introduced by Hottinger in ~997 in response sponsoring the bill. The Senate version has also been-filed, ~d its to a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling, died in committee. Hottinger' s new bill · sponsors, all Republicans, are Sens. Carnes, Oelslager, Latta, Mumper, would reassert that the only marriages legally recognized in Ohio are those Wachtmann, White, and Watts. between a man and a woman. "If there is a silver lining in any of this," said Cudnik, "it is that "Ohio law is very cleat on the issue," Cudnik said. ''The Ohio bills like Mr. Hottinger' s pop up in response to our hard-won victories Revised Code already specifies that 'only a man age 18 or over and a around the country. The national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender woman age 16 or over, b_oth who are unmarried, may ~e joined in movement is changing things one heart and one mind at a time. Mr. marriage.' Furthermore,-Ohio courts have ruled on this issue and have -Hottinger and those like him wantto turn the clock back on civil rights limited the right to marry in Ohio to male-female couples. Yet, Rep. advances for gay lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. But we will · Hottinger wants to ~ngage the Ohio General Assembly in a hateful, not let that happen, not here in Ohio. We will continue to build coalitions, divisive, and unnecessary argument, an effort to please his right wirig we will continue to fight, and we will eventually win in our struggle for supporters. This bill is nothing more than an attempt to bash gay and basic equality and dignity." lesbian couples who wish to share the same rights and responsibiµties of Cudnik, Fox, and Resnick are members of the·E baH steering civil marriage.'' committee, which will hold a "lobby' day" at the Statehouse on April 12. · Gellman, representing the LGBT community, discussed the Equality Begins at Home Ohio is part of a national network of state unconstitutionality of carving out a gay exception to the "full faith and lobbying groups, coordinated and funded by the National Gay and credit" clause ofthe tJ.S. Constitution. The clause requires states to • Lesbian Task Force and the Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and recognize the "public acts, records, ~d judicial proceedings ofevery other Transgender Statewiqe Political Organizations. The April 12 EbaH lobby state." . effort is a follow up to a successfuf event held fast year in Columbus. . Sponsors of the bill claim that there is ~need for the bill, in light of .This year's lobbying efforts will be equally divided between . a recent ruling in Vermont in which the Supreme Court ofthat state said Hottinger and Jordan's anti-marriage bill and a bill to include gays and that same-sex couples are entitledto the same rights and benefits as lesbiansin Ohio's hate crime law. ·opposite-sex couples. The Vermont State legislature has until mid-April to _ The existing ''ethnic intimidation," passed in 1987, increases figure out a way to do this. · · penalties for five misdemeanors ifthey are committed because of the "When we debated this bill last session, many of my colleagues victim's race, color, religion, or national origin. said the time wasn'.t right for this bill because no real threat existed," The hate crime bill, H.B. 277, sponsored by Rep. Joyce Beatty Hottinger said. "With the recent ruling in Vermont and the rising number of (D) ofColumbus, would add sexual orientation, gender, disability, and domestic partner benefits cases in our own state, there is no better time · ancestry. It would expand the law to include felonies, and would . than now to address this issue." ·· classify hate crimes committed by organizatfons as domestic Jordan, the bill's co'...sponsor in the House, said, "Plain and terrorism. as in Ca l·en d a rs For Sa-l e PHOTOS · sy JIMMY _ffEAi A VISUAL TESTIMONY OF THE STRUG ~LE IN OVER-THE-RHINE, CINCINNATI'S INNER CITY Togetyourveryown, send $8 to GCCH ($5 for GCCH members), 1506 Elm St. Cincinnati 45.21 orcomedown and pick one up �ST RE EJV I BES . ·.· ·.·. ·.·.·.· ·.· · :;~ : The Tri-State's •. . Hqmeless Grapevine , '11.- · ~~"'~ <-~< Page ,. 14 ··.·· .. . .. ' i-!!~~ •11111•••••1 •lfltlllal : ·l Letters Police Brutality Witnessed in Over-the-Rhine Mentally ill man the victim of attack ..... by R. w. Last night, near the corner of Green and Race, a mentally disabled man was walking down the street counting his money, when two cops on horseback accosted him. ­ He was not doing anything, yet, rea.cting to the threat of arrest, he became agitated. In response, the two cops on horseback pulled out their billy clubs and began to beat him, punch him, spray him with mace, and kick him in the face. He was even kicked in the ribs by one of the horses. The 40 to 60 bystanders who witnessed this brutality were practically at the point oftaking up arms against the police, whose numbers then had grown to eight. When bystanders a·pproached the police to protest this treatment of a mentally disabled man, they were threatened with arrest thems~lves if they did not keep quiet. R. W. , a neighborhood resident, said that he is fa irly well acquainted with the man, and that he has never witnessed him being disruptiv~ or violent. The man attends the same church as R.W. - Nast Trinity at 1310 Race Street. God and &1. Francis . Conversing ••• "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world isgoing on down there in the USA? What happened to the · dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? had a perfect.no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms, atfracted butterflies, honeybees,· and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles:" "It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great extent to kill them and replace them with grass." "Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's _ temperamental with temperatures. . Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?" "Apparently so, Lord. They ·go to great pains tQ grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn." . "The spring rains and cpol weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites ·happy." "Apparently· not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -sometimes twice a week." "They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?" '.'Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it Politicians, Keep • your promises DEAR CITY FATHERS: It has come to our attention that there is money to be spread around, yet it just doesn't seem to be making it's way to the things that we , the people, elected you to direct them to. I mean, look at the youth programs; do you actually think that our youth want to sit around and learn how to build · cabins out of popsicle sticks? The only way lhat will work is if the popsicle is still on them: Don't get me wrong, our youth are definitely more cognizant than that, but what you're offering, is no better. Ladies and Gentlemen , the time for "Backdoor Politics" has gone. To keep trying _to use them is a quick way to bring the people in the front door with more than just a suggestion. Oops, I'm sorry - I still haven 't said what -money I'm talking about. The money that is being referred to. is the money that you so gra,ciously turned over to the "Kunzel Project." You know, the project that is supposed to make the Over-the-Rhine area so much more appealing to-the public. Yes, you have once again done something for the people without so much as letting them know about it, or even asking them how they felt. I normally , leave politic~ to the politicians, but for some reason it just isn't working. So last year, I !istened to all the promises that were made by all those running for office. I even talked up and put it in·_ bags." . "They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?" "No, sir. Just the opposite. They .pay ' to throw it ·away." "Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?" "Yes, sir." "These Suburbanites must be relieved · in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and savesthem a lot of work." . . "You aren't going to believe this Lord . When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they cancontinue to mow it and pay to get rid of it." "What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade· in the summer. In the autumn theyfall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in thesoil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leavesform compost to. enhance the s,0il. It's a natural circle of life." to a few and ran some ideas by them. This is what I got from five of the nine that were _ elected. 1. I feel that's a good idea, but now the ball's in your court; just bring it back to me on a later date. I'll always remember who you are, and we can get right to work on it. .(This one must have thought I was really drunk; he was handshaking in a local bar.) 2. It seems to me that the people are truly left out of a lot of the true issues. Truthfully, I've never understo·od it. (Never answered the question and wouldn't know the truth if it bit him/her.) 3. Have you ever thought of going into politics? You seem to really care about people. Give me a call so we ·can discuss your suggestions further and run _ them up the flagpole. (Flattery only works if it helps me win the lotto. And next.time give me a card so I can at least make that call to you!). 4. I think me and my constituents can really work something like what you're suggesting into what we already have in mind. (Is he/she talking about the same three already mentioned? Oh boy, are we in trouble.) 5. You see it's people like you that just don't give people like me a chance to do what really needs to be _ d one before you , complain . Give the system a chance fo r once. (Who does she/he want to hold their breath? Me, my children, my gra~dchildren, etc.?. So now you see why this letter was so important:.... not that I'm fini_s hed; I just have to take a break from the constant reminder that Cincinnati is living up to its name "The Blue Chip City." The only question is whether the cow was blue as well? Maybe we should have kept the name "The Queen . City"? At least royalty can blame its mistake · on Parliament. Come on Cincinnati; let's get it back together for the children's sake, if for no one else. If you want to destroy your future, then make sure it's yours and yours alone. .... Kevin L. Deal, Homeless Vet "You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and havethem hauled aw_ ay." "No! What d,o they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winterand keep the soil moist and loose?" . "After throwing away your leaves, they. go out and buy something they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in p!ace of the leaves." "And where do they get this mulch?" "They cut down trees and grind them up." · Enough! I don't want to think. about this anymore. Saint' Catherine, you 're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?" "Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about. .. " "Never mind I think I just heard the whole story." T.his was in th~ Spring 2000 Issue of Earth Connections Newsletter. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 15 CONFERENCE Ending Women's Poverty in ....... By Lynn Williams On March 6 and 7, the NOW Legal Defense Fund and the Georg~town University Law Center held a conference on ending women's poverty in America, "To Promote the General Welfare: Ending Women's Poverty" . The four cornerstones of ending women's poverty advocated at the conference were ending violence against women, especially domestic violence; reproductive rights; child care; and jobs, education, & training. The conference got off to a great start with inspiring keynote speakers who revved up the audience. One keynote speaker was Diane Dujon, a former welfare recipient in Massachusetts, spoke of the reality of what it is like to be on welfare and try to make ends meet. She also deplored the fact that welfare reform is not about reform but about getting rid of welfare altogether. She spoke on the need for income security for all women and children in this country. She spoke on the effects of the time limit in Massachusetts; the numbers offamilies staying at shelters and going to food pantries. At the church food pantry where she volunteers in Massachusetts, she reported that families are coming to them for food and they are now having to tum them away. "That is such a hard thing to do when you see hungry children right in front of you and there is nothing left to feed them," she said. She continued, "If welfare reform is not affecting you directly, it's on its way. ,This is affecting whole communities. I'm going across the country and I'm seeing the same thing happening as in Massachusetts when we reached limit (for receiving cash assistance). the Front headlines ofnewspapers everywhere say such things as, 'The governors say how great that time THOUGHTS ON ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING TRAGEDY ... by Pat Mitchell ·we all heard about the tragedy of the 6-year-old girl that was killed at school in Michigan. As the story goes, this kid was at school and had had words with a little boy at school and the next day, he came back and shot her! Now, after all the trauma, the country is asking who's to blame for this little girl's death -the 6-year-old boy? The parents? Who? ' Well, it tu rn s out that the parents and the owner of the gun were charg ed with the crime. And I certainly agree that the · parents and the gun owners are responsible . We must set val ues and morals for our ki ds, protect them from r welfare reform is ... how successful it is.' But later on in the back pages of those same newspapers you read, 'All the shelters are full. Record numbers of families are coming to food pantries.' Somehow C~ngress is not associating the numbers of homeless with those without food and welfare reform." Ms. Dujon stated, "I am absolutely outraged at the welfare reform law and what it has to do with welfare. Where did this idea come from that women taking care of children are not working? Have you ever seen your mother sit down and do nothing? Taking care of children and living below 50% of the federal poverty level is extremely hard work! Women do work by raising children. Just because it isn't paid work doesn't mean it's not work!" For this she got loud applause. She went on to add, "How come it's not seen as work unless you are watching someone else's child? Maybe it's because if you love the people, it's not considered work? If you don't love the people, then you get paid, but for a very tiny paycheck." "Our country's politicians give so much lip service to the importance ofchildren, but actually their policies mean that children come last." "What is so bad about being dependent? I used to be dependent on welfare, now I'm dependent on a paycheck. We are all dependent on each other some of the time, we are all interdependent. We have a social responsibility for other people. None of us Iives isolated from . other people. What is so bad about that?" "A motherwhose children are going hungry or has no income for rent is doing the right thing to go and apply for welfare. There whatever. As parents we must do even more. Kids are important; they are our future. I think every young mother should be required to take a parenting class. Wake up! Kids killing kids? We must take responsibility and take charge of our kids! Cincinnati Enquirer, Sunday Mar. 5: "In Mount Morris Township , in eastern Michigan , a first-grade boy shot his classmate, a 6-year-old girl. The children apparently had fought on the playground the day before. The girl, Kayla Rolland, had yelled ' at the boy for spitting on his desk. The boy brought to school a gun from a relative 's home. The boy, whom authorities won 't identify, shot and killed Kayla.·Then he put the gun in his desk and went to the principals office" should not be shame in doing the rig}J.t thing to make sure your children are provided for. She should not have to be ashamed for doing this . She is taking care of her children. We must not let the government tell us that we are doing the wrong thing by going to get help for our children." Kathy Rodgers, President of the NOW Legal Defense Fund, stated, "Thirty percent to fifty percent offamilies dropped from welfare do not have earnings at all. Those with jobs are by and large still living in poverty." She continued, '~Recently President Clinton bragged that welfare reform is a complete success in his State of the Union Address. This is hypocrisy which we will not tolerate at the beginning of the year 2000. · Contrary to \Yhat press headlines are reading, welfare reform is not working. Consider that: 1 in 7 Americans live today in poverty. (This includes people working full­ time year-round.) 1 in 5 children live in poverty .i n America. 1 in 3 African-American children live in poverty. Even these statistics don't tell the whole story, that the poverty level is far too lowand outdated.'' Dorothy Roberts, professor at the Northwestern University School of Law, spoke on reproductive rights for poor women. Unexpectedly and with a unique tum ofthought, she emph4sized the reproductive right ofpoor women to bear children. She stated that the laws are limiting this right, specifically the Family Cap, wherein additional children are denied benefits; and with the aggressive use ~fNorplant pushed on poor women. Professor Roberts cited a long list of statistics from America's history on the numbers of women, poor and especially poor and black, who were forced to be sterilized in America. She went on to add that in recent years, many poor women are in effect sterilized because doctors will not remove Norplant implants. There are accounts of women who have actually tried to cut the Norplant implant out oftheir arms. · Professor Roberts emphasized that poor women must have the right to bear children. In response, another panelist commented that half ofAmerica's famous people would never have been born if poor women had not had that right. Although women at the conference were not in agreement on all issues, such as t~e extent of reproductive rights and the value of stay-at­ home mothering over employment, participants were in agreement that Congress must get serious about ending the high rates of women's and children's poverty in America. • • • �5 TREE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 16 ·STREET MUSIC IN CINCINNATI of the book is to make an environment more suitable for human beings, instead of an environment where people are eating like lions, tigers, and bears. We are attempting to take the negative and turn it to positive by changi~g our ·physiology, by practicing the Mucusless Diet Healin-g System, which gives -our music a healing effect. Dishon Woody My Name is Dishon Woody. I am the percussionist for the Healing System Band, Lead by Victor Buttrom (Sax), with Jack Walker (sax), Matt Anderson (Bass), and Tom Billman (Keyboard). Victor introduced me to. playing in the streets many years ago. It's been fun, but even after years of fighting for the right to play, we still receive complaints and harassment from Police. _A City ordinance states that we are allowed freedom of speech for 90 minutes, regardless of whoever complains; but City Hall doesn't back us in our right to play by sending a message to the Police to honor our 90 minutes of free speech. Victor and I have been banned from playing at Findlay Market for some years; the reason - a decision made in a secret meeting held by city council - Go play in your own nei_g hborhood. The name of our Band was taken from a book called the Mucusless Diet Healing System, by P_rofessor Arnold Ehr~t. The goal Many people have supported my work as a street musician, and I would like to thank them: Allen Brown, Douglass Mansfield, Arzell Nelson, Ken Blackweel,_ Steve Stuhlborg, Scott Greewood, Judge Mallory, Mr. Sunderman, Dave Wecker, Melvin Greir, Laura Randall, Tanya O'roarke, Channel 5,9,12,19, and a special thanks to Cincinnati City Council, CMHHA, the Cincinnati Police Department, Congress and Capitalism for providing a crime and drug free environment where everyone's basic needs are provided such as food, shelter, healthcare, education and freedom of speech. And last but not least, the beautiful people of Cincinnati, Ohio who support street musician,S.­ ____.---­ Peace ·and Love, Dishon WOody �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Tales from across the river to have some kind of roof, so I started scrounging for something, anything, to keep the rain off me. I found a piece of plywood by Mark Pierce, Northern Kentucky . and some plastic for cover. It has been my home for the past 6 years. Matthew 11 :28-30 -- " Come to me, all you I had unknowlinglyenterecl God's Kingdom ~ho are weary and burdened, and I will give thatJesus was talking about in the scriptures above. you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn From that dayon angels have aided me on a daily from m e, for I am gentle and humble in heart, basis to provide food and clothing for me in ~ytime and you w ill find rest for your souls. For my oftrouble. You might not know them, but I do; ~ey yoke is easy and my burden is light. " are the people who man the soup kitchen lines and When I first ended up homeless in streets I the ones at shelters who give out clothes to people thought that I was among the lowest forms oflife ever like me. They have saved my life and many others on to exist. I was unemployable, had no self-esteem and · our journeys oflife. absolutely no hope. I felt abandoned by all I knew. I · "I was hungiyand you gave Me something to would go to churches and I prayed to die a lot, and I eat; in as much as you have done it (or one of the am grateful My God ignored those prayers. I had least ofthese, M y Brethren, you have done it for . suffered through some depression some time before M e!'"' - Mathew25:35-40 anditwasheavyonme, and I was bone tired. My · So ifyou are homeless forthe first time and physical condition has not changed much bymy ·are making your wayto the Lord's Table, remember attitude towards where God.had led me has. those who are serving the food donated to you! For it 'When mytime allowed to stay at the Drop-In is truly a gift from your Heavenly Father who helps Center ran out, I was really without a home. I twas you and I survive today! the beginning ofApril, but cold. I went down to the Not that I am a saint nor claim to be; but river bankand found a blanket. It was dirty, but; it was what kept me warm that night. I knewthat I had Rest for Your Soul , Page 17 Sunday's at 8:30 A.M.: Coffee and Snacks are served at Goebel Park in Covingto·n for all Northern Kentucky Homeless individuals. ther~ was a Saint named Francis who had a very humble lifestyle. The next time you are eating in St. Francis's Soup Kitchen on Liberty Street and you see one of those Franciscan Brothers in brown robes who run that school and kitchen, remember that they have dedicated their lives to the lifes~e ofSt. Francis. Here is a quote from an article'about him: · "He gave up eveiy material thing he had, pilin:g even his clothes .before his earthly father (who was demanding restitution for Francis' "gifts" to the _poor) so that he would be totally free to say; "Our Father in H eaven." He was, for a time, considered to be religious "nut," begging from door to door when he could not get moneyfor his work, bringing sadness or disgust to the hearts ofhis former friends, ridicule from the unthinking." · I am a furn believer that if the LOrd called you into the street He will not forget you! WASHINGTON SHELTER, (Continued from p.5) · tion, i.n the basement. "I've never seen this many inspectors at once," says volunteer coordinator Gary Adler. But Adler, for orie, doesn 't mi nd th e scrutiny. "A lot of advocates are sorry to see what's happen­ ing here in the interim, but they're not sorry to see some investigators [at CCNV] an d get some mom en­ tum going for something to change. " Out on the street, meanwhile, people are car­ rying their placards , warning against getting "Eggercized," _a reference to Central Kitchen Direc­ tor Robert Egger's reservations about CCNV, quoted in the City Paper story. Bishop says CCNV is solv­ ing the only problem that matters in the short run. "Whoever is out there homeless and needs to come in. we let them ir)," she says. "The lease is not going to keep them out." There are 17 mothers at the shelter Monday, . with 30 children among them, according to Bishop. Regardless of the conditions of CCNV's occupancy, she has· no plans to tell them to leave, she says. That's up to the city. But by 3p.m., residents see a bus pull up behind the building, and the moms and their kids climb in. After nearly a week of posturing by CCNV and the city, the women are being relocated to D.C. Village. , After four hours, the mayor's office releases a statement from Graham that terms the forced move part of a "much larger process that will loo_k at dilapi­ dated buildings all across the city whereby more situ­ ations like CCNV may be uncovered and will be qu ickly addressed ." The statement goes on to say · th at the move was necessary becau se th e shelter is su pposed to serve only single men and wom en. Among those on th e move is 2-month-old Wendell Taylor, whose mother, Storm Taylor, gave birth to him two days before she moved into the shel­ ter. "I came -here for the sake of my child," she says. "It's the first time I've been anywhere near a shelter. Now it feels like home ." "This protest is a.g ainst hypocrisy, apathy, in­ difference," declares Bishop in a statement posted on a wall inside the shelter. As long as she's had space, Bishop claims, city agen cies, from the Metro­ politan Police Department to Child and Family Services to the mayor's offjce, have dumped fa mi lies like Taylor's at her door when they had no oth er,place to put them . "Everybody's kn·own what I'm doing," she says. "I don 't do anything undercover. The city could have stepped in at any time. But they didn't." . In the meantime, she complains, the city has shortchanged CCNV by providing money for only the most superficial of repair~. though everyone's known the Federal City building is falling apart. Until Monday, ·she says, she's never seen so much as a fire or building inspector in­ ·side the place, though the health department regularly inspects D.C . Central Kitchen. And . she's certainly never seen so many social work­ ers out in force at once . "The city's just putting a Band-Aid over a bullet hole," adds John Baggett, a homeless staffer at CCNV. . In any event, says advocates, the real issue lies beyond the scope of regulatory quib­ bling. "Is some place better than no place?" asks _Mary Ann Luby of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. "The broken-down building is not [CCNV's] fault. Who's at fault? The city's at fault." But why, if it could jeopardize her lease, did Bishop continue to allow ch ildren in Federal City? Why didn't she tell the city about her co n­ cerns before? "Why shou ld I?" she says. "If I'm in the busi ness of housing women an d children , it's becau se wo men and children are homeless. What's the issue? They should be concerned about what's happening in the community that drives these people to the shelter." At the end of the day, the cycles of life ­ and death - return to normal at Federal City. Come 2a.m. bed check, 58-year-old Marshall lshmell, a resident who had been in and out of the hospital, is found unconscious in the men's wing. He's rushed to Howard University Hospi­ tal, where he's pronounced dead, the ninth fa­ tality at the shelter in the last year. * * * �5 TREE TV I BES The Tri-State's The Traveler ........Donald Whitehead My travels lately have been filled with a newfound realization of my own miscon­ ceptions. I have witnessed the transforma­ tion of others due to reality encounters. In my new position at Goodwill Industries, I have had the opportunity to work in a new envi­ ronment that is closely tied to my old one. Workforce developm·ent·is one of the most important elements in a successful end to homelessness as well as prevention from homelessness . .While the current ecdnomy is strong , it has not trickled down to those at the very bottom of the economic ladder, for the most part. It has, however, forced em­ ployers to reach out to populations that were long ignored. People traditionally locked out by past indiscretions are now a lot more likely to be given a second chance. Every day I witness the elation experienced by those either en.tering the workforce for the first time or re-~ntering after a long period of absence. Working with the Welfare reform population has helped me gain insights into a culture that I was only vaguely aware of. · 1 have discovered that myths I thought to be untruths were in fact untrue. The idea that most people receiving seNices through the human service department were unwilling to work is perhaps the biggest misconception of them all. My experience so far has been that most people are very willing to work. I discovered that most of my encounters have been with people who were willing , but un­ able, because the issues that needed to be addressed, that kept them from work, were either inadequate or invisible. These issues, such as as transportation and training, are paramount to the success of any person en­ tering the workforce. With people transitioning from welfare, these necessities are too often viewed as unreasonable de­ mands. I also believed all human service case­ workers to be uncaring. I have since discov­ ered that the uncaring is more systemic than individualized. I was horrified to discover that some caseworkers have as many as 300 in­ dividuals on their caseloads. With 300 people on a caseload per caseworker the level of frustration must be extreme. Contin­ ued frustration does take its toll on Human Service workers. Just like the clients them­ selves, there is a definite need for support for the employees at the human services department. Their mission is to get people off of assistance by whatever means neces­ sary. Unfortunately welfare reform crafters in Ohio and many other states have not put -enough resources into support programs. The inability to recognize the value of sup­ --- port systems for those transitioning back into the work force, is a glaring flaw that will have drastic long-term consequences. B e ­ cause of a booming economy and a market that is begging for workers, placement has been fairly easy. The fact that many of ._ the placements have been in service-related occupations is of great concern to most ob­ Homeless Grapevine servers. Service re­ lated jobs are gener­ ally low paying, stress related, and lacking benefits. It is the hope of this writer that higher wisdom pre­ vails and the punitive nature of Welfare Reforms gives way to well thought out polices that have long-term suc­ cess as a goal for participants. ' I was going to dedicate this entire ar­ ticle to the issues around welfare. I have however decided that it is time to revisit an issue that has come to my attention again. The issue of cities' frontal attacks against their homeless populations. Cincinnati, too, has fallen victim to a plague that shallfrom here on out be referred to as Gui lianism . Gu ilianism stems from pol ices drafted by Mayor Guiliani of New York to rid the streets of homeless peopl e. The broken window concept is designed to rid the City of major crim es by aggres sivel y pursuing petty crimes. ·Thi s ill-advised strategy has been used for some ti me in New York City. The National Coalition for the Homeless has documented many cases of civil rights vio­ lation over the past five years but they have gotten steadily worse since Mayor Guilani began his program in New York. A more frightening a serious co nsequence of Guilianism is duplication by th e Mayors of other major Cities. A recent series homeless roundup thathave occurred in several cites including New York and Clevel and . Due to strong advocacy those practices have been stopped at press time. On an almost daily basis a policy pop up that infringes more and more on the rights of the homeless and the poor in America . Case in point is a policy in . Portland Oregon that is intended to limit the amount of people attending a church that serves low-income people. Cincinnati has also been infected with Guilianism. I just learned recently that the Cincinnati Police ·department was conducting a cleanup of outdoor encampments, particularly those · under bridges. I don't know where the order came from but it is extremely .coincidental that the sweeps happen one week prior to the outdoor locations count conducted by the Census department. If the City of Cincinnati wants to clean out the underpasses the best possible strategy would be to start investing as many resources into its low-income population as it invests into its Fortune 500 companies. I propose the" It Takes A Village Plan" ­ - a project that would require significant re­ sources, but pennies in comparison to the resources targeted for the many special in­ . terest projects in the City of Cincinnati. The project would be a marriage of old projects · that had some success but where shelved during the Reagan/Bush era when so many social programs were slashed or eliminated. The plan would use existing resources, one of our abandoned or soon-to be-abandoned school bl!ildings to create affordable hous­ ing with support. Those that wanted to live in the housing would do the construction. By participating in the building the residents would receive invaluable training in building · skills and a pride of ownership in the finished Page 1a project. The lunchrooms could be used as an on the job training site for those desiring training in culinary arts. The Gymnasium and Auditoriums have multiple possibilities for use -- community plays fund-raising and other activities. The residents would be re­ sponsible for ongoing maintenance and up­ keep. I am currently exploring possibility for funding and other important details for the concept implementation. I am.very excited about the possibilities. If there are readers interested in exploring this project, please. give me a call; we'll travel down this road to­ gether. * * * EYE ON ·MOTHER EARTH Agent Qrange now hastens our self-destruction DIOXIN Dioxin is a class of seventy-five chemi­ cals, formed when waste containing a chlorine · source such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic is burned and .during the manufacture _ of certain organic chemicals· containing _ chlorine. At least seven of dioxin's chemical forms are highly toxic, and-.on.e'"- 2,3,7,8­ tetracholorodibenzo-dioxin .- is believed tobe.... the single most carcinogenic compound in existence. Scientists have documented that,, . / even at very low levels of exposure, dioxin c~ also cause birth defects and affect the ·m::­ mune system, reprodueti e organs, and a variety of hormonal processes in ways whose ultimate effects are unknown. Because the chlorine bonds in the dioxin mofecule are extremely resistant to chemical or physical breakdown, dioxin is highly persistent in the environment. It can be airborne for long distances and subsequently enter the food chain through plants and water, ending up in meat, dairy products, eggs and fish. The Human body processes dioxin very slowly once it is consumed, creat­ ing a buildup of the chemical in fatty tissue ­ such as the female breast. Thus, nursing infants are particularly likely to receive doses of dioxin . . Combustiop-related sources, such as incinerators, account for the majority of know dioxin emission. A large proportion of dioxin emissions, from a multiplicity of sources, can be traced to a handful of individual chlorine­ relat~d products and processes: PVC, plastic, chlorine-based pulp bleaches, pesticides, and chlorinated solvents. PVC is the most abun­ dant product of Ghlorine chemistry, consum­ ing more than 30 percent of all the chlorine produced annually in the United States. It is widely used in pipes, many other building materials, furniture, packaging, _and more. And dioxins are formed both when PVC is manufac.t ured and when it is incinerated. From the Winter 2000 issue ofThe Amicus journal, the_ magazine ofthe Natural Resources Defense Council �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 19 SCRAMBLE Answers (from Page 7) Exercise, Aerobics, Running, Jogging, Swimming, Dan'c ing , Pushups, Cycling Streetvibes TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas for future shows, call us at 421-7803 . ..··: .·..·. : ::}~.=.: .=.). ··:: :::::.:· ·:.. :· . :· .. . . . .·... ·.-: ...:.. : -: ..···: .· .:· ..··.·. ·..·..· .·:.::-. -~ ..·..··.. ··. Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF •• 88.3 FM! Mac Day on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Planners Needed Homeless Coalition's live r_ adio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts.. The show mixes talk focusing on . the stories in this paper and edectic musical selections . The 2000 Mac Day (tlie Rev. · McCrackin Day held in honor of the late 0­ T-R activist pastor) Committee is forming. We would like anyone and everyone inter­ - ested to come to the meeting on Monday, AprH 3, 6 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church Rectory, 745 Ezzard Charles Dr. Mac Day has been a child-friendly gathering ofpeace making, alt. living, enviro, grassro?ts, anti-nuke, homeless advocates, ;u,1 good-thing I good-vibe people festival with lots ofgood food and music. It happens in June at the Laurel Park in the West End, Macs' old romping grounds. We need as many people as possible to help plan, guide and_mold this event. Please come and/or share this info with others. Thank you, STREETVIBES Classified Executive Director position avail­ able at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Send resurne and cover to Clifford Jones, GCCH, 1506 Elm St. , Cincinnati 45210. Brian Crum bcrum@fuse.net 221 -5537 (Cincinnati) Streetvibes accepts Classi­ .fied Ads for items such as Help · -, Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. to order one or more copies of 510lEN LIVES a project ofthe October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, ·the National Lawyers Guild, and the AnthonyBaez Foundation, People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421-7803 for more information call 212-477-8062"orthe local . · chapter of the Oetober 22 Coalition at 513-241-8014 for an order form ' Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to: GCCH,1506 Elm Street,Cincinnati, . OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813; or e-mail to streetvibes.@ juno.com· VOLUNTEER at the Opening Day Parade Monday April 3, 1000 Decoration Volunteers •.· will be meeting at 6:00 •· a.m. 1904 Woodburn <: (Parade starts at 10:00 .·.·. ••.. a.m.) :·.· .·.:· Come Join the Fun!!! · Cincinnati-Hamilton County ............................ Community Action UBS!l2~ Agency /Head Start l' 1t ..,-., .:WI' J _...A. IA .It- ..'.\ ~ Jt. , JJ . i.t tt ~ • -~ #. l>lt JI .R ...k .d ..I' •..!. .0. _. <# ::.t:! ~ J1 _., ~ >'1' ;f. -» ~ .• ~ -ci Jf • 'y ·' ..... Subscribe to Streetvibes J ., Subscriptions can be ··P.~ rchased for $15 per year. (you can give more ifyou want) ·Just send a check to the below . ~iddres.s '. and the pap.e r will be mailed · . toy6u each month . . . STREETvlBES, 1506 Elm Street, .. · . Cincinnati, OH 45210. Please make · checks payable toGCCH. If you have any ·. questions, call 421-7803. If y ou have subscribed, but are not receiv­ ing your Streetvibes, Please let us kn ow. ' ::i �ST RE ET VI BES Homeless Grapevine The Tri-State's Streetvibes Page 20 endor Code EER Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. . I agree not to ask for donations . more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I Will not use abusive language or.force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. · 5_. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered .'d istributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public b y saying that I am collecting for a not-for -profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8 . I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a seif-supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly h omeless. ·To help in this effort, I. will try to spread the word and write stories if possibie. 9. I understand that failure to comply with any of the above statements will resuJt in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. D S ree . ibes is looking for volunteer writers, reporters, photographers, etc. interested in serving on the Streetvibes _ editorial work group. For more information, please call the office at 421-7803 ish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe"'.string budget from the offices of th e Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and don6rs. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a ca ll. .. 0 Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and sugar, ' etc.) 0 Photography Help of all sorts for Stre,e tvibes- photographers, film, developing , (a digital camera?) 0 Streetvibes has a minimal overhead costs o that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Advertisers and S-U6sctlb~ 0 Computers/components (monitors, ,.,. hard. drives, etc.) for story-writing ~ editing, research, and future home-/ less computer lab ~ · - If you can help!, contact l:JS at: Streetvibes, cl o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for. the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com Thanks for your support. ee Hep or ant to Help? If for some reason you find yo1,1rself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission · Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) · St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamltton) 1.nterfaith Hospitality Network 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender,.. Mercies Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women 0.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 241-7343 961-4663 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. • VA Domiciliary 1 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 ·.491-4435 559-5011 OTHER SERVICES ; \ • ~ "• ' • > ' 1' f'-' 1. AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center , 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati He~lth Network 961-0600 569-1840 Community Action Agency . 381-4242 Contact Center 241-2563 Emanuel Community Center 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van - 221-3619 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 . United Way _ 572-6226 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center 872-9259 Women Helping Women ' 4 < .. 'Ii • ·., • ~ ·• $ I '\, • 1, ­ � 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 2000 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 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Kunzel Meeting is Circus of Deception and Exclusion Pg 2: Armed Guards Prevent Community Advocates from Attending GCAEC Board Meeting Pg 3: Community Advocate is Kicked Off the Arts and Education Center (GCAEC) Board Pg 4: Kevin Scudder is Next to be Executed in Ohio? Pg 5: Dying for Justice Throw Momma from the Shelter Pg 6: National News Pg 7: International News Pg 8: Arts & Poetry Pg 9: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 10: Prison News Pg 11: A Letter from Mumia Pg 12: Innocent on Death Row Pine Ridge Reservation Struggles Continue Pg 13: Anit-Same-Sex Marriage Bills Introduced in Ohio Legislature The Broken City Pg 14: Editorials & Letters Pg 15: Welfare News Pg 16: Street Music in Cincinnati Pg 17: Tales from Across the River Pg 18: The Traveler 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 Date April 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Bonnie Neumeier Marsha Ramsey John Perroti William Phillips Africa C.W. Mcintosh Mike Henson Sonny Williams Rodney Sutton Tree Mosolf Tina Maser Pat Mitchell Michelle Kitchen Kevin L. Deal Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Advocated arts Arts & Poetry Bonnie Neumeier C.W. Mcintosh Cincinnati Death Penalty Donald Whitehead Editorials & Letters education GCAEC International news Jess Ballew John Halpin John Perroti Kevin L. Deal Lynn Williams Marsha Ramsey Michelle Kitchen Mike Henson Music Over-the-Rhine Pat Mitchell police brutality prisoners news Protests Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Same-Sex Marriage Sonny Williams Street Music Susan Knight Tales from Across the River the broken city The Traveler Tina Maser Tom Billman Tree Mosolf Warren Perkins welfare news William Phillips Africa https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/f7e10f8d7bd0a911585fad1648e718fe.pdf 76fdd53e219ff8dc4b0cea520014198e PDF Text Text #_}\. ~-~~ %,~~~~~ ~~~ ~ · The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine August 2000 - - - - - - - - ­ Council Votes to Reject $4.3 Million for .Housing City Council Deadlock Jeopardizes Millions in Private Investment by John Halpin round managed by the Department of Neighborhood Services, was recommended for $700,000 of HOME funds that are allocated by the city, amounting to 14% of the total funding for the Vine Street project. ·HOME funds are federal monies that can be spent only on low-income housing. Without this funding from the city, ReSTOC will likely not be able to implement the project, and the $4 million dollars in private money will be lost to Cincinnati. In February, certified letters were sent to all members ofCity Council, the Hamilton County Commissioners, and Senators and Representatives from Cincinnati and Hamilton County to solicit opinions on the project. Catherine Barret, Mark Mallory, Steve Chabot, Charlie Luken, and several community organizations wrote letters in support of the project. No opposition was raised until the June 27 meeting of City Council's 1301-5 Vine Street, one ofeight buildings in the project Finance Committee when On June 28, Cincinnati City Council deadlocked on a vote to approve funds for a development project by ReSTOC, a non-profit low-income housing developer in Over-the­ Rhine. The project, primarily on Vine Street, would have developed 8 vacant buildings into 45 units ofhousing, many ofwhich were designed for working families. In early June, the Race Street Tenant Organization Cooperative (ReSTOC) was awarded a housing tax credit amounting to over $4 million dollars. Tax credits represent the best funding available for low-income housing development and come exclusively from private money. Out of sixty-five applications for tax credits in the state of Ohio, the Vine Street project ranked third. ReSTOC, through a competitive housing Councilmembers Jim Tarbell, Phil Heimlich, and Pat DeWine questioned how beneficial the project would be to the community. Decrying years of investment in low-income housing in Over-the-Rhine, they asserted that high concentrations oflow-income housing have "If I Can Do It, You Can Do It" Ed Deering s Homeless Success Story by Greg LeSaint You can easily tell by his firm handshake and his intimidating size that Ed Deering is a man who does not back down to a challenge. He's been challenging individuals to conquer their addictions for over five years. He became a staff worker at the Drop Inn Center in 1994. In 1996 he relocated to the Droege House, a center for chemically dependent individuals in Dayton, Kentucky. He began work there as a Night Councilor Aid and is now the Program Director. However, Ed Deering did not always have the direction that he has today. Even as a college graduate, he found himself homeless and chemically dependent. He initially spent nights at the Drop Inn Centerjust so he could have a warm place to stay, but in the spring of 1994 he entered the Drop Inn Center's 6 month program. It was at the Drop that he met Buddy Gray and discovered his true passion for helping others defeat their Ed Deering takes a break at the Droege House addictions. Gray was instrumental in having Deering serve as the first homeless person on the COHIO board. Gray also introduced Deering to trapped people in poverty. During public testimony on the issue, Bob Schneider, president ofthe Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce said, "When25-35% of housing units are low income you send that area into irrevocable decline.....Living conditions are below acceptable for everyone liv ing in the area." ''ffever in my twenty-five years working with City Council have I seen a group come with nearly four million dollars for development, the bulidings under their own control, the architects already involved, the project brought through the city administration, and then turned down by Council. " - Dr. Gene Beaupre, PhD Professor ofPolitical Science Xavier University Chris Frutkin, vice president of the OTR Chamber of Commerce, spoke against the ReSTOC project, citing the fact that there is currently no market-rate development on Vine Street. Both he and developer Fred Burger asserted that putting more low-income housing on Vine would prevent market-rate development from taking place. Burger spoke of a market-rate loft project he planned but did not implement at 1220 Vine qecause of its proximity to Recovery Hotel, a residence for See.ReSTOC, page 10 city politics by lobbying for such things as the Recovery Hotel. "Before I met Buddy Gray, I would have never imagined myself at City Hall lobbying for issues like these." Today Ed Deering continues his work as Program Director at the Droege House and continues his political support ofhomeless issues. Currently, he and others are lobbying for the Transitions Life Center, a homeless day center set for groundbreaking later this year in Covington, Kentucky. When it comes to dealing with those who are chemically dependent it is hardest to see them give up. Deering's motto is "Ifl can do it, you can do it." He pushes for full circle treatment for homeless individuals, not just a warm meal or . even a house. His immediate goal is to get the Life Center up and moving and save more lives . .He also serves as inspiration to those who are chemically dependent. He claims that everything he bas today is the result ofthe people at the Drop Inn Center, Buddy Gray in particular. "The Drop Inn Center changed my life. If not for them I don't know if I'd be alive today." [ Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless ) �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 On the Plane to Alberta Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, Is a newspaper written by, for~ and about homelessness, social justice,,. and poverty,.related issues. It is pwblished once a month, 12. is~sues a year, by the Greater Cincinr:iati CGal{tion for the Homeless. Vendors buy tt-le paper for ?O .cents (to coyer printing cosls) .and then sell the paper for a dollar donation: The vendor keeps 'the profits. " · · Beco'niing a Streetvibes Vendor is a great'way 'tor homeless and other low- ·· income·people to get back on (or stay-on) their feet. Streetvibes 'lendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeles$ is a group of shelters, agen­ cies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordi­ nating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Staff Alicia Beck Director Susan Knight Administrative Coordinator Editor Tom Billman John Halpin Assistant Editor Streetvibes Intern Dan Marschner Ron Carter Outreach Coordinator Warren Perkins Tenant Organizing Pat Mitchell Oµtreach Volunteer Jamaal Coleman GCCH Intern Regept(oryist Mary A· .Ga,ffi;iey Sonny Williams Volunteer Reporter Writers Mr. Lee Tom Billman Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Sharon Weiss Patrick Mosoff Dan Marschner Frank Lienhart Staugton Lynd Kevin Finn Kunta Kenyatta Steve Elliott Susan Huesken William Johnson Grady Cook Sonny Williams Pat Mitchell Alanna Maloney Jamaal Coleman John Halpin Warren Perkins Greg LeSaint Marsha Ramsey Rick Freeman Booger Love Steve Schumacher Jayn Meinhardt Graphics Photographs by Berta Lambert, Grady Cook, Tom Bittman, Sonny Williams..... ·I q 11 l1 illJ. !J. Streetvibes accepts letters, poems~ , stories, essays, original graphics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are home­ less or vendors. Subscriptions to .Streetvibes can be purchased for $15 per year. (Please make checks payable to GCCH) Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (5 13) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text-only) or homecoal@primax.net (attached files) web page: http://cinci.com/gcch Voice Your Opinion, Vote! ·. ,. by Jamaal Coleman Even though the government may say and do things that we don't agree w ith, people don't seem to understand that we give them the power to do so. In actuality, the government is not run by politicians, but by the people. We give politicans the power to run it by voting them into 9ffice. This is the main basis of voting and what makes it so good is that the majority rules. If you get a lot of people to agree with you on a certain issue, you can petition the government to do something about it. However, while knowing this, people still refuse to get up and register to vote or do something about these problems that they face. Those of us that are trying to make a difference can't do it alone. It takes several people standing together with an attitude saying that we want a change and we want it now! In this past Hamilton County election, did you know that only 176,860 people voted and there are a total of 560,959 registered voters. This statistic is saying that only 32% of the people voice their opinion on how and who should run the government and that 68% of registered voters don't even vote. Another thing that people fail to realize is that the majority of that percentage of voters is from upper class communities. After knowing all this, it's safe to say that the reason why low income communities don't get their way is because they don't do anything about it. I know that some people can't register to vote because you liave to have an address of the house in which you Jive in and some simply don't. However, there is now a way to register even if you don't have a place to call home. As long as you write down an address of a place that you stay near you are allowed to register to vote. Ho,wever if for some reason you feel uncomfortable doing this, we at the Greater Cinc;iAAa~ti Cqa!ition for !~e ~omel (fss <:J.r,e1ir the PlfOGe.ss of cqnducting a yo,ting campaign. What we will attempt to do is .register people so they can become eligible to vote in the upcomjng election. What we hope to accomplish is to have the majority of voters made up by the p eople from low income communities. We are also hoping that this will change our communities for the better. So if you're reading this and haven't registered to vote yet, get to the Board of Elections or come to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and register yourself to vote in the upcoming election. by Ron Carter I have a Brother-in-law. His name is Floyd Brogden. I had been unable to work for about fourteen years because of medical problems. Floyd was a supervisor for a local cleaning service. He knew what I could do and also what I could not do as far as work is concerned. He got me hired-and-working with him. Floyd would give me the easy stuffto do and he did the hard work. I thought that was great. Even though I was claimed to working hard. Thanks to Floyd I finally got back into the work force because I found something I could physically do! After working with Floyd for a while, I was intorduced to the A.A.R.P., a Senior employment program. I then applied for assistance with them. Immediately they sent me to the Homeless Coalition Office. I was interviewed by two great guys - Pat Clifford and Don Whitehead. (OK, guys, don't forget to put my check in them.ail for saying that) They accepted me for the job. After working at the Coalition office for three years under the AARP, with perfect evaluation scores all the way through (not bragging, ofcourse... Yeah, right, Ron), I was hired on as the paid employee ofthe Coalition itself, and then became the Outreach Coordinator. I really like this job because I have the opportunity to take anyone that \¥ants to speak on homelessness and also tell their own stories to different organizations ­ churches, schools, etc. , to educate the public on homeless issues. I have met a lot ofpeople doing this - me and my partner and assistant, Pat Mitchell. It really makes us feel good when we read the evaluation sheets that we have our audience fill out, to find out we did a good job speaking. Right now I am on a plane beading for Canada for the No1th American Street Newspaper Association conference. We will be there four days. I'll tell you about how it went in the September issue ofStreetvibes. Today is also my birthday, so I'm getting a nice birthday present going to Canada. I'm closing for now so I can relax and enjoy the rest of my flight. ............ Ron 1---------- - - - - - - - - - ­ An Approach to Questions ofSocial Justice by Frank Lienhart "For some people, God is simply the name ofthe aesthetic pleasure they feel when they contemplate the Moral -Grandeur of the existing social order and their satisfaction with their place in it. " -­ Ji>. II. •[II I !fl Harry Klytis ;J;t , To·mark th~ ct ~ath ofone ·o f its inhabitants,, a medieval village would toll its church bell. "Ask not," said the l 7 1h century poet John Donne, "for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee!" Donne's thought, ofcourse, was that due to the brotherhood ofman, the loss of any one ofus diminished each of the rest of us. Life in medieval Europe was notably corporate. The guild to which an individual belonged regulated not only the terms of his work and the quality of the products he sold, but even helped him express his religious feelings by staging Mystery plays. The guild structured his life, but also provided for his welfare. If See Social Justice, page 6 . Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions ofour readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those ofthe Streetvibes staffor the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. 1 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State ~s Homeless Grapevine Page 3 Hart Realty Opts out of Section 8 Housing Serving A Purpose, or Just Supply ofLow Income Housing Dwindles Further by Warren J. Perkins One of Cincinnati's biggest owners of low-income housing is Hart Realty. Residents in Hart's low-income buildings pay 30% oftheir income towards the rent. In an agreement with Hart Realty and other landlords nation-wide, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pays the difference ofthe apartments' market rate. These contracts are all expiring within the next three years. HUD feels that the rents they have been paying for these apartment units are too high. Taking the opportunity of the contracts expiring HUD now wants to lower the amount of rent they pay over the life of the next contract. Hart Realty feels that the amount of money HUD is offering is to low so they have given their preliminary intention to opt-out or leave the Section 8 program together on most oftbe 1800 or so low income units that Hart owns through out Cincinn~ti. At this point Hart Realty must also send out letters telling residents in these buildings about their options. Residents are told that they will receive Section 8 Vouchers that will help them pay the rent in their unit or another unit should they choose to move. Most residents seem to have an overall positive view of the vouchers. For those residents wishing to move the preliminary opt out notice was welcome. This "Opt-out notice" is preliminary because Hart Realty can change their stance on opting-out at any time. Residents are often given notice of this conversion only to find out later that their contracts have been renewed. This has See Hart Opt-Out, page 10 Residents were informed oftheir options at this tenant meeting. EAST END Historical Rehab Plans Smashed by City of Cincinnati by Tom Billman Mike Cleary, who has been into rehabbing abandoned buildings for years, is just the kind ofperson we need in this world to preserve the best of the past and slow down our rapid evolution into rows and rows of houses, "and they're all made of ticky-tacky and they all look the same." [Kate Wo(f]. In the early 70's, Mike took many abandoned old buildings at the end of Ohio Street and turned them into proud reminders of Cincinnati 's past. ln 1998, he bought the building at 4028 Eastern Ave. It was on the Federal Register ofHistoric Buildings, and Mike fully intended to rehab it according to all proper historical criteria. Not long after; an accident s'everely curtailed his plans. He slipped off the building and broke ribs, punctured a lung, and sustained considerable damage to his spine and nervous system. Yet the city, who had already developed plans with a builder to turn the entire area into condominiums, refused to give Mike an extension on his building permit, and refused to issue him a new one when he 'recovered enough to resume maintenance on the building. The building was condemned, and one day Mike woke up to bulldozers at his door. 4028 Eastern Avenue is now a vacant lot. Mike is now homeless. But you can write to him at Mike Cleary, clo H ealth Resource Center 112 East Liberty Sl Cincinnati OH 45210 Live Studio Audience Warited ·~ ·~ ' Serving Time? By Robert Howard, Prisoner of the Drug War It has been almost four years since I entered the federal pris·on syste m. I was sentenced to 15 I months (over 12 years) plus ten years probation for my first-time nonviolent drug offense involving nine ounces of methamphetamine. As one ofthe million prisoners of the d.fug war, I'm aslcing my fe llow prisoners for your help in a very. worthwhile cause. I believe we are in a unique position to initiate som·e positive changes in America's most serious social and political epidemic: the return offailed prohibition, riow called the drug war. After spending a couple of years at the federal correctional institution in Lompoc, California, I was a llowed to transfer to the federal prison camp in Sheridan, Oregon, which is considerably closer to my hom e in Seattle. Upon arriving, I was surprised to learn that one of the inmates was a Cathol ic priest. This kind and caring person, Father Bixel, was here in prison because he had broken federal law while protesting the School of the Americas (SOA) in Georgia. This special Fort Benning military academy has'trained nice folks like Manuel Noriega and many other military officers who have been implicated in South American death squads and numerous atrocities. Father Bixel and others were arrested and sentenced to prison for trespassing on federal property during a large, public demonstration against the SOA in 1997. After seeing the many letters of support they received, then reading articles from the press about their cause and plight, I began realizing there can be more to be ing in prison than simply "doing time." By coming to prison, these men were able to galvanize support for their political cause, and their voices multiplied a hundredfold. Brothers and sisters, as prisoners, I know how easy it is to believe we.have been reduced to insignificance. Like so much dust swept under a rug, we have been assigned numbers and warehoused away, out of sight and out of mind. But, as it turns out, being in prison can be politically expedient. Think about it! If only two men can help generate a significant amount of action and support for a cause by coming to pri$on; what do you suppose we can do with a million nonviolent drug war prisoners behind bars, calling on their friends and family and with their own voices as well. That would be one LOUD voice calling for an end to the drug war. Most of the world has a distinct notion that something is seriously wrong in America thanks, in part, to our presence on these compounds. Something must come from all of this suffering. We must take our part in informing the world about what is happening. And I don 't mean we should complain about the lousy food or the wonderful treatment we get ­ the people ~ho care about us personally are worried enough as it is. What the world needs to know is how all of this is affecting .him .or her personally. The good citizens better believe that this is an issue for them because See November Coalition, page 5 �ST REET VI BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine - Findlay Market: Serving it up for the Co1nmunity ...... by Pat M itchell Findlay Market, in partnership with the City ofCinci nnati, downtown businesses, and with the managing ofTom Jackson and the site managing of Marty Milligan, deserve a standi ng ovation for their work done in the community at the Fi ndlay Market with our youth and the support they have given our Streetvibes vendors at the Coalition for the Homeless. Our vendors Pat, Earlene, and Grady like to show our appreciation by acknowledging the good work done by Findlay with our newspapers. Earlene and Grady have been supported by Marty Milligan for three years. They have been allowed to sell papers, and he always makes sure that our vendors are wearing a badge and conducting themselves properly. But not until we interviewed Marty did we learn about all this good work being done with our Over-the-Rhine kids, our voice of tomorrow. Over-the-Rhine Community Council, and the Over-the-Rhine Chamber ofCommerce started IMPACT Over-the-Rhine, with the help of then Vice-Mayor Peter Strauss and Clean Cincinnati, lnc. The full-time director began work with teenagers in June of that year. From 1994 to L999, IMPACT OTR was a self-sustaining project of the OTR Foundation, whose focus, like IMPACT OTR's, is rooted in Over-the-Rhine. On January I, I999.IMPACT OTR became a public, charitable, non-profit History organization governed by tbe Board of ln 1991 , a group of concerned citizens Trustees. from the Rothenberg improvement Committee, Goals for our youth with the OTR program Calvary Pentecostal Ministries at Mt. Airy Shelter: The Will of God At A ny Cost ....by Mr. Lee Every Friday, 3 or 4 men faithfully come to Mt. Airy Shelter, a county operated facility for homeless men, to bring a . message of hope~ spiritual restoratio"' ,, God's love. From 5:30·6:30prq, ... ~ bible study, spiced with practical life ,,,,, experiences ofa spiritual reborn former addict, is led by Brother Lonnie Lewis. Brother Lonnie was "saved" through the A.C.T.S. ministry. This committed brother willingly shares his experience, strength and hope with a message that is difficult to carry given the audience and the times we live in. From 6:30-7:00 p.m. the Alcohol and Chemical Treatment Series (A.C.T.S.) is led by ACTS coordinator Brother Clive G. Tribble and hi s associate, Brotl1er Pete Barnett. This seemingly odd couple ofa 50+ year old Welsh man and 40+ year old African American man born inlndianapolis,·Indiana, bring a strong commitmentto a niittis~~for which they personally offer testimony,to it's ability to save lives and souls. With .his charming and unique accent, Clive brings a strong experience based message of hope, salvation, understanding and faith found throughout the Word of God. Brother Pete, the quiet member of this team, carries his message as much in his Christian walk as he does in his testimony. Brother Pete rarely speaks but when he does, it is heartfelt, and I believe God inspired. Quiet and humble, Pete usually leaves it to Clive to bring the message or lesson. When moved to speak he usually offer. direct, heartfelt and practical observations based upon his life experience. On occasion other members of Calvary Pentacostal Church accompany Brother Clive to share in this ministry. Calvary Pentacostal Church, led by Pastor Norman R. Paslay II, is a 32 year old church operating out of their newly constructed church located on a 26 acre lot at 11970 Kenn Rd in the communf • f Springdale. While Calvary hM a~,~t supported ministries internationally ovet;t e years, they have committed considerable ene:rgy and resources to this valuable urban ministry over the past seven years. None of tb.~se christian gentleman is inclined to be "preachy" in their delivery. They are honest, direct and often bring their message in a heartfelt and humorous.manner. They frequently illustrate their message with honest statements from their own experiences. On Thursdays, Brother Lonnie and Brother Clive minister to youth at 2020 Auburn Avenue. This is a secure detention facility for youth operated by the County. They are assisted in this ministry to men by Brother Alex Mo~n.o, and to the female youth by Sisters Micki Penny, Loretta Buie and Johnnie Grant. ~ Every Sunday, Brother Clive and' Brother Ed Flader fai thfu1ly come to the shelter at around 5:OOpm to offer a ride to church to anyone who has the desire to go. Not only those men actively attending the ACTS meetings and the bible study, but anyone who desires to attend worship service. I have personally attended the evening service at Calvary Pentacostal Church. I had the pleasure of meeting Clive's wife who passed several weeks back. She was his partner in this ministry for seven years and was a dynamic woman of God in her service to the community. No article about this ministry would Page 4 are as follows: I . Oppo1tunity to learn and complete high school 2. Remain drug free and out ofour court systems 3. Develop self­ respcct by teaming skills like cleani ng, painting, beautify ing our sidewalks, and vacant lots, along with small gardens and Findlay Market faci lities 4. Encourage Over­ the-Rhine businesses to hire and train our youth ofOTR. As a resu lt, for the last three years 45 teenagers have been employed, from ages 14- 19. Nine have graduated from high school, fi ve have gone to college, and 2 l younger kids, ages 8-13, are active participants. We certainly didn 't know all this good work was being supported by Findlay Market. It is very uplifting to be able to recognize some of the positive things going on in our city. Instead ofalways reading the negative about our teenage kids, especially in our Over-the­ Rhine area, we also like to give credits to the ources that support these kids. Thanks Marty and Tom! • • • be accurate without mention of the contributions of Sister Tribble, Clive's life partner and his co-worker in this ministry. Althou gh I have heard Brother Clives' testimony many times, I continue to attend the ACTS meetings. He is for me an inspi ration and a Christian role model. Even though my path to rccove1y may take a slightly different course than that followed by Clive> Lonnie and Pete, our basic goal remains the same: to do God 's wiII in every area of our lives. They teach me much in pursuit of this \ goal but mostly by th.cir "walk" not just their "talk". The simple fact is that for me there is no conflict between their Pentecostal based Christian ministry ofspiritual restoration and the pursuit of recovery and spiritual restoration though AA . They may contact him at (513) 674- • 9600. Leave a message and he will give them a return call as soon as possible. Mt. Airy Men's Shelter is operated under the Hamilton County Department of Human Services, there are many unmet needs at the Shelter. For example, the County considers shaving cream to be a "cosmetic" and therefore does not provide it to the men. Such items as alcohol free mouth wash, board games, sheets(full, double and twin),pillQ\Y , cases, towels, face cloths, shower shoes, , underwear, men 's clothing and shoes are always needed since the county primarily uses donations to provide these particular items. Anyone interested in donating any of these much needed items, can contact the Shelter at 661-4620. Givca the thousands ofmen who have been assisted by this shelter over the past 50 plus years it would seem that there would be many who would want to give something back, where they or a loved one has been assisted. Peace. �STREETVIBE.S _ The Tri-State ~s Homeless Grapevine A Success Story From Tender Mercies Serving Homeless Teens in Cincinnati: by Marsha Ramsey by Kevin Finn Health Resource Center Helps Out A few months back I wrote an article called "How Do You Become Homeless." About 2 years ago, the Health Well, I' m writing to show those of you who Resource Center, a free nurse managed are still struggli ng that patience and persistence medical and psychiatric clinic began prov iding pay off. services targeted toward young homeless Please, it would feel good if each and people. HRC, which is located inside the every one of you would take a little time to Freestore/ Foodbank bui lding, tries to help think things through and read between the lines these young homeless people (28 and under) of conversation, and if you don' t understand, with everything from find ing shelter to medical ask questions. Life is full of mountains to care. c limb and it may feel like you have the world What the HRC staff has found is that on your s houlders. You also may feel that these home less youth fall into two categories: you've had a lot of heartache and pain, and you those over 18 w ho are eligible to enter do n't want to face a new day with more. Cincinnati's homeless shelters, and those who D on ' t stop because like myself you've come a are under or around 18 who live on the streets, long way and if you hang in there, you just in abandoned buildings, etc. Many of the might find yourself back on top in the end. members of the latter group live in Corryville That 's what's happened to me and Clifton, in the area around Vine Street. Thanks to Rod Ewing, a staff person at ln some ways, these homeless youth Tender Mercies, l am pleased to report that are Cincinnati's best kept secret, because many l 'm now on my own. 1ndependencc is a great people in Cincinnati do not want to see them. fee ling. I have a car, an apa1tment, and a These youth manage to live in some very telephone. These were my goals that I set interesti ng and creative ways. At times they when l first came to Tender mercies. With have lived out-doors, developing elaborate Rod's help, I got my S.S.I. and now I can live " living quarters" in overgrown fields complete fairly comfortable. Of course 1 have my own with couches, coffee tables, and primitive budget, but l was used to liv ing on one sanitation. More often one person manages to anyway. I still have my medica l issues, but rent a small apartment, and six or even friends because of Rod and Dr. Spears, I'm dealing who do not have housing come to live w ith with them. The best part is that I'm welcomed them. They all help with food and rent when to visit Tender Mercies whenever I like. Even they can. Such arrangements tend to last for a though I could see that at times Rod looked few months until they do not have enough too worn out to lift up his head, he left his income to pay the rent, or the landlord learns personal issues at home and stuck with how many people are in the apartment, and whatever the agenda was for the day. And they are evicted. Once the apartment is lost, that's called Professionalis m. some w ill find residence with another person l want to thank all the staff for not only who just got an apartment, and the cyc le starts listening to me, but also hearing me, even if again. At times such arrangements go to an they didn 't always understand. My specia l extreme; HRC staff have fou nd a one-bedroom thanks goes to Rod Ewing - Thanks fo r being apartment occupied w ith 22 youth, all suffering there. with scab ies. The businesses around Short Vine have bad different reactions to the homeless youth in their neighborhood, and different feelings regarding HRC 's outreach work with them. The Streetvibes TV Show is Some business owners have been supportive; produced at the facilities of others have o ffered solutions such as "G ive Media Bridges (Cincinnati them all a Cyanide pill" as a possible solution Community Video), 2114 to thei r problems: Reading Road, -Cincinnati Ohio. A survey was conducted w ith these If you would like to be a part of homeless-youth in which access to medical care our live studio was identified as their primary need. HRC has audience please call the Greater received a grant from the Health Foundation of Cincinnati to open a second clinic in the Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ Corryville/Cl ifton areas, so as to better meet less at 421-7803 the needs of these homeless youth. Staff are cmTently looking for an appropriate location. August Schedule lfyou know of any homeless youth Broadcast Dates for (age 26 and younger) who need he lp, please July's Show on Channel 24: contact Kev in Finn, HRC Director of Social (Please check your schedule) Services, at (513) 357-4602. Saturday, August 5, at 5 PM Tuesday, August 8, at 10 PM Saturday, August 19, at 5 PM Tuesday, August 22, at 10 AM Thursday, Sept. 7, at 10 AM Page s November Coalition, continued from page 3 our imprisonment is merely an indicator of the greater damage being done by the policies that put us here. Prohibition, the drug war, is nothing s hort of a national disaster, an international d isas ter to be sure. It has been djrectly responsible for the decl ine of inner c ity neighborhoods, simply guaranteeing that more and more children wi ll be exposed to drugs and prohibition related violence. Like me, you may have come to regret your prior involvement in drugs, or your contribution to the "drug problem," and I also realize that our imprisonment is part of a much larger problem that is making the drug problem worse. We owe ourselves, our country, and those who w ill be in the new prisons being built at this very moment, to speak up and help stop the insanity. Consider this: Because we have come to prison, everyone in our family and many friends have become very aware of at least one tragic aspect of the drug war. Folks who might otherwise have paid little, if any, attention to this issue were forced to sit helplessly by as we were ripped out of their lives and shipped off to prison. Of those peopl e, how many do you think would hesitate to write a letter, in their own words, ask ing for an end to the drug war? Would they send copies to all of out elected officials, those seeking election? Even at this basic level, with a simple request by you for a simple and stra ig htfo rward action, can you imagine how many times your message could be multiplied? l think it is a grave err.o r for any of us to underestimate our significance in this. As individuals, you or I alone would probab ly be unable to take on the whole grinding system wh ich has swallowed us, but that is not our job. It is our job to enlighten our one little part of the world as best we can and ask for a little action on our behalf. The more the better, surely, but as we have seen in Father Bixel and his friends, significant things can be done with a little time and effort. Remember, there are millions of us now, every action is significant, and I wou ld venture to say that The November Coali tion could probably suggest effective actions fo r any level ofcommitment. Doing our time in silence is a lot like winking in the dark. Noth ing is seen. So what are we going to do, simply serve our time, or serve a purpose? Reprinted by permission of The November Coalition. The November Coalition is ·· a growing body ofcitizens whose lives have been gravely a.ffected by our governments present drug policy. Our members/tip consists ofthe causalities ofAmerica :s War on Drugs. We are prisoners, their loved ones, and others who know that mass imprisonment is no the answer to the drug problem." For more information see •vww.novembe1:org; call (509) 684-1550; or write to 795 South CedOI; Colville, WA 99114. Advertise Extra! Extra! Support Streetvibes by Advertising to Socially Conscious Readers! Rates: about 2 bucks per square inch Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. \. �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Gr~PB'(.~r.~ . . Mt. Airy Shelter: For Every Problem There is a Solution by Pat Mitchell Mt. Airy Shelter is a member of the Coalition for the Homeless and certified by the Coalition. It is located 10 minutes from downtown on 6 acres in Mt. Airy Forest. I think it is a very unique program because it is a program that provides structure. After talking with Steve Knight, the Administrative Director presiding 6 years, this statement came to light. A homeless person not only needs shelter but a place that provides structure that will enable that . person to lead a productive life. Can you imagine that 40% of those leaving the shelter are no longer homeless? · 65 men on average stay 4 to 5 weeks. Of those residents, the percentage is 90% tltug.and alcohol abuse; 90% have criminal justice involvement related to drugs or alcohol; 65% have a high school education, a plus to succeed; and 36% are Veterans. Some of the highlights oftbeis prQgrarn are Transitional housing (drug and alcohol recovery); Caracole house (for people living with AIDS); Council on Aging (for individuals in need ofa supervised living situation); Veterans Adminjstration (Homeless program); and most important: Ohio Bureau ofEmployment Services and Job Plus (with employment leads and services.) • Men who go there experience problems such as unemployment, chronic drug and alcohol alfose, lack of family support (which is one of the t~ls we need to help prevent homelessness), and physical and mental incapacity. Once they enter the program, a plan is developed by staff within 24 hours of admission. This enables them to resolve their homelessness because with every problems there is a solution. Referrals are made to adult protective services for elderly men and victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation. They get medical services such as Medical Van, general medical care, foot clinic (podiatry volunteers), dental, classes on smoking cessation, nutrition, and wellness . Psychological assessments and other referrals are also available ifnecessary. Physicians see an average of 140 individuals each month, with an estimated cost of $40 per visit. Community donated medical services provide a "cost" saving of $5,600 per month. · Gardening, yardwork, assisting in maintenance tasks and cooking offer the men new skills or a chance to use existing skills neglected while living on the street. No wonder it is a program of success. As a volunteer staff person at the Coalition, I have set a goal to learn more about area shelters so I could give a more efficient refen-al to the people we serve on a daily bas i's. T myself have been homeless not once but twice. And as I think back on it now, some of the tools I used were structure, consistency, a job and motivation. What I lacked was a roof over my head. I am so glad that I have taken the time out to find out· about these shelters. This has been very educational for me. And I hope it will be a plus for whoever comes to the Coalition for help. Thank you, Steve, for enlightening me, because surely this is a good place to go. Page 6 Social Justice, continued from page 2 necessary, it would accompany an unlucky member to the scaffold, should he face execution! Perhaps because largely impractical in an age ofsingle room cottages and inns where travelers slept several to the bed, privacy seemed a luxury seldom found. But a lso, curiously, little missed. In short, hungry, diseased, and unfree as it may have been, the Middle Ages knew nothing of alienation. And thus, John Donne's observation that "No man is an island" may have found expression just as its truth was passing. Perhaps the bell simply mourns the death of affective wannth in the Age of Modernity.. To over-simplify, one can divide human associations into "societies" and "communities." The 19th century German sociologist Tennies spoke of "Gessellschaft" and "Gemeinschaft" "Gessellschaft" is characteristic of the modern age; it suggests a collection of separate atoms, bound together for a common, sometimes trivial, purpose such as waiting at a bus stop. Each person is self-contained, without relationship or interchange with his/her fellows, a collection one modem writer has called the "Lonely Crowd." "Gem1einschaft" , on the other hand, is more of an organic social unity, typically found in pre-modem fanning villages or small, non-technological tribes. Everybody knew everybody; people inter­ related each to all the others in many ways and on many levels. Life was in some ways richer, but in other ways less free. Where everybody had a "place," the individual was under a lot of social pressure to "stay in bis place." For Plato, society ideally divided into · clearly separate ranks. The Philosopher-Kings or Guardians composed the top rank. Next came the Warriors, and finally, the Workers. Plato 's concept of social justice reflected an idealized harmony obtained when there is a "place for everyone" and "everyone stays in bis place." Confucian philosophy employed a similar taxonomy, giving particular importance to the role of peasants. The modern sociologist Tafcott Parsons espoused a social theory called structural­ functionalism. It emphasized the tendency of society to maintain social equilibrium, a concept called " homeostasis." Derived from a Calvinist background, Parsons was familiar with the notions both that economic vocation ~oul_~ ~~ a sacred Gallfog, aha' tli:a.t 'er Mah"$ job 1 d~t\fiea li.ihl ~hti 1iisr~1~b~ 'in~sbtiefy. !s6dieij,' 1 in turn, could be defined as the interrelated sum of all the vocations of its m embers. Parsons felt particular horror at the problem of unemployment. He found disturbing not only the suffering caused by economic deprivation, but perhaps even more, the definitional confusion caused by large numbers of people without jobs or "callings." They had " no pace. I I" The pre-eminent characteristic of "Gesellschaft" is the modern concept of the market, where goods, capital and workers are each alJocated to their application of maximum utility, "as ifby an invisible hand." But what of the people " left out?" What of those who have " no place," no jobs? What, in short, of the people living at the margins of the social order? Next Month: Part 2 �WHY FOCC.:S 0,'i Tl/£ GOJ .ERXOR.S:' Governors have signijicanL political power and c:ontroi over the American people. They lilerally make life-and death decisions, directly affecting society through education, welfare, environmental, and law enforcemenl initiatives. Unlike f ederal mandates, which can take significantly longer to trickle down through the bureaucratic system, governors can impose immediate changes necessary to serve the people. Our governors have become unaccountable to the public. They use tax .' • ·.;;.. - ""1e. breaks and 21 · >-~- - . .~~- "~ incentives as "- J ' -" ~ · ~i.. well as reduced environmental standards, to attract corporations to their ' - .$ _,. ~1... states. This causes displaced f amiltes and environmental destruction, as well as increased unemployment in areas abandoned by these businesses. Our so-called "leaders" manipulate the public to get elected, and then proceed to ser ve corporate interests. Lastly, an article printed last month in Z Magazine by Cynthia Peters, entitled War at Home/War Abroad, brought home how oppressive our global systems really are. The article demonstrates how poor people all over the world are being " structurally adjusted" out of a means of survival by national and international neoliberal economic policies. She draws parallels between welfare " reform", which forces people into low-wage rsrwelfare News National Campaign Targets Governors by Sharon Weiss " National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support slams nation s Governors for neglecting needy families, says states are withholding food stamps, Medicaid, children s health and child care support." This was the topic of a press release issued to the public on July 8, at the National Governor's Association (NGA) Convention at State College, PA. The subject of the governor 's convention was "the new economy" and the promotion of big business. The de legates were greeted by demonstrators organized by the nation's largest anti-poverty coalition, demanding that states move more aggressively to end poverty by spending the 7.3 billion Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) dollars being horded by states. Deepak Bhrgave, director of the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support, urged states to use TANF fund s only to support poor families, to disclose information on how TANF funds are being used, to track families leaving welfare to make sure they' re getting support and jobs, and to oppose cuts in CHIP, the medical insurance fund for children, and TANF funds. Thirteen people from Cincinnati joined Philadelphia ACORN (a welfare rights group), Mothers on the Move (MOM) and demonstrators from as far away as Chicago to make their point. After a briefing and sign making session, the Cincinnati contingent drove out to the protest site only to find FBI men and city police directing us to a very obscure area off the highway some 300 feet from the Marriott entrance where the State Governors were to assemble. This would not do for Philadelphia ACORN, who loudly voiced that they could not be seen by the media and the governors that we were targeting. We moved 100 feet closer to the highway entrance and started our rally. The police were not in riot gear, but there certainly f4f ~ef~ epoµg_h, ?f t~11P: ! ?·~e) vo}~t ~he.re i l ( ~ were fi9tty qfjjcers .s_u-d:rrQun~m1r ,an cf an<;>tfl~r ,l 1 t . • I l I ) > I • 1 '1 U$ l > I f •, •I nine officers mounte on horse back. However, this did not detour the protestors in the least as we got on with our message, while the media mingled with the crowd and interviewed many protestors. Later on, some of us walked to Penn State University for Redirection 2000, a three day gathering of students and concerned citizens calling for true democracy and domestic and global justice. There intent was to raise awareness among the partic ipants of the National Governors' Convention on issues of concern to the people, not corporations. The Redirection 2000 Jiteratw-e reminds us all of the power state governors really have espec ia lly since the NGA endorsed the destructive globalization policies of the CMF, World Bank. and WTO. The fo llowing is a quote from their literature: ·/J .. jobs, \\hich strci~gthc·1 corporations bott<'lll line, <ind qructun1l adjustm...· nt policic;:; in otht:· countries, which also take away ex isting safety-nets, strip social services and hurt the poor while benefiting wealthy corporations. She want on to state that a mother offi ve, who had spent several years on welfare, was accused of lying in order to get benefi ts. Their question was: how could she possibly be surviving on what they paid her? The authorities concluded that she must be cheating the system because she and ber children would have starved to death by now. This is an example ofeconomic policies that exploit human labor, rob people oftheir dignity and means of survival and livelihood, and then criminalize them for surviving. The message is clear: If you do everything the state asked of you and somehow survive, even minimally, you are a cheat and a criminal. Abroad, U.S. policies are such that Colombian farmers can only depend on coca as a dependable cash crop. Meanwhile, US drug laws make sure that the flow of cocaine into the U .S. will disproportionately penalize and incarcerate poor people and people of color. Daily, hundreds of Mexicans making three dollars a week are literally dying in order to work in the U.S. for six dollars an hour - a wage we in the U.S. call poverty. The point of her article, fo r organizers and activist alike, is that rac ism and economic exploitation define the corporate agenda with little regard for human and environmental justice. Millio ns of lives have been destroyed at home and abroad by the structural adjustment by corporate backed IMF and World Bank pol icies. With governors having so much power, we must demand that they are accountable to the people and remain independent of corporate greed. • • • I >' r (I .::.~-=:::~ _. . . .- . .-~·- - -' C'4~- . _ SUA".,,- -gr~_ /5:0C?_p-nL- f :OO~n.. ~-l- tiiJSa.J: .5~ oc_1r.,... .-2: o oGW'>'L ~--- ~ ~'lt4 !::JC.L_~"'-..a ~ ~~ �INTERNATIONAL NEWS Demonstrators March for Tibet's Independence Tibetans' Concerns Included World Bank Loan and BPI Amoco Project by JohJ1 Halpin WASHINGTON, D.C.- The first weekend in July was a significant moment for Tibetan exiles living in the United States. As the Supporters gathered for a rally at Lafayette Park, across from the White House, before the march annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall highlighted the vibrancy of Tibetan culture in exiled communities around these concerns, Tibetans and several guests, Upon completion, that report strongly the world, Tibetans celebrated their religious including Thai Buddhist leader and organizer recommended the Bank not approve the loan, heritage with a visit by His Holiness the Dalai Sulak Sivarska and Irish Nobel laureate finding seven World Bank policy violations Mariead MacGuire, spoke about two current Lama and organized politically to work for that would result. These violations included independence and human rights in their issues: a World Bank loan to China and BP/ an inadequate environmental assessment of Amoco's plans to work with PetroChina to homeland. the proj ect, little consultation with Tibetans in On July 1, Tibetans and their extract Tibet's o il and natural gas resources. the area, and a "climate of fear" in the area. supporters - over a thousand in number ­ There were concerns that the Bank 's disregard Controversial World Bank Loan marched from the White House, past the ofconfidentiality when conducting interviews The World Bank Joan, a source of headquarters of the World Bank, to the with the local population put people at risk. controversy and extreme criticism since its Chinese Embassy. Their concerns were Additionally, the Inspection Panel critic ized inception, was criticized because it would addressed at a rally in Lafayette Park before the World Bank for not examining alternatives have funded the p9pulation transfer of 58,000 the parade. to the project, as the Bank's policies dictate. Han Chinese and Hui Muslim farmers into The primary concerns of the Tibetans since the Chinese annexation ofTibet in the Dulan County, West Qinghai, displacing 4,000 China Withdraws Application for Loan 1950's have been the suppression of Tibetan Tibetan and Mongolian people. The loan was On July 7, China withdrew its approved in June, 1999, but was delayed until Buddhism, the torture of political prisoners, application for this controversial loan, as a and many other violations of human rights in a World Bank Inspection Panel cou ld make a majority of the Bank's board members did not Tibet. At the July 1 protest, in addition to report. support the project in its cutTent state, and China was unprepared to accept changes to tl;te project. Ch inese Executive Director Zhu Xian , in a statement to fellow Board members, said " It is unacceptable to my and non-governmental organizations called by John Halpin authorities that other Bank shareholders upon the United States to provide the After President Clinton threatened a would insist on imposing additional conditions necessary funds for meaningful debt relief. veto of any foreign aid bill not meeting his on (the] Management 's recommendations, Without the United States' contribution, requests for debt relief to impoverished namely coming back to the Board for many feared that funds for relief from the third world nations, the House of approval again for a proj ect that was already IMF and regional lenders would run out ne~t Representatives passed an amendment July approved last year." China will now conduct year. 13 to increase the level of debt relief from the project on its own. The debt reliefplan calIs for the $69.4 million to $225 million. TM> meets "This is a stunning victory, for we avings to be spent on education, the President's ·request for fiscal year 2001, · have prevented China from getting an vaccinationst \ural development, and otbe~ but it falls short of the supplemental international stamp of approval for its policy programs. Twenty-eight countries could be appropriation ofS2 l 0 mill ion he requested of population transfer into Tibet," said Alison el igible, aiding some ofthe I,2 billion people for 2000. Reynolds, Director of the Free Tibet living on less than $1 a day. The amendment, offered by Maxine "But the story isn't over. The Campaign. The House bill will now go to the Water ( D-CA), passed narrowly 216-21 1. World Bank will continue to face acute House-Senate conference committee where The funds allocated to debt re lief will be in its dealings with China, and we wi ll scrutiny the substantial differences in re lief Levels will drawn from foreign military aid accounts. continue to campaign on behalf of the people be ironed out. The Senate version of the bill "This is a ·huge victory for nations around of Dulan who still have to face the prospect of provides only $75 million for debt relief. the world struggling to break out of the their lands being taken over by Chinese and Local Representative Steve Chabot cycle of extreme povc1ty," said Democratic Musli m settlers." voted against the Water amendment. Todd Representative Nita Lowey of New York. Lindgrem, an aide to Mr. Chabot said that he One year ago, President Clinton and BP Amoco Teams Up With PetroClti11a feels Mr. Chabot voted against the other world leaders promised to write off In April of this year, PetroChina, a amendment because using taxpayer dollars 550 billio11 in debt owed by poor nations. subsidiary of the state-owned China National from "hardworking Cincinnati families" for Recently, the United States has been the Petroleum Company, was made available on the relief of other nations' debts was not subject of criticism in the international the New York and Hong Kong stock appropriate. "Mr. Chabot feels it is in the community for failing to meet its portion of exchanges. Due caution investing in Chinese best interest of the US and countries involved the promised relief. Various officials, such to live up to the original agreements," he as Gennan Finance Minister Hans Eichel, See Tibet, page 18 said. House of Represent~frves Boosts B~fit Rellef �STREETVI BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine INS Prisoner on Hunger Strike Viewing Children As Victims, Not Offenders by Michelle Kitchen We have all watched media coverage about the deaths of young children to chi ld abuse or neglect. But what happens to the survivors of these stories? The babies abandoned in hospitals or restaurants, chi ldren left unattended for weeks without food in filthy roach-infested apartments, or even worse, the children are brntally abused. What about the children whose parents are incarcerated? The bridge between early childhood victims and later delinquent behavior needs to be addressed prior to these children appearing in distressing newspaper stories like the case of 16 year-old David Newbury and Mark Rea in Milwaukee, who sexually assaulted and clubbed to death a classmate. David's court record revealed a childhood history of beatings, cruel words and indifference. Before being sentenced to life in prison, David told a probation officer, "I lived like I was treated." Childhood victimization clearly increases a person's risk of arrest. To place this in " perspective," the odds are almost two times higher that an abused or neglected child will be arrested as an unruly juvenile for a violent crime than a child that has not experienced victimization. "Perspective" on crime, as on any other bwnan problem concerns, in the most general sense of the tenn, is how we perceive or view something. Viewing children as victims not offenders is what our policy makers fail to define. Senate Bill 179, introduced August 24, 1999 by Senator Latta specifies the eligibi lity for criminal persecution for adjudicated delinquent children, and bases the criteria on the child's age ... any age from ten to seventeen years at the time of the act. At ten years old the child may be tried as an adult. I I 1 ' Sena1e Bill l 81, introduced August 3 l . 1999 by Senator Spada expands the definition of "delinquent child," to include any child who is a " habitual truant." ln addition, this bill modifies the ex is~ingjuven il e record sealing and expunge~ent law in respect that a youthful offender act may haunt the child into his/her adult life. ln the ease ofchi ld victims today, the "justice system" get the failures ofany other attempt at intervention. Lawmakers w ith their "get tough on crime" policies are punishing victims, chi ldren, as offenders. I don't pretend to have all the answers but "locking up" children at the age of ten and "throwing away the key" should definitely be re-evaluated. Children are able to change given the chance and a little help. Deprivation of fundamental needs in early childhood is a place to start. Prison is not! Michelle Kitchen 394400.R. W. 1479 Collins Ave; Arn-4 Marysville, 9h 43040 My name is Mahmoud El-Khatib and I have made the decision to go on a non-violent hunger strike that l started o n June 21, 2000. This hunger s trike w ill continu e until the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) releases me and gives me back my freedom. The INS took me into custody on February 23, 1999 and I have been detained by them ever since. l am at the Maple Heights Jail in Maple Heights, Ohio. On Friday, June 23'd, it was my 35L11 birthday and this makes the second birthday that l have spent in ~jail cell. 1 refuse to spend another year in here. I have been locked up for the past 17 months for a non-violent crime that I committed in 1984 in which l served NO JAIL TIME. I have been denied medical and de.ntal privileges since the INS has detained me. This hunger strike is for My Freedom. I am doing this for 3 American born children, my fam ily. I was manied to an American citizen fo r I 0 years and we share 3 children, Alexandra Rae, age ~ 0, H ana Marie, age 6, and Said Gabriel, age 3. My children need me to help support them and g ive them the things that they need in life and to be their father. My children think that I am at work and they have asked me to talk to ~y boss and tell him that I need a day off so I can come home. I came to this country in 1984 in search ofFreedom. I have always worked hard everyday and paid my fair share of taxes since I came to America. My mother, brothers and sisters came to the United States in 1990 during the invasion ofKuwait, and they are in the process ofbecoming American citizens. 1 have a brother in the Page 9 American Anny that is stationed in Korea and my youngest brother is attending college. I am the oldest son and my mother's health isn't very good and J want to be w ith her and help her as much as I can. I want my freedom so that l can work and help my ex-wife support our children. I have been kept away from my children, mother, brother and sisters for the past 17 months . My children are my flesh and blood and I need them as much as they need me. Since the Immigration Law was passed in l 996 it has destroyed a lot of families and cost the tax payers approximately $40,000 in the past 17 months for the lNS to hold me in jail. I am not the only one that the INS is wrongfu lly holding in the Un ited States, so the INS and th e government is wasting a lot of tax payers money every day that they keep us in jail. The 91h Circu it Court ofAppeals recently ruled that immigrants accused of crimes in the U.S. could not be held indefinitely. The ruling stated that aliens must be released within 90 days after final deportation order and must remain free under INS supervision until their home country reaches an agreement with the United States to accept deportees. My country of Kuwait will not take me back and the INS knows this. l came to the U.S. w ith a Palestine refugee pa&sport and I had a green card so WHY am I still being held like a hostage? I refuse to eat until the INS releases me and gives me back my Freedorri so I can be a father to my 3 children. I love them so much and these past 17 months without them has been a living bell for me. Everyday that I am away from them seems like an eternity. I will not eat until I am released even if it means my death. I want to go home. • • • r--::--:------=---:-----------------------------­ even bead off in the wrong direction. But for Prisoner Seeks Community Support .....• Rick. Freeman . Seeking outside support from family, friends, pen-pals, ministers, pastors, community leaders and strong organizations to help support strong, intelligent, intellectual and caring brothers who are trying to be part of the solution, to bring happiness, peace, love, and non-violence for years to come. Because nothing can ever for us the victory we seek except a recapture of our own minds. Qur very survival depends upon our ability and willingness to change for the better, for ourselves, our families and our communities. Everyone gets sidetracked, and some ofus e_very action, there is an equal but opposite reaction, and the bottom line is that we are still human and have feelings along with needs (i.e., love and support). It seems like the world turns its back on you once you are locked up. No one seems to care anymore. But prisoners need love too! So please, write that father, brother, uncle, nephew, boyfriend, husband, son, friend, mother, sister, wife, etc. and show them they are not alone. As organizer and president ofAnti-Racist Prisoners, I will assist you and set up arrangements for you to meet strong, positive people who meet your criteria and need your friendship and support. So show someone that you care. For contact information, call the GCCH at 421-7803. S1llfDl/IBIS PrisoncTS News contains news about the justice system and the writings of persons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. PEN PAL WANTED Lee E. Crum, #239589, OCI, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, OH, 43216 Subscribers wit hin the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $1 S for a year's subscription Sendyour comments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 7506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 7O �STREETVIBE.S The Tri-State's HomelessGrapevin~ Death Penalty Moratorium Picks Up Steam Hamilton County Justice System Shows Racial Bias by Da11 Marscltner Movements across the country to have a death penalty moratorium are gaining momentum as evidence against the death penalty continues to surface. The debate aboi1t the use of the death penalty has become a hot topic due to Texas Governor George W. Bush's Presidential candidacy. Texas has been the leader in executions since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976. However, the death penalty's legitimacy has been questioned: research indicates that tl1e death penalty is biased against poor people aud people of color. Advocates against the death penalty argue that it is a racist, classist tool that should be suspended and ultimately discarded. The most common evidence cited to discredit the fairness of the death penalty shows that poor people and people of color are much more likely to receive it. The evidence is quite alarming, and sho,~·s a histo1y ofdisctiminatory use of the death penalty. For instance, approximately 90% of people on death row cannot afford their own attorney. Also, none of the 38 states tnat allow the death penalty ha\'e met the standards developed by the American' Bar Association for appointment. perfom1ance and compensation ofcouncil for poor people. The record of the death penalty against people ofcolor is even more disturbing. Since ReSTOC. continued from page 1 men having completed a six-month substance abuse recovery program. 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court, African-Americans have been unjustly targeted. Although th.ey make u~ only 13-% ofthe population, 35% ofdeath row mmates executed were African-Americans; 43% of the cun-ent death row population in U.S. states are African-American; and 67% ofthe federal death row population is African-American. Afocan­ Americans who are convicted ofkilhng · Caucasians are the most likely people to receive the death penalty. In the last 34 years, J I Caucasians have been executed for the killing an African-American while 144·African-Americans have been executed for kiJling a Caucasian. T)1e Supreme Comi bas also handed down a series of rulings that expedite the appeals process. These rulings restrict the rights of death row inmates to appeal their rulings, even in cases where the mmate may have compeU ing evidence oftheir innocence. Thus, the process is getting faster v:h1le the death penalty's credibility is seriously questioned. The Ohio death row population mirrors national trends. Of the 200 inmates. 53% arc people of color, 49% of whom are African­ American, 69% of Ohio death row inmates are convicted of killing a Caucasian, while only 25% are convicted ofkilling a person of color. Locally. Hamilton County leads all buildings are too expensive to rehabilitate. Hauck stated that because the buildings are so expensive to rehabilitate, the ReSTOC project, which obtained the nccessa1y funding. should Page 10 . ~ counties in Ohio in de~th row inmates. Currently, Ohio houses 200 inmates on death row, 49 of whom are Hamilton County residents. Although Hamilton County residents made up 7.5% of the state population as of July 1999, 24.4% of current death row inmates come from the area. The number of Hamilton County inmates equals the number of inmates of the two larger counties in Ohio (Cuyahoga and Franklin) combined. As a response to the discriminatory use of tbe death penalty, several Congress members have proposed a national moratoril.1m on the death penalty. Senators Feingol~ (D-WI) and Levin (D-MI) proposed a bill 011 April 26, 2000 that would declare a nationaJ morat01ium until a commission could be formed to study the issue. The c01m11ission would be composed of members who are prosecutors, attorneys, judges. law enforcement officers, and · knowledgeable member.s ofthe general public. The commission's task would be to determine a less discriminat01y use ofthe death penalty. One state. Jllinois, already has suspended tts death penalty until it can be studied further. People who a.re interested in learning more about the death penalty moratorium movement are encouraged to contact Eunice Timoney Ravenna at rhe lntercommunity .Justice and Peace Center. Their phone number is 579­ 8547. Special thanks w Eunice Timone_i• Ravenna.for providing the resources.for this article. Hart Opt-Out, co11ti1111edji·om page 3 happened in the first round of expiration thac went into processing thi~ July 14 through Au1rust Speaking of the ReSTOC proJ-_ ·ec_ _l._______ Dik~ctoi· --...,----------------! of Neighborhood Services 1. This can be very confusing to many residents On June 26 and 27, HUD held some Cheryl Meadows said. '·We arc informational meeting to help mfonn residents of not precluding anyone who The majority of the money for ReSTOC's Vine Str~ct this process. fa en as HUD was send mg flyers to wants to do market rate housing Commumty Project is from privarc sources. The Cuy of infonn residents of meetings about vouchers from doing it." She stated that Cinci1mati's expected share was $700.000, or 16% of the about haJ f ofthose tenants would actually be put the city had sent out requests for total funding. The dollars from the city are actually Federal on hold for vouchers until HUD continued talks proposals of market-rate I IOME dollars, to be spent exclpsively on low-income with Hart. Severa I people who found out they projects on Vine Street and had housing, thatthc·city has the responsibility ofallocating. were not receiving vouchers were angry enough received no responses. She that they left the meetings. Most tenants were indicated the city would work Source Amount confused about how an owner could opt out and with market-rate projects. as Housing Tax Credits (Private Equity) $4,954,630 then negotiate a.new contract in a fow days. well. provided developers came State of Ohio $300,000 COT-fHlO (Coalition on Homelessness forward with proposals. City of Cincinnati $700.,000 and Housing in Ohio) staff in Cincinnati then John Hauck, a supporter of $10,000 Cincinnati Development Fund went to work on following up on tenanl Vine Street development and $35,000 CNBDU (Vine Street Fa9adeProgram) concerns. Those tenants in buildings not opted president of the Abandoned out ofwere promised help dealing with Total $5,095.630 Buildings Company (ABC), conditions in the buildings. Residents in which owns six vacant buildings on the street, be supported. buildings that actually were opting out.were spoke in favor of the ReSTOC proposal. He The June. 28 Council vote was tied 4-4, offered help in dealing with the v_oucher process. said ABC spends thousands each year to with Councilman Charlie Winburn absent. The road to getting a voucher for those maintain their vacant buildings, and no one has Voting in favor offonding ReSTOC were Hart tenants started with attending another approached them with market rate or low­ meetirnz with CMHA (Cincinnati Metropolitan Vicemayor Minette Cooper, Alicia Reece, income development projects because the Housi;g Authority). At this meeting tenants Paul Booth, and Todd P01tune. Opposed to would have to prove income verification and the funding were James Tarbell, Phil identity. Tenants who qualified would be given Heimlich, PatDeWine, and Mayor Charlie fonns to take back to their culTent landlord or Luken. could use in the another property that wou ld Dr. Gene Beaupre, professor of political accept the voucher. science at Xavier University, has worked The process seemed to run smoothly for closely with Council for the past twenty-five years. Noting that ReSTOC had a. plan and. a residents that had little baniers to housing. Residents wh~ could not understand the developer ready, Beaupre stated, ""Never rn paperwork (because ofliteracy and/or problems my twenty-five years working with City associated with aging) have had difficulties. Council have I seen a group come with nearly COHHIO staff worked on outreach to these 4 million dollars for development, the tenants. At Press time 14 out of 146 low income bulidings under tbeir own control, the families and individuals have not been reached. architects already involved, the project These residents are in extreme danger ofbeing brought through the city administration. and evicted from their apa1tments if they are not - - - · then turned down by Council."." 14-16 West 13th Street, two of. the project Without the City's support, the project will reached by September I, 2000. buildings that will stay vacant without funding not be possible. THE FUNDING �ST RE ETV IBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grape-vine Page 11 _=] ·'" The Lucasville Trials: Five Men Unfairly Sentenced to Die ..... by Staughton Lynd On April 21 , 1993, 407 prisoners who for eleven days had occupied the L cell block at the Southern Ohio Correctional facil ity (SOCF) in Lucasville, Ohio, surrendered to authorities. Nine prisoners and one guard had been killed. The 21-point surrender agreement included the following: "Administrative discipline and criminal proceedings will be fairly and impartially administered without bias against individuals or groups." "There will be no retaliating actions taken toward any inmate or groups of inmates or their property." The authorities bro ught 40 inmates to trial. They obtained 47 guilty findings or guilty please. Five men were sentenced to death. The authorities achieved these results by systematic and intentional violation of the su n ender agreemen t. Disparity ef Resources The American Bar Association g uidelines for the appointment and performance 9f counsel in death penalty cases state that attorneys in capital cases should receive a '·reasonable rate of hourly compensation which reflects the extraordinary responsibilities inherent in death penalty litigation." Counsel should also be provided w ith the time and funding necessary for proper investigations. expe11 witnesses, and other support services, accord ing to the ABA. Ohio does not meet these standards. In the words of an Ohio Supreme CourtJask ·. force. fee schedules for defend ing capital cases m Ohio "are similar to those used in states where constitutional challenges have been successful." In the Lucasville cases - both those that sought the death penalty and those that did not- the disparity of resources between prosecution and defense was extreme. Attorney Niki Schwartz, w ho helped the prisoners in L block to negotiate the 21 -point settlement, testified abo ut this in the trial of Jason Robb. Schwa11z stated that the Ohio legislature appropriated millions of dollars for special prosecutors. Prosecutors were paid between $60 and $125 per hour, and were able to pract ice without the overhead expenses and costs borne by defense attorneys. By contrast, for defr.nd; t. 0 .~ man on six counts of Aggravated Murder and four cou nts of Kidnapping, defense attorney Jeffrey Kelleher was pa id $50 per hour for 310 hours in court and $40 per hour for 1,513 hems out of court. Moreover, defense counsel could not seek compensation until after each such case was completed. The legislature also allocated additional and special resources to the·prosecu tion but not to the defense. According to Reginald Wilkinson, Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC), over 1,250 interviews and 4,000 items of ev idence were stored in a prosecution computer program using over 1,000 megabytes of memo1y. The disparity of resources between prosecution and defense is public know ledge. The. Columbus Dispatch report ed on Apri l 16, 1997, that a total of $2.7million had been made available to the prosecution and a total 0£$892,000 to the defense. ' Interference with Right to Counsel After the sun-ender, Attorney Schwartz arranged for Public Defenders and counsel associated with the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to interview each prisoner who surrendered. Prisoners were told that they had the right to remain silent and the right to insist upon having a lawyer present during interrogation. · Attorney Schwartz then made arrangements with the Ohio State Highway Patrol to convene a meeting of top State offi cials to consider ways and means of providing Lucasville p risoners w ith effective assistance of counsel. According to Schwaitz's sworn testimony, the meeting was abo1ied by the newly-appointed Special Prosecutor, Mark Piepmeier. Piepmeier. Schwartz has w1itten to the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Courl, told Schwaiiz that he did not want p1isoners to have counsel p1ior to indictment because then they would not incriminate themselves. At Schwartz's request, the President of the Ohio State Bar Association thereupon sent out a call for volunteer attorneys to serve pro bono. Hundreds of lawyers, including many of Ohio's top criminal; defense lawyers, volunteered to represent prisoners.Prior to indictment wi th no compensation, and if qualified and desired by p risoners, to accept appointment after inpictrnent. Piepmeie1 informed volunteer attorneys that they would be appointed to represent their clients after indictment only if they cooperated by atTanging a plea. The first indictments were issued in December 1993 . Judge Thomas Mitchell announced that he would handle all aITaignments. According to Schwartz, throughout February and March 1994 Judge Mitchell refused to appoint any requested volunteers who did not have Piepmeier's approval as a result of negotiating a guilty plea. Only after Schwartz appealed to Chief Justice Moyer were some volunteers grudgingly appointed as trial cotmsel for Lucasville defendants. More often the trial judge simp ly imposed on the·defendant new counsel chosen by the Court . Selective prosecution and reliance on snitch testimony The authorities' assurance to the surrendering prisoners that "there will be no retaliating actions taken toward any inmate" lasted less than twenty-four hours. On the night of the sunender, the Ohio State Highway Patrol began to interv iew a prjsoner who reported his experience, under oath, as follows : "The troopers knew already who they wanted to prosecute, even though I was on the first inmates they spoke with . They specifically wanted me to make statements against (spokespersons for the prisoners named) George Skatzes, Hasan Sanders, and Lavelle. They made it clear to me that they wanted these pa11icular individuals, and that they d id not care about any others. l asked, ''You all do n't care what we say, just as long as it's against one of the inmates .you want, no matter if it's tme or not," and was told, "that's right." These officers said, "We want Skatzes. We want Lavelle. We want Hasan." They also said, " We know they were leaders. We want to burn their ass. We want to put them in the electric chair for murdering Officer Vallandingham." Director Wilkinson himselfconfirms that the prosecution strategy was to concentrate on these presumed leaders until one of them broke. In an article published in CotTections Management Quarterly, Wilkinson states that Piepmeier 's_staff" targeted a few gang leaders and conv inced them to accept plea bargains. Thi11een months into the invest igation, a primary riot provocateur (Lavelle ) agreed to talk about Officer Vallandingham 's death. He later received a sentence of7 to 25 years after pleadi ng guilty to conspiracy to comm it murder. His testimony led to death sentences for riot leaders Carlos Sanders, Jason Robb, Geon!e .... Skatzes, and James Were. After that ' fellow gang members began to seek deals of their own. ln the capital trials of those who had served as spokespersons for the rebelling prisoners, prosecutors conceded that they had l ittle or no physical evidence connecting any defendant with any death . All that they had was snitch testimony from other prisoners who had cut deals. The result can be illustrated by the case of prisoner Earl Elder, killed during the first hours of the rebellion. Affidavits of eyewitnesses name the prisoner who went into cell L-6-60 and finished Elder off. That man, who testified agamsr a riot spokesperson, 1s now out of prison. The 1iot spokesperson who (so say the witnes~es) never went into Elders cell was sentenced to death for Eider's murder. Prosecution tactics deserve a trial themselves. The prisoner quoted earlier describes pa1t of the process: "I and other winesses were offered incentives and specia l treatment to testify. The officers told me l was go ing home. On Apri l 28, 1994, I was put into the Witness Protection P rogram ;md sent lo the Oakwood Correctional Institution. At Oakwood. I and other inmates who had provided infor mation to the Ohio Highway Patrol and Depa1tment of Con-ection against inmates invo lved in the SOCF riot were housed together. The inmates there included (names seven persons beside himself). The Highway Patrol told thoses of us at O akwood to talk w ith each other to get our stori es in synch... The Highway Patrol had parties with us at Oakwood. They gave us chicken, popcorn, cake, movies . It was made clear that if we didn 't say what they wanted, then we would be punished or our safety ignored." 111esecond part of ''Th~ Lucasville Trials: Rive Men Unfairly Sentenced to Die" will appear in next month's edition b f Streetvibes. �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Saving a Historic Community letters and Editorials These letters were written in response to several staffeditorials in the Cincinnati Enquirer. To date, Peter Strauss' letter has not been published by the Enquirer. Former Councilmember Questions the Enquirer Seeing the two articles (7I11/00 and 7I 12/00) on housing in Cincinnati almost takes my breath away. The Enquirer, like any other public or quasi public communicator, has an obligation to tell the truth. Your editorials did not meet even the threshold of what one expects of a newspaper to do or be in searching for the truth. There are times (like these) when I wonder whether this newspaper even tries very hard to find the truth. l was Chairman of the City Council's Neighborhood Housing and Development Committee for a number of years and I can safely say that any semblance of what came before this committee and what the Enquirer contends came before this committee are totally coin~idental. Perhaps the most outrageous contention in the two editorials deals with RESTOC. This housing group, (as difficult as they could be at that time) never went to the _ "public trough" except for federal roofing dollars. Their efforts were strictly volunteer, and on weekends (including my two sons when they were home on vacation from college). The Enquirer fails to state the irony of this when in the most recent housing round, RESTOC was turned down by a majority of Council Members after it was encouraged and practically guaranteed $700,000 for its tax credit housing. This constant reference to "wanting millions of dollars on housing in OTR and the West End" isn't even in the ball park of credulity (more on ball parks and credulity Page 12 below). Where are the Enquirer plaudits for the City of Cincinnati: Western Southern Bracken Woods project in OTR, all the units oflow-moderate income housing built by Miami Purchase in the West End or this admittedly more controversial public housing in Lincoln Court, Laurel Homes being done by CMHA, the City and HUD, or historic Betts Longworth? Were the Enquirer to spend even a drop in ink discussing the wasted millions ($45 million in cost overruns on the Bengals' Stadium by the County as of 7/ 12/00), I'm not holding my breath as to the next "audit" done by the County on the Bengals' stadium. Nor am I holding my·breath as to the coming "hands off' policy undertaken by Phil Heimlich especially in light ofthe heavy handedness exhibited by former Assistant County Prosecutor Heimlich on his witch hunt after Genesis Redevelopment Corp., whose peccadillos are yet to be proven. Even if these alleged scandalous activities ofcertain neighborhood development groups were to be proven correct, $12,000 or even $50,000 is far short of$45 million. I am saddened that a good public official (Cheryl Meadows) who has never had any political agenda, to my knowledge, has to succumb to the Enquirer's vitriol while the real rip-off scandal, tax give away, call it what you will, goes on unabated. I'm even more saddened that City Manager Shirey has his fingerprints on this action. It is time for the Enquirer to again seek the truth, stop listening to certain Council Members who know nothing about housing, audits, investigations or running a city and even less about the civil and consitutional rights oforganizations having business and contracts with the city. A number of articles and editorials over the past several weeks, in both major newspapers, have strongly criticized investing more money in low-income housing in OTR. Ev.e rybody, in cluding City Council, the Planning Commission and the Media, is jumping on the bandwagon against ReSTOC and its efforts to develop 45 housing units in the vicinity of Vine Street. The reality is that the number of habitable housing units in OTR has steadily decreased to below 5,520 in the last few decades. The number res idents in the community has shrunk from 25,000 to less than 10,000. At least 250 buildings are on a permanently vacant VBML) or condemned list. The percentage of residents under the poverty line is close to 90%. Rents are low, and housing conditions are poor. Furthermore, the cost of renovating a typical building in OTR is at least $90,000 per unit. Are private investors flocking to OTR to invest? No! Only on Main Street, and the vicinity, where a flourishing bar­ restaurant business presents a different economic picture. Low-income tax credit projects, designed within historic guidelines, are the only way to rehabilitate most ofOTR in a cost efficient manner. ReSTOC wants to develop 45 units near Vine Street for $5.2 million. Three of its buildings are actually on Vine Street, and the others are on adjoining streets. Accordin1$ to City records there are currently 23 buildings on Vine Street that are permanently vacant or condemned. Assuming . each building contains at least 4 housing units, it would cost at le ast $8.2 million to rehabilitate these buildings alone. It is not feasible for the private market developers to do so at this time, without significant public assistance. Neither is it feasible for private market developers to renovate the more than 200 other buildings on the VBML list. A Master Planning effort is to begin shortly in OTR. It will formally be announced very soon. Is it wise to tum down $5 .2 million in housing investments in the meantime? Especially when the market is low-income, and there are no other means to renovate these Sincerely, Peter J. Strauss, Esq Formj!r Council Member I bui~djJilgS! I< J t ,! 1 , ' I Everybody in OTR, even the poor, want "mixed income development," so long as their homes are protected. To proclaim such a goal is meaningless. 'the issue is economics. Don't whine and complain about OTR if you are not willing to put your money where your mouth is. Try investing some time. Ask yourself if City Council is willing to put $5 .2 million into the community. The community needs at least $50 million. It is called "gap financing." By making such a financial commitment to the community, City Council, the Planning Commission and the Media might be in a better position to understand the . situation. Otherwise, low-income tax credit projects are one of the few ways to save this historic community. Very Truly Yours, John W. Hauck Attorney At Law �STREETVIBES Elite Conference Comes to Cincinnati by Steve Schumacher The City of Cincinnati and the Chamber of Commerce have landed an "elite conference." The Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) is 9oming to Cincinnati. "So what!" you say. The TABD keeps a running list of worker, consumer, and environmental laws it wants to weaken or defeat. They directly hand to top government officials their scorecards on bow well they've achieved this program of eroding our protections. And these officials listen with both ears since the Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue is made up of the top 100 CEOs in Europe and the United States. The TABD works to force countries to accept suspect or defective products by undermining oversight in individual countries. Many oftheir members suppo1t what is called a mutual recognition agreement, which the TABD describes as "approved once, accepted everywhere." So if, say, a poor, desperate, and/or corrupt government accepts dangerous or defective heart valves for healthcare or growth hormones for their.food supply, then the rest of us have to as well. In global economic double talk, this is what's known as eliminating a non-tariff trade barrier. This approach to global economics threatens not only consumer protection ·but wage laws, the right to organize a union, job safety and health, clean water supplies, and just about anything else you can think of that a global Editorial: ReSTOC INVESTING IN PEOPLE by Steve Elliott This approaching school year will be my thirty-fifth year of teaching, and I must admit that the most effective classroom setting has been the ReSTOC work crews on Saturday mornings. For the past fifteen years, I have been fortunate to spend countless hours with energetic students from Finneytown High School where we have helped, along with many others, to rehab ReSTOC owned buildings in the Wasliington Park area of Over-the-Rhine'. The physical labor involved in rehab work can be exhausting, tiring, time­ consuming and rewarding. Work crews do as much de-habbing as re-habbing. We clean out, clean up, remove ceilings, paint. ..every Saturday brings a new adventure and challenge to over sixty ReSTOC volunteers, who come from al l over Cincinnati. But, the rewards come not only in watching the buildings take on a new look. The reward is in knowing that we are helping to improve a community ...a community of people, not just buildings. The concept of working together to achieve a common goal is very evident through the ReSTOC work crew experiences, and what a great lesson ! Most volunteer work crews are diverse in their The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 73 ·world Trade Organization "We k7l01'V a number ofinternational companies who are hiring. Can you pass for under 12? " corporation might try to foist on us. The TABD is the "most influential business group advising government on US­ EU commercial relations," according to Commerce Secretary Bill Daley. They have been th.e re for every major economic summit since 1995 when the TABD was founded. Their influence sets much of the agenda for the World Trade Organization. And lest you think that the unions, church people and environmentalists who demonstrated in Seattle should have equal influence, here's what TABD member and former director of the WTO, Peter Sutherland, said, ''I don't believe that those who demonstrated in Seattle represented somebody with a legitimate stake ... We have to be very careful on engaging in this debate, as those NGO's (non-governmental organizations) should not have a say with government." Sutherland is head ofthe investme.n t bank Goldman Sachs, UK. Whatever happened to government of the people .. . ? Local organizations are-getting ready to raise these and other issues concerning democracy and economics with the TABD when in convenes in mid-November at the Omni Netherland. To help out, contact the lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center at 579-8547. More details on this will appear in the next Streetvibes. structure, including volunteers ofall races, incomes, and ages. You will find residents of the Drop Inn Center, ReSTOC tenants, church groups, and high school and college students all focused on the goal ofReSTOC: provide decent affor d able housing in Over-the­ Rhine. However, the most important lesson my students have learned over the years is the political process of the city of Cincinnati. The most recent example being the status of the ReSTOC Vine Street Community Project, which is currently in the hands of Cincinnati City Council. This project is a positive step for 45 additional units of affordable housing ~or,rprlq~& yl1 ~ss_fam1~e.s_ qf f hich.the Cif:y~ Consol\datycJ ,PL~n say.s.o/e n~ed 1 ~0,000 µ~ts, The city money in question amounts to 14% of the project ($700,000), as the other 86% will come from other sources. In paiticular, over $4,000,000 from Housing Tax Credits (private equity), where ReSTOC's Vine Street Project ranked #3 (out of 65 applicants) in Ohio in competition for tax credit funding. l t is somewhat ironic that when ReSTOC has earned the opportunity to develop housing in eight building~ at one time, a past criticism being that we "stockpiled" buildings, it is our critics that are making it difficult for this project to be a reality. The Vine Street Community Project is worthy of funding by the City of Cincinnati. In addition to the recent awards given for their housing development work by the Department ofHousing and Urban Development ("Best Practices Award") and the NDC Association ofCincinnati ("OutstandingAffordable Housing Development"), ReSTOC invests in people, not profit. ReSTOC has had a great influence on many Finneytown students, many of whom have gqne on to be ReSTOC interns, employees of the Drop Inn Center, or majored in Urban Planning at college. The most important lesson that their ReSTOC experience has given them is the importance of community-based housing and the dignity of housing for everyone. For more information about the Vine Street Proj ect and/or a tour of the ReSTOC buildings, 1. 1 J?~~~s.e; call 38i~-lll/• . �Interview with a Caged Warrior : Leonard Peltier (Pa t I) .....Interviewed by Ben Corbett (abridged fi'om original transcript) Ben Corbett: How did the Robideau-Butler trial differ from yours? Leonard Peltier : They were allowed lv bring out a lot of the stuff about the terror and the killings, all the poverty and everything else going on a Pine Ridge. And they were acquitted and found not­ guilty by self-defense. Unfortunately for me, by powers that are unknown to us, someone took my case out of Cedar Rapids and went shopping for judges. We know who it was: it was the Justice Department. But we don' t know who it was in the J ustice Department. Probably the directors. A lot of judges refused, but Judge Benson agreed to work with the government and get a conviction. BC: And that was your first trial? LP: That was my first trial. I bad a jury of 50, 60, 70 year-old white American North Dakota citizens, who had been raised all their lives believing Todians were all drunks and lazy and worthless. I just had to be guilty, you know, because the FBI wouldn ' t have arrested me if l weren ' t. Plus, we 're all drunks. That was my jury in a nutshell. I wasn't allowed to do anything in defense. The government was allowed to put in five weeks of testimony. They were able to create a murder weapon. The were allowed to illegally accuse me of owning that weapon. And f was only allowed a day and a half of testimony. Everything else was ruled irrelevant. I'd call a witness, the judge would call it irrelevant. Myrtle Poor Bear was the woman they used to sign affidavits to extradite me from Canada. We had Poor Bear's father on the witness list, and her sister. They were both going to testify that she was mentally retarded, that she was a liar, that she was nowhere near me, and never did know me in her life. Her sister did get up and testify to that, without the presence of the jury, of course. Later, Myrtle came to us and told us what happened to her. She told us that her life bad been threatened. That she had been terrorized by the U.S. marshals and the FBI to cooperate with them and testify against me. BC : Why did the FBI need to fabricate the evidence in the first place, for the first trial? justice. They will not use those tactics against high-caliber attorneys. Public defenders, they don ' t khow how to fight these types of things. Poor people don ' t know how to fight against this system. The United States government can indict you on something, and now you've got to prove your innocence. And that's not the Constitution of the United States. But that's what's happening with the right-wing facist conservative bull that's going on in this country. People don't realize, or don ' t want to wake up and see what's really happening. This is the same thing that the Nazi • party did during their taking control of Germany. They started with their judiciary system, and nobody in Germany believed it could happen there, either. BC: Why do you think it's happening here? LP: Big business. Control. They want more control. More power. It's world domination. The United States government has been a very vengeful government. We know they' ve committed atrocities since the beginning of their existence. During the First World War, the Second World War, Vietnam, Korea, there's numerous massacres. Of course, if you want to go into the American Indian history, there 's numerous you. You see them shooting [someone] 19 times. They shoot another guy 41 times! And they still try to say, " Oh, we ll , they were justified." You know these cops will get off lightly. BC: Many people call you a political prisoner. Do you consider yourself a political prisoner? LP: Yeah. Certainly. I am a political prisoner. I'm a political activist. I've fought in a war that was waged against my people that's existed for over 200 years. And I'll continue. I have my enemies. I have my enemies both in and out of people. J have some of my own people that are just as bad as the enemy. Not all Indian people are good people. We' ve had Indian people that were scouts that led the enemy into villages, killing women and children. Their own people. BC: Do you feel that all poor and minority prisoners are political prisoners? LP : Well, I wouldn ' t go as far as to say that, because some of these people did commit serious crimes. My idea of a political prisoner is someone who is out fighting for bis or her people's rights and freedom and is imprisoned for that alone. Some people have different opinions about that. BC: And in your case, American Indian nations are separate nations from the United Sta tes? LP: Yeah, separate nations. We' re fightin g nation against nation. Sovereign against sovereign. But back to the other issue. Some people consider others who got a bad deal or got railroaded into prison political prisoners. l believe there's an injustice there. And I believe it's political to some extent. . . We11 for prosecutors it's a great extent, because the more convictions they get, the further up the ladder they climb. But I dou't believe that everyone's a political prisoner. It's hard for me to call somebody a political prisoner who's been selling drugs on the streets and then got railroaded into prison. But if the guy received some injustices that should have been corrected, or treated unequally in the justice system, then he should be given a new trial. I believe that. BC: During your imprisonment, you 've risen to a symbol representing all Indigenous people being oppressed by their governments. How does that feel? LP: Why? To put the entire weight of the United States government to get a conviction. They massacres clear across this country, wellwanted to get their man. In 1985, the 8th Circuit LP: I hear that ... I don't know ... I hear that. It's documented. And whenever they got defeated like Court of Appeals - on my second appeal ­ quite a pedestal to be put on. Especia11y when in Little Big Hom, they've wanted vengeance for released a two page opinion. In this opinion they the next 200 years, and you're not trying or wanting something like this to it's still going on with us. found thaf'drere was a withholding ofexculpatory soldiers getting They still want revenge for their happen to you. I j ust hope that I'm not a evidence, which could have exonerated me if it had killed. 1 • • 1 ' • 1 ~ • • • • • • 1 ; • l t , , , r 1 • 1 , 1 df.appointment to. 01y~peqp.le iU'm ever released. I . not been withheld, with was the murder weapon. h pe I never disre~~t that:hP,not.) i receive a lot It's t!te sam.e w~y in the j ustice system. Perjucy:by government.witnesses·.. fBI.., . , , , , • ' YJu~l:l 'havt1b'be'a totat moron not to befieve ' ; ' ' If o letters fromtpeople ..:. ,i nlhe Boulder area in fact. misconduct. And the judge erred in his rufi ngs, some of the things I' m saying about the justice Some Indian women have told me that when I'm which prevented me from putting up a defense. We know that there's been numerous released, they're already setting up organizations system. Those are four constitutional issues. But because scandals going on in Philadelphia and they're with the police. gonna make me "Chief of Chiefs." ' of the political pressure by the FBI and their We know that there's numerous scandals going on (Laughs) You know, it's quite an honor. But I overwhelming control of the courts, they quoted with the Los Angeles police. The Massachusetts don' t feel any different than the Leonard Peltier the Bagley decision - a Supreme Court decision police, Michigan ... I mean, you just name the city that came in here 24 years ago. I don't act any called Bagley [which weighs possibility against and ":e know the different. And I hope I can continue to say that for ~o.lice have been setting up and probably] - to deny me my trial. In some cases killing them. of my life. I hope that the status they' ve the rest sendm.g people to Jail. What's so ironic about this and supports What given me will be a benefit to my people. Otherwise is so hard to believe about this? Unless you what I just said,about the FBl's influence of the it wasn't worth it. s0mehow subconsciously believe that they're courts, is that there was a case almost identical to doing right, and that they should continue this war mine just prior to my case. They ruled the For more information, contact: on poverty and elimination of minorities and poor opposite. TotaJly opposite. And they released the people in this country. And that's what they're People Against Racist Terror (PAR T) guy using the Bagley decision. Then in my case, doing. PO Box 1055 which was -the next case, they did a complete in There are now two million people Culver City CA 90232 reversal. So I am sitting in prison again on another prison. Two million. I've read some cases of Tel.: 310-495-0299 technicality. The courts have now set it up so that convictions that are astonishing, where they've E-mail: part200 l@usa.net URL: it's impossible for you to not only receive a fai1: even tampered with the jury. The federal http://pcople.we. mcdiaone. net/pa1t2001 / index .html trial, but they're now saying you have to prove government. But people out there, they' re so your innocence. In a case like mine, how do you Repri111ed by permission ji-0111 braim, ashed. You've gotta be a moron to prove your innocence? It's impossible. It's set up "'Turning the Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Action. continue to bel ieve it. You sec it right in front of .)!1}b ~--c~OY.!'l1Y.SJ~U1~~!:?2qr.. pcop)e ~a 1~1~ot receive Research & Education ·· �STREETVIBES The Tri-Staie 's Homeless Grapevine there had been violence between our races ­ but then. sitting there we were together for a time, integrated. Pathetic Justice by Kunta Kenyatta, OSP, Youngstown My feelings of alienation cannot be expressed, for I am a prisoner, so perhaps this is best. But one day I will be released to face the ultimate test. Can I make it in society or will I make a mess? I've always been treated like an ani~al, constantly locked in a cage, tormented by my captors, who knowingly set the stage. For I'll. eventually return to you~ commumty on a potential murderous rampage. Today I'm in a Supermax prison, so for' now you'll be just fine. Why should you care about me? After all, I did commit a crime. So you could turn your back on all prisoners and don't pay us no mind, but for every action there's a reaction It's only a matter of time. ·Race The day came, a gray day with rolling clouds becoming a bit darker J ' ' lboking1o'>lenmyplaa:a.>1 1 ' r ' I , • Many hands graced this building from the day it rose to the day I came to stay here. Yet buddy's touch lingered in my mind. Perhaps it was the gray tower standing over my place. Rain broke out rolling in waves and blowing hard pouring down outside people yelled to get to cover. Down the stairs to feel it myself stumbling out the door on boys, almost children staying out of the rain. We fumbled for words ­ The Homeless for the Homeless by Booger Love ••••• It helps, every now and then, When someone needs a home today They will get down and they will pray In their hearts you will see In a home is what they an need to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. They had trouble in the past But to get back in a house is all they ask . All hopes that were gone That they would never have another home That they call their own We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction ofthe magnificent enterprise that is God's work. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense ofliberation in realizing that This enables us to do something and do it verywell. .BERTA'SARTCORNER • 1: i I Title space·where I• sat' . . ; . 1 • 1 was touched by buddy. • Streetvibes . -:_. c/o GCCH (Greater ·- Cincinnati Coalition for -- the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 Phone - 513-421-7803, E-mail (text): to streetvibes@iuno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net Then. they went their way, and I mine, up the stairs where gray once passed past the gray tower still standing and then going to the window feeling faith that there would be love as a rainbow appeared over the hills in the East. But for now they live on the streets and roam Hope someday they will find a home As of now they have nowhere to go, They go day by day T~ ey don't know what to say But they still get down and pray To keep their hopes from going away Hoping someday they will get a place to stay And that their troubles will go away Here is what they say Is the serenity prayer. . Archbishop Oscar Romero · San Salvador How to tell the sweetness of that trust? and out the window 11• stood the gray tower • , ; ' : : } " '\ •.\, 1.1 _:: They were the background as my mind drifted in the rain back to love deep and pure love and the faith of God's gift. Who to love became less important in the peace, the short time out sitting with the children out of the rain. . We are workers, notmasterbuilders, ministers, notmessiahs. We are prophets ofa future not our own. that day I came to have faith that there would be love for me God's role in the love to be in my life appeared to me. 11 Send your poetry, writings or artwork to We may neversee the end results but that is the difference between the Ma.ster Builder and the worker. by Tree Mosolf ,. r· J ~ • > , t, rl ~ ~ r - .. '< 3 A. l - -) ~ ; I • ! r s We Need Your Creativity! It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along theway, an opportunity forthe Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. Gray Tower at 1S th and Page 1 .~ ' ' ' ' ' God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change '· Courage to change the things that I can And the wisdom . to know the difference Amen. ;: p• l " JJ Jll ~'-l : 1 tl' l.l ! ,, . 'i ll q t • < <I . ; ·The Clockfaces,onthe St Francis Seraph towerswereh!rrioved tn Jury,antl'giveh: . awayto whatever passersbywere shrewd enough to collect a piece ofCincinnati 1 History. The oldvitrolyte faceswere made in Gennanyover a hundred years ago. Newfaces made outof plastic, and brand new clockworks, will replace theseworn artifacts. �ST REET VI BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Words from the Evangelist On June 7 in Camp Washington, God's children were being fed in a major way. The Bible Study which I began back in March had six people in attendance on this particular evening, one ofwhich was 83 year old Grace. This was Grace's first Bible Study with us, and she came with her heart filled with worry and fear over the nitro patch her doctor had just prescribed. It just so happened when she arrived we were discussing John l 0:1Oand how Jesus said He came to give us abundant life, but in order to receive this free gift we must trust in Him and His power to deliver us from aU things. This includes casting our cares upon Him (I Peter 5 :7) and not allowing the devil to steal our joy, peace, or health with worry and fear. Grace received the Word and its practical application to her present situation. Her face began to shine with the smile we were all accustomed to seeing. The devil had been de°feated, and we had our fill ofGod's Word for this evening. Now it was time to enjoy a family style meal as part ofthe Kid's Cafe program, and this particular evening was special because ConAgra and the FreeStore/Food Bank were on hand to pledge their full support to this program. This Kid's Cafe is only <;>ne ofthree in the Cincinnati area, and it feeds between 20 to 40 children a sitting and often as many adults. ll is dependent on volunteers to prepare and serve the food which is provided by the FreeStore/ Food Bank. This is a major hurdle in the fight againstbunger, and a step Page 16 The Oasis of Main Street their support of Streetvibes. · On a cold day they bring us coffee ._.. by Grady Cook outside. On hot days they bring us water. And My friends here at the they always come out to talk with us and see Coalition asked me to write how we're doing. They 're always concerned· a story about my favorite with how we are. I'd like to thank the workers place to sell Streetvibes. and the regular Kaldi 's customers. Ifl had to T hat wasn 't a hard task give Kaldi's a rating, I'd give them a five-star because my favorite place is - award for being the best coffeehouse in an oasis called Kaldi 's Cincinnati. Coffee House and So to all the readers, if you haven't Bookstore, located on Main been to Kaldi's, you better get there soon! Street. The reason I say Kaldi's is an oasis is because it's a place that one should visit if they've never been there. I've met a lot of very nice people there in the past two years and have made a lot of new friends. Kaldi's is the type.of place that anyone would like to get with old friends and meet new friends. Sonya McDonnell and David Miller are the proud owners of this oasis. Their wa1m hospitality bas made me feel welcome and part of the . family. What else makes Kaldi's so welcoming? The food , the coffee, spirits, music, the amazing people that work at Kaldi 's. I'd like to thank all of the people who have made my g irlfriend and me feel so welcome and to thank them for ODAAT/Dana House First Annual Fundraiser ..... by Mr.Lee forward in feeding our cllildren better. When kitchen renovations began in the autumn of 1999, I do not think Pastor John Wierwille or the members ofWashington United Church of Christ could have foreseen this day and the overwhelming response from the kids and their community. The unique thing about the Kid's Cafe at Washington United Church ofChrist is that the volunteers join in the family style dinner and there is fellowship and sharing. I have watched this ministry grow and for certain God is not through yet. By including those who come as a part ofthe workcamp in the weekly Bible Study, we have increased our numbers to as many as 20 souls some weeks. With Pastor John facilitating some weeks, we add fun and variety; so come on out and join us at 5 pm on Wednesday evenings for the meat ofGod's Word followed by a family-style diJ!ner with the Kid's Cafe. IfA.W.0.L. Ministries can assist you in any way, orifyou wouJd like to give a contribution call 210-418 1 or write P.O. Box 36065, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. rsend a warm thanks out to all ofmy prayer partners, and l encourage you to continue your prayers for this ministry. ln His Service, Rodney L. S11tto11, Sr. On Satw-day July 22th, 2000, Dana Transitlonal Bridge Services, Inc., a transitional housing program for men and the One Day At A Time (ODAAT) house, a transitional program for women recovery in from alcohol and drug addiction; sponsored their first joint fund-raiser. As they say on the society page, a good time was had by all. As in the tradition of most programs sponsored by groups or organizations, the fun portion was preceded by the recovery part of the program. The ''jam" was preceded by leads from Harry M. (10 years) and Moe S. (17 years) ofcontinuous sobriety. The affair was held in the Clara Bowers Fellowship Hal1 at the corner ofWalters and Altoona. The spiritual irony of a social affajr where members ofNarcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous come toa0 ether to celebrate life without drugs and alcohol in an area know for a 24 hour dmg trafficking was not lost on this writer. Approximately 200+ recovering alcoholics, addicts and children in recovery were in the room at the time 1 began writing this article. The speakers both delivered strong messages ofhope, serenity, spiritual growth, struggle and the blessing ofa daily reprieve from alcohol and drngs based upon a program of spiritual maintenance. What was important about this event from the perspective of an advocacy publication for the homeless, is that probably 60-75% ofthe audience have been or were homeless (including the children) at some point in their active addiction and/or recovery. As is the case with alcoholism and addiction, homelessness is only a symptom of the deep underlying problem(s), not the principle issue. While homelessness is a demoralizing state and condition, subjecting the sufferer to aJ I sorts of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual trauma, the. state ofhomelessness is not . the preciQitating __,­ event. Finding hou_sing that is suppo111ve to one's recovery is often difficult for people who are early in the recovery process. These two organizations are dedicated to.providing clean, affordable, safe recovery-friendly housing to men and women who need the benefit of this type ofhousing to support their recovery. The event's purpose was two-fold. (1) To raise funds for these two organiza~ioos both of whom are 50 I c3, and (2) to provide a social gathering that celebrates and honors sobriety. Minister Robert Richardson, founder and Executive Director ofDana House, and Ms. Nona Davis, Housing Manager of ODAAT, provided the leadership to pull this event off successfully. During the eve11ing approximately 500 recovering alcoholics, recovering addicts and their children were in attendance. Between the two organizations, th.ere are approximately 50 beds for men and women in recovery. Neither ofthese organizations have received or sought much in the way of foundation suppmi for their operating expenses. They have each evolved from tbe vision of their founders recovering indivi du~ls themselves who ' . saw the need for the type ofhousing they provide. If anyone is interested in helping, there is always a need for donations of men's/women's clothing, food, bed linens, towel~, coats, etc. Financial assistance also allows the organizations to meet operating expenses or maintenance expenses that will often tax their limited budgets. Anyone interested in assisting the Dana Transitional Bridge Services, Inc. , may" contact Minister Robe1t Richardson at 751-9797. Ms. Nona Adams can be reached at ODAAT at the phone number 221-693 7. �STREETVIBES WEB The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine VIBES conservation group. The over one million members ofThe Nature Conservatory have saved over ll million acres of acres of U.S. habitat and nearly 60 million acres in Canada, Latin America, and the Pacific. The organization manages 1,340 preserves, the by Dan Marschner largest system of private nature sanctuaries "'- worldwide. . A new site on the Internet called f Rainforest Site, www.therainforestsite.co, ~ .· , ;; attempts to save the world 's rainforest frorlf' destruction. A map of the world that shows the loss of rainforest area since 1990 with a caption proclaiming "Almost two acres of tropical rainforest disappear every second" greets visitors to the site. This inap illustrates the alanning rate at which rainforest worldwide is being demolished. All a vi.sitor has to do is click on a button labeled "Donate Land - Free" and he or she (DONA 't LANO • >RH has just helped to save part of the world's -+ Clid !·"rt ._ extremely valuable rainforest. Since its founding on May l, 2000, the site has save4 over 550,000 acres of rainforest in Latin The Rainforest Site also provide~ ,America and the Caribbean. The best about the site is that sponsors pay 9f infonnation about the iinpo donations in exchange for advertisiti , e world's rainforest. The rain.fores ovides an incredible diversity ofplantan Visitors can only donate once per day,_ are encouraged to visit frequeutly. .ilnal life. For instance, land half the size o An organization called The Nafufe San Francisco contains 545 different kinds o birds, l 00 species ofdragon flies, and 729 Conservatory distributes all ofthe donations to The Rainforest Site. Founded in 1951 , it is types of butterflies. Tn one acre of mountain the world's leading private, international habitat, over l 00 different species of trees www.therainforestsite.com Help Save the Rainforest With Just One Click fo ' Going Veggie Is A Win, Win, Win Proposi~ion! By Susan Hueske11 & Jay11 Mei11hardt Going " veg" saves the animals, the environment, provides more food for the nation's hungry, reduces the risk of food-born illnesses and is less expensive than a meat based diet. (There are also many other benefits that you will find out about in future columns of " Veggie Vibes.") There have been numerous TV reports on how people are dying, and thousands of others are getting sick fro m eating meat contaminated with e­ coli, salmonella,and listeria, campylobacter, etc .. Many commun.ities around the country are well aware of the problems that are caused by the enormous quantities of animal waste produced by these factory farms and that are released into the air and waterways. We've all read about how abusive today's "factory farms" and slaughterhouses are to the animals; there are also several documentaries that explain why raising animals to get protein is the least e fficient food production method. By cycling our grain through livestock, we waste 90% of its protein and 96% of its calories. Over hal f the total amount ofwater consumed in the U.S. goes to irrigate land growing feed and fodder for livestock. But the good news is that you can help eliminate some of the problems caused by meat production and at the same time maintain excellent health by obtaining all the essential nutr ients you need (Yes, even protein!) by eating a vegetarian diet. Beans, grains, vegetables and nuts will provide the carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber you need - the key is to eat a wide variety of these foods as each one contains different nutrients. An added bonus is that the cost of beans and grains, which arc the main staples for the majority of the people on our planet, are a lot easier on your wallet than meat. There are so many .delicious kinds of beans and grains · available. They all have different tastes and textures. The following are some tasty bean and grain dishes inspired by different countries across the world. Go to the Public Library and look through the over 400 vegetarian books and cookbooks available. I nm sure you can find hundreds ofrecipes that you will find delicious and satisfyin g. Middle Eastern- Hummus and taboulli , Muduhara-lentil, onions and rice with spices, Falafel°served on Pitta Mexican - Bean Burrito, tortilla, beans and rice, tofu faj itas Indian- Chick Pea or lentil curries over rice Italian - Tofu (Made from soybeans) lasagna, Pasta E Fageoli, Tofu Cacciatore African - Peanut Stew over rice (recipe given below) C hinese - Vegetable Stir fry with tofu over rice M oroccan- Moroccan Stew with Page 1 7 may exist. The rainforest is also an important source offreshwater: the Amazon Basin stores over two-thirds of the world's freshwater supply. Rainforest also has provided several medical advancements: tropical raiuforest provides between 7-5% and 40% ofall pharmaceutical products. Also, three thousand plants have anticancer _properties; of these, 70% i nha.bi t the >;rainforest. The rainforest contains such a ~ide variety of life that humans have been unable to classify all of it. The most alarmjng fact about the vanishing rainforest is that many species are becoming extinct before their existence is even recorded. Sponsors make the free land donations possible on the site. Each sponsor pays for 2.4 square feet of land per donation, in exchange for advertisement on the site. The money donated by the sponsors provides critical rainforest acquisition and management funds. By donating money to The Rainforest Site, sponsors not only commit to purchase lands; they also commit funds to finance vital 1 ecti~n programs. Companies who "~· The Rainforest Site reach. social1~"', L-: :·'·. -.;.- . .ous people and provide valuable ftll)dstf'~: ~onse:rvation. The Rainforest Site is-~ · ~:, utck and easy way to save valuable rainforclt area for generations to come. ~ ·seon ~ ·-~-,;~ The Rainforest Site provided all the statistics for this article. chickpeas over couscous American -VeggieChili, baked beans with veggie hot dogs, sloppy Joes For more in formation about being a vegetarian in Cincinnati or for locations to pick up a free copy of our 72 page outreach book, write to CVRG (Cincinnati Vegetarian Resource Group) at P.O. Box 3 1455 C incinnati, Ohio 45231. For nutritio. nal information about vegetarian diets go to The American Dietetic Associations web page at www.eatright.org/adap 1197.html. n Vegetarian Recipe PEANUT STEW OVER BROWN RICE - West Africa 4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and diced 2 green peppers cut in long, slim strips 2 medium onions cut mnngs 2 carrots, shredded or grated 2 Toil 1 6oz can tomato paste 3/4 cup peanut butter 3 cups vegetable stock 1 tsp. liquid hot sauce Salt & pepper to taste 4 cups cooked rice Saute onions, peppers and carrots in 2 Toil. Blend tomato paste with peanut butter, then stir in vegetable stock. Add seasonings. Add to sauteed vegetable. Stir potatoes in gently. Stir over medium heat until heated through. Serve over rice. �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Homeless and ... A Teenager ..... by Mr. Lee I folt like a real doofus! Here I am scheduled to speak to a group of teenagers on behalf of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, and the lightbulb goes on! I'm ;:: preaching to the choir! The irony was that these young people don 't think ofthemselves as being homeless. They were tired and sleepy. As is usually the case in a shelter or group home fac ility for teens, someone had acted out, this time in the middle ofthe night, and they had little sleep. What they don't realize is that their problem of lost sleep is compounded by depression. Sleepy, depressed and ~nhappy ­ this .was a tough audience. Their blank stares and lack of emotion were very disturbing. Sad . .. troubling. A clinician (my big word for the month) or professional in the field would describe them as having a "flat affectation". They showed no emotion, no hint of a smi!e, they were almost lifeless. They ranged in age from 11 to 17. Most were African American, with one being a 13 year old caucasian female with braces on her teeth, but no smile on her lips. They were almost equally divided between male and .._ female. Some were short, some were tall. Some had carefully styled hairdo's or haircuts. Others were less well groomed, but all were clean. Several were dressed in stylish casual wear, the name brands favored by today's youth. Others were not so well dressed. They are all currently staying at Lighthouse Youth Shelter. This is not their home and today, at this.... they are homeless. Some are headed to foster care. Others to group homes. One or two will be eventually reunited with their families. A 17 year old male will be going into his own apartment. He called it "Independent Living" (where did he get this term?) None of these young people was happy where they came from; likewise they are not happy where they are. Unfortunately,, most are not looking forward to going where they will be sent to from the shelter. I don 't believe that God ever intended children to live in "programs" with professional staff acting as surrogate parents. Thank God for them, but it is not the most desired experience for a teenager in this critical period of their young lives. Each of these young people have several things in common. Their lives are in tuqnoil., Tht:;)j are np} enl:{eqc;hed in the nufturing. envi,ronment of a .home with parent(s), siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, you know, family! .. . feel me? They are all to some extent caught in "the system". As pre­ adults, they have relatively little say about their future. Others, usually not parents and relatives, will make important decisions that may affect their emotional and mental health for years, decades, and maybe even their entire lives. That's deep, ain't it? Right now, at this very point in space and time, they are all homeless. They may not think of themselves in that way, but they are. From their comments when asked ~y Ron Carter to describe what they think of when they think of a homeless person, they don't see themselves in that light. In denial, na"ive or just distracted, I don 't know. But I am sorry for real. They are. It won't change when they wake up. This is not - a dream or a movie. Ifs just life. And as most of us realize, life ain't always fair, but it is always real! When had come to tell them about homelessness. They already knew much. They also knew a lot about powerlessness and their lives were unmanageable, so someone else, some other people were paid to help them manage their lives. What were their stories? So young, so ... vulnerable. What about him? He's such a little guy! What did he do? Worse, what was done to him? What are their secrets? Who knows their pain! It's scary, but I can feel it. I can feel their pain. I recognize that emotional numbness. It's a way of protecting yourself when you've felt so much pain, and the systems are overloading. A defense mechanism they call it. It makes you want to reach out and hug each one. Tell them you understand, and that things will get better. Tell them that they are loved. Reassure them that where they are going will be better than the place from which they came. To love them until they get where they are confident that the people who care for them love them in a healthy and positive way. Protect them, nurture them. Each one deserves a warm, protective, nurturing environment. No sense lyfog. I can't give them any of the stuff listed above. They are not going to wake up tomorrow in Forest Park or Mariemont. Not even in a town-house in Mt. Auburn. No, it's not a dream. It's real. How can I convince them of the Father's love? Sometimes I doubt it myself How can I get them to love themselves until someone else does? l'm not certain I can do that. It breaks your heart. What can you do? Stay tuned, more w ill be revealed. They.call me Mr. Lee Tibet, continued from page 8 •stock and to pressure from a coalition of non­ governmental organizations concerned with human rights abuses, only $3 billion dollars were raised from the float, instead of the expected $7-10 billion. BP then stepped in and agreed to purchase 20% of the stock offer, possibly at a value of $600 million. Tibetans oppose BP's investment in PetroChina for several reasons. Because of Chinese population transfer policies, Tibetans are now outnumbered by Chinese in their own nation. This project would result in tens of thousands more Chinese workers moving into Tibet. Those displaced, in the area in which the oil will be extracted, would most lif ely be 1 Tibetan a:Qd M~pgdltan nom~ds. Tbjs i t • ' displacement would destroy their cultures and livelihoods. PetroChina plans to construct a 4,200 km pipeline to transport the oil from Western China to Shanghai. The oil w ill be used for mainland China 's needs. not Tibet's, and the presence of the pipeline adds to environmental concerns, as China's other oil extracting projects in the region have been damagi ng to the environment. Tibetans also are opposed to the investment because by investing in PetroChina, BP is giving supp01t to China National Petroleum Company, which the Free Tibet Campaign reports was implicated in the deaths of2 million Sudanese and the persecution and displacement ofmillions more. The Free Tibet Campaign contributed to this article. For more information see www.freetibet.Orf! Page 1a �STREETVI BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine SUeeiscopes By Alanna Maloney: the UrbanAstroloaer Page 19 improvements to your living space - be creative and make your room, apartment, or home a beautiful showplace. Roocs - a feeling ofhome is so predominant for you this month that homeless Taurus may find this is the type of year where something finally comes together. It could also be a good time to mend fences with your father.. Sagittarius Happy Birthday LEO! Happy Birthday Leo! Your family is still knocking down your door; it is up to you whether you are ready for more after the emotional turmoil of July. This is your month to revamp your appearance and your approach. Make yourself over, get a • different hair cut color, new ball cap, whatever reflects you. Create a new outfit · or plan a new dress for success strategy. Romance can be found in any unfamiliar environment. Take action on new endeavors and always make the first move this month. Express yourself find the core ofyour identity and show offyour stuff. Call up your acquaintance network and your buds - there are exciting career opponunities developing there. Virgo August may well be your most challenging month of any year. Now is the time when all that you have tried to hide from yourself since last yea.rs birthday have come back to say HI! Work, family and even your furry litde· pets (and yes I know you are allergic but the litde guy w a s homeless what else wefe you going to do?) may not be able to console you. In a perfect world this would be a good time ofyear for you to go off to a retreat center or ashram or take a train-hopping trip alone. Everything you do to try to avoid fundamental truths about yourself will melt through your fingers. I recommend journaling, spiritual pursuits, goofing off and movies until the 22"d or so. Do make tim.e to be with your politico-, eco-, diet:iry, or spiritual group. There are fun times to be had there. Career opportunities are zinging around but if you find your hearr is not in your work they will still be there in September. Libra You are in a long period where those of you of a spiritual or religious bent would benefit tremendously from a daily period of heartfelt prayer, and those of you of an agnostic or atheistic bent would benefit from a daily self-hypnosis or affirmation session. In past months I have stressed rhat this is a decade where you can change the world with your communication abilities- now I am seeing how you can use those same abilities to affect wondrous change on yourself'! This is a time for you to network with your groups clubs and cliques - take your business card (I don't care if you dig ditches for a living- make some!) to the picnics, barbecues and lodge meetings. This month you can really perform and show offyour stuff. In career areas look to weeding out family patterns and Mom issues that hold you back at work. Think abou~ taking classes or educating yourself this year. .Jt also may be a great time for you to visit foreign shores and faraway places. Is ! r.i . ~ I ~ ( ~ e r I , : I i : . I • I I ' ( ~orv,•,o I , > r. i) 1 , l ' · ·­ You are in a long period where earnings and self-esteem are of vital importance. Scarps in traditional employment must educate themselves about 40 l K's and IRA's. $corps on the fly need a penny jar and a long hard think about how they earn and spend money. Don't be afraid co learn it all over from scratch. Jupiter, planet of opportunity and expansion, has just entered your 'house of inheritance settlements and claims. A neato windfall could be coming.your way sometime this year, that or your brother could finally pay back what he owes you. Continue to be open to educational and travel opportunities also think about what you have ro teach the world. Now is a good time to communicate what you know. It's a great month to be appreciated in your career and on the job. Don't hesitate to be aggressive about your creative ideas and new initiatives: love could also strike on the work front. At any rate love and be loved on the job or take time to pursue work where your organizational and leadership abilities will be valued. Love or marriage may find you this year. If you have ever wanted to marry someone smart, tall or rich the time could be now. Look for the one with the deep belly laugh. You may suddenly find more buddies than you can shake a stick at. The focus in your chart has just come off of busy work onto love and the arts. Psychic communication may still be coming fast and furious keep that dream journal handy. You can really strut it this month in the travel and sch?larly pursuits. You might find love at a mountain climbing club or in the stacks of a university library. Capricorn. This is a period to revolutionize your self-esteem .and the way_you invest in your dream. Sock away those pennies for your goat farm or your fishing trip in Alaska or whatever your think you want to do someday. New jop opportunities may overwhelm you this year. You will have so many things you could pursue that you may become confused and overwhelmed. Don't hesitate to seek alternative healing for your self or as a possible profession. Love letters and • romantic communication should still be a pri9rity this month. You may not have such wonderful opportunities to communicate your feelings to family and friends for a while. This may be your most clairvoyant time of the year. It's a great time for dreams that foretell the future. Aquarius Turn off your computer; put down your Renaissantalce repldica musical !~~trumeklnt, • . your crys s, an your anart:n1st wee y. This is your month for romance! Partnership and friendship are all .highlighted now. You can begin a relationship, make a new start with a current one, or tie the .knot. If you feel you are too evolved to engage in any of the frivolous biological shenanigans of romantic love then at least spend some extra time with your best pal in the world, recoµnting old civil war re-enacrmerit battles or sci-fi conventions past. Speak up at work. Your ideas are wortl1while- do beware of moody vibes and hurt feelings slinking around rhe job. Pisces Jupiter enters your house of roots, home, family and father this month. You might feel a sudden urge to join the peace corps or add a room to your house or get a bigger apartment and if you are really well off this would be the year t© get off your duff and buy that summer house your have always dreamed of. You need to have a creative outlet at home and this is the month for it. Pursue • gi~sr in 'performing 'or creative ans or . tprb~ose ah1ihno.Jaiiie plah>c~nh~ boss: ~ Watch out, a cuue may walk onto your job site his month. Out of work Pisceans would find a really cool job this month. A friend, favorite or sport is still a good way ~o communicate. , I 1te Aries Opporcuniry can strike this year & this ·month communicates short trips and relationships with siblings. Make final adjustmencs to your pad this month as the urge to straighten up ... This is the time of year when your most colorful childlike side is easily accessed. Go out of your way to start or maintain a love affair - play all night card games with friends or go co a ballgame. Creativity can really run - yo u will find yourself super motivated. Taurus Money may really start flowing in this month. At your least you are beginning a year where you could expect your income <lfld your opportunities for more income. The time has come to make all those • Gemini Feel like suddenly your have too much.on youf p,late ·r) ( Gemini? It's cause you do, and Jupiter is going fo continue to expand your horizons and options throughout the year. Get a good calendar and a way to organize your plans, thought5, ideas, friends & projeccs cause.you're a going to need it. Jump into new enterprises especially those that have high levels ofself-expression and communication. In fact this month will be such a jump-start for your creativiry that you really feel energized and self confident enough to engage in us a whole new level. A pager or a cell phone could really come in handy caus5 you'll really find yourself on the road through m~st of A~gust. 'l Cancer Did I remember to tell you last month that it could be your stingiest, most anxious nionth of ctie year? You may be all too aware that mi~summer can bring forth your worst security nightmares. The good news is that this month you can fill your wallet through ]llany innovative and artistic pursuits. Did you ever feel that you are your bank account (piggy bank, sock drawer or wherever you keep your scrill?) It's because • . . . astrologically a part ofyou feels that way. Start being as respectful of your money (or · ' your lack there of) as you would respect · . · yourself or someone you love. I am not saying·you need to become a rank materialist and fall in love witl1 money. You just need to take into account that you have special needs in the money department, and that it is hard for you co separate your self-esteem from your bottom line. So, pay attention to both this month and you will be feeling better than you have in ~ long time. Ask an Astrological question! Ask SrreetScopes a question. Send a question ai1d your date of binh to Alanna at Psi chic@hotmail.com and it may be answered right here. Other comments and questions are also welcomed. Readings with Alanna: Tarot Readings • Fridays from 8-11 PM at Mul/.ane's on Race Street. Astrology, Tarot, and Reiki Consultations and training are avail.able by . appointment through E-mail at psi_chic@hotmail.com. I Classified PLA?E ~p~r help want~?~ for rent, for '· 1 sale 1tems1 rn' 1Streetvibes ~las$ified. 1 ' Rate is only $1/ line, free for 6 mo. if you're below the poverty line. Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's Live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts . The show mixes ta lk focusing on. the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. �: STREETVIB:ES 1 Th.e Tri-State s Homeless ·G rapevine Page 20 Where Your DollaF Goes Sbeetvlbes has a minimal ovedtead cost so that 1he vendors can keep as much of the pro­ ceeds as possible.. •m.,ae--.Slleehibes cllimsto bec>OlleciiliglDl"a prilale ~pleaecallourdlir:e all421-1801 \.• · Wish List Stnetvlbes newspaper Is published monthlv on ·a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavllv on the goodwill of manv volunteers and donors. If vou can help out with some of the items·on our wish list, please give us a call... 0 Advertisers -Classified and unclassified 0 Bicycles for vendors 0 Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, tea, paper towels, cream and sugar, cookies, etc.) Congratulations to GCCH staff member Pat 0 Mitchell on the birth of her seventh grandchild! ·Mya Lynsha Jackson was born at 0 Christ Hospital on July 25, 2000. She weighed 8 pounds at birth and she is the second child of Pat's son Martin Jackson and his wife Yolanda. We hope for the best for the newest member of the ·0 GCCH extended family! Sell Streetvibes! . Are you homeless a homeless person or do you need some extra income? If so, try selling Streetvibes! Stop by the Homeless Coalition office at 1506 Elm Street, and ask for Pat or Ron. PhotograP.hY Help - film, developing, a digital camera... Pentium or fast 486 Computers/compo­ nents (monitors, hard drives, etc.), for story-writing, editing, research, and home­ less computer lab Anew van If vou can help!, contact us ot: Streetvlbes, c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibu@juno.com Being homeless, like so many other homeless people, it becomes hard for me living in a homeless shelter. But by the love that God puts in so many people, it gives me a lot of hope and a chance at life again. Selling Streetvibes helps me to help · myself, t makes my life better. So I would like to say tua.Li.n:t>...Jl.U you, for your help, and to the Coalition for the Homeless for letting me sell your paper. / ---------~--JWi/liam Johnson Editors Note: William was one ofour top vendors last month! He sold more than 300 copies ofJulys edition. Keep up ihe good work, William! OTHER SERVICES: Need Help or Want -o Help? If for some reason you find yourself home­ less. contact a Coalition Member' /v;Jency for Shelter. Treatrnen~ Housing or SeMces. If you have any questions. feet free lo caD the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS: Women . . . Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 .SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center {Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 651-6446 St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING: CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T First Step Home 241-7343 • 961-4663 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center. 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries Greater Cinti. Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621-7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission 221-3Q19 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council • 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center Project Connect- Homeless Kids 357-5720 471-4357 The Emergency Food Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 572-6226 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center Women Helping Women 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 August 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Council Votes to Reject $4.3 Million for Housing Pg 2: Voice Your Opinion, Vote! On the Plane to Alberts Pg 3: Hart Realty Opts Out of Section 8 Housing Pg 4: Findlay Market: Serving It Up for the Community Pg 5: A Success Story from Tender Mercies Serving Homeless Teens in Cincinnati Pg 6: Mt. Airy Shelter: For Every Problem There is a Solution Pg 7: Welfare News Pg 8: International News Pg 9: Prisoners’ News Pg 10: Prisoners’ News Continued: Death Penalty Moratorium Picks Up Steam Pg 11: The Lucasville Trials: Five Men Unfairly Sentences to Die Pg 12: Editorials & Letters Pg 13: Elite Conference Comes to Cincinnati Pg 14: Interview with a Caged Warrior: Leonard Peltier Pg 15: Poetry & Art Pg 16: The Oasis of Main Street Pg 17: Going Veggie Is a Win, Win, Win Proposition! Pg 18: Homeless and…A Teenager Continued Pg 19: Street Scopes 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 August 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Dan Marschner Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Jamaal Coleman Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Mr. Lee Rodney Sutton Lynn Williams Sharon Weiss Patrick Mosolf Frank Lienhart Staughton Lynd Kevin Finn Kunta Kenyatta Steve Elliott Susan Huesken William Johnson Grady Cook Alanna Maloney Greg LeSaint Marsha Ramsey Rick Freeman Booger Love Steve Schumacher Jayn Meinhardt Berta Lambert Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alanna Maloney Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Booger Love campaign city council Dan Marschner Death Penalty Debt Relief Editorials & Letters Enquirer Evangelist Findlay Market Frank Lienhart Fundraiser Grady Cook Greg LeSaint Hunger Strike International news Jamaal Coleman Jayn Meinhardt John Halpin Kevin Finn Kunta Kenyatta Leonard Peltier licia Beck Lynn Williams Main Street Marsha Ramsey Mary A. Gaffney Mr. Lee Mt. Airy Pat Mitchell Patrick Mosolf prisoners news Protests Rehab Rick Freeman Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Sharon Weiss Social Justice Sonny Williams Staughton Lynd Steve Elliott Steve Schumacher Street Scope Susan Huesken Susan Knight Teens Tom Billman Vote Warren Perkins welfare news William Johnson https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/e2e3382464034cbfabc0ae5034f8857a.pdf d7d328191ff601fd55d76ab0c939bc5a PDF Text Text �DI AN INSIDER'·S GUIDE TO HOLIDAY HELPING Holiday Giving Guide By Alicia Beck During the Holiday Season, there just doesn't seem to be enough time to do all of the festive things we have lined up for our families. However, many generous hearts across Cincinnati take time out of their busy lives to share with those in need by volunteering their services at local shelters and soup kitchens. Organizations serving homeless and low-income people are grateful for this assistance and look forward to the addition of extra hands to lighten their heavy workload. In fact, there is not always room for the many volunteers that would like to offer their time during this busy month, as many organizations and clubs request this particular time for their volunteer efforts. However, volunteering is just one way in which you can reach out to those in need. Along with your time, your talents and treasure are also of great value to agencies serving the poor. Material goods and donations als0 make a great impact on the lives of those in pover~. So gather your frjencls and family and ~11stead of heading down to the local shelter, try ~ one of these ideas to help the poor and homeless of our community: ~ o During this blustery season, shelters and ~ncies can't keep up with the need for warm clo1hes-(pa1ti9"ularly men's clothing) including coats, long und erwear, jeans, sweaters, hats, and gloves. Organize a drive in your neighborhood, school, church, or place of worship to gather needed items. You might consider concentrating on, one particular item, like jeans or long underwear to keep the process simple. Put up a donation tree at with items listed on the decorations. Collect donations at your store, or provide a I 0% discount to customers giving new hats and gloves. Or offer a "casual day" when employees can wear j eans to work in exchange for donating a pair of jeans. o Involve your friends and fami ly in creating care-packages for the homeless. Items that are needed in c lude soap, shampoo , deodorant, cosmetics, razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. o Cincinnati's food pantries have experienced an overwhelming demand for assistance with non-perishable items during 2000. You can help to replenish their supply and aid in the fight against hunger by organizing a canned food drive at your place of worship, work, or at your school. o You can set up a donation drive and share your treasures with local organizations serv ing the poor a nd hQme less of our community. You co uld take an extra collection during worship services, organize a penny brigade in your neighborhood or classroom, or place a coffee can at the copier at work. o While donations and volunteering especially occur during the Holiday Season, please remember the homeless and poor are in need throughout the year. Shelters and organizations serving the impoverished of our community need your time, talent, and treasures throughout the year. Consider calling a shelter and making a commitment for one of the months to come. Ask the shelter or organization you are calling for their needs. Remember that what you may want to provide may not be the real need, so ask for suggestions. After you have collected your treasures, deliver them to your local shelter or food pantry so they can be distributed to families in immediate need. Many organizations are willing to provide tours to groups that have taken the time to organize drives on their behalf. Please call ahead to see if this is a possibility and to make arrangements, otherwise the organization will not be prepared to provide this to your group. You will find a list of shelters and other organizations serving the poor on the back of this Streetvibes. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless can also direct you to the appropriate organization, or you can make yqur monetary donations d irec tl y to the Coalition's Fund for the Home.less. This fund was established for those wishing to make a donation to the homeless, but without a specific shelter or organization in mind. If you would like additional ideas, or need suggestions about where to bring your donations, please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-2600. Thank you for sharing your time, talents, and treasures during this Holiday Season. Happy Holidays from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless! * COALITION FOR A HUMANE ECONOMY RALLiES AT FOUNTAIN SQUARE Friday, November 17, Fountain Square rally: Rev. Steve Van Kuiken, from his speech: Brothers and Sisters: You are all beautiful; your hearts are beautiful. I thank you all for being here and lifting up your voices in the streets. There are those who are watching us, wonder­ ing why we are here. And so I ask the question, Why should we care? Why should we care if young girls are sewing shirts in El Salvador or Haiti 60 hours a week for 25 cents a day? Because we find · God, said Dorothy Day, " in the distressing disguise of the poor." Why should we care if ch:lldren are sold into servitude to work at the looms in India or to make toys in Bangkok under miserable and dangerous conditions? Because, said Albert Schweitzer, "Unless we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, we will not find peace.'' Why should we care if countless children are robbed of their childhoods, deprived of their schooling and sentenced .to a life of poverty? Because, in the words of WiUiam Sloane Coffin, "The quickest way to lose your hwnanity it to tolerate the intolerable." One interesting aspect about the new global economy is that we are bound to "distant others" as consumers and workers and investors. We buy tennis shoes made in China and oranges grown in South America. So our true social values are now determined by what we tolerate in the factories of Nov. 17 -- Coalitio_n for a Humane Economy Marches to Fountain Square Thailand or Bangladesh. Gandhi spoke of an ancient, spiritual and ethical understanding. "I am part of the whole," he said, "and I cannot find God apart from the rest of humanity." And the global marketplace has made more cJear our interdepen­ dence and shared destiny. And yet, global commerce, even with all of its wondrous technologies, is restoring the old barbarisms once forbidden by law. Those "dark Satanic mills" about which William Blake wrote, have returned with a vengeance. This is because the free market has no moral intelligence, and the CHE PROTEST, continued on page 10 GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FORTHI HOMELISS �Rehab at the VA Nursing Center By Ron Carter Streetvibes, the Tri-State's HomeJess ' Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about homelessness, social justice, and pove11y-rela.ted issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dolJar donation,. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low-income pee>ple to get back on (or stay on) their feet Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuaJs committed to ending home­ lessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the pul;>lic and grassroots organ izing. GCCHStaff Alicia Beck Susan Knight Ron Carter Warren Perk.ins Director Administrative Coordinator Editor Assis tant Editor GCCH Intern Outreach Coordinator Tenant Organizing Pat Mitchell Oureach Volunteer Mary A. Gaffney Soony Wrn iams Receptionist Piison News Editor Tom Billman Dan Marschner Gina Kohlhepp . Hi, I'm Ron. I have been a patie nt at the VA nursing Center for 10 weeks , because of a fractured knee. At this point I have been wheel-chajr bound, unable to put pressure on my leg. I have been getting around by myself with the help of some useful ite ms given to me from the occupational therapy departme nt. They removed my cast on November Ist.· Now I am having to learn to walk all over again. A nd I'm needing a lot of therapy to help f!le get strong again. I don' t know when I'll be able to return to work. But I am thankful that I am starting to be able to walk again. You see, a lot of people don't know it, but I have had muscular dystro­ phy for twenty years. T herefore, I am lucky to be able to get around like I do. Some of these people in here don' t have legs a t all; they' ve have been here for years and will never leave here. And some of them unbelievable in the way they hold their heads up high and still can smile and have a good time. I was very depressed when I first got here, but now, after talking to some of these people and seeing the condition they are in, I thought to myself, I have no reason for being as depressed as I was. The staff here are great; every time I turn around, some!;me's at my door wondering if I need anything. I try to do as muc h for myself are CORRECTION: Kenny Cruthers, Writers Mr. Lee Rodney Stltton Pal Mitchell Lynn Williams Dan Marschncr Alicia Beck John Perotti Ron Carter Robert Freeking Johnny Byrd Anthony Walkins Warren Perkins Tom BUlman Jerome Johnson Kath y Miller Doctor Donovan mentioned in Pat Mitchells Article Joseph house, is a therapist/supervisor at the Veterans Hospital Detox pro­ gram, 8th Floor, not at Joseph House as we stated in No vember's Streetvibes Photos Photographs by Berta Lambert, Sonny Williams, Jimmy Heath, Beverly Brooks, (Front cover snow scene by Beverl y Brooks, CHE wreath and Merry Christmas sign from photo'\ by Ji mmy Heath) stories. essays, originaJ graphics, photos.... We will print everything we have room tor. giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $ l 5 per year. (Please make checks payable to GCCH) Please send all mat~rial to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (5 13) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; Vendor Harassment By Jerome .Johnson I was selling my papers on 1LI 10100 a n d the police stopped me. They took my Streetvibes and they took my Ve ndor 's badge. I feel like I was done wrong, because we have all of these drug deale rs on these street corners and the police have nothing better to do than stop a m an doing some thing positive. But they won ' tbother the drug dealer or the ma n committing a more serious crime. A ll I can say . is, Lord h ave mercy on our police force. St reet vi bes Vendor Code Each vendor has to sign the fo llowing code to be able to sell the p aper. ' Streetvibes accepts letters. poems. as l can, though . I tell the aids and nurses to go he lp someone who really needs tl)e m. Some of the reside nts here, who haven' t a nybody on the outside to take care of them, spend the rest of their lives here. People have been wonde rful to us. We get gifts of all sorts. And we're constantly being invited to different places to have lunch. On these trips, there's a wheelchair chauffeur for each disabled veteran. I always sympathize with the guy pushing me (I get tired for him) . Individuals and organizations also provide prizes for the Bingo games, which Oust the oppos ite of the "real world") are "fixed" to give a lot of people a chance to w in. We go to horse races, too. And a couple wee ks ago, they took 12 of us to the Argosy Casino, gave e verybody $100 to gamble wi th ! Do you think I was going to gamble away a]] that money? No, I already had my prize. But those that didn ' t save it went to eating $100 worth of food at the buffet. Well, I' ll close for now. Here's hoping to be back at the Coalition office soon. Thanks to all my visitors and phone callers. Al so , thanks to the Coalition for the flowers. 1. Streetv1bes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I wi ll be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetv1bes wi ll be purchased from the Homeless Coali­ t ion for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I wlll never d istribute Street v1bes whi le under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I w ill not ask for dona­ t ions after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I w ill not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I wi ll not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies 6. 7. 8. 9. o f Streetv1b es to persons who are not registered d istributors. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetv1bes will go to the individual vend or. I agree that I will not contest t errito­ ries with other dist ributors. I understand that Streetv1bes strives to b e a self-supporting paper ere­ ated by p eople who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word ar:id write stories if possible. I understand that failure to comp ly with any of the above statements w ill result in me•no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. I e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com or homecoal@primax.net Streetvibes exists as a forum for the express~on of th€ vjews. and opinions of our read­ ers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein -are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or t~e Greater Cinc1nnati Coalition for the Homeless. �STREETVIBES Attention STREETVIBES Vendors/Writers/ Volunteer Editors: MEET at GCCH (1506 Elm) at 5:00, Tuesday, December 12 To Discuss any and all aspects of. the paper Mt Airy Shelter: From the Inside Out Life In The Shelter: Love It or Leave It by.Mr. Lee Thi s is the third in a series on Mt. Airy Sheller. In the li.rsl of Lwo installments of this series, Mt. Airy Shelter the Overv iew, L wrote about the various services that are available to homeless men who reside at the shelter. These services assist the men in obtaining benefits, treatment, housing or what ever is needed to improve their lives. Installment two, "The Pi ck-up Point", was the fict ionalized account of a homeless man going through the pre­ interview waiting, interviewing, bus journey, and waiting at the pick-up point, and fin ally the van trip to the shelter. Hopefull y, the reader got the feel of this man's experience of being sent to a vacant lot, hungry, tired, and depressed to wait for the van ride ~e shelter. Well, hopefully the five people besides my mother who read my articles realize that l am not into bashing the county, Mt. Airy, the staff or anyone -............._ else. I'm just talkin' bout wh.at l'm talkin' bout. ---...... Once a man has been processed in , filled out the forms, surrendered any weapons or medicine, and been informed of the rules, he is allowed to go to the laundry room and pick up his bedding. Those who arrive on the 4: 30 PM pick up are allowed to go directly to dinner before being processed. You stood in line to get into the department of human services, you stood in line for entry into the office, you stand in line for processing into the curiously constructed office, and you stand in line for meals. This is a constant and normal process for those who li ve at the shelter. Some men arri ve really beat up and the body's need for rest coupled with the availability of a clean personal bed override~ all other i ~sti ncti ve behaviors. It bverrides the need for food , even though a real meal may nor have been eaten in days. It overrides lhe nicotine addictive craving, even though the presence of 60+ men, slightly better situated fi nancially, means is not that difficult. It overrides bummina0 a ciaarette 0 the desire/need to clean up and change clothes. As bad as this man smells and as grungy m> he feels, he is basically exhausted. He may tell himself that he is onl y going to Lie down for a little while. Wrong! Sees me Uhearya! That is the sen sory experi ence of your dorm mates . They see you , looking pretty bad, they smell him and they hear him snoring, talking in his sleep. He probably won't wake until 3 or 4 in the morning. This man slowly begins to work himsel f into the main s tream of th e community. ·Sometimes this process takes hours sometimes days. Clean clothes, his laundered or others donated and dispensed through the clothing room. A few meals under his belt and be begins to feel better. Let us briefly discuss food. It is hard to believe that the same, two stadium building county, that serves up the lean cuisine at the Just-Us Center (Queeosgate North), is the same County that provides ample balanced meals supplemented by donated .. See Mt. Airy, continued page 14 LOCAL NEWS Page3 Salvation from Homele~sness by Pat Mitchell The Salvation Army is a program of structure - with an Emergency Shelter and Transitional housing, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, religion, or age. Salvation Army provides Emergency housing and transitional housing through referral and through agencies. They have a Socia] Service Bureau that provi~es professional and experienced social work staff thatare licensed in Ohio and Kentucky. AU referral s are held in confidence. Guests m the Emergency Sh " e1ter stay ior approximately three weeks. The transitional housing is located nearby for families who need a longer stay - as long as a year. Residents are expected to work and seek employment through various agencies. Their children go to school with transportation provideq by buses from the Chabad House. Single women are accepted into Salvation Army Ernergencyffransitional hous ing, along with homeless mothers with children. Salvation Army also has a Rapid Exit Program, which provides money for rent Emergency Assistance depos its. Budget Counseling Since working with homeless people for Emergency Shelter about a year, I have found out that these Transitional Housing programs work. And the needs of the homeless Information and Referral are met in the shelters that I write about each Day Care & Programs for the Elderly month. Of course, the homeless are met with Counseling on an individual basis, the barrier that these shelters are almost always Parenting groups over-crowded , especially in the w inter months, Cris is Intervention w hen the need for shelter is a must! Homeless T he Family Services also provide help people are accepted on a first come/first served with Pal'ent/Cbild problems, · basis. More funding is needed to extend mQre Problems in Aging, housing to the homeless. Treatment for Alcohol or Drug problems, Don't think that because you ' re not depression and hopelessness homeless or have never been homeless, that it Anger Management can' t happen to you. One of my most Housing Problems memorable expe1iences is when I became Employment/unemployment problems homeless from being a victim of a fire. This Money management was devastating to me and my family, ·my mother and three kids. I didn' t know the I personally toured the Emergency Shelter, . resources I know today, working at the and interviewed Lauren White, Emergency Coalition - like where to get housing, food, Housing Supervisor, and found the shelter very soap, and other daily necessities. We must be accomodating. The atmosphere was clean and thankful to God for the blessings we take for comfortable, w ith washers and dryers, and play granted every day, especially as the Holidays area for the kids. Each living quarters is set up are approaching. As I end my article, I'd like for a families with one or more kids. Families to leave you with some food for thought: sleep together. Each also has a dining area for meals and family gatherings. Don't down the one that's down today, House Mo thers are on Staff 24 hours, but Cheer them in their sorrow, cooking and serving meals. A social worker is For this ol' world is a funny ol' world available Monday through Friday, 9:00- 4:00. Who knows, )lQY. may be down tomorrow. Services of the Salvation Army: TOOTH MAN FOR THE HOMELESS , Clifford Jones, Receives Awards The Gail Benninger Member Scholarship Award is given to an active member of the Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association who is pursuing a higher degree of education. The ODHA Outstanding Effort Award for outstanding commitment to the Ohio Dental Hygienists' Association honors a selected member or ODHA committee who best exemplified outstanding service to the State Dental Hygienist's Association during the 1999­ 2000 fiscal year. Clifford Jones received both awards as a result of his efforts toward improving the dental hea!th of homeless people. Clifford Jones is a Dental Hygienist employed by the Greater Cincinnati Oral Health Council as a program coordinator of the Healthcare for the Homeless Dental Project. Clinical services are provided in partnership at the City of Cincinnati Health Department. He is also a board member of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Congratulations, Cliff! Clifford Jones proudly displays his awards .../ • �STREET VI 8 ES I.,() (~ il I., N J~ l\T S "They look just like us." NAACP rally of 400 called for FBI investigation of the victims of recent Cincinnati police killings (photo taken Sunday, November 12) by Tom. B illm.an Driving, Walking, Talking, Breathing While Black On Monday, November 13, in the wake of the deaths of Roger Owensby Jr. and Jeffrey Irons, a special meeting of the Cincinnati City Counci l was ca!Jed. The police officers i n­ volved in the strangulation death of Roger Owensby had pleaded the Fifth Amendment, refusing to talk about what happened. It seemed to many as if the City administration was staging a cover-up. When I walked into the Council Chambers, Mayor Charlie Luken was promising to support the convening of a Grand Jury and the appoint­ ment of a special prosecutor, if police involved in the two killings were found not to be co­ operating in uncovering the truth. Council Members Pat Dewine, Charles Winburn, Alicia Reece, and Todd Portune all spoke to the fact that the official truth about · what happened to Roger Owensby was very , Legal Observers are needed to testify at the trials of CHE protesters. Contact N-16 Legal at 513-588-8383 slow to reach the people. The only Council member who spoke as if he trusted the .poli ce to present the facts to the public was Phil Heimlich. Despite the fact that 13 of the 13 people killed in confrontations with police since 1995 were black, Mr. Heimlich is hesitant to come to the conclusion that racial profiling exists in Cincinnati. But for almost all of the peogle who .signed up to speak before city council and the cable television cameras, the whole i's sue seemed to boil down to racial profiling. The families of Mr. Irons and Mr. Owensby stood with other fam ily members of murdered victims to cry out their pain and plead for understanding from a community, a society, that seems to believe that racism is no longer a problem here in the U.S.A. Page 4 · James Irons, a minister of the gospel in Chicago, father of the man who was shot down after shoplifting from a convenience store, was not quick to condemn. His feel­ ings: The Police Department is negligent in its training of officers. They should be much more diligent in determining whether any prospective officer is fit to perform the duties of the office. "How much is a young man 's life worth today?" Shiela Adams, president of the Urban League, was incensed by statements from Cjty officials, that there is a question of whether raciaJ profiling exists. Said Ms. Admus, "Every mother, wife, sister knows that her male family member is in danger." One proposal now before City Council is to undertake a detailed study to detennine whether racial profil ing exists in Cincinnati. Mr. Cecil Thomas of the Human Relations Commission, however, stated that the money would be better spent on Diversity Training fo r police. One speaker from the public, a Navy veteran of the Gulf war, has been trying to find ways to improve police/commu nity relations since his return. He sees people feeling disenfranchised and threatened: "Being a black man in Cincinnati can be bad for your health." He fears that his brothers, sons, and cousins may not have the discipline, as he has, to avoid risking their Ji ves by reacting to police rather than remain ing calm. Almost 20 speakers graced the public with moving stories and passionate pleas. Minister James Muhammed seemed to capture the essense of the feeling in that Council Cham­ ber: "We are moved here because people are speaking from their pain. The emotional feeling is necessary in order to find a solution. Yet this feeling is often missing when public officials try to deal with issues. Problems of the human fami ly can be solved when God is put back into the equation." I agree. When fear shows up and love leaves, tragedy happens. ReSTOC: Shaking off the Dust and Moving On by Robert Freking ReSTOC 's Vine Street Community Proje~t is ready to go! With all the financin g in place, we are preparing to rehab 33 units of affordable housing for working families in Over the Rhine. These units w ill be completed by 2002. The buildings included in this project are currently vacant and need abundant resources to renovate. This will be the first time that ReSTOC will gut and rehab multiple buildings at one time. A total of seven buildings that were vacant for decades will be transformed into affordable housing. Our last major project, "Buddy's Place," was completed in 1999. There will be four buildjngs renovated on Vine Street: 5 one bedroom un!ts, 9 two bedroom units, 3 three bedroom units, and 4 four bedroom units. Two buildings will be, renovated on West 13111 Street: 3 two bedroom units and 2 four bedroom units . Our beautiful_, We remember buddy gray on the anniver­ maj estic building at lYh and Republic will sary of his death, November 15 house 1 two bedroom unit and 6three bedroom May his spirit continue to live units. in our Community In addition there will be a community room for social events and tenant meetings. A Property Manager/Tenant Organizer will be hired and a Block Watch Program will be instituted in cooperation with the Cincinnati Police Depar.tment. Five commercial storefronts will have basic work done to bring them closer to occupancy. We are currently fundraising to create green space and playgrounds for the families who will be moving into our new units. We have received some donations for green space improvements and we expect to raise enough funds to have a pleasant play space for the children of our tenants. We have fought long and hard to get financing in line for the seven buildings. Yes, we had to make a compromise, one that has been di scussed throughout the community. Our Board <?f Owners agonized over our decision. We ask for your support for the Vine Street Community Project because we still have a lot of work to do to complete this project. This will be a community project of which all Re.S TOC's supporters will be proud. • �STREETVIBES l\1 1~1..l~lllll~ Nl~l\1 S Pages Third Month Of Cut-Offs Begins elfare Reforin: Pain, No Gain By Pat Mitchell I don' t know .the statistics, and I haven' t done a survey. My knowledge of Welfare Reform is from my own personal experience. Standing in line at a food pantry, listening to the complaints of seniors like myself, and through experiencing the struggles of the working mothers with children which affects my children and grandchildren. The issues of the seniors are numerous, especially medical and prescription drugs. If they buy medicine they can't buy food. If they are given a medical spend-down, this means (in my case) no medical coverage at all. Personally I was employed 20 years at the same job. Now l am disabled and struggling to survi ve on a small amount of money. Yet I was given 10 dollars worth of food stamps. I onJy received stamps twice and then I received a letter saying I was denied the stamps and medical spending. It never was clear to me why I was denied . I wanted to know, if only to try to find some other solution. Most seniors have to provide for their own medicine (out of pocket), glasses, and food. So the only option is to stand in line at the food pantries. Then there are mothers trying to raise their kids and work, relying on childcare provided by Welfare reform. And they have to pay with their earnings plus the vouchers given to them for childcare. Tnis is sometimes not feasible . . . . . ._ You May Be Eligible For A Medicaid Card by Lynn Williams Ohio Empowerment Coalition The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, under pressure from advocates and the federal government has agreed to reinstate famj)ies who were terminated from Medicaid between November 1997 and April 2000. These were families who were then on Ohio Works First (or rather, were terminated from Ohio Works Fisst. According to the Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA), these families wi ll be issued Medicaid cards that are effective Janu~y I, 2001 through March 31, 200 J. Recip ients will also be mailed a short application to determi ne if they are eligible for continuing Medicaid after the three month period. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will also cover back bflls during the "look back" period (Nov. 1997 through April 2000). IF THIS APPLIES TO YOU AND YOU CAN SHOW BACK BILLS FOR THAT TIME PE RIOD, Medicaid should cover them. Notices will be mailed out during the last week of October. If this Medicaid reinstatement applies to you and you did not receive a notice, call lour local welfare department to request a three month Medicaid card. If your welfare department does not respond to your request, call your local legal services office for help in getting the Medicaid See Medicaid, continued page 19 for all working mothers, especially mothers with more than one child. In most cases you will hear caseworkers saying, "I'm sorry, but you make too much money." And they always go by your gross. You don' t take your gross pay home and so in some cases you ' re denied food stamps. · If you made too much money, you wouldn't need childcare. You are denied vouchers if your gross is higher than their_ guidelines, especially mothers working minimum wage jobs, who end up leaving their kids with anybody, anywhere, to avoid getting vouchers. The dollar you make is taken back for childcare through the voucher fees. ff they want mothers to work, they should cover childcare. We always hear about the success story. never about the ones that don't succeed because of some banier, like a three-year Limit on welfare. The barriers include poor housing, raising kids in poor, bad environ­ ments, and no coordination because of surroundings or drugs. I feel that there are some good programs-0ut there for welfare recipients and the ir children. But I am looking at the percentage of women and children that fall through the cracks, who cao't or won't pick themselves up. With the three-year cutoff they will be homeless in a matter of time. Extra! Extra! Support Streetvibes by Advertising to Socially Conscious Readers! Rates: about 2 bucks per square inch Studio IJudience Wanted!!! Streetvibes TV is produced live# the Second Tuesday of each month# 'l · 8 PM. at Media Bridges , 2114 Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like to be a part of our studio audience, or have ideas for shows, please call us at 421-7803 December Schedule Re-Broadcast Dates for November's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Saturday, Dec. 2, at 5 PM Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 1O PM Saturday, Dec. 16, at 5 PM Tuesday, Dec. 26, at 1o AM Thursday, Jan. 6, at 1O AM Broadcast schedules are subjeCt to change ­ Consult your local TV directory. by Lynn Williams Ohio Empowerment Coalition Despite efforts by the Ohio Empowerment Coalition and its allies around the state, many low-income fammes on public assistance (Ohio Works First) were cut off of cash assistance on October 1. October l marked the first round of cut offs due to Ohio's three yeru: time limit for receiving cash assistance. Since then, December 1 has brought another round of families losing their eligibility for cash assistance. Each month from now on, more and more families will be terminated from Ohio Works First. Each of Ohio's 88 counties can design extension categories for 20% of its caseload so that some families can continue temporru·ily to receive cash assistance. However, counties are not applying the extensions in an equal manner or by the same categories. • For instance, only one county (Perry) is extending cash assistance for families with no other income source. • Only one county extends cash assistance for recipients working towards a high school diploma (Mru·ion). • Only two counties extend cash assistance to reci.pients with language or literacy bruTiers (Jackson, Vinton). • Out of 88 counties in Ohio, only 12 counties extend cash for homeless recipients. However, no matter how humane some counties' extension policies are, for the most part they are only temporary, usually reevaluated month by month or six months at the longest. Recipients are not receiving "fair ru1d equitable treatment under the law" in Ohio. Once a county reaches the 20% number of households with extensions, the limit will be reached. This means that families who otherwise would qualify for the extension (for example, are disabled) wil l be cut off of cash assistance. This is definitely not "fair and equitable treatment under the law." To compare the difference in county policies, in October, Hamilton County extended cash assistance for nearly all of the county 's recipients reaching the time limit, but Cuyahoga County cut off 1,800 households and extended cash assistance for only three families! These numbers do not include the number of ch ildren being terminated from cash in these families. 20% extension policies are not enough to provide a humane and beneficial policy to lift poor families off of welfare & out of poverty! Ohio should not cut families off of cash assistance until they are working jobs that pay livable wages to support their families! If you have been denied an extension by your county and bebeve you should have received one, you can still appeal this decision. Ask for a state hearing. See Cut-Offs, continued page 19 �- Camping Ban Overturned Homeless in Oregon By Remona·Cowles Homeless people in Portland, Oregon wive finally received much needed relief. For nineteen years Portland's Anti-Camping Ordinance made it criminal to sleep outdoors - in public, in private property, or in vehicles. The ordinance was ruled unconstitutional on September 27 by Multnomah County Judge Stephen Gallagher, who felt it was cruel and unusual punishment. Judge Gallagher found the ordinance to be in violation of the United States Constitution because those without homes are punished for their status of being homeless. The ordinance was also found to be in violation of equal protection and the fundamental · right to travel by denying homeless people the opportunity to possess their belongings with them while traveling throughout the city. The case was brought by the Stare of Oregon against Norman Wickes, Sr. · and his son, Norman Wickes, Jr. who had been living in their vehicle, parked nightly at various locations in Portland to sleep. Portland police had, over a short period of time, given the Wickes over forty citations for camping in their vehicle. Interestingly, it would not have been illegal for the Wickes to sleep in their truck had they had a home to live in. This·disparity is one of the issues that made Judge Gallagher's ruling possible. Judge Gallagher spoke eloque ntly and thoughtfully on behalf of homeless people. Demonstrating a keen knowledge of the issues faced by homeless people in their daily struggle to survive, Judge GaUagher offered a point by point explanation for his ruling. In response to the question whether enforcement of the ordinance constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, and is therefore unconstitutional under the Oregon and United States Constitutions, Judge Gallagher wrote, "The court finds it impossible to separate tbe fact of being homeless from the necessary 'acts' that go with it, such as sleeping. The act of sleeping or eating in a shelter away from the elements cannot be considered intentional, avoidable conduct. This conduct is ordinary activity required to sustain life. Due to the fact that they are homeless, persons seek out shelter to perform these daily routines. Yet the City considers this location to be a campsite if the homeless person maintains any bedding. The homeless are being punished for their behavior indistinguishable from the mere fact that they are homeless. Therefore, those without homes are being punished for the status of being homeless... This court does not accept the notion that life decisions of an individual, albeit seemingly voluntary decisions, necessarily deprive that person of the status · of being homeless." Judge Gallagher also found that the ordinance burdens homeless people's fundamental right to travel. "The homeless carry their belongings with them or store them in a location in which they have access. Those belongings necessarily include the tools required to participate in the basic necessities of life - bedding for sleeping and a stove for food preparation. Tf a homeless person is traveling through our city, or traveling within our city looking for work and a permanent place to reside, he is not allowed to remain in his vehicle or lean-to without being in violation of the ordinance. By denying defendants the ability to partake in simple necessities of life, the ordinance restricts their freedom of moveme nt. Homeless choosing to travel throughout our city are not allowed to stop without being in violation. Those homeless who are trying to make a life in the city are in constant violation." Jn response to the city's a rgument that homel ess people camping pose health and safety dangers , Judge Gallagher argued, "Although protecting the health and safety of the citizens of this Camping Ban, continued page 7 By Heidi Soderstrom, East Oregonian PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) The campfire leaps and crackles in the crisp air, creating shadows on the ground. The shadows become real people huddled by the fire. They are a part of the homeless culture in eastern Oregon. Yes, homelessness is here, and the shadows of John Forcum and Dusty Murphy only begin to give light to the issue. "We're living out of our car until we can find something," Murphy said. The couple, who live out of a b.eat-up van, are staying at Sand Station fo r a few days, an Army Corps of Engineers park northeast of Hermiston. People are allowed to stay 14 days at no cost. Forcum and Murphy are part of an estimated 50 homeless people each month who go through the Agape House, a food and clothing non-profit distribution center. "We see two or three fami li es and individuals that are homeless every day," said John Thurlow, director of the Agape House. "The homeless issue is very much here. It's not just a Portland problem." " Of the 470 families we see per month, which is 30 fami lies more per month than last year, 10 percent or more are homeless. It's probably more than 10 percent," Thurlow said. And that's just in Hermiston. St. Mary's Outreach Program in Pendleton provides food to about half a dozen transients a month and gives monetary support to Helping Hands, an agency that helps with housing. La Grande's Salvation Army helps at least six families a month, said Darlene Hollingshead, a social service worker. "It is an issue; it can't be ignored," she said. Yet, according to those close to the issue, the homeless problem is largely ignored in the region. "This community is very ignorant," said Mike, a homeless man who declined to give his last name and hopes to settle in Hermiston. Mike and Mary, his companion, have been living in their car off and on for six months, and travehng from place to place for more than two years. "Sm all town, small minds," he said. "They really can't fathom how someone would end up like us." . For those who wander the streets in eastern Oregon, there is little available in the way of housing. No shelters are available except in Pasco and WalJa Walla. It's illegal to sleep i11 parks in many large cities. The Hermiston and Pend leton police departments, as well as in La Grande, try to direct homeless people to places where help might be available. "We direct them to the Salvation Army," said Pendleton Police Chief Gary Ward. "That's how we've done it, along with the churches in Oregon Camping . continued page 9 '"VERTISE •.. Mlf '°lllS STRll . If NCH Secures Health Policy Victories by Bob Reeg National Coalition for the Homeless T he I 06th Congress has included provisions favorable to people experiencing homelessness in new laws that reauthorize, strengthen, and expand the addiction treatment and mental health programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra­ tion (SAMHSA) and the Ryan White CARE Act (RWCA) HIV/AIDS programs of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) played a significant role in developing and ensuring passage of SAMHSA and RWCA reauthorization legislation. Several of NCH's recommendations for reauthorization were enacted into law or addressed in report language that accompanies the legislation. Chief among the accomplishments, the SAMHSA law (Public Law 106-310) reauthorizes the Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals (GBHJ) program - a targeted homeless addiction and mental health services competitive grant program. The Clinton Administration had proposed to repeal GBHl, and consequently NCH had to fight mightily to save it from extinction. The law also reauthorizes the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program, a targeted homeless mental health services state formula grant program. With regard to HIVI AIDS, the new RWCA law (Public Law J06-345) requires states and localities receiving RWCA funds to involve homeless and housing providers in resource prioritization and allocation processes. The new law also requires entities receiving RWCA funds to establish health care referral relationships with points of entry to the health services system, including homeless shelters. NCH is proud to have achieved several critical health policy changes for people experiencing homelessness and congratulates the consumers, service providers, and advocates who weighed in from the field to secure these positive outcomes. NCH has prepared detailed summaries,of the SAMHSA and RWCA reauthorization laws. They can be found at NCH's web page, http://nch.ari.net, or by contacting Bob Reeg at NCH at 202/737­ 6444, x. 3 14. Our Advertisers help a good cause while promoting themselves to over 8,000 concerned people each month. Business Card Size .., Two Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" ~ $15 per month Send your add copy to Streetvi[Jes, 1506 Elm Street,Cinti, 45210, honiecoal@primax.net , or call 421-7803. IM ~ 4" x 3 1/2" .$30 month (Larger Adds Also Available) p~r �r " r • • 1" • Pltl 1 I l'f STREETVIBES ADVOCATE DEFIES NO- SHACK POLICY Columbus Dispatch - Monday. November 6, 2000 J odi Nirode • Dispatch Staff Reporter Sam Elam says city workers tore down his camp in late October and he hasn't been able to get into homeless shelters, which are full. For now. Elam has settled under an overpass near Miranova, the upscale condominium complex being built Downtown. When Harold and Ada Martin founded an organi zation to help the homeless in 1982, build­ ing shacks wasn't part of the plan. They just wanted to offer simple acts of kindne s: A blanket. Some food. Letting people take a shower at their home. Their own home, though, wasn't enough. Over ti me. the Martins took mortgages on three other homes, offering them for free to people in need of a place to stay. Tenants needed only to make progress getting over an addiction to stay, Mr. Martin said. " Somebody needed to tell them that God loved them, too," he said. But the additional mortgage payments proved too much, as Mrs. Martin struggled with kidney problems and her husband with heart problems. So the Martins sold the extra ho mes in 1997 - and started building shacks. Made of plywood walls and with tarps to keep the rain ou~, the shanties ­ with blankets and mattresses inside - were a labor of love from the Martins to the homeless. "We'd bring mu ic. Motown or gospel. Whatever anyone wanted to hear,'' Mr. Martin said of building them. '·We'd fry fi h. We'd j u t have a ball." The Marti11s built l 3 shacks. One even had windows and a door tJiat could be locked. Last week, the city began tearing them down - includ­ ing one shack that was home to nine men and wo men - just west of the Short Street overpass for 1-70. It was one of the last shelters built before Mrs. Martin ,t: .!d of kidney failure July 29. Mr. Martin still is deaJhg with grief from his wife'. death and is worn out from trying to keep up with work they both used to do, yet he vows to ke~p going. This weekend, he was planning to butld another shack, though city officials have said they need to come down. "What are they going to do? They will let a dog on the street, but a human, they won't let them sleep on the street," Martin said. "They are not going to top me until they come up with a solu­ tion for the problem and do something to help these people." Along with the shacks, the city took most everything that their tenants possessed, Martin said. Gone were blankets, clothing, shoes and rood. Part of the problem is that shelters are full. said Kent Beittel. executive director of the Open Sheller. ..This is actually the first -.ummer lhat we ·vc gone through where ,\II four men·, <;helters arc operating at capacit) for the entire ,eason:· Bcittcl said. ·There ·., usually ...ome fle\ibility."' Sam Elam knows that all too well. Since the city tore down his shack in late October. he said he's been trying to get into shelten.. " I can't oet in. " said Elam, who is in his 30s. He came ;ith his family to Columbus from Georgia, but three years ago had a falling out with them, and he's been on the streets since. For now, he makes do in one of Martin·s shad.-. or a tent in a mall wooded patch southwest or Downtown. The shack provides shelter and comfort. But Elam's panoramic view includes Miranova. the nearby upscale condominium complex that he and Martin blame for propellincr 0 the c ity's cleanup of homeless pcopl~'s belona­ ings. "They want us out of here. but we're no7 causing any trouble," Elam said as he rose to his feet. shaking his finger. In a letter to city officials dated Oct. JO, a i\lliranova developer said more than $3 million in llttlllll Il l OHIO NEWS Page 7 sales were lost "due to the perception that the area around Main, Mound and Short streets is not safe." That complaint, though, had nothing to do with taking down the shacks, city officials say. However, the city's c leanup this time was unlike others in the past. "Historically. we·ve been notified when these things are coming,,. Beittel said, ··so we' re not quite sure what happened this time." In the past, a con ortium of advocates for the homeless has worked with the c ity to provide warnings about changes to come and options for people. The consortium is made up of representatives from Take It To the Streets, the Open Shelter, Veterans Affairs. Southeast Recovery and Mental Health Care Services and Health Care for the Homeless. Hoping to quell anxiety among the area's homeless on how they wi ll survive the winter, the consortium is requesting a meetino with city officials this month, Be itte l said. "We u~der­ stand the city needs to move forward," he said. " But if we can hammer out a clear, collective communication pattern, that will enhance everyone's ability to be effecti ve." City officials say they agree and hope to put a policy in place that would require aJvocates for the homeless be called before shacks are removed, said Mary Webster, assistant director of the city's Public Service Department Until more shelter space or subsidized apartments become available, Martin said he' II keep his hammer busy. "[ made a promise to (my wife) that I' d carry on, and that's what I intend to do." HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK http://aspi11.asu.edu/hp11 Camping Ban, from page 6 c ity may very well be compell ing, there are less restri ctive means to address the problem. The Wickes found themselves livjng out of their car due to the ir inability to find adequate and affordable hou ing. Rather than slapping a homeless person with a citation for maintaining life in a public place, the city could first explore avenues of providino suffi.cient housing for all individuals. Adequat~ services should also be in place to help individuals fi nd housing and jobs . .. There are a great number of alte rnati ves regarding hous ing, j o b training, mental health services, etc., that should be put in Homeless Backlash British charity raps government's anti-begging drive. SHELTER, Britain·s best-known homeless charity. has lashed out at the government's new anti-begging campaign. Reuter reported Nov. 6. The government ·s "Change a Life" cam­ paign asks good Samaritans not to g ive spare change to the estimated 1,600 homeless people who sleep on the streets each night. Instead, the campaign suggest people should volunteer at local soup kitchens or donate items to charity. The government's "Rough Sleepers" (homeless) Unit created controversy when it suggested that giving money to the homeless fuels alcohol and drug addiction. She lter fears the campaign could make life more difficult for the home less. "This initiative could increase the stigma of homelessness and make life even worse for people who are already subject to high levels of abuse and violence," said Shelter director Chris Holmes. place to both minimize the effect of homelessness and e liminate homelessness altogether, before o u; city resorts _to arresting indiv iduals fo r sleepina and . . 0 eating 111 the only locations available to them." Judge Gallagher conc luded, " Individuals wi thout a ho me must carry what belong ings are necessary to survive, such as beddi ng and food, with them at all times, or store them in a place to which they have access. The place where these belonofoos ~e kept is by law deemed to be a campsite. Eve~y t.Jme a homeless person remains at that location he is in vio latio n. .. Those w itho ut ho mes 'are impermiss ibly pun ished for the status of bein o homeless. Pe1forming such li fe sustaining acts a~ sleeping with bedding is a necessary action for someone without a home. This act of sleeping is not conduct that can be separated from the fact of the individual's status of being homeless. Portland's anti-camping ordinance punishes the status of beino .:. homeless." Understandably, Mr. Wickes, Sr. responded to Judge GaUagher's ruling with elation. "It was Camping Ban, continued page 18 Get yo ur G r eater Cincinn ati C o a\it io n f o r t he H om e less Yea r JOO I CALEND AR N owf Examining Homeless ness f r om a kid's p oin t of vie ""' Featurin g phot os by Jim my Heath . 5end .$10 t o G CCH, 1506 E\m 5t ., Cinti, Oh 45 ~ ~ �.._ From Death Row Beam Me Up, Scotty by Johnny Wm . Byrd, Jr. By John Perotti Who will eek my blood lust, eye for an As 1 was sitting in my 8x lO cage bere at eye? Who will revenge my murder committed the Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP), by state elected offi cials? Who will stand in contemplating who would win the presidential my place if my day in court ever -comes about? election, the state of the ho meless and hungry Who will be the medium to give voice to my in the world, and other events of some ghost after my murder? Who will put a stop to significance, l was rudely inten-upted by a the corrupted politics that are the foundation of voice over the speaker in my cell, saying capital puni shment? Will it be you, or will you "Perotti , get dressed, were bringing you out to shamelessly turn away and leave it for another see someone." Now bear in mind, this same to deal with? Accepting and turning away speaker I tried for eight hours to get emergency makes you just as guilty of the murder of an medical treatment from when I had a major innocent man, woman or c hild. Eye for an eye, heart att ack here exactly one year ago today. remember? Murder for murder. When does So I look up in amazement and say, "Who the blood lust end? Will it be at the tail gate wants to see me?" I'm told, "The Gang party on the dawn o f a human being's murder? coordinator." Now I have no desire to go Is Humanity so savage that it can ' t see the through the painful and humiliating procedure barbarity in applauding these acts of of being double-cuffed behind my back (I have degradation? Who will be there for you, your a pinched nerve and chronic pain that this chHd, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grandchild, inflames) and held by each arm by club­ family, or fri end, when this abomination is wielding guards, so I tell my "speaker'' I don' t visited upon your loved ones? Will it be you? want to see him unless he comes to my cell. I Or will you try and turn away as the blood lust get an "OK," and I go back to my meditations. drips its judgment? How can right be wrong Fifteen minutes later, here we go again. and wrong be right? It's wrong to kill, unless "Perotti, why don't you want to come and see you are feed ing into society 's animalistic me?" I say, "Who's that?" "Wiley," be cravings of rabid humanity. Who am I to say responds. I explain that we have nothing to these things? I am your victim today; talk about and if he has something to say put it tomorrow it' II be one of your very own. There · in writing, then proceeded to tell him how dirty convicted on no evidence, just the perjured he was for denying my father his visitation testimony the prosecutors knew was purjured rights the day before. He responded with from a jail house snitch - to get a conviction, sarcasm, "You should have come out and talked to me." I see I made another enemy, when, fi ve the same snitch that has been hurting innocent citizens from the moment he got the minutes later, he sent six guards to tear my cell prosecutors their conviction - when he should up, searching it. I'm placed back in my cell, have been serving up to fifteen years in prison. legal papers strewn everywhere, and begin to Wash the blood from your hands and find peace straighten it up. As I'm halfway through in your heart, by simply doing what is right and straightening, here come three more guards, just for "us all" and save what is left of and I'm escorted to the strip cage. This is humanity a 1d an innocent man 's life!!! approximately 1 pm. I'm left in this cage until 5 pm , told i.t was "per orders of the major." It really was good ol.d fashioned OSP retaliation. Legal Assistance : Unfortunately, You see, I'm a jailhouse lawyer, an activist and Streetvibes cannot help prisoners with I'm constantly subject to this type of treatment any type of Legal Work, other than because that's how prisons play us for indirectly inspiring our readers. For help organizing or assisting others in trying to obtain proving innocence by DNA testing, justice. So, I'm taken down to the R & D strip cage, held naked and ordered to defecate in a contact: The Innocence Project at pan. When I incredulously ask why, I'm told Cardozo Law School, 55 5th Av­ "You know why, now do il, and we' re going to enue, New York, NY 10003. X-ray you, too." I protest, but it falls upon deaf (212) 790-0354 ears. I later learn through my "observer., that they spread word that I had either ingested or secreted drugs or tobacco. How this could have STRllTVIBIS been done since I' ve been confined to OSP 6 PliSORIJISNIJWS weeks now is beyond my scope of contains news about the justice understanding. I realize it is just a form of system and the writings of persons retaliation because a fe llow prisoner w ho was incarcerated in our nation's jails beaten, maced and ki cked named me as a and prisons. witness to the S tate Highway Patrol. fn o rder to fo rce x-rays on a pri soner, Subscribers within the walls receive prison offi c ia ls must have probable cause that a Streetvibes fre e. If you want to s upport pri soner ingested a substance that is a life us in this effort , please threatening substance. Thus, any x-ray not sponsor someone on the inside by consented to must be ordered by a physician on sending us $ 15 for a year's this basis, or said x-rays are violations of your subscription right to privacy and earch and seizure. Well, I Send your comments know there was no probable cause in my case, and questions to nor was any contraband fou nd, so after 18 streetvibes@juno.com hours in a strip cage, 3 defecations in a pan mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street while be ing videotaped , and x-rayed twice as Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 well as verbally taunted, I'm returned to m y cell at 3 am, and informed by my fell ow prisoners that the Lieutenan t and guards told the prisoners in my pad that they were all being searched because I was out there "snitching" on them, and they shouldn ' t be foll owers and file paperwork li ke Perotti - "It' ll just get you in trouble". On other topics, the reaction of the prison 's instituti on inspector to our requests for formal grievance fo rms to fil e on the prisons grievance procedure itself, brought not only the grievance form (and I' ve been trying to get one unsuccessfull y for 6 weeks, now), but also a conduct report. Seems she wants to retaliate for challenging the grievance system by saying we lied when we stated we asked for grievance form s in the past and were not issued them (even though I've got a stack of documentation proving otherwise). And again, I've got guards on all three shifts coming to my cell , calling me "snitch'', "write another arti cle", etc. So, here you are, Oh narrow-minded ones. It may take a while, but ye wi ll learn constitutional law before this is al l ove r with ; and hopefully, then, you' II take your own misguided ignorance out on the powers that be, that are screening you just like us, rather than me. R<'member Autka, Remember New Mexico , Remember Lucasville! !! 'I I To Streetvlbes: Mr. Luqman Baliir Taqwiim #141-950 P.O. Box 1436 Youngstown, Ohio 44505 Dear Reader, I received your latest issue of Streetvibes, and I write to thank you for the support you've offered by allowing me to use your paper as a vehicle for communication. I think your paper can be a great contributio n in many areas - the Homeless and oppressed are a few under the spacious sky. However it is my belief that nothi ng happens wilhout the Divine Will and a purpose. These two monumental issues, poverty and oppression, can be addressed, but first we must change the hearts of people! How can you go to bed at night with your cupboards fult while your neighbor starves? How can one oppress and look not for the meeting with his Lord to whom all matters must return . I wrote to inform you that you failed to include my institution number in my last article. Again it is my sincerest appreciation fo r placing my article before d1e people. Hopefull y, we have planted a seed that will bear fruit. In Earnest humility, Luqman Bahir Taqwiim �, ST REET VI BES Page 9 LEONARD PELTIER' S CLEMENCY PAPERS .SIT ON PRESIDENT CLINTON'S DESK Amy Goodman of Pacifica Radio, America's first public radio station, asked Clinton point blank about Leonard. Here's what ·he said word for word: Amy Goodman: "What is your position on granting Leonard Peltier, the native american activist, executive clemency?" ' lb: Anthony W. Nyk.tas, Senior Assistc.znt U.S. Attorney, 220 Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse JOO East Fifth Street. Cincinnati, OH 45.202 • Re: John Perotti, #A167712 Dear Tony: Enclosed is a Letter dated S eptember 18, 2000 to me from John W: Perotti, an inmate at Lucas ville, SOCF, in response to a letter from Marianne Pressman, Assistant Attorney General. I am troubled by the second paragraph of Ms. Pressman's letter concerning the availability of administrative remedies and his response. particularly in the first parag(aph of his letter. If there is any truth to the fact that he is being hindered in his attempts to follow the law in utilizing the grievance procedure by the authorities at SOCF, then I think there is a serious constitutional civil r ights violation occurring which should be investigated by the Civil Rigl)ts Division of the Justice Department. Please forward this matter to the appropriate authorities at the Department of Justice for further action. I expect cooperation both from Perotti, the authorities at Lucasville, as well as the Ohio Attorney OeneraJ whe.it lQQking int<> this matter. Oregon Camping , from page 6 the area." Hermiston Police Chief Andy Anderson said homeless people don't want help from the police for the most part. . "If they do come to us, they' re in dire need, and in that case we direct them to the Agape House," Anderson said. "But we really don't bother them much unless they cause a problem. They seem to be our forgotten few, either because of society's lack of concern, or it's their preference." Forcum and M urph y spend the d ays hunting for cans and bottles to cover the cost of gasoline. Food stamps buy a little food, but they agree it is not enough. And while a monthly visit to the Agape House for groceries helps, they said it doesn't quite cut it. But with 470 families to feed and clothe and with the number growing by 7 percent eac~ year, there is not always eno ugh to go around. "Th e re are peopl e liv ing u nder the bridge, in their cars, and at least one a day comes in for a shower," Thurlow said. "We fu rnish the soap, shampoo, towel. That's the one thing we can do every day. It's impossible to meet every need an the time." So impossible, in fact, that Thurlow said he is faced w ith shutting down the Agape House if the surrounding c01mnunity does not give more assistance soon. "Our client base continues to grow, but our fu nds to operate have not. This has placed Oregon Camping ,continued page 18 President Clinton: "Well, I don't have a posi­ tion I can announce yet. I think, I believe, there is a new application for him in there, and when I have time, after the election is over, I'm going to review all the remaining executive clemency appl ications and, you know, see what the merits dictates. I will try to do what 1 think the right thing to do is based on the e~·idence, af!d I've never had the time actually to sit down myself ana review that case. l know it is very important to a lot of neonle. mavhe on hoth sides of the issue, and I think I owe it to them to give it an honest look see. So part of my responsibilities in the last ten weeks of office, after the election, will be to review the request for pardons and executive clemency and give them a fair hearing, and I pledge to do that." Amy Goodman: And you will give an answer in his case? President Clinton: "Oh yeah, I'll decide, one way or the other." So Leonard's been in jail three times longer than . Clinton's been in office, and he didn 't have time ? S upport Leonard with a letter/phone callle-mail to the white house! http://ishgooda.nativeweb.org/natnews.htm PENPAL WANTED Richard Frye #205231, OCL P.O. Box 511, Columbus, OH 43216 PAN-OHIO Prisoners Advocacy Network Meets Next at Old Presbyterian Church, corner of Bryden Road & Ohio Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, on January 7, 1-5 p.m. For further information, contact (513)241-8014 ., Homeless men: Forgotten, discarded and Ignored By Kathy Miller Every day I enter my office early with a cup of coffee and start my day reading a passage from Iyanla Vanzant's "Acts of Faith"; the passages are always profound and they help me focus on what I need to do for the day. Today's passage was especially significant: "No man is free until all men are free. No · woman is healed until all women are healed." As one of the Homeless Disability Services Coordi nators for the Center, my challenge is to assist homeless persons w ith a physical, sensory or cognitive disability to locate accessible h ousing that is safe and affordable. I am lucky; I have a great deal of community support to do my job successfully. The shelter staff are some of the hardest working people I have encountered. They are supportive of the j ob I am entrusted to do and give me kudos when I accomplish my task. The majority of the consumers I work with are male, which is the point of this writing. Homeless men are somewhat ostracized in the community as a whole. I am not saying they are not served well by social service agencies; they are j ust served differently. The avenues for understandi ng tend to shut down faster. This often is two­ fold for homeJess men with a disability. It isn ' t anybody's fault. In our society the general ideology is that a man should be the take-charge breadwinner and the strong counterpart of the family. It is only an ideology; life i sn ' t that simple and most of us don't survive this way. The male consumers I work with have had challenges that most people cannot even envision. First, they a.re not trusted because they are male and they are not living up to society's expectations. Second, in our society, the thought is this : be a man, take care of your responsibilities, get a j ob and do right for yourself. Third, there are no exceptions to the rules for a man in a society that has preconceived notions on how a man should act or be: Men don't need safety, a roof over their head, food and a warm place to lay down at night. Iyanla Vanzant say~ "We owe it to ourselves and everyone else to see that all people live painless and free. It is our duty to share what we know if it has helped us move beyond darkness in life. We should think about where we would be if there were no books or people to guide us when we need it." Homeless men face many odds. Living life on the streets day in or day out, facing the great odds of not surviving, is a dangerous existence, by any means. It can happen to an yone. Illness, disease, loss of employment through an accident, or a hundred other reasons could result in any one of us having a disability and losing our homes, fam ilies and/ or livelihood. Each of us has our independent struggles; hopefully, they teach us survival strengths. Many homeless men have strength of h eart beneath their sometimes gruff and unkempt exteriors. They have needs, wants, and yes, dreams maybe not as elaborate as some of ours. Sometimes those dreams consist only of wanting and needing a roof over their See Homeless Men, continued page 18 • �. STREETVIBES Page 10 · 10,000 Gather at Military Base to Close the School of the Americas 3,600 Participate in Civil Disobedience.... by School of Americas Watch Over I0,000 people from all over the Americas gathered at the gates of Ft. Benning co-workers in E l Salvador in 1989 by SOA graduates. When met by military police a half mile inside the gate, the lead group fe11 to the ground, reenacting a massacre. They were Protestors hold a sign that reads"Never more " A protester prays for some of the victims of SOA graduates, commemorated by white crosses. today to de mand the closure of the U.S. Arn1Y School of the Americas (SOA). Over 3,600 risked arrest by crossing onto the base in a massive act of civil disobedience. Thousands were called to express their outrage at the deadly impacts of U.S. counterinsurgency training on Latin American communities. More than 2, 100 protesters including clergy, students, veterans, and grandparents were arrested and processed. They were given letters banning and barring them from entering the base for five years. Actor Martin Sheen was ampng those arrested. The protesters were taken to local parks and released. The last busload of protesters was released shortly before midnight. At l l am, about 3,400 filed onto the base in a so lemn funeral proc ession , carrying thousands of crosses and other sacred symbols inscribed with the names of victims of SOA violence in Latin America. They were led by a group dressed in black shrouds and white death masks who carried coffins to commemorate the assassination of six Jesuit priests and their two Po/lee Search TABD pig for contraband among the fi rst to be carried away by the milit_ary police. On ce the e ntire first procession had completely crossed the line, 32 additional activists, dressed as campesinos and soldiers, crossed the line and staged a massacre by Colombian para militari es. Th ey were immediately taken into custody by military police. Then a second procession of200 activists with giant puppets, costumes and drums entered t he base. Other affinity grou ps entered simultaneously through different entrances and engaged in various creative actions of nonviolent resistance, such as street-theater and the blocking of the road with their bodies. Dozens of activists planted corn in Ft. Benning soil as a symbol of life and hope. . In Chiapas, Mexico 300 members of the civil society group Las Abejas fasted and prayed simultaneously with the Georgia action. At great personal risk, Mexican human rights activists planted com in soil al a military camp in Chiapas in a coordjnated symbolic action. The vigil featured speakers from Chiapas and Colombia, as well as several other Latin American nations. Both Colombia and Chiapas have beeri targeted for massive U.S. military aid and counterinsurgency training. Colombia has more SOA graduates ( I 0,000) than any other nation. Paramil itary death squads are a key element of civilian targeted warfare as it is taught at the SOA. In Colombia, former Defense Minister Gen. Harold Bedoya, SOA graduate and guest instructor, has advocated the use ofparamilitaries for years. In Chiapas, Gen. Jose Ruben Rivas Pena, who took the elite Command and General Staff course at the SOA, has also called for the u se of param ilitaries. P a ra militari es, in collaboration with the Colombian and Mexican militaries, are now cited for the vast majority of human rights abuses in these conflicts. "We know the names of the generals and the high-ranki ng officers jmplicated in these killings, and nothing has been done," said Luis Eduardo Guerra, a Colombian peace activist whose community has repeatedly been,targeted by paramilitaries. "We know that the officers who trained the paramilitaries were trained at the School of the Americas." For more information, contact the School ofAmericas Watch PO Box 4566 - Washington DC 20017­ www.soaw.org CHE PROTEST , continued from page 1 the free market has no moral intell igence, and the WTO and the TABD have no soul. Generations ago, the dawn of the industrial revolution produced fantastic weaJth, but also great economic disparity, poorhouses and children working in factories. In response to this, people came together in a great movement-people of faith, people awakened to what is good and right and true, young people and old, people in labor unions, students, people in congregations­ people came together in a coalition to challenge the barbaric treatment of children, women and men. And they brought more justice and humanity to the land. And by the grace of God and with people like you, I can say this with certainty: We are back. 20 We are back to say to the market and to the powers and to the TABD that people are not commodities to be bought and sold: people are not machines to be used up and discarded; the earth is not a garbage dump to be raped, defiled and polluted. We are back to say that each person is holy and precious; each person bears the image of God; each person deserves our respect and our love. We are back. We are together. And we're not leaving. �ST RE ETV IBES Crossing the Line By Dan Marschner Page 11 funeral procession. Eventually, the procession was stopped by the military police. The high-risk group that led the procession carried caskets into the base, and at thi s point they placed their caskets and tbemsel ves on the ground in an attempt to get a rre sted. I can' t describe all the reasons why I found myself outside Fort Benning, Georgia, in a frigid, wet temperature, ready to be part of a · massive act of ciyiJ disobectience. I- was one of 3400 who stood ten across with a sm all c ross in my hand , terrified. I had no idea what I was walk ing into. but I knew .that l was followirig my conscience into Fort Benning. 1 was part of a to p rocessio n remember the victims of graduates of t he School of the Americas, a training fac ility for Latin American soldiers in Fort Benning. I had heard about the school for some time, Ft. Benning, Georgia, Nov. 18: Xavier Students Cross the Line and paft of me holding crosses commemorating the victims of the US parct­ expected an military training camp, the School of the Americans intimidating fortress L __:.:;.:::.:.;;:.:.!..:.:,.:.;.;,;..;_..::,._....,:~---------------with snipers on towers waiting for a target. Instead, I found myself staring at a rather simple gate, and the snipers were replaced with a lone police officer in a telephone pole mechanic's basket. I had difficulty imagining how such an unassuming place could have produced such horrific soldiers. Graduates of the School of the Americas have been linked to some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin America. Thousands of people have bee n murdered or have "disappeared" as a result of forces headed by SOA graduates. Protests against the school haye recently picked up steam, and the name of the school was changed due to the connotations of the former name. The name'Change did not lead to extensive changes in the school's curriculum, however, and so the protests continue. As part of the funeral march, I hoped that I might help close the school permanently. The procession was a very powerful experience for me. The procession's aim was to commemorate the lives of people killed by graduates of the school. After each name, those in the procession responded "Presente!'' to illustrate that the spirit of that person was guiding our path. I started about fifty ·rows back in the procession, and I moved slowly forward. As I reached the white line indicating the property of Fort Benning, I took a deep breath, paused for a moment, and continued marching with the procession. We were immectiately confronted with the sign te ll in g us that we were not permitted to enter the base for the purpose of protesti.ng. The procession continued well into the base. We tried to remain solemn, although occasional cheers did happen. Sometimes people became so wrapped up in the act of defying the law that they were bounding ~ith excess energy. I chose to place my cross on the side of the road, along with many others. Several crosses in the same vicinity created a graveyard­ like atmosphere, and helped to refocus the crossed that we would wait until an officer individually asked us if we were tHIS leaving the base voluntarily or if we were asking to be anested. We wanted confrontation to confirm that we were willing to accept the consequences of breaking the law. We weren't disappointed. After several hours of indecision, we were · finally confronted. We saw an officer ahead of us asking people if they were leaving by bus or by walking out of the base. The six of us quickly huddled and decided that this was the moment we were waiting for. When the officer approached me, I was intimidated and confused, but I quickly decided that I wanted to face prosecution. When we walked past another officer, he informed us that we could lose our student Joans if we were processed. After a slight hesitation, we continued forward. All six of us eventually decided to take the bus off the base and let the Army decide what to do about us. The bus ride was nerve-racking. We had no idea where we were headed, but the rest of the protesters in the bus were very suppo rtive. The bus drove through Columbus, Georgia as we . waited for our fate. I didn' t know what to expect, but I was ready to accept the consequences of my action. The bus drop ped us off at a park about a mile from the base. No military officers greeted us", and no processing occurred. We were free, and the experience e nde d without severe consequences. I was pleased with this result. We walked back to the base, where other Xavier students who made the journey met us. The energy outside the base was tremendous, and the celebration was incredible. We may not have closed the base, but we continued the struggle. Crossing the line was a powerful experience for me, one I hope I will not get the opportunity to do next year. Everyone else stopped walking, but continued singing or chanting. The litany ·of victim s continued, and the "Presente!" chants with them. The standstill lasted several hours. At first, the military police told the .crowd that they were free to leave at any time, either by returning through the gate from which they came, or by being bussed off the base. Bussing off the base carried the additional possibility of being processed for trespassing , which could lead to a ban and · This sign welcomed protesters outside Fort Benning. bar letter. This letter would prevent someone from entering the base for the next five years. Most of the people in the procession bad no interest in leaving, however, so we continued to defy the military police and stay right where we were. Food and water became extremely important at this point, because they were in short supply. Luckily, the six Xavjer students came prepared, and no one became weak or dehydrated." We kept waitrng. Every once in a while, someone from the School of the Americas Watch (th'e..group that organized the prote.~ ) would provide an update of thh situation. Militar y Officers began walking the crowd, to answer questions and to ensure that the protest remained peaceful. In fact, I witnessed no acts of viol e nce by the protesters or the military police throughout my experience, a remarkable feat. The gro up of Xavier students decided before we _ �EDITORIAL STREETVIBES PAGE No Deterrent for Police Abuse of Power By Tom McKay Why shouldn' t the police abuse homeless people? Nobody can stop them. If homeless people cannot afford a lawyer to defend their civil rights, they have no rights. The sheer volume of citatio ns given to homeless people is a testimony to the investment in police harassment. The Coalition on Homelessness bas found that in 1999 the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) issued a record total of 23,87 1 citations for so-called "qual ity of life" infractions. While working to protect homeles people from this unconscionable abuse, it has been learned that many of the e citations are i sued even though there bas been no violation of the law. For example, the SFPD loves to issue citations to homeless people for "Obstructing the Sidewalk" (MPC 22). These citations are issued even when the sidewalk is not being blocked. They are given to homeless people who are simply sitting on the sidewalk, even though Lhe sidewalk is wide and there is plenty of room for pedestrian traffic to walk past. Homeless people are then put to the trouble of arranging for a court date and appearing in court to defend themselves against the citation. UsualJy it comes down to a judicial determination of credibility. The judge almost always believes the testimony of the officer, unless the homeless person can prove his innocence. In any case, most homeless people are not lawyers, and they are not skillful enough to successfully defend themselves in court. Homeless people lose in court so often that they give up even trying to defend themselves. When a homeless person does not try to defend himself in court, the court conveniently decides that the person is automatically guilty and they are fined accordingly. When a judgment against a homeless person is not paid within a certain amount of time, it turns into a warrant his arrest. Once a fine has become a warrant, a police officer has the disc;retion of using the warrant as blackmail to enforce obedience to his every command. Any person with a warrant on his record must obey the police offi cer or go to jail. The net result of all this is that innocent, poor ho meless people are routinely abused, fined, and arrested by the system which we have called "justice." One problem with depending on "law and order" to solve all our problems is that "law and order" has no HEART. There is no forgiveness, mercy, compassion, or love in law enforcement. What this world needs is more love, not more crue lty. The police are the heroes of the rich . Rich people don' t care how the polke get rid of homeless people; they j ust want them gone. The police are encouraged to harass homeless people because that is how they get them to go to so me other place. Every city is doing the same thing. The ultimate message to homeless for ' people is get off the planet, or go to jail. Our political leaders refuse to invest the resources that are necessary to solve the problem in a humane way. There are no effective checks and balances when it comes to investigating the police. Internal Affairs is no more than a pretense that is used to prevent any real oversight from being established. Do we allow criminals to investigate themselves? Of course not! Nor can we allow the police to investigate themselves. Their Internal Affairs investigations are preventing the public from being informed about police misconduct. San Francisco has an Office of Citizen's Complaints (OCC) which investigates complaints against police officers. Although this offi ce has done a competent j ob of investigating complaints, it has no power to require a public heru·ing. When it has found that a complaint is valid it can o nly recommend that the San Francisco Police Commission hold a public hearing. The Police Commission has historically been protective of police officers. They simply refuse to hear a case if they think it might embarrass the SFPD. Mary Dunlap, Director of the OCC, explains that the San Francisco City Charter does not give the OCC the authority to compel the Police Commission to hold a public hearing on a verified complaint. She feels that we need to amend the City Charter to give that power to the OCC. That is certainly a step in the right direction. But as long as the members of the Police Commission are doing everything in their power to protect the police from public exposure of their misconduct, there will still be a problem. We have heard, on the street, of a case in which a homeless person was assaulted by a police officer. When the homeless person filed a complaint with the OCC, he was assaulted again by the same police officer. The police officer was never arrested or charged with a crime, even though assault is a crime. Needless to say, this person no longer wishes to try to assert his lawful rights. There is little doubt that the police officers know about one another's criminal behavior, but the "Code of Silence" protects police officers from criminal prosecution. The Blue Brotherhood would never want to arrest their friend and fellow officer. Good, honest, whistle-blowers are run out of the department. This is a clear indi cation that the department is hiding criminal behavior from public exposure. Law Enforcement has become an injustice in itself. It is corrupt to the core. Undercover Police pretend to be something they are not. In the process of fooling everybody they become profic ient liars and deceivers. When police interrogate people they lie to the suspect in order to get more information out of him. Police officers have become so habituated to dishonesty that it comes naturally to them. When they get on Page 12 the witness stand, they are the best liars that ever "testi-lied." They have become such expert liars that you cannot trust their testimony at all. There is no way to reform a system that has so much power to protect the perpetrators of its crimes. The rich power elite has captured the highest positions of power and authority, and they use the police for their personal protection. Most of our political leaders are bought and paid for by the rich. The rich, who are gradually turning our political system into a police dictatorship, have subverted democracy. The police are notorfous for ignoring our Constitutional, Civil , and Human Rights . The police are totally out of control. We must resist this unju t abuse of police power. A funny thi1=1g happened on the Way Home from the Forum. By Tom Billman ' It was clear fall day in 1998. I had just finished a gig at the Harlem Coffee . House, with my fellow band members, Victor, Dishon, Matt, and Jack of THE HEALING SYSTEM. Victor was driving my wife and I home, up Hamilton Avenue. the main drag in Northside. ~ Suddenly we were surrounded by about 8 cop cars and had about 10 rifles pointed at our heads. We were quick to put our hands up in a gesture of surrender. After questioning us, the cops were quickly convinced that we were not the diabolical culprits who had just robbed a convenience store in Northside. Several of the officers were a bit apologetic, having themselves realized from the start that we were innocent citizens. We thought, to humor ourselves, "Perhaps it was part of a campaign against the <Rad locks conspiracy; or against the conspiracy of avant-garde jazz." But, really, we came close to death that night. Our mellow attitude the only thing which prevented us from lying in a pool of blood on Hamilton Avenue. Citizens with even a touch of paranoia may well have made a stupid mistake that would cost them their lives. Judging from more recent events like the death of two suspects on election night, the police seem to have the attitude that it is better to murder innocent citizens than to subject themselves to any risk whatsoever. And truly, Fear seems to be the guiding force in law enforcement today, just as it is the primary element in the dissolution of respect in modem society. Rather than the police and the law being part of the solution, they are in­ creasingly a big part of the problem. And resorting to the letter of the law when the spirit has fled is like arming babies with lethal weapons. �STREETVIBES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR November 10, 2000 To: Streetvibes Homeless Newspaper Dear Sir: , I am writing you thi.s,letter in response ~o an articl e written by WaIT.en Perkins that appeared in the November issue of your informative newspaper. You produce a good newspaper that can benefit all of the people regardless of whether they live on the streets or in an apartment. Your newspaper is very educational and much can be learned by reading it as it gives news about people that the other two local newspapers don 't cover. rm·writing this letter to you because I am very offended by the article written by Mr. Perkins. I'll go sentence by sentence s~ that you can understand why I am upset. Mr. Perkins starts off by saying that he is an 'indi vidual. I agreed with him one hundred percent, and Mr. Perkins is entitled to his opinion. This is a free country, so he can say anything he desires and I respect hi s opinion even though I disagree with him. He says that he wears black and listens to different music. I wear a t-shirt and most of the time and I listen to talk radio. I also have numerous f1iends and I resent how some people exclude me or think that they are better than me. If they don' t like me, then that is their problem, not mine. I don't wear designer clothes. I do go to the Goodw ill or to yard sales to get my clothes. I agree with him about the rights of workei:s because I' ve been a union member my entire working career. I'm a good, moral person who starts my mornings off with prayer. I don' t belong to any gun groups (NRA) because they are Republicans who are trying to get Mr. Bush elected. I do have a couple of weapons which are registered to have in my home. I strongly stand up for personal rights and the right to do as I wish in the privacy of my home. The next~entence in Mr. Perkins' article is very offensive. He states, "fags want to tal\e away gun rights." Mr. P erkins, I ~sk you for o ne piece of evidence where gay people request th at people not own weapons. I own two weapons and.I'm. gay so why ~hould I oppose anyone else owning a weapon? I've never used my weapons and I pray to God that I never have to resort to such violent means. My real question to Mr. Perkins is this: why does it matter to you what I do behind closed doors? I don't care -what you do so why should you be concerned with what I do? The Republicans try to oust Mr. Clinton from the White House because of his personal life and I feel that you're wrong to invade my personal life. I don't hate the police nor do I hate you or anybody else. I would never shoot anybody unless they broke into my home and tried to hurt me. Even then, I would still try to resolve the problem without resorting to violence. Your last paragraph showed me how much of a racist you really are. I went to a school that was 98 percent of one color but it didn't mean anything to me because I was there to get an education. Mr. Perkins, you sound as though you are upset with some of the decisions you have made in life, and I can agree with you because I made some bad . decisions also. I've worked all my life and it doesn't get any easier as I get older but I'll retire one someday. I graduated high school at 18 and then I had to go to the ..:,,~""military (Air Force 1965-69) and ended up in Vietnam from April 1968-69. I got out of the military, then rej oined. the reserves in 1977 until 1996. I also went to the Gulf War for.six months but that was nothing com.pared to Vietnam. I take insults and threats all the time but that is part of the job. I do n't like for my s upervisors to get on me but that is part of the job. I can't walk off the job like you because I'm too old (55), so I keep working until the da)' I get the opportunity to retire. I hope that Mr. Perkins ·can relate and see bis thinking towards gay people. There's more gay people in Cincinnati tha n you think. We keep our lives private because of the threat of harm from people such as Mr. Perkins who hate us but don' t really know ME. I wisb I could identify myself to Mr. Perkins because I ~· Warren Perkins' Response Dear Sir, It seems that you have missed the point of my poem. The intent of the poem was to t>Oint out the hypocrisy that s~me ~ople- bave. I tend not to hate people. Hating people is bad policy when you are in the line of work I am. If I had those kinds of hatreds,. I would probably work for the Pat Buchanan campaign (he did have an African American running mate by the way). My work was meant as a satire. I was making fun of people who hate others. One example was wHen I wrote: "I am an individual. Th~s why I wear all black and listen tq different music. I am my own person. Just ask all my friends how different I am, they dress in black anq listen to the same music so they should know just how-differ~nt I arq." See the vie~point is that of a person who is a hypocrite. The point of this is that many·people who claim to be different and tolera(rt of other viewpojnts really just have a different kind of prej udice. T he first viewpoint is Qne of a "typical" activist that one might meet, a person who claims to be open-minded but really is intolerant. My second viewpoint is that of a "typical,. conservative person who is also very homophobic. The hypocrisy 1 tried to show is that many conservative people tend to talk about person privacy and freedoms but the)! then turn around try to restrict the Page 13 think after he got to know me and how I feel about people, he would really like me and respect me as a person and not a FAG. Mr. Perkins, I was going to make copies of your article and send them to the local tristate gay newspaper, but I won't because it would cause gay people not to buy Streetvibes and that would hmt the homeless. How do you think I got a copy of this paper? I bought it from a homeless person. I hope that you can find it in your heart to have love and compassion for your fellow beings instead of hate. Please start saying good things about people and learn from a person before you judge them. May God bless all of you and I 'll continue to buy your paper even though I know you have member(s) on your staff who hate me. That's the same as hating a person of color and you don ' t even know them. Peace to all. rights of others. "I stand up for personal rights and my right to do what I want in the privacy of my own home. You know its fags tha~ want to take away gun rights. They are afraid what good mora] people might do if we ever found out what they are doing behind closed doors." Row someone say that they have a right to do what they want in their own home but restrict what other want to do in privacy? The answer is that they can't, that's why I am making fun of them. My last viewpoint is that of "typical" angry down and out black man. I am a black man and I am very angry when black men blame racism for every single problem that comes along. l have seen people in my own family curse out their bosses then tom around and blame "the white man'' for not · letting thero get ahead in life. "You can't trust these people they always think you ate back in slavery days. Yellin at you to do shit I gotta go look for another Job right now though. If I get this job r 11 be making enough m.o ney to say fuck you to anybody. I ain't goin to take· no Shit off anybody. Soon as those Assholes start telling me what to do I'm gone." In my poem I set up three distinct perspectives, that, if rea~ carefully, show that I am supporti ve of your viewpoints. I hope this cleared up any misunderstanding. Waffen J. Perkins House Manager Needed : A 16-bed men's homeless shelter seeks a "hands on" house manager. Responsibilities include: supervising/training staff, coordinating volunteers, fund-raising; day-to­ day operating/managing house. Experience working with homeless preferred. Send resume and references to: The Catholic Worker House P.O. Box 10118; Cincinnati, OH 45210 513-321-1341. Deadline for application 72/75/00 �. ,. ~ .. .. ,. ~ STREETVIBES \ .' .. POETRY The Great Physician and the Paralytic Page 14 MISS LIBERTY Anthony Watkins On page 19 of the Big Book of Alcoholics -No more hunger Miss liberty ain't did shi t for me Anonymous, at the top of the page, the first com­ l expect a miracle as far as the eye can see, except for poverty, plete line reads, "After such an approach many take -peace for a ll men up their beds and walk again". The preceding page nd equality; and misery. I expect a miracle spoke about the approach of one alcoholic sharing his t rick m akes me ·sick. T -no mor e horQelessness his story with another suffering alcoholic. In study­ While others die, this witch gets rich I expect a miracle ing the book, a " newcomer" asked, what this line Miss liberty, yo u lie to me, meant. The following is the story that the wise and If you can percejve it, a nd believe it, you you put me h ere, experienced "old-ti mer" shared with him. can receive it ....Today. here brothers get shotup, locked up and Once upon a time, a great physician, known for ....They call me '!yfr. Lee slaughtered by these crooked pigs his miraculous skills and heatings, was teaching a It's time somebody split y'all wigs, you been group of doctors, writers and teachers and learned ricking way too danrn long men, many of whom were skeptical of the growing It time to release this rage that's been buried reputation of man and the miraculous cures and in a dark cage. healings credited to him. While lecturing o n the sub­ ject of spiritual healing and the power of God, four Blood, sweat, and tears for 400+ years be!ievers brought a man, whose legs were paralyzed, Why is it the black man you fear? into the assembly to be healed by the Great Physi­ Why do you pigs give us the deaf ear cian. The Great Physician, seeing the faith of the four Is it that we stand solid as a rock, men and discerning the spiritual illness that afflicted you pigs can't stop, the paralytic, gave words of encouragement to the or clearly knock me off my block man and told him that his sins were forgiven. The Miss Liberty red, white, blue The Greater Cincinnati skeptics in the crowd openly whispered among them­ Does those colors only stand for you selves, wondering how this man could assure this Coalition for the Homeless If so, you can get the black fits, man "take heart son; are forgiven. because I'm sick of this The Great Physician, sensing the doubts of the Annual Holiday Dinner But now I know you want to cop out. assembled scholars, asked, " Why do you entertain will take place on .evil thoughts in your heart? Which is easier, to say But yet, in turn, blow my brains out your sins are forgiven, or to say to this man to get up Because it's the g's in m e, the good in me December9 and walk? So that you may know that I have the What America can't see, Miss Liberty Pendleton Heritage power to heal this man. The Great Physician imme­ M iss Liberty, take a few m oments, diate!y perfonned "spiritual surgery" with miraculous Center, Walk in my shoes, a young youth mentally techniq ues that only he among all men possessed. 2760 Eastern Ave . beaten and abused. The Great Physician then told the paralytic to "get (The Old Railroad Depot) , up, take your bed and walk." . When the masses saw this they were encouraged HOUSING ADVOCATE at 6:00P.M. and they praised God who had given such authority ticfcets: $15 NEEDED · to men. The Great Physician was a man called Jesus . To malce your reservations, Friars Club Shelter has a part-time position The story of the Healing of the Paralytic appears in available working with residents of its' call 513-421-7803 three of the gospels. Matthew, Luke and M ark. The Homeless Shelter For Families and Low Cost theme or message within the story is centered upon (Transportation available) Residency for Men. 10 hours/week, evenings faith, the power of God, and the forgiveness of sin. and weekends. Salary commensurate with In the Big Book, the writer was trying to con­ experience. Interested applicants should mail vey the message, that as a result of one alcoholic resume to Friars Club, 65 McMillan St. , Cinti., carrying the message to another, that a miracle of - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ­ OH 45219, ATTN: Housing Coordinator recovery is possible. A miracle...The thought of this .or fax to 241 -0356 miracle reminds me of a song by the Gospel group Disturbance Prayer the Clark Sisters. I've attempted to " boil" the song .. Chris Chatfield, Housing Coordinator. Lord, make me a channel of your down to the basic poem and message that these art­ distu rba nee. ists were trying to convey. That message being that See con.tiniied page 14 Where there is apathy, let me provoke, they possessed the faith to look fo r, to expect and to believe that a miracle wa~ going to happen. Where there is silence, may I be a voice, pastr ies know affectionately as "ol' donuts". In short W here there is too much comfort order, this man has gone from being hori1eless, hungry, dirty and raggedy to being sheltered (still homeless), fed, and too little action, Looking for a Miracle... and cleanly dressed. The county overall to this point Grant disruption. I expect the impossible... has done good. This is very important. A man suffe1ing Where there are doors closed, I feel the intangible ... from variou::. physical. mental and spiritual ailments has and hearts locked, l see the invisible. already received relief in Lwo key areas: physical and Grant me the willingness to list-en. (I know that) the sky is the limit mental. Jusl the process of gaining shelter and not When laws dictate and pain is To what Tcan have worrying about eating regularly, the man's spirits are overlooked .. . (He said) that the sky is the limit lifted. He feels better. He ·s off the street, off the block When tradition speaks To what I can have. "block'" and out of the "skillet". It is important to note louder than need ... that this man's spiritual illness may not have been aided I can have anything I want, ·"'cause Our own church ... (by his own choice) one iota. A window of opportunity The sky is the limit to what I cm1 have. Our own poor... is rapidly closi ng. Just to recap, this man entered in the shelter in what the bible calls a "broken state" - humbled, Dist urb us, 0 Lord, If I believe and receive it, depressed and helpless. A spirit or fl icker of willingness Teach us to be radical, God will perform it today. is alive, he knows that he is powerless and that his life Gra nt that I may seek rath er (yes, he will) has become unmanageable. He comes to the shelter with to do justice than to t alk about it; some level of commitment to get clean and sober. This To be w ith as well as for th e poor; ·I'm looking for a miracle wi ndow may close very quickly, the rate of closure being To love the unlovable as well as Looking' for a miracle to happen to me dependent upon any number of factors. the lovely; Expect the impossible At this point the man may choose any of several To touch the passion of Jesus in the Expecting something good to come routes. He may choose a course that leads to enlm·gement Pain of those we meet; I feel the intangible of hi s spiritual li fe . This me ans th at he has a To accept responsibility to be church. I may not be able to c01npete. "shot"(chance, hope, opportunity, etc.). T he man may l see the invisible Lord, make m e a channel of your move into what I call the maintenance mode; you know, That's what hope is eat, sleep and poot. Just like a baby. There may be other distu rbanee. I am looking for a miracle to happen to me regular activities, smoking cigarettes, readi ng (plenty of submitted by Gina Kohlhepp J expect a miracle Mt. Airy, Mt. Airy , continued page 17 �. . STREETVIBES t:.~ & ' . . ...... , . . . .. ... . . . . . . . WEB VIBES /MED VIBES www.homelesskids.org Working with Homeless Children Worldwide by Dan Marschner Homeless Children International is a non­ denominational Christian organization that helps to empower homeless children throughout the world. The organization works with foster parent groups, orphanages, and programs that support street kids. The group is founded on the belief that homeless children need love and support in order to survive in their difficult circumstances. Homeless Children International began after its current president, David High, visited street children in Brazil. He was inspired by his trip to get more information about homeless children throughout the world, and he eventually founded various branches of the organization to address the issues of homeless kids worldwide. The group was founded in I991 and now has projects on five continents. One of the newest of these projects is in Nairobi, Kenya. The Kenya program started in 1998 as an attempt to reach out to the estimated 60,000 street kids in Nairobi alone. Homeless Children International-Kenya has four aspects: the hospital visitation program, the street outreach .program, the Woodley Informal Education Program, and the Chombo Cha Upendo (Swahili for "Channel of Love") Street Girls Program. Volunteers for Homeless Children International visit children who are sick and tenninaUy ill. The volunteers hope to brighten these children's lives, especially kids without regular visitors. The volunteers hope to provide a few smiles to the kids, and provide Two of several people Homeless Childern Interna­ tional has helped in Kenya. them with some friendship. The street outreach program addresses homeless children in their element. Homeless children may live on the street as a result of unstable living environments with their parents due to sexual or physical abuse, lack of funds to support children, or drug or alcohol use . Teams from Homeless Children International visit these kids on a regular basis, establishing trust and illustrating concern for them. Some of the kids want to leave the streets, so teams provide counseling and referrals. Teams also have access to basic supplies, and occasionally provide things to make life on the streets easier (i.e., blankets). The Woodley Informal Education Program Page 15 provides educational resources to homeless kids. Classrooms are tailored to the children's individual needs, and attempt to address the educational deficiencies that children face. A boys shelter is also part ~f the program. The program is open seven days a week and provides an important opportunity for children to escape street life. The program also has a counseling aspect for the parents whose children are part of the program. This counseling helps the parents to better understand their children's needs. The Chombo Cha Upendo Street Girls Program provides shelter for girls, whose life on the streets is often more difficult than boys. This program has three stages. The first is a temporary shelter where girls can receive food, shelter, education, and counseling. The shelter provides a safe environment where girls can escape from the harsh difficulties of life on the Streets. The longer a girl stays in the program, the more responsibility she learns. With time, the girJs have the opportunity to prepare their' own meals, do household chores, and take educational classes. The second phase is a transitional house, for those girls who no longer desire life on the streets and want to continue improving their lives. At this transitional house, .girls have the opportunity for more responsibility and they learn some vocational skills. The third stage is a permanent housing option for homeless girls. This option allows the girls to get advanced vocational training and help to transition them into independent living. . Homeless Children International provides vital services for homeless kids. The organization illustrates that homelessness is a worldwide problem, and that treating homeless people with love, respect and support is absolutely necessary. Homeless Health Tips: Hypothermia By Doctor Donovan With the cold weather here, everyone has to pay attention to the cold, but most especially eeople who are homeless because of their greater exposure to the elements. Average body temperature is around 98.6°. Hypothermia refers to a condition where the body temperature falls below 95.0°. In the United States, about 750 people die each year due to hypothennia. Elderly people are particul~rly at risk for hypothermia because their bodies ate less able to adapt to changes in temperature, and because medications an d diseases may decrease their ability to adapt. Because of these problems, older persons may even develop hypothermia indoors. Sometimes yon hear people say that they're goi11g to drink an alcoholic beverage to "warm up". Alcohol may make you feel wanner because it opens up the blood vessels of the skin. But, in fact, alcohol makes you less able to compensate for the cold outside temperature because these opened up blood vessels let body heat to escape through the skin. Many medications can also reduce a person's ability to deal with the cold. One group of medications that does this are the ones used to treat many mental illnesses. In addition, dehydration, starvation and prolonged contact with wet clothing or metal can add to the risk of developjng hypothermia. Because a significant proportion of homeless people suffer from alcoholism and/or mental illness, ·and because of thei r rather constant exposure to the elements, they are very susceptible to hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs gradually (as opposed to frostbite which happen s quickly). The symptoms most often progress Hke this: • • • • • • • • • Pale and puffy :face Cold feet, hands and face Excessive shivering (Although when the body temperature fa])s below 90°, shivering actually stops.) Listlessness, drowsiness, then mental confusion Apathetic, hostile or irritable attitude Cold belly Poor coordination or balance, jerking movements Slow, shallow breathing Then low blood pressure, erratic and slow pulse, and finally death occur. As many of these symptoms overlap with intoxication or mental i11ness, impending disaster could be ignored in people with these problems. So it's essential that people be provided with a warm environment even in somewhat cold weather. At even lower temperatures, especially with significant wind chill and/or wet conditions, anyone who is not easily able to move about must be brought to a warm place. If someone shows the milder symptoms of hypothermia, he or she should be moved to a warm place, any wet or damp clothing should be removed and warm clothing put on and then should be given something warm (but not hot) to drink. Do NOT give hot liquids or caffeine, force any food or drink, give alcohol, massage the skin, cover with heavy blanket.;;, use heating pads or hot water bottles or aUow the person to walk if the feet are affected. With more serious,syrnptoms, or if there is any question, the person should be evaluated by a professional. As you can see, havit1g a warm place to stay is essential in this weather. Supporting places like the Drop Inn Center and other shelters, and encouraging the city's maintaining warm sites for especially cold days. will help prevent injuries and death from hypothermia. Also check in on older persons who are alone and can quickly fall victim to cold weather, even inside. �VEGGIEVIBES STREETVIBES •1 £ at V.1.our Vcegg1es • Save 0 1 ' By Susan H uesken Page 16 most cattle in the US now spend 100 days in feedlots, where they are each fed over 1,900 pounds of grain and soybean products (about 19 pounds a Recent increases in gasoline and oil prices, day) plus hormones and antibiotics. What we have plus the release ofoil from our reserves, have made today are grain-guzzling beef animals. the economic and military implications of our And it is not only cattle. Yesterday's reliance on foreign oil increasingly apparent. The chickens were barnyard creatures, and didn't take need to reduce our oil dependence has become too large a bite out of our grain scores. But with more urgent. the advent of factory farming, the birds are now Bur few of us realize how much our food kept inside immense factory compounds, and fed choices have to do with all of this. enormous quantities of grain. Growing any kind of food, and getting it Hogs, too, are big grain consumers in the into our homes and restaurancs takes energy. Some US. In fact, hogs consume almost a third of the foods take considerably more than others! g_rain that is fed to American iiv~stock, ranking Agricu lture engineers at Ohio Seate nght up there with cattle in the quantity of grain University compared the energy cost of producing they are fed. Today, vast amounts of our nation's poultry, pork and other meats with the energy costs most fertile land are growing feed to fatten animals of producing soybeans, corn, and other foods. They found that even the least "Not yet hardened by the world, for slaughter. To plow and efficient plant food is nearly ten times as this kid knows that animals are harvest these huge fields, for loving, not eating"... 1:B. hundreds of thousands of efficient as the most energy efficient tractors, trucks, irrigation animal food. Even the best of the animal pumps and other equipment enterprises examined, returns only burn millions of gallons of 34.5% of the investment of fossil energy gasoline and diesel fuel each ro us in food energy, whereas the poorest day. Ir takes about 140 offive crop enterprises examined returns gallons of oil equivalent to 328%. raise just one acre of corn. Other studies show the same . Additionally, these fields are pattern. Corn or wheat provide 22 times sprayed with enormous more protein per calorie of fossil fuel quantities of pecrochemical­ expended than does feedlot beef. based fertilizers, herbicides, Soybeans are even better - 40 times more and pesticides. efficient than feedlot beef1 We have based our Today's meat production food productions system on systems are an energy conservationist's petroleum and other energy worst nightmare. On a traditional farm, will continue to dwindle. sources t at pigs and chickens kept warm in the winter by Right now, modern agriculture yields come largely . nestling in bedding. On today's factory farms, from cheap oil. When oil starts getting expensive, however, there is no bedding, only cold concrete we wont have the resources to heavily fertilize our or drafty metal slat floors. In order to maximize soil. the animal's weight gain under these condicions, The oil consumed i.n raising the vast temperatures must be artificially controlled, and amounts of humanly edible grain, that is fed to that takes energy. livestock, might be justified if the mathematics of More energy js needed to bring feed to the the meat equation were positive, but for every 16 animals. And more is needed to move their wastes lbs. of grain and soy fed to beef cattle in the US, away. 1n fact, the whole assembly is designed at we only get one p9und back on our plates. The every step to minimize human labor, and instead other 15 pounds are lose to us, because they are use machines that consume energy. either used by the animal ro produce body heat, Instead ofgoing from pasture to slaughter, or to make some part of its own body that we do ANOTHER CLASS Disc-Jockev CLIFFORD JONES (513) 76 1-3464 e-mai l: (513) 230-6353 not eat (like hair or bones), or are excreted. D avid Pimentel, a Cornell University professor and Henry Kendall, a Nobel Prize­ winning physicist and professor at MIT, in their paper "Global Food Supply" found that abou t 38% of the world's grain goes to feed livestock. In the US, about 135 million tons per year of grain, of a total production of 312 million tons,' goes into feeding livestock; that is 43%. But in a United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA) report, World Cereals Used as Feed, their figure was that 70% of U.S. grain is fed to farmed animals. The department ofAgriculrure also says that the average, for all US livesrock, is seven pounds of grain and soy fed, co produce one pound of edible food. Using this figure, of rhe 135 million tons of grain and soy fed to our catde, poultry, and pigs, only 19 million tons are returned ro us in meat, poultry and eggs. The rest, (135-19), about 116 million cons of grain and soybeans ­ become inaccessible to human consumption. Imagine how many people that grain could feed, not to mention the amount ofoil, land, water char were squandered -away ro produce ic. In chis modern meat production system, we have a level of wastefulness that is unprecedented in human history. Considering the wastefulness of feeding grain to animals, it becomes apparent that the food choices we make everyday, can have a larger impact than just on our health. This seemingly innocent decision, of eating meat, affects our country's oil and en ergy consumption and its available food supplies. Also, the extra grain chat is fed to animals creates additional pollution and uses enormous amounts of our land and water. So a decision not to eat animals and to become a vegetarian, can be the best choice you can make for the future health of your body and for our planet. butlQ's place Permanent Housing for for merly hom eless individuals I ·. .... at 1300 Vine Stree t O Secure, drug-free bui lding O Single room occupancy for men and women A case manager on site O An elevator to all floors o Green space D Soon to have common space and outdoor terrace . To a~ply for buddy's p lace you need.. . · D A picture ID o A pol ice check o To be homeless. o Rent is income based. Applicants mu st have an income less t han $ 12, 150. Supportive services program agreement.•.. When a tenant signs a lease, s/ he also signs a supportive services program agr~ement ~s a part of the lease. The agreement states that ~he tenant will be act1vesly working on a plan for self-sufficiency which includes attendance at regular meetings with the case manager at Buddy's Place. contact: COnnt Nanfna·, Case manager --- Mon -Fri 7: 30 am - 4: 30 pm 5V--7M.fJ8tV ~ Naet , ReSTOC, Inc. Resident Manager --- Mon-Fri 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm Non-Profit SELF-HELP CO-OP HOUSING �STREETVIBES Page 17 WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST We are once again closing out the year together. Much has happened. At the start of the year I gave caution regardi ng resolutions, and reminded all that true·change comes from God and the renewing of ones mind with the things of God. So now as you reflect back over the year; count your resolutions and com­ pare them with the change that God has wrought in your life. As you know I have been in Camp Washington working diUgently doing the work of the ministry, so as I close the year I would like to give you an over­ view of what has taken place. First, I'd Iike to introduce you to Pastor John Wierwille who leads worship, study, housing, and work camp ministries and provides direction and over­ sight for church staff and volunteers. He is also some one to call friend and brother. He is a thirty-three year old spirit-filled pastor who was beginning to be­ lieve he had gotten in way over his head. Then the thing he already knew in his heart burst forth: "GOD IS TN CONTROL" Once his faith became reality, there came to Camp Washington what Pastor John calls: " bread from heaven," and with this bread John has led work camps in the beautification of the church and neighbornood. There are presently twelve confirmands (after twenty­ plus years with none), young people who are enthusi­ astic and searching in the ir faith matched with ma­ ture adult Christians. The outreach ministries are so varied that the needs of all can be met somewhere in this church. There is the free GED school, that has computers with the latest software, there is the Home­ work Club which can always use more tutors, the Jor­ dan Center which presently has a smoking cessation class going on where the patch is provided and there are attendance incentives. There is the Camp's Cup­ board (our free store) where neighbors receive care bags, and all are welcome to come for emergency food and clothing. There is the new van which is being used to pick up people for Tuesday and Th ursd~y fam­ ily dinners, and Sunday morning worship. There is our mission partnership with Crusaders for Christ to Crank's Creek, and with the holidays upon us there are ju. t so many needs to be met. We gave out more than l 00 food boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time when we would like to help all who come calling, however, we can only do it with your help. We hope to give each fam ily who comes some gi ft items and some basic necessities. Last year Wash­ ington United Church of Christ helped approximately 180 families. This year we hope to help 200 fami1ies. Although we need lots of food items, we are in spe­ cial need of donations of new children's clothing, and donations of new (non-violent, please) toys and games. Monetary donations are also important to this pro­ gram. They may be mailed to: Washington UCC Christmas Program. 2950 Sidney Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45225 We are also returning to Crank's Creek on De­ cember 22, and we would like to take as many children's coats, hats, gloves, boots, toys, blankets, Mt. Airy, continued from page 14 novels around); talking, and avoiding. Work, (volunteer or otherwise), fami ly, wives, creditors, life, responsibility, court system, meetings, recovery ... . This man physically a nd mentally gets better each day. Certainly be is getting fatter. People who have suffered or endured hunger, irregular eating, often overeat and gain a lot of weight. A lot of food, and little exercise tend to do that. This mans chances of entering into quality sobriety at this time are slim and none. He is doing nothing to enlarge upon his spiritual life. There is another man who is an interesting type. Though suffering and enduring losses due to his addiction and/or alcoholism, he is a worker. His disease and/or mental illness have not yet totally robbed him of bis ability to work. He is a working, semi-functional individual. He is either not aware of or in denial of the extent of his illness. He may or may not be physically ready to work, but he believes that all of his problems will be lessened if he gets back to work. His focus is on seeking or returns back to work as quickly as possible. He ignores his health needs, and his need for spiritual healing, counseling, rest and recovery. He blocks out everything but the maintenance of his basic needs and his pursuit of work. He deludes himself into thinking that working wiJI make everything better. He may stay 3-4 weeks, or go out witb the first check. The truly sad case is the one whose disease allows him to work, save money obtain a sleeping room or apartment and then attacks him. He js victim of a hideous form of-self-deception. He is soon struggling and fighting himself as well as the disease. There is another man who also as most arrives in a broken state. He realizes in a moment of clear thinking that be needs more than a shower, meal and bed. He knows that he is not work ready. He wants to stop the pain. He seeks help. The social worker, SAMS treatment staff and Alcoholics Anonymous members who attend meetings on the "Hill", find him willing and desirous of help. What is available? He gets help in small, easily digestible amounts. A few words of encouragement from Steve Knight the Adfi!inistrator, Jackie the social worker, Bob McBrady, the psychologist. A counseling session, a brief discussion before or after a meeting. A teeth cleaning appointment with Cliff Jones, a visit to the medical van, a call to a former sponsor. Slowly, in some combination of the above begins to bring this man back to somewhat stable state of mind and towards recovery/restoration. He may reconnect with a wife, significant other, mother, brother, or friends. Life ain't great, but it's getting better. He may not even be conscious of the fact that time is a major factor in his healing process. You can't fast track time. It takes exactly 90 days to the second, to gain 90 days of sobriety. There are some realities about Ufe on The HiJJ that need to be "tetched on", just a bit. Some men come to the shelter, and continue to di:ink and drug. They are caught up in the obsession and compulsion and cannot stop of their own will. Probably no human power can relieve them of their alcoholism. If you recognize that line, you know what I'm talking about. They leave in the morning, head to the ' Rhine (or their using/drinking zone of choice) and do the ir thing. It this man stays long enough, and opens his eyes, he will see it. hams, chicke ns, and turkeys as possible. The day of the 22nd we will sort and bag food and clothjng in preparation for the approximately 2,000 men, women and children who will come out of the Appalacian mountains on the 23rd to receive their Christmas blessings. You, the reader, the people of God came through for Crank's Creek before. You read last month's story and saw the pictures which bear witness of your gen­ erosity, so I come asking again that you bless these people of Crank's Creek, Kentucky. To help in any way call Steve Myers 541-814l. I invite you, one and all , to come and fellowship with us at Washington UCC. Whether it be for Tues­ day or Thursday Family Night Dinner at 6pm or for Sunday Morning worship at I Oam, it is an experi­ ence that will not leave you unchanged. So, if you are already writing down your new year's resolutions, remember: He said, "l am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" (Rev. l :8a), and if you trust in Him from beginning to end He wi ll bring aboun he change you are seeking. Once again 1 thank all who have helped AWOL Ministries be a blessing to many. Whether it was through contributions, volunteering, or prayer you made it all possible. I ·am once agai n on-line, so you can e-mail me at awol@goodnews.net and be look­ ing for an AWOL Ministries webpage with the new year. 24 hour prayer requests are still received at 2 10­ 4181, and my mailing address re!Ylains: P.O. Box 36065, Cinn., Oh. 45236. Ill His Service, Rodney Sutton, Sr. They arri ve beat up and they leave only s lightly removed from that hopeless condition of mind and body. They use the shelter, as I have previously described. Like a boxer uses the stool between rounds, he rests, revises his strategy and rushes back into the fray. The only difference is that he is fighting a fight that he has no chance of winning without divine help. The man if honest, will see much of himself in this fe lJow. The man may be watching a friend, relative or fellow . traveler down the back.roads of life. Steve Knight, bless his heart, says and believes that everyone who comes to + + tbe hill comes because they want to change their lives. + At Jobs Plus you'll get the tools to get and keep the full-time, permanent job you're qualified for. lf you are serious about your fut ure, call us. Jobs Pl s 1625 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 513124 1-1800 fax 5131241-1633 email: jobsplus@core.com Your Communi ty E mp loym ent �STREETVIBES AGENCIES CAREFULLY CAST THE FACE OF NEED By Adam C. Smith, St. Petersburg Times Area social service agencies have adopted a tried-and-true marketing move to maximize do­ nations for the homeless: "The Old White Guy." You may have seen him gri zzled and hunched over a plate of food, tugging at your heart strings: He could be your uncle or father after a lifetime of bad cho ices. Thousands of Tampa Bay residents will see his photo this holiday season and open their checkbooks for local homeless progran1s. But you probably won't find this sad follow at any area shelter. His photo, or o ne of another similarly down­ on-his-luck senior, appears in dozens of news­ papers from Florida to California. Advertjsing executives insist he is - or once was - an ac­ tual person in need, though they don't know off­ hand his name or whereabouts. He gets no roy­ alties. And while rescue missions don't much like to talk about it, Mr. Anonymous is also part of a curious tru ism among service providers for the homeless: the Old White Guy sells. Put a picture of a Hispanic teen, a black se­ nior, or any mother and child in a newspaper or direct mail piece, and people will give money. Use an old white man, and more people will g ive money, say advertising executives. "You test and you test and you test, and in the end you go with the guy who draws the most," said Tom Harrison, a senior vice presi­ dent at Russ Reid Co., which provides an ad cam­ paign to about 60 rescue missions across the country. "I was shocked because I would think a pic­ ture of a mother and child that's homeless and needs everything would draw the most, but it doesn' t," said Harrison. "What works best is the stereotypical vision of what the homeless per­ son is. People think of an older male alcoholic." The Tampa City Mission and St. Petersburg City Mission this year a.re using California-based Russ Reid to place newspaper ads featuring a wrinkled, white-ha.ired man in a ball cap look­ ing into a plate of food. The campaign la.st year helped the Tampa mission raise $227,000 and the St. Petersburg mission more than $350,000. Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries for the first time · this year started placing a sinlilar ad with a weath­ ered man's photo supplied by another national firm. The Old White Guy marketing principle raises perplexing questions about human nature and compassion. It is also the source of great debate among service providers who know first­ hand that the face of homelessness is in fact black and white, young and old, male and female. But the providers need every penny they can get to meet needs, and marketing pros keep re­ minding them that the elderly white man works best. "It's a big controversy, and there are groups ofpeople in the industry that are starting to chal­ lenge that assumption," said Chasz Parker, the former assistant director of Metropolitan Minis­ tries in Tampa and now the director of a large rescue mission in Syracuse, N.Y. "Everyone's told that the picture of the old white guy works best. Perhaps it reminds somebody of your dad, your uncle, your grandpa. Or perhaps it's just the most pathetic picture you can have. I just don 't know the answer." http://projects. is.asu.edu/mailmanllistinfo!hpn Page Camping Ban , from page 7 absolutely necessary to get that mean-spirited law overturned. Don't stereotype those who are homeless. I wanted to do it in the right way. I choose not to commit crimes to resolve my situation. I hung on. A lot of people get worn out - I was on the verge of being worn out, but I endured and prayed. My son and I - we have moxy. I would suggest Mayor Vera Katz be homeless for two or three months to see what it feels like to not be able to bathe when you need to, change your clothes, go to the restroom, or any of the normal things that everybody takes for granted. Being home less is not a crime, and it's demeaning to the police who a.re forced to spend time they could use to fight real crime to roust homeless ;Jeople. Mayor Vera Katz needs to leave it a lone and accept the defeat. This country was founded by people who camped and now we're too good for that. Judge Gallagher made the right decision." With the help of Northwest Pilot Projects, JOIN, and the generosity of Durham Construction Co., Mr. Wickes, Sr. and his son are now housed. Wickes, Jr. is now attending school, where he is studying computer technology in a special program that will be followed by a new job in the local computer industry. Mayor Vera Katz responded with frustration to Judge Gallagher's ruling, promising to use other violations to continue the C ity's efforts to keep homeless people off the streets . Some of the violations often used to keep homeless people on the move are trespassing, loitering. and public nuisance. An increase in these kinds of violations could be expected if Mayor Katz's strategy is put into effect. Mayor Katz hopes that the District Attorney will appeal the decision, and that the ordinance can continue to be enforced until the case is heard again - a process that may take as long as a year. The decision of some homeless people to remain living outdoors, when examined more closely, is not a decision to be homeless, but rather a decision to stop head-butting the brick wall of barriers to obtaining a home in a housing market that bas no mercy. This ruling may mean the dissolution of some of those batriers. Social service workers who help homeless people find housing are hoping this will mean that their clients' crimina l records will be cleared of anti-camping violations - ironically, one of the many barriers to obtaining housing for their clients. • • • • gfu (Jiau @Jw- · ~ 3722 Camden Avenue ~ Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 5 73-708-2228 bgeaster@fuse.net www.theglasscharmer.com ./ Economy cmd deluxe wedding invitations, bi!1h announcements, parties and custom work. Homeless Men , continued from p age 9 hea ds and a warm b ed to lay their bodies . Living day in and day out on the street or in a she lter by ones wit takes strength and courage. They are not " Strangers in a Strange Land." They need assistance just like at some point we all do. At this time of the year there a.re a lot of people w ho have needs - homeless families. and children, elderly, and the sick and shut-in. All I say is that there is a need for us to add homeless men when we think a.bout giving to others. Homeless men could use g loves, socks, caps, and warm outer clothing. Hopefully Vanzant's passage will allow ea.ch of u s to go outside with an open heart and an extended hand and try to pull someone else a.long, giving them some of the strength that we have gained from the dark moments we encountered in our lives. • • • • 1s Oregon Camping . from page 9 us in need of financial support," he said. In order to remain open beyond Nov. 22, the budget requires at least $7,000 for each of the next three months. The Free Food Program operated out of varjous churches in the Hermiston area may also be in danger. Right now, those in need can get at least one meal five times a week, thanks to volumeers. The program began about nine years ago through the United M e thodist Churc h. H ermiston js not the o nly town with programs to feed the poor. Most towns do something to alleviate need in their communities. ln Irrigon, the Irrigon -Boardman Emergency Center acts as a distribution center for food and clothing. People in Pendleton usually are directed through the Salvation Army office, but workers at St. Mary's Outreach said they see at least half a dozen homeless a month. La Grande's Salvation Army is also where the greater portion of needy people are directed in that area- the same with Baker City. But most of these centers are only open in th e daytime. T he re is no place for the homeless and abandoned to stay. The closest shelte rs are the Union Gospel Mission in P asco and the Christian Aide Center in Walla Walla. Agape House started out as a shelter, but liability insurance a nd havi ng to pay someone to be at the site around the clock .was too much for their budget. "I don 't know what the answer is for these homeless," Thurlow said. "Some of ~t is their own choosing, but not all of it. Some of it is domestic viole nce. I think sometimes people get so discouraged that they give up, which is an issue of hope," he said. • • • • Wish List Streetvi'{Jes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. Tf you can help out with some of the items on our wish list. please give us a call... Q Advertisers -Classified and unclassjfied Q SuppUes for vendor's lounge (coffee, tea, paper toweJs, cream and sugar.etc. Q Office and Cleaning Supplies 0 Photography Help - film (400,800, 1600,), developing help, digital and/or film camera(s)f CJ Computers/components for Streetv.ibes story-writing, editing, research. 0 A new vehicle (van?) ¥· If you can help!, contactus at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421.-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com �Calendar of Events Streetvibes has a monthly calendar of events to keep you informed of happenings around the Greater Cincinnati area. Please contact us if you have an item to list. Any submission is welcome: local community council meetings, social justice forums, protests, community festivals, art shows. etc. Please call 421-7803, fax to 421-7813 or email streetvibes@juno.com to list an event. December Justice W~tch Annual Dinner, 5:00 pm at the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Hall. · Dinner will be at 5:00 pm, and the program will start at 6:00 pm. The program will include a showing of the new Justice Watch Video: "The Prison Industrial Complex." Call (513) 241-0490 for more details. 2 6 Ohio Empowerment Coalition Meeting in Columbus (call 381-4242 for info) 7 Welfare Rights Coalition Potluck lunch and meeting, 12 noon at the Contact Center. A new co-chair will be elected at this meeting. Call 381-4242 for more information 7 EarthSave Dining Out, 6:00 p.m. at a restaurant to be determined. Call EarthSave at 929- 2500 or Mary Ann Lederer at 591-3003 for more information. GCCH Annual Holiday Dinner: 6:00 Pendelton Heritage Center. East End. 8 '\4 Save Our Schools Committee, 5:30 p.m. at Peaslee Neighborhood Center. Call 381-4242 for more information. 1O Amnesty International Cincinnati Group 86 meeting, 1 :00 at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Pavilion. For more information, contact Amnesty International at 221-7659 20 Over the Rhine Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting, 12:15 p.m. at the Contact Center. Call 381-4242 tor more information. 17 21 CarthSave Vegetarian Pol Luck Dinner, 6-00 p.rn at St John's Unitarian Church. 320 Resor For more information. call EarthSave at 929-2500 or call Mary Ann Lederer 591-3003. Greater Cmc1nnat1 Coalition for the Homeless General Body Meeting 1:30 p.m at the Drop Inn Center Call 421­ 7803 for more informat1on Vietnam Veterans Against the War cel­ ebrate Veterans Day with a proclamation To hell with your national honor, we won't be used again! A s veterans of the U.S. military, we know that there is no honor in the kinds of actions the U.S. has carried out against people around the world. How can we be proud of this country and its military when hundreds of people in Iraq, mostly infants and chil­ dren, are dying daily because of the ongoing sanc­ tions? How can we be proud of this country and its military when thousands of innocent civilians where killed by the bombings ofcivilian facilities during the Gulf war? How can we be proud of this country and its military for the deaths of thousands at the hands of SOA graduate ? We can't and we won't! Our experiences have taught us that real honor and pride comes from standing with the people of the world against the injustices and aggression brought by countries like the U.S. On this veterans day, we urge all veterans to join with us in the call to end the sanctions against the people oflraq. Join us in taking a stand that brings real honor and pride ..... .... Like most of the people in this country, we started out believing in what our government said and did. We believed that we were fighting for "freedom" and "demo~racy" and that the Saddam Husseins of the world were the only bad guys. But for us, these iHusions were hattered by the murder of innocent people by our hands--people who happened to be in the way of the economic or political interests of the U.S. We found out first hand that it is not the Saddam Husseins of the world that pose the biggest threat to the people of the world, it i the U.S. as it " levels tbe playing field" and protects it own interests. With ag­ gressions like the war against Vietnam, the suppo11 for the contras in Nicaragua, the invasions of Grenada and Panama, the U .S. has clearly demonstrated the lengths it will go to in maintaining control of what it calls "the American Century." (Since the encl of World War 2, the U .S. has carried out over 200 overt mili­ tary and 6000 covert interventions.) As a result of these U.S. actions millions around the world have died. Countries, families, and cultures have all but been obliterated. Currently. the U.S. imposed sanctions on the people of Iraq are killing 5000 children a month. Medicaid, from pages Tune in to WAIF 88. 3 fm! on the second Saturday of each menth at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's Live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and oth~r monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Streetvibes Classified PLACE your help wanted, for rent, for <;ale items in Streetvibes Classified. Only $1 per line, free for 6 months for.homeless/ low-income people 1-800-589-5888 to get the number of your local Legal Aid office. card. Call OSLSA ac The Medicaid cards will be mailed during the last week of December. A simplified application form for ongoing Medicaid after the three months w i ll be included. Streetvibes Live Radio Hour When asked on "60 Minutes'' in M ay of 1996 about the deaths of half a million chi ldren, more lhan died in H iroshima, Secretary of Stale Madeleine Albrighr responded. " We think the·pricc is worth it." Worth whaL? M outhing weak condemnations about "weap­ ons of mass destruction," the U.S. subverted the UN inspection teams to spy on President Hussein and plot their military attacks. The U.S. says that Saddam Hussein should be punished for crimes against his own people and the Kurds. But let's not forget that the major genocide against the Kurds in I raq was commitecl during the period of friendly relations with the U.S. at d1e conclusion of the Jran-l raq War. As soon as Hussein had plans of his own for the region, then, to the U.S., he became evi l incarnate and had to be stopped at al I costs, even if those costs included the deaths of innocent children. Albright's response is acceptable to the people of this country because we have been lied to and deceived for so long we are blinded to the realities of the true consequences of lhe actions of our country. It also allow the government to threaten and attack people of con cience who are trying to oppose the e aclions and wake the citizens of this country up to reality. Voices in the Wilderness has been threatened with tens of thousands of dollars in fines and long prison sentences for taking medicine and toys to Iraq. Under this administration, com­ passion for dying children is apparently a criminal activity. We owe these courageous activists our support. A s Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Edward Herman, and Edward Said recently stated, in their national statement, "The time has come for a call to action to people of conscience. We are past the point 'Yhere silence is passive consent--when a crime reaches these proportions, silence is complicity." We will work '#ilh others to strategize, organize and take whatever actions necessary toward this end: We denounce sanctions against the people of Iraq as immoral and illegitimate.We cal l for an immediate end to the ongoing anctions war against the people of Iraq.We vow our support for all those threatened or prosecuted for violating the sanctions and opposing intervention. We will oppose all US interventions, overt or covert, in the sovereign affairs of other nations. Vietnam Veterans Against the Wru· Anti-Imperialist http://www.oz.net/-vvawai, vvawai@oz.net PO Box 2 1604, Seattle, WA 9811 l-3604 ph/fax: 206-374-22 15 Also, if you w ere terminated during these specific months & did not receive this temporary Medicaid card, you can request a three month M edicaid card from your county welfare department at any time during 2001. This is just a reminder that Medicaid offers more than just m edical care, although that's extremely important. Medicaid will also cover dental care and v ision care. Eyeglasses are cover ed under Medicaid. The three month Medicaid card applies to all ser vices that Medicaid covers. (Resource: Ohio State Legal Services Association) Cut-Offs, from pages The Ohio Empowerment Coalition wants to hear from you if you arc facing the time limit, have been denied an ex tension, or are currently cut off of cash assistance. A rc you working a part time job and receiving partial cash benefits? Are you an Ohio Works First rec ipient in an education or job training program that would help you find a Livable wage job upon completion? Call (513) 381-4242 or write Ohio Empowerment Coalition, clo Contact Center, 1641 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45210. The next Ohio Empowerment Coalition meeting is December 6, Wednesday, 11 :00 a.m. at First Old Presbyterian Church, 110 I Bryden Rd., Columbus. If you are concerned about state policies affecting low-income families' economic survival , you are welcome to attend. Call (614) 252-9255 or (5 13) 38 1-4242 for directions. • �Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless. contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. lf you have any questions, feel free to call the Gl'eater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. HOUSING: CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network.. 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 SHELTERS: Wom en and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872­ 9259 Bethany House Salvation Army Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St. Joseph House 381-4941 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Chabad House 821-5100 Drop Inn Center(Singles) 721-0643 Haven House (Hamilton) ..863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Ntwk ..471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temp Housing 651-6446 ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House 381-1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T 221-6937 First Step Home 961-4663 TREATMENT: Men ,..,..., ROH& HARDWARE . . . . . . . Com., Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both. N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 861-9966 381-6660 C.C.A.T. Talbert House ·684-7956 Transitions, Inc. 491-4435 VA Domiciliary ..859-559-5011 Center for Independent Living Options .. . 241 -2600 Churches Active in 591-2246 Northside ............ . Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Comm. Center 241 2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 G.C. Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 621-7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Center..... 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect -­ Homeless Kids .......... 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless Program 572-6226 Women's Crisis Center 859-491-3335 Women Helping Women 872-9259 Dustbuster 100 Cordless 14• H and Vac 1500-Watt Ce Thank you for your support. � 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 2000 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 December 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: An Insider’s Guide to Holiday Helping Coalition for a Humane Economy Rallies at Fountain Square Pg 2: Rehab at the VA Nursing Center Pg 3: Salvation from the Homelessness Mt. Airy Shelter Pg 4: Restock: Shaking Off the Dust and Moving On Pg 5: Welfare News Pg 6: National News Pg 7: Advocate Defies No-Shack Policy Pg 8: Prisoners’ News Pg 9: Leonard Peltier’s Clemency Papers Sit on President Clinton’s Desk Pg 10: 10,000 Gather at Military Base to Close the School of the Americas Pg 11: Crossing the Line Pg 12: No Deterrent for Police abuse of Power Pg 13: Editorials & Letter Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Working with Homeless Children Worldwide Pg 16: Save Oil, Eat Your Veggies Pg 17: Words form the Evangelist Pg 18: Agencies Carefully Cast the Face of Need Pg 19: Vietnam Veterans Against the War Celebrate Veterans Day with a Proclamation 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 December 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Dan Marschner Gina Kohlheff Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Mr. Lee Rodney Sutton Lynn Williams Dan Marschner Doctor Donovan Anthony Watkins Jerome Johnson John Perotti Robert Freeking Johnny Byrd Kathy Miller Berta Lambert Jimmy Heath Beverly Brooks Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alicia Beck Anthony Watkins Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Beverly Brooks Buddys Place Camping children Dan Marschner Death Penalty Doctor Donovan Evangelist Fountain Square Gina Kohlheff Health Tips Holiday Jerome Johnson Jimmy Heath John Halpin John Perotti Johnny Byrd Kathy Miller Leonard Peltier Lynn Williams Mary A. Gaffney Military School Mr. Lee Mt. Airy National News Oregon Pat Mitchell police brutality Rehab Robert Freeking Rodney Sutton Ron Carter School Sonny Williams Street Susan Knight Tom Billman Veggies vibe veterans Vietnam Veterans War Warren Perkins welfare news https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/f971ea6b710191ca0673c958b2e89575.pdf 61629606d0ed268d029888b31b6a944a PDF Text Text (BoY from badeed vendor ONLY!] by Steve Lansky and Mike Henson The Southgate House hosted an unprecedented mix of music and music lovers at an artists·· benefit for the homeless last Saturday night in Newport. Over 700 people; young and old, came out in support of the Drop Inn Center the Over-the-Rhine homeless . ' shelter threatened with demolition by mainstream arts organizations and their officials, headed by Cincinnati POPS conductor Erich Kunzel. The Newport venue's event, entitled "Not in Our Name," was part celebration, part fundraiser. It featured eight bands and five singer-songwriters running the gamut from folk to punk. Action was on two fronts--the main ballroom (with a comfortably packed balcony) and the wood-paneled library style room on the second-floor which filled and emptied several times as the acts transitioned smoothly throughout Denise, Bonnie, and Paulette on stage Tracy Walker the night. Rockers The Simpletons fa9ed their largest crowd ever. Their first CD will be released at the Southgate House February 19. Headliners Ray's Music Exchange were broadcast live on WAIF 88.3 FM thanks to Al Ringhauser and crew. Other performers who donated their services were rockers Thistle, blues singer Tracy Walker with her band Sprawl, Chris Treter's Savory Mull, Norah Salmon's Hemline punk "grll" band, Ginny Frazier's Native American and Appalachian band Circles and Arrows, and folks from Paulette Meier's Carry It On. Singer-songwriter Todd Ethan hosted the stage upstairs with Mike Landis, Rebecca Vie, Mad Frog, Savory Mull, Thistle, and Eric Gray. Bob Donovan of Big Bang Productions, who practices medicine for the city health department's Health Care Cincinnati City Council targets immigrant workers Lady Liberty, move over a little more ... by Sonny Williams Two city o rdinances were just proposed by Councilperson Todd Portune and former Councilperson Ty_rone Yates: that employers in Cincinnati be criminally prosecuted for hiring undocumented workers and that the Department of Buildings and Inspections have a new ordinance that would allow the department to cite property owners and landlords for housing undocumented workers. The ordinances were introduced to try and stop employers from abusing undocumented workers; but advocates fear it may have the opposite effect. On Tuesday afternoon, at the Law and Public Safety Committee meeting, several opponents of the two proposed ordinances spoke against them. I believe that our appearance at that co mmittee delayed a vot e on the ordinances because the ordinances were indefinitely delayed. Speaking at the Committee meeting were Sonny Williams , from Prisoners Rights Advocacy Network; Mary Merrill, with the Central American Task Force, and Margaret Sanger, a representative of the Latino Community in Cincinnati. For further information on this issue, contact the office of Todd Portune at City Hall: 352-3000 �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri - State ' s Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month, 12 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Director Administrative Coordinator Streetvibes Editor Assistant Editor Editorial Intern Vendor Support Homeless Civil Rights Warren Perkins, Tenant Organizing Rapid Exit Program Melissa Samhan, Susan Knight, Tom Billman, John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter, Writers Mike Henson Tree Mosolf Steve Lansky John Halpin Warren Perkins Berta Lambert Tom Billman Sonny Williams Lynn Williams Rodney Sutton Te'troAmaru Pat Mitchell Joan Rohrer Carl Walker ...... and more ........... . Graphics Photographs by Jimmy Heath and Berta Lambert, Sketches and Cartoons by 0. Jackson Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graph­ ics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513)421-7803 fax(S13)421-7813; e~mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text-only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached files) 'Mlbpage: http://cinci.com/gcch City Plants Replacement for Community Council Imagine there were a group of people who were created to bypass advocates for the poor. This same group of people are planning to displace poor people and tear down buildings, and want to make Over the Rhine a neighborhood where 80% of the people are middle income. This group re­ ceives huge amounts of funding to sustain it even when it falters. Unfortunately, this is not some bad dream, it's a reality. This group of people exists, and th~y're called the Over the Rhine Coalition. Recently the City Council agenda revealed that Council is trying to find $6 million to fun 2 or 3 special mega housing projects in Over the Rhine to try to rehab 30-70 vacant buildings. This doesn't sound too bad. Not yet, at least. It gets more disturbing when you find out more about it. City documents explain that 60 percent of the city's funding for hous­ ing in Over the Rhine goes to "unrestricted" units, also known as middle income market rate units. While this might be enough reason to be concerned, the document goes on to state that the city is partnering with the Over the Rhine Coalition to develop a Master Plan for Over the Rhine. "Wait a minute," you might be saying. "I thought the Over the Rhine Community Council is the representative link between our neighborhood and City Hall." Or perhaps you have never heard of the OTR Coalition. Who is the OTR Coalition? Who is the ULI? The OTR coalition was founded following the visit of a think tank called the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in 1996. The basic goal of the ULI was to give the city direction in "revitalizing" Over the Rhine. Unfortunately, they saw OTR not as a neighborhood where low income people live but as a resource to be exploited by developers for the city. When they visited, they barely spoke with any low income residents of the neighborhood at-all, but instead spoke with middle income people and developers. When reading the ULI report, one can surmise from the language used what they had in mind for the neighborhood. Regarding social services, ULI says that they should promote "self sufficiency, reducing low self esteem and dependency." Are they implying that social services have been promoting dependency and low self esteem all along? When one considers the underlying motives of the ULI, it sounds as if they are saying that the people who need social services in OTR should be gotten out of the way so their plans for the neighborhood can proceed . They sound rather naive, as if they have never worked with poor, minority, mentally ill or homeless people. The ideology of the writers of the ULI report is further revealed when they write that OTR needs to be developed as a "community of choices." By this they mean a choice of income levels, a choice of housing cost. Apparently though, they didn't mean choice for low income people, who would have no choice but to move out when prices rise. In fact Ult openly discusses displacement and how to "manage" it. Here's a quote: "Guiding criteria no. 6: Ensure that a plan accompany each proposal, outlining developer's method r . ,, 1 • • 0 t ,. \ o t -t ~ l • • ·' 0 • \ • I • ,..I Page 2 by Patrick "Tree" Mosolf of moving tenants out of his or her existing buildings with minimum disruption to their lives. Displacement hardships must be minimized. " Another of the bold strokes of the ULI report is its proposal to tear down buildings in order to create more parking. In the drawings in the ULI report, almost 1/2 of an entire block· is destroyed to make room for parking. Not only would this reduce the potential for low income housing, but it is not consistent with the architectural design of the neighborhood. It is also not sound environmentally. The original design gives residents a more ecologi­ cally sound limit on the number of parking spaces, but the ULl's proposal makes OTR more like a suburban neighborhood with a low population density. Finally, the ULI proposed the creation of the Over the Rhine Coalition to overcome what they see as fragmented leadership. The stated goal for such an organization was to promote collaboration, but the circumstances would prove to make this very difficult. The report did not mention that the Coalition would supplant the Community Council as the legitimate voice of the community. How could they expect to get collaboration if their very starting point was to snub the Community Council? In general, the ULI report has a utopian flare, with wording designed to sound good to city bureaucrats impatient to turn OTR into a jewel for middle incQme taxpayers. But the motives and values of the panelmembers invariably limit the vision presented. In fact, excluded from the utopian vision are any significant plans to help low income people. Thus, when viewed from the perspective of the whole city, the ULI report involved the rather dystopian idea of pushing the poor out of sight, out of mind. The reality is, any plan to redevelop OTR which does not specifically provide for preserving low income housing will probably damage and eventually displace the low income community. What has the OTR Coalition Done? Admhtedly, the author of this article does not know too muct1 about what has happened with the OTR Coalition. But a brief overview of events since ULI left town follows. Even without much information, it becomes clear that in the three years since ULI left town, The OTR Coalition has not accomplished very much. Yet it still continues to get city backing as the group which will create a Master Plan for Over the Rhine. Immediately after the ULI left town, Damon Lynch held five picnics in OTR to promote the Coalition, which were described in an OTR Community Coundl document as very disorganized. Soon afterward the city and DCI (Downtown Cincinnati, Inc.) hired another consultant to come in. Following this there were talks held between all the parties involved, including the Community Council and the Chamber of Commerce. However these talks failed when DCI representatives stated that they would have the ultimate decision making authority (not any groups located in the neighborhood.) In 1997 the city gave the OTR Coalition. $150,000 in funding, which truly reveals the city's role in propping up this institution. This 0 • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 Drop Inn Center (continued from page one) for the Homeless, presented an incredible state-of the-art light show in the ballroom featuring powerful civil rights movement related video. Master of Ceremonies Michael . Burnham spoke eloquently about the homeless struggle, reading from works by Robert Bly and other poets, as he did on WAIF FM in 1977. The audience represented all ages, from seven to seventy with a range of social backgrounds as well. There were men with long hair wearing black leather coats, women in overalls and T-shirts, one man with a bold mohawk, women with . platform shoes, and even men in traditional suits and ties. As gatherings go, it was peaceful and energetic, with dancing on both floors: clogging upstairs and pogoing downstairs. The happening was in part a celebration because on January 7, the school board announced that the effort to move the region's largest homeless shelter was no longer a part of plans for an arts academy. Drop Inn Center representatives were pleased with the news, but concerned. "We are cautiously optimistic about it," Center coordinator Pat Clifford told the Post. "But it still has to go to the full board and there's a chance these recommendations may not be accepted. If it is accepted then we would be pleased but still cautious because there are a lot of details that need to be worked out. We want to be sure the community is involved as it goes forward ." Artists for the Drop Inn Center was formed in May 1ggg in response to the January announcement by a group headed by Kunzel of plans to develop a new, kindergarten through high school arts campus that would replace the current School for the Creative and Performing Arts. City Plants (from page 2) funding came despite the fact that at that time the Coalition did not have bylaws and wasn't incorporated. To give this amount of money to an organization with no track record and no accomplishments.to speak of is highly irregu­ lar. Certainly, no neighborhood group which has acted on behalf of the poor has ever received this kind of liberal funding. Around this time, the Coalition tried to get involvement from the Community Council by offering an advisory position on a board to choose a consultant to conduct the OTR Master Plan. The Community Council respectfully declined. The Coalition also went through a period of disorganization and conflict, center­ ing on its ineffective director Linda Kirkland. Kirkland apparently alienated almost everyone involved in the Coalition before she was fired, so that the organization was barely a shell when she was dismissed. Even after it was restarted there was still a great deal of conflict over bylaws and the structure of the organiza­ tion. Despite efforts to get participation form low income community residents, it was and Second Floor Crowd, Southgate House, Artists for the Drop Inn benefit concert SCPA is currently housed in the old Woodward High School at 13th and Sycamore, which some claim is dilapidated and inadequate. The proposed arts academy would provide state-of-the-art studios and performance space for an expanded student body. The proposal called for placing the new campus near Music Hall and the WCETstudios. And , in some versions, it called for demolishing the site currently occupied by the Drop Inn Center. Naturally, homeless activists were concerned. But they were not the only ones. Three artists--a videographer, an actress, and a dancer--issued a call to musicians, artists, writers, performers, and arts workers to take a stand against displacing the homeless in the name of arts education. Videographer Barbara Wolf said she taped the Christ Church Forum discussion about the Kunzel plan from the Drop Inn Center's perspective. Wolf was behind the video camera listening to a broad base of comments. Current residents of the Drop Inn Center spoke about how their lives had has been overwhelmingly dominated by professional elites and "big players". Thl;JS, it has failed to get collaboration from all groups or to build broad based support. A letter from the Coalition from June of '99 states, "Since May, after a period of organizational setbacks, the first order of business was to rebuild the OTR Coalition Board with broad based community repre­ sentation pursuant to the recommendations of the Urban Land Institute." Thus, the Coalition is continuing with its mission as decreed by the uu. rn fact, it hopes to produce the OTR Master Plan by December of this year with the help of city employees. Yes, despite its problems and lack of accom­ plishments, the OTR Coalition is still trying to get something done. What Should We Do? We should do something about this situation in order to stop this group from getting its way in our neighborhood. Here are some suggested actic;ms: 1. Speak out about the Coalition­ People need to spread the word about what the Coalition is doing and what its objectives been changed by .the support they had received at the Center. "They mentioned recovery from alcohol in a deeply personal way," Wolf said. "They wondered how artists could do this to them. I thought, I must say as an artist I cotJldn't agree with Kunzel." Thus the group, Artists forthe Drop Inn Center was formed. The "Not In Our Name" concert was conceived as a way of showing that artists throughout the area stand in solidarity with the homeless. Some of the top bands and musicians in Cincinnati were there to show it loud and clear. The concert was supported by The Citizen, AMP Alert e-zine, City Beat, WARM 98/MoJo's Brian Ewing, Capital Coverage News Service, CincyRing.com , Ethanonics, Vindu Indian Restaurant, Sitwell's Coffeehouse, DNN, Blue Jordan Records, and WAIF 88.3 FM. Earthsave Cincinnati, the Welfare Rights Coalition, and Greater Cincinnati Mumia Committee staffed tables at the hall to help broaden.the ooo night's political outreach. are. The motives and makeup of this group need to be revealed for the residents of OTR and the public to see. 2. Petition the city to take back the Coalition's authority- The city gave the Coalition its power by making them the agent producing the OTR Master Plan and by giving them funding. OTR residents should approach City Hall and ask them to return the power to the Community Council. 3. Create our own vision and Master Plan for the neigh­ borhood- We cannot be put into the position of reacting negatively to every plan put for­ ward. The flip side of criticism of the Coalition is the preparation of our own vision and dream for the neighborhood. Our Master Plan can be used to challenge the legitimacy of the Coalition's plan and state our view in a positive way. To get involved with this or other issues relating to the neighborhood, call the Over the Rhine Community Council at 381-2956, visit the Council at 1713 Vine St., or come to the Community Council meeting which is held on the last Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. •- • • • - - . 0 . - - .Cl • 0 �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine THE PURPLE TURTLE Page 4 Berta Lambert Save Over-the-Rhine... from Kunzel's Nightmare (the so-called Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center) Painting a more complete picture of Over-the-Rhine: I) The central issue has never been saving the Drop-Inn-Center, but the protection of the neighborhood and in saving Over-the­ Rhine. The Drop-Inn-Center is protected. II) O ver-the-Rhine population is 7,000­ 9,000 people, 70 % African-American and another 70% below the poverty level. Over­ the-Rhine is small in land area with its largest public open space being Washington Park. A $ 100 million dollar project which will grow in the coming years will have an enormous negative impact on a small poverty ridden community. Ill) At its base, the purpose of all the interlocki ng proposals for Over-the-Rhine are to remove African-Americans and others in poverty as part of Kunzel's Nightmare to open the possibility of two new arts auditoriums: expansion of Memorial Hall, and a new Nightmare Performing Arts Center at 12th and Elm Street. IV) Early press discussion of Kunzel's scheme included the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, now temporarily housed on West Fourth Street. Music Hall is still being discussed as a site. It seems not unreasonable to expect a classical music museum to be no smaller than C leveland's Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. For O ver-the-Rhine, this means ­ more land taken, more displacement of residents, higher prices and more traffic. Rhine, downtown gobbles up the area, making DCI so happy. VI) The so far unsuccessful redevelopment of Findlay Market wishes to play a role in this "social cleansing" process. It appears to have two physical objectives: A) Expansion of the marketarea l ) to Liberty, 2) to Vine Street, and 3) to Central Parkway. B) Acquire through city purchase the Zone Economic Empowerment Center (ZEC) by buying from Hamilton County the building in which Our Daily Bread is located . (there goes the soup kitchen) ....Thereby giving a long­ term home to city planners and bureaucrats. Non-r~sident Damon Lynch ill, who through his New Prospect Baptist Church played handmaiden to the creation of the illegitimate ULI Coalition (the so-called Over-the-Rhine Coalition which the late buddy gray fought so hard), is now being rewarded by the location of a much ballyhooed Busken Bakery in one (1) of his church's seven (7) empty building. The so-called Coalition was formalized in 1997 to usurp the function of the 30-year-old Over-the-Rhine Community Council (ORCC). By early 1999 all the Coalition's resident board members had resigned (seeing outside business interests dominated its agenda). However, through the efforts of John Hauck, more resident quislings were brought in, and now city planners are trying to_use this group to develop a new neighborhood plan instead of ORCC playing the lead roll as it was done in the past and is done by all the other fifty-one (5 1) community councils in Cincinnati. Vlll) A few more details: l )Police are proposing a fence around Washington Park. 2) Over $2 mm ion has been spent over the last I 0 years at the current SCPA site, and there is plenty of room for adjacent expansion. 3)Parking and traffic problems would become very large indeed with a new performing arts auditorium, school 5 days a week, special events, tourists and ongoing Music Hall events. 4)Cincinnati public schools need to spend the proposed $26 million on fixing up schools and not on elitist private -projects! 5)The Drop-Inn-Center and Tender Mercies would eventually be isolated and those they serve would no longer feel comfortable in the area, a slow agonizing death for DIC and V) An important part of this effort to "steal the neighborhood" is the ending of low mcome Section 8 \. housing in Over-the-Rhine. \ \ In the past, owners of bui !dings could choose to sig n for 5 add itional years. Now, they are only able to sign for 1 year at a time. Every year a landlord seeing "changes in the community" can switch to higher rents, pricing minorities out of Over-the-Rhine. VI.) Meanwhile, Kroger is underwriting the rehab of Emery Theatre (n low income folks up stairs and is likely to bui ld a super store at I 21h and Vin (when " low income residents" are replaced by "market rate residents" in the nearby West End). If Kroger acts as an anchor, then, along with the other proposals for Over-the- Tender Mercies! IX) And given this picture .... death to the present Over-the-Rhine Community. In stopping Kunzel's Nightmare, all the other projects listed above and those not yet made public can be either stopped, modified or assimilated by the Over-the-Rhine community or by the so-called market forces. The unspoken elements driving Kunzel's Nightmare are greed and racism. (Continued Next Column) �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine US Army School of the Americas Grad Arrested for Murder of Guatemalan Bishop CLEVELAND: (Courtesy ofSOA Watch) Homeless win ban on arrests By Martha Grevatt Cleveland PURPLE TURTLE Continued Social cleansing is its name! POSTSCRIPT: Kunzel's Board met Monday, Jan. 31. Following standard meeting business, including the approval of the Minutes of their last meeting of May 4, a treasurer's report was given: ASSETS: Bank Accounts (1) l ,739, 2) $163. DEPTS: 1) $8 1,000, 2) $14,000, and 3) $ 1,200 - All thi s after four years. They are not in good shape. Care was taken to introduce Mr. Kunzel, and emphasize he would introduce a resolution with four parts supporting a personal letter he sent to the Cincinnati Public School Board (CPS). The context suggested a conflict among the insiders of his Board on the 1si part of his resolution: a commitment to have SCPA remain a public School rather than a charter school. A division of the resolution was made. All passed. On part three(3) a cornmjtment to raise matching funds for CPS's $26 million, several questions arose: A) Raise how much money? 26, 46, or 60 million dollars ? B) Which of the four Kunzel Nightmare plans would be used? C) What is the relationship of these monies to the closing of the three remaining elementary schools in Over-the-Rhine. Board members representing the interests ofOver-the-Rhine voted against part 3. A motion was made which in essence prevented Kunzel's people from seeking Drop Inn Center properties in any phase of this nightmare. It failed to pass, with an 8 to 8 tie (3 abstentions). In summary: The Kunzel board seems to be on its last gasp. Political advisors have suggested to them that their only chance of survival is to focus exclusively, for now, on a new SCPA. (Seems is a key word). From where is a group which has less than 2,000 and is in debt for nearly $ 100,000 going to get money to hire a firm to rai ~ ·- ,...,. 60 r1... •; - · . dollars in the next 6 months? Hidden Assets? Page 5 New York is not the only city where it is a crime to be homeless. Just in time for the busy holiday shopping season, the city of Cleveland instituted a policy of arresting homeless people caught sleeping on the streets or "panhandling." After five people were arrested, homeless advocacy groups began orga­ nizing to defeat the ordinance.The North­ east Ohio Coalition for the Homeless demonstrated and packed City Council chambers. On Dec. 22, the coldest day of the year, Food Not Bombs erected a tent shelter on Public Square in front ofTower City shopping mall. The group, which has been feeding homeless people every Sunday for the past four years, served hot meals and distributed blankets and cloth­ ing. At 7 p.m., city officials informed demonstrators that they were in violation of the law, but there was no order to disperse. It was not until 3 a.m., when the streets · were empty and the media were inacces- ·: sible, that police surrounded Public Square. Eyewitnesses state that dozens of police cars, a fire truck, and an ambulance arrived on the scene. Cops tore down the shelter and confiscated food .blankets and all other provisions that had been left for the homeless. Five people were arrested while Mayor Michael White watched from above in a cozy Renaissance hotel room. Home­ less people and their supporters were arrested. They have since been released. Despite the arrests, the protest was tremendously effective. On the same day as the demonstration, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a letter to the mayor expressing its intent to sue the city to block the unconstitutional arrests. Lawyers for the ACLU offered not to file the suit ifthe sweeps were halted, but the city refused. The victory came when Federal District Judge Paul Malia issued a tempo­ rary restraining order stopping the arrests of the homeless. While feeling good about the victory, homeless people and their advocates will not rest until the ordinance is overturned. * WASHINGTON, DC ­ SOA-trained Guatemalan Col. Byron Disrael Lima Estrada was arrested, along with his son, January 21 for the 1998 murder ofRoman Catholic Bishop Juan Gerardi. According to a declassified US Defense Intelligence Agency biographic sketch, Lima Estrada took Military Police training at the US Army School ofthe Americas (SOA) now located at Ft. Benning, GA. Lima Estrada went on to head the infamous D-2 (G-2) Military Intelligence agency at the height ofthe genocide campaign in Guatemala's civil war. Bishop Gerardi was bludgeoned to death in his home two days after he released a human rights report that implicated the D-2 in human rights atrocities committed during the war. The report, "Guatemala: Never Again," based on thousands of testimonies collected by the archbishop's office, provided a chilling catalog of the mechanisms of violence. In a chapter titled "D-2: The Very Name of Fear," the report severely criticizes the military intelligence agency headed by Lima Estrada from 1983-85. It cited the D-2 for playing a "central role in the conduct of military operations, in massacres, extra-judicial executions, forced disappearances and torture." The arrest of Lima Estrada will add to the mounting evidence against the US Army School ofthe Americas. The SOA bas come under increasing criticism by groups in the United States and Latin America who cite numerous human rights reports and US State Department reports that link SOA graduates to atrocities in Latin America. The 78,000-member Leadership Conference ofCatholic nuns and the 13-million member AFL-CIO are two of the spectrum of organizations that have called for the closing of the infamous US Army school. In commemoration ofanother SOA-linked assassination in El Salvador, over 10,000 human rights activists gathered to protest the Ft. Benning combat training school last November. Twenty­ three now face six month prison sentences for their nonviolent protest. In July 1999 the US Congress voted 230-197 to cut funds to the SOA. The measure failed in the conference committee, but another vote is expected this year. Rep. Joseph Moaldey (MA) and Sen. Richard Durbin (IL) have introduced companion bills calling for the SOA's closing. The arrest in Guatemala will bolster their efforts and counter Pentagon and Congressional supporters who argue that SOA atrocities are a thing ofthe past. For more information, contact Carol Richardson, SOA Watch, (202) 234-3440. �( .. ST REE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 Center Helps Drug Users in · Nepal Find Hope hyJohnHalpin Nepal is the world's only Hindu kingdom, a small country of 22 million people nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, between India and Tibet (China). I had the opportunity to live for three months in this nation, the home of Mt. Everest and some of the world's other highest mountains. The physical beauty of this land is unsurpassed. I saw breathtaking sunrises, snow-capped mountains reflecting the setting sun, and rainbows arching over the earth's deepest valley. In the midst of all of this beauty, stands something equally beautiful, the indomitable spirit of many of the Nepali people with whom I became friends. This was demonstrated to me by a small group of men recovering from drug addictions. Nepal, unlike most of its other South Asian neighbors, was never colonized, and its borders remained closed to foreigners until the 1950's. Westerners often speculated that the mysterious Kathmandu Valley was "Shangri-la," or the land of paradise. This proved not to be the case, but I believe that life was in some ways better in this country of isolation than it is now, afterthe recent influx of foreign aid, Western culture, and the many social problems associated with the West. Perhaps one of the most tragic results of this meeting of cultures was the birth drug use among Nepali youth. Historically, drugs such as marijuana had always been available in Nepal but were only used by wandering ascetics, older men who had left their material lives to roam the country in search of religious enlightenment. This changed in the 1960's when young American hippies came to Nepal in search of these inexpensive and legal drugs, settling along a street in Kathmandu that became known as Freak Street. In the 1970's, several years after the hippies had been living in Kathmandu, the king outlawed drugs and sent them back to America. Their visit left a legacy, however.. Influenced by these Americans, Nepali youth began to experiment with drug use. Other reasons may have contributed to this rise of drug use, but most experts agree that the Freak Street residents had a profound impact on the development of drug use in Nepal. Today there are countless Nepali youths addicted to drugs, in a country that has virtually no support services to fight this problem. The only drug rehabilitation center in the country is a residential home for men called the Freedom Center. Located just south ofthe capital Kathmandu, the center was started in the 1970's by an American Jesuit from Cleveland, Father Tom Gafney. Established shortly after king outlawed drug use, the facility was always controversial. Father Gafney's outspokenness was a main source of this controversy as he became a loud critic of corruption in the police force. The police know who the drug addicts are and will often stop them, take their drugs, and either use them or sell them for profit. Gafney also aroused suspicion that other powerful people were behind the Nepali drug trade. The priest's activism on behalf of the countless men he treated cost him his life. In December, 1997, he was found murdered in his small apartment. The murder has never been solved, most likely because those investigating simply c;io not want to find those responsible, if they already do not know who they are. Despite this tragedy, Fr. Gafney's work has continued. The Freedom Center today continues to treat Nepali men from all ov~r the country. The two most deadly drugs present in Nepal are brown sugar (a distilled form of heroin) and tidigesic, a highly addictive painkiller that was once legally available. Drug users inject both of these drugs intravenously. Clean needles are expensive, so needles are often shared. About one-half of the men at Freedom Center have contracted HIV this way. For three months last fall, I had the opportunity to study in Nepal along with 12 other Xavier University students. Part of our academic program was a class in service learning. Through this class, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Freedom Center and to meet some very remarkable people. Recovering from an addiction is difficult no matter where you live, but the social conditions of Nepal make recovery much more difficult here. Only a small fraction of Nepali drug users get the chance for rehabilitation at this center, the only one of its kind in the nation. When they return to their homes, they are spread out all of the country. There are virtually no support systems for them to tum to. There is no Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Unless they are from Kathmandu or Pokhara, the two largest cities, there probably are no other. recovering addicts in their area. They are on their own, oftentimes with untrusting families. In the communities in which they live, they have been labeled drug addicts, a label that sticks. Sometimes, the only friends they have to turn to are their friends who are still doing drugs. Coupled with HIV/AIDS, one's situation is even harder. The social stigma of this disease is great, treatment is too expensive, and there are not even any facilities to care for people in the last stages of the disease. It is not an easy life, and the men and boys at Freedom Center know that. Yet in their faces, I see a lot of hope. There is Reuban, a resident for six months, who returned home to take care of his terminally ill father. Their relationship had never been a good one, but Reuban's commitment to staying clean and his father's illness has brought them together. Every morning he goes to college, hoping to get a degree in advertising. He wants to educate people in Nepal about drugs and HIV and other social issues that they are often un-infonned about. There is Subaas, always with a smile, with whom we spent hours talking on the sunny front porch. Unable to get a conclusive HIV test, he does not even know if he is really positive for the virus. He faced this agonizing situation with courage, though. His dreams were of starting a business, maybe even going to America. There is Suraas, who at twenty­ seven kicked a drug habit that controlled him since his teenage years. Meeting many HIV-positive men at the Freedom Center has inspired him to make plans to open a home for people in the last stages of AIDS. He wants to provide them with a place where they can really be loved, even as they are dying. The list could go on and on. Sharan hopes to visit Tibet this autumn and go to school afterwards. Peruj reads his philosophy and religion books in his spare time. They are all tiny examples of people building a life out of hope, even in the midst ofgreat suffering and obstacles. The guys at Freedom Center struggle every day with their addictions, but they courageously build lives upon their dreams of a better future. That is a lesson for all of us. Never give up hope ... you can build a marvelous life with it. Food For Thought Don't down the one that's down today but cheer him in his sorrow For this old world is a funny old world and we may be down tomorrow ... .Pat Mitchell lf four cars pulled up to an intersection All at the same time, And there was no traffic cop or light, Which car should go through the intersection first? · Give up? Welt, ...The one that feels the luckiest! �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 PROVERBS 14:20 One quarter that's all they ask for But sometimes I have it but look in their eyes and say no. Can you give me two dollars so I can get something to eat? How I know you don't just want something to drink? I know you have it hard out here on the streets But Westaff is hiring and they pay every week. They are the homeless. But why do we make them the helpless? Walk down the street and see the food less, but restaurants like Mc'donald's and Burger King throw food away like they're foolish, and we do the same because we're heartless or maybe we're Godless. Living witho_ut God is the true definition of homeless I use to be homeless but now my st)elter is God. WINTERWOOD E. Joan Rohrer Winterwood is all good. A tree's energy goes within To make way for leaves in spring. Baren though the tree may seem, It's much like me with my dream .. . Which hibernates within my soul .. . To blossom forth in time. WORD SCRAMBLE RMOST ONATORO NRHUCIRAE LHIA WSON LADZBZIR OHTPONY ETLES (answers on page 19) He's my protection in good time and when it gets hard. God love's a cheerful giver and the homeless is a good start. Let's get them off the streets the right way, that's by everyone having a giving heart. On Sunday, February 20,2000, TENDER the acclaimed Back to Broadway group will stage a production benefiting Tender Mercies. Founded in 1979, by Mary Jo and Al Katona, Back to Broadway was designed as an MERCIES event to ~rovide funds to local non-profit organizations. This year's production of Back to Broadway will include songs form Guys and Dolls. Annie Get Your Gun, My Fair Lady, Chorus Line, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, and Saturday Night Fever. SPIRIT OF 2000 in Over the Rhine. ...... Carl A. Walker ,12111199 By Sonny Williams THOUGHTS ON MUTUAL AND · MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION Black, Latino, White 12th Street, Drop Inn Center is the people's right Erich Kunzel's plan failed to shut it down; The Homeless United in Cincy-Town. In the theme and spirit ofwhat one thoughtful soul said with "If I can't dance, <ion't invite me to your re>.1olution" ­ Ifwe can!t iaugh Of cry and have you and others listen to ~ur.jokes, stories and whatever else we may have to say, don't bother invitjng us to your meetings or conferences or caus.e s and expect us to listen to.your jokes, stories or speeches. · BACK TO BROADWAY PRODUCTION TO BENEFIT TENDER MERCIES Letters of support from N.Y.C., Cleveland, Marion Ohio. Spirit of Soweto is the national call, It's right to rebel. Down with Displacement, A Victory for the Homeless! Ron Bohmer is scheduled to appear with the cast of Back to Broadway at this show. Mr. Bohmer most recently starred as the lead in the Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton musical The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre. He has also starred in lead roles in national tours of Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, and The Phantom of the Opera and enjoyed a two-year Broadway engagement as "Enj olras" in Les Miserables. Proceeds from the show will benefit Tender Mercies, a non-profit corporation that provides housing and supportive services to mentally ill homeless persons. Tender Mercies currently houses 150 permanent and sixteen transitional residents in seven buildings in Over-The-Rhine. The show will be held at the College of Mount St. Joseph Auditorium , 5701 Delhi Road, Cincinnati. The show starts at 4:00 p.m ., with a reception at 2:45 p.m. Tickets are $20 for the show only, $35 for the show and reception. To order tickets, call Tender Mercies at 639-7054. �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page B Street Corner PolitiX Poetry in Motion From the minds of many gathered in discussion on topics dropping from this to that, we intellectually and respectfully converse and debate life in it's essence... frequently questioning che Devilz methods ofmadness that often prevents our own peoples happiness as we dwell daily through earth's hell with the belief of a heaven to come (in which no one has seen or known ofanyone to return from). Now whose the dumb ones? Those who require to acquire heaven on earth or the so-called 'Christians' insisting we all turn the other cheek in che face of cheir devilishness in return for che promise land in che life hereafter. The frequent glances from chose who drive by only stopping for red lights hear our language as 'ebonic' mumbo-jumbo while thinking chat it's simply irrelevant nonsense without ever having the patience to listen and thoroughly comprehend the rhetoric's relevance. Then they say, "Let us help ..." infiltrating our administration under che guise ofdesegregation in a covert effort to annihilate and/or assimilate ... "Let us help" is what's said, but "Lee's help ourselves" is what's meant As a fe:w (growing to many) of you mislead-wanting-to-gee-ahead Niggas char figure chat they'll place their crust within the Devilz foolishness. "Not I", says Te'tro! Eicher I stand with my peoples or I die alone. Because ifl don't have love to show love who will? You ... Your God above? The one whose son you portray with the blond hair and blue eyes, who supposedly gave his life for our lives? And whose truth you hide within your bible's lies to maintain chat we continue to 'Try' while never succeeding in actuality? Your smiling faces doesn't displace your hatred. I know the truth. The truth of how you systematically backwards teach our youth, devastate and separate our athletes through divide and conquer techniques which leave us to believe chat we must put our trust in you for your donations of financial funds. But our take is a mere fraction ofwhat you make on the backs of our God-given talents. And as if chat is not enough, you hit us below the belts with your no ass (now-a-days a little plump) big titty, duck sucking, and forever ready to f_k ... hillbilly co-co loving whores - better known as your mothers and daughters. by Te'tro Amaru And fo r those of us who lust the flesh we get caught-up in the Devilz quest to have us forget, neglect, and even disrespect the women who became our mothers, loving us steadfast regardless. But never the less, Black Amerikkka's thinking has us sinking as we are misled to believe that the deeds ofsome speak for the beliefs of everyone. But please try to understand: It's like when a snake bites your child. You don't run wild l~oking around for the snake with blood on it's mouth? Any old snake will do! Any old snake will do! Indeed it's a puzzle to unravel when contemplating exactly who we can trust, but with time all things are revealed and in time o~y can we tell??? Now pass the heat in the brown paper bag - caking control of our minds while warming the soul in these trying times ­ Yet I'm not a drinker. I am a thinker with God-sent rhetoric reaching the minds ofmen teaching each of them to beware of the consequences ofour actions. Since every cause has an effect I affect the cause to project the flaws in man's laws to force him to chink, rethink, and chink again of che dialect I inject which transforms boys to men. Justice or 'Just-Us' leave us the victims pleading the perpetrators for fairness as we're told to pray and turn the other cheek and that God will hear our plea? All awhile, we continue to be profiled racially, held back institutionally, and systematically taught to hate ourselves through Amerikkka's education while dam near facing extinction at the hands of ourselves and assisted by Amerikkka's police brutality. Now rotate the dungee to the left. Inhale deeply to propel swiftly through che Devilz hell? Food for che ffiindzeye that transcends man's chinking far beyond che visions of money and women. Still .. . I catch wreck from the second-hand smoke as the Kings toke until they choke inhaling to exhale the remedies ofAmerikkka's foul society as we ignite to rewrite 'His-story' of our 'History'. In essence Street Corner PolitiX is simply what you fail to see or perceive to be ghetto nonsense. But yet, it's purely us in abundance. So as you pass by with a smile while silently voicing a snicker of'Nigger'. My peoples continue to strive through the strugg~e to survive with the pride of being a 'Real N igga'! �STREETVIBES Prison The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page g News A DEATH-ROW INMATE TELLS HIS OWN LIFE STORY lnterviewbyDavidlsay and Stacy Abramson Dear Sonny, Thank you for your letter and the full page editorial from "Streetvibes" concerning O .S.P. Upon receipt of your letter and the notification of John Perotti ' s heart attack, I called O.S.P. in ho p es of prying information out of them. I was pleased to learn he was released and back at O.S.P. I have since received a letter from John but I want to than you for bringing his heart attack to my attention. The conditions·described at O.S.P. sound horrifying in addition to unconstitutional. Sonny, I'm curious as to know if the Northeast Regional Director has ever interviewed prisoners at O.S.P., do you have any idea? Do you receive copies of any complaints from priSoners at O.S.P. I guess I'm asking if you receive actual documentation that would give someone "a leg to stand on In pursuing human rights violations. I can ask the next time I write him, also. Society has no idea what truly occurs behind the wire and that is one of my missions (one of many), upon my release, that I'd like to address. One in five families have or know someone who is incarcerated and that number is growing every day. It infuriates me to know that society believes we are "well kept" by the state and that we are treated "as we should be" treated when, in fact socity obliterates any thoughts of wrong doing on behalf the state because of fifty plus years of "brainwashing" ideas such as "get tough on crime," "lock em up and throw away the key", or the lie of the century, "'ODRC rehabilitates." There has to be a "prison beat" in major newspapers to expose major atrocities, as described in the editorial placed in "Streetvibes." I'm convinced that once one major newspaper picks up a "prison beat", others would follow, if for no other reason than competition. If you can't tell, the media disgusts me with their half-truths and blatant lies. The worst part is, Sonny -- society believes it to be the gospel. 1plan to attack the media and be heard. 1won't stop until I succeed! Poor "them"! I've taken up enough of your time so I'm going to close for now. 1 wish you a wonderful New Year and many more to come. John Lamb was the Bl'h death-row inmate executed this year, and the 587'h since the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty in 1976. On November 10 he was interviewed at the Ellis Unit, a state prison near Huntsville, Tex., one week before his execution. I was born in San Jose, California. Been unhappy from the time I was born. Never had a moment of happiness in my life. I was raised by my stepfather and my mother. My stepfather was abusive. He built R.V.'s. Very hard worker, very succesful. I respect him for raising two kids th~t weren't his, but he was under a lot of pressure and he was violent. He would get mad and hit and then get madder as he hit, and if I cried, he'd hit me more, so after a while I learned not to cry and pretty much just toughed it out. When I was a kid I didn't talk to nobody. Didn't talk at all. I attempted suicide when I was nine years old - as much as a nine-year­ old can, right? I took a whole bottle of Excedrin headache tablets, mixed in a cup of water and drank it. I just didn't want to live no more. But I don't blame my stepfather. Anybody that blames their crime on somebody else - on child abuse or anything like that ­ that's just an excuse. N I left home when I was 15 and-a-half and stayed on my own until I was twenty-five, when I was arrested for this crime. I shot a man and killed him. In Greenville, Texas, off Interstate 30. I've never denied it. I had just gotten out of jail in Arkansas - 100 days for receiving staler) property. Detective in Arkansas drove me to the county line, told me to get out and don't come back. No wallet, no ID. So it's getting near dark, and I'm walking down Interstate 30. I see this .shed-type thing and I say, 'Tm going to go in there and sleep." I go in, and they had an arsenal - shotguns, handguns. I grabbed me two handguns and I walked down the road . I started talking ot this guy standing out fron of this Ramada Inn. He says "Where you headed?" I said, "Dallas." He said, "All right." He was in the process of moving and had to get his things into the car. So we got into his motel room and the guy come over and put his hand on my leg. And I told him, "I don't go for that crap." So he got mad and told me to get out. I don't remember pulling the gun out of my pocket but I know I did - there's no doubt about that . I reme m ber he was t ryrng · to hand me his wallet. I knocked the wallet out of his hand and said, "I don't want that." And I started shooting. There wasn't no blood, but he lay down and he died. Shot punctured his lung and he drowned in his blood. I don't know why I shot the guy. I could have beat him uphe was half my size. It was almost as if I was shooting my bad luck or something. All I had witnesses, no fi ngerprints. But I took his car and stayed in it. Didn't sleep for days. Used the guy's credit card to buy beer and stayed up drinking. Got caught in Florida seven days later. They sent me back to Texas, and the district attorney.offered me 40 years. I turned it down - thought I could do better. This is my fourth execution date. Had three in my first three years and then didn't have any for 14 years. They told me about the execution four months ago. It's kind of shocking because you go on and go on and years go by and you hear nothing. Then all the sudden, bam, they tell you in four months they'll kill you. I'm supposed to be executed Wednesday, I believe at six· o'clock at night. I believe I have until then. I have a minister, Father Walsh , who's going to be there. He's a friar, Fransiscan. Known him for a long time. He's helped me with my burial, funeral - whatever it is. Tuesday night I'm going to be rebaptized over again by him, given my last rites and all that. Noon Wednesday they'll come take me over to the Walls [the prison in Huntsville where executions take place] where I'll have my last meal. What happens after that I don't want to think about. I don't like needles, so that's the worst part. I wish they'd just take me over there and use a guillotine - something quick and painless. I'm not afraid of dying, I'm just afraid of the process. I don't think the man's parents are going to be there, so I'll probably just tell everyobdy that I've known that I'm sorry that I didn't live up to their expectations. Then I'll probably tell God that I'm sorry for disrupting his world. I'm not sorry to society, though. I feel bad about the man that died, and if my death could bring him back, I'm all for it. But as far as society goes, how can I feel bad? I mean, all these people say, "Go ahead and kill him" are no different from the people that. knew my stepfather was whipping the hell out of me and my brother and my mother, and they didn't have guts to step up and say anything about that, yet they got enough guts to say go ahead and kill me now. So that's how I look at it. Then I'm going to be cremated,. My mom's going to get my ashes and that'll be the end of it. You're going to die someday anyway, so it's too late to cry about it now. guess I've been lucky to last this long. That's one way of looking at it. John Michael Lamb received a lethal injection at 6:13 P.M. on November 17, 1999. He w as pronounced dead six minutes later. His last words were: " I'm sorry - I wish I could bring him back. I can't. Goodbye. Do it." · •.. , , ,. .. ,,.,, ,.. ,.. , , , -~ ~ .....................................tq .P.P. !.~.~~.l~..~~~Y.i J~§l!'~,~ IL ~~~~~ ~~~ ,_flq ~· ... .... ~ -- .. !.~~~~!~~~ . - ~-~?~ndportraits.org .. .. . ....... ......... ... . .......... �, STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The Death Penalty Taken from December, 1999 "Issue Paper," by permission of /JPC. Indeed, signs of hope, countering the growing number of executions, can be found . Over a dozen states have considered legislation regarding either moratoriums or abolition. Since the US Supreme Court decision in 1976, thirty­ eight states have re-installed the death penalty. This year, Michigan, Maine,. . Massachusetts, and Iowa considered bills tht would have adopted the death penalty; but all failed . During the discussion in Massachusetts, State Senator Greem spoke out against pro-exiectuion Governor Paul Cellucci. "I believe that when a government of the people engages itself in murder, whatever the rationale, we do not deter crime but in fact desensitize our people to its horror and contribute to its p~rrnissibility. " (Boston Globe 3/23/99) A frequently quoted Gallup Poll found 71 % of Americans supporting the death· penalty. Yet other studies suggest that given the choice of an alternative to the death penalty (life imprisonment without parole) the public support falls to 44%. These percentages are not divided down religious lines, but rather seem to be related to education and awareness of the issue. Most perceptions and myths used to foster support of the death penalty can be easily argued with proper information. Is it fair? The death penalty is applied rather arbitrarily throughout the United States. It seems that the most important variables which send 1% of convicted murderers to death row each year include race, economics, education and community pressure. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall found "[it] is evident that the burden of capital punishment falls on the poor, the ignorant, and the underprivileged members of society. " Does it save taxpayers dollars? No. A recent study from Duke University concluded, "the extra cost of adjudicating murder cases capitally outweighs the savings in imprisonment costs. As it is currently implemented, the death penalty cannot be justified soley on grounds of economy." In fact, incarcerating a person for life costs a fraction of the e·xpense of capital cases. Is it legal? Cruel and unusual punishment violates the 8th Amendment of the US Constitution. Additionally, the death penalty is in.opposition to the United Nations International Covenant on C1vil and Political Rights. Does it save future lives? No. A 1988 United Nations report stated, "[research on deterrence) failed to provide scientific proof that execution have a greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment." In 1997 the average murder rate per 100,000 population was 6.6 in death penalty states; 3.5 in non-death penalty states. (Amnesty International) Will we execute the innocent? In 1999 the College of Social and Behavior Science Center for Survey Research at Ohio State University found 68% of Ohioans think wrongful executions are likely to occur compared to 32% who found it unlikely. Since the re-instatement of the death penalty in Illinois, eleven people have been executed; interestingly, the same number have been exonerated. Across the country for every seven executions one prisoner on death row has been found innocent. (US News & World Report 11 /9/ 98) Do we execute juveniles? Yes. Since 1976 juvenile offenders (at the time of the crime) have been executed in seven different states. Of the 13 juveniles executed, 7 were executed in Texas. (source: V. Streib, "The Juvenile Death Penalty Today") How do the mentally ill fare? Poorly. In violation with international standards (and UN recommendation), the US ~xecutes mentally ill and mentally retarded persons. Justice Thurgood Marshall said, "It is no less abhorrent today than it has been for centuries to exact in penance the life of one whose mental illness prevents him from comprehending the reasons for the penalty or its implications." (1986) Is race a factor? It is a fact - blacks convicted of killing whites are more likely to receive the death p~nalty than any other group. In a 1990 report, the US General Accounting Office found , "a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the chargin, sentencing, and imposition of the death penalty." The 1993 Keil and Vito sutdy (KY) found , "the data indicating that blacks who kill wh ites are singled out by the capital sentencing process ... were l.ikely to be charged with a capital offense and receive a death penalty." Page 10 Prison Rights Activists Investigate Lucasville Uprising . For the pas~two years, Alice and Staughton Lynd have bee.n investigating the Lucasville uprising ofApril 1993. In an effort to summarize the results of their investigation and to present them to the public, they plan to produce a docudrama ' that presents the facts in the form of a play. The text of the docudnima will, to t he greatest ex;tenr: possible, consists of ·dialogue that was actually spoken during the rebellion or at trial. Footnotes will iden.dfy the exact source of the spoken words. A transcript ofchis docudrama to be critiqued by interested individuals is being offeted. The Lynds want to hear from readers as to whether you understand what is presenre~ whether there are still questions in your mind wh.en you finish reading, whether you have ideas about how to present the material more effectively. In other words, what you receive in the mail should be understood as a drafr, still capable of revision after you make your input. To receive these transcripts send your name and addr~ss to George Skatres Supporters,, P.O. Box 1591, Marion, OH 44301-1591. (The lyn'ds are veteran workers ofthe Civil Rights and An~ Vietnam \\'tar movements. As lawyers they have fought for the rights of workers and their families who were locked out oftheir jobs with the plant closings in Youngstown, Ohio. · As historians they havepublished many books ofbenefit to working class people. They help edit IMPACT, the monthly Rank and File Newsletter. As prisoner rights activists, they organize to expose the horrors associated with the new "Supermax"prison in Youngstown arid Ohio's new private-for­ profitprison~Y .So how ought we to encourage signs of hope in the midst of prosecutors who scurry to execute? How can we voice a no against state legitimated homicde? Before we can do any of this we must learn to heal and forgive as individuals and as a community. We can learn much from Mary Nell Verret, the sister of Ja,mes Byrd, "Our family has no use for destructive hate .... Will we ever forgive the men who did this? Forgiveness is when you le tgo of resentment. We resent now. But when you carry resentment inside, it tears a way at you. You become sick. You become a victim all over again. It can keep you from sleeping, eating, and thinking straight. It can keep you from going forward . One day we won't resent anymore." (USA Weekend, July, 1998) . lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center has many educational · resources on the death penalty. Call 513-579-8547 to borrow. Sl1l&1VIB£S Prisoners News contains the writings ofpersons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us - in this effort, please sponsor someone.on the inside by sending us $12 for a year's subscription Sendyour comments anii questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVJBES, 7506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 70 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine In Memory of ''Little Rock Reed'' Today, January 15,2000 is a day of great sadness. We received word today that Timothy "Little Rock" Reed, our friend and.brother, who was also a longtime activist for prisoners rights, was killed last night in a car crash. It happened in New Mexico. ''Little Rock" will be forever missed, but n~ver forgotten. ...... Sonny Williams PAN - Ohio - Cincinnati ...... .Jackie Bowers, Ron Bowers PAN - Ohio- Marian 'Little Rock' Reed killed in auto accident Reprinted from an article in the Columbus Dispatch/A.P. Timothy "Little Rock" Reed, who crusaded in Ohio for Ame1i can Indjan prisoners he said were being abused, died yesterday morning at a New Mexico hospital of injuries he suffered in a car accident. Greg Johnston, spokesman for the Umversity of New Mexico Health Sciences center in Albuquerque, said Reed, 39, died at 4:35 a.m. while being treated in the intensive-care unit. Reed rear-ended the vehicle in front of him, which caused his sport-utility vehicle to roll over and the vehicle in front of him to crash into a southbound vehicle, Patrolman Max Miranda said yesterday. Several people were injured, but Reed was the only fatality. Drugs also were found in Reed's car, Miranda said. Reed's attorney, Stevan Douglas Looney, said he was informed of the accident yewsterday by Reed's wife, Leanna Brownlee-Reed of · Albuquerque. He said Reed 's mother, Nancy Scull of Cincinnati, was on her way to New Mexico. "He was in my office just hours before the acddent. He dropped off a tape of hi s music with about eight or nine songs that were to be turned into CDs," said Looney, who had represented Reed in federal courts. Looney said Reed 's music reflected his human rights and advocacy experiences. "He was a compassionate person who was interested in justice for everyone and saw little of it in his own life," Looney said. Reed, who had said Ohio authorities wanted to silence him for speaking out agajnst alleged abuses oflndian prisoners, fought for five years to prevent being extradited from New Mexico to Ohio. He had served a decade in prison in Ohio for armed robberies and drug theft, and became an activist for inmates. Six weeks Page 11 before his parole would have ended in 1993, he fl ed to New Mexico. He was picked up in Taos, N.M., in 1994. But a New Mexico judge ruled he had fled Ohio "under duress and under a reasonable fear for his safety and life," and released him. That state's Supreme Court agreed in 1997, calling him a "refugee fr9m injustice." However, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Reed returned to Ohio. Ohio officials could have sent him back to prison for 15 years, but they let him finish out the six weeks of parole living with a relative in Cincinnati. He 3was freed in March. Cary Cooper, a lawyer in Toledo, represented Reed in Ohio. Reed had a civil­ rights case pending in federal court in Columbus, Cooper said. "He went to prison as a confused guy, but while he was there he decided to do the best he could in terms of developing his education and setting goals for himself," Coooper said. Brownlee-' Reed was preparing memorial arrangements for her husband yesterday. The two were separated and have a son, Jasper Col.e Reed, 2. "I think he would love the fact that his service (was) held Monday - on the same day people recognize.the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," Brownlee-Reed said. She described Reed as a devoted father who enjoyed the outdoors. "This is very sad. I have a lot of fond and loving memories. Little Rock loved humanity. In spite of all his turmoil in pris·o n, he was very optimistic and always trying new challenges." ,. PAN-OHIO Prisoners Advocacy Network A Victory for Human Rights in Cincinnati contact (513)241-8014 ••• by Berta Lambert In 1996 Cincinnati activists Mac Mccrackin, buddy gray, Sonny Williams and I raised our voices in protest against Phil Heimlich sponsored "banning law" for Over-the-Rhine. Mr. Heimlich has pushed for an anti-panhandler ordinance (ruled unconstitutional) and advised the use of $25,000 "spy cameras" in public areas. On January 20, U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Diott.granted a motion for summary judgment by two plaintiffs, Patricia Johnson and Michael Au France. The city law banned from Over-the-Rhine , for 90 days, anyone arrested for prostitution or drug charges. If convicted, the ban was extended to a year. If anyone banned was found in the area, they were charged with criminal trespass, which carries a maximum fine of $250 and 90 days in jail. In 1997 Mr. Heimlich sponsored a similar anti-gay ordinance for sex-related offences in Mt. .Airy Forest and Burnet Woods. Thursday's ruling will also spell the death of this ordinance. Under the Over-the-Rhine ban Patricia Johnson was prohibited from caring for her grandchildren or visiting double jeopardy as a second punishment for her daughter. She was arrested March 18, 1998 the same offense. and banned March 24 on charges of trafficking Judge Diott's ruling may result in the marijuana. A grand jury refused to indict her and reversal of hundreds of drug convictions and the city may be forced to pay ACLU's legal the charge was dropped but not the 90 -day ban. On April 8, 1998 she was arrested for violating the fees and compensation to anyone held on ~harges of violating the ban . a a a ban. The charge was later dismissed. Michael Au France is a homeless man. After being convicted of a drug related crime in the AFDIC Benefit Concert October 1998 he was banned. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ­ He spent more than 100 days in jail for repeatedly violating the law which prevented him from seeking food, clothing, shelter and visiting his lawyer (Bernard Wong the lead ACLU lawyer in this case). in Over-the-Rhine. Through the efforts of Scott Greenwood, general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and Mr. Wong, human rights in our nation have been strengthened. U.S. District Judge Susan J. Diott ruled that city COL!nsel can not usur'f) court powers and the Bill of Rights , grants substantial protection to . freedom of association, espe­ cially from government interfer­ ences; and there should be no .:r �ST REE TV I BES 1ne Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 Welfare News WEEK OF WELFARE AWARENESS by Lynn Williams, Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition The Week of Welfare Awareness was held on the UC Campus by UC People Inter­ ested in Social Transformation (PIST), in conjunction with the Cincinnati Welfare Coali­ tion. A week of information tables and an art display of children affected by Ohio's three year time limit occurred at Tangemann Hall Student Center. On Tuesday of the week a forum featured recipients, former recipients, and a former employee of the Ohio Depart­ ment of Human Services. According to the panelists, welfare reform clearly is not working, citing the puni­ tive nature of sanctions, time limits, and lack of educational opportunities. The ever present t.hreat of fraud investigators intimidating innocent people is also punitive. Donna from Pike County, east of Cincin­ nati, spoke about the effects of sanctions on her children. She was sanctioned erroneously by a caseworker who lacked understanding of the law. The Pike County woman is surviving only by leaning on her relatives, people who cannot afford to help out. She stated, "It's very humitiating to ask my people to help me, because they're barely making it themselves. But now I have nothing for my family to live on." Charmaign, another panelist, shared her bad experience. "I was investigated by the fraud investigative unit. I had done nothing wrong to my knowledge , carefully reporting every change in my income. I've held down jobs that lasted for a time, but I was back on assistance again , either because the unem­ ployment compensation ran out or the job didn't offer any. Well, the fraud investigator claimed I had not turned in an unemployment form from way back, more than five years ago or so . I happened to see it in the edge of the folder & pulled it out for the investigator. Then she started interrogating me about details from ten years ago! After that, she claimed I was overpaid and never reported it, but I d idn't know what I was supposed to be receiving after the earned income disregard was counted in . All that was very confusing to me. Well, to make it short, they now claim I frauded the system even though the case­ worker made the mistake of miscalculating my benefit check. Where is the justice in this?!!! " Linda Howell-Perrin, a staff member at Bethany House, told her story. "I was able to get a four year degree while I was on public assistance. This isn't allowed now. I was fortunate . Ohio's three year time limit does not allow women time to get a four year degree so they can get a livable wage job. They won't be able to make it on minimum wage jobs. What is needed is to give these women time to get a good education and learn job skills. You need adequate time to get a livable wage job. Welfare reform should be about women getting livable wage jobs, not sinking further into poverty." "Because I'm working at a homeless shelter for women and their children I'm seeing the numbers of families who 'need shelter in Cincinnati. Many are coming to us who cannot even get public assistance. That's a point that is not often brought out: how hard it is to get back on assistance once you're off. We are seeing women who've been laid off from fast food, seasonal and temporary jobs. They often can't get public assistance because the former employers won't fill out and sign the lengthy employer verification forms. Without these forms turned in, these women cannot get help they badly need to provide for their families. They end up at Bethany House with zero income. " Emphatically she stated, "The fastest growing numbers of homeless people in America right n.ow are children! Welfare reform is the main reason we are seeing this tragedy happen!" For more information call the Cincin­ nati Welfare Rights Coalition at 513/381­ 4242 or PIST at 542-2819. WELFARE REFORM: Pain with no ga.i n ldon'tknowthestatisrics. Andlhaven't done a survey. At best, myknowledge aboutWelfare Reform is from my personal experience.... standing in line at Food Pantries, listening to the complaints ofseniorcitll.ens like myself. ....through conversation at the welfarewith working mothers (which affects my kids and grand kids.) The issues ofthe seniors are numerous. But most important are their issues about Medical andFood. Ifthey buymedicine, they can't buy food. Or ifthey (like myself) are given medical spend-downs, this means no medical at all. · Personally, I was employed 20-years in the samejob. Now I am disabled and struggle to survive on a small amount ofmoney..Yet I receive only 10 dollars monthly for food. Most seniors have to pay for their medicine, glasses, and food, in some instances. They have to pay for medical, which is taken out of their monthly check. So they are forced to stand in line at the Food Pantries. Then there are the mothers trying to raise their children and work, relying on childcare provided byWelfare Reform; and they have to pay their earnings for daycare, along with their vouchers. This iswhere my kids come in. In almost all cases, you hear (caseworkers say), "You make too much money''. So then you are denied food stamps. And then there are those mothers struggling on welfare. Most ofthem are never going to succeed because there is always some barrier. Like 3 years maximum on welfare. Working for minimum wages. Poor Housing, etc. Yes, there are success stories. But we never hear about the ones thatweren' t successful because everyone doesn'thave survivalskills. I could go on and on. But who will listen or hear me. And who will care. I sometimes wish I could help all these people I hear crying for help. How long must we rely on such unfair systems? .. ..Or maybeI'm misinformed. 0 . . ... ... .PatMitcheU. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes c.an be purchased for $12 per year. (Get 'em now before the rate goes up!) Just send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month Streetvibes, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless If you have any questions, call 421-7803. If you have subscribed, but are not receiving your Streetvibes, Please let us know. Our dog (Streetvibes computer) ate some addresses during a recent crash . ... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine News from Across the River Struggles as a Homeless Person in Covington ....... byMARKP. Hi! my name is Mark and I have been living homeless on the streets off and on now for the past 6 years. It was suggested that I write something to be published in your paper. We as a group of homeless people have been meeting over at Goeble Park every Sunday for the past 4 or 5 weeks. We all have been discussing the attitude and actions that we are encounter­ ing from the Kenton County Library and the Covington Police Department. I mostly have hung around Covington because I am a member of AA and have been sober for 6 years now and an AA clubhouse was there to hang out at. They are in the process of moving to another building and the AA meetings have moved but I still go over there because most of the people I know in AA hang out there. So I am not the stereo-type alcoholic you would see laying drunk in the street. I am usually somewhat clea n and well groomed other: than the beard I choose not to lose, but even that I keep trimmed. Most of the guys in the street that know me also know I have been sober for the past 6 years which is a testimony to the power of God and the love in Alcoholics Anonymous. I really had no problem with the library officials or the cops till the old library direc­ tor Mike Olberdick stepped down and a Mary Ann Mongam took his place, from there she made my business hers to a degree and any change of policy that would change concerning use of their computer system I was the first to be told, and in no way a kind way either. I had her come over and in a very nasty way one day tell me that "You only get 2 hours!" I wasn't even quite sure of what she was referring to and her attitude towards me prompted me to start asking some questions about this new policy that they had not bit of which in writing. A police officer heard our discussion and Brady has a reputation of zero tolerance of anything so I was ar­ rested for trying to iron out the new policy they had established. I wanted a jury trial and not surprisingly Officer Brady had insufficient evidence to convict me so another case dismissed was on my record. I had another encounter with Covington Police years before when I was told to leave an AA meeting sober, when I refused I was arrested. A week after I had an altercation with some fellow that lives and alternative lifestyle. Officer Brady and I have had a few other meetings before this incident at the library. Seems that there was a fellow who thought he could take a threaten me with a ball bat after a little name calling and when he did not like what I called him after the threats he went over and told Brady I was prejudice. Brady threw us both out of the library that day. That same black fellow had taken a swing at me outside a soup kitchen over the same thing, the black guy would get smart and nasty and the name calling would begin. One day I was walking through an alley and look who comes walking through but the same black guy. All I said was what's up? We passed each other but as I walked on I saw a rock hit on the street next to me. The black guy started picking up chunks of asphalt and throwing them. I got away and called 911, Officer Brady shows up and says "You called?" I said, "That's right, I have rights too!" Brady said anything that happened between me and a black man I brought on myself that I was a racist and a bigot. I told him that I didn't want to hear it and he went ballistic. Got out of his car screaming that I was going to hear it and arrested me for disor­ derly conduct. I am handcuffed and up against the car not struggling and he maces one of my eyes. Brady failed to show up in court that next day so the judge said that the state was not going to go forward with thecharges. Just this September I walked into the Kenton County Library and had a off duty police officer, Dan Jackson the one who is in charge of security at the library, came over and grabbed my arm and started dragging me out the door telling me that I had been terrorizing and menacing chil­ dren. I spun around and called him a liar, he called for back up and another police officer showed up. I was not going to leave that library, I had done nothing wrong. They took me out to the parking lot and started torturing me. They threw me in the cop car, took me out by my neck, almost dislocated my shoul­ ders when one took my handcuffed hands and held them over my head for his own sadistic pleasure. I was then told that if I did not get back in the car I was going to be maced. One officer mad the comment, no let me show him a ninja move. That officer put his fingers in the hollows of my ears and then drug me into the car. I never once resisted, but as the law books state, passive resis­ tance is not punishable. So if they told me to do something I did nothing. Again the case was dismissed in the court room , I wonder where these children are that I was accused of doing these things are? They could not show up because the incident never hap­ pened. Lt. Jackson shows up in court the day the case was dismissed and had the director Wayne Onkst there with him. They told the judge they did not want me back in their library. The judge said that it was not by his power that they cou ld kept me out and that the police and officials had talked it over with their lawyers and found a way. I am still trying to find out if they have a court order to keep me out but I will not rest till I am treated like every other citizen of ~ovington . I am also in fear of my life after all the threat and torture that I went through in that parking lot in Covington, and the sad thing is it is not from crack heads and hoods, but from police officers. Those people put in charge of protecting all, including me. Page 13 Public Spaces in Covington Not for Use of Homeless Article by Gary: I am writing to tell of my ordeal with the Covington Police. I was sitting at the Point sitting area (corner of Washington and Pike St.) and three cops came over to me and said I had to leave. I told them that there was no sign saying I had to leave. With that, they got me down and arrested me for disorderly conduct. I told them I had a metal rod in my leg. With that, they twisted my leg more. I ended up doing four days in jail. After I got out of jail, I went back to the Point sitting area again. I was with six other people and the cops showed up again and said we had to leave and this time we all did. I would like to put a lawsuit against the Covington Police for harass­ ment. Sleeping is a Crime for Some of Us by Rev. Rick Dalton: (December 7, 1999): After having coffee at the Jacobs Well, I went down to the Kenton County Public library in Covington and I sat down to read my Bible on the south side of the building in front of the bay windows. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. After reading a few chapters, I began to warm up and happen to drift off to sleep. It wasn 't long until the library guard (Covington Police Officer) was shaking me to wake up. Once I woke up I said I was sorry. Without a second going by the guard said I would have to leave. In the past I have noticed other people dressed in nice clothes, not dirty or layered, who had fallen asleep just as I have and nothing was done about it. But, I was asked to leave, which I did. Even though I felt degraded and my rights had been violated. I have noticed in the past other Home­ less people were asked to leave and they, like myself, were only reading, not causing any problems. We the homeless pay taxes, read newspapers, books, use computers, go to church and if we could wash and wear clean clothes everyday we would. (December 13, 1999): I'm now back in the Kenton County library writing this articles and there is a couple using the copier who are talking very loudly and making quite a lot of noise but no one is warning them or asking them to leave. I asked these people if they would mind holding it down so I could read my bible. Once aga in.. .I was asked to leave. Right or wrong, I was heard this time by everyone in the library. The Security officer walked over to me and started to put his hands on me and I strongly advised him that wouldn't be a good idea. He backed up and said he would call for more police if needed. I asked him to step outside where we could take care of this matter between us and the security officer declined. All I can do is pray. 0 0 0 �.­ STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 · Street Scopes Letters By Alanna Maloney The Urban Astrolo2er Happy Birthday Aquarius! Dear Mr. Kunzel, I'm writing this.letter publicly to ~pplaud you on your vision. It Syems you've really struck Why do I get the feeling that you have been reading this paper backwards or upside down? This February, don't become trapped by your own talents. Are you over or undere mployed? When will you have the time to pursue your creative . bliss? pay dirt with your dream for a· new ARTS The Big Picture: We are at the ve'ry nexus EDUCATION CENTER, a place where the youth can gro·w and learn about esoteric l ife and bow to kick a man in the teeth when he's lost his vision. A place where your youth can enjoy the scores of Bach and .Beethoven while ignoring the sc ores of c h ildre n who s uffer from dysfu nctional situations. Let them enj oy the paintings of the Renaissance and tum their backs on the signs "HOMELESS PLEAS E HELP", painted by a man who is part of life's canvas. Yes, let's teach them all ab011t how to build a set of tenement slums for a production of "WEST SIDE STORY", whi le eliminating the homes of hundreds who partiaHy due to inadequate systems and waivering politicians don' t have a chance at adequate housing. Let's not forget the bru nches and lunches that wrn be held to pat on the back all those concerned for their contributions to the Arts. while some wayward teen goes to jail for i;hoplifting since ifs the only way he and his younger siblings will eat djnner. Wasn ' t it Spencer Tracey in the roll of Father Flanagan in "BOYSTOWN", who said THERE A RE NO BAD BOYS". see even the homeless enjoy the arts. of Uranus' travel through its native sign, Aquarius. In the coming years there will be unprecedented changes in the fields ofhistory, social activism, science, technology, and, of course, the "I-word" . You may find yourself attracted to your friends these days. Your home life may feel like work this year. You may be having a freeze with a parent or spouse. Many delays are possible in home-improvement projects. Work on the foundation and bide your Hey Eric how about letting us use the gold plated shovel that you will be usi.ng for the ground breadking to bury one of the homeless vets who passed away with no one but those here at the DROP INN CENTER to call family, or the little child killed in a random act of street violence "OOPS, ~ONG PLACE, WRONG TIME", since her school was closed. Seems you've been shovelfog a long ti me, old pal;. It's amazing, Mr. Kunzel, how progress just ro lls along, yes it just steamrolls rightover what once was homes, businesses and peoples livelihoods. I once sayw progress in action and it was amazing, yes the.KILLING FIELDS were amazingly vile. For one who says they lov·e the arts and ·then proposes to commit such. an unforg ivable ac t ~gain st ·one of GODS GREATEST iytASTERPIECES, "MAN", is a gross contradiction ... So consider yourself on notice, Mr. K un zel from one of GOD ' S MASTERPIECES in the OVER-THE-RHINE area. What you 're considering is very ugly and GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY, Homeless Veteran never afraid, Kevin L. Deal you. Seize opportu nities to socialize, start new projects, and assert yourself overall: Take pho tos, write screenplays, and stop worrying that you are too weird. Express all that · rebellious c r e ativity which is lo o king for an o u tlet. Watch your fe et a nd a nkles . Aries The Big Pictur e: You can effect profound change in this peribd ofyour life by focusing on its deeper meaning. Education, philosophy, and travel are good investments at this time. The go, go, go - ofnew ventures and socializing will be cooling down soon enough. Continue to seize the day­ especiaJly opportunities from mentors and benefactors. Setbacks in finance and creative areas are part of a greater lesson. Don 't get depressed! Realize that throughout this year - aspects of your structure will be lying fallow like a field in winter. Things die so that new life may later flomish. This Month: W hile you may be time. This Month: Focus on your dreams by expressin g your id eas in unique and surprising ways. You may fee l motivated · to buy, sell, or build­ fin a nciall y, arti s tica lty, and spiritu ally . You may enjoy a short trip with friends or a visit with your siblings . You are in a position to take the lead in many forms of communication. Your career and reput.a tion in t he community may be a secret source ot shame for you. Now is a good time to process th e se feelings by s ha ring the m with a friend or lover. You may also enjoy rene\ ving your connection with the earth and your body in a spiritual way such as Reiki or Yoga . 1 Pisces The Big Picture: You may have found it difficult to stabilize your career in recent years. Profound changes may be occmring in eve1y field you pursue. Try to go with the flow and focus on education, travel, and spirituality. You have been experiencing a feeling of restriction in communication, and sibling-type relationsh ips. Your car may also be acting up. Some of these limitations will end up blossoming after this period of delay. If relationships are suffering, look beneath the surface for drama related to your parental dynamics. Expect continued expansion in areas of finance and growing projects. These ventures may never be :finished, but grab yow- chances while they last. This Month: Your acquaintance network, g ro u p s., a nd lon g- term goal s w ill be h ea ting up. Spending t i me wi th , meeting a mate t h rou gh one of these areas may be sat isfying. Yo u will be making appearances. You m ay find yours._e lf more m otivated than usu al to remake some things about your look or how peo ple see or experiencing setbacks financially, you could make important career connections this· month. You might also find love or friendship at work. Communications regarding your social groups, acquaintance network, or goals are important now. Expect radical change and upheaval to continue. Get thee on the web! Beware of buried anger or sexual issues smfacing. The best cure is something spirirual and intangible like meditation, Reiki, or prayer. Taurus The Bi g Pi ctu re : Saturn has transited your sun, and you have been exp eriencing crisis in identity and career during parts of the past year. You might have made multiple starts and stops and a(e perhaps feelin g especially thwarted by n ew ventures and perso nal appearan ce. Big daddy Sat urn is taking you tG task and will c'ontinue to do so fo r the rest of the year. be patie n t. Saturn de lays; he doesn't de ny. Guard your self-esteem and plot for t he days ahead when all your res olve will be rewarded! This.Month: You may find your career an d rep utati o n under fi re. You need to integr ate t he newest tech nologies wisely into y our f u t ure pl a n s . State y our o verall c aree r go a l s n ow . Gemini The Big Picture: You are in a long period · w h e re re lations hip a nd partners hip a r e o u t to chan ge y ou profoundly. Weeding out childhood blocks to YOU! spirit a nd your dream s should become ·a long-term goal starting now. �STREETVIBES This Month: Enjoy exciti ng developments in your acquaintance network. Nourish yo ur intellectual goals, a nd technological aspirations at this time. Education and travel are also important factors to consider. Now is the time for you to shine in all things philosophical. If you can do your taxes this month, your return may be bigger than you expected. Let upheaval and change become par for the course. Your physical energy may be low this. month, but brainpower is high. Cancer The Big Picture: Work is where you find the most profound change during this period in your life. You may experiment with many different gigs or volunteering opportunities. Many could have educational or travel related benefits. This period is the perfect time to pursue healing work- explore being healed by alternative earth-based medicine. Embrace radical change in your psychological approach and spiritual outlook. This year brings opportunity for expansion and growth in your career especially through mentors and friends ofthe family. This Month: Please do your taxes correctly. Be cautious of business or insurance deals that seem too good to be true. Be wary while making investments with other people's money. Take a class or pursue a martial art. Leo The Big Picture: You will make major changes The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine This month: Now is a good time for romance and self-expression through the arts or your work. You may qave been having a hard time ·stabilizing your dreams in areas concerning work or health. You may experience revolt or upheaval on the job or a stress-related illness. Communicate your unique ideas. Assess any anger in relationships and find ways to be more active with your mate or best friend. j Libra The Big Picture: It is essential that you use this period to communicate, write, and take short journeys. Work to repair relationships with siblings. Your thoughts can have profound and lasting impact on your generation. Romance and self-expression may be rocky and filled with change these days. Again, I implore you to communicate your unique genius at_this time. While the last year has been filled with opportunities for love, friendship, and even marriage; beware of too many buds spoiling the soup. Also beware of burdensome investments and overly limiting financial partnerships. Delays will become gains in this area as this year comes to a close. This month: Like Cancers, you also have to take pains to do your taxes correctly. It's a good time to beautify your home or find a good home. Try to repair relationships with family. in your approach to self-expression, attitudes toward children, and creative output. You very likely will renew a bond with a favorite sport or physical activity. Travel and educational goals are vital yet burgeoning The Big Picture: This period brings themes during the next twenty years of your life. The slow but radical changes to the way you erratic is becoming every-day in your relationships. approach your finances as well as your self-esteem. Think of something like Stay open to the changes being wrought. Scorpio architecture or ceramics as a kind of This Month: Take the extra time you need to occupational therapy. Write love letters. communicate with partner and friends. You may find Submit that book you have hidden under a job you love or find a love on the job. Suddenly, your bed to a publisher this month. At you may feel a need for spiritual or psychological the very least, read it to somebody self-exploration. Allow time to discover yourself special. Upheavals in home and family through self-help, counsel, or occult study. Travel and may not be settling down soon, but by education keep coming up. You may already have now you must be getting used to the seen lucky opportunities in these areas. They may unexpected. well materialize into solid career openings soon. Yet, This month: Now is a good time to talk career may have you stumped just now. It may be all about it all. I need to stress that it about waiting for the right moment. Work on is essential for you to be working with maintaining self-esteem while you wait for your work computers at this time. If you don't have to bring harvest. one at home yet, think about how you can acquire one or get access to one-be resourceful. Assert yourself romantically Virgo and creatively. Don't forgo a ny The Big Picture: You are undergoing opportunity to exercise or play a sport! profound and long-term changes in your Luck is on its way to rescue your poor, sense of roots, home, and family. Before beleaguered relationships. If friendship this period is up, you may need to seek and love have seemed slowed this year counsel regarding a parent's hypocritical its 'cause they are! Work on building attitudes during your childhood. Stay something worthwhile in partnership but on top of the latest developments in expect delays. health and social work, or science and technology. Be aware ofjob opportunities in these areas. A year of looking deeper into your psyche and soul will soon culminate in educational or travel .opportunities. At the moment however, development in these areas may feel unnecessarily stalled. Be patient. Sagittarius The Big Picture: Youareina long period of deep, slow changes in your appearance and approach to projects. Others may feel threatened by the psychic and/or sexual power that you are emanating. Practice .meditation, martial arts, or some other method to channel this energy. Luck is on its way to save you on the job front. The last year or so you have really tried to buckle down and it's really Page 15 trying you. During this delay at work think of future expansion and possibly incorporating more travel into your job. \ This Month: Luck is with you in money and the arts. Communicate, write, communicate-especially regarding techno logy and social reform. Turn everything that you are doing backwards and maybe it will turnout right at long last. Beware of anger and accidents on the road or on the Internet. Go swimming or start a home improvement project. If you feel a sudden urge to move try Feng Shui or a psychic house blessing first. Capricorn The Big Picture: You are in a period of deep change d ealing with your unconscious and spiritual approach to life. Counsel or self­ help may help bring shadows safely to the surface. After a time of restriction in this area, gear up for expansion in romance, creativity, and matters to do with children. This Month: You are looking great and finding new love or friends at a party or in a new environment. But whoah! What's going on with your.finances? It is just one upset after another in all your carefully laid plans. During this period expect the unexpected and pegin to pursue your most far-out dreams. In fact this month you could begin to map out all those dreams. Watch out for flaming with siblings, on the road, or on the Internet. Strive to find out what you are really angry about before trouble starts. Squeeze that Horoscope 'til it yelps! Often we complain that Horoscopes are generalized. This is because they are! Each of us has at least 36 variables that make our astrological profile (birth chart) unique. Newspaper horoscopes can only cover 3 of these variables at most. You can, however, use a horoscope more to your advantage and bring that variable number much higher if you know your chart. If you have an interest in using horoscopes to your best advantage learn your rising (ascendant sign) and your moon sign from an astrologer, book, computa' program, or the Internet. Then read those signs every month. This will give you a more personalized horoscope. Example: if your sign is Taurus, your moon sign is Pisces, and your rising sign is Leo; then you read Taurus to learn about your self- expression (sun). Pisces for your emotional life (moon), and Leo (rising) for your social expression. This will help to make horoscopes make more sense and bring meaning. Readings with Alanna: I do Tarot consultations at SitwelJ's Coffee House 404 Ludlow Ave. from 9pm to Midnight on Tuesdays. Astrology and Tarot are available by appointment at the Occult Shop471-5200orby E-mail at psi_chic@hQtmail.com. �ST REE TV I BES Action Alert The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 142416th St. NW, Ste 404 Washington, D.C. 20036, Ph: (202) 328-0002, Fax (202) 462-2183, e-mail: nirsnet@nirs.org, http://www. nirs.org Nuclear Information & Resource Service Your Action Needed Now More Than Ever to Stop Mobile Chernobyl and the Yucca Mountain Dump! For the past several years while I still lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan, I regularly heard my U.S. Representative Fred Upton-sponsor of the Mobile Chernobyl bill in the U.S. House - claim that Yucca Mountain is the perfect place to store high-level nuclear wastes because it's bone dry and located in an uninhabited desert wasteland. Well, last week on my tour deep within the tunnels of Yucca Mountain, imagine my surprise to see drips from the ceiling and puddles of water on the floor: an experiment to see what the high temperatures of nuclear waste would do to the rock of Yucca Mountain. It is forcing out water trapped in pores and fissures; it then forms condensation, drips and puddles. While standing atop the mountain, a Nevada geologist pointed out how rainwater sometimes vanishes instantly into the ground, flowing downward. Looking out to the horizon, I could see Amargosa Valley not far away, a farming community d irectly downstream that will receive radioactive contamination via the groundwater. Guess Yucca Mountain is not a bone dry, uninhabited wasteland after all. Loo.king out at all the solar powered instruments atop Yucca Mountain (yes, this is the world's first solar powered nuclear waste dump!) - seismograph.s measuring earthquake activity, weather stations recording which way the wind will blow the radioactive gases that will inevitably escape, the global positioning satellite antenna studying how quickly the Earth's crust is expanding (which could mean there's a magma pocket beneath), I can't fathom how the nudearestablishment could do anything but disqualify the site from further consideration. Yet, moves are on within the U.S. Congress and the Department of Energy (DOE) to lock-in the proposed high-level atomic waste dump at Yucca Mountain, Nevada - and thus launch tens ofthousands of truck and train shipments through 43 states in the years and decades to come . NIRS has been instrumental in fending off this nuclear madness for 6 years thanks to help from supporters like you, and we need your help again right now. Senator Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) is Chairman of the Energy and Naturai Resources Committee and the nuclear industry's point man in the U.S. Senate. He has publicly announced that his 'Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2000' is his highest priority in this new session of Congress. Murkowski's bill, S. 1287, would gut environmental standards at Yucca Mountain, doom the underground aquifer to radioactive contamination, condemn 1 in 1,000 exposed downwinders (down­ streamers) to fatal cancer, make the Nuclear Regulatory Commission rather than the Environmental Protection Agency guardian of public health (talk about the fox guarding the hen house!) and loc~-in the site even before its suitability has been officially determined. Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who decides the Senate's calendar, has indicated that S . 1287 is high on his list. Rumors in D.C. are that this bill may be one of the first to hit the Senate Floor in the new session, requiring our immediate action. Our job is to make sure that we hold on to the 34 votes in the Senate needed to sustain President Clinton's promised veto - or, even better yet, we could head off a vote from happening at all. Now is the time to contact YOUR Senators and Rep. and urge them to vote NO on S . 1287 and H.R. 45. Tell them about the faults mentioned above, and that these Mobile Chernobyl bills would needlessly endanger over 50 million Americans living within half a mile of high-level atomic waste transport routes by senselessly rushing tens of thousands of tons of atomic wastes to a site that the DOE's own studies show will almost certainly leak. These wastes are so deadly we must be sure that our moving them around actually im proves the situation, not make it worse! Phone calls and simple, concise hand-written letters are most effective. Members of Congress always Page 16 WORD FROM THE EVANGELIST... This t ime last year I was em p loyed at VIP Bakery o n State Avenue w hile building a foundation for A.W.O.L. M inistries., however, VIP Bak ery closed its do ors o n check their phone log and file of letters received before their votes, so your action now can make a big difference on S. 1287 and H.R. 45. White House: Phone 202-456-1414, Fax: 202-456­ 2461 and 202-456-2883. Phone the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be patched • through to your U.S. Senators and Representatives. For addressing letters: To Your Senators: The Honorable [full name] United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator {last name): 19, 1999 l eaving hundreds unemployed. Simultan eously I w as about to February become h o m el ess on ce again, bur by the grac1 of G od I had been offered a position as a l ive· in Personal Caregi ver prior to this closing;; sc simply w alked through the door which Goad h ad open ed . Many of m y co-workers were n so fortunate. R ecently I talk ed w ith o ne o f m y former coworkers, who had put, twen ty-five years in at VIP Bakery, and she is now employed with Sp auldi ng L ighti ng; but the rep ort sh e gave o n m an y o thers w as not as To Your Representative: The Honorable [full name] United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 p rom ising. One coupl e h as married and attend church regularly. I applaud them. Another young woman lost her husband co a Dear Representative (last name): h eart accack. H e w as under forty. Sh e is no~ Be sure to tell your Members of Congress: middle aged woman has chosen to retire, living off of his soci al security. Yee another •Vote NO on S. 1287 (Senators)/H.R. 45 (House Rep.) *Support EPA, not NRC, as the stand.ard setterfor Yucca Mountain. • NRC is not independent, and would be the fox guarding the hen house. • Protect groundwater at Yucca Mountain and all nuclear sites. * Radiation standards should protect the most vulnerable exposed persons - the unborn children. * 10,000 years' compliance is not enough; these wastes remain deadly for hundreds of thousands of years. * These bills would needlessly endanger over 50 million Americans living within half a mile of atomic waste transport routes. The DOE's deadline for public comment on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Yucca Mountain dump - and Mobile Chernobyls by the thousands that go hand in hand with it - is fast approaching. Public comments need to be in to DOE by February 9th, 2000. Your comments can be submitted in writing, via the Internet. or by fax. Written comments should be sent to: Ms. Wendy R. Dixon EIS Program Manager Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management U.S. Department of Energy P.O. Box 30307, M/S 010 North Las Vegas, NV 89036-0307 Written comments can also be faxed to 1-800-967­ 0739. Be sure to include 'Yucca Mountain Draft EIS' as an identifier on all written comments. Comments can also be submitted via the Internet at http://www.ymp.gov. Click the 'Environmental Impact Statement' on the left hand side selection bar. Then select 'Submit a Comment on the Draft EIS.' because h er limited skills do not provide man opportunities. M any others I am sorry co say h ave drawn their unemploy m ent, and are eith still unemployed o r in low-p aying j obs. The sad fact is many of these men an• w omen do no t have a personal relationship with God , and therefore do n o t know that ti. way of life is above to the wise, that he may departfrom heel beneath (Proverbs 15:24). I uied to b e a living w itness w hile I worked at VIP Bakery, and altho ugh there were scoffers, there were also those w h o were mindful of their conversatio n and actions in m y presence n eedless to say th at w as not enough. For scripture says that th e fear (respect) of the Loi is only the beginning ofknowledge (wisd om ) If these m en and w o m en h ad gone beyond their respect of m e as a man of G od, and sought after understanding then possibly they could h ave escap ed the h eel they are presently exp erien cing; b ecause G od i s faithful and a rew arder of those w h o diligently seek Him. T herefore I challenge you to put G od to the test. Seek Him search o ut His will for you and be obed ient to H is word , and watch h ow H e w ill open doors in you r life. I am presently forming a B ible Study G roup w h ich (God willing) will begin m eetiJ in M arch . If you are interested in b eing a par of this group wri te A.WO.L. Post Office Bo 36065, C incinnati, Ohio 454236 . Include your n am e, address, telephone number, best time and d ay for you to attend, and name of y our local congregation if applicable. The purpose o f this group i s to strengthen God's p eop l e with prayer, fellow ship, and the study Thank you for your actions to fend off efforts within Congress and the DOE to launch high-level atomic wastes onto our highways and railways, to dump them in a leaking hole in the ground. Together, we've stopped this nuclear madness for many years, and togetherwe can continue to defend present and future generations against the deadly wastes ofthe nuclear industry. of the w ord . All are w elcome. Altho ugh the holiday season is past A.W.0.L. Ministri es is still in need of don ations w h ich w ill assist indiv iduals and fam ili es in their way ofli fe. Please call 2 10­ 4 181 for pick-up o f food and clothing item s and mail contr ibutions to the above address. If you need any assistance, contact Kevin Kamps atN IRS: ph. 202-328-0002, or kevin@igc.org Prepared by Kevin Kamps on Thursday, Jan. 20th, 2000. In H is Service, Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. The Evangelist �.... STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Street C·orner PolitiX A Glimpse of Te'tro DELIVERANCE #1 A quarter through life and I entered the new millennium wondering could my life become any more hectic, acknowledging that only fools fall in love, and questioning whether or not my recent misfortunes of life has anything to do with a warped sense of humor from God? Life up to this point has been sort of a rollicoaster ride filled with various highs and lows with the occasional loop-to-loop here and there. My childhood, fr~m what I've failed to erase from my memory (due to my biological mother disowning me in 1992) was pretry much pleasant and consumed with happiness, which was primarily due in part to my dad who transcended beyond a father figure the moment I took my first breath and as yet to cease being my mentor, . advisor/counselor, and best friend. When I think back long and hard of those childhood days, I can vividly remember my biological mother and I having our apartment robbed by this Jamaican guy that she was messing with (after her and my dad divorced) and, more importantly, my father coming to the rescue. I sit back and laugh whenever I recall the time my biological rµother chased me around our apartment dinning room table until she was exhausted because she was anempting to whip my backside for taking my big-wheel out in the snow. I also recollect my older cousin, Beverly, lening me puff on a cigarette when I was only two years old and that being the last time that my father ever allowed her to baby-sit me again! Or, the various episodes of fun-loving-near-death adventures that my cousins (Littles, Mike, Babe Rick, and Ronnie) th.at my cousins (Littles, Mike, Babe Rick, and Ronnie) and I got ourselves into, more frequently than Audry Townsell Does Reno, Nevada? Amaru .. with thoughts on life, love, and God . . . • • • by Te'tro Amaru Although memories like these and numerous others, such as doing back-flips on a dirty mattress in a vacant lot, may not appear as fond as vacationing on a cruise ship during the summer months (or whatever it is that that people with a much higher financial status experience within their childhood), I'll go out on a limb and say that both experiences probably equates the same level of joy. From what I can recall I've always lived with my father for most of my life, except when he was hospitalized for a bout six months (although at the time it seemed like two years). My father uprooted me from Philadelphia and into the Maryland suburbs in an effort to better my life with the abundan~ of opportunities as well as placing me within a better environment in which to elevate my thinking. Still, as a very mischievous youngster, the newly found comforts within the suburbs of Maryland had nothing on the treasures found within Philly's ghetto heaven. So to his dismay, he allowed me to return to Philadelphia to live with my biological mother in the sixth grade on the condition that I kept my grades up (honor­ roll and nothing less) and that I stayed out of trouble. However, these arrangements only lasted for about two months before I almost found myself six feet under green grass for attempting suicide. As I've stated and written of previously, I was a spoiled brat use to my biological mother being a friend rather than the disciplinarian who had now began enforcing a sense of responsibility, among many other things that were not to my liking. .And confused about Ehe fables of the bible, I found myself in a hospital bed with an I-V­ needle in my arm and a tube that ~an from one of my nostrils through my throat and into my Page 17 stomach (in which I was fed chalk to force me ro vomit m.y younger biological sister's asthma pills that I had attempted to overdose on). I remember laying in the hospital for about four or five days, in unbelievable pain, not ready to die, and begging for God's mercy - for God's help and not receiving any reply. And then the night that changed my life, my focus, and my thinking came to me in a dream wherein the EKG meter that I was attached to flat-lined ... Where was God's love as He watched his misled/confused child die? Couldn't He hear me yelling and screaming in agony as I fought for my life? 'Tm sorry! Lord, please forgive me . . . please help me Lord!" And still nothing . . . until I, Te'tro Amaru, decided that if He's like f_k me, than I'm f_i5, Him too! And from that point, I stopped asking for help and began helping myself I was able to use the bathroom after about three days of nothing, my fever finally broke, and the tube running through one of my nostrils and into my stomach was removed. Everything was looking better (my outlook on life) and I began feeling an awful lot better as well. .My father came to my rescue and transported me back to Maryland where I underwent psychiatric sessions for about four months until my dad realized that his firs~-born wasn't crazy but just thoroughly confused. It was fun while it lasted! I quickly realized that although my psychiatrist said that anything and everything we discussed would be completely confidential, that he told my father about whatever we talked about (~ajor or minor issues). So naturally, me being the mischievous child that I was, I decided to use this to my advantage. And let me tell you, I could have urinated on his favorite suit (d,µr ing that period only), and he would have somehow found an explan:\tion that did not put me at fault! Those were the days!! ........... . ......... To Be Continued ........ • Mount Auburn's Glencoe Apartlllents go through restructuring ... Warren Perkins, Tenant Organizer As many people know, HUD (department of Housing and Urban Development) helps low­ income individuals and families afford housing with subsi.dies given co private landlords for housing. HUD oversees these with the intent of providing safe decent and affordable housing to those who would not ordinarily have access to such. The contracts that HUD signed with property owners in the past tended to inflate the value of the apartment units. Tha.t meant that many building owners enjoyed added income that they would not have received at a normal market rent. Recent budget concerns in Congress have pushed HUD ro make changes in the way it makes contracts with owners. Now HUD employs people in each state who determine the value of the property and how much rent should be paid. The inspectors who visit the projects also hold meetings with tenants to get their insight. One such meeting happened at January 21, 2000 at Glencoe apartments in Mount Auburn. The Buildings at the sight ¥e 137 years old and have many problems associated with age. The Drug traffic on the corner is brisk and many residents are afraid. Despite this and maybe because of it many people assumed that the residence would not be interested in working to better the environment. Many people assumed that tenants at Glencoe would rather find other places to live than to work to better this one. They were wrong. The meeting starred at 10:30 with several residents of Glencoe waiting outside in the cold for HUD inspecrors and tenant organizers to open doors and ser up. The number tenantS who came ro the meeting out number the HUD officials and ocher guest. This is a rare occurrence since the HUD officials and guest tend to number around 15 people. Approximately 25-30 residents were in attendance. The meeting was held in an empty apartment, which gave non-residents the chance ro see the condition of an actual apartment. The Apartment had high ceilings with tall windows over looking an empty lot in the back and the street from the front. Steps led up from the foyer ro the living room space. More steps led from rhe first level ro the two bedrooms and bathroom. With the chairs setup in the living room area, people took seats and the meeting was called ro order. The HUD representative went over some basic facts about tenants housing and then started to ask tenants about conditions. The tenants were very forthright with answers to the question. The main areas of concern seem to be the lack of a working play area for children and heating. le seems that many residents are forced turn on . their srove and open them for heat. Residents say that the furnace does not properly heat the building. The temperatu re inside their apartments often does nor feel that much warmer than the outside. Another concern is the lack of proper playground for the children. The sire currently has two play areas designated. One site is made up of a platform with stairs and has wood planks leaning up against it. The other sire has no recognizable playground equipmenc. The Residents also expressed concern with overzealous police. The police are accused of covering their badges when they tell residents to go back into their homes. They also say that the police are quick to draw guns and that they once pulled guns on a person with an orange colored water gun. One resident said, "I don't know what is worse the drugs or the police?" The Residents also expressed positive things about their community. Many people find that access ro area attractions and services are a plus. Many parks are in walking distance of the apartments. Kroger's, Walgreen's, and Blockbuster are minutes away. Churches of all faiths are in the neighborhood also. The biggest draw is that residents live in the shadow of Christ hospital. Overall residents said that they wanted the problems with their homes fixed so that they could enjoy the large apartments and access to neighborhood resources. Other meetings will be held when HUD and the owner come to an agreement rent cost. �STREETVIBES COLERAIN CONNECTOR · MONSTER REAPPEARS Proposed Colerain Conne~tor, Northside Neighborhood destroyer, may not be dead after all. Certain unnamed political figures in Hamilton County and ODOT are trying to resur­ rect a portion of the Viaduct ( bottom of Colerain Ave.) at the last minute, trying to spoil the two-year community effort to incorporate these lands for neighborhood use. If you are interested in helping us defeat this monster, contact Mike McCleese, Coalition Against the Colerain Connector, 542-8609 DONALD WHITEHEAD RESIGNS as Director of the Greater Cincin­ nati Coalition for the Homeless?? Yep! Gone to the greener pastures of Goodwill, Inc., Gone to rustle up some Jobs for people. All of us at GCCH are going to miss him alot (though he still pops in from time to time) You can reach him at his GoodwilJ office: 421-4501, ...... and resumes for Direetor of GCCH are being accepted by our Coordinating Commit­ tee. Call 421-7803 for more information The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine ~~~ ~ II .Fund Page 18 Calendar of Events • liomeleaa,Children'• DON'T MISS THE 34th Annual "Children's Faces Without Places" BENEFIT on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2000 ­ We are seeking donations ofany value. T he benefit will be held on. All donations will be recognized at the benefit and are fully tax deductible. Over 1000 invitations will be senc and the benefit will be well publicized. The Project Connect Homeless Children's F und was created to support Project Connect, which endeavors to provide educational opportunities for homeless children and youth. Project Connect provides a strong voice ofadvocacy paired with specialized educational services as well as life-style edu cation ah enrichment opportuni ties for children who have neither a voice nor a choice in being homeless. Project connect is the only program in our area exclusively serving homeless children. Since its inception in 1996, the program has served over 5,000 children. Project Connect is me sole beneficiary of funds. In response, Project Connect Homeless Children's Fund offers scholarships to homeless children for a variety ofreasons, including music, art and spores. Questions, call 513-357-5720 Project Connect Ho~eless Children's Fund P.O. Box 23300, Cincinnati, Oh 45223 Ph: (513) 588-8754. Fax: (5 13) 559-0449 Streetvibes VENDORS' NEWS Canvas Bags for Streetvibes vendors will soon be_available. Come by to give us your ideas on design changes. There are presently three sites where vendors are specifically invited to sell papers - Bellarman Chapel at Xavier University, Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash, and now, First Unitarian Church on Reading in Avondale. Usually two vendors are chosen to sell at these events. Ifyou are interested in the opportunity, please let us know. The times of the month for these events vary somewhat, so come in and find out for sure. Currently, vendors receive 25 extra papers for selling 100 within any particular week (7-day period), and 100 extra papers for selling over 500 papers during the month (issue to issue). Don't forget, you can get free papers for submitting stories, poetry, art work, or photography that is used in Streetvibes, the number subjectively dependent upon how much the editor ne~ds your stuff at the moment. (usually anywhere from 10 to 100 papers[for a major story]) Free papers also given for tips leading to stories. If you want to tack a shot at photojournalism, you can obtain a one-time-use camera at the - Homeless. Coalition office.... . ..... - - - ­ This month Srreervibes is starting a calendar ofevents to keep you informed ofhappenings ar(Jund the Greater Cincinnati area. Please callus ifyou have an item to list. Any submission is welcome: local community council meetings. and programs, socialjustice forums or protests, community festivals, art shows, etc. ~ hope it can serve as a resourcefor those wanti,ng to get involved in their. communities. Ifyou would like to add your organization's events to Streervibes' Calendar, please contact john, ]£ss, or Tom at 421-7803, fax us at 421-7813, or e-mail at streetvibes@juno.com. FEBRUARY 2 Spruce Up Grant Park meeting 12:00 pm, Contact Center, 1641 Vine St. 381-4242 3 Welfare Rights Coalition meeting (potluck) 12:00 pm, Contact Cenrer, 1641 Vin 38 1-4242 4 Safety Committee meeting 1:30 pm, Contacc Center, 1641 Vine St. 381-4242 5 Statewide Ohio Empowerment Coalition meeting, 11:00 am, First Old Presbyterian Church, 1101 Bryden Rd., Columbus (for cransportarion call the Contact Center, 38 1-4242) 8 Organizing Over-the-Rhine, full group meeting 12:00 pm, Contact Center, 1641 Vine Sr. 381-4242 10 Save Our Schools meeting 5:30 pm, Peaslee Neighborhood Cence~, 215 E. 14'h St. 381-4242 16 Park & Recreation Com~ittee meeting 12: 15 pm, Contact Center, 1641 Vine 381-4242 . 17 Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless membership meeting 1:30 pm, Drop Inn Center, 217 W. 12th . St. 421-7803 28 Over-the-Rhine Community Council , meeting, 5:00 pm ,, Nast Trinity UMC, 1310 Race St. Looking Ahead... APRIL 14- 14 Statewide Welfare Conference, sponsored by the Ohio Empowerment Coalition Francis Fox Piven, Keynote Speaker Lenox Inn, Reynoldsburg (Q �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 19 Homeless Civil Rights VISTA position ~till open Streetvibes TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas for future shows, call us at 421-7803 Streetvibes Live Radio Hour ADVIRTISI IN STRllTVIBIS Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The c: CD ce > Help a good cause while promoting yourself to over 5,000 concerned people each month. _ Homeless Coalition's live radio program. c: The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Business Card Size <¢, ~ 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ~Two Business Card Size 4"x31/2" $20 per month Larger Adds also available ANSWERS TO WOR D SCRAMBLE Bl h zar~ , ' . Storm Typhoon Tor na do S lee t Hu rri cane Thunder S now Hai I If you ·need assistance in designing your ad or have any other questions, call us at 421 -7803. Please send your add by the 20th of preceeding month, accompanied by your check I money order, to Streetvibes, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210 (See Front Page article, January Streetvibes) Gina Miller, former Rapid Exit housing specialist at the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless, has decided not to .take this GCCH Cincinnati-based position, So ---It's still available! Qualifications: Education: Bachelor's Degree preferred. Experience: Organizing skills, expe­ rience with homeless people or desire to work with fragile populations., acministrative experience, fund raising experience, leadership qulaities. A strong desire to work on constructing a project to protect the rights of homeless people. Skills: Basic computer skills in word processing and/or data processing helpful, and communication skills are important. Worki ng Hours: 40 hours/week. No more than one weekend per month; no more th<:m two evenings per week. Project ends one year after start date. Second year possible. Compensation: About $728 per month+ Medical insurance: and $4,700 education award --or smaller cash stipend --after a year of service in VISTA. Apply to: NEOCH, 2012 West 25th ST. #717 Cleveland, Ohio 44113, FAX 241 -1047 For information or an application, call 241 -1104 We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. Streetvibes accepts Classified Ads for items such. as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. · People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421-7803 for more information :J/(aleup, :J/(ash, 7/ccessories j9.J c:Sprins 9 r ot1e, Y!t1e. Ginc ir111a!t; Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to: GCCH, 1506 Elm Str~et, Cincinnati , OH 4521 O or fax it to 421-781 3, or e-mail to streetvibes@juno.com Oliio 4S22J Sl!J-S4/ -MOJ Caren '!Jou119 -- ....._ r Rapid Exit , assists families and individuals Coming Soon: in moving rapidly from homelessness to permanent housing T he Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Calendar, featuring the incomparable photography of Jimmy Heath. for more information contact The Greater Cincinnati Coalition For The Homeless : 42 1-7803 and ask for Melissa Samhan ~ es:. . ~\. ~ .•. ·. ¥' ~ .... ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION ,. Disc-Jockey Service ~s~ CLIFFORD JONES Stayed tuned to find Ol;lt how to get your very own! (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesacp@tbol.net ~ \... •-. • • t .. # # . . . .,, # • • . , . . . . . . . ._. . . . . ~ ,,.. . . . .. . . . _.. . . . . . . . . . . . , •• ~• • • . , . . . . . . . . . , ! . . ., • • -- --....----- ..... . .. ------.. - - . - ... - . - ...... ,.--...--- ..-- ,..--. .... .. ...... - .. - -----.. - -- - ... . ~ ~ ~ �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES TV Schedule Check us out, We 're on TV! The Streetvlbes TV Soow is produced at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati · Community Video), 2114 Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. February Schedule Broadca~t Dates for January's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 10 PM Saturday, Feb. 19th, at 5 PM Tuesday, Feb: 22nd, at 10AM Thursday, Mar. 2, at 1OAM . Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. StreeMbesVendor code Volunteers Needed! Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1. StreeMbes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree .not to ask for dona­ tions more than $1. t also understand that l will be al>le to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. li'uture Issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from : the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute StreetVibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. l agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive l~age or force someone to give a donation. I will not gtve a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5 . .J agree that I will not suppty copies of 'Streetvibe~ to persons ·who are not regts(ered ~ Page 20 Streetvibes is looking for volunteer writers, reporters, photographers, etc. interested in serving on the Streetvibes Editorial Board. For more information, please call the office at 421-7803 6. I agree not to deCetve the pub]c by saying that I am co'Uec;ttng for a not-for-profil chartty or that I am collecting for the "homeless" ln general I will be honest In s~ that all the profilskom the saleof Streetvi.beswill go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest terrttorteswlth other - ~ 8. I ungerstand l:hatSlreet.uibes st:rtves tobe a self­ supporlingpaper created by peoplewho are homeless or formerly homeless. To help In thi$ effort. I will try to spread the word and wrtfe stortesJf po8§ihle. 9. I undCrStand thatfailure to c.OinP1Y With:aey of tlieaboveStatements wtllresulf in meno longer being able to distribute StmetvlheS. Wish Lis't Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on· a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items or our wish list, please.give us a call ... o Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and sugar, etc.) O Photography Help of all sorts for Streetvibes- photographers, film, developing , {a digital camera?) o Advertisers and Subscribers o Computers/components (monitors, hard drives, etc.) for story-writing, editing, research, and future home­ less computer lab- Streetvibes has a minimal overhead costs so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clc Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a. private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Cincinnati, OH 4521'0 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com Thanksforyoursupp~rt. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you· find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or .S ervices. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) !-888-872-9259 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 281-5770 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 431-871 7 Salvation ArmY, Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America SHELTER: Both Caracole (A IDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfa ith Hospitality Netwoi:t< •• -:· :i'"" 4 • • • • ",:' .: ... • .,,.. • - .; .... .. ·_ 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381 -1954 761 -1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244-7226 ~ - AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241 -2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Genter 381-4242 Emanuel Community· Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621 -7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357 -4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721 -4811 ­ Mary Magdalen House Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women O.D.A .A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A . Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES .. -. . ~. ~. I, . 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 3'81-0954 639-7056 961-4555 241-7343 961 -4663 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 Oral Health Council Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid 820-2947 861-9966 381 -6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center Women Helping Women . ... . ~ ··---~. ~ .. ·;,;.. -~ ... • - l' - 621-02~8 621-6364 621-5514 721-7660 721-7900 572-6226 491-3335 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Artists Rally and Jam in Support of the Drop Inn Center Pg 2: City Plants Replacement for Community Council Pg 3: Drop Inn Center Continued Pg 4: The Purple Turtle: Save Over-the-Rhine…from the Kunzel’s Nightmare Pg 5: National News Pg 6: Center Helps Drug Users in Nepal Find Hope Pg 7: Arts & Poetry Pg 8: Arts & Poetry Continued: Street Corner PolitiX Pg 9: Prison News Pg 10: Prison News Continued: The Death Penalty Pg 11: Prison News Continued: In Memory of “Little Rock Reed” A victory for Human Rights Pg 12: Welfare News Pg 13: News from Across the River Pg 14: Editorials & Letters Street Scopes Pg 15: Street Scopes Continued 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 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter Warren Perkins Melissa Samhan Jimmy Heath Berta Lambert D. Jackson Mike Henson Steve Lansky Warren Perkins Lynn Williams Te’tro Amaru Joan Rohrer Tree Mosolf John Halpin Berta Lambert Sonny Williams Rodney Sutton Pat Mitchell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Artists Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Carl Walker community council Covington Death Penalty Drop Inn Center Editorials & Letters Human Rights Joan Rohrer John Halpin Lemuel Israel Lynn Williams Mike Henson nationwide news Over-the-Rhine Pat Mitchell prisoners news Rodney Sutton Sonny Williams Steve Lansky Te' Tro Amaru the broken city The Traveler Tom Billman Tree Mosolf Warren Perkins welfare news https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/3dc48dfbf1dfd44f0fcd926a5e756020.pdf f5e5b482c368e3e455d5d6aa6d030634 PDF Text Text January 2000 National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project Collles to Cincinnati In response ro increasing civil rights abuses, Th e Nation al Coalition for the H o meless is coordinating a locally-based national movement to protect the civ'il rights of people who are homeless. N CH has chosen C incinnati as one of the sites for this narional project. A Vista Position has been created for the local project, which is working out of the office of GCCH, the Greater Cincinnati C oalition for the Homeless, and working closely with NEOCH, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (Cleveland). Gina Miller, who up till the first of me year was G C CH's Rapid Exit ho using specialist, will now be directing h~r efforts roward developing a program to: end d iscrimination against homeless people, prevenr rhe misguided policy of using existing laws to target homeless people, and reduce the n umber of hate crimes directed a t homeless and very low income individuals. ROOTS OF THIS NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT: By definition, people who are homeless live in public. A lack of housing forces them to do in public what everyone prefers to do in private. T his indignity is one of many reasons we seek to end homelessness. Unfortunately, it has also become the battleground for the most fundamental defense of people who happen to be homeless: the right to exist. The Criminalization of Homelessness In cities with an admitted lack of day shelters and few jobs chat pay a .living wage, people who are homeless sometimes rest at bus stops or on sidewalks. Tucson, Arizona, has made it unlawful co be at a bus stop for more the 30 minutes. Police in Seattle, Washington, have been instructed co fine or arrest people who are homeless for sitting on ·che sidewalk. In cities with an admitted lack of affordable housing, people who are homeless a.re forced to carry their worldly goods with them wherever they go. In Beverly Hills, California, ic is crime punishable by a fine or jail time co set baggage down on the sidewalks. In Georgetown, a trendy part of Washington, DC, an archaic pare of rhe Discricr Code is being applied to fine or arrest people for storing property (including people themselves) in doorways. T here is an esrimaced 24 million people on the waiting list for public housing in this country. Despite this acknowledgment of insufficient housing options, the city mothers and fathers of Dallas, Texas, and many ocher cities across chis country (including Phoenix, · Jacksonville, Columbus, Boston, Austin, New Orleans, Long Beach , Virginia Beach, Adanra, Sacram ento, Tulsa, M iami, and Buffalo) have made it· ilJegal to camp or sleep in a park. The flaws in chis effort to criminalize homelessness are as numero u~ as they are obvious. T hough no one should ever have to sleep in a park or beg fo r food, making chose acts inco criminal offenses does not help the people d riven by desperatio n ro commit them. T hese city ordinances (and similar stare statues) are misguided because they seek to hide homeless people; not end homelessn ess. They are unjust because they seek co punish people for being poor. Because people who are homeless don\ have the option not ro sleep in public, walk through parking lots, set down baggage, etc. these 'laws are illogical. We have laws against arson because we each have the choice of nor burning down buildings. People who are forced to live on the streets don'c have options - if they did, they wouldn't be there. Though it is easier for cities ro attack homeless people than to attack the root causes of homelessness, it wastes scarce resources and human cime, energy, and dignity. It cosrs much much less to secure permanent housing than to p ut people in jail and prison-even shelters (still more expensive th an permanent housing in the long run) cost less than incarceration. Thousands of citations have been issued nationwide. Police continuously misapply and selectively enforce existing laws in order to harass people who are homeless and move them from parks co neighborhoods to alleys and back into parks. This strategy demonizes poor people and feeds negative public sentiment to target people who experience homelessness, rather than the root causes of homelessness itself. In addition to its other effects, the criminalization efforts rear our focus away from long term, permanent solutions in order to fight for the right of people who are homeless to simply exist. Our greatest victories in combating these new civil rights attacks will only secure an already inhumane status quo. With this in mind, we must build a locaHy-based national movement to protect t~e civil rights of people who are homeless that can seamlessly-even simultaneously-work to end homelessness once chese discriminatory threats are eliminated. .Our Response Our plan co prevent and combat the violation of homeless people's civil rights fo cuses on linking homeless individuals and families, and the grassroots effons chat they lead, inro a national nerwork in order forti fy those local efforrs and to snengthep cooperation. This plan will result in a coordinated sharing of srrategies, a greater ability ro fighr effectively, and increased public awareness ­ all geared coward abolishing discrimination against people who are homeless.. The National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Projecr (NHCROP) will have seven regional organizing posts in different regions of che country: Ease, Midwest, Soucheasc, Northwest and Sourhwest, plus a nacional office in Washingron, DC. Proposed field offices include Arlan ta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Pordand, San Francisco, and Washingt0n D C. Scaff people ac each location will work ro bring together the efforrs of all local homeless advocacy groups and to fortify efforcs in communities that are resource-poor. People who are or were homeless will be hired to fill all-field staff and AmeriCorps*VISTA positions created by NHCRO P. It is roo ofren the case that rhe harshest anci-homel~ss attacks occur in those communities chat lack the resources co organize an immediate, effective response. N HCROP will n-:ak.! ir much easier for such locales to hook into th e knowledge, experiences and resources of ocher 'c ivil rights efforts in order co improve their ability to best protect the civil rights of people who are homeless. One of the primary ·goals of the organizing project is to collect and . use video documentation of police and private security guard abuse of homeless people, along with interviews of individuals who are victims of such abuses. Hundreds of hours of videotape have already been shoe, and che abuses continue to stack up. Commun ities that presently document civil rights violations on tape (e.g., San Francisco, Aclanra and New York StreetWatch programs) find chat having abuses on tape acts as both a deterrent co future abuse and a powerful advocacy and educational tool. Taking rhese functions further still, NHCROP will combine the footage co AJ show- the similarities between tactics used by different local governments, BJ organize a well-planned counter-campaign against existing or proposed anti-homeless laws, and CJsupport groups attempting to set up or expand documentation efforts. Finally, we can use this information as a springboard co pointing out th e contradictions in blaming the victim and the lack of appropriate policies for ending homelessness. At chat point we will be able to articulate more proactive, cooperative community initiatives and organize for their adoption and implementation. Focused on the civil righcs of all people, CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, Continuedonpage 2 �· STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri-State ' s Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month, 12 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Staff Donald Whitehead, Director Susan Knight, Administrative Coordinator Streetvibes Editor Tom Billman, Ron Carter, Vendor Support Gina Miller, Homeless Civil Rights Warreri Perkins, Tenant Organizing Melissa Samhan, Rapid Exit Program Writers Donald Whitehead Mike Weiman Tom Billman John Chetuck Lynn Williams Rodney Sutton Azariah Israel Alexandra Rae el-Katib ...... and more ........... . Graphics Sketches and Cartoons by D. Jackson, Howard Dease, T. Billman...... Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513)421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text-only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached files) 1/1/eb page: http://cinci.com/gcch The Streetvibes Newspaper Planning Committee is about to resume its monthly planning meetings. Ifyou are interested in giving us a hand, please call 427-7803. CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT, Continuedfrompage 7 NHCROP seeks to address discriminacion nor only through our organizing, bur also in che way we are organized. Our membership is open and is as inclusive as possjble. Moreover, we actively encourage those service providers and housed advocaces involved ro engage people who are or were homeless in chis effort. lt is our expeccation char the bulk of our leadership and membership and all of our new staff will be people who are or were homeless. Ir is in this way char we seek to consistently address the issues of racism, sexism, and classism char can - if we are not vigi lant - create incongruities in our values and an imbalance between our incernal structure and rhe outward manifestation of our organizing. People who have no choice but to be homeless have no choice but to be public. To punish them for this heaps injustice on top of indignity. As one Santa Monica woman who is homeless wondered, "When does it stop? Are we going to push homeless people off the face of the earth? l do have a right ro .exjsc. I have the righc to food, clotlling and shelter because r live." GOALS OF THE HOMELESS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT: • To develop a model "'bill of rights" for customers of shelters and homeless social service organizations, which can be used throughout the State. Page 2 Homeless Protected Class Resolution to be presented to U.S. Congress The Protected Class Resolution for the Indigent Homeless Population calls for Protected Class status for homeless and low-income people earni ng I00 percent or less of the Federal Poverty guidelines. Approved by the National Coalition for the Homeless' Civil Rights Work Group and its Board of Directors in April 1998, it is the vehicle the National Homeless Civil Rights Organi zing Project (NHCROP) will use to guarantee homeless people's civil rights in it attempts to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include the indigent homeless population. Based upon the United States government's 'state party status' to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Habitat Agenda - which guarantee basic econom ic, social, and cultural rights, and protection against discrimination - the resolution is the homeless person's bill of rights and calls for protection from: laws against sleeping in public, acts or laws interfering with their right to travel, unfair wages, laws that disregard personal property, violence and hate crimes, and being characterized and treated as non-citizens. NHCROP, in coordination with other national civil rights organizations, will soon begin a national campaign to introduce this resolution as civil .rights legislation to the US Congress. NCH's Protected Class Resolution Where As, the United States government has adopted ~<fl is pai:ty to the United Nations'. • Io organize a steering committee of . · docuirie.ilt reflirenced "aS.iJ1e Univer~at" ~ : homeless people in cities tlrn?ughout Ohio to. implement the goals of rhe Americorp VlSTA Decla.r:ation pf Human Rights, which '·confers program. This committee will work with on every member of society a right to basic traditional civil rights organizations in each economic, social and cultural e ntitlements that community to raise awareness of the civil rights every (nation) state should recognize: serve, needs of homeless people. and protect, of which food, clothing, medical * To develop a training program for care, and housing are definitive components of security personnel, businesses and police forces to the right to a minimum standard of living and sensitize organizacions to the special needs of dignity," and homeless people iri che community in which they· reside. * To work with local Coalitions and service providers to assure that homeless people know their rights and have an effective mechanism for reporting violacions. * To develop a training program for homeless journaljsts to increase awareness and communication on the sueets. This will allow some members in the horyieless community to develop skills that could lead co fucure employment. * To coordinate a public awareness can:paign of the violations of human rights of homeless people and the need for empowering and nurturing services to assisc homeless people. * To create a database within Ohio that not only documents local efforts co criminalize homelessness, bur also documents effective policies that move the mosc noticeable and hard to serve members of the homeless commtmity into stable housing. Where As 1 the United. States Goyemment bas adopted, and is party to the United Nations document; the Habitat Agenda, which calJs for certai n actions that include but are not limited to: protection against discrimination, legal security of tenure and equal access to land including for women and 'the poor; and effective protection from illegal forced evictions, "taking human rights into consideration, bearing in mind that liomeless people should not be penalized for their status; by adopting policies aimed at making housing habitable, affordable and accessible, including those who are unable to secure adequate housi ng through their own means", and Where As, the United Nations document: Habitat Agenda, calls for the "Effective monitoring and evaluation of housing conditions, including the extent of homelessness and inadequate housing and in consultation with the affected population, formulating and adopting appropriate housing policies and implementing effective strategies and plans to address those problems," and The Homeless Civil Rights project begins in Where As, there is a shortage of affOJdable Cincinnati on January 24. Find out what you housing stock nati onwide, and can do to help prevent and combat the Where As, the national minimum wage is an violation of homeless people's civil rights. Call Gina Miller at 421-7803 continuednextcolumn �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine insufficient amount of money to secure safe, decent, affordable housing even at the most basic financial level, and Where As, more than the minimum wage is required in every state to be able to afford even a one bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent, as set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Where As, the combined effect of these and other circumstances create a group of people that have no alternatives to living on the streets of our nation, and Where As, it is estimated that nationwide, there are at least 760,000 persons living without a permanent, fixed, individual residence on any given night, and Where As, at least 40% of our nations homeless population are United States Veterans, and Where As, approximately 25% of the single · adult homeless population suffers from some fo rm of severe mental illness, and Where As, the fastest growing segment of our nation's homeless population is women with children, and Where As, 36.5 million men, women, and children of all ages are living in poverty of whom are already homeless), and (ma~y Where As, there has been a collective, concerted governmental effort at city and county levels to devise laws and ordinances that find homeless people guilty of having committed a crime for simple acts such as sleeping in public, and Where As, there are certain life sustaining acts such as eating, breathing and sleeping that must be conducted by all persons including those that are.homeless who must conduct these acts in public, and Where As, these laws and ordinances are designed to criminalize and sweep these homeless persons from our nation 's streets and imprison them, without regard for their personal safety or care for their personal belongings, for no reason other than they are lacking housing and as a result, are characterized as non-citizens, and are deprived of their basic human rights, and Page 3 such circumstances constitute cruel and unusual punishment and impinge upon these persons access to travel, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that persons without a fixed , permanent, individual place of residence, and those that are earning 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or less, are sufficient in number, characteristics, and vulnerability to comprise a distinct class of people, and as a result, shall hence forth constitute a Protected Class with all rights and protections afforded under such a designation. Here in after, this Protected Class will be referred to as the Indigent Homeless Population. AND FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that as a J:>rotected Class they will be protected: -from laws against sleeping in public, -from acts or laws interfering with their right to Where As, these impoverished persons are travel, targeted and often made victims of malicious hate crimes and selective enforcement of these laws and ordinances, and -from wages that are so low that they are Where As, camping, sleeping and other anti­ homeless laws are being enforced at a time when emergency housing shelters are consistently full and no housing alternatives remain available, and denied access to housing, -from laws or practices that disregard their rights of ownership, and protections for their personal belongings, -from being made targets of hate crimes, and -from being characterized and treated as noncitizens. Where As, the enforcement of such laws under The New Callousness .........Arianna Buffington Judge Judy, the doyenne ofsyndicated self-righteousness, solidified chat preeminence two weeks ago at a literary luncheon in Brisbane, Australia. On tour to promote her new book, "Beauty Fades, Dumb Is Forever," she suggested that instead ofattempting to control AIDS and hepatitis by providing clean needles to drug adldicts we should "give them all dirty needles and let them die." Instead ofresulting in universal derision (and, even more justly, a lightning bolt from the sky) this stunning proposal evoked cheers from her fans in the audience. But it got not a mention from the U.S. press (indeed, if it weren't for the people at Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, I never would have heard about it). Granted, Judge Judy isn't William Rehnquist, but the sharp-tongued, dull-witted jurist's opinions - doled out on her top-rated 1V show - are heard by millions more people than the ChiefJustice's. Worse, her views reflect a disturbing trend in our culture coward getting the "love" out of rough love. Call it the New Callousness: . turning an indifferent shoulder to anyone ­ drug adclicts, the homeless, those behind bars - who hasn't had the good sense to become a bull-market rider. After all, they're getting in the way of the Panglossian message chat all is well "in this best of all possible worlds." Evidence of chis cold spot on the national heart is all around us. In New York, Mayor Rudy (rhymes with Judge Judy) rang in the holiday season by ordering the (http://www.ariannaonline.com) NYPD to step up its efforrs to sweep the city's streets of homeless people by arresting them for so-called "quality-of-life" crimes. Declaring that rhe city has not been strict enough in rousting people "who don't belong there," Giuliani claimed char the right to sleep on the streets "doesn't exist anywhere. The founding fathers never put that in the Constitution." He doesn't seem too keen on the homeless living in city shelters either: He recently announced that anyone wanting to stay in one would have to work or face expul-sion - mental illness or not. Apparently, he prefers sending chem to jail, where mental-health-unit beds cost $91,000 annually. It costs $20,000 for a bed in a shelter and $12,000 for the supervised apartments char remain woefully underfunded, even though they have proven the most effective in dealing with chronic homelessness."There were times," Mayor Rudy said, "in which we romanticized this to such an extent that we invited people to do it." Ah, yes, the romance of sleeping under the scars in a cardboard box in the dead of winter. Proving that heartlessness cues across party lines, Willie Brown, San Francisco's liberal mayor, is overseeing his own crackdown on the homeless - just in time for his upcoming runoffelection against even-r,nore-liberal rival Tom Ammiano. Brown is clearly reveling in this rare chance to stake our the "conservative" position in the race - going so far as to arrest homeless advocates for handing out soup and sandwiches to the poor. "Advocate types claim I'm the most hostile" to the homeless, said Brown. "That's not true. I'm not the most generous. I'm not the most hostile. But I am the most firm." Call Tony Bennett, it's time for a rewrite: "I lost my heart in San Francisco." In fact, more and more of our cities are using the police to enforce arcane laws - such as sanitation statures that make it illegal to leave cardboard !?oxes in a public place - to get the homeless off the streets, including many homeless veterans who risked their lives for their country. In Los Angeles, Ted Hayes, who has devoted his life to working with the homeless, calls the coast-to-coast crackdown "status cleansing." "For us to turn to outlawing our homeless citizens," he told m e, "is a betrayal of the promise ofAmerica· 'Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me.' Perhaps the Statue of Liberty should be turned around ro face this country." Transforming human beings into nuisances - problems chat must be eradicated - is a dangerous step along the deadly path of dehumanization. It takes very little to end a life that has been stripped ofits humanity. Which is exactly what is happening in D enver, where this fall seven homeless men have been bludgeoned to death, two of the victims beheaded. Is this the logical endgame for a culture so intent on celebrating its "winners" chat it has no room left for life's losers? �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 Brief History of American Holneless Society The history of the Am erican Homeless sociery begins in a small Texas rown, where poverty and racism had me nailed since birth. My parenrs had eight children, while chey worked long and hard in restaurants, cafes and bars, ro pay the bills. The good news was that they brought home plency of leftovers to eat, and the bad news is chat rhey would usually come home drwik and fighting, moth and nail. l was rheir fifth child, and hardly knew chem. They loved us, bur by sunrise, I would hie the streets or go fishing, co avoid the daily warfare in om home. In the first grade, l only knew Spanish, and had no shoes co wear at school. My careered clothes were baggy hand-me-downs from my older brothers, and we had no hoc water for showers, or hearing in the house. M y first bicycle had no cites or rubes, just rims which rolled me noisily co school. Withottt brakes, I ran inro a car or rwo, but 1 had to have a bicycle like my peers. The only thing 1 undersrood rhe first year of school was "the bell," e.g., when to eat, recess and go home. Jn my second year, I kind of figured our how tbe English language worked, so I could ralk ro the White and Black people, but unril then, f just copied what studenrs around me did, and turned ir lrl. In the third grade, che shadowy racism against "Mexicans" that permeated the small Texas town hit me hard, and by the sixth grade, I was ready to qufr school. I could learn English, but J could not change my ethnicity or color of ski'n. Fortunately, the music reacher asked me to join his band in the seventh grade, and I jumped ar the opportunity. My interest in the band sustained me through high school, and I even planned to go ro college, to become a band director, roo. l wor~ed my way through high school as a fry cook. Du(ing my senior year, however, my family moved to California, where my father gor a job as a cook, too. I tried to stay in my hometown by myself-to at least graduate from high school with my lifelong friends-but r missed my fam ily coo much. I j umped on a bus in January, 1995-to be reunited wirh my family-and I graduated from a California high school rhac year among rotal strang­ ers. ln my fo rlorn srace, I lose interest in music, and joined rhe Marines, after all. After boor camp and infantry training, I was stationed wirh the Marine Corps Band ar Parris Island (SC), and then wirh che Firsr Marine Division By Ruben Botello, Founder Band near Danang, in 1968. We were overrun in 1969, and some of my musician Marine friends were killed and wounded during the battle. I lose other friends in Vietnam, and I was put on an airplane home a few weeks later, more dazed, confused and bitter rhan ever. I tried college on the GI Bill for awhile, but qi1it to work full-rime, so I could rent my own place to live. Unforrunarely, I was soon living in my care, driving aimlessly along the Pacific Coast Highway, and unable to hold a job. In 1970, I returned to college, and starred ro understand how racism, poverry and Vietnam had affected my life. I decided co become a lawyer, to change rbe world, but I soon dropped our, and was homeless, again. In 197 1, I again returned to college, fell in love and hitchhiked to our wedding in 1972. My wife and I concinued our higher education, and earned our bachelor degrees in 1975. We had two sons by the rime 1 finished law school in 1980, and I worked full-cime as an administrator for various crime prevention programs in Southern California from 1976-82. I taught at the college and university level for four years, and all seemed quite well, until 1982, when my wife abandoned our rwo sons and l, ro live and travel with her multimillionaire employer. Our sons were then ages rwo and five, and we were devastated , to say the least. We wound up homeless from Corpus Christi to Searrle th.at tumulruous year, rolling from ciry ro city in hope and prayer che nighcmare would end . Like a roulecte ball on a wheel, we went around and around from rown to town, as I looked for work and a sense of belonging. By Christmas, 1982, we were back in California, homeless, broke and dejected. We again sl ipped and slid into homelessness in 1987-all rhe way from Los Angeles to Wash­ ingron DC, Erie PA, Salt Lake Ciry, and in so many cities in berween. As the roulerre wheel slowed, we again landed in Californ ia, thoroughly hungry, broke and exhausted from our cross­ coumry homeless rrek. I founded che American H omeless Sociery in 1987, to help ocher homeless and ourselves gee anchored in co a communiry of neighborly love. I decided the lease I could do as a poverty-stricken single parenr was to give my -sons a "hometown," and I did. Nevertheless. the wheel kept rurning againsc us, and ir is still turning coday, as we struggle daily ro sray on our fcec. We scill live on wheels, and ( sananda@northcoast.com) local folks do nor want us around, but we have no place else co go. I was honorably discharged from rhe Marines in 1969, and I have never been arrested, charged or c~nv icced of any crime. 1 worked my way through high school and college, bur now I have to musrcr all rhe rime, energy and resources I have, co deal wich rhe post-trauma stress disorder of the divorce, povecry, racism, homelessness and Vietnam experience that knocked my sons and I out of mainstream sociery in rhe first place. These major barriers and obstacles are like a brick wall that keeps us down and ouc, no macrer how long and hard we struggle to overcome it. I help other homeless with my legal education, but I also have scoliosis, arthritis, a slipped disc and ocher chronic health problems. I am on "GR," and live in an old RV chat has to be moved, periodically. Somecimes it runs, and sometimes it is registered, bur it always leaks, and rhe ro·o f is caving in. If ic gees rowed, I will lose it, altogether. I found my best homeless friend dead .in his van. I certainly do not want co go char way, but I do not believe it is up to me, anymore. 1 do nor dru1k, take drugs, panhandle or steal, because I still believe in chc ren commandments and rhe boy scout mono. I help everyone I can, rich or poor, in their time of need, and it does come back co me now and then. However, whar I see more of in this decade is a great hatred and conrempr for the homeless, and this grieves me very much. There are very real solurions co America's homeless problem, but unril sociery and govern­ ment are willing ro accept us as fellow human beings, we will never 'be created in such a way rhat rhe prob[em can be resolved. Our priorities and ways of life are different from chose of mai nstream America, because we have co make chese adjust­ ments in order to survive. If we fighc our homelessness, we are accused of aberrant, antisocial and even criminal behavior. If we surrender ro our lot, we are branded as lazy worthless bwns. Anyone can slip or slide inro homelessness, regardless of race, color, nationality, religion or creed. Whether it is due to hard times or a narural disaster, all Americans would be wise to remember the next person you see sleeping under a bridge may be you. .........R uben Botelw, Homeless in Eureka Report paints m ost comprehensive picture ever of H omelessness in America A landmark study reports that most people who become homeless have suffered severe hardships - including physical and sexual abuse, dilchxx::t trauma,poverty, a!XXl"ed.Jcaticrl, disability and disease - b'u t are successful in escaping home~ when they get help from federal and other prcigrams. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomoreleased the report,which is the rriost comprehensive study everof homelessness in America_The report i$ titled "Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve," and is filled with revealing statistics that tell the story of people around the nation vvho have fallen thrbugh the social safety net into homelessness. The report said the top priority of homeless people it surveyed was toget ajob-the first step to self-sufficiency. It said 44% of homeless people surveyed worked at leastpart­ time during the past month. • incomeof$348, andhomeless families reported a mean income of$475. In addiOOn, 4C1'A>of raneless people surveyed went without food one or more The report also said that when homeless days in the previous month because they couldn't afford food, compared with 3% of other poor people gethousingassistance and needed services - such as healthcare, substance Americans. * Health and disability problems are abuse treatrrent, mental health services, educ:atim andjob training - 76% of those living in families · common among homeless people. When survey participants were asked about theirhealth and 600/0 of those living alone end their homeless status and move to an improved living situation in the previousmonth, 46%saidtheyhad achronic. ',. health problem such as arthritis or cancer, 3 9% aftercompletion of the assistanceprogram. reported amental health problem, 38%.reported The studyshoVvS homelessness is associated with an alcohol problem, and 2 6% reported a drug problem. 55% said they had no medical insurance. abroad range ofproblems. Itfound that * Homeless people have low educational * Serious problems since childhcxx:I are common levels. The survey found that 38% of.homeless · among homeless people, with 25%report]ng childhoocl physical orsexual abuse, people have less than a high school diploma, 33%reporting rurring 'iJtNa'jfrom horne, and 27% compared with 18%ofthe overall population. This saying they lived in foster care, a group home or makes it harderfor homelesspeople to getjobs. other institution as achild. Formore information or to read the report * Homeless people are among the poorest in on-line, visit the HUD USER the nation, with incomesaveraging half thefederal website athttp://www.hxi.Jser.org/ poverty level. In the 30 days before they were pubfteations/homelehtml• surveyed, single homeless people reported amean • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 5 the men have begun to paint murals. One gentleman, Yamamura-san, can be seen from time co rime standing in the shadows directing the painting. H e mikes che seance ofa Japanese masret· Standing strait, INTERNATIONAL NEWS Down and Out in Tokyo Text and Photographs by] ward Hills boxes in lace January. Please underscand." As wacer cannons srood by, metropolitan security guards and from url=(0057Jhltp://www.webcom.com/whills/ Japan/Homeless/E-lomeless.html In addition to being che busiest and rhe police officers, watched as 50 bystanders, surrounded the homeless and their supporters, who then scarred to scuffle wich police. Three people were arrested for obstructing the police. A Japanese civic group submicted a lecrer co rhe Prime Minister's Office citing that "The Japanese government has approved a United Nations human rights commission resolution that says forcible eviction of homeless people is a human rights violation," the letter continued "The national government bears liveliest train station in Japan, and maybe the world, Shinjuku station has another side has emerged recently bur is not calked about in polite Japanese society. The West side of the scation is known in the tourist guide books as the home of the tall buildings and the City offices of Tokyo representing the powerful economic empire of Japan. But below chese modern monolithic skyscrapers are men who slipped through the cracks of the rising economy and are now living in card board boxes. On the West side of Shinjuku Station live the homeless people. The Japanese economy is well known for cradle to grave employment and support. To be laid-off or fired is almost unheard of; or at least was unriJ the great buqble economy of the 80's bursr. Dedining proflrs, banking crises and inflation ail conspired to force Japanese corporations to violate che long held agreement oflife long security with some of rhe less productive em ployees. Wichouc any social safe[}' nee many fo rmer salary men ended up no longer sitting at rheir desks bur racber on rhe srreet. O ver o ne weekend las r January (1995), merropoliran officials. backed by 350 police officers and security guards, handed an "ultimarum" co abour 200 resid enrs of "cardboard houses" alo ng an underground passageway siruaced at the West side of rhe srarion "This is not a place to sleep; ir's for pedestrians.'' a merropoliran official cold rhe residents wirh a bullhorn Saturday nighr. "The merropol ican government will remove rhe cardboard moral responsibility co demand chat rhe merropoliran governmenr abandon its plan ro construct the moving walkway, which is to be built using taxpayer's money. " According to members of rhe civic group, the Prime Minster's office agreed chat, rhe resol ution should be respected . However, the foreign office said rhe Japanese nation and the UN "are in no posirion" to judge ch e matter, which falls under the jurisdiction of the local government. The homeless were moved our of rhe station. Less rhen a year lacer, chey have reclaimed che srarion. They simply moved down the way a bit and sec up rheir boxes again. T his time rhey have rhe arrenrion of some med ia and a few sim ple phocos dis plays showing rhe bacon and shield equipped police pushing rhem our of their old boxes. ln from of rhe display is a .donarion box. Abour three m onrh s afrer rhe evict ion mosr, or at least the same number. of rhe men have rerurned. Like com munities everywhere chey have raken to decoracing their homes an d sunoundi.ngs. O n the sides of their cardboard houses hands clasped behind his back watching his student attentively, but withouc encouragement. Ac the same time, proud of his art, and ashamed of where be practices it he has supervised the decorating ofa few dozen of the box homes. A few cimes a week the Hari-Krishna come down to the srarion co feed the men. Most of the men line up for a second or third helping of the rice curry. Ir is one of those contrasting images so common in Asia. T he sound oflndian tambourines and voices chancing 'Hari-Krishna' accompanjes the homeless lining up for food while Japanese businessmen walk past in Italian suits and kids pass by in school uniforms. One of the Hari­ Krishna girls chanting has a E nglish Mother and Indian Farher, she grew up as a missionary ro Japan. Sh e is very polite bm does not miss the chance ro hand me a map co the next prayer meeting. The problem of the homeless is nor really addressed much in rhe Japanese p opu lar media or Government. In rhe Japanese language home and family are almost synonymous. With~ou r family co help them chere are few ocher srructure~ in Japan ro lend aide. And even if there were some means of assistance for these men some are so angry at th e society rhey would rather be an nuisance just to make t roubl e. Sti ll o che rs are simply mentally ill and cannor fie into the expectations of the Japanese sociecy. The people of busiest train sratioo in the world all taking part in rhe great Japanese economic miracle; some in silk sufrs some in leather jackets and some in cardboard boxes. Send mail to whills@webcom.com URL: http://www. webcom. comlwhills!]apanl Homeless/Homeless. html Ohio OH99·SOO Cincinnati\Hamilton County (Ohio) Coe Franciscan Home Development, Inc ....................... ............................ . c ::J :c SHP $249,900 Over the Rhine Housing Network ...................................................... . SHPR $168,111 Center for Independent Living Options, Inc.......................................... . SHPR $167,189 City of Cincinnati ............. :................................................................ . SPCR $2,450,340 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati, Inc........................................................ . SHPR $85,050 Hamilton County Dept. of Human Services ............................................ SH PR $366,628 Mr. Justice Watch ............................................................................ . SHPR $183,621 Joseph House, Inc...................................................................... ..... . SHPR $322,983 The Salvation Army Cincinnati, OH ................................................... . SHP $826,980 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati, Inc ......................................... .-............... SHP $157,500 Chabad House of Cincinnati ................................................................ . SHPR $506,041 Franciscan Home Development, Inc..................................................... . SHP $391 ,104 COC Total: ..................................... .. ... .... ................. ........ .. .. .............................. . State Total: $5.875,447 $42.475,359 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine WORD ON THE STREET / '/ We Need Your Creativity! '\ Send your poetry, writings or artwork to Streetvibes, c/o GCCH (Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 4521 O Phone - 513-421-7803, E-mail (text): to streetvibes@juno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net Unfinished Business Will the new advances in technology that herald the new millenium bring with them greater understanding? [Did the Microwave oven herald the end ofworld hunger? Have they found a pill that will uplift the human heart?] No, the miracle char always saves mankind is the one described in the miracle of the loaves and fishes from rhe Bible. In these times when greed is, indeed, nor only justified, but celebrated, it is even a greater miracle when people find it in their hearts to share. In chose times, we discover that our true wealth is our heart, our center, which, when we open up, we find, is limitless. Arts and Poetry HOPE Life is becoming s hort and hard, nights are cold and long. No where to go, no where to sleep, I'm feeling death beneath me. Crying out for help, but no one's around .. .Sad and alone.I feel like going home. Will someone Hear, Listen, Open up their Heart Cause living on the streets is tearing me apart. Finally I hear a Voice come from Above, Telling me to Stay positive and that I'm Loved!!! Reaching out for his Hand, right then, I have to take a stand. Before I sleep I say my Prayer, Hold my head up high: I Pray to God to let Me live because I 've got to stay positive I Pray to God to let me Stay S!rong, Ask for forgiveness for what I've done wrong. I Pray to God for Better Days, cause now I see the Err of my Ways. Look Up, Stay Focused, Be Strong and of Good Courage!!! Blessings and Peace be upon You and All People You Reach. I hope this puts a smile on your face I hope that you are well and safe. Our love will withstand the test of time, Forever yours, forever mine For lonely days or darkest night, It's you I love with all my might. ...... .Azariah Israel Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round Or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight Or gazed at the sun into the fading night? You better slow down D on't dance so fast Time is short The music won't lase. Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply? When the day is done, Do you lie in your bed With the next hundred chores Running through your head? You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast Time is short The music won't last. Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die 'Cause you never had time To call and say "Hi"? You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast Time is short The music won't last. The Spirit of the fountain dies not. It is called the Mysterious Feminine The doorway of the Mysterious Feminine Lingering like gossamer, it has only a hint of existence; And yet when you draw upon it, it is inexhaustible ...from the Tao Teh Ching ..... Tom Billman SLOW DANCE Troy Pitts & Michelle Whyte Is called the Root of Heaven-and-Earth. And our true poverty, is, certainly, our endless clutching at those things which will always disappear before our very eyes, those things which, at the time of our last breath, will reveal themselves as being, truly, without substance. Page 6 When you run so fast to get somewhere You miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away... Life is not a race. Do take it slower Hear the music Before the song is over. hpn@aspin.asu.edu (Sent out by a child dying ofcancer:-­ a message to the world) �STREETVIBES A LTERNATIVE MEDICINE a briefexploration ofthe history, philosophy andpractice ofthe many healing arts that have beun to gain popularity as people lose the1· trust in synthetic drugs and high-tech machines The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine & Hey, Mookie, is this what Ufe have in store for me fortheyear2,000? Don't think about it like that; think about it like this: A poor man with no money is a rich man at heart ~p Page 7 Hey·, man: there's still one thing you do have: the power to change. Garlic A few notes on Allium Sativum ...."pharmacologists in the west... fell into the error of suposing that they were better chemists than Mother Nature who, besides creating compunds coo numerous co mention, also synthesized the aforesaid chemisrs and pharmacologists." (Robert de Ropp) Luckily, researchers have be loking back to the garden lately and discovering chat this socially maligned member of the lily family s a valuable medicine. · ~ fhe Sanskrit word or garlic means "slayer of monsters." Ayurvedic herbalisits oflndia use it fr H ysteria, flatulence, sciatica, learrburn, Asthma, diphtheria, typhoid fever, skin disorders... T he ancient Romans used garlic as a conic for enduring extreme :emperatues while working in the fields. Pliny, the Roman naturalist, recommended ~arlic for respiratory ailments, gastro-inresrinal liso.rders, infections and wounds. . Dur ing the 1721 Palgue in Marseilles, a band )f theives who immunized themselves with garlic, nade great profits robbing the bodies of plague victims. Many cultures have hailed garlic as a potent aphrodisiac. Culpepper, the famous and popular English herblisr, recommended it as a n amidore for herbal poisons such as henbane, hemJock and wolfsbane, as well as a cure fo r the effects of drinking polluted water. Poultices of crushed garlic may relieve che effects of Poison Ivy. Garlic oil can cure athletes foot. Recent clinical evidence suggests that consumng 1-3 cloves of raw garlic per day sign ificandy lowers blood cholesteraol levels and can prevent (or even help cure) arteriosclerosis. Russia;1 scie;1 t~t& ~a\le isolarnd "allicin" from the garlic, which, they say, kills only specific bact~ria, leaving natural helarhy bacteria u~touched. Perhaps the reason it .really works is chat chewing garlic k~eps aw~y all the peop.le who care more about the way you smel than the way you feel, and leaves you with only your true frien ds .... .. ......... TB. Donald Whitehead, with Santa Claus and members ofthe Aiken High School Leadership Team. Donald was there to accept gifts donated to children in shelters by students and faculty theirHoliday Gift Tree Project.... (see The Book ofGarlic, byLloyd J. Harris) .Life on the streets .... by john Chetuck The ocher day a friend asked me co explain what life on the screecs was like. At first I was tempted to answer sarcascically, then I cook a moment co think about it. I mean, here was a chance co dispel some of the misconceptions the public has about homeless people and homelessness. There are a great many misconceptions abouc homeless people; for instance, many rimes I've heard people say char homeless people are all alcoholics, druggies or thieves, or that they are jusc coo lazy co work for a living. I'm here co cell you they're wrong! A long time ago 1 believed the same misconceptions; then I found out the reality when l myself became homeless. Homeless people are far from lazy; indeed rhey have co work harder co survive than many do at cheir jobs. They have ro struggle to get shelter, food, money co gee che things they need, a nd even more so co be neared like a human being. Too often, people fail co realize chat not all homeless people ask for money, or are out for a free ride. Since l ended up on che screecs, I have found that many of my homeless peers work everyday ch rough day labor companies, or do odd jobs, some even collect scrap metal, to make ends meet and get .the things they need co survive, just like cl10se who .aren't homeless, rhe difference being char when rhey gee off work their day is just beginning. I guess che best way to explain what I mean is co share with you my routine after work. Wlie11 J geL home, I have LO go collect wood and cue ic so I can have a fire for warmth and so I can have something co ear, chen I have co go gee warer ro clean my d ishes and cook with, and clean myself up, so I can be prepared for rhe day co come. You see, homeless people have to work harder co get rhe things they need, like a hot shower or a home cooked meal, or even just to have water handy so chey can have something co drink if they wake up rhirsc, the licde things char mosc rake -for granted, like a kind word or a friendly smile can make a world of difference. I uuly feel chat most could learn a few lessons from the homeless community about self-sufficiency and compassion, for I have fou nd char among the homeless popula­ cion there is a sense of community like I've never felt anywhere else. So next rime you see a homeless individual, instead of turning your head or crossing rhe street to avoid chem, perhaps you should try talking to chem or perhaps extend a kind word, or even spend some time with them. You might £nd char you both are the better for it. • • • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Prison News Page B \ ~~; ' .. ~.. ., "Freedom." To the Citizens ofthe United States ofAmerica: The United States ofAmerica, a country founded on the principal that all men are created equal. A country founded by immigrants from all over the world. A place founded for the purpose of political and religious freedom! Let us look at the definition of"Freedom'': The state ofbeing · free and independent. How can the United States claim to be a country of freedom? When they hold men as hostages in our jails and prisons. They are held just because they are not United States citizens. What kind of freedom is this? I thought that all men were equal. Men are incarcerated after being allowed to come to this country who have established a family, jobs and their life. Men who have paid tax.es and ar.e trying hard to learn the American way of life and tradition. Then they are told to leave their families and return to their original countries. Nobody told our ancestors they had to leave, and most of them were criminals from their native countries. These immigrants are held in jail without bail and then deported and taken away from their lived ones and everything rhey ever worked for. This is injustice, the definition of which is: "Violation of ones rights". Do these people not have the right to live with their families? Do they not have the right to become "Americans". What ever happened to "Liberty and justice for all?" . ' ~ . t· - - --·-·-·······-·· ----- ·-···- · - ----- - - ---:- - ---,.,.----·- -- ­ divorced. On )uly 23, 1999 the INS came into his restaurant and arrested him and he has This is written on behalfof.Mahmoud­ El-Khatib and his children: Alexandra Rae, Hanna Marie, Said El-Khatib Mahmoud Hussein and daughter Alexis Hussein, Samuel McKeKonnen andfamily, Samiri Ismail and family..... Please contact your president, Vice President, Janet Reno~ Senators, Governors, 'Newspaper and. TV stations. Please demana the release of·the immigrants held at DHRC in Dayton~ Ohio and all over this country! Please Help us free the immigrants and send them home to their.families today. Thank you and God Bless You. Mahmoud Hussein was born on September lO'h in Egypt. He has been in the United States since 1983. He has always worked and paid his taxes in this country. Mahmoud was married to an American Woman and they share a daughter together named Alexis born January 24, l 997 . Things didn't work our for \ ) bee~ in custody s.ince this·time. He was arrested for a non-violent crime that happened many years ago, for which he did his time and paid for his mistake. (After he found out about the death ofhis mother he was so depressed that he received a couple ofDUis, and this is all that they have on him.) Mahmo~d has been separated from his daughter since the INS arrested him. This man truly loves his daughter and it is breaking his heart being kept away from her. Alexis is sure a daddy's girl; she thinks the world of him. They have a very close relationship. Alexis just started talking, but you can sure make ,o ut "D ada" . for a crime for which he has already paid. This just isn't fair to either of them. Supposedly, in this country you can not be tded for the same crime twice; so why is he being treated any different that the American citizens? Is it because he is an Immigrant? If so, this is discrimination and this is against the law in America - right? Mahmoud needs his daughter just as much as she needs him, if not more so. Alexis is his reason for living and if the.INS deports her father, they will be breaking the hearts of this family. We can't let the INS keep destroying the lives of these men just because they were not born in this country. We must demand the release ofthese Immigrants and send them home, to be part of their ~hildren's lives and support their families. Please help us fight ·the INS and release these men so we can have the jail space to lock up the real criminals. You must write to you Congressmen, Senators, and the President. We must demand chat they Abolish the 1996 Law that President Clinton passed; it has really hurt a lot of families. I pray that these men can be home with their family for the New Year. Please help us, write to abolish the law of 1996. Thank you and God Bless you. You can forward your support to this e-ma# address: eh_bjmarshall@yahoo.com �STREETVIBES Streecvibes/Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Sr., Cincinnati, Oh45210 D ear Editor: After reading the December l, 1999 article "Prison Package Ban Revisited" (written by re­ porter Tom Beyerlein, Dayton Daily News,), I would like a chance to respond and bring a few points tO view from "The Other Side of Prison Packages". "Pr.ison Package Ban Revisited", was writ­ ten about the benefits of a new rule chat would allow 'state-approved' vendor catalogs to be used by all prisons in an effort to curtail, if not end, sundry and food packages sent to prisoners from family members. The goal is to cue down on con­ traband such as drugs and weapons being con­ veyed into the 31 Ohio prisons. In this article, Mr. Arbogast, the Assis­ tant Chief Inspector for prisons, commented that people are becoming more sophisticated in con­ cealing contraband in food and sundries. But these packages arc sent through a fluo­ roscope x-ray machine such as Lebanon Correc­ tional Insticucion and other institutions now use. This machine is of the same type, only smaller, as those used in airports and other high security in­ scallacions. Each one of che prison fluoroscope machines is backed up by a thorough eyeball and hands-on physical search that includes che open­ ~ng of each and every item in any package sent to inmates. Prison officials said, "The new rule isn't meant to be punitive". Certainly it's noc, because it's nor the inmates who would be punished. Any item (except drugs) found unacceptable inside food-sundry or vendor packages, results in three options for inmates: l) Mail the item back to their family; 2) Donate it to the state; 3) De­ stroy jt. Few items are actually destroyed; che majority of prisoners mail the offending item back home. Many unacceptable items are "donated" at the time of receipt co the state, which, presum­ ably, gives chose donated items co charitable orga­ nizations. However, I do not kJ:iow of anyone ­ inmate or otherwise - who has seen or heard of any letters of appreciation from chose quarters. Arbogast says, six Ohio prisons now ban pack­ ages from home and mentions there are few com­ plaints from inmates in chose prisons, using a ven­ dor catalog system. Well, what's co complai n about if that's all there is? Mr. Arbogast also denies the prison system will profit from vendor sales to inmates. Catalog vendors buy seconds from name-brand suppliers and dump those sec­ onds into prisons by che thousands. The Bureau of Corrections does not operate for free, nor does it do anything for free. You can bet che bureau for Ohio's prisons will be compensated from each vendor, and call it the "price of being allowed to do business with Ohio's inmates." An example: money orders sent co pris­ oners from family members. Money orders are credited co inmate's commissary accounts. What che interviewer did not know, or simply refused to inquire about, is the practice (used by any eco­ nomic entity) of collecting interest from che nor­ mal float of idle funds awaiting transfer., in this example, via the Correction Bureaus.prisoner bank­ ing process. Mr. Arbogast was correct when lie said, "We're not making a dime off of chis." The Correction Bureau will not make just ONE dime. The Bureau will make ten thousand dimes rimes cen, from collected interest based on the sheer volume of money orders sent, each day, to prison­ ers around the state. This does nor include a fee for processing all those up and coming scare-ap­ proved vendor catalog sales, and everyone knows graft is never confused with profit. The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine It's crue; some vendor catalog prices are comparable to siores. Though based on che ar­ ticle I read, if a survey of 177 sund ry packages indicating 79% of inmaces co uld ha,ve saved money buying from a vendor, while another 21 % would have spent more - was true, chen maybe Mr. Arbogast could explain, whac does 79% of one and 2 1% of another have to do with Family . members who purchase items for their incarcer­ ated and are themselves not incarcerated? How many of our non-imprisoned citizens are willing to let local police/fire/corrections departments/ mayors come into their homes, in person or by electronic means and suggest ~r even dictate when, where, w~y and how they can spend moneys worked for and claimed as their own? Both item and allowable price limits are clearly seated on inmate food-sundry package lists. A legally sanctioned method allowing the control of a prisoner's family members may be the latitude our prison officials are seeking. Or ' per­ haps, our Department of Rehabilitation and Cor­ rections' ulterior motive is to permanently end visits by inmate's family members so "prison officials" can claim inmate fam ily members arc throwing drugs, contraband and weapons over the fence? As the article stated, "This time, they're (prison officials) armed with statistics designed to bolster their claims...""end quote. I put this question to the reporter who wrote the article. ""H ave you ever nouced . how elusive "they" are? Next time, could you please check with che 31 local courc houses of Ohio's prisons and see for yourself how many (prisoner's families vs. ~orrectional staff} have been charged for convey­ mg drugs, contraband and weapons into chose prisons. Few inmates are foolish enough to have contraband mailed to them inside packages or brought in via visitors and risk severing che last link they have with their families. Perhaps, Mr. Arbogast, or Mr. Joe Andrews, Prison Spokesman, might have been asked Why so many correctional staff are permitted to resign, yer nor fired and formally charged with bringing contraband into state prisons"? That is one way "they" jigger their contraband and spending statistics! Many of these people are never indicted, never see jail time, and are never "slammed" by Mr. Arbogast. "They" are permitted co resign! What better environment for the criminally intent to work in! The numbers discovered may belie any of the srariscics produced by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Finally, believing an all-vendor receipt number system will seem rhe flow of contraband into prisons is basically irrational. I agree, some · Corrections staff have proven to be staunchly honest and unshakable. Yee one muse consider the fact that corrupt people are always found at both ends of any spectrum. As in this case, some wear the clothes of employees looking to make some quick cash, while ochers wear the clothes of corrections staff, looking for the same quick cash. Paying higher wages will nor stop corruption in prisons because the real lolita for many who are correctional staff is corruption! Page g Packages from home are a lifeline for prisoners I respond co the article "Ban affects family ties, relatives say" jn the Dec. 7 Dispatch. Perhaps the most viable rehabilita­ tive tool available co me in the 11 years I've been in prison has been receiving sundry items and food packages from home. Twice a year, I am remembered with genuine love, above che demoralizing anonymity of prison life. Contrary co prison ufficials' claim of curbing the flow ofdrugs and contraband by prohibiting family-sent packages, it is common knowledge within the prisons chat drugs and contraband are smuggied in by some prison staff members. Likewise, the $553,384 officials say they will save annually by reducing the hours prison employees spend searching packages is exaggerated. Prison employees who process packages are assigned that duty based on an average nine-hour shift. If they are not processing packages, they would be given ocher assignments within che prison, and the $553,384 would still be a pare of their regular salary. . The use ofscace-approved vendors could benefit prison officials with possible kickbacks. Inmates have seen the reality of such collaboration in the contracts prisons developed with phone companies. M illions are made yearly from inmates who make collect phone calls to maintain family ties. Prison officials and legislators have depleted and gutted many rehabilitative incentives in prisons. The obvious next move is total alienation from society. . ... .. .Lee A Walker, inmate, Mansfield CorrectionalInstitution r PAN-OHIO Prisoners Advocacy Network Meets ~ext at Old Presbyterian Church, corner of Bryden and Ohio Avenues.Columbus, Ohio, on Jan 30, 2000 For further information, contact (51 3)241 -8014 STffET\HS Prisoners News contains the writings ofpersons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Signed, f wcui.pose Columbus Subscribers within t he walls receive >treetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please >POnsor someone on the inside by sending us $12 for a year's subscription Sendyour comments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �----- - - STREETVIBES ---------~------- The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 Welfare News STOP THE CLOCK CAMPAIGN -- UPDATE by Lynn Williams, Ohio Empowerment Coalition Ifyour group has not yet endorsed, please endorse by sending the endorsem ent form below to the Contact Canter, 164 1 Vine St., C incinnati, OH 45210 or fax to 513/381-4022. In the meantime, please call yorn O hio House In November, mem bers th e Oh io Empowerment Coalition m et with O hio H ouse Representative D ale Miler (Cleveland) about introducing a bill that would extend Ohio's three yeai- time limit fo r receiving cash assistance to five co nsecutive years (or what is allowable by the Federal government. In addition to the time lim it changes, Rep. Miller agreed to include changes t0 sanctions in the same bill. T he bill will restore the adult's portion of food stamps to a sanctioned householo, or, in other words, not cut the family's food scamp allotment. T he bill will also include policy that ends a san~cion upon compliance, by issuing a pro-rated benefit check co the sanctioned household. Rep. Catherine Barrett (Cincinnati) also has drafted legislation to extend the tree years to five consecunve years. The Ohio Em powe rm ent Coa lition is encouraging organizations and grassroots groups to endorse these policy changes co rime limits and sanctions in the "Stop the Clock Campaign." Representative or Senator and ask them to support extendi ng O hio's time limit to the five consecutive years (or what the Feds allow) . Some points you may wane to keep in mind when makingyour call to legislators: u Ohio is one of only 8 states char have a time limit ofless than che 60 months allowable under the Federal government. u In addition to th e 60 months, some states are not rime lim iting the children's por(ion of the benefits. Other states are providing vouchers for the families chat have reached the Federal limit. (California, Indian, Maryland, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas). Michigan does not have a time Limit; it will use state funds co provide cash assistance to families after they reach the Federal Lirnit. • u Official unemploymem rates may be low across our nation on average, but for certain demographic populations ofour society chey are quite high. The unemployment rate for a high sch~ol graduate wich no additional education is 11.5% for age group 18-25 yr. Olds. The unemployment rate for Black males in chis age and education group 8s 22.3%. For Black ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • OHIO EMPOWERMENT COAUTION •• (CEC) "Stop the Clock: End Welfare lime Limits" Endorsement Form Ogaizatm~~~~~~~~~~ _, •• Aci:tes.5.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ •• •• Oty~~~~~~~~• • • • • Ft'o"le.~~~~~~~~~~~Fax~~~~~~~~~- • • • • _ _ _ Yes, my organization endorses the Stop the ClockCampaign • • Please put our name on the endorsement list _ _ _ Yes, Iindividually endorse the Stop the Clock Campaign Please put my name on the endorsement lis t - ReaseretunthsfamtotheCmta::tCenter, 1641 VreStreet, Cn:irJati, (J-145210, afaxitto(57 3) 387-4022 • females it is 20%. Hispanic females face a 13.4% unemployment race and Hispanic m ales in the 18-25 yr. group a rate of 10.5%. u Some coumies of Ohio, especially northeasr and southeast councies ofthe scare, have "official" h igh unemployment rates as their average rates. And yet, Ohio's rime limit will cue these families offstarting October 1,2000 regardless ofwhether or nor they have fo und jobs! These ai-e families with child ren, often rimes very small children. Children are the ones who are going co be directly harmed and punished by Ohio's mean-spirited law. The C hildren's Defense Fund -Ohio estimates that 55,000 children wilJ be cut off statewide starting O ctober 1,2000. Is chis what che citizens of Ohio really. want? The O h io Empowerment Coalition has fait h that chis punitive law will be changed, but not without a struggle. ·Corporate Welfare for Weapons Makers :J ~ • ~ .? lu-' - ,I I (' J The. Hidden Costs of Spending on Defense and Foreign Aid by William D. Hartung, President's Fellow at the World Policy Institute. The defense and foreign aid budgets are the largest single source of government funding for private corporations. More than haJf of U.S. weapons sales are now bei11g financed by taxpayers instead of foreign arms purchasers . During fi scal Executive Summary: year I 996 (the last year for which full statistics are available), the government spent more than $7.9.billion to help U.S. companies secure • just over $ 12 billion in agreements for new international arms sales . The annual $7.9 billion in subsidies includes taxpayer-backed loans, grants, and government promotional activities that help U.S. weapons makers sell their products to foreign cu$tomers. Also, the provision o f low-cost facilit ies and extensive subsidies for research and development and mergers and acquisitions to major contractors fosters a " risk-free" environme nt in which weapon!> makers have li ttle economic incentive to produce e ffective systems at affordable prices. Furthermore. a portion of the $ 120 bil ljon the Pentagon spends each year on contracts with U.S. defense contractors is being wasted on defense pork- that is, redundant or unneeded weapons systems. Such subsidies and spending for defense pork can ime rfere. with the fulfillment of legitimate security needs . In concordance with a recommendation made by the •Presidential Advisory Board on Arms Proliferation, govern'ment subsidies for arms exports should be phased out. Federal subsidies to • corporations in the national security sphere shou ld be the excep1i011 rather than the rule . Tbe executi ve branch and Congress should establish an independent commission to conduct an annual review of corporate-targeted contracts, tax breaks, and price subsidies contained in the militaiy and foreign aid budgets. Only those subsidies fulfilling important national security objectives 1ha1 could not be accomplished witho111 government assistance should be maintained. The overall review should be supplemented by a separate pane l. modeled on the Defense Department's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) panel, which would put forward an annual list of pork-barrel mi litary procurement projects that should be terminated. To limit '"horse­ trading," the list of unnecessary projects would have to be voted up or down in its entirety-much like BRAC procedure for military. base c losures. • • ••• • •••••••••• • •••••••••• • •• • • • • • •• • ••• • •• • • • • • •• (http://www.cato. org/pubslpaslpa-350es.html ) �-STREETVIBES ---------- The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST..... I was very excired rhe morning of ovember I, 1999 as I arrived ar chc Word of Deliverance church co meet my traveling companions. When we were loaded in the airporr limousine ic became evidenr char only a few of us were morning people, however, once we arrived ar che airporc our group came alive. The Aighr co Miami was unevenrful save for che ceasing ofo ur firsc-cime Ayer. As I boarded the cruise ship Ecstasy I looked back ar Miami and wich a conscious efforc l cleared my chough(S of all I had lefc behind in Cincinnaci, because uncil this very moment l had nor released myself from my life and responsibilicics ac home. Yee I knew char chis could only become a spiritual retreac if I lee go and b God, so as I went ch rough che check-in procedure I began to praise God for just having chis opporruni ry to ger away : co have a "real vacarion" as invisioned and experienced by mosc middle and upperclass Americans. A luxury many homeless and impoverished do nor experience. The expression of praise released a peace upon me. My retreat had begun. As defined by webster a retreat is the retirement oftroops before an enemy, the act ofgoing back or withdrawing from n position; a pince ofprivacy 1111d safety, a home for nervous and i11snne persons, a period of withdrawing from worldly nffeirs and spending time in prayer and meditation, the net ofwithdrawing from an unpleasant situation, or a bugk call sotmded immediately after sunset. In chis instance l am referring co the withdrawal from worldly affairs and spending rime in prayer and medication. The firsc day aboard ship I merely explored its vastness. I learned that it housed 2700 people including guests and sraff. And as l explored che ship God allowed me co withdraw from my position in chis life: my position as.father, estranged husband, self-employed healthcare provider, brother, son, man of God and friend co many. H e led me to a withdrawal ofall that is cemporal, and cook me on a journey of chat which is eternal. To a place of peace and cranquility. Do not gee me wrong. l am not comparing my cruise experience to Heaven, but I wane co assure you chat once I forgot the cares of chis world (Marc. 13:22), and began co seek out His will (Matr. 6:33) l began co have an experience like no ocher in this life. l got a taste ofHeaven. The first evening ar dinner l ordered the cornish hen encree. It was excellent. After dinner was a time of wandering around the ship, becoming acquainced wich irs eleven decks and getting ro know my traveling companions. There were cen in our group, two men and eighc women; and "we were all Christians leering our light shine. We were in the world, but not of the world. Our first pore was Key West, Florida and all the stories I had h~ard did nothing co prepare me for the beauty of the island itself. Pare ofour cruise package included a free trolley tour of historic Key West , and though our cour guide was young he was very knowledgeable. As he drove che crolley he expounded on the island's tale ofshipwreck co riches. The extravagance ofthe homes were astonishing, but the shopping for tourist was very reasonable. I picked up several gifts and souvenirs, and scrolled the cobblcscone streets under a blazing sun. Back on ship I took a guided tour of the Beauty Salon, Aerobics Room and the Naucica Spa & Gym. Rerurning to my cabin I found my bed made and fresh rowels in the bathroom. I showered and prepared for dinner. Our waiter was from Hong Kong, and he truly entertained us with his surprising wit and quick practical jokes. The first evening he recognized me as a connoisseur of fine food, so on this evening he recommended the prime rib as he gave me the menu. Glancing quickly at the menu I agreed, but after cascing someone's lobscer I order an additional encree. This chen became our practice; when I arrived ac dinner our waiter would give me his suggestion and I would order a second dish as well. I mean, why nor, you only live once; so I showed my appreciation for rhe Rodney Sutton fine cooking each evening by earing cwo meals. · Each evening after dinner there was a variety of things co do ,such as: go dancing in Stripes Disco, watching che showgirls in the Blue Sapphire Room, trying your luck in the casino, or just sitting o n deck watching rhe waves.Our group just peaked in on a lot of rhe entertainment, although we did sir in and cacch a couple of good shows. The one l remember in particular is che nighc afcer our 'day ar sea'. This was guest calenr show nighc, and there were two performances which were spi ricual char jusc cook control of all present; saved and unsaved alike. A nucleus of our group from che very firsc nighc found ourselves drawn together in what was labeled "The Card Room". On che second night we renamed ir che "Praise Room" and upon our arrival thereafter che ' Private Party' sign was placed at the door.We would just gravicace roward this room and review our day's adventure with praise and worship. Giving rescimony after cescimony of His goodness, especially when several of che group was hie wirh seasickness, and our various cours of Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Mexico curned our co be a bir more adventurous than planned. We would go from this room co the midnight buffer or 24 hour piua bar. AJI the while fellowshipping and enjoying the goodness of the Lord. On our lasr nighc we ministered co a young lady whom we had met, and watched the glory ofthe Lord revealed when her and her husband were on the same Aight from Miami co Cincinnati. I cannoc speak for the others, bur for me ic was like Paul's crip to the third heaven (ll Cor. 12:2). I will nor say I received any special revelations, but I can cell you that for four days the cares of chis world were not mine. I got a tastt ofHeaven. Then on the fifth day we docked in Miami, grabbed our luggage and ran for the tour bus. We embarked on a cour ofSouth Beach, Miami. Such things were pointed out co us as: AJ Capone's house, an island where Oprah and Will Smith have homes. Then we were out sightseeing on our own. We found hamburgers for $7 in one restaurant, and then l went co the beach.· On the beach, with his collapsable chair propped againsc a wall and his duffie beside him, I mer Wale. Wale was homeless. Wair had come from New York several months previous, and without a job he now spent his days on the sands ofSouth Beach. Talking co Wair brought me back down co earth. The Lord had allowed me four days of bliss, but here in Miami He was leering me know the recrear was over. The days spent in prayer and meditation had brought forth rhe answer to many a question, and now as a soldier in che army of the Lord I was prepared to engage che enemy. le had been a good trip. The goodbyes were hard. Especially as one member of our group would be moving to another state the day after our return. Nonetheless, a spiritual bond has been formed, so ic is certain our pachs shall cross again. If the cares of this world are weighing you down, cell the Lord you need to recreac. Your recreac may not be as mine, but He will honor your request and you will recurn a soldier prepared for battle. We are at the close ofanother year, the ending of the millennium, che celebration of Christ's birth; which can get lost in commercialism and Y2k media hype. My cruise experience gives me a very fresh raste ofGod's grace, and so I encourage you all this holiday season and New Year to get a taste ofHtnvm. I have experienced some cechnical problems with my PC, so if you could not connect ro my web page or I missed your e-mail I apologize. I should be back on-line by the new year. So come visit: www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/7907/ or send me an e-mail awol@goodnews. net, and you can still leave prayer requests ar 21 0-4 I8 l. Page 11 ............ Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a righr spirit within me. (Psalms 51: IO) The new year brings with it new resolutions to quit chis or do one thing or another. We make resolutions because we are noc happy or satisfied with who we are or che srare ofour lives. We want to change some things. Yer many of these resolutions we have made, year after.year, after year. Noc co say we have nor cried valiantly co carry our our resolucions, but often simple willpower is nor enough. Thar is why King David in Psalm 51 pours our nis prayer and confession to God, because he knows only rrue and lascing change can come from God. David presenced chis psalm to God afcer he had sinned by commirting adultery wich Bachsheba. God lacer blessed rheir marriage with a son whom rhey called Solomon. Therefore, if it is change you seek, rurn co the one who is unchanging; for scriprure says " ... presenr your bodies.a living sacrifice, ....And be nor conformed to chis world; bur be ye cransformed by the renewing ofyour mind ..." (Romans 12: 1,2). So we have chree simple keys co fulfilling chis year's resolutions: a) presenc your bodies a living sacrifice b) be not conformed co this world c) be cransformed by the renewing of your mind d) Some may argue char chese keys are nor so simple, and co them l say: "Give Jesus a cry." The presenration of ourselves co God as a living sacrifice is our debr ro Him who gave us life. H e is not asking anything unreasonable ofus, especially when compared to whar this world and chose in ic ask of us. Things we find absolutely, and undeniably, unreasonable. God also promises a healthy recurn on our investment. This world promises nothing. Since most often we find ourselves not liking the world around us anyway, it should be simple nor co conform to it, because then we become chat which we d islike. Therefore, let us be transformed by the renewing ofour minds. This cransformation cakes place when we regularly read and hear God's word. Out minds are renewed because the regular input ofGod's word allows us to know what God's good, and acceptable, and perfect will is for us. This knowledge is the key co presencing ourselves as a living sacrifice, nor conforming to this world, and being totally transformed. Nevercheless, some will ask, " How does chis help me keep my resolucions?" The answer is simple. The transforming power (the knowledge received with the reading or hearing) ofgod's word will motivate you co change those things in your life which need changing, because you will learn God's dislike for those things equals your own and you will find the strength to do all things chrough Christ (Philippians 4: 13) I present my own life as a living example ofwhat I say. If you review the nine columns I wrote last year, you will find the three above keys in action. You may recall my mention of crial and tribulation, but chere is always the promised reward to follow; because God is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11 :6) My computer went down in November, so I apologize for any e-mail I may have failed to respond to, not being in the char room, and failing co updace my web page. Pray with me rhac A WAY OF LIFE MINISTRIES will be back on-line soon. Our volunteer list is growing. but we can always u.~e many more; so ple:1Se oil 2 10-4181 and ask how you can help. You can also leave prayer reques(S at chis number. This is a new year, therefore, my speaking calendar still has many openings; so give me a call and schedule a talk with your youch group, singles ministry, men's ministry, general congregation, school, and community group, etc. In His Service, Rodney L. S11tto11,Sr. The Evangelist Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. (Get 'em now before the rate goes up!) Just send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month Streecvibes, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless If you bave any questions, call 421-7803. If you have subscribed, but are not receiving your Streecvibes, Please let us know. Our ~og (Streetvibes computer) ate some addresses during a recent crash. �--- STREETVIBES ----- -- - The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Letters letters are still coming in concerning the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center boardplan to relocate the Drop inn Center. To support the Drop Inn Centers' right to not be moved, Write to: Erich Kunzel, 1241 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210, Send Copies ofyour Letter to: Drop Inn Center Attn: Pat Clifford, 217 West 12th St. Cincinnati; Ohio 45210, and to Streetvibes Contact Us, Write Us! We welcome input from our readers. Sendyour letters and editorial comments to: STREETVIBES: 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45~ - Fax: Attention Streetvib1 (513)421-7813 Email: streetvibes@juno.com ~-~-- Page 12 To the Editor of the Cincinnati. Enquirer: I suppose if I could believe the media's portrayal of homeless people in movies, television .and sound bites, I would believe that solutions like those proposed by New York by Mayor Guiliani and Cleveland's Mayor White are the answers. The thought that homelessness is as simple as getting people into jobs is extremely shortsighted. According to a recent study done by several Federal agencies including HUD, HHS and the department of Labor, over 40% of h_ome­ less people in this country work everyday at least part-time. In Cleveland approximately 900 shelter beds exist for 3000 people. Mayor White believes that rounding up the \ '\ ..~~ .~ ~j i r ;~ "1J,. national Symposium on Homelessness Research has shown us that receipt of affordable housing is the single greatest predictor of formerly homeless persons' ability to remain in that housing. The major­ ity of homeless persons who receive subsi­ dized housing remain in that housing. homeless and placing them in jail is the Villainizing the homeless allows politi­ answer. The supportive Housing network in cians to avoid real solutions and may ulti­ New York estimates that in New York City, in mately have darker consequences. In 1999, 29 homeless individuals died as a result of 1998, it cost $40,000 per year to jail some­ one compared with just $12,500 to provide hate crimes committed against them simply affordable housing and a variety of support­ because they were homeless. The mur­ ders occurred in 11 different cities, including ive services. Criminalization is quite frankly a way to hide homeless people from the Anchorage, Ch icago, Dallas, Denver, general public. While issu~s like substance Jeffersonville Indiana, Los Angeles, Portland, abuse and criminal history are a part of the Rapid City (SD), Richmond (VA), San story, they are far from the whole story. In Francisco, and Seattle. The victims' ages ranged form 4 months old to 62 years. our society we are saturated with the dis- . While the individuals that committed these ease of addiction and crime. The truth is the homeless are portrayed ~s moral-degen- · . crimes have the ultimate responsibility, part of the blame also lies in the hand of those erates, when homelessness is not a moral issue; it is an economic issue .. When one who choose to paint an unrealistic picture of looks at solutions that have worked in the the homeless in the media. As in so many . . . effort to effectively battle homelessness, . other cases, society is refusing to share the affordable housing combined with supportive responsibility for the growing number of services is the real solution. The newly people who have been forcectJ0-live Cinder released multi-agency federal study done by brid§es~in--abanctoneaca;=;-and in shelters. the Urban Institute, reported that when The next time people want to blame the homeless people get housing assistance homeless for their situation and tell others it and needed services - such as healthcare, is a choice, remember that women and substance abuse treatment, me~ta l health children continue to be the largest growing services, education and job training, a sector of the homeless population. Certainly whopping 76% of those living in families and the 4-month-old child who lost her life in a 60% of those living alone end their homeless transitional house that was firebombed in status and move to an improved living Jeffersonville Indiana did not have a choice. condition after completion of the program. Additional research gathered at the 1998 ...............Donald Whitehead CLIMATE CONTROL -· <-­ I ---7__j ! ..._~~~--~___.I I E-MAIL STREETVIBES: L._,__ . streetvibes@juno. com I �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 A ONE PAGE RANT ON POVERTY The stock marker is at an all time high. Mergers, acquisitions, encrepreneures, science, high-tech, bu2z, wired, E-commerce, creacive license, success, prosperity; we wanted a global economy and now we have it. Technology expands but also limits. There has been a major shifc in ch.e global distribution of wealrh. Never in the history of our country or the world has rhe cliche been truer that the rich get richer and the poor gee poorer. Fifreen years ago $6 miliion qualified you as the richest man in the world while today $40 million only gets you in r.he ballpark. The three richest people in the United Scares have more wealth than the coral gross national product of 25 countries, other than America, combined. How much money makes you rich? I guess it's all relative ro how much you don't have. Statistics say char the rojddle class isn't shrinking. Statistics l·ie. Unemployment is at an all time low bur jobs pay less. The middle class in this country maintains it's status only because two people in rhe household must work full-rime co support a family. There's been a dramatic increase in the cost of renr and housing which has outpaced the minimum wage. There is a direcr correlation between the increase in affordable housing and the simultaneous increase in poverty. Now we have a new class in rhis country with the catchy name called the working poor that crosses all demographic lines viol~nce, Vier Nam Vets or just plain uneducated. And don't get me started on an education, an entirely different problem, graduating a dispropor­ tionate amoum of unskilled labor for low paying jobs. Don't start with chat give the01 a fish or give them a fishing pole and teach them how co flsh. Give me a break. If handouts help co promote a liberal philosophy so does a free fishing pole. People are hungry now. In our currenr political climate less public sector help is available and the privare secror has picked up some of the slack but the problern is enormous and the solution is complex. Some like to say that the homeless must show an obligation to society. But I say that since the ground rules have changed the converse is true. If we can afford tax breaks for the rich, corporate welfare and subsidies we can afford to help our poor. A very smart man once cold me chat che essence of successful management is the vision ro manage change. He also said to never begin to believe that you are smart instead of lucky. The next time ·someone asks you for help, give it to him or her. It may be selfish but you always ger back more cha.n you give. The next rime a person on the street asks you for spare change at lease look them in the eyes and reaffirm their sense of dignio/. and even includes some people in che military. There's been revolution in the health care industry. There are more cures available now than ever before, there's a piU for every malady but fewer people can afford to cake advantage of them. And gee this; educated doctors once considered pare of che elire have joined rhe middle class. Managed health care foJce doctors t:o crank out a patiem eve1y seven seconds co meet a quota for smaller paymenrs. Many of our working poor, when faced with not even a catastrophic illness are forced to make choice to die instead of maimain the basic economic necessities of food , clothing and shelter. And sometimes they gee to graduate to rhe hungry, cold, and homeless poor. There are now so many homeless we can't ignore them so we demonize them as lazy, drunks, bums and dope fiends. 0 yeah? 40% of the homeless are children. Some cities :have made the decision co for~e the homeless into hospitals, shelters, or treatment. Within a monch gee a job or you're out and the foster care system keeps your kids! What? Is trus response co homelessness practical or political? Do we need police solving our prob­ lem of poverty? Thankfully the outcry of some decent citizens has slowed this flawed progi:am. Do we actually believe that homeless people enjoy their horrible situation? Sure some are. addicted but many are mentally ill, physi­ cally handicapped, old, victims of domestic ....Mike Weiman, Dec.13, 1999 t'i"\ .. \.c.. t > ~":,.\\,... C,..._.) ......~ -.. ...........~~ -\'v-.o. ~ "--\-C..~'(' ~ A r 41t. . ~,~''- «. ~""·~ ~ ,..,.\d ; •\-;,\,).\,.\ ~ ' "'""')., ii;t,~<t.. ................., r.... .. "1-o<.,. , ,1.,.._ \.'-­ \>t.:,.~ ,. A.v e. \:>'!? ~ .,, - ~«::......, \ . ,....._.._ C-~ \' ~·"'-w...... 1'tR11.~.t hnM-tt.A~Q. ~~ ~v·\. -'\.:, ~"'-"- " '""'"I~ ~v\ ~\.M&'... 't \>\ ~Q.,.· ~ ........... . ...... ~ ~~ ..1 "-ll"l . t'"'(.q "'!.> . C-.,.\.t l.,( ~ ' ·~>~' O P •< ')' f."':'-.. i\:>~<..,.-<• ~"f~>e:---"\V-,._ ..,... .,..,r..,..t... 'I 4;_\.,A...\ \Ve; i.:.r<:> f>\" .:> \,'-'t. <,• ~ """:",.._.. • ..,*? -(ot~;n~C'(" (' '°':... "~" "" ·~ ·,~\.. ·~«::lt."' C ~"" ".~ • ·~ e...,...,.~Ac~ c 'o<l..\\e~ .• -Mfordable Housing Jobs Available RuraJ Opportunities, Inc. (ROI) is seeking qualified applicants for two positions based in Alliance. Ohio. ROI is a regional non-profit organization founded in L969 to .address the critical needs of farmworkers and other low-income families. Applicants for the positions below should submit resumes via mail > fax or e-mail ASAP. I ' . . Housing Director ROI seeks a ski lled professional to lead jts Ohio affordable housing development program includjng rental and for-sale housing development, bo rne ownership and neighborhood revitalization programs. Requires a BA plus at least 6 years experience in housing development or housing program administration, knowledge of state and federal housing assistance programs. excellent communications skills, supervisory experience .. and computer competency. Salary to mid $40s plus excellent benefits. . . \\. ' Housing Develop~r ' ' Responsible for undertaking the develop~nent and rehabilitation of affordable rental and for-sale· hol!sjrig L~ O'hio. .kequires at least 3 years experience in housing developmenl,.knowledge of state and federal housing assistance programs, ~xcellynt communications skills and computer competency. ·, · · Send letters of-interest and resumes to: ..._ .:· Rural Opportunities, Inc._, Attn: ]. Wiltse 400 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 FAX 716-340-3337 E-mail jwiltse@ruralinc.org �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine No Permanent Abode •••• S.M. Miller REPRINTED FROM TlKKUN. Bi­ monthly Jewish Critique of Politics, Culture & Society (S. M. Miller is seniorfellow and director ofthe Project on Inequality and Poverty at the Common­ wealth foundation and Research Professor ofSociology at Boston College.) ...... ~- Some years ago, while visiting Dublin, Ireland, I discovered that I had been homeless as a child in Brool<lyn. I was consulting with Focus Point, a newly established Irish organiza­ tion that deals wich housing problems. In the course of questioning the staff in order ro clarify ics goals and activities, I used the cerm "home­ less." The staff pointedly corrected me; they djd not use that word. Their phrase was people with "no permanent abode." That definition extended beyond people in temporary shelters or "living rough" on the street. Included were chose who lived doubled-up with ochers and chose who had co shift from one indoor sleeping place ro another. Suddenly, I realized chat by this definition I coo had been " homeless," with " no permanent a bo de. " I was overwhelmed , close co rears, ac chis naming of char terrible experience when I was cen. Immediately, I way char time in an even more terrifying light chan I had ever permitted myself co acknowledge. During the depression of the 1930's we were living in Philadelphia where I was born. Family economic conditions worsened co the point that our electricity was turned off and we lived in the dark. My parents decided finally to seek help with my mo ther's sisters in Brool<lyn, aunts whom I scarcely knew. One sister cook my mother, father, and me to live with her husband and three sons in a c rowded aparcment. My two sisters, considerably older than I, lived with other aunts. After several months of chis strained, divided exjscence, my parents were chrown out summarily by my irascible uncle who found our presence (and my withdrawn shyness and school success) disturb­ ing. Another aunt cook us in for a while during the hoc summer and my parents and I shared a bed in a tiny room with an exceedingly small window opening on a shaft. Another relative whom I did nor know at all, appalled I believe by the three of us sharing a bed, cook me co stay with his fam ily. T his went on for some period until my parents found jobs chat enabled us co rent our own small apartment and reunite the family. My sisters and I never discussed this episode with each ocher and certainly noc wich our parents. When I did chink about ic in lacer years, I would focus on my pain and isolation. le was only after Dublin, many years lacer, that I could discuss char rime with my surviving sister and realize how damaging char period was for her and muse have been for my parents, especially for my mother, a proud, energetic and effective woman. My Dublin-based recall was highlighted recently because of my role as a social scientist concerned about poverty and inequality. I learneq of an arcicle by Bruce G. Link and his colleagues at Columbia University's School of public Health that moved beyond che usual practice of counting as homeless only those who were living in shelters or on the street on a given day. Using what was, in effect, the definition of "no permanent abode," they asked a national sample if they had ever been homeless. (The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is beginning co use chis broader understanding of homelessness.) By using the broader definition and by asking about lifetime experience, chis study differed from the usual councs of the numbers of home­ less people. Through this method, the count of the homeless swelled from perhaps 400,000 who o n a given night were living rough or in a temporary shelter to 26 million adults who at some time during their lives lacked a permanent abode. Asking for lifetime exeerience makes a great deal of sense. A one-night reporting of the homeless is an under-count of what happened co people during the year or over a lifetime (just as unemployment rates cell only ofwhat happened in a parcicular week rather than how m any people and households experienced some sizable unemploy­ ment and loss of income during a year) The lifetime rate is important because living with "no permanent abode" scars p~ople. Gaining a reliable residence.does not wipe out the troubles that lacking a reliable home produces. In my case, I have enormous difficulty in asking for a favor despite enjoying the privileged position of providing many favors co others. Yes, I learned from D.H. Lawrence's The Man Who Died that just as there is a greed in taking without giving, there is a greed in giving without taking. None­ theless, I recoil (as does my sister) at the idea of asking for a favor, even from those I have helped. When I do, it cakes enormous willpower to overcome that sense ofshame and fear of rebuff in having to ask for aid. I trace this reluctance and m any other fai lings and disturbing feelings to that period of "no permanent abode." Homelessness is a deeper continuing experience than the passing loss of a bed to call your own. It is a wound chat never fully heals. Streetvibes VENDORS ' NEWS There are presently three sites where vendors are specifically invited to sell papers - Bellarman Chapel at Xavier University, Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash, and now First Unitarian Church on Reading in Corryville. ' Usually two vendors are chosen to sell at these events. If you are interested in the opportunity, please let us know. The times of the month for these events vary somewhat, so come in and find out for sure. Currently, vendors receive 25 extra papers for selling 100 within any particular week (7-day period), and 100 extra papers for selling over 500 papers during the month (issue to issue). Papers sold at special scheduled events such as Bellarman Chapel and Ursuline Academy are not included in this count. Don't forget, you can get free papers for submitting stories, poetry, art work, .or photography that is used in Streetvibes, the number subjectively dependent upon how much the editor needs your stuff at the moment. (usually anywhere from 10 to 100 papers[for a major story]) Free papers also given for tips leading to stories. If you want to tack a shot at photojournalism, you can obtain a one-time-use camera at the Homeless Coalition office........................ . Page 14 DIVORCE/SINGLE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS BEECH ACRES Mediation Center H elping C hildren Cope with Divorce Single Parent Services 6881 Beechmont Ave., C incinnati OH 45230, (5 13)23 1-6630 Free Single Parent Groups! .. .... a safe place to share the joys and frustrations of raising kids alone. Tbe group blends education and discussion of single parent issues. AVONDALE/CORRYVILLE Single Parent Group 2"d & 4•h Tues., 6:30-8 p.m. Beech Acres' Family Center 512 Maxwell GREENHILLS/FOREST PARK Single Parent Group 2"d & 4•h Mon., 6:30 - 8 p.m. Our' Lady of the Rosary School Library 17 Farragut Road LINCOLN H EIGHTS Single Parent Group l .. & 3n1 Thurs. , 6:30-8 p.m. H aven House of Lincoln H eights Baptist Church ~O Gr.aneview Avenue BLUE ASH Single Parent G ro up Tuesdays, 12:30 - 1:330 p.m. Raymond Walters College 9555 Plainfild Road For RWC Students Only DOWNTOWN Single Parent Group Saturdays, 12:30 1:30 P.M. New Prospect Baptise C hurch 1829 Elm Street KENNEDY HEIGHTS Single Parent Group Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. Ke;nnedy Heights Presbyterian 6312 Kennedy Avenue MT. WASHINGTON Single Parent Group Mondays, 7-8:30 p.m. Beech Acres' Hall Cottage 688 1 Beechmont Ave. WESTWOOD Single Parent Group Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m. Westwood First Presbyterian 3011 H arrison Avenue Child Care is provided. Call 231-7205, ext. 798 to register �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Live Studio Audience Wanted for STREETVIBES TV SHOW ~"\)(S Media Bridges (CCV), 2114 Reading Road, rr,ti... '1,~eo'li-~f~"" ~~ o$'1 °~" '((\o'(\ At'-" e"e'<'I from 7 :00 to 8 PM. Streetvibes TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas for future shows, call us at 421-7803 Streetvi bes Live Radio Hour ADVERTISE IN STREETVIBES Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! Help a good cause while promoting yourself to over 5,000 concerned people each month. on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly giuest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. NEXT SHOW DATES: Saturday, January 9th Saturday, February 12th Business Card Size ~ /:: 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 1/2" $20 per month Larger Adds also available If you need assisrance in designing your ad or STREETVIBES Classified Band Re-organizing. The Streetvibes band is itching to get back together. Musicians, unite.' ..Call 421-7803. · have any other questions, call us ac 421-7803. Please send your add by the 20th of preceeding monch, accompanied by your check I money order, ro Screetvibes, 1506 Elm Street,Cincinnati, OH 45210 ~ reserve the right to deny any a4, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied POSlTION WANTED in Non-Profit Envi.ronmenl. Have 26 years of diversified national and international marketing experience. Recognized creative innovator with strong interpersonal and communicative skills. Would like to work in quality, value-enhanced program with like-minded people of integrity dedicated to service . .... Michael A. Weiman, 2581 Montchateau Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244,(5 13) 231-2853, Office (5 13) 232-459 1. Fax (513) 232-1837, mwalvin @aol.com Page 15 JOBS in COMMUNITY ORGANIZING wirn WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS (WIN) 1) Recycling & Energy Educator Full rime position available educating residents in cwo low and moderate-income neighborhoods about their opportunities to recycle and save energy. Position involves door­ to-doo r education, prese n tations co neighborhood, church,.senior and youth groups and developing group projects around recycling. Requirements : able to relate ro people of different economic, racial and religious backgrounds; self-motivated, and able to rake superv1s1on . 2) Community H ealth Educator/Organizer Full time posirion educating seniors in Hamilton County about Medicare + Choice plans (H MOs), How to save on prescription drugs, and o ther programs which can help low income seniors reduce cheir our-of-pocket health costs. The poisition alos includ es training existing leaders and recru~ring new members for a Seior Accion Coalition. Position involves: pres<;!ntacions to senior groups, conducting research about senior issues, training leaders, and helping seniors plan meetings and develop an action plan to adress senior issues. Requirements: able to relate ro seniors ofdifferent backgrounds, self-motivated, and able to take supervision. Training is available. Send resumes to Personnel Committee, Working in Neighborhoods, 3726 Llevellyn Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45223. 513-541-4 109 Streetvibes accepts C lassified Ads for icems such as H elp Wanted , Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421-7803 for more information Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to: GCCH, 1506 Elm Street,Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813, or e-mail to streetvibes@juno.com Rapid Exit assists families and individuals in moving rapidly from homelessness to permanent housing for more information contact The Greater Cincinnati Coalition For The Homeless: 421-7803 and ask for Melissa Samhan ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION Comin11 Soon: The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Calendar, featuring the incomparable photography of Jimmy Heath. Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesacp@tbol.net. Stayed tuned to find out how to get your very own! (513) 230-6353 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 16 '\ STREETVIBES TV Schedule Check us out, We're on TV! The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the -facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati Community Video), 2114 Reading Road , Cincinnati Ohio. If y ou would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. January Schedule some Broadcast Dates for December's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Saturday, January 1~th , at 5 PM Tuesday, January 18th, at 10 AM Thursday, Feb 3 at 10 AM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. Streetvibes Vendor · code Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to·sell the paper. 1 . Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for dona­ tions more than $1 . I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents. of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. S. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in genera). I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self-supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort. I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer · being able to distribute ~treetvibes. Volunteers Needed! Streetvibes is looking for volunteer writers, reporters, photographers, etc. interested in serving on the Streetvibes Editorial Board. For more information, please call the office at 421-7803 ' ~ Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call ... 0 Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and sugar, etc.) 0 PhotograP4tleb~ of all sorts for Streetvibes­ photographers, film, deve opin~<a.iligital camera?) ~ ' 0 Advenisers and Subscribers Streetvibes h.,,;3....--­ . imaf-over ead costs ~~~!a<.1.JLU:L--t_s-::~t o :h~a~t7.the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting f or a private charity, please call our office at421-7803. Thanks for your support. Need elp o Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Kousing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. -- .. If you can help!, contact us at: Streeroibes, c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalidon for che Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (5 13) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 !-888-872-9259 (Toll Free) YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 281-5770 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431-8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100" 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244-7226 Interfaith ·Hospitality Network 961-4080 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 651-6446 St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 639-7056 961-4555 24.1-7343 961-4663 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 OTHER SERVICES 421-2437 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network Community Acti<?n Agency Contact Center Emanuel Community Center Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries Hamilton Co.Mental. Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. Mary Magdalen House Oral Health Council Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 241-2600 591-2246 961-0600 569-1840 381-4242 241-2563 241-1064 771-4800 621-7149 632-7186 357-4602 352-2902 221-3619 241-9400 271-5501 721-4811 621-0248 621-6364 621-551 4 721-7660 721 -7900 572-6226 491°3335 � 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 2000 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 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project Comes to Cincinnati Pg 2: Civil Rights Project Continued Pg 3: The New Callousness Pg 4: Brief History of American Homeless Society Pg 5: International News Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Alternative Medicine Life on the Streets Pg 8: Prisoner’s News Pg 9: Prisoner’s News Continued: Packages from Home are a Lifeline for Prisoners Pg 10: Welfare News Pg 11: Words from the Evangelist Pg 12: Editorials & Letters Pg 13: A One Page Rant on Poverty Pg 14: No Permanent Abode 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 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donald Whitehead Susan Knight Tom Billman Ron Carter Gina Miller Warren Perkins Melissa Samhan D. Jackson Howard Dease Lynn Williams Azariah Israel Mike Weiman John Chetuck Rodney Sutton Alexandra Rae el-Katib Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alexandra Rae el-Katib Arts & Poetry Azariah Israel Cincinnati Cincinnati Enquirer civil rights Donald Whitehead Editorials & Letters Evangelists Freedom Gina Miller John Chetuck Lynn Williams Medicine Mike Weiman nationwide news poverty prisoners news Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Susan Knight the broken city The Traveler Tokyo Tom Billman Warren Perkins welfare welfare news https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/349f8b5ddf01b70a2e586545955ef4f3.pdf 8291a057194ab4c5598d2eed2e7631fc PDF Text Text Laurel Homes Demolition Temporarily Halted ....by Susan Knight Agreeing to cooperate, however, did began moving forward, the developer was not mean that significant concerns about the suddenly switched. Donald Troendle, Executive Director of CMHA, said that there project did not still remain . In 1997, with had been a great deal of concerns with the HOPE V I funds , CMHA had , against adamant opposition from Shirley Colbert, · developer's performance and that this was ? necessary action. Laurel Homes residents demolished Building B on Liberty Street. Shirley, after this experience, knew that however, believe that the developer was resident involvement did not necessarily switched without any of their input because mean resident demands would be met. Laurel Homes. continued page 2 Then, as HOPE VI development The Laurel Homes demolition has been halted temporarily due to conflicts between Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and Laurel Homes residents. HOPE VI, a federal grant used to "revitalize" dilapidated housing, was won two years ago by CMHA to redevelop the West End public housing communities. Initially, Shirley Colbert, president of Laurel Homes Resident Council, was tentative about signing on to such an agreement that would result in an influx in market rate units and less low-income units. However, Congress at the time made it clear that no further money wo~ld be allocated to public housing projects. As far as the federal government was concerned, public housing, as it had existed, was not worth investing in: high concentrations of poverty resulted in crime and drug infestation. The Laurel Homes Resident Council believed that HOPE VI would be the only opportunity to maintain any semblance of decent housing. Without money to maintain the buildings, the Laurel Homes community would continue to be in disrepair. And so, th e Laurel Homes Resident Council signed on the CMHA's HOPE VI development of Laurel Homes. Texas Executes Shaka Sankofa On June 10, 2 00, The West End celebrated Mac Day in honor of the late Rev. Maurice McCrackin's commitment to social justice and local communities. The jazz band "Is What" shown in this·photograph was one of many performers throughout the day. See page 18 for poetry about Mac. Local Reaction to Shaka Sankofa's Execution by Sonny Williams Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham), convicted of murder at age 17, was executed by lethal injection on the morning of June 22, despite pleas from anti-Death Penalty advocates worldwide. On June 21 , 2000, I went to Fountain Square, the public square in Cincinnati, to get citizens' response to the impending execution of Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham) in Texas. The first person said she supports the death penalty and Mr. Sankofa should die. The second person agreed with the woman and said the death penalty is needed ·for Shaka Sankofa. Ronald, who was visiting from Oak Park, Michigan, said that most people on death row are there because they were not economically able to afford a good lawyer to defend them. He said the death penalty is biased against the poor and Black citizens in this country. William, a Cincinnati resident, said that Shaka Sankofa should not die without his right to a new trial. He stressed that due process wasn't given to Shaka Sankofa in the Texas court system. An innocent man was executed at 8:40 pm on Thursday and George W. Bush has blood on his hands in this murder! For more information on the Ohio Moratorium, contact: Jackie Bowers, PAN - Ohio P.O. Box 1591 Marion, Ohio 43301-1591 The writer of this article made phone calls to other sources around the country, and he found this information: On June 7, 2000, Shaka Sankofa stated, "I think in Texas it's better to be rich and guilty than to be poor and innocent." According to Cheryl Lessin, spokesperson of the Revolutionary Communist Party (Cleveland Branch), "this really points to how seriously the government is hanging onto their facts that they are going to use the death penalty against the poor and Black people." ome �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 New Director at GCCH Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about homelessness, social justice, and poverty-related issues. It is published once a month, 12 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Staff Alicia Beck Director Susan Knight Administrative Coordinator Tom Billman Streetvibes Editor John Halpin Assistant Editor Dan Marschner Streetvibes Intern Ron Carter Speaker's Bureau Tenant Organizing Warren Pei'kins Pat Mitchell Outreach Volunteer GCCHlntem Jamaal Coleman Mary A. Gaffney Receptionist Volunteer Reporter Sonny Williams Writers Susan Knight Tom Billman Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Lynn Williams Alicia Beck M. Emily Cragg Mr. Lee Grady Cook Sonny Williams Pat Mitchell Alanna Maloney Jamaal Coleman joani Lacy Bianca Wagner Erika Robers John Criswell Patrick Mosolf Ginger Brock Graphics Photographs by Berta Lambert, Grady Cook, Tom Billman, Sonny Williams..... Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $15 per year. (Please make checks payable to GCCH) Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless · 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text­ only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached files} web page: http://cinci.com/gcch T hroughout my life, I've had the opportunity to go through many introductions. People always ask the same questions: what's your name, where are you fro m, where did you go to school, where do you live, and what do you do? I've developed the pat answers - the clean, crisp reply to polite conversation. My name is Alicia Beck, I'm the new Executive Director of the G reater C incinnati Coalition For T he H omeless. I'm originally from a small farming community in Central Illinois called Fairbury, but after many moves arourid the country, I have resided in Cincinnati, OH for the last few years. I attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illionis and received a B.A. in psychology. A couple years later I completed my Master of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. We gather all these bits of information and feel that we know who we are. When I started to write this, I knew that these all-important details must be revealed, but I also know that being the new director would take much more than degrees, location and the almighty title. People will want to know what my motives are, what I believe, and how I'm going to do my job. T he short answer to a long history of events that molded who I am includes personal experience of an unequal system, a passion for the truth, an admiration for those that led the way or mentored me (Dorthy Day, Jane Addams, Les Brown, and Mzee Lasana to name a few), and a commitment to my belief that all people are socially responsible for each other. I want people to know that I am passionate about what I do and that it is not just a job, but a way to lead your life. I care deeply about what happens to all members of our beautiful community and I will continue to provide a voice for those that do not have one in the halls of power. As I settle into my second month here at the Coalition, I look forward to continuing the strong tradition of preserving and defending the rights of the homeless, while building up the outreach efforts throughout the City of Cincinnati. I also look forward to meeting each of you in person to finally have a proper introduction. Yours in Solidarity- Alicia M Beck. Hello, my name is Jamaal Coleman and I am a student at Hughes High School on an internship with Xavier University. During this time, I will be working with the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and assisting them in their newest project. We will be trying to get the community Laurel Homes, rrompage 1 the residents had too great of a voice in the development process. The debate has been very intense and the City has continued to postpone· the removal of Laurel Homes' historic designation until an agreement can be reached. Moreover, the 9 million dollar designation the city has allocated to the project is being withheld until an agreement can be reached. Amidst this crisis are further developments that threaten the West Community. Wednesday June 7th, there was a community meeting held by the City to discuss all the developments taking place in the West End. They are extensive. From a downtown YMCA to a Arts Consortium, West End development is taking off. Residents voiced intense opposition Wednesday more involved in politics and voting in the upcoming election. It's our belief that everyone, despite the background that they may have, should vote. Our ultimate goal is to have people from the lower class communities become registered voters so that they can voice their opinions as to who should run our government. I have promised Alicia and Susan that I will work to the best of my ability to get the job done. evening, much to the apparent suprise of City Planning. Residents claimed they were being pushed out, that the West End was going to be a place for the rich, not for the poor. Several asked about the connection between Mr. Treondle and the Olympic Committee, claiming that much of this revitalization is taking place because Cincinnnati and Nick Vehr hopes to bring the 2012 games here. Much more information has yet to acquired. CMHA has not provided Todd Portune with enough information regarding the relocation of West End residents for him to feel comfortable with releasing the 9 million allocated to the Laurel Homes project. City Council says they will continue to sit on this money until their questions are answered. In the meantime, residents will continue their relocation and continue to ask questions. Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. ' �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine global financial architecture." She says that "currency speculation and the derivatives market move over $1.5 trillion daily (compared to world trade of $6 trillion .......by Susan Knight annually), earning short-term profits for wealthy investors at the expense of long-term Streetvibes has briefly highlighted development. Many countries are beginning some of the concerns surrounding to implement "capital controls" ir1 order to globalization and the organizations that regulate the influence of foreign capital, and implement the policy of globalization: the grassroots groups are advocating the World Trade Organization, the World Bank restructuring and regulation of the global and the International Monetary Fund. The financial architecture. Citizens can pass local fundamental argument is that too much power city resolutions for the Tobin Tax: a tax of 0.1 is consolidated in a small number of people/ percent to .25 percent of currency corporations. This has resulted in policy that transactions which would (1) provide a places profits over people and the disincentive for speculation but not affect real environment. Free Trade is the term used to capital investment, and (2) create a huge fund rationalize actions that have proven with time for building schools & clinics throughout the to be extremely detrimental to the world's world." poor (80% of the global population) and our Canceling or reducing third world debt environment. Free trade is considered to be is also an important piece of the equation. a cornerstone to a successful and thriving Debt is paralyzing the third world. Much of capitalistic market. Barriers, it is said, this debt has been accrued as a result of US impede competition and thus limit intervention, especially in Latin America. development and progress. Critics of "free Debt reduction would provide countries the trade," however, believe there are opportunity to develop their own industry alternatives to our current set of global without the constraints of the World Bank economic standards that encompass the and International Monetary fund. Money well-being of everyone and everything. These could go to responsible product development alternatives have come to be known as "fair and not to paying of the interest of loans that trade." will take generations to pay off. Governments, including our own, Fair Trade Fair Trade is globalization with shou ld adopt a policy wherein the UN representation. Globalization as it currently declaration of human rights takes stands is based upon the involvement of precedence over economic rights. In other government elites and mu/ti-national words, human rights are to be considered a corporations. Instituting a democratic commodity to be coveted. Deborah James, also notes in her process in the development of economic and essay, "Ten Ways to Democratize the Global social policy is imperative for fair trade to be successful. Corporate accountability is also Economy," that women must be involved in an essential element to fair trade. This policy the economic decision making. Women, she could potentially affect profits; however, one says, "make up half the world but hold less could consider that if the GAP company's than five percent of positions of power in CEO took even as much as a 75 percent determining global economic policy and own pay cut, he would still be making 1O million an estimated one percent of global property." dollars a year. Maybe all his workers could Women in many respects come from a care potentially have a living-wage, health care giver perspective. Such a perspective may be valuable in determining the value put on and decent work conditions. human and environmental life. Deborah James, director of global It is also important for the World Trade exchange's fair trade coffee program, also Organization to allow for the unionization of cites the importance of "restructuring the labor. Labor unions are a very effective - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - means of prioritizing human rights. Allowing them to organize is essential to allowing people to have a voice in economic policy. The ultimate point: local communities have a stake in their environment, their lives and their children's lives. Autonomous communities who work within a fair trade system could be allowed to compete and prosper. Competition does breed progress. Multinational corporations do not encourage progress; they promote dominance. Dominance does not define a laissez faire society and it is not what Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations Fair Trade, the Alternative to Free Trade professes. Defence Minister Abdul Mohammed Ali, Over-the­ Rhine Resident, after bis arrest for disorderly Conduct in City Council Chambers, a result of bis persistent demands for an apology from the City of Cincinnati for the murder ofMichael Carpenter. His Jury trial is July 5, 2000 in the courtroom of Judge Cheryl Grant, 9:00 AM, 1000 Main Street. Protests will be taking place in Philadelphia, July 30th to August 3rd and in Los Angeles August 13th and 14th. Campaign finance reform as a means to ending corporate dominance will be a key issue in the upcoming protests. + Page 3 THE WTO'S HISTORY: "FREE TRADE" AND ITS LASTING IMPLICATIONS THE CLEAN AIR CASE CASE: On behalf of its oil industry, Venezuela challenged a US Clean Air Act regulation that required gas refiners to produce cleaner gas. The rule used the 1990 actual performance data of oil refineries required to file with the EPA (mostly US refineries) as the starting point for required improvements for refineries without reliable data (mostly foreign). Venezuela clamied this rule was biased against foreign refiners and took the case to the WTO. RESULT: A WTO panel ruled against the US law. In 1997, the EPA changed the clean air rules to give foreign refiners the choice of using an individual baseline (starting point). WTO Effects, continued page 5 TRIP Services: You Find the Job, They'll Find the Transportation TRJP, the Transportation Resources and Information Project, is a nonprofit organization designed to help the residents ofHamilton County who are low income or on public assistance to find transportation to and from employment. The Transportation Agents at TRIP will do the research to find out what transportation options are available for people to get to and from work and for families to drop children off at day care. If given enough notice, they may also be able to schedule transportation to interviews. The Transportation Agents begin the process by asking people a series of questions such as their home address, work address, child care address, work schedule, etc. All of this information can be taken over the phone at ( 513) 731-5030. This series ofquestions will register you for their services. The Transportation Agents then look at Metro, TANK, or Access buses; Vanpooling and Shuttling; Ridesharing and Carpooling; and finally Taxi services. They determine the best and least expensive way for you to get to work and provide you with that information. The Transportation Agents determine if a person qualifies based on ifhe or she has had a case with the Department of Human Servic;es in the past year or ifhe or she meet~ our low income criteria. After a person has given all of her information to the Transportation Agents, they begin to process her application. It takes between two and Trip Services. continued page 11 �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 "Don't Spend a Nickel on Mt. Olive Pickle!" by Erika Robers AFL-CIO organizer "Who you calling immigrant, pilgrim?" The slogan I saw so cleverly printed on a t-shirt at the IMF/World Bank protests came to mind two Saturdays ago as I leafleted at a Krogers in Blue Ash. As the sky threatened rain , Dick Wiesenhalh and I handed out information and talked to shoppers about the boycott on Mt. Olive Pickles. While many people were receptive to hearing about the plight of farm workers, what I remember most is the brief conversation I had with a young, middle class white man. After looking over the leaflet I handed him entering the store, he exited, asking me why I cared about Mexican farm workers. I answered that farm workers perform a valuable service in society - they put food on our table. And for 9oing this honorable work they are neither justly compensated nor treated like human beings. "If conditions are so bad, why don't these farm workers just leave and find another job?", he replied. "Well, for one th ing," I answered, "they are from Mexico. They come here desperate for work. They don't have the options you or I do to find another job." In fact, conditions in North Carolina cucumber fields are so bad that no one locally will take the job. The fed eral government has instituted a program called the Guest Worker program, or H2A, similar to the Bracero program during WWII which brought thousands of Mexicans to work in the fields while American men were fighting in the war. Guest Worker is a euphemistic term for what resembles indentured servitude. Workers are recruited in their Mexican home towns by labor contractors who pay their way to the states and get them a work permit to work in U.S. agricultural fields. The workers are allowed to be here to work without being guaranteed many of the worker protections and wage laws that protect U.S. citizens. The grower provides the workers housing and wages that at times come out to less than minimum wage. H2A workers are not free to leave and find a new job if they find the conditions too oppressive. They are contracted to work the season at one farm only. I anticipated his reaction, all too common to those of us who have grown up in an immigrant-bashing culture: that these Mexicans shouldn't be here anyway; what right do they have to take American jobs? So I added that in addition to the fact that no Americans want these jobs, he and I are both a product of immigrants. "Unless your ancestors were Native American or African , they came to this country as well in search of a better livelihood and probably faced similar negative responses when trying to organize for improved working conditions." Why are we as Americans so eager to slam the door behind us as soon as we get in? Farm workers in the North Carolina cucumber fields are organizing to improve their abysmal working conditions. Twelve hour work days am common for farm workers. They su ffer swollen arms and take painkillers to keep working. They face .>afety hazards, such as pesticide poisonings, that lower the average life expectancy of farm workers to 25 years below the national average. In fact, they have the highest rate of toxic chemical injuries of all U.S. workers. Many farm workers labor in temperatures that reach 11 Odegrees without adequate shade, rest or water. These are the conditions that caused the death of farm worker CHURCH LEADERS INSIST IT'S A MATTER OF FAIRNESS Bishop F. Joseph Grossman of Raleigh told a FLOG rally on the State Capital steps in 1998: "Farmworkers need to be partners around the table with growers and corporations so that the common good of all is reached ... we stand with our fellow workers as brothers and sisters." ... Sr. Evelyn Mattern, representing the North Carolina council of churches, said that: "After watching how farmworkers were mistreated for 25 years, it is an answer to my prayers that the FLOG Campaign is under way here in North Carolina." Raymundo Hernandez in 1995, who died from pesticide poisoning out in the fields of North Caroliha. A few years later in 1999, Camelo Fuentes slipped into a coma from heat stroke. There is no question why these conditions still exist: employer greed. While companies like Mt. Olive Pickle get rich off the sweat of Mexican farm workers, the workers themselves reap only 1 cent for every jar of pickles. The regulatory agencies like the department of labor that are supposed to be monitoring the farms and protecting farm workers have only 8 inspectors for every 21 ,919 farms. In 1997 , FLOG , or Farm Labor Organizing Committee, which represents 7000 farm workers in mid-western states such as Ohio and Michigan, began organizing in North Carolina at Mt. Olive Pickle, the South's largest pickle company. There are 7000 farm workers who pick cucumber pickles in North Carolina, which is second in pickle productions only to Michigan. While organized pickle pickers in Michigan and Ohio who have a union contract through FLOG make about $5.80 per 100 pounds of pickles, North Carolina pickers make only $1 .80 per 100 pounds of pickles. This wage comes out to less than the minimum wage. During the 1980's, Baldemar Velasquez, an ex-farm worker and the president of FLOG, initiated the Campbell's Soup boycott in an effort to organize tomato and cucumber pickers. Eventually in 1986 and 1987, the union won contracts with Campbell's, H.J. Heinz and a Vlasic pickle subsidiary. These contracts provide enforcement mechanisms for environmental, sanitation, health and safety requirements. The enforcement comes through worker control rather than some removed , understaffed regulatory agency. Through the boycott, workers won increased wages, improved housing, pesticide protections and daycare for migrant children. In the first six weeks of the tampaign to organize North Carolina pickle pickers, over 1000 farm workers signed cards pledging their desire for union representation. The number of cards signed now, three years later, is over 3000. While workers have overwhelmingly shown their commitment to forming a union at Mr. Olive, the company refuses to negotiate with them. Reasons cited by Mt. Olive include that the company doesn't directly employ the farm workers. They contract with growers who do the actual hiring of workers . However, Mt. Olive controls a great deal of the process the farmers use, such as what kind ofcucumbers to plant, what and how often to spray, and what price will be paid. FLOG wants to sign a 3 way contract that guarantees a certain wage instead of piece rate much like they've done in Michigan and Ohio. They want the growers to make more so that the workers will as well. Raising the wages of North Carolina farm workers through a negotiated contract levels the playing field so that no only do North Carolina pickers make a fairer wage, but those union farm workers in the mid-west don't find themselves out of a job in a few years when employers move all their business to the South to find cheap labor. Other reasons cited by CEO William Bryan are that a third party is unnecessary to settling internal problems and that Mt. Olive Pickle PICKLES, Continued next page . I �STREETUIBES PICKLE, continued has a long anti-union tradition. FLOC is not a third party. Workers are the union and they want to collectively bargain out a contract with the growers and Mt. Olive Pickles. And the second statement regarding their anti­ union tradition speaks for itself. A little over a year ago, in March of 1999, FLOC kicked off the AFL-CIO endorsed pickle boycott through a 4-day, 70 mile march from Mt. Olive to Raleigh, North Carolina. Through the efforts of 800 high school students in Toledo, Ohio, in March of this year, 19 Kroger stores pulled Mt. Olive pickles from their shelves in North-West Ohio. Over 200 organizations to date across the country have endorsed the boycott. Rallies and leafleting took place at stores that carry Mt. Olive pickles proposing to shoppers "Don't spend a nickel on Mt. Olive Pickle." These actions to commemorate the one year anniversary of the boycott in March took place in Atlanta , Ga. , Birmingham, Al., Knoxville, Tn., Miami and Orlando, Fl., and Charlotte, NC. Catholic Bishops in Toledo, Raleigh and Columbus as well as Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk have all endorsed the boycott according to the Church's teaching on human dignity. Columbus Bishop James Griffin points out that "We must never forget the fact that the economy exists to serve the human person, not the other way around." We need your help with this boycott. We are confident that the Krogers here in Cincinnati will follow the example of the north­ west Krogers' stores with a bit of pressure. Please write a letter to Kroger's area manager, Joe Buescher, urging him to do the right thing and take the pickles off the shelves. His address is: Kroger Co., 150 Tri-County Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH 45246. We also need help on our support committee. To help out call Steve Schumacher at 221­ 2822 or Dick Wiesenhahn at 984-1963. You can also visit FLOC's website at www.floc.com for more information . Through collective effort we can win this struggle and as Velsquez says, "Those who put the food on our tables deserve a life of dignity and that's what we intend to win in North Carolina." The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine WTD Effects, from page 3 Page 5 CARIBBEAN BANANA CASE The EPA acknowledged that the change CASE: The US argued that Eurpoean trade preferences for bananas from "creates a potential for adverse former European colonies in the environmental impact." .... Caribbean unfairly discriminate against IMPLICATION: Refiners from bananas grown by US Venezuela and other countries will use companies in Central the individual baseline option only if it gives them a weaker starting point, and America (Chiquita Banana). thus lets them sell dirtier gasoline in the US, which would deteriorate air RESULT: In 1997, a WTO panel quality. The WTO gives businesses a decided that European preferences for special avenue to challenge policies, like Caribbean bananas are WTO-illegal. the Clean Air rules, which have The EU proposed a new policy that the withstood domestic challenges. US claims still violates WTO rules. The US was granted authoirty by the THE BEEF HORMONE CASE WTO to impose $200 million in trade sanctions against European imports CASE: The US challenged a European until the EU changes the policy to suit Union ban on the sale of beef from WTO demands. cattle that have been raised with IMPLICATION: The Caribbean's tiny certain artificial growth share of the EU market for bananas is hormones. the major source of revenue and jobs RESULT: In 1998, a in some Caribbean nations whre WTO appellate panel mountainous terrain rules out other ruled against the EU crops. If Europe abandons i~ policy to law, giving the EU until comply with the WTO, some 200,000 May 13, 1999 to open its markets to small farmers in very poor countries hormone-treated beef. could lose their livelihoods. Officials in IMPLICATION: The ban on artifical small Carribbean nations worry that hormones applies equally to European implementations of the WTO ruling will farmers and foreign producers. If destabilize their economies and European consumers and governments democracies. The US drug czar noted are opposed to the use of artificail that the policy change could make hormones and are concerned about these countries more vulnerable to potential health risks or want to drug trafficking. promote more natural farming According to Caribbean womens methods, they should have the right to groups, 'The assured market for bananas enact laws that support their choices. has given thousands offamilies in the sub­ Instead , the WTO empowers its region of the Windward Islands a means tribunals to second-guess whether ofsecurity and has afforded us dignity and health and environmental rules have a self-reliance. The loss of this security "valid" scientific basis. through a sudden change in market opportunities would leave us without THE SHRIMP TURTLE CASE resources to build a future for our families CASE: Four Asian nations challenged and our countries. " Why is the US launching a trade war provisions of the US Endangered over a product it doesn't even grow? Species Act forbidding Perhaps huge campaign donations by the sale in the US o f . shrimp caught in ways · · · Chiquit;a CEO Carl Undner are a big reason. According to the Washington Times that kill endangered (8/25/97}, Undner gave more than half sea turtles. · a million dollars in 1998 in campaign RESULT: In 1998, a WTO appellate contributions to both parties. The giant panel decided that while the US is Chiquit;a plant;ations in Central America are allowed to protect turtles, the specific notorious violators ofworkers' health and way the US tried to do so was not the right to organize, but this has not allowed under WTO rules. The US government is now considering ways to prevented the Clinton Administration from pleading Chiquita's case. • • • change the law to comply with WTO. IMPLICATION: It is possible to catch shrimp without harming turtles by fitting shrimp nets with inexpensive "turtle excluder devices." US law requries domestic and foreign shrimp fishermen to use turtle-safe methods. The goal of saving turtles could be undercut by the WTO's second­ guessing of how US policy should be implemented, given the most inexpensive, effective means has been ruled WTO-illegal. Case studies are complements of "A Citizen's Guide to the World Trade Organization." �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The Stop the Clock Campaign has been receiving calls from people who think HB 578 expired when the Ohio Assembly adjourned for the summer. Happily, HB 578 is still very much a live biU and will not expire until December 31, 2000. Ofcourse, ifpassed, it will not expire at all but improve the lives of thousands of women and children in Ohio. As a reminder, HB 578: * Allows Ohio Works First recipients to receive public assistance for five consecutive years, or longer, if the federal law changes * Calls for a moratorium on time limits ifOhio "Who will be Exempted from the Cut-Offi" by Lynn Williams, 0 E C Ohio Works First allows 20% of the welfare caseload to be exempted from the time limit. It is left up to counties to decide what the categories are to allow for exemption. Counties are not required to exempt anyone if they so choose. Cuyahoga County , which h as the largest caseload in the state, has decided NOT TO EXEMPT ANYONE, according to Cuyahoga County Commissioners. Three thousand five hundred families are slated to be cut off on October 1 with five thousand four hundred families cut off between October 1 and December 1, in Cuyahoga County alone. And yet, according to Cuyahoga County Commissioners, "We need tough love." ("Cleveland Plain Dealer'', June 19, 2000) Coschocton, Holmes and Washington Counties also plan to NOT EXEMPT ANY FAMILIES. Surprisingly, Hamilton County has taken a more humane approach towards the time limits. Exemption categories include: Priority A: A parent or caregiver who has a serious physical/mental illness, verified by a physician. A parent or caregiver who is the caregiver of a disabled child, spouse, parent or sibling. Priority B: A person six or more months pregnant or caring for a child under three months of age. A parent or caregiver who is a victim of domestic violence, with evidence of residing in a domestic violence shelter, a protective court order or a police report. Page 6 The Ohio Department ofHuman Services is gearing up for their " mass change cut-off'. They are currently designing the "mass change cut-off notice" which will be mailed in late August to thousands ofpoor families informing them of their families' cut-offs. This will be a mass cut-off ofmothers and children. STOP THE CLOCK Campaign Update ... Lynn Williams, Ohio Empowerment Coalition . enters a recession. * Changes sanction policy by: A. Ending a sanction upon compliance with a pro-rated check from date of compliance & B. Restores the adult's portion of food stamps so that the household's food stamps are not reduced. The Ohio Assembly will be back in session briefly in September. There is a window of opportunity for the bills to be heard then. We must continue to work on building support throughout June, July & August to make this an issue for legislators to have to contend with in September. Even though it's summer, we cannot live easy knowing that this cut-off lies just ahead unless we wake up Ohio's legislators' sense of humanity and moral conscience . Summer Action to Build Support for HB 578: 1. Summer months are ideal for meeting locally with your area's legislators. They are now in their home districts. Urge them to endorse the bill now and vote for it when it comes up for a vote. 2. Get endorsements from community groups such as churches, unions, women's groups, civic organizations. 3. Write "Letters to the Ed itor" to your local newspapers. 4. Mark your calendar now to attend the Stop the Clock Rally at the Statehouse on September 12, Tuesday. The Rally is scheduled for 11 :30 a.m. For more information about the Stop the Clock Campaign call 513/381-4242. A teen parent who is enrolled and in good standing in High School and for up to 12 months after receipt of their HS Diploma/ GED Priority C: A parent or caregiver who has so many children (four or more, age 13 and under) that employment is not economically feasible. The parent or caretaker is 55 or more years of termination notices. Still, high numbers of families are going to be cut-off. Many children will fall deeper into poverty or be removed from their homes. It is important now more than ever that concerned citizens speak up loud and clear in support ofHB 578 before ODHS, with · the blessing of the Ohio General Assembly, axes assistance to poor families. age. A parent or caregiver enrolled & in good standing in an education or training program. Maximum extension allowed is one year. Priority D: A recipient who was not assigned a Work Activity as part ofher/his county self­ sufficiency plan. The exemption would last for no more than six months. As the numbers of families reach the 20% level, fewer & fewer exemptions will be allowed for lower priorities. If families that meet the Priority 1 category fill up the 20%, that will be the extent of exemptions. What is unfortunate is the fact that additional families who reach the time limit in later months will not have the opportunity to be exempted if the 20% limit is already filled. According to the OSLSA Welfare Task Force, counties that are allowing exemptions can exempt those families before the cut-off so they will not be terminated when everyone else is. Everyone else will receive a "mass change notice" informing them they are terminated. The notice will explain that they can appeal this decision if they think they fit the exemption category for their county. Originally the Ohio Department of Human Services had planned to terminate everyone, but because enough advocates for the poor "fought" this decision, it was changed. If no one had spoken up to resist this, all recipients would have received Words From the Evangelist A Place To Call Home Living Testimony Christian Center Paster Jackie Jackson who is the Director ofEvangelism for City Gospel Mission is moving his church to City Gospel Mission. So now the person who coordinated the carnival, block party, discipleship classes, and street evangelism will now be here with his church to love you full time. Services will be at City Gospel Mission at 1419 Elm St., Sundays at 10:30 AM. The first service will be on July 2, 2000. I will be there, so come join the Fellowship. I am still leading Bible Study at the Washington United Church ofChrist in Camp Washington, Wednesdays at 5:30 pm. Come study God's word and its meaning for your I ife today, and stay for the family dinner at 6:30 pm. Bring the whole family and be blessed. A.W.O.L. ministries is still providing Bibli~al Counseling, Seminars, and referral services. For inquiries and contributions, call 210-4181 or write P.O. Box 36065, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. In His Service, Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. �STREETVIBES Class Inequality in American Education by Patrick "Tree" Mosolf Look at Cincinnati Public Schools today. Students are crowded into classrooms in buildings that are crumbling and in disrepair. Textbooks and supplies are old and limited in number. Corporate logos invade our schools' space and our students' minds. Levies to raise more money for the schools fail, while the district chooses to close down more schools. Teachers, counselors and principals are being laid off. Public hearings contain many frustrated speeches from citizens who are tired of the problems their children encounter at the schools. All of these are indicative of the troubles many urban school districts are facing. There are vast inequalities in the American educational system, which in turn reproduces the class differences in our society. T he role of corporations is present, yet not often pare of our discussion of schools. In order to make education work fo r all of our nation's students we must reaffirm our commitment to bring equal opportunity to our children. Before we look at the problems of the public system we must consider the whole education system, including non p ublic education. A simple way to look ar the whole system is m conceptualize it as having five parts. The first three, whjch will be of primary importance jn the discussion in this article, are l ) the urban school system, 2) the suburban school system, 3) and the private school system. The fo urth and fifth parts, which are not considered in this discussion, are the rural school districts, and home schooling. Recognition of these 5 parts allows us to understand more about the condition of urban public school districts like Cincinnati Public Schools. Separate and Unequal T he primary effect of both private schools and suburban public schools has been to draw money away from urban school districts. Wealthier citizens move away from the cities to get a better education for their children. This slowly erodes the urban public schools' tax base. The private school system also may contribure to a declining tax base as people whose children don't attend public schools may actively discourage the passage of tax levies co fund the public schools. Also, both of these parts of our educational system contribute to another problem for urban school districts. When some families move out of the district, and others send their children to private schools, who is left in the urban public districts? Unfortunately, a disproportionate percentage of the children remaining in urban school districts are poor or people of color. Many of the children attending urban school districts live in some of the most blighted inner city neighborhoods. As a result, the urban public schools have not only the task of educating the students, but also the difficult charge of handlin~ difficult social proble~s. O ur urban publi~!$Chool districts become ~ medium for handlmg problems like undersocialized and poorly nurtured children, child abuse, drug abuse, violence, homelessness, and teenage pregnancy. With this responsibility, The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine its no surprise that urban school districts have trouble helping studen ts develop into accomplished graduates. Education as Class Reproduction As result of these divisions in the educational system, there is vast inequality in the type of education children from different parts of society receive. T he phrase "separate and unequal" comes to mind. Not only is the type of education children receive vastly unequal, but it also serves to reproduce class and race differences in our society. Those students who can afford to go to private schools or live in the Tender Mercies Shelter Gets New Executive Director, Marcia Spaeth .. .By Pat Mitchell Recently I was approached by a woman while out selling Streetvibes papers. She asked what kind of help is provided for senior citizens who are mentally ill. I was baffled, but my answer to her was that I promise to check into this. Because I honestly couldn't answer her question even though I had recently referred a lady, "Debbie" to Tender Mercies. I wasn't quite sure what their program was about, so I decided to find out. After talking to the Chief Executive Marcia Spaeth and the Out Reach Case Manager Dennis Roger, I was amazed at the work being done there. Marcia Spaeth is the C.E.O for Tender Mercies, presiding only 2 weeks as their president. She started as a volunteer for 15 years working with Fr. Chris Hall, quit and then returned as a full time volunteer for 8 years. Rendering her services and starting a Meal's Program where people cook meals at home and serve to the residents 1 hot meal daily. She also started a fund raising agency to provide pay for a staff of 52 people who worked around the clock to accommodate there residents. What a great job .Marcia!! What a blessing you are to the Community. I also found out through talking with Dennis Roger, who is a Out Reach Case Manager, that Tender Mercies serves mentally ill homeless people from 18 years of age and up. Age is not a barrier. They have a Permanent & Transitional Housing Program going. The Transitional House provides 16 beds for temporary housing for those who can move from homelessness to independent Community living. The program provides case management such as Psychiatric consulting recreational activities, assists with benefits procurement, referral to community treatment professionals and provides educational and job skills with such programs as B.V.R. etc. Those who can afford it, pay 30% of their income for living quarter-S. The staff includes.Rod Edeing, Sara McNervey, and Dennis Roger: all are case managers. They are interviewed by Page 7 suburbs will receive a higher quality education. Consequently, they will be more likely to get highly professional jobs in business, as a computer programmer, doctor, lawyer, etc. The students who struggle in urban public school districts receive much poorer quality of education and thus are more likely co be employed in lower end positions like industrial labor, maintenance, low paying service jobs, if they are employed at all. T he effect of the U.S. educational system in reproducing class status across generations is perhaps one of its most CLASS INEQUALITY, continued page a staff and the staff decides which programs are acceptable. If there's no bed available, they are then placed on a waiting list. Their permanent housing program currently provides 150 beds for men and women. Their rent vari~s from $185-195 monthly for those who want and require shelter. It is a supportive and safe environment for as long as they live. If need be, they do have a resident that's been there for 15 years. They also give referrals for nursing home if the occasion calls for it. Tender Mercies exists to serve homeless people with histories of emotional and mentally illness. They have 7 locations, ..... (mostly close to 12th and Elm) . Thank you Marcia Spaeth and Dennis Roger for enlightening me. Now if I'm approached, either through selling papers or at our office (the Coalition for the Homeless), I can give a referral and know that a person will be properly taken care of. + + + The History of Tender Mercies During the late 1970's and early l 980's, three priests - Randy Lafo nd, Ed Slater, and the late Chris Hall - were working in Over-the-Rhine with homeless men and women. In 1985, after cwo . mentally-ill women they had helped find housing for were victimized and one murdered, the priests were further motivated to find an answer to a problem that was often overlooked - housing for mentally-ill homeless men and women. They approached a local building for free and guarantee that all apartments would be occupied and rent paid on rime. T he owner agreed, and the new venture was named Tender Mercies. Tender Mercies was organized as a non-profit corporation in March of 1985. Despite the religious motivation of the initiators, it was decided to keep the organization separate from any belief or denomination. T he trustees agreed that the mission of Tender Mercies would be to provide permanent housing for homeless persons with mental illness and that the goals would be tO promote and ensure security, dignity, and community for the residents. Today we operate and maintain seven buildings with over 50 professional staff members. �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page B Congress Closes US Army· School of the Americas, ·GiVe~ .Okay to·open Clone l( , • SOA Protesters Sentenced to-. ·P rison ' l I ·. ·, COLUMBUS, GA -Ten protesters received sentences of up to 12 months in prison today (June 8, 2000) for their part in a November 1999 funeral procession onto Fort Benning property calling for the closure of the School of the Ame'ricas (SOA). Judge Hugh Lawson imposed the sentences · today in the US District Court in Columbus, GA. Congressional medal of honor winner Charles Liteky received the maximum sentence of 6 months in prison and a $5000 fine on each of two counts of trespassing for a total of 12 months in prison and a·$10;000 fine. Liteky stated, "I dedicate my time in prison to the victims of the SOA, living and dead. When I enter prison it will be as a prisoner of war, the war against the poor." Sr. Megan Rice, who served a 6 month sentence for her part in a 1997 SOA protest, was sentenced to 6 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. She was taken immediately into custody. Seven othe~s were sentenced to three months in prison and a $2,500 fine after stating that they would return to Fort Benning again and again until the SOA is closed. One defendant, who did agree that she would not return to the post was sentenced to 12 months of probation and $1,000 fine. The School of the Americas, training ground for more than 60,000 Latin American military troops, has been under intense pressure to close its doors. Documented human rights abuses by its graduates have included the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero and the massacre of 900 civilians · in the village of El Mozote. In response to criticism, the Pentagon has circulated a reform proposal that would re-name the school The Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Coop'eration but offer no substantive changes. By a narrow margin, the House voted to accept this proposal last month. ' SOA critics call the changes cosmetic and contend that it is business as usual fdr the SOA. School of the Americas Watch staff have vowed to work harder than ever to close this School of Assassins. The protesters were not deterred by the sentences and will return home to continue their anti-SOA organizing until ordered to report to federal prison. "These harsh se.ntences will only energize this movement and call forth in ever greater numbers," said Fr. Roy Bourgeois, co-director of Soa Watch. WASHINGTON,' DC - By a 214 to 204 margin, the US House of Representatives voted Thursday (May ·18, 2000) to close the controversial Army School' of ~he Americas (SOA) located at Ft. Benning, GA. But in the same vote Congress approved.the Pentagon proposal to immediately open a clone. The new school, called the Defense'lnstitute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation, is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. Like the School of the Americas, it will be located at Ft. Benning. Rep. Joseph Moakley.(D-MA) tried to defeat the Pentagon proposal with an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill. Republicans Joseph' Scarborough (FL) and Tom Campbell (CA) joined Moakley and James McGovern (D-MA) as co-sponsors of a .measure that would have closed the School of the Americas but halt opening of the proposed Institute until a congressional task force reported it recommendations. The House rejected the bi-partisan amendment. Critics call the Pentagon plan cosmetic - a name change with no attempt to address the growing public outcry and congressional concern over the SOA's link to human rights atrocities in Latin America. SOA alumni include death squad leader, Roberto D'Aubuisson, from El Salvador and Col. Lima Estrada, arrested in January for the assassination of Guatemalan human rights champion , Bishop Juan Gerardi. In 19~8 , assassins beat Gerardi to death with a brick just days after he released a human rights report critical of the Guatemalan Army. The bi-partisan task force called for in the Moakley, amendment would have evaluated the effect of US military training on the human rights performance of Latin American soldiers. Commando and combat courses have been core curricula at the SOA and critics believe that the training contributes to human rights atrocities. Salvadoran soldiers cited by a United Nations Truth Commission for the commando-style massacre of six Jesuit priests and their two women co-workers had just completed the SOA commando course. .• "Congress may have been fooled, but the people are not. The SOA has a new name, but the same shame. We will be at Ft. Benning by the thousands again this November, and we will be in the halls of the new Congress in January. We, will keep coming back until we shut down the "School of Assassins" -whatever they call it," promised Fr. Roy Bourgeois and Carol Richardson who head up the ten year effort to close the SOA. SOA Watch, PO Sox 4566 Washington, DC 20011. Contact: Roy Bourgeois, 706.682.5369- Carol Richardson, 202.745.0485- Jeff Winder, 202.234.3440 CLASS INEQUALITY, from pa.ge 7 compelling facets. In addition, because people of certain ethnicities such as African American and Hispanics are more likely to be distributed in the lower classes, these people of color are more likely to suffer f~om the inadequacies ,of the urban public schools. How ironic! The system ofpublic schooling, which w~ supposedly established to make sure that everyone · . had a fair chance to succeed, has been undermined by artificial geographic boundaries (between suburbs and citi~) and the prevalence of private school usage among upper middle class and upper class families. Corporations in Education The role of Corporate power in the public education is still obscure to me, although I have suspicions that their role is significant. Just as corporations play a prominent role in the U.S. political campaigns, so I would think their role in the educational system would be major as well. The biggest question is, how much do corporations pay in financing public education? Based on their control of much of 1 the U.S. political process, and the chronic funcling problems of the urban school districts, I th.ink their ponion of the funding pie may have been engineered to be rather small. Even qiough ,oorporate owners will be the ones to benefit from well trained and ~ell conditioned workers, 'much of the cost of paying for the . :pubHc S<;hools is shouldered by individual raxpayers. .1 One. h'nal ominous note about i:orporations in public education is the inva.Siqn of corporate logos and advertisements . into our public schools. Since public schools now so often must scrounge for funds, they sell naming rights to corporations; "Welcome to Cinergy's Walnut Hills High School !", a banner ·above the entrance to Walnut Hills might say in the future. Even worse is Channel One, televised educational instruction which features advertisements for corporate products as a significant portion of its programming. As ifAmericans do not already watch enough television, now our children's minds will be colonized at school, where watching corporate advertisements will be part of getting a good report card and trying ' to succeed in life. . When the public schools must sell naming rights and allow advertisem,ents into the classroom to get funding from corporations, who is really in power? A Change in Values Americans need to do some soul' searching about what we want public education to mean in our society. What ever happened to the ethic of "All for one and one for all" .? Will we continue to purposefully allow one segment of the students to suffer in poor" dysfunctional schools while .a nother segment attends well funded, harmonious institutions? I believe that all Americans should work together to make public education work for all of our students, be they middle class or poor, caucasian or African American, male or female. It is not fair for those who benefit from our best educational institutions to continue to turn a blind eye towards those inner city students whose chances are dimmed by being born in the wrong school district. We, as Americans should search our consciences to find redemption through a commitment to make public education work for all. • • • �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine .........(This writer is terminally ill.) June I 0, 2000 Greetings My Brutha Sonny, I greet you in the name of our Creator and through the peace and power of the struggle. We must continue to embrace one another as a "Universal-Culture" in keeping the struggle alive. So as I come in extreme revolutionary, I greet you and all of my beloved "bruthas and sustas of multicultural with the Iron Clench Fist Salute" ... ... ..... .. ......ALL Power to the People! Hello Sonny. I am not sure how to present a letter of endearment, for the reason that this is my first presentation, but before I will make any attempt to awaken your conscious in a manner "we" both can appreciate, let me first and briefly state my purpose as well as my interest in writing. First of all, as you can see that my sin is Melvin D. Smith, aka "Smitty" if you prefer. More importantly as a "New Afrikan," my name is "Shaka Serna Umoja." I am a native of the greater Houston area which is where I am currently residing at this time. I am a 42 year old prisoner of want and I've been enslaved for 21 years in the jaws of slavery on the Eastham Unit Plantation. And while being confined in the belly of the beast, I've come to embrace the struggle for dear Life. Since being a representative of the struggle, I have chosen to represent the voice of the people in anyway I possibly can. I am a member of various outside organizations that call upon the empowerment of the "masses" of people collectively. I am up under the umbrella of NAIM, as most freedom fighters are. Now Sonny, I have chosen to become a member of PAN O hio Organization because I love you alls political views, especially the abundance of love and support everyone who are members has contributed. But more importantly, I'm very pleased with the support that you and your comrades have conrributed in helping bruthas and susthas of all races who are victims of a cy-ctem that advocates hate and injustice toward the human race. So I know what it's like trying to reach out to those who have been captured in the bowels of subjugation. So I must once again salute you for such a tremendous job in uplifting the conscious of the masses of people, in and on the outside. Because I have and do correspond with various people around the world, as well as with those who are incarcerated like myself. For this reason there are those who are in great need of friendship and companionship. So really, my function is to at least try to be there for d1ose I am now back at Lucasville - been back for four days, and I am holding a real ball-point pen in my hand instead of one of those rubber things we had to use at the supermax. It is such a relief to be out of that place, and that certainly says a lot, because since when can Lucasville, being the notorious.prison that it is, be said to be a relief from anything. This evening I went outside for the first time. I sat in the grass and talked with John Perotti as we enjoyed the fresh air and the evening sun. As time goes on, since being returned here, I am becoming more and more conscious of how Youngstown [supermax] dulls the senses. To now be around people, and colors, and on and on, it just flows and unfolds around me with such wonderment. That green door and those off white walls are not known to be the only colors of life. Gone now is the constant round of yelling and screaming and the kicking of doors and the slamming of cuffports. who are desperately in need of love and support. Even though I've had my ups and downs, I feel that I've been very blessed and successful in containing my "trials and tribulations" accordingly, so I try to deal with the empathy of my crisis by loving and supporting others as you have. Although a lot of my hurt comes from within, due to the dehumanization and criminalization of the judicial cy-ctem, whom I've like many more who have been victimized by the cy-ctem .. And I've been bitter for quite some time now, because it cost me 21 years of my life in prison. But in the process, I've only become stronger in my time and need for strength, and by the gift and grace of our Creator, I have been blessed physically, mentally, and spiritually so therefore I have "no" complaints other than trying to retain my freedom which I am hoping will be next year with the exception of parole, that is. Look bruthas, Sonny, it was such a great pleasure sitting here talking with you: I don't want to take up too much ofyour time because I'm sure you have more important duties that demand a great deal of your divided atten tion, so I won't hold you up any longer. But before I do let you up, I want to last of all stress that I do think that it is a wonderful idea to start PAN Ohio chapters within the prisons in various states. I am more than willing to help my bruthas start a chapter here on the Eastham Unit Plantation. So I can assure you that they will have plenty of support. And Sonny I would like to make one request, and that is can you please help me become a member of PAN Ohio O rganization? Although at this time I am indigent, but I will contribute whenever I can. I sincerely hope that our relationship is able to grow in a "Universal" way we can come to appreciate. Well my bruthas, I've completed my journey. I must move on to another destination. So until I awaken to the "eye of the east" to open up my heart again to search for tomorrow. You take care of yourself Most of all, stay strong, stand firm, and keep your Page g I think you.are familiar with how they demand that everything which is not consumed on your food tray be returned when they open the cuffport to pick up your tray. One morning last winter there was half an apple on my tray, and there were two seeds in the apple. I took those two seeds and enclosed them in a letter to my son. He is seven years old. My son planted those-two seeds from behind the green door about six weeks ago and they have both sprouted, taken root and are growing daily. It's to say that they cannot stop the cycle of life with those green doors. After my passing, in years to come, those two apple trees will give forth the wonderful taste of life known to me and my son, and to the awesome concept of the very essence of Youngstown I say - defeat that! I now await my first visit with my son in two years. Richard (Red) Armstrong Lucasville, OH Reprinted from the newsletter Impact, Youngstown Ohio head up ........ Stay beautiful and creative within. May the peace of power forever be your peace. Power to the People!!!! I now leave as I come, and chat is in solidarity and revolutionary with the Iron Foot Down, and the Iron Clench Fist Up .... Respectfully and sincerely yours, Servant of the People (NAIM), Shaka Sema Umoga Nia Melvin Smith Lovelady, Texas STREEMBES Prisoners News contains news about the justice system and the writings of persons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $ 15 for a year's subscription Send your comments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 4521 o PEN PALWANTED Michael Benge, #276-821, O.S.P., 878 Coitsville-Hubbard Rd., Youngstown, OH, 44505 �1 • STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 Death Pe.nalty ... _D o y9u have Questions? · - Nearly 3,500 people are on Death Row in the U.S. There are nearly 200 people awaiting execution in the state of Ohio. One-fourth of them come from Hamilton County. Does this m~ke you feel uncomfortable? RALLY Some common MYTHS about the death penalty: IT DETERS CRIME ... Except it doesn't. No available study t)as·shown that the d~ath penalty deters violent c rime. h, 10Q. .:e average murder rate per 100,000 people was 6.6 in death penalty states and 3.5 in no!} death-penalty states: IT IS L!=SS EXPENSIVE THAN LIFE IMPRISONMENT... Except it isn't. Various state governments estimate that a single death penalty.case, from the point of arrest to execution, ranges from $1 million to $3 million. Cases resulting in life imprisonment average ar.~ $500 090 each, in_cluding incarceration 4 cost. The execution of Wilford Berry in Feb., 1999 in Ohio cost between 5-10% of the states capital crimes section for five years. Life imprisonment would have cost nearly half as much. THE DEATH PENALTY IS FAIRAND JUST... Except it isn't. Those sentenced to death are not necessarily those whose crimes are the most atrocious. Instead, they tend to be those who are poor, people of color, and those whose victims are white. More than 90% of those on death row were financially unable to hire an attorney to represent them at trial. Additionally, despite the appeals process, mistakes are made. A 1987 study published by the Stanford Law Review found that between 1900-1985 twenty-three innocent people were executed. Since 1993, 80 people have been released from death row based on significant evidence of innocence. PUBLIC OPINION SUPPORTS THE DEATH PENALTY ... Or does it? Public support for the death penalty drops to 44% when people are given a choice of life imprisonment with restitution to the victim's family. What do chureh leaders say? Most major denominations have opposed execution. Execute Justice... ... NotPeople. Ohio State Capitol Building ---:- Thursday, September 28, 2000 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM,. COLUMBUS, OHIO, Broad St. & High St. CRITIC4L RESISTANCE: STOP THE P)JISON INDUSTRY COMPLEX • It's time to stand up and speak out . Some of the issues that will be addresssed at this rally are: The Pri;Son Industrial Complex (PIC) is the fastest growing industry in the U.·S. with more than two million people impri~oned and more than 7 million people under some form of correctional control. The only industry whose livelihood and future growth depends on its own failure. · · The economic and racist injustice of the Death Penalty. PIC '9lations ofUnited Nations standards for prisons. PIC's use ofprisoners for slave labor which has been directly linked to the World Trade Organization and the emerging Police State. State and National Political Prisoners. . Restorative Justice. Staughton.Lynn, a human rights activistfor more than 40 years, will b~ speaking out on the Lucasville 5, the Ohio Death Penalty and super maximum security prisons. Other speakers to be announced. Sponsors of this rally: Prisoners Advocacy Network-Ohio (PAN-Ohio),Anti-Racist Action, Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants-Ohio (C.U.R.E. - Ohio), Art & Revolution, Oberlin Action Against Prisons, Ohio-SORT, Kent Anarchist Black Cross, Justice Watch, Ohioans to Stop Executions, OSU Student Environmental Action Coalition, and th·e AFSC Ohio Criminal Justice Program. For more information contact: PAN-Ohio, P.O. Box 2)8453, Columbus, Ohio 43221, Phone: (614)2182297, E-mail: Pan0hio2@aol.com Dear Streetvibes, than mine were. As a result, since February I I am currently an inmate at Pickaway Correctional · have not been able to see anything. Also because of the strain on my eyes I have terrible Institution located near Columbus. I am serving a 10 headaches daily. I had to have another inmate month sentence and am writing chis in hopes chat you will write this letter for me. I did see an eye doctor print it so your readers can see what happened to one on April 12, but it has been eight weeks ago individual person in the court and prison system. and I still have no glasses. I quite going co the I was on probation for a minor misdemeanor drug-rehab classes and the N .A. and cocaine­ violation from Dayton. My probation officer violated me anonymous me~tings because I can't read the for arguing with him on the telephone and since I was literature or see the blackboard or films they looking at serving six months in the Dayton work house and I had a good job.and was working everyday, I didn't go show. I would like to know, what kind of rehabilitation is this? The only thing that this to the hearing. Naturally a warrant was issued. I do experience has done is caused me to lose my occasionally smoke crack. ·I was arrested six months later job, my career (I'm a college graduate), and I on a job site by the Green County (Sugar Creek) Police as haven't been able to pay my child support on I was in Green County for the Dayton probation my two small children for the last eight violation. I had a crack-pipe in my pocket and they months. l still have a strong desir~ to smoke arrested me and scraped a microscopic amount of resin crack. from the pipe. I was charged with "Possession of less than The one and only thing that has a gram of cocaine," a fifth-degree felony. I have been doing drugs for 30 years. I have always sustained t?e and pulled me through this whole experience is my faith in God and Jesus Christ maintained a job and paid my bills. I had never been and going to church services and the Bible· charged with any drug charge prior to this, ever: When I studies held here at P.C.I. went to court in Green County (Xenia), I begged the Thank you for your fine newspaper judge to send me to a drug-rehab program, as I have never and for making it available for inmates like me. been to any kind of drug-treatment program in my life. When I receive my copy I pass it around and .....However, he sentenced me to 10 months in prison. I all the inmates who read it enjoy .i t as well. have never had a prison record prior to this. Keep printing the truth, there needs to be My first day in prison the prison authorities took more papers like your fine publi~tion. away my glasses because one of the earpieces was broken. They fell on the floor and broke while· I was in the County Sincerely Yours, jail. However, I have seen at least three other men that are here in prison wearing glasses that are broken far worse Michael Doug/4s �STREETVIBES " The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine First Step Home: .Servi.ces for Women ........ by Ginger Brock First Step Home, Inc. opened its doors in 1993 to serve drug and alcohol addicted women. We are the only long-term, residential treatment program in Hamilton County that invites children aged 12 and under to live with their mothers during treatment. . In 1999, First Step Home opened • its Fulton Avenue house, just north of Eden Park. Sixteen women and their children reside at this location. March 2000 saw the re-opening of the original St. Michael's site in. the lower Price Hill, thanks to volunteers in Project Restore. Due to this expansion, we are now able to double our c.apacity, serving 32 women. After a women moves through the residential program and -.... achieves sobriety, she and her family have the option of moving to one of our transitional housing sites. Because the apartments are together, each woman has a network of support surrounding her, helping to prevent the chance of relapse . Our collaborative efforts with housing organizations in our . community help make this project a reality. First Step.Home's goal is for women to establish sobriety, making be.tter. and more productive lives for the.mselves, and creating more loving and nurturing environments for their families. For more information about First Step Home, please call Ginger Bock at 961-HQME. Trip Services, Page 11 from />age 3 seven days to complete the research. First, they research Metro, TANK or Access to see if that service is available to you.. .If it is, then the Transportation Agents call back with the roii!e numbers and times. If the.bus is not available, then they look into vanpooling. There are vans that run to different companies around the region and they see if they could place you on one of those vans. If a bus·or.van is n.ot available, then they see if they·can place you in a .carpooling or ridesbaring situation with someone else. Often you can b.e placed to·ride with someone else in a taxi. The Transportation Agents make the arrangements for you and provide you with the necessary information. If they cannot find transportation for you any other ~Y't they JI.lake transportation arrangements in a taxi, if one is availabl~. If a taxi is itot available, you are placed in a waiting list for the next open spot. TRIP does n.ot provide car repairs or bus tokens. They aiso do not provide free, school, medical, or shopping transportation. They exclusively serve residents ofHamilton County, and cannot guarantee the pick-up or arrival times nor that transportation is available. TRIP is not an e~ployment ~~ncy, and therefor~.they~iot find JObs. Van ndes are $1.50 each wa~•JJ · taxi rides are $2.50 each way. TRIP. can be reached between' 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, at (513) 73 1-5030. Their fax number'is (513) 73 1-5069. TRIP is located at Hillcrest Square Office Center; 1811 LosantivilleAvenue, Suite 420; Cincinnati, Ohio45237. The Campaign for Safer Neighborhoods organizes against toxic emissions in Hamilton ·County ......ByJohncri~well The negative effects of Cincinnati's industrial-based pollution on our area are evident. In the summer months, industrial emissions contribute to our air being dangerous for youth and the elderly. Chemical odors intrude into our neighborhoods or our vehicles while driving. The danger of chemical accidents affecting the community also looms as a possibility. Houses on Dana avenue in Evanston display new front facades, having been replaced after receiving damage from the devastating BASF plant explosion in July of 1990. Nationally, according to the Environmental Defense Fund, Hamilton County ranks in the top 20% of all counties in the country for pollution releases to air and water. The Mill Creek Valley, the most industrial portion of the City of Cincinnati, is the origin of most of these releases. Segments of this community area, in addition to · being the most polluted, are also the lowest income neighborhoods of the city. Portions of them are over 75% minority population. Many times neighborhoods like this, sometimes referred to as 'environmetaljustice areas', do not have the resources to organize an effective "good neighbor" or "polluter accountability" campaign. It is hard for residents to approach an industrial corporation about chemical odors or the safety of a near by plant. Led by ECO: the Environmental Community Organization and Ohio Citizen Action, the Campaign for Safer Neighborhoods, has been helping citizens do this. They have been involving a broad-base of citizens and community groups to work directly .with local industry to reduce Last year, the Campaign for Safer pollution and chemical accident dangers. Neighborhoods began work to reduce noxious and Over the last two years, this campaign has toxic odors from Willard Indus.tries, an aluminum been working with three local industrial facilities: foundry in Northside. Cincinnati Specialties Inc. in St. Bernard, Willard . Along with the newly formed group, Industries of Northside and Morton International in Northsiders for Cleaner Air, the campaign has met Reading. With the public outreach of Citizen Action, with a company representative twice, conducted research and involved Northside residents in this over 20,000 letters have been sent to officials of work. these companies encouraging them to work with This year the campaign has expanded its work the community and reduce pollution and chemical to iriclude Morton International, a manufacturer of accident dangefs. chemicals for the PVC plastics industry, Morton Also, representatives from the following has generated concern from community members participating groups have been meeting regularly in the following areas: with industry staff: Rivers Unlimited, the North • C':lflcer-causing air releases: a leader in our 10 Avondale Neighborhood Association, the Bond Hill county region. Community Council, the Community Action • Clean Water Act violations: 96 violations since Agency, the Miami Group of the Sierra Club and 1993. the Coalition of Neighorhoods. • Accidental chemical releases: four documented In August of 1998, this campaign started . releases of methyl chloride, considered a 'risk' work with Cincinnati Specialties, a manufacturer of chemical by the US Environmental Protection food flavorings, ·saccharine and rust inhibitors. Agency. Long-time citizen concerns with this facility have • A history of dumping on-site: this site has included odors, toxic air releases-and a history ~f bec-0me a priority for clean up. chlorine accidents. • Diesel truck fumes: trucks parked over-night Responding to citizen pressure brought by assail the neighborhood residents with cancer­ the Campaign for Safer Neighborhoods, Cincinnati causing exhaust. Specialties has: • Committed to build an on-site safety enclosure The campaign has had an initial meeting with building to prevent chlorine releases. company representatives and toured the facility. • Upgraded their chemical waste recycling. The work here has just begun. • Completed two projects to reduce odor If you know of an organization that would like emissions. to join this important work or you would like more Monthly meetings with facility management are information, please contact John Criswell at 513­ on-going to follow-up on these commitments and 541-0579 or john_criswell@juno.com. to address future problems. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine PENDING FEDERAL MENT AL HEALTH LEGISLATION BOGGLES THE MIND .... T Billman Senators Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Edward Kennedy (D -MA) have introduced the "M ental Health Early Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention Act (S.2639), in an effort to try and help homeless persons with mental illnesses. The bill authorizes a jail diversion program, which provides funds to communities to establish "mental health courts", similar to the "drug courts" now in existence, in an attempt to divert people into mental h ealth housing and support services. The bill also authorizes a Mental illness outreach and screening program, especially targeting homeless persons. Before 1960, before the patients' rights movement gained momentum, a "crazy" person could be kept behind locked doors in a institution indefinitely, with practically no legal recourse. Since then, hundreds of former mental patients, inspired by humanistic psychiatrists such as Thomas Szasz (through his books, i.e. The Myth ofMental Illness and The Manufacture ofMadness), and anti-drug therapy advocates like Peter Breggin, have turned t he tide against the unconstitutional imprisonment ofAmerica's social misfits. It is definitely true that conditions in prisons are deplorable and people accused ofminor crimes should not be there. But rather than admit the fact that the prison system itself needs to be entirely revamped , Family Advocate groups such as NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) wish to take the position that prisons are for real criminals, not for their sick, misguided relatives. So they wish to create systems which imprison their relatives in a kinder, gentler way, like through neuroleptic drugs. They are, of course, backed in th eir effort s by the p sychia tric drug manufacturers and the American Psychiatric Association (APA), both of whom have a vested interest in the increased use of forced treatment. If there were Mental h ealth empowerment centers where people were accepted without question and treated w ith resp ect, where the curative powers of mother nature were employed to h elp people gain insight into themselves, I would wholeheartedly back a bill which would divert those accused of minor offenses from the criminal injustice system .into more creative and compassionate alternative. parents and loved ones of those who have been killed, mistreated, and unjustly imprisoned, have formed recently to tackle the immense task of making prisons something other than revenge depots. A likely outcom e of "mental h ealth courts" is that increasing numbers ofpersons designated to be mentally ill will be rescued from the prison system only to be attached to something called Involuntary Outpatient Commitment (OTR) Some expatient advocates have called OTR "th e leash law" . In greater depth: From the Website of MADNation : "Involuntary Outpatient Commitment is the name gi,ven an expansion offorced treatment to include court orders requiring people diagrzosed with mental illnesses to comply with community treatment orders or face involuntary hospitalization. It is perhaps the biggest challenge to liberty and freedom that people diagrzosed with mental illnesses face today. IOC is only the tip ofthe iceberg, as, foeled by drug company money and the personalfortunes of millionaire pro-force fanatics, the campaign. to make us appear dangerous, unpredictable and violent is in foll swing. It is a battle beingfought notjust in the United States, but all over the world. We are seeing a world-wide demoniza.tion of people based on psychiatric disability that harkens back to the days ofthe eugenic movement. Its tools are IOC, mental health courts, and involuntary commitment statutes that go far beyond the ''dangerous to self and others" standard that held sway in the past. Coupled with a decrease in fonding for services that really work, increases in forced treatment may, if unchecked, return us to back wards and life long misery. " Sally Zinman of the California Network of Mental Health Clients: '1n a research study, the Well Being Project, produced by the California Department ofMental Health, 55% ofclients interviewed who had experiencedforced treatment reported that fear offorced treatment caused them to avoid all treatment for psychological and emotional problems. Non-compliance is the result offorced treatment; moreforced treatment is not a solution. Recovery and therapeutic relationships cannot exist in an environment ofcoercion. " • • • But aside fro m a few token , . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - . , Consumer-run organizations, the mental Advocates and Supporters of Leonard Peltier Gather h ealth system is not a culture of outside the Hamilton County Court House, in vigil empowerm ent, but a revolving door awaiting the outcome of Leonard's parole hearing. warehouse, where people whom society has ostracized are channeled and funneled through the revolving doors of psych wards and social programs, not really for their own benefit, but for the supposed benefit of everyone else -- their parents, doctors, drug companies, a scapegoathungry society..... .. T his new Kennedy/Domenici bill is likely to give impetus to impending legislation which would reverse th e progress in mental patients rights which hundreds ofex-patients have fought hard to achieve. In addition, it will likely distract many from the recent upsurge in prison reform efforts. Many New organizations, many made up of the Page 12 LEONARD PELTIER REVIEWED FOR PAROLE United States Parole Examiner Refuses to Consider New Evidence by the LeonardPeltier Defense Committee Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier­ was reviewed for parole today (June 12, 2000) during a hearing held at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas. The hearing was held to determine whether there is any reason why the Parole Commission should change their 1993 decision to deny Peltier parole. Today Peltier's representatives told the Commissionthat Peltier's health, serious family needs, and his positive program achievements were all reasons for the Commission to reconsider their denial of parole to Peltier..... The Parole Examiner refused to read areport from Dr. Peter Basch who, after reviewing Peltier's recent medical records, determined that problems with Peltier's health could result in "recurrent central retinal vein occlusion, stroke, heart disease, and kidney fail ure." The doctor also noted that several of Mr. Peltier's health problems had not been treated appropriately by prison medical staff. Attending the parole hearing were representatives for Amnesty International, the National Council of Churches, the National Congress of American Indians,and the Assembly of First Nations. Legal council included attorneys Jennifer Harbury, Carl Nadler, and former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark. Jean Ann Day, survivor of the Pine Ridge "reign of terror" also testified. The parole examiner did not respond to pleas from Amnesty International or the National Council of Churches, and he showed no interest in the eight parole plans offering Peltier housing and employment from various Native Organizations and tribes. Furthermore, the examiner refused to accept or consider the 10,000 letters collected over the last three months from US citizens, human rights organizations, luminaries and members of the international community supporting Peltier's release. Without deliberation or the consideration of any documents presented, the parole examiner recommended that Peltier's sentence be continued until his next full parole hearing in 2008. Those in attendance reported that the examiner wrote the denial while thepresentation was still being made. Peltier's defense council will continue to protest the Parole Commission's denial of parole to Peltier in federal court. Supporters will continue efforts to gain Peltier's release through a grant of Executive Clemency. Leonard Peltier was originally conyicted for the murders of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. However, formerly wi thhe ld documents supporting Peltier's innocence would later force the prosecution to admit that they could not prove who actually killed the agents. Despite this, Peltier has remained in prison for 24 years. Amnesty International considers him to be a political prisoner who should be immediately released. For more information, contact: LeonardPeltier Defense Committee, PO Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044, 785-842-5774 www.freepeltier.org �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 ' Interview with a Cased warrior: Leonard Peltier Interviewed bY Ben Corbett........ ( Part I ) {abridged from the original transcript) " Why?" The FBI says it's a national security measure. They got their man, and they're dead set on keeping him. To them, he's a symbol reminding them of their own. self~hatred. A scapegoat for projected governmental shame and collective denial. To traditional American Indians, Leonard has become a martyr sacrificed to the battle for the freedom of Indigenous peoples around the globe. A Native catalyst uniting the struggle in the continuing war against genocide. To Peltier? "I am imprisoned for two consecutive life terms for being Indian." We hope that Leonard's own words will answer part of this difficult question. Bue more so, we hope they will challenge the reader to ask even harder questions. Questions about responsibility. About the value of justice. About the struggle for rights, Leonard's righ~. human rights, natural rights, our rights. About the meaning of "Freedom" and the cost of losing it on any level. BC: How do you feel about how things are going? LP: Well. .. I ·still can't see the light ac the end of the tunnel. These politicians are such sleazebags that you just don't know. You can't really get anything from a lot of chem once they get into power. They totally forget about all their commitments. The poor people elected them, and they forget about all the poor people. When C linton was running seven years ago, he was questioned by his campaign constituents, "What will you do for Leonard?" And he said, "I'll look into ic. " And here it is seven years lacer, and he still hasn't done anything. We know that the Federal Pardon Attorney in his first term recommended clemency. le went through Janet Reno's office. And it's been sitting in Janet Reno's office ever since. Numerous people have met with Clinton, and he knows about the case. Pe,ter Matthiessen met with him, Thom White Wolf, the head of the United Methodist Church has seen him several times. Clinton was on Pine Ridge last year, and he saw some of my supporters out there waving signs for my release. But Harold Salway (Oglala Tribal President] told me that when he and Clinton were by themselves, Clinton asked him, "Who's Leonard Peltier?" So it doesn't look that good for me when you got people saying those types of things, y'know? BC: I know you've been through this a thousand times, but what was the pressure like on Pine Ridge in 1975? LP : For 24 years now, I've been speaking about this continuously. I can only answer the same way I've always answered. There was a Reign ofTerror being committed against the Oglala people by their own tribal government. We know now that an agency of the United States government did an investigation, and before their funding ran out, they were able to investigate 64 deaths that were caused by Dick Wilson's GOON squads. People were living in fear. People were living in constant terror. That's the way it was. BC: What was the FBI's main reason for being against the American Indian Movement at that there? Who were they protecting? time? LP: Special interests - Dick Wilson, who was LP: Yeah. But not just AIM. There were a lot supporting special interest groups, mining of organizati~ns that were just as active. The companies, government agencies giving up United Tribes.df All Indians which I was one of I~dian land for minerals. It's a well known fact the fowiders was a very powerful organization. that the FBI has always supported big business · It's been in existence since 1970. It's just that it and big government. The knew they were , didn't take some of the actions that AIM did. getting close to the completion of the , AIM got the spotlight. Termination policy, which was planned for BC: After the 1975 firefight, why did they 1985, and they had to initiate inci4ents to need to pin the deaths on you? cause it co accelerate. Unfortunately for them, LP: What we figured ouc during the trials is it backfired. The world turned to the Oglala ,t hat they certainly didn't want to charge with support. ~omebody from the Pine Ridge reservation. So BC: How did the American Indian Movement . they tried to charge somebody that was get involved? considered an "outside agitator", which LP: AIM was requested by the traditionals and happened to be myself, my cousin Bob the Oglala people on Pine Ridge to come in Robideau, my friend Darrrell (Dino] Butler, and support them. To try and find some justice and of course Jimmy Eagle. I, myself, and my through the judiciary system. To help combat cousin Bob both have Lakota blood in us. discrimination, poverty, and the criminal We're not really outsiders either. But that's the way they tried to portray us. "Here'~ these outside agitators from AIM coming in and causing the deaths of their .agents." So they indicted us. And as it was, both Darrell and Bob went to trial in Cedar Rapids, and happened co be very fortunate of having a . judge that really had respect and honor for the oath he took, and he gave the(Jl as fair a trial he possibly could. There was a loc more evidence that he could have let in, but he'd seen it would have been coo damaging fo r the government. But he let some in, and it was -enough. The jury heard it and said, "Oh, wait a minute, something is wrong here. They didn't kill these agents." Remember, they were prosecuted as the shooters too. And if they were shooters, they did it in self-defense. The agents Williams and C oler were saying they were out there looking for Jimmy Eagle for kidnapping and robb~ry. This is what the FBI told the media and the world. But at the bottom, when the indictment was.found, the activity of their tribal chairman. That's why only thing he was indicted for was a AIM was there. And it was there upon request. misdemeanor for stealing a pair of cowboy Nobody in AIM went there and imposed boots. · themselves. · But what we think, and what I believe · BC : What was your role with AIM at that really happened, is they knew Dennis Banks time? was gonna be there. And we also know now LP : I was an assistant to Dennis Banks. A from Duane Brewer who was one of the bodyguard, if you want to use that term. I was GOON squad leaders, that they knew the basically just on'e of the organizers, really. Of Jumping Bull residence was an AIM course we protected Dennis. You certainly stronghold. They had planned assaults on the couldn't walk up to him and strike him with me Jumping Bull residence and another place in and a few other guys around. We were security, Kyle. The were all over the Pine Ridge but that wasn't really our function. Our reservation. They were planning - with function was to help organize events on the intelligence from the FBI, armor-piercing reservation. ammunition, sophisticated weaponry, and BC: When did the FBI start investigating you? funding - to assault these places. We also know LP:. That's hard to say. I haven't gotten all my there was a large mobilizatiOn of armored FBI files back from the Freedom of personnel carriers at different points aroun:d Information Act requests. But they've known the reservation getting ready to move in ....... about me since Fort Lawton in Seattle (1970]. ................... To be Contin~d in August I helped occupy the Fort Lawton military base about a year after the Alcatraz occupation. Reprinted by permission from "Turning the Tule: Those of us who were involved and arrested jounudof An.ti-RacistAction, &search & EJucation" had records kept with the FBI. I was very For more information, contact: People Against visible there, and I was very visible in helping Racist Terror (PART), PO Box I 055, Culver City the Indian community organize against the CA 90232, Tel.: 310-495-0299, E-mail: Vietnam War. There's documentation now that <part200J@usa.net> URL: <http:// proves that I was being watched at that time. people.we.mediaone.net/part2001/index.ht:ml> BC: This was all part of the FBI campaign as �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 IZtll Annual •Te-In ' -up f • tlla H - l e a ..... The Cincinnati Bengals and _ the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless are once again coming together for the 12th Annual "Tearning Up for the ... Homelessl", a fundraising ·event to benefit the Coalition's aid to homeless persons. This year's event will take place July 29, 2000 at the Bengal's annual camp scrimmage at Georgetown College in Kentucky. We will enjoy a picnic lunch on the way to the practice stadium, and after arriving in Georgetown, participants w i II have an opportunity to meet with Coach Bruce Coslet and team members for a pre­ season discussion. Then it's on to what we've al been waiting for, a preview of the season to come, as the Bengals battle it out during their annual camp scrimmage. We will depart from the parking lot at Dick Clark's American Bandstand in Kenwood at 10:00 am on July 29, 2000 and return about 6 :00 pm that evening. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless would Iike to invite you to this exciting event. Ordering tickets is easy! To order tickets by mail, just fill ovt the order form and return it to .··.· . . the following address: The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Or you can purchase tickets by phone by calling the confirmation about your tickets shortly thereafter. The deadline for ordering tickets is July 22, 2000 and tickets will be going fast. Don't miss out on your chance to have some fun for a good cause with the Coalition office at (513) 4217803 and using your credit card. You will receive a Cincinnati Bengals and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homelessl . Please send me the following tickets: Adult tickets at $35.00 each (12 and under) tickets at $7.50 each - - Children's (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian) I have enclosed $- - to cover the cost of tickets . Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ Address: _ _ _ _ _ _: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ­ Phone: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ I cannot attend "Teaming Up for the Homeless," but please accept the following donation: $ _ _ __ Please make checks payable and send payment to: The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �STRffTUIBfS StreetScopes Happy Birthday CANCER! The sun-planet ofjoyful self­ expression, Mars planet of direct action and excitement, and Venus planet oflove and beautiful things are all piled up in your house of • new beginnings. Ready to party/ but, wait! Mercury the planet of thoughts it • and locomotion is also is also there · · and what's he doing? Uh-oh he's going backwards and yes friends the dreaded Mercury retrograde is trammeling through your sign this time around. Is it a good time to mail stuff- um no. Is it a good time to depend on messages left on answering machines uh uhn. Is it a good time to sign on the dotted line- mmm probably not. So what do you do? Well actually retrograde is not necessarily a bad placement for Cancer as it lends a nostalgic air of remembrance and an opportunity to do stuff you shoulda oughta already done. All in all it should be a busy but slowed down double checking thoughtful month for you Cancer. Paradox is the name of the game. Go ahead get exited about stuff but double check everything and please don't count on people returning phone calls! Leo There is a pile up of planets in what • the ancients called your house of selfundoing. Luckily modern Astrologers '19 take a kinder view of this house. ~ Really a good way to approach this month is with the m~st spiritual emotionally mature attitude you can muster. Go into the attic of your psyche and dean house! Check all your old habits and addictions and look them over- now is a great time to discard bad habits and replace them with more emotionally rewarding pursuits. Watch movies, read books and wait 'til mid-month when the planet of love and romance pays you a visit! Virgo Your acquaintance network, clubs and political groups will be all a buzz this month. You may already have every weekend booked with Masonic barbecues, m acrobiotic potlucks, and PETA rallies, but watch out: communication is not what it should be and you could easily show up on the right date in the wrong place or the right place at the wrong time. Double check and make sure you are as clear as you can be this month don't leave conversations to chance unless you are psychic. Catch up on chores you were supposed to do all last season and avoid new car purchase or other new ventures 'til mid-month. Stop the worry!-breathe deep now and stop skipping yoga class. Libra Career is a freak out this month. What would you say ifl told you it's your time to shine? Creativity is high, you are motivated and driven and people Mr. Lee's View It was literally in the 11th hour that I decided to put pen to paper and write this . .. article? A middle aged, African-American male with an up close and personal perspective on homelessness. In the time that has passed since I signed up to be a Streetvibes vendor, some very important "things" have been revealed to me. For instance, I am more interested in writing than selling papers. More important than the income I will earn from selling newspap~rs is the humility and sense of purpose that will be a by-product of I The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 15 By Alanna Maloney: the UrbanAstrologer. seem strangely attracted to you in all things having to do with work. And then what if I told you it's also one of those months where you could send your office lover's note co the boss, the bosses strategy memo to the client, and the client's bid to your Mom- watch out for communication blunders that could make you screw the pooch. Scorpio Reflection and writing will serve you well this month. You can find excitement and illumination in educational and musical pursuits. How can these things not go in your favor? Study of philosophy and exotic travel plans could really spice up your love life. Again writing about past experiences to do with music, travel, law or education could really bring things co light. You are so lucky lately your family may offer to pay for a trip! S~ittarius This is a great time for you to pursue your psychic abilities. A psychic reading (hint hint) at this time would reveal more than usual. You could also have good luck channeling a female family member. You could sack away some cash or help your family with an inheritance. However communications with the IRS, the bank, or the insurance folks could get garbled before mid­ month. Triple check and then tape the stamp co the envelope! Capricorn Love life is where it's at this month Cappy! Spend time with your mate, get residual anger out of the way early so you can feel the love. Watch out though things from your past are rising to the surface and must be communicated. Don't let that lead to needless misunderstandings. Take extra time to make sure things are clear. Single Cappy should stick by dose friends this month as they may be the gateway to love. But, double check all dates times and places or you may stand someone up on accident! • Aquarius This month the focus is on your job Aquarius and it is a reminder that while • you are often a cool character you . actually prefer to work in an environment that feels like family- you also tend to work where you can care for people in some way. Jobless Aquarius could find work this month looking for places that feel like family, that feel like home. This month is also good for a complete health check up from a holistic practitioner, herbal doctor, or chiropractor. Pisces • Get out there this month and play a childhood sport you thought you had • forgotten. Get out to sunny places and work-out, but be careful of your back. "carrying the message." Neither this piece, nor any future pieces that I hopefully will write, will be my own story per se. At least that is my feeling at this time. Certainly anything I do write will be affected and crafted around my "up close and personal" perspective on home-less-ness. Homelessness is the hub. Emanating from this hub or center are practical basic survival issues. You know, the basic stuff: food, clothing, health care, mental health issues, employment, etc. (I love etc's.) There are also spiritual issues, emotional issues ... you know, Stuff!! I hope t0 write about some of this ... stuff. If I were more talented, or more Creativity action and romance are sparkling this month. Don't let miscommunication or too much nostalgia hold you back. Let new friendship blend with the old. Challenge in the next year brings great opportunity. Aries Okay Aries I know finishing things up is the bane ofyour existence, but the time has come. There are things that need to be done around your house or where you are staying. You have put them off long enough it has started to affect your emotional stability, and your self-esteem. A regular headache you could say. Unresolved issues with family could be resolved this month through counseling or journal writing. Then maybe they could help with those pesky chores! Taurus Get offyour duff and take that road trip you have been cogitating. Or is that a computer or a bike you were gonna get? Communication and motion are important, but wait 'til mid-month to sign on the dotted line. Please check your car out. Writing projects that have fallen behind could be caught up. Call your brother. • Gemini Luck is on its way. Life is filled with opportunity now. Don't overextend yourself (yeah, right!) and watch that gut! You should be able to make money hand over fist this month. Please save some! You put on a good show ofnot caring a whit for the green stuff, but the only reason you always blow it on shiny things is because you lack the security ofa nest egg. Even if its $20 in a whisky bottle under your bed knowing its there will help you keep your money in your hands where it belongs. Squeeze that Horoscope 'til it yelps! (This hdbit is repeatedfrom February because I think it bears repeating!]) Often we complain that Horoscopes are generalized. This is because they are! Each of us has at least 36 variables that make our astrological profile (birth chan) unique. Newspaper horoscopes can only cover 3 of these variables at most. You can, however, use a horoscope more t0 your advantage and bring that variable number much higher if you know your chan. If you have an interest in using horoscopes t0 your best advantage learn your rising (ascendant sign) and your moon sign from an astrologer, book, computer program, or the Internet. Then read those signs every month. This will give you a more personalized horoscope. Example: if your sign is Taurus, your moon sign is Pisces, and your rising sign is Leo; then you read Taurus to learn about your self­ expression (sun), Pisces for your emotional life (moon), and Leo (rising) for your social expression. T his will help to make horoscopes make more sense and bring meaning. Readings with Alanna: Tarot: Tuesdays from 9pm to Midnight at Sirwell's Coffee House 404 Ludlow Ave. Fridays from 8:30 PM to Midnight at Mullane's on Race Street. Astrology, Tarot, and Reiki: consultations and training are available by appoinanent through E-mail at psi_chic@hoanail.com. accomplished, I could carry the reader on a spiritual journey into a world he or she may never truly experience. Prayerfully, where my skill and talent fall short, my sincerity, faith, commitment and spirituality will take over. I believe that I do have something to say. I pray that God uses me to express the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of my brothers and sisters whose issues have brought, but not broken, them close to what would be, for most of our readers, a near hopeless state. Thank God, I ain't hopeless today. ... They call me Mr. Lee �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine :age 16 ..:: OFFICIAL ENTRY BLANK I 0 $12 Race Day Registered llliiilllii~!iiiil 0 $18 Race Day with shirt 0 $9 Pre-Registered 0 $15 Pre-Reg. with shirt 0 $Optional Donation _ _ INFORMATION Pre-Registration: $15 with shirt, $9 without shirt All entries must be postmarked by Friday, July 14, 2000 Race Day Registration: $18 with shirt, $12 without shirt. Registration will be held at the Drop Inn Center beginning at 7:30 AM. All teams must pre-register. Awards: Special awards to first male and female overall runners and the winning team. Top 15% of each division based on pre­ registration. Age Divisions: Men and Women: 18/under, 19-24, 25­ 29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45­ 49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-69, 70/ over. Address _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ City _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _State _ _ Zip _ __ included 0 Thanks, but I don't need my race results mailed to me. __Sex__ Age (on 7/23/00) Day Phone _ _--,-_ _Eve Phone._ _ _ _ __ Race Division (check all that apply) 0 5KRun 0 5K Fitness Walk Q 160/over lbs. Run (women) 0 200-219 lbs. Run (men) 0 220/over lbs Run (men) 0 Wheelchair Entry Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Date 0 Team Registrant (must COURSE Harrison Viaduct This is a relatively flat course that starts Findlay a nd finishes near the Market Downtown YMCA. It starts on Central Parkway and goes north past the rear of ~ ~ Music Hall to a tum around 7"" near Brighton Street. Upon ~ the return, athletes will go '< 14th past the front of Music Hall by turning left on 14th FINISH Street, and right on Elm 12th Street to the finish in Washington Park. START Elm Fitness Walkers: 29/under, 30­ 39, 40-49, 50-59, 60/over Weig ht (SK run only): Clydes­ dale (men): 200-219 lbs. and 220/over lbs. Weight (SK run only): Athena (women): 160 lbs. and over Wheelchair: (will start one minute before the runners) Teams: Participants are invited to form teams of three to five members. The first three finishers on each team are counted to rank the teams. The winning team will receive a prize. All teams must be pre-registered. Refreshments available after the race. Results: Mailed to all entrants within three days, and available on Drop Inn Center website: www.overtherhine.org/dropinn Directions: Take 1-75 to Ezzard Charles-exit. Go east on Ezzard Char1es and turn left (north) on Central Parkway. Immediately after Music Hall ~urn right (east) on 14th Street. Washington Park is on your right as you go straight on 14th St. Street parking is available around the park. Paid parking is available on Central Parkway across from the YMCA and the AAA buildings. To get to Central Parkway turn right on Race Street from 14th St. be pre-registered) Team Name._ _ __ _ Parent's Signature _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _Date (required if under 18) In case of medical emergency contact _ __ _ _ _ _ __ Phone._ _ _ _ __ Q WEB WAIVER: In consideration of the acceptance of my entry, I hereby waive on behalf of my heirs, executors and assigns, all claims of any nature arising from my participation in the Drop Inn' Center SK, and do hereby release the Drop Inn Center, Steve Prescott, and all sponsors, worker officials and volunteers from any claim whatsoever arising from my participation in this event. I agree to abide by all rules for participation and acknowledge that the Race Committee may refuse or return my entry at its discretion. I understand the risks for such a run/walk and have trained adequately in preparation. I HAVE NOTED ANY MEDI­ CAL CONDITION enclosed with this form. Thanks to Our Sponsors: Make Checks Payable To: Drop Inn Center, 217 W. 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210-2201 . All entries must be postmarked by Friday, July 14, 2000 For more information, call Steve Prescott at 336-9242 or v isit the Drop Inn Center Website: www.OvertheRhine.org/Droplnn J ,J..- ---cd Musicby Panache ~J ,, e • ! n f i N E T '" NtNtJf~(/ Cmn.uw,tutCJlfJfU Cincinnati Central Credit Union Members ofthe Over-the-Rhine Steel Drum Band Spraying Systems Co.• Berge and Company,Ltd. Rohs Hardware VIBES www.thehungersite.com Help Solve World Hunger­ Free! Bv Dan Marschner A new site on the world wide web has made significant progress toward the goal of reducing world hunger: www.thehungersite.com. Visitors to The Hunger Site donate food to impoverished, starving people throughout the world. Since it's conception on June 1, 1999 by Indiana software designer John Breen, more than 65 million visitors have come to the site to donate more than 7,700 metric tons of staple food. The donated staple foods include rice, wheat, maize, beans, barley, and sorghum. The best part of the site is the fact that sponsors cover the cost of the food donations, at no cost to a visitor to the site. According to the Yahoo Daily Pick (June 10, 1999): "Do your part to end hunger. All it takes is one click." The site uses the resou rces of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to distribute the food donated each day. The WFP was founded in 1963 and is the world's largest international food aid organization. The organization fed 86 million people last year in 82 countries. The sponsors who pay for the food contribute • cent per donation, amounting to ~ cup of food when cooked. In exchange, each sponsor has an advertisement on the site. According to the New Statesman (United Kingdom): "a company that advertises there is actually getting quite good value for its advertising budget by feeding the starving." Shoppers who buy at The Hunger Site's online store contribute more funds to the cause, and the site has a newsletter that helps to educate visitors about hunger issues. Another feature of the site that has generated much interest is the map that sits on the opening page of the site. The map graphically illustrates the prevalence of starvation worldwide by darkening a country every 3.6 seconds. The map represents the site's statistic that a death from starvation occurs every 3.6 seconds, and 75% of those deaths are children. The New Statesman (U.K.) argues that the map is quite captivating: "it's like watching Death on his tireless rounds, from India to China, then Indonesia, before scurrying across to Africa and South America." The map depicts very effectively how devastating the pr.oblem of world hunger really is. The site has generated worldwide acclaim, including the People's Voice Award in the Activism Category of the Webby Awards People's Voice Campaign this past year. International press observers believe that the site offers hope for the future. The Press Association (U.K. and Ireland) advocates: "the whole point of the site is collaboration, and worldwide cooperation... over time, with many people making a single donation each day, the organizers can gain enough income to make a sizable contribution of food in the Third World ... It would seem that if only one site was worthy of being bookmarked this summer, The Hunger Site would be it." This author encourages anyone who reads this article to visit the site regularly, tell others about it,_and help to address the issue of world hunger ­ it's a little effort that can go a long way. The Hunger Site provided all of the statistics and press reviews for this article. �STRffTUIBfS Poetry and Art The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The following poem was written by an individual after he attended the Memorial Service for the Homeless, Covington, Ky., May 25"', 2000 : Friends Departed We Need Your Creativity! " , ' Urban blight is multi-faceted. It comes in the form of decaying buildings, once grand and cared for until the caring died. It comes in the shape of rotting ideals whose reality is never near the dream. Urban blight is a city cancer, curable, but difficult to treat while it spreads through the streets. It feeds off of reckless youth with their pumped up energy until there is nothing to be done, except to excise the diseased areas. I Urban ulight is a symbol of our t imes, god and the devil facing off under a street lamp. .... joani lacy To my friends that have passed, That fell victim to the streets, just another nameless face, forgotten by most With the dawning of a new day, To you I make this vow: That people will once again know your name And you shall not be forgotten. I wish to thank you, my friends, For the lives you've touched, Including mine. Our friendship, the times and memories we shared, I shall cherish. ,...... \ I I1 I ­ • 1 1 ./ Streetvibes. / do GCCH (Greater .- Cincinnati Coalition for -- the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 Phone- 513-421-7803, E-mail (text): to streetvibes@juno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net It's easy to pretend that evil doesn't exist; and it's simple to act as if there is no intention to ransack people. But the fact is, this economy is built on ransacking the people who work to benefit the people who do the deals. The fact is also, this economy is built on ransacking the environment to benefit the same class of deal-doers. And the fact is also, this economy is built on ransacking the children's education by teaching stupification, to benefit the same class of deal-doers. Turning the head another way is not the same as facing reality. What forces governance to face reality is the fact that small, insignificant people stand down, stand up, and stand for Justice, Fairness and Mercy, to hell with what laws are at work. Now it is recognized that death penalty cases are not working out of the need for safety; rather, they operate out of retribution. Now it is recognized that schools are incubators for rage and violence; yet, no one is willing to take that first step toward acknowledging responsibility. Now it is recognized that well-placed slander CAN in fact destroy the lives of activated, motivated and mobilized political adversaries so they cannot make aliving. And again, turning one's head makes the appearance of evil go away, for atime. But the time came-before-when the little people spoke up, because they had nothing left to lose. Watch. It is about to occur once again, that a nobody from nowhere will bring evidence, and then history will be changed forever. To you, my friend, I will not say good-bye, only Until next we meet For in my heart, you're still very much alive M. Emily Cragg <compania@hotmail.com> Homeless People's Network lheEUet Itried to domesticate the bullet, Totake her with me to school, To teach herthealphabet Ardraveta-8P3CK But she ismadeof black clay And stuffed with canned blood. I tried to domesticate the bullet, Totake herto the water-spring, To the fields ofdew. Butshe has C01Sl.Jl1lJtive lip; Thatloveto kiss the lipsofdeath Ton.mnageruvwred< And bb.vashesn oureyes I tried to domesticatethe bullet, To lead hertothetruth, To wash hSroopperwith perfi.Jrres And ~ta-g..inpcJMjef" 'Mtt1 S"Weets. But she refused to beunlocked,1. And remained drWing pus, Wrth poison in herbreath. ...........lraqui poet .. "' Send your poetry, writings or artwork to ....._ CITY CANCER Page 17 A Summer day on East 13th Street BERTA'S ART CORNER "Maestro Porho '~ bp Eric Reed Greiner -(In front of Music Hall)­ putting the Gent back in Gentrification. . .... �STREETUIBES The Tri-State's The March of Life: ·Rev. Maurice McCrackin Follows Jesus on the 1%y ofthe Cross .....By Anne Araya I want to walk as Jesus walked . . . . . . .The walk that led Him to the Tree. I want to give my all to Him. .... I want to set His children free .... free to love .... and laugh ..... and grow. So ....... off to the seminary I go ....... to begin upon the path that follows Him .... ... all the way to Calvary. Maurice McCrackin follows Jesus to the First Station: JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH In Iran, Mac saw his people there, "Heathen" they were called, ....... as if not quite "up to snuff" but....... as he looked into their eyes ..... he saw Jesus dwelling there - in them. He saw love for Jesus for each of his human kin. Returning to America, his heart is now prepared To know the love of God for all human kind. He came to Cincinnati to initiate his freedom ride ....... He strives to integrate the hearts of all for love of one another. He offers a vision of brotherhood amidst the clamoring throng but, they say, 'Mac is off his rocker' wealth and power is 'where it's at'! Mankind's good depends upon the dollar. He strives to do his best to alleviate the ills of a society based on greed and racism, war and glory, . . . . . . . in the marketplace. And so ........ Mac follows Him to the Second Station: JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS I will not pay taxes to manufacture bombs to kill one human soul. I will not cooperate with greed to kill the human spirit. I will accept my prison terms ....... to set His children free. Fast, I must ....... for they grow hungry ....... these children of the father. And so ....... Mac follows Jesus to the Third Station: JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME The General Assembly said that I could no longer serve because of my concern for peace and hwnan dignity. But Mac continues to follow his Savior to the Fourth Station: JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER I look into the sorrowful eyes of every mother struggling to love, feed, clothe, and educate her children ....... how can I turn back?! And so....... Mac follows in the bloody footsteps ofJesus to the Fifth Station: SIMON OF CYRENE IS FORCED TO HELP JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS I can no longer carry this burden ....... the weight of it grows heavy. Some are graced to see my heart ....... to share the burden with me. Mac can now go ro the Sixth Station: VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS He sees the blood-stained face ofJesus upon the faces of all ....... torn by oppression, war and poverty . . .abuse and mediocrity. ..... .. and so he wipes his Savior's face with cloth and voice and love. Although it seems so paltry...... he clothes with hat and glove the ones who have nothing in this country of "brotherly love". ·Homeless Grapevine Page 18 And so ....... Maurice follows Jesus to the Seventh Station: JESUS FALLS A SECOND TIME With unwavering faith and energy given to him by God ....... he marched ....... and fell marched ....... and fell. His voice cries out to free mankind .. ..... his heart loves with an unwavering love for the dignity of all. And so ....... Mac follows Jesus to the Eighth Station: JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM Stop the war games! Lord, I pray! and put my body where my heart is ....... off to the pentagon he goes ........to tell them they must stop playing games ofwar ....... for if they don't their children will be n more. Their answer was, and is, (and I guess, it always will be) imprison him.... .... we do not want to hear the truth. He must go on Two of Cincinnati's growing number ofpanhandlers, ...despite the walls of prison .. .insults of providing the valuable service of reminding us that men this materialistic rat race we are caught up in may not be . . ..... bruises, slander and cattle prodders. as real as we convince ourselves it is His hands work untiringly to end all racial strife, and free men from oppression. and the poor. He brings hope where there was no hope. So, save your speeches and accolades ....... He has the hands and the heart of Christ. Feed the hungry And so ....... Maurice follows Jesus to the Ninth Station: JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME My health is failing my eyes grow dim my ears are weak my heart is skipping beats I'm often cracked with pain. .... ... I must go on .... for the race is not yet finished! Mac follows Jesus to the Tenth Station: JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS Others now must help me dress and bathe I surrender my dignity to you, Lord ... .... I identify with You ....... as You were stripped ofYour dignity too. in many ways, I am helpless ....... as were You ....... but my march goes on ....... to live my life for You. Through all the joy and pain of my latter years, My will to serve You grows ever stronger ...... to "run the good race" until the end. Mac continues in the footsteps of His Savior to the Eleventh Station: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS I surrender to this cross ... .... as did You to Your Cross too. My life totally laid down in love for You . . . and those whom you have given me to serve ... .... and this has made all the difference! Mac follows Jesus on the Tree of Calvary to the Twelfth Station: JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS My blood, united with Yours .. . . . . . spilled out for all mankind. I love You, Jesus a n d I go all the way to the cross with You ...... I joyfuly mount the cross. My Father's Will has won the day ....... I now know peace within me. Awards and honors Mac longs not for ....... but freedom and justice for the oppressed Shelter the homeless Love the unloved Restore dignity to the undignified Turn the weapons of war into ploughshares and pruning hooks. Mac follows Jesus to the Thirteenth Station: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND LAID IN HIS MOTHER'S ARMS Many have been Mary to me ....... nurturing .. ... .. loving and allowing me, even encouraging me, to pick up my cross to come to follow you, Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for all the many ways You have shared Your mother with me. Maurice is now ready to go to the Fourteenth Station: JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB In the darkness of the tomb the Power of God bursts through. The Power that resurrected Lazarus resurrects me, too. His Power is there for all. Please open up your hearts. His love is mightier than the bomb, no evil force can stop it. It breaks through all division ...... . red and yellow black and white ..... .. will see with His pure vision. All are one in the Hean of God. In Him, there is no division. Love and Peace and Harmony will flourish as we forgive all others. Breaking down all walls and revealing all as brothers. We must let go of fear that keeps some others from us . Jesus, help us go beyond the darkness that now surrounds us . ...... knowing You have been there too. . ...... Your Mercy never leaves us. �STREETVIBES Consignment store in Clifton will benefit clinic The Central Clinic, a mental health service agency, is hoping bargain hunters will shop at a new consignment store in Clifton. Just a Second Showroom, 344 Ludlow Ave., opened this month to sell lamps, silver and other furnishings with the proceeds to benefit Central Clinic programs. Items can be donated or sold on consignment. For more information, ca/1861-8666. Kids Get Dental Disease Prevention Free Since 1984, children in C incin nati inner city schools and more recen tly t he surrounding nearby countjes, have received dental care that didn't take a bi te ouc of their parent's budgets. In fact, t he d ental sealants they received have significantly reduced the number of cavities they would have had without this disease preventative measure. T he sealant is a plastic coating, which keeps disease-causing germs out of the bad teeth by sealing over their tiny hiding places. Most cavities start on the back teeth because they have many small crevices where bacteria and food can be trapped and cause decay. The procedure is used on four to 16 teeth; depending on how many permanent molar and premolar teeth the children have in place at the time of the visit. T he sealant application is free, thanks to the Cincinnati H ealth D epartment and the Greater C incinnati Oral H ealth Council, a United Way/ Community C hest agency that has provided dental programs to the underserved since 1909. Schools selected for participation must have at least 50 percent of their students eligible for the free or reduced meals program. That means that most of the children are from families with incomes less than 18.5 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The school based program targets children in the second, sixth and seventh grades and all special education students. D r. Lawrence Hill, Dental Director at the Cincinnati H ealth D epartment and volunteer Executive Director of the Oral Health Council explained that cavities, gum disease, poor dental hygiene and other problems are also noted during the examination. According to Dr. Hill, "Close to 40 percent of eight year-olds examined in the p rogram have uncreated dental infections, whlch can lead to a variety of problems. M any of these children go to bed at night in pain. They can't eat, they can't sleep and frankly, kids in pain aren't going to be able to learn when they are in school." At the time the sealant program began 16 years ago there were 20 schools participating. Today the Oral Health Council's Sealant Program serves children in a total of 112 schools, 62 that are in the inner city. With the help of state funds, the program has expanded co 50 schools in the surrounding areas of Hamilton, Bueler, Warren, Adams, Brown H ighland and Clermont counties. During the 1998-99 school year, the organization provided sealants to more than 3,600 inner city children and 3,380 county children. For additional information abo1't the programs andservices the Greater Cincinnati Oral Health Co1'ncil offers, pkase call (513) 621-0248. The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Calling all African-American Playwrights! The Procter and Gamble Dreambuilder Celebration is an opportunity to submit original scripts . The best script will be produced to be shown on television , and the writer will receive $1 ,000. The purpose of the Dreambuilder Celebration is to promote African­ American script-writers and to unite people of all races together in brotherhood , education, and opportunity. To be eligible, entrants must be current residents or student residents of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky or Detroit, Ml and be African-American . The script must be original, unpublished, and submitted by the author(s) of the work. A playwright may submit up to three separate scripts. The deadline for the contest is July 71h, 2000 at 5:00 p.m. - so get to work! To submit a script, send the entry to: Ron Carter's Comedy Corner Here comes the Judge. Judge: Yes, it's me; and I don't mean to do anybody any good this morning. And just to show you what I mean, I'm going to open the Court by giving myself six months. And if I'm going to do six months, anybody that is found gulty has now got a darn good idea about how much t ime they are going to do. So, bailiff, bring in the first victim . . .. . .. Bailiff: Judge, this guy said he is the one who introduced you to your wife. Judge: What! My wife! Life Sentence, you son of a gun! .... From the archfve5 of Judge Pi9meat Markham Classified PLACE your help wanted, for rent, for sale items in Streetvibes Classified. Rate is only $1 I line, free for 6 mo. if you're below the poverty line. The Dreambuilder Advertise Celebration Scribe Award Contest WCPO-TV, Channel 9 500 Central Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Any questions? Please call 533-4340 or (513) 255-0717. Page 19 Extra! Extra! Support Streetvibes by Advertising to Socially Conscious Readers! Rates: about 2 bucks per square inch Check us out, We're on TV! The band of a child ..... Bianca Wagner, 7 Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's Live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. The Streetvlbes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati Community Video), 2114 Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 June Schedule Broadcast Dates for June's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Saturday, July 1, at 5 PM Tuesday, July 11 , at 10 PM Saturday, July 15, at 5 PM Tuesday, July 25, at 1OAM Thursday, August 3, at 10 AM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. Streetvibes TU covers news on POVertY. homelessness and related issues. If You would like to be a Part of the audience. or if You have ideas for future shows. call us at 421 -7803 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 20 Vendor 5POfli2ht: Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. H anyone selling Streetvlbes clalms to be collectlng for a private charity, please call our office at421-7803. Homeless but not Hopeless .....by Mr. Lee ~ I am a young African-American male in my early 30's. Most people see me as being quiet, studious, and shy. My Southern upbringing and religious beliefs have shaped my personality and my speech. I'm unmarried, have no children and struggle with dealing with new people. I'm fortunate to own a car, although my only job is my one week-end a month commitment to the Army Reserve. I have few relatives in this area, and those I do have I don't get along with. It is difficult for me to identify w ith the other men who live in the shelter with me. I don't drink, nor do I do drugs. I have "problems," but I'm not really in the mental health system. My life is not what I would like it to be, but I know that God is watching over me. Today, I am homeless but not hopeless. Wish_List Streetvlbes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call... 0 Advertisers and Subscribers a Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, tea, paper towels, cream and sugar, cookies, etc.) a Photography Help of all sorts for Streetvibes - film, developing, a digital camera... SHELTERS: Women 8l1d Chlldren YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (S.ngles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 241-5525 241-0490 241 -2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761-1480 821 -5100 721-0643 381-5432 863--8866 471-1100 .....Jerome Johnson a Pentium or fast 486 Computers/compo­ nents (monitors, hard drives, etc.), for story-writing, editing, research, and homeless computer lab If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself home­ less, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. I am a new vendor and I would like to share my experiences as a vendor. Since I became a vendor I have met a lot of interesting people. I have met people from all different walks of life. I really enjoy being a vendor and I enjoy meeting people. Being a vendor gives me something positive to do with my life. . Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) St. John's Temporary Housing 961-4080 651-6446 HOUS.NG: CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T First Step Home 241 -7343 961-4663 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 end resume to: 1012 W h Street, NW, Suite 600 Wa~hington, DC 20005-3406 hone: (202) 737-6444, Fax: (202) 737-6445 mail: nch@ari.net. Web page: http://nch.ari.net eople who are homeless andformerly omeless are encouraged to apply. OlltER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421 -2437 Appalachian Identity Center621-5991 Beech Acres 23H3630 Center for Independent living Options 241 -2600 Churches Active In Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 241 -1 064 Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries n1-4800 Greater Cinti. Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621 -7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van . 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 357-5720 Project Connect- Homeless Kids 721-7660 Travelers Aid United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless Program 572-6226 Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 Women Helping Women 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 July 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Laurel Homes Demolition Temporarily Halted Texas Executed Shaka Sankofa Pg 2: New Director at GCCH Pg 3: The WTO’s History: “Free Trade” and its Lasting Implications Fair Trade, the Alternative to Free Trade Pg 4: “Don’t Spend a Nickel on Mt. Olive Pickle!” Pg 5: Pickle Continued Pg 6: Welfare News Pg 7: Class Inequality in American Education Pg 8: Congress Closes US Army School of the Americas, Gives Okay to Open Clone Pg 9: Prisoners’ News Pg 10: Prisoners’ News Continued: Death Penalty Pg 11: The Campaign for Safer Neighborhoods Organizes Against Toxic Emissions in Hamilton County Pg 12: Pending Federal Mental Health Legislation Boggles the Mind Pg 13: Interview with a Caged Warrior: Leonard Peltier Pg 14: 12th Annual “Teaming up for the Homeless” Pg 15: Street Scopes Pg 16: Drop Inn Center 5k Run and Walk Pg 17: Poetry and Art Pg 18: The March of Life 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 July 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Dan Marschner Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Jamaal Coleman Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Rodney Sutton Lynn Williams Alanna Maloney M. Emily Cragg Erika Robers John Criswell Mr. Lee Grady Cook Joani Lacy Bianca Wagner Patrick Mosolf Ginger Brock Berta Lambert Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alanna Maloney Alicia Beck Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Bianca Wagner Class Inequality Congress Dan Marschner Death Penalty demolition Drop Inn Center education Erika Robers GCCH Ginger Brock Grady Cook Inequality Jamaal Coleman Joani Lacy John Criswell John Halpin Leonard Peltier Lynn Williams M. Emily Cragg Mary A. Gaffney mental health Mr. Lee Pat Mitchell Patrick Mosolf Pickle Prison prisoners news Rodney Sutton Ron Carter School SOA Sonny Williams Street Scope Susan Knight Tom Billman US Army Warren Perkins welfare news WTO https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/bd2aa39b1e4e7ba23b39f3894aa6387f.pdf e700bb835bf1f88dbd4e79b17d838c96 PDF Text Text Remembering the Milner Demolition Six Years Ago, 115 Units ofHousing/or th e Homeless Were Lost On May 20, the sixth year anniversary of the Milner Hotel's Demolition, students and professors from Miami University's architectUre department gathered with homeless and low-income housing supporters in Piatt Park-Garfield Park in downtown Cincinnati. At the center of the gathering was an rutistic environmental installation that Mi ami architecture students and Over-the-Rhine community members spent the previous months planning. The instaUation included a red ribbon running through the park's trees, silhouettes of homelesspeople and homeless supporters, and plaques describing how the removal of low-income persons from MILNER, continued on page 5 Don Sawyer, f ormer resident and employee ofthe Milner Hotel, addresses the crowd much debate and controversy, the CUITent A Tale of Two Cities plans for the project have been scaled­ Urban Renewal Threatens Shelters in Columbus and Cincinnati ...... by John Halpin The story is a familiar one to Cincinnati: A lower­ income neighborhood is targeted for redevelopment, and the homeless shelter that occupies it must relocate to another area. The popular idea that the poor and homeless cannot co-exist with economic development becomes public policy and practice. For over a year now, the Drop ~ Center, Cincinnati's largesthomeless shelter, located on the comer of 12th and Elm Streets in Over-the-Rhine,.has been fighting to keep its home. A plan spearheaded by Cincinnati Pops conductor Erich Kunzel and organized by the Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center (GCAEC) Board is seeking to relocate the School for the Creative and PerfonningArts to the Washington Park neighborhood, adjacent to Music Hall and the Drop Inn Center. At first, the GCAEC board maintained that the new school and the shelter could co-exist, but later, when the arts group revealed several blueprints that called for the removal of the Drop Inn Center, controversy erupted. An intense turf war ensued, and now, after I back, and the GCAEC planners say the Drop Inn Center site will not be needed in the current stage of the project's development. During the on-going debate about the Drop Inn Center's possible relocation, the center maintains that it was not right to displace the poor and homeless for any reason. R.atherthan placing the problem "out ofsight, out ofmind," the shelter advocates for real solutions 'to homelessness, such as affordablehousing, employment training, and supportive services. Relocating the shelter to another area, away from the proposed arts campus, would only be removing the problem from public view, not solving it The shelter and many of its neighboring organizations, such as non-profit housing developers ReSTOC and the Over-the­ Rhine Housing Network, advocate for urban renewal to benefit the poor, not just urban renewal to benefit the middle and upper class. Not only does the Drop Inn Center oppose hiding the problem ofhomelessness but it also maintains that its current site was 26,000 Ohio Children Face Welfare Cut-offs Advocates Take Campaign for Welfare Rights to- Legislators' Front Doors A group of determined welfare advocate;S gathered at the Contact Center in Cincinnati on the morning of May 19 for nor-your-average lobbying effort. They were gathering to take their "Stop the Clock" campaign to the front doors of the homes of local Ohio legislators. What brings these members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition - a statewide welfare rights advocacy group - together is H ouse Bill 578. Currently, Ohio has a three- year co~secutive time limit on welfare benefits. As of October 1 of this year, 13,000 low-income households across Ohio will lose their support. Appr:oximately 26,000 children, many of whom are under six years old, could be cut­ offofincome support between O ctober and December of 2000. HB 578 would extend the three-year time limit on public assistance to five years, as well as ease harsh sanctioning policies such as cutting off food stamp assistance to sanctioned adulr.s. t Many welfare · supporters at the press conference insisted that three years was not enough time for a person to get thejop training and education needed to obtain a job that pays a living wage. Davorn Johnson, who is transitioning off ofwelfare and now employed by the Drop Inn Center shelter, made that poinr. She admitted that she herself is a success story but cautioned that not all welfare recipients have the same circumstances which allow for success. With an extended time limit, more recipients would be able to obtain the skills they need for success. If HB 578 is adopted, Ohio would be the 3or1i state co allow recipients five consecutive years of supporc through the Temporary ,,Assistance to Needy Families program. The advocates' lobbying effort today has a special sense of urgency, as the Ohio State Legislature will dismiss for the summer by May 24 andis not expected to reconvene until after the October 1 cut-off date. So far, despite intensive lobbying and support from many democrats, the assembly leadership has chosen to ignore the bill and has not allowed public testimony on it. Kary Heins of the Contact Center noted chat local Rep~esentatives Catherine Barret and Sam Britton have been particularly supportive of the bill. Today's lobbying effort, in which advocates will visit the homes of local legislators with whom they have not yet met, will attempt to convince Senator Richard Finan, and Representatives Schuler and O ' Brien, among others, to support HR 578 as well. "We are extremely concerned about what will happen to all kids in Ohio when the time limit hies, especially since we do not know what is happening to families once they leave welfare. Poverty rates have not declined much, but 50% ofpeople have left welfare. We are afraid that once the economy goes sour, many families will need help and there won't be any," said Cassandra Barham, an organizer with the Contact Center. • • • See SHELTER, page 3 SS I �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES THE TRAVELER The Tri-S tate's Homeless Grapevine by Donald Whitehead The Greater Cincinnati Coalition the Homeless is a group of shelters. agencies and individuals committed to· fOI' ending homel~sness in Cincinnati through ting services, ed the puJ:>li roots organi • Iliff Alicia Beck, Susan Knigh~ Tom Billman, John Halpin Ron Carter, Warren Perkins, PatMitche Mary A. G Sonny Wlllla . Director Administrative Coordinator Streetvibes Editor Assistant Editor Vendor SuPf!>()rt Tenant Organizing · Outreach Volunt~ ' Recep Volunteer Re Writers Donald Whitehead John Halpin Tom Billman Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Anthony W Cassie Gu Alanna Malo Brian Crumm Bonnie Neumeter Johnny Wm. Byrd, Jr. GeraldineDevine Patrick Holmes Melissa Widemen Susan Knight Grady Cook. Sonny Williams Pat Mitchell Sharon Weis LeeAnn McNabb Raymond Jane Katie Danko "'' Warren Perkins Earlene Moreland Lynn Williams Jeff Branham monica novae Emily Langford ney Sutton, Susa Be ambert, Grady Cook:,' Warren Perkins. Sonny Williams, Jimmy Heath and more.... Knight~ Streetvlbes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graph­ ics, photos.... We will print everything we have roorn for, giving preference t those wh' ·• homeless or vend ~f-. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 · f~ 13) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text­ only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached file's) web page: http://cinci.com/gcch At this point in my life I am on top of the world, literally. I have just ridden a gondola lift up co the cop of the mountain in D enver, Colorado, some two thousand feet above sea level. The view is striking snow-capped peaks overlooking mountain streams littered with skiers and snowboarders getting the last ski before che season ends. Up here, the world's problems seem so far removed. Despite the discomfort caused by shortness of breath at this altitude, I feel extremely serene. I am in D enver for the National Healthcare for the Homeless Conference. The conference is one of the highlights ofevery year for m e. This year is even more special because I get to spend time with my dear friend Mary Ann Gleason, longtime Executive Director for the National Coalition for the Homeless. Mary Ann spent several years in Denver and was gracious enough to give me a tour of the mountains and som e of the social services in Denver. I was impressed with the mountains and even more impressed by the social services. Mixed income new construction housing in a suburban setting is the stuff thac C incinnati advocates can only dream of. The housing was noc only in setting that was very conducive to long cerm stability; it also included amenities chac are often ouc of reach for low-income families. Amenities such as swimming pools, on site daycare, and laundry facilities are often thought to be too luxurious for low-income developments. One ofthe arguments in C incinnati against the development ofnew construction housing is land availability and zoning difficulties. This argument does noc exist in the suburban areas surrounding C incinnati. Another program thac was very exciting to me stemmed from a concept Mary Ann calls Housing as Treatment. We visited a facility that housed women with untreated mental illness. These women are typically long term homeless because ofsome of the misunderstandings of their anti-social behavior. They are women who are frequently either barred part-time or permanently from shelters and transitional housing. Many people commonly refer to these ladies as Bag Ladies. As we toured the facility, the women seemed extremely delighted by our presence; the experience brought memories of my friends in Cincinnati. Ifyou are connected with homelessness in any way in C incinnati you probably know a few ladies chat fit these ladies' profile, such as women like Nan and Mahalia who are long-term members of Cincinnati's homeless population. The difference between my friends at home and these women in Denver was how happy the women in Denver appeared to be. T hey also seemed a lot fresher; women with the characteristics of these ladies always seem cired. They have to constantly walk in search ofsomething that the women in Denver have found: a safe secure place co call home. Page 2 In my thinking spot above the clouds I begin to digest what I witnessed this weekend. I really like the message chac being senc by the . advocates in Denver. Homeless people deserve the same kinds ofthings thac everyone else enjoys. Do we sometimes say co homeless people "This is the besc you can get" or "this is all you deserve"? This attitude is reflected by how and where we choose to develop our resources. Opportunities for people to live in low-crime, low-illegal drug communities must be · maximized. le is noc impossible to succeed in communities that are crime ridden or drug infested I personally am an example of thac happening, buc I muse say chac the odds are noc overwhelmingly high for mosc individuals in this situation. Mixed income communities are a wonderful idea only if they do noc call for the displacement oflow-income people. D enver advocates have insured chat there is zero displacement by doing new construction. The only downside to che whole day was the realization that the development of new housing is very cost prohibitive. I guess when you recognize chat the City OfC incinnati wants to spend 50 million dollars to attract a new major downtown retailer or the cost of the new Bengals stadium is 45 million dollars over budget 5 million dollars to put hundreds of people in quality affordable safe sanitary housing is not chat cost prohibitive at all. We also need co work to change the condition of our current neighborhoods. We should not settle for impoundment chat has become so common in inner city America, drug dealers determining the rules of the neighborhood. It is all right to leave the inner city fo r the safety and serenity of the suburbs, buc we must return. The armed aggressors in the hood are like any pack in the wild; they only pick off the wounded, the frail, or the young, afraid of the consequences involved wich taking on healthy individuals. It is our job as advocates to help people heal so they aren't easy prey. I am starting a support group in my neighborhood called S.WA.C. S. So We All Can Succeed. This group will hopefully evolve into a force to take on the pack through positive actions in the community. I can't wait to tell you more about it. Meanwhile I'm headed for Washington D .C., then on to Chicago. I'll talk to you when I return. Keep on truck.in, baby! Streetvibes,exists as a forum fo:tJh'e expression of the ~it:WS and opinions of our reAders and supporters.' The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine SHELTER, from page 1 The CZC Protest for Political Prisoners and Against Police Brutality best for its population. The Drop Inn Center declares it self the center of a human improvement campus in Washington Park. The center points to the fact that it is easily accessible to the homeless in the downtown area, and that the residents at the Drop Inn Center are within blocks of transitional hous ing, soup kitchens, government offices, employment agencies, and community centers which provide job traini·ng, education, and cultural programs. By LeeAnn M<;Nabb May 13th was a national day of action against police brutality and in support ofpolitic prisoners. Approximately 55 people from the Greater C incinnati area joined the Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition in protesting at the corner of 6ch and Main Street from 5pm until 8pm. We were joined by people from groups such as the Incerna~ional Socialise Organization, The AIM Support Group of Ohio and Northern Kentucky, the All-African Peoples Revolutionary Party, The Racial Awareness Program, Solidarity, Viet Nam Veteran's Against the War--Ami­ lmperialist (Sonny W illiams), and many more. We informed a lot of people on their way to Jammin' on Main about the cases of Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal. It was a colorful protest, with several different kinds ofsigns, a megaphone, chanting, singing, drumming, and even a little dancing. We got sn ide as well as supportive comments from those passing by on their way to the music festival. Several motorists waiting in traffic actually asked questions and were given flyers on the issues. We collected petition signatures for Mumia Abu-Jamal and for Leonard Peltier's upcoming parole review hearing. We goc a really good crowd and were successful in delivering our message to the community. lVho are LeonardPeltier andMumiaAbu-]amal? Leonard Peltier is an American Indian Political Prisoner who was convicted in 1977 of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation during a massive shoot-out. The judge in their case acquitted two other men who were arrested for the same original charges. After loosing the case, the FBI changed its plan . Allegedly, it used false affidavits to arrest Peltier, coerced testimony, ch anged the charges, suppressed evidence, and scared jurors into believing the American Indian Movement might kill them. Peltier's supporters range from Amnesty International, The National Congress ofAmerican Indians, Rage Against the Machine, the Indigo Girls, and many more. Mumia Abu-Jamal is an award winning journalist and a former member of the Black Page 3 A Similar Scenario in Columbus Panthers. He was convicted in 1982 of killing Officer Daniel Faulkner. He is currently on death row in Pennsylvania. He reported on police brutality in his journalism. His trial was botched and may have had a d ifferent outcome if witnesses and evidence by the defense had been permitted in court. Groups calling fo r a new trial for Mumia include Amnesty International, The Congressional Black Caucus, Martin Luther King III, Rage Against the Machine, and many more. The Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition is an indigenous rights and social justice organization based in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are named after a group of Mayan Indian rebels in Chiapas, Mexico, who rose up on January 1st, 1994, the day the North American Free Trade Agreement {NAFTA) went into effect. They rose up because of political, racial, and economic oppression felt by Mexico's 10 million Indians. T hey fight for more than just indigenous rights. Subcomandante Marcos {spokesperson for the Zapatistas) is quoted as saying, ""Marcos is gay in San Francisco, a black in South Africa, a Palestinian in Israel, Jewish in Germany, a woman anywhere on the metro at lOpm, a landless peasant, a Mayan Indian in Chiapas, Mexico ... " In other words, the Zapatistas fight for everyone. Their major slogan is "Todos Somos Zapatistas," which in English translates into "We are all Zapatistas." This is the basis on which CZC was started. For more information crmtact: Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition, PO Box 30401, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230. Email: miriamczc@yahoo.com, Phone (513) 232-0362 or (513) 325-4179. Our website at http://www.geocities.com/ Capito/Hill/13641. Representatives from Viet Nam Veterans against the War--Anti-lmperialis t, . . . . . .and. AIM of..Northern Kentuck.y. protest political imprisonment in Amer i ca Wbjle the drama in Cincinnati has cooled for the time being, a scenario is heating up in Columbus that has many ofthe same ingredients as the Drop lnn Center-SCPA controversy. The Open Shelter, a men's drop-in facility in the Frankljnton area ofthe Scioto Peninsula, is bracing itself, as next year it will lose $445,000, nearly halfofits operating budget, when the Community Shelter Board withdraws its funding. Unlike in Cincinnati, in Columbus, a third party determines the funding that shelters receive. This group, the Community Shelter Board (CSB), allocates all government and United Way dollars to local shelters. The Community Shelter Board announced that it would stop funding The Open Shelter after the shelter refused to leave its current site in Franklinton to operate a new facility that the CSB had purchased north of the city, near the fairgrounds, on Corrugated Way. The proposed shelter is one part of the " Rebuilding Lives" plan that CSB developed. The plan calls for reducing the number ofbeds in four existing shelters while moving more men into s upportive housing apartments. Rebui lding Lives also wants to relocate the two shelters located on the Scioto Peninsula - The Open Shelter and a shelter run by the Volunteers ofAmerica. The Open Shelter listed several points for why it did not accept CSB 's proposal to run the new shelter, despite the fact that the Open Shelter does want to move. They have been leasing their current site for 16 years, and each year they have had to pass up grants to improve their facility because only shelters which own their sites are eligible for such grants. The Open Shelter worked closely with the Community Shelter Board to find a new site, and have examined hundreds ofproperties as potential shelters. U ltimately, however, the decision as to whether or not to accept the Community Shelter Board's offer to run the new shelter came down to a basic question: What course ofaction would best serve the homeless? The Open Shelter felt that leaving their present location would hurt the homeless. When the other downtown shelter, operated by the Volunteers of America, announced it was moving out ofthe area, The Open Shelter balked at leaving the area also, knowing that it would leave hundreds ofpersons in the Franklinton area without immediate access to a shelter. The agency also objected to running a center with a smaller overnight capacity, as the plan called for. While the Rebuilding Lives plan calls for 800 units of subsidized, supportive housing units by the year 2004 to replace shelter beds, only 30 of these units are currently in operation. The Open Shelter believed reducing and relocating shelters before other resource s were available seemed irresponsible. ~ee SHELTJ!,R, page 5 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Kids' Day o·n Capital Hill · Homeless Children Tell Their Heart-breaking Stories For the past ten years, I have been involved with the issue of homelessness. I have experienced homelessness, I have volunteered to help, and I have advocated on the front lines for ending homelessness. During my tenure on the front lines, I have witnessed many things that have caused me to examine myself and the world around me. Nothing prepared me for the Kids Day 2000. Ever since the first time I visited a family shelter or the first time I saw the Fox video "Shelter Boy," I have been compelled by the plight of homeless children. I have always been a smiling face to children as I visit shelters. Every year I even dress up as Santa Claus and pass out toys. There's nothing more moving than a smiling child is, nothing except a child in pain. On paper, the fact that 1.35 million children are experiencing homelessness in America is beyond belief. Last year, the Better Homes Fund released a study that documented and statistically tracked the plight of homeless children. The study was well written and excellent in its visual presentation. It was ....By Donald Whitehead written by a group of experts from around the country. The groups of experts assembled for the Kids Day on Capitol Hill, however, were different experts. The experts at Kids Day 2000 were children. The best thing about hearing from a child is that their testimony is totally uncompromised, incredibly graphic, and totally honest. The panelists chosen by Barbara Duffield were beyond excellent. The children presented new perspectives to our extremely troubling pr9blem. Never once did I hear mention of blame or resentment. I heard pain, embarrassment, and even joy. I was particularly moved by the youngest panel member whose final statement "we had to stay in the Shelter but it was not that bad" started my first cry in a long time. The young man was responding to a question about conditions in shelters. Another moving moment was when a young lady who had just been accepted into college talked about her family being split up by the shelter system. She took us on a rollercoaster ride beginning with a happy Page 4 family and ending with a family in the middle of a divorce. There wasn't a dry eye in the place when this well-spoken young lady talked about her whole family living in one room. Twists and turns included scams, disappointments, and pain. All of the speakers were overwhelming to even the most seasoned advocate. I remember sometimes crying myself to sleep at night when I was living in the Drop Inn Center in Cincinnati. I can only imagine the pain experienced by a child going through homelessness. The children in the audience and those on the phone were very attentive and knowledgeable about the issues of homelessness. I was also pleased by the Congressperson~ in attendance, via phone and tape-recorded message. The entire event was extremely inspiring. Barbara Duffield did an awesome job of organizing. The only drawback is that there were not many more people who were able to attend this event. In my opinion, every city in the U.S should replicate this event. While society can easily label and blame adults, it is a lot harder to label or blame children. If our leaders can't listen to our reason , maybe they'll listen to a baby's. u u u NO APOLOGY FROM MAYOR LU by Sonny Williams, Streetvibes Vendor On Saturday, May 6m, the Citizen Police Review Enforcement Coalition had a 4-hour protest at Fountain Square. The Coalition was protesting that Mayor Charlie Luken did not apologize for the death of Michael Carpenter to Carpenter's family. Luken's apology went to the City of Cincinnati, not directly to the family. Dwight Patton brought a coffin on the protest site around 4:00 PM. Because Patton was not allowed on the square without an escort, Captain DeMasi and two officers from the Cincinnati police officers escorted him. When the protesters set up the coffin next to the fountain, several on-looking white males chanted, "We support police beating people; we support killer cops!" Nathanial Livingston, Jr., the director of the Black Marchers, then arrived, with two flags on poles. A police officer became upset and demanded that the protestors get those flag poles off the square now! The flag poles were removed to the corner of 511i and Vine Streets, and replaced by several signs. One included the autopsy photo of Mike Carpenter in the Hamilton County Morgue. Several protesters carried the flag of Ethopia and King Halle Salasie. One protester car~ied a video camera, which made this writer feel more secure in the face of enormous police presence and Cincinnati Recreation monitors who carried radios and mace. One sign said, "No Apology for Mr. Carpenter? ... No Peace Either!" For more information about the Murder ofMichael Carpenter, call John Shirey at 352-3000, or the U.S. Justice Department at 550 Main St., Cincinnati, Ohio. Fire Escape ~eglect May Cause Apartment Closure this Work order: By Warren Perkins, Tenant Organizer Glencoe Apartment residents may not know it yet, but they are in danger of losing their homes. On May 3, 2000, City ofCincinnati housing inspector Eric Otto made a visit to Glencoe Apartments, owned by non-profit Mount Auburn Good Housing. Glencoe, which is in the shadow of Christ Hospital, was cited on that day with more than 1j Cincinnati Building Code (CBC) Violations. These violations range from excessive I itter to missing bricks in masonry walls. The most serious of these problems is the disrepair of fire escapt!s on the Leroy Court building. The Fire Escapes themselves account for 3 CBC violations. The fire escapes are rusty and any hint of black paint is almost non-existent. The lack of paint on the emergency stairways means they are more likely to fall prey to the elements, causing accidental breakage. Many of the fire escapes have broken ladder steps and broken hand railings. These escapes are falling hazards and obviously provide little or no chance for residents to escape in.the case of fire. These problems caused.the City Inspector Eric Otto to issue REPAIR FIRE ESCAPE Violation: 415 DATE: 5105100 NARATIVE: Note: failure to repair fire escape may result in the vacation ofapartment units using same (welders will need A WS certification for job) ORDINANCE DESCRIPTION: Every required supplies facility, piece ofequipment, or utility shall be so constructed or installed that it will function safely, and shall be maintained in satisfactory working conditions. Section 1117-45. I CBC CORRECTIVE ACTIONREQUIRED : Replace all broken or rusted out members of the fire escape and restore it to good working order. Because of this work order's interest in fire safety, the city code says that it must be completed in 30 days or less. If it is not completed, residents may be forced to leave their homes at the end of this period. This means that 8 large family units may be lost forever in Cincinnati, not to mention the problems ofcurrent residents trying to find housing on such short notice. Mount Auburn Good Housing contracted a management company, Churchill and Company, to oversee operations and repairs of the Glencoe Apartments. Churchill Management's representative JeffWillis claims to not even have heard ofthe violations notice from the city until Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) representatives infonned him on May l 2. The Jack of communication between Mount Auburn Good Housing and apartment managers Churchill and Company may explain why some ofthese repairs have fallen through the cracks. The owners are currently waiting on repair funding from HUD that may not meet the deadline set by the city. Ifthe repairs are not completed in time, residents of the building will most likely be issued apartment vouchers they can use at other buildings which accept this form of payment. Residents could face other problems, such as a lack of funds to move heavy furniture from the old home to the new. COHHIO tenant organizers plan to meet with these residents to inform them of their rights and to advise them of possible action to take. The hope is to avoid problems like this in the future and eliminate the need for residents having to move. • • • • • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine SHELTER, from page 3 Other reasons why The Open Shelter opted not to relocate to the CSB site were that the CSB stipulated that the new shelter would have a sixty-day limit on stays, a rule The Open Shelter says is contrary to their mission; they would have to lease the site from CSB when their goal has been to own a shelter, and they would have to undertake a $1,000,000 capital campaign to help Community Shelter Board purchase and renovate the site. "A Large and Lofty Group" With The Open Shelter's decision not to relocate, the Community Shelter Board announced all of the shelter's annual CSB funding would be withdrawn and transferred to the operator ofthe new shelter. The Community Shelter Board has drawn fire from all sides involved in this situation - both from The Open Shelter supporters and from residents. of the neighborhood where the new shelter may be built Kent Beittel, Executive Director ofThe Open Shelter said the CSB is appointed by the city, county, and United Way and is a "large and lofty group" and, for the most part, removed from the people they are serv ing. (In Cincinnati, a consensus process by a coalition of service providers and homeless persons makes funding decisions.) Kent Beittel says the Community Shelter Board's Rebuilding Lives plan arose after funding was secured for and construction began on a new floodwall around the Scioto Peninsula on which Franklinton and his shelter sit. Because the peninsula is a flood plain, it was never prime property for development. With the new floodwall in place, however, the economic development ofFranklinton - home of the new COSI and a new veteran's memorial - became a real possibility. City politicians and the Community Shelter Board rethought how the city assisted the homeless and decided that it was inappropriate to have half of the city's homeless population in an area in which so much potential for economic development exists. There is a myth, Beittel says, that the poor and homeless cannot coexist with economic development. The Open Shelter will now have to deal with the consequences ofthat myth as they look to replace the funding that the CSB has transferred from them to the new shelter, which Lutheran Social Services will run. North of town, in the Milo-Grogan neighborhood where the proposed shelter will be, the Community Shelter Board has drawn sharp criticism, as well. This time, the criticism is not from homeless advocates but from a neighborhood that does not want a shelter for the homeless in its backyard. Afraid of "neighborhood decline" as a result of the shelter, residents are strongly opposing the zoning variance that the Community Shelter Board has submitted to Columbus City Council. A zoning variance is necessary before the shelter can be built in the neighborhood. The language of the zoning variance has up set peop le, also. The East Fifth Avenue Commissioners, a neighborhood organization, believes that the neighborhood has been "racially profiled" by the CSB. The application for zoning variance reads, "First, the Fifth AvenueArea is characterized by high co ncen trations of poor, Africa n American neighborhoods, distressed housing markets, and a deficit ofaffordable rental units. These factors are directly related to increased shelter admissions." The NAAC P has spoken out in favor of the residents and their beliefthat the neighborhood was racially profiled. The fact that the CSB has no Africa.n American staff has only added to the existing tensions. The.Community Shelter Board denies that any racial profiling took place and say they regret that the language ofthe ordinance was understood that way. CSB states that the zo ning ordinance's wording was adapted from academic studies and was used because the zoning application required that a change in zoning laws must help the community in some way. Anonymous Donor Gives $450,000 With the eminentwithdraw ofCommunity Shelter Board funds, The Open Shelter was looking for ways to make up for the lost money and to continue its work for the homeless. Director Kent Beittel was worried about where the funds might come from, but in an article in The Other Paper (April 27-May 3, 2000), he said he believed that the people of Columbus understood the shelter's mission and would not let it go under. De~pite Beittel 's optimism about receiving aid from the communHy, he never expected the magnitude ofthe gift he received. On Monday, May 22, The Open Shelter announced that an anonymous donor gave the shelter $450,000, with specific instructions to use that money for the purchase ofits current building. After negotiations with the building's owner, The Open Shelter closed on the property May 17 for a selling price of$600,000. When announcing the purchase of th~ building, the Open Shelter stated that they are keeping their options open and will even continue to look for new locations that may help them to better serve Columbus' downtown population. Even though the shelter may eventually move if they find a better location, the purchase oftheir shelter adds a $600,000 asset to their balance sheet and allows the shelter staff to focus on serving the homeless without undertaking a long capital campaign. The Open Shelter board of trustees president Matt McClellan said, "While we certainly feel strongly that there is a need for our services in the downtown area, the anonymous donation signifies that others in the community feel . the same way." The shelter is currently adding new members to its existing Relocation Committee to broaden community imput about finding a new site in the downtown area for the shelter. The Open Shelter says it will welcome all community imput, including that ofthe CSB, on its relocation efforts but that it may have to reconsider the CSB 's role in relocation efforts iftheir funding is cut. The Best of Times, The Worst of Times While the stories ofthe Drop Inn Center and The Open Shelter are not the same, their similarities are striking. The displacement ofthe homeless in the name ofeconomic development is a trend that is taking place throughout the nation and abroad. However, it is equally important to point out how many people rally around the homeless in such difficult times. Just as an anonymous donor stepped forward in Columbus, so have socially conscious citizens in Cincinnati stepped forward, such as Artists for the Drop lnn Center, the arts group that has rallied behind the Drop Inn Center's effort to maintain its home. Through actions and efforts like these, the public says that the homeless do matter and they are demanding that public policy and practice reflect this. The Open Shelter and the Drop Inn Center are showing many people still believe their efforts can make a difference. And, although the battle is far from over, it seems that with efforts like these, the homeless and their supporters may come out on top, and city planners will re-~valuate what economic development truly means. • • • Page 5 MILNER, from page 1 America's cities today is strikingly similar to the forced removal ofthe Cherokee Nation from their land in the 1830's. ln 1944 the Parkview Hotel was acquired by the Milner family and renamed the Milner Hotel. For nearly fifty years, this privately owned, unsubsidized hotel flourished and was often filled on any given night It housed 115 single-room-occupancy low-income units, with 40-60 long-term residents, and 35-50 individuals and families on a temporary basis. It was used as quick access emergency housing by the Mental Health Association, Salvation Army, Red Cross, and area homeless shelters. In the early 1980's the city of Cincinnati approved new development plans that focused on redeveloping the Central Business District. Towne Properties acquired the site of the Milner for its Garfield Place Phase II. The city ofCincinnati used millions oftax dollars to purchase the hotel. The intent was to demolish the hotel for the development ofthe Greenwich on the Park. For years activists struggled for the salvation ofthe Milner Hotel. One such activist was 87-year­ old Reverend Maurice McCrackin; he fasted for two weeks, almost near to death, in order to persuade the city to reverse its decision about the demolition ofthe hotel. Also involved in the struggle were many community members and residents of the Milner Hotel. On May 20, 1994, despite the fierce multi­ year struggle fought by supporters, the hotel was tom down by the city. Of the more than one hundred people who were displaced from the Milner, only a few received assistance to relocate in low-income replacements. What was promised by the city (City Council Resolution April 28, 1993) to provide long­ term housing replacements never materialized. For the past two and a half years Miami students have collaborated with the Over-the-Rhine Housing Network on design/build projects to create low-income housing for Over-the-Rhine residents. This event was the first time the students were able to work closely with community members to commemorate urban cultural history. John Kirk, a Miami junior, said that many of the students were not previously exposed to issues surrounding homelessness. It was an "awakening experience for some people," he said. He also noted that doing a project relevant to such issues is important and that it is what architecture should be doing in the first place. Another student shared his feelings, saying that architecture is about people and it was nice that this project was able to commemorate the people involved in the Milner struggle. "I got a big huge smile on my face," said Over-the-Rhine Housing Network employee Mary . Burke when describing bow she felt when looking at the first plaque. She said it is so easy to drive down the street and forget that it ever happened. The reminder was nice to have. ''This is exactly what Cincinnati needs," said Susan Knight ofthe Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. " It's art, and it's accessible to everyone." Miami faculty member Thomas A. Dutton said, "Ifonly for a few short hours, the space ofPiatt Park was transformed to remember a suppressed history an d to challenge gentrification and displacement. The beauty ofMay 20th was that the meaning of Piatt Park changed in a way that was liberating, not only for history, but for the future oftbe People's Movement." The Miami University Department of Architecture co11trib11ted to this story. Special thanks to fac11lty member Thomas A. Dutton for /tis assistance. See activist Bonnie Neumeiers's personal account of the Milner Hotel demolition .on page 7. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Welfare News OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION RALLIES AT STATEHOUSE By Lynn Williams On May 10th, concerned citizens gathered on the Statehouse grounds in Columbus to rally in support of low-income mothers and children receiving cash assistance. What better way to celebrate Mother's Day than to demonstrate on behalf of mothers and their children? Before the rally began, the Cleveland contingent of 50 people had gathered in the public area of the Statehouse. Legislators passing through this area were taken aback by the sight of so many children and mothers gathered there. Comments overheard were, "What are they doing here?" "lt's the Stop the Clock." "What do you mean?" "They're trying to stop the welfare time limit" A couple of the men laughed. Apparently, word got to the State Patrol because two officers confronted an organizer, declaring the rally was stopped and the Ohio Empowerment Coalition would not be allowed to demonstrate. The mothers who had traveled three hours from Cleveland heard the words of the officer and were shocked. Many of them had risked sanction to be at this rally, traveling with small children or making special arrangements (and extra cost) to have their children taken care of so they could be there. Well, fortunately all was worked out before the rally was scheduled to start, and it began on time. Approximately 150 individuals from diverse areas of the state gathered in unity to stop the October 1 welfare time clock from ending cash assistance to poor families. A diverse multitude ofrecipients, non-recipients, former recipients, the marginally employed, the well off, Black, Caucasian, Appalachian, Native American, Latino, disabled, elderly, children, middle-aged, men, women, urban, suburban, rural, ndparents, church leaders, and social service providers united to fight against the cut-off. The Ohio Empowerment Coalition was represented well by a majority of our member groups: Miami Valley Full Employment Council of Dayton; Contact Center/Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition; Rural Action, Athens County; Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland; Merrick House, Cleveland; Stop Targeting the Poor, Cleveland; University ofToledo Social Work Class; Columbus Organizing Center; Just Fed Up Coalition & Godman Guild, Columbus; and new groups interested in becoming members: Focus and Family House ofToledo; and the Legislative Education & Information (LEI), Havar, Inc., Marietta. Participants of the Catholic Lobby Day also rallied with us in solidarity. Catholic Lobby Day was held by the Ohio Catholic Conference, By Sharon Weis If you are low-income and poor, you may have personally experienced, or heard stories ofthe many difficulties encountered enrolling in Department of Human Services cash assistance or other critical support programs. Community organizations hear an endless stream of stories of lengthy application processes, mandatory interviews during work hours, and multiple bips to welfare offices. Some applicants are being told they need not apply for programs because they are not eligible, when in fact they are. In addition, some face disrespectful treatment and rudeness when applying for just minimal services. To put more focus on these problems, one thousand grass-roots community organizations, including faith-based and neighborhood organizations across the country, have united in a coaljtion called the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support. Its main goal is to evaluate the services, particularaly support programs, provided by their local welfare offices. It also intends to put the cause of the working poor and the climbing poverty rate at the an endorser of the Stop the Clock Campaign. " Don't pay attention to that clock on the department store over there", stated one speaker from Toledo. " The real clock is this one", she said, motioning to the Stop the Clock sign. "Thousands of children in Ohio will be hwt by this time clock." After the rally, the demonstrators, carrying signs, formed a line and marched into the General Assembly, then in session. As we filed into the upstairs balcony, several of the demonstrators held up their signs for the legislators down below to see. Legislators' mouths dropped wide open as they craned their necks to look at the balcony. Surprisingly, the patrol made no move to confiscate the signs at that time. Then two individuals dropped a huge sheet over the balcony railing which read "Stop the Clock." By now, even Jo Ann Davidson, Speaker of the House, had a look of utter astonishment. The sheet was promptly confiscated by the state patrol, along with the rest of the signs. Down below, the legislators turned back to their important business of discussing who should be in the sports Hall of Fame, while poor mothers with children, about to lose their survival means and likely to have their homes tom apart, were ignored. No mention was made of this event in the Columbus press. Only one week remains before the General Assembly adjourns for the summer. HB 578 was introduced in mid-February and SB 275 in March. No hearings have been held on this important issue of income support for the very poor, including children. It is obvious that the Ohio Legislature does not want to re-examine welfare "reform" and whether or not the three year time limit will hurt, abuse, and maybe even destroy poor families. And yet, they have had no problem with holding hearings on HB 566, the bill that would fingerprint all recipients of Ohio Works First and food stamps. The ivory tower is well preserved in Columbus. Unless something is done, the Ohio Assembly will continue to tum a blind eye to the cry of the poor come October 1st, the same as they did May 10th. However, we continue on in hope that a flicker ofhumanity will ignite compassion in that tower. • NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR JOBS AND INCOME SUPPORT A Call to Action Page 6 center ofthe national debate. To help in this endeavor, Cassandra Barham- Denton, Michele Taylor­ Mitchell, and I traveled to Chicago for the launching of this national campaign. Some of the speakers were Marian Wright Edelman ofChildren's Defense Fund, Senator Paul Wellstone ofMinnesota, and John Sweeney, President ofAFL-CIO. In Congress and on the campaign trail, we heard both parties bragging about the sharp drop in welfare rolls brought about by the prosperity that has been created by many new jobs and by the welfare bill's tough welfare-to-work provisions. But as we know, the new economy has passed over the people who needed the help the most. And why is this? One ofthe campaign's member grqups, the Northwest Federation ofCommunity Organizations, used standard ized questionaires to document community members in Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, Idaho, Arkansas and Montana as they applied for one or more support programs. In their report entitled Access Denied, they found that • • • enrollment in four of the major support programs ­ Medicaid, Food Stamps, CHIP and Child Care - is very low relative to the number ofpeople eligible for them. They found that states keep the eligible populations in ignorance about the availability of programs. That states create needless administrative problems, subject applicants to rudeness, and use diversion tactics and intimidation throughout the enrollment process, discouraging applicatns entirely. States sometimes illegally drop people offentitlement programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, and other critical services needed to make the transition to See CAMPAIGN, next page ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION /, . ~ • , ~ Disc-Jockev Service S'~~ .( 513) 230-6353 ~~;~~~ jonesacp@tbol.11et �STREETVIBES . The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine A Tribute to the "SAVE THE MILNER" Struggle: Our Undaunting Spirit Still Lives by Bonnie Neumeier, OTR Resident and Activist Six years ago, on May 20th, 1994, a city-ordered wrecking ball carried out its fatal blow to the Milner Hotel. 115 units of low­ income housing were destroyed on Garfield Place in downtown Cincinnati to make way for "Greenwich on the Park," a 64 unit upscate housing project by Towne Properties. A valiant effort to save the Milner was organized by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless over a number of years prior to the Milner's destruction. The Hotel was home for residents with little or no resources. A portion of the units were made available to area homeless shelters for quick access when shelters were overcrowded. The Milner was a unique resource; it was a private business and operated with no subsidy. It was a safety net for many poor and homeless folk of this city. The Milner made sense and it worked . It was a resource this City promised to replace and pledged to explore duplicating in the Central Business District in an ordinance passed on April 28, 1993 by City Council. This ordinance came after the late Rev. Maurice McCrackin's 13 day fast which heightened the focus ·on this City's disregard for low-income residents. Now, six years later, the Milner is gone and adequate replacement was never carried out satisfactorily. The safety net many people counted on was permanently damaged. The number of permanent, available low-income units of housing is dwindling, and greater numbers of homeless people are bedding down at our shelters. A Master Plan ruled at a time when Cincinnati was awarded "The Most Livable City". We continue to ask the question: most livable city for whom? The Greenwich was heavily subsidized by the City and State to provide housing for the affluent. Cincinnati has managed to use taxpayers' dollars to build fine homes for the Reds and the Bengals. Where was this muscle, money, and m iracle when we needed it to save housing for the poor at the Milner? We are all diminished by policies that consider only the privileged. Garfield Place could have been a street that maintained an economic mix if the Milner stood standing. City Hall's CAMPAIGN, from previous page demand for economic mix in our neighborhoods weakens when it can't model this mix in its own backyard. Our people's struggle to save the Milner was marked with tenacious efforts. ·The decision to scale the fence and block the bulldozer with our bodies came after all other attempts failed. Citizens across this City joined us on that last day. With pots and pans clamoring in our hands, with eloquent voices "We are all diminished by policies that consider only the privileged." bellowing out for justice standing on the back of a blue pickup truck, with black balloons bursting one by one in the wind to mourn the loss of each 115 units of housing, with several people carted off by the police for risking civil disobedience, with a chorus of songs chanting our outrage and our determination to carry on despite this painful loss to our housing efforts, the wrecking ball did not strike its fatal blow without being drowned out by the roar of a powerful resistance to this unjust act. It was a day and is a day to remember. The spirit of the Milner still rings in our souls. In tribute to this heroic effort, Miami University Architecture Students collaborated with the Over-the-Rhine People's Movement to create and erect a visual remembrance of the Milner struggle. Their creative works of art were exhibited in Piatt Park on the sixth anniversary of the destruction of the Milner, Saturday, May 20th, 2000. Red ribbon hung in the trees to draw attention to the exhibit which displayed silhouettes of homeless persons and quotes from people who were affected by the loss of the Milner. One such person, Don Sawyer, who once lived and worked at the applicants were screened for this required service. Shannon of Bozeman, Montana reported work. having to view a disparaging TANF video before Here are some of their stories: she could get Medicaid. She didn' t understand what Nicole Prado of Montana is the mother of a the video had to do with her. Anglet, of Columbia, four-month old baby girl. She does temp work and South Carolina says the welfare office lost her paper usually makes about $6.00 an hour, working 40 hours · work which included signatures from her last three a week. About two months before her baby was employers. They made her start the process all over due, N icole went to the local welfare office to obtain again. Medicaid to cover the birth of her child. "They told In the states studied, the report found only me that there was a six-month waiting list for Medicaid a fraction ofthe people eligible are enrolled in support and that it wouldn 't do me any good to apply now. services. Across the country, participation rates in Several weeks later, I gave birth to my baby girl. .. and Medicaid and Food Stamp programs are actually didn' t have any insurance or money, and I now owe declining. The report had some very harsh words the hospital more than $3,500. I don ' t know how for what has gone wrong. "One major cause of the I'm going to ever pay them back." Under federal problem is the endemic lawlessness and the culture law, states cannot impose a waiting period on the of indifference, arbitrariness, and intimidation that processing ofMedicaid applications. characterize states' implementation of these " I made it clear that I was in an emergency p rograms." situation and needed Food Stamps right away. They To view Access Denied in its entirety, or told me to come back in three weeks for an learn more about the National Campaign interview.' 1 said Angie ofMedofrd, Oregon. Federal for Jobs and Income law requires that all Food Stamp applicants must be Support, log on www.commchange.org or . screened for emergency or expedited service. In Oregon, the study found that only 32% ofFood Stamp www.seanet.com/-nwfco Page 7 Milner was present and gave a moving testimony to the crowd who gathered for the event. Challenging questions were posed on placards laying on the ground to invite passers-by to critically think about what really happened here when the bulldozer wiped out the Milner. The exhibit resurrected the memory of the Trail of Tears when the Cherokee Nation was forcibly moved off their land. On the cover of the brochure that was passed out at the exhibit these words were proclaimed: "Those w ho cannot remember t he past are condemned to repeat it" (George Santayana, 1863-1952). It always takes our neighborhood groups mountains of labor, hours of sweat, and great lobbying efforts to muster up enough resources to put even one low­ income housing unit on line. And then, before our eyes, in one fell swoop of a wrecking ball, 115 homes shattered with no ironclad replacement. Thi_s inequity of power was and still is astounding. It made no moral or economic sense. There is something very wrong about pushing the poor out to make way for the rich , as is currently happening in downtown and in our inner city neighborhoods of Over-the-Rhine and West End. This city's vision and values must be challenged to include housing for all. We cannot let housing for the poor be considered last and get 9rumbs while politicians engineer master plans with fat subsidies that push profitable agendas for the already privileged. At our rally on the site of where the Milner once stood, we celebrated this undaunting spirit that waged this particular struggle for justice and simmers still in the souls of our people. Everyday we persevere and work hard to plant seeds that will someday swell to guarantee and protect basic human rights for all. The SAVE THE MILNER STRUGGLE will go down in our people's history as a story to be told again and again to inspire those who now carry and will carry into the future the banner for housing justice. In recognition and appreciation for the undaunting spirit that still lives and flows within us because many Someones before us stood strong against the evils of injustice. • • • • • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine are not at the WTO table representing the people of their nation. Free Trade THEWTO -­ What's All the Fuss About? ... by Susan Knight Last month, Streetvibes reviewed some of the concerns of the people who protest~d the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington DC during the month ofApril. While the DC protests centered around these two institutions, the' Seattle protests in December of 1999 focused on the World Trade O rganization. T he Seattle protests, in fact, brought to a halt the World Trade O rganization's annual meeting. The WorU Trade Organization T he World Trade Organization was officially fo unded in 1995 to enforce GATT (General Agreement on Tariff and Trade). T he concept for it had existed since 1944, with the Brenton Woods Conference and the conception of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. It was called the ITO, International Trade O rganization. T he ITO's mission was to oversee the development of incernational trade as countries rebuilt themselves in the aftermath of World War II. H owever, the United Sta:tes, as the only industrialized power left standing post World War 11, understood that they were in a position to dictate .new trade policies. Consequently, the ITO never took hold despite overwhelming international support. As more and more countries entered the world market, the said policies became more complex and intricate. Thousands of pages of rules and regulations dictating trade and tariffs were developed. GATT was devdoped by corporate leaders to establish a given set of standards for international commerce. With the growth of GATT came many difficulties in enforcing these extensive regulations (this might have been intentional as corporations were looking for a ruling body that transcended national goveq_1men t, thus giving them more power). In 1995 the United States agreed to sign on to .the creation of the WTO (World Trade Organization). The World Trade Organization · consists of nation-state leaders and corporate heads. In addition to rule$ and regulations, the WTO is now responsible for some of the largest tax reforms the world. has ever known. The WTO puts pressure on countries to break down tax barriers on underdeveloped nations. In populist countries pressure comes in the fo rm of World Bank, IMF loans. If there is not a populist government, the heads of state have corporate interests already in mind as they The barriers surrounding the United States {especially US agriculture) still remain high. US <:orporate interests dominate trade talks. coJs~quendy, competing _independent farmers from underdevelope'ci nations cannot export to the United States or their goods rot · on the docks at the borders waiting for approval from the US Department of Agriculture. This is happening as the taxes that protect independent farmers from ~uge corporate conglomerates who can produce in mass quantities are being cut. Third World economies cannot compete with such forces and are once again forced to exploit their cheap labor and maintain lax environmental regulations. Because the WTO is dominated by corporate interests, other interests, such as unions, rainforest preservation, sea turtles or any movement that holds people and the environment over profits has difficulty being heard. The book "Who's Trade Organization?" by Laorie Wallach and Michelle Sphorza, outlines the past few years of trade debate, discussing all major decisions made by the WT O . No decisions have been rendered in favor of interests of environmental groups or labor unions. A few most recent dec~sions The privatization ofeducation. T he United States service industry (now 70% of our gross national product) was pushing in Seattle for the extension of the General Agreement on Trade Services (GATS) into education and other areas. Under CATS, private corporations could potentially sue governments for subsidizing their own school s.ystems and thus 'unfairly exclud ing' profit-making companies from the lucrative 'education market.' 1 Logging. Multi-national companies like Weyerhaeuse;r and Boise Cascade, their sales slumping in the wake of the East Asian financial 'crisis, wanted to speed .up logging worldwide by cutting tariffs to zero and ending time-consuming inspections for pests like the Asian long-horned beetle, which has devastated trees in cities like Chicago. The US Trade Representative convened two advisory committees on logging to develop the US position in the Millennium Ro~nd negotiations. Every member of both committees was a logging company representative. (Six environmental groups sued in US court to get a seat at the table. They won the suit. Then the US Trade Representative told them, "You can participate, but not at the same level as the corporations." . H~rmones ~d Catt!~. The WTO, fueled by the US beef industry, is worki~g to strike down the European baris against steroid­ . fed bee£ Moreover, the US beef industry is tyring to keep countries from labeling the. hormone-enhanced beef. · .• Glo balization is not ab.out free trade and development. It is about profit. There are alternatives to what is happening now. • Next month: Alternatives + page a ': �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Prisoners­ Newsl ,,,,,.,,, •.•. STBEE1111BES contains news about the justice system and the writings of persons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $15 for a year's subscription Send your comments and questions to streetvibes @juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 10 FROM DEATH ROW .... .johnny Wm. Byrd, Jr. Mansfield, Ohio 44901 To: Mr. Rod Parsley World H arvest Church 4595 Gender Road Columbus, Oh 43232 Dear Mr. Parsley: I pray that this finds you and your family doing well and in the best of health on this day of celebration. My name is Johnny W Byrd, Jr., and I am in dire need of your help. I can only pray that you find it in your heart, as a servant of God, to help me with my calamitous situation. Seventeen and a half years ago, I awoke to a horrible nightmare. At the young stage of my life, when others my age were dreaming of their futures, I was shouldered with the weight of the world. I was forced into the arena of corrupted jurisprudence. I became a socially accepted sacrifice, an expendable pawn in the furtherance of self-serving political, financial aspirations. I was sentenced to die for a murder I didn,t commit. I have m aintained m y innocence for all these years I have been held captive in the bowels ofsociety's murder machine. I have fallen short in the glory of God - but a killer I am not!!! In my battle to show my innocence, I was prematurely placed in the death .house only feet away from the electric chair and came within minutes of being murdered by the State of Ohio. I have never been given the opportunity within this deteriorating justice system to be heard. Now, once again, I am facing my pending murder, and still I haven't been heard. For ifl was heard, it would ·expose the improprieties and the crimes committed by che Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office in order to obtain a conviction and sentence ofdeath. I realize it is often heard from others in my sicuarion th at they are innocent, and these claims are taken with a grain ofsale. This can no longer be an acceptable practice. Too much evidence in recent times has been showing that innocent men and women have been wrongfully convicted, imprisoned, and/or murdered by the states. Bur yer when this happens, no one is held accountable. Until scare elected officials (judges, prosecutors, governors, attorney generals, etc.) are held accountable for knowingly permitting and committing state sanctioned murder, it'll never stop! In my case, there is literally no evidence against me, as there sh ouldn't be. I'm an innocent man! I was convicted and sentenced to be murdered on the testi mony of a jail house informer, an individual wh o has been convicted ofsodomy, ass~ults, drugs, etc., yet the prosecutors office worked out a deal with this individual to be set free to victimize society so that perjured testimony could be used to place an innocent man to death. As I stated in above, my state­ sanctioned murder is pending fo r a crime I did not commit. If I don't start receiving gravely need help, soon they will murder me to hide what has been done to me. Attached to this letter you will find a copy of the appendix written by the honorable judge Nathaniel R. Jones, which is not going to be permitted to be placed in the text of the Court's opinion. What you are going to read is highly unusual, but strongly supports that I, as an innocent man, have never been given a chance co be heard. And ifsomething isn't done soon, I'll be murdered. We have lost our way in this country. The churches have lost their way and stopped teaching scriptures as scriptures should be taught, electing to be more politically correct in order to keep the numbers of their congregations. Supporting capital punishment is not the will ofGod. In the book of Luke God tells us, and I'll place this in laymen terms, that we have been taught an eye for an eye; but he went on to tell us, not to try and get even with a person who has wronged us, but to be forgiving and turn the other cheek. Also in the book of Luke, God told us, judge not, for we will be judged in the same light. The Lord has told us that all life is precious. These are basic teachings that have been forgotten for whatever reasons - but they are not the right reasons. The world is lost and so are Christians whose souls will be lost when the day of judgment comes. The Bible also tells us that what is in the dark will come out into the light, and that we should never bear false witness. The most . precious gift ever given to mankind was murdered on the evidence of false witness. Haven't ~e learned anything yet? On this day we,ll praise Jesus and celebrate his rising from the grave. Ifl am murdered by the State ofOhio, it'll be because of a false witness; however, after my crucifixion I will not rise from the grave and walk among my loved ones. Is it God's will that an innoc~ht man be put to death? It,s time for what is hidden in the dark to come out into the light. I am passionately requesting your help. Page g God blessyou andkeep you safe, johnny Wm. ByrdJr. P.S. For more information you can either write to me here atJohnny Wm Byrd Jr, Al75-145 D.R -5- 1087, P.O. Box 788, Mansfield, Ohio 44901; or you can give me a number that I can call you collect on; or you can call Mr. Richard Vickers: 614-466-539( or you can call Mary L. Ray: 513­ 25 1-9364. Please answer me soon. APPENDIX: DISSENT Nathaniel R. Jones, Circuit Judge, dissenting. This dissent is compelled by the majority's validation of the unpardonable constitutional improprieties present in this record. The effect of this validation is an intolerable abandonment of substantive and procedural principles deeply rooted in Anglo Saxon and American constitutional jurisprudence. Stated in its most simple form, these principles are designed to protect individual rights from constitutional shortcuts. I dissent here because rather than upholding these principles, as courts are sworn to do, a grievous breakdown has occurred. The ultimate· penal ty - death - hov ers ominously over this case, and this reality leads me to set forth several postulates. Democracy defends itself from anarchy by the degree it exalts process over passion. The supremacy of due process over raw emotion is even more compelling when government contemplates assuming the power to kill. Jurists most often find themselves in the cross-hairs of popular rage when confronted with constitutional infirmity in capital cases. In no other arena of civic decision-making is it more imperative that public officials operate with detachment. Judge Cranch, with unsurpassed clarity, spoke to the necessity of judicial impartiality in charged circumstances when he declared during Aaron Burr's 1807 treason trial: "The Constitution was made for times of commotion...dangerous precedents occur in dangerous times. It then becomes the duty of the judiciary calmly to poise the scales of justice,... undisturbed by the c lamor of the multitude." Examining Petitioner John Byrd,s claims with the requisite judicial sobriety exposes serious and egregious instances of prejudicial error whic h , if uncorrected , will lead to his execution. It is beyond refutation that the State secured Byrd 's death sentence in contravention of fundamental constitutional guarantees of due process, fundamental fairness, and effective assistance of counsel. These errors require an issuance of the writ or, at least, a remand for limited discovery. Anything less is a gross and irrevocable miscarriage of justice, as the stark and chilly choice here is between due process or death. Out of a deeply held belief that the option compelled by the Constitution is clear, I now set forth my dissenting views. · Please sendletters requesting Clemencyfor John William ByrdJr. to Governor Taft, 778 High St., 3(Jh Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43266­ 3555, Phone: 1-614-466-3555, Fax: 1-614-644-4357. �,' STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine A Prison health Care Horror •••• 3-13-00 function normally. My supervisor, Ruth Barrett and the officer (Kerkley) were very Beverly Seymour, #25777 V-2, 1800 Harmon, concerned. Ms. Barrett repeatedly contacted Columbus, Ohio 43223 FPRC medical services. Each time I was told Recently the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation that I should "put my feet up. " Finally on July l, 1997, I passed our and Corrections responded co a requested investigation of prison medical services. Officials in my dormicory. I was taken co medical services. My pain was so intense that I was termed prison services "Adequate." What does unable to walk. Nurse Wright was on duty that mean? An adequate number of prisoners that evening. She was shocked by my manage to live through it? While it's true there are professionals who appearance. Most of my hair was gone and I had lost 50 pounds. do attempt co provide decent health services, it's I was placed on bed rest and schedule also true chat in far coo many instances, health to see c:he doctor. The following week I was services are woefully inadequate, even deadly. seen by D r. Gilbert. By this time I had not The following is a personal account written by been able to hold any food down. This time prisoner Sandy Wolf abouc medical services she Dr. Gilbert agreed to send me co CMC. The experienced at Franklin Correctional Center in next week I was seen at CMC. I was Columbus. The care has left her physically and immediately taken to have an ultrasound. A emotionally damaged for life. huge mass was visualized in my abdomen. In July 1994, while an inmate at Franklin The doctor (CMC) told me that an appointment was being sec up at OSU Pre-release Correctional Center, I was taken to Hospital as soon as possible. O.S.U. Hospitai with severe abdominal pain. I I had numerous CT scans, blood was given several pelvic examinations different work, etc. In June 1997 I was sent to the doctors there. I was told chat the chief of James Clinic to see Dr. Lawrence Copeland. gynecology wanted to examine me; I was very Dr. Copeland cold me that he felt that I had concerned. I kep t asking what was wrong with ovarian cancer and would need immediate me. After the exam, the doctor told me chat a surgery. I signed consent forms and was report would be sent co FP RC and that the institution's doctor would speak returned to FPRC. My condition worsened. I began having intense rectal pain. Dr. tome. Gilbert gave me a pain pill, but still I didn't Upon my return, I questioned the nurse go to surgery. Each week I would go to the on duty about what was wrong the me. I was James C linic co see Dr. Copeland or to have told that the doctor would call fo r me if transfusions. Each time Dr. Copeland would necessary. I was never called to med ical services. Two weeks later, confused and still in great pain, tell the officer with me how important it was I returned to medical. Dr. G ilbert began yelling that I have surgery immediately. In lace August 1 was again taken to OSU Hospital at me, celling me chat there was nothing wrong with me. He asked if I had any idea what it cost with a huge peri-anal abcess. Surgery was performed and I returned with my rectum every time an inmate wamed to be taken to the hospital for menstrual cramps. I tried to explain and the obsessed area filled with packing. The surgeon sent additional packing and post­ to him that the pain I was experiencing was not surgery instructions fo r the medical staff. merely menstrual cramps. He was completely Again I was placed on bed rest. unconcerned. For the next two weeks I never say For the next year and a half, the anyone from the medical staff. The abscessed abdominal pain increased and was constant. I area was never cleaned, the packing never repeatedly saw Dr. Gilbert. Each time Dr. changed. Gilbert cold me that I simply had cramps. By Two weeks after the rectal surgery I early 1997 I was in agony. I was bleeding was being transferred co CM C for pre-op constantly. D r. Gilbert said I was in early testing. As I was being escorted co the front menopause. When I began to experience entrance, the n urse asked ifl still had packing bladder control p roblems, Dr. Gilbert said all in my rectum. T he nurse then said that she women experience bladder spasms at one time had better check the area. She checked it in or another. When my bowel movements became the visitor's restroom. pencil thin, Dr. Gilbert cold me to drink more T he next morning I was transferred water. from CMC to OSU where I finally had I begged Dr. G ilbert to send me to a surgery. Unfo rtunately, but the rime surgery gynecologist; he cold me that he would have to was performed, the benign fi broid tumor had examine me before referring me to CMC. grown so large that my bladder was crushed H owever, he could not do a pelvic exam while I was on my period. I explained to him that I had and required surgery.. I had to have a been bleeding constantly for 11 months! By this complete hysterectomy. My colon had been time I did not feel that I would stop bleeding on crushed by the tumor as was my rectum. I was fo rced to have a colostomy. my own. Dr. Gilbert told me to come and see I spent weeks in the hospital, him when I was off my period. Then and only recovering. In October I returned to FPRC. then would he examine me. My symptoms Instead ofleaving a horrible ordeal behind me, intensified. When my hair began falling out, Dr. I began a constant struggle with medical G ilbert said it was due co stress. services to get supplies to care for my new During this time my work assignment colostomy. T he nursing director suggested was working at the Fairgrounds. My health was that since the supplies were so expensive that I so impaired that it was impossible for me to have my family send chem in for me. when I A News release from • - Page 10 cold her that would not be possible, she cold me that I would have to be patient. I went for days without clean supplies. Several days before the Columbus Day weekend, I informed the medical assistant (Dennis) that I had no colostomy bags. She told me that she would go our co ger it as soon as possible. The next day I went to her again, without success. 1 was left for the long holiday weekend without a colostomy bag ro cover my stoma. I spenc 4 days in my room with a garbage bag wrapped around my waist to catch the fecal matter from my colostomy. To dare, I have not had a single follow up visit to the surgeons who cold me how imperative it was that I keep my post-op appointmencs. Three times I have gone to Dr. Gilbert asking fo r him so send me to the appointments. He has refused. I was in agony for a year and a half. I was fo rced to have extensive surgery and will never be "normal" again. All because a benign condition was not treated when it was first discovered. I could have had a simple procedure to remove a benign rumor and avoided the pain, suffering, and permanent damage co my body, and the emotional and mental torture then, and for the rest of my life. Dr. Gilbert is still rhe doctor employed to address women's health problems here at FPRC. • • • HELP MI CHELLE, from page 19 and asked her to contact the Warden's office requesting a visit with Michelle, and asked her if they ask why, to say regarding the way you are mistrearing her! I asked her to talk to her supervisor just co put more outside pressure. I'll be calling ORW (937)642-1065, and the Norrh regional Director's Office, Norm Hills (614)752-1720, and I'll caJl the new inspector romorrow, and the mail room regarding my mail. Michelle has NOT been found guilty of any type of rule violation for this type of mistreatment, nor afforded proper due process. This is direct retaliation for all the grievances and RIB appeals she has been filing on behalf of others. Me and Freeman will file a temporary restraining order against the warden, Le. Sanders in the hole, and any other John Doe's, and deliver it to the Marysville Court of Common Pleas on Monday. T his will bring the Attorney General into the picture. I want ro thank everyone in advance that can .assist Michelle in any way. Thank you so much! Well, it's late and I got one more email to do for a lot of you. Take Care. ...... Steve. Jackie Bowers, sister of one ofthe Lucasville 5 who are now on Death Row �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 11 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST The African American Health Initiative Health Fair: A Huge Success On May 20th, the African American Health Initiative hosted an African-American Health Fair. The theme was "Integrating Holistic Practices With Conventional Medicine." The Health Fair was at the office ofDr. Kent Robinson on Dexter Avenue. The event was free and open to the public. There were screenings available for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, prostate cancer, dental hygiene, and children's health. Expe1t advice was available on lifestyle changes utilizing balanced nutrition, fasting,yoga, massage, meditation, breathing techniques, exercise, music, and genealogy. Literature on health issues for men, women, and children was also available. Nutritional and tasty foods, including vegetable and fruit juices, were available for sampling. Many health related gifts, prizes, and medical supplies were distributed as well. From lOAM until 6PM, well over 400 people from the community and surrounding areas passed through this event. Despite miscommunication with the Drop-Inn Center, this writer transported several vanloads ofmen and women from the Drop-Inn to this event and back again. The individuals who attended all received needed health screenings and information which is not readily available to the African-American community or to those who are homeless and living in poverty. The lectures on health related issues, such as the relationship between nutritional eating and wellness, holistic practices versus conventional medicine, and exercises for the elderly, were all ver.y informative. Most HOPE VI Developer Fired Without Community Input ........Susan Knight HOPE VI developer Concorde Capital Corp was terminated April 18. According to a memo from Jackie Davis, a CMHA administrator and administrator for the HOPE Vl project, the termination of the agreement took the following course: "When it finally became clear that no. agreement would be reached with Concorde/Mid­ City, LLC, the CMHA staff recommended to Mr. Troendle that the Early Start Agreement be terminated. Since that decision was made, the Board of Commissioners and the Executive Director have received letters from Shirley Colbert (president of the Laurel Homes Community Council), asking, "you make an effort to resolve the dispute between the developer and CMHA." Mr. Troen~le made it. very clear in his written response to Ms.Colbert that negotiations had been concluded and that we were going on to the next selected developer to see if we reach an agreement. A copy of his letter was sent to the CMHA Board of Commissioners. On April 19, the Laurel Homes residents went to the City Council and demanded that the City get involved in resolving the issues between Concorde/Mid-City, LLC and Homeless Grapevine Page 12 important was the overall atmosphere ofcaring which was experienced by all. This atmosphere is often absent when one bas a doctor or hospital visit. · It is sad, but a fact oflife, that affordable health care is not made available on an equal bas1s; therefore, those in poverty will often avoid medical check-ups for themselves and their children. This and the absence ofhealth related information often results in health related problems that could often have been prevented. Thus, the purpose for the African­ Ame1ican Health Initiative and the goal ofDr. Kent Robinson and those who came together for this event was to bring about a healthy awareness ofhow the integration ofbolistic practices with conventional medicine can lead to a longer, healthier life. From what I witnessed and heard from those in attendance, it is my personal observation that the Health Fair was a success which increased the awareness ofindividuals and tamilies, and which can lead to healthier lifestyles a~ong those who were in attendance. I am still holding Thursday night Bible Study at 2950 Sidney Avenue at the Washington United church ofChrist in Camp Washington. Bible Study begins at 5:30 PM and a family style dinner follows at 6:30 PM. All are welcome, so come on out for fellowship. I can still be reached at 210-4181, and all donations and contributions can be sent to A.W.0.L. Ministries, PO Box 36065, Cincinnati, Ohio 4523'6. In His Service, Rodney Sutton, Sr. Evangelist CMHA." The issue is that community input did not play a role in the decision to terminate a major contract. Jn fact, at the public hearing, it came out that the decision to terminate the developer came to fruition via a phone poll from Troendle to the Board. Paul Booth, Chairman of the Public Works Committee, upon hearing this testimony, responded, asking, "Who is in charge of who here? I thought the Board was supposed to tell the Director what to do, not the other way around." Cheryl Meadows, chair ofthe department ofpublic works also informed council that she had been informed of this change at 11 pm, April t8m, by a call to her house from Shirley Colbert. The City, council realized, was also out of the loop. Mr. Troendle, who did not attend by request of the Mr. Gerhardt, Chairperson of the Board of Commissioners at CMHA, responded later in a May 9th meeting with public works. "CMHA is charting the course to restore the splendor not only to the West End housing stock but also to the business district. The development ofthe Linn Street business district will favor small businesses that can offer the array of goods and services which are need, but not currently available in the neighborhood. Hopefully, ne~ business development for the West End will include a grocery store, pharmacy, bank, small restaurants and coffee· houses. When completed, this business area will provide exciting opportunities for small businesses to thrive, and provide new entrepreneurial opportunities for West End residents." HOPE VI, a grant process controlled by HUD and allocated to the country's worst housing projects has a goal of decentralization. Poverty, it is believed by many, is perpetuated when concentrated. Consequently, it is not the goal of CMHA to replace the entire existing low-income housing stock in the West End with the same amount of new units. CMHA . does not want all the residents of the West End community to return. Instead, alternatives in the form of section 8 vouchers(a section 8 voucher allows a person to only pay 30% of their income in rent, in addition to whatever amount the rent exceeds the market rate in a given area) are being offered. With a Section 8 voucher, a person can go anywhere there is a landlord that is willing to accept section 8 vouchers. So, despite, the fact that hundreds of units are being lost in the HOPE VI development (736 to be exact), Mr. Troendle claims that there is actually a net gain in low-income housing in Cincinnati. Moreover, Troendle says himself, the goal is not to house the residents of the West End, the goal is to"restore the splendor of the housing stock and to the business district." Needless to say, homeless advocates are nervous. With a potentially saturated section 8 market (landlords do not h<fVe to take vouchers if they do not want to) in the wake of Hart realtors opting out of hundreds of Section 8 units with potentially hundreds more to come, increased homelessness, hundreds of units See Hope VI, page 20 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 ··~ the Hackensack, NJ, University Medical Center. New Den~ist Joins Healthcare for the Homeless D ental Program Besides teaching dental residents, she had a Dr. Allen Brings a Wealth ofExperience and Dedication to Cincinnati · fluoridation program for s~hool children in the City of Boston, Mass. She was employed as a hygienist by the City of Boston and ·subsequently by the Massachusetts General Ho$'pital at the Bunker Hill Health Center, Boston. Dr. Allen completed her general practice residency at Bergen Pines County Hospital in Paramus, NJ, following graduation from Fairleigh Dickinson University College of Dentistry Medicine. She specialized in care of the frail, elderly, and psychiatric patients at the hospical and emergency trauma patients for the Bergen County Jail. After her residency. Dr. Allen was named to the medical staffas an attending dentist and instructor in the hospital's dental residency program. She instituted Bergen's first-ever county employees' dental clinic. D r. Allen was also named Assistant Staff Attending Dentist to the dental resident program at Dr. Judith L. Allen, D.M.D., a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University College of D ental Medicine, is a welcomed addition co the Dental staff of the City of Cincinnati Health Department. Dr. Allen's April arrival has helped place the homeless dental program back in full operation. The Findlay, Ohio, native has been involved in d ental public health since 1972. A graduate of West Liberty (W. Va.) State College of Dental Hygiene with an A.S. and BS degree, Judith initiated and supervised the first inschool 'tr-eetsc()pe§ By Alanna Maloney: tiaPPY 131rthdaY Gemini? This month is a great time for changing your appearance. Io fact, you shouJd think of your bii-chday month every year as makeover monrb. Approach che world with a new outlook and a new approach. Astrologically speaking you have just been reborn! Show off. pursue artistic jobs, friendships, and romance. You are also unusually assertive chis month. Use the force bur warch your mouth! Think abour earnings and finances, especially ways you can gee paid for your writing and communication skills. Beware of over indulging in drugs or drink. Continue to effect profound spiritual changes through martial arts, medication, or ·yoga. Cancer (Born Approximately June 21-July 21) This month is great for communication wich family and loved ones. Short road trips may be in order. Consider sharing your poetry wich someone you trust. ' Please be diligent in regards to the IRS, banking, and joint financial endeavors. There is a chance of deceit and upheaval during this period. But keep in mind chis is also a good position for excellenr psychic and psychological work or extremely · ther.apeutic arr. Wich San~rn and Jupiter in your 12'h house, you may be seriously considering work wich some socially relevant organization. In fact, you may already be working for che census or having fantasies about the Peace Corps. You may be tempted into a secretive endeavor ofa love affair; try to convert chis energy into spiritually uplifting activities, film or art. • ·• . · the Urban Astrologer. (Born Approximarely May 21-June 21). significant dental surgery and special-needs~ children's practice, primarily caring for indigent patients in the hospital. She served with medical staff on the hospital's tumor board and was active with patients in the nationa.lly renowned Tomorrow's Children Center of Greater New York at the Hackensack facility. Tomorrow's Children Center is a program devoted totally to terminally ill children. Dr. Allen maintained a private dental practice in Oradell, NJ, in addition to her hospital staff duties and public health endeavors. Dr. Allen moves co Cincinnati with her husband and their two children. The homeless dental clinic hours of operation are for Emergencies M-F 7:15 am, Appointments Mondays 2-5pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8am - 5pm. For appointments call Clifford Jones at 357-7310 or 621-0248. The clinic is located at 3101 Burnet Ave. Leo (Born Approximately July 21-Aug. 21) Ten years from now you will be able to laugh about the crazinesnocking around your love life and friendships during this time. For now, however, stand strong in your convictions and follow your instincts. Your career continues its strange ebb and flow. Wo[k hard to generate a positive ' emotional career plan- script i.t out and do ·~hat you can · in infinitesimal steps. Attend all che parties and s.ocial gatherings you can chis monch. You can shine and meet new friends and maybe even find a love match. Work on your writing, especially journ.Jing and'writing which . reqllires fantastic vision. · · Vlnf() (Born ~pproximately Aug. 21- Sepr. 21) Work will just drive.you crazy during this period, and unless you are in an alternative health field or something hi-tech it's not likely to settle down anytime soon. Thoughts of moving far afield or going back ro school may keep plaguing you. If you haven't already, you n:iay s~art building a sl,ow but sure A.q.u ar1us 20-Feb 20). (Born Approximately Jan. This is a great mo nth for you to express . plan to fulfill one of these goals. Even if che actual workplace is zany, career is looking good yourself through che arts; you · could shine in crearive right now. You can show off your talents, make endeavo rs working with buds and be assertive about possible - - --~ · children or playing sports. Writing on the promotion. This is a good month·to find love through your work, or find work you love. You may want job shouJd be unusually iffiaginarive and inspired. I just to make an extra effort to attend a family reunion or take have to reirerate char chis month you are on! Relationships, a trip "back .home. " self-expression and action are highlight.ed. T his really could be a great month where many things Just seem to fall into Ub•' (Born Approximately Sept. 21-0ct. 21) Make place. · extra efforts to save ·and invest. Also remember to keep your taxatio~ situation o.n che up and up Vlsces (Born Approximately Feb. 20-March 20) ·chis year. Careless mistakes could cost you. Slow b~t steady wins che race. You have been procrastinating . . . . . ., If you need to, chink of it in tiay'Steps, not on things to d o with writing and che big picrure. This month is a grear time communication or fixing your car. Take baby • . to take or plan an overseas or cross-country ~teps and get it done one day at a time. This · · crip. Love-lorn Libra's may find love this is a great month to find a home or month through a musical or educational event. Write down apartment. Also, you could be very all your d isappointments and goals regarding career. motivated to improve and bea.urify your Evaluate those feelings this month. Don't neglect your home. Move on it now while you still have chat verve. This abilities as a communicaror. time is great for writing nostalgic poetry and children's stories. .§C()f"PIC> (Born Approximately Oct. 2 1-Nov. 21) . Please remain aware of all che luck chat has befallen you Ar"les (Born Approximately March 19-April 20) during chis period. Take stock ofit. Use your Gradually, saving tiny amounts ofmoney is something you luck today-to invest in an unknown future. shouJd really be th.inking about. Ir would be very good for I have to suggest chat you play lottery games your prosperity consciousness. Road trips and ocher games of chance (wich restraint· could be really beneficial for you this of course). There's a real chance you couJd month; also time with siblings would be profit, just remember not to risk anything well spent. You could actually meet a love you can't afford to lose. Work on building a future and through a sib chis month! Beware ofbursts foundation in your relationships. Also, continue to seek of temper behind che wheel from yourself out lucky opportunities in business partnership or and others chis month. Write a letter to a mentor or father friendships and love. This month is great for you to shine figure. It will be emotionally satisfying. in psychic and psychological endeavors. Using conversation and ideas you can really make profound changes in yourself aUnJ§ (Born Approximately April 20-May 20) at this time. Daydreaming 9f travel or education projects may begin to bear fruit next month. I have said it before, but now is the time to make lasting permanent changes in your appearance..Slow sready work now couJd change your whole outlook. You • §aalttar1US (Born App roocimately Nov. 21could get a better paying job or a raise or ·. Dec.21) The full moon in your sign this - ·. · valuable gifts chis month. Think about it. month, can really help you put yo1:1r best . Look into it. You may wam to express foot forward at parties and new situai:ions. . yourself through spending money this But watch for mood swings around mid­ month.. Watch outyou couJd just put char energy into rponth. This is an excellent month for some kind ofconstruction wich your hands like pottery or . romance and partnerships of all kinds. b.uHding projec;ts. Write to your brothers or sisters and plan Single Sag. Should not hesitate to get hooked up by good a r6ad trip. , · frie~ds. Set .aside special time now to co.mmune with the t:?eadlnllS with 41anna: spirit of your ancestors, and pursue ocher ways to lift up TaJl)f: Tuesdays from 9pm to Midnight at ,Sitwell's your spirits. · · · · Coffee House 404 Ludlow Ave. M:W ~:: Fridays from 8:30 PM ~o Midni~at Mullan~ Cap..-lcv..-n (B on Race Street. · Approximately Dec. 2)-Jan.-20) MtrdW'Y. Tard:. and l?elkl hunting could be actually fuo for you this Consultations and training are available by appointment - monch. You have a great opportunity to through E-mail at psi_chic@hormail.com. • find work thar you are good at where you Mtrd ()tllcal q uestl()ns? are appreciated and summarily paid what you are worth! You should be unusually motivated on the job front. Please e-mail your questions along with the date Especially consider work char utilizes your memal flexibility place and time of your birth ro and corr1;municarion skills. Write love letters and call up psi_chic@hotmail..com good friends this month. ra T J:~~ �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine · Page 14 SHANTYTOWN 2000 - Ursuline Academy ­ I was on my way to Ursuline Academy on May 4 with two other men from the Coalition for the Homeless. One of these men, like myself, had once been homeless._ As a matter of faet he had only recently obtained his own apartment after 10 years of homelessness. Neither of us knew what to expect; however, 1 have spoken many times before a varied audience, so I had an advantage over this young man · who was on his first speaking engagement. When I arrived at the Academy 1 was surprised to see cardboard shanties. No one had prepared me for this, so it was a real shock to find that the girls had constructed from cardboard boxes, plastic, and tape shanties which they had.slept in the previous evening, an evening of rain. I knew talking with these girls would be different because they had some idea of what homelessness was like. As each man talked J watched as the girls listened attentively, and afterwards I was impressed by their questions and sincere responses. I left feeling this was a generation of young women who would truly join the fight against homelessness and not treat homelessness as something that is not their problem. And the young man who spoke for the first time did well. It is his sincere smile and faith in God which one of the girls wrote about, and it is this sincerity and faith which is needed in the fight against homelessness. Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. The Evangelist Thoughts from Shantytown He is so iilspirational. To have gone through as much as he has and still be able to smile like he does! Overall though, all the speakers made a huge impact on me. They all had so much courage. When they were down at their lowest point, they got up and pulled themselves up. They were very inspirational. I found Shantytown as a great experience. I will carry it with me forever. ByEmily Langford Shantytown was such a great experience for me. I loved it. Though I did not get a full picture of what being homeless is like, J did get a small experience. I found myself becoming more appreciative of the things I have at home, such as my bed and my shower. I also loved the speakers. They really put a face to the issue of homelessness. My two favorite speakers were Monica and Ray. Monica really made me realize that it can happen to anyone. The fact that she came from a background similar to many people at our school is very eye opening. Then U1ere is Ray. He is just an incredible man. His smile lights up the room. Perspectives Under the Big Top: Save Our Schools and the Cincinnati School Board By Cassie Gundrum, Drop Inn Center staff Uncertainty ripples quietly through our neighborhood streets. It's something we can't see, but we know it's there. The goose bumps, sensing it, rise on our skin. The cause of our unease is the ruling of the Cincinnati School Board to accept the Facilities Master Plan. The plan- which calls for the closing of all three Over-the-Rhine elementary schools-was accepted in the fa ll of 1998. Ever since then, the Save Our Schools Committee (a committee of the Over­ the-Rhine Community Council) has been meeting in opposition to the plan. The SOS Committee is made up of parents, community folks, and neighborhood organizers. We meet one Thursday per month to organize our community and to exchange information about what's going on in tile city's public school system. We oppose the plan because we believe that each of our schools- Washington Park, Vine Street Elementary, and Rothenberg- is important. They are geographically vital to the education of our children. Having three schools in our neighborhood ensures that each school is within walking distance for both children and parents. This encourages good attendance and parent involvement. The Facility Master Plan calls for the creation of two new schools to replace our three schools. SOS opposes this idea because we'd like to keep our schools small so our kids can get the special attention lhey need. Our little ones would get lost in Shanty Town 2000 Wow! What an experience! Shantytown was truly an eye-opening experience! I don't know where to begin. When we began to build our shanty, rhe Sw1shine Shack, I think I was having too mud1 fun, and not enough thought was put into it. T his became apparent at 12: 17AM when our shanty started ro cave in on us. lrwas unable to support the rain which was not properly draining off the roof. Ar the rime, the sun was not shining on the Sunshine Shack. Later, when waking up for school, I realized that one ofmy shoes was gone. I never imagined not having my the shuffle of a huge mega-school. And after the failure ofthe last school levy, we point out that all of our schools are cheaper to renovate than it would be to build new schools, according to the figures the CPS Administration brought forth . We have a tough task since we never know for sure what we're up ~ga inst. Meetings with Cincinnati Public School administrators point us in one direction while conversations with Board members point us in another. It's something like a circus. For example, Superintendent Steve Adamoski is rallying to tear down Vine Street Elementary and replace it with a new building a few blocks north of its current location. He presented this plan to the Board a few months ago with enthusiasm and self-assurance. The Board seemed to take the bait, asking few questions and offering no opposition. However, in an April meeting with Board member Harriet Russel, we discovered the Board is not entirely sold on the plan. What had seemed like a distinct direction became cloudy and unclear as Russel questioned the accuracy of Adamoski's figures and his capacity to deal with the Cincinnati Park Board. Russel stated that any decision regarding Vine Street Elementary is a long way off. But we don' t know how distant this decision shoes. Later in the day, I went to Red Cross. I felt like the biggest oxymoron. Going into Red Cross without shoes was a unique experience. That night, the stories were awesome. Everyone truly has a story to share. The smiles on their faces, their feelings ofhope, and their beliefin God are all images of inspiration for me. For the first time in my Life, I had to worry about where I was going to sleep, how I was going to get food (the nutritious food that I craved), and the shoes that I wore on my feet. Shantytown gave me a much needed reality check on life;. Not everything just comes to you; things must be worked for in order robe gained. A family and nice warm bed are wonderful things to be able to come home co each night. Homelessness is not easy. It is a full-time job itself. I spent my l 7u, birthday at Shantytown, but Shantytown was the best birthday present ever. It was the gift ofthe experience ofhomelessness. Ir was the experience and the realization ofthe little things in life. It has given me rhe will and determination co go and improve the world and help the ones who are truly homeless. With a fond appreciation ofa great experience, Melissa Widemen Ursuline Academy, Cltiss of 2001 sits on the horizon since the Board operates without a deadline or even a timeline. There's no telling when the Board will move forward and no indication ofwhat they will decide to do. Some possibilities include tearing down all three schools and rebuilding Vine St. and either Washington Park or Rothenberg. Or two ofthe schools could be renovated and the other one closed. Or all three schools could be renovated. Or they all could be torn down and never rebuilt. This is where our fear lies. In the early ' 80's the School Board voted to close Peaslee School with a promise to build a new school. But the new school was never built. Understandably there is a history of mistrust in our neighborhood toward the School Board. If the School Board shuts down our elementary ·schools, fami lies will move out of our neighborhood, leaving their community, support systems, and spirit behind. Our schools are vital to the rhythm of Over-the-Rhine, and we want to keep them open. Right now, though, our schools are not the number-one concern of the Board. They' ve been busy laying off teachers, redesigning high schools, and damaging the Teen Institute Program. We are just a blip on their radar screen. But we demand to be heard! We've asked for a public hearing in our neighborhood this coming fall hoping to involve parents, teachers, and Board members. It is imperative that community members be part of the decision-making process. When SOS met with School Board President Rick Williams to discuss our concerns, be told us, "I fully understand where you're coming from and the effect of the School Board's decisions for a neighborhood." We hope so. As a community we have wrapped our services, work, efforts, spirit, energies, and resources around our schools. The Peaslee Neighborhood Center and Sharpe Village demonstrate this. And we believe that our childreD deserve not on ly the best education, but also stability. • • • • • �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Recovery Road A Homeless Man Tells ofHis Travels Through Homelessness and Addiction By Patrick Holmes Paducah, Kentucky, 1997 - an lndian Summer, September 10th, at 10:45 AM. A warm Saturday morning, that I jumped into the tracker, parked in the driveway, my old High School friend was waiting. Our destination: Atlanta, Georgia. With only forty dollars in my backpack and two duffel bags of clothing accompanied by my ltwo sewing machines, I shoved myself into the crowded, apple-red tracker. "O.K. I'm ready to go; I think I've got everything." I exclaimed to my high school friend who, the day before, had asked me to accompany her to Atlanta. · So, with the top down and the humidity up, we were off. The only thoughts running through my mind were, "Where will I live: I wonder if they have shelters? Of course they do, all cities have shelters; but will I be eligible tto stay in a sh~lter? . Just until I get on my feet. Will the shelter provide job search info? Or job training programs? By the time I came back to the present, we were well on the highway. After three rest stops and hours of being exposed to climate changes, we arrived. l remembered· the overwhelming feeling of fre·e dom and the unknown. My High School friend dropped me off at a relative's house, wbo I knew would not allow me to live with her or even stay longer than 24 hours. Never the less, I left my things with my relative and went to visit with another relative who asked to see me. While there, my cousin suggested that my idea, to live in a shelter until I could support myself, was not an option. So J moved in with him. That lasted about 3 weeks. Soon I found myself in a line of men who were waiting to be fed at St. Luke's. While standing in line, I asked questions like, "I need a state TD, but I don't have any money; where can I get help with that? Where are the shelters located? Is there an employment agency for people in my situation?" One gentleman who was very attentive to my troubles answered every question. And after we had lunch, he offered to show me the travels of a homeless person. Turns out that most all the shelters in Atlanta charged an admissions fee and had curfews. There was, however, an organization that would pay that fee if you met the requirements, which I did not. So the only o ther solution was to hang out w ith this gentleman, who happened to be 32, same as me. He explained to me that we would have to be ve1y selective about where we would sleep for the night. Because there were laws and restrictions for homeless persons like, "Possession of a pillow, blanket, sleeping bags or duffel bags being carried around within the city limits would land you in jail for the night, and fines." There were certain places you were not allowed to sleep. So I was led to a small park, just behind Saint Luke's, where my homeless journey began that day. That is where the gentleman left me ­ alone, afraid, yet faithful. I watched other homeless people who were already there (or) arriving, and I began to mimic them. So I searched the bushes nearby until I found a broken down cardboard box that would soon become my bed. Nobody looked surprised. The joggers trotted by with their heads up and their gazes fixed straight ahead. Couples would walk by pointing at the scenery as if we were apart of the flowerbed or the tree in which they admired the cardinal. This was not normal to me. I expected finger pointing and stares. Or at least a glance. Tired from all the walking and feeling the relief of the warm air the night brought with it, as opposed to the hot air from the 100 degree temperature of the day, I lay down on my paper bed to rest. Just a few feet away on the other side of my bushy tent was the busy city street and a sidewalk. Sleep would never come as the vehicles raced and passed; an occasional couple or group of people walked by conversing loudly to hear one another over the non-stop traffic. The bushes rustled as other homeless people searched for their beds that should be there, but were not, because someone had beaten them to it. Morning came quickly. The street patrol officers came through on foot and hurried those along who were sleeping out late. St. Luke's doors open to offer lunch only. Breakfast was being served 10 blocks away at another church. After breakfast, I returned to St. Luke's and I received a state ID and a public transportation pass. Three days later I found work. For another week I was able to fool my employer. I kept my homelessness a secret. But as always, what's done in the night will be brought to the light. My employer found out and promised to terminate my employment ifl couldn't obtain a residency. The fact that I came to work on time, and worked hard, even worked overtime, was irrelevant. So, when my first paycheck came, I moved into a boarding An Over-the-Rhine Oasis Page 15 house. I pa id 85 dollars a week and shared a kitchen and bathroom with nine o ther tenants. I had a job, I had an apartment; it wo uld appear I had everything I needed. But, what I really needed at the time, yet did not realize it, was counseling. Employment counseling, independent living counseling, social skills training, psychological counseling, chemical dependency counseling, and job training. After only seven weeks on the job, I relapsed. I began drinking and drugging. I paid my rent on time, but I slept on the streets just blocks from work. Once I even slept in the abandoned building right next to where I worked. After getting high all night, I had no money to get home. If I walked home, How would I get back to work on time in the morning? r lived well outside the downtown area, so it was convenient for me to sleep in the park, which was just five blocks away from work. Besides, all the drugs cotild be purchased just around the comer from work. Sometimes at work. Eventually I crashed, returned to Kentucky, still unaware of my real problem and the help that was available. So I repeated the same mistake, which at the time was not apparent. And now, I'm here at Mt. Airy with the same story, different location, only this time around, I'm fortunate. I now realize what my real problem is and I know that something can be done about it. Today, I'm receiving counseling. I even have a chance to go back to school and get the education I have so long thought was impossible. Today I have the pleasure of being in the company of others Iike myself, men who have been through or are going through the same things I am - substance abuse. I'm learning how to tum unpleasant experiences into building blocks. For so long I thought it was the town I lived in or the people I socialized with that determined my fate. Now, at 35, I know that I am a success story in the making. 1 know now that I don't have to beat the odds; I have to become the odd. I'm determined to determine my fate. For years I've been a leader who stood in the back. It's time for me to move to the front and proclaim my God­ given title. This is just the first of stories I have to tell of my journeys as an alcoholic, drug addict, and a man who, today, is still capable' of making a mistake. But today I'm OK with that, because today my mistakes are few, and my successes are greater. So, in my hope and faith, l pray that you, whoever you may be, keep purchasing and keep reading these issues, for in them, you will know what I know, see what I've seen, and grow as I grow. At Mary Magdelen House, Dedicated Volunteers Have Provided 12 Years of Service to Homeless By Katie Danko, Streetvibes Volunteer The Mary Magdalen House first opened its doors to the homeless in 1988. The House, at 1221 Main Street in Over-the-Rhine, was founded as parishioners from nearby Old St. Mary's church responded to the needs of more and more homeless people in the neighborhood. Since then, the agency has been providing showers, clean clothes, shaves, toilets, and free phone access to homeless people in Cincinnati. The center often says it provides an oasis from the streets, a place where homeless men and women can come for basic services that provide human dignity and help them prepare physically for job interviews and other interactions that might help them get back into housing. The people who serve the homeless at the Mary Magdalen House, from Brothers John Martin and Giancarlo Bonutti to many volunteers, appreciate the stories of the people they serve and how fragile one's control over one's own life really is. Divorce, death of a spouse, or l![lemployment can quickly deplete savings, and if·there is no one else to turn to, the street is often not far away. · These conditions, plus problems with drugs and alco~ol and displacements due to inner city housing changes, have, since 1992, resulted in the number of guests using the services of the Mary Magdalen House increasing by over 1,500. Today the Mary Magdalen House provides over 21,000 showers and shaves per year, 18,000 items of clothing, 9,000 phone calls and 7,000 toilet uses. James Thomas, a member of the community that has used the services of the Mary Magdalen House, says that the staff "treats their clients with the utmost respect" and "sometimes even bends over backwards to help their clients." According to Thomas, the Mary Magdalen House is designed for the homeless man or women who wants to work, and therefore, it serves a good purpose as far as offering clothing and shelter and giving referrals. Volunteers provide ninety percent of the services offered by the Mary Magdalen House. Volunteers are needed to greet guests, maintain sign-in sheets, regulate use of the telephone, take messages, sort and lab~I c.lothes: operate the washers and dryers, assist in getting clean clothing from the Mary Magdalen House supply, and to pick up donated items and deliver them to the Mary Magdalen House. The volunteers of the Mary Magdalen House find their service extremely rewarding and some volunteer there for years. Mrs. Rose Flaspohler, a dedicated long-term volunteer who passed away last year, commented on her volunteer work: "The joy of volunteering here and sharing the love, kindness, and a real feeling of helping someone is a great satisfaction and a time of peace; very rewarding for me." Volunteers are generally asked to c~mmit one-half day per week and every effort will be made to schedule a volunteer's time at the House to her or his convenience. If you are interested in volunteering at the Mary Magdalen House, or if you cannot volunteer but would like to make a donation, please call 721-4811. �STREETVIBES Poetr~ and Art My Inspiration By Jeff Branham The things of which I write about, are the things within my life. From the joyfulness that makes me want to shout, to the pain that cuts like a knife. From the love that is void and unrequited, to the love both sure and true. From being overwhelmingly excited, to the morbidity of feeling blue. Things such as the way things used to be, and things that have touched my soul. These are the things that are dear to me, in this way, my story is told. This is the way that I feel a part, as I write without reservation. I write down what is inside of my heart, for this is my inspiration. Sands of Time ByJeff Branham Remember how so all alone, we always used to feel. With the lights all on, but no one at home, when the torment was much to real. We always said that we didn't care, that we were slowly dying. But when the pain was just too much to bear, We realized that we were lying. We took ourselves to the ultimate low, where we can stay no longer. And after the emotional flood had had its flow, we knew that we must get stronger. But now a brand new happiness, can be both yours and mine. And all the things we can afford to miss, will be lost in the sands of time. Berta's Art Corner Photo of outdoor wall mural, on the Northwest corner of Vine and 14th Streets in Over-the-Rhine The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine We My Mother I Love So Dear My mother I love so dear From a seed, just a thought, she brought one out of the dark to the light That's why I pray for her all day all night My mother I love so dear. She water me with wisdom and love and the wetness of tear drops that fell from my eye. She was by my side and when I was feeling blue she chase it away like the flu. Just like a doctor she know what to do She quench my thirst like sprite when she had me at birth, like Barry would say ''As a kiss you are my first, as a wish you are my last, as my soul you are my everything." Mom, just a few moments visualize how I feel. Like Coke you are the real deal The blood that runs through my vain washes away the rain and pain. You always encourage, never discourage Like the. Bible, you're the truth that's living proof In the midst of anger and fire, You took my soul higher and higher in a dark hour. So may we never part, just be like the ocean, let it flow with God above That real love, mother's love, tough love, my love, No question to ask, just love. ...... .Anthony Watkins BOOK OF CHANGE how to say you've changed to two dead girls after ravishing them in the jungle; because they were V.C. tossing them on the trail with holes in their middle to bleed in the mud by the village where their ancestors lived for centuries both face up turning nightly with screams of pain pleas for mercy in your dreams? ... by .Sonny Williams Vietnam Veteran (1969) Page 16 Need Your CPeatiYity! Send your poetry, writings or artwork to SI P ee Iv I • es , c/o GCCH (Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 Phone- 513-421-7803, E-mail (text): to streetvibes@juno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net Let Me Hold Your Hand Walking down the street overnight, I was walking and talking to myself Thinking about this life's little problems And the pain the world could cause on our youth, It's not no lie, and we can't hide the truth They see it more and more everyday I overheard a voice say "Let me hold your hand my chi Id," but when I turned around I seen just some old man, I asked, "What did you say?" He said it again: "Let me hold your hand my child" And tell you a little about this life He told me to sit down and talk for a few minutes, He told me he was from a place far away. Carne here by choice and he alread~ow my .._ name, He told me that he died two times and came back in the lord's name, Told me the reason why he died, lived, and why he is still here, Asked me again, "Let me hold your hand my child," Told me to remember what he told me and what I already know, And told me to go, I got up and walked down some, Turned around and the old man was gone, Turned back around and I seen the lord Turned back around and the old man was there smiling, Looked forward and seen heavens gates, With a voice in my head saying " It never too late," Heard the voice say, "Just let me hold your hand," Because with me you have more than just a friend, A father of millions with a plan To teach a girl to be a lady And all boys into men, To love one another All colors, not just white and black, Everybody has problems And we all pray at night Different things for different people But it only one man who can make it true, It's the one we say AMEN to, So Amen and here's my hand. L0 v e ... by Geraldine Devine Love is a word that used to sound and mean so much When it was spoken from someone's mouth, then that person you could trust. Love was never a word that was just thrown around . It had real meaning, real feeling; and with a person's heart it covered so much ground. Love used to be an action , or in English known as a verb, But now we are living in a time where not much of a purpose does it serve. Let's take this word, give and show it as our Father does from above, Let's take, put, power, spread, and recharge this important word called Love. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Imprisoned in an Editor's Body A few years ago, I was living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a small college town in the northwest part of the state. I was unable to­ resign myself to either playing the role of the professional patient, who contributes to the economy by providing employment to professional sympathetics, or to harnessing my talents to the career wagon to join the rest of the rats in their pilgrimage to the American Dream. No, I envisioned myself rather as the pied piper, or as the revolutionary lunatic who helped establish democracy in the asylum. Well, being a former lunatic receiving SSI, with little inclination to enter the Rat Race, I chose to use my time in self-initiated public service. I had been accustomed to crying to find the greenest pathway through every city I found myself in. In Fayetteville, I found I could practically navigate my way through the entire town via forest trails, and the town was yet unspoiled enough to be interlaced with several small, fairly unpolluted creeks. Therefore, it occurred to me that a small city like Fayetteville might well cake advantage of its relatively pristine state by developing a plan to preserve green spaces and inner city trailways, so its future citizens would not be sitting in their prefab holes-in-the walls trying to figure out how to "get out of this stink.in' town". Fayetteville was small enough that an ordinary citizen, even a trail-walker such as myself, could walk into the Mayor's office and strike up a conversation. So I walked in the Mayor's office and laid out my idea for a system of inner-city trails. His response was, " Boy, you're not living the real world, the world of money." We aU know the saying: In the begi.nning was the dollar, and the dollar was wiih God, and the dollar was God I think the average big city politician would have been more politically correct, lied, and sent me on a wild goose chase instead. Thank God for the small town politician who can honestly express his lack of vision. ............... Tom Billman Horsing Around Town By Grady Cook Last month I was out working on the homeless survey that Homeless Coalition is doing. As I was walking by ?lh and Sycamore Streets, I just happened to have my trusty camera with me and thought this would make an interesting story. Officer Jane Noel of the Cincinnati Police Horsemen Patrol was taking a picture of a gentleman on her Page 11 A Red Van, Khaki Pants, And Changed Lives by monica novak It's March 2 is•, late. A long red van drives slowly down the 1400 block ofRepublic Street. Another van follows close behind. The caravan is looking for something: a place to stop and unload, stretch legs, rest for the night. The sound of a van door popping open blends with the other night noises, ·and twelve pairs of shoes step onto the street. They make their way to an apartment gate, nudge it open, and file in to stay for the night. The next morning, we emerge in our collective identity: each member of the group wears a pair of khaki cargo pants, with a grey T-shirt tucked in tightly. No, we don't march to cadence, but we do get a few side-glances and wondering stares from people sitting outside. Who are we? I suppose you could call us a group of unique youths that has come together for a common purpose: to devote ten months ofour lives to national service. We come from throughout the country - from Texas and California, Florida and Chicago, Boston and Wisconsin. We met each other for the first time in October, when each ofus moved to Washington, DC, to take part in a program called the AmeriCorps HNational Civilian Community Corps. We are employed through the federal government, and are a group of socially aware 18-24 year olds who choose to serve in communities around the United States. We bring skills in construction, renovation, education, environmental conservation, and community development. We live part of the time in DC, and we travel to other locations when there is a need for our labor. We came to Cincinnati to work with ReSTOC, the Race Street Tenant Organization Cooperative. Our initial job description here was to complete renovation on affordable housing units on Republic Street, Vine Street, and Elm Street. The experience in Over-The Rhine has evolved into so much more than we originally expected. We have been overwhelmed and overjoyed before. Our team has worked on three projects prior to our work with ReSTOC, and each project has offered surprises and challenges. We began our year in Pennsylvania, partnered with Habitat for Humanity, and we learned much more than bow to frame a house. We met families who were waiting to move into holfleS, and we successfully completed and dedicated a house for a family of seven. Next, we spent seven weeks in Washington, DC, renovating a wing in the Community for Creative .Non-Violence Shelter. At CCNV we brought in other volunteers to work with us so that women and children would be able to move in a little bit sooner. We learned about CCNV's history of struggle for space and funding, and we continue to watch for news of the current battle over the lease. After CCNV, we went to the mountains of Virginia for two weeks to work at a 4H camp and educational center. Not only did we repair hiking trails and horse fences, but we also worked on some ofthe environmental education programs with local students. So here we are. We've been in Cincinnati for nearly six weeks, and we will be leaving in just a few days. We have painted and repaired three apartments on Republic Street, and we are in the process of re-tiling a few of these units. We hope to see people move into the Republic Street apartments before we leave. At Buddy's Place on Vine Street, we are in the final stages of completing the community roorri for the residents of Buddy's Place. The Fulda on Elm Street has freshly painted hallways, and we recently finished work on three apartments. In our final week, we will move on to the next renovation task ­ wherever ReSTOC sees fit. Construction is not the only scope ofour work in Over-The Rhine. Twice a week, we walk to the Peaslee Neighborhood Center to help in the homework room. Also at Peaslee, we've organized some ofthe toys and supplies in the soon to be open nursery school. From reading books to practicing math skills to just talking about life and school, we looked forward to each afternoon spent at Peaslee. In the evenings, we walk down the street to the Drop Inn Center. Some of us go to play bingo, card games, talk about whatever happened during the day. Some of us work to enhance the Job Readiness Program for Drop Inn residents. We are available on Wednesday nights to help with job searches, filling out applications, and building resumes. We have gotten to know Drop Inn Staff and residents, and continued to learn more each time we came to work. Hopefully, we will be able to build the program's volunteer staff so that Job Readiness will grow after we Leave. One day soon the imposing red government vehicle will pull away from the curb on Republic Street. By the time you read these thoughts, each pair of khaki pants will have stepped into the van and left Cincinnati, ReSTOC, Peaslee, Drop Inn Center. However, we will not have left here untouched. • • • horse. The gentleman and his two friends were from a city where they did not have police officers on horses. They were so amazed that Cincinnati had police officers that rode horses. I thought that it was a. good public relationship . Officer Jane said that the difference between a horse and a car is that on a horse, she gets to meet more people and get a better understanding about the people of Cincinnati. If I could give her an award for being an outstanding officer, I would like to commend her for her good public relationship. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 18 Give us this Day Calenilar of Events Our Daily Bread Strcetvibcs has a monthly calendar ofevents to keep you informed ofhappenings around the Greater Cincinnati ..... by Earlene Moreland area. Please call us ifyou have an item to list Any suhmissio11 is welcome: local community council meetings. Our Daily Bread has been serving socialjustice fonans, protests, comm1111ityfestivals, art our Community for 15 years. Run shows. etc. Please call John at 421-7803, fax at 421­ solely on donations, it is located on 7813, or e-mail at streetvibes@juno.com to list an event. June 1..... Welfare Rights CoaJition Potluck Luncn-anct Meeting, l2P.M at Contact Center. Call 381-4242 for more information 2-3 ..... Artists for the l>rop Inn Center Concert festival 7:30PM at Top Cats in Corryville Tickets available through Ticketmaster: $15 for both nights, $10 for Friday, $5 for Saturday,. Call 751-1740for more information. ~ 7 ....• Ohio ·Ent ment Coalition Meeting Columbusf'"transportation is available an ves ContactCenter(1641 VineSt.)at9AM. Cal\381­ 4242 for more infonnation or ifyou need a ride. 8..... 9...... Save Our Schools Meeting, 5:30 PM at Peaslee Neighborhood.Center. Call 381-4242 for more information. MacDay -' ~oon10 6PM, Laurel Par~ o Charle ·· ss ftom St. Joseph:'~ ·on or to volunteer c'" . 537; or e-mail him at .;-· ·"= 14..... Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center .Peace Camp, 9:30AM-12:30PM at Walnut Hills Christian Church. Free camp for6-12 year-olds Call UPC at 579-8547 for more information 11..... Prayer Vjgil in support ofparole for Amerkan Indian Political Prisoner Leonard Peltier. 1PM in fron:to . l'fouse. (Leonard P ole Revie · ill be on June 12 iQ Kansas.) . more information, please ca ·.·. Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition al 232-0362 or 325­ 4179. E-mailatmiriamczc@yahoo.com. 15..... Homeless Coalition General Body Meeting l :30 PM at the Drop Inn Center Call 421-7803 for more information. 15•••.• ·op To Be Announced care provided ter at 381-4242 for mote infonnation 23..... lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center Peace Camp, 9:30AM-12:30PM at Peaslee Neighborhood Center. F..ree camp for 6-12 year-olds CallIJPC atS79-8547 for more information. 21..... Parks and ~reation Committee Meetin 12:15at Center,381-4242 24...... Ovcr•t , Steel Drum Band C Approx y 1PM at Music Hall Call Peaslee Neighborhood Center at 621-5514for more information 26...... Over-the-Rhine Community Council Meeting SPM at Nast Trinity Church 26-J u ly 28•••• Peaslee Summer Program for Kids 1-3PM. Call Peaslee at 62 t-5514 for more'" in fonnatiof!~• 27..... Cincinnati <Jpera Community Open Dre8%"" Rehearsal · Dress rehearsal for the opera Cinderella. Free to Over-the-Rhine residents. Pre-performance activities in Washington Park at 5pm. including food and entertainment. Dress rehearsal in Music Hall at 7pm. Call 744-3427. Logan Street. Though the place is small, barely noticeable, Our Daily Bread serves 300 people daily - breakfast and Lunch. From 9:30-10:00 they serve doughnuts and coffee. From 10:00- 11:45, Lunch. From 1 till 3 PM, leftovers and snacks. On Friday the hours are 9:30-11:45. Tuesday is Bingo, 1 pm - 2:30. The atmosphere is safe and welcoming. The setup of 4 chairs at a table reminds me of a home kitchen . They even have a Kid's Cafe where children can dine and play, run by Tammy Kueshpe. In another part of cheir program, chey give away cloches, help wich utilities, and give out canned goods. If they can't assist you, they will give you a referral. On holidays, they give away Goodie Bags, consisting of hats and socks, soap, deodorant, and detergent. Now lets mention who's behind all this good work. Manager: Carol Schlunhert; Assistant Manager: Joyce Foster; Social Workers: JoAnn Queenan. Robert Bell, Kim Wards, Jerry Buchanan. Our Daily Bread's goal is to serve one good H ot meal once a day. I eat chere daily. Today chey were serving meat loaf, potatoes, bread pudding and che best Kool-Aid in town. This is a very charitable thing chey are doing. Who would chink all those blessings come fro m such a small place. T he community thanks you. • • • Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fml on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's Live radio program . The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. PUBLIC HEARING ~ on JUNE 6TH at 1:00 pm, the Neighborhood and Public Works Committee will hold a meeting in the City Council Chambers to discuss whether Laurel Homes should be removed from the Historic Register and sacrificed to the wrecking ball and corporate development, or preserved and further developed for low income housing. J IE THERE or IE HOMELESS! for more information, contact the office of the Clerk of Council, 801 Plum St., Room 308, City Hall, Cincinnati 45202 from 8-5, ~E 352-3246 - - Check us out, We're on TV! The Streetvibes 1V Show is produced at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cin­ cinnati Community Video), 21 14 Read­ ing Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like .to b~»,a part of our live studio audience' please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the· Homeless at 421 -7803 for more information. June Schedule Broadcast Dates for May's Show.· :&on Channel 24: (Please che~,~your schedule) Saturday, June 3, at 5 PM Tuesday, June 13, at 10 PM Saturday, June 17th, at 5 PM Tuesday. June 27, at 10 AM Thursday, July 6, at 10 AM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local 1V directory. July '· 23..... Drop Inn Center SK Run, 8:30AM Call Drop Inn Center at 72 J-0643 for more information or to register Streetvibes TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas for future shows, call us at 421-7803 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Greater Cincinnati Since I've been selling the newspaper, I have met a lot of nice people on the street, Coalition for the Homeless different nationalities, different attitudes - some has a Speakers Bureau angry, not understanding what it is like to be The following is a short example of what you may hear from one of the homeless/formerly homeless people who have the opportunity to tell their stories to any group of people who invite us to speak: My name is Raynard Jones. I work for the Coalition for the Homeless. On the fourth of May, Ron Carter (Speakers Bueau Coordinator) and I went to Ursuline Academy. I talked to some young ladies there, told my life story, about me being homeless. I have been homeless now, roughly, from July 16, 1991 to January 26, 2000. I owe it to God and the Coalition for helping me get on my feet and find a place to stay. I have been in and out of jails, institutions, living on the streets, various places. I have been caught up with drugs and alcohol.. ..you know, being homeless, the things that you go through. I owe it to God, cleaning up my life and giving me a second chance. Since I have been working for the Coalition now the past 6 or seven months, I have self-esteem~ I have met a tot of nice people; I just enjoy what I'm doing -being able to help somebody else while I'm helping myself. My spirituality is stronger than ever. Before I was homeless. I was staying in a Ministry. I left the Ministry and learned a lot about Christ Jesus, things that I never thought I knew; I learned a lot - You never stop learning. I gave it all to God. I enjoy coming to Ursuline and telling my story to the young ladies. The Shantytown built of boxes was neat. I enjoy what I'm doing now. The sky is the limit, as long as I stay on the right track, and not get into my own understanding, thinking I can do it all myself; cause we all need somebody. homeless and on the street. I tell them, You wouldn't understand it unless you've been there. .. ...... You treat people the way you want to be treated; respect is the biggest thing. Then, having somebody trust you. I am truly happy today that I'm able to help somebody else while I'm helping myself. hope in the near future that I'm able to go to more speaking engagements to tell other people what I've been through. It's all about having the right attitude, staying positive. Every day isn't a good day for me; but you try the make the best out of a bad situation. I understand that trials and tribulations bring forth patience. You have to go through some things in order to get some things. .... I came from a disfunctional family, like most families. But it doesn't matter. It's about doing the right thing, helping somebody else. I'd like to thank Ron Carter, Pat, Tom, Susan, Gina, Donald Whitehead, Melissa, who helped me find my apartment, Warren, for helping me and giving me a second chance to do what's right. I know it's not going to be easy; but I can do all things through Christ that strengthen me; I know that no weapon that's formed against me shall prosper. I quote a lot of scriptures, cause, like I said, I was in the Ministry. I don't know it all, but I'm like a baby - I'm drinking milk, but one of these days I'll be eating meat. I'm striving for knowledge, to learn. I might have a calling as minister one day. All I know is that I want to help somebody else. It's not about being selfish; It's about giving back. ......Ray Jones. Classified Streetvibes accepts Classi­ fied Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non­ personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our read­ ers. Call 421-7803 for more Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collectlng for a private charity, please call our office at421-7803. •••••~ • t • I •to•••t • ••41 •• • 1f • t •,.,••1 • .-•.-o•~ · .... t 1• -:. t ' ,, ••'f\"1 _,.• •l•ttlotl •4.Ut.t • t ••• "'• • ... ........ ... ... "" ' ' ' ! '•;·· ·.•'..: ''' -.-. ••'"'T • ,._ ............ ..,. .. .. ... -.-..- •1•t••• t•o-..-..•t •.«•••••1••-" Michelle Kitchen Needs Help! I received a disturbing letter from Michelle Kitchen #39440 (ARN-4) today dated 5/16/00. I'm asking anyone who can, to help put pressure on the Warden to rectify what they are doing to Michelle, which is wrong. She is being punished prior to being found guilty of doing anything wrong. ...... .. Michelle wrote the following: "The railroading began Saturday 5/13/00 at 10:20 pm "SWAT" came in, (4) C.O.'s & (2) white shirts, and they took me and my roomnate, Miss Anderson, #36929, (maxes out next month), out in handcuffs. They put her in the "crisis cell" on the DC side & me in the "crisis cell" on the AC(Administrative Control) side. I'm in a room that's 4'X 8' with very little light, and floods, with water every time someone showers (it's on the other side of the shower cage) AND MY BED IS ON THE FLOOR! 3 AND A HALF DAYS LATER..., I'M STILL HERE. The charge? Suspicion of smoking in LC@ I wrote everywhere & I was piss tested yesterday (5/15). Now all I have to do is wait on the results. But that's not half of it. We didn't get our commissary till second shift Saturday. Since I'm under investigation, they too ALL my property and locked it in the property room. I don't have a bra, underpants, or a pair of socks; they took everything! All my Legal mail is packed up too! I don't have a toothbrush, toothpaste, and neither does ARN-4 have any supplies!AGAIN! I just spoke to LT. Sanders about this. Now I have to prove my innocence? I can't have any of the personals I waited 10 days for. (commissary) I can't write because all my envelopes are in my property. I know what will _ happen...., as soon as my dean urine comes back...., they'll stall before moving me out of this hell-hole, and then I'll have to beg for my property, and my mail (which I'm entitled to). I don't know if you've ever been in this type of a cell, but it's easy to lose it....., no place to walk, to sit, nothing. Usually people are in here for 24 hours - WRONG! SOON I'LL BE IN H~RE ON DAY 4" I called the Plain dealer reporter today, Thanksforyoursupport. t It's a Crime to Care ORW is now denying Michelle any "Meter stamps" that I send her, saying they are contraband! But failing to notify me pursuant to the AR's for incoming mail. I hope Michelle can send one to the North Regional Director's Office. I sure will and ask them to explain to me how this is contraband. Also note, Michelle has still not seen a copy of the Administrative regulations yet. I just sent her a copy. This has been a month she has been requesting to see these. I've called Shirley Pope, and Central Office. She wrote the Institution Inspector up. The Chief Inspector has notified Michelle that the Institution Inspector at ORW has been changed. It's no longer Kestella. The new Inspector is Ms. Wright. Michelle has never had a dirty urine her whole bit as well. Michelle says she is still listed as "LC" (Local Control) and wants to know why she cannot have her property, and (why they) stress no toothbrush, deodorant, etc. in ARN-4. These items are permitted under "LC" Administrative Regulation 5120-9-131. information Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to: GCCH, 1506 Elm Street,Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813, ore­ mail to streetvibes@juno.com • ·:>· Page 19 . • 'I 'l Help Michelle, continued page 1O �Pat Mitchell, proud Grandmother, wishes to Announce A Baby Showerfor Yolanda Pape 858 Wade Walk Parktown Community Building (NearLiberty) on]unel7,2000 jrom 5pm-9pm I Vendor SPotliilht: I am a new Vendor and I'd like to share my experience as being a vendor. The purpose of the vendors selling the papers is to establish self-esteem, self worth, and self independence. It is designed to help homeless and formerly homeless people, and low income people such as myself. On my journey selling papers I meet so many people in the course ofa day, including people I haven ' t seen in years and people ~ ~ needingjobs and shelter. I always refer them to our Coalition office for help. I even ~ ~ ran into a woman with HIV that needed ~ shelter and a job. Once I ran into a man that traded me a Pat Mitchell in the Coalition office. box ofsugar and 2 candles for a paper. It is the vendor 's job to spread the word about the homeless - to be polite and Besides being one ofour most dedicated courteous. So if you see us vendors selling vendors, Pat also works everyday as a Streetvibes, buy one. But remember, ifthey volunteer receptionist and as a an outare not wearing a badge, don't buy. Thank ...reach coordinator. Thank you, Patfor all you, ofyour work! ~ HOPE VI, from page 12 being lost in the West End, and the potential gentrification of the entire West End Community (HOPE VI developments could have a very serious ripple affect in terms of increased property values) and Welfare Reform there is a lot stacked against HOPE VI succeeding. Many believe too many units are being lost, that this is simply another example of urban cleansing. Which brings us back to the developer chan ges. Shirley and so many of the West End residents were up in arms about this developer t ermination i ssue because they were discounted from the process with the concrete understanding that they . would be part ofthe entire process. However, it makes one wonder why HUD has made resident input such a cornerstone to winning and seeing the HOPE VI grant completed, w hen ultimately the go11l is not and never was to maintain the same community that has resided there prior to the HOPE VI grant. Hopefully, homeless advocates are wrong. There is a hearing June 7•h to take Laurel Homes offof the Historic Registry. N o demolition can legally occur until this happens. ......Pat Mitchell Ha ve you seen FRANK C 6 Foot Caucasian, age 50's, English accent, glasses, maybe gray beard. Does anyone know where Frank is, please? Mary, his sister from England, has been over here trying to meet up with him. COMEDY CORNER By Ron Carter Oowie ,goowie Oowie Goowie was a worm A dirty Worm was he Oowie sat upon the toi let seat The water he did not see Splash! W e haven't m et for 18 years . If you have any idea where he is, Please contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 421-7803 Oowie Goowie's sone! Need Help or Want .to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 1-888-872-9259 (Toll Free) 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431-8717 Welcome House ·- s, SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241 -0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Si ngles) Friars Club Haven HQUse (Hamilton) lnter1aith t-'ospitality Network 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471 -1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 651-6446 St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T Flrst Step Home 241-7343 961-4663 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 OTHER SERVICES 421-2437 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 231-6630 Beech Acres Center for Independent Living Options 241 -2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 · Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Greater Cinti. Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621-7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3619 House of Refuge Mission Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Ass'istance Ctr. 271-5501 721 -4811 Mary Magdalen House Oral Health Cquncil 621 -0248 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 6?1 -5514 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way VA Homeless Program 572-6226 Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 Women Helping Women 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 June 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Remembering the Milner Demolition A Tale of Two Cities Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 3: The CZC Protest for Political Prisoners and Against Police Brutality The Shelter Continued Pg 4: Kids’ Day on Capital Hill Pg 5: The Shelter Continued Pg 6: Welfare News Pg 7: A tribute to the “SAVE THE MILNER” Struggle: Our Undaunting Spirit Still Lives Pg 8: International News Pg 9: Prisoners’ News Pg 10: Prisoners’ News continued Pg 11: Cincinnati Opera Pg 12: Words from the Evangelist Pg 13: Street Scopes Pg 14: Under the big Top: Save Our Schools and the Cincinnati School Board Pg 15: Recovery Road An Over-the-Rhine Oasis Pg 16: Poetry and Art Pg 17: Imprisoned in an Editor’s Body 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 June 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Donald Whitehead Rodney Sutton Anthony Watkins Cassie Gundrum Alanna Maloney Brian Crumm Bonnie Neumeier Johnny Wm. Byrd, Jr. Geraldine Devine Patrick Holmes Melissa Widemen Grady Cook Sharon Weis LeeAnn McNabb Raymond Jones Katie Danko Earlene Moreland Lynn Williams Jeff Branham Monica Novac Emily Langford Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alanna Maloney Alicia Beck Anthony Watkins Apartment Closure Arts & Poetry Bonnie Neumeier Brian Crumm Capital Hill Cassie Gundrum CC Cincinnati Schools Donald Whitehead Earlene Moreland Editorials & Letters Emily Langford Empowerment Evangelist Geraldine Devine Grady Cook Income International news Jeff Branham Jobs John Halpin Johnny Wm. Byrd Jr. Katie Danko LeeAnn McNabb Lynn Williams Mary A. Gaffney Melissa Widemen Monica Novac Ohio Pat Mitchell Patrick Holmes police brutality Prison Health Care prisoners news protest Raymond Jones Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Sharon Weis shelter Sonny Williams Street Scope Susan Knight Tales from Across the River The Traveler Tom Billman Warren Perkins welfare news https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/32f1b4088f638d60e9aeac8b559e8bfb.pdf 7deb1171e8787bcb859c55f343f306a9 PDF Text Text HO·MELESS CENSUS SET FOR MARCH . Three-day effort will attempt to count the homeless in Cincy With the 2000 census ready to begin in just one month, workers are gearing up for the challenging task of counting the homeless. This will be part of what is called the "Special Places Count" and will take place the week of March 27th. The Special Places Count will enumerate the population that are not staying in traditional places s uch as homes, apartments, or mobile homes. This includes people in shelters, on the streets, in mental health facilities, jails, hospitals, and any other non-traditional dwelling. Many of these people will be counted in these special places and in a place of permanent residency. When the duplication is corrected, those who were counted solely in a "special place" will be considered homeless. Mako Nikadoh of the U.S. Census Bureau is in charge of the Special Places Count and says that based on the 1990 census, he will make no estimate of the local homeless population's size. Service providers didn't accept the 1990 statistic, so it was probably not accurate. Nikadoh stresses the importance of the census, and he says that his department is doing every­ thing they can to get an accurate count in 2000. Because so many funds allotted to the city depend on the number he finds, he hopes the census is accurate, enabling service providers to secure the funds they need. Because of an undercount in 1990. the city of Cincinnati has lost 40 million dollars. Susan Knight, co-administrator at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, appreciates that the effort of the census bureau is improving but says the homeless count will still be sh01t. Because so many people live doubled-up with ftiends and relatives and because there are so many outdoor locations that will not be found , the entire homeless population will not be able to be counted. Neve1theless, she thinks that they are doing a better job than in 1990, with efforts that include hiring homeless people to conduct the count. Mako N ikadoh says that he hopes the homeless enumerators will be able to help them reach the homeless who live in out-of-the-way places and will help people feel more comfortable participating in the count. Three places - soup kitchens, shelters, and "targeted non-shelter outdoor locations" ­ are where Nikadoh expects to find the majority of the homeless population. Nikadoh says that his staff will visit all of the shelters and soup kitchens in the area before the actual count. They will brief the staff and establish a plan specific to that agency. The "targeted non-shelter outdoor locations" are where the bureau hopes to find and count the segment of the homeless population who do not use services. This part of the census is presenting different problems for different cities. Maryanne Gleason, director of the National Coalition for the Homeless says that Indianapolis has 135 outdoor locations reported where they intend to count. She doesn't know how census workers will be able to reach all of these areas during the three hours allotted to this pait of the count. Mako Nikadoh reports that very few outdoor locations in Cincinnati have been reported to him yet and is urging service providers to share this information CMHA LAYS DOWN THE LAW --- (Lady Liberty Sighs again) Is the US becoming a No-tolerance Zone? LAUREL HOMES: Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority'S Zero Tolerance Area ­ Advocates suspect that the Zero Tolerance Rules (form dated 819199) were initiated by CMHA primarily to escape responsibility to find housing for Laurel Homes residents when the demolition happens. CMHA: "If you and m embers of your I with him. Advocates for the homeless have ex­ pressed concern that illegal campsites of homeless people will be reported to law enforcement officials. Maryanne Gleason says that for months the bureau would not promise to keep these outdoor locations private. The bureau first said there was a law that required them to report the outdoor places to local governments - although for census purposes only. Later, they reported that this law did not apply, and the locations woul d be kept private. Gleason says that the National Coalition is now "relunctantly suggesting participa­ tion" and cooperation with the census, but she urges great caution. Nikadoh stresses that no outdoor locations in the Cincinnati area will be reported to local authorities. Title XIII of the U.S. Code is the nation's strictest privacy law and protects the census bureau's information. In the past the FBI, IRS, INS, and other groups have sued the census department to get information but have never succeeded. Donald \Vhitehead, former director of the the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, says that in his experience, authorities in Cincin­ nati already k~ow where these outdoor locations are and reporting them to census officials probably wouldn't negatively affect the homeless popula­ tion. His only concern is iflocal officials obtained information about abandoned buildings in which the homeles s live. These are the only places where he thinks action might be taken against the homeless. household presently reside in, or will be moving into Laurel Homes, you should know char it is a Zero Tolerance area. Residents are advised of the following requirements, which pertain to all m embers of their househ old and their guescs. ln addition co sp ecific requirements ofthe CMHA lease and other policies, the followin g requirements and provisions are required in order for CMHA to prevent the destruccion of ics property and to preserve the rights of all residents co reside in dean, safe and affordable housing." The following is a sample ofthe regulations we find especially characteristic ofthe dehumanizing structure ofCincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (our own paraphrases included) OUTSIDE AREAS: Preventing che destruction of CMHA Property. (Thar's a good one!) I �ST REE TV I BES - The Tri-State's Homeless G~apevine STREETVIBES The Tri-S t ate's ...by Donald Whitehead First ofall I would like to offer my apologizes to the loyal Srreervibes readers who sometimes read th~ Traveler column. I must apologize to you for my absences from last months Streervibes. As many ofyou may know I have resigned as the director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the homeless. In January I took a position as Program Recruiter at Goodwill Industries. One of the first differences had to confront was, I no longer had a floating deadline for my column. I had to have my column in at the same time everybody else did (life just isn't fair sometimes). I wanted to share with you my reasons for The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t~e Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through .coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Sta ff Co-Director Co-Director Streetvibes Editor Assistant Editor Editorial Intern Vendor Support Homeless Civil Rights Tenant Organizing Warren Perkins, Melissa Samhan, Rapid Exit Program .Gina Miller and Susan Knight, Tom Billman, John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter, Writ ers Donald Whitehead Drew Miller John Halpin Tom Billman Lynn Williams Tyrone Smith Melissa Samhan Ryan Mo Better Azariah Israel Alanna Maloney Dutch Dalton Sarah Gallant Jess Ballew Sonny Williams Rodney Sutton Lashanda Damien Minor Aaron Pitchford Carla Pitsinger Graphics Photographs by Sonny Williams, Berta Lambert, Lemuel Isreal Streetvib es accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graph­ ics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greate r Ci n cin n ati Coa litio n for the Homeless 1 506 Elm Street · Cincinnati, OH 4521 O (S 13) 421-7803 fax ( S 1 3) 4 21 -7 81 3; e-mail: streetvibes@juno . co m (text-only) or homecoal@p r i m ax . net ( attached files) web page: http: //cinci.co m / gcch _ THE TRAVELER Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless social . . ' Justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month, 1 2 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t he Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a St reetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibesvendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. Page 2 through gainful livable wage employment. While advocates continue co advocate for the development ofsafe sanitary, affordable housing. I feel that in the interim we must make existing housing affordable. Workforce development is a key component for those seeking relief from ever shrinking available resources for those at or below poverty levels in the United States. The other reason for my move was the need to live up to my growing responsibilities as a family man. Five years ago I was a single man with very little understanding of responsibility or commitmenc. Today I am a full time dad, husband and basketball coach. My responsibilities have required me to look at the long-term. I would like to be able to help my children gee through college or whatever else they desire. While finances were not the o~ly reason I would be dishonest ifl said they did not effect my decision. One other factor that may be hard for some to understand burns within us all. It is sometimes hard to have a desire to improve one's self and not appear superficial or materialistic. It is impossible to predict the leaving the coalition. I have outcome ofour decisions or the direction chosen to travel down a new road for a couple those decisions will move us into. One can ofreasons. I hope that this column will help only hope that the path we choose turns our others to avoid the mistakes that caused me to to ultimately be the right path. have to change career paths. After five rewarding and eventful years at the Greater I have the upmost confidence in chose who Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I are still working at Coalition. Gina Miller, found myself face to face with an old nemesis. Susan Knight, Ron Carter, Tom Billman, All throughout my life I have found that the Warren Perkins and Pat are some of the most biggest barrier for me as a person is capable people I have ever met. I have also complacency. In order to remain effective I heard good things about John Halpin and need to be constantly challenged. While Melissa Samhan the two newest staff many challenges remain, the staff at the members. Bottom line is the Coalition is in coalition was is so talented very rarely did very good hands. The confidence in the staff those challenges reach me. When I started at made my decision a lot easier. I hope that I the coalition all ofmy work was about one on am able to link Goodwill industries and its one contact with individuals or groups. In considerable resources with the homeless others words I was what is commonly referred population. I am thoroughly convinced that to as a people person. I enjoy being a people the people at Goodwill have the mission and person. I feel proud of the programs that values I have come to identify with from the were developed during my tenure as coalition other members of the coalition. Thus far it director. I am even prouder ofsome of the looks like the path that I took when I came to people that have been assisted in their 1 the fork in the road was the right path. development, myself included. HappyTrails. Much of the work that my job evolved into was working on systemic changes that could ·f ;p;F('. end homeless in the near future; I also enjoyed this aspect of my work tremendously. Streetvibes exists as a forum for Since my work with the National Coalition the expression of the views and for the Homeless will continue, I am in the opinions of our readers and ~nvious positi?n of having my cake and eating supporters. The opinions it too, I can sull work to address che big expressed herein are not picture issues that will hopefully result in necessarily those of the systemic changes. At the same time I get co Streetvibes staff or the return to my roots as a people person. As a Program Recruiter for Goodwill I have a chance to really positively effect many people Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 Homelessness in AmeriCa: Why are the number$ increasing? increasing poverty, and welfare reform , among othe.r: r.easoos, Oftentimes, people. deal.ing. w~th things such as mental illness, addiction, or domestic violence are the first to fall victim to the structural shortcomings of our society and through the cracks into homelessness. In order for us te. solve the problem of homelessness we must address the structural problems in our society that allow homelessness to occur in such large numbers. What are these structural problems? Homelessness has been an increasing ~ probrem in the United States during the past twenty years. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about the causes of homelessness. Many people believe that an individual becomes homeless simply because of personal problems, such as mental illness or addiction. While these may be contributing factors, it is structural flaws existing in our society that truly make homelessness possible. HOW MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE THERE? Conducting an accurate count of the homeless population is nearly impossible. Various different organizations have attempted to count the homeless and have found very different numbers. Because there is no standard agreed upon definition of what · homelessness is, each study uses a different definition and has different results. Even with a standard definition, it would be impossible to count everyone -the homeless are too hard to find. The lowest count of the past twenty years was by the Department of Housing and Urban ·Development in a one-day 1984 study. They found 250,000-350,000 people to be homeless. In 1987, the Urban League counted 500,000-600,000. A federal study in 1994 estimated that seven million people were homeless between 1985 and 1990, not including three million families who were waiting for Section 8 vouchers or public housing. A follow-up to this federal report found that 12 million people have been homeless at some point in their lives. A National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 1999 report estimated over 700,000 people a night and two million per year experienced homelessness. In any event, homelessness is increasing. The National Coalition for the Homeless reviewed research conducted in eleven communities and four states and found that shelter capacity doubled in nine of the communities and three of the states and tripled in two of communities and two of the states. The reasons for the dramatic increase in homelessness are many. Structural problems in society should receive much of the blame - the lack of affordable housing, -- INCREASES IN POVERTY The economy may be booming but the benefits of this phenomenon have been concentrated among the rich . The lower­ income population is actually worse off now than they were thirty years ago. Between 1970 and 1988 the number of poor people grew from 25.4 million to 31.9 million, an increase of 26%. In 1997 the Census Bureau reported 35.6 million people were living in poverty. Forty-one percent of these 35. 6 million people have incomes that are less than half of the poverty level. · Why the increase in poverty? First, just as the baby boomers were coming of age and flooding the job market in the 1970's and 80's, de-industrialization was at full swing, leaving people with no work or with low paying, non­ unionized service-sector jobs. Today, an increasing number of these jobs are temporary or part-time. · The value of the minimum wage has fallen drastically. In 1997, the real value of the minimum wage was just 18.1 % of what it was in 1979. Currently, in the median state, a person would have to work 87 hours a week at the minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of her or his income. Paying thirty percent of one's income on housing is what the federal government has defined as affordable housing. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that job growth outlook is not promising, either. Forty-six percent of jobs with the most growth between 1994 and 2005 will earn less .. - ·­ (ilCiii :Pio,GGv f>eYye"cii. Savemy-rour percent of these jobs will pay families below a livable wage ($32,185 for a family of four). -- ~ See CMHA, PAGE 3 1) No one is permitted to walk or play o~ grass or landscaped areas. (Any non-military-like behavior is strictlyforbidden! Flowers must never be touched or smelled! Walking on the grass with barefeet borders on anarchy and will not be tolerated.) 2) All furniture must be removed from concrete or blacktop areas after use. CMHA will dispose of any items offurniture, grills, swimming pools, etc. which are found anywhere on the grounds (Hang on to your possessiomfar dear life! Don't trust anyone!) 3) Adults, teenagers, and/or children are not permitted to loiter anywhere within the area. ( Don't stop and smell the roses, heaven forbid! And by no meam attempt to fraternize with your neighbors!) I Only CMHA approved signs are permitted. All others will be immediately be removed. I ' ' ..• ... "'• • • • • •• ,,.• • • .. • ...: ..: ... : . : . : ...: _.- ...: . : ...: . : ... - _ ; ;..: _.- .... - ...- ...- , - ~·- _..- ...- ; Y'- _.; J- . - .- - THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING Advocates for the homeless often cite the lack of affordable housing as the number one cause of homelessness in the United States and this may very well be true. During the past twenty years, the number of affordable housing units has plummeted while the demand for these units has skyrocketed.' In the 1980's it became less profitable for private landlords to create affordable housing. At the same time the federal government was making cuts in public housing. Combined with a decline in first-time home-buyers (these people were continuing to rent), the market was flooded and rents went up. From 1973 to 1993 2.2 million low-rent units were lost because of rising rents, abandonment, .or gentrification. In the four­ year period of 1991-1995 alone, median rental costs went up 21%. By 1995 there was a 4.4 million-unit shortage of affordable housing. Housing aid to low-income individuals and families actually increased during the 1980's, but the demand for housing was so great that two-thirds of low-incomP. renters still received no subsidies. The situation is the same today. In 199~ HUD reported that the wait (PLEASE SEE HOMELESSNESS, PAGE 4) CMHA, continued from Page 1 4) - THE DECLINING VALUE OF PUBLIC ASSlSTAN.CE PROGRAMS One of the reasons that poverty has increased is that public assistance programs have either been eliminated or their value has sharply declined. Between 1970 and 1994, the value of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits fell forty-seven percent when adjusted for inflation. The current Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF) that replaced AFDC after the 1996 Welfare Reform is no better. Combining benefits with food stamps, families Who receive TANF still fall below the poverty line in every state. General Assistance programs that provided aid to single adults have been eliminated in many states, including Ohio, despite the fact that studies have shown that General Assistance benefits reduce homelessness. ,. ~! ,. (Only government-sponsored events may be advertised!) INSIDE AREAS (Hallways and apartments) Preventing the destruction of CMHA Property. 1) Loitering or playing in hallways is not . permitted at any time (Anyone caught talking with their neighbor will be subject to punitive measures!) 2) ihe use of any illegal drugs of any type, on or off CMHA property is not permitted. 3) Engaging in any type of criminal activity, on or off CMHA property is not permitted. (The previous two regulatiom, while we understand the intended purpose, actually repres~t a kind ofdouble jeopardy and an unnecessary invasion ofprivacy. Ifsomeonegets in a fight somewhere across town and is citedfar, sa_)4 disturbing the peace, this means they can be permanently kicked out ofpublic housing. If someone happens to go to a party across town and takes one hit offa joint, they can be kicked out of public housing. · [ This would make President Clinton ineligiblefar residence in public housing.}) How ca,n you have cqmmunity when you have no say in how·your community operates? The principle oflocal control is extremely important ' in assuring that people are invested enough in their communities to make them safe' . comfortable, enjoyable places to live. It is time that CMHA understood this. �ST REETV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine HOMELESSNESS (Continued from page 3) for public housing increased by 50%, from 22 months in 1996 to 33 months in 1998. The wait for a Section 8 rental assistance voucher was 28 months in 1998. People who must wait for housing are forced to live doubled-up with relatives, in substandard housing, in shelters, or on the street. An important source of housing for single adults in the past was single room occupancy units. These SRO's were regarded as last resort housing for thos·e who had no other place to turn, especially the mentally ill or substance abusers. During the 1970's and 1980's most cities lost over half of their SRO units, most to urban renewal projects aimed at revitalizing downtown areas. Chicago lost all of its SRO units. Once this "last resort" housing was gone, the population that depended on them became homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that federal housing policy actually benefits the rich more than the poor. . "...it should be noted that the largest federal housing assistance program is the entitlement· to deduct mortgage interest from income for tax purposes. In fact, for every one dollar spent on low income housing programs, the federal treasury loses four dollars to housing­ related tax expenditures, 75% of which benefit households in the top fifth of income distribution (Dolbeare, 1996). Moreover, in 1994, the top fifth of households received 61% of all federal housing benefits (tax and direct), while the bottom fifth received only 18%. . Thus, federal housing policy has not responded to the needs of low-income households, while disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest Americans." These are just a few of the major reasons why homelessness exists in our society. It is crucial that we address these issues if we are to find permanent solutions to this senseless tragedy. A livable wage, support and funding for the development of affordable housing, a moratorium on the demolition of public housing, and effective and compassionate welfare laws are all necessary, among other things. Most importantly, perhaps, the public and our elected officials ~u-~; !earn the f~cts cf ~c :r~!e$snE?ss. Continued misconceptions about the magnitude and reasons for poverty and homelessness in our country will only make the problem worse. Educating the public about the facts of homelessness must be the first step in working towards solutions. • • • Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions can be purchased for $15 per year. (But if you~d like to give more, that's okay, too!) Just send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month Streetvibes, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless If you have any questions, call 421-7803. If you have subscribed, but are not receiving your Streetvibes, Please let us know. Our dog (Streetvibes computer) ate some addresses during a recent crash . EDITORIAL: Presidential Election 2000: Where's the democracy? .....by Jess Ballew For the last three hours I've been surfing the Net, desperately seeking information about the presidential candidates and their positions on important issues. I checked the Associated Press-nothing. The Washington Post-nothing but rhetoric. How do we make informed decisions-without any information? I've been surfing the Internet for two days, desperately seeking the least biased information on the presidential candidates and their platforms. First I tried the "official" websites. That's a joke. All I found out is that Michael Jordan endorses Bill Bradley. Good to know, since we all respect Michael Jordan's political wisdom, right? Then I tried the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and the League of Women Voters. Nada. At least the League of Women Voters had a connection to a "Democracy Network," where persons such as myself can customize an "issues grid," choosing which candidates and wh ich issues I want to learn about. Too bad most of the responses are "No Comment." Want to know how the major candidates stand on welfare? Only Alan Keyes is willing to respond. What abou affirmative action? Only Keyes and John Hagelin take a stance. And how many of you have even heard of these candidates? Probably not many, because they are not the major names in the election. And there is a reason for that. The major names-George W. Bush, Al Gore, John McCain and _Bill Bradley- are "major" because they refuse to take stands on many major issues, thus appeasing the maximum amount of reg istered voters. This Democracy Network has thirty-seven issues from which to choose; Al Gore only responded to thirteen . Bush is even worse , making official statements on only nine of the thirty-seven issues. No wonder those two are so popular-it's difficult to disagree with them if you don't even know their positions. Not only do we have the right to vote, we have the responsibility to vote. We have no right to complain about the state of our government if we do not exercise the power we do have, however small. But how do we choose a candidate who best suits our beliefs when their beliefs have yet to be revealed? Page 4 The ATD Fourth World Movement by Gerald Bitoun SHARE INTERNATIONAL, FRANCE A report on homelessness and poverty in France and the organization which, for 40 years, has sought to keep this human crisis before the eyes and ears ofgovernment. ATD Fourth World Movem~nt (Aide a Toute Detresse - literally: "Help in all distress'J began in France in 1957, in the muddy Noisy­ .le-Grand Camp - one-of many shanty towns ly­ ing in the eastern suburbs of Paris. There, Fa­ ther Joseph Wresinski (1917-1988) took over the torch from another exceptional priest, Abbe Pierre, who had founded this shelter for home­ less people in 1955. Hundreds offamilies pack into the camp, trying to survive, a day at a time, in tents, strug­ gling against the extreme cold and mud of winter and the summer heat, battling against hunger and illness, confined by fear and the obvious in­ difference ofthe public authorities. Added to this is the physical confrontation with the police, psy­ chological trauma, and the endemic ignorance shared by the ministry of housing, the general public, as well as charitable organizations. ATD says: "Misery is worse than pov­ erty. It cannot be relieved, we can only try to put an end to it. One must fight it as an evil, the su­ preme injustice, because this misery destroys all harmony and allows no hope of improvement." ATD volunteers settle in the camp and from the start they participate in initiatives set up by the homeless people themselves, considering them true partners, thinking in terms of rights and duties rather than assistance. With few resources, this handful of vol­ unteers endeavours to break a system which keeps the 'excluded' (Les exclus - a French term which neatly covers homelessness, marginalization, and all attendant woes) in a kind ofpolitical and economic coma, turning them into a downtrodden class. ATD has to deal with prob­ lems on all fronts at the same time: cultural, reli­ gious, social, and occupational. ATD realizes that the poorest often know n:1~ ::>"'!n!h!=>r :'::i"!!'t:> nr111e>rlv i.c; :'? r.!OSAd r.ircfe iust -••V "'41 • - •••V• 1 .,..•••...,._f"_ .. _. .... J.- - -·.. _..:; ,. .F -­ like that of the very rich and privileged. Poverty is also environmental with the corresponding transmission of values, knowledge and legacy which refutes all the cliches about isolation among the poor. In this battle for freedom of speech and independence, A TD is setting up what will be called 'People's Universities' to help people be­ come aware of their dignity and power, of their "inalienable right to act freely for their own and other people's good". As meeting places, the People's Universities offer the opportunity of a positive confrontation between the world of ex­ treme poverty and the world of scientific re­ search, through an exchange of ideas and a sharing of knowledge. Among the excluded, the thirst for life and emancipation is great in spite of their fear of the system. ATD is working to heal the wounds and to knock down the walls. But the change is slow on both sides. One morning, the men and women of the shanty towns (and their children, if the parents have not been de­ prived of their right to raise them) are turned out of their homes; after a while their shelters ­ supposedly temporary, but which they have been living in for years - are razed by bulldoz­ ers. Some set off again just roaming around, giving up, which often leads to a dead end and tragedy. Others will finish up in an HLM (block ofcouncil flats), the 'reservations' of mod­ �. . .. . .. STREETV_IBES . __ . .. The Tri-State's,. Homeless . . . . em times. More sizeable than the sinister "emergency areas", the tower blocks hide the truth of rootlessness and a lack of a group structure: the homeless are now excluded on two fronts. All his life, Joseph Wresinski tried to ex­ pose the hypocrisy ofthe system: "The question is not what powers to allow the poor but rather: are we ready to let them have all the powers? From then on a change of civilization becomes possible. If the poor don't become true participating members they will never get any­ where. To be heard, one must be met. On the contrary, our system is based precisely on the avoidance of meeting with the poor. The encounter will happen only when the poor are able to escape confinement and appear in front of us as equals." The present system exists by hiding the true extent of the problem. The policy of the French Government remains unchanged: small patched-up solutions or spectacular selective face-lifts, without real will or vision for the future. There is a reluctance to see the human side of the problem behind the statis­ tics, to consider the wider issues, which would force the government to take new, radi­ cal steps. ATD is now an international organiza­ tion sustained by tens of thousands of sympa­ thizers and thousands of volunteers helping to promote long-term action such as emergency rescue plans. The movement created in a waste­ land under the impulse of a single man 40 years ago has become an essential partner to govern­ ment housing policies. ATD also has a consulta­ tive status within NGOs, the United Nations, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), /LO (International Labour Organization), and other agencies. However, the spectre of misery contin­ ues to haunt the outskirts of our towns and per­ sists due to the lack of a real egalitarian political will. The members of ATD endeavour to bring solutions to the most elementary, the most do"Yn­ to-earth problems which the homeless face. Is­ sues such as schooling for children and adult literacy (a sine qua non to get out of the rut) stagnate, not through lack ofstructures or inad­ equate resources, but because extreme poverty is a vicious circle. Yesterday the poor queued impatiently with their buckets waiting to take water from the commu­ nal fountain; today, they knock on our doors and claim a share ofprivileges......... . We are not speaking about the Devel­ oping World.but about a rich country - France ­ which, with its colleagues from the G7, exploits and handles a majorpart of the world's wealth. "The world of the poor is endowed with all creative possibilities along with the potential for defeatism and self-destruction. It is a universe crossed by an almost imperceptible boundary line. On this side of the line, the human being braces himself against adversity, clinging to the society and culture ofwhich he is an under~privi­ leged member; on the other side, the world is turned upside down; he gives up and surrenders. Beaten, he becomes the instrument of his own destitution, leading to misery." For ATD Fourth World and others who have turned their back on dependency - there is at present no adequate way ofdealing with misery and poverty as by-products of our civilization. They are a cancer we have to ex­ plore and cure with as much energy as we dedicate to fighting those diseases which seem to affect only our body, though they are the manifestation of a deeper and earlier imbal­ ance. "Misery is man-made and only man can destroy it." ~ ,• Grapevin~ . Page­ - ~ INTERNATIONAL NEWS 86 Arrested in Protest of Economic Sanctions Against Iraq 86 protesters from across the United States and Canada were arrested at the US Mission to the UN, on Monday, February 141h, at 12:00 p.m. Their non­ violent resistance was confronting the US/ UN Security Council sanctions against Iraq. Among those arrested were Kathy Kelly, Chicago, co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness; and Reverend John Dear, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. A broad spectrum of human rights groups were represented in both the nonviolent resistance action and the legal demonstration. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Pax Christi USA, the American Friends Service Committee and the Fellowsh ip of Reconciliation , have all taken official stands against the sanctions. Leaders form every major religion in the US have also condemned the sanctions. In August 1999 UNICEF used the infant mortality rate from before the · sanctions to estimate that 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of five have died due to the effects of sanc~ions . 'They die from dysentery, typhus, cholera - and other epidemics of water-borne diseases which were created when the US bombed the civilian infrastructure of Iraq during the Gulf War. "The sanctions prevent infrastructure repair and maintenance." Noted Raed Battah from Kentucky, who recently traveled with Voices in the Wilderness to Iraq, in open and public violation of the sanctions. The protesters echo the concerns of the UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator in Iraq, Mr. Hans von Sponeck, who has now asked to be relieved of his duties. Von Sponeck was not available for comment. Diplomats, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said Von Sponeck will be leaving because of the difficulties entailed with implementing the U.N. trade sanctions, initially imposed to force Iraqi withdraw from Kuwait. The sanctions have crippled the Iraqi economy, leaving ordinary Iraqis struggling to feed and clothe themselves. Von Sponeck wanted the Security Council to separate Iraq's humanitarian needs from its disarmament. His outspoken remarks drew sharp criticism from both the United States and Britain, the main proponents of sanctions on Iraq. Von Sponeck was also critical of the U.N. approved Oil for Food program. Von Sponeck's predecessor, Denis Halliday of Ireland, resigned in 1998, saying he did not want to be associated with the adverse impact of U.N. trade sanctions on ordinary Iraqis. Halliday stated, "We are destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that." graphic courtesy of WordArt (www. windchime. walker. net/wordart. html) �ST REE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 WORD ON THE STREET We Need YouT CTeativity! Send your poetry, writings or artWork to Streetvibes, do GCCH (Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 Phone - 513-421­ 7803, E-mail (text): to st:reetvibes@juno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net So after getting off the helicopter (who wrires this stuff) and after a Hard Day's Work I saw the Rahbit on the Couch and Chow-Chow, the android cat who was put on the Muhammad Ali Potato Chips with the orange background and Oscar Von Steuben played by Ron Carter. He said its velly nice and its Riceland and he put Cymbals on their heads and hit them with a Golf Pencil (and Ron! How am I doing) Well Any way their brain got transferred and the rabbit gave Chow­ Chow some liquid LSD and they plotted against me and Good night! ......... .Aaron Pitchford WHAT IS IT G od. By Lashanda Fools in Love Why do fools fall in love A foo l falls in love with someone who doesn't care about them A fool fal ls in love with someone who doesn't feel the same for them A fool falls in love with so meone who's in love with someone else A fool falls in love with some9ne who doesn't care, doesn't feel, or is in love "' ich someon1. else because there is ~omcchrng in chei1 heart telling them Lhat person is the one and only person for lhcm. That's why fools full iu love! Sunday As You Walk a steady path Over snow and ice In church shoes And carrying a bible I am sure That I love You. .......Drew Miller Making a replaceable cardboard box into the one and only pri- · For Each and Every One ofYou FREEDOM? America the beautiful Land of the free Sure is · Just ask Malcom X Or Martin Luther King, Jr. Oh ~ait, you can't, Maybe you should go to Philly And ask Mumia Abu-Jamal What freedom is. Maybe you should go to the strawberry fields in California And ask the migrant worker Who makes fifty dollars a month what freedom and the American dream are all about. G o down to Hollywood Blvd . and ask the junked-up h ooker with HN about her slice of apple pie. Or better yet ask the si.x year old boy growing up in the projects with a crackwhore for a mother and some cockro.lches for he.st friends What good ol' Abe Lincoln smod for. He'll tell you in a second: ...... By Dttmien Min01; Drop Inn Center ...... Azariah Israel You may be bi-polar And shouting To the heavens But I have found My quiet answers With you And they are my reasons .F or walking A steady path Behind you. What is this disease that makes us repeat a cycle that will never end When will we look this D emon in the eyes and say I won't allow you to continue to concrol m e anymore What is it that can help us beautiful people and beautiful things You become beautiful. Woe unto them that see evil as good and good as evil. They will receive their just reward.. I can not Be left behind. What is this demon that is breaking us down What is chis plague that makes us loose hope Why must we allow this thing to win When will we get up and say enough is enough and change If you surround yourself around Freedom? ... .. ...Melissa Samhan Be who you are and will be. Learn to cherish that boisterous angel that drives you up one day and down another protecting the place where your power rises running like hot blood from the same source as your pain. When you are hungry learn to eat whatever sustains you until mourning but do not be misled by details simply because you believe them. Do not let your head deny your hands any memory ofwhat passes thro.ugh them nor your eyes or your heart as everything can be used except what is wasted. Even when they are dangerous, examine the heart of those machines which you hate before you discard them, but do not mourn the lack of their power lest you be condemned to relive them. If you do not learn to hate, you'll never be lonely enough to love easily nor will you always be brave, although it does no t grow any easier and do not pretend to co nvenient beliefs even when they are righteous while you will never be able to defend your ciry while sho uring. Remember our sun isn't the most noreworthy st.u, only the nearest. Respecc whatever pain you bi ing back from your dreams. but do noc look for ne"' gods in rhe sea nor in any pan~ ot :i ratnbow. Each cime you love, love so deeply ~ if it were forever, only noching is eternal but life itself. .......By Ryan Mo Better �STREETVIBES The .Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 INTERFACE Impersonality can be a somewhat distant place from which to see; seemingly unemotional and decidedly detached in search of objectivity, not particularly desirable traits nor resonating in the internal spaces of those much more personal and subjectively inclined to experience themselves as the centers of their own universe. Interfacing as antagonists first, these polarized aspects of the very same whole remain firmly planted in their own ground, desperately clinging to all that has both dignified and defiled the past because the future is unknown, denying th~ relativity of each other truths unto themselves, thus unable to grow. Fighting against cold: cold weat her., cold responses from -the aovernm·eots and cohf looks photo: ShUtl·fohi Oshima Turned To Stone Like an alien carrying a plastic bag of belongings she stood new wave bag lay-hatted silent smoking cigarettes One pursues, the other dodges or runs; one demands, the other caves or won't give in, But neither listens, nor do they hear, resistant to becoming self and other aware, Driven instead to protect the inherent imbalances they embody out of fear; Fear of losing individuality inside of another's reality, Or fear of never even existing without another to mirror their own worth. Thus have gone many cycles of becoming here on earth that will continue to unfold ; the quest for the Holy Grail A bejeweled and golden cup in metaphor only, but essential and symbolic nonetheless of on the corner bus waiting squirrel watching bird feeding a crumb or two in erratic motion feeling uncomfortable with eyes cast down she sat awhile after miles of travelling inside and out Inner Journeys, Outer Manifestations Progressions, Limitations Giving and Receiving Sharing Quantum Leaping Daring Acceptance Humanity WHOLE ........Sarah Gallant rocking, self numbing so tired a laugh here, a snicker there METAMORPHOSIS cold stares, open hostility shame rushed through her body on the corner. CRAZED COCOON ENCUMBERED. EMBRYO SILKEN T HREADS CHOKING CATERPILLAR ASLEEP TOO LONG DREAMING ON IN FORCED EXILE INCUBUS INCARNATE CIRCUMSPECT CYCLES VAGUE INTELLECT PAIN AND ISOLATION QUIET INTROSPECT~ON COMES A DISTANT CALLING HOME BUTT ERFLY AWAY .......Sarah Gallant Sarah Gallant blushing cheeks to burning crimson beating her limited image down, down further down erupting deep volcanos overflowing covering her in a river of lava molding a stony statue gripping a plastic bag of belongings THE SECRET LIFE OF BUBBLES "This satisfies my urgent need for solitude, I thought to myself as I sat quietly on a tree stump deep in the forest. The scents of pine and honeysuckle hung delightfully heavy in the air. Treetops bowed to some invisible entity as the wind whistled past soundi.ng notes I faintly recognized. I watched and listened , mesmerized. So deep was the connection I felt to earth and heaven, both seemed to merge in iridescent hues, swirling spiraling designs that melted with the remnants of long forgotten dreams. All motion ceased and a bridge now stood befo re me with a sign pointing that read 'To The Future'. Millions of bubbles whose origin I could not determine floated around the bridge, then moving out, dancing on the breeze. Extending my arm with open had, a delicately formed sphere came to rest on my pal. It seemed to breathe, then to vibrate, and bursting open, a tiny fairy appeared. "Who are you?" I questioned her, surprised. "I am", she replied, "Does it matter who? Isn't the fact that I am enough for you?" "Well... um" I stammered, at a loss for words. "Follow me" she said with dainty wings drumming the air. And so I followed that captivating creature, so bold and yet so small; that tiny fantasy, or was she, (real or the makings of a broken mind or an overactive imagination?), across the bridge to the other side. What lie beyond the bridge, much rn my dismay, was a vast, vast space filled with unidentifiable shapeshifting forms in spectra grey; nothing at all like the glorious colors and designs I had seen just 1/4 mile behind. "So this is it?", I thought. "interesting no doubt, but so drab, so vague, and certainly not what I had en\fisioned". And that tiny little being who somehow know, said as she handed me a rainbow colors palette and paintbrush with crystal handle: "Paint the day, I bave uncovered the Way, the rest is up to you!" She then quickly withdrew inro a circle of vibrant light, scattering fairy dust before its radi us diminished and disappeared from sight. I was again aware of the tree stump, the honeysuckle, and the pine. "How long · have I been sitting here?" I thought aloud, "It must be way past early afternoon". Feeling sorne·thing in my pocket, I reached inside, pulling out a paintbrush with a finely faceted crystal handle. I held it up in front of me, enchanted as the setti ng sun's rays became refracted beams splayed into exquisite patterns at my feet. The ligh t then consolidated, forming an arrow directing my gaze toward the sky, where I caught a glimpse of a bubble, a delicately formed sphere, floating up .. up ....., and watched with my entire being until it faded from view. .. ......Sarah Gallant �ST REETV I BES Prison The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page B News Justice for W.J.M. Campaign Phone (513) 76 1-5452, 281-2256 We the family and friends ofW illiam Jonathan Mayo encourage you to lend an ear and perhaps even your hearts to this tragic yet true account of an attempt to des~roy this young, aspiring black _ man's life. IN MEMORY of Timothy "Little Rock" Reed. On January 14, 2000, my friend and brother died as a result of injuries sus­ tained in an automobile accident in Albu­ querque, New Mexico. Little Rock was best know for his tireless fight on behalf of his imprisoned native American brothers and sisters. He spoke out on national TV while on parole against the injustices occurring at the Southern Ohio Carree­ tional Facility (SOCF in Lucasville, Ohio during the 11-day Easter uprising by the prisoners, resulting in his having to go underground or having his parole violated and returned to SOCF. Little Rock successfully fought extradition, with Federal Judge Peggy Nelson granting himpoli!ical asylum, saying he was a refugee of injustice by Ohio parole officials and would likely face a death sentence at the hands of Ohio prison-crats if returned to Ohio. Rock was the author of the book "The American Indian In the White Man's Prison: A Story of Genocide", as well as countless articles and interviews he gave, educating the public of the plight of those of us in these cages of repression. One of the greatest joys in Little Rock's life was his 2-year old son Jasper Cole, who survives him with his mother Leanna Brownlee. May you walk in paradise, my brother, watching over us and all your people who you tirelessly fought for. We will meet again one day and that thought helps give me strength. Your Spirit remains, John Perotti William Jonathan Mayo, is a native C incinnatian. He attended Roger Bacon High School, graduating in 1984. Very determined to ·make his life better, he decided to further his education. He first attended Central State University and then transferred ro Morehouse C<?llege in Atlanta, Georgia. He majored in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. William was ve1y proud to have had the opportunity ro attend such a prestigious college. He worked ro put himself through college as a plain-clothes store detective and as a model for magazines in Deuoit and Chicago. ­ While at Morehouse, William had several dreams. The most important to him was being pare of the Mentoring Program. This was a program designed by college students to help less fortunate children and teens get to college and improve their lives. In 1990, while living in Chicago, William met two underprivileged teenage men. Ir was William's belief that he could help make a difference in their lives by becoming their mentor. In November of 1991 , Wi1liam drove the two young men from Chicago to Atlanta for the Morehouse College Homecoming weekend. It was William's hope that (he visic would demonstrate to the young men just what college life was like and co encourage chem to seek a better life than what they were living in Chicago. They arrived in Atlanta on November · 3, 1991, making several stops on campus and around the city. That evening, around 7: 15 ­ 7:30, William made a stop that would forever change his li~e. William stopped to retrieve some clothing and personal items from a friend who had stored them for him until he could pick them up. The two young me n accompanying William decided to remain in the car while W illiam picked up his belongings. During the time William was as his friend's house these young men decided to commit a despicable crime. They burglarized and robbed a home that was two doors away from the house were William was. They terrorized a middle-aged biracial couple fo r what had to seem like hours to them, but in actuality was about 10-20 minutes. They stole small items from the couple and tied them up with telephone cord. They were able to get back to the car just as William was returning with his belongings. William drove away without any knowledge chat anything had taken place; The car was pulled over upon entry onto the interstate by police men with their guns drawn. William and. the two young men were arreste~, taken into custody and charged with burglary, robbery and assault. William was the only one granted bond which enabled him co return home to Cincinnati to await his trial date. On April 3, ~992, after a week-long trial , at which he was represented by a state appointed attorney, William Jonathan Mayo was found guilty of five counts: ONE BURGLARY CHARGE, TWO ARMED ROBBERY CHARGES AND TWO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGES. Earlier in the trial the two young men pied guilty for a lesser sem ence and implicated W illiam as the mastermind behind the crime. W illiam J. Mayo was sentenced co two life sentences for armed robbery, two 20 year sentences for the aggravated assault charges, and 20 years probation for the burglary charge; all to run concurrently with each other. William maintained his innocence then and does so roday. During William's trial letters were submitted from college administrators, employers ~d ministers a(testing to his good character. There were no injuries or deaths and William had no previous police record or contact with authorities. The type of sentence William received is clearly outrageous and a clear sign of racism aimed at a young, educated, black male. This type ofsentence was meant to destroy William's life! New counsel was hired and appeals were filed. In September 1993, in a hearing for an extraordinary motion for a new trial, the two young men came forward of their own accord and admitted that "William had nothing to do with the crime, nor was he aware ofwhat they had done until their arrest; William Mayo is innocent"! Much to everyone's surprise in the courtroom, the same judge in Cobb County, Georgia who had·previously sentenced William, denied his motion for :i. new trial. If William had been granted a new trial based on the testimony of the two young men who had committed the crime, he would have been · relieved of the charges, his conviction would have been overturned, and today W illiam would be a free man. In December 1995, a State Habeas Corpus Evidenriary Hearing was conducted and several witnesses testified again. T he two young men ·testified again under oath in court for a second time. They swore that they lied about William's involvement in the crime that they committed. They made a pu~lic apology to William and his family for the pain and suffering they had caused. In spite ofall the evidence clearing William, the Judge in south Georgia refused to �STREETVIBES release William or even grant him a new trial. William is now thirty-two years old and has been incarcerated in'maximum security · prisons in Georgia for over 7 years. He has been in different prisons and is currently in Phillips State Prison in Buford, Georgia. He has waited patiently for J USTICE to prevail, however the Georgia courts have tried to hide the facts in this case. It was revealed that W illiam's prior four attorneys rendered ineffective representation by their own admission which is documented on transcript. W illiam, his family and supporters h ave finally obtained counsel who realizes the injustices W illiam has suffered and they are presently working very hard to o;erturn his conv1cuon. William's family and friends h ave organized the Justice for WJ.M. Campaign. Mose of the supporters are in Cincinnati bur also in Detroit and Atlanta. We are seeking supporters where ever they may be found. If you believe in justice, YOU are the person we need. William's case bas now been filed in the Northern District Federal Court, Atlanta, Georgia, as of May 22, 1998. H e needs your prayers and support. William wants his tragedy to be heard all over the United States so that no one else has to suffer the injustice he has. As ofJuly 2 1, 1999 the Magistrate C. Christopher Hagy gave his report and recommendation to deny W illiam's Habeas corpus action. As ofAugust 9, 1999, the case sits before the Federal Judge for final review and disposition. Along with the Attorney's reply to the state we were able to fi nally submit documentation that one of the State's key witnesses (William's would be alibi witness) not only testified falsely but also under a false name which the prosecutor knew or should have known at that time. This is only one of many grounds (Constitutional Violations) that Mr. Mayo has brought before the courts over the years. In the Magistrate's R&R report he stated that William had no proof of the above­ mentioned allegation. In August, 1999, through the work of a private investigator we were able to obtain proof ofsuch and h ave submitted it co the Federal Judge along with other grounds that we have had proof of for a long time. William only needs to be successful on one of these grounds in order to get a new trial. It seems that in spite of the truth that has been revealed, the State of Georgia is trying very hard co keep this from happening. If you believe in justice, and are willing co help in any way, please contact: Campaign Chairperson J ustice for WJ.M. Campaign, c/o Ms. Kimberly Todd 1581 Summit Road #53, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 (513) 761-5452 ******************* Mrs. Elaine Patterson (Mother) P.O. Box 29535, Cincinnati, OH 45229 (513) 281-2256 ********************* Please send letters of encouragement to Mr. William J. Mayo, E/F #296129 Phillips State Prison 2989 W Rockquarry Road, Buford, GA30519 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page g MUMIA ABU-JAMAL: A CASE OF INJUSTICE "The law will never make men free; it is men who have got to make the law free." -Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience For those of y ou who are familiar with the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, I hope this article will give you an update on his plight. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his case, I hope this story opens your eyes to the kind of injustices that occur in American courtrooms everyday. Mumia Abu-Jamal joined the Black Panther Party in 1967, at the age of fifteen. He went on to a distinguished career as a journalist. Mumia was the president of the Association of Black Journalists.in Philadelphia. He was also known as the "voice of the voiceless" because of his advocacy for Philadelphi a's black community. Because of his outspokenness on issues of racism and police brutality he earned the wrath of the notoriously racist Mayor Rizzo and the Philadelphia police department. On December 9, 1981 Mumia AbuJamal was driving a taxj at night when he saw that his brother had been stopped by the police. starting February 22nd. In a recent study conducted by Law Professor David Baldus and colleagues at the University of Iowa the facts speak for themselves: -The odds of re~ei v ing the death sentence in Philadelphia are four times higher if the defendant is a person ofcolor. -More than 50% of the death sentences rendered in Pennsylvania are cases from Philadelphia, which comprises only 14% of Pennsylvania's population. -Of the 226 death row inmates in Pennsylvania, 126 are from Philadelphia and 82 % of those are people of color. -More than 90% of Pennsylvania's death row prisoners were too poor to afford a lawyer for their initial trial, and were left with whatever representation the state selected for them. -After sending an indi victual to death row, Pennsylvania provides no funds for post­ conviction legal defense, and instead, has appropriated $5 00 ,000 to the Attorney photo by Berta Lambert Free Mumia Rally in Philadelphia He got out of his car to make sure police were not violating his brother's civil rights. In General 's office to establish an execution the altercation that followed, Philadelphia police resource center to oppose capital appeals. officer Daniel Faulkner was shot and killed. -Governor Ridge has sig ned 132 death warrants in his first term in office. This When the police arrived they arrested Mumia Abu-Jamal , who had also been shot. This is more than four times the number of death resulted in the "trial" that even Amnesty warrants signed by all the previous governors International proclaims as unfair and biased. .of the last three decades combined. MumiaAbu-Jamal went to trial in 1982 -Since beginning his second term in for the murder of officer Faulkner. The trial was 1999, he has already ·signed 61 more death presided over by Judge Albert Sabo. Judge Sabo warrants!* is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police These facts alone should be enough to and was openly hostile to the defense. Sabo convince a person that the judiciary and legal refused to let Abu-Jamal represent himself and system in Pennsylvania has been less than fair prevented Mumia's court appointed attorney and unbiased. (who asked several times to be taken off the A Habeas Corpus petition filed by Abu­ case) from getting the money necessary to J amal 's lawyer's, Leomard Weinglass and Dan investigate and prepare a defense. Judge Sabo Williams, has proof of no les s than 29 has sent more people to death row than any other constitutional violations. Any one of these judge in the United States, most of them B lack violations should be enough to prove that Mumia and Latino. There is a higher portion of Black Abu-Jamal did not receive·afair trial. Six fonner people on death row from Philadelphia than Philadelphia prosecutors even swore in court from any other city. In fact, recent evidence documents that no accused defendant can shows that the death penalty is racially skewed receive a fair trial in Sabo' s court. Every witness in Pennsylvania. It has gotten so bad that the that testified against Abu-Jamal in his initial trial Judiciary Committee. of Pennsylvania's Senate have all come forth and said they were coerced is holding hearings on Senate Bill 952, which calls for a two-year moratorium on executions MUMIA Continued Next Page �STREETVIBES Mumia, The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 Continued from page 9 by the police to say they saw Mumia shoot officer Fau lkner. Ballistics reports that were not brought forth in court prove that the gun found on Mumia, a .38 caliber weapon, was not the gun that killed officer Faulkner.. He was shot with a .44 caliber weapon. Police did not even bother to do a test on Abu-Jamal's weapon to see if it had been fued. Mumia was last scheduled to die on December 2nd, but thankfuily a stay of execution was granted by the Federal District Court. As stated earlier, a Habeas Corpus was filed by his lawyers that proves that the 29 constitutional violations should warrant a new trial. This does not mean that the fight for Mumia's life is won. Far from it! Please get involved, there are several organizations listed below that would appreciate anyone's help in the movement to free Mu mia Abu-Jamal. Also, I would recommend that you read Mumia's books: Live From D eath Row and D eath Blossoms. His attorney, Leonard Weinglass, also has an excellent book out, In Defense ofMumia, th at I highly recommend. It includes court transc1ipts from his original trial. Here is a list of organizations and people you can contact to make a difference: The Honorable William H. Yohn, Jr., c/o Leonard Weinglass, 6 West 20th Street, Suite lOA, New York, NY 10011 Governor Thomas Ridge phone:717-787-2500, fax:717-772-8284 State Senator Vince Fumom · fax:717-783-5210 State Representative Marie Lederer phone:215-426-6604, fax:215-560-3995 U.S. Representative Chakah Fattah fax:2 15-387-5407 Mayor Ed Rendellm fax:215-686-2180 PA Attorney General Mike Fisher phone:7 l7-787-3391, fax:?l 7-772-4526 Refuse and Resist!http://mojo.calyx.net/ -refuse/mumia, 305 Madison Ave Suite 1166 New York, NY 10165, 212-713-5657 Twin Cities Coalition to Defend Mumia Abu-Jamal, 2441 Lyndale Ave , South Minneapoljs, MN 55405612-649-4579, (http://www. l .minn.net/-meis) International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal , http:// www.mumia.org Or stop in the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and chat with me! .~.. ·· Melissa Samhan Reprinted from IMPACT WEEKLY, Dayton Ohio, January 20-26 issue Montgomery County Cashes in on col lect calls from inmates All state corrections facilities have their own phone service provider. And that provider pays the county in which the facility is located a commission, or "kick-back." The provider for Montgomery County is Ameritech, which paid the county $575, 118 in 1998. Rion said the state of Ohio received $16 million in '98 from various phone companies. "When we discovered that Montgomery County received over $500,000 for 1998 in exchange for allowing a phone company to install a phone in the jail, which is a matter of right anyway, we became highly suspicious," Rion said. "We looked deeper into it and found that the phone companies had more than doubled their rates in the last two years." Although the money goes back into the penal system - Sheriff Haines said it's used for operational costs of the jail - Rion contends that how the money is used doesn't make up for how they received it. We have a situation where we have taken a group of people that clearly don't have a choice. We've seized upon that lack of choice and milked it for everything it's worth," said Rion, who added that he doesn't believe the penal system should be fodder for big business. "We think that when all the information comes out the citizens wil be very.disappointed that our government orga nizations were receiving this amount of money form a group of people that, frankly, doesn't have it. " Greg Dunsky of the Montgomery county Prosecutor's office said the county filed for a dismissal on Jan. 4. He declined further comment. ... .... ..ANGELA WATSON GAY Does $2 .50 seem like an excessive amount to pay for a collect call? That's the average cost to accept a call from the Montgomery County Jail, compared to the $1.10 charge to accept a collect call from any. pay phone in Ohio. "It's just not right," said Dayton attorney Jon Paul Rion, who last month filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the family and friends of Ohio inmates; lawyers and bail bondsmen are also plaintiffs in the suit. Defendants include the state of Ohio, Oh io counties and their sheriffs' ..offices in which a corrections institution is located, the phone companies that provide service to these institutions, and the Oh io Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Inmates who want to phone someone - a friend , family member, bondsman or even their attorney - must call collect. They can't use calling cards, long distance services or toll free numbers. "I have an 800 number but the jail blocks out the numbers, forcing them to call collect," bail bondsman Tom Short said. And it's generally the inmates' family or fiends who are stuck paying the bill for collect calls. "A mother can't tell her son who's calling from jail that she can't accept his phone calls, "said Rion. "It goes against her instincts." Ameritech spokesperson Rich Magaini said calls from corrections institutions are subject to- higher rates because "it's a different service; it's specialized and requires special equipment by the corrections agency. It requi res security." He added that Ameritech is simply a "supplier to the corrections facility; the facility decides what to charge. " Montgomery County Sheriff Gary Haines said the county jail's fee is compatible with the standards set by the Public !Jtilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). "It's a PUCO­ approved rate," he said. "The lawsuit is without merit and that's what the courts will find ." ...., . -.~ Anyone interested in participating in this lawsuit, call John Paul Rion at (513) 223­ 9133, or write him at: 1 First National Plaza, Dayton, OH 45401. ~~......,.,.., rat (il\W'a~lfi!W1 tOAl.mqtt fOA rm fl~US PHOTOS BROKiNcrrv ... !. .. ... .. ,. . . BY JIMMY HEATH . Information provided by the Calendars MARK THIS DATE!!! ForSale MARCH 23 Togetyourveryown, send $8 to GCCH ($5forGCCH members), SPEAK-OUT ON TIME LIMITS Thursday, March 23, Noon At the Statehouse (Location TBA) If you are concerned about Ohio's three year time limit for receiving cash assistance, w e need YOU to testify. All legislators wi l be invited to listen to our stories at the Speak­ Out. Call (513) -381-4242 to sign up to speak. t> 20(\or \oi.l ; J\ ' \ · ~ -.,,;;,.;.;~ · 7 A VISUAL TESTIMONY OF THE STRUGGLE IN OVER-THE-RHINE, CINCINNATI 'S INNER CITY 1506 Elm St. Cincinnati 4521 0 orcomedown and pickone up �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Welfare News STOP THE CLOCK CAMPAIGN BEARS FRUIT On February 16, 2000, Rep. Dale Miler of Cleveland introduced HB 578 in the Ohio House. HB 578 extends the Ohio Works First 3-year time limit to receive public assistance (formerlyAFDC) to five consecutive years. The bill calls for a moratorium on time limits if Ohio enters a recession. In addition, the legisfarion makes changes in Ohio's sanction policy by ending a sanction when the recipient complie.." with the work requirement, with a pro-rated check from date ofcompliance. It also restores the adult's portion offood stamp s so ·that no food stamps are cut when a household is sanctioned. Co-sponsors ofthe bill include Rep. Catherine Barrett (Cincinnati), Rep. Roberts, Rep Beatty, Rep. Patton, Rep. Allen, Rep Flannery, Rep. Bender, Rep. Ford, Rep. Krupinski, Rep. Sullivan, Rep. Sani Britton (Cincinnati). Senator C.J. Prentiss ofCleveland plans to introduce similar legislation in the next couple ofweeks. The m?-jority ofstates are allowing poor families the full five consecutive years allowable under the federal government. In addition, some states have chosen to continue providing benefits or vouchers with state funds for families who reach the Federal limit. In contrast, Ohio has chosen to implement one ofthe harsher time li.mit policies in America. Ohio has a three year limit which will end cash assistance for families with children on October 1, 2000. According to the Childreri's Defense Fund-Ohio, 26,000 families are slated to be cut offstarting October l , 2000. Fi.fiy-five thousand children are expected to lose their cash assistance across the state. After being offfor two years, a family may be eligible for another 24 months only if they meet the hardship criteria decided ·by the 88. individual counties. Ohio needs to maintain a safety net to protect the poorest families with children. Because many jobs that recipients are taking are entry­ level, minimum wage jobs, these workers could easily need cash assistance upon job loss or another crisis. No children (or adults) should be deprived ofthe basic essentials oflife: a home, heat in the winter, food, safety from not qaving to sleep on the streets. According to monitoring studies by CatholicSocial Services, National Coalition for the Homeless, and the National Children's Defense Fund, states that have already ended cash assistance report increased homelessness and greater demand Page 11 on soup kitchens and food pantries. Linda Howell-Perrin; a staffmember at Bethany House, a shelter for women and children in Cincinnati, states, "I was able to get a four year degree while I was on public assistance. I was fortunate. This isn't allowed now. Ohio's three year time limit does not allow women time to get a four year degree to be able to get a livable wage job. Single parents won't be able to make it on minimum wage jobs. What is needed is to give these women time to get a good education and learn job skills. You need sufficient time to get adequate job training and/or an adequate education. Welfare reform should be about women getting Livable wage jobs, not sinking further into poverty. J> Lori, who is currently on Ohio ~rks First, shares her story. 'Tm divorced with four children. I was forced to drop out ofcollege and take a minimum wage job to get assistance. My time is quickly running out on Ohio Works First. I will be one ofthe first people to be cut off. My children will be the ones to suffer." The Ohio Empowerment Coalition (OEC), a statewide low-income people's organization, will hold a speak-out on time limits on March 23, Thursday; 5:00 pm at the Statehouse. It will be held in the Ground Floor (central area) ofthe Statehouse. All legislators will be invited to hear testimony from recipients, advocates and others who support HB 578. For transportation to Columbus, or for more information, call the Contact Center at 381-4242. OhioWelfure Policies Questioned January 9, 2000 To: Ohio Legislators: How the Ohio legislature determined that there should be an arbitrary 3-year time limit on OWF recipients receiving benefits within the Federally mandated 5-year time limit and why 3 years, I do not understand. Questions come to mind, such as: Why not 4 years or 2 or 1; why not 42 months or 54 months or 1 month? What is the magic in the number 3 years? Is there a guarantee by Ohio Employment Services and/or a guarantee by the private sector that absolutely all OWF recipients can be moved from welfare to work within 3 years? Can absolutely all OWF recipients be moved from welfare to work within the 3-year time limit in a way resulting in the ex-OWF recipients all actually being better off in terms of income and benefits than previously? Or even as well off? Or wilJ many recipients simply be moved from welfare, but not to work, not to a paycheck, not to benefits of any sort? Or if ro work, then how many to work at the lowest possible pay with no benefits, barely able (or not at all able) to afford childcare; and work having no medical benefits for the worker; and work that pays too low an amount to allow the person to purchase medical insurance? ls this simply setting in motion the first domino of a real ~uman disaster? Maybe even helping to bring on a recession? Or perhaps, considering the magnitude of the task, and the magnitude of the risk, the full 5 years allowed by Federal mandate is a bit more realistic. Just two more thoughts: A large number of churches, soup kitchens, food pantries and other non-profits, since welfare reform, have reported increased numbers of people requiring their help. Isn't this just the first "domino" already pushed by welfare reform and the stated goal "welfare to work"? As the system seems to be working at present, I really must question the stated goal, "welfare to work." I must ask, is the goal more simply just to eradicate welfare, regardless of the long-term human cost, and regardless of the long­ term cost to society? On many fronts that is the present accomplishment. From my personal experience: There exists in Ohio a problem with "d~dbeac dads" working under the ~able to avoid reported in~ome and to avoid child support payments, and this problem is made worse by "deadbeat employers" who employ these "deadbeat dads" knowing that child support is supposed to be withheld from pay but as the employment is under the table the employer avoids the paperwork and bookkeeping and hassles involved in withholding child support. In such cases the employer is as culpable. as the "deadbeat dad". It is rare that either the "deadbeat employers" or "deadbeat dads" are prosecuted, as the existence of under­ the-table employment is hard to prove in court, according to Montgomery County prosecutors. Where the child support not paid affects an OWF recipient, this becomes welfare fraud in reality if not in the letter of the law. Neither at the county level nor at state level is there a task force to deal with the latter problem, although it appears one is sorely needed to aid prosecutors in dealing with this situation, which sometimes is welfare fraud. These are both problems that may eventually haye to be addressed by the legislature in some way. Sincerely, .... Carla Pitsinger �.. ... . ST REE TV I BES -- ~he Tri-State's ----- ---- - - ---- - - ~---~--- ---- Homeless Grapevine HOPE VI PROJECT CONTINUES Cincinnati Metropolian Housing Authority Ignores its Responsibility On February 17, the Lincoln CourULaurel Homes Hope VI Task Force Meeting met at Cincinnati Metropolitan Housin9 Authority's Crosley Commons Auditorium. The purpose of the meeting was to update task force members on the plans for the Lincoln Court/Laurel Homes "community renaissance." Hope VI is a grant program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, aiming to redevelop what it labels as the nation's worst public housing projects. Cincinnati has won two of these grants, for Laurel Homes and Lincoln Cou rt. Both of these communities will be demolished and rebuilt as a mixed-income community. Citing the success of upper-income housing developments in other areas of the West End neighborhood, planners say this project will be of great social and economic benefits to the city, particularly the adjacent downtown area. Many advocates for low-income residents disagree with the glowing praise that this redevelopment project has received. The project may benefit the downtown area, but they wonder what effect the project will have on the current residents of the two communities. In making the two areas mixed-income, over 700 units of low­ income housing will be lost. CMHA has plans to provide for the residents who will be displaced, but advocates say these measures will not work. CMHA proposes the following relocation options: 1. Move temp'Orarily to other on-site housing during construction, move to a newly complet ed apa rtm e nt, or purchase a home on the site. 2. Rent another West End CMHA apartment. 3. Rent a CM HA unit in another neighborhood not in the West End. 4.Receive a Section 8 voucher that would allow one to rent in another neighborhood. 5. Rent in the private market. Donald Troendle, director of CMHA, emphatically asserted that all displaced resident's housing needs would be met. Any resident unable to be placed in other CMHA units would be given a Section 8 voucher that would allow them to rent an apartment in any neighborhood they choose. Homeless advocates say these options will not be enough to absorb the massive displacement that will occur. With over 700 units of low-income housing lost, the advocates believe that there will not be enough housing available. .. .. ' . Even if displaced residents are given Section 8 vouchers, there is no guarantee that landlords will accept them. Homeless shelters are currently housing people who actually have vo uchers but cannot find apartments. Additionally, because Lincoln Court/Laurel Homes residents are bumped to the top of the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers, other low­ income individuals and families will continue to wait for housing. In other words, housing shortages are just being shifted to another group. The Lincoln Court/Laurel Home's ... The poor are being shipped around like they are the property of the city and its public housing authority. .. residents' housing needs may be met, but another group will be left out in the cold . Even if Troendle and CMHA's plan to relocate all displaced public housing residents is successful and all residents find new housing, does this make the plan okay? What message does Hope VI send to the residents of these public-housing communiti~s? CMHA is basically telling the residents that they are worthless. What gives CMHA the right to displace thousands of people, destroying two well-established communities in the process? Can you imagine if 2000 residents of Hyde Park were relocated? It would never happen. The poor are being shipped around like they are the property of the city and its public housing authority. The city, CMHA, HUD, and all involved parties are failing to realize that just because a community is poor doesn't mean it is not a community. With the mass displacement of the 700 units, 2000 people, innumerable community ties, friendships, and family will be split up and scattered across the city. CMHA obviously views these communities as projects, their projects, and not as homes, the homes of people who have the right to remain in them . Last April when tornadoes hit wealthy neighborhoods on the east side of town , the press detailed every aspect of the tragedy. And it was a tragedy- people lost their homes. Why can't Cincinnatians and CMHA see Hope VI in the same light? This time the situation is even worse - thousands of people will be uprooted from their homes and may not be able to find new ones. CMHA is ignoring its responsibility to provide housing for members of the Cincinnati community who need it the most. It is time for them to re-evaluate the Hope VI project. • • • • • Page 12 Street Scopes by Alanna Maloney The Urban Astrologer Pisces Happy Birthday! Triple-check new ventures and party arrangements, or confusion and misunderstandings may result. Universal advice this month is tO focus on finishing existing comm unications projects, rather than scarcing new ones. Be careful of breaking your scuff when you are mad also be wary of impulsive spending. On the other hand you can use this Mars energy co heat up an artistic or financial project. Party with siblings, work on you r car, and maybe even take a trip with your boss, a grandparent, or a m entor. Operatic science fiction, the Internee, and alternative spiritual work can help boost self-esteem and help you adjust in this time of rapid change. Aries The first thing that people notice about you this month is your energy and ambition. Pursue fitness goals especially t0 keep your anger in check. Stay in couch with your desires, and how you plan to have them met or your temper is going co Aare. You may be up for a raise or a gram make sure you are clear with decision makers abouc why you deserve it. Keep school and educational goals on the front burner. You and a m ate may enjoy hanging out with an unusual spi ritual or political group. Your dubs and acquaintance networks would be a good place to find friendship or love this month. Be ready to journal, meditate or see a therapist because things from your past are ready tO surface. This is a yearly pattern and you may want to begin planning around it. y Taurus Its Likely that you will make more money this year, but be careful because its just as likely, you will have more financially obligations. Focus on carefully paying any debt down. You are in a long-term period where out of control debt could become an issue, however you could cake advantage ofopponunities to borrow for important education or travel projects. The same triggers that highlight debt, also highlight taxes. Don't hesitate to get help or educate yourself before doing your taxes. If you do them this month you may need to triple-check them. Face it there are shenanigans and change going on at work. This is the rime where you may discover a sh ocking truth chat will make it clear what action is required. Beware ofgossip and miscommunication coming between you and your groups and goals. Use your intuition and your heart t0 feel your way through anger from the past may surface this month. Beware of headaches. Do yoga or Tai Chi. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevi(Je Gemini If you are in school or dealing with a travel-centered field during rhis period in your life you may be facing nearly constant innovations and reversals. This month use raw artistic charm and self-esteem to make it through. You could find a date or a new buddy in an educational or exotic cultural environment this month. Beware of miscommunication on the job front this month. Buckle down and finish old writing projects. T hii:ik about your goals, and group affiliations. It is important to know and get what you want to avoid unexpected angry outbursts. Visionary and spiritual opportunities are developing throughout the year bur don't let unexpected delays throw you. . Page 13 Self-expressive projects and communication with children need double-checking and reworking ~his month. Beware of anger on the job front, you really need to get in couch with your needs and desires to avoid headaches and stomach upsets. When you have decided what you want feel free co pursue it. Be patient with delays in wedding p lans, romance and partnerships this year. Also watch ou t for overspending but do press your financial luck. You may enjoy quiet evenings with friends or a mate at home this mooch. Even if unusual things continue to happen there. If you aren't publishing or getting paid for your writing or communication skills continue to work on your options. Sagittarius Cancer A friend may give you an opportunity to fix your taxes, or go on an occult study trip. Now could be a good time to make school or travel plans that require vision but this month triple-check any communication in these areas and if you can avoid signing on the dotted line 'til after the 14th: Headaches at work will signal unresolved anger or unmet needs. Be clear with yourself first, then aggressively pursue what you want. Your acquaintance network, groups and goals can bring opportunity this year but be prepared for inexplicable no fault delays. Don't forget that Chinese medicine and alternative treatment like Holism could profoundly change your health during this period. The Sun shines on your home life this month, but be patient in communicating with family and look out for miscommunication especially with your father. Workout, pursue a sport, express yourself Embrace your anger and expect that your needs will be met. Be patient with stops and starts on the job front this year. For every opportunity there may well be an unavoidable delay. Remember that others may be intimidated by your personal and psychic power during this period of your life. You need to learn ways to use and channel so that it doesn't work against you. You may develop romance or friendships from phone calls and short trips or through a sibling. But be methodical and safe for communication in these areas is stalled for you until the 14th. Leo Capricorn If you are feeling methodical go do your taxes. It is a good time to finish Make extra time to communicate clearly with siblings and car _mechanics this month. Beware of anger on the home • • • • • front. Think about your needs so you can meet them. Self-expressive projects and relationships with children are experiencing both expansion and unexpected delays this year. Be patient. You may get a break from the strange changes going on financially. Artistic or creative projects may really be satisfying. You may come upon a windfall or at least have enough money left over to invest in a good cause. · what you started but also a time where your contracts, loans, and taxes have to be triple checked if you aren't already close to finished it may be prudent co wait 'til after Mercury goes direct on the 14th. Think about any unresolved anger about education and travel. Now is a good time to envision how you are going co gee what you want and need in these areas. You really might be athletically motivated all month. Give into it! Conrinue to expect combinations of opportunity and uncontrollable delay on the work front, try to be Zen about ir all. Interesting things are bound to happen to your career in May. Enjoy unusual romantic dates or parties this month! Virgo Double-check all romantic communication this month. Be on the lookout for misunderstandings in partnerships. Things should clear up by the 14th. Think about what you really want and need spiritually and sexually, or your anger may make you do something rash. Expansion and delay play havoc with your educational and travel plans be patient. You may also enjoy love or friendship on the job. You can really look good at work this month in the face of radical changes. Feel good about your role and insist that you are valued. Libra Communication is stalled at work this month. Triple-check and focus on finishing extant intellectual projects. If you fo llow your instincts and give your uber-logjc a rest you can really shine at work. Beware of anger surfacing in partnership this month. You know what your partner needs and have probably taken care of that, but until you address your needs it will be one headache after another. Inheritance, legal issues and taxes are in a weird expansion and contraction cycle- lucky days are followed by delays. Be patient. Don't fo rget to finish writing projects that you've already started. They are important. You really may need a spiritual retreat or romantic getaway this month. Scorpio Aquarius Be clear and double check your work when communicating about fmances this month. You may be able to fund a visionary idea. Rash commun1cat1on or driving can be avoided if yo u remai n aware of your needs, and the causes of your anger. _.Family life and home . . improvement projects are lucky one day and delayed th e next, be patient. You can continue making innovations in your approach especially in the use of technology to show your best face to the world. You could make new friends or a love match while making a new scene this month. Astrological Holidays Sorry everyone! I neglected co warn everyone last month that Valentine's day is an astrologically incorrect holiday! "I forgot the flowers, the jewelry, and the hotel reservations .. ." it happens to all of us on this ill-fated holiday. Since Victorian times this holiday has become increasingly associated with our tenderest feel ings for our romantic mate. What a big mistake! While Aquarius is an excellent month to celebrate our love for our fellow humans on the universal level through things Uke social work, politics and history, it's a lousy time to celebrate our love for any one individual. Unless, you have major planets in Leo (which Aquarius can really kick up a notch) to avoid that "date with the absent minded professor feeling"-your best bet is the "greeting card" holiday Sweetest Day. It falls in Libra the month of partnership and harmonious marriage. You can find Alanna at Sitwell's Coffee House at 404 Ludlow Ave. from 9pm to Midnight on Tuesday nights. Astrology and Tarot are available by appointment at the Occult Shop 471-5200 or by E-mail at psi_chic@hotmail.com. �STRE.ETVIBES The Tri-State'~ Homeless G~apevine ·Page ·14 Words from the Evangelist.... On February 12, 2000 I traveled to Akron, Ohio, the city of my birth. I went for the purpose of tending my Grandmother's headstone, and burning incense to the Lord in memory of her. She would have been 86 years old on Valentine's Day. She was a woman who truly knew what the love of God was, and how to share it. She shared it with me, and it saved my life. No, I am not here to tell you about myself, or my Grandmother. God bless her memory. Yes, I am here to tell you about the love of God, and how its is being shared at the Haven of Rest Ministries and impacting lives for Christ. The experience of trudging through snow and removing frozen leaves from headstone after headstone, until finally I found my Grandmother's, was such an experience! I received memorable images of her and the many ways she shared God's love. The experience was so fulfilling that my next stop, an unplanned one, was Haven of Rest Ministries. This ministry had expanded since my leaving Akron in 1978. I wanted to see how it measured up to the Word of God. I was greeted by Scott Campbell, the Evening Chaplain. I introduced myself; asking Mr. Campbell if a tour of the facilities and an interview were possible . He informed me there were no administrative staff available as it was Saturday, and they normally handled interviews and such; however, he did suggest I return for the evening Chapel Service. Now you must understand how God was totally in control of the following events, because beyond tending to the headsone I had made no definite plans for my visit to Akron. I returned to Haven of Rest around 6:15 p.m., and at first watched men entering at a side entrance. Just as men enter the Chapel door of the City Gospel Mission each evening for a Chapel Service and a meal. Yet when I entered I could see a man at a computer in the corridor, and the men in line being checked in by picture identification. Some were there for the. Word and a meal, and others were there for a bed as well. Upon my return February 13, 2000, I entered the well lit Chapel and did not feel the . sullen silence and despondency which I experienced at City Gospel Mission . There were quiet conversations going on as music played softly. Men and women moved to and fro in greeting. The staff and volunteers seemed to be everywhere with a smile or kind word. I could feel His Presence. I knew I was in His Presence because my spirit soared within, and I felt as the psalmist when he .wrote: "Let us come before His Presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms." (Psa 95:2) After watching in amazement I saw Mr. Campbell coming my way. We greeted one another, and after a little small talk about why I had come, he introduced me to Terry Thigpen . Terry is a 38 year old man from Cleveland,.Ohio who came to Haven of Rest, leaving behind employment at Hopkins Airport, to work on his addiction and relationship with Christ. His quiet reserve at first made him cautious and thereby hesitant to speak to me, a questioning stranger. Then I handed him a copy of STREETVIBES, August 1998. It was opened to the last page where I am the vendor profiled. The Christ who had changed this man began to shine through when he recognized me as a brother who had been through the fire, and by the grace of God had come through to encourage people such as himself. He began to tell me how he progressed to the stage of intern in the resident rehabilitation program , a program which he has been in six months, one month as an intern. Terry describes the Haven of Rest Ministries as "God-sent," for the help they gave him in establishing a relat:ionship with Christ and the daily help they give men, women, and children - 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Terry told me there are 18 men in the program, and despite personality clashes at the fellowship during Bible Studies, basketball 1 err: higpr games and daily work asignments, all display the love of God. He said, "NA and AA Programs are okay, but here at Haven of Rest I have received a sure cure --a personal relationship with Christ. That is how I overcame my addiction." Scripture says that he who has Christ has overcome the world (I John 5:4,5), so why not an addiction? I had gotten all I could from Terry, so I thanked him and he returned to his duties. My· attention was then drawn to the Chapel, for we had been sitting in a large foyer at the back entrance. While talking with Terry, the Chapel service had begun and I had shut out the singing and praise; but I now allowed it to engulf me. The voices of men and women blended as one; and had I not known, I would have thought I was in the congregation of a church in one of our Ohio suburbs. I say this because often the services held for our less fortunate brothers and sisters lack the spirit of praise and rejoicing which I heard on this evening. It was obvious to me that someone had been spreading the love of God, and was impacting lives for Christ. When I arrived Sunday morning I found Mr. Campbell at the client services center, and to my amazement there was +a day room for homeless men and women , a clothing distribution center, laundry facilities, shower rooms and most of all the opportunity to feel the love of God. Mr. Campbell informed me the Day Shelter had been built in 1993, and usually there are 60 to 100 men and women in the day room. They do not have to roam the streets or city parks. They come to the Day Shelter where they can read, watch television, wash clothes, exchange clothes from one of two bags they can store at the center, and just live as people do in their own homes. If an individual wishes to stay for an extended period they can make a contract with the center to save so much of their earnings, and when they leave the full amount is returned to them. In this way the men and women can get ahead. I saw the dorms which could hold 100 men, and 40 extra mats if needed. I saw a clothing room as big as any Goodwill I have been in, and these items were all free. Men, women, and children could come once a month and get 4 items, which are stored in a huge warehouse after being delivered via the donation drive-thru. Mr. Campbell then took me to Haven of Rest Ministries main building which houses its administrative offices, chapel, food service facilities, housing for men enrolled in the resident rehabilitation program, and a computer enhanced learning center. The more I saw the more I marveled at the hand of God, because when Charles Curtis Thomas, Sr. began this ministry in his basement on a budget of $35, only ·God knew his mission; but it is certain Mr. Thomas and many others learned before long that his mission was to impact lives for Christ. Now with 85 paid staff, over 600 volunteers, and total support and revenue for the 1997-1998 fiscal year at $5,022,246, the· Haven of Rest Ministries has come from a very humble beginning to become the largest private social service agency in Akron and the neighboring seven-county area. Help is available without charge to any person, and this is made possible not by any government resources, but individual donors: churches, foundations, and the corporate community. 80% of this revenue goes directly to programs and services. I have read many an organization's statement of purpose, but when I read Haven of Rest's purpose (to serve and glorify God through a Christ centered outreach of love and compassion that responds to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of disadvantaged men, women, and children without regard to their race, color, creed, or social standing), I could feel in my spirit that this purpose had in it the power to impact lives for Christ. Thus, when Mr. Campbell responded that haven of Rest Ministries has a 100% success rate, because each person who comes whether by referral or walk-in is in some way impacted by the gospel of Christ, I could agree with him. I had seen the impact on the homeless at chapel and in the day room. I had talked with men in the program , I had talked with staff, and I had seen services from laundry facilities to a 1a-computer learning center. I also learned that one of our very own; Eugene Cannon, was one of the the first to graduate from Haven of Rest's Career Development Program. I send my congratulations to Eugene, because he was in the New Life Program at City Gospel Mission when I worked there and I always knew he left too early, but by the grace of God he has persevered ...... Returning to Cincinnati. ........ March is here, and the much requested Bible Study is about to begin. If you have not reserved a seat yet, call 210-4181 while there are still vacancies. We shall begin discussing how to release the power within us, so we can all impact lives for Christ. If you are searching for my web page, hang in there; I will be back on line soon. In His Service, RodneyL. Sutton, Sr. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Tales from across the river Life on the River and Life in an Apartment I lived on the River for a short time; I've lived on the streets from time to time; and I didn't tint it much different, except instead of a box or a dumpster, I had a tent which I gave $10.00 for. Life on the River was special; I made some good friends and met some really special people. While on the river, I found I couldn't cook, unless it was over a candle. I didn't have heat to keep warm on those really cold days or nights. It was hard to save money because I got myself candles and an oil lamp for light and heat. I drank pop when it wasn't frozen , and could only eat things that were canned and pre-cooked. After freezing for a few weeks, I decided to put back a little money each day from working in order to get a place to live. Finally I saved enough. Once I moved into my apartmnet, I took a good hot bath. And the pleasures of what a lot of people take for granted started happening to me. It's a good feeling being able to cook a hot meal, to be able to take a hot bath whenever you want. Or just having a warm, dry place to ca ll home. To be able to sit back after a day's work, watch T.V. and take it easy. I plan on keeping this apartment for along time. It's a good feeling to be able to have something and fix it up nice. I've had friends I met at work and other people give me towels, silverware, dishes, coffee cups, coffee makers, sheets, pillows, furniture, etc., the list goes on and on, plus what I find on the streets. Some weeks I don't make enough to pay my rent, so I pawn things to pay my bills; but with the help that God gives me, I always make it right. Also, having a good landlord helps. I now feel better about myself. Now my goal is finding a full time steady job. Pag e 15 Contact Us, Write Us! We welcome input from our readers. Send your letters and editorial comments to: STREETVIBES: 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Email: streetvibes@juno.com Fax: Attention Streetvibes, (513)421-7813 photo by Berta Lambert "Dutch" Rev. Rick Dalton VENDOR PROFILE Earlene Moreland and Grady Cook This is an update on two of our best Streetvibes vendors. Earlene and Grady are celebrating their third anniversary with Streetvibes. They are very dedicated to the paper and have contributed a lot of their time getting the word out about Homelessness. They are always willing to give a helping had to someone that needs it. We have received a lot of very positive comments from our readers about Grady and Earlene. I call them Bonne & Clyde because they are always busy passing the word to the fortunate to help the unfortunate, which are the homeless. Keep up the good work, Grady and Earlene, alias Bonnie and Clyde, the Streetvibes Bandits. Best Wishes, Ron Carter, Vendor C. E.O. photo by L emuel Homeless Coalition visits Ursuline Academy As a new member of the Coalition and also as a new vendor, I would like co elaborate on my first visit co this school. Earlene Moreland and I were chosen to sell papers at Ursuline Academy. Our hose was Todd Forman, and we were made extremely welcome by all. The time was spent very well. We made Valentine Cards for shutOin and elderly persons at rest homes. The atmosphere was extremely heart-warming for me because it b rough t back memories of my days ac Our Lady of Mercy, wh ich I attended years ago; now the building is a Job Corps building. After closing down shop, we were invited co talk wich che senior class about whatever experience we could share. G ina Miller (the Homeless Coalirion's co-director) and Ron Career (vendor CEO), joined us as well. This wcnc well, especiall} tor mo: I got to share .1l>out my t p•riencc of being homeless and my 'iews 011 ho\\ important eduC:.ltion is as I kne\\ things now as a emor Citiz n. Thanks, Todd, for an enjoyable day! girl~! An<l Lunch wa~ gn~ac . Also. thank you, ........ Pat Mitchell �PULSE OF THE OTR NEIGHBORHOOD In early January of this year, I was listening to WCIN radio talk show "1480 Talk" and a person named Otis Childres was speaking about a build ing on Pleasant Street in Over The Rhine that was given a demolition order by the director of Building Inspections for the City of Cincinnati. Mr. Childress wanted to below: Findlay Market Pleasant Street -- this secure his property to plt.i:Jntial /ow-incom develop a business there. ti elfing is now ~ ·*· Building Inspections refused molished to reverse the demolition order. They even offered Mr. Childress a demolition without charge if he couldn't afford to hire his own crew to tear down the building. This he also refused. In later February, the building (see photo below) was leveled, anyway. I believe the city demolished this building to expand Pleasant Street for Findlay Market. There is no longer any low income or Even Tom Jackson, who works for the section 8 Housing on Elder Street in the City ard manages Findlay Market, admitted Market area because of development and that one reason for the demolition was that expansion for Findlay Market. I am afraid that City workers complained that they couldn't further expansion of the Market means further safely widen Pleasant Street with the building loss of low income housing in Over the Rhine. standing. .. .... Sonny Williams NOTES FROM C.O.P.E. ls it possible that the source of socio­ po l i ti cal change is the change in awareness that comes about as humans engage in sincere spiritual practice? Through meditation, done regularly and with pure intentions, an individual can awaken their powers of intuition and insight. This awakening not only brings about a vision of a higher ideal, it also creates a reaction of discontentment with th e present reality. This moment of insight and ensuing discontent is the starting point towards socio-political change. The inner awareness ach ieved creates the catalyst char drives the discontented one into action to bring the ideal into conformity with the inner vision. What action, then, does one rake to bring the ideal into concrete reality?. What do we do-as a people-to express this new state of awareness in economic and political terms? How can the awareness brought about through sincere spiritual practice be translated into institutions designed fo r the betterment of the people? The actual building of working structures designed to provide for the material and spiritual needs of the people in a new way is what our goal is. In ·order to manifest the ideal one must perform acts of mind over matter. One must engage in operations that have distinct principles and laws chat must be followed. Very few seem to be aware of these laws as they retain the name Mysteries. To those who Know there's nothing mysterious about making the .' ideal real. Some would call this the Process ofManifestation. When a group of aware individuals collaborate one-pointedly, nothing can stand in the way of the attainment of the group ideal. First of all it is important to be aware th at: Anything that is conceivable is achievable! Secondly, one must be willing to follow through from the conception of the vision to completion of the manifesting form . Thirdly, one must be willi~g to maintain the form as long as needed to fulfill its purpose of manifestation. Lastly, once its meaning fa no longer useful, one must be willing to abandon the form to build a better and more useful one. It is a co ntinuous process of growth and developmen t. T he discipline needed for this process of manifestation is not for the weak­ hearted. Only through strict discipline will we as a people change the conditions we live in and build a new, living society in contrast to the old, dying one which is rife with racism, sexism a~d exclusionism. As for those labled unemployable, unwanted or unhelpable by the "powers that be", we must be ready and able to provide alternative ways and means for .our collective empowerment. Before beginning on this quest of creating the Ideal Reality one must ask at least a few questions: 1. What is really important in this current state of physical beingness? 2 . Who am 1? 3. Who do 1 chink I am? 4. Am I all that I ought to be? 5. What type of relationships will we actively maintain while creating the Ideal Reality? The answers to these questions provide the psychological perspective ~ecessary for engaging in the process of creating the Ideal Reality. Another aspect in this process is to vitalize your spiritual and mental functions while channeling your emotions positively. We must understand that we · own our actions and our responses to stimuli. In other words, as Funkadelic says, "If you don't like the effect, don't produce the cause!". Ultimately we need to determine what kind of person we want to be and bridge the gap between private and public life while moving towards total integration of our selfhood. Ask yourself which of these .3 people you want to be: A person that makes things happen; a person that lets things happe.µ; or a person that wonders what's happening? Remember that the greatest conspiracy is the action ofdoing nothing! In the end (or beginning) we all must answer to each other because we become one with that Spiritual Power chat permeates the Universe when we come together-as a people-co improve our condition and positively express ourselves in whatever manner we choose. ..... Community OfPracticing Eclectics (C. 0.P.E.) �. STRIETVIBES . ~. ~· . . ; The Tri-State's Homeless. .G rapevine .,. . . . : News from the mother ship Honieless Prevail in Federal Court and CLEVELAND: Stop Sidewalk Sweeps Three homeless individuals and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless settled with the City of Cleveland to stop the sweeps of homeless people from the sidewalks. This_ means that City officials can not use disorderly conduct statutes against hom eless peo pl e who are sleeping, eatin g, ·walking or sitting on the sidewalk. Th ree individuals cam e forward to assure that others would no t be threatened with a rres t for being homeless. Cornell Carter, Law Director for the City of C leveland said in a December 23, 1999 press co nference, "It is clear t hat the city's en force m ent effort is not o nly legal it is humanitarian." -The three individuals and rhe many other affidavits that the Coalition for the Homeless took show a more inhumane treatment of people who look transient. O ne in dividual was p·ut in custody for accepting food on the sidewalk. Another was told by police that he co uld not be walking on the sidewalk after 9 p .m. and had to get into shel ter. One individual, Ro nald Russell, was cold ro move along 12 times as he greeted people in the morning at rhe welfare building with a friendly "good morning." The police officer told him chat he was no longer wekome in the area. Another individual, Jaso n Maiden, was told he had to keep moving or he would be arrested. The su it brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Coalition fo r t he Homeless is aimed at stopping the threat of arrest by City officials for the crime of using rhe sidewalk wh ile homeless. The City of Cleveland agreed to a court supervised consent decree to prevent the case from going to trial in federal court. The Mayor claimed that they are just enforcin g ex isting laws and atte mpting to help homeless people in a press conference at First Church. A federal judge had extended a temporary restraining order through the trial date, which exempted the D owntown area. The conse nt decree does not include any exempted areas or limit the protectio ns to only homeless peo pl e downtown. Affidavi ts from experts in the communiry show a lack' of adequate housing in this Cicy and a lack of an adequate safety . ' . ' . Page 17 net. Jim Schlect, outreach worker of Care Alliance, said in his affidavit that h e was concerned about people being push ed off of the public sidewalks and disappearing. It is dangerous for a person with a chronic heal th problem to be out of more pub lic areas . If an emergency happens and no one is around to call for an em ergency vehicle an individual may die under a bridge. The other concern is that homeless people who sleep off of t he public areas will be targeted as has happened in Toledo. Six older homeless people were killed over the last four months who stay under bridges. The Mayor had rejec ted a similar secclement offer by the ACLU in December. The America n Civil Liberties Union was scheduled to begin depositions of police and city officials 24 hours befo re the consent decree was announced. Plaintiffs expected t he police to verify all of the facts put forward by the ACLU in the lawsuit. It was anticipated that the police would confirm that the genesis of the policy was in City Hall, and that it was a stretch co tie the policy to existing laws in the C ity Code. The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the H omeless and the NAACP of Cleveland brought in Rev. Al Sharpton of New York into Cleveland for a celebration of the victory over the. City of Cleveland. On February 10, at the C leve land Free Stamp nex t co C ity Hall homeless people gathered to highlight the victory in federal court, and announce that they will continue to monitor the situation . • • • Over-the Rhine Landmarks Defaced ..... photos by Berta Lambert Bushes that used to provide green in Washing­ ton Park, were not-so-mysteriously removed in February by the Cincinnati Park Board The Denuded Landscape of Washington Park, another testimony to the City's igno­ rance of the principal of local~ontrol (Community self-determination) CORNER OF 13th and VINE: Unknown Vandals have left these 1O ­ year-old murals without a face. Let us hope that the Cincinnati School board's newest inner city centralization plan doesn 't do the same thing to the children of Over-the-Rhine. Above and Right : AFTER Left: BEFORE Murals painted at the corner of 13th and Vine graced this otherwise drab facade for 10 years �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine ·····stoLEXl nvts:··~ ·~~~· ~·~ti~~~ii~ ·cii~i;i·b~i~ci ·b~·~k: ··~~~t~i·~~· th~ ··· stories of_several Cincinnati victims, including Michael Carpenter, who was killed by two district 5 police officers. To obtain copies, send in the order form below. . . . .. ............................................................................ . STOLEN lf\/ES, 2nd edi_tion Order Form : Stolen Lives is a joint project of the October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, · the National Lawyers Guild, and the Anthony Baez Foundation. u\ o~· Number of Books Cost per Book Sub-total $15 for I-9 books $7 for 10 or more (# of books) X (cost per book) Shipping & Total Hand.ling <QO ·o~ . . ,. e~ 6.,,... '!> ~ 6e 1J.r:,e '1,.~ ~" G "~ 1-" #of books Special Std. Mail .. 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 Amtrak $2 $3 $4 $5 $32 $45 $59 $72 $86 $99 $117 $144 $171 $198 $230 $257 $284 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-9 1.0 Priority Mail $9 $12 $15 $18 $21 $24 $30 $36 $42 $48 $57 $63 $69 . : : . : .: Type of Shipping (check one): D Special Standard Mail (U.S. only) • Can take up to 2 weeks) 0 $35 $35 $35 $45 $45 $45 $45 $52 $60 $68 $77 $85 Ship to: _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ -Phone number: Priority Mail (2-3 days) (U.S. only) : D Amtrak (call us first) (U.S. only) 0 International (Surface Mail) for • ALL destinations outside the U.S. : $2 per · book for any size order Make check of money order payable to "IFCO/Oct. 22 Coalition." Write "Stolen Lives" and the number of books ordered in the memo line. Additional tax-deductible contributions are always welcome. • · Mail to: October 22 Coalition PO Box 2627 New York, NY 10009 Any questions? Call us at 212-477-8062 fax: 212-477-8015 In Ohio, Call the local chapter ofthe October 22 Coalition at: 513-241-8014 ..... . ....... ................ ...... . .. ... .. ... . . ....... ...... .. . . ... . . . .. .. ..... . . Streetvibes VENDORS' NEWS The Latest Vendors Meeting - Friday, Feb. 18, was a great success, thanks to a lot of input from vendors. Stay tuned forthe next meeting -- Friday, March 10. Don't miss the opportunity to sign up to work one of the sites where vendors are specifically invited to sell papers - Bellarmine Chapel at Xavier University, Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash , First Unitarian Church on Reading in Avondale, Xavier University, or the University of Cincinnati. We have a new free-paper incentive system , due to the tightening of finances and the goal of the paper to break even. Starting in March, There will be no weekly bonuses, only a monthly bonus of 50 papers if you sell more than 300. You can still get free papers for submitting stories, poetry, art work, or photography that is used in Streetvibes, the number subjectively dependent upon how much the editor needs your stuff at the moment. (usually from 10 to 50 papers [more for front page story w/photos]) Free pape~s also given for tips leading to stories. If you want to take photos for Streetvibes, you can obtain the use of a disposable camera at the Homeless Coalition office. We presently have three computers dedicated to Streetvibes production, so there is space available for typing stories. Good Luck, and thanks for making Streetvibes the success tha~ it is! - '" '1 ··-'"'· . .............. ........ ---­ Page 1a �"~.- :-·_ STREETVliES . , . : . The~~;1r1-.~~~-te's·.· .. Hof.nefiJ~s~.:-'!J(C!Pfi~fri~ - ~·- ~ .·:,._·:-.~~ge, :·- 7~. ·:. - . .[.. ........ ' , ... l .• -.," . • - ·' ' " . '- .i •• ~ • • Streetvibes'TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas _ for future shows, call us at 421-7803 Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Education: Bachelor's Degree preferred. Experience: Organizing skills, experience with homeless people or desire to work with fragile populations, administrative experience, fund-raising experience, leadership qualities. A strong desire to work on constructing a project to protect the rights of homeless people. Skills: Basic computer skills in word processing and/or data processing helpful, and communication skills are important. Working Hours: 40 hours/week. No more than one weekend per month; no more than two evenings per week. Project ends one year after start date. Second year possible. Compensation: About $728 per month with Medical insurance. and $4,700 education award or smaller cash stipend, after a year of ser­ vice in VISTA. STREETVIBES Classified Execut ive Director position avail­ able at the Greater.Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Send resume and cover to Mary Burke, GCCH Co-Chair, 220 E. Clifton Ave., Cincinnati 45210, (51 3) 369-0004 Wanted , Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421 -7803 for more information Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to : GCCH, 1506 Elm Street ,Ci ncinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813, or e-mai l t o streetvibes@juno.com Rapid Exit assists families and individuals in moving rapidly from homelessness to permanent housing for more information contact The Greater Cincinnati Coalition For The Homeless: 421 -7803 To apply: Contact Susan Knight at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (421-7803) , or NEOCH 2012 West 25th ST. #717 Cleveland, Ohio 441 13, FAX 241-1047 For further information or to obtain an application, call 241-1104 S1Jl£EMBIS and ask for Prisoners News Melissa Samhan contains the writings ofpersons incarcerated in ournation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $12 for a year's subscription ANOT H ER CLASS PRODUCTION Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesacp@tbol .net Crop Circles ... . ... -·· - . . .(5}~)}~~:~-~.?.~ . . .•.•.·-·.·. (See Front Page article, January Streetvibes) Gina Miller, former Rapid Exit housing specialist at the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless, has decided not to accept this GCCH Cincinnati-based position, So ---It's still available! Qualifications: Homeless Coalition's live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Wh itehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Streetvibes accepts Classi­ fietl Ads for items such as Help Homeless Civil Rights VISTA position still open Sendyour comments and quest ions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 750 6 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 70 _ �ST REETV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES . . TV Schedule · - Ir • - • Check us out, We 're on TV! The Streetvibes TV Show is producea at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati Community Video), 2114Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would lik~ to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. StreetvibesVendor code Volunteers Needed! Each vendor has to sign the followtng code to beable to sell thepapei: Streetvibes is looking for volunteer writers, reporters, photographers, etc. interested in serving on t he Streetvibes Editorial Board. For more information, please call the office at 1. Sireetvi.beswillbedistributedfora$1 VOIW1tary denatlon. I agree not to askfor donations more than $1. I also understand that! will be able to keep 80cents ofeach dollar collected. Future tssues ofSbretvlbes will be purcllasedfium the Homeless Coalition for20 cents. 2. ragree thatI will never distribute Sireetvibes while tmder fue influence of drugs oralcohol 3. I agree thatI will notaskfordonatlons after 12 ~ 4. I agree to treat others with respect I will not use abusive language orforce.som eone to f!jve a donation I will notf!jvea "hard sell" ormakesomeonefeel threat­ en:rl Broadcast Dates for February's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Saturday, March 41h, at 5 PM Tuesday, March 14th, at 1 O PM Saturday, March 18th, at 5. PM Tuesday, March 28, at 10 AM Thursday. April 6, at 10 AM 5. I agree that! will notsupply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distrtbutors. 6. I agree notto deceive the public bysayingthatI amcollecttngforanot-for-profttcbarityorthatiam collecting for the "homeless~ in general. I willbe honest in statingthat all the profits from the sale ofStreetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. Iagreethatlwillnotcontesttenitorteswtth · otherdi.strtbutors. 8. I understand thatStreetvibes strtves to be aSelf­ supportingpaper created bypeoplewhoarehomeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and wrtte stories ifpossible. . 9. Iunderstandthatfailuretocomplywithanyof the above statements will result inmenolonger being able todi.stiibuteStreebibes. Page 20 421-7803 .I Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call ... O Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and sugar, etc.) Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory, 0 Photography Help of all sorts for Streetvibes- photographers, film, developm , 1~n:Ugitalcam e ra ?) -----:.... 0 Streetvibes has a minimal overhead costs so that the vendors can keep­ as much of the proceeds as possible. If any on e selling Streetv ibes c laims to b e collecting for a private c hari ty, please c all o ur office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. el orWa If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for tne Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 431-8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veteran s) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America SHELTER: Both Caracole {AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471-1100 Advertisers and Subscribers ~ 0 Computers/components (monitors, hard drives, etc.) for story-writing, editing, research, and f uY,.re home­ less co ter-.lab--__,_­ If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com to Help? Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Wom en 0 .0 .A.A .T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES 721-4580 632-7149 241 -0504 369-0004 381 ~ 1171 639-7056 961-4555 241-7343 961-4663 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621 -7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721 -4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center Women Helping Women 621-6364 621-5514 721-7660 721-7900 572-6226 491-3335 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness 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 2020 Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Census Set for March: Three-day effort will attempt to count the homeless in Cincy Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 3: Homelessness in America: Why Are the Numbers Increasing? Pg 4: Presidential Election 2000: Where’s the Democracy? Pg 5: International News Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 8: Prison News Pg 9: Prison News Continued: Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case of Injustice Pg 10: Prison News Continued: Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case of Injustice The Broken City Pg 11: Welfare News Pg 12: Hope Vi Project Continues Street Scopes Pg 13: Street Scopes Continued Pg 14: Words from the Evangelist Pg 15: Tales from the Across the River Pg 16: Notes from C.O.P.E. Pg 17: News from the Mother Ship: Cleveland: Homeless Prevail in Federal Court and Stop Sidewalk Sweeps Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gina Miller Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter Warren Perkins Melissa Samhan Donald Whitehead Drew Miller John Halpin Tom Billman Lynn Williams Tyrone Smith Melissa Samhan Ryan Mo Better Azariah Israel Alanna Maloney Dutch Dalton Sarah Gallant Jess Ballew Rodney Sutton Lashanda Damien Minor Aaron Pitchford Carla Pitsinger Sonny Williams Berta Lambert Lemuel Isreal Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford Alanna Maloney Arts & Poetry Astrology Azariah Israel Berta Lambert Carla Pitsinger Census Cleveland Damien Minor Democracy Donald Whitehead Drew Miller Dutch Dalton Editorials & Letters Evangelists Federal Courts Injustice Inmates International news Iraq Jess Ballew John Halpin Landmarks Lashanda Lemuel Isreal Lynn Williams Melissa Samhan Over-the-Rhine Presidential Election prisoners news protest Rodney Sutton Ryan Mo Better Sarah Gallant Sonny Williams the broken city The Traveler Tom Billman Tyrone Smith welfare news William J. Mayo https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/93de0427804edd6759a2b23eae5d8da0.pdf 0fcb70a83e4212e423715996cf3217dd PDF Text Text The World Bank? The IMF?What's All the Fass About? Local Advocates Travel to Washington to Protest the Harmful Policies of Global Institutions ...By Susan Knight It is the biggest mass movement the United States has seen in a long time. Interestingly, however, the average "joe public" could not even begin to tell you what these enormous protests are all about. Some would even argue, your average "joe protestor'' could not even begin to tell you what these enormous protests are all about. The issue is com­ plicated, but a sincere commitment has been demonstrated on the part of the protestors. Non-violent tactics and teach­ ings dominate the demonstrations, despite isolated incidents of violence, most spe­ cifically in Seattle. (Seattle's police de­ partment has taken some responsrbility for this and the chief of police has in fact resigned over his handling of the demon­ strations.) Adding to the confusion is the presence of a wide diversity of issues. Protest posters range from "Save the Turtles" to "Stop Sweatshops" to "Gentrification Needs to End;, to "Free Peaceful demonstrators face-off with police Police barricaded many streets throughout the two days of protests. Abu-Mumia Jamal." So what is the connection? What is uniting all of these people in opposition to such giant global institutions? Beyond the accusations that the protests lack diversity, do not have a coherent media message and no leader­ ship to speak of, the issue is that too much power has been consolidated in the World Trade Organiza­ tion (WTO), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Time has shown that as a result of these organiza­ tions' agendas, people are suffering and dying, the environment is being deci­ mated, and global corpo­ rate power continues to go unchecked. The World Bank and the International Mon­ etary Fund The World Bank and the IMF emerged in 1944 in the aftermath of World War II. The United States, as the only industrialized coun­ try left standing at the end of the war, began the daunting task of . rebuilding its consumer base in Europe. There was obvious economic interest in seeing Europe recover from the war's devastation, as Europe was the biggest overseas market the US had. The Marshall Plan was developed to funnel millions of dollars to the region. Most of this money was in the form of gifts and investment. In an effort to oversee these millions and to stablize currencies, a conference was called in Bretton Woods, New Jersey, and with the United States at the forefront, the World Bank and IMF were established with Europe eagerly signing on. The World Bank and the IMF's inter­ ests began to expand as World War II became history and Western Europe once again became viable and self-sustaining. World Bank and IMF founders believed if they could stablize currencies and suc­ cessfully oversee European development, why could not the same formu la work for underdeveloped nations? Moreover, considering the volatile global political WORLD BANK -- continued on page 3 Homeless Advocates Believe the Homeless Census Numbers will be inaccurate The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless expresses concern that the census results will grossly under­ represent the the existing homeless population. Here are the concerns outlined by the National Coalition: A. Shelter residents are not counted in the same way or on the same dates as the general population. B. Family members who are homeless -parents and each of their child ren -- will be given an Individual Census Report (ICR) form to complete, instead of all being counted together as a family, as housed families are. C. Individuals enumerated at soup kitchens, mobile food vans and outdoor locations may not be allowed to complete their own Census forms and individuals wi ll most likely not stand in line to have their census form completed. D. The homeless count is a one-time shot; Households will have 7 opportunities to be counted. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is also concerned that only those individuals wiling to complete the form will be counted. Individuals who are not able, or not willing, to ask for help will ·not be counted. For example, the official Drop Inn center count was 140 men and women. However, on the 27th, the night of the count, the Drop Inn Center men's dorm was at capacity. The men's dorm sleeps 200. Bill Woods works with Air Inc., and contracts with the Homeless Coalition to do a 2000 assessment of the Cincinnati homeless population. He commented on HOMELESS CENSUS, continued on page 3 I Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I �ST REE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's. Homel~ss Grapevine . ·. Page 2 Do.n ald Whitehead Elected Chairperson of Nation~l Coalition for the Homeless Former director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless ponders his own journey and discussesthe continuing problem ofracism in A merica. Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about homelessness, social j ustice, and poverty-related issues. It is published once a month, 12 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to ge~ back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes ver.idor badge. ~ THE T-RAVELER I once again find myself in my favorjte. writing position. Here I sit strapped in a seat cruising at 30,000 feet. There's something about the serenity one experiences looking down on the clouds. Even the occasional turbulence that most travelers become·used to is not a detenent to the experience of tranquillity that can only happen at 30,000 feet. I ani a little tired on this flight. I generally don't fly late night or early morning flights, but on this trip I did both. I am returning from a board meeting for the National Coalition for the This board meeting has been an Homeless. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition extremely impo1tantone for homeless individuals. for .the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to I was elected Board Chain.nan for the National ending homelessness in Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I have served on through coordinating services, educating many different boards, especially in the lastfive the public and grassroots organizing. years. The significance ofthis position is that it makes a statement about change. My path lo this position was not a walk through a rose garden; it Staff ~as filled with many wrong turns and unfulfilled Susan Knight, Administrative Coordinator opportunities. My sto1y is no different from most Tom Billman, Streetvibes Editor recoverma0 addicts. It's not the details that make John Halpin Assistant Editor . Jess Ballew Editorial Intern my story significant but the symbolism. It says ·Ron Carter, · ' • • Vet~dpr Support . _ . loud and cle<).r that people can change·and that · ·warren Perki~s. ·· Tenam Organizing' · ~PatMfcliell'· ·· ·" · · · Votunt~e ~eceptionrst ··· · neitherhomeless~ess nor addictipnis a.permanent roadblock in people's lives; people can and will Mary A. Gaffney Receptionrst recover with a little intervention from someone that cares. There are so many wonderful Writers examples of people who have succeeded in spite Donald Whitehead Charles Mattingly ofroadblocks. John Halpin Jess Ballew Tom Billman Sonny Williams Originally, in this column, I ':Vanted to talk Rodney Sutton Marsha Ramsey aboutthe resurgence ofracism in America. I find ~ Tina Maser Pat Mitchell it amazing howmany people-shut down or walk Anthony Watkins Susan Knight away once questions ofracism su1face. I think William J. Mayo Mecello Barrar it's hard for most to understand the1'a:in Alanna Maloney Gordon Maham experienced by young African Americans on a · reguJar basis. I used to travel .in a sweatsuit ·because I felt extremely comfortable.in my Graphics sweats. I got so tired of'\\!ho do you play for" or· Photographs by Rodney Sutton, Susan "are you a.singer'' questions on·planes that! · Knight, and more .... stopped. These questions may be more abouf. ignorancy than racism, but the feelings of discomfort accompanied by those questiGos are just as painful, reg.ardless of their cause. Life as Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories_. essays, original graph­ an African American is an almost constant· ics, photos. ... We will print everythi n·g reminder that you .c an' t be trusted. There's we have room for, givi11g preference to nothing more .uncomfortable thanreing constantly . those who are homeless or vendors. follo~~9.at t9-e ~ep~t:?Qt s.tor~ by .an~mpJ9yey'. _ t ! hsking; ·~~1ill~~lR y~u wftl;l~~JAe,tlpnJ§?f'jgnp~gr 1 j : : F>1eaM 's~rld all'materiaffcf hu of the other customers who are notAfrlean the following address:· American. Streetvibes Racism has a huge effect on c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition homelessness in America. Unfair lending for the Homeless practices by financial institutions and 1506 Elm Street widespread and blatant discrimination by Cincinnati, OH 4521 0 renters not wanting "those people in their r , ..... ' J ... I ...(513) 421-78.03­ fax (513) 421-7813; ..• ,' r·. e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com (text­ only) or homecoal@primax.net ( attached files) web page: http://cinci.com/gcch Donald at a conference in Portland, Oregon property" are common. Groups like'Hou~iug Opportunities Made Equal are only able to investigate a fraction of the hou ing discrimination that occurs in America. Developing trend_s i.n-Welfare Reform show a definite pattem of d1scrim111ation in the workplace, also. It is extremely important that we have the courage to call u as it is. In.discussionS·about homelessne8s,'we often minimize the role that racism plays-. There is belief by advocates·m America that the i:eason that Government or the general public does not adequately address· homelessness is because it is a "Black Problem." Even some national advocaey groups that represent African Ainericans treat homelessness as an embarrassmenfrather than the serious problem it has·become·. Whilesome Afiican­ American religious leaders are quick to denounce inequality in the·workforce, entertainment industry, and in law enforcement, seldom do they speak on matters involving housing and employme.nt inequities. Some ofthe oiggesf victories in the Civil Rights movement have tieen cleverly negated through ooncentration and disinvestment •If racism continues to be disconnected from the problem of homelessness~wemay never see·an . ( end t0 th'e1growing:nl1rtlbets: <bfl Afticaiv Americans notrealizing·fue American Dream. If Afriean'­ Americans oontinue to·view homelessness as simply a moral issue and ignore the economic and social contribution brought on by racism, the problem ofhomelessness will, as Julian Bond stated, become more embarrassing to America than racism. .........Donald 'W hitehead a Streetv~bes. exists as a forum for the expression of the vi~ws and opinions of oµi;_ readers and suppo.(t~rs. : The OQinions ~xpre$sed.he~ein. are not .• · necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff o~ :fhe~ Greater Gincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. . · · . · . . • I c' �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine products, such as coffee. As a result, exports go up, GNP ·goes up, but more people starve be­ cause there is less food, and the food that is available is more expensive because it is now imported. Also, many Third World class structures have consolidated the land into a few selectfamilies. Consequently, the money brought in by increased exp0rts more often stays with a select few land holders, and the peasants are left with very little (trickle down economics works about as well in the Homeless man Joins Protesters in D.C. Third World as it did in the United States). WORLD BANK, (Continuedfrompage 1) Environmentally, Brazil is an excellent case i~ point. Because the United States con­ environment, it was in the United States' sumes so much beef, Brazil has converted best interest to stablize "Third World" many of its resources into ·meat produc­ economies because a stable economy tion. In order to provide the necessary would be less suceptable to a "communist grazing land, rain forest is being cut down. takeover." The World Bank and the IMF Or, in the case of Central America, when could take a leadership role in "spreading Hurricane Mitch hit, a mudslide swept over democracy and freedom" throughout the. an entire village, killing 2000. This Third World. This is not what happened. mudslide could have been minimized, if not Instead, the United States chose to put completely stopped, had the mountain not stipulations on the money going to the been clear cut. There were no trees to underdeveloped world and Structural stop the mud. Adjustment came into existance. Struc­ Tearing down protective barriers to tural Adjustment is the reorganization of encourage investment has equally the existing political system in effort to detrimentle results . Investment provides provide a nation with the capital to repay jobs and develops infrastructure for corpo­ its loans. Structural Adjustment involves rations that need roads and bridges to slashing social programs, converting the transport their goods. Many also believe economy to exports, dismantling any or all open borders are essential for capitalism protective barriers in an effort to encour­ to succeed globally. Unfortunately, capital­ age investment and to ultimately increase ism relies on exploiting your comparitive the Gross Nation?I Product (GNP). From advantage. Ad midst these giant, techno­ an economic standpoint it seems as if logically advanced corporations, the Third structural adjustment is essentially a long­ World's comparitive advantage is cheap term investment. Painful in the present, labor and lax environmental regulations. structural adjustment will ultimately result To rise above sweatshops and environ­ in the positive economic growth of a na­ mental degradation would mean these tion. countries were no longer exploiting their Unfortunately, time has shown that this is not the case, and that the economic comparitive advantage. Under the current system of rule it is unlikely an underdevel­ and environmental ramifications of such oped country could ever get out from policies are horrific. It is also important to under the controlling hand of global corpo­ note that because the Marshall Plan lay rations. Currently, the Gap Clothier's the groundwork for Europe to initially CEO can make 40 million dollars a year, comply with the wishes of the U.S. on and pay his workers on a small island of issues surrounding the World Bank and the coast of Taiwan 13 cents an hour (he IMF, now any indebted Third World nation makes $4566.00 an hour, 24 hours a day). not accepting loans from the World Bank All of this is happening while social and JMF is denied any outside governmen­ programs,. already limited, are being cut tal aid a~d is considered a credit/invest­ completely from budgets. Additionally, ment risk. although the GNP is increasing, the vast Strueturial· Adjustment~. (,: , . 1. j • • : • • mafdrity of COLiritries are AOW~ere fieaF ~ 1 ' ' •i 1 , Whe(l;a n:atiora ~)foep!s a IQan foom ~ hitting the actual oalance of tHeir'debt. the World Bank, it-qr:e .also accepting the They are simply paying off interest, as World Bank's "expertise." The World · more interest accrues. In other words, the Bank's specialists come from a limited World Bank will be setting policy for these philosophy of economic thought -- 85% of all the top level and policy making positions countries for generations. at the. World Ba.nk and IMF come from one What do the protestors want? Many are asking for the complete of fou r colleges: .Oxfqrd, Harvard, Yal~ forgiveness of Third World debt. The and Princeton. These specialists work with the government to establish a means _movement is demanding that the World Bank, the IMF, and the WTO reevaluate (as mentioned above) for paying off their ~ debt. · their priorities. Much of the debt accrued by these countries is questionable and When converting a Third World needs to be evaluated. For example, economy to exports, ·a few problems arise. Nicaragua ?Ccrued the vast majority of its Self-sustaining crops, such as beans an.d. rice are converted to more foreign friendly . - - - .. .. .. Page 3 debt in the 80's fighting a war waged against them by the United States (the Iran Contra affair in which the U.S. illegally sold arms to Iran and took that money to pay mercenary soldiers in Honduras to wage a 10 year war in Nicaragua). The Interna­ tional Court.of Justice, a United Nations appointed court found the United States guilty of waging a war that violated interna­ tional law and ordered the US to pay reparations. The US has never paid repa­ rations. The United States has also finan­ cially backed many genocidal dictators who have laundered/squandered much of their country's money while bowing to US corporate interests. A US backed regime is much more difficult to overcome and replace with a legitimate democratic gov­ ernment. The movement demands a reevalu­ ation of the system of unchecked corpo­ rate rule. Consolidated power of a select few has injured the labor movement within the US, has made it more difficult toques­ tion potentially illegimate governmental policies within the US and outside the US (as often times politicians bow to special interests), has made it more difficult to protect natural resources , demand living wages, or anything that may challenge the vast wealth possessed by a small number of people in this country. The movement does not acc~pt the World Bank, the IMF, and the World Trade Organization as legitimate policy: People, animals, and ~ultures are dying and there· is no relief in sight. Yes, there are prob­ lems with the protests and the movement itself. Some of the criticisms are war­ ranted. But the issue is legitmate and the commitment to non-violence is real. The protesters are working towards a better world, one in which a// can partieipate. Next month: Understanding the World Trade Organization. + + + .. ~ HOMELESS CENSUS, from page 1 .....how the 2000 survey differed from the Census count: "A Q~e:d~Y :GOljlCl! j~ fl S~pp~hot. It leaves no room for error. We are evaluating the shelters' records and doing two point-in-time counts. This won't be completely accurate; however, we believe we will come much closer to the actual numbers of homeless in the Cincinnati area. We are also evaluating the qualitative factors associated with homelessness; doing one-on-one interviews as well as talking to the care providers. I think as a result, wewill have a much better handle on the circumstances surrounding homel~ssness in Cincinnati. A one-time count is going to miss a lot of people and information." *** �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 Environmental Records of the Presidential Candidates Revealed Statement by Deb Conservation group finds Bush has "weakest record" on environment; launches on-going environmental information effort related to presidential race I would like to describe our findings on the candidates by discussing some of their key positions and actions: I'll start with Governor Bush. The saying that "everything is bigger in Texas" unfortunately applies to the state's environmental problems under Governor Bush. While Bush has recently changed his position and acknowledged that global warming exists, he opposes the Kyoto treaty that addresses the problem. He has acknowledged the importance of environmental protection, yet he has worked to make some Texas air pollution regulations voluntary, rather than mandatory for industry. This despite the fact that Texas has some of the nation's worst air and water pollution - including smog worse than Los Angeles - and at least a third of the state's rivers and streams violate federal water quality standards. Bush has repeatedly made clear that he believes that the federal government should have a reduced role in environmental enforcement and regulation, and that state and local governments should do more to protect "private property rights". Forinstance, when speaking about the Endangered Species Act, he stated, "I say to the federal government, leave us alone. We know what we're doing...we know how to run our own business." Under Governor Bush, the Texas parks system ranks next to the bottom nationally in the ·amount ofmoney it invests in state parks, and Texas has acquired no new park lands during the Governor's tenure. He has, however, publicly called for increasing funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. To boil it down, if Bush applied his "Texas knows best" standard to the rest of the nation, 30 years of environmental progress could bejeopardized in only four years. We believe that Bush rer:>resents the biggest threat to the environment of any leading major party presidential candidate. Vice President Gore is the most knowledgeable candidate on issues pertaining to environmental protection. He has helped foster an open-door relationship between environmentalists and the Clinton administration and led on many of the Clinton administration's environmental initiatives including suburban sprawl and open space protection. He was instrumental in opposing the anti-environmental initiatives generated by the 104th Congress, including efforts to weaken the Clean Water Act. His lifetime LCV score is a 64 percent. As a member of the House, Gore was a leader in the passage of the first Superfund legislation in 1980. He worked with Representative John Lewis (D-GA) to pass the Environmental Justice Act in 1992, and in 1997 he supported the EPA's successful efforts to strengthen Clean Air regulations, a contentious issue within the Clinton administration. Gore supports the Kyoto treaty on crtmate change , which he helped to negotiate. He has been an outspoken advoca~e on global warming, and he held the first congressional hearings on the issue in 1974. However, some environmentalists believe that he has not done enough to translate his commitment to the issue into action, through stronger controls on the pollution that causes climate change. Vice President Gore is considered a friend of the environmental community and if elected President, we expect him to be leader on ef1vironmental issues. WASHINGTON- Cal ling o n the .and the world in respect to conservation presidential candidates to talk more about and environmental policy," Callahan said. their environmental plans and records, the "Public opinion surveys consistently show League of Conservation Voters (LCV) that the American public cares about a today released its 2000 Presidential candidate's stance on environmental Profiles on the enyironment. The League issues. LCV's 2000 Presidential Profiles did not endorse any candidate, but did say provide substantive information so the that Republican front-runner George w. public can assess the environmental Bush's record on environmental issues is credentials of each Republican and the weakest among competitive major Democratic presidential contender." Based on extensive research, party candidates. "George w. Bu sh 's tenure as interviews, and presidential questionnaire governor of Texas is marked by weak responses, the 2000 Presidential state environmental regulations, neglect of Profiles are the first effort by an Texas state parks, worsening air quality organ ization to fully assess th e and a general governing philosophy that, environmental record of this year's major if applied nationally, would jeopardize party presidential candidates. The 2000 three decades of national environmental Presidential Profiles are available on the progress," said League president Deb Internet at www.lcv.org. As part of an Callahan. ongoing information effort, LCV wi ll Based on each of their records, regularly update the site to include the Callahan said Democratic candidate Vice latest environmental information from the President Al Gor.e has·.b~en a friend of the presidential campaigns. environment .and . would . promote ~ The nonprofit League of environmental-progress from the White . ConservatioRVOt~rs is the'political voice . House. for the national environmental and ''The 2000 presidential candidates conservation community. LCV is the only have all at one time or another referred to national organization dedicated full-time the importance of environmental issues, to i.nforming the public about the but most ofthem have yet to define a clear env1~onmental reC<?rds offederally elected vision for how they would lead the nation officials and candidates. (clipped from the Oregon Peace Worker) . ': '~.: .···, =.·.. .. ... - '•l .1·. :~· ·r_' .. , .. .. ' .. - ~ - I ·• • Callahan, President, League of Conservation Voters r.. ~· ,· _, .. i'· ~- �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 5 Congress to Decide Housing Assistance of the National Coalition for 2001 ........ . Courtesy for the Homeless renewal funding of existing housing vouchers, plus 120,000 new Section 8 vouchers. The new Section 8 vouchers are to be distributed as follows: 60,000 vouchers to be distributed fair share (with 5 ,000 for non-elderly disabled housing units and 2,000 for the Family Unification Program); 10,000 for the new housing production program; and 32,000 for people moving from welfare to work. The budget also calls for the creation of a Housing Certificate Fund - The President's funding request for the fiscal year .Voucher Success Fund, which would allow Courtesy of the National Coalition 2001 Housing Certificate Fund is funds to be used to ease the burden on those for the Homeless $14,128,000,000. Ofthis amount $13 billion is people who have barriers to obtaining housing for contract renewals. The budget calls for full with vouchers, for example, for transportation The U.S. Senate is currently considering a.,__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-. or security deposit assistance. bill (S. 2), "The Educational Opportunities Act," A new aspect of the budget is that the which incJudes provisions (the "Academic How You Can Get Involved President moved Shelter Plus Care renewals Achievementfor All Demonstration" or "Straight into the Housing Certificate Fund. Previously, A's" provisions) that would allow governors to Shelter Plus Care renewals were funded out of Please contact your representative in the block grant virtually all federal education the Steward B. McKinney Homeless United States Congress to let them know programs in their states; this inc1udes the Assistance Funds in the past. This move your opinions on these important issues. McKinney Act's Education for Homeless represents a victory for homeless advocates You can contact them at the Capitol Children andYouth (EHCY) program. In states who requested this move, arguing that once Switchboard at 202-241-3121, that opt for this approach, the McKinney Act people are placed in Shelter Plus Care housing, or write to them: would no longer apply, nor would these states be they are no longer truly homeless. Moving the Address letters to SENATORS at: required to spend any federal dollars on homeless The Honorable [Full Name ofSenator], renewals to the Housing Certificate thus "frees children and youth. As a result, homeless children United States Senate, Washington, DC 2051O; up" McKinney dollars for those who are not yet and youth's educational rights would be permanently housed. Dear Senator [Last Name:]. eliminated. S. 2 is likely to reach the Senate floor in the - ·. ··Stewarl .JJ. 'McKinney·lfomeless"· -~ · Address letters .to REPRESENTATIVES a~ last week ofApril. Now is a critical time to write Assistance Act·- Tbe·McKinney ~ct is the · The-Honorabl~ [Full Name ofRepresentative], to your U.S. Senators to urge them to oppose the major source of federal funding for homeless U.S. House ofRepresentatives, Washington, Straight A's provisions in S. 2, or any block grant initiatives. Last year, Congress enacted $ 1.02 DC 20515; provision. All U.S. Senators may be reached billion; the President's budget requests a total Dear Representative [Last Name:]. through the Capitol Switchboard at of $1.2 billion, including $105 million for 202.224.3121. Section 8 housing programs. The Section 8 allotment creates 18,000 new vouchers for DISCUSSION POINTS: Points to include in people who are currently homeless who are yourcommunication include: determined by the Continuum ofCare process "Straight A's" eliminates homeless have created the foundations for success for to have the greatest difficulty obtaining homeless children. "StraightA's" removes that . children·and youth's right to a free, permanent housing. -foundation and stops the progress that is appropriate public edueation and all the - In addition, the budget request funds educational rights contained in the McKinney -~ underway. 14,500 transitional beds cmd 11,000 permanent . "Straight A 's" removes a Critical Act.. The federal program requirements that beds, all linked to supportive services. accompany McKinney funds ate focused upon ­ source offunding from homeless children The language of the proposal highlights states' responsibilities to ensure equal opportunity and youth.. Homeless children are frequently the need for better coordination and integration for homeless children and )'.OUthinvisiblein their schools and communities; in the · ·they set forth ofMcKinney-funded programs with thenghfs ofhomeless children to'receive the same absence ofexplicit outreach, identification, and mainstream programs for which homeless 'Services, they go unseen and unserved. Without educational opportunities as their non-homeless people may qualify, such as Medicaid and the targeted funding provided by the McKinney peers. Without the federal requirements ofthe TANF. Mc:Kinney Act, homeless children and youth may Act, homeless children and youth will lose out ACTION: The next step in the budget be once again shut out ofschool. And without in the competition for funding to morevisible process is the drafting of fiscal year 2001 and powerful constituencies. Moreover, there access to school, there can be no success in appropriations bills in the House and Senate. are no state-funded homeless education school. "Straight A's" thus represents a return to Input from homeless advocates is crucial to the days when homeless children spent their days programs. The federal McKinney Act dollars assuring increases in spending for homeless are thus an essential resource for ensuring in shelters, cars, campgroupds, or motels instead programs. Please contact your U.S. ofin school. homeless children and youth's enrollment, Representative and your two Senators and "StraightA's" undermines the lessons attendance, and success in school. encourage them to: ACTION ALERT: Funding at Risk for Homeless Children learned from thirteen years ofexperience working to meet the educational needs of homeless children and youth,_ Prior to the McKinney Act, an estimated 50% of homeless children and youth did not go to school. Now, as a result of the McKinney Act, an estimated 88% ofhomeless children and youth are enrolled in school. States and school districts have revised pol.lc1es, devised effective practices, and built strong local programs to support homeless children and youth's education. In doing so, they The National Coalition for the Homeless is working to persuade Congress to provide significant funding increases for permanent housing and homeless assistance programs in the fiscal year 2001 appropriations process. Funds for these programs are included in annual legislation funding the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Homeless children and youth's educational opportunities should never be waived in the name of "innovation." Rather than the misguided approach of the "Straight .Ns" proposal, the McKinney Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth program should be strengthened and expanded by incorporating the wisdom, insight, and experience ofthe practitioners who work to meet the educational needs ofthis nation's most vulnerable children. l. Reauthorize the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act without block-granting the funds 2. Include Shelter Plus Care and Supportive Housing Program renewals in the Housing Certificate Fund, not in McKinney Funds 3. Fund 34,000 new vouchers for homeless individuals and families under the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. �5 TREE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST.... Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16) On April 15 at noon the City Gospel Mission kicked off its 2nd Annual Indoor Carnival. Jackie Jackson, Director of Evangelism, who coordinated this event, is also Pastor of Living Testimony Christian Center which currently meets at Anderson Place Elementary in Madisonville. Pastor Jackson has been at City Gospel Mission for two years and has coordinated two block parties (JOE'S "Jesus On Elm Street" Party) in addition to the carnivals. When speaking of these events Pastor Jackson says that his goal is to impact as many young lives as possible with the Gospel of Christ. This particular event was planned with a kid focus, so there were games, drama, videos, prizes, clowns, and handout material that were all geared toward the children, however, there were approximately 40 volunteers from the three different churches who came together to make this event possible. Each church in their own way provided the light necessary to make this event shine. For example: Love & Faith provided a drama team which performed skits for the child and adult audiences. These skits all provided sound Christian Center provided an evangelistic t team which shared the Gospel of Christ in word and deed. And Vineyard kept the games go1ng and the food coming. Three different churches at City Gospel Mission, a non-threatening religious environment, providing both physical and spiritual food. As my son and I enjoyed the festivities, I learned that community residents were among the volunteers who passed out flyers to announce the event, and were present still lending a hand here and there. A good thing, too, because their efforts resulted in approximately 600 men, women and children experiencing the love of Christ. Forty-seven individuals received salvation on this day and there were several restorations. One mom told of her son's persistence which resulted in her and his two siblings attending the carnival and receiving the Lord. I take my hat off of Officer Mike Williams of the Cincinnati Police, because he was a special part of this event with his ready smile and quick wit. He seemed to be everywhere, and not just as a police officer providing security but as a friend and role model to the children. And when it was time to go, Officer Williams was there with broom in hand helping to clear away the debris left by the children, families, and homeless who came together for this special event. On Tuesday when I talked with Pastor Jackson he was still glowing from the . community response, especially since when arriving that morning he was greeted by children who asked if the!e was anything they could do to help at City Gospel Mission. Such is the glory of God when revealed through His servants. My son and I were blessed by this event and I am sure others were also. Glory be to God: A reminder to all who would like to increase your relationship with Christ and your understanding of His Word ; every Thursday evening from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm, I am leading a Bible Study·in Camp Washington at 2950 Sidney Ave. We h~ve a family dinner and fellowship afterwards. Please come and join us for a blessed time in the Lord. Direct all inquires to 210-4181 or 541-7757. In His Service, Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions can be purchased for $15 per year. (You can give more if you want) Just send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street, Cincin­ nati, OH 45210. Please make D.J. checks payable to GCCH. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. If you have subscribed, 1 ~~ but are not receiv­ ing your Streetvibes, Please let us know. .~' New Photos of Over-the-Rhine by Jimmy Heath Documenting life in an inner-dty neighborhood through photography Featuring the writing$ of Mike H:e n,on and.Bonnie N~umeier Artists Recep~ion - May 19th, 7PM Peaslee Neighborhood Center. 215 East J4th S~eet Over-the Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 (513) 611-55 14 .....,........._...-,.,.,r-._..,:~ \) On Exhibit May 19 - May ~6~.'.20~0 iii . ­ ~ �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine ·; New Director for SmartMoney Community Services Formerly known as Cooperative Fiscal Services SmartMoney Community Services now has a new Executive Director - Darrick Dansby, succeeding Rahim Spence, who headed the organization since 1994. Dansby, a native of Mansfield, Ohio, was the Senior Volunteer Resource Associate at the United Way and Community Chest's Volunteer Resource C enter. He attained a Bachelor's degree in History and a M aster's in Educational Foundations from U C. H e was recently nominated as a YMCA Black Achiever and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Madisonville Education &Assistance Center (MEAC). SMARTMoney Community Se1-Y1ce's ongoing efforts in minority entrepreneurship (SMART Business). Individual Devel6pment Accounts (SMART Step Savings), tax prepartaion assistance (SMART Tax), and economic education (SMART C hange) allow people to save their way our of poverty in O ver-the-Rhine. Financial support fo SMARTMoney comes form the City of Cincinnati, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Provident Bank, PNC Bank, and GE Capital Consumer Card Services. SmartMoney ­ 1731 Vine Street, 513-241-7266 .~ . Page 7 HELP!!!!!!! HELP!!!!! HELP•••••• '''''' CHURCHES, ~AMILIES, GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND NEIGHBORS! RALLY and PRAYER VIGIL to SAVE OUR COMMUNITIES and LOW INCOME HOUSING Information: . Call 651-5093 MAY 4, 1000, 7:00 PM LAUREL PARK IN THE WEST END AT EZZARD CHARLES AND WADE STREETS - If we allow this final ground to be leveled, Over 10 0 million dollars of taxpayer money will have been wasted in the past 4 years to rebuild and tear down the Lincoln Court and Laurel Homes Apartments. Sponsored by Tyrone Smith. Avondale Public Hearing Helµ at Hirsch Recreation Center ' ..... by Sonny Williams City Prosecutor Robert Johnstone and Cincinnati City Councilperson We Need Your Creativity! PauJ Booth opened the March Avondale Send your poetry, writings or artwork to Community Council meeting at 7 ·p.m. Among those in attendance were Cheryl Meadows and Streetvibes, Cincinnati City Councilperson Alicia Reece. Che_ryl Meadows mentioned that the Avondale do G~CH (Greater Town Center was supported by her department Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless), and by City money. Alicia Reece was representing the Health and Human Services 1506 Elm St., Committee. Cincinnati City Councilperson Cincinnati 45210 James Tarbell, who is a member of the Law and Phone- 513-421­ Public Safety Committee, was absent from the 7803, Avondale meeting. It was announced that E-mail (text): to Michelle Taylor-Mitchell was on the Housing streetvibes@juno.com, Committee of the Avondale Community E-mail (attached Council. files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net Reggie Boyd of the Empowerment state of the city at the present time. The Committee said he was very concerned about the poverty of Avondale residents exceeds that of people in Washington, D.C. In Cincinnati's black community there have been 130 homicides committed by other black people World Trade within the last year. Or~anization Community resident Robert Jenkins wanted the Cincinnati police to shake down residents for guns. District Four's Captain Cotton said a shakedown of residents would be a violation of their constitutional rights. Jenkins also wants Xavier University students to stop speeding through the Avondale community. He said that Victory Parkway in Avondale looks like I-275 during rush hour. Channel 12 News reported on the Avondale Town Meeting. "We know a number ofinternational companies who are hiring. Can you pass for under 12?" For more information call Cincinnati City Councilperson Charles Winburn at 352-3000. �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Top U.S..Clothing Retailers Agree to Settle Saipan Garment Worker Lawsuits Jones Apparel, Liz Claiborne,.and The May Company Support Ground­ breaking Monitoring Program HONOLULU - Eight more leading U.S. clothing retailers - Calvin Klein Inc., Jones Apparel Group, Liz Claiborne foe., The May Department Scores Company, Oshkosh B'Gosh Inc., Sears, Roebuck and Company, Tommy Hilfiger USA Inc., and Warnaco, Inc. - have agreed to settle claims against them in a federal class-action lawsuit alleging sweatshop conditions in the garment industry on the Western Pacific island of Saipan, a U.S. Commonwealth. Today's announcement means that seventeen U.S. retailers have agreed to pay a total of $8.0 millio~ in settlement and to adhere to a rigorous system of independent monitoring at the Saipan factories of contractors who produce their clothing. The settlement provides that in future supply contracts, retailers will require factories to comply with strict employment standards, including guaranteeing overtime pay for overtime work, providing safe food and. drinking water, and agreeing to honor employees' basic human rights. The settlement requires court approval and does nor involve an admission of wrongdoing by the defendants. That leaves The Gap, J.C. Penney, Target and Lane Bryant, among other defendants, who have not agreed to settle these cl-aims. None of the primarily~ foreign owners who actually operate- the garment factories on Saipan have yet agreed to settle. "This is an important step in the right direction. We are glad to see these companies take a stand for human rights on Saipan," commented Medea Benjamin, President of Global. Exchange. "These settlements will dr~a.tically improve the· lives of thousands of garment workers on Saipan. The strict and independent monitoring established will insure that in the future, rights wiJI be protected and laws obeyed," ...said Jay Mazur, President of UNITE! Under the terms of the settlement announced today, the seventeen companies will each make a one-time contribution to a fund that will finance an independent monitoring program, public education, administration costs and attorneys' fees, as well as payments to workers. These settlements will bring the total fund to approximately $8 million. "As a result of these settlement~, the first legally enforceable set of monitoring standards has been agreed to by retailers and will provide a model for the rest of the industry to follow," said Lora Jo Foo, an attorney with Asian Law Caucus and President of Sweatshop Watch. Veriee, an Amherst, Massachusetts-based non­ profit group, will independently monitor compliance by exercising far-reaching powers to oversee the conduct of contractors doing business with the settling retailers, including surveillance, ~nnounced and unannounced visits to facilities, and investigations ofworker complaints. The monitoring body can provide for payment of back wages, reimbursement of impermissible recruitment fees, and even recommend the termination of contracts where a pattern of violations exists. Veriee will report jointly to the retailers and to the plaintiffs in the two settled lawsuits. These include two international human rights groups ­ Global Exchange and Sweatshop Watch, the Asian Law Caucus, and UNITE, the labor union which Homeless Grapevine Page a AIDS in AFRICA Series wins Pulitzer Prize A Village Voice reporter who got experience in the lesbian and gay press has won the prestigious prize for his AIDS in Africa series. .... Mark Schoofs (is) a staff writer and columnist specializing in science and medicine at New York City's venerable weekly The Village Voice. Here is an excerpt from his first article: "Only 17 years have passed since AIDS was first found in Africa, on the shores of Lake Victoria, yet according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAlDS),'the virus has already killed more than 11 million sub-Saharan Africans. More than 22 million others are infected. Only 10 percent of the world 's population lives south of the Sahara, but the region is home to two-thirds of the world's HIV-positive people, and it has suffered more than 80 percent of all AIDS deaths. Last year, the combined wars in Africa killed 200,000 people . AIDS killed 1{) times that number. Indeed, more people succumbed to HIV last year than to any other cause of death on this continent, including malaria. And the carnage has only begun. Unlike ebola or influenza, AIDS is a slow plague, gestating in individuals for five to 10 years before killing them. Across East and Southern Africa, mor.e than 13 percent of adults are infected with . HIV, according to UNAIDS. And in three countries , including Zimbabwe, more than a quarter of adults carry the virus. In some districts, the rates are even higher: In one study, a staggering 59 percent of women attending prenatal clinics in rural Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, tested HIV-positive. Life expectancy in more than a dozen African countries "will soon be 17 years shorter because of AIDS --47 years instead of 64," says Callisto Madavo, the World Bank's v ice president for Africa. HIV "is .quite literally robbing Africa of a quarter of our lives." In the West, meanwhile, the HIV death rate has dropped steeply thanks to powerful drug cocktails that keep the disease from progressing . These regimens must be taken for years, probably for life, and they can cost more than $10,000 per patient per year. Yet in many of the hardest-hit African countries, the total per capita health-care budget is less than $10. Many people --in Africa as well as the West-­ shrug off this stark disparity, contending that it is also true for other diseases. But it isn't. Drugs for the world's major infectious killers­ tuberculosis, malaria, and diarrheal diseases­ have been subsidized by the international community for years, as have vaccines for childhood illnesses such as polio1and measles. But even at discountad prices, the annual cost of putting every African with H.IV on triple combination therapy would exceed $150 billion, so the world is letting a leading infectious killer for represents many garment workers. Verite has extensive workplace monitoring experience, and has previously served as an independent monitor under agreement with Tommy Hilfiger USA Inc., among others. The rwo lawsuits at issue were filed in January 1999. One is a class action alleging violations of U.S. anti­ peonage and indentured servitude laws and of international ·human rights law, initially filed in Los Angeles federal court and recently transferred to which treatment exists mow down millions ...." See more on the website : http: // www.villagevoice.com/specials/africa/ Schoofs was honored for Foreign Reporting for a 1999 series on AIDS in Africa the Pulitzer panel called "provocative. and enlightening." Along with tremendous prestige, the award brings $5,000, half of which Schoofs is. contributing to AIDS charities in Africa. Schoofs said in a statement, "Even though I have covered AIDS for 13 years, nothing prepared me for the devastation the disease has caused in Africa. It's the worst catastrophe since slavery. The fact that The Village Voice, an alternative newspaper, could make this kind of impact sends out a message: Anyone anywhere can do their part to help end this crisis." In six months in nine African countries, often in remote villages, Schoofs was most deeply affected by see·ing elderly, enfeebled grandparents caring for their many grandchildren after the epidemic killed their children . Learning of his prize he called it "an incredible moment" but added that, "For the people that I reported on, unfortunately, nothing has changed." He told the Los Angeles Times that, "I got a letter the other day from the headman in a village in Zimbabwe telling me that a woman I'd interviewed had died. Her husband was already dead. So while I'm sitting here drinking champagne today, her four children are orphans, with probably not enough money to go to school." He told the New York Times that AIDS is a "catastrophe that is transforming the [African] continent forever," but also that, "This country" - 1he U .S. - "can make a huge difference." · -Schoofs humbly credited his employer, saying, "It is a testament to The Village Voice that once I proposed this series on AIDS, the editors did not hesitate for a nanosecond. I had the paper's full support, and they did everything in their power to help me do the job." One report quoted the cost to the Voice of Schoofs' travels at$20,000. Editor-in-chief Don Forst said, "Mark Schoofs is the kind of reporter that The Village Voice develops. His commitment to the world crisis of AIDS and his · unflinching reporting during a six-month stay in Africa represents the best of alternative journalism." ... from PlanetOut News Staff, Friday, April 14 Hawaii. The other is an unfair business practices c~e filed in San Francisco Superior Court. The litigation will continue against the Saipan factory owners and several other major U.S. retailers who have yet to settle. Plaintiffs are represented by the San D.iego firm of Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach and the San Francisco firm of Altshuler, BeJ:zoo, Nussbaum, Rubin & Demaio. ...... Courtesy ofSweatshop Watch �. . · STREETV_ Tri-State's .- -Homeless Grapevine .. .· . ...I.BES ,· ·.· .· .The . . . ~· ' . . ~ ~ ~ - .. --:- . . Page g Model Moratorium Resolution Urge your church, city counci~ civic group and other organizations to pass a resolutWn calling for a moratorium on executions! (Prepared by Equal Justice USNQuixote Center) WHEREAS there is ample evidence that the death penaJty is applied in a racist manner: In 1987, in McCleskey v. Kemp, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to act on data demonstrating the continuing reality of racial bias. In 1990, the U.S. General Accounting Office reported "a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in charging, sentencing, and imposition of the death penalty." Nationwide, 82% of those put to death had been convicted of murdering a white person even though people of color are the victims in more lb.an halfof all homicides. The U.S. Congrcs has failed repeatedly to pass the Racial Justice Act, which would allow prisoners lO challenge their dealh sentences using standards normal in civil discrimination cases. WHEREAS death c;entences are reserved for the poor: About 90% of those persons facing capital charge~ canno1 ,ifford their own attorney. No state has met standards developed by the American Bar Association (A BA) for appointment, perfomrnncc, and C'ompensation of counsel for indigent prisoners. WHE REAS prisoner appeals have been severely curtailed, increasing the risk of imprisonment and execution of innocent people: In a series of rulings since 199 l, the Supreme Court has drastically restricted the rights of death row prisoners to appeal their convictions and death sentences in federal courts, even in cases where prisoners present compelling evidence of innocence. In 1996, new legislation drastically limited federal court review of death penalty appeals and gutted public funding of legal aid services for death row prisoners. WHEREAS the American Bar Association bas concluded that administration of the death penalty is "a haphazard maze of unfair practices with no internal consistency" and has called for a moratorium on executions. Now, therefore, be it resolved that this church/ faith community calls on the Governor and our state representatives, and President Clinton and our representatives in Congress. to enact and adopt legislation imposing a moratorium on executions at least until this state and nation implement policies and procedures which: Ensure that death penalty cases are administered fairly and impartially in accordance wilh basic due process. Eliminate the risk that innocent persons might be executed. Prevent the execution of mentally disabled persons and persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of their offenses. Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Governor, our state representatives, President Clinton, and our representatives in Congress. Dear Sonny, Greetings, Give everyone my regards. I hope that my note finds y'all high-spirited and each morning up for the struggles "we" face -­ "Wt! must become the change that we seek".....Mahatma Gandhi P.S. Tell everyone that you cannot send postage in the Texas penal system. There­ fore I got to send them back. I appreciate your concerns. Forward with the Struggle, Kaman Wa Ngengi, w./jHill #568787. P.O. Box 16, Lovelady, Texas 75851 The following contains excerpts from an official document of the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice: This isa picture ofMahmoud El­ Khatib and his family at Christmas ofl 998 (from left tolightin the photo:Mahmoud, hisdaughterHana, now5 years old, his The following items are considered Contraband by the Texas Board of Corrections: + + + + + + + + + Stamps and stamped envelopes money orders cash money Blank greeting cards sent by individuals Home_made cards sent by individuals Picture frames Postcards (blank) Medals and charms Stationary and writing materials sent by individuals + Newspapers, magazines and/or any publication sent by ijndividuals + Canceled checks or money orders + Hair + straw + Paintings + Posters + Playing cards + Maps + Stick-ups ex-wifeSusan, hisoldest daughter Alexandra, age 9, and his son Sid, age 2. Mahmoud hasnotseen hischildren since February23, 1999asthe INScame into theirhome and an-ested him. They still have him in theircustodyatThe Dayton Human Rehabilitation Center. They have kept himaway from hisfamilyfor almostayear,already. Mahmoudwas born on July23, 1965 in Kwaitt. He came to this country in search ofa betterlife and "Freedom" in 1984when hewasjust 19years old. There may be an end in sight. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently SJ1l&1'9S Prisoners News contains news about thejustice system and the writings of persons incarcerated in our nation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $1 5 for a year's subscription Sendyour comments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 7506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 70 Protest May 13, 2000 10 AM - 12 PM For the Lucasville-5 Death Sentences Anyone interested in coming to the rally or helping to organize the anti-death penalty rally, call the Lucasville-5 Support Committee at 513-241-8014 or write to The L-5 Support Committee P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 ruled that immigrants accused of crimes in the U.S. could not be held indefinately...... ....The ruling stated that aliens must be released 90 days after a final deportation order must remain free under INS supervision until their home country reaches an agreement with the United States to accept deportees. • • • �STREETVIBES TheTri-State's HomelessGrapevine William Mayo still languishes in Georgia Prison Since April, 1992, William J. Mayo has been sitting in a Georgia Prison, paying for a crime for which he was convicted on dubious "evidence" andfalse information. Careful examination of the facts might have won him an acquittal. 1Wo young men from Chicago, whom William was introducing to Morehouse College in Atlanta, have already confessed to the crime (aggraved kidnapping and burglary), and they have recanted their original stories, which originally lead police to implicate William Mayo. Still, the courts have not overturned the guilty verdict or his life sentence, nor listened to appeals f or a new trial. For a detailed description of the case, contact the Justice for W. J.M. Campaign. Here is a letter from William Mayo: Dear Streetvibes; Thank you sincerely for printing my plight for justice in your paper. For those of you who are familiar with my case, I hope and pray this article will give you an update on my plight. For those of you who are unfamiliar with my case, I hope you'll contact my W.J.M. Chairperson at the following: • The Justice for W.J.M. Campai gn · c/o Ms. Kimberly A. Todd 1581 Summit Rd. Apt. #53 Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 (513)761-5452 (home) (513) 351-9099 (work) I hope this story opens your eyes and heart to the kind of injustices that occur in these United States of America , or should I say "United Snakes of American? Some of you may know me as the brother from Morehouse College; the brother who grew up in Avondale, who graduated from Roger Bacon (i.e . W illiam J. Patterson-Mayo, class of 1984); the brother who attended Southern Baptist Church under the late Rev. James E. Milton; the son of Elaine Patterson, etc .... Nevertheless, it's my request and prayer that each person who reads Streetvibes help me! I am the same brother who appeared on Applause Magazine for Cincinnati's black lifestyle. I was the April/May 1992 Cover model for the spring edition on health & fitness. (See his picture below, taken from that magazine cover) On April 27, 2000, the W illiam Jonathan Mayo Campaign supporters from Cincin nati, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark/Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, and from elsewhere will be in Atlanta to peacefully demonstrate and campaign in front of the Federal Courthouse for my freedom and to request the Federal Judge to rule on my case. The W.J.M . Chairperson Ms. Kimberly Todd and others have appeared on Cincinnati's local radio (WCIN), Rev. Garr's show 9-11 pm Sundays , and T.V. stations on my behalf. My case has been sitting in the Federal District Court for nearly 2 years , and the federal judge has yet to issue a rul ing or decision. For the past few years, as the word becomes more publicized , more people are joining my fight for freedom. The reason for the demonstration/protest, is that my case has been before the federal courts for two years; we want an answer!!! We want to call their attention and the attention of the nation to what has been bypassed and hidden in the state level of appeals. T here is clear cut evidence proven on the state level, and now the federal level, that I did not committ this crime and that most of my constitutional rights were violated. Grounds: (1) To-Wit: The ineffective assistance of counsel (four lawyers) 2) Due Process claim 3) Unlawful photographic identification 4) Partial jury . 5) Recantation of Codefendants 6) False testimony and false name of two of the State's w itnesses 7) Findings of fact and conclusions of law In addition to the above, on Feb. 4, 2000, my attorneys filed an additional motion from a private investigator which includes: 1) Evidence of the criminal history, probation and/or warrants of the State's Key witnesses (in effect at the time of their testimony at my trial.) 2) Proof that the prosecuting attorney ~new of possible cri~inal a~tivity o~ his key w itnesses but drd not disclose 1t to the defense (which is an open Brady constitutional violation) 3) Proof that the investigating detectives knew of arrests of their two key witnesses but did not disclose it to the defense. 4) Proof that my own attorney (State appointed) was made abreast of the false name of the State's witness, Brandon Hill, but did nothing about it. Page 10 Mr. Hill's real name is Claude Jenkins) 5) Proof that co-defendant Dale Thomas testified under a false name and is incarcerated as we speak under this false name.. . It was stated in the detective's report that complete background checks were run on the th ree (Myself and 2 co-defendants). My record was clean for 25 years until current incident. 6) The State of Georgia has continually turned its head to the facts in my case. If the Federal Courts grant me an evidentiary hearing and take a good look at the petition now before them, I would be a free man immediately.... In conclusion, some Streetvibes readers have written letters of support to me, including Ms. Stephanie Hunter and Ms. Kathleen Diffenderffer. Thank you sincerely for believing in me. I am Muslim now. I believe firmly that no one has the right to be worshipped but God, "the ever-living, the one who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumbers nor sleep overtake him. To him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. W ho is he that can intercede w ith him except with his permission? He knows what happens to them (his creatures) in this world , and what will happen to them in the hereafter. And they w ill never encompass anything of this Knowledge except that which he wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and he feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And he is the most high, the most great!" from the Holy Quran 2:255 I have enclosed a poem I wrote called "Who am I"! (see page 17) May god's peace be upon each of you .. .. Your brother in the struggle, William Jonathan Mayo (Hakim) Monday, April 9 OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE: 83-year-old Cincinnati Activist Gordon Maham and 16 others arrested during protest at Nuclear Weapons Plant Dear Fellow Activists, Sonny ­ We closed Y-12 completely. It certainly was not "business as usual ." The policeman that arrested me, when I answered his questions honestly, became hostile. This is how it went : Policeman: " Are you working?" Gordon - "Yes." Policeman: "What are you doing?" Gordon: "Closing the Y-12 down." Policeman: "I mean, do you have a continued next column f �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine land near the downtown area were needed to develop a super-model city that could host the 2012 World Olympic Games. The plan proposes new, unique housing for young pioneers and empty nesters; plenty of entertainment and eateries, everything these new residentS would need within walking distance. Cincinnati has a very large problem. The West End and Over-the-Rhine are overflowing with Cincinnati will be on a roller coaster ride for the high crime areas. Poor, low-income families fill the old, next eleven-and-a-half years. So, citizens, guard your decaying apartment buildings. Bouncing the poor, low­ wallets and homes! If you live close to d owntown income families from one overpopulated area downtown Cincinnati, you may lose your home to eminent domain. to another does not solve the problem. The poor, low­ All of the new construction you see downtown income folk would have to disappear from the downtown may appear to be mass confusion. It is not! The · area. construction is a part ofthe well-placed plans for the future Oh, by the way! The po liticians and city of C incinnati. T his C incinnati-for-the-future got government leaders failed to mention another huge project underway more than 20 years ago. The timing had to be on the drawing boards: a new federally funded project perfect to set the wheels in motion. called the New Hope Housing Project, a project that is What is common knowledge to "those in the big enough to house all of the displaced citizens in know" in government politics and others in power is a dark, Cincinnati, Ohio. Corruption, lies, alibis and deception sinister secret kept from the common residentS ofHamilton plague our city. There is too much to tell in only one County. One of the darkest secretS is that "no private weiring. I'll let you digest what I have written until next citizen acrually owns any property in the jurisdiction of month. Cincinnati's city limits." It's a shock to find out that you December the 12th is not far away. That is when are only a caretaker ofthe property "you believe you own." Cincinnati, Ohio has to have its bid in for the 2012 World Ir's a fact that Cincinnati wanted to be a "super­ Olympic Games. model" city for many years. In the 1980's it was only a dream. Charlie Luken was a council member, the mayor, ..... Charlie Mattingly and a member of Congress in the I 980's, before coming back to Cincinnati where he was a news reporter for 1958 State Ave. Channel 5 television for seven years. And now he has re­ Cincinnati, Ohio 45204 entered as mayor of Cincinnati once again. 921-1231 Nick Vehr left city council co go on a crusade ro bring the World Olympic Games to Cincinnati, Ohio. fu her present condition at that time, Cincinnati could not possibly host the Olympics. From out of nowhere, and Editorial #2: now seemingly everywhere, new construction began. Longtime small businesses in the downtown area No information. Misinformation. No began falling like bowling pins. Large businesses left, too. accountability. Even our City Government officials are Phase one of four phases had begun. Cleaning and left in the dark. County government and big business clearing off the land was imponanr in downtown and the thumb their noses at anyone who would interfere with surrounding areas. The hammer was falling hard. their "well laid plans." A tiny handful ofcity government Phase two began: acquiring and demolishing all officials arc in the know, "but they're not telling." the old buildings and businesses along the river front. In Ever wonder why there is so much chaos? I'd the West End, demolition began in much ofthe low-income bet you that county commissioner Bob Bedinghaus and property, such as Lincoln Court, Laurel Homes and many Nick Vehr could tell you, but they former ciry councilman abandoned old buildings. Tremendous amounts of prime won't. Nick Vehr, member of the River Front Commission and former Ciry Council Gordon Maham, 10years member, set out on a crusade to bring the ago at Fernald World Olympic Games to Cincinnati in the regular job?" year 2012. The bid to bring the Olympics Gordon: "Yes." to us in Cincinnati is due in on December Policeman: "What is 12th, 2000. Everyone concerned realized that that?" Gordon: Cincinnati, Ohio was not equipped to host "Making this a more the Olympic Games because of too little peaceful planet." entertainment, n ot much downtown Policeman: "I mean, residential living quarters, outdated sports do you have a job that facilities, a small convention center, and not enough surrounding land to fill the needs pays money?" for the world Olympic Games. Gordon: "Not That's when the chaos began. money." Policeman: Ugly buildings had to go, new sports "You are trying to act facilities had to be built, new downtown smart and I am losing office space had to be provided: and new entertainment had to appear. New green my patience with you. space, streets, and anything that would help I can throw you in the EDITORIAL: The World Olympic Games 2012 A WILD RIDE County jail and set a high bond and keep you there a while." Gordon:" I am answering your questions truthfully and honestly" We got through all the questions, but he was not smiling. Notice the ages of my group: 18 - 83; Never too young or too old! Eric Johnson is a preacher. His daughters Ingrid and Andrea were arrested. The arrest and charges and court dates have been somewhat mixed up, but the bottom line seems to be - I had better pay $149.50 court costs or not cross any more lines in Tennessee. It is a difficult decision. l have not spent one dollar on lodging, and very little on food. Those peaceful people are really great! The Court's a problem. Gordon Maham , peaceful planet person Page 11 create a super model city had to be considered. The year 2012 was not too far away. New blood was needed for new housing in downtown Cincinnati. New arts centers and enticing facilities were needed to attract potential foreign businesses to Cincinnati. T he apparent chaos was not really chaos at all; it was a well laid plan. We have seen mass construction, mass spending, mass confusion and mass costly mistakes. The planners of this super model Cincinnati do not want any public interference because it would slow down the progress and raise questions that Mr. Bedinghaus, Nick Vehr, and their partners do not want to answer. They want free reign to do as they choose to do. The hardest blow from the hammer will hit the low income and homeless populations. They will have to be moved our of downtown and hidden behind one of the seven . hills of Cincinnati. Developers and politicians have to gobble up as much land as they can in and near the downtown area. Compared to what has to be done to make Cincinnati ready for the Olympic Games, twelve years is not much time. Blighted areas have to be torn down and rebuilt at market-rate value. Lincoln Court is gone. Laurel Homes is going. Over-the-Rhine residents and buildings will be going soon. The City of Cincinnati cannot possibly absorb all of these folk who will lose their homes. Other neighborhoods that are targetS include Lower Price Hill, Sedamsville, South Fairmount, and North Fair mount. All of these communities will lose their homes to eminent domain. Their land is needed to help host... the World Olympic Games. Another little tidbit that slipped Mr. Bedinghaus' mind is a new federal housing project that is big enough to house all of the residents of Over-the-Rhine, Lincoln Coun, Lower Price Hill, North Fairmount, and South Fairmount. Ofcourse, this federal hou~ing project will be located outside oftown, a community ofdisplaced people. "New Hope" Federal Housing Community sounds inviting. Uprooting families and moving them behind one of the seven hills has been a plan long time coming, and now it is knocking at the door. Dreams are shattered; tears are shed. T he politicians and money men and women knew the poor would put up a good fight, so they starred building around them, dosing in on them until it was too late to halt this madness in our ciry. Only a handful of City officials arc aware of the real picture and the reasons for the upheaval of our city. They were not informed and neither was the general public. Behind closed door meetings, our fate is decided by a few powerful people. We may never know who they arc. County officials and City officials say they can't conduct business with the public watching! What parts are they trying to hide from the public? Non-profit, for profit; It doesn't matter! The public money being used for any project should be accounted for by those using tax dollars to fund any project. The public has a right to know and should be allowed to attend an y meeting where tax dollars arc being spent. Further, these meetings that are conducted in places owned by tax payees, and tax payers, should be allowed access in those buildings, to any meeting. ..... Charlie Mattingly, YOU'RE FOREIGN AND NO OUT DATE ••• RIGHT? �5 TR EETV I BE 5 The Tri-State'.~. Homf?le~$ GrapevirJe. _.· .. ·" .-· . . ' . ' . ,-·~~.. ,:.~ag~ ;. 12; ~ ' company going to Cincinnati to the Drop Inn and picking up bus loads of people. Then they would cherry pick (pick our of order) the sign-up sheet. Example: A friend and I went in one night and signed up. After waiting 1112 hours, four young people came in, put in their applications, and went out that night. My friend and I were bumped off the job. Thus, ·the people on the Kentucky side get cut out of jobs. Now, what is a homeless person that doesn't want to be on the streets bur has no home address to give an employer to do? I feel that if a temp agency isn't here to help the people of Kentucky find work, why isn't their company over here instead of Cincinnati? We live in I'm writing the letter because I understand that a lot of people are.not aware of what goes on Kentucky- Let us have first choice on the jobs with the homeless in our community. I'll begin in our area rather than going to Cincinnati first. by telling you a little about myself. I'm 40 years Now to say the least, I'm not perfect nor do I old and had a job with a large company for 14 claim to be. Bur 1 don't understand why the police say a person looks homeless. Is there years and 9 months. It was very stressful and exhausting. The people there were the type that anything wrong with how a person looks? For if you were trying to climb rhe ladder to get that matter, who's to judge? Yes, I wear two coats, somewhere in the company they would either a ball cap and skull cap to keep warm. Bur I'm pull you down or step on you to make themselves clean shaven and my clothes are rarely dirty. Bur it seems I can't walk down the street without look better. As a result I began to drink and I eventually quit my job and moved from being stopped, usually without probable cause. Cincinnati to Covingron . Thar was in January, Exam ple: A friend and I were walking co New­ ~~~~~-1~9~9:4~·,.-,-,--..,-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.pu.~:e-ge~l'-Sefl1etlllng to ear at the soup I joined a program to overcome my kitchen there. One the way, we were picking up problem. When I did .finally leave I found myself aluminum cans. Out of the blue, we were on the street and working for temp services. I stopped and asked for I.D. and asked to step up worked through Minute Man - Covington office. against the wall while they checked us out. The My day was always the same - Sign up at officer told us char he had received several calls of 11 :00, go back at 1:30; from there, go to the us lingering around the neighborhood. The only Cincinnati office and wait until 3:00; from problem I say was that we were in no way there go to work for 10 hours, get back co lingering, bur we're making a straight path from the fourth Street Bridge to 9m& York. Jn any dowmown. <;incinqa~i ac 3:30 in. the A.M.,_get my check about 4:00 and from there walk back case, we hadn't done anything wrong, so chey h ad to Covington. My whole day was waiting to go to let us go. to work, with never any time to sleep or put in I just don't understand why people see applications at full time jobs. someone down on their luck and homeless and When that office eventually closed, I had automatically chink they're up ro no good! We already signed up at a new temp service are people too. I myself don't like or want to live on the streets, and am trying my best to get Labour Solutions. When I first begaa there, everything was going fine. The first 2 years were back on my feet! But until I do, it would be nice pretty good; but when staff began to quit and to feel like I was an equal..... -- -~eµllred,..new-sr-alf1 things-began-ro­ change. It began by the company losing a lot of ....A concerned homeless man my regular tickets or jobs. It then spread ro the Dear Streetvibes, Dear Streetvibes: I live in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Queen City is larger and greater than I realized. Many of those who have lived here for decades wonder where, when, and what has happened to the American Dream. It has turned into a nightmare, and it is crumbling before o~r eyes. As I walk the st re ets, avenues, and boulevards, I envision a people who are amazed , wondering , as I have, what has happened to the American Dream. It has left us for reality. We have made everything that exists and we the people are distraught as we experience the world today. Many are distressed, for meager skills count as minimum wages. I affirm that there is dignity in all work. And being able and capable and educated in professional technical colleges throughout our great cities of opportu nities in this great state of Ohio. I remain excited. I am considered to be a voice and a spokesperson for the citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, and they rally with me and encourage my plight. For mine is theirs .... . ...... 1will show you stout, capable, able-bodied men with good minds and knowledge. Great architects with great and vital skills of masonry, carpentry, brlcklaying , cement mixing, and painting, as well as electricians and plumbers. We desperately need professional colleges skilled in training people in these skills. When the students are ready, the instruction will come from professional colleges. ..... Looking at the life-styles of today's modern world, much remains to be done ...... ..... At the intersection of Central Parkway and Vine St. all appears to be well; however, walk north on Vine St. , to Twelfth St., and continue through thirteenth, Fourteenth, and so on to Liberty St., and you will find yourself here in the "Ghetto". . .. Carol Cunningham trying to survive May 2000 By Alanna Maloney: the Urban Astrologer. Happy Birthday Taurus! feeling of restrictions you may have been feeling this year. All Taureans are especially lucky this month and there are opportunities for self-expressive expansion. Early month there are six planers in your sign! Beware of sore throats and stiff necks! There is unusual focus on you -- if things feel out of hand in both negative and positive ways, it is because they are! All this month you are looking attractive to oth~rs. This time ofyear is always a good time fo r you to show your face in new places especially parties, especially where people will be giving you gifts or hugs or even better, gifts and hugs! You will be feeling Gemini smarter and chattier than This month there is powerful usual chis month. Ir focus on your house ofsecrets would be a really good - and spiritual transcendence. time to begin a new U nforrunately the illustrious artistic or financial Astrological foreparents also project. Those of you who were born in the called this the house of self-undoing! third week of May will be feeling particularly Misunderstood and hidden self-detrimental under the gun these days, however this month patterns are going to whack you in the face all will bring blessings of many kinds to lessen the month (especially those having to do with self­ esteem and money). Be ready. Do what you can to process deep emotional pooh because it's all stirred up right now. Meditate it, Tai Ch'i it, Reiki it, write it, Shrink it, swim it off, film it, use it or it will use you and you will wind up in a ho house with a bottle ofJack between your knees by the time of your birthday! Really though, this could be an awesome time to shine in the arts, especially film and photography. Your p ersonal magnetism will be at an all time high. Cancer If you have important dealings with groups, social work, technology or politics there is a blessed break from restrictions this month. Blessings and gifts can come to you right and.left. In areas co do with the unusual, the revolutionary, and the greater good of all people, you can work well, communicate well, experience blessings, �STREETVIBES express yourself, and take much needed dramatic action. If none of this rings a bell for you then maybe you could dye your hair pink and join a protest this month, or open your own internet co,mpany, or join an organic farming collective or... Leo I know your career has been acting crappy lately, big dealings one day, dead the next; but May is bringing out the big guns for you in the work d~partment. Women contacts, mentors, blessings, opportunities, self-expression and action are here at last. Don't let your shock and disbelief at how well things are going cause you to miss out on enjoying this important month. Take the blessings and let them keep your spirits up throughout this year. You are not out of the woods quite yet but you have come to a big clearing, with a ~pring, and deer and wildflowers... Vtrgo _ Art classes, massage or healing classes, and education of all sorts appeal to you greatly this month. And if none of that sounds appealing, maybe raising funds for an overseas trip is called for. If you are really lucky, you are going on a trip to Thailand to buy spiritual items for a shop. That's the vibe that is kicking heavily for you this month. Exotica, !earning, and traveling. In what way do you seek the big truth in life? This month it is a focused blessed area. Look for the opportunities; the cash will be there! Libra This is a really weird month for you. Like Gemini and Aquarius, it takes you out of your comfortable air element of thinking, talking, and observing. It is going to demand a lot of you in areas to do with the big three-- sex, death, and taxes. Sex in its most spiritual form. Clean any residual guilt, and shadows from your erotic closet. Death in the sense of a strong awareness of the oth er side of life, an awareness of life's passing, the remembrance of the loss of a loved one, or an actual communication from the other side in a dream, a vision or a scented breeze. Here "taxes" is a catchall term meaning, of course, taxes, but also shared financial resources, banking, insurance, and inheritance. The watery mysterious under side ofyou is taking physical form this month. These three areas are bringing you unusual blessings, but at what cost to your peace of mind? Scorpio Your marriage, partnerships and best friendships have all the best to offer this month. You can be enriched and enhanced by important others in your life. Overall this area is under surveillance by delaying restricting Saturn this year and last- so really take this time The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine to enjoy the break in the clouds. Business partnerships and weddings are especially promising at chis time. Your spouse or friend may hook you up with a great job, give you a fat present, or get a great job themselves. Harmony, balance, beauty, and art are all enhanced in your life this month. Maybe it's about you giving a special gift to your honey or bud? Sagitta.dus So yeah, this pesky job thing... hmmm. Or is~it your health? Either way this month should bring you tangible results and even rewards for your patience (not you Sag. Surely not!) and hard work. Good advisement is to be had from mentors afl:d female cohorts. A raise is surely due, or some other equally tangible blessing. If you have been experiencing a throat or neck ailment, a good cure or solution should be at hand. For all your cogitating and theorizing, Sag. When it comes to work, you want to do something tangible, really meaningful, even permanen t. If your current employment denies you this feeling of something to build on think about scrapping it for something more fruitful this month! Capricorn Creativity, creativity, creativit}r... The crunch has. been on your self-expression chis year. Old sHf­ limiting paccerns have punched you in the face repeatedly (and taken your wallet and all-kinds of nasty stuff) , but chis month you can make a · comeback and be a real artistic contender. In matters to do with children, enjoyment, and speculation, you are blessed and blessed. Be open to opportunity for self-knowledge and expression that you were never allqwed as a child. You can make cash from just being you! Aquarius Whoah! Aquarius! Put that credit card away! (O kay, only those of you who haven't already fo rsaken all forms of money as a bourgeois concept). You are going to want to spend mass cash (barter) on your home, apartment, or family this month. The time is right for this kind of focus, but you could also overdo it rd ue to planetary urging. Try to do as much as you can with your own artistry and creativity, then let the gifts and good deals flow in. You may do well to visit a place that has fond childhood memories for you. You may also enjoy spending time with your dad. You may also inherit some kind of property this month. And importantly, if you are an Aquarius who has become homeless this year you may be in luck this May! Pisces There is a super focus of earth energies affecting all of Page 13 us this month and for you Fish folk it is in your house of siblings, communications, and short trips. Expect the roof to blow off in these areas. Buy a new journal, get more disk space, get a cheaper .long distance plan, and keep a good eye on your present car (bike, tennis shoes, scuba gear. ..) . And, keep your eyes peeled for a great deal on a new one, heck maybe your brother will even GIVE you a car. T here's just so m uch good luck and blessedness for you in this area this month- feel good about' finishing your novel or catching up on co rresponden ce w hile you are at it! Aries y D udes, this wh ole m onth is abou t m oney and self-esteem. Your world is just u n usually physical at· this time. Q uestions of cash , art, sex, exercise or lack thereof are vital these days. There is a possibility of b uilding something great and it's just a wonderful month to put all your wonderful id eas into action and solid form . If you were an architect this would be the month to b reak the dirt! Start a savings account for heaven's sake. And if you are lucky enough to h ave one already . t hink about h ow you could invest it. This physicality/finance thing has been restricted all year and now you are getting a blessed break and an unusual influx. Don't miss out! Squeeze that Horoscope 'til it yelps1 (This tidbit is repeated from February because I think it bears repeating!]) O ften we complain that Horoscopes are gen eralized. This is because they are! Each of us h as at least 36 variables that make our astrological profile (birth chart) unique. Newspaper horoscopes can only cover 3 of these variables at m ost. You can, however, use a horoscope more to your advantage, and bring that variable number much higher if you know your chart. If you h ave an interest in using horoscopes to your best advantage learn your rising (ascendant sign) and your m oon sign from an astrologer, book, computer program, or the Internet. T hen read those signs every month. T his will give you a more personalized h oroscope. Example: ifyour sign is Taurus, your moon sign is Pisces, and your risin g sign is Leo; then you read Taurus to learn about your self- expression (sun), Pisces for your emotional life (moon), and Leo (rising) for your social expression. T his will help to make horoscopes make more sense and bring m eaning. Readings with Alanna: Tarot: Tuesdays from 9pm to Midnight at ~itwell's Coffee House, 404 Ludlow Ave. Fridays from 8:30 PM to M idnight at Mullane's on Race Street. Astrology, Tarot, and Reiki: consultations and training are available by appointment through E-mail at psi_chic@hotmail.com. ­ �ST REE TV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 Low-Income Groups Seek to Redefine the Economic Security Agenda Courtesy of the Welfare Law Center The December 1999 issue of Welfare News reported the efforts ofseveral emerging released in Washington, D.C., community organizers in over 30 states and 50 cities released the report locally. coalition of low-income grassroots groups to forge a vision for an economic security agenda Poor Supports criticizes the states for that draws upon the experiences and views of denying Medicaid and Food Stamps to low­ low-income people. These efforts focus both on income families seeking welfare and leaving long-term organ11ing and more immediate welfare for work. It charts the decline in the opportunitie.' in the 'tates un<l at the national level variou<> states, and it urges the states to cake in the context ofTemporary A'sistance to Needy tep to correct the-..e abuses and the federal government to as urc that -..tare compl) with the Families ( fANF) reauthorization. ln the pa-..t l\\O month the folio'' mg tv.ocoalttion.. . h<\\e law. repo11ed -..ig11ificant de\elopments in their 01 ganizing ,md .t<h ocacy effrnK GRO\VL (Grass Roots Organizing for Call for states to spend TANF surplus to reduce poverty --- Welfare Liberation): Grassroots groups of low-income people come together to shape a welfare reform agenda. Thirty activists from 25 gral)sroots organizations across the country came together in A number of the leading grassroots and February for two days of ''politica1 exchange, • community organizing networks have come skills development, and vision building that together to promote a national agenda for economic security. This agenda seeks to address focused on creating a common progressive welfare reform agenda that advances race, the problems of persistent poverty and income gender, and economicjustice," according to the inequality and takes advantage ofthe Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) of opportunities presented by a thriving economy Oakland, California, which convened the group. ·and budget slirpluses. The coalition seeks to About half of the participants were current or build on recent successful state and local advocacy and to use this work as the basis for a former public benefit recipients. Many ofthe groups had attended the November 1999 national campaign. Its plan includes the Welfare Strategy Gathering in Oakland. Those following: attending agreed that the voices oflow-income An income support system which meets women and women ofcolor need to be heard in everyone's basic needs for housing, the welfare debate and that they would work on education, healthcare, transportation, food, and clothil}g _ _ a multi-level campaign with several coordinated Job opportunities for all that are safe, secure, activities that would support a national campaign. These activities include documenting racial and pay a living wage and provide adequate gender bias in the welfare system, urging federal benefits hearings on discrimination in welfare programs, Racial and gender equity as central goals of all policies, programs, and practices adopted and developing a communications strategy to get the coalition's agenda into the public debate. to eliminate poverty Policies that allow all families to balance work and family life Targeted investment in low-income communities Recent Welfare News from Around the Nation The New York Bar Association repo1ts th.1t less than t\\ o of e\ery ten New Yor1' Cit) \\eltare dcc1-;1ons are upheld when the~ are challenged in a hearing. A complaint has hcen filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Sen ices Office ofCi' ii Righb that Lo~Angeles County"<;; welfare agency fails to m,tke sufficient "erv1ces. training, and infonnation a\'ailable to legal immigrants and refugees who are not proficient in English. This is in violation ofTitle VI ofthe federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Illinois has agreed to change its child support cooperation rules. In the past, a parent who could not provide precise information on the whereabouts ofan absent parent would lose cast assistance for the fam ily and Medicaid for the custodial parent. The new rule allows parents to sign a statement under oath to verify that she or he does not have information about the absent parent. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law reports that large numbers oflow-income people are suffering as the result of severe restrictions on the work offederally­ funded legal services attorneys. The restrictions include a ban on bringing class actions or challenges to the legality orconstitutionality of changes in welfare policies. Information courtesy of'the Welfare Law Center Life after welfare reform In late February the National Campaign _ , issued two reports calling on states to make investments to reduce poverty and to assure that families receive the Medicaid and Food Stamps to which they are entitled. The reports were issued to coincide with the annual meeting ofthe National Governors' Association in Washington, D.C. Poverty Amidst Plenty reports that 45 states and the District ofColumbia have $7 billioninTANFfunds which remain unspent while poverty remains high. According to the report, a few states have diverted money from the TANF block grant to tax breaks and other state programs. The National Campaign has called on the states to seize the opportunity to spend these funds for innovative programs to reduce poverty. At the same time the report was "Since they cut offourfood stamps we've been eating out a lot." �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 15 Wanted:Volunteers to Help plantPeaceRoses in OTR. The objective is to plant at leastl OOOoverthe next couple ofyears. Atthismomentwehaveappropriations forl 20, some already crying to be planted Contact Berta Lambert at P.o. Box 101 08, Clntl 4521 O Ifyou wantto help. ' May you live all the days ~ of your life. - Jonathan Swift Former GCCH Director goes to Capital Hill Our Staff at the GCCH gives a standing ovation to our former Director Donald Whitehead, who has moved on to bigger and better things. Yes, Donald, you are the man! We congratulate you for your promotion as Chairman of the Board of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. We are extremely proud to have worked with you. I'd like to quote you, Donald - (referring to t~e fact that he is the first formerly homeless Chairperson) "By electing me, it shows that the Organization is sincere about fulfiHing its mission." You go, Donald! ... .. .Pat Mitchell The Homeless Coalition visits McCauley High Our host for our visit to McCauley Members of the GCCH staff spoke on some homeless issues to an audience of about 300 people, 240 being students. We were received well, and our messages seemed to be enlightening. Speakers included Don Whiehead, Susan Knight, Pat Mitchell and Ron Carter. For me this was a new experience, but a very rewarding one, educating about homelessness. Because anyone can be homeless; It could happen J'.O you. Hi~ School was Steve Elliot. .....•Pat Mitchell A protester in Brazil BRAZIL CELEBRATES SOOTH BIRTHDAY AMID PROTESTS By Phil Stewart PORTO SEGURO, Brazil (Reuters)- Brazil marked on Saturday the 500th anniversary of its discovery by Portuguese explorers, with official celebrations of its rich cultural diversity tempered by angry protests against centuries of ill treatment of Indians, blacks and peasants. More than 60,000 people gathered in Porto Seguro, a palm-lined beach town about 600 miles north of Rio de Janeiro, where Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral first dropped anchor on April 22, 1500, nearly eight years after Christopher Columbus made his first landing in the Americas. Police shot tear gas and stun grenades to break up thousands of protesters who threatened to push past a blockade, arresting 141 people in a swift morning crackdown that quickly snuffed out the threat of a mass march on the town center. By midday, the limelight turned to the party and its hosts - the presidents of Brazil and Portugal - who swooped on in Porto Seguro's restored colonial center to be greeted by colonial music, dances by a local indigenous tribe and an air show by Air Force stunt pilots. A regatta of more than 40 vessels also awaited the heads of state, just off the coast, after replicating the long voyage across the Atlantic to commemorate the birth of Latin America's largest and most ethnically diverse nation. "Looking across at this great mass of ships, I have to think of how lucky we were that Portuguese had the courage to cross the Atlantic," said Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. "We are not Portuguese; we are much more. There are the indigenous tribes that are still many ... and the African-Brazilians. But we will have always have deep ties between our two nations," Cardoso said, casting an affectionate gaze at his Portuguese counterpart, .President Jorge Sampaia. Cardoso also apologized for any excesses taken by the police and even added that Brazil's landless peasant movement (MST), the most violence­ prone group in a nation known for its peaceful protests, were "an uncomfortable, but necessary reminder of the concentration of private land" in Brazil. MST leaders had hoped Saturday would give them a chance to draw attention to vast inequalities in Brazil, where more than ­ half of Brazil's 165 million people live in poverty while 2 percent of the population owns about half the arable land. Indigenous tribes planned a peaceful mid­ day march to protest their continued poverty and to voice their opposition to celebrations they say ignore the racial killings, forced labor and disease that slashed their population from an estimated 6 million before the·Portuguese arrived to just 350,000 today. "This is a country where there is still murder of indigenous people, where there is still no justice. I don't understand why I should celebrate," said Marilene Jesus dos Santos, from the Pataxo Ha, Ha, Hae tribe. Her brother, Galdino, was murdered three years ago this weekend by middle­ class teenagers who doused him with alcohol and set him ablaze while he slept at a bus-stop in the nation's capital, Brasilia. Riot troops stormed the Pataxo reservation early Saturday, trying to silence the budding protest before it could absorb 10,000 members of the MST, labor groups and the black rights movement. Of 140 arrested, more than 20 were Indians and 30 were Catholic missionaries, according to indigenous rights groups. forwarded by the Homeless Peoples Network Hpn maillist ­ Hpn@projects.is. asu. edu �ST REE TV I BES Poetry and Art The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine HOW DO YOU BECOME HOMELESS? by Marsha Ramsey There is no set way that you become homeless. Homelessness can strike anyone at anytime. Your life can be going great and then you find yourself homeless. In my situation I had two heart Lord, why am I walking your streets at night? attacks in April of '99 and couldn't go back Did you know that homeless days to work, so I was abandoned by my now ex­ Started with a homeless night boyfriend and was asked to leave by my Rain pouring down on my head, but where landlady. I couldn't pay rent. So, what was can I go? to become of me? I know one place where I cannot go Like so many others I thought that becoming homeless would never happen to And that's home for sure. me! Guess what? I was wrong. When you Cause for some reason they wanted me gone. are abandoned by the ones whom you trusted and have been thrown aside like an Will tomorrow be a better turn? old shoe, it makes you sit up and take­ Cause I can't go home. notice. How do you feel about being This homeless life can't be true. homeless? For me, I felt devastated. Here Whatever happened to my life? I was always used to taking care of myself How did it ever come to this? E_nd heJQing oth.ers..with ~ver I C.illJld; -----~ Wasn't poor nor eitlier rich. and now I found myself homeless. I be down on my knees just asking the Lord In our society, people have a to tendency to look down their noses at the homeless. They feel that we are a burden Please give me a place to sleep. to them. What's even worse is being People looking at me like I'm dirty· homeless and sick on top of it. Some of us Because I'm all on the street. have panic disorder, which complicates Living in boxes and buildings issues. Again , some would say that's just a Make what I can to feed the children. scapegoat; well I'm here to tell you that's not so. It's very real and very scary. Wife die 2 years ago. Others are considered bipolar and Hard to explain to my baby boy that mama suicidal. How can anyone judge when they won't be back haven't walked in our shoes? I want to No more, know what gives people the right to think And we can't find a place to call home that we have a contagious disease. We Can't find a job also are thought to be lazy and losers. I for one would gladly go to work if I And we forced to be gone. coulcLB.ut I.have to accept the fact that that's not going to happen. So I sit waiting Lord, all I ask ofyou on my disability benefits to come through. Is to open the hearts ofall your children. I don't like having to depend on Make them help one another others; I'm used to independence big time. Stop looking down at my kind, I feel if your name is not Jesus then don't And give just a little change judge me, for he is the only one who has the Before it's somebody in their lives right to judge. Living this homeless life So if you still ask the question, "What is it like to be homeless?" Then trade By Mecello Barrar places in your mind with those who are, and imagine being devastated, feeling like you are at the end of your rope , with nowhere to turn except the much over-crowded shelters. Then you will get some idea of what it's like to be homeless and anxiety­ stricken. Most of us have been abandoned and rejected by our families and we feel unwanted to the point that if it weren't for the shelters, we would cease to exist. I've been lucky because Tender Mercies is my home - at least for the time being. I'm able to work on my goals and medical issues there. I can go to bed at night, knowing tomorrow is another day. I Can't Go Home - Page 16 take one day at a time. I also feel that most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled by Great Ambitions. That's why if you're homeless, it is important to take it day by day and treat each day as a new challenge. I have talked to many people who say, "Well, I've got some college, so I'll never become homeless." NOT TRUE! I have a high school diploma and a college diploma in Production Art, and here I am homeless; so it doesn't matter what kind of education you have. You can still become one of the homeless statistics. People also tend to think that drugs and alcohol play a big part in becoming homeless - that's not always true; they can play a part but mostly homelessness happens because people run into very hard times. A lot of people are a paycheck away from being homeless, but they sometimes do not realize this fact. So if you meet people who say they're homeless, reach out a hand and shake their hands; because a lot of the time, that will make them feel good, just to know that some folks see them as human beings just down on their luck, and not people just looking for a hand out. A homeless person will eat from the dumpsterjust to stay alive. They sleep under bridges, under park benches, and battle the cold and rain . These people do not live in shelters because there is simpjy no room. They panhandle just to survive on the streets. Also, homeless people can be seen carrying everything they own on their backs, in bedrolls or grocery carts. They take chances every time they go to sleep whether or not to wake up to face a new day. Some of the homeless are homeless because they have been de-institutionalized and put out on the street with no follow-up program or medication and nowhere to go. These circumstances of the mentally ill have left a legacy of many positive changes that are probably permanent, but they have also left a legacy of problems that are unlikely to be solved. It is time therefore for a fresh look at the present and future of the homeless and mentally ill long-term care policy. We have gotten into much of the current mess by acting on best intentions without foreseeing the worst of unintended effects. One more thing in closing: we have a lot of talented people in our homeless circle; you'd be surprised what they can do. Check out the windows at 29 W. 12th Street, and you will see some of our talent. Marsha Ramsey Part of the Inner Circle �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine LORD, WHY? Lord, why did you put me here to live to die to burn to learn? Lord why did you put me here to die, in a world full with pain? What is there to gain, in this wicked game? What is there to gain when your back is against the wall , and you constantly fall, when every time you try to get by you fall on your face? What's left to save to the human race? What is to gain when hope is gone and you are standing all alone? To burn in hell or to die in a jail cell. When pain and sorrow, and it seems like no tomorrow, thinking back to the goodness we once had. It seems to me that the world is so sad; when everybody professes to keep it so real, when it comes down face to face they hold their head down in disgrace in this The PULSE of the NEIGHBORHOOD wicked place. When everybody's puffing on so much ch ronic smoke, it seems that life is one big joke. When kids play with guns thinking that this is a game offun, and money rules the world and its war and tears and its man that they fear. Don't they know the Savior is near? And the heavens open up and I heard a voice say, "My son what I said will be, so always keep your faith in me." Than I said to the lord, "Will I down in the sea or weaken like a willow tree?" Then in reply, "The lord said to me, "Stay strong even if you stand alone" So my brothers and sisters we must have hearts like steel to keep it real , looking up to God's beautiful grace in surrounding in this wicked place. .....Anthony Watkins Who Am I? Who am I? I am William J. Mayo I am a man from a distant land, A man who fears no chains or bonds, A man who knows the ugliness of oppression, injusti~e, and racism, A man who knows few highs and many lows, I am a conscious educated black man in these "United snakes of America'', A man with a burden to bear I am a man who must reach down and pull up both brother and sister. A man who must educate the uneducated, feed the hungry, defend the defenseless, love the unloved, and respect the unrespected. I am a man who must clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, and protect the abused. These are the duties of a Morehouse Man. I am a man who must love, honor and respect the black woman; for without her I have nothing. I have recognized the beauty within her, A beauty that has been passed down for generations. I have become mesmerized by her darkness, and must join with her in a strong sustaining will. I must join in a strong sustaining will for my dear mother: Elaine Patterson; my best friend, Kimberly A. Todd; my ~ i:•ri ••" • , . ,.. ·i •·. . - I Page 17 CRIME CAMERAS ARE -YOUI Do you feel belier, now? Dear Streetvibes, I am responding to the report by Kent Ryan, Cincinnati Safety Director, that Over-the­ Rhine residents had an adequate chance to comment on the camera at Race and Elder Streets. We at the Over-me-Rhine Community Council never got the notice ofPublic Discussion about the Over-the-Rhine camera, period. So how can the majority of O.T.R. residents respond, if they knew nothing of the Law and Public Safety Committee meeting that approved the camera? ...Sonny Williams, OTR Resident college friend, Ennis Cosby, and those before them. Document #200000315 To: Law and Public Safety Committee From : Kent A. Ryan, Director of Safety Copies to : Police, Safety Subject: Findlay Marker C~era J know that l am not the foot shuffling, fast talking, product selling, pocket The City Council at its session on February 16, 2000 picking, prostitute pimping, sex referred the following item for review and report. hunting, bank robbing, pill popping, cocaine snorting or the crack smoking COMMUNICATION, dated 1131100, stud that this cruel society has projected submitted by Council member Reece, from Sonny Williams, PAN-Ohio, objecting to the approval of me be. surveillance camera.s being placed in Over-the-Rhine without a public hearing being heki at City Hatt I know that I am the Lawyer, the On May 28, 1998, a report wa.s prepared and Doctor, the Dentist, the Muslim, the submitted to City Council regarding the installation of Minister, the Teacher, the Mentor, the a surveillance camera at Findlay Market. In the College President, the News Reporter, report, the Safety Director stated that the area around Findlay Market had wng bem a source ofdrug­ the Mayor, the Senator, the Governor, the Man who must provide for my wife, related complaints. In light ofthe restoration ofthe Market and the drug and crime complaints filed with children and family. the Cincinnati Police Division, it wa.s recommended by the Police Division and the City Administration Surely, I have turned myself to you, oh God, striving to be upright to you who originated the heavens and the earth, and I'm not of the polytheist. Surely my prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for the lord of the worlds. that a surveitlance camera be instaUed. Supporters ofthe Camera included Hart Realty. Metro Management, the Findlay Market Association, the Over-the-Rhine Safety Committee and various community members. The report wa.s placed on the law and pubic Safety Committee agenda for discussion and wa.s subsequently approved by Council I know that I am a servant of God, an educated black man, a Morehouse College man, an innocent man who has spent 8 years of my life in prison trying to help two young men understand their self-worth. A man who fully understands the word "Friend" and "Conditional Friend". In September of 15!98, another report was prepared updating Council on the progress ofthe cameras. This report was also placed on the Law and Public Safety Committee agenda for discussion and approved by Council. In both ca.ses, the public was welcome to comment on the issue directly to the Safety Department or the City Council APPROVED .... William ]. Mayo john F Shirey City Manager ..... �ST RE ETVI BES Homeless Grapevine The Tri-State's ADVERTISE IN STREETVIBES!!! Socially Conscious Readers Support Socially Conscious Businesses H you haye a business, Streetvibes is a great place to advertise. We reach over 6,000 socially conscious residents of Greater Cincinnati every month who want to support businesses who are equally socially conscious. We regularly sell papers at locations such as Xavier University, University of Cincinnati, St. Xavier High School, Ursuline Academy, Ludlow Avenue, various downtown locations, Bellarmine Chapel, and many other local churches. Our business card-size ads are just fifteen dollars and a double business-card size ad is just thirty dollars. We'll even help you design your ad! H you own a business or an employment agency and need employees, put your help wanted ads in Streetvibes, for just $1.00 per line, with ten words per line. Your advertising-dollars will help us-make-eertain-ou~ vendors have ­ the latest Streetvibes to sell, all month long. The sale of advertising will also give us the flexibility we need to help vendors become seriously involved in the writing and editing of Streetvibes. Advertising in Streetvibes in one of the most tangible ways that you can support the homeless in Cincinnati. It gives you a chance to be part of a very exciting time for Streetvibes and the Homeless Coalition as we expand and make our services even better! Give John or Tom a call at 421-7803 for more information, or feel free to send an ad with your check to Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Page 18 CORRECTION IntheApril issueofStreetvibes, we publishedthelyricsto a song called ''Thundering In"andfailedtogivecredit totheoriginalwriterofthelyrics. The tyricswereoriginallywritten byDougie Mcleanand later adapted by Paulette Meierwithhispennission. Our apologies toboth ofthem! WAIF FM ALERT - wann~show? If you are a record collector (vinyl/tape/CD's) or have an idea for a public affairs/news show and are free weekdays, propose a SUMMER SHOW on all-volunteer WAIF 88.3 FM. Think about getting underwriting ($$) from a friendly merchant, and 1~ consider how you will publicize your show. Become a radio STAR! Here's help: alertAMP@aol.com 513/ 751-1740 5131333-WAIF ~ Cl) ·-> ~ ..J ~ en o Cl) :c .c 0 > ·.., "'C ·­ Cl) cu ~o:: .., (/) ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION Disc-Jockey Service Check us out, We~re on TV! The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati Community Video), 2114 Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like to DON'T MISS THE NEXT STREETVIBES CLIFFORD JONES be a part of our live studio audience (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesacp@tbol.net please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. I• ; I' tL May Schedule i f• 1 I (513) 230-6353 VENDORS MEETING : 11 :00 A.M. Friday, June 2nd, the day the next issue of Streetvibes comes off th6 presses. 1 Broadcast Dates for May's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Thursday, May 4, at 10 AM Saturday, May 6, at 5 PM Tuesday, May 9th, at 1O PM Saturday, May 20th, at 5 PM Tuesday, May 23, at 1O AM Thursday, June 1, at 1O AM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. Strectvibes TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. ff JOU would like to be a part of the audience, or if JOU have ideas for future shows, call us at 411·7803 �- · : ,STREETVIBES . ~ The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine . Page 19 STREETVIBES Classified HOUSING: Landlord Problems in your Subsidized Housing? Contact Warren J. Perkins, Tenant Support Organizer, 421-7803, in the Homeless Coalition Office, 1506 E lm St. Streetvibes has a minimal overhead costs so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selllng Streetvlbes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. ----..,----r-------t The Ftee Mar f<et Fish Pond Streetvibes accepts Classi­ fied Ads for item·s such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421-7803 for more information Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to: GCCH,1506 Elm Street,Cincinnati, OH 45210 · or fax it to 421-7813, or e-mail to streetvibes@juno.com SALUTE! Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-st ring budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We .depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call. .. O Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and s ugar, etc.) 0 Organic home baker to supply vendors with Whole grain Guer illa cookies O Photography Help of all sorts for Streetvibes- photographers, film, devel­ oping , (a digital camera?) O !Advertiser~ and_Su~scrjbers 0 Computers/components (monitors , hard drives, etc;) for story-writing, edit ing, research, and homeless com­ puter lab If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513)421-7803, fax(513) 421 -7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com Father James P. Kelly, of Old St. Mary's Catholic Church, has gone out of his way to help people, especially the homeless! No matter what day or time of night, he .is always tl;lere ton~lp!, Lmyself will always commend him and give·him thanks for what he has done for people. Thank you , Father and God Bless! ....D. Watkins THANK YOU, TO EVERYONE WH O A SS I STED WITH AND PA RTICI­ PA TED IN CENSUS 2000 �5 TREE TV I BE 5 Don't Miss the Annual "Mac D ay" Celebration! June 10, from Noon til 6, in Laurel Park on Ezzard Charles Drive, across from St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Political Groups, Children's activities, Free Food, Entertainment, Qpe~j Mac Day, held in honor of the late Over-the-Rhine activist, Rev. Maurice McCrackin, has been a child-friendly gathering of peace-making, alternative .. ·"wlivin~, 'en~rorµn~ntal, grassitiO-B~ ifttirnlik~ 'h.tstneless advocacy, all good-thing I good­ vihe people festival, with lots of good food and music. For more information, or to help in the organiZtZtion, contact bcrum@fuse.net The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 20 CINCINNATI AIDS ACTIVIST LOBBIES IN WASHINGTON ....By John Halpin Cincinnati resident Norman Hampton knows the importance offederal funding for AIDS programs. That's why he was one of was one of eighteen Ohio representatives who joined advocates from around the nation to lobby in Washington last month for continued federal support of HIV/AIDS programs. This is the third year Hampton has participated in AIDSWatch a project ofthe National Association of Peopl~ with AIDS. Hampton says this year's lobbying effort is doubly important because the Ryan White C~RE Act is up for reauthorization in Congress this fall. The CARE Act is the landmark 1990 legislation that serves as the federal government's centerpiece of efforts to improve the quality and availability of care for people with HIV/AIDS and their families. Not only did AIDSWatch 2000 lobb Congress for the reauthorization of CARE but also to meet their recommendations for funding of other AIDS programs and research. Norman Hampton had the opportunity to me~t with several Congresspersons, including regional representatives Steve Chabot, Tony Hall, and staff from Representatives Boehner· and ~obson 's offices. AIDS Action, a group XX8(~1n~ ~~gur~ ~ fair nati?nal policy on AIDS, graded memt>e1S of the 105ttl Congress 't or tfieif support of AIDS legislation and funding. Local House Representative Tony Hall scored the highest, voting AIDS-supportive 60% of the time. He was followed by Rep. Hobson at 40%, Rep. Portman at 30%, Rep. Boehner at 20%, and Rep. Steve Chabot at 9%. In the Senate, Mike DeWine scored a 40%, and former Senator !g Hampton's main efforts were directed to g~ini~g support for AIDS funding that helps low-income people. One-third to one-half of persons with AIDS are homeless or in imminent Norman Hampton in Washington danger of becoming homeless, he said. Hampton stressed the importance of a home for anyone, but particularly for someone with HIV/AIDS. For a person with HIV/AIDS to stay healthy, they need a home and the stability that it brings. The Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program, administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, provi.des the funds needed to make housing possible for low-income individuals with HIV/ AIDS. - · Two other programs important to Hampton are the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the AIE>S 9rug_Assistance Program (ADAP). SAM HSA-.. pr0-\Qdes program support for substance abuse treatment and prevention, ameR9-Q!!ier things. Hampton, a former substanC"e abuser, stressed the importance of assistance to this population. ADAP, which is funded under the Ryan White ct, provides a ·wtc:te-vane o health care and supportive services, including life-prolonging medications, to low-income people. Hampton said that he feels he and his fellow delegates had a good, productive visit to Washington. He said that one of the most important ingredients for success is that members of Congress get to meet the people and hear the voices of those who are asking for support. "They needed to see it, and they got to see it!" he said. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treat­ ment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt Airy Center Volunteers of America I : : SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471 -1100 LighthouseYouth Center (Teens) St. John's Temporary Housing 961-4080 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381 -1171 639-7056 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.DAA.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both NA Hopeline AA Hotline C.CAT. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-501 1 241-7343 961-4663 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 5')9-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill lndustries 771-4800 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 621-6364 Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 572-6226 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center Women Helping Women 872-9259 � 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 2000 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 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: The World Bank? The IMF? What’s All the Fuss About? Pg 2: Donald Whitehead Elected Chairperson of National coalition for the Homeless The Traveler Pg 3: World Bank Continued Pg 4: Environmental Record of the Presidential Candidates Revealed Pg 5: National News Pg 6: Words from the Evangelist Pg 7: Avondale Public Held at Hirsch Recreation Center Pg 8: Aids in Africa Pg 9: Prison News Pg 10: William Mayo Still Languishes Georgia Prison Pg 11: Editorials & Letters Pg 12: Editorials & Letters Continued Street Scopes Pg 13: Street Scopes Continued Pg 14: Welfare News Pg 15: Brazil Celebrates 500Th Birthday Amid Protests Pg 16: Poetry & Art Pg 17: Poetry & Art Continued 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 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donald Whitehead Tom Billman John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Tina Maser Anthony Watkins William J. Mayo Alanna Maloney Charles Mattingly Sonny Williams Marsha Ramsey Mecello Barrar Gordon Maham Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Africa Aids Alanna Maloney Anthony Watkins Arts & Poetry Charles Mattingly Donald Whitehead Editorials & Letters Evangelist Funding Gordon Maham Housing Assistance International news Jess Ballew John Halpin Marsha Ramsey Mary A. Gaffney Mecello Barrar Model Olympics Pat Mitchell Presidential Candidates prisoners news Ron Carter Sonny Williams Tales from Across the River The Traveler Tina Maser Tom Billman Warren Perkins welfare news William J. Mayo World Bank https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/b9b5a78cd10daaccfa014a33f8a606f1.pdf 940cca5736675ce11395d4926d43abec PDF Text Text �_.. NADER CAPTIVATES CINCINNATI by Dan Marsch1zer Ralph Nader provided a glimpse of what politics could be to a sellout crowd at the University of Cincinnati's Zimmer Auditorium on Thursday, October 26. Nader, the Presidential candidate for the Green Party, showed why he was one of Time's "100 Most Influential People of the 2Q1h Century." He illustrated radically different proposals than the major party candidates, a vision of government based on human rights, labor rights, respect for the environment, and consumer power over corporations. Nader has been a consumer advocate for over 30 years, fi ghting for corporate responsibility. He first gained prominence with Unsafe at Any Speed, a book that exposed the abuses of the auto industry. His work has lead to the creation of several consumer protection agencies and bas helped create healthier, safer means of production at the expense of corporate profits. The UC Skeptics sponsored Nader 's visit as part of a globalization awareness campaign through the Coalition for a Humane Economy (CHE). The night was devoted to education about the World Trade Organization (WTO). Nader believe that the WTO is the largest threat to national sovereignty that the world currently faces. The WTO, accord1ng to Nader, is a supranational governing power that has the ability to override the laws of any member country. These laws are attacked by means of the WTO's harmonization committee, a body that seeks to reduce trade barriers. Standardizing trade policies is the committee's goal, and the body has two options: raise the world's procedures to the most stringent of countries, or lower them to the least restrictive nations. Nader believes that the latter is being adopted at the expense of environmental standards, worker rights, and human rights. Ralph Nader addresses the crowd at UC. Member nations in the WTO target international trade laws that they seek to remove constantly, and take their disputes to court. A law can be challenged in the Geneva, Switzerland courts of the WTO. The courts have closed sessions to the public, and all decisions are final. If a country loses its case, the law in question must be revised or the country faces economic repercussions. This system, Nader believes, causes the erosion of national rights to consumer protection and an increase in the profits of multinational corporations. Trade becomes the supreme criteria in this syste m: the goal is to increase trade at any expense. Nader calls the WTO "the most spectacular sidestepping of governmental standards that global corporations have ever done." Corporations work with oppressive governments to drive down worker and environmental standards. The cheap labor and weak environmental standards lead to profit maximization and the loss of social gains. The result is a devastating effect on the thlld world. Nader believes that this process makes the concept of "free trade" a pitiful joke. "You can't have free trade with a country that's not free," Nader empha ized. What can be done about the WTO abuses? Nader considered two options: the U.S. leaving the WTO or attempting to work within the structure of the WTO. He argued that the U.S. has the strength to pull out of the WTO and assert enough influence to change its policies. If the U.S. left the WTO, then other countries would be forced to reconsider the WTO and the consequences of its membership. Working within the WTO to make change isn' t realistic, Nader believes, because the member nations are bound to accept the action of the WTO. Nader outlined some changes to governmental policy to address the current abuses of globalization. He argued that the U.S. foreign policy should support workers, not dictators. The current idea of productivity, production of goods at the lowest cost, needs to be redefined. He postulated that productivity should embrace all people's rights to safer, better lives. He argued that the maj or political parties had embraced corporate power. Nader believes "Our democracy should not be for sale!" GLOBALIZATION GOES LOCAL by Susan Knight government officials. These November 16­ 18 organizers estimate a few thousand demonstrators will converge on Cincinnati to bring attention to globalization and a group called the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD). The TABD consists of over 200 CEOs from the Un ited States and the European Union and top U.S. government officials. including the Secretary of Commerce. They meet to develop trade policy recommendations for EU and US recommendations, if unable to be directly implemented by the given government, are then brought to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Often, these recommendations are imposed on other nations through the WTO. The demonstrations will make a call for democratic economics. They will demand that the government tum to the people. not corporations. for decisions that influence our lives. The demonstrations will highlight the 1 \ NADER, continued on page 3 local ramifications of the corporations located within Cincinnati. Developing their own unique version of Porkopolis. the demonstrators will bring to life, through pig puppets, the issues and concerns surrounding corporate dominance. Civil disobedience will be present throughout the TABD meetings. Although groups outside of Cincinnati are coming to these actions, the group responsible for the coordination of the protest is the Coalition for a Humane Economy (CHE). located in Cincinnati. CHE.is sponsoring a series of actions that will illustrate the abuses of the TABD. These actions include: CllE, continued on page 18 GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS �STREETVIBES ' Stre~s-, the Tri-State's Homeless Grape­ vine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about homelessn~. sociaJ justice, and poverty-related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing cost')) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation,. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Srreetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before be ing given a Streervlbes Vendor badge. The Greater Ci11cimwti. Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educat­ ing the pubJic and grassroots organizing. GCCH &af[ Alicia Beck Susan Knight Director Tom Billman Dan Marschner Gina Kohlhepp Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Administrative Coordinator Editor Assistant Editor Streetvibes Intern Outreach Coordinator Tenant Organizing Oureach Volunteer Receptionist Prison News Editor Writers Mr. Lee Rodney Sutton Pat Mitchell Sharon Wejss Dan Marscbner Wendell Salter Doctor Donovan Riccardo M .Taylor Anthlny Watkins Rick Williams Shaka N' Zinga LynnMarmer Susan Knight John Perotti Ron Carter Lynn Williams Gina Kohlheff Anthony Mack Warren Perlcins Kunta Kenyata Jewel Wilks John W. Gerhart Booger Love Llnd,a L. Bµrger Mark LOCAL NEWS Page2 Homeless Coalition · Speaks at 8.th Annual Senior Banquet by Pat Mitchell On October 15, 2000, the Coalition was invited co th.e 6'hStreet H ill Neighborhood Club and M ission Banquet. This gathering was a delightful event, attended by Pat Mitchell, Outreach Worker, and M ary Gaffeney, our receptionist. W e were served dinner and given carnations as guests. And I received a certificate of appreciation for bei~g a g uest speaker. I was most imp ressed by the celebration and the history that was brought o ut by one of the guest speakers, M r. C urtis Hubbard, Sr. M r. H ubbard is-78 years young· and was a Tuskegee Airman. H e was c:elling som e great srories and showing piccures of our senior Black Airmen of Tuskegee, AJabama. T he mistress of ceremonies was M rs. Barbara Twitty; W elcom e address, Joyce Bell. T here were also speakers speaking on mental health, Dr. Ozzie McDonald, on breast cancer awareness, Evelyn Jones, followed by some good entertainment from H arry C urtis and LaVeena Campbell. Mrs. Campbell gave an outstanding performance. Poem s by Eugene H arris and last but not least, Jean Thomas, and Marcia B.C. Mohammad. President D arlene Hicks crowned the King and Queen of the M ountain 2000: D an Boozer and Geneva Spring. Active Kings and Q ueens present were C laude Campbell, Lillian C urry, and C lyde Campbell. T heir first active Queen was Irm a Ford, now inactive in a AJaska nursing home. D arlene Hicks volunteers her work and her passion for life. Among her endeavors, D arlene is the founder of Missionary Outreach Services whose Evangelical work is 6'h Street Hill serving people in Cincinnati, W est V irginia, and North C arolina for 25 years, and in Africa and Haiti for 9 years. I was proud to be part of this celebration. It was an event to remember. Thanks D arlene for inviting the Greater C incinnati Coalition for the H omeless. VENDOR SPOTLIGHT Wendell Salter I think it' s a great thing doing work for the Homeless Coalition. It not only gives me a chance to meet people in various walks of life, But also gives me a feeling of self­ worth. I know the feeling of degradation and pain that comes w ith being homeless. I've been a vendor a w hile -- since February of this year. Being a vendor has brought me in contact w ith the people of Streetvibes and the Coalition. I owe a great deal of my success to God, my wife, and my family, as w ell as to you, the readers of Streetvibes. Thanks a lot to Wendell and all the other Streetvibes vendors helping us to make alternative viewpoints available to Cincinnati citizens. Word Scramble Greetings from Ron Carter Olehl latocnilo Ergstigen Mofr Nro Rretca Mi' Gindo Efni Graphics Photographs by Berta Lambert, Sonny Wdliams. Jimmy Heath, Beverly Brooks, cartoon by Victor Buttram, fll'fllll'lzers, and honorees .... Annual Senior Banquet Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $ 15 per year. (Please make checks payable to GCCH) Please send au material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 421 -7803 fax (5 13) 421-781 3; e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com o r homecoal@primax.net web page: http://cinci.com/gcch Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our read­ ers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �ST REET VI BES LQ CAL NEWS Hello, My name is Tony and I am a eounselor at the Joseph Honse Ine .... Today by the grace of God my life is wonderful and I am at peace with myself. I can honestly say this because seven months ago I was homeless, desperate, lonely, confused and full of shame, guilt and self-pity. As I reflect back over my life (which has been a good one), I know that my life is full of choices ans! the choices I made created a process. I cannot blame anyone for my faults. I grew up in a wonderful family. I was taught to love myself and treat others with respect and kindness. I h ave played music, attended college, performed in a movie, served in the armed forces for 16 years and spent 10 years in Europe. I was once happily married and had everything I could ever wane. As a result of an event I became heartbroken. I lost my moral values and spirituality. Quite simply I stopped living and became a member of the "walking dead". Yes I was dead; I just did not have enough courage to lay down. I still remember vividly of walking the streets, always on a mission that I could never quite complete and if it was completed the end results was jail or an Page 3 ••• • institution. I thank God that it was never death. There were agencies that wanted to help me such as the Drop Inn Center, The qty Gospel Mission, The Homeless Coaljtion, VA, and countless others. I could not be helped until I was ready to help myself. That time finally arrived on March 16, 2000. I decided that I wanted to live again, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of mysel£ I wanted to love and be loved, I wanted to respect and be respected. I wanted to stand for something and stop falling for nothing. I wanted to be a man and carry myself accordingly. I surrendered to a battle that I could not win by myself and I asked for and wanted help. I was ready to hear, listen and act on suggestions that were given to me. With the assistance of the VA I walked in the door of the Joseph House Inc. and for the first time in my life I knew that I was where I was suppose to be. Since that day I have not looked back. Has it been easy? NO, however it has not been as difficult as it once was. During my time it treatment I began to understand that what I lived is what I learned and what I learned is what I practiced and what I practiced is what I had became and what I became had consequences. I found our that I had the disease of akoholism. It can never be cured, it can' be arrested and a . wonderful life can be achieved. I was willing to take suggestions, to listen and not just hear, to take action and not contemplate. Most importantly, I learned to let go and let God. I serve a God of second·chances and he requires ordinary things with extraordinary results. Today my life is wonderful. I am being responsible for myself and to others. I am happy with myself and content with what I have. Not only am I happy, my mother and children are extremely pleased to have me back again. I must thank the afore mention agencies for all their assistance during my foolishness. T he help you provided me has come to fruition. Thank you Joseph House for not leaving me behind. I ask God to be happy and he said "I give you blessing, it's up to you to be happy." May he continue to bless us all. Anthony R. Mack. RCJoseph House Inc. + _ __ _ _ _ _.. . . . . ,......_______________________ NADER, from page 1 o seph Honse for Home less Veterans by Pat Mitchell Just a few nights ago I watched Heatl1er French, Miss America, win a Women's Achievement Award for the work she did in her reign for the homeless. I had the pleasure of meering Miss America at the Veteran Stand-down at the Drop Inn Center and also got a personal autograph for my grandson. After seeing her win this award I started thinking about the good work she had done. Being involved with homeless people myself, I felt that I had played a small part in her.crusade. With the additional support of Joseph House' supervisorlth:erapist Kenny Cruthers, I have been working.at the Homeless Coalition for the lasr 6 months, spealcing with Veterans - some homeless ­ giving them some hope. This year 2000, I met Tony Mack, counselor for the Joseph House. I was impressed by his dedication for the work with the horneJess veterans and the fact that he was a homeless veteran, with a chemical (in)dependence success story. After meeting M r. Mack I was later able co do an interview and a tour ofJoseph House and Moses I House. So now I know where Veterans leaving detox programs can go. Joseph House is another program of structure. Joseph House is located at 1519 Vine and extends to Republic - while touring, I found the Joseph House to be a very clean, comfortable, homey atmosphere. Also, they have a cook that was a resident. Now he does the cooking for the residents 7 days a week. The staff people were very friendly and quite down to earth, making this program also a plus. Joseph House is a 6 month program but the veteran can stay 24 months or longer in the Fran House or Moses I House. It gives chem structure for making the transition to the real life. Here recovery is their main priority along with a job. All are cools for homeless veterans to lead a productive life. Located in the Moses House is an area called "the Landing Zone, which offers homeless veterans a chance to rest, make phone calls, wash clothes, and gee a hair cut. Here, Veterans also get a chance to get off the streets and talk with other Yeterans, no longer homeless, trying ro rebuild their lives, "pulling up their fellow man" so they can also have a life of dignity. On November 18 at Memorial Hall there Alicia Beck, Executive Director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, inquired about Nader's views on homelessness. His response was to illustrate the largest housing project in the Jast 10 years: prisons. Nader stated that over 2 million people are currently in prison; the audience was left to wonder why the population is so large. He indicated that criminalizing drug addicts instead of treating them was a horrible mistake. Also, Nader believed that a living wage needed to be established so that homeless and impoverished people could escape their current situation. The current minimum wage, in Nader's estimation, is not adequate to support a family. This lack of a livable wage leads to increased poverty and homelessness. Finally, Nader issued a challenge to the audience, mostly college students. Nader argued, ''The most important part of life is striving for a better world ... Those of you who are 20, you have 2,000 weeks till you are sixty - 15,000 days. Don't waste them." Judging from the enthusiastic audience response, this evening certainly was oot wast~d. + + + Working for Human Rights? Labor Rights? Environmental Rights? Animal Rights? Joseph House helps homeless veterans like him. will be a dedication of the new Moses House II, a transicional living facility. On January l, there will be opening of the Standard Living Permanent Housing. Here, recovery will still be the main focus. We salute Heather French for her great work and congratulations on h er marriage on October 27. 200+ of the World's top CEOs will be in Cincinnati November 16-1 8 Called the TABD (Transatlantic Business Dialogue) , this group, along with government officials, sets the agenda of the WTO (World Trade Organization) MASS DEMONSTRATIONS PLANNED!!! Cati 513-588-8883 SUBSCRIBE: che2000@egroups.com check it out: www.che-2000.org �STR EETV I BES l.. ()(~J\f_. N )~ 1\TS Page 4 Mt. Airy Shelter: From the Inside Out By Mr.Lee The following "fictionalized scene" is designed to describe the unique experience of gaining residence at Mt. Airy shelter and experience of traveling to the shelter. The facts are accurate, the characters "somewhat " fictionalized. The Pick-up Pojnt Well, here you are ... homeless and standing in front of the Hamilton County Department of Human at 6:4.5 am in the morning. You're stand outside because the building doesn't openuntil 7:OOam,with.clients not seen until 7 :30am. YOU V& already been advised to be there early, since it is first come, first serve. Good advic~ as there appears to be three other "clients"(hohi.el~ss, dirfy and hungry men) . You not to look conspicuous , (my big word for the mo'ntli) while carrying. your change of dirty clothes in your suitcase of the day. That might be a suitcase, overnight bag, gym bag, what is known as a Kroger suitcase (you know, paper or plastic?) or the always appropriate green garbage bag. Not knowing how many beds will be available, you jockey for position. The loser(s) may wind up spending another night at City Gospel Mission (clean, usually a decent meal, with a brief sermon, sort of like, open mike night for aspiring ministers and a very early (5:00am) wake up call). Of course, don't forget the mandatory shower before lights are turned out about 8:00pm. In the m.orning they send you out at 6:OOarn, and let you back in about 7:OOarn, for a breakfast of out of date vending machine sandwiches (not to be confused with a sammich) that taste like Penn Station to a hungry man on the street. Or worse still, a night of minor drama in the facility known, not so affectionately on the street, as the "Dew Drop Inn". You may have arrived at this point through any number of unpleasant routes. You may have spent the previous night on the streets of Over the Rhine. There is always plenty of company inWashington Park,especially when the weather is warm. You may have just arrived in town seeking a geographical cure for some pressing self -imposed crisis and referred there from any one of several agencies. You may have gone on yet another of those drinking/drugging binges you had sworn never to do again, and been forced on the street, going from spot to spot, maybe even sleeping in abandoned buildings. You may just have been put out by the wife, brother, mother (ouch!), sister, cousin, significant other, lover, friend,former friend, houseman, etc. You may just be tired of being on the street, going from spot to spot, sleeping in abandoned buildings, under bridges, or in old cars. (These are only a partial list of temporary "residences" that would also include hallways, bus stations, covered walkways, skywalks, garages, and other unlikely places that for homeless men represent shelter.) Back to the present. You are convinced that you present every possible indicator that you are homeless, short of a neon sign on your back. Your clothes are not very clean (OK, dirty), you may have been wearing them several days (you have), you need a shave, a bath, some sleep and a super sized "baloney sammich", (yep, that's how I spell it). The basic requirements for admission are that you be male, chemically dependent and/or mentally ill, and in need of temporary shelter. Although all of the men don't fit this profile, most do. Once the door is open, you quickly walk 4 trY Extra! Extra! Support Streetvibes by Advertising to Socially Conscious Readers! Rates: about 2 bucks per square inch up to the security checkpoint. Several county officers supervise the x-ray machine and it's e xamination of your packages, including the bag of dirty laundry you brought with you. You then go to a side lobby where you wait to be interviewed. The county employee, Laura or one of two others, is a very nice woman. She is compassionate, sensitive and pleasant. She has a gift for not making her client feel "less than". She tries to offer a few words of hope and optimism. She takes some hi.storical inforrnation, sets up or upd.~t~s your file, and determines whether a bed is available and if you are e ligible. If accepted for housing, you are given a blue card with some basic data and a bus token, With some general information on you and directi9n~ to " ... THE PlCk UP 1 POINT". f\Jthou.g hsori are shownpictllt~s 01 ' the shelter· and the "'pick-up point", it &>~sn't · really· regfater until you actually s~e t,t iem. Unless you have been through the process, most of what you hear doesn't stick. You are ~o relieved to be going to place that doesn't put over at the collection of men sitting, standing under, around and near the tree. There are anywhere from 1 to 20 men waiting fot the van. If you are a "new-man", you may find that no one talks to you, unless you find a particularly friendly shelter resident or you are fortunate to have a friendly acquaintance at the poi~t. If you are so ,blessed, this. means m~ybe a cig,?-I"ei~~ or possi.b1y .a s~~ck 'o r shareq soft drii;ik: fvlore impor1tantly, it may also mean a guide who wiU hel:p> you le~n the. rope~ .and the ins and outs ·of Life :at. Club Med.. J .mean Mt.Airy. ·' • ... ~. rl '· So you're her~. at the Pick Up Point, soon to be transported to Mt. Airy Shelter.' You are sitting1inder a shady tree, you've answered the call ofnature (usually referred to as nuinber one), you are watching traffic, watching you, watching traffic. Although the glow of gratitude has not completely worn off, you are still painfully aware of the fact that you are homeless. You are sitting in a vacant lot on a fallen telephone pole with vicious warrior ants feasting on your butt. Anxiously anticipating the ride to the shelter, a clean bed and a good meal. You look down Chase Avenue where you are told the van usually comes. You see a rush of movement as the men move forward and stand on the sidewalk where the van should stop. There is some jockeying for position, but not much. The van stops at the corner of Chase and Virginia. Crosses Virginia and drives the short distance up Chase past everyone. While the van goes up the street and turns around, the men cross the street (with considerable cursing and muttering) and re-jockey for you out in the morning or put you to bed, at position (all Shelter staff do not stop at the same 8:00pm, the details are not your principle concern. You walk to the bus stop, and catch place). After everyone boards and before the 18 or 19 bus. After a 30-35 minute bus ride that takes you through downtown, Over-the­ Airy, continued on page 7 Rhine, "The Skillet", Clifton, Northside. You depart the bus just north of the corner of Colerain and Virginia. You cross through the corner gas station past the vendor selling bootleg movie tapes, and the other vendor selling rugs and mirror pictures and walk east on Virginia Avenue. While crossing the lot the Streetvibes TV is .produced live~ movie vendor watches you with a somewhat the Second Tuesday of each month , disdainful eye, as he is well aware, you have no money, VCR or CD player. Also, let's face it, he l - 8 PM. at Media Bridges , 2114 probably has lost a tape or two to current or Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If past shelter residents. After crossing through you would like to be a part of our studio the gas station yo u see a parking lot on your audience, or have ideas for shows, left, a hill on the right side of the street. As you please call us at 421-7803 reach the corner of chase andVirginia, you are standing beside a vacant lot, roped off with metal poles and a metal rope threaded September Schedule throughout the poles looking across Chase at Re-Broadcast Dates for a vacant lot. You are looking at large poorly August's Show on Channel 24: maintained vacant grassy field. In what is (Please check your schedule) approximately the middle of the field, you see a large bush like tree standing in front of a small Saturday, Nov. 4, at 5 PM hill. In front of the bush is a fallen telephone pole. This is " ... the pick-up point". The tree Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 1O PM provides shelter and shade. It also doubles as Saturday, Nov. 18, at 5 PM cover, when the "call of nature " must be Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 1O AM answered. Virginia Avenue is a busy feeder to Thursday, Dec. 7, at 1O AM the expressway and Colerain Ave. There are probably other shelter residents waiting for the van. You may have already struck up an Broadcast schedules are acquaintance with the other guy(s) who rode subject to change ­ on the bus with you. You soon notice that almost Consult your local TV directory. every vehicle's passenger that passes looks Mt. Studio Audience Wanted !!! �STREETVIBES l\7 1~1. l~illll~ Nl~l\7 S Pages 'WELFARE REFORM' IN APPALACHIA OHIO by Lynn Williams, Organizer, Ohio Empowerment Coalition During the past summer, members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition made several trips to Southeast and South central Ohio, visiting with agencies and grassroots groups in Pike, Jackson, Fayette, Highland and Adams Counties. These are very rural counties with miles and miles of back country roads which wind and curve through tree-laden hills. Once we got off the main highway, the re latively straight stretch of Appalachian Highway, we got a true picture of what the territory is like. Jackson & Vinton Counties One of our stops was at the Jackson/Vinton County Head Start in Jackson, Ohio. The director was very open to speaking about conditions in Jackson and Vinton Counties. Head Start has four locations in these two counties, serving 300 children. Many of the families could be eligible for Ohio Works First, and most for food stamps and Medicaid. The Head Start director stated that the welfare roles in Jackson County had dropped from 900 to 300, and that approximately 40% of the 600 dropped from the roles had no source of stable income. When asked how she thought these families get by, she stated, "We are seeing a lot of families doubling up, living with parents, grandparents, siblings. We also are seeing single mothers who are head of households doubling up with other single mothers. They are living in one household and sharing expenses. Others are doing odd jobs that provide little and very unstable income. Of course, all of tJ1is affects the children we have in our Head Starts. These children's lives are very, very stressed. Their parents are under a lot of hardship financially." When asked how she thought the time limit would affect people. ~he stated. "The time limit i~ going to be a disaster for families in this area. I am very worried about what will happen to them, especially the children. Families arc already doubling. tripling up. Even more children will be living with their grandparents raising them." She continued. "Even now the welfare department is making ii cxcrcmely hard for anyone to get any kind of assistance. I helped a woman with applying. Even with me as an advocate he lping her to get assistance, it cook five times, five efforts, to get documentatjon turned in to the department before the caseworker accepted it! Another mother I know was required to turn in employment documentation four times in the past two months to keep on assistance. Most people would have g iven up way before this. That's what's happening. The numbers on assistance are low in Jackson County, but the welfare department is making it so hard to get he lp and making it so demeaning that poor people give up trying! I see this with families we are trying to serve." At the time we met with her , the director was unaware that people could remain eligible for food stamps and Medicaid after they lost eligibility for cash assistance. She said the local welfare department is telling people they will lose eligibility for everything when lhe time limit hits. She was unaware of any time limit exemption policies for her county. In fact, she expressed concern that Jackson County would opt not to exempt anyone. Adams County The Jackson/Vinton County Head Starr was right off of the Appalachian Highway (St. Rt. 32) so we got to ir easily. Driving to the Adams County Shelter for the Homeless was an entirely different matter. We drove through miles and miles of curving roads and hilly terrain to find it in a very small town called Blue Creek. On the way we wondered if it was worthwhile to go this far in the "hills" to visit there. However. what we learned made it very worthwhile. Upon arrival, the staff at the shelter wam1ly invited us to share in the noontime meal of chicken, biscuirs and gravy, ending with homemade yellow cake. As with the Head Stan Director in Jackson County, the staff at this shelter are likewise very concerned about the time limit. When they looked at the chart of numbers of "cases" to be c ut off by counties (ODHS figures), they incredulously read Adams County's figure of L8 households for Oct. I and zero numbers for the rest of the year. "I know that many families right on this road who will be cut off come October. T hese numbers are completely wrong." Della stated. Joyce, the Director, also agreed that the official cut-off numbers are ridiculously low for their county. Della, a recent Ohio Works First recipient, is a staff member at the shelter, cooking delicious meals for the residents, volunteers and lucky visitors who come in the vicinity of her kitchen. She obviously has expertise in the cooking line of work! The baking soda biscuits were " melt-in-the-mouth" delicious. We found Della very eager to talk to us about her experiences on public assistance, the ordeal she went through before she was hired at the shelter. First of all, Della said she was never involved in decision making with her caseworker to design the self­ sufficiency plan. " lt was called a contract, but I always thought a contract was a negotiation with both sides having input. I was never allowed to make any of the decisions for this so-called 'contract'. Instead, my caseworker decided what I was required to do if my fam ily was going to gel help.'' Della was sanctioned when !)he missed a day at her workfare site. Her child in kindergarten has asthma. She had to stay home and take care of the child when he became sick on t11is particular day for which she was sanctioned. The caseworker informed her she was sanctioned and proceeded to cut her off of everything: ca<>h, food stamps. and Medicaid. Even the child with asthma was cut off of everything. including Medicaid. not exactly helping him get better to go back co school & his mom go back to work! Della was never told 1hat she could appeal /his decision or that she had jus1 cause to not be sanctioned. She did not realize rhea herfamily should not have lost their Medicaid or tl1e children their food swmps. After she was hired at the shelter, the caseworker told her t11is job was not good e no ugh. The caseworker instructed Della to sell her mobile home and move to Cincinnati to get a job. That's not what Della had in mind. " I' m very happy with my job at the shelter. l love my job! I live nearby so I can walk to work. l have a relative close by who can watch my children while I work. It doesn' t pay a whole lot, but it's enough. I'm very content with my life and I have no desire to Live in the city." The caseworker told her she could still be eligible for a partial OWF check but it would be better not to take it. She should save it for a crisis if she needed OWF again. Della agreed, so the caseworker removed her from OWF. Unfortunately, Della Later found that the caseworker had cut off the food stamps and Medicaid right along with the cash assistance. Della told us, " I had no idea that I was still eligible for food stamps and Medicaid. I found out from someone else that I could still be eligible for diem, so I called the caseworker back to reapply. Otherwise I would not have known to reapply." Della and Joyce also shared stories of other recipients they had known who had been harshly sanctioned or terminated. We learned: • In Adams County, if your child is found to have lice two times at school, you are sanctioned. (What does this have to do wilh fulfilling a work requirement ?!!!) Joyce stated, "So if a child gets head lice in Adams County she also starve on top of it." Our Daily Bread , forced to move by the City of Cincinnati, has found a new location for their services. They will be moving into the old IGA building near the corner of Race and Elder streets. Our Daily Bread serves lunch and dinner to several hundred people in Over the Rhine on a daily basis. • In Adams County, each OWF recipient is required to a/fend counseling for substance abuse. If the recipient does not anend, she is sanctioned. • Similar to what we heard in Jackson County, Pike County, and others, the Adams County Welfare Department makes it so difficult to apply and to recertify, that many families simply give up. • Transportation is a huge issue in Adams County, as with all the rural areas we visited. Recipients often have to pay someone to take them to their recertification appointme nts every three months. This can cost at least $10. In Pike County recipients and other low income working wome n told us they were not able to get car repairs under PRC so they could make it to work & keep their jobs. In Pike County we drove miles and miles through back country roads to get to Community Pride With God's Help, a group of neighborhood people in a small village who are uniting to empower themselves. They were very outspoken about the difficulties they have had with getting public assistance, food stamps or Medicaid. Clarice Shreik, leader of the group, stated, "The time limit is going to hurt a lot of families. They are building more prisons in Ohio because they plan to lock up the mothers who will be stealing food to feed their children. Crime is going to increase because people are going to do what they have to do to feed their kids. People are not going to let their kids starve in fro nt of their eyes. It's evil that t11e government refuses co help people who can't find jobs or can't work because of disabilities." She continued, "However. right here in Community Pride With God's Help, the time Limit won't have too much effcc1. Our people here a lrcad> can 't get cash assistance. T hey have no income. They are eligible for everything. But the Pike County Welfare Department is so spiteful and nasty 10 our people thac they refuse co give them the help they should be eligible to receive. One of our women was told, ' You are able bodied, so you arc not eligible. You can get a job.' This woman was disabled with a bad back and foot and leg problems. They re fused to help her." From the stories we have heard on our southeast and soutJ1 central Ohio trips, families have not been provided the supports and assistance they need in order to get jobs that will take care of their families. Families have instead been punished with mean-spirited sanctions or simply gotten off the roles through any means possible. Families are leaning heavily on relatives, even to the point of moving in with them. Was welfare reform meant to help move families out of poverty and provide a better future for Ohio's children? With Ohio's harsh sanctions and time limits, we are finding chat families, especially in this area of the state, are being driven even deeper into poverty with the means for survival cut out from under them. (Note: Members o f the Ohfo Empowerment Coalition will be traveling throughout Southeast and South central Ohio during the next few months, meeting with 0\.XfF and former O\.XIF families. Another report will follow this article.) For more information, p_lease caU the Contact Center: 513/381-4242. ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION ~~ Disc-Jockev SeNrce ~,~I (513) 230-6353 l \ - CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesocp@tbol.net �STREETVIBES Septemb er 4, 20 00 - "DECK IS STACKED" NATIONAL NEWS Page 6 Tarnished Glory: AGAINST U.S. WORKERS Olympic Human Rights Abuses Violations Undercut US. Posi­ By Dan Marschner tion on Labor Rights and Trade Excerpts from the SOCIAL J USTICE E-ZINE #3, an electronic magazine (e-zine) designedfor free distribution through the internet. Subscription list: sjzine@netscape.net http:llmembers.tripod.com/~goforthlsociaijustice.html R.ay Goforth & Kim Goforth New York, August 3 1, 2000) Workers' basic rights are routinely violated in the United States because U.S. labor law is so feebly enforced and so filJed with loopholes, Hu­ man Rights Watch said in a new report released today. T he 217-page report, "Unfai r Advantage: Workers' Freedom of Association in the United States under Interna­ tional Human Rights Standards," was based on field research in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michi­ gan, New York, North Carolina, Washington and other states. Human Rights Watch examined workers' rights to organize, co bargain collectively, and co strike under international norms. Ir found widespread labor rights violations across re­ gions, industries and employment stanis. The report is being released on the eve of the annual Labor Day holiday in che United States. The U.S. government has called for "core labor stan: dards," including workers' freedom of association, to be in­ cluded in the rules of the World Trade Organization and the Free Trade Agreement of the Ame[icas. But Human Rights Watch charged that che Uniced Scates itself violares freedom ofassociacion standards by failing to protect workers' right to organize. "The cards arc stacked agai nst workers in the United States," said Kenneth Roch, executive direccor of Human Righrs Watch. "The U.S. government cannot effecrively press another country ro improve labor standards while violating them itself. It should lead by example." Each year thousands ofworkers in the United States are fired from their jobs or suffer other reprisals for trying to organize unions. Millions ofworkers are excluded from labor laws meant ro protect workers' organizing and bargaining rights, and rheir number is growing, according to the report. Employers can resist union organ izing by dragging ouc legal proceedings for years, the report said. Labor law is so weak that companies often treat the minor penalties as a rou­ tine cost of doing business, not a deterrent against violations. Some workers have succeeded in organizing new unions in recenr years, the report said, but only after surmo unting ma­ jor obstacles. According to statistics from the National Labor Rela­ tions Board (NLRB), the federal agency created to enforce workers' organizing and bargainin g righ ts, the problem is getcing worse. Jn the l 950's, workers who suffered reprisals for exercising the right ro freedom of association numbered in the hund reds each year. In 1969, the number was more than 6,000. By the l 990's, mo re than 20,000 workers each year were victims of discrimination that was serious enough for the NLRB to issue a "back-pay" or other remedial order. There were nearly 24,000 such workers in 1998, the last year for which official figures are available. Meanwhile, the NLRB's budget and staff have not kept pace with this growth. Among other conditions cited in the reporr that impede workers' freedom of association: 0 workers fired for organizing and bargaining often wait years for their cases to be decided by labor boards and courts, while employers pay no price for deliberate delays and frivolous appeals; *one-sided rules for union organizing un­ fairly favor bosses over workers, allowing such tactics as "cap­ tive-audience meetings" where managers predict workplace closures if workers vote for union representation; 0 millio·ns of workers - including farmworkers, do­ mestic household workers, low-level supervisors, and "inde­ pendent" contractors who are really dependent on a single employer - are deliberately excluded from labo r law cover­ age for organizing and bargaining rights. They can be fi red with impunity for trying to form a union; 0 many workers find themselves caught up in a web of labor contracting and subcontracting, which effectively de­ nies them the right ro organize and bargain with employers who hold real power over their jobs and working conditions; 0 employers have the legal power to permanen tly re- continued to right The Olympic Games are a tremendous festival of international competition. Countries across the globe celebrate their differences while pursuing glory in athletic prowess. The spirit of the Olympic Games promotes participants to achieve their wildest dreams. However, the Olympic Games have a glaring inconsistency: while the participants are celebrated as the best of humanity, the homeless in the host city are often targeted as the worst. The 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games caused some of the worst human rights abuses of the homeless in recent memory. Before the Olympics, construction of venues cost the city 9,500 low-cost rental units, according to Anita Beaty of the Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless. In addition, "We in Atlanta were forced to file a Federal lawsuit charging the City of Atlanta Police with wrongful arrests of more than 10,000 people during the twelve months prior to the Olympics." An estimate of the entire Atlanta homeless population is 15,000 to 20,000 people. Prior to the Olympics, Atlanta also bussed homeless people out of the city, arrested them for minor charges, and established ordinances against homeless people. The Atlanta crackdown on homeless people Jed to a increase of four times the normal number of arrests the year before the Olympics, and a major increase in the amount of arrests the week before the Games began. Leaming from Atlanta's debacle, the 2000 Sydney Olympics attempted to address the targeting of homeless people. The mayor of Sydney promised to resist pressure to have "street sweeps" remove homeless people from the street. Also, the number of social workers and shelter beds in Sydney increased significantly while the city prepared for the Games. The motivation for these improvements remained in question, however: were the increases in support for the homeless due to concern for their welfare or were they motivated by a desire to remove people from the streets during the Olympic period? In support of the latter view, critics pointed to legislation enacted after Sydney's successful bid that significantly curtailed some of the rights of citizens, including expansion of the police powers to search, seize, and disperse. The Olympic Games are designed to showcase humanity at its best. Are homeless and impoverished people incompatible with the Olympic dream? With the emphasis on clean, telegenic sites for the Olympics, homeless people are considered an eyesore. When venue locations are considered, impoverished neighborhoods become promising possibilities. The rights of homeless and poor people are swept aside so that the city can gain Olympic glory. Would the same targeting of homeless and impoverished people happen here in Cincinnati if the Olympic bid is successful? Only ti me and Nick Vehr can tell. The Presidential Race place workers who exercise the right to strike; *harsh rules against "secondary boycotts" frustrate worker solidarity efforts. H uman Rights Watch called on the U.S. Congress ro ensure rapid reinstatement and fu ll back pay for workers fired for organizing, as well as faster elections and expedited appeals co resolve unfair labor practices more quickly. The U.S. Congress should also ensure rhar protec­ tion of the right to organize be extended to farmworke rs, household do mestic workers, and others not currently cov­ ered by federal labor laws. H uman Righcs Watch also called on Congress to ratify International Labor Organization conventions on worker organizing and collective bargaining, and ro screngrhen U.S. laws protecting these righcs. http:l/www.hrw.org!campaigns!uskzborl �STREETVIBES INTERNATIONAL NEWS Page 7 Just South of the Border THE STORY OF A ~QUILADORA WORKER Interview with Omar Gil by David Bacon Nuevo La-redo, Tamaulipas, Mexico posted September 6, 2000 [Note f rom Campaign for Labor Rights: Although this interview is not directly connected with any current campaign, it is well worth posting because of its eloquent portrayal of the strugglesfaced by sweatshop workers and union organizers throughout Mexico. Also, the state of Tamaulipas is the Location of Dura Man£(/'acturillg - the focus of one of CLR :., two current Mexi co sweatshop campaigns. The Coalitioi1for Justice in. the Maquila~oras (CJM) is our partner organization for that campaign. The do-nothing unions mentioned by Omar Gil are the government-controlled unions, which usually resist and help to repress independent union activity. David Bacon, who conducted this interview, is an outstanding photoj ournalist based in California. A number ofhis articles deal with immigration issues in.the U.S. To subscribe to his l is tserve, w rite to him at <dbacon@ igc.o rg>.] I come from Mexico City. M y fath er had a bu s iness there , a s ma ll bookstore, until I was 11 years old. Then, because of the devaluatio n of the peso, his store we nt broke. My parents looked for work in Mexico City, but they couldn' t find any, so they decided to come here to the border, to Nuevo Laredo. We came here looking for a way to subsist. So I went to school on the border. When I finished preparatory school, my plan was to go back to Mexico City to the univers i ~y. to study physics and mathematics or law. But I couldn't continue my studies because we didn ' t have the money. I had to go to work. At first I began taking classes in air conditioning, so that r could get some training for a better job. It wasn't my intenLion to work full time, but to study and work at the same time. But working in the maquitadoras, it's not really possible to go to school, mainly because of tin1e. Also, the pay is low, and my job is very insecure. Despite all this, l haven't lost hope yet that I'll be able to go back. H's just that I' m not 100 percent sure anymore. Now there are other factors as well. l don ' t have any time to rest, and I'm getting physically exhausted. ft's very hard. I've been in these factories since I was 19 years old, and now I'm 26. J' ve gotten more and more worried , because I don't have time for any kind of personal Ii fe. r leave work so tired that on the weekends 1 don't want to even leave the house to go Mt. Airy, from page 4 pulling off, the driver asks if there are any new men. He colle cts your blue card. He does not introduce himself, but m ay eng age in light conve rsation with some of the passe nge rs. The final leg of this journey has begun. You are hungry, tired and hot! While riding to the shelter the depression that has become your near constant companion is temporarily abated. You are at least somewhat relaxed. That state of constant readiness that life on the street demands can be temporarily relaxed. You feel... safe. Maybe for the first ti.me in a long time. Perhaps, even a flicker of hope for anywhere . I just want to rest. All my person al development has been put on hold so that I can just rest, just so l'IJ be able to work. I feel like my youth has passed me by. Back in 1993} got my first job in a maquiladora, at Delphi Auto Part'S. They paid 360 pesos a week (about $40). There was a lot of pressure from the foremen on the assembly lines to work hard and produce, and a Jot of acci9ents. because of the bad of the lines. The company didn't give us desian 0 ' adequate protective equipm~nt to deal with the chemicals - we didn't really Ii.aye any idea of the dahgers, or how we should protect ourselves. The union there did nothing·to protect us. From Delphi 1 went to another company, National Auto Parts. l n that plant we made car radfators for Cadillacs and Camaro~, and there was a lot of sickness and accidents there too. I worked in the area with the metal presses. T here were no ventilators to take the fumes out of the plant, and they didn' t give us any gloves. We had to handle the parts with our bare hands, and people got cut up a lot. I worked in an area with a lot of lead. If you work with lead, you' re supposed to have special c lothin g and your c lo thes should be washe d separately. But the company didn't g ive us any of that. We had to work in our street clothes. For aJl that they paid 400 pesos a week (about $43). We had no union, and there was the same pressure for production from the foremen and the group leaders as I saw at Delphi. Now T work at TRW, where T' ve been for about a month and a half. T here's really no difference in the conditions in any of these plants - if anything, my situation now is. even worse. You could say it's forced labor, considering how the foremen talk to the workers, and how much psycho logical pressure they put oi:i people. We work an average of 14- 15 hours a day. There's no transport service to and from work, and we get off shift at 4 o'clock in the morning. UsuaUy we have to wait until 7 AM before we can catch a public bus. And when a bus does come, getting home costs 20 pesos. That makes a very big dent in your take-home pay - 380 to 400 pesos a week ($40-43). My job js bending steel cables for seatbelts for GM , Ford and some European car models. T he cable is about a centimeter thick, and I have to bend about 3500 a day. Because of what's passing through my hands every day, J can hardly sleep at night - the pain is so bad. T hen I have to get up in the morning to do it again. In the future, l know that l can get carpal tunnel problems, which is a very scary idea. I' ve asked to change to another position, but no .one wants to change because whoever works in this job gets a lot of pain in their wrists. [ fee l that in three or four years my hands are going to be useless. I've been thinking that I'll have to get another job. What else can I do? They say work in the maquiladoras is the best paid work here in the .c ity. But there's not much difference from one factory to another. This is all j ust normal - the standard. Really, I'm leaving my whole life in the factory. Because of the time and money pressure, I have no abil ity to develop myself even as a worker, much less as a human being. After I had been working fo Delphi for a year, l was invited to join a group that was trying to learn about workers' rights. People in this group said that things needed to be changed and better protections given to us, but that the companies dido 't want to do it. AL first r was undecided, because I thought that T could get into a lot of troubfe if l got involved. I thought l would get fired, or other bad things would happen to me. I h·eard about the movement in 1994, when Martha Ojeda [currently director of the Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras - ed .] and others tried to democratize the union at Sony, to make it one which represented the workers and fo ught for their rights. For many years, Martha was a union leader in N uevo Laredo, and during that time, she tried to democratize the unions here. But the union leaders in Mexico City refused to recognize her. In 1994 the union general secretary here called her an agitator and a Communist, and she was forced to leave. But she became well-known among the workers because she tried to help them at other plants too. Then it seemed the whole world painted Martha Ojeda as a ghost to scare people, and used her as e xample of what could happen if you got into these problems. But a couple of years later, when I was invited to j oin one of the groups again, I went. They invited me to a workshop about health and safety - the problems you could suffer because of repetitive motion. I realized that it was rid iculous to believe that it was bad to show workers the dangers in their jobs. The companies and the newspapers say we' re putting the maquiladoras in danger, but we're j ust showing workers what's wrong with the way the work is organized. When I understood that, I decided to become a voluntary organizer, and we've been working together ever since. Everything 1 Jea.m 1 try to pass on, so that it will help everyone else. a better sober, drug-free product ively employed future begins. As you ride down West Fork and cross the double bridge into the Mt. Airy Park you are dramatically affected by the radical change from your usual enviro n m ent. Yes , there are tre e s in Washington Park, but it doesn't look, smell, sound or feel the same. It is peaceful and cool. The air is cleaner. The turn onto Shep herd Lane brings you to a residential area featuring gorgeous expensive homes on large lots. You may pass upper middle class citizens who recognize the van, and continue to ride their horses unaffected. As you turn onto Diehl Rd. you are again struck by the fact you are traveling down a very nice residential street. At the end of the street is a chained off road leading into the woods. Just before you reach that road, the driver makes a left turn into the Shelter grounds . Directly ahead, you find the Shelter's administrative office on your right, housed in a red brick building. You grab your belonging, and stand in the line as the men check b ack in. You are still homeless, but you have shelter, and hope for a new start. The adventure begins. Every movement starts with jusl a small group, but they evolve and get bigger and bigger. Lots of people say you're j ust wasting your time because you' ll never be able to change anything. But I say no. Nothing will ever change if we just sit on our hands. You have to keep try ing and trying. And the little that we're able to achieve will grow, step by step. • • • Next Month: Mt. Airy: Life In The Shelter - Love it orLeave It ­ �Oct. 14, 2000 Class Action Planned for OSP Several attorneys are presently preparing a class action complaint concerning conditions at the Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) Supermax Prison in Youngstown, Ohio. Some of the issues will be No Outside Recreation, as is required by prevalent case law, Unnecessary and excessive physical Restraints, Inadequate Medical ~nd Dental Care, Denial ofAccess to the Courts, and ocher issues. To obtain a questionnairy to complete for possible representation, please write: Staughton & Alice Lynd, attorneys at Law 1694 T im bers Court Niles, Oh 44446 I was just transferred f.rom SOCF to OSP and have been- on a fast since October 5,2000, because ORC Chieflnspector, Cheryle Jorgenson­ Martinez, a losing defendant in a lawsuit I won, has vowed that the director, Reginald Wilkinson, will not review my Rules Infraction Board decision that sent me to OSP. SOCF officials refused to transfer my pending criminal appeal files with me. Please write Governor Bob Taft, 77 South High St., Columbus, OH 4321 0, and demand they look into my situation. I also request all who read this to ask Gov. Taft for the commutation of John W Byrd and J. D. Scott's death penalty cases co life imprisonment. Time is running out for these brothers and they -need your assistance. Stay Strong, John W. Perotti O.S.P. #167712 878 Coitsville-Hubbard Rd. Youngstown, OH 44505 A note to Prisoners: Unfortu­ nately, Streetvibes cannot help you with any type of Legal Work, other than indirectly inspiring our readers. Try writing to: director, Prison Reform Advocacy Center, 617 Vine Street, Cincinnati OH 45202 PEN PAL WANTED Dave Easley 306400 P.O. Box 1436 Youngstown OH 44501 STREITVIBES PliSODlllS llllWS contains news about the jus tice system and the writings of persons incarcerated in our nation 's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $15 for a year's subscription Send your comments and questions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Laughable Shaka N'Zinga: The SunKing! Freedom of the press is reseNed for those who own the press, '10t folk like myself - folk without. Without the voice of capital, my freedom of expression is forteited . and granted to those who know me' not. rnY They who are not of ki1;1d; those who hail from places with cold climes, That gave life to cold minds. Freedom of the press means nothing to me and those of my kind; for we have found that our freedom of expression is only g ranted and respected when we a re talking about how deeply we hate and despise ourselves, and when we are singing the deluded praise of the amerikkan way of life. Damn, when we talk about how thankful we are for being knocked up side the heads and brought to amerikka as slaves, we suddenly are granted the right to the freedom of the press: The Freedom to express our stupidity, i.e. our successful assimilation j nto the way of amerikka. Freedom of the press is a lie that strikes me right on m:y funnybone, Yes, indeed, it is laughable. September 24, 2000 In thy name o Allah Dear Reader, I was given a copy of Streervibes last night from a fellow prisoner. I have enclosed a copy ofa letter which I have senr to the prisoner advocacy Center searching for some justice. However, as always, I have found none. I came co prison when I was 16 years old. I'm 42 years old now and I have never seen justice served in prison! This letter enclosed please peruse with an op en mind anyway you make the choice if I merit your assistance! People can discuss social reform and what rights should be done, but whose going co say, "Hey, there's something wrong here." I filed a pro-se in the Sixth Circuit C i.ncinnati, OH and on August 22, 2000 my case was denied. I have 90 days to appeal to che Supreme Court of the United States and I need some help. I'm not losing my appeals because I'm guilty but because I'm ignoranr to the law. I have all my transcripts and legal documents, and what I'm saying is that I was convicted because l'm black and a Muslim. The transcripts don't lie, but I can't get any help. If I'm right, f'm asking you to help me. IfI'm wrong then walk away and close che door. I have a deadline in the United States Supreme Court and I'd appreciate your response and support. :Sinte'rely, ' ;.-; i . Luqman Bahir Taqwiim Youngstown, OH44505 Mr. S. RichardArno/.d, P.R.A.C Suite 1428 Enquirer Building 1 P.O. Box 1436 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Dear Mr. Arnold: I am not sure how to address chis composition. I had me desire to do so and in fact did. You're going to need some background information to bring into focus my present situation. I stumbled many years ago and spilled the contents of my life. I was 16 years old, not very mature, and I lacked che ability to make sound decisions - in short I was a follower. I ended up in a prison cell, tossed into a world of distorted pred~lections, blind ignorance and hatred. I'm still searching for a new lease on life. A chance to be a man , earn a livelihood, raise a family and travel to Mecca. Bur I'm in a struggle and I appeal to your empathy. In 1991 I was prisoner ac Lucasville Ohio's Southern Ohio correctional facility. I had received a phone correspondence for my family doctor who stressed his personal and professional opinion that my mother would pass away within six monchs. He also contacted the Warden and the unit staff. l cook this information hard and the struggle began. I went co the Warden requesting a hardship transfer. H e in turn sent me to the Deputy Warden. I was interviewed by che Deputy Warden, and upon the conclusion of the interview, he promised to help me transfer co Mansfield (the new prison chen.) Approximately two months had passed and I went back to the DeputyWarden, but my analytical reasonj ng - my criterion to separate fact from fiction showed me that he was spinning me, shirking the responsibility, he didn't care and I saw it! I went on a hunger strike, and ten days later the Deputy Warden came to me to inquire into my actions. Thus again I laid my appeal open and bare to the core. 1 was again promised by che Deputy Warden for his intervention into my srace affairs. Again, he lied, and several weeks later 1 was on another hunger strike thac almost cost me my life. For 38 days I refused all meals as I was placed in an isolacion cell and monitored. On the 28'" day I refused all liquid and had to be rushed to the hospital C.M.C. (Correctional Mediacal Center). The officials at C.M.C. informed me that they had spoke to officials at S.O.F.C. and had agreed to let me see my mother under the provisions that I end my hunger suike. I agreed. Bear in mind that my mother was in prison. She was in C.M.C. on the same floor. A week later I was sent back ro S.0.C.F. and I was never allowed co see my mother. I couldn't hLLnger strike anymore. I was tired, my body was hurt, and emotionally I had faced no other struggles quite like this in my brief existence beneath the scars. I began ro address Ms. Shirley Pope, she sent me back co the unit manager and he didn't hear anything. 1 wrote che Director in central office. He sent me back co che unit manager. It was foul. I filed a discrimination suite in court against che scaffat S.O.C.F. <tnd papers were served to all parties. The unit manager moved me the following week co another unit on another side of che prison. This made To P.R.A ~ C. continued page 16 �ST REET VIBES Solidarity with Mumia Abu-Jamal Trade Union Support .for a New Trial Revolutionary Worker #1071, September 24, 2000 At its July 18 convention this summer, the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO passed a resolution demanding a new trial for Mumia Abu­ Jamal, the revolutionary Black prisoner facing execution on Pennsylvania's death row. The resolution pointed out that Mumia was "convicted of shooting a police officer in a trial in which there was compelling ·e vidence of his innocence and of gross misconduct on the part of the police, prosecutor and judge... Should he be executem without a new trial, it would be an affront to all who believe in fairness. and itwould be an irreversible, tragic miscarriage of justice and a disgrace to the United States of America as a whole." This resolution marks a recent advance in the efforts to mobilize within the trade union movement against the execution of Mumia Abu­ Jamal. As the movement to save Mumia has grown over the past few years, trade unionists have played a significant part - forming contingents in the protests, passing resolutions in union conventions and official bodies, organizing letter-writing campaigns, educating other union members, and providing transportation to the mobilizations and in some important cases, stopping work in support of Mumia. In 1995, when Mumia faced an execution date, police in Philadelphia used threats to prevent pro-Mumia events in that city. It was the local chapter of 1199 Hospital Workers that stepped up to host a crucial fundraising benefit - and held firm even after 300 cops showed up to protest. Some of the most powerful trade union actions for Mumia have happened on the West Coast. In January 1999, teachers in the Oakland Education Association (OEA) organized a day of teach-ins for Mumia in their high school classrooms. They defied threats from police, city authorities and administrators to carry off this day of action. Then on April 24, 2000, the longshore workers of the ILWU staged a one-day shutdown of the West Coast docks from San Diego to Washington State. The action was timed to show solida rity with the major mobilizations for Mumia happening on that day. Meanwhile in Brazil, on April 23, 150,000 teachers, members of the State and Teachers Education Workers Union (SEPE) stopped work for two hours in Rio de Janeiro and joined with students in a massive demonstration outside the U.S. consulate............... ...... In their _1995 statement, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) pointed out that, "It is clear from the report that we received that the trial procedures were fraught with bias and prejudice... Our organization has struggled against all forms of racism, oppression and the use of the death sentence to silence political activists. We are therefore vehemently opposed to the death penalty on both ideological and humanitarian grounds."..... The entire article is posted in English and Spanish on Revolutionary Worker Online rwor.org Write: Box 3486, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654 Page 9 _ , . , ,, The Uuestion We Should All Ask John W. Gerhardt The May, 1999 Bar Briefs published an article critical of the Ohio Parole Board and of the refusal to align prisoners sentenced to indefinite sentences under ·the former code wi·th the shorter sentences of the current code. The article was written by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge David E. Cain, who observed that, "Currently the parole Board applies whatever criteria suits it at the moment, ...or none at all. Some say the Board keeps flopping (continuing far past their minimum) people as a j ob protection plan - their own]obs. So long as there are still people in prison under indeterminate sentences, the Board will still have ca,ses to review." Judge Ga_in also commented: "One might ask how such a body's mere existence can be constitutional- an administrative agency that was created by delegation ofpower but not given any guidelines to follow.'~ .., More recently, the 3-2-00 edition of Call & Post published a letter from a Cleveland minister, Pastor E.H. Jones, who also complained about the injustices of Ohio's current dual disparate sentencing system, and Ohio Parole Board abuses (anq corruption). Considering the "criteria" upon which the Parole Board allegedly bases its decisions (remember the overused " nature of offense" excuse?) Pastor Jones commented: "AU the parole board has ever done is copy what the real judges have always already done. , Except the parole board only has the jurisdiction to re-judge those who were sentence prior to 7/1/96, and ;they re-judge those people over and over again, using the exact same information a real judge considers when sentencing convicted people to prison." Pastor Jones asked: "Excuse me, but why do we need to pay an Adult Parole Authority, since we already pay our elected judges to juedge, and to decide how much time people should be sent to prison for?" The obvious answer: "Snap, we don ' t need the expense of having an Ohio Adult Parole :Authority;," further concluding, "Let's leave the judging, the sentencing, ;and the decision of how much time to the elected judges we already pay to do their jobs." Parole reform ? SB 182? SB L49? In stead of peren nially sq uabbling over the equivalent of applying perfume ru1d band-aids to what has become a putrid abscess on the body politic, perhaps the time has come to ask, as have a Columbus judge and a Cleveland minister, Do we really need the Ohio Parole Board, with or without unrestrained discretion, with or without accountability? Is a legitimate purpose being served by the APA and n anachronistic parole system Is there a valid justification for the annual expenditure of extra millions of tax dollars to finance an army of bureaucrats meddling in the lives of those who have already paid the penalty for their crimes, and the cost of continuing to house pre-SB? prisoners who should have been released long ago, even if it means building, maintaining and operating more prisons to accommodate an artificial increase in the state prison population (so the Parole can claim they still have cases to review and the ORC can have an excuse to lobby for annual increases in its yearly budgets?) Should we just abolish the APA, the Ohio Parole Board, and the overblown, dysfunctional system it has spawned? A century ago, before the forerunner of today's parole system was inaugurated, when someone was convicted of some crime, he was sentence do x years, and when the sentence was served, he was released. End of story. When the Ohio parole system was first adapted, convicted criminals who demonstrated good behavior were released ("paroled") before the expiration of their previously imposed definite sentence, subject to some minimal conditions. The parolee was considered to be in the legal custody of the warden of the prison from which he was released, hepce the origin of the anachronistic statute designating parolees as being in the custody of the ORC. After people realized that no ,mass clime wave resulted form this early parole system, Ohio went a step further. (It should be noted, as the system was evolvin o• o there was a brief pedod during the early pa1i of the l 0111 century when the parole system was abolished, only later to be revived.) The former definite sentences were replaced with indefinite sentences, whereby a minimum set by a trial court would be served, but with a maximum beyond which one could not be imprisoned. Rather sentence, and this was factored in by trial judges when sentences were imposed. In practice, the minimum became the actual sentence, not the maximum, because the balance of a sentence beyond the minimum was more of a club wielded to ensure good behavior than a real sentence. The pendulum began to swing back. What became known as SB2 was enacted in 1996, which merely converts what were the minimums of the of the indefinite sentences of the former code into the total definite sentences of the current code. Under the current code, as was done a century ago, a trial court sentences a defendant to x years, and a defendant is released after the x years are served. The Ohio Parole Board is unable to conti nue impriso ning someone past the x years the court expects him to serve. As was the case a century ago, the Parole Board has no purpose. But, parasites dislike being dislodged form a host upon which it is used to feeding. By making promises which were never intended to be kept and were promptly broken, the Ohio Parol e Board succeeded in conn ing the leg is lature into excluding form the current code those who were sentenced under the former code.. Parole rates plummeted. "Old law" prisoners are routinely made to stay in prison many times longer than "new law" prisoners, and there ru·e a growing number who are now even being imprisoned longer than the most those sentenced under the current code could be made to do, for the exact same offenses. The APA also conned the legislature into allowing it to needlessly meddle into the lives of "new law" prisoners after they have served the sentences the courts imposed upon them. An agency which no longer served its original purpose, and has no real purpose to continue to exist, managed to con legislators into giving it excuses to maintain an increasi ngly more expensive and counter -prod uctive OHIO PAROLE BOARD, continued page 13 �-. _._, . . _ ST RE ET VI BES Page 1o WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST Rodney Sutton Last month I came to you for help with filling a semi-trailer with food, clothing, and household items for the families in Crank's Creek, Kentucky. I come this month thanking you all for your outpouring of love to these needy people. As you read about this event which you made possible 1 pray you enjoy the pictures, and ask that you meditate on "faith that works" (James 2: J4-26). On Saturday, October 7 at 9am with friends and family I set out for Crank's Creek, Kentucky to rendezvous with the semi-trailer and others who would be on hand to unload the items which you had so graciously donated. It was a cool morning, with the day's expected high at only 44 degrees, however, Ken- were present. Among them was Bobby Simpson, and having met him face to face I can tell you he is like no other blind person I've ever met. He was busy getting the folks present organized and prepared for the trailer which he knew would be here any moment. His voice was kind, but there was a sense of authority which was undeniable. As men and women went off to do as bidden, Bobby welcomed me and those who came with me. His handshake was strong and firm. The palm was callused and rough as a working man. More evidence of the unique-ness of this man who had lost his sight in 1962. As we waited for the trailer Bobby began to tell me about the flood of 1977. The flood which left many families without homes, clothing, food, and the basic Volunteers unload a truckload ofgoods. tucky in the autumn is very beautiful. With the leaves changing colors, the countryside provided us with an ever-changing picture of God's creation. The children pointed out the windows at the cows and horses which grazed on the many farms we passed along the way. The adults attempted to envision what we would find when we arrived at our destination. There was some discussion of the home video we had viewed at WUCC after Family Dinner one Thw·sday evening. After the story shared by Steve Myers of Crusaders for Christ. No one knew what to expect. There was a height-ened sense of excitement as the van made its way deep into the Kentucky mountains. When we got down around Harlan, Kentucky our route began to wind upward into a cut in the mountains on narrow roads which surely must have been a terror in days of old before blacktop. The road twisted upwards with an occassional sw itchback overlooking steep drop-offs. Through the trees we could see an occassional house clinging to the mountain side. Because the grandeur and beauty of the mountains around us was breathtaking, the kids had now· become quiet, as had the adults. Soon we came out of the mountain, and into a valley which seemed void of habitation, but as we drove a little further there before us was the sign which read "Crank's Creek Survival Center". We turned into the gravel road and before us we could see several houses in the process of becoming homes. We parked and was greeted by those standing nearby. I learned from Rodney Myers (brother of Steve) that the semi had made a wrong turn, but was on the way; so as we waited Rodney intro-duced us to the folks who necessities to live. He and his wife, Becky ( who only has a 3rd grade education) stood before their home looking across the bridge, which was no more; at the families gathered there. Someone yelled across the running water between them, "What are we going to do now?" and from this God gave birth to the Crank's Creek Survival Center. The semi was now backing into the open field and heading our way, so I knew l would have to wait before Bobby would give me the rest of the story. I must confess I had not found the time to get out to State Road Farm, although I passed directions on to many others; so wh~n the door was opened I was as pleased and surprised as the people of Crank's Creek. The trailer was full, with the engine for Crank's Creek's truck sitting in back almost hidden. We wasted no time digging into that trailer. After clearing a space around the engine, we moved it from the trailer to the back of a truck. Bobby instructed us to store the food in an almost finished buiJding, and the clothing and household items in a house across from it. We formed assembly lines and passed each box, bag, and household item down the Jine to be stacked and stored within until sorted by volun­ teers. Bobby was right there in line with us, and here 1 had the story to how they had begun Crank's Creek Survival Center. Every able bodied man, woman, and child was lending a hand. This is how you buiJd a community. Three hours after we had begun there was three rooms in the building filled to the ceiling with food, and three rooms filled with clothing and house-hold items in the house. I enjoyed three hours of work. fellowship , and fun at Crank's Creek on this day. Bobby invited us all up to his house, and we got to meet his wife, Becky Simpson. She is a petite woman who has a huge heart which radiates love. Their home was filled with the things which are impo1tant for family and community unity, and being there seemed the most natural thing in the world. Becky instructed one of the grandchildren to put in a video of the previous Christmas, and it was then 1 got to see the Appala­ chian people in their need. In the video they were EVANGELIST, continued on page 17 Residents of Crank ~i; Creek depend upon these good for survival throughout the winter �• • • .-.\.7'"i ? ST REET VI BES Page 11 . .. photo by Berta Lambert SCREEN ACTOR'S STRIKE SETTLED The five-month old strike by the Screen Actor 's Guild and the Ameiican Federation of Radio and Television Artists was fi nally Settled on October 29, after rallies this month in Cincinnati, new York, and Los Angeles and a boycott of three Proctor and Gamble products, Tide detergent, Crest toothpaste, and Ivory soap. The advertising industry was the target, and the unions were fight i ng to recei ve more money for their advertisemen ts on cable TV and the Internet. P&G was targeted because of its position as number two advertiser in the cou ntry and its representation on the industry negotiating panel which the group believed was trying to cut earnings by 5% . The union was conferring with P&G in attempt to increase the amount of money received. Theodore M. Berry, an accomplished civil rights activist from Cincinnati, died October 16 at the age of 94. ...Nikki Harbour photo by Berta Lambert Sc reen Actor's Guild and the AFTRA picket P & G's Annual Meeting early in October. Mr. Berry lived around Cincinnati his whole life and dedicated his life giving bac.k to his community. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati's law program, he began his practice here in town. A short time later Mr. Beffy became the president of the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP. At this office he instituted a biracial committee to investigate police brutalities in the city. Mr. Berry established hi rnself in 1939 as the first African American assistant HamjJron county prosecutor. He then held his position on the Ohio committee for Civil rights Legislation from J947-1 961. This group focused on equal employment and housing issues . Beginning in 1963 he again served on the council and at that time launched the first Commurury Action Commission. With the presence of this program, Cincinnati was able to participate in Lyndon Johnson's plan to fight the "War on Poverty." Then , in 1965, President Johnson appointed Mr. Berry to the head of the Office of Economic Opportunity 's Community Action Programs in which Head Start, Job Corps, and Legal Services are all included. At this position he was awarded the OEO Exceptional Service Award. In 1972 Mr. Be rry became Cincinnati's first African American mayor and maintained that position for three years. In 1975 he did not stay in the running for reelection. After finishing his duties as mayor, Mr. Berry went on to receive the honor of Great Living Cincinnatian and money was acquired to honor him with a both a street and the International Friendship Park dedicated in his name. Just this year Mr. Berry was honored by Applause! Magazine and Jmagema.ker Award of "Person of the Century." Mr. Berry has left a lasting impression. Sleep Out for the Homeless 2000 A Night ofHope By Dan Marschner Covington's Goebel Park hosted a wonderful night of education about homeless issues on Thursday, October 5, 2000. The SleepOut included a soup line, various speakers about their experiences with homelessness (including Michael Stoops from the National Coalition for the Homeless) and a memorial service for Barry Bailey. Barry Bailey was a homeless man who stayed near Goebel Parle He had been homeless for over 30 years, and had journeyed throughout the country during that span, trying to survive. His life wa~ ended rather brutally; rather than dwelling on his death, friends and family gathered at the Sleep Out to celebrate his life. The service was coord inated by the Welcome House, and featured several testimonials about Jife on the streets. Barry's friends remembered him fondly, and talked about the difficulties of life on the streets. Barry's brother Bill, who attended the service, said it was the best funeral he had ever seen. The Sleep Out for the Homeless featu red a talk by Michael Stoops, the Organizing Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He stated that homelessness is a product not primarily of drug and alcohol abuse, but rather due to the lack of affordable housing, the d ifficulty of finding a j ob that pays a livin g wage, and the lack of universal health care. Mr. Stoops believes that "We have the resources, but not the poJjtical wiU to end homelessness." After Mr. Stoops spoke, other people were given the opportunity to discuss their beliefs about homelessness. One person offered a grim perspecti ve: "Most Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless ... homelessness is a natural disaster." He argued that if homelessness were treated as a disaster, ending homelessness would be possible very soon. The evening's program was concluded by a slide show presented by Mr. Stoops created by the National Coalition for the Homeless. T he poignant slide show was accompanied by several astound ing statistics. For instance, 7 .4% of Americans have been homeless at one point in their lives. Another scary fact is that the United States has four times the amou nt of animal shelters than battered women shelters. According to Mr. Stoops, "Homeless people live life with one eye full of despair, and one eye full of hope." The S leep Out was a fantastic example of the hope that homeless people possess. Over 200 people came to the park, and each left with a better understanding of the phght of homeless people. Events s uch as the Sleep Ou ~ for the Homeless illustrate the connection that all people share, and the united potential they possess in the battle against homelessness. An Epitaph: Barry Wayn e Bailey, a formerly homeless man, was beaten to Death by three strangers in bis Covington a partment building ..•..•. Why does someone have to die before someone wants to help or care about them. When they cry out for help, there will be no one around to hear their cry. Now, how can we help these people; there are more and more out there every day; but is there something we can do? We ask ourselves, What can we do to help? When they want to talk to us, you have to show them that you are their fri end, and that you do care, that you do want to help them through their troubles, their needs. When they cry out for help, there is no one listen ing, until it's too late. But to know what they want and how you can help, you have to live the life they are living. You have to do more than that; you have to put your heart into it also. That's bow we can help. Because being out on the streets can happen to an yone at any time. ....Booger Love �STREETVIBES EDITORIAL PAGE Kroger Responds to Mt. Olive Boycott By Lynn Marmer This let(er was written by a Kroger executive outlining her company~ response to the recent boycott ofMt. Olive Pickle by FLOC (Farm Laborers Organizing Committee). Dear Mr. Velasquez (President of FLOC), Thank you again for our recent meeting in Cincinnati. As one of the largest employers of unionized workers in the nation, Kroger demonstrates every day our respect for the rights of men and women to choose to organize and bargain collectively. No one could be unmoved by your desc1iption of working condition's faced by some of the migrant farm workers in North Carolina. Our company insists that our suppliers abide by all laws and we take our responsibilities as the largest grocery chain very seriousJy. I am writing to you so that Kroger's response to the meeting is clearly understood. As I understand your request, you have asked Kroger to help FLOC organize migrant farm workers in North Carolina by pressuring Mt. Olive Pickle Co. to enter into an agreement with FLOC. This pressure could include discontinuing Mt. Olive products in our stores. For two reasons, we are unable to respond affirmatively to your request. First, our company had no direct relationship with the farmers or suppliers that do business with Mt. Olive. We are the third or fourth party in the production cycle. As · such, it is our policy not to interfere in the business operations of.others. In this case, collective bargaining an-angements between laborers and farmers. should be determined by the parties who are directly involved. Secondly, we do not make deeisions· Page 12 for our customers. We offer customers choices in every category in our stores and we respond to customer preferences through our merchandising and buying. M t. Olive is a popular pickle brand. As a provider of goods and services to customers, we have an obligation to our customers to offer the products they want - and let them decide. These.responses reflect the policies that Kroger has followed for a long time and in a number of similar situations. We respect FLOC and its advocacy on behalf of migrant farm laborers, but we believe our policies . properly reflect our role as a retailer. We recognize that FLOC will probably be disappointed with our response to your request. Our response is not intended, in any manner, to be disrespectful either to FLOC Or to tbe men, women and families you represent. Our door is always open to continu~ discussions with your organization within the framework df the company's policies.'' Agafo , we appreciate the opp01tunity to meet with · you and learn more about your organization's views and concerns. IMF/World Bank: Stupid, Cruel, Brutal Russell Mokhiber & Robert Weissman There is no policy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank that is more stupid, cruel and brutaJ than the insistence that poor countries charge fees for children to attend school and for people to access basic health services. The IMF and World Bank condition loans to impoverished countries on the adoption of Contract with America-style "su·uctural adjustment" policies. User fees - also known as community financing, cost sharing or cost recovery - are often one part of the structural adjustment policy package. In passing an appropriations amendment in JuJy that would stop future funding for the IMF and the World B ank if the two lending agencies do not stop imposing user fees for basic healthcare and education services, the U.S. House of Representatives has taken an important step toward ending this callous and wrongheaded policy. Unfortunately, the Treasury Department, anxious to avoid any appropr.iations limitations for its IMF and World Bank policy arms, is working to block inclusion of the amendment in the final foreign operations appropriations bill. As administration officials and members of Congress and their staffs negotiate the terms of a final foreign operations appropriations bill, the educational opportunity and health of millions of people in the world's poorest countries hang in the balance. The evidence accumulated from around the world over the last decade is quite clear. User fees for education lower school attendance rates, especially among young girls. User fees for primary health services deny access to care and preventative treatment for the poor, leading to the spread of unnecessary and preventable death and disease. And user fee "exemptions" for the poor, or sliding payment scales, routinely fail due to administrative problems, corruption, inadequate notice to the poor or other difficulties. In Gambia, in primary health care program villages with insecticide provided free of charge, bed.net impregnation - for malaria prevention - was five times higher than in villages where charges were introduced. Households consistently cited lack of money as the main reason they chose not to dip bednets. Introduction of a 33 cent fee for visits to Kenyan outpatient health centers led to a 52 percent reduction in outpatient visits. After the fee was suspended, visits rose 41 percent. In Papua New Guinea, the introduction of user fees led to a 30 percent decline in outpatient visits. Studies in Niger have found that user fees extend the period that patients wait before seeking outpatient care. UNICEF reports that in Malawi, the elimination of modest school fees and uniform ·rnquirernents in 1994 c.:aused primary emollment to increase by about 50 percent vi1tually overnight - from 1.9 miJlion to 2.9 million. The main beneficiaries were girls. Malawi has been able to maintain near full enrollment since that time. In India, reports Dr. Vineeta Gupta, general secretary of Insaaf International, a Punjab, India-based organization, a World Bank­ inspired system which is supposed to exclude the poor from healthcare charges fails in practice due to corruption and administrative difficulties, denying the poorest Indians access to healthcare services. The purported logic of education and healthcare user fees is that payments from children's families and sick people will enable government service agencies to provide services to more people. But this is a twisted rationale, which should be rejected on both principled and practical grounds. As an issue of principle, access to primary education and healthcare is a right that should not be conditioned on ability to pay. In practical terms, the real-world record shows that user fees deny children educational opportunity and people of all ages access to basic health services. Charges typically generate little revenue in any case. So the ultimate result of user fees is service denial , not expansion. The IMFtBank user fee rationalization presents a false choice: even poor country governments have multiple sources of potential revenue there are ways to increase funding for basic services without imposing charges. Most importantly, the real way to free up resources for education and healthcare is for the World Bank and IMF, without delay, to use their existing assets to cancel the debts owed them by poor countries. There are no significant corporate or monied interests served by the imposition of user fees in desperately poor countries. The IMF and World Bank continue to support them out of a dogmatic commitment to a marketized ideology that refuses to concede to empitical refutation. The Treasury Department is opposing corrective legislation so that it can preserve its control of the IMF and World Bank without Congressional interference. These are shameful counterweights to the humanitarian imperative of removing user fees. Whether the humanitarian claim prevails will depend, in significant part, on whether U.S. citizens act now to put an end to user fee nightmare. Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D. C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter. Robert Weissman is editor of the Washington, D. C.-based Multinational Monitm: They are co-authors ofCorporate Predators: The Hunt for MegaProfits and the Attack on Democracy (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1999). <;/he 'Jhu& @Juumu. ~ ~~·~ 3722 Camcfen .Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513-(08-2228 bgeaster@fuse.net www.theglasscharmer.com Economy and deluxe wedding Invitations, birth announcements, parties and custom work, �STREETVIBES M ED VI 8 ES Homeless Health Tips By Doctor Donovan HepJttitis Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. It is caused by vj rus infections. drugs, and other toxinsi like alcohol. The he~titis viruses are a real aJphabet soup: A , B, C , D, E, F & G, and ·others that have not yet g0tten letters. In this article, I'm going to let.you know about the three most common ones: A, BandC. There are several reasons why viral hepatitis is an important concern for you. Fust off, it is often pev~table.. Second, viral hepatitis from types B & C can have serious comequences., both immediately and in the future. Hepatitis B is also a sexually ttansmitted disease. It's a little harder to classify hepatitis C as sexually transmitted, but there is additional risk involved for those with multiple partners. Both ofthese can be gotten through dirty needles, or any other way blood will exchange. First, just a bit on Hepatitis A: It's generally a fairly mild illness, M~y people who get it don't even know they had it. Often the symptoms are like the stomach flu, and it's less likely for people to get yellow jaundice with it. It goes away on its own . and doesn't cause the later problems iliat Hepatitis B&C cause. It's very contagious, spread mainly by contaminated food, usually by hands .that aren '.t washed weJJ enough after using the bathroom. lt can be prevented by a new vaccination, or by gamma globulin. Hepatitis B is a more serious problem. It's caused by exposure to blood: from sex, IV drug use, needle sticks, even by sharing razors or toothbrushes. After catching the virus, it takes about'2-4 months to begin to experience symptoms. For most people, this initial infection goes away by itself after a couple of weeks. However, a small percentage of those infected die during this·initial illness. An even greater problem, which is a reason why you to be concerned ~bout hepatitis. is that 5-10% of adults, and a much higher percentage of children, who contract this illness go. on after need I 0 or more years to develop :$C,rioqs liver disease or liver cancer. The hepatitis B virus is much easier to get than Che.HIV, or AIDS, virus. It lasts much longer on surfaces and needles, and it is much easier to catclt from sex, even oral sex, than HIY. So this.cannot be taken ti~tly by anyone who bas sex. Hepatitis B is very ps;eventable by a series o f three shots, so everyone should seriously consider getting these. A couple of years ago, the hepatitis B vaccine started to be included in the .shots given to babies, so now all infants who get their shots will be ptotected. So should you. Your family doctor or the Medical Van has the vaccine. Hepatitis C is somewhat s imilar to Hepatitis B. It takes about 1-2 months after contamination to develop the infection. It is gotten mostly by blood products, like needle stick or transfusion, but sex is also a way of getting it. Since a test for Hepatitis C was developed, the blood supply has become much Page 13. safer from hepatitis. Like Hepatitis A, many people who have had Hepatitis C don 't even know they had it The bad thing .about it is that 70-90% of those who have had Hepatitis C will develop chronic liver disease or liver cance11. There is no vaccine yet for Hepatitis C, and it's doubtful that gamma globulin helps, so safer sex and not_ engaging in IV drug use is most important. What are the symptoms of hepatitis? More common ones are dark urine, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting and fever. Yellow j aundice is the typical sign associated with hepatitis, but this occurs after the oth~r symptoms have been going on for even a eouple of weeks, and may not occur at all. How can I tell if Fve got hepatitis? Blood tests can determine if you have hepatitis, or have bad it in the past. What can be done if I've got hepatitis? There is no treatment for the initial symptQms of hepatiti§, so sufficient rest and eating·as well as poS,Sible ~e most important. After that, regular mollitbring by your family doctor is important. because if the hepatitis B or C virus begins to return, there are some treatments that may help: interferon, some anti-AIDS drugs, etc. What can be done to prevent future problem s if I've already had hepatitis? Get immunized against the other hepatitis. Abstain from the use of alcohol. Stay healthy in all the usual ways - healthy diet, exercise, avoid and learn l1ow to cope with stress. Practice safer sex to protect your partners, and encourage them to get immunized. PAROLE BOARD, f rom page 9 existence. How costly? How many new prisons have been b uilt, staffed, and operated within the past few years? Has anyone noticed that the total annual number of commitments to the ORC has continually declined for the past severaJ years? The state prison population should be decreasing, yet continues to grow. Old prisons should be closing, not new ones opening. Could the conti nu al increase in the state pri son population be artificially manipulated to provide the APA with an excuse to continue the precarious existe nce of an unneeded Parole Board ? How many taxpayers would like to see their taxes decrease because the DRC need less tax dollars to operate fewer prisons, and needs no tax dollars to finance unneeded parole or " pos t-release" s upe rv isi on? Rather tha n re maining pe rpetually e n tangl e d in a diversionary debate over reforming something no one needs, perhaps, as have an Oh io judge and a CJeveland mi ni ster, we all should ask, should we instead seriously consider abolishing the whole, fou1 thing? As Pastor Jones concluded in his Call & Post ru1icle: "Join us in demanding that our current elected state legislators do their jobs more effectively by making SB2 retroactive, and getting the Adult Parole Authority out of our pockets for once and all. " John W Gerhardt #269-497 P.O. Box 511 Columbus, Ohio 43216 Rock band PHISH Helps Raise money for GCCH (above) The Waterwheel Foundation donation table at September's Phish concert Our thanks to Phish and its charitable arm 'The Waterwheel Foundation" for donating the profits from its sale of merchandise (hemp products, stickers, raffle tickets) to the Homeless Coalition at their Sept. 20th Cincinnati Riverbend Concert. Wish we could've remembered how to party and hung around for the whole concert! �STREETVIBES POETRY Page 14 The Mighty Dread Lock by Kunta Kenyatta I love my hair My hair is _a part of me It is also its own separate entity. While making known my true identity My hair keeps me warm in the winter And it keeps me cool in the summer Never letting me forget I 'm up under My hair can be bad And my hair can be good But no matter what, my hair always does what it should My hair frightens and offends my enemies While it comforts and reassures my friends My hair requires absolutely no maintenance or care No grease, no dye, and no uncomfortable head wear I didn't always like my hair But after all the years o combing, brushing and cutting it, while looking in the mirror I decided that I was no longer going to worry about my hair My hair responded by growing into its natu ra I stock So now I can stand proud, under The Mighty Dread Lock "... and fs it true Iha! you neve» once administered a s ingle standardized test?" The title is untitled Oh God help me! I look al her and see hope 1 am inspired Lo be a better me 'l'filkinB to her That's it fear 1 have to know fear Caressin8 doubt that seeps over me When we talk T wrestle demons to say W-w-w-words fallins hollow Guts twisted in hunser for more conversation l\ peak behind the veil The mystery that is her &he looks up Eyes turned to heaven like classic Greek sculpture 1crin8e Mrows of desire pierce my hearl Lau8hter is Lhe soul of her I want lo drink from that cup ­ ..... Warren Perkins HOMELESS by Anthony Watkins Homeless - can I find my way back home in this crazy storm? Feet tired of walking to this beat in the street Misery and grief when wil l it cease Blood, sweat. tears, eye full with pain and a soul black as night Is this the end of my life? No nuts no glory, is this the end 'of my story Ball till I fall you know I'm down with that, y'all, with warm hot desire a house is not home when a soul's become so cold sometimes I feel like I'm living in and out of a cardboard box. Is this what life is all about? Sometimes I feel like I'm driven off into space If you follow my words, you can relate. Trred of sitting on my ass. I'm ready to go, toe to toe I thought you know, I wish I knew what I know now but I'm homeless, tired of tel ling lies to get by · Trred of talking to people that's fake Wishing that they blow away like sands on the beach or be buried six feet deep for I can never hear them speak or weep Maybe if I click my heels two times, just just maybe I wi ll be back home·for all time But this is not the wizard of OZ and ain't funny to be cold and alone and see people die day by day While people at horrie sit warm and cozy, never having no feelings. sometime my anger burns with passion and fire like earth, wind and fire, I wonder, if the Lord took everything from them in the twinkling of an eye, how would they get by, would they live or die. KNOW THY SELF Jewel D. Wilks A person who knows not And knows not that they know not Is foolish--disregard them A person who knows not And knows that they know not Is simple--teach them A person who knows not And believes that they know Is dangerous.--avoid them A person who knows And know not that they know Is asleep--awaken them A person who knows And knows that they know Is wise--follow them All of these persons reside in you Know Thy Self And to Maat be true.. Jewel D. Wilks, Author Maat is the universal eth ical principle of ancient Egyptian religion, denoting 'justice', 'order' and ' truth'. MaaLwas connected to the entire existence of the universe, and was not limited to ethics for human beings alone. This ethical pri nciple was personified through the goddess, Maat. She was defined as the world or der as th is had bee n established upon the creation of the world. In Egyptian religion Maat is the standard by which we are measured. Maat is the reason that things are, and the means by which they continue to exist. It is the voice of divine imperative that at once reigns over this world and promlses j ust reward in the next We hear echoes of this voice resounding through the philosophical and metaph y sical constructs of all times and nations: the Christian praye1; 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, 011 earth as it is in heaven"; the Muslim cont:ept of "shari 'a", or submission to the will of God; the familiar edict of Western occulrism, as above, so below"; and scores of other observations on the interaction of the divine and the earthly. Very interesting!! Research by M1: Lee �WEB VIBES STREETVIBES Page 15 _ www.borderliaks.cont Borderlinks has been in operation since 1987, when the organization started with educational seminars on border issues. The program has expanded since then to its current status as a By Dan Marschner binational program (recognized by the U.S. and The U.S.-Mexican border has historically Mexican governme nts) that offers travel bee n a volatile area, and recent economic · seminars as well as a college credit program and agreements have escalated the conflicts there. economic and social justice forums. Borderlinks The communities aJong the border have seen places special emphasis on creati ng bonds population ex plos ion s due to free trade between people on both sides of the border in agreements such as NAFI'A in recent years. U.S. order to improve the way of life for those living companies have started manufacturing just south in poverty. All programs that Borderlinks offers of the U.S. border in order to capitalize on have three goals in mind: increase awareness, cheaper Mexican labor. The new manufacturing address specific community needs, and develop creates new j obs in border communities, and community organizing plans. thousands of potentiaJ workers flood the job Borderlinks al so offers an exte nsi ve market there. Rampant overcrowding resuJts, leadership development program that discusses with its companion difficulties (crime, health the impact of global economic trends proble ms, etc.) not far be hind. The U.S.­ on the standards of life for the Mexica n border, there fore , provides a n people. The leadership program astounding study in contrast between two distinct develops ski lls to address the issues nations. Borderlinks is one site that addresses faced by the people, in order to this situation. improve th e ir comm uniti es. Visitors to www.borderlinks.org are enticed Participants in BorderJinks programs with a unique opportunity - a Mexican border learn ski ll s that ca n be used trip that illustrates the economic and social issues wherever they li ve. present in the U.S.'s southern neighbor. The trip The Mexi can border trip is inc ludes a stay with a fa mil y in a squatter Borderlinks ' most impress ive community, a visit to a factory on the border program. The trips range from one (compl e te w ith di sc uss io ns with both day to a ernester in length, and the management and workers), and meetings with extended trips offer overnight stays both U.S. and Mexican government officials. with one of che families along the The trip is an incredible opportunity to discover bo rde r. Th e t ri p w ill be spe nt the difficu lties of life on the border fustband. primarily on the Mexican side of the Learn aboutlife on the Mexican border Ch Legend ofthe enlightened soul I am an individual. That's why I wear all black and listen to different music. I am my own person. Just ask all my friends how different I am, they dress in black and listen to the same music so they should know just how different I am. I hate the way popular people exclude me. They j udge me by the way I dress and what music I listen to before they know me. Fuck them ya; know cause I don't want to know them. I don't want to know them cause they listen to that top 40 crap and wear that damn designer shit. You know that slave laborers in third world countries make designer stuff? I gotta go cause I'm gonna go drink some coffee with friends and talk about Colombian farm worker rights. I am a moral person. That's why I joined that gun owners rights group. I am a God fearing person. I stand up for personal rights and my right to do what I want in the privacy of my own home. You know its fags that want to take away gun rights. They are afraid what good moral people might do if we ever found out what they are doing behind closed doors. Yeah, it's my duty to shoot anyone who comes on my property. That means the local police the FBI and the ATF. They are all against law abiding gun owners I hate them and they hate us. I gotta go to Church right now though. The pastor might be giving another message on forgivi ng your enemies or maybe talk about how God loves everybody. I am a victim. That's why I live in poverty. I live in a racist society. I know that I will never have the opportunities of others. I was oppressed by the system that never let me learn in school. They made read this shit that didn't mean nothing to me. That's why I left in middle school, cause all those white bastards was on my case for not going to those dumb ass classes. Racism made me quit my job. You can't trust these people they always think you are back in slavery days. Yellin at you to do shit. I gotta go look for another Job right now though. If I get this job I'll be making enough money to say fuck you to anybody. I ain't goin to take no Shit off anybody. Soon as those Assholes start telling me what to do I 'm gone. ...... Warren Perkins border. Each day consists of several meetings, shared meals, reflectjons, and opportunities for discussion. The trips also may include a visit to a maquilla, or factory. This visit will provide an opportunity for discussions with management and workers - an enlightenjng opportunity to hear both sides of the worker rights story. Participants will also meet with social activists along the border who attempt to improve the living conditions of the people there. The goal of the trips is to establish relationships between people on both sides of the border. Borderlinks is an extraordinary opportunity to expand one's knowledge of worldwide issues while establishing personal connections. The site is a great way to discover connections with people - whether on the U.S.-~exican border, or anywhere else. Special Thanks to www.borderlinks.org for providing information for this article. eme. 1·800·3B·BE·SMART FOR A FREE BOOKLET www ede>t.org Please Forgive Me By Mark I am the homeless person you see on the street. Please forgive me when you offer me something to eat and I am slow to accept because at one point I could do for myself. I do not realize that God is working through you, trying to help one of his lost chi ldren. I am the homeless person on the street. Please forgive me when you offer a solution for housing and I am too afraid to change living the way I do. I have lost all things before and this may mean I may get started all over again and lose it all again ... and that is more than I can think about dealing with. I do not realize that God is working through you, trying to at least provide a roof to live under. I am the homeless person you see on the street. Please forgive me when you offer clothes and I refuse them. I may have plenty to wear and no place to keep clean at. I get so discouraged that even though the clothes may be clean, I may still feel dirty. I do not see the beauty that lies underneath my skin and in my heart, nor can I see God's beauty in you while he is working through you. I am the homeless person you see on the street. Please forgive me when you are kind to me and I get angry with you. I do not realize that God is working through you trying to show me there is hope. I cannot see any hope at times. I am the homeless person you see on the street. Please forgive me when you get discouraged trying to help me. It is truly not your fault that I do not feel worthy of being loved or accepted. The old saying holds more meaning now, "It is truly easier to give than to receive ." �VEGGIEVIBES STREETVIBES Page 16 Why I (didn't) celebrate Columbus Day seem to the status quo, our children must overcome the false legacy that has been handed down through generations. We need to continue to be annoying, and ask the question: Was Columbus a worthy hero? To that end, I was very saddened to hear that the compromise berween the Italian-Ameri­ can and the American-Indian communities here in Denver regarding Columbus Day activities had broken down. For the Indian community, it's not a surprising development, given our history of broken treaties. Though I have no personal bias toward the Italian-American community, my strong objection is toward Columbus himself. For hundreds of years, the genocide and oppression initiated by Columbus and his arrival on this continent has been celebrated as the glorious past of this country. From the North­ west Territories to the Strait of Magellan, however, the native people of this continent have suffered. For the descendants of the tribes that once flourished here, the inhumane treatment and extermination of ancient Americans is no matter for celebration in any society, at any time. Richard B. Williams is the executive director of the American Indian College Fund, a historian, educator and the founder of the Upward Bound Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Members of the Compass panel are selected each spring. By Richard B. Williams Oct. 4, 2000 - My name is Rick Will­ iams and I am an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. I am also pare Northern Cheyenne and I proudly call myself an American Indian. I was raised by my grandmother in a little rural community in the panhandle of Nebraska. When I started kindergarten, I was one of only 10 American Indian students. By the time I reached eighth grade, I was the only Native American student left in my class. My grades were always good, but I got marks in deportment such as "talks too much" and "disturbs others." I scill talk too much and sometimes what I say annoys others. But annoy­ ance can be an effective cool for change. For example, my earliest protests in elementary school concerned Columbus Day because I said he had not "discovered" America. Of course, my protests "annoyed" the teacher and caused a stir with my non-Indian classmates. Since that time, I have remained consistent in my position concerning Christopher Columbus. In 1992, Gov. Roy Romer appoimed me to the Quincentennial Commission. I took the respon­ sibility seriously and read all I could find con­ cerning Columbus. As I researched the subject, a grave and disturbing portrait emerged of a man who was personally responsible for the slaughter, dismemberment, torture and enslavement of many thousands of native people. It was nothing for him and his soldiers to play perverse games with severed limbs and heads, a fact well-documented in his diaries and by historians of that time. When I brought these matters to the attention of the Quincentennial Commission, members were, needless to say, annoyed. I just returned from the Olympics in Australia. While there, I visited the Ab original Art and Cultural Exhibit, which portrayed a brutally honest history of the ab­ original people in that country. It was a virtual mirror of the same broken treaties, forced removal to reservations and government­ sanctioned removal of children, as well as the pillaging of natural resources and che deliberate spread of known deadly infections like small pox. What I came co realize is that conquest and cruelty had no boundaries. The aftermath of Columbus' arrival is well-documented as the mosc tragic holocaust in world history. It was so brutal and long-lasting that in 1999 Pope John Paul II apologized to native people of the Americas and asked forgive­ ness. I pray that others follow the pope's lead and seek reconciliation. As an educator, I've spent my entire adult life in the world ofhigher learning. I deeply believe in what education can accomplish in propelling a society past ignorance and injustice. By shining a light on the mistakes of the past, no matter how unsettling they may List info at: http://ishgooda.nativeweb.org/ natnews.htm Thu never know what you're going to see here! VEGGIE VIBES ... Victor Buttram, cartoonist , Saxophonist and originator of The Healing System (Quintet) --Call for gigs at 891-0167 What do they All Have in Common? . fq.rrY ~l.iJ6r ¥vr,~r ,, . . • t l • ' • • • They all love me They Love to put me inside their bodies. What is t/].e Result? �STREETV I BES To P.R.A. C, from Page 17 . page 9 my suite without merit because he had no jurisdiction to do paper work on my hardship uansfer. Note: My mother wasn't in prison when the family doctor made his initial request to the Warden and the uni c staff. Now it's 1993 and a riot happens. There is circulation that for anyone who wan ts to leave Lucasville, that a bus is going co Mansfield ifwe just sit and wait. I, like so many others, waited for the bus to Mansfield. When I came off my hunger strike I was given a T.B. shot, all sons of tests and medicine, I was sick. During the eleven·days o the ·April 11 , 1993 Riot, I made it dear that my plight was a personal·one. I am Muslim and my only purpose·is to try to get to Mansfield and appeal to a different ~taff. .I wanted to see my mother and that was my choice. When the surrender of th~ Riot came, ~ ,got on his list to transfer to the ~ansfi~ld Cor~eccional Institution. Igor on the bus! When the bus arrived at M~nsfi eld my heart and soul screamed for sur~ease... Warden Dennis 'Baker m er the Bus at the entrance of Mansfield. Once he became Warden in Mansfield I addressed him several letters co abreast him of my conditions, therefore when I stepped off the bus in Mansfield, I went directly to Mr. Baker and asked him co intercede in my behalf Mr. Baker came co me later and said he had spoken co the Director and my request to go see my mother was denied because I was in the Riot. Several months o r weeks had passed, I'm not sure which because time was a maze tO me. I was being wssed into a destiny that I had no conu ol of. I wrote Ms. T hel ma Thomas Price, A<iSistant Artorney General. I d idn't know who she was, I saw her picture in the newspaper, and knew she worked for the Federal people. So I told her my srory but she never answered. In February 1994 I appeared before the parole board after ending a five year extension. I was given a parole and cold I had to wait due to the investigation. T here were no indictments at this time pending against me buc after I was given a parole I was given four indictments, none of which are true. I was, at chis point, granted permission to make one phone call per week. I talked to my mother only once for maybe ten minutes. She spoke my name once and never spoke to me again. A few days later I was in formed she had passed. My trial was in September 1994, in Ironton, Ohio. I faced four counts ofassault and felonious assault on two Lt.'s at S.O.C.F. The p rosecutor from Cincin nati alleged that I beat both Lt.'s with a PR-24. However, one of rhem was cur with a rail road spike. The other said that he fought his attacker one o n one as documenced, and sustained a broken nose and a broken arm. Both victims testified to know me personally by n am e and by face. Both testified that th ey could nor identify me as assaulting them. The prosecution states, "H e's black." The blacks attacked the whites and he's guilty whether you seen him or not. Furthermore: The prosecutor presented two state snitches co support his trumped up allegations. Both witnesses clearly stated chat they saw me commit these actions. Witness number one testifies that he saw me commit assaulc o n bo th victims. Under cr oss­ examinarion he stated that he didn't see any weapon period, bur rbat I was in a group of p eople and I made "contact." H e didn't see me strike either victim bur he saw me make "contact." Witness number two alleges that he saw me also commit these assaults. Under cross-examination he seated that there was no weapon. H e was asked to give a depictio n of my alleged acrion. Q. Did my client hit the victims? A. No. Q. Did you see my diem kick rhe victims? A. No Q. Did you see my clienc punch the victims? A. G'et your 1 Greater Cincinnati Coa\ition for the Home\ess YearJOOI CALENDAR Now! Examining Home\ess ness from a kid's point of view Featuring photos by Jimmy Heath. 5en d J 10 to GCCH, 1506 E\m 5t ., Cinti, Oh ~5=210 EVANGELIST' No. Q. You didn't see my client do anyching did you sir? A. He's a Muslim and I assume he's involved, but, no, I d idn't see him do anything! My attorney several rimes asked for rhe charges to be dropped on lack of evidence, bur I was convicted and given an additional 15-20 years. The parole board cold me chat they would nor take my parole while I was under appeal. All srate remedies are exhausted. As I entered Federal courts, I accepted my inabilities co compete in the law and depended only on God. I began to address the courts as I now address this letter. A little help &om fellow prisoners and a furn faith that God knows all secrets of man's hearts and actions and that God alone controlled destiny - I filed my appeals. 1 bombarded th.e office of M s. Delores J. Hildebrant, federal litigation section, Cincinnati, OH. She failed to respond co my appeal for impartiality and co view the transcripts My letters were senc co Ms. T helma T homas Price, Assista nt Attorney G eneral, whom I h ad subsequendy appealed years earlier. Ms. Price now opposes m e in the sixth circuit court of appeals. On July 12, 2000 I embrace a notice from the Sixth Circuit that my case 99-3425 is scheduled for submission ro rhe courts on the briefs of the parties and the record on August 9, 2000. I do have documented evidence of my trial transcripts. The briefs submirted by both parties. My concern is justice, not to be denied the liberty 1 deserve and at present a new law is being made in Federal Court as there is no law for my case! Can a person be innocent on record , bur due to the negligence of his/her trial council's objections look co be tossed in a prison forever? I mean where is real justice? If my case is overturned what double sword will rhe system use ro still hold me? I address you for answers, solutions-for an understand ing to t he meaningless suffering beneath the scars. At one nest of thought, Luqman Bahir Taqwiim from page 11 Lined up outside the S urvival Center several days before Christmas to get coats, food, clothing, and miscell aneous househo ld items. They had started down out of the mountains as far awayas West Virginia. The lot which we had just left was covered with vehicles and people were lined up the road. Volunteers were handing out coats to shivering children and elderly grandmothers .. These were the people from the hills, the people who were mostly uneducated and unskilled, the people who the state of Kentucky would like to forget, the people who make the Crank's Creek Survival Center a neces­ sity. We worry about welfare cutbacks, but these people worry about day to day survival. The Survival Center receives very little of its suppo~ or resources from the state of Kentucky. If it were not for churches, grants, and individ-uals this Center could not assist the thousands which come yearly for help. I plan to return to Crank's Creek on or around December 23 with my brother in Christ, Steve Myers, and any others who would like to come. We plan to take some toys and winter coats, so get those Christmas donations ready and help the people of this forgotten coal mining community. If you a.re interested in helping in any way, call: Steve Myers at 541-8141 or you can call me at AWOL Ministries 210-4181. AWOL Ministries is still seeking volunteers to work in all areas of the ministry. Maybe you can be a mentor to a child who needs a friend , visit with the elderly, help sort food or clothing, or just add your prayers in support of this ministry. I thank all who already lend your prayers and support. And if you have not yet visited Washington United Church of Christ come on over any time and j oin us for worship, food, fun, or fellowship. Bring the entire fan1ily, because there is something for everyone.This is the place where l worship on Sunday morni ngs, participate in Family Dinner on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and lead Bible Study Thursday at Sprn. L et your faith be one which works. In J/is Service, Rodney L.Sutton, S r. �STREETVIBES CHE, from page 1 Teach-Ins: occurring at 7-9 pm every Wed. Nov 1: Sweatshops at Xavier's Kelley Aud. Nov 8 : Housing and Environment at UC Law Nov 15: Bob Cohen, author of "Milk the Deadly Poison" Thursdav. Nov. 16 The"Ask Me" Campaign All Day: Che's ..Ask M e" Volunteers will be fl yering and educating the city. 12-1 pm: Ral ly and press briefing on Fountain Square 6-9 pm: Teach-In at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Downtown Friday, November 17 11 am : Rally at Sawyer Point 11:30am: March to Fountain Square via 41h St. I pm : Ra lly on Race between 4r11 and 5•h St. 6:30-7:30 pm: lnte1faith Prayer Service at St. Peter in Chains 7:30-1 0 pm : Prayer Vigil and Labor Picket at Union Terminal 10 pm: People's Gala, location TBA Saturdav. November 18 12-l pm: Pig Rally at Fountain Square l -3pm : Picket line march 3pm : RalJy at C ity Ha11 To contact CHE, visit the webpage, www.che-2000.org, email www.1116.com, or call (513) 588-8883. HOUSING ADVOCATE NEEDED Friars Club Shelter has a pa rt-time position available working with reside nts of its' Homeless Shelter For Families a nd Low Cost Residency for Men. 1O ho urs/ week, evenings and weekends. Salary commensurate with experience. Interested applicants should mail resume to Friars Club, 65 McMillan St., Cinti. , OH 45219 ATTN : Housing Coordinator or fax to 241-0356 .. Chris Chatfield, Housing Coordinator. STREETSCQPES Faith in Action: Helping the Homeless In Washington Park by I.i.nda L Burger I started working with the homeless in 1993, when I was invited to participate in Standdown for Homeless Veterans. This movement started in California, and was started by a war veteran, in response to the need to assist homeless veterans to get back on their feet. Homeless veterans had access to a variety of services provided by the community for a weekend. These services include medical attention, haircutting services (with was my area of participation), a mini-court setup to clear out old cases, vision, an d other needs. I participated in these every two years when Standdown was held and supervised the H aircutting section. In 1997, Standdown was moved from tents outside to the Drop Inn Center, and was assisted by the Aveda/ Fredricks "Salon on Wheels". This mobile hair salon travels across four states, giving free hair serv ices to homeless shelters, domestic violence she lters, day care centers, etc. to assist with the homeless d il emma. I became involved with Aveda when they joined the Standdown effort. I have attended the Vi neyard Community Church since l 991, and became a participant in a "Hearts for the Homeless" outreach. This outreach was started by Lynn Hogrefe, a Vineyard communhy church member, and full­ time schoolteacher who wanted to assist the homeless at Mt. Airy Shelter. I volunteered to do haircuts for Lynn, like I do at Standdown, and Lynn readily accepted me into her group. I have been assi ting her for three years now ­ Lynn has been a tremendous team leader for this homeless effort. W hen I staited participating at Servfest, led by Ren and Suzanne at the church, I met some wonderful people who became very c lose fri ends and wanted to participate in the Mt. Airy Shelter outreach. Additionally, a homeless man named F red used to call my two friends and I good Samaritans because we assisted him in his recovery. My friend Pam and Fred decided to use this name to start the "Good Sam" Run, helping the homeless in Washington Park. I was very excited about others wanting to participate in my dream of doing our very own outreach in a cause that has been dear to my heart for over seven years. We now get together every Saturday, as team leaders, and make sack lunches. We take these along w ith pop, chips, clothes and toiletries to the homeless in Washington Park. We started this ourtreach in M ay of this year and it has grown from feed ing about 60 people to almost 100 every Saturday. If it wasn' t for the support of Ren and Suzanne Elgin and the Vineyard Community Church, this dream could not have been achieved. Pam, Paula and myself also believe follow-up is very important to this outreach and we try to assist the homeless congregation with any social services that we and the church can provide to help them get back on their feet. We have a number of success stories of men who have left the park and Mt. A iry Shelter and now have apartments Page 18 and have stopped drink ing and using drugs. They have become functional citizens again and are giving back to the community to show their appreciation for what others have done to help them. In closing, as I have always said to the homeless people in Washington Park and team leaders of the Good Sam Run, "This is not just our outreach, this is your outreach, too. You can make it as successful as you wish it to be. You can help us give out the food and be an active member. It can be whatever you want it to be." Ren Elg ie is Pastor of Servant Evangelism; Suzanne (his wife) works and organizes ServeFest every Saturday at the Vineyard Commun ity Church. • • • Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call... a a Advertisers -C lassified and unclassified Su pplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, tea, paper towels, cream and sugar,etc a 0 a Office and C leaning Sup plies A Ne.w Coffee Maker P hotography Help - film (400,800, 1600), developing help, digital and/or film cam era(s). a Computers/componen ts for Streetvibes story-writing, editing, research. a A new vehicle (van?) If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street, C incinnati, OH 452 10 ph: (5 13) 42 1-7803, fax (513) 42 1-7813 e-mai l: streetvibes @juno.com Streetvibes Classified PLACE your help wanted, for rent, for sale items in Streetvibes Classified. Only $ 1 per line, free for 6 months for homeless/ low-income people Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88. 3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Homeless Coalition's Live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. �STREETVIBES Calendar of Events Streetvibes has a monthly calendar of events to keep you informed of happenings around the Greater Cincinnati area. Please contact us if you have :in item to lisc. Any submission is welcome: local community council meetings, social justice forums, protesrs, community festivals, art shows, etc. Please call 421-7803, fax to 421-7813 or email streetvibes@iuno.com ro list an event. ' November 2 John Crattley debates Steve Chabot: 7PM. Aired Live on WVXU, 91.7FM 2 2 2 Welfare Rights Coalition Potluck.lunch and meeting, 12 noon at the Contact Center. A new co-chair will be elected at this meeting. Call 381-4242 for more information Contact Center Open House, 5:25 at the Contact Center. The open house is an opporunity to sign up for membership with the Contact Cenrer ­ the deadline for to sign up is November 1O to be eligible for a prize drawing. Call 381-4242 for more information. EarthSave Dining Out, 6:00 p.m. at a restaurant to be determined. Call EarthSave at 929- 2500 or Mary Ann Lederer at 591-3003 for more information. ~ ~--- 7-15 9 Racial Profiling - "Driving While Black?" - Discussions sponsored by the League of Women Voters - Various times and places throughout che Community. Call 281-VOTE or www.lwvcincinnati.org for more Info. Save Our Schools Committee, 5:30 p.m. at Peaslee Neighborhood Center. Call 381-4242 for more information. 12 Amnesty International Cincinnati Group 86 meeting, l :00 at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Pavilion. For more information, contact Amnesty International at 221-7659 15 Over the Rhine Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting, 12:15 p.m. at the Contact Center. Ca1J 381-4242 for more information. 19 EarthSave Vegetarian. Pot Luck Dinner, Page 19 . Thanksgiving By Riccardo Taylor Thanksgiving begins the festive closure of the year. It's the traditional start of the holiday season. It's a time when the earth scans its h arvest . The leaves are in their. variety of colors, while rhe birds and ocher animals are beginning their flights south, or compiling the winters supply of nuts and fruits. Families are brought together to share in love, laughter, solidarity, and a feast of many dishes, a gathering filled with caring and sharing. Its -a time when peace prevails, a chance to remember the past year and to begin plans for a new. Indeed it is a special time of the year. I hope that each of you has a blessed thanksgiving and fucure ones to come. As is my style of writing I could not help but to ask some of our. readers their opinions or their impressions. Theu expressions of che specifics, and the enjoym ent of a thanksgiving is relayed in their responses. Linda Lewis, Housewife Thanksgiving is a particular day in which to give thanks for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon us, for family, life, friends, and all the joy we have in those relationships. Its a time ofyear that should be shared and remembered through the year. The feasting and breaking of bread with family and friends is the most joyous occasion of sharing and caring of the year. I enjoy the many activities of a thanksgiving day. The football games, the laughter, remembrance of the good times that we have shared throughout the year, being able to visit with those friends and family members that only an occasion of this sort brings. For me this is a great time of year. Mandy Edgecombe, Kaklis Server Thanksgiving as a holiday is very important to me and should be for all of us. It's a time for family and friends to com e together and celebrate their blessings. It's not just about feasting on a lavish dinner. However the day is spent, it should be about brotherhood, a sharing of the heart with your roots. Personally I can only see my family on occasion so I treasure that very much when the occasion occurs. Unfortunately for many of us, whether the reason is negative or out our control, we cannot be with loved ones on this particular day. I will not be able to be with my family this holiday so I have elected to spend my time volunteering at different soup kitchens. I will try to spread as much of the kind feelings that each of us need so often on this holiday. Hoping to share a hot meal and friendliness to those who may need ic. I understand what it is to have closeness with the people I love and hope to give some of this to those in need. To share in their hardships and to give of myself. I have devoted my life to sharing and spreading love to those who need it most. "One love". Jim W., Painter Days of ritual observances, a flurry of which ends each year (Autumn's Thanksgiving­ Winter's Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's Eve, etc.), none grab me much, especially in this commercial soaked age. However, succumbing to the pull, moments of rich warm comfort arise from feasting with family and friends sharing the moment of joy if only for the occasion. On the other hand not being able to share these sweet comforts on such days can breed desolate despair. Being alone and separate on the days that celebrate community and humanity can be hard. Yet, thanks must be given for the moments of life itself and the fullness of creation, in which we find ourselves even at our most bereft. A. Timo T., Person Thanksgiving. There's one thing for which you should be abundantly thankful: only you and G od have all the facts about yourself. Have a joyful holiday. It has been a pleasure to both hear and to relay in writing the impression.s of some of our readers. I hope that the expressions of my appreciation is felt by all of our readers, and that joyousness of the season is extended to all. On behalf of all the vendors and staff of the Coali:tion, may all be blessed with a happy Thanksgiving. 6:00 p.01. at Sr. John's Unitarian Church, 320 Resor. For more informa­ tion, caJJ EarchSave at 929-2500 or call Mary Ann Lederer 591-3003. 19 Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless General Body Meeting, 1:30 p.m. at the Drop Inn Center. Call 421-7803 for more information. ANSWERS TO WORD SCRAMBLE: · ~m q ~U!OP W.J ·1~nrn:::> uo~ lllOJ} Sgll!lg~ug ' UO!lffBO:) 'on gH Cartoon from the Denver Voice, One of the West's most prestigious Homeless Newspapers �-Need Help or Want to Help? II for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. Jl you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. SHELTERS; Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 859-431­ 8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St. Joseph House 381-4941 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Haven House (Hamilton) ..863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Network 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 ,...... * HOUSING· CMHA ' Excel Development Miami Purchase e~· ~ TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 • ~ TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline Q -I:: 3/: 0 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 C.C.A.T. Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc. 491-4435 VA Domiciliary ..859-559-5011 ,, OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cinti ....... 421 -2437 Appalachian Identity Cntr · ..... 621-5991 Beech Acres ....... 231-6630 Center for Independent Living 'j Options .. . 241-2600 J> if Churches Active in cf>'>,§' Northside ............. 591-2246 .,,_b0 b"' Cincinnati Health Network · 0 e<'C" ell> tnlnlma\ o"' <o 961-0600 9 Community Action Agency Uch of t.ne _ ,! S CS ~ ~ ~ <"~"> ~~ +e OS'~ ct.&::, &,c, ~6' OTR Housing Network.. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 639-7056 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T 221-6937 ssa C1t1111f Cordless Screwdriver with 8 Bits 961-4663 _.our Do,,__ ROHi HARDWARE MIHAd 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 First Step Home 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Comm. Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 G.C. Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 621-7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3619 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance 271-5501 Center..... 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center Project Connect -­ Homeless Kids ......... . 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless Program 572-6226 Women's Crisis Center 859-491-3335 Women Helping Women 872-9259 150-Ct. Clear or Multi-Color Net Lites Thank you for your support. � 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 2000 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 November 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Nader Captivates Cincinnati Globalization Goes Local Pg 2: Homeless Coalition Speaks at 8th Annual Senior Banquet Pg 3: Hello, My Name is Tony and I Am a Counselor at the Joseph House Inc. Pg 4: Mt. Airy Shelter: Pg 5: Welfare News Pg 6: National News Pg 7: The Story of a Maquiladora Worker Pg 8: In Thy Name o Allah Pg 9: The Question We Should All Ask Pg 10: Words from the Evangelist Pg 11: Sleep Out for the Homeless 2000 Pg 12: Kroger Responds to Mt. Olive Boycott IMF/World Bank: Stupid, Cruel, Brutal Pg 13: Homeless Health Tips Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Learn About Life on the Mexican Border Pg 16: Why I (Didn’t) Celebrate Columbus Day Pg 17: To P.R.A.C. Continued Evangelist Continued Pg 18: Faith in Actions Pg 19: Thanksgiving 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 November 2000 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Dan Marschner Gina Kohlheff Ron Carter Warren Perkins Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Sonny Williams Mr. Lee Rodney Sutton Sharon Weiss Dan Marschner Wendall Salter Doctor Donovan Riccardo M. Taylor Anthony Watkins Rick Williams Shaka N’Zinga Lynn Marmer Mark John Perotti Lynn Williams Anthony Mack Kunta Kenyata Jewel Wilks John W. Gerhart Booger Lover Linda L. Burger Berta Lambert Jimmy Heath Victor Buttram Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alicia Beck Anthony Mack Anthony Watkins Appalachia Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Booger Lover Boycott Columbus Day Dan Marschner Doctor Donovan Evangelist Gina Kohlheff Health Tips Human Rights IMF Jewel Wilks Jimmy Heath John Halpin John Perotti John W. Gerhart Kroger Kunta Kenyata Linda L. Burger Lynn Marmer Lynn Williams Mark Mary A. Gaffney Mexican Border Mr. Lee Mt. Airy Mt. Olive National News Pat Mitchell protest Riccardo M. Taylor Rick Williams Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Shaka N’Zinga Sharon Weiss Sonny Williams Street Strike Susan Knight Thanksgiving Tom Billman Victor Buttram Warren Perkins Washington Park welfare news Wendall Salter World Bank