14 10 291 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/2807aa64cf08c68cdc5c1640a0686402.pdf eae6f63f35372906b8224580daa03f4e PDF Text Text July, 2004 STREETVIBES photo by Jimmy Heath Developers Fast Track Their Plan for Over-the-Rhine The Drop Inn Center at Elm and 12th Street, Over-the-Rhine, is a target for removal from the community by developers Streetvibes Investigation Last month, the private development group 3CDC (Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation) undertook a lightning-fast public relations campaign to get approval for their development plans around Washington Park. 3CDC Executive Director, Steven Leeper, and assistant Kathy Schwab attended meetings of the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, Cincinnati Public School Board committees and other business and stakeholder groups presenting a Powerpoint presentation of a redesigned Over-the-Rhine. After the Cincinnati Planning Department was eliminated in December of 2002, the decision was made by city leaders to privatize city planning. For that reason, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC) created in July of 2003. Much about the organization is available on their website, www.3cdc.org. Joe Pichler, former Chairman of Kroger, was placed in charge of the Over-the-Rhine Working Group, tasked with revitalizing the area, especially around Washington Park. They spent some time looking for a full time director. On January 30th of this year, Steven Leeper was hired. Leeper has the Drop Inn Center.... Cont. on page 10 McCrackin celebration builds on his legacy, calls citizens to action by John Zeh photo by Berta Lambert Some seven years after he died, the Rev. Maurice McCrackin’s fervor for social justice was commemorated as activists marched from Washington Park in Over-theRhine to a Unity Day festival at the west end’s Laurel Park June 12. The day’s theme was “No to war in Iraq — No to the war on the poor in Cincinnati,” naming greed and concentrated wealth as enemies of the poor, said organizer and former Cincinnati City Council candidate Brian Garry. “Mac Day was a wonderful event. The organizations, food and entertainment were diverse like McCracken’s struggles,” Garry told Streetvibes. “The march was one of the best I’ve been to. Residents and activists and church people came together to stand up for the rights of lowincome people, it was truly a beautiful sight. We need to join the white and black activist communities to present a comprehensive vision of Cincinnati that is not just a response to city council,” he said. “We need to take the lead.” Collaboration among various groups is important, according to Vera Zlatkin, several housing projects and the White House, McCrackin another McCrackin Day one planner’s proposed closure threatened to starve to death if organizer. “There are many the city tore down the Milner of the Drop-Inn Center as groups who are working to do evidence that the city is waging Hotel downtown. Garry notes something, but they don’t have a war against the less-affluent. that city officials went to the power because they’re so Despite organizational and McCrackin’s bedside and small,” she said. “If we can institutional hurdles, Zlatkin is bring them together, we all will promised to find homes for the optimistic about preserving the homeless and mentally ill have a louder voice.” historic Park, but concedes that The cheerful atmosphere displaced by the demolition. activists may be fighting a The activist started eating was an appropriate losing battle against increased again, but the city reneged on commemoration for a minister gentrification. who became the “conscience of its pledge, Garry charged. “We have to be able to “Hopefully, the Rev. Mr. the city,” Garry told reporters. reverse it,” she said. In 1979, McCrackin was McCrackin can be a inspiration for activists today to be willing “Sometimes I feel like all us imprisoned 111 days for to put themselves on the line little groups are standing with refusing to testify against two hammers and a chisels for what they believe in,” said escaped felons who had hammering away against a huge Sister Helen Cullen, another kidnapped him. He had been wall. And there are bulldozers McCrackin Day organizer. arrested numerous times for Growing gentrification in coming at us. We are trying to anti-war protests and actions Over-the-Rhine is driving out fight a battle with hammers and against poverty and racism. In chisels and they are coming the homeless and poor, Zlatkin 1990, at the age of 85, he said, noting the closing of after us with bulldozers!” scaled the White House fence protesting the first U.S. war against Iraq. Every time police encountered McCrackin, the minister went limp. As an ardent pacifist, he fought the system any way he could. McCrackin founded Camp Joy, a camp for poor innercity youth, and helped desegregate Coney Island. A few years after the protest at People’s March on Central Parkway, Downtown Cincinnati Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �Streetvibes Streetvibes, the Tri­ State’s alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for 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. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Allison Leeuw - Administrative Coordinator Andy Erickson - Education Coordinator Elizabeth Linville - Civil Rights Coordinator Janice Faulkner - Receptionist Mary Gaffney - Receptionist Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor, Layout and Design Photographers Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert Cover Veterans Section at Spring Grove Cemetery Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, delivered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://homeless.cinci.com Page 2 Greed Transcends Compassion politics of poverty keeps the by Jimmy Heath middle-class fixated on each It’s been said that a society can be judged by how it other while burying the silent treats its less fortunate citizens. majority behind a curtain of Market forces and development shame, bureaucracy, and suspicion. The politics of drive our avaricious city poverty squashes dissent with government, and anyone who injustice and denial and lack of gets in the way of this access. Those who vocalize “progress” is pushed aside. their discontent, especially The truth again reveals itself in the continuing battle to people of color, are dismissed and disrespected and always get rid of the Drop Inn Center homeless shelter in downtown’s ignored. Parading low-income Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. citizens in front of the public Developers and City leaders who care little about the clients and claiming them as participants in the process using the Drop Inn Center are merely pinpoints and focused on their “vision” marginalizes those of how the neighborhood people. Community should look. These participation in plans perpetuate the discussions is used to stereotypes, and belittle legitimize the process those who are struggling that ultimately destroys to get back on their feet. Jimmy Heath them while lending Meanwhile, little effort credibility to a flawed is made by the City to address the root causes of homelessness. and one-sided process. The persistent growth of All they know is they don’t like our urban poor suggest that how it looks. poverty is neither an economic When you think of the aberration nor a reflection of people who use these services in Cincinnati - those who are on the morals of 34 million poor adults and children in this the bottom of the economic country - or the millions who ladder - you can’t help but wonder what is wrong with this border on poverty. When you read between city. Cincinnati’s homeless are the lines you will find that it’s least able to defend themselves; really all about getting rid of least likely to be able to the Drop Inn Center and places exercise even basic political power. It’s maddening, horribly like it; a strategy hidden under a plan for revitalization and cruel and sad at the same time. development of the Over-theThe exclusion of poor Rhine neighborhood. people from official policy Plans are being made for discussions continues to be an important factor in the failure of the land occupied by the Drop Inn Center by people who don’t the City to alleviate poverty. even own the property. The The politics of poverty in this power of capitalism reigns City has followed a fairly straight trajectory - provide and above everything else, sometimes even above decency concentrate power into the and compassion. hands of the privileged few. It’s not just about the The politics of poverty value of the land that the Drop uses covert, subtle means to Inn Center has occupied for project a façade of almost three decades. It’s about accountability while making deals behind closed doors. The the ugliness of homelessness. It’s about fear and racism. It’s about being greedy. It’s about perception and ignorance and power. Personally, I can’t think of a better use of land than for helping people get back their lives. The Drop Inn Center revitalizes human beings. Right in the heart of what we proudly refer to as the richest nation on earth, poverty and powerlessness are flourishing. The signs are unmistakable: the United States of America is in a state of decay hidden beneath layers of fresh paint and drywall and upscale urban development. During the 1960’s there was a great deal of optimism about the prospect of eliminating poverty forever. In the last three decades much money has been spent on social programs, but the poor have not disappeared. We attempt to clamp the lid down on seething inner-city discontent by keeping fragments of hope alive, while requiring the ruling elite to cede none of its power. The public has begun to believe that there is no solution to poverty; that places like the Drop Inn Center breed poverty. It’s all a big lie, of course. We’ve been brainwashed into thinking there are no answers because the real long-term solution to poverty lies in empowerment of the poor, which threatens the power monopoly of the privileged class. If you get in the way, watch out! The Drop Inn Center is again faced with one of its greatest battles. This drains resources, time and energy from people whose work would be better spent helping folks get their lives back. Meanwhile, City leaders look for ways to make the problem invisible, by trying to push it out of sight. GCCH Welcomes New Staff Member I’m from Indianapolis Dear Streetvibes Community, which isn’t too far away, I have been and I recently finished here in Cincinnati for school studying Nonabout a month now, profit Management. I do and I guess its time I have work experience at introduce myself. My various social service name is Allison Leeuw, nonprofit organizations, and I will be the new ranging from large Administrative Allison Leeuw organizations such as the Coordinator at the Zoo, to smaller domestic Greater Cincinnati violence shelters and agencies Coalition for the Homeless. I am educating “at-risk” youth. I hope not from around here… but I am these fundraising and social service getting settled here in Cincinnati, experiences will help me to and at the Coalition. I am thankful accomplish my work here. for the friendly welcome I have I suppose I will be spending thus far received from my co­ workers, and community members a lot of time here at the Coalition office behind the computer, or on of Over-the-Rhine. Streetvibes the phone trying to raise money for our cause. I will be writing grants, increasing awareness, and I hope to attract new donors to the Coalition. The problems that cause homelessness in our community run deep, and we need a deep coalition of support to eradicate this poverty. I am sure I will come across challenges from a variety of sources during my time here. Yet I have already seen dedication and passion for social justice here in this community; and I am inspired. I do hope to be out and about as well and I welcome any visits or suggestions from the Streetvibes Community. Stop by the Coalition, or drop me a line at allisonleeuw@yahoo.com. �36% of Cincinnati’s homeless once served our nation Who are the Homeless? Why are so many of our honored veterans on the streets? What can YOU do to help? I WILL DONATE: $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $150 There are 25,000 people in Cincinnati that experience homelessness each year. Who are these individuals? 36% of the homeless on the streets of our community are veterans, yet only 13% of Ohio’s population are veterans. Why are so many of our past veterans living with no home? Here at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless we are working to end homelessness for ALL individuals through education, advocacy and coordination of services. We are looking to find systemic solutions and real change that goes farther than the generous services our kitchens and shelters provide. This summer we are honoring past heroes, celebrating our freedom, and hoping for an end to the struggle over seas; let us not forget those who struggle here in our community this very day. Please consider a tax deductible contribution today and help create positive change in your city. Send your donations to Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Streetvibes Page 3 �One year ago homeless stopped city from sweeping camps by Andy Erickson Education Coordinator arrived, displaying a temporary restraining order against the police, and a lawsuit against the city filed on Henry’s behalf. The reporters swarmed her. She and Don Henry spoke in a circle of cameras. The lawsuit filed against the city charged that the city had a pattern and practice of violating homeless people’s civil rights. Reporters scribbled in their notebooks. The people living in the camp cheered. Nearly a year ago, a group of homeless men and women stood up to the city’s threats and prevailed. Led by Don Henry, homeless folks living at the foot of the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge in Cincinnati protested the city’s orders to Don leave or be Henry’s camp arrested for wasn’t the only trespassing. The one that had been city gave a 72­ given an eviction hour deadline – notice. Four 1:00 on Friday, other camps were July 18, 2003. also told they had They gave no to move out by Andy Erickson indication of that Friday. where Henry and These camps were his bridgemates should go. clustered together on the other The residents of the side of downtown. The earliest camp chose to protest the city’s eviction would take place at actions. They started their 9:00. protest at 1:00 on Thursday, 24 That morning, before I hours before they were told to went to Don Henry’s protest, I get out. They marched along drove to these other camps to the intersection of Third Street see if anything was happening. and the Clay Wade Bailey The first person I saw was a Bridge. They carried protest cameraman. He wasn’t with the signs that read, “Don’t hide the press. I asked him who he was, homeless. Help them.” but I don’t remember his A lot of press came out response – a film student, I for the event. It was a good think, from one of the local story. Microphones were universities. He was filming interviewing and cameras were Robert, the one person who had filming all day. What would not yet moved from his camp. happen when the deadline The cameraman left soon after I arrived? Would the police spoke with him. really come? How many people I knew Robert. I had would they arrest for met him before, and he trespassing? News outlets remembered me. He was polled audiences: should people worried and said he needed my be allowed to live under help. He had to be out by downtown bridges? Audiences 10:00. He knew the deadline were split. Lots of people were was looming and he feared watching. being arrested. He had found a As the deadline grew new camp on the riverbank, but closer, the atmosphere grew couldn’t move all of his things increasingly more intense and by himself before the deadline. more exciting. The numbers of He showed me where he homeless people picketing stayed – under a small bridge grew. Social workers arrived, with barely even enough room helping many people get into to sit upright. I’ve never really services they needed. People gotten used to seeing the camps who had heard about the that some homeless people live protest on the news drove to in. To see one is to see the the camp to donate food, home of someone who’s all but drinks, and support. There given up. They’ve taken the must have been 100 people few things they have left from there, all waiting for the life and moved them underneath deadline and wondering what a bridge. It makes you wonder would happen when it struck. what had to happen to lead After a long, 24-hour them here, and why there’s so protest, the deadline came – many of them. Everyday people and went. No one came to drive over these streets arrest the so-called trespassers complaining about the cost of on Friday, July 18. Instead, gasoline while their fellow attorney Jennifer Kinsley citizens try to make homes Page 4 photo by Jimmy Heath Help GCCH find footage of protest The camp and protest sign under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge beneath their exhaust fumes… Robert was convinced that if we stuffed my car full of his things, we could do it in one load. He was almost right. We had fill up his shopping cart, too. Robert tried to give me directions to his new camp. I didn’t understand. Finally he just told me to follow him. He grabbed his shopping cart and started pushing. I drove slowly behind him. He pushed past the US Bank Arena, past the Great American Ballpark, past construction sites and parking lots. One person told him to get the #$@* out of the road. Most people just stared. I helped Robert move his stuff into his new camp along the river. An officer drove by. I thought he might stop, but he just kept on going. Robert thanked me and I drove to Don Henry’s camp. When I got to Don’s camp, I noticed that some of the people who had been evicted from the camps near Robert’s were marching now with Don Henry. That cameraman was there, too – the one who I’d seen with Robert earlier that morning. He filmed Don’s protest the entire day after leaving Robert’s – from the early-morning pickets to Jennifer Kinsley’s arrival and the announcement of the lawsuit. I sometimes wonder who that cameraman was – and if he ever did anything with the footage from that day. If anyone knows him, please tell Streetvibes him I’d like to see it. I bet it would make a pretty good film. After Jennifer made her announcements and Don signed some legal documents; after the press vans were packed and driving back to their stations; after the social workers left feeling good about a victory; a few of us stayed behind and helped Don clean up his camp. He’d fought a good fight that day and won. Now he could rest in his own bed, in his own camp, and no one – not the police or the politicians – was going to make him move. We shook hands, congratulated Don and the other campers, and prepared to leave. We were heading to our cars when we noticed two men in the parking lot across from the camp. One had a camera in hand. Georgine Getty, the director of the Coalition for the Homeless, walked over to them and asked them who they were. They were from the Black United Front. They explained that they were just there to keep an eye out for Don. They were concerned about his safety; worried something might happen to him now that all the press cameras were gone. “We just want to make sure no one tries to bother Mr. Henry tonight,” they told Georgine. She cites that as one of the more touching experiences she’s had working here. They were there as neighbors, watching out for the people in their community. Protest.... cont. next page �Hate Crimes still a major issue for the homeless by Elizabeth Linville dangerous state in the country On June 15th, the for people experiencing National Coalition for the homelessness. Although there Homeless released its annual was no ranking this year, Ohio hate crimes report still figures Hate, Violence and prominently in this Death on Main report. In 2003, Street USA: A there were 7 Report on Hate separate incidents Crimes and in the state Violence Against resulting in 7 nonPeople lethal acts. Experiencing Nationally, there Homelessness. The were 9 deaths by Elizabeth Linville report is a hate crimes and 61 compilation of data collected non- lethal acts. from news reports and homeless The report also focuses shelters on the number of on hate speech against homeless homeless victimizations that individuals. In Cincinnati, this have occurred in the past five was seen with the “Derelict years (1999-2003). Round-Up” done by 700 WLW In 2002, the report DJ Bill “Willy” Cunningham. ranked Ohio the 4th most His radio show broadcasted Protest.... Don eventually got his own apartment. Social workers were able to work with him because they knew where he was living and they had gotten to know him personally. It takes time to get someone into housing after they’ve been living on the streets. Trust has to be built, services need to be available, and the individual needs to be ready. When cities perform sweeps, camps get moved out of sight, campers learn to hide, and social workers have more difficulty finding people who need help. In order to end homelessness, we need to work on its causes. In order to help individuals, we need to meet them where they’re at. Moving a homeless man from a bridge to the riverbank won’t solve his problems. I like the way Don put it: “Don’t hide the homeless. Help them.” A year ago this month, a lot of people heard that message – and I think a lot of people understood. Don’t be Squirrelly! Buy Streetvibes! from a bus that was used to take homeless people from the downtown area to be dropped off in the suburbs. When the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless called to protest, Cunninghan’s response was to scream “go to hell” and hang up the phone. Nationally, a new genre of “Bum Videos” has gained popularity. In the past four years, five different videos have been produced; each shows homeless people who have been coerced to perform dangerous stunts for money, alcohol, or food. These videos exploit the individuals used in the taping and encourage viewers to behave in an outrageous manner towards homeless individuals. In Cleveland, for example, four teenagers attacked five sleeping homeless men with a stun gun. They also kicked them and urinated on them, all while videotaping the attack. In this case, the offenders were arrested and charged with assault. In many other hate crimes cases, the attacker is never found or the crime is never reported. In a hope to obtain more information on this disturbing trend of violence against individuals who are homeless, the National Coalition has requested a General Accounting Office Investigation of the issue. Hopefully, a study such as this and the recently released report will bring more awareness to the problem and help determine ways to stop the violence. The Cicadas and the Homeless was good. With this she then by Mary G. Gaffney turned her attention to a When June arrived we question about the homeless. were greeted with the famous Sometimes she comes to the and exciting visitors who come Homeless Coalition with me to our section of the United States every 17 years. The visit and she has met some of the homeless who brings hysteria to come to the the young and old. office. It is all the talk She during the few watches weeks they are television and here, and then they hears the will be forgotten news about until 2021. Cincinnati It makes building and you wonder how remodeling they fly, this blind everywhere. friend, with pretty Her questions wings of black and Miss Mary Gaffney are, “What gold, some with about the homeless, where are different colored eyes. they going to live?” Some of I watched as they the plans they have for these crawled out of their shell, after struggling and making their way projects include removing the out of the ground, with the help homeless. “You tell me, grandma, of the rain. and they tell me in Sunday This whole affair makes school and church that we me stop and think how these should love one another and creatures will return to the care for our fellow man. God ground as fertilizer when they loves us.” die! First of all, my When my greatgranddaughter is 11 years-old. granddaughter asks a question; when she looks me in the eye, I We can never say that our little ones aren’t paying attention to never know what might be us, or television. You’d be coming. Sometimes she asks surprised at what they see and me about the bible. Her recent hear, especially when they are questions were about the talking about news on the Cicadas. television. For example, the When Noah was told by God to build an Ark and gather Washington Park issue, and how the area might be developed. up two of every animal, male She has also seen the and female of each species, with Drop Inn Center and she knows the impending destruction of that this is where some of our the world by flood, her questions was, “Did this include homeless friends stay. With development plans being talked the Cicadas?” about for that area, she worries I could not specifically answer that question but I know about where the people are going to stay. The foxes have that everything that God made Streetvibes holes, the birds have nests. But some men have no place to lay their head. Some of the people have jobs, but they also may be dealing with physical or mental problems. When you sit down at your dinner table, or when you go into your living room to watch television or you go to your bedroom for a nice, peaceful rest think of our friends who are not that fortunate. Until next month, remember God loves us all, regardless of who we are, our background, or our circumstance. 20 YEARS SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD Empowering our neighborhood children through peace, art and education Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 East 14th Street Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 621-5514 Page 5 �Homeless News Digest compiled by Patty Lane s Streetvibes ibe Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Ven­ dor Program. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. To report a Vendor, call 421-7803. ext. 16 etv Page 6 Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! get bogged down.” Cullen says the financial requirement is a violation of the Charter of Rights. He hopes to raise the money, but is also considering a legal challenge to have the election law declared unconstitutional. Polling stations will be set up in Calgary, Canada to allow the city’s homeless to cast their votes. “For most of our people, walking half a mile or a mile to get to a polling station becomes an impossibility,” Debbie Newman tells the CBC. The director of program services says they need to take services to their clients. Four years ago, Elections Canada changed its rules, allowing the homeless to use shelters as their permanent address. But while homeless voters could register during the last election, they still had to find the polling station in their area. Shelter resident Peter Savage says he’ll vote. “There area people who are here for a short time, like myself,” he says. “And they care. We care.” About 850 people stay at the drop-in center every night. An Arizona woman is working to make sure Father’s Day is not so hard on some area homeless men. Laura Borgeson is director and events coordinator of the Shoebox Ministry in Scottsdale. She’s heading a drive to fill 600 lunch box tins for homeless men for Father’s Day. With the help of a network of donors, she collected close to 2,000 items to fill purses for homeless women on Mother’s Day. But, she tells the Arizona Republic, men are harder to please. She’s come up with a list that includes baseball caps, aftershave, small tools, cologne, deodorant, work gloves, watches, and sunglasses. Borgeson’s mother started the ministry in 1988, and while she says there is food, shelter, and medical assistance, there are no personal products. The group started out delivering 30 shoebox toiletry kits; now they are up to 7,500 to 61 agencies. e Str An annual count of homeless people in and around Denver, Colorado finds there are fewer people homeless but 43 percent of them are children. According to the survey children represent a growing percentage of homeless people living in motels, emergency shelters or other temporary housing in metro Denver. The count also found 60 percent of all homeless people lived just outside of Denver. While the number of homeless in the county is down this year, the survey revealed 8,668 people are homeless, 43 percent of whom are under the age of 21. “Some of the homeless children live in cars at night. Some are in shelters. Some of them are in schools, but don’t know if they’re going to be at the same school the next day,” Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative president Tom Luehrs tells the Denver Post. The survey also counted 2,442 people in transitional housing, where they may remain for six months to two years. Luehrs says housing costs and unemployment remain the leading cause of homelessness. Homeless advocates say while the overall count of homeless people may be lower, their requests for help from homeless women and families are not. A recent community march in Raleigh, North Carolina focused on ending homelessness. The rally came a day after city leaders announced their own 10-year plan to end homelessness. Supporters of the plan tell WRAL-TV of Raleigh-DurhamFayetteville that the city’s 10­ year plan is a progressive commitment, but critics say 10 years is way too long. The plan consists of two points: focusing on sources of hardship like domestic violence and drug abuse, and allocating more money to shelters. “The situation is much harder today because a lot of jobs are going overseas, and mass immigration has taken a lot of entry-level jobs,” homeless Vietnam veteran Ritchie Hammond tells WRAL. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker remains optimistic the city can actually end homelessness. “It’s an attempt to try and solve the problems of the homeless person,” Meeker said of the plan. Aboriginal housing advocates from across Canada met in Winnipeg recently to search for solutions to homelessness. Native leaders say the number of aboriginal people in Winnipeg has increased over the past decade and it hasn’t helped that 10 years ago the government stopped investing in programs that built low-rent homes for urban aboriginals. “Because of the lack of housing in Canada, the lack of social housing, the lack of affordable housing, it’s very frustrating for them,” says Larry Wercherer, who runs an emergency shelter. He tells CBC that waiting lists for existing properties have long caused an increase in the number of native people living in motels, shelters and on the streets. A random sample of around 350 homeless people found that over 75 percent of those in shelters, requiring intervention or on the streets were aboriginal people. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Canada, the city of Ottawa will receive $17 million toward ending homelessness as part of the National Homelessness Initiative started in 1999. The money will be granted over two years. “Canadians coast to coast have identified homelessness as a major concern,” Defense Minister David Pratt told the CBC. Funding to continue the program was allocated in last month’s federal budget, but it requires a locally designed plan. The city of Ottawa did approve a plan that includes $11 million for capital development projects, $4 million for services preventing homelessness and aiding the homeless, and $2 million for research and working with other local service providers. Residents in Louisville, Kentucky are mourning the death of a homeless man who was savagely attacked in April. WAVE 3-News reports Clifton Agnew died from his injuries last week. Police say two men beat, stabbed, and sodomized Agnew as he lay sleeping in an alley. The suspects are in custody. The attack left Agnew in a coma for several weeks. When local homeless advocate Kaye Thomas learned what happened to the man, she visited him in the hospital and encouraged others to send him get-well cards. Thousands came in and Thomas spent hours reading them to him. One read, “The word homeless is not your identity, that may be how you live but that’s not who you are.” Services were held at the church where Agnew ate lunch almost everyday. From the pulpit at his funeral, Thomas spoke one more time to the man who touched so many lives. “The Kentucky School for the blind sent you a card, written so sweetly in Braille,” she read. The 53-year-old man was buried at Resthaven Cemetery. A homeless man who says he is the voice of the poor is running into an election roadblock in Canada. Daniel Cullen of Kelowna, British Columbia, wants to run as an independent candidate but doesn’t have the $1,000 dollars required by Elections Canada. The homeless man is broke and is panhandling to raise the money. “The people I do know don’t have the money. The people who have the money don’t know me,” Cullen tells the CBC. “There has to be a barrier,” says Liberal Party candidate Vern Nielsen. He says Cullen has a valid point, but adds that the deposit is not unreasonable. “We could potentially have 100 people all running as independents, and then the whole process would Support Your Vendor �A King Without a Throne ­ Interview With Washington Park Tent Man, King DaviyD Former Washington Park resident, DaviyD Interview by Georgine Getty Where have you been staying the last month? Washington Park. I’ve been there since the 6th of May. I was in jail for two weeks for a ticket from 2003 (driving without a license) and I got out on the 6th of May. I didn’t go to Washington Park with the plan of building a hut. I’m a man of God, and when I was locked up for 14 days, I didn’t get any visits and God took care of me the whole time. So you built a hut? Right. When I got out, I was walking and meditating on the Most High throughout the city and God showed me pieces. I just started picking up pieces and taking them back to my spot in Washington Park. When I got them all together I realized ‘oh my God!’ I can build a roof over my head. I moved here in 1994 and I know I’ve helped many people in this city. I’m not from this city or state. I have no relatives here. Do you still have your hut? No. By the grace of God that hut stood for 25 days in Washington Park. On the first of June, the police came and took my house away. It wasn’t a hut to me, it was my house. I slept in my house while it stormed and the wind blew. I was dry and my house never blew down. I’m an individual who built his own house. There are people who sleep here in this park, well, I’m going to build a roof over my head. Where are you staying now? I’ve been sleeping on benches (in Washington Park) ever since they took my house away. What are your plans? Well. I’ve had some time to think since they’ve taken my house away and I have some questions. What was their intent of taking my house away? If you are people who fight for justice, righteousness, you are strength for the meek . . . what were you thinking when you took my house away? Because photo by Jimmy Heath now I sleep completely outside since you took my house away. I’m still sleeping there. Many people are sleeping there on blankets. What do you think about Washington Park being redeveloped? Why are you developing it? Are you doing it to help these people who obviously need help? If this is our city and this is supposed to be one of the top 10 places to raise a family, then why are we not as a family of Cincinnati helping the less fortunate of the city? No matter where we are, we are a family. If there is a part of the family that is not getting along with another, then we have a problem. If there is a part of the family that is trying to hide another part that maybe doesn’t look so shiny, and they’re just trying to hide and cover it up, then that’s a problem. What would you like the readers of Streetvibes to know about you? I need the readers of SV to spread the word about what’s going on to the rest of Cincinnati. I am a pure man of God. I am not here to stereotype the truth. I am not here to categorize the truth with religion. I live upon every letter, every dotted “i” and crossed “t” of the word of God. For my life, it is His will, and not mine. What does the Word of God mean to you? Liberty, wherever I go. It allows me to not have to prove myself to no one. I can be me. I can be the image and likeness of God without being influenced by the ways of the world. I started my life as an orphan. I lived in many foster homes. I didn’t grow up in church, but church was in me. I got adopted when I was 7 years old. I’ve been from coast to coast, north, south, east and west. I’ve lived in Europe and Korea. I’ve adjusted. I got in the flow instead of forcing something. Did you go to Europe and Korea in the army? Yes. How long were you in the army? Approximately 6 years. I had secret clearance. I was an avionics electronic aircraft repair man. I left with an honorable discharge. From there I trained in marketing and managed many restaurants. I’ve been a teacher everywhere I’ve been. I had a year of college. I’m very “above average” when it comes to society’s vision. I know I can go get a smashing job somewhere. I have come to choose God, so I don’t live on my own accord. God says “a righteous man’s footsteps are ordered by the Lord.” And the footsteps that I have taken in the past few years have not been through my own consciousness but because God ordered them and I chose to do His way. Can you tell me what you saw in prison? When I was locked up, I saw my future. I saw myself perishing when I saw all them young boys around me. For whatever reason, they’re choosing to do what they’re choosing. No one if offering them any type of positive future. We lock the youth up and that’s it. Some of those young boys in there are not criminals. Maybe they did a crime or were around the wrong people because they wanted to be a part of something but so. many of them I talked to you could tell the criminal thing was not in them, it wasn’t in their hearts. They’re just doing what’s all around them. We need to find out who’s redeemable and who can be saved. Programs need to be implemented to re-direct lives. Bond should be contingent on it. Help them see positive options and directions. That would be a wonderful program. This is not just for the younger crowd, but the elders also. I ran into some older people and kids too who couldn’t read. Nobody’s taking care of them. When you’re 5, 6 or 7, you want to learn. When you’re 9, 10, 11 and no one’s told you anything yet, you’re going to move with whatever seems to be moving. They don’t have no choice. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Any final comments? I beseech the people not only in this city but around the world that if you have any righteousness in you concerning God, the only way wickedness can triumph is for righteousness to absolutely do nothing and I’m begging those of the righteous status to please stand up and become one and let’s begin to change what God sent us to change. What was in the beginning so shall it be in the end. Hello, my name is... For over three weeks DaviyD was living in a home of his own construction in Washington Park in the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine. Following the police protocol established after the bridge sweeps of summer, 2003, DaviyD’s home was removed. DaviyD is an established sight at Findlay Market, where he plays the Jymbay, an African Drum, for his many fans. He is a veteran who was released from service after six years with an honorable discharge. He is also the father of two, a daughter, age 8 and a son, age 6. DaviyD started his career as a supervisor in marketing. After his release from the justice center on May 6, he found himself with no place to go and built a make-shift home in Washington Park. Recently the victim of violence (in late March, he was shot on 14th and Vine and he was assaulted one month ago on Elm Street) and medical problems (he suffered three strokes in 2001). DaviyD is currently working with a local outreach worker to achieve housing and self sufficiency. Streetvibes Page 7 �The Peace Village annual summer session course on, “Social Work and Peace.” The course looks at how issues of peace can be emphasized in the practice of social work professionals. The Peace Village Project: “Ending Hunger in the Peace Village,” is being organized with 11 area high school teachers and students plus support from the UC Peace Village student organization. The Wright State University Peace Village, Dayton, Ohio is being formed with students and faculty from the school of social work and other areas of the university. One organizing meeting has been held and there are plans to see ways of moving to projects. by Dr. Steve Sunderland For the past months, a group of undergraduate and graduate students, led by graduate student, Guneet Aulakh, from India, have been meeting about improving peace at the University of Cincinnati. An official university student group has been formed, officers elected and several projects launched. “A Tunnel of Oppression,” an exhibit with other students about areas of oppression in the world was featured for a week during the University’s WorldFest programs. Out of these efforts, and weekly planning sessions at the Wesleyan Student Foundation, thanks to the generosity and leadership of Wesleyan staffer, Jeanne Smith, a set of activities for the coming year are in stages of planning including: a student to student support program that will link Dr. Steve Sunderland an international I have been encouraged student with another university by Dr. Carl Brun, chair, student; a monthly or bi­ department of social work, monthly international music evening to share different forms WSU, and his wonderful class to take the step into creating a of music; a monthly or bi­ peace group. The students monthly international peace movie showing, accompanied by know that Carl has opened a door of opportunity to them and discussion groups; and, they enter, wary and delighted, participation in a universitya chance to join a serious peace wide hunger program to raise movement. food and money for our The Peace Village Cincinnati food store for the Newsletter continues to be sent poor and homeless, the Free out each week plus a monthly Store. column in Streetvibes, the Raymond Walters newspaper of the Cincinnati College, University of Homeless Coalition continues Cincinnati, has a group of to be published. Content of the faculty and students that have participated in a second annual, both publications involves activities in the Peace Village “Peace Conference.” Faculty from the vantage point of many have also opened their classes authors. to poster sessions on peace in I continue to marvel at the academic areas of English, the editor of Streetvibes, Jimmy sociology, history, and Heath, and his quiet dedication communications. and commitment to his readers The leaders of this gang and to all homeless people. His of faculty, Helen Kegler and last issue had his article on Grace Auyang, have now been honoring a deceased homeless joined by another group of person. Jimmy reminds us of faculty eager for the next step. the radical changes needed to One faculty member, Maria Damos, and I are plotting to use welcome our “strangers” into our homes and hearts. poetry for peace; Grace is There is nothing more already into peace work with expansive of hope than working her sociology students, and with teachers and their students others are pioneering curricula of peace. Gently, simply, and innovations, too. with a grace, the posters begin University of to color in a different world, a Cincinnati’s school of social work will be offering the second powerful world shaped by Page 8 respect and compassion, and these very young people, in a very short time, find their voices. You must meet these “teachers,” these gems of civility and humor, and see them “shining’ in their classrooms. One teacher, Craig Rush, keeps asking his students to keep making the UN laws relevant to the students’ world. Another, Steve Elliot, muses with his students about the reduction of all problems to “simple black and white, the good guys and the bad guys.” Indonesian Peace Project is continuing with follow-up program plans based on two meetings with peace makers from Indonesia who have visited the Peace Village in Cincinnati. The visits were under the supervision of Ohio University’s South East Asian Program. Religious tensions between Christians and Muslims may be one focus as well as other concerns about promoting peace. Northside’s Second Annual Peace Makers Dinner is being planned for the fall. Last year over 100 neighborhood peace makers were honored with a dinner and music. This year our community has been faced with another set of challenges to our peace and the community has ably responded, albeit with the causalities of horror that continue to plague communities serious about living in peace. Plans are being made for the third annual vigil and Interfaith Walk on September 10th and September 11, 2004 in memory of those who died and those who worked for peace in the rescue effort. Last year’s event taught us a great deal about what we needed to hear and say about justice and peace and the old team, led by Mira Rodwin, is reuniting to make another expression of respect. Peaslee Community Center Freedom Murals have developed in 8 inner city agencies in Cincinnati in cooperation with the Peace Village and tile artist, Suzanne Fisher. Working initially with posters depicting the relationship of the concept of freedom and their agency, staff and clients create puzzle pieces out of posters until there is agreement about what the major theme is and how it can be converted to a large tile mural to adorn the outside of the building. The final murals are “signs” of “safe houses,” places in Over-the-Rhine that community residents can receive care and a new perspective on community Streetvibes development. These are many of the projects underway. I have not included the wonderful work of Hans Klee, Munich and Harare, founder of Global Friends, to make the links with the Peace Village strong and creative. Amos Hopkins joins Binny Singh in India in a great chance to build a foundation in three of Binny’s schools. I hope to hear more from them and others in Israel, Argentina, and Nigeria about what is happening in their Peace Village efforts. I have also omitted from this letter the beginning planning for interfaith discussions with Jewish and Christian youth, thanks to the help of Barbara Dragul, Ed Irvin, Steve Elliot, Daniel Septimus, and Sam Joseph. In sum, the work of peace, in peace, for peace is obviously the work of many hands and hearts, some new and some old. We touch each other, heal with one another, find a laugh and a tear along our paths, and stand in awe of how beautiful our friendships have become as the way of peace. We are not blind to what is happening in our little world as new stories of bloodshed and worse appear. Yet, my old friend and Vet for Peace, Paul Davis repeatedly reminds me that we are a force for and with peace, carrying a message to young and old, here and there, that is no more than our own steps, our own heartbeats, and our own connections to each other and the world. The larks parked for the moment in the nest outside our door are long gone, flying now on their own power. Tuesday Henson is walking the walk of a one year old who feels at peace, trusts the ground she totters on, smiling all the time. The Peace Village is as much her and her future as anything and it is our combined work that will make it a future of some peace. I thank everyone mentioned, hinted at, unmentioned, and tottering toward our golden image of peace. Dr. Steve Sunderland, professor of Social Work at the University of Cincinnati, is the Director of The Peace Village, a group of individuals from the national and international community committed to examining all issues of Peace in the world. Dr. Sunderland also heads up Posters-forPeace which engages people in expressing their visions of Peace, in their own words, through the creation of posters. �The Fourth Annual Public Forum on Homelessness THE IMPOSSIBLE WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE: Living and Acting with HOPE in Difficult Times Wednesday, October 13, 2003 8:30am to 5pm Franklin County Veteran’s Memorial Wayne Brehm Room300 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio Presented by The Columbus Coalition for the Homeless In Partnership with The Greater Cincinnati Coalition or the Homeless, Otterbein College, The Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council & The Interprofessional Commission of Ohio Featuring PAUL LOEB as keynote speaker This forum will focus on advocacy, through the work of volunteers and professionals, for the needs of marginalized people - particularly those who are very poor and often homeless. The attendees will hear presentations by one of the country’s leading proponents of citizens living, acting and working for a more justice and equitable society for all people. “Paul Loeb brings hope for a better world in a time when we so urgently need it.” ­ Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity Goodbye, Cicadas! For more information about Paul, see www.paulloeb.org “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.” — Mohandas K. Gandhi “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.” — John F. Kennedy “More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginning of all wars — yes, an end to this brutal, inhuman and thoroughly impractical method of settling the differences between governments.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt “There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized peace. — Woodrow Wilson Streetvibes Page 9 �photos by Jimmy Heath Drop Inn Center.... Cont. from page 1 reputation for being a power broker and deal maker. His previous job was in Pittsburgh where he worked to develop stadiums and housing. There are mixed evaluations of his success, according to editorials from Pittsburgh. Leeper started his work in Cincinnati on April 1. One of the first things he did was to commission a study of Over­ the-Rhine by Manhattan based designers Beyer, Blinder and Belle. Their study looked at the Washington Park Area, including placement of schools in the area. Unfortunately, not many people knew of their efforts and the firm only received input from a small group of area developers and business leaders. Nevertheless, the plan was completed and, on May 26, a high level meeting including School Superintendent Alton Fraily, top area CEO’s, representatives of the new Arts School and 3CDC meet to officially unveil the new proposal. It included changing the placement of two area schools, an expansion of the park and a new housing development. A 90-day time frame is given for approval by School and City bodies. After approval by this body, on June 2, the plan was released to the media, coordinated by 3CDC. Within a two week period from June 7 to June 18, presentations are given to many decision making bodies including the Cincinnati School Board, Cincinnati City Council, Washington Park School Parents and the Cincinnati Planning Commission. The public was given no notice of 3CDC’s attendance to any of these meetings. As a result, public comment was very limited. In the midst of this process, some participants in the 3CDC process expressed willingness to talk about concerns of homeless agencies. It is said that board members have expressed willingness to have discussions about the issues of safety and homelessness. However, others, including Leeper in his comments to City Council, were unsure why community groups were so concerned. One of the parties who has concerns is the Drop Inn Center, especially it’s Page 10 The Nannie Hinkston House and Drop Inn Center Transitional Housing; corner of 12th and Elm Streets, Over-the-Rhine Transitional Housing Program. The 18 units that house sober graduates of their treatment program are shown as being taken for a new school in 3CDC’s plan. Members of the Transitional Housing group attended a school committee meeting on June 10 th, but the plan was not up for discussion at the time. Transitional Housing residents in attendance were concerned about their buildings being taken without adequate replacement. They also regretted not having any input into the planning process. Drop Inn Center representatives passed out information about their project including the fact that it is a sober residents with drug testing and a counselor on site and that it is a historic mixed-use building, with community serving businesses on the first floor. They hope to be included as the plan moves forward. On one hand, leaders like Cincinnati Councilmember Jim Tarbell expressed hope that the developments proposed by 3CDC will stimulate a major change in Over-the-Rhine and boost homeownership and property values. However, the Homeless Coalition, community residents and others continue to be very concerned about the impact these developments may have on shelters and housing, as well as the future of neighborhood schools. Pat Clifford, Director of the Drop Inn Center, said “Our vision is to have a successful, truly mixed income, multi cultural area in Over-the-Rhine where people are accepted and encouraged to grow. The first thing we need to do is develop trust. I fear that this quick timetable for approval with limited public input and sketchy details will only serve to erode people’s trust and put the neighborhood in further jeopardy.” From left; Elizabeth Linville, Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homelsss; Debra Brundidge, DIC Counseling Coordinator & Pat Clifford, General Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center at Cincinnati Public School Board meeting. Streetvibes �Planning For A Place Where We Belong by Mary Burke I feel so used and discarded after reading the “Washington Park plan unveiled” in the June 1 edition of the Enquirer. And then to read on June 10th that the 3CDC plan for the schools had been approved by the Board of Education. I just feel sick. I along with over one hundred people participated in a threeyear long process to develop a plan for OTR. The city provided consultants, staff overtime and other resources to this plan that admittedly was hurried to an uncertain finish. We had hope that the implementation phase would allow us to work out the difficult issues that were missing from the plan. Important issues like how public dollars will be invested to support the plan and how we can invest simultaneously in our dying affordable housing stock and the thriving market housing. We knew that the market housing demand for subsidy would drown out the affordable housing need for sustainability. Our sense that the “market” would consume huge amounts of public dollars was proven out by the $2 million dollar public subsidy to the private condo development at the Kroger Garage and the $6 million dollar subsidy to the parking garage itself. In addition, along with about 50 other people I engaged with the Cincinnati Public School process where consultants and architects were hired to facilitate a planning process for neighborhood schools. We spent our time and energy and more importantly invested hope for something better in OTR. We earnestly engaged in a process. We believed we could help shape the future. Then 3CDC arrives on the scene and with the click of a mouse a PowerPoint slide eliminates our work and their new plan is unveiled. Not only were our plans disappeared, so were our local institutions and housing. My hope in our system of governance and civic life was further diminished. I feel like dropping out. I find cynical people funny but I don’t want to be cynical. I don’t want to sit on the sidelines and complain. I want to participate in the civic life. Maybe that’s what makes me feel sick. Groups like 3CDC stomp on people’s fire. We do burn with the hope of inclusion and real democracy and there is truly a visceral response when we are negated. Hopelessness moves in quickly. Then there are the shootings and the killing. We feel we have no power to effect systemic change that could address the reason young men kill each other. We feel excluded. We are excluded. Fortunately there are people like Bonnie Neumeier, Damon Lynch, and Eileen Cooper Reed, and writers like Alice Walker. They pick-up people like me and re-ignite our fires. With them we can come to believe that there can be another way and together we can create it. So I hope to stay tuned for the rest of the story. Ultimately the anger and despair will be transformed to hope and action. We will find a way to include all people in our future. We will find a way to peace. We will find a way to transform our government and civic life so that people rule and corporate interests do not. And, we shall not be moved. Or to be more precise, The Drop Inn Center shall not be moved. Shelter Programs Critical to Support of Homeless Veterans Who are homeless veterans? The U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says homeless veterans are mostly males (2 % are females). The vast majority are single, most come from poor, disadvantaged communities, 45% suffer from mental illness, and half have substance abuse problems. America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, or the military’s antidrug cultivation efforts in South America. Forty-seven percent of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam Era. More than 67% served our country for at least three years and 33% were stationed in a war zone. How many homeless veterans are there? Although accurate numbers are impossible to come by... the VA estimates that more than 299,321 veterans are homeless on any given night. And, more than half a million experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every four homeless males who is sleeping in a doorway, alley, or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served our country ... now they need America to remember them. Why are veterans homeless? In addition to the complex set of factors affecting all homelessness … extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income, and access to health care … a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse, compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. A top priority is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment. Doesn’t the Department of Veterans Affairs take care of homeless veterans? To a certain degree, yes. According to the VA’s 1997 report, in the years since it “began responding to the special needs of homeless veterans, its homeless treatment and assistance network has developed into the nation’s largest provider of homeless services. Serving more than 100,000 veterans annually.” With an estimated 500,000 veterans homeless at some time during the year, the VA reaches less than 20% of those in need. What services do veterans need? Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides secure housing and nutritional meals; essential physical health care, substance abuse aftercare and mental health counseling; and personal development and empowerment. Veterans also need job assessment, training and placement assistance. What seems to work best? The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves. Because government money for homeless veterans is currently limited and serves only one in 10 of those in need, it is critical that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities most Americans take for granted: housing, employment and health care. There are Streetvibes about 200 community-based veteran organizations across the country that have demonstrated impressive success reaching homeless veterans. These groups are most successful when they work in collaboration with Federal, State, and local government agencies, other homeless providers, and veteran service organizations. Veterans who participate in these programs have a higher chance of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again. For More Information log on to http://www.nchv.org Page 11 �Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati All Vendors Sign and Agree to a Code of Conduct Coalition for the Homeless and Report Any Violations to GCCH - 421-7803 Streetvibes.... 1. Streetvibes will be distributed go to the individual vendor. This program has helped for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 30 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits Vendors must not tell customers that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand. The mission of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) is to support a street newspaper movement that creates and upholds journalistic and ethical standards while promoting self-help and empowerment among people living in poverty. NASNA papers support homeless and very low-income people in more than 35 cities across the United States and Canada. Streetvibes Vendor: 70 cents Printing and Production: 30 cents Page 12 The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) was formed in May of 1984 for one purpose: the eradication of homelessness in Cincinnati. What started out as a coalition of 15 volunteers meeting weekly in an unheated church basement has since grown into a Coalition of over 45 agencies and hundreds of volunteers dedicated to improving services for homeless individuals, educating the public about homelessness and empowering homeless individuals to advocate for their civil rights and housing needs. Streetvibes is a tool of GCCH used to help us achieve our goal of ending homelessness. On the one hand it is a self-sufficiency program geared towards the homeless and marginally housed individuals who are our vendors. Streetvibes vendors buy the paper for 30 cents per copy and sell it for a suggested one-dollar donation, keeping the profit that they have earned. hundreds of people find and maintain housing. The vendors also sign a code of conduct stating that they will behave responsibly and professionally and they proudly display their official Streetvibes badge while selling the paper. Our vendors put a face on “the homeless” of Cincinnati and form lasting friendships with their customers. On the other hand, Streetvibes is an award-winning alternative newspaper and part of the international street newspaper movement. Focusing on homelessness and social justice issues, Streetvibes reports the often-invisible story of poverty in our community. Streetvibes is also proud to include creative writing, poetry, articles, photography and interviews written by homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Streetvibes enjoys a loyal reader base that respects the honest portrayal of the joys, sorrows, and challenges facing the people of Cincinnati. Streetvibes is a member of the: The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) unites street papers sold by homeless and people living in poverty from all over the world. INSP is an umbrella organisation, which provides a consultancy service for its partner papers and advises on the setting up of new street papers and support initiatives for marginalised people. Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support. Streetvibes Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half. ­ Gore Vidal Editor: a person employed by a newspaper, whose business it is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to see that the chaff is printed. - Elbert Hubbard Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock. - Ben Hecht People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news. - A. J. Liebling �Why are NA Meetings Important To Me? by Antonio Reed Why are N.A. meetings important to me? I struggled for the longest time with drug addiction. It took so many things from me over the years: my family’s trust, I lost many friends and women who were involved with me. It took me a long time to see the destruction that drugs caused in my life and in the life of others: 3 of my children - Antwan LaMarr Robinson, Elijah Ishmeal Reed, Dontonio Devontae Reed are permanently committed to Children Services and my only daughter, Antoinieshia Trynce Reed, I’m fighting to get custody now so I can be a part of her life. My oldest son, Antonio LaMote Reed, Jr. stays with his mom. I can see him, but drugs took me from being a father to my children. N.A. Meeting is just like Chemo treatment is to a person who suffers with cancer. It don’t cure the disease that I suffer from, but it does arrest it. Knowing from my past, if I don’t stick with N.A. Meetings, I run the risk of returning to active drug use again. N.A. meetings are like insulin is to a diabetic. If they don’t take their shot, they run the risk of going into a shock. N.A. meetings is like a kidney to the person who needs it to continue living. N.A. meetings are like a breath machine to someone who can’t take a breath of life without it. N.A. meetings are like the umbilical cord attached to the fetus whose life depends on it for its nourishment while in the mother’s womb. When I came to the place I’m at I had nothing at all left in me, not even the will to go on living. I lost my self-respect, self-worth, morals, a woman who I really loved - but it turned out I loved drugs more, to the point where I no longer knew how to treat her and she left. I had self-hatred, guilt and shame running wild inside of me. I felt abandoned, not loved by myself or others. But N.A. Meetings changed me a lot. Where else could I go and be dealing with something inside my head and question God about it? Inside my heart I felt hopeless about the situation and the answer came to me from God through someone at the meeting who had been through what I’m now dealing with. And by doing the right thing for the right reasons, things got better for them. By me hearing that, it gives me hope that the same thing can happen to me. There is a spirit in N.A. meetings that I personally can say is God. It doesn’t matter about age, race, sexual identity creed religion or lack of religion. There is only one requirement for membership ­ that is having the desire to stop using. That’s it. I listen. I learn from others who are just like me. While I have not regained a lot of things I have gotten myself back - and the belief that things will be OK for me. The three most important things in life right now are: first, God, second, staying clean no matter what happens third, the program of N.A., because without it, I would return to using and I wouldn’t be accountable for nothing. N.A. saved my life. “Urban Plunge” Students Experience Life on the Streets by Lindsay Dalmolin St. Edward’s University sophomore Kacy McCoig had what every college student dreams of for spring break; a free plane ticket to Cancun, paid in full by her own mother. McCoig declined. She and four other St. Edward’s students had already made their own Spring Break plans. They wanted to be homeless for five days on the streets in Austin. McCoig joined Shyda Hogue, Robby Haddad, Paul Hagey, and Stephanie Daniel on the streets through Urban Plunge, a program St. Edward’s Campus Ministry offers students as an alternative spring break. Anna Aldave, the programs founder and director, also accompanied the students for their five days on the streets. From 5am till late evening, they learned how to cope as a homeless man or woman would. The group ate at soup kitchens and churches, tried panhandling, attended “church under the bridge” (a worship service beneath I-35), built friendships with others living on the streets, and slept at Central Presbyterian Church downtown at night. “Slowly you start to realize the rhythm of the homeless life,” Hagey said. “The food, being out all day and not having a place to really sit down and relax, it wears you out. You get caught in the rhythm, and it’s hard to get out because you’re tired and you’re hungry.” The experience was made more trying by citizens of Austin and some of the homeless themselves. On the streets, they received dirty looks and rude comments from people in passing. When panhandling, they felt worthless and ignored. Some of the homeless felt that the urban plungers were usurping resources devoted to them. But not all of homeless felt that way about the two year-old program. Most of the men and women living on the streets they met were extremely friendly and helpful and understood why the group was out on the streets. McCoig was overwhelmed by the advice from the homeless. “They would tell us which churches and soup kitchens offered the best meals.” The non-housed even shared personal stories from their lives. When walking downtown back to the Presbyterian Church, a fiftysomething year old homeless man named Mark ran up to the group. He’d seen them on the news earlier that morning and wanted to share his story with them. He was homeless because his medical bills had escalated out of control. As a veteran, he was unable to pay for housing on top of his treatments for cancer, as he had just recently been diagnosed. He was college-educated, a Christian, and trying to get off the streets. “These guys (the homeless) are the best spiritual teachers I have ever seen,” commented Aldave. “I feel so very loved and accepted by these people. That’s the thing that my mind cannot even comprehend, and that’s the thing that will have me doing this as a spiritual discipline probably for the rest of my life.” Aldave started the Urban Plunge program a year ago at St. Edward’s. The idea stemmed from a 1-day street retreat she attended that was hosted by a group called the Faithful Fools from San Francisco. Aldave, a campus minister, was so blown away by the experience that she brought a similar program to the Austin area. The goal of the program is to build a bridge between the housed and non-housed and to show compassion for those without homes. Recruiting students to apply for the Urban Plunge program is not easy. Most of the students who apply are the ones who really have a desire to do it. McCoig wanted to do it to get away from the mundane day-to-day life, and she knew that Urban Plunge was her opportunity. She might not have had the sunny white beach and beautiful ocean, but her time on the streets have given her more perspective than a pretty little island ever could. “I thought it would be a life-changing experience, and that’s what it has been,” said McCoig. Reprinted from Austin Homeless Advocate, April 2004 News From The OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION The Family Violence Option Campaign (renamed the “Safe and Stable Families” Campaign) has persuaded Rep. Jean Schmidt of Loveland, Ohio to introduce the FVO policy as a bill: H.B. 481 HB 481 has been assigned to the Ohio House Health Committee. Since the Ohio Assembly adjourned for the summer on May 27 , we don’t expect any action on it until September when the Ohio Assembly returns to Columbus. However, over the summer, the Safe and Stable Families Campaign will definitely be active! Summer will be a golden opportunity to meet with state representatives to educate them th on the bill and its importance. The plan will be to get the bill heard in September with public hearings, but we must work hard over the summer to make sure the committee chair & committee members believe this is a very important bill that must be prioritized. Many other issues are clamoring for their attention. Streetvibes The Safe and Stable Families Campaign also needs financial support to get HB 481 passed by the Ohio Assembly. Campaign contributions can be sent to Contact Center, 1227 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. For more information or to endorse the Campaign, call the Contact Center at 513/381­ 4242. Page 13 �No-name Poem A Servants Prayer by Steve Kors III by Robert Manassa Coke is white and grass is green. But I liked to drink Because it made me mean. Heavenly Father up above Please protect the ones I love. Guide them and keep them and let them know that I’ll always love them so. I drank from the left And drank from the right. I drank all day. And drank all night, I drank in the sun, I drank in the rain. I would get burned Or soaked with no pain. I have a shot of Beam In that stinky bar. Feels like a wet dream, Then I have to find my car. I’m sending up this prayer, down on my knees Father God – all of my sins, forgive them please I’m not to proud to beg I’m standing on my last leg. Precious Lord – please continue to hold my hand I need your help and grace to help me stand I need you not only for a day If these words are wrong in any way Then Father God – teach me how to pray When I was drinking I got real numb! The Dayton police Knew I was dumb. I was real dirty. I had lost my pride... Sometimes I would wake up, And wish I’d died. I was like a fish. I thought I drank well. But it all turns out I was a cracked bell. The devil had owned me To where I was beat. I lost all my family. And lived on the street. I have a new family who helps me stay dry And when I’m with them I sometimes cry. Now that I’m sober And all is well I found Jesus Christ who keeps me from Hell. Across the Park by Michael Henson Confusion, fear and lies; What good can come when people die? Red Blood spilt On barren land To complete an alchemical plan, Red Blood to Black Gold, Deviously poisoning, polluting, choking our Heart. Men tortured, defiled, dishonored by their Brethren, Captured on film, a permanent bruise Not to be overlooked. Truth and honor wither away; They know they do not belong. Boundaries grow hazy Accompanied by roles: Who the victim? Who the villain? Both? Neither? For what purpose and to what end? Why fight a war Paid with lives Only to gain confusion, fear and lies? Zach Chotzen-Freund of Santa Barbara, CA, examined in this excerpt the esprit that leads 17-year-olds to sign up for war. Fittingly, he’s 17. Across the park I see a woman and she is dancing down the sidewalk. There is too much of her and everything movable is moving but she is graceful and her step is slow and smooth. A set of headphones nestles in her braids and I do not know what she hears among the evening traffic of West Eighth Street. She steps and stops rocks forward at the neck pecks at the air with her hand She steps and stops rocks forward at the neck pecks at the air with her hand steps stops rocks pecks to the music that is wrapped around her head until she sees that I am staring and she stops. I am in awe of her but she does not know that so she stops her dance and slowly walks her sidewalk until she thinks I may not hear. And then she sings. Off now, children! Off to war! Kill in your country’s name! For murder on behalf of kin is what allows our boys to win And rest someday in cherished lore. So off now, off to war! Off now, children! Off to war! Make your fathers swell with pride! For though you’re young, they love to hear that you’re a splendid bombardier And dodge death like a matador. So off now, off to war! Off now, children! Off to war! Bring smiles to your mothers’ eyes! They hate to lose you, sure that’s true, but if flags of red, white and blue Are at your funeral, souls will soar. So off now, off to war! Page 14 Streetvibes Writers! Submit your Poetry to STREETVIBES ­ Streetvibes@juno.com �Unwritten Beatitudes The Cold Within by James Patrick Henry Six humans trapped by happenstance In black and bitter cold Each one possessed a stick of wood Or so the story’s told. Their dying fire in need of logs The first woman held her back. For of the faces around the fire She noticed one was black. The next man looking cross the way Saw one not of his church, And couldn’t bring himself to give The fire his stick of birch. The third one sat in tattered clothes He gave his coat a hitch. Why should his log be put to use To warm the idle rich. The rich man just sat back and thought Of the wealth he had in store. And how to keep what he had earned From the lazy shiftless poor. The black man’s face bespoke revenge As the fire passes from his sight. For all he saw in his stick of wood Was a chance to spite the white. And the last man of this forlorn group Did naught except for gain, Giving only to those who gave Was how he played the game. Their logs held tight in death’s still hands Was proof of human sin. They didn’t die from the cold without, They died from the cold within. 1. Blessed are the ignorant for they shall be taught. 2. Blessed are the humble for they shall be made proud 3. Blessed are the blind for they shall see 4. Blessed are the falsely accused for they shall exonerate 5. Blessed are the losers for they shall be triumphant 6. Blessed are those in tribulation for they shall experience bliss 7. Blessed are those in debt for they shall be forgiven 8. Blessed are those in prison for their minds shall be set free 9. Blessed are the addicted for they shall be made whole 10. Blessed are the impaired for they shall renewed 11. Blessed are the pacifists for they shall honored 12. Blessed are the powerless for they shall overcome 13. Blessed are the scared for they shall no longer doubt 14. Blessed are those who serve for they shall be served 15. Blessed are the undesirables for they shall find acceptance By Club Quaker, Youth Group of Eastern Hills Friends Meeting: Jeremy Coppock, Nathan Coppock, Daniel Coppock, Daniel Montgomery, Grace Montgomery, Matt Whispe, and Jamie Pogue. Knock the dust off your boots, my boy, It’s time to ride again. The frontier has gone restless now And we must crush this rebellion. . . . These people understand only violence, So let’s give it to ‘em now. We’ll ride ‘em down like Cherokee; We’ll trample ‘em like Pueblo. These savages are ruthless; They understand no law. So we’ll pick up our Peacemakers, And shoot ‘em like Choctaw. . . . Rally round the flag, my boy, And grab your rifle, too. The Red Man’s turned Brown, my boy, And there’s a lot of peacemaking to do. Megan Foley, a 16-year-old from Long Island, focused like many on the ambiguities of a war that was supposed to enhance moral clarity. Reprinted from Street News Shutter Speed by Jimmy Heath Street Musician, Main Street, Over-the-Rhine Streetvibes Page 15 �An Icon, and Then He’s Gone by John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times Beijing - For many foreigners, he is Tiananmen Square’s most recognizable figure, outshining even Chairman Mao Tse-tung - whose body still lies in state at a far end of the vast public space. Just after noon on June 5, 1989, the day after Chinese troops stormed the square to brutally crush a student political uprising here, a solitary protester engaged in a modernday David versus Goliath showdown: Clutching nothing but two shopping bags, he stood his ground before a column of oncoming tanks on the adjacent Avenue of Eternal Peace. Captured by newspaper photographs and cable news footage, the tense standoff lasted several minutes, a seeming eternity to onlookers waiting for the tanks to overrun the man, before he was hustled from the scene by onlookers. On the 15th anniversary of the government crackdown in which hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed, this lone dissenter’s story remains the most enduring mystery of the violent confrontation. No one knows whether he’s dead or alive. Chinese activists and government officials say they aren’t even sure of his name. “For me, he represents the unknown soldier of the Chinese democratic revolution,” said John Kamm, executive director of the Dui Hua Foundation, a San Franciscobased human rights group. “What’s so strange is that his act of bravery was conducted in plain view of the world. But other than seeing his act, we know so very little about him.” The British tabloid Sunday Express shortly after the incident identified the man as a 19-year-old named Wang Weilin, the son of Beijing factory workers. But activists question the accuracy of a reporter they say did not visit China and relied on telephone calls to supposed friends of the man. In 1999, on the 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, Chinese leader Jiang Zemin was asked what had happened to the mystery man. He responded in English, “I think never killed.” Jiang said government officials conducted their own search for the protester, checking morgues, prisons and computer registers, but could not find him. But they could get no Page 16 China has never acknowledged that civilians died in the bloodshed. help from Chinese citizens As for the lone protester, themselves: No one in the activists hope he has survived, country has ever seen the but fear the worst. images. In fact, no ordinary “Either he’s been killed Chinese beyond the protesters already or he’s still in some and soldiers involved even black hole in a Chinese prison,” knows of the standoff. Even said Sharon Hom, executive today, Chinese can’t see the famous photograph, even on the director of the U.S.-based group Internet. Attempts to download Human Rights in China. “If he is alive and free, a man willing the picture are blocked by the to stand in front of a tank would government. have come forward by now and On the eve of the not stay silent. This is not anniversary this week, Tiananmen Square was crowded someone who is just going to disappear.” with thousands of tourists and Human rights activist locals milling under floodlights Xiao Qiang calls his inability to - presumably watched by locate the protester one of his plainclothes policemen. most frustrating Brigades of failures. Xiao bicyclists was studying passed on Just after noon on June 5, abroad at the the crowded 1989, the day after Chinese University of boulevards troops stormed the square to Notre Dame that when the surround the brutally crush a student Tiananmen square, and political uprising here, a crackdown a group of solitary protester engaged in occurred. old women a modern-day David versus He watched drew a curious Goliath showdown: Clutching coverage of the chaos on crowd as nothing but two shopping television, they including the exercised to bags, he stood his ground footage of the the beat of a before a column of oncoming drum. tanks on the adjacent Avenue protester’s standoff. Two Yet of Eternal Peace. days later, he several returned to people China and spent three months nearby said they had never there to be with his countrymen heard of the tank man or his at a difficult time. moment of fame. “This incident changed “I’ve never seen him,” my life,” said Xiao, who later one man said. “Was he worked as executive director of Chinese?” For the rest of the world, Human Rights in China. During 12 years in that job, he twice the image remains an icon of thought he had found the freedom. The protester has Tiananmen protester. shown up in a Wim Wenders Once, in 1993, an movie, and his image has been Australian lawyer called to say reproduced on posters and Tshirts. In 1998, Time magazine that a man claiming to be Wang proclaimed him one of the 20th Weilin was seeking political century’s top 20 revolutionaries, asylum there. Xiao telephoned the man and determined that he whose “moment of selfwas an impostor. transcendence [was seen] by Four years later, a group more people than ever laid eyes in Texas called to say that it had on Winston Churchill, Albert found the protester, who was Einstein and James Joyce seeking asylum in the United combined.” States. Again, Xiao talked to Some believe the man the immigrant, who became endured months, or years, of elusive about details of that day. political reeducation. Others Then he disappeared. say he was hunted down and The man-tank showdown executed. came after months of Human rights activists demonstrations in Tiananmen say that 50 to 100 people were Square by students decrying executed in the wake of the such issues as government Tiananmen Square crackdown ­ corruption, lack of free speech some for crimes as simple as and high unemployment. burning a police motorcycle or, As tens of thousands of in one case, taking a photograph troops from the People’s of the tanks in the square. In Liberation Army converged on addition, 15,000 to 20,000 the square and surrounding people were detained. areas for cleanup after the first The activists say 99 still day of attacks, a slender man remain in prison for their seemed to appear out of actions during the protest. Streetvibes nowhere. As cameras rolled, he positioned himself in front of a column of 18 tanks. Not far from the spot where in 1949 Mao proclaimed China “a people’s republic,” the man gamely stood his ground. The lead vehicle stopped, spewing exhaust, then moved to the right and left to avoid the defenseless demonstrator. Each time, he stepped up to remain in its path. At some point, he shifted both shopping bags to one hand. Then he jumped onto the tank and appeared to say something to its driver. “I remember him screaming down the tank hatch at the driver,” said Jeff Widener, at the time an Associated Press photographer, who shot several images of the standoff from a sixth-floor balcony of the nearby Beijing Hotel. “I think the guy was majorly angry and wasn’t thinking straight. I was just waiting for him to get blown away.” Mickey Spiegel, China specialist at Human Rights Watch, who still hangs a poster of the face-off in her New York office, said, “Nobody even knows that much.” But Human Rights in China’s Hom believes that another symbol of defiance has been overlooked: the tank driver. “Both the man in front of the tank and the soldier inside are worthy of our attention,” she said. “Inside, you had a soldier who was obviously not following orders for not running the man down, someone who was probably later harshly disciplined. He obviously saw it as wrong to run over an unarmed man. Although the man who defied China’s military might be missing, his legacy remains. “The whole [Tiananmen Square] incident was a public relations disaster for Beijing, the effects of which continue to this day,” said Richard Baum, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at UCLA. “It has cost the Chinese government enormously, not just in terms of sanctions and abuse accusations abroad, along with U.S. congressional votes against renewing China’s mostfavored-nation status, but in the government’s reputation as being the Butchers of Beijing.” Activists say the world can thank a man on whose identity it can only speculate. “He was just an average guy who decided that he’s had enough,” said Widener, now a photographer for the Honolulu Advertiser. �Cold Turkey by Kurt Vonnegut Many years ago, I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could become the humane and reasonable America so many members of my generation used to dream of. We dreamed of such an America during the Great Depression, when there were no jobs. And then we fought and often died for that dream during the Second World War, when there was no peace. But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America’s becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas. When you get to my age, if you get to my age, which is 81, and if you have reproduced, you will find yourself asking your own children, who are themselves middle-aged, what life is all about. I have seven kids, four of them adopted. Many of you reading this are probably the same age as my grandchildren. They, like you, are being royally shafted and lied to by our Baby Boomer corporations and government. I put my big question about life to my biological son Mark. Mark is a pediatrician, and author of a memoir, The Eden Express. It is about his crackup, straightjacket and padded cell stuff, from which he recovered sufficiently to graduate from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Vonnegut said this to his doddering old dad: “Father, we are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is.” So I pass that on to you. Write it down, and put it in your computer, so you can forget it. I have to say that’s a pretty good sound bite, almost as good as, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” A lot of people think Jesus said that, because it is so much the sort of thing Jesus liked to say. But it was actually said by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, 500 years before there was that greatest and most humane of human beings, named Jesus Christ. The Chinese also gave “Blessed are the peacemakers” us, via Marco Polo, pasta and in the Pentagon? Give me a the formula for gunpowder. break! The Chinese were so dumb they There is a tragic flaw in only used gunpowder for our precious Constitution, and I fireworks. And everybody was don’t know what can be done to so dumb back then that nobody fix it. This is it: Only nut cases in either hemisphere even knew want to be president. that there was another one. But, when you stop to But back to people, like think about it, only a nut case Confucius and Jesus and my son would want to be a human the doctor, Mark, who’ve said being, if he or she had a choice. how we could behave more Such treacherous, humanely, and maybe make the untrustworthy, lying and greedy world a less painful place. One animals we are! of my favorites is Eugene Debs, I was born a human being in 1922 from Terre A.D. What Haute in my Human beings are does “A.D.” native state of Indiana. Get a chimpanzees who get crazy signify? That commemorates load of this: drunk on power. By an inmate of Eugene Debs, who died saying that our leaders are this lunatic asylum we call back in 1926, power-drunk chimpanzees, Earth who was when I was nailed to a only 4, ran 5 am I in danger of wrecking wooden cross times as the by a bunch of Socialist Party the morale of our soldiers other inmates. candidate for fighting and dying in the With him still president, conscious, they winning Middle East? Their hammered 900,000 votes, morale, like so many spikes through 6 percent of his wrists and the popular bodies, is already shot to insteps, and vote, in 1912, pieces. They are being into the wood. if you can Then they set imagine such a treated, as I never was, the cross ballot. He had like toys a rich kid got for upright, so he this to say dangled up while Christmas. there where campaigning: even the As long as there is a lower class, I am in shortest person in the crowd could see him writhing this way it. As long as there is a criminal element, I am of it. As and that. Can you imagine people long as there is a soul in prison, doing such a thing to a person? I am not free.” No problem. That’s Doesn’t anything entertainment. Ask the devout socialistic make you want to Roman Catholic Mel Gibson, throw up? Like great public who, as an act of piety, has just schools or health insurance for made a fortune with a movie all? about how Jesus was tortured. How about Jesus’ Never mind what Jesus said. Sermon on the Mount, the During the reign of King Beatitudes? Blessed are the Henry the Eighth, founder of meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. Blessed are the merciful, the Church of England, he had a counterfeiter boiled alive in for they shall obtain mercy. public. Show biz again. Blessed are the peacemakers, Mel Gibson’s next movie for they shall be called the should be The Counterfeiter. children of God. And so on. Box office records will again be Not exactly planks in a broken. Republican platform. Not One of the few good exactly Donald Rumsfeld or things about modern times: If Dick Cheney stuff. you die horribly on television, For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us. never mention the Beatitudes. And what did the great But, often with tears in their British historian Edward eyes, they demand that the Ten Gibbon, 1737-1794 A.D., have Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course to say about the human record so far? He said, “History is that’s Moses, not Jesus. I indeed little more than the haven’t heard one of them register of the crimes, follies demand that the Sermon on the and misfortunes of mankind.” Mount, the Beatitudes, be The same can be said posted anywhere. about this morning’s edition of “Blessed are the the New York Times. merciful” in a courtroom? Streetvibes The French-Algerian writer Albert Camus, who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957, wrote, “There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide.” So there’s another barrel of laughs from literature. Camus died in an automobile accident. His dates? 1913­ 1960 A.D. Listen. All great literature is about what a bummer it is to be a human being: Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, The Red Badge of Courage, the Iliad and the Odyssey, Crime and Punishment, the Bible and The Charge of the Light Brigade. But I have to say this in defense of humankind: No matter in what era in history, including the Garden of Eden, everybody just got there. And, except for the Garden of Eden, there were already all these crazy games going on, which could make you act crazy, even if you weren’t crazy to begin with. Some of the games that were already going on when you got here were love and hate, liberalism and conservatism, automobiles and credit cards, golf and girls’ basketball. Even crazier than golf, though, is modern American politics, where, thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative. Actually, this same sort of thing happened to the people of England generations ago, and Sir William Gilbert, of the radical team of Gilbert and Sullivan, wrote these words for a song about it back then: I often think it’s comical how nature always does contrive that every boy and every gal that’s born into the world alive is either a little liberal or else a little Conservative. Which one are you in this country? It’s practically a law of life that you have to be one or the other? If you aren’t one or the other, you might as well be a doughnut. If some of you still haven’t decided, I’ll make it easy for you. If you want to take my guns away from me, and you’re all for murdering fetuses, and love it when homosexuals marry each other, and want to give them kitchen appliances at their showers, and you’re for the poor, you’re a liberal. If you are against those perversions and for the rich, you’re a conservative. What could be simpler? Page 17 �FRAC News director of Army Emergency Relief, says families qualify for Blueprint to End Hunger benefits as soon as they enter Unveiled on National Hunger service. Spiegel says states Awareness Day (National Anti- nationwide have been asking Hunger Organizations, June, 3, the Department of Defense to 2004) Thirteen organizations explain how military families that comprise the National Anti- can access such programs as Hunger Organizations (NAHO) food stamps and the Women, unveiled a new “Blueprint to Infants and Children nutrition End Hunger in America.” The programs. “I think the stories of NAHO Blueprint recommends families being in need are pretty programmatic investments and striking,” said Ellen Vollinger improvements in the national of FRAC. “Now more than nutrition safety net to halve ever, we must make sure as a hunger and food insecurity in community that the families of the US by 2010 and to end both these troops are taken care of by 2015. It outlines strategies here on the home front,” said to improve benefit adequacy Mayor of San Jose, Ron and access in the Food Stamp, Gonzales. child nutrition, WIC and emergency feeding programs. One in Four Workers Live at “Our nation has the tools and Federal Poverty Level resources to end hunger. Our (“Working...and Poor,” Blueprint offers a realistic plan Business Week Online, May 31, for achieving that goal,” said 2004) Twenty-eight million NAHO Chairperson H. Eric working Americans, or one in Schockman. four workers between the ages of 18 to 64, make less than Hungry Children More Likely $9.04 an hour, putting them to be Sick and Hospitalized below the federal poverty level (“Kids who go hungry likely to for a family of four. The loss of land in poor health,” Boston white-collar jobs offshore has Herald, June 1, 2004) Infants produced headlines; less and toddlers who do not get publicized are the problems of enough to eat are more likely to the working poor, such as get sick and be hospitalized, unpaid sick days and jobs with according to a recent study no benefits. For those on the published in this month’s edge of poverty, one event such Journal of Nutrition. Children as a stalled car, can lead to up to age 3 with limited or being fired or financial ruin. A uncertain access to nutritious 2003 study by the Federal food are 90 percent more likely Reserve Bank of Boston found to be in only fair or poor health that in the 1990s, the chance a and 30 percent more likely to poor person would remain poor be hospitalized. John Cook, increased compared to the lead author of the study, said 1970s. “If current trends poor nutrition harms children persist, a greater and greater by weakening their immune share of wealth will keep going systems and ability to learn. into the hands of the few,” said Co-investigator for the study James Sinegal, CEO of Costco Carol Berkowitz said that the Wholesale Corp., who worries nation’s health care costs may that lack of mobility will be higher because so many destroy initiative among the eligible children do not actually working class. Families who go receive food stamps and then just beyond a poverty-level are more likely to become sick wage by earning $7 to $10 an enough to require hour, can become ineligible for hospitalization. vital assistance such as food http://news.bostonherald.com/ stamps, child care assistance, national/ and the earned-income tax view.bg?articleid=30098... credit. Says Ron Haskins of the Study available at: http:// Brookings Institution, “For www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/ them, Horatio Alger does not abstract/134/6/1432 apply.” Food Stamp Demand Surges Among Military Families (“Hungry U.S. families can’t be defended,” Oregonian, June 2, 2004) Demand for food stamps among the families of national guardsmen and reservists skyrocketed several hundred percent from 2002 to 2003. Col. Dennis Spiegel, deputy Page 18 Revised Food Pyramid Will Recommend More Fish, Fiber, & Exercise (“Rebuilding the pyramid,” Cape Cod Times, May 28, 2004) The food pyramid, the federal government’s guide to healthy eating, is undergoing revision. Federal advisors will recommend Americans eat more fish, fiber, and fewer refined grains such as white bread. The U.S. Department of Agriculture asked its Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to change the pyramid’s focus from maintaining a healthy diet to losing weight. In addition to dietary changes, the committee recommended 30 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise for adults most days. California: Bill Approves $7.75 Minimum Wage, Governor Likely to Veto (“$1 increase in state minimum wage gets Assembly OK Governor, against more regulatory burdens on California businesses, likely to veto bill,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 28, 2004) A bill in California’s Legislature would raise the state’s minimum wage by $1, from $6.75 to $7.75 in 2006. However, Governor Schwarzenegger would likely veto the bill if it came before him. California’s minimum wage is currently the lowest on the West Coast. In order to match the purchasing power of the state’s minimum wage in 1968, it would have to be $8.92 an hour today, according to labor officials. “In my [district] nobody can live on anything less than $15 an hour. That’s why many wage earners have two jobs,” said Assemblyman Manny Diaz (DSan Jose). New York: Food Stamp Use on the Rise (“Food stamp use on the rise,” The Journal News.com, May 27, 2004) In April, 17,322 residents of Rockland County received food stamps, an increase of 18.6 percent since December 1999. A county official said the last time demand was so high was in 1992. Recipients such as Yajaira Rodriguez calls the benefit “a blessing.” Carmen Loras, of the Community Action Partnership in Haverstraw, notes that two years ago three people a week visited CAP for food stamp information. Now 15 people a week come in. A majority are Spanish-speaking. Food stamps, however, only provide poor families with some support. They also rely on food pantries and soup kitchens, particularly at the end of the month, when food stamp benefits have been exhausted. Arizona: Number of Hungry Arizonans Growing (“Number of hungry Arizonans growing,” Arizona Republic, May 30, Streetvibes 2004) Doris Campbell is among an estimated 630,000 Arizonans struggling to put food on their tables — “food insecure” under federal definitions. Campbell has been relying on the senior lunch program for 10 years to get a consistent, nutritious meal. Arizona’s rate of food insecurity in 2000 was 12.5 percent, compared to 10.8 percent nationally. Food insecure households include working poor families, senior adults, people with physical and mental disabilities, the unemployed, the homeless, and immigrants. Ginny Hildebrand, executive director of the Association of Arizona Food Banks, encounters people who have part-time jobs, seasonal work, or service-related work, all paying salaries too low to meet a family’s basic needs. New York: Rewards of a 90­ Hour Week: Poverty and Dirty Laundry (“Rewards of a 90-Hour Week: Poverty and Dirty Laundry,” New York Times, May 31, 2004) Laundromats in New York City employ thousands of “wash and fold” workers to do customers’ laundry. The majority of these workers are paid less, often much less, than the minimum wage of $5.15 an hour and speak of abusive, sweltering work conditions. Inriqueta G. works 70 hours a week and earns $350 in cash, $400 less a month than what she would earn if she were paid the minimum wage plus overtime. Many of the workers are immigrants. “Life is a lot more difficult here than I thought,” says Piedad G. “Sometimes I think I was crazy to come here. This is a country with a lot of opportunities, but in order to take advantage of those opportunities you have to suffer a lot.” To subscribe to the weekly FRAC News Digest go to: http://capwiz.com/frac/ mlm/ For questions, comments, and news tips, please contact: Helen Yuen Food Research and Action Center 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 540 Washington, DC 20009 (202) 986-2200 x3019 Email: hyuen@frac.org �Bush Campaign Seeks Help From Thousands of Congregations by David D. Kirkpatrick, The New York Times The Bush campaign is seeking to enlist thousands of religious congregations around the country in distributing campaign information and registering voters, according to an e-mail message sent to many members of the clergy and others in Pennsylvania. Liberal groups charged that the effort invited violations of the separation of church and state and jeopardized the taxexempt status of churches that cooperated. Some socially conservative church leaders also said they would advise pastors against participating in such a partisan effort. But Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for the Bush administration, said “people of faith have as much right to participate in the political process as any other community” and that the e-mail message was about “building the most sophisticated grassroots presidential campaign in the country’s history.” In the message, Luke Bernstein, coalitions coordinator for the Bush campaign in Pennsylvania, wrote: “The Bush-Cheney ’04 national headquarters in Virginia has asked us to identify 1,600 `Friendly Congregations’ in Pennsylvania where voters friendly to President Bush might gather on a regular basis.” In each targeted “place of worship,” Mr. Bernstein continued, without mentioning a specific religion or denomination, “we’d like to identify a volunteer who can help distribute general information to other supporters.” He explained: “We plan to undertake activities such as distributing general information/updates or voter registration materials in a place accessible to the congregation.” The e-mail message was provided to The New York Times by a group critical of President Bush. The campaign’s effort is the latest indication of its heavy bet on churchgoers in its bid for re-election. Mr. Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, and officials of Mr. Bush’s campaign have often said that people who attended church regularly voted for him disproportionately in the last election, and the campaign has made turning out that group a top priority this year. But congregation is disseminating advisers to Mr. Bush also the information, however, the acknowledge privately that issue is more complicated. If appearing to court socially the congregation had a table conservative Christian voters where anyone could make too aggressively risks turning available any information off more moderate voters. whatsoever without any What was striking about institutional responsibility or the Pennsylvania e-mail oversight, then a member might message was its directness. be able to distribute campaign Both political parties rely on literature without violating tax church leaders - Africanlaws. But very few churches American pastors for the have such open forums, Mr. Democrats, for example, and Potter said. “The I.R.S. would white evangelical Protestants ask, did the church encourage for the Republicans - to urge this? Did the congregants church permit to go the polls. And in The campaign’s effort is this but not other the 1990’s, the latest indication of literature? the Christian Did the Coalition its heavy bet on church in any developed a way support reputation as churchgoers in its bid this?” a political for re-election. Mr. Mr. powerhouse Bernstein, the by Bush’s top political e-mail distributing message’s voters guides adviser, Karl Rove, and author, in churches officials of Mr. Bush’s declined to that alerted comment. conservative campaign have often Mr. Schmidt, believers to said that people who the campaign candidates’ spokesman, position on attended church said the esocial issues mail message like abortion regularly voted for him only sought and school disproportionately in the individual prayer. But volunteers the Christian last election, and the from among Coalition was the “friendly organized as campaign has made congregations,” a nonpartisan, turning out that group a not the endorsements issuetop priority this year of the any oriented religious lobbying and organizations or groups. voter-education organization, “The e-mail is targeted and in 1999 it ran afoul of to individuals, asking federal tax laws for too much individuals to become involved Republican partisanship. in the campaign and to share The Bush campaign, in information about the campaign contrast, appeared to be with other people in their faith reaching out directly to community,” Mr. Schmidt said. churches and church members, “Yesterday, a liberal judge from seeking to distribute campaign San Francisco overturned a information as well as ostensibly nonpartisan material, partial-birth abortion ban which banned that abhorrent like issue guides and procedure. That is an example registration forms. of an issue that people of faith Trevor Potter, a from across the United States Washington lawyer and former care about.” chairman of the Federal He said that the Election Commission, said the Pennsylvania e-mail message campaign’s solicitation raised was part of a larger national delicate legal issues for effort. The number of congregations. “If the church is doing it, congregations mentioned ­ 1,600 in just one state ­ it is a legal problem the suggests an operation on a vast church,” Mr. Potter said. “In scale. the past, the I.R.S. has sought But even some officials to revoke and has succeeded in of some conservative religious revoking the tax-exempt status groups said they were troubled of churches for political by the notion that a parishioner activity.” might distribute campaign If a member of the Streetvibes information within a church or at a church service. “If I were a pastor, I would not be comfortable doing that,” said Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. “I would say to my church members, we are going to talk about the issues and we are going to take information from the platforms of the two parties about where they stand on the issues. I would tell them to vote and to vote their conscience, and the Lord alone is the Lord of the conscience.” The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of the liberal Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argued that any form of distributing campaign literature through a church would compromise its tax-exempt status. He called the effort “an absolutely breathtakingly large undertaking,” saying, “I never thought anyone could so attempt to meld a political party with a network of religious organizations.” In a statement, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, a liberal group, called the effort “an astonishing abuse of religion” and “the rawest form of manipulation of religion for partisan gain.” He urged the president to repudiate the effort. In a statement, Mara Vanderslice, director of religious outreach for the Kerry campaign, said the effort “shows nothing but disrespect for the religious community.” Ms. Vanderslice continued: “Although the Kerry campaign actively welcomes the participation of religious voices in our campaign, we will never court religious voters in a way that would jeopardize the sanctity of their very houses of worship.” How many congregations or worshippers will choose to cooperate remains to be seen. In an interview, the Rev. Ronald Fowlkes, pastor of the Victoria Baptist Church in Springfield, Pa., said he had not seen the email message but did not think much of the idea. “We encourage people to get out and vote,” Mr. Fowlkes said, but as far as distributing information through church, “If it were focused on one party or person, that would be too Page 19 �357-4602 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 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 SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome Hse. 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services, Inc 751-9797 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Need Help or Want to Help? MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 July, 2004 Drop Inn Center Fights for its Home Cover Story Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Homess Vets Continue to Pay - Page 11 The Price of Freedom BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY STREETVIBES $1 Donation � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2004 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource July 2004 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Developers Fast Track Their Plan for Over-the-Rhine McCrackin Celebration Builds on his Legacy, Calls Citizens to Action Pg 2: Greed Transcends Compassion Pg 3: Donate Pg 4: One Year Ago Homeless Stopped City from Sweeping Camps Pg 5: Hate Crimes Still a Major Issue for the Homeless Pg 6: Homeless News Digest Pg 7: A King Without a Throne- Interview with Washington Park Tent Man, King DaviyD Pg 8: The Peace Village Pg 9: Public Forum on Homelessness Pg 10: Drop Inn Center Continued Pg 11: Planning for a Place Where We Belong Shelter Programs Critical to Support of Homeless Veterans Pg 12: Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and Streetvibes… Pg 13: Why are NA Meetings Important to Me? “Urban Plunge” Students Experience Life on the Streets News from the Ohio Empowerment Coalition Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 16: An Icon, and Then He’s Gone Pg 17: Cold Turkey Pg 18: FRAC News Pg 19: Bush Campaign Seeks Help from Thousands of Congregation 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 2004 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Alison Leeuw Andy Erickson Elizabeth Linville Janice Faulkner Mary Gaffney Jimmy Heath Berta Lambert Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alison Leeuw Andy Erickson Berta Lambert Bush Drop Inn Center Elizabeth Linville Food Research FRAC GCCH Georgine Getty Hate Crimes Janice Faulkner Jimmy Heath King Daviyd Mary Gaffney McCrackin Ohio Over-the-Rhine Peace Village Students veterans https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/a5f207dfc8fb450c002949a3b1aab5cb.pdf d7037e1a4f7b0eda411db557f2d609a0 PDF Text Text JULY 2005 STREETVIBES GCCH Education Packet on homelessness available to local schools setting. It was open to changes the teachers can make themselves,” said Mitch Perdrix of Aiken University High School. by Andy Erickson The guide has been used in many different settings and in many Education Coordinator different ways. Greg Carpinello of Xavier University’s Peace and Justice What are the causes of homelessness? Who is most at risk of Programs even used the guide to prepare students for an Urban Plunge becoming homeless? How do the rights of homeless citizens differ from the Retreat this past April. housed population? How do we begin to solve homelessness? “Your guide was great!” said Carpinello, who was particularly excited Students in area schools have been exploring these questions in depth about the guide’s “Seeking Shelter” role-play activity. “It really helped the through the use of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless’ recently students get into different roles focused on homelessness and helped them developed Teacher’s Guide and Education Packet. These materials were start to see from a new perspective.” developed in order to help educators teach about the issue of homelessness in Like Carpinello, Mitch Perdrix found the guide’s role-playing activities an easy and effective way that students would enjoy. to be particularly useful. “The students enjoy pretending and they also found The success of the program has been exciting for [role-playing] as a way to interact without getting in trouble – they could be both GCCH and educators alike. creative in their characters,” said Perdrix. “I think what makes this teaching unit on Most importantly, teachers have noted an increase in compassion homelessness special is that it is put together, in part, toward the homeless among their students after teaching from the Education by the experts in homelessness, namely the homeless Packet. “I’ve heard several students say that they no longer just think of ‘dirty themselves,” said Pat Klus of Seton High School. lazy people asking for money’ when they think of homeless people,” stated “This teaching tool is not just up-to-date statistics; it Perdrix. has a real face. The homeless and their experience Suzette Glaab, who taught the materials to the entire junior class of Andy Erickson combined with the efforts of those in the fields of Bishop Brossart High School said, “I absolutely believe that my students have social services and academics a better understanding of the make this a really unique homeless situation. I specifically educational collaboration.” appreciated that the material The Teacher’s Guide brought national issues and contains 150 pages, over 25 problems into the local area of handouts, and numerous activities the students, making it more real designed to help students for them.” understand the complex realities Lauren Schroeder of of homelessness. When taught Mother of Mercy High School along with the supplemental also noted the impact on her materials that make up the students. “I think inroads were Education Packet, students are made in helping the students see able to learn about homelessness that homelessness is not just in a comprehensive way, and someone else’s problem, but a through a variety of media. problem that the whole In addition to the community must work toward Teacher’s Guide, the Education solving. I believe that their Packet contains Voices perspective on those who are Unheard, a 35-minute poor, marginalized, or powerless documentary on homelessness in has become one of greater Cincinnati; Through Our Eyes, a compassion and understanding.” book written by Mother of All of the teachers we spoke Mercy students about homeless with said they would recommend people they met at the Coalition; the guide to other educators. “I Homeless in Cincinnati, a 2001 will definitely use these materials study of Cincinnati’s homeless; next year and for years to come. Streetvibes, a monthly My colleagues have asked to newspaper produced by the borrow these materials from me Coalition; and a visit from the based on my high Some of the materials included in the homelessness education packet Coalition’s Speaker’s Bureau. recommendations,” said Pat “The video, speaker, internet assignments, readings, and in-class Klus. processing all contributed to a more broad-based knowledge of the homeless GCCH is currently looking for additional schools to use the Education issue in Cincinnati and the nation,” said Lauren Schroeder of Mother of Mercy Packet in their classrooms. All materials in the packet are currently available High School. for purchase. Interested educators should contact Andy Erickson, Education One of the packet’s best qualities is its flexibility. “I thought the Coordinator at GCCH. He can be reached at andrewberickson@yahoo.com lessons were constructed in a manner that could be used by any teacher in any or at 513-421-7803 x14. Teachers find materials “very useful” The Mayerson Foundation Serves to foster student Leadership This summer, the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation supported two-one week Summer Service Leadership Programs that brought students and teachers together for a better understanding of their diverse communities, as well as, the impact of agencies serving the needs of others. Students and teachers from Aiken University, Moeller and Withrow International High Schools participated during the week of June 12-17 and students and teachers from Hughes Center, Mt. Healthy and Wyoming High Schools participated during the week of June 19-24, 2005. Some of the agencies served by the students included: Drop-Inn Center, Our Daily Bread, Peaslee Neighborhood Center, Peace Camp, Espy and LeBlond Boys and Girls Clubs, Kids Café, St. Francis Soup Kitchen, Wilson Downtown Center and Memorial, Inc. Dr. Steve Sunderland, Director of the Peace Village, led the final reflection activity during the first week, having students create posters that expressed how they were changed by this experience. Mayerson - continued page 3 Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �Streetvibes Streetvibes, the Tri­ State’s alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for 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. Vendors are private contractors who DO NOT work for, or represent, the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homleess. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Allison Leeuw -Administrative Coordinator Andy Erickson - Education Coordinator Rachel Lawson - Civil Rights VISTA Kate McManus - Civil Rights VISTA Mary Gaffney - Reception Melvin Williams - Reception Susan Smith - Volunteer Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor Photographer Jimmy Heath Cover Artwork by Amanda Mertz Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, delivered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://cincihomeless.org Page 2 Coalition welcomes new Staff member I have worked for the City of Cincinnati (12 years). My wife and I ran a business in the West End for about ten years, located at the corner of York and Linn streets. I was educated in West End Catholic by Melvin Williams schools. I went to Elder High School My name is Melvin Williams and Woodward in the 60’s. and I now work for the Greater I went to Elder when there Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. were only 12 black kids out of the I grew up in the West End school population of two-thousand.I neighborhood of Cincinnati, not far have been married to my childhood from this office were I now work. sweetheart for 34 years. I have four lovely children, three of them girls. One of my kids has been in the Army for 12 years. another was in the Marines and another is in her fourth year of college at Mount St. Joseph. I have one son who died in 1980, and another son is living in Alabama. Please come and visit me at he front desk in the afternoons at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. African Americans left out of Development Deals by Damon Lynch, III The Banks fiasco that occurred last month is a perfect example of the exclusionary economic practices that continues to leave African Americans out of the loop of major development. On Sunday, June 12, the Cincinnati Enquirer showed the perfect picture of what development and economic plans look like in Cincinnati: 5 five white men sitting along The Banks announcing their secretive deal that was put together by the Hamilton County Commissioners and the developers. The Banks is one of the largest, if not the largest, development project that this city has ever seen, yet, the picture speaks volumes. Now City Council is crying afoul because they were left out of the process of the long overdue development project. The irony of this is that now the City is getting a taste of its own medicine. Black developers and business owners have been left out of development and other economic projects in this city for decades. The City now knows exactly how the Cincinnati Black business community feels about being left out of the decision-making and being offered the scraps of lucrative deals. Just as Mayor Luken reminded County officials that the City owns half of the development rights before proceeding, the City and County should be reminded that Blacks have contributed to the tax dollars that are being used to develop The Banks, Fountain Square, and Over the Rhine. Without significant African American participation, including development and ownership, these projects should not proceed. Councilwoman Laketa Cole called the deal “unprofessional”. It is also “unprofessional” when Blacks and other minority contractors are not at the table making decisions about how tax dollars are going to be disseminated for public projects. This is the City of Cincinnati’s golden opportunity to bolster Black business and economics of the poor and working-class, not with mindless minority goals, but with real impactful economic opportunities. In order to ensure that Blacks will have more development, ownership, and jobs from The Banks, City Council should withhold turning over its air rights and TIF revenues until a number of Black developers and business owners are given the opportunity to participate. There is no justifiable reason why a significant number of Blacks and working-class residents should be left out of a $632 million dollar deal. The Banks would indeed help to revitalize downtown and should be carried out, but it must be done in a way that is fair and just. This is not only about business, but each of these multi-dollar projects should be used as a vehicle to improve the quality of life of the masses, not the select few. City Council continues to provide “band-aid” solutions to deep wounds that are in need of aggressive remedies. More police visibility will not stop crime from occurring, but gainful employment will. Providing opportunities to everyone will address many of the ills of this city. In 1974 Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson set an unheard precedence when he halted the $425 million Hartfield Airport development project for two years until politicians and developers agreed to provide 25% of the project to Blacks and other minorities. Recently, Toledo, OH took a bold step in turning over their school district’s development to a Black prime contractor, which is a rare occurrence. This is the type of leadership that we need in Cincinnati. Advocating for small contracts is simply not enough. As a Cincinnati City Councilmember, I will fight to ensure that Blacks and other minorities, as well as poor and working-class citizens will receive a fair share of contracts, jobs, and ownership of major public works projects. The current taste of Cincinnati development is beyond sour, it’s rotten. A new flavor is in order. 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 Streetvibes �Homeless News Digest Compiled by Jimmy Heath In Holly Hill, FL Police identified a homeless man found beaten to death in the Volusia County woods. Two teens are accused of beating a homeless man because they were bored. More teens either took part in the beating death or knew of what happened inside the woods and there will be more arrests, according to investigators. Detectives said Christopher Scamahorn and 18-year-old Jeffrey Spurgeon admitted to killing 53­ year-old Michael Roberts, a homeless man. Roberts is well known to police, because he was often looking for a place to sleep. He had found one in the woods and lived there for several months without causing any problems. The boys, detectives said, went into the woods and attacked Roberts, beating him with their fists, feet, sticks and a log. They returned at least twice to continue the beatings and, detectives said, others took part, watched or at least knew of the beating death and, they too, will be held accountable. The autopsy report shows Roberts died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and chest. At 5’6" and 108 pounds, he was likely no match for the boys and had defensive wounds on his hands and arms. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wants the city to increase homeless spending by $6 million, despite a $59 million budget deficit. The plan is part of the mayor’s proposed $5.3 billion budget which he unveiled last month. The mayor’s plan calls for cuts to HIV services. It will also lead to more layoffs. The mayor says he was able to avoid widespread cuts thanks to an expected $34 million increase in property taxes. However, Newsom expects next year’s deficit to rise $120 million. The board will vote on the budget in July. In Minneapolis a formerly homeless man who lived undetected in Apple Valley High School for three weeks last winter won another reprieve last month in his fight to avoid deportation to Mexico. “I look at all the changes in my life and realize it’s all possible,” past graduate Barbara Lynch said. After growing up in a South Boston housing project, celebrity chef Lynch broke down talking about her past life, which is far from her swanky restaurant scene. “Here is my message for you: Value yourself,” she said. “I was a bookie in high school, and my first driving lesson was in a stolen cab,” she said. Every year, hundreds pass through what could be called Pine Street’s life-skills boot camp. It’s an exercise in building self-esteem, and a saving account for the graduates. Waikiki and Ala Moana but rarely spread out to Hawaii Kai, McCully and other areas said to be targeted in this series of sweeps. In Souderton, PA the county is on its way to meeting the goal of a one-stop center for the homeless. Serrano is accused of The center, located in the immigration violations for letting a newly renovated Building 53 on the visitor’s visa expire. On grounds of the Norristown State Wednesday his attorney argued that Hospital, serves as a one-stop in the name of justice and fairness, facility to serve the needs of the his client should be given more time county’s homeless. to track down his father. The old approach of three Serrano’s father may be the hots and a cot actually facilitated key to whether or not the Mexican homelessness,” says Montgomery national can remain in the U.S. The County Human Services Director last time Serrano saw his father was Joseph Roynan. last year, in Connecticut. Spurred partly by “Homelessness is a result of Serrano’s attorney Herbert residents’ complaints, the city a variety of factors and we want to Igbanugo says it is his will start a two-month series of find those factors in each case and understanding that Serrano’s father sweeps for homeless at parks resolve them,” he said. is either a permanent resident or an from McCully to East Honolulu. In a census taken Jan. 26, actual citizen. It that is true and he Honolulu Department of the county had 607 homeless files the proper paperwork, it Parks and Recreation Director people. Three hundred of those would mean his son wouldn’t face Lester Chang declined to release were children. deportation to Mexico. details on when and where the There are some homeless When Serrano was sweeps would be, saying there is no on the streets or living out of cars discovered earlier this year hiding set schedule for the homeless or in shelters, but there is also a out at Apple Valley High School, evictions. homeless population that moves where he slept nights for nearly a The city did notify service from the residence of one family month, Minneapolis developer providers who help the homeless member or friend to the next, he Basim Sabri came to the 21-year­ and said the sweeps would be held explained. olds aid. July 8 and 21, but did not give “Homelessness is not just Sabri has let Serrano live in details on locations. the result of a lack of money or of one of his Lake Street apartments “It’s a moving situation,” alienation,” said Roynan, stating and has filed court papers saying he Chang said yesterday. “Every park that much of the “hardcore” will pay Serrano’s college tuition. is different. Every situation is homelessness is caused by Serrano says he has been different.” unidentified and under-treated accepted at Dunwoody College of The sweeps come just four mental illness. Technology where he wants to months after large homeless The new center will serve major in engineering. evictions in Waianae and Ewa the county’s entire homeless Serrano’s attorney says for Beach parks displaced more than population but will also target the now, he’d like to have his client’s 100 people and had several service chronically homeless, which include visitor status restored and then have providers calling on the Legislature those with disabilities such as drug him granted student status. But to put a moratorium on sweeps. and alcohol abuse, mental illness none of that will be decided until Lawmakers took up the and those with HIV/AIDS. the next hearing, scheduled for issue but said a moratorium would Treatment programs for those August 24. have been too broad. suffering from these problems will Police and the city regularly be offered at the center. The Pine Street Inn, sweep tourist-frequented parks in Boston’s largest shelter for the Mayerson cont. from page 1 homeless, honored one-time happen.” Quotes from students - “ guests who have worked hard to “I found out that my time Smile . . .Hugs . . . Conversations . turn their lives around. helping people was really taken to . .makes people feel equal, “I’ve been battling an sometimes a smile is all it takes.” heart and enjoyed.” addiction of drugs and alcohol for “Let people know you care “If everyone lent a helping seven years, and my mom passed about them.” hand the world wouldn’t be such a when I was 18 and my father also “One thing I learned this terrible place.” passed,” Jermol Mojica said. week is that I have the power to “Happiness isn’t measured Broken-hearted, he lived by our pockets (money) or what we change people’s lives.” between his sister’s place and the “In the beginning of this streets, but finally, at the Pine Street have . . .” week I looked at people through “Make people smile . . Inn he turned a corner. color. Now my help knows no color .feels good on the inside.” “It’s been a tough road to but finds the joy in all people” “No matter how hard you come this far,” he said. “When you “I learned any help, no fight them, stereotypes are present leave here, the fact that you came in every point of society. I learned matter how small the amount, is to Pine Street to save your behind that as a community we need to needed and appreciated. Even if it is something you should keep up front. There’s no shame is saying, seems pointless, it makes a eliminate these stereotypes. No ‘I went through Pine Street,’” matter your color, religion, or hair difference in someone’s life, like a graduate Alan Spencer said. length, you should not judge raindrop hitting still water. Even Graduation day messages the smallest drop creates a ripple.” someone until you meet them. come from those in the shadows “NO looking. See people Everyone is a person!” and in the spotlight, and from those “There are so many people for who they are, not how they who’ve had a taste of the tough working to improve OTR that may look . . .” times and the good times. “Children show so much . . never make it to the papers ahead . Education and Determination” of some shootings that may Streetvibes Page 3 �Streetvibes Letters Fountain Square Face-Lift Unnecessary Dear Editor, The idea for reconfiguring Fountain Square did not originate from average Cincinnatians. This unnecessary face-lift is a waste of tax dollars. Fountain Square has served its function just fine, the way it is, for many years. If funds are needed anywhere in Cincinnati, they are needed in the neighborhoods. The rebuilding of our neighborhoods should take precedence over the rebuilding of Fountain Square. Sincerely, Brian Garry Clifton Baltimore’s Homeless Population On The Rise Show your support! Get your STREETVIBES T-Shirt Today! (Back shown here. Shirt not actual size) Only $15 We will send your Streetvibes T-shirt to your door ­ All proceeds benefit the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and the Streetvibes newspaper. Call 513.421.7803 x 16, or come in to our office at 117 E 12th Street in Over-the-Rhine Page 4 Streetvibes A new census has found an increase in Baltimore’s homeless population. A survey taken on January 30th this year, counted 2,943 homeless people in the city. That’s a ten-percent increase from a previous census taken in April of 2003. The census sought an estimate on the number of homeless people in the city on any given day. It was sponsored by the Abell Foundation and conducted by Baltimore Homeless Services, inc. and Center for Poverty Solutions. It also sought personal data and information about where individuals and families are located. The survey found that: 78 percent of homeless people are male, compared to 22 percent who are female. 82 percent are black and 14 percent are white. 40 percent did not finish high school. The average age of homeless people is 40. The average annual income for homeless people is $486. The census estimates indicate 7,023 individuals will be homeless in the city each year. The census numbers indicate that more than seven-thousand people will be homeless in the city each year. �”Back to the Streets” Humanizes the Homeless by Lauren Byrne A review in these pages of work by George Wynn is likely to be open to suggestions of bias. Wynn, a native of San Francisco, was a contributor to Spare Change News during the several years he lived in the Boston area. But read just a few pages and it’s obvious that Wynn’s work doesn’t have to rely on biased opinions. “Back to the Streets,” his collection of poems, essays and short stories, is genuinely engaging, provocative and inspiring. He humanizes the homeless, and his observations on the craft of writing about street life is as good a primer for writers of any stripe as a shelf-full of how-to books. “Be fresh. Be original. Craft is less necessary than commitment, for craft is often gimmicky, inauthentic,” he urges writers in “The Street Writer’s Manifesto.” Wynn has heeded his own advice. His first writing teacher, he tells us, was a former newspaperman, down on his luck and living in San Francisco’s Tenderloin area. It was from him that the young Wynn learned that writing, like mashed potatoes, needs a little flavoring. Wynn’s ability to breathe life into a disparate cast of characters in his fictional pieces is the gravy he brings to his work. Not homeless himself except for very brief stints, George Wynn never settles for a safe third-person A good cause is a terrible thing to waste perspective on homelessness. Montreal, he observes in even clearer Conjuring up what it feels like to be shades how the well-off despise the homeless in “It Could Happen to poor. You” and elsewhere, he brings his In “Poverty and Language,” reader uncomfortably close to the he describes what the homeless need mixture of fear, indignity, confusion to do for themselves: give expression and bitterness that convincingly sums to their unique perspectives through up what it must be like to be suddenly being involved with the arts; use homeless. “hard hitting” language “in order to In his “Street Writer’s counteract the conservative agenda of Manifesto,” Wynn exhorts street the White House.” writers not to be My only pessimistic, and he quibble is that “Back to the himself emphasizes an Wynn’s short stories Streets” aspect of by George Wynn. are just too short. homelessness It’s as if he feared he Freedom Voices. frequently overlooked. couldn’t hold his Paperback, Too often society’s readers’ attention. 80 pages. urge to house the “Lonnie’s Way” homeless is based on $12.95. about a one-time the desire to be rid of boxing trainer and what offends our sense of how things his failed fighter is as good as should be – that people ought to hold anything by F.X. Toole, the author of down stressful jobs and pay the stories on which the recent hit exorbitant rents. In “Noble Hobos” movie “Million Dollar Baby” hit and elsewhere Wynn’s shows us movie was based. people who are not lacking in dignity Through language and tone, but who have chosen not to conform. Wynn sets up the story so They prefer to lose themselves in convincingly that you’re ready to literature and to experience the spend serious time with these fleeting kindnesses that reveal characters only to have the humanity at its best. experience cut short way too early. Retaining an attitude of Wynn’s innate curiosity and his optimism can’t be easy for Wynn. wandering life have provided him with Returning to San Francisco after the kind of warehouse of knowledge several years, in a poem “Urban that the best writers have. The Planning” he describes the ever consoling news is that Wynn has a harsher conditions the city imposes novel in the works. It’ll be worth the on its homeless. On a trip to wait. recognized injustice, be it at home or far away, and they would stand for no more. But change takes more than that. It needs you to listen. Last month, hundreds of What makes a demonstration people marched in the Walk for Truth, Justice and Community successful? demanding better treatment for rural Indeed, there is the commitment, sacrifice and endurance Oregonians – to bring them home of the demonstrators themselves, but from war, to provide them access to affordable health care, to help them successful efforts do more than trigger reaction to the action, and they educate their children, to preserve their environment. There’s something spark policy changes. It’s fear that in this for everyone. The seven-day levels reactions, but it’s justice that event will bring people from their tips the scales. In the 1930s, fear dispatched hometowns across Oregon, into Salem and on to Portland to talk the military to rid Washington, D.C., about their concerns and call for because 20,000-plus World War I policymakers to act. veterans congregated there to So when this tree lands in demand their promised bonus pay for Portland, will you be there to hear it? service. Men were killed in this Will you honor the commitment and routing, and Washington authorities were relieved of their departure. But sacrifice they have made by offering your voice to the dialogue? justice ultimately vanquished their We ask because in Portland, cause and sacrifice with the GI Bill. In the 1960s, fear fire-hosed, we’re spoiled. In this city, a good cause for protest seldom goes pummeled and murdered Americans unrallied. We speak our minds freely who demanded civil rights for black and wave our banners proudly. Yet it Americans. But it was justice that seems we’re sometimes too jaded to prevailed and still continues the listen to the rest, let alone further the movement toward equality. dialogue toward solution, however Fear took the lives of four Kent State students as they protested much we might agree with the cause. And the next time housing the bombing of Cambodia. But advocates demand justice for people heard the shots and impoverished and disabled families, listen to the stories they have to tell, and then tell someone else. Because while we all know we have nothing to Streetvibes Homeless Linda Corey by Linda Corey Homeless means not having a home. One time or other, we had a home. We made some wrong decisions and that’s how I became homeless. I thank God I’m not homeless anymore. I have learned to think and be open minded before I make a decision, and I get sound advice. I was at one time a resident at a shelter here in Cincinnati. I learned real fast what being homeless was like here. Thank God I got treatment for my addiction! I have met some very nice people. I’m still friends with them today. I enjoy seeing them. They say ‘boy, you have come a long way.’ I pray that no one has to loose their home. The feeling of loosing your home is guilt; you cry; there is fear and shame. Top Wall Street businessmen have lost everything and become homeless. Some people look at you and judge you, call you rude names; tramps thieves, beggars, bum, panhandler, etc. God bless you readers and vendors of Streetvibes. fear but fear itself, it’s the silence that’s going to kill us. Reprinted from Streetroots Page 5 �Downing Street Memo; Activists “Wing Nuts,” “Paranoid” After over a month of scant media attention, mainstream U.S. outlets have begun to report more seriously about the “Downing Street Memo,” the minutes of a July 2002 meeting of British government officials that indicate the White House had already made up its mind to invade Iraq at that early date, and that “the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy” of invading rather than seeking a peaceful solution. A June 7 White House press conference with George W. Bush and Tony Blair offered the first public response from Bush to the memo, and with that came an upswing in U.S. media attention. But some in the media took it as a chance to lash out at the activists who have been bringing attention to the story all along. On June 8, Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank referred to Downing Street Memo activists— some of whom were offering a cash reward for the first journalist to ask Bush about the memo—as “wing nuts.” He also offered an illogical explanation for the memo’s low media profile: “In part, the memo never gained traction here because, unlike in Britain, it wasn’t election season, and the war is not as unpopular here. In part, it’s also because the notion that Bush was intent on military action in Iraq had been widely reported here before, in accounts from Paul O’Neill and Bob Woodward, among others. The memo was also more newsworthy across the Atlantic because it reinforced the notion there that Blair has been acting as Bush’s ‘poodle.’” Milbank had reported the same day (6/8/05) that his paper’s latest poll showed that only 41 percent of Americans approved of the Iraq war—which makes one wonder when exactly the war would cross Milbank’s threshold and become unpopular enough to make the memo newsworthy. Secondly, Milbank argued the memo isn’t news because other similar stories were once reported—a peculiar explanation, to be sure. Finally, Milbank’s third rationale—that the memo was news in the U.K. because it confirmed existing suspicions—would seem to directly contradict the second principle of not reporting familiar stories. Los Angeles Times editorial page editor Michael Kinsley opted for sarcasm over serious discussion, deriding activists in a June 12 column for sending him emails “demanding that I cease my personal cover-up of something called the Downing Street Memo.” Kinsley kidded that the fuss was a good sign for the Left: “Developing a paranoid theory and promoting it to the very edge of national respectability takes ideological self-confidence.” What does Kinsley mean by paranoid? Criticizing the Times for not giving the story much attention would be accurate: Prior to the BushBlair press conference, a Nexis search shows one story about the Downing Street minutes appeared in the paper nearly two weeks after the story broke (5/12/05), and that columnist Robert Scheer mentioned it a few days later (5/17/05). In fact, Kinsley’s mocking seemed to serve no purpose, since his fallback position is a familiar media defense: We all knew the Bush administration wanted war, so this simply isn’t news. As Kinsley put it, “Of course, you don’t need a secret memo to know this.” As for “intelligence and facts...being fixed around the policy,” Kinsley eventually acknowledged that “we know now that this was true.” So, to follow Kinsley’s logic: People who demand more Downing Street coverage have developed a “paranoid theory” that accurately portrays White House decisionmaking on Iraq. His only quarrel with what he calls a “vast conspiracy” pushing the mainstream media to take the memo more seriously is that the activists think such information is important, and should be brought to the attention of the public, whereas Kinsley—and apparently many others in the mainstream media—doesn’t “buy the fuss.” problems they may have, irregardless of there race or creed. I want to say again; thank you for buying Streetvibes, as the money you give to the vendor helps them to from Ms. Mary Gaffney survive. I didn’t In July have any idea of we will be you recognizing me celebrating from my articles Independence until I got on the Day – the 4th Metro bus where of July. But several people there is approached. I have different ways also met people on Miss Mary Gaffney that many the street. People people are not always make a Ms. Carr free. comment about my including my As I sat at homeless friends in my articles. None of these people were angry, but some home recently listening to the television, my mind began to recall of them were looking for answers. the youth of yesterday and how so These (the homeless) are my friends many things have changed since I was regardless of who they are and what raised in Cincinnati. Yes, the churches are involved in youth organizations. But we still need more for our citizens and our neighborhoods. I am very proud of four young people at my home church of St. John African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. I have known these youth since their early childhood – and they are still at St. John. There is Adrian Carr in particular, a graduate of Walnut Hills High School. She has a BS degree from Howard University in Washington, DC. She has a Master of Education degree from the University of Cincinnati and is there as a doctoral candidate from UC. She is a Chemistry teacher in the Cincinnati Public Schools. She trained under Dr. Karen Wolf, University Children’s Choir and I an adjunct faculty member at Cincinnati State. There are also three young men that I would like to point out; Ministers Henry Word and Brother Adrian Word. They with both raised in the church, and now work in the Youth Ministry in the Christian Education Department. And there is Mathew Jackson who we are very proud of. Gods be the Glory to all of you for helping your fellowman. To you Adrian Carr let the important work you are doing speak for your character. My homeless friends, as I always say, hold on and don’t give up because there is a brighter day ahead. Dear Streetvibes readers, FAIR, (www.fair.org) the national media watch group, has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. They work to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. As an anti-censorship organization, FAIR exposes neglected news stories and defends working journalists when they are muzzled. As a progressive group, FAIR believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting and promote strong non-profit sources of information. FRAC Report: Childhood Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Vacation (Food Research and Action Center, June 2005) About 2.9 million children from low-income families received lunches at parks, schools, religious congregations, and other community sites through either the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) on an average day in July 2004. Unfortunately, that meant only 19 children were fed in the federal Page 6 summer nutrition programs for every 100 who receive a free or reducedprice school lunch during the regular school year. If all states did as well as the best performing states, they could get summer lunches to 3.2 million more low-income children and tap $163.7 million in added federal resources. The so-called Simplified Summer Food Program (“Lugar pilot” program) has operated in 13 states since 2001. The FRAC report ranks states and points out how many children are not being fed in underperforming states. It describes how much federal money each of these states is forgoing by underperforming in feeding children during the summer. “Hunger Doesn’t Take AVacation” also reports on a recent Congressional initiative in 13 states which, if applied nationwide, could have fed an additional 1 million children last summer. Releasing the report as summer Streetvibes programs are just getting under way across the country, FRAC pointed to proven strategies which government and community leaders can adopt to get summer lunches to more needy children in this and future summers. “There are still steps that community programs, city and state agencies, schools, advocates and others can take to boost participation in summer meals this year-and lay the groundwork for future summers as well,” said FRAC President Jim Weill. �Two-Tiered Community advocates who federal funding from the National were recruited by the UW to take Institutes of Health. by Cydney Gillis Wylie says the UW expects Miracle drugs are wonderful, part in the forum say the potential to abuse such information is enormous. the forum to draw 200 people but if you can get them. If the data is not protected, insists researchers won’t be lecturing In the world of genetic companies as much as designer drugs that’s just around the listening to “Some people are excited. They corner, people of color and the poor could use it to refuse health issues raised may not be able to — potentially say, yes, we need special drugs. insurance or by creating a genetic underclass for even jobs to participants This will be a breakthrough. whom the doors of upward mobility certain such as Maile would be permanently closed. Genetic adaptations have to do people — Taualii, It’s a scenario that a new, when, in fact, program with limited food access, stress, interdisciplinary research group at the the manager for University of Washington is working and what it means to live life as a environment Seattle’s to fight. Last month, the UW’s and lifestyle Black person in America — that Urban Indian Center for Genomics and Healthcare can play as Health Equality co-hosted “DNA, Health, will raise your blood pressure. much of a Institute. and Social Justice,” a first-of-its-kind Do we continue to subject role in A forum in which researchers are asking disease as native the public — specifically, people of people to these conditions, then genes do. Hawaiian, color — to share their hopes and make them pay for a drug to fix “It’s Taualii says fears about genetics research and not as if she wants to it?” testing. genetics dispel myths The Center for Genomics and —Makani Themba-Nixon, director — for Healthcare Equality is a new program explain everything,” instance, that of The Praxis Project, which the UW created last fall with a $4.7 Burke says. Indians are million grant from the National works for equitable access to For genetically Human Genome Research Institute, example, she prone to health care for people of color. the forum’s sponsor. The program is cites the alcoholism one of four the institute has funded susceptibility — and see to across the nation to examine the some people have to developing it that researchers at drug companies, ethical, legal, and social issues of chronic lung disease from beryllium, a in particular, don’t overlook small genomics, which is the study of chemical used in electronics populations such as hers. human DNA. manufacturing. “A lot of research is being The UW’s program is the “Should we use genetic done on populations in the majority,” only one, however, to focus specifically on healthcare parity, says testing to make decisions about what Taualii says. “Because they’re so people get those jobs?” Burke asks. small, populations like mine are of no Dr. Wylie Burke, head of the UW’s “It’s a big issue” — particularly, she value to the industry. And that’s Medical History and Ethics adds, when only 15 percent of those unacceptable.” Department. The idea behind the who might test positive would ever One new drug called BiDil, program and the forum, Burke says, get sick. which is about to hit the market, does is to directly engage the public on It’s one of many questions the target high blood pressure in African what path genomics research should forum will address in nine different Americans. It will be one of the first take. panel sessions, with topics ranging drugs to target a racial group. It’s an Doctors can already screen from “Racial Profiling and DNA idea that raises red flags for forum for a number of genetic disorders, Evidence” to “Genetics for panelist Makani Themba-Nixon, including a particular gene linked to Environmental Justice.” executive director of The Praxis breast cancer. In the future, genetic The event includes a keynote Project, a Washington, D.C.-based tests may be used routinely to screen talk by Dr. Francis Collins, director group that works with health centers for tendencies toward alcoholism, of the Maryland-based National nationwide to address equity for depression, cancer, diabetes, heart Human Genome Research Institute, people of color. disease, and immune dysfunction, to which receives $450 million a year in name a few. For one thing, as the Human Genome Project revealed, race is largely a social construct — there are more variations within so-called racial groups than in the human population as a whole. Targeting a drug at a particular group only reinforces those notions, Themba-Nixon and others say. “Some people are excited. They say, yes, we need special drugs. This will be a breakthrough,” Themba-Nixon says. But no wonder drug is going to fix the poverty that led to the condition in the first place, she says. “Genetic adaptations have to do with limited food access, stress, and what it means to live life as a Black person in America — that will raise your blood pressure,” Themba­ Nixon says. “Do we continue to subject people to these conditions, then make them pay for a drug to fix it?” she asks. That’s assuming the poor will be able to afford the new wonder drugs — something Phil Bereano, a UW engineering professor and founder of the Council for Responsible Genetics, seriously doubts. Researchers paint a rosy picture of a future improved by genetically targeted drugs and modified foods when “The reality is a vicious, class-based reality,” he says. “Academic and corporate researchers get much more money to play around with, and there’s precious few tangible medical benefits,” Bereano says. “The ones there are, the poor don’t get.” “Poor people can’t get untailored medicines today,” he says. “We’re putting our resources into tailoring [drugs] and letting other people die by the roadside.” Reprinted from Real Change News, Seattle, USA, May 2005. ©Street News Service: www.street-papers.org Asking For God’s Forgiveness The remarkable thing is that we really come out faithful and true to your by Jimmy Gipson pray and worship to your life-giving love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. divine will. And then I will be Generous in Love – God ways. whiter than snow, living for God. give grace! Great is you mercy – Unbutton my lips, God - I’ll We hate others when we hate Give me a song to dance wipe out my bad memory. Clean let loose with your highest praise – ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. and pray to heal my once broken away all my guilt. Wash out all my Hallelujah! Going through the We forgive others when we forgive bone and worship you, Lord. sins in your Goodness. I know motions does not please you – a Don’t look too close for my wrong; flawless performance is nothing to ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice how bad I’ve been; my sins are others when we are ready to sacrifice keeping me down. You’re the One give me a clean bill of health. God, You. I shattered my pride, then I ourselves. - Eric Hoffer make a fresh start in me, show me I have violated, and you’ve known can learn to worship you God. Grace and mercy from the chaos in it all – seen the extent of my evil. The homeless heartForgiveness is freeing up and putting You have all the facts before my life. Don’t throw me out to the shattered lives need your love and to better use the energy once you; whatever you decide about me trash, or fail to breath Holiness into not for a moment can they escape consumed by holding grudges, me. Bring me back from evil exile. God. Notice all. Make homeless a harboring resentments, and nursing is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time and in the wrong Put a fresh wind in my behavior to place you can delight in. Repair unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering sail. since I was born. homelessness’ broken-down walls, the strengths we always had and Give me a job teaching What you are after is with acts of worship both small and relocating our limitless capacity to obedience and truth from the inside rebels your good and holy ways so large, including those that build understand and accept other people the homeless can find their way out. Enter me, then; conceive a homes. Then they can heave to and ourselves. - Sidney and Suzanne home. Commute my death new, holy, true life. Clean me in your alter for praise and healing! Simon sentence, God. And I’ll sing and you goodness and holiness and I’ll Streetvibes Page 7 �Got The Vibe? “We Do Not Speculate Here” This beautiful, original artwork depicts the vibrant role that Streetvibes plays in downtown Cincinnati and neighboring communities. Created by local artist and activist Mary Ann Lederer in collage form, this colorful 18" X 10" reproduction can be yours to own for only $10. Commemorating Streetvibes 100th issue, proceeds from this limited time offer will go to support the Streetvibes Program and Vendors. To order, call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803 Berta’s Art Corner es Streetvibes tvib Page 8 ee Robin prepares for days walk, “Stop the Bombs International Peace Walk” - Oak Ridge TN to NY, NY - March 14 -May 1, 2005 PATRICK J. BROSNAN (Former New York City homicide detective): It smells very bad. 240 hours. Where is she? It’s a small island. O’REILLY: It’s either she’s held captive someplace, because there is that sex trade in the Caribbean. So there is a possibility that they didn’t do that. But if you don’t have a body, if they threw the body in the ocean, and there are a lot of sharks, you know. (6/8/05) This sort of speculation is nothing new to O’Reilly. When the story of “runaway bride” Jennifer Wilbanks became a cable news sensation, O’Reilly announced (4/ 29/05): “It’s got to be a crime. A woman like that with a long history of responsibility. She had a steady job.... She just wouldn’t bolt and not tell anybody.” As it turned out, of course, that’s just what Wilbanks did. And O’Reilly has “speculated” about far more important matters as well. Shortly after the September 11 attacks (9/14/01), he declared: “Saddam Hussein... I believe is involved with this World Trade Center and Pentagon bombing. I believe that you’re going to find out that money from Iraq flowed in and helped this happen.” No evidence to back up this speculation has since emerged. And before the invasion of Iraq, O’Reilly repeatedly speculated about how long military operations would take. “I will bet you the best dinner in the gaslight district of San Diego that military action will not last more than a week,” he challenged one guest (1/29/03). On another show, O’Reilly asserted, “Our military machine will crush Iraq in a matter of days and there’s no question that it will.” When his guest countered that the war was “going to go on for months,” O’Reilly retorted: “There’s no way. There’s absolutely no way. They may bomb for a matter of weeks, try to soften them up as they did in Afghanistan. But once the United States and Britain unleash, it’s maybe hours. They’re going to fold like that.” Str Cable news networks devoted significant time to covering Natalee Holloway, an Alabama teenager who disappeared in Aruba. But the most popular cable host has urged the media to exercise some caution. On June 9, Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly explained, “As you may know, we do not speculate here on ‘The Factor.’ We have no idea what happened to Natalee or why she left the bar with some Aruban men. I’ve heard some irresponsible media speculate about that, and it makes me angry.” For those who have been following O’Reilly’s coverage of the case, this must have been puzzling. If not “speculation,” what would O’Reilly call the following statements he has made about the Holloway case? “Looks like she’s dead because the five people, two arrested, three interviewed, are all shady characters.” (6/6/05) “I think this was a straight abduction scene. OK? Was she probably - she went to a Boyz II Men concert before she went to the bar, where she danced and partied. All right? Then she indeed and everybody saw her leave with a couple of guys. Now after that is when I— obviously, she got into trouble.” (6/6/05) “But to me, I mean, a woman like this, 18 years old, we know her background, doesn’t have sex with three guys she doesn’t know. I mean, that doesn’t happen.” (6/6/05) O’REILLY: And that, unfortunately, leaves me to believe that this poor woman, the chances of her being alive right now are not strong. CANDICE DeLONG (Retired FBI agent): Correct. Even if they weren’t drug dealers, I am with you in your assessment of what her situation may be now because if these are the five people that are most likely to have been with her, and they’re in custody or being looked at, where is she? O’REILLY: She’s at the bottom of the ocean. DeLONG: That’s what’s got me worried. O’REILLY: She’s at the bottom of the ocean. DeLONG: It’s not looking good.(6/6/05) “I think one of these sleazy thugs will flip. And we’ll probably have this solved at the end of the week — by the end of the week.” (6/6/05) O’REILLY: You have a long history investigating murder. A girl gone this long? Support Your Vendor Buy Streetvibes �never declared war. Bush had no authorization, not even a fig leaf. He was simply attacking another nation WMD capability was less than that of least six months before war was because he’d decided to do so. This Libya, North Korea or Iran.” As the declared.” preemptive war preempted our own Earlier last month, Jeremy document states, “the intelligence and Scahill wrote a powerful piece on the Congress, as well as international law. facts were being fixed around the Most Americans don’t know website of The Nation, describing a policy.” these prewar attacks ever happened. huge air assault in September 2002. The document is damning, There was little coverage at the time, “Approximately 100 US and British particularly coupled with the and there’s been little since. The planes flew from Kuwait into Iraqi testimony of former Bush ghost­ bombings that destroyed Iraq’s air airspace,” Scahill writes. writer Mickey Herskowitz that Bush defenses were under the radar for “At least seven types of was talking about invading Iraq as both the American media and aircraft were part of this massive early as 1999. American citizens. But it’s even more disturbing operation, including US F-15 Strike If coverage of the Downing Eagles and Royal Air Force Tornado as we start learning that this ground-attack planes. They dropped St memo continues to increase, I administration began actively fighting suspect the administration will try to precision-guided munitions on the Iraq war well in advance of the Saddam Hussein’s major western air- dismiss it as mere diplomatic talk, just March 2003 official attack—before inside baseball. But they weren’t just defense facility, clearing the path for both the October 2002 US Special Forces helicopters that lay in manipulating intelligence so they could Congressional authorization and the attack no matter how Saddam November United Nations resolution wait in Jordan. Hussein responded. They weren’t Earlier attacks had been requiring that Saddam Hussein open only bribing would-be allies into carried out against Iraqi command the country up to inspectors. participation. They were fighting a and control centers, radar detection I follow Iraq pretty closely, war they’d planned long before. They systems, Revolutionary Guard units, but was taken aback when Charlie just didn’t bother to tell the American Clements, now head of the Unitarian communication centers and mobile air-defense systems. The Pentagon’s public. Universalist Service Committee, Paul Loeb is the author of goal was clear: Destroy Iraq’s ability described driving in Iraq months The Impossible Will Take a Little before the war “and a building would to resist.” Why aren’t we talking about While: A Citizen’s Guide to Hope in a just explode, hit by a missile from 30,000 feet –‘What is that building?’” this? As Scahill points out, this was a Time of Fear (Basic Books), named month before the Congressional vote, the #3 political book of 2004 by the Clements would ask. “’Oh, that’s a History Channel and American Book and two before the UN resolution. telephone exchange.’” Supposedly part of enforcing Association. See http:// Later, at a conference at www.theimpossible.org/ You can “no fly zones,” the bombings were Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base, Clements heard a U.S. General boast actually systematic assaults on Iraq’s read more about the Downing St capacity to defend itself. The US had memo at http:// “that he began taking out assets that www.afterdowningstreet.org could help in resisting an invasion at More Damning than Downing Street by Paul Rogat Loeb It’s bad enough that the Bush administration had so little international support for the Iraqi war that their “coalition of the willing” meant the U.S., Britain, and the equivalent of a child’s imaginary friends. It’s even worse that, as the British Downing Street memo confirms, they had so little evidence of real threats that they knew from the start that they were going to have manufacture excuses to go to war. What’s more damning still is that they effectively began this war even before the congressional vote. With Congressman John Conyers holding hearings, the media are finally starting to cover the Downing Street memo. This transcript of a July 23, 2002 British Prime Minister’s meeting, whose legitimacy the British government confirms, details their response to the Bush administration’s intention to go to war against Iraq, no matter how Saddam Hussein responded, and even while claiming they were still seeking peaceful solutions. “It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided,” states the document. “But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his Hate Crimes & Violence Against Homeless People Increasing stabbed a disabled homeless man to death and then licked the blood from his fingers on a Denver sidewalk. More recently, on May 28th 2005, in Holly Hill, Florida, 53-year­ old Michael Roberts was beaten and punched to death with sticks and logs by a group of teenagers who admitted to beating the man just for fun, to have something to do. The autopsy report indicates that Roberts died of blunt-force trauma to the head and body, his ribs were broken, his skull was fractured, and his legs were badly injured. Defensive wounds were found on his hands. The boys returned several times to make sure the job was done. Homelessness is an issue that affects every community in America. Homeless people lack the protection of a locked door available to homeowners, leaving them in an unprotected position where they are subjected to hate crimes and violence. Sadly, the prevalence of hate crimes and violence against homeless people has risen, as well as negative stereotypes reinforced by the media and intolerant people. Through this report, NCH hopes to educate lawmakers, advocates, and the public about the problem of hate crimes and violence against homeless people, as well as call for a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study addressing this issue. This year’s report, Hate, Violence and Death on Main Street USA: A Report on Hate Crimes and Violence Against People Experiencing Homelessness in 2004, includes data from news reports, advocates, victims’ accounts, and homeless shelters on the number of homeless victimizations that have occurred in the past six years (for the full 2004 report and previous reports, please visithttp://nationalhomeless.org/ civilrights/hatecrimes.html#8). Facts and Trends: The number of homeless deaths has risen by 67% since 2002. The number of non-lethal attacks against homeless people has risen by 281% since 2002. These crimes occurred in 140 cities in the past six years. These crimes occurred in 39 states, plus Puerto Rico. The age range of the accused/ convicted ranged from 11 to 65 years of age. The age range of the victims ranged from 4 Months old to 74 Years of age. Gender of victims: 296 Male and 44 Female. Hate Crimes and Violence Against People Experiencing Homelessness 80 80 61 Number of Victims Washington D.C. – For the past six years (1999-2004), the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) has tracked and reported on a disturbing increase in crimes targeting homeless people. These violent attacks on homeless people, one of our most vulnerable populations, result in injury and in many cases death. The well-documented affordable housing crisis is not the only crisis to affect the millions of people who are homeless every year. There is also an increasing pattern of civil rights abuses and violence directed at the homeless population. Homelessness is no longer simply an issue of the right to affordable housing but a matter of life and death. As the danger of living without a home increases, the lack of federal housing resources as well as the absence of the political will to end homelessness becomes increasingly more shameful. In October of 2004, three Milwaukee teens murdered a homeless man at his forest campsite. The teens hit 49-year-old Rex Baum, with rocks, a flashlight, and a pipe, before smearing feces on his face and covering his body with leaves and plastic. In August of 2004, Curtis Gordon Adams, 33, beat and Streetvibes 60 48 Deaths 42 35 40 20 12 21 17 15 25 21 Non­ lethal 9 0 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Page 9 �The Peace Village by Steve Sunderland of co-founding a whole area of study and practice: grief counseling. Thanks to many people, I was a part of the founding group for one national organization, Parents of Murded Children, and one city wide service for children, Fernside: Cincinnati Center for Grieving Children. I was also able to create courses that permitted study in these areas, most notably, “Grief and Dying,” and “Social Work and Spirituality.” My work has been presented on national television and I have been the recipient of wonderful awards from support groups, the Veterans As of July 1, 2005, I will be leaving the school of social work and joining the College of Education as professor of educational foundations and peace studies. I wish to share with you my deep feelings about this change and my reasons for taking this step. I came to the University of Cincinnati in 1979 to be the third dean of the College of Community Services. One of our programs was social work. The new director of the program, Dr. Sheldon Seigel, the provost, Dr. John McCall, and I worked together as a team to win the first accreditation of the MSW program. Three years later, following the close of the College of Community Services, and making Dr. Steve Sunderland sure that future university support would not harm Administration and the Cincinnati accreditation, I joined the school of Public Schools. social work as professor and Since the 2001 Cincinnati I have greatly enjoyed the last riots and the terrorist attack on the 21 years of co-teaching. U.S., I have rethought my whole The school is a voice for the approach to social work education. I social concerns of graduate and asked myself: “What could I do to undergraduate students who want to educate for peace through social professionally care about poor work?” Over the past four years, I people, minorities, and those in have created a new course, “Social greatest need in cur community. I Work and Peace,” and two service was very happy to join my own organizations, “Posters 4 Peace,” and resources with the other faculty and “Peace Village.” Through these students to meet these important activities, thousands of people have goals. I have worked over the past participated in the educational two decades with two very able process of learning how social work directors, a great group of faculty, knowledge can be translated into and an outstanding student body. peace work in counseling During my tenure I had the privilege relationships, community development, and conflict resolution. I have been privileged to build a growing and beautiful relationship with the Freestone/ Food Bank and to connect 15 high schools and UC to a city wide effort to understand the connection between peace and hunger. Understanding has led to action and this past year saw a record amount of food donations from these educational institutions. The connection to hunger issues laid a foundation for response when the tsunami hit in Southeast Asia and Africa. Again, the Peace Village community of schools and college programs responded with creative programs, generous funds, and a widespread desire to learn more about the countries most affected. Over the past few months, thanks in part to a U.S. State Department grant, and colleagues in South Asian Studies at Ohio University, I have had the chance to directly visit Indonesia and continue the planning process for Peace Village: Indonesia. I hope that we can create a model similar to what was Accomplished in Northern India when three Peace Village students, one a graduate of UC, one an UC graduate student, were critical in establishing Peace Village: India in three high schools in Ghaziabad. The work in reducing local hunger and joining in the international relief effort has strengthened my intellectual and emotional understanding and commitment to peace education and service. I believe that small acts of compassion add up to impressive results for those involved in partnerships, whether they be students, faculty or staff. The voices and faces of the hungry and homeless are necessary for a serious peace education and I am very happy that the College of Education agrees with me and wishes to encourage a deeper involvement. I have come to learn that a great educational program is made better by including those who are in greatest need. Providing such an education is in the highest service of peace. I have learned from my students, whom I call co-teachers, that each one of them who chooses to, can make a difference in peace in their own lives as well as in their work to bring peace to their clients, families, and communities. The College of Education is offering me a generous platform for personal and program development of the ideas that I believe are most central for professional education. I have been impressed with their desire to create a process of collaborative partnership, and to use candor and respect as critical values in personal and professional relationships. Finally, I leave the school of social work after 24 years will a full heart of gratitude. My co-teachers have known me very well and taught me to never take them or their intelligence for granted. I am grateful for their encouragement and I hope to keep the spirit of freedom, justice and democracy as a critical continuing part of my future teaching. They keep me strongly believing that a great university is only as strong as its many voices of compassion, intelligence and honesty. Thank you. man, working for a graphic design firm, living in a nice apartment on New York’s Upper West Side and wearing Armani suits to the office. The sudden AIDS-related death of his brother Wayne was the catalyst for the crack cocaine addiction that would soon catapult him to rock bottom. “I feel strangely relieved,” he writes in Grand Central Winter of the moment he lost his home. “Elated, even.” A bookshop audience in the well-heeled Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn will later sit attentively as he relates his relief in letting go of the “stuff” he felt was defining him. “I was frantically pursuing this track in life that I had no personal investment in, but I didn’t know what else to do,” he reflects now. “When everything was gone, I thought, ‘I don’t have to do that!’” At first, survival took the form of can collecting, a job that Stringer was as fiercely proud of as he had once been of his sales prowess. When the supermarkets and the City of New York combined to make that less profitable (in order to keep homeless people out of shops), he stumbled across Street News, a newspaper that originally inspired The Big Issue. Stringer discovered he could be listened to and respected by selling Street News and writing his advice column about street life for the paper; he realized he didn’t need “the props”, that he could define himself through the value of his ideas. It was his column that eventually caught the attention of publisher Dan Simon, Dr. Steve Sunderland, professor of Social Work at the University of Cincinnati, is the Director of The Peace Village, a group of individuals from the national and interna­ tional community committed to examining all issues of Peace in the world. Dr. Sunderland also heads up Posters-for-Peace which en­ gages people in expressing their visions of Peace, in their own words through the cre­ ation of posters. Made in Manhattan From marketing man to drugaddicted derelict to best-selling author, Lee Stringer has lost – and found – himself on the streets of New York. Acclaimed writer Lee Stringer once likened his appeal to a talking dog: “Here I was, a black, homeless man. ‘Look, he speaks in complete sentences!’” That was in 2000, two years after the publication of Grand Central Winter, his account of 12 years spent homeless in New York. He had been recognized on streets all over America, earned literary fame and fortune, and journeyed from homelessness and crack addiction to acting on the board of Project Renewal, the treatment programme that had helped him to dry out. Sitting before me today, slightly weary yet affably charming, Stringer has outgrown his status as a Page 10 curiosity and matured into a writer comfortable in his own skin. The deep lines carved into his face are the only outward suggestion of an extraordinary life. But to some people, the talking dog still reigns supreme. Despite its fine writing and foreword by the iconic Kurt Vonnegut, Stringer’s second book Sleepaway School (a memoir of his childhood at reform school) has received less attention than his debut. Still, Lee Stringer has come far enough and is sure enough of his own worth to unselfconsciously joke about the topic of his own slow sales and slight media recognition of late, telling anecdotes about his collision with the Bill Clinton juggernaut on last year’s book tour. “He just sucked up all the ink on anything literary,” he laughs. Before life on the streets, Stringer was a successful marketing Streetvibes Made... cont. on page 13 �“freedom.” Instead, the Panther Praxis 101 foremost, platform was built off experience. by Rosette Royale Attitude, the poster on the wall declared, is a little thing that makes a BIG difference. And before that poster sat Bobby Seale, cofounder and chairman of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, projecting attitude throughout a small classroom at the Garfield Community Center, home to last month’s Seattle Black Panther Party reunion. For over an hour, Brother Seale — as he was respectfully called— provided teachings on the topic of “Black Panther Party Theory & Ideology: The Revolutionary Theory and Ideas that led to Practice!” He was on hand to share what went down in the early days of the Panther movement. Which meant a clarification. Socialist ideology, he proclaimed, was not the impetus behind the Panther’s 10-Point Plan, a platform asking for, among other things, “an immediate end to all wars of aggression,” “free health care for all Black and oppressed people,” “decent housing,” and, first and “It grew out my and Huey’s knowledge of the history and struggle of Black and African people,” Brother Seale said, referring to Huey P. Newtown, Panther Party cofounder and Panther Minister of Defense. The knowledge of Black and African peoples became something Brother Seale sought out in 1962, when he was a 26-year old engineering student. During that year, he first heard the term AfroAmerican. “’What in the world is that?’” he remembered asking himself. He read, he recalled, books suggested to him by those he admired, learning a history never taught to him at Berkeley High School. His own self-initiated brand of home schooling had “more to do with my contribution to the ideology of the Black Panther Party” than Marxist theory, Brother Seale professed. One point he learned from Newton, he recalled, was to “capture the imagination of the people,” a recollection that led, naturally enough, to hearing from some of the 60-plus people huddled in the room. A woman — noting the Panthers were the most advanced revolutionary group she’d encountered— voiced concern over where the professed revolution was now, with the LAPD training officers overseas, with the threat of microchips being nestled within licenses. The practices of the Panthers, she said, don’t work. Breakfast programs helped to educate people who are in opposition to oppression, Brother Seale countered. As for a revolution, he said, it may have to come to that. “It will have to come to that,” the woman replied. Brother Seale, in an effort to continue connecting with young people, said that he started R.E.A.C.H in 1992, a youth empowerment program. He hasn’t time to work on R.E.A.C.H, as raising money for the program has superseded that goal. And so he borrowed a fundraising plan from a famous revolutionary from the 60s: Jane Fonda. Vendor risks death in runaway crane to save lives by Johan Schronen and Cindy Mathys, Cape Town, South Africa It took a couple of heroes to avert a tragedy: the driver of a runaway crane truck who decided to stay behind the wheel to save lives and a streetpaper vendor who ran from car to car shouting at drivers to get out of the way. But the hurtling 30-ton mobile crane, without brakes crashed into several cars before the driver could bring it to a halt just meters before the a busy intersection. Amazingly, only one motorist was injured. It happened last month after Howard January of Eerste River drove his Kumkani Crane from a building site in Sea Point. In High Level Road his brake pedal bottomed out as he came over the hill. Kumkani owner Ryan Wall said most drivers would have bailed out through the window and let the truck go, but “Howard hung on to the steering wheel”. “He told me afterwards that there were just too many people in the way and that his life was just one, so he had to do what he could.” Wall said January worked for a salary but his courage had made him a “true hero”. “Howard was able to get the truck into its lowest gear so that the engine could help slow him down, but it was still bulldozing down the hill until he stopped much further down,” Wall said. January aimed the crane to miss cars in the right-hand lane. But at the Chiappini Street intersection there were stationary cars he could not avoid. The crane smashed into the cars then hurtled on to the normally busy Buitengracht Street intersection. Wall said the suppliers of the crane were coming from Japan to investigate the malfunction. Mall incident sheds light on the true colors of apathy by Quin Richardson I often wondered why people are so involved in themselves that they don’t see what is going on around them. But then my thoughts changed. I started thinking that people weren’t so involved in themselves but maybe they just don’t care. I was at a local shopping center in Northeast Portland having a great time. I was out to buy some shoes. As I approached the escalators, I stepped on to the first step, but my foot was too close to the edge, and I wound up falling from the top of the step all the way to the bottom. I sat there in utter amazement. I could not believe that not one person in that mall stopped to help or ask me if I was OK. Even worse, the people that were standing behind me literally stepped over me and kept going. As I sat there in disbelief, and tears filled in my eyes, I felt a hand on my shoulder. A man in grungy clothing and a smell that wasn’t much to be desired bent down and asked me, “Honey, are you OK?” I said “no.” He proceeded to help me to my feet. As I looked down, I noticed that my leg had gotten cut and blood was seeping through my pants. I limped alongside this man, holding on to his waist for support as he helped me to the medical office. After receiving 12 stitches in my leg, I came out of the doctor’s office and began looking for the man that had helped me, but he was nowhere to be found. I was so disappointed because I wanted to show him my gratitude. The next day I went back to the mall to buy those shoes, this time making sure that I stayed away from the escalators. Just as I had stepped off the elevator I heard a ruckus. As I looked up I saw mall security roughhandling a man. As I looked, I noticed that this was the same man that had come to my rescue. At first I hesitated, and then I asked myself, should I get involved? I walked up to the security guard and said, “Excuse me, but what is the problem, this is my friend.” He proceeded to tell me that “this man is a bum.” I said “excuse me, a bum? What gives you the right to call this man out of his name, and what rules has he broken?” “Well he has no money.” “How do you know?” I then went on to tell him that he was violating this man’s rights and I reminded him that yesterday I had fallen on the escalators and no one helped me including him as he walked by. I reminded him that it was this man who stepped in to help me. I reminded him that I had not pressed any charges on the mall because of my fall, because I do believe accidents can happen. But if this is how this mall treats its visitors, then maybe I should get my attorney and file a suit. The guard then let go of the man’s arm and said, “No, no that won’t be necessary.” The man went on and Streetvibes “If Jane Fonda can put out an exercise tape, I can put out a cookbook,” he said. And thus Barbeque’n with Bobby Seale was born. Speaking as if past criticism he’d received for writing such a book still rubbed a nerve, Brother Seale added, “By the way, revolutionaries eat, too.” Then a man in the back spoke up. After expounding on fascist police states, the King Alfred Plan (a fictional depiction of an international conspiracy to eradicate people of African descent taken as gospel by some), AIDS conspiracy theories, and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, he distilled his emotions into one simple question: “What is an alternative to show that democracy is a fake term that doesn’t mean nothing?” Unifying people, Brother Seale answered. To what degree can people be unified? “The people must always know the objective,” he replied to the crowd. “You got to get people close-knit and tight.” Reprinted from Real Change News Nancy Nikelo, who was selling the Big Issue magazine on the corner of Strand and Buitengracht streets, said she was standing on the island when she heard a loud noise. “I knew there was big kak (trouble) coming down the hill when I heard the big crunches and crashes up there so I darted around the cars, tapping on the drivers’ widows and pointing back up the hill to warn them that danger was coming,” she said. “Most of the drivers listened to me and pulled out of the way but a man in a bakkie thought I was just adamant, trying to sell a magazine. He would not listen so the lorry took him. said, “Thank you” to me and walked in to the exit. I ran after him and told him that he didn’t have to go, but he felt that it would be better if he did. I turned and walked away. It was hard for me to fathom that this had happened just because this man was homeless and he did not fit up to the standards of our society. I was at that point very ashamed of our society. I found that I could not bring myself to buy anything from that mall, so I left. As I was walking I saw the man sitting on the sidewalk and I stopped and thanked him again for his help that he had gotten me. I gave him the $40 that I was going to use for shoes and walked away. It was the events that had unfolded in those two days that changed my whole outlook on the mall and the some of our fellow Portlanders. I believe that it is not that people are too busy to help. I believe that they are just too wrapped up in themselves to really care. Page 11 �Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati All Vendors Sign and Agree to a Code of Conduct Coalition for the Homeless and Report Any Violations to GCCH - 421-7803 Streetvibes.... 1. Streetvibes will be distributed Vendors must not tell customers earned. This program has helped for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 30 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits go to the individual vendor. that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand. The mission of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) is to support a street newspaper movement that creates and upholds journalistic and ethical standards while promoting self-help and empowerment among people living in poverty. NASNA papers support homeless and very low-income people in more than 35 cities across the United States and Canada. Streetvibes Vendor: 70 Cents (70 cent profit goes directly to the vendor) Homeless Coalition 30 Cents Printing and Production: 30 cents (this cost does not cover expenses) Page 12 The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) was formed in May of 1984 for one purpose: the eradication of homelessness in Cincinnati. What started out as a coalition of 15 volunteers meeting weekly in an unheated church basement has since grown into a Coalition of over 45 agencies and hundreds of volunteers dedicated to improving services for homeless individuals, educating the public about homelessness and empowering homeless individuals to advocate for their civil rights and housing needs. Streetvibes is a tool of GCCH used to help us achieve our goal of ending homelessness. On the one hand it is a selfsufficiency program geared towards the homeless and marginally housed individuals who are our vendors. Streetvibes vendors buy the paper for 30 cents per copy and sell it for a suggested one-dollar donation, keeping the profit that they have hundreds of people find and maintain housing. The vendors also sign a code of conduct stating that they will behave responsibly and professionally and they proudly display their official Streetvibes badge while selling the paper. Our vendors put a face on “the homeless” of Cincinnati and form lasting friendships with their customers. On the other hand, Streetvibes is an award-winning alternative newspaper and part of the international street newspaper movement. Focusing on homelessness and social justice issues, Streetvibes reports the often-invisible story of poverty in our community. Streetvibes is also proud to include creative writing, poetry, articles, photography and interviews written by homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Streetvibes enjoys a loyal reader base that respects the honest portrayal of the joys, sorrows, and challenges facing the people of Cincinnati. Streetvibes is a member of the: The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) unites street papers sold by homeless and people living in poverty from all over the world. INSP is an umbrella organisation, which provides a consultancy service for its partner papers and advises on the setting up of new street papers and support initiatives for marginalised people. Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support. Streetvibes When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confu­ sion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can toler­ ate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our power­ lessness, that is a friend who cares. - Henri Nouwen �Bin Appetite by Peter Ascot Desperate measures or a taste for waste? We lift the lid on food-foraging dumpster divers. When you see someone dipping into a bin for food, it’s tempting to look the other way, to avoid facing their plight and our wastefulness. Some people scavenge for survival – they forage through piles of rubbish because other alternatives are thin on the ground. But there’s another type of scrounger, for whom it’s a political choice. Welcome to the world of the dumpster diver. According to Paul Martin, a veteran dumpster diver who works in the renewable energy industry, “long­ term dumpster divers do it for principles, not money.” Every large supermarket has bins onsite for their waste, which can include Styrofoam and cardboard packaging, plastics, broken glass and floor sweepings – and a surprising amount of good food. Some of it is out of date but still perfectly edible, while other items may be discarded due to dented tins or damaged packaging. It’s just a matter of getting it before the landfill truck does, which contributes to the thrill of the chase. “The practice of dumpster diving has reawakened the huntergatherer in me,” says Martin. “There’s definitely an instinctual and tribal feel to what we’re doing. It’s a lucky dip and it’s great for cooking because you have to think what to do with these foods, so it helps you get creative in the kitchen.” But actually plunging in? “The average supermarket will throw out about 10 cubic meters of rubbish a day,” he says. “Dumpster diving mostly consists of reaching into the dumpsters from the top. But different sections of the supermarket – dry fridge,” agrees Martin. “I put on a three-course dumpster meal every goods, the freezer section, fruit and veggies, etc – throw rubbish out as couple of weeks, typically feeding up the day goes on, creating layers to 12 mates. We have a tradition – through the bin to choose from. halfway through the meal we tell Whichever section has thrown out people who don’t know already that produce last is on top. If that’s not it’s from the dumpster. They all come what you want, you’ve got to dive in! back!” Perishable goods are the most And why not? Even fancy common to find – dairy, fruit, veggies restaurants can give you salmonella; and meats.” Martin has only ever had food On his first-ever dumpster poisoning from milk he bought in a dive, Martin uncovered a high-quality shop. “Some people think the food is smorgasbord of cheese, yoghurt and bad for you simply because it came deli meat, and was hooked. “I have from the bin, but it’s all packaged, so enough money to feed myself without it is easy to transport and clean. And hassle,” he says,”but dumpster diving the meat is also great for pets.” is fun, and we contribute to reducing Of course, it’s better to landfill at the same time.” But it isn’t minimize the risks. “Winter is better fun for everyone. Out of for dumpster diving as the food keeps consideration for those with empty better than in the blazing hot bellies and pockets, most dumpster summer,” notes Martin, who thinks divers are conscious of only taking it’s the logistical hurdles, rather than what they can use and leaving plenty the quality of the goods, that’s behind. unpredictable. “The biggest And, of course, a penny hindrances are cages and locks to saved is a penny the multinationals stop people throwing household didn’t get their paws on. “I dunno rubbish into the bins,” he says. “But whether to we leave the area mention this,” neat and even “The practice of murmurs Martin’s pick up the staff’s dumpster diving has housemate, DJ mess, just to keep reawakened the hunterShifty, “but [with the shop from not gatherer in me. There’s the money I’ve liking us.” saved] I’ve paid Martin definitely an instinctual off $1000 of my estimates that and tribal feel to what Centrelink debt about 20 per cent we’re doing.” and put $1500 of bins are towards a locked, and the biodiesel car. And I’ve tasted foods areas are patrolled by shopping and different flavors that I have never centre security guards or supermarket been able to afford in my life – beef staff. “If they are locked, just take a worth $35 dollars per kilo for shifter and pliers,” he advises. “Either breakfast. I think half the reason it’s remove the bolt that holds the kept so quiet is because us dumpy padlock to the bin or remove the bar kids are onto a serious score.” that holds the lid to the bin and open “When we have a majority of it backwards. The guards don’t dumpster divers in our share house, mind; they just want to know that we always have an abundance of you’re not damaging anything, and food, as opposed to an empty they don’t see any value in the goods anyway.” Besides, he claims, the ownership of the discarded goods is a grey area. “Legally, once you throw something in the bin, it’s the bin company’s property. If the supermarket is charged by weight, you’re doing them a favor. So there’s nothing covert about what we do. Usually we go in the afternoon, because the bins aren’t full until then.” With so much good, free food to go around, this dumpster crew is happy for anyone else to get onto their ‘serious score’. So their message is simple: have a go by all means, but don’t spoil it for anyone else. “Whatever you do, leave it the way you found it!” implores Martin. “If you make a mess or damage anything, it will wreck the good name we have created, and the bin will be made inaccessible to all. Think about your actions!” And, of course, don’t be greedy – leave enough for those who genuinely need it. Reprinted from The Big Issue Australia “Don “Don’’t Leave Home W ithout IIt...” t...” Streetvibes Made... cont. from page 10 who had dutifully bought Street News on the subway, tucking it under his arm to be disposed of later. It still happened to be under his arm when he found himself stuck in a tunnel for 20 minutes with nothing else to do, so he pulled it out and started to read. He later told Publisher’s Weekly that Stringer’s writing immediately struck him as “electric” and “bristling with ideas”. So he called him to his office for a meeting, tentatively suggested he write a book, and the rest – as they say – is history. “My brain went this way: book, advance, money, drugs.” he says now. “Yeah! Let’s do a book!” We both laugh before he adds, “It was the right decision made for the wrong reasons.” Ironically, Stringer was halfway through his first draft when he realized he couldn’t continue taking drugs and writing. He talks about the 12-step program he successfully completed, and his belief that at the heart of any substance-abuse problem lies a desire for more out of life – a desire that is spiritual (“not religious”, he emphasizes) in nature. The writing that provoked change, and the treatment programme that allowed him to turn the corner, had one common attraction: both involved stripping off the layers and revealing yourself, something Stringer calls “the most important thing you can do as an individual”. He admits: “The process of writing a book can be very selfaggrandizing and masturbatory. I don’t like the idea of dishonesty, of dressing yourself up.” Post-treatment, he discarded his 140-page manuscript in disgust, disliking the “self-righteous son of a bitch” he found there, and started over. “The biggest change in my life is having that hole [brought about by self-awareness] filled,” he says. “But the writing part feeds into that. It’s certainly a privilege and a pleasure to make your way in the world through something that is connected with who you are. Especially when most jobs ask you to sell off pieces of yourself.” After leavingAustralia, Stringer will return to his home in suburban New York, the same town he grew up in. He will go back to serving on the board of his local library (in addition to the boards of Project Renewal and a youth-shelter programme) and planning his upcoming novel, tentatively titled The Jesus Tapes. “Growth is not something you get,” he tells me. “It’s something that you come to each day.” Page 13 �It’s Alright Thinking by Robert Manassa So you’re wondering what your next move will be? It’s too far fetched now, for you to see. You may think you’re doing the right thing you find out later you haven’t done anything It’s Alright You’ll find out somewhere down the line That sooner or later that thing will be fine you try and try with all of your heart The things you are trying to do don’t all fall apart It’s Alright when all is said and done, you gave things a spin Remember; never-ever give up on things if you don’t win Have faith as much as a mustard seed please take things you try to do slow, never speed It’s Alright by Jimmie Pryor Jr. Sitting here with all types of thoughts; like kids on a playground in my mind, the picture so huge the space so confined. Wanting to hold on to some of the good memories that are bad for me. Knowing all those things are history. My life tears always seem to trickle, simply because me life has been going in circles. Sometimes up and sometimes down but always going around. Being at one time in the fastlane, speeding into danger, without even thinking just moving in anger. My cellphone rings and I ignore it, Not wanting to talk to anyone only wanting to dig a deeper pit. Crying within my soul about all the stories that’s never been told. Inside steadily sinking, Lord, I wish I could slow down and really do some thinking. The Indonesia Burden of Oppression: The Song of the Plantations “My Motherland is Crying” Pure by Jessica Brock A dove is a pretty bird from its beak to its tail feathers You’ll only see it in Sunny Weather Like the bird, a child’s spirit is born, pure and white innocent to the eye Like a dove, a symbol of love The Motherland is crying. The tears are coming down. Gold and diamonds are only a memory For us, mountains, rice field, the ocean that belong to us. The Motherland is crying And praying. This song of protest of the Indonesian students stands ready as a weapon. When sung, the students rally, await instruction, and revolt. So, I learned on our bus trip through Java from one of the former student leaders, “M,” a bright and quiet young man, looking out of the window at the countryside of poverty, rice fields, and begging elders that raced by us as our bus pushed forward on dusty and crowded roads. “We are ready,” he said with steely confidence, “to come back if we are needed. We await the call of the song.” I listened, not really knowing what he was saying or understanding the historical role of students in bringing down the dictators of Indonesia. CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE I firmly believe that mother universe will provide all that I am in need of to sustain this life of mine. Each of us can harness the talents and energies to accomplish everything we set for ourselves as a goal. We are each in the space and place we belong in. Where we are and where we are headed is already pre-destined. It has been determined by the seeds we have sewn in this life and by those of the past. Its success depends on how well we attend to the crop we have planted within us. when in doubt we must speak truthfully.......in all matters love every one with a open hand......even when it is painful to do so ......look into tomorrow and do what is for the good of all.......including you. Great care should be taken of what you manifest. Do not speak or act anything negative into existence...Knowingly refrain from these activities. Page 14 (From Dr. Steve Sunderland) Tall Tales by Jessica Brock Mother said, pretty is as pretty does but you can’t be pretty being a thug growing up on the rough rider streets you got to be mean, not neat, not sweet To throw on a dress and say please is to no avail To put on jeans and a hoody is a tall tale Staying strong is a priority on the streets Not, sugar ands spice and everything nice Writers! Submit your Poetry to STREETVIBES ­ email your writing to Streetvibes@juno.com Streetvibes �Shutter Speed by Berta Lambert As I Play by Jessica Brock A day of fun, in the sun with all my friends to play we pray we’ll be okay but only God can say Laughter and smiles are on our faces a bullet shot past, now we’re at a grave but please don’t worry, I’m okay, the kingdom of heaven is where I play Pride Parade, Clifton Untitled by Tess Henderson No food. No home. No life. “It’s his own fault he’s poor.” Those who do not know Speak that which they Don’t understand. To live, to maintain Exist from day to day, Is the greatest challenge. Hungry eyes, hungry bellies, Hungry hearts: All yearning for things So simple we take them for granted. Eating in shelters, Sleeping in cars. Broken dreams and Shattered hearts. Hardest of times and endless strife. No food. No home. No life. “Morning Prayer” by E. Lynn Clayton The glory of the morning is redeeming. The newness of the day brings hope of a fresh start. Keep my mind this day oh Lord. Allow me to live in the moment, for each moment with you is a step closer to my destiny. On this road called ‘Purpose’ there are no backward steps, Only brief pauses in a journey already for-seen. For-seen by the Maker and Creator of all. Discerned by the discerner before the fall. Stand up, continue, for new mercies He gives everyday. Forgiveness, I ask for in the sincerest way. This poem was written by a student who participated in the Mayerson Foundation Summer Service Leadership Project. Students from area high schools stayed at Hebrew Union College and served in a wide range of social service agencies in Over-the-Rhine. Sometime to myself is all I need I’m glad I’m all alone A closed in space a one room place I feel that I can call home Light blue walls Dark blue covers I have a room and it has no shutters Openness is how I fell But contained is what’s real From day one it was a new experience, meeting different people, Getting to know one another From no TV’s to small beds and wake-up calls it was It made me open my eyes and see how greatly blessed I was. Although this was just a college dorm and we are only here for a week, it was A great experience and I got a sneak peek. Now I feel I have a voice. I can make a difference. Now I can tell all my friends what they really have been missing. Constance Student, Mt. Healthy High School Streetvibes Page 15 �357-4602 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 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 SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome Hse. 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services, Inc 751-9797 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Need Help or Want to Help? MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 July 2005 Cover Story Page 1 Education Program Brings Homeless Awareness into Cincinnati Classrooms BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY STREETVIBES $1 Donation � 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 2005 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 2005 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: GCCH Education Packet on Homelessness Available to Local Schools The Mayerson Foundation Serves to Foster Student Leadership Pg 2: African Americans Left Out of Development Deals Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: Vendors Pg 5: “Back to the Streets” Humanizes the Homeless A Good Cause is a Terrible Thing to Waste Pg 6: Downing Street Memo; Activists “Wing Nuts,” “Paranoid” Pg 7: Two-Tiered Asking for God’s Forgiveness Pg 8: “We Do Not Speculate Here” Pg 9: More Damning Than Downing Street Hate Crimes & Violence Against Homeless People Increasing Pg 10: The Peace Village Pg 11: Panther Praxis 101 Vendor Risks Death in Runaway Crane to Save Lives Pg 12: Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Streetvibes Pg 13: Bin Appetite Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry 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 July 2005 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Alison Leeuw Andy Erickson Rachel Lawson Kate McManus Mary Gaffney Melvin Williams Susan Smith Amanda Mertz Jimmy Heath Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Activists African Americans Alison Leeuw Amanda Mertz Andy Erickson Arts & Poetry education FRAC GCCH Georgine Getty Hate Crimes Homeless News Digest Jimmy Heath Kate McManus Manhattan Mary Gaffney Mary Gaffney Jimmy Heath Mayerson Foundation Melvin Williams New York Peace Village Rachel Lawson Schools Students Susan Smith Violence https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/2effcfe3c7018a9e0da962366e62c7f3.pdf ccb7e330d5f9963c7067fe25148e3f89 PDF Text Text July 2006 STREETVIBES New Hope for the Homeless? by Pat Clifford, General Coordinator, DIC, Cinti, Oh Are some of the homeless hopeless? Can housing be found for people who have been on the streets for years? People often see homeless individuals when they are driving downtown. Sometimes under bridges. Sometimes sitting on curbs. The “regulars.” The “long timers.” Pitied by some, reviled by others, they are the chronically homeless. The question is: can the chronically homeless be helped and live in our city with dignity? Or are they too far gone to change. The first question one may ask is how many chronically homeless are there in Cincinnati and what percentage of the homeless population do they comprise. Often it is thought that almost all those who are homeless go without housing for a long time. Not true, according to the Cincinnati – Hamilton County Homeless Management Information System. “The myth is that most people that are homeless are homeless for a long time. The numbers don’t bear that out,” according to Steve Knight, who has worked with the homeless for years and is now Shelter Coordinator for the Drop Inn Center. He says that the average stay in a Cincinnati homeless shelter is approximately three weeks. Families typically stay longer, but most homeless individuals stay about two weeks. How many of the homeless qualify as “chronically homeless?” Statistics show that about 352 at any given time qualify, about 26% of the homeless population. If that is the case, why do those images come to mind whenever one thinks of the homeless? Perhaps because they are more visible. Whenever someone drives downtown, the image they take away is one of the panhandlers on the Cover Story street corner. Unnoticed are the people working day labor or waiting in line for a landlord. Regardless of whether the long term homeless comprise the majority of the homeless or a relatively small amount, what can be done about meeting the needs of this population rather than demonizing them? Cincinnati has tried many methods. Some have succeeded, some have not. Is law enforcement the solution to chronic homelessness? Cincinnati City Council just passed permanent legislation to require panhandlers to obtain a license through the City. The Cincinnati Police Department just completed a month of sweeps for nuisance crimes targeted toward removing criminals from the streets of Over-theRhine. During that period, Over-the-Rhine residents were quoted as saying that the streets feel much safer, drug dealers are now off the corners and that people can walk without fear of being shot. However, did these efforts impact the number of homeless? The Drop Inn Center disputes that a large segment of its population was involved in the recent sweeps. Police claim that fifteen percent of those caught in the sweeps were homeless. Shelter officials counter that the number is more like five percent. “The records show that 95% of our residents were not involved in criminal behavior so far this year. I think that’s a pretty telling statistic,” says Knight. Also according to shelter officials, the shelter’s nightly census also remained level for the period of the sweeps, showing that these efforts, while they may have made the neighborhood feel safer, did not have an impact on reducing homelessness What then is to be done about the long term homeless? Researchers and homeless advocates think they have the answer: Put them in housing. That is hard for many to believe. How can one place someone who has been homeless for years, many with multiple physical and mental disabilities, in an apartment among the general population? Isn’t that unsafe? The difference lies in the support that comes with the housing. The term “supportive housing” is unfamiliar to many, but cities across the country are embracing this housing as a solution to homelessness. In Denver, for example, their Mayor has called for the creation of over three thousand units of supportive housing and calls to aid their “Denver’s Road Home” effort are advertised on banners in their downtown area. In Chicago, a non-profit group called Lakefront SRO has developed thousands of units of supportive housing in their downtown area, including a “supportive housing” high-rise in the trendy South Loop. New York City even has a supportive housing complex in the Times Square district. According to Amy Harpenau, a licensed social worker who works daily with the long term homeless, “The key is to remove the barriers to housing that traditionally block this population from entry.” Barriers like high rents, sobriety requirements and background checks are what have kept this population homeless. In their place, groups have added high levels of supportive services that encourage people to reduce risky behavior, implement heightened security precautions and refer people to the medical and treatment services they need. What do residents and community leaders feel about this housing being located in their neighborhood. We can look to Columbus for an answer. When the Columbus Community Shelter Board was looking at creating 100 units of Hope... cont. on page 2 Cincinnati Police Profiling Homeless Individuals Cincinnati, OH – Melisa, Henry and Charley, three area homeless people, were awakened in their camp at 7:30 a.m. June 13 by Cincinnati Police who took their photographs, social security numbers and dates of birth. When they asked why this was happening, they were told it was in case they became the victims of crime. This action was not isolated. Over a month ago homeless youth in Over-the-Rhine reported being detained by officers, photographed and having their personal information written down before being sent on their way. They were walking down Vine Street when this happened, and they were not charged with any violations. Police are giving mixed justification for their actions. At the Southeast Sector, sponsored by Downtown Cincinnati, Inc. (DCI), the Cincinnati Police announced that they were going to start photographing homeless people so that they are “on file” in case a crime is committed. Mixed reports have been given as to whether the concern is with homeless individuals as the perpetrators or victims of these crimes. Either way, homeless rights advocates are calling this an outrage. “This is a gross violation of civil rights and profiling to the highest degree,” stated Georgine Getty, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. “This is merely one part of a systemic campaign to harass and degrade people experiencing homelessness.” Melisa became homeless on August 26 when fleeing from her boyfriend who frequently hit her. Melisa had unsteady employment at a call center, working 4 hours a day, at most, if work was available. In August, her boyfriend drank away the rent money and she found herself homeless. She stayed at two separate shelters, but was forced to leave one because of time limits. She voluntarily left the other because she did not feel safe there. Melisa suffers from mental illness and takes anti-depressants. In the homeless camp, she found an environment where she felt supported. Her boyfriend, Henry, is working with a case manager and plans to have an apartment by the end of the month. Melisa stated that she “hated this” and that she felt “very violated and discriminated against.” She added that if she had robbed someone, she would be staying at a hotel, not living by the river in a makeshift camp. Homeless Campers, Melisa and Henry Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �Streetvibes Streetvibes, the Tri­ State’s alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for 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. Vendors are private contractors who DO NOT work for, or represent, the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homleess. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Monique Little - Education Coordinator Kelly Carr - VISTA Andy Lawrence - AHA Coordinator John Lavelle - VISTA Melvin Williams - Reception Susan Smith - Volunteer Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor Photography Georgine Getty, Berta Lambert Cover Homeless campers being interviewed by local TV news for police harassment story Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, delivered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://cincihomeless.org Page 2 Hope... cont. from page 1 supportive housing in their downtown, they met resistance at first. However, that resistance soon dwindled once the project, called Commons at Grant, was up and in operation. In April of this year, a coalition of developers, homeless advocates and service providers including the Drop Inn Center presented a concept to City leaders to bring Supportive Housing to the area. They sought a site that had a secure entry, an enclosed courtyard, office space for counselors and between 20-35 units for living. The group pointed to a potential site: a vacant home for the blind located at 1505 Elm Street. Business groups, led by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation or 3CDC. balked at the proposal, saying that it would jeopardize potential development. As of the end of June, talks were stalled with no timeline set. Can supportive housing be the solution for Cincinnati’s homeless? Some advocates feel that it can, however it is clear that education needs to be done. Harpenau comments, “This type of housing has not been attempted here. There is a lot of skepticism.” However, there is a cost to doing nothing. Long term homeless individuals wait for long periods in crowded emergency shelters because no appropriate housing exists. They are under bridges, line park benches and wander the streets, waiting for hope. Police Harass Homeless at Community Dining Hall Portland, OR - In late June, Copwatch (a national civil rights organization) received several calls from homeless clients as well as workers at St. Francis Dining Hall, located near SE 11th and Stark streets in Portland, Oregon. St. Francis serves dinner for the homeless nearly every day. Callers complained that police were asking Latino-looking folks for their papers, giving out tickets for “offensive littering” over cigarette butts, and in general asking people if they had ever been arrested in Portland. On July 1, the Workers Organizing Committee held a bi­ lingual meeting, letting people know that the police are not allowed to ask “are you legally in this country?” Testimony was taken at that time from numerous people who had been harassed by police, mostly by the provocative Officer Mary Wheat. Apparently, neighbors are unhappy with St. Francis. Lieutenant Donna Henderson said the police are just responding to complaints. The only specific incident cited by police was a female neighbor taking a picture of a homeless man (not a great idea) who was upset that he put his hand up to her camera. The woman says he touched her. Later, while a copwatcher was talking to a Euro-American homeless man, Wheat interrupted the conversation. She said she’d seen the man dealing drugs before. When asked why she didn’t arrest him, she said “I was after the Hispanics, I was undercover.” When we showed surprise at her comment, she added “I can say whatever I want, it’s my constitutional right.” Mr. and Ms. Homeless Downtowner Mr. Homeless Downtowner Ms. Homeless Downtowner Name: Hustle Man Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio Neighborhood: OTR Occupation: Honest Hustler If I could do something different: I would: run for Mayor I can’t stand it when: people stereotype and judge Favorite interest: Conversing with people Favorite spot in Cincinnati: Clay and 14th If I won the lottery: I would give it all away Place I’d most like to visit: Disney World Happiness would be: Changing this community What I like most about Cincinnati is: my mother What I desire most but are afraid to go after is: the stars My life’s philosophy is: staying comfortable. Name: Julie Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio Neighborhood: E-town Occupation: Streetvibes vendor If I could do something different: I would: be a Social Worker and an Advocate for the homeless I can’t stand it when people: don’t try but then complain Favorite interest: spending time with my daughter and grandkids Favorite spot downtown: Washington Park If I won the lottery I would: Help people and then go to Disney World Happiness to me would be: the world in perfect harmony with love, trust, and understanding Place’d most like to visit: Africa as a volunteer What I like most about Cincinnati is: the Zoo and all the recreational activities for the children What I desire most but am afraid to go after: Nothing My life’s philosophy: You can pull yourself up by your bootstraps, but you have to want to try. Streetvibes �Homeless News Digest Compiled by Jimmy Heath Reality TV star Sharon Osborne saved a homeless teenager from spiraling into despair with the help of British royal Prince Charles’ PRINCE CHARLES’ charity, The Prince’s Trust. England - Osbourne was devastated by the plight of Danny Howarth, who had been kicked out by his mother’s new boyfriend, forcing him to live rough on the streets. But Howarth enrolled on a course organized by The Prince’s Trust, and under the watchful eye of Osbourne - an ambassador for the initiative - he started to rebuild his life. Osbourne invited Howarth into her and husband Ozzy’s mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, last month, spending time talking through his problems and plans for the future. She says, “Danny is a loving, bright, but vulnerable young man who has turned his life around with the help of The Prince’s Trust. ”Next time you pass a homeless person remember most of them aren’t there because they’re addicts. They’re there because of emotional problems at home - they’re not wanted or loved and have no money, so they end up homeless on the street. “Don’t turn your face away from them - they’re young people who need our help.” In Washington some D.C. residents are trying to stop the construction of a 170-bed homeless shelter along Georgia Avenue in Northwest. Washinton, DC - Officials with the privately run Central Union Mission want to move the shelter from the Logan Circle area because the current building is antiquated. But opponents of the shelter say the area along Georgia Avenue already offers housing and services for the poor, including a Salvation Army branch. They’re also worried the shelter could harm efforts to revitalize the neighborhood. Instead, they’re pushing for more outdoor cafes, restaurants — and even a drug store. Central Union’s new $15 million shelter would include a drug rehabilitation center, a chapel and a cafe that will provide breakfast and dinner for the homeless. In Edmonton, Canada a body found near the Shaw was discovered by homeless man. Canadian Police and medical examiners investigated the scene of a body found last month, where the body of a woman was discovered in some bushes east of the Shaw Conference Center. Cops have labeled the woman’s death as suspicious, though a cause of death, as well as the woman’s identity, won’t be known until an autopsy . The woman is believed to be in her 30s or 40s and is possibly aboriginal, police said. Insp. Dennis Pysyk said that although the woman was found in an area frequented by homeless people, it’s premature to conclude she too was homeless. After finding the woman between two trees in a largely grassy area south of Jasper Avenue at 96 Street, the man went to a nearby home, where residents phoned for an ambulance, said acting Sgt. Steve Zielie. In 2004 a survey conducted by city social agencies recorded nearly 2,200 people describing themselves as homeless. In warmer weather, the city’s river valley becomes dotted with homeless campsites. Park rangers started counting homeless camps in the river valley in 1999. That year they found 62 camps. The figure rose steadily until 2003 when it reached 451. A year later it had dropped to 234. A spokesman for the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness said the woman’s death serves as reminder that being homeless is dangerous to people’s lives. “This is just a warning call again that we are still not making the progress we need on this issue,” Jim Gurnett said. “It’s not just an unfortunate situation – it’s an actual life and death situation not to address homelessness in this city.” Homelessness or substandard housing played a role in at least 32 deaths in Edmonton last year, the coalition found. Ele Gibson, the resource development director for the Bissell Center who participated in calculating that figure, said she believes the number of homelessness-related deaths is actually much higher. Inadequate shelter leaves people at greater risk of violence and health problems and restricts access to health care, she said. Police from homicide and the forensic identification section are assisting in the investigation, which is standard. Cops are asking anyone with information about the woman’s death to call the EPS or Crimestoppers. Possible homeless man’s body found in Boston Boston, Ma - The condition of the body suggests the man had been dead for a significant period of time, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney’s office. There was no evidence of foul play, he said. Authorities said the man was 69 years old with ties to the Quincy area, but did not release his name pending notification of family. The body, which was found by an employee during a routine check, was turned over to the state medical examiner for an autopsy. Conley Terminal is a container facility for the Port of Boston. On a day of remembrance, several volunteers are working to make sure one group isn’t forgotten. Federal Way, Washington State - Members of the All Saints Lutheran Church worked on Memorial Day, preparing 50 sack lunches for the area’s homeless population. “The homeless people still need compassion and support,” coordinator Cheri Staples said. She said the church, along with several other local churches, is part of the Federal Way Community Caregivers Network. Typically, she said, the network prepares a community supper for the homeless every Monday at Steel Lake Presbyterian Church. The network’s president, Doug Johnson, said the group also hosts community suppers on Thursday nights at Calvary Lutheran Church. All Saints church members are responsible for community suppers on the fourth Monday of each month where Staples said about 40 people were served. The church got a first-hand look at the homeless situation when they met Randy, a homeless man who began attending services three years ago, Staples explained. “We realized they’re still one of God’s children and they still need love,” Staples said. When Randy passed away, Staples said the church felt the need to do more for the homeless and joined the Caregivers Network. “It just opened our eyes that there are more Randy’s that need help,” she said. The lunches were prepared at All Saints Church, Staples said, Streetvibes before they were transported to Steel Lake Presbyterian Church. Johnson said the community suppers are just part of what the Caregivers Network does to help those in need. The Caregivers Network also provides rent assistance for families at risk of losing their homes. “We think it’s critically important,” he said. For any number of reasons, be it an auto accident or a medical emergency, families can find themselves pushed to the financial brink, he said. “You find yourself where you can’t quite make ends meet,” Johnson said. Families can quickly run the risk of eviction from their apartments or homes, he added. Once they’re evicted they’re practically homeless. “That’s kind of the breeding ground for homelessness,” he said. The group’s work to help others in the community is a reflection of the community as a whole, Johnson explained. “It’s a powerful statement about our commitment to people in need,” he said. A former U.S. solider living in some woods in DeLand, Fla., was ambushed by four teens in the city’s third attack on a homeless man, according to news reports. Deland, - Fl - Police said Bill Railsback, 51, was drinking a beer at a homeless camp when the teens jumped and began to beat him. However, Railsback fought back and injured at least one of the attackers. Railsback believes he broke one of his attacker’s arms during the scuffle. He said his attackers were ages 16 to 20. Detectives are questioning hospital employees and hospital workers to see if one of the attackers was treated for an arm injury. The attacks are happening in remote locations in woods. “This is the third assault on a homeless man in DeLand since March. “Six weeks ago, they beat up one of our elderly homeless so badly that he has permanent brain and eye injuries,” First Untied Methodist Church member Linda Brown said. “They could very easily kill someone and I think that is of grave concern.” In April, four Holly Hill teens received 22 to 35 years in prison for beating a homeless man to death. The First United Methodist Church in DeLand is offering a $1,000 reward for information concerning the attack or the identity of the attackers. Page 3 �American Revolutionary (Real Change News, USA) Timothy Harris Activist-historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz uncovers the beating heart of America. Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz has been around. In the mid-sixties, she was in South Africa, working with the underground African National Congress. Upon her return to the United States, she challenged New Left sexism to become a leader in the newly formed radical women’s movement. From there, she took a brief detour though a Weather Underground-like revolutionary cell before turning up, in 1973, in South Dakota at Wounded Knee. Her work in indigenous movement-building led her to human rights work at the United Nations, where she became involved in mediating the conflict between the Miskitu Indians and the Sandinistas in the early ’80s. Her latest book, Blood on the Border: a Memoir of the Contra War (South End Press, 2005), completes a trilogy of historical memoirs that seamlessly blend the personal with the political and explore the world stage through the viewpoint of one of its more politically engaged actors. Blood on the Border offers a harrowingly personal view of the tragedy of the U.S. war on Nicaragua and its divisive role in the American Indian movement. Previous memoirs include Red Dirt: Growing Up Okie (Verso, 1997), an examination of the suppressed radical history of the Midwest and being raised poor in rural Oklahoma, and Outlaw Woman: A Memoir of the War Years, 1960-1975 (City Lights, 2002). Dr. Ortiz is a professor of ethnic studies at California State University East Bay. RC: Much of your activism has been through the United Nations and the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. How do you view the prospects of the U.N. now as a force for international justice? Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz: I think the indigenous movement has been extremely important in refocusing things, and in challenging the United States and the European powers. There has also been the Women’s Decade [the ’70s], and South Africa leading the non-aligned nations. Most people think that the U.N. not passing the go-ahead for the Iraq war was all about France. That wasn’t it. A hundred and thirty countries didn’t support it, led by South Africa and the non-aligned movement. South Africa has been really important in kind of reviving the non-aligned bloc. That was always the majority of the U.N. And that’s what the U.S. was really fighting — not communism, not the Soviet Union, but the whole formerly colonized world. RC: You say that indigenous movements may be our best hope for avoiding nuclear and ecological catastrophe. Why is that? Dunbar-Ortiz: Because we’re in the heart of the empire, the Indian movement here is important beyond numbers ideologically, to really analyze what the United States is. It’s only if you look at it from the Indian point of view that the truth is revealed, under all that propaganda about the founding fathers and democracy and all that. It just becomes a naked empire when you look at it from the beginning. There’s a lot of work on the part of indigenous people, who are fighting for life or death as peoples. I’ve always felt it will come down to the Andes and Central America. It’s in the subconscious of U.S. imperialism, and that is the heart of everything. Their influence spread up to the Great Lakes and into Canada and to this area. Show your support! Get your STEETVIBES T- Shirt Today! Only $15 We will send your Streetvibes T-shirt to your door ­ All proceeds benefit the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and the Streetvibes newspaper. Call 513.421.7803 Page 4 Streetvibes This was a huge civilization. And the beating heart of it is Mesoamerica. And the same for South America, and the Andes, and the great civilizations there. So it’s like, you know, just “kiiiilllll that thing,” and keep it killed. I would not have predicted, myself, 10 years ago, that there would be a militant, socialist, native person president of Bolivia. I could not have imagined that. I would have said someday, maybe, but this is remarkable. And in Ecuador, and Peru is moving toward that too. RC: You’ve drawn this line that extends from the colonialist Indian wars to the policy in Central America and to what we’re involved in now. What is the common denominator there? Dunbar-Ortiz: I know it doesn’t come down to just John Negroponte, but that sort of symbolizes or reflects the whole pattern. From Vietnam to the present, you can follow John Negroponte’s career. He was a political officer in Saigon in the ’60s, as was Colin Powell. We had Rumsfeld and Cheney in the Ford administration. There are 18 people, right now, engaged in the Bush administration, who were involved in the Contra war. Negroponte was the U.S. ambassador to Honduras, and he micromanaged the Contra war. One of George W. Bush’s first appointments, in February 2001, was John Negroponte to be the ambassador to the United Nations. I tell you, it just took my breath away, because I thought, “This means something.” I just knew that it was going to be something terrible. This is what this man is for. Then he was made the first ambassador to Iraq, after the invasion, and now he’s the National Intelligence Chief, over the CIA, the FBI, the NSA. I’ve come to see that it’s partly the fragility and weakness and poverty of Central America that makes it necessary for the United States to keep hold of it. Because how would it look to the rest of the world if the empire’s weakest link were to break out? All hell breaks loose! RC: You talk about some parallels with Vietnam, where the CIA exploited some of the indigenous people: arming the Montagnards, for example, and how they exploited that rift in Nicaragua as well. Dunbar-Ortiz: Yeah. And of course, in Iraq. The divide and rule. It’s an old colonial method of control, and throughout Africa there are civil wars going on now that are still remnants of British, French, and Belgian colonialism and U.S. neocolonialism. And then, the secret war in Laos, organizing the Hmong. This is really what frightened me. Because I cared about the Miskitu Indians. If they did get involved with the CIA program, it could decimate them. Before the big Indian Movement, although it was just beginning, the Sandinistas would have just slaughtered those people. That’s basically what the Pathet Lao did and that is what the Vietcong in Vietnam did, because they were working with the enemy. I was able to get a lot of insight from Ralph Mcgehee, who had just retired from the CIA and wrote a book called Deadly Deceits. I got to meet him in New York, and described to him what was going on, and he said, “I wrote that plan. I worked with organizing the Hmong. It’s going to be a terrible tragedy if it doesn’t get stopped.” So he also talked to the Sandinistas. Revolutionary cont. next page... �Homeless Man’s Story Becomes Book, Movie CHICAGO - It was just a movie set, but in a moment it showed Chris Gardner where he’d been - and how far he’d come. There with actor Will Smith - who was playing Gardner, a former homeless man turned millionaire - Gardner stood in what looked like the train station bathroom where he once slept a quarter century ago. Suddenly he was overcome with memories of teaching his 2-year-old son to never, ever open the locked bathroom door, no matter how hard someone pounded on the other side. It didn’t matter that he now had three homes - one a condo in New York’s Trump Tower - or that he’d gone from selling his own blood to buying Michael Jordan’s car. “I had to get out of there,” he said. The story of how the 52-year-old Gardner did just that: climbed out of homelessness and became a millionaire stockbroker with his own 15­ employee Chicago firm, is being turned into a motion picture, due out in December. It’s also the subject of Gardner’s own justreleased book, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” The unique spelling of “happiness.” Even in the realm of rags-to-riches tales, Gardner’s story is unique. Take, for example, the events that led to his descent into homelessness. A medical supplies salesman barely making enough money to support his girlfriend and baby, Gardner had one of those Hollywood moments in a San Francisco parking lot in 1981 when he spotted a man looking for a place to park his red Ferrari. “I said to him, ‘You can have my (parking) place but I’ve got to ask you two questions. What do you do and how do you do it?”’ recalled Gardner. The man was a stockbroker. Gardner didn’t know a single stockbroker or even what one did. But the man said he made $80,000 a month - $50,000 more than Gardner made a year. Gardner found a brokerage firm willing to hire him and quit his job. But when he showed up for work he learned the guy who’d hired him had been fired. Gardner’s job was gone. Then, days before a scheduled interview with Dean Witter, a loud fight with his girlfriend brought the police to his door. The next thing Gardner knew they were asking him for $1,200 to clear up some unpaid parking tickets. They may as well have asked for $12 million. Gardner spent 10 days in jail. When he was released, his girlfriend and son were gone. He had no money, no home and the only clothes he had for his job interview the next day were the ones he wore to jail. How was he going to explain showing up wearing jeans and paint-splattered Adidas shoes? “I couldn’t think of nothing that could top the truth,” he said. He went with that and got the job. A few months later came a knock on the door of the boarding house where he was staying. “It’s my ex and, guess what, she doesn’t want the baby any more, here.” he said. “The boarding house does not allow children. That’s how we became homeless.” Some nights they stayed in a $25-a-night hotel, a park or under his desk at work. And a few nights were spent in an Oakland Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station. “I had to teach my little boy how to play a game and the game is called SHHHH,” he said. “That means no matter what anybody says on the other side of that door, no matter how much noise they make or what they threaten, we ain’t here, OK?” Finally, they moved into a homeless hotel in San Francisco, run by Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. “There were no keys, so every day you take everything with you,” said Gardner. “For a year, I’d take my son, his stroller, a big duffel bag with all his clothes in it, my briefcase, an umbrella, the biggest bag of Pampers in the world, one suit on my back and one suit in a hanging bag and we’d hit it every day.” When it rained, he covered the stroller with plastic sheets he’d picked up from dry cleaners. Gardner told his co-workers nothing. He also distinguished himself from others who turned to Glide for food and shelter. “If you saw a man with a child, that was rare, incredibly rare,” said the Rev. Cecil Williams, Glide’s pastor. “I remember discussions about him, about how that man really loves that boy because he won’t let him get away from him, he won’t push him aside.” Day care took a huge chunk of his meager stockbroker trainee salary, and it took Gardner about a year to save enough to move himself and his son into their own home. From there, his career blossomed, and in 1987 he opened his own firm in Chicago. Today, signs of his success are everywhere, starting with an office that includes a gleaming desk made of a DC-10 tail wing, African art work, boxing gloves and photographs autographed by Muhammad Ali. Sharing space with pictures of his adult son and daughter are photographs of Gardner with Nelson Mandela, and a vase full of dirt that Gardner brought from Mandela’s yard after visiting the former South Africa president. He no longer has the Ferrari he bought from Jordan. Gardner, who never went to college, has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to education, writing checks for as much as $25,000 to teachers, janitors, bus drivers and others who work at schools. Gardner is focusing much of his attention now on South Africa, trying to persuade major investors to invest $1 billion there - an effort praised by South African officials. “In the current state of our economy, creating an investment fund is critical,” said Yusuf Omar, South African Consul General in Chicago, who recently stopped by Gardner’s office. For Gardner, helping South Africans pull themselves up makes perfect sense. “Everything I’ve learned working on Wall Street, 25 years is to be able to make a difference in the lives of a lot of people and we all make money, it (doesn’t) get any better than that,” he said. Revolutionary... who say you have to have these democratic elections. Well, here it is. And then they say, “Well, the people can’t be trusted” (laughs). Or, “Chavez is a dictator.” Just repeat that enough and people will believe it. But no matter what the opinion is here, to invade all those countries is not like invading Central America. They’re afraid to invade Cuba because of the resistance. I mean, they could, of course, destroy Cuba. But they would take a lot of U.S. lives. They would fight until every person with a gun — and everyone has a gun — was dead. And they know that. That’s why the U.S. hasn’t invaded Cuba. It seems like it would be so easy. Not so easy, and then you think of these massively populated places…. So, there’s not a lot they can really do, except they can try to assassinate Chavez, and I’m sure they are. And maybe they will succeed, and maybe it will even set back that movement, but it’s in so many places, now. There’s a momentum. So… I think they’re kind of up against the wall. And it’s sort of scary, in terms of this talk of using nuclear weapons and all, but they’re getting desperate. And so I think it’s a pretty dangerous time for the whole world. We’ve got to get a sense of the urgency here. RC: When most people think about revolutionaries in America, I think they visualize something like the Weathermen and decide pretty quickly that that’s not really for them. So what does a more sustainable revolutionary politics look like? Dunbar-Ortiz: It has to be like we saw on May Day. That’s a revolutionary spirit being revealed. And it has to be positive, in the sense that there is life ahead — these are young people. There is life worth fighting for. Every human life is precious, and not this dreary, “We just gotta get rid of this thing because it’s a monster.” We have to believe in ourselves as human beings. I think there’s a widespread depression in our movement these days, and even in the Black movement. And in the Native movement in the United States there has been so much questioning. Young native people it’s amazing, when I meet them. And a lot of young white people, too. But not masses like we saw on the streets—I mean, that was a representation of practically every Latino young person in this country, and many of the older people. And they’re fighting for us, too, but we have to get involved in it to make it bigger. Join it, instead of thinking we have to lead it. Join in this revolution! It’s happening, get involved, you know? from previous page And it was hard. I mean, the Sandinistas, they were nationalists, and it’s been the Achilles’ heel of revolutions in Latin America, especially in the Andes and Guatemala, where the majority of the people are indigenous, that they haven’t been able to break through this nationalism, which assumes a unitary idea of the state. In the Mexican Revolution, they could idolize the Mestizo and Raza Unida and the great fusing of the indigenous and the European into a new race. But there were still Indians there. And many thought it would be better if they just disappeared and joined the Mexican state. And that’s been the attitude. I think you see that changing now with Evo Morales’ election. RC: Given the U.S. governments past intolerance of liberation movements, it’s hard not to be fearful for the progressive governments that are emerging now in Latin America. Dunbar-Ortiz: Well, you know, what really surprised me is that it would ever be possible again, after Chile, for revolutions to come to power through election. And I think that’s remarkable work that’s been going on there. And it just slams the United States in the face. They’re the ones Streetvibes Page 5 �L.A. decision tolls a bell for Portland’s policies on homeless (Street Roots, USA) by Monica Goracke On April 14, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision, Jones v. City of Los Angeles, holding that Los Angeles may not punish involuntary sitting, lying, or sleeping on public sidewalks “that is an unavoidable consequence of being human and in that city. While the court explicitly limited its ruling to Los Angeles, relying heavily on statistics and evidence of the lack of shelter for homeless people there, cities across the country, and Portland in particular, will take note. “Human beings are biologically compelled to rest, whether by sitting, lying, or sleeping,” the court said. To criminalize such conduct, when it is involuntary and inseparable from the status of being without a home, is to violate constitutional protections. Yet Portland, along with many other cities, has enacted and enforced laws that implicate not only constitutional but also human rights concerns. As the Ninth Circuit recognized, we should not punish people for life-sustaining behavior that is unavoidably linked to their homelessness. Skid Row, an area covering 50 city blocks just east of downtown Los Angeles, was the focus of the case brought on behalf of homeless people who were arrested or cited for violating Los Angeles’s ordinance. With the highest concentration of homeless individuals in the United States, it is “a place of desperate poverty, drug use and crime,” according to the court. This concentration is no accident: the city of Los Angeles has had a deliberate policy to concentrate and contain the homeless in Skid Row since at least the 1970s. Skid Row has space in SRO (single room occupancy) hotels, shelters, and other temporary or transitional housing for 9,000 to 10,000 people a night, but approximately 11,000 to 12,000 individuals live there. This means that more than 1,000 people are unable to find shelter each night. The court also noted that in all of Los Angeles County, there are almost 50,000 more homeless people than available beds. As Los Angeles officials admitted, this 1,000-person deficit is “severely large.” What is the magnitude of homelessness in Portland? As a smaller city, Portland has lower overall numbers of homeless people, but its rate of unmet need is almost the same as Los Angeles’: 27 percent for Portland, compared with 30 percent for Los Angeles. The onenight street count conducted on Jan. 26, 2005, covering Multnomah County and the cities of Portland and Gresham, found 2,355 people sleeping outside, in a vehicle or in an abandoned vehicle. 1,020 people had been turned away from shelters that night – very close to the number in Los Angeles. These numbers are much higher than the previous street count from March 15, 2004, which found 465 people turned away. An accurate determination of the number of homeless people in Portland is very difficult, but the City’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness estimates that in Multnomah County, 16,000 to 18,000 people experience homelessness annually, and 4,000 people experience homelessness on any given night. This number tries to take into account the “hidden homeless” doubled or tripled-up in other households, staying out of sight or otherwise missed by the counters. “Human beings are biologically compelled to rest, whether by sitting, lying, or sleeping,” the court said. CityBeat recognizes Jimmy Heath, Streetvibes Editor help others through his advocacy, writing and photography. Heath and his coworkers at the Greater Cincinnati, Oh - CityBeat, Cincinnati Coalition for the a local alternative newspaper, Homeless, which publishes recognized Jimmy Heath, Streetvibes, help others tell their Streetvibes editor, as the “Best stories and find dignity Unsung Activist” in its Best of Cincinnati through meaningful work.” 2006 issue. The article CityBeat also stated, “Jimmy Heath, recognized the Greater editor of Streetvibes, Cincinnati Coalition for the local newspaper of the Homeless’ newest the homeless, is an activist who board member, Bob Jimmy Heath Newman, who understands the streets achieved the title “Best Civil Rights of Cincinnati. He’s been there, Lawyer” for his landmark case that living as a homeless person, in prevents Hamilton County Over-the-Rhine, lost to drugs and Municipal Court from jailing people alcohol, and is still working there today - recovered and working to for being unable to pay fines. Page 6 When you consider that the average length of homelessness is 21 weeks, and the average wait to get into a publicly-funded shelter is four to six weeks (up to 10 weeks in the winter months), the word “crisis” begins to seem woefully inadequate. In Los Angeles, as in Portland, increasing rates of homelessness mean that homeless people are more visible in public than ever before. Laws prohibiting the obstruction of sidewalks and streets have been used to move people along, including those who have few or no other places to go. The Ninth Circuit sharply criticized Los Angeles’s ordinance as “one of the most restrictive municipal laws regulating public spaces in the United States.” The ordinance prohibits sitting, lying, and sleeping in or on any street, sidewalk or other public way at any time of day or night within the city limits. The court distinguished LA’s law from similar ordinances in places such as Las Vegas, Seattle, and Portland which, it said, do better by requiring that some type of inappropriate conduct be part of the crime other than just sitting, lying, or sleeping in a state of homelessness. While the court’s reasoning in criticizing the Los Angeles ordinance was sound, a closer look at Portland’s laws, along with evidence of how they are enforced, would have shown that it cannot be so easily distinguished. Portland’s two ordinances prohibit “camping” on public property and rights of way, and obstructing public sidewalks in a large downtown area. While the enforceability of the sidewalk obstruction ordinance is very much in doubt after a late 2005 ruling by the Oregon Court of Appeals, this ordinance is still used verbally by police and private security officials to move homeless people from sidewalks, although it is limited in time from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The camping ordinance, as written, is not just about pitching a tent on the bus mall. It can be – and often is – used by police to cite people for simply sleeping in parks, under freeways and other out­ of-way places, with so little as a bedroll or a piece of cardboard beneath them. Just as in Los Angeles, homeless people in Portland often lose all their belongings when police cite them for unlawful camping. The Streetvibes camping law is enforced both day and night, even though many homeless men and women sleep during the day because it is so unsafe for them to sleep on the streets at night. Although Oregon state law requires 24-hour notice to homeless people who are in violation of camping laws, officers sometimes stage surprise raids complete with a work crew to remove and destroy homeless people’s personal property. Losing the few possessions you have – a blanket, clothing, but especially documents such as an ID or birth certificate – can be debilitating, to put it mildly. When homeless people in Portland are arrested, prosecuted, and lose their belongings for the crime of sleeping outside when they had nowhere else to go, it drives them even further into hopelessness and poverty. The Ninth Circuit’s decision contains two important legal principles. First, it found that the homeless plaintiffs in this case had standing to challenge a law that criminalizes their involuntary conduct even though not all of them had been actually convicted under that law. When people are arrested, jailed, fined, and prosecuted for violations of a law, the court found, they are subjected to the criminal process and therefore can challenge the law under the Eighth Amendment’s cruel-and­ unusual punishment clause. Second, the decision finds, based on prior cases establishing that people cannot be punished simply for being poor or homeless, that the government cannot make criminal those acts that are “involuntary and inseparable from status” – specifically, physically resting in a public place when there is no other way a human being living in the city of Los Angeles who is homeless could meet this fundamental need. The court’s distinction between Los Angeles’s sweeping ordinance and the more limited laws in Portland, Seattle, and other cities is likely to be read as foreclosing similar challenges. However, the court’s reasoning clearly applies to some aspects of local laws. Portland has a 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness that acknowledges the destructive effect of laws criminalizing behavior that homeless people are forced to engage in, such as sleeping or sitting outside, because they are homeless. For individuals, a criminal record of any kind makes it difficult to find housing and employment, which are so essential to escaping homelessness. For the community, criminalization imposes an enormous financial, physical, and psychic toll. We should not treat homeless people this way not only because it is costly, but because it is inhumane. We must find a better way. �Voice Mail Becomes Lifeline for Homeless Program Washington, Dc - Mabel McNair, who was once homeless, is enrolled in a culinary arts class and plans to take advantage of a new District program that will provide a free voice-mail service to low-income individuals and the homeless. McNair, 49, lives in transitional housing in Northwest Washington and is midway through a 12-week training program sponsored by D.C. Central Kitchen. Her goal is to land a job by the time she graduates. She uses a prepaid cell phone and pays $10 for 50 minutes. “That goes quickly,” she said. “I know it would benefit me,” McNair said about access to free voice mail. “There are a lot of jobs that come through the school.” Community Voice Mail, a national program, will make 350 voice-mail boxes available to lowincome and homeless individuals in the District at no cost. People who want to enroll in the program will be asked to work with a social services case manager who will make the service available as part of a client’s overall plan to find a job or to move out of a shelter or transitional housing. Each person enrolled will receive a private District phone number that is connected to a voice-mail box. The number can be used only to check messages. Staff members take messages at shelters or other places where the homeless and lowincome live, but sometimes individuals don’t return to the shelter every night, Litzenberger said. In addition, enrollment in social services programs, such as food stamps and Medicaid, often requires follow-up and private voice mail is critical, Litzenberger said. “Nowadays, things like voice mail and e-mail are not luxuries; they are necessities,” he said. Community Voice Mail, designed by a Seattle-based nonprofit organization, explains its mission through the motto “turning phone lines into lifelines.” The nonprofit group collects testimonials, including a story from one user in Minnesota who said she got a job simply because she could put a phone number down on an application. Jennifer Brandon, executive director of Community Voice Mail, said the group began the program more than a decade ago and serves 46,000 people across 37 cities annually. During Hurricane Katrina, Community Voice Mail provided phone numbers to evacuees. The District will be the 38th city in the program. The group plans to expand to Fort Worth this summer. “It’s a tool to help people get on their feet,” said Terry Lynch, executive director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, a nonprofit group of 44 churches throughout the District that does social service outreach and funds programs. A member church, St. John’s Episcopal, near Lafayette Square, where many homeless people congregate, gave $15,000 in start-up funds for the project. The District and the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District also contributed funds for the program. D.C. Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides meals for the homeless in addition to running the culinary training program, will notify other nonprofit groups about the voicemail service. Brandon said she first met Robert Egger, chief executive of D.C. Central Kitchen, two years ago to talk about the program. “This is exactly the kind of partner we need,” Brandon said. Streetvibes Survey Participants Wanted You are invited to participate in a brief survey on hate crimes and violence against homeless persons. Go to: http:// www.surveymonkey.com/ s.asp?u=870921968238Y Your input will help the National Coalition for the Homeless direct our advocacy efforts. The results of this national survey will be released to general public and media in late August. Please contact NCH for information concerning the rising incidents of hates crimes and violence against homeless persons at www.nationalhomeless.org Page 7 �Drop Inn Center Update Also, analysis of the same Homeless Not Lawbreakers, Crime Stats Misleading by Pat Clifford, General Cordinator, DIC, Cincinnati,Oh data shows that 95% of Drop Inn Center residents have not been arrested at any point during this year. Only those 93 individuals out of Just because arrest records contain the Drop Inn Center address does not mean that those charged actually reside at the Center. That is what an analysis of arrest and shelter records from January 1, 2006 – May 22, 2006 has shown. According to Cincinnati Police Department records, 286 individuals with the Drop Inn Center address have been arrested this year so far. However, Drop Inn Center records show that only 93 of them had, in fact, been residents during that time period. Therefore over 67% of those arrested with our address were not really our residents. 1,767 total residents so far this year have been charged with any crime. Therefore, analysis of the data shows that Drop Inn Center residents are not significantly contributing to crime in the Washington Park area. In fact, our stats show that the Drop Inn Center is committed to transforming people’s lives and is working to minimize residents’ length of stay. 40% of Drop Inn Center residents have an average stay of two weeks or less. We are calling on the Cincinnati Police Department to meet with Drop Inn Center staff to reduce the use of our address, 217 W. 12th Street, when there is no proof that they have actually stayed here. In this way, we will close a potential loophole for actual criminals to falsify their place of residence. It will also, provide a realistic picture of the vast majority of our residents, who are struggling to get back on their feet with our help. In addition, the Drop Inn Center is asking for a hearing before the Cincinnati Law and Public Safety Committee to highlight our partnership with law enforcement and the success of our programs designed to promote and support positive behavioral changes for our residents. down to small cities like DeLand,” said Linda Brown, who runs a Florida - In Orlando a year teens terrorized homeless men about daytime shelter in DeLand. “The ago, a homeless man pleaded in vain 30 miles away in broad daylight in attacks by youths are random and for his life as a group of teenagers downtown DeLand. senseless.” beat him to death at his campsite in Philip Tarbell was walking on Seven days before Tarbell’s the woods of Holly Hill. West Voorhis Avenue in the afternoon first attack, four other teens robbed a The attackers have since April 19 when five teens started pair of homeless men on the same been sentenced to decades in prison, following him. The youths lobbed a street, hitting them with a steel pipe. but the homeless are no safer, 4-inch piece of cinderblock at his The teens were arrested and charged advocates say. head. The impact fractured his face. with attempted robbery and battery. Violence stalks the streets He can no longer see out of his left DeLand police said it was and the woods where they sleep, and eye. unusual to have two attacks against the biggest threat is from teenagers. “I saw a piece of the the homeless reported in the same From 1999 to 2005, there cinderblock coming at my head, and week. A review of the city’s police were 472 attacks on the homeless, when I ducked it hit my eye,” said records found five attacks against the which resulted in 169 deaths Tarbell, 56, who bags groceries at a homeless during the past year. nationwide, according to the National supermarket and has been homeless The National Coalition for the Coalition for the Homeless in for two years. “There was so much Homeless says such attacks are not Washington, D.C. Nearly two-thirds blood, I thought I was going to die.” unusual; 86 were reported last year of the attackers were between 11 and Ten days later, he was and 105 the year before. 19 years old. mugged by a homeless man who “This is only the tip of the The same week that Michael forced him to hand over his day’s iceberg,” said Michael Stoops, Eugene Roberts’ four killers stood wages. executive director. He said the before a judge to learn their fates in a “Attacks on the homeless are group’s statistics represent a fraction Daytona Beach court, two groups of a national problem that is filtering of the incidents because they are collected from media accounts, not police Berta’s Art Corner reports, which often do not identify victims the homeless. Many homeless people do not report crimes committed against them because of mental-health issues, substance abuse, fear of retaliation or frustration with the police. A 2003 University of Central Florida survey of 100 homeless men in Orlando and 800 homeless women in Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Peace symbol, (Global Nuclear Disarmament), Liberty and Jacksonville found Homeless at high risk for attacks Central, Over-the-Rhine Page 8 Streetvibes that 90 percent of the men and 78 percent of the women had been physically assaulted. “The homeless live in a very high-risk environment and are especially vulnerable,” said Jim Wright, a UCF sociology professor and a member of the board at the Coalition for the Homeless in Orlando. “Their ability to self-defend is often compromised by alcohol, drug or mental problems.” Florida, which ranks second behind California in the number of homeless people, had the highest number of attacks last year, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless. The Holly Hill teenagers who killed Roberts on May 25, 2005, admitted beating the man just to have something to do. Classmates later told the Orlando Sentinel that “bum bashing” was a common game. Homeless advocates think there is a correlation between the violence and the proliferation of “bum videos,” available for sale online, in which homeless people are coerced to perform degrading and dangerous stunts including fighting each other for drugs, money, alcohol or food. “A lot of young people are Internet-savvy and view these videos,” Stoops said. “The word is out. The homeless are the only minority group in America you can pick on and get away with. If there was a Jewfights.com, there would be a national outcry.” Don Sanz, a DeLand psychologist and Stetson University professor, said teenagers who attack the homeless are not normal. “There is a lot of violence, anger and anxiety in our society,” Sanz said. “But people who are attacking the homeless — whether they are teens or not — have a personality disorder or are psychopaths who don’t care if they injure another human being.” U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, DBoca Raton, proposed classifying violent acts against the homeless as hate crimes, so offenders would face stricter penalties, but the legislation has stalled awaiting the results of a federal study. Wexler’s bill was prompted by the Jan. 12 bludgeoning of a homeless man — captured on video — by three teens in Fort Lauderdale. “The attack in Fort Lauderdale brought home to people all over the country that violence against the homeless is increasing,” Wexler said. “They have no homes, no doors to go behind. Many have medical, physical or psychological challenges. They are defenseless and deserve our protection.” �Working, but still homeless Louisville, Ky - It wasn’t long ago that Jennifer Haysley was a methamphetamine addict who slept wherever she could find a place to crash, with friends and family and strangers — even living out of an ex­ boyfriend’s car when she had nowhere else to turn. Now the 25-year-old former exotic dancer works full time as a cook for Bristol Catering and heads home each day to a two-bedroom apartment as part of a Society of St. Vincent de Paul program that offers transitional housing for the homeless. Haysley is among the more than 3,000 people, according to the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless, who last year made up Louisville’s working homeless, a growing segment of the estimated 11,251 men, women and children who received homeless services in 2005. The coalition, an umbrella agency that coordinates 27 service providers and other members, says the 2005 report indicates that more people in the city’s shelters and programs are employed — but working for low wages. “A lot of them work but they work minimum wage, so as long as we pay just $5.15 an hour, they’re going to be homeless the rest of their life,” said Sister Mary Kathleen Sheehan, director of the St. John Center on Muhammad Ali Boulevard, which serves 160 to 200 men each day Got The Vibe? More than one-quarter of the homeless surveyed said they were working part - or full-time jobs, up slightly from the year before, the report says. One-third of those workers earned less than $10 an hour. That’s less than the $10.83 an hour a worker needs to rent an average two-bedroom apartment in metro Louisville, according to the coalition. It’s likely that Louisville’s total homeless count is much higher than the census shows because those who didn’t seek services or who were turned away because shelters were full weren’t counted — nor were about 1,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees who received homeless services. Marlene Gordon, the coalition’s executive director, said she’s particularly concerned about the rise of women military veterans. That group rose to 40 in 2005 from one the year before. In December, Louisville’s homeless programs were awarded a record $5.5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. About $1.7 million will finance permanent housing. “It certainly would help us with resources that we need,” Gordon said. “Cities that have made big strides in ending and reducing homelessness are places with dedicated funding.” NSA Has Massive Database of Americans’ Phone Calls USA Today - American telecommunications giants AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth exceed media activists’ worst fears by illegally facilitating the National Security Agency’s creation of “the largest database ever assembled in the world,” to consist of “‘every call ever made’ within the nation’s borders.” “The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans—most of whom aren’t suspected of any crime.” Contrasting this news with telecom corporations’ current bid to “strip away Net Neutrality protections so they can become benevolent overlords of the World Wide Web.” Verizon, AT&T and BellSouth maintain networks that reach into the homes and businesses of tens of millions of Americans. These companies built this access to our private lives— and the billions in revenues that come with it—on a “bedrock principle” of consumer protection. Now, that they’ve sold out this trust to help the government monitor ordinary Americans, how credible are their claims that no Net Neutrality safeguards are necessary? National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project (NHCROP) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 homelesscivilrights@yahoo.com Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (513) 421-7803 This beautiful, original artwork depicts the vibrant role that Streetvibes plays in downtown Cincinnati and neighboring communities. Created by local artist and activist Mary Ann Lederer in collage form, this colorful 18" X 10" reproduction can be yours to own for only $10. Commemorating Streetvibes 100th issue, proceeds from this limited time offer will go to support the Streetvibes Program and Vendors. Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Vendor Pro­ gram. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. See page 12 for rules and regula­ tions on Vendor conduct. To report a Violating Vendor, call 421-7803. ext. 16 Visit the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless website at - http://www.cincihomeless.org Visit the Streevibes archives at - http:// www.cincihomeless.org/content/streetvibes.html Streetvibes Page 9 �Dying For Nixon, Dying For Bush by Paul Rogat Loeb “I didn’t want to die for Nixon,” said a man I met recently in a Seattle park. He’d served on military bases in a half dozen states, and then had a car accident just before being shipped to Vietnam. “The accident was lucky,” he said. “It was a worthless war and I didn’t want to go.” I agreed. I admired those who fought in World War II, I said. We owe them the debt of our freedom. But to die for Nixon’s love of power, fear of losing face, deception and vindictiveness—to die for him was obscene. Nixon’s war, the man said, had nothing noble about it. And neither did Iraq. What does it mean to die in a war so founded on lies? Bush may lack Nixon’s scowl, but he’s equally insulated from the consequences of profoundly destructive actions. He came to power riding on the success of Nixon’s racially divisive “Southern Strategy,” which enshrined the Republicans as the party of backlash. He won reelection by similarly manipulating polarization and fear. Like Nixon, he’s flouted America’s laws while Paul demonizing political opponents. His insistence that withdrawing from Iraq would create a world where terrorists reign echoes Nixon’s claim that defeat in Vietnam would leave the U.S. “a pitiful, helpless giant.” While Bush assures our soldiers they fight for Iraqi freedom, and to “make America safer for generations to come,” 82 percent of Iraqis, according to a British Ministry of Defense poll, say they’re “strongly opposed” to the presence of American and British troops, and 45 percent justify attacks against them. This creates what psychologist Robert Jay Lifton calls “an atrocitycreating situation.” Lifton first used the phrase during Vietnam. He now uses it to describe a “counterinsurgency war in which US soldiers, despite their extraordinary firepower, feel extremely vulnerable in a hostile environment,” amplified by “the great difficulty of tracking down Loeb or even recognizing the enemy.” This sense of an environment out of control has seeded the ground for Abu Ghraib and for massacres, at the villages of Haditha and Mukaradeeb, already being compared to My Lai. Former Army sniper Jody Blake recently described his unit keeping extra spades on their vehicles so that Useless Equals Good by John Siscoe The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen Dover Thrift Editions, 1994 Seattle, Wa - Thorstein Veblen, the American economist and social critic, was born to Norwegian immigrant parents in 1857. He taught for most of his academic career at the University of Chicago. Veblen was a gruff man who did not brook contradiction. He was also a bit of an oddball; his house was a perpetual mess and he had a fondness for clothes made out of paper. He also had a fondness for the faculty wives and his reputed inability to keep his hands to himself led to his dismissal from Chicago in 1906. He continued to teach and to publish, but ultimately died in obscurity in 1929. Veblen is remembered today for his first and most successful book The Theory of the Leisure Class, which is both a scathing indictment of materialist consumerism and a very Page 10 funny satire on human folly. When it was published in 1899, it ignited a furious controversy, for it amounted to a direct attack on the established values of what Mark Twain termed the Gilded Age — a time, not so unlike the present, when a small number of Americans became enormously rich and lived lives of remarkable ostentation. These fortunate few, and those who strove to emulate them, are the slowlymoving targets of Veblen’s ridicule. Veblen analyzed American society as essentially consumerist, obsessed with wealth, material possessions, and the desire for leisure. In such a society the more expensive and useless an object or activity is, the greater its cultural value and the more mesmerizing its hold over the imagination. Veblen is especially perceptive of how flaunting wealth is a demonstration of power, and how economic decisions are often irrational: driven by fear, envy, if they killed innocent Iraqis in response to an attack with an Improvised Explosive Device, they could throw one next to the corpses to make it appear those killed were preparing a roadside bomb. Last December Bush called the Iraqi election “a watershed moment in the story of freedom.” But if our invasion and occupation has created a watershed moment, it’s one whose rivers of resentment and bitterness may poison the global landscape for decades to come. And when Bush talks of promoting freedom, the world sees the freedom of America to do whatever we please, no matter how many nations oppose us. America’s Vietnam-era leaders made much of their embrace of freedom as well, while overthrowing elected governments from Brazil to Chile to Greece. The war they waged in Southeast Asia killed two to five million Vietnamese, plus more deaths in Laos and Cambodia. And as with Iraq, those making the key decisions were profoundly insulated: Out of 234 eligible sons of Senators and Congressmen, only 28 served in Vietnam, only 19 saw combat, only one was wounded and none were killed. In Iraq, as we know, the chicken hawks led the march to war, and the sole Congressman or Senator with a son who initially served was Democrat Tim Johnson, who the Republicans still attacked as insufficiently patriotic. While the sons of Republican Senator Kit Bond and three Republican congressmen have since also volunteered and been deployed, most who initiated this war have never been intimately touched by it. Counting Eisenhower’s first deployment of soldiers and CIA agents to Vietnam in support of the French, Kennedy’s further commitment, and Johnson’s major escalation, the United States fought there for over twenty years. We’ve now been in and out of Iraq for nearly forty years, since the 1963 coup when the CIA first helped the Baath Party overthrow the founder of OPEC. (And intervening in Iran since our 1953 overthrow of the democratically elected government of Mohammed Mossadegh, who we replaced with the dictatorial Shah). With the administration promising no immediate end in sight, Bush now tells us it will be up to “future presidents” even to consider withdrawing our troops. Who wants to be the last man or woman to die for George Bush? Paul Rogat Loeb is the author of The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen’s Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear, named the #3 political book of 2004 by the History Channel and the American Book Association, and winner of the Nautilus Award for best social change book of the year. His previous books include Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time. See www.paulloeb.org. To get his articles directly email sympa@lists.onenw.org with the subject line: subscribe paulloeb­ articles and blind hope. The Theory of the Leisure Class made a profound impact on the study of economics, for after Veblen, few would be so brave (or so foolish) as to study economics in isolation from social or cultural factors. But while Veblen deserves a lasting, if modest place in the history of economics, his real accomplishment lies in satire. The Theory of the Leisure Class is a send-up of human vanity and pretensions, and there’s scarcely a page in the book where one of Veblen’s shafts doesn’t strike home. Veblen’s diction and the shape of his sentences are late Victorian academic, but his observant eye is timeless, and this makes his book as lively and as pertinent today as when it was first published. Veblen loved the useful and the inexpensive and he would have been delighted to learn that The Theory of the Leisure Class has now been republished by Dover in their Thrift Classics Series, making the entire book available for the price of a ritzy cup of coffee. Dover has published nearly 500 titles in this format and they represent some of the best bargains in publishing. Thorstein Veblen, paper clothes and love affairs aside, deserves to be among them. John Siscoe is the proprietor of Globe Books in Seattle. He can be reached at johnsiscoe@zipcon.net. Streetvibes Don’t be Squirrelly! Buy Streetvibes! �A Mother’s Words - the Futility of Death by Dr. Steve Sunderland audience of 600. The mother had Cinti, Oh - Cindy Sheehan, also attempted suicide but was saved. peace activist, grieving mother of a This point provided the opportunity “murdered child,” and eloquent for Sheehan to discuss her own spokesperson for humanity, came to feelings of suicide since the death of Cincinnati last month. She opened an her son, the “murder” she called it, amazing program organized by Cathy and what stopped her she suggested, Roma, director of MUSE, was a combination of caring about Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir, and also her remaining children and “still featuring MUSE and peace activist believing in hope and justice.” and singer, Holly Near. Prior to her Her talk had three major speech, I had a chance to introduce points: myself to Cindy Sheehan and express A. “George Bush is not the gratitude for her coming. She is a problem, but the symptom. Why are pale woman, reddish hair, and the people and the Congress looking deeply tired. She couldn’t following him in his mad and violent have been friendlier. The church we leadership?” She elaborated on what were in was filling, her phone was she saw as the ownership of the ringing, and her eyes looked kindly government and the media by big but distracted, a storm within a storm. business, calling it a form of If there were critics of her “fascism.” This take over, she position on the war, or the way she chose to frame the issues in terms of grief and murder, they were not visible. Again and again, we gave her rousing cheers of support and even some standing ovations. What she said was almost too painful to hear. Cindy sat on a raised chair, on a stage in the front of the church, her tired voice gathering strength and humor as she spoke. Her talk was framed Steve Sunderland by a story of a woman, a “good friend,” who was recently believes, goes on due to the apathy arrested for giving her daughter an and consumerist addiction of overdose of medication. “What Americans who would rather drive would cause a mother to murder her their SUVs than live with a fair and child?” she asked in her simple and more balance approach to resources. plaintive voice to an attentive The President’s justification of the war amounts to “revenge’ for those who have been killed on September 11 and thereafter in Iraq. She asked: “Why would I want anyone, Iraqi or American, to die because my son was killed? Who wants this mission other than the “War Party?” B. “What can we do to bring our own hearts to peace?” Sheehan elaborated that peace in our own hearts starts the peace process, builds strength and overcomes both “bitterness and hatred.” “I am full of anger but not bitterness and hatred about my son’s death and the war. I believe in the future of hope and justice.” She spoke of the futility of more death, especially for families directly engaged in the war, be the families ofAmerican soldiers or the mothers and fathers of Iraqis. . C. “I seek what Gandhi called, ‘heart unity.’ My heart is connected to the Iraqi mother of the son who killed my son. And, my heart is connected to the Iraqi mother who my son may have killed.” She elaborated on these shocking points, tears streaming down her face, gasping for breath, pausing for her and our benefit, the death of her son now so vivid and his responsibility as a soldier so horrifying. We must remember them and work for their memories to be reminders of peace. “I think there is a Buddhist story,” she said in conclusion, “that a person dies two times: first, when they biologically die and second, when they are forgotten. My son will never die, and the Iraqis will never die because I am going to use the rest of life to remind the world of their lives.” We rose to our feet as one group of fellow grievers, our hearts opening and breaking and hoping for healing. So much was said and left unsaid as we stirred in her and our common pain. The beauty and power of the grief linked us together, going beyond the imagination and into a space of connection that defies words. We knew we heard a tough speech, very difficult to deliver and almost unbearable for those who had a family death of a veteran. Yet, the grief weighed down and up, falling across faces and into hearts that were now open to this woman who wanted us to share in her story by stopping the violence toward other children. She spoke from a fundamental value, a citizen of the world of war calling out for the stopping of the killing of anyone. She spoke as someone not expecting herself to see a happy ending to this conflict; rather, she suggested that there will be many more widows, families without peace, and more grief to come unless there is a widespread commitment to transforming the heart of violence into peace. Her grief was moving on her, threatening to engulf her into a step back into hopelessness, triggered by not only tiredness, insults, and rejection of her basic themes. She seemed to be teetering on the edge of a reality about how easily the human condition can kill thousands of mothers’ sons and daughters. How many more times could she ask out loud, for herself and others: “Why is my child dead? Controversy Over City Commissioner’s “Homeless” Email ORLANDO, Fla. —An Orlando city commissioner’s email is creating quite a controversy over Orlando’s homeless. The email from an aide to Commissioner Patty Sheehan refers to group “feedings” of homeless people and a new effort to move them away from Lake Eola. “I just felt it was a little slimy, a little underhanded,” said homeless rights activist Cooper Brinson. The email, written by Commissioner Patty Sheehan’s aide, Chase Smith, was sent to eight business owners in the Thornton Park neighborhood, talking about Sheehan’s proposed ordinance banning wellintentioned volunteers from feeding the homeless there each Wednesday afternoon. The intent of the ordinance, Smith wrote, is to try to move the large groups of homeless out of downtown and create less of a “situation” for the businesses and residents, potentially resolving many of the “post-feeding issues that everyone’s experiencing” downtown. Brinson said the group giving out the food, Food Not Bombs, needs a helping hand from city leaders and not the boot. “They’re just pushing the problem away to another place so they don’t have to look at it,” he said. But it isn’t so cut and dry. Ask people who live or own businesses in the area and they tell a much different story. “Their set of rules on the street isn’t our set of rules,” said Robin Stotter. Stotter plans to open a new restaurant right on the park in three months. Over the past three months, he said, the homeless population has exploded. “When I come to work every day, I have to get people out of my front door. I have to get ‘em out of the stairs getting down,” he said. “They come into the building during the day. I found two people doing heroin in my bathroom.” Stotter fears a recent rise in neighborhood crime is scaring customers away. It’s an argument blurred by the rhetoric in an email whose own author admits is a bit strong. Eyewitness News spoke to Sheehan’s assistant who wrote the email and, while he said he does regret the choice of words, he does not regret the message that something has to change in the park and anyone who wants a say should show up at a public meeting. Sheehan’s proposed ordinance would move the permitted location for the so-called “feedings” to an area near city hall. “Don “Don’’t Leave Home W ithout IItt Without Streetvibes Page 11 �Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct All Vendors Sign and Agree to a Code of Conduct Report Any Violations to GCCH - 421-7803 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 25 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits go to the individual vendor. Vendors must not tell customers that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand. The mission of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) is to support a street newspaper movement that creates and upholds journalistic and ethical standards while promoting self-help and empowerment among people living in poverty. NASNA papers support homeless and very low-income people in more than 35 cities across the United States and Canada. Streetvibes Vendor: 75 Cents (75 cent profit goes directly to the vendor) Homeless Coalition 25 Cents Printing and Production: 25 cents (this cost does not cover expenses) Page 12 About the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and Streetvibes.... earned. This program has helped The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) was formed in May of 1984 for one purpose: the eradication of homelessness in Cincinnati. What started out as a coalition of 15 volunteers meeting weekly in an unheated church basement has since grown into a Coalition of over 45 agencies and hundreds of volunteers dedicated to improving services for homeless individuals, educating the public about homelessness and empowering homeless individuals to advocate for their civil rights and housing needs. Streetvibes is a tool of GCCH used to help us achieve our goal of ending homelessness. On the one hand it is a selfsufficiency program geared towards the homeless and marginally housed individuals who are our vendors. Streetvibes vendors buy the paper for 30 cents per copy and sell it for a suggested one-dollar donation, keeping the profit that they have hundreds of people find and maintain housing. The vendors also sign a code of conduct stating that they will behave responsibly and professionally and they proudly display their official Streetvibes badge while selling the paper. Our vendors put a face on “the homeless” of Cincinnati and form lasting friendships with their customers. On the other hand, Streetvibes is an award-winning alternative newspaper and part of the international street newspaper movement. Focusing on homelessness and social justice issues, Streetvibes reports the often-invisible story of poverty in our community. Streetvibes is also proud to include creative writing, poetry, articles, photography and interviews written by homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Streetvibes enjoys a loyal reader base that respects the honest portrayal of the joys, sorrows, and challenges facing the people of Cincinnati. Streetvibes is a member of the: The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) unites street papers sold by homeless and people living in poverty from all over the world. INSP is an umbrella organisation, which provides a consultancy service for its partner papers and advises on the setting up of new street papers and support initiatives for marginalised people. Letters Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support. Send your letters or comments to Streetvibes, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati Ohio 45202, or email to Streetvibes@juno.com Buy Streetvibes Streetvibes �The Firecat Review Firecats are poor. As such, when we take a break from fighting rampant injustice, we know where all the cool cats and kittens go to get their DVD’s: the library. You want to spend 25 bucks for a new release with your honey, pick up a CityBeat. You want the down and dirty on the slightly less-than-new fares from the best free resource in the ‘nasty? Firecats got you covered. Snow Falling on the Cedars (1999 – Scott Hicks, starring Rick Yune & Ethan Hawke) Review by Firecat Blue About 20 minutes in, I fell asleep out of sheer self-preservation. The inside of my eyelids were literally more entertaining. There was something about a forbidden love between and entire 15 hours in two or three days. Of course if you favor more boy on boy action, I recommend Queer as Folk, also found at the library. I give The “L” Word two paws up. Japanese American lady and a white dude and maybe there was also a murder. Also, I think it was a period drama because a lot of people were wearing hats. It was soft lit and slow with lots of “interesting” trolling-forOscars angles and lighting. This one’s not worth the wear and tear on your library card. The “L” Word (Showtime Series, starring Jennifer Beals, Erin Daniels, Mia Kirshner, Karina Lombard, Leisha Haily, Laurel Holloman, Katherine Moennig, Pam Grier) Review by Firecat Lavendar This friend-incestuous Lesbian drama is emotional, heart-warming and many times laughable because of its lesbian clichés. If you like soap operas and appreciate queer culture then you’ll love it and may even become a little obsessed, watching an 9 Good Teeth (Documentary starring Mary Mirabito a.k.a. “Nana”) Review by Firecat Blue Filmmaker Alex Halpern, pretty sure his 104 year old Nana is going to kick it soon, pulled together a sweet, funny, slightly morbid view of the 5 foot matriarch from Sicily. Nana steals the show, revealing family secrets, intrigues and brushes with infamy via the mafia and Beat poet Jack Kerouac. A decent – and fair- view of family complications and resolution, this is definitely worth a watch. The Meaning of Food (2004 PBS Documentary) Review by Firecats Blue, Turquoise & Chameleon This series focuses on the human relationship with food featuring three parts: Food and Life, Food and Culture and Food and Family. Nicely filmed in easy to digest 5-10 minute segments, this documentary appealed to our special brand of Firecat ADD. We liked the Culture one the best. The host was slightly annoying, but likable enough and not a major focus. Highlights included stories on the final meals of death row inmates, a Booyah festival in Minnesota, a Kalache contest and a Samoan funeral. Supersize Me (2004 Documentary starring Morgan Spurlock) Review by Firecat Turquoise Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock commits to eating nothing but McDonalds for 30 days straight. For lack of a better word, it was awesome. Definitely not a slam against Micky D’s, though you may never view those tasty fries the same again. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s a documentary, it’s the most entertaining documentary I’ve ever seen. I’d recommend this move to anyone who has ever eaten at McDonalds, who eats fast food on a regular basis or is concerned about their health. Oh wait, that’s pretty much everyone. 3 paws up! Prior Month Caseloads Reflect Disaster Food Stamp Program FRAC - Food Research and Action Committee - www.frac.org Caseload trends in late 2005 were affected by the temporary disaster Food Stamp Program relief in the wake of several hurricanes, relief that by December was on the wane. A positive feature of the Food Stamp Program is its ability to meet increased need, whether due to economic changes or disasters. For information about the Disaster Food Stamp Program, go to http:// www.frac.org/html/disaster/ disaster_index.html and http:// www.frac.org/Press_Release/ 07.21.05.html Three states with large numbers of those affected by the hurricanes– Florida, Louisiana, and Texas—accounted for nearly 3.4 million of the 3.8 million person increase between August and November 2005. Also ranking in the ten states with the largest percentage increases between August and November 2005 were three other states disproportionately impacted by hurricanes— Mississippi (hit by Katrina), Georgia and Arkansas (both reportedly serving large numbers of hurricane evacuees). Not reflected in the caseload figures was additional nutrition assistance provided to many regular food stamp households affected by the hurricanes. Many households already enrolled in the program received replacement allotments to help cope with their food losses. Additional nutrition assistance also was provided to hurricane victims through the school meals programs, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and WIC Program. The significant food stamp service to hurricane survivors was due to a combination of factors: the Man beaten in 3rd attack on homeless in 3 months DeLAND, Fl — Police are investigating the third attack on the homeless by teenagers in as many months, but authorities have nothing to link the seemingly random and senseless beatings. “It could be just a stupid, juvenile prank,” DeLand police Cmdr. Randel Henderson said last month. “We’re not downplaying this by any means. These things can tend to escalate. ”Last month, Bill Railsback was drinking a beer in a wooded lot on East Howry Avenue when, he said, a group of four men, about 16 to 20 years of age, beat him with no warning or words, police said. Railsback, 51, suffered some scratches and told police he thought his attackers received the brunt of the beating. “He did fight back,” Henderson said of the military-trained man. “He believes he injured the arm of one young man.” Police contacted local hospitals to see if anyone has come in with a broken arm, but nothing turned up so far. Police said it was unusual to have so many attacks on homeless people. In April, there were two attacks on the homeless in the span of a week. Philip Tarbell was walking on West Voorhis Avenue in the afternoon of April 19 when five teens following him lobbed a 4-inch piece of concrete block at his head. The impact fractured his face, and he can no longer see out of his left eye. Seven days before that, four other teens robbed a pair of homeless men on the same street, hitting them with a steel pipe. The three attacks occurred within a two-block area. He said police will remain vigilant in the area where Railsback was beaten, a place where the homeless commonly congregate and set up camps. But Henderson said these attacks seem spontaneous and without a clear motive. From 1999 to 2005, there were 472 attacks on the homeless nationwide, which resulted in 169 deaths, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. Nearly two-thirds of the attackers were between 11 and 19 years old. The area’s most high-profile homeless attack ended last year with the death of Michael Eugene Roberts in Holly Hill. The frail man was beaten May 25, 2005, on three separate occasions by a group of teens with logs, fists and sticks. Streetvibes entitlement structure of the program which allowed it to respond quickly to deep and urgent need; strong leadership from political appointees and career officials at the US Department of Agriculture; key efforts of state governments; efficiency of the Electronic Benefit Transfer delivery system; and outreach and advocacy by non-profit groups. The teens, who now are between 15 and 19 years old, were sentenced in April to prison terms between 22 and 35 years. Homeless men and women are particularly vulnerable to crimes against them because they represent an easy, visible target and often lack a place to retreat for safety and protection, Henderson said. Several clients of the Agape Clubhouse in DeLand, a daytime homeless shelter, said there is a group of teens that have threatened several homeless people in downtown. “They have ‘No Fear’ tattoos on their arms and necks,” said John Fowler, 48. “There’s a lack of respect with teenagers today.” Police did not know anything about the group. One woman who has lived on the streets of DeLand for three years said that many of the homeless have to look out for each other to prevent the attacks. “We have to stick together,” she said. “These kids think they are better than us.” Page 13 �Where I’m From by Joyce Robinson I’m from a place where there is beauty all around. I can see it in the people and in the phenomenal beauty of nature. It gives me a sense of appreciation that life is for me. When I smell the fragrance of roses penetrating through the air, It makes me wonder just exactly where I’m from. When I’m surrounded by trees and all kinds of exotic birds, I even imagine sometimes what it would be like just to fly. I’m from just the ordinary and not at all from the extraordinary. High up in the morning when I begin to rise, I feel the horizon, which makes me laugh and smile. It even gives me a shine just in time to dine, I don’t need to have my table set with all the resplendent, Or silverware and all the rest of the fancy stuff. I’m from a place where I couldn’t sleep at night. Taxi cabs and buses running all through the night, Tranquility once before I could not understand but, Just to know it now is exactly where I’m from. I’m from the stars that only I can know I glow like the sun as the new day moon. I’m happy just to be me and free I am indeed. From Stagnation To Motivation On Into Revelation by Joyce Ann Robinson We the people who are made so harmonious and so sweet, it is givin to us as an ocean so deep, and river’s so wide and mountains so high and valleys so low, streams so freshly flowing with all of God’s Blessing’s of delights. Even blazing fire which so for the better to be used wisely. For some of us we may pass up our Blessing, simply because we use our brains for a little while. Like a sink faucet we turn it off and on. We use our heart as if black coal is being added to continue to burn with hatred and all the rest of the evils that follow with it. We use our hands as if they were maintenance tools lying around never to be used and, for our torso bodies is concern. We use it like an old tree log just to decompose. Especially when we are able to do a lot more with it. We use our gender for self-control as if it takes the place of our resources and even to selfdestruct. It has become one of our major concerns in our society today. This is one of the reasons that a lot of us go through the waters, the floods, and even sometimes the fire. Some of us carry with us a great deal of sorrow, famine, and affliction. Most of us take our feet to places they should not go. We will always come across stumbling blocks in our live’s but, many will have plenty of them if they continue not to follow in a more clever path through life’s journey. We most not never forget the (Blood) not, the blood in which we see lying in the street’s when we go around self-destructing one another. Murdering our mothers, our fathers and our children. We need to draw closer to God, and in Jesus’s name and remember that it is His Blood that has healed and still heals and always will only, if we let him take control of our live’s. We may be able to plan our future but, only God knows where He wants us to go, what He wants us to say and, who He wants us to be, so leave room in your life and in your heart’s and let God lead you and remember, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Page 14 I Will Never Be Homeless I will never be homeless, It won’t happen to me. I will never be homeless, Anonymous I’m doing so well, don’t you see? The law locks up the man or woman I have a good job, a nice house and a car, Who steals the goose from off the common I have everything I need to go far. But leaves the greater villain loose I am not like those Welfare bums, Who steals the common from off the goose. To whom prosperity never comes. The law demands that we alone You know, the ones who don’t want to work, When we take things we do not own Any kind of physical labor, they shirk. But leaves the lords and ladies fine All they want to do is drink, Who take things that are yours and mine. Some are not clean, and they stink. The poor and wretched don’t escape Then, I see a man, lying in the street, If they conspire the law to break; A tattered coat around him and no shoes on his feet. This must be so but they endure But, I sense that something is wrong, Those who conspire to make the law. That somehow, this man does not belong. The law locks up the man or woman So, I decide to stop to say hello, Who steals the goose from off the common And ask him why he fell so low. And geese will still a common lack He once worked on a street called Bay. Till they go and steal it back. Making good money every day. Then, one day his job was gone. He was told, “just go on home.” He soon just didn’t care, His purpose in life no longer there. He lost his family, his home, and his car. In just a few months, he fell so far. So here he was, on the street, With a tattered coat around him and no shoes on his feet. Then I saw the lines on his face and the pain in his eyes, I will never be homeless, will I? Streetvibes �BrokenGlass by Evanne Fisher I’m so Angry I slam the door The glass breaks. It falls to the floor Like sleet from the sky. Like the shattered pieces of my life, The broken glass lies at my feet As I look down, I see all of my hopes and dreams Splattered there amongst The glistening pieces of glass. I reach down to pick up the pieces of my life, The glass cuts my hands, Blood everywhere Dripping Flowing into the vast darkness Where I’ve chosen to live. Writers! Submit your Poetry to STREETVIBES ­ email your writing to Streetvibes@juno.com One check away “DEAR JUDGE” by William Moore ORDER IN THE COURT, I’VE BEEN ORDERED TO COME TO COURT ­ IT’S THE 3RD TIME, I’M BOUND TO DO SOME TIME ­ FOR AN OPEN CANTAINER, SLEEPING IN THE PARK AFTER DARK. AN OPEN CANTAINER, A HUNDRED AND SOMETHING DOLLARS ­ ”DEAR JUDGE” HOW CAN I PAY THIS WHEN I DONT HAVE NO JOB”? BOY, WHOS THE ONE GETTING ROBBED? by James Chionsini twinkling stars can’t keep you warm when you’re sleeping in the park till the break of dawn newspaper pillow and a plastic tarp watching for the pigs that come out after dark lost your job, got jacked and robbed your landlord said that’s not my prob doctor bills kill you, can’t afford the pills now you’re shaking, heart breaking drink as much as you spill waiting on the first to quench your thirst alleviate the discomfort of an asphalt earth trying to find a shelter to get some rest but nowhere seems safe without a knife proof vest if you could just get back to square one start to heal the disease that’s got you on the run feeling invisible going insane scowls and nightsticks fall like rain The homeless by Don Foran Ten men clamber out of the creaking van, Their sweaty bodies meeting a kiss Of cool night air. They drift, silently, sullenly Toward the darkened church. Mattresses lie, two or three to a room, Along walls decorated with children’s Drawings and almost casual crucifixions. Carl, Eddie, Jake and the others Throw their worn packs and bags Onto the makeshift beds, and John, It’s always John, is first to ask If he can have his sack lunch now, Not in the morning as we had planned. “Sure,” I say, almost as anxious as he To assuage this remediable hunger. Several echo John, and soon all Are feasting on pb and j; apples, celery, And other healthy fare remains on the table, But they’re happier now, even communicative. One thanks me for setting a new pair of white socks On each mattress. Another offers a juice cup To a friend. “Lights out!” Rick calls at ten, And no one argues, no one hesitates. Sleep Knits once more the raveled sleeve of care, Obliterates the hurt, soothes the jangled nerves. Tomorrow will be another day, Another cheerless day embroidered With small triumphs, fragile dreams. Shutter Speed Harold by JH Who is the man that staggers in the park? The old man, with gray hair… The poor gentleman that lives in a flea-bag hotel. The man that reminds me of my father, my dad… He’s tall and thin. Had an egg-sandwich for breakfast. In his tiny room, downtown. This thin man, this papa, the gray-haired guy, staggers in the park, on a brutal, hot day… He sits on the bench, with his counterfeit friend, and he falls on the ground, with the heavy limpness of a cruel torture. On the asphalt, in the shade of the trees, this old man falls. The deception of life, and the deny of death. I feel the spirit of this man, myself, on the ground, the hot, cruel asphalt… by Jimmy Heath Key West Sunset Celebration Streetvibes Page 15 �569-9500 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) SHELTER: Men City Gospel 241-5525 Mission Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House 324-2321 (Veterans) St. Francis/St.Joseph 381-4941 House 661-4620 Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 921-1131 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army Welcome Hse. 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis 859-491-3335 Center Grace Place Catholic Worker 681-2365 House Tom Gieger Guest House 961-4555 If you need help or would help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of 421-2437 Cincinnati Appalachian Identity 621-5991 Center 231-6630 Beech Acres Center for Independent Living 241-2600 Options Churches Active in 591-2246 Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 381-4242 Contact Center Center for Respite Care 621-1868 241-2563 Emanuel Center Freestore/ 241-1064 Foodbank TREATMENT: Both 820-2947 N.A. Hopeline 351-0422 A.A. Hotline 381-6672 C.C.A.T. 684-7956 Talbert House Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In 721-0643 Program TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 921-1613 Prospect House 961-2256 Starting Over TREATMENT: Women 961-4663 First Step Home Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: 977-5660 CMHA Excel Development 632-7149 241-0504 Miami Purchase OTR Community Housing 381-1171 721-8666 Tender Mercies Dana Transitional Bridge 751-9797 Services, Inc 761-1480 Caracole (AIDS) 381-5432 Friars Club 721-0643 Drop Inn Center 863-8866 Haven House Interfaith 471-1100 Hospitality Lighthouse Youth Center 961-4080 (Teens) St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Want to Help? Need Help or like to Fransiscan Haircuts 381--0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental 946-8600 Health Board Mental Health Access 558-8888 Point Hamilton Co. TB Control 946-7601 Healing Connections 751-0600 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile 352-2902 Health Van House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 IJ & Peace Center 579-8547 241-0490 Justice Watch Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. 271-5501 Center Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Mercy Fransiscan at St John 981-5841 McMicken Dental 352-6363 Clinic NAMI (Mental Health) 948-3094 621-6364 Our Daily Bread Oral Health Council 621-0248 Over-the-Rhine Soup Kitchen 961-1983 Peaslee Neighborhood 621-5514 Center Project Connect, Homeless 363-1060 Kids People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 Services United For Mothers 487-7862 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping 872-9259 Women MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) 863-3184 St. Raphaels 863-1445 Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 July 2006 10 Years in Publication! Cincinnati Police Profiling The Homeless Cover Story BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY STREETVIBES $1 Donation � 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 2006 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 2006 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: New Hope for the Homeless? Cincinnati Police Profiling Homeless Individuals Pg 2: Hope Continued Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: American Revolutionary Pg 5: Homeless Man’s Story Becomes Book, Movie Pg 6: L.A. Decision Tolls a Bell for Portland’s Policies on Homeless Pg 7: Voice Mail Becomes Lifeline for Homeless Program Pg 8: Homeless at High Risk for Attacks Pg 9: Working, But Still Homeless NSA Has Massive Database of Americans’ Phone Calls Pg 10: Dying for Nixon, Dying for Bush Pg 11: A Mother’s Words Pg 12: Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Streetvibes Pg 13: Prior Month Caseloads Reflect Disaster Food Stamp Program Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry 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 July 2006 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Monique Little Kelly Carr Andy Lawrence John Lavelle Melvin Williams Susan Smith Berta Lambert Georgine Getty Jimmy Heath Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Andy Lawrence Berta Lambert Bush Cincinnati Drop Inn Center Food Stamp Program Georgine Getty Homeless News Digest Jimmy Heath John Lavelle Kelly Carr L.A. Melvin Williams Monique Little Nixon NSA Police police brutality Portland Susan Smith Washington D.C. https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/b6814d5e23447b64873b10f0ad2b4221.pdf c61da77857398451b8ad4c0d4178ef00 PDF Text Text July, 2007 lar l o D e n O Streetvibes Streetvibes Month July is Streetvibes Month! As part of the celebration, Streetvibes will be participating in the Northside Fourth of July parade. The parade begins at noon and is sure to provide fun and entertainment for the whole family. We will be walking the parade route with a float and passing out information about the Streetvibes program. Come out to show your support for Streetvibes, and remember to pick up the latest issue of our award-winning paper from on-hand vendors. Also, remember that Streetvibes has posters and T-shirts that can be purchased for $15. Thank you for your continued support of Streetvibes - we look forward to seeing you at the parade! Homeless Exposed to Tuberculosis by Lynn Kilbane, RN, BSN Clinic coordinator Hamilton County Tuberculosis Control During the fall of 2006, a homeless man with tuberculosis (TB) disease in his lungs (also called pulmonary tuberculosis) spent time in Over-the-Rhine. This individual stayed at the Drop Inn Center for 17 nights. He did not realize he had tuberculosis and was not taking any medication for TB at the time. When this person talked, coughed, or laughed germs flew into the air and other people breathed in those germs. Since that time seven other individuals, who were homeless also, contracted active TB disease. Hamilton County TB Control estimates that there were 800 residents plus staff at the Drop Inn Center who received significant exposures to the 7 individuals with active pulmonary TB disease. The staff has been screened; but only approximately 250 residents AHA (Affordable Housing Advocates) Welcomes New Staff Person Having moved recently to the United States and to Cincinnati, I am currently a graduate student at the University of Cincinnati. I have training in urban and human settlements. My interest in housing lies in addressing development issues geared towards prosperity for all. In the past, I have researched and gained experience with central and local governments in issues ranging from preparation of development plans, guiding and advising on urban development issues and assessing alternative ways of financing urban services. I believe that my experiences fit very well with the mission of the Affordable Housing Advocates. I am excited to join a group that is motivated to influence policy making in housing Published by of the Drop Inn Center were located for testing. The seven pulmonary TB cases stayed at the Drop Inn Center between October 12, 2006 and February 7, 2007. If you stayed at the Drop Inn Center during this time period you were exposed to contagious tuberculosis and need TB testing. We know, from the TB skin testing we performed, that many people breathed in the TB germs and now have a positive skin test. That is why we are recommending that all persons staying or working in shelters or frequenting social service agencies and soup kitchens in Over-the-Rhine be screened for TB at least yearly. You can be screened with a TB skin test. A skin test will tell you whether or not you have TB germs in your body. If you have a positive skin test (TB germs in your body) then you need aimed at changing living conditions of the disadvantaged in society. I am married and have a daughter who is four and a half. In my free time I enjoy watching comedy movies and reading books. If you have any questions about AHA or myself please contact me at 513.421.7803 x 19. Kenneth Cheruiyot a chest x-ray to make sure your body has “walled off” the germs and made the germs go to sleep. If the germs are not “walled off” then they multiply and cause disease in your body. A chest x-ray determines whether or not the germs are growing in your lungs. Screening is available free of charge, if you are unemployed, at Hamilton County Tuberculosis Control or through the Homeless Med Van of the Cincinnati Health Department. If your TB skin test was positive in the past, it will always be positive and you will need a chest x-ray to make sure your lungs are clear. All other persons, who have never been tested, do not know whether they are positive or negative, or have a history of a negative skin test should be skin tested at least yearly. There is medication you can take if your TB skin test is positive to prevent you from getting active TB disease. Hamilton County TB Control provides this medication free of charge. If you are HIV positive or have certain other chronic health problems you have a higher risk of developing active TB disease once you are exposed to persons with active TB disease and are strongly urged to receive TB screening. Taking medication for TB germs is the best way to prevent you from getting active TB disease if you have a positive skin test. If you have had health problems lasting for more than 3 weeks with either cough, chest pain, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, fever, chills, night sweats, tiredness, losing weight or a poor appetite, please make sure you get tested. For questions about TB, please call Hamilton County TB Control: 946–7614 or 946–7618. Hamilton County TB Control is located in the Job and Family Services building on the corner of McMillan and Highland on the McMillan side of the building. There is a large green “Tuberculosis Clinic” sign above our door. Please get tested and be sure to call us for any concerns. STREETVIBES Page 1 The Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless �STREETVIBES, Greater Cincinnati’s alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice,and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for 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. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director John Lavelle - Administrative Coordinator Andy Freeze - Education Coordinator Lynne Ausman - VISTA Kenneth Cheruiyot - AHA Coordinator Melvin Williams - Receptionist Linda Pittman - Receptionist Susan Smith - Volunteer Leigh Tami - Intern Vendor Code of Conduct 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for one dollar ($1). I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Streetvibes by any other means. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, I am allowed to keep the donation. 2. I will only purchase papers from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH). Each paper can be purchased for a cost of 25 cents. I will always show my badge when buying papers and if I do not have my badge I cannot buy papers. 3. I will never buy papers from and/or sell papers to other vendors. 4. I agree to treat all others – customers, staff, and other vendors – respectfully. I will not use abusive language or force someone to buy a paper. I will not give a “hard sell,” be aggressive, continue to ask after a person has verbally or non-verbally said no or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree to stay off private property when selling Streetvibes. I will not sell Streetvibes door to door. 6. I understand that I am not an employee of Streetvibes or GCCH but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. 7. I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling Streetvibes. 8. I will not sell Streetvibes or purchase Streetvibes under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 9. There are no territories among vendors. I will respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer. 10. I understand that my badge is the property of Streetvibes and I will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing papers and display my badge when selling papers. If I lose my badge I will pay three dollars ($3) for a new one. If my badge becomes ruined because of weather or use, I will get a new badge for one dollar ($1). 11. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. 12. I will not deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a nonprofit charity or that I am collecting for the “homeless” in general. I will be in honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes go to me. I will not use the word “donation.” 13. There are special rules for selling at Findlay Market. Only two vendors may sell at Findlay Market at a time. Other rules as established by Streetvibes and Findlay Market. 14. I will attend monthly meetings. Monthly meetings will occur on the first weekday of the month. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. Anyone who cannot make the meeting must meet with Andy, the Education Coordinator, before selling Streetvibes for that month. Ten papers will be given to those who attend the meeting. 15. It is the responsibility of each vendor to police fellow vendors or former vendors. I will report violators of the rules to GCCH. The value of the paper depends on keeping it credible. 16. I understand that any infraction of the above mentioned rules will result in suspension of my privilege to sell Streetvibes and possible termination from the program. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH and must be surrendered upon demand. Where your Dollar Goes Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor, Layout and Design Photographers Andy Freeze, Jimmy Heath, John Lavelle, Leigh Tami 75 Cents Goes Directly to Your Vendor Cover Mary Ann Lederer, detail of poster for Streetvibes Streetvibes accepts letters, poems,stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or are vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, delivered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to:Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://cincihomeless.org STREETVIBES Page 2 Streetvibes is a program of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. 25 Cents Pays for Production Streetvibes Vendor Phone: (513) 421-7803 Streetvibes vendors purchase their papers for 25 cents per copy, then sell them for a $1.00 donation, keeping the 75 cent profit. The money used to purchase the paper goes to the individual vendor. GCCH does not profit from the sale of Streetvibes. Vendors are not fundraising for the Coalition for the Homeless. ANDY Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors ONLY �Louisville, KY - The number of homeless people sleeping in Louisville shelters and using other services dropped from 2005, according to a study released last month. There were 10,933 homeless last year, down from 11,251 the year before — and the lowest number since 2002, according to an annual report issued by the Coalition for the Homeless. Marlene Gordon, the coalition’s executive director, said the decline is due partly to 74 new units of federally-funded housing for the city’s chronically homeless. That population includes people who have been homeless for more than a year or at least four times in three years. “When we have the resources, we can make it work,” Gordon said. “We can reduce it.” The Lunas have a specially made flag they’re getting homeless veterans to sign along the way. It was displayed at the Vietnam War Memorial, where cyclists will pay tribute to those killed or wounded in that war. While they wish to honor all veterans, of specific interest to the Lunas are homeless veterans. Through their work, they’ve encountered numerous veterans suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome and addiction. “So many of our Vietnam vets are here because of mental illness, and cutting through the red tape of getting VA benefits is so frustrating,” Cecilia Luna said. “Sometimes they just give up. “It breaks my heart to think that the way they were treated by our country after they came back from war contributed to them being in this situation. They weren’t told ‘thank you.’ They were spit on and told they were baby killers. It is time we make amends.” The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that about a quarter of the country’s homeless have served in the military. On any given night, about 200,000 veterans are in shelters or on the street. Over the course of a year, 400,000 veterans will be without a home, and nearly onethird of them served in a war zone, according to coalition statistics. British Columbia - Bylaw enforcement officers dismantled two homeless camps in downtown Maple Ridge in last month. One was located in overgrown brush behind the Salvation Army’s Caring Place. The second was in a boat house. Three more have been identified by district staff, not including the one Bill Evans has been complaining about for the past month and a half. Evans has filed three complaints with the RCMP about a campsite near the bypass. Bylaw officials confirm that more campsites are popping up around Maple Ridge as the weather warms. RCMP visit the sites first, move the campers on and ensure the area is safe. Private property owners are told to clean up camps on their land or they will be billed by the District of Maple Ridge if the municipality intervenes. “We are trying to tackle the problem collectively,” he added. Constables assigned to the downtown core of Maple Ridge are also checking the sites. “It is part of the downtown constable mandate to get in touch with the homeless,” said Cst. Gary Slater, who admits that camps are often reestablished and are being rooted out. McDonald hopes the collective approach to dealing with the problem will help. Staff is often accompanied by a street outreach worker, who helps camp residents find accommodation or a bed at the shelter. “The ultimate goal is to get them help and offer them healthy alternatives,” McDonald said. Chattanooga, TN - For several years ministries and organizations have set up at Miller Park to help people who are homeless. Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield wants to be known as the mayor who helps those in need, but a move by city hall last month has some people questioning that. Churches and social organizations have been meeting the homeless and poor at Miller Park several days a week to feed them, offer help and spiritual guidance. They were told to leave The city now says church leaders who want to help the homeless must apply for a permit through the department of Parks and Recreation. Pastor Barry Kidwell, of the Forrest Avenue United Methodist Church, said “it’s just gonna move it (the homeless) somewhere else. Kidwell and others question whether this move is aimed toward getting homeless people out of downtown for the Riverbend Festival. Kidwell said churches will still meet at Miller Park on Sundays and Wednesdays and take the homeless somewhere else to eat if they have to, but will not give up on their efforts to help. Birmingham, AL - To show homeless veterans that their service to country is appreciated, two local advocates rode their Harley-Davidson to the Vietnam War Memorial. Cecilia and Mike Luna, who work at the Sapp Shelter and Downtown Rescue Mission, went to Washington with hundreds of other motorcycle riders for the Run for the Wall, which aims to promote healing in veterans and their families. Tucson, AZ - A Tucson man has been sentenced to five years in prison in the beating death of a homeless military veteran. Judge Edgar Acuna of Pima County Superior Court could have placed Tranquillino Hernandez on probation or sent him to prison for up to 12.5 years. Hernandez entered a guilty plea last month to manslaughter in the May 2006 death of Jerry Wayne Walding, 54. Walding struck Hernandez on the head with a beer bottle on May 9, 2006, prompting Hernandez to beat Walding with a rock, defense attorney John Sando said. Hernandez continued to beat Walding after he fell to the ground. Walding was found dead behind a Tucson hardware store. Hernandez was found nearby in a wash. Acuna sentenced Hernandez to a concurrent prison sentence of 1.5 years in that case. Hernandez was given credit for the 378 days he’s already served in custody. Albuquerque, NM - Ever wonder if handing change to a homeless person harms rather than helps? The city and the Downtown Action Team hope an initiative will take the guilt out of giving. Under the program, old mechanical parking meters will serve as donation boxes for agencies that serve the homeless. They’ll be an alternative to giving panhandlers money directly, said Brian Morris, executive director for the Downtown Action Team. The mechanical meters are slowly being phased out in their curbside role, replaced by kiosks that accept paper money, credit cards or coins and print a receipt to put on your dashboard. Morris said it’s not clear how many donation meters there will be or where they’ll sit, but they will most likely be in heavily traveled areas such as Downtown, where panhandling is most likely to occur. “Our goal is to curb panhandling,” Morris said. “When you give to a panhandler, you don’t know if you’re truly helping the homeless.” Debbie Ortega, executive director of Denver’s Road Home, said the program was launched in March. “It is still early to say if it’s been successful,” she said. “But there is a lot of interest in people to get involved and spread the word.” Ortega said that within the first month, Road Home generated $38,000 from 36 donation meters installed throughout Denver’s Downtown. Morris said, when all the Albuquerque donation meters are set up, the Downtown Action Team plans to partner with United Way of Central New Mexico to distribute the money to homeless shelters. Seattle, WA - A brush-cutter clearing blackberry bushes for a highway project accidentally killed a homeless man in a sleeping bag, authorities said. Police had warned transients to leave the area, and a special subcontracting crew had also worked to remove human waste, needles and other drug paraphenalia from a mile long section under the freeway. The Transportation Department said the tractor, with an 18-foot rotary arm, had been operating for about a half hour one Saturday morning when the man was hit. Isaac Palmer, 62, died of skull fractures and brain lacerations caused by sharp and bluntforce head trauma, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office said. STREETVIBES Page 3 �A Few Words of Thanks A Tribute to Roy Kaiser by Cleo Wombles My name is Cleo Wombles and I have been selling Streetvibes for about three and a half years. I was homeless and lived in shelters and ate at soup kitchens. I want to thank everybody at Streetvibes and the kind people who have contributed to me for Streetvibes. I have moved up from homelessness to my own apartment. When I’m not selling Streetvibes, Cleo Wombles I have been working part-time painting, landscaping, and doing janitorial work. Because of people like you, I have been able to get ahead. There is a short story I would like to share with you. One time I was asking a man getting into a car if he wanted to buy Streetvibes. He said no. For some reason, I lingered for a moment. I came to find out that this man was stealing the car. The real owner of the car came back to the car because he forgot that he had left his keys in the vehicler. He yelled and told the man to get out of his car. The man took off and ran away. The owner of the car looked at me and said thanks for staying a little while longer, his car might have been stolen. The man gave me a kind donation for the paper. I told him thanks and God bless. That was a rare situation. I’m just glad the man’s car wasn’t stolen. It is people like that man that keep me selling the paper. Thanks to all who buy Streetvibes from me and the other vendors. Darfur in Turmoil by Lynne Ausman In early 2003, the conflict in the Darfur region of the Sudan became international news when rebel groups began attacking government targets because they felt that their villages and communities were being ignored by the Sudanese Government. There are three main ethnic groups who claim the Darfur region: the mostly nomadic Arabs, and two African ethnic groups: the Massaleet and the Zagawa. To complicate matters further, the two African ethnic groups feel that the Sudanese government is favoring the Arabs and are linked to the Janjaweed, an Arab militia accused of trying to cleanse the region of black Africans. The government denies their link to the Janjaweed. However, refugees report that following government air raids, the Janjaweed attack villages on the ground, stealing anything of value and killing the men and raping and killing the women. In the US, human rights groups believe that genocide is taking place as the attacks are targeting the black Darfurians; however, the United Nations (UN) is reluctant to agree. The UN has stopped short of calling it genocide but admit that war crimes have been committed. It is difficult for the UN to properly determine if genocide is taking place as fighting is so severe that humanitarian aide and peace keepers are having trouble crossing the border. In addition, the Sudanese government has prohibited the UN from entering the country. Currently, the African Union (AU) is the only peacekeeping force allowed to enter Sudan. However, this force is small and inexperienced and has not had much success. The international community is calling for an increased UN presence and the AU is happy to join forces, but the Sudanese Government refuses to cooperate. The fighting has caused more than 2 million civilians to be forced from their homes and more than 400,000 have been killed. These 2 million refugees are fleeing to the neighboring countries of Chad and the Central African Republic. These refugee camps, however, are anything but a safe refuge from the fighting and are causing turmoil in the host countries. There are many refugee camps along the borders, with some of the larger camps housing between 10 and 30 thousand refugees. Refugees battle heat, lack of fresh water, food and medical supplies, and the imminent threat of violence. Many of the refugees are impoverished farmers and herders who cannot grow crops in the rocky desert. Getting humanitarian aide, fresh food and STREETVIBES Page 4 by Mark Baker On May 2, 2007 a good friend of mine and long time advocate of housing for the indigent passed away. I met Roy more than 30 years ago when we both worked at the old 12th Street Clinic providing health care for residents of the Over-The-Rhine and West End of Cincinnati. He went on to help plan and become district health officer at the new Elm St. Clinic. He retired from the Cincinnati Health Dept. in 1991. From 1988 to 1992 he worked on the Spring St. Project on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings. Roy’s passion was housing for the poor and for the next 16 years he worked with the OTR Housing Network, Preserving Affordable Housing, Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, as well as working with the Mt. Healthy Clinic. Roy served on many boards over the years: Neighborhood Health Care, Inc., Oral Health Council, Bethany House, and several years ago joined me in serving on Epic’s board providing shared housing for the elderly in the West End. Roy’s final project was to organize the development of an empty building at 13th and Vine into Venice on Vine, an excellent pizza parlor water is difficult because the Janjaweed and other militias linger just a few miles away. The camps in Chad have reported attacks by Chadian nationals. Women and girls are favored targets by the Janjaweed, who are kidnapping and raping fleeing refugees. Some women have reported being kidnapped, turned into sex slaves, and then released weeks later by the Janjaweed. Recently, the US government has turned its attention to the conflict in Darfur calling it genocide and demanding increased UN Security Council sanctions. However, these UN sanctions are unlikely since China – Sudan’s largest supporter, has a permanent veto in the Security Council and will not agree to increased economic sanctions. The US, however, has imposed its own economic sanctions on Sudanese businesses that are believed to be involved in the violence – they are barred from trading and banking in the US. These American sanctions are prompting the European Union to consider adopting similar sanctions. Lack of international cooperation and collaboration is Roy Kaiser at work and also home to PIP (Power Inspires Progress) whose purpose is to train inner city men and women and help them develop good work skills. Roy left behind a wonderful, supportive wife, Marian, 5 sons and many grandchildren who will miss him greatly. As my good friend, I will also miss him. Roy cared passionately about making this community a better place by wanting all its residents to have decent housing and better lives. worsening the conflict. While individual countries and the UN acknowledge that there is a conflict and that thousands of civilians are being killed, pro active steps to end the conflict are not occurring. When fighting does cease, we are likely to find that the problem was much worse than initially expected due to the hesitation of the international community to become involved. This happened in the small African country of Rwanda in 1994. The international community ignored the problem and when they finally took notice it was too late - thousands of innocent civilians had been killed. Various community groups are calling on congress to enact legislation including the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, the Civilian Protection Act and the No-fly Zone, among others. In Ohio, Senator Sherrod Brown (Democrat) and Senator George Voinovich (Republican) have been supportive and have voted in favor of legislation to stop the genocide. The House Representatives, however, have not been so supportive. Representative Steve Chabot (Republican, Ohio District 1) and Representative Jean Schmidt (Republican, Ohio District 2) voted for the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Bridging Force and a Presidential Special Envoy but fell short in allocating funds towards protection and humanitarian aid. Contact your representatives and ask for continued and increased support to stop the genocide in Darfur. �Go Figure 2,500,000 + 22,500 Darfurians who have lost their homes since the outbreak of the conflict. UN Troops authorized by Security Council Resolution 1706 for Darfur (August 2006) 1,000,000 + 1706 Postcards delivered to President George W. Bush by the Save Darfur Coalition The number assigned to the UN Security Council Resolution that authorized a UN force for Darfur 714,570 41 Emails sent to George W. Bush protesting genocide in Darfur Number of countries in which events took place on the Global Day for Darfur (September 17) 400,000 + The estimated Death Toll, as estimated by experts and organizations on the ground 50,000 + Rally participants at the National Mall Washington, DC (April 30) 2+ Number of years since the crisis in Darfur was labeled a genocide by US President George W. Bush (September 9, 2004) 0 Number of UN-led Peacekeeping Troops Deployed to Darfur Minimum Wage Increased by Leigh Tami For the past ten years, the federal minimum wage in the United States has been stuck at $5.15 per hour. $5.15 per hour, for one full-time minimum wage worker, means roughly $206 per week. $206 per week for 52 weeks, or one year, comes out to $10,712 per year. For a family of two (which, keep in mind, does not include children), this yearly income is still $3,000 below the federal poverty line. While this kind of hourly wage may have been adequate ten years ago, a rise in the cost of living and other effects of inflation make this kind of pay significantly less than a living wage. For $5.15 per hour, full-time hardworking Americans are hardly able to support themselves. Additionally, such a low wage does not take into account expenses of children, medical emergencies, or any other unforeseen charges for an individual living paycheck to paycheck, as many low wage workers in America do. For a nation such as the United States which boasts enormous economic prosperity, this aptly named “minimum wage” surpasses inadequate and crosses over into the realm of absurd on the scale of economic injustice. There has been absolutely no reason to institutionalize poverty through such low wages in a wealthy nation such as ours. On November 7, 2006, 56.65% of Ohioans agreed that a change was in order and passed Issue 2 for the implementation of the Ohio Fair Minimum Wage Amendment. Following in the footsteps of 22 other states, Ohio raised its minimum wage above federal level to accommodate today’s economy. As of January 2007, the minimum wage in Ohio was raised from $5.15 to $6.85 per hour- a significant The State of Affordable Housing by Matt Cohen I came to the Homeless Coalition last September to assume the position of Affordable Housing Advocates (AHA) Coordinator. Knowing little about the housing environment in Cincinnati, I had few expectations for the coming year. Now, as my tenure with AHA is coming to an end, I find myself reflecting back on the previous nine months, and am glad I had no expectations. The state of affordable housing in Cincinnati is a sad affair and conditions in the city Matt Cohen are discouraging. Ours is a city that privatized its planning function, granting too much power to development groups such as 3CDC. Ours is a city of the Nuisance Ordinance, giving lowincome households disincentives to seek help from authorities. Ours is the city that can’t get the Banks off the ground (or out of the flood plain). And if they do ever break ground, the Banks may or may not include affordable housing units for the ignored socioeconomic groups that may or may not be included in the development process. We live in a community that hosts political campaigns with candidates that slander each other by accusing their opponents of supporting affordable housing. In Southwest Ohio, candidates threaten that votes for their opponents will bring minorities and poor people into their neighborhoods. AHA tried to get political candidates to sign a pledge denouncing such negative campaign tactics in the future, but none of the parties supported it. This is a community that must take housing issues more seriously. Good, safe, accessible, affordable housing is a necessity to all. Shelter is one of the defining contributors to a stable, productive life and shares the same importance as access to food and nourishment. The problem in our community is that a significant population lacks the good, safe, accessible affordable housing it needs to lead positive, productive lives. The foreclosure rate in the region should be enough to convince anyone of that. But there is still some reason to hope. It is reassuring to know that a coalition of passionate individuals is working tirelessly to make a change. I am encouraged that the Affordable Housing Advocates will continue to watchdog the region and advocate for changes in policy and perspective. I wish them luck. I wish the city of Cincinnati luck as well, because I know it needs it. Congratulations to Venice Pizza For Being Recognized As Best Organization by OTR Chamber of Commerce increase in hourly pay. As part of this Amendment, on September 30 of every year (beginning in 2007), this state minimum wage will be increased (effective the following January) according to the rate of inflation and cost of living for the previous year. This amendment raises the wage for more than 700,000 Ohio workers who on average provide for one half of their families’ weekly earnings. Shortly following, as of May 2007, Congress voted 348 to 73 for the first time in a decade to increase the federal minimum wage over a period of two years by $2.10, raising it from $5.15 to $7.25. This is the first federal increase in the minimum wage since September 1997 when it was raised from $4.75 to $5.15 under former President Clinton. The raise in wage is gradual over the prescribed two year period, beginning two months after President Bush signs the Bill, when the wage increases to $5.85 per hour. One year following, federal minimum wage will be at $6.55- two years later, it will be at $7.25. The motion to increase the minimum wage is part of the Iraq war spending Bill, and will affect an estimated 5.6 million workers currently earning less than $7.25/hour, who constitute roughly four percent of the workforce. As previously mentioned, a $5.15/hour wage for a full time worker comes out to about $10,712 per year. With the increased wage, a low-wage worker’s income increases to about $15,000 per year- a significant difference, especially for families supporting children. This long overdue wage increase has been a huge victory for the American lower middle class, and is certainly a gigantic step in the right direction for the restoration of the value of minimum wage and a hard day’s work. STREETVIBES Page 5 �Is Something Great Happening In Cincinnati? by Sam McKinley “I definitely feel like there are some really cool things happening in Cincinnati,” said Dan Korman, owner of recently-opened Park + Vine “Green General Store” in Over The Rhine. This was in response to my grousing about economic and political conditions in Cincinnati and Ohio, and how they seemed to reinforce each other in a vicious circle. Before he said he was moving back to Cincinnati and opening a store, I had even declared that I should really move my family out to the Bay Area of California. Except this was a year and a half ago, and Park + Vine didn’t exist. In fact, Dan was still living in Chicago, back in Cincinnati visiting family and scoping things out for his planned store. I hadn’t seen Dan in at least 10 years, since college, but ran into him at Findlay Market. He was talking to a woman he had also run into there, whom he hadn’t seen since high school. I found out she was moving her business to Price Hill to be part of Imago, “a nonprofit ecological organization that creates tangible ways to live in harmony with the Earth,” according to their website. I was at Findlay Market with my family. I had proposed to my wife that we try shopping there, because I thought we should try to supply our family needs from local businesses, especially from organic producers. I got her to try it out as a fun thing to do one weekend, but she got hooked on the fun of marketing that way and then saw the importance of buying from local producers and organic producers. There was enough Serendipity, Kismet, or Coincidence flying around for me to suspend my discouragement with Cincinnati and at least try on Dan’s point of view. I capitalize Coincidence because I think it’s not really random when it piles up like that. When more than one Coincidence comes together, I think it’s a strong indication that you’re where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing. I did some research on the internet that night and found that there were some pretty cool things happening in Cincinnati. Imago was certainly applying its pressure in the right direction. From Findlay Market, I was familiar with quite a few businesses who were doing their bit. The Streetvibes I bought at Findlay Market was a voice for caring what becomes of actual people while giant economic forces play their games. I began to look for “cool” things happening in Cincinnati, instead of seeing everything through the lens of “too conservative” and “economically depressed.” About two months ago, I brought up Dan’s point about “some really cool things happening in Cincinnati” to a friend. I added my take on it, that things were bubbling up from the grassroots level, namely small, locally-owned businesses with economic, social, and ecological consciousness, in all combinations. My friend came up with the idea of compiling a directory of all of them. Patronize a business from the directory and you know that your money stays local and you’re furthering economic justice, social improvement, or good ecological management. Not long after that, while reading my Streetvibes, it occurred to me that maybe such a directory could start with advertisers in Streetvibes. They don’t run many (often any) ads now, so they’re obviously not dependent on the revenue. They could actually make advertising decisions from an editorial standpoint: these businesses and institutions say, stand for, and do things we support. I very soon found myself in a job interview at GCCH/AHA. I suggested my idea of Streetvibes’ selling ads for businesses that were locally-owned and conscious. Exec. Director Georgine Getty suggested I write an article about this idea and here we are. So what about that, locally-owned businesses? Are you just interested in making money, or are you interested in the health of your city and area? Since you’re not sending your Jimmy’s Motorcycle Adventures How’s My Driving? 555-1313 profits all over the world (no publicly-held corporations need apply), you’re already contributing extra to the general welfare of the area. Once upon a time, the people who made money here got involved and did what they could to make their city as much a source of pride as their businesses. The ones who are remembered as truly great didn’t just build big institutions, like museums, libraries, and universities, but also contributed to making life better for everyone. I think we have a burgeoning movement of small businesses who aren’t just in it for the money. There are actual non-profits. Then there are many businesses who try for profit, but only within the context of their values, whether they’re economic, ecological, or social. Wouldn’t it be great to see them all advertising in one place? Wouldn’t their potential customers like to have one place to look, where they could know a business has been vetted as being in line with their own values? You’re reading an article about this idea, but the producers of Streetvibes haven’t said they’d go for it as I write this. I haven’t asked a second time, but we’ll see how it goes. Reader response would be helpful here. Sam McKinley, of Madeira, is a former computer guy, turned small-time activist. He’ll be starting on a Master of Community Planning degree in the Fall. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and Streetvibes wish to thank Panera Bread at Gilmore Square in Fairfield for their donations of bread, pastries bagels and sweets. These are used throughout the week by our vendors people who frequent the lobby to use the phone or get out of the heat. “The helmet saved me!” STREETVIBES Page 6 �Jaywalkers by Michael Henson This is the fifth in a series on poverty and addiction. Some more notes on dignity, poverty, addiction: In twelve step recovery meetings, people tell their stories of “what it was like, what happened, and what it’s like now.” Again and again, the story is of dignity lost and dignity restored. You won’t hear the word “dignity” used much, but I believe that when an alcoholic tells “what it was like,” dignity is what is battered by the drink. When an addict tells “what it’s like now,” she is telling the story of a newfound dignity. “What happened” is in part that a vision of true dignity somehow emerged from the chaos and the addict/ alcoholic could no longer tolerate the assault on the dignity that drinking and using entail. The false fronts that are part of the active addiction and that undermine true dignity began to fall away, so that something like a real dignity, one that is built from the inside out, can develop. Poverty complicates this process. Poverty complicates everything. Not everyone agrees with that. There are people who will tell you that the disease of addiction affects everyone in exactly the same way, no matter what their socio-economic level. I understand the motive behind this insistence. We do not want to go back to the days when very few people understood the disease of alcoholism and addiction and there were a lot of failed attempts to explain the behavior of the substance abuser in moral, psychological, psychiatric, social, sociological, theological and many other –logical terms, none of which matched the available science and none of which were successful in helping solve the problem of the addict. So poverty does not explain addiction. But poverty complicates addiction. Because poverty complicates everything. One day, on Main Street, I tried to pull into a parking space. On the sidewalk nearby, a young woman was pushing her baby in a stroller. She had it in mind, apparently, to cross the street. The empty space where I wanted to park my car gave her just the gap she needed. I had already started to back into the space, but she looked me dead in the eye, pushed the stroller off the curb, and waited in my parking space for the traffic to clear. I have an innate solidarity with jaywalkers. I lived in Chicago for a year and, in Chicago, jaywalking is something like a civic duty. But I suppose this was one of my lowsolidarity days. I wanted to get into that parking space and onto my errand. Stupid, I thought, for that young woman to endanger herself and her child. But she did not seem to care much for what I thought, for once she had stopped me with that dead-in-theeye glare, she did not look at me again. Perhaps she had been to Chicago too. Without a backward glance toward me, she waited for the last of the cars to pass and she headed on across Main Street toward an errand of her own, Her head was erect and her shoulders square. Stupid, I still wanted to think once I finally pulled in to the space she had finally left me. But there was something in her stance and in her walk and in her rigidly southward gaze that told me something else was at work besides stubbornness and irresponsibility. I believe now she was standing on her dignity. She was doing it the best way she knew how at that moment. For dignity is a relational thing, a stance one person takes toward another, a stance which says, I will take your insult if I must, but I will not allow it to alter my conception of myself, nor will I alter my action if I can help it. To anyone who has experienced indignity, that is, humiliation, insult, or disrespect — anyone who has been imprisoned, abused, cheated, shamed— to anyone like this, dignity has a meaning which is quite clear. It needs no lengthy explanation, nor even words. To put it into words anyway, dignity is the refusal to be demeaned in spite of demeaning circumstances. Dignity provides insulation against insult and humiliation. Dignity has the added dimension of preservation of the sense of self. If a person lives in dignity, then he or she lives free of insult, not because there is no insult, but because her dignity is proof against the pressure, threat, and damage of the world. This is true even when the insult is from within. A person insults the self by choices that sell out the self, the true self, not the “self” we talk about when we are self-centered or self-absorbed, not the self we pray to be free from in the Third Step Prayer, but the true self that we speak of when we say, ‘to thine own self be true.” The self that lie, cheats, or betrays, sells out the true self and destroys the dignity of the person. Therefore, to have dignity is to be free of the necessity to bargain away pieces of the self for survival But there are certain situations and conditions that tend to diminish the self and put dignity at risk. An extreme case is slavery, where indignity attacks the self like a shark. The modern workplace can feel very undignified at times; indignity attacks us there mostly in nibbles. Abusive relationships, schools, playgrounds, the streets —all can be situations which demand more of the self than the self should have to give. To be in the position where one has to beg, to accept insult for the sake of survival, chips away at the self. It demeans; it destroys dignity; it creates indignity. We know it is indignity when the situation leaves us feeling rankled, cheapened, shamed, and embarrassed. And this is what poverty, classic poverty in which one class of persons is placed subservient to another, forces on the individual, a constant daily choice between surrender of selfhood and survival. .For the alcoholic in poverty, the problem of dignity is doubled, for the insult of the world around is compounded with the insult the individual inflicts on the self through his or her use and the behavior that results. And then, in recovery, he or she has to accept something like a loss of dignity if they ever expect to get help. Maybe it is not dignity that is being lost at that point, but the false front of it, the illusion of it. But at the time, it often feels as if all dignity has been stripped away. The protective ego must be put in check. He or she must come to a place where the only way out is through the sort of supplication which seems to destroy dignity. The sense of self becomes a burden. Right at that moment, if the addict or alcoholic has a vision of true dignity, he or she might “come to believe” there is hope. But again, poverty complicates things. There is so much to assault the self in the daily grind of poverty, that it can be monstrously complicated to sort out what is a stand on dignity from what is a false front. So what about this young woman with the stroller? I have no idea if she is alcoholic or addict; she comes up here because of that erect head and square shoulders, marks of a person who will not be bowed by circumstance. I can only imagine what assaults on her dignity she must endure, so I no longer think of her as stupid or irresponsible. She simply was not in a mood to beg or bargain. She did not intend to ask permission to use what was more her street than mine. She was standing on her dignity. I can complain that it was the wrong way to do it, but dignity on Main Street can be in short supply. So, if I ever cross her again, she can have my parking space for as long as she needs it. Not that she cares. Which is as it should be. Giving Back to the Community I recently met a longtime resident of OTR who remembers the action and how the repercussions drew national attention. The The Contact Center controversy caused such a stir that understands that stories about poverty don’t sell. That stories about CBS news magazine and “60 class and race don’t sell. That stories minutes” decided to do a story. Former CBS news anchor and “60 about inequality don’t sell. And yet our Over-the-Rhine organization – an minutes” reporter Ed Bradley, organization that has been in existence according to longtime resident Jackie Roley, visited the Contact Center. for over thirty years, has been The story was called “People instrumental in helping to fight poverty Against Displacement.” as it relates to class, race and The publicity that followed inequality. helped mobilize low and moderateDuring this span of time income people to organize and hold we’ve witnessed situations where elected officials accountable. residents were basically uprooted Unfortunately, that was then from their homes and property as a result of “project development.” This and this is now. Voter turnout during elections has declined in OTR over process is commonly referred to as the years. We need to re-energize gentrification. by William Wallace, Voter Project Coordinator, Contact Center the residents and encourage people to get involved in the political process. Communities that vote receive increased attention from, and better access to their elected officials. Which in turn, leads to more effective representation. Plus, it’s ludicrous to complain if you don’t vote! Fast-forward twenty five years later and we are once again experiencing “project development” and as a result more OTR residents are being forced to relocate and move elsewhere. The Contact center, interestingly, is smack dab in the middle. We remind our critics that there are decent, hardworking people in this part of town and not just prostitutes and drug-dealers with guns. We are still a non-profit, community based organization that works to advocate for low and moderate-income people. The Contact Center does not spend a lot of time talking about what needs to be done. In partnering with the Ohio Empowerment Coalition and Benefits Rights Advocacy Group (BRAG), we’ve attended several hearings at the statehouse already this year regarding the Health Care in State Budge Bill (HB 119). The Contact Centers’ mission is clear. We see the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the dwindling middle class getting squeezed. As we see it, the Contact Center’s role in advocacy is more important than ever. Our organization has a rich history: a history that should be told. STREETVIBES Page 7 �Homeless Youth: Often Overlooked and Pushed Aside by Linda Pittman Cincinnati - It is a common misconception that the average homeless person is an older adult living in a shelter or on the streets. In reality, 30% of the homeless population in Cincinnati are children, where the average age is nine. Since most shelters do not accept children, they are “displaced” (i.e., living with other family members and friends). How then can they receive help? There are several excellent agencies in the Greater Cincinnati area who are committed to helping young people: Lighthouse Youth Services Lighthouse has three programs for unaccompanied runaway and homeless kids. The Youth Crisis Center is for minors up to the age 18 (if still a full-time student) and is a 20-bed facility located on Jefferson Avenue in Clifton across from Burnett Woods. There is also a Transitional Living Program (short term, 18 to 24 months) affiliated with Shelter Plus Care consisting of permanent supported housing which requires the individual to be involved in 30 hours of productive activity a week (working, going to school or volunteering) and also provides life skill classes. Bethany House The Anthony House in Coryville is a Day Center. The youth outreach program focuses on teens to young adults and takes place three afternoons a week. It provides survival supplies to live on the streets or in a squat. It was started in 1972 as a runaway shelter but now provides runaways and displaced youth with a safe place to come during the day. A nurse is available during the day to help with youth who need assistance. Bethany House Bethany House collaborates with others to provide a full range of housing, education and assistance programs to homeless and disadvantaged women and children. It began in 1984 and provides case management for approximately 400 women and children annually. They only accept minors accompanied by their mothers, and in rare cases, fathers. Boys over 12 years old are not accepted at the facility but are placed off site. Programs provided include a Child/Parent Program focusing on the special, emotional, physical and relational needs of homeless children in crisis The Life Skills Literacy Program, transportation assistance, meals, laundry and supervised child care are also available at Bethany House. Also available is access to physical and mental health care professionals, referral services and relocation assistance. Post Shelter Support includes follow-up home visits and post shelter assistance to former guests who have successfully completed the shelter program and are designed to maintain stable housing, income and family life. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati Interfaith began in 1991 and is an affiliate of Family Promise. It provides hospitality in the form of shelter, meals and caring fellowship. Local churches host homeless families at night and then the families are taken to the Day Center during the day. The Day Center is located in Lower Price Hill on St. Michael Street and serves as a home base by providing adult education classes, a kitchen, laundry facilities, showers, free telephones, a mailing address, computer facilities and a children’s playroom. Host congregations are area churches that provide three meals a day, private sleeping space, and volunteer to create a “home away from home” for the families. Case managers help families find and maintain permanent housing while vans transport families to appointments, interviews and day care. A bus transports families back and forth between the Interfaith Hospitality Network congregations and the Day Center. School-age children attend school and receive after-school tutoring through Project Connect. Project Connect Project Connect serves Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren Counties and is designed to remove barriers to education exclusively to homeless youth. Since 1996, when the federal government mandated that homeless children be given the same educational opportunities, Project Connect has been providing supplies and transportation to and from school for homeless youth. The age limit is 18 years old unless the individual has special needs or access to a GED alternative. Project Connect is located in the Hayes Porter Elementary School on Poplar Street. Statistics have shown that students who do not attend Project Connect’s summer camp (see June article “OTR, Kids, and Summer”) fall way behind their grade level during the summer. However it has been shown that students who go through one of Project Connects summer activities stay at or exceed their grade level when returning to school in the Fall. A new division, Faces Without Places, helps children to succeed in their education by providing special needs education, summer reading programs, school supplies, uniforms, books and transportation to and from school. City creating office to help homeless by John Futty Reprinted with permission from the Columbus Dispatch Some of Columbus’ most significant homeless camps have disappeared in the past 10 months. In a coordinated effort involving city departments and homeless-advocacy groups, eight camps were cleaned up and most of the residents were relocated to permanent housing. City officials hope to continue the momentum by creating an Office of Homeless Advocacy within the mayor’s administration, Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council President Michael C. Mentel announced yesterday. “We need consistency in addressing this issue,” Coleman said after speaking to more than 700 people at the Greater Columbus Convention Center during the Mel Schottenstein Birthday Celebration, an annual luncheon benefiting the Community Shelter Board. Mentel said the City Council is committed to creating and funding the office, though the cost STREETVIBES Page 8 of the program and the size of the staff haven’t been determined. The mayor’s administration will oversee the office, Coleman said, because it does so with so many of the city departments and has “the necessary clout” to mobilize their efforts. Virtually every city department, from Public Health to Public Safety, plays a role in addressing homelessness, he said. The city also is developing a formal protocol for responding to the health and safety problems associated with homeless camps and other incidents of street homelessness, Coleman and Mentel said. “We’re doing it with dignity and we’re doing it with respect,” said Erika Clark Jones, the mayor’s policy director. The office and the protocol are further steps in the city’s partnership with the Community Shelter Board and social-service agencies that assist the homeless. The protocol requires that those living in a homeless camp be told when the camp will be cleaned up and be assisted in finding permanent housing. That approach was used in the cleanups of eight homeless camps since August, said Barbara Poppe, executive director of the Community Shelter Board. The four largest camps that were cleaned up were at Neil Avenue and Vine Street near the Arena District; N. High Street and Arcadia Avenue in Clintonville; west of Moler Street near the Whittier Peninsula; and along the Scioto River bike path between Veterans Memorial and Souder Avenue. Of the 107 people who lived in the eight camps, 66 were relocated to permanent housing, Poppe said. On any given day, 200 to 300 homeless people are on the streets of Columbus, she said. Since starting its Rebuilding Lives program nine years ago, the shelter board has nearly reached its goal of creating 800 units of permanent rental housing for homeless people. The city plans to seek voters’ approval next year on a bond package that will include funding for more affordable housing, Coleman said. �25,000 people will experience homelessness at some point in Cincinnati this year • 29% of the homeless in Cincinnati are children • In the last fif- Cincinnati Urban Experience College, High School, and Youth Group students will come to Cincinnati, Ohio to learn about issues of homelessness and poverty through service, educational experiences, and reflection. Participants will come to a greater understanding of and empathy for the complexities of poverty in an urban environment through experiential learning and guided reflection. Program Components: Service: Groups perform service at agencies and organizations in Urban Cincinnati that deal with poverty and homelessness issues directly. Through service work, participants have personal experiences with issues and gain knowledge. Education: Participants will take part in activities that teach them about poverty issues. Examples include speakers, education activities, experiential/simulation exercises, and videos. Reflection: Discussion of service, education, experiences, and observations among peers. Focus on drawing connections and learning. Living: Participants live together in a simple community setting. Ideally, they stay in the community in which they are serving and learning. For more information contact: Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Andy Freeze 117 East 12th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: (513) 421-7803 x 14 Email: andytfreeze@yahoo.com www.cincihomeless.org homelessness in Cincinnati are lack of affordable housing and the loss of income • A person on food stamps in Ohio receives on average $1.04 per meal teen years the homeless population has risen 150% in Cincinnati • The leading causes of STREETVIBES Page 9 �Riot by Richard Hague This month’s guest columnist, Richard Hague, teaches at Purcell Marion High School and heads an award-winning creative writing program. He is an award winner himself, many times, for his poems, essays, and stories. “Riot” will appear in Public Hearings, forthcoming from Word Press in 2008. Over-The-Rhine, Cincinnati, April 2001 “Hurt or scorned people are places where real enemies hide. - William Stafford, “Report To Crazy Horse” Who can wonder that the laws of society at times be forgotten by those whom the eyes of society habitually overlook, and whom the heart of society often seems to discard? - Dr John Simon, City Medical Report, London, 1849 “Even the best of men err in judging the conduct of one with the recesses of whose condition he is not acquainted.- Melville, “Benito Cereno” crowd with niggers, wetbacks, spics and hillbillies, queers and dykes and honkies and rag-heads, all Creatures from the Black Lagoon that goes stagnant and rank within your own fear and intolerance, poorly hidden but as surely there as your unfinished, abandoned subway.) Nor think you will escape into your suburbs, city, for there is the subtlest, most poisonous Fear, the money-colored walls you build around yourselves, your treeless deserts of abundance, your chronic diseases of traffic, your field and grove-blasting plagues of commerce, your sprawling unplanned lack of beauty and decent sewage, your malled whited sepulcher bankrupt treasuries of success. For Riot knows your name—it is scrawled on a piece of paper in Riot’s left pocket, paper wet with rain that has leaked through the roof of Riot’s broken classrooms in Evanston, scrawled in angry lipstick on the West End Marathon’s restroom’s mirror, it is scratched invisibly into the bricks of Yeatman’s Cove next to the names of the others, it wanders the history of Tall Stacks, looking for black men to carry its loads. It hangs like a bloody sword from the hand of Cincinnatus. Do not think Riot always speaks harshly. Riot whispers in your ear, City, Riot curls up like a dog of small fire under your Hyde Park bed at night, City, Riot rides the metro past the Stowe House Fear builds its battalions of your inner city trash and and remembers all its haunted rooms, its tight- junk, lipped mute displays. Fear erects its barricades of obfuscation and Riot silently scales the monument at North Bend, gobbledygook, waving its bloody sweatshirt. then displaces endlessly the poor and the illiterate. Riot rides shotgun, wary, wordless, with the Chief Fear feeds on failed school levies and self- of Police. segregation (you, city, among the most segregated in America). Despite all of your haranguing and all of your Fear haunts Findlay Market, diminishing the testing April, early, and the city locked down, crowds, and all of your mandating and sacking of your blood bright on the stones of the alley emptying the streets, smothering the musicians, faculties, where Timothy Thomas was shot, Fear hides in the baklava and the bagels, despite your callowness and cruelty, city, bright on his Dollar Store t-shirt, in the short ribs and chitterlings and sausage. Riot can’t spell. Riot can’t count. Riots sits in a bright on the clenched knuckles of the police. Fear blights the flowers of the vendor, schoolroom The treasury of Fear is filling. stalks the honey-gatherer, rapes the paper-maker where the students appear to be dying, where the and the cooks. walls Fear is the greatest capitalist, Fear sits legless on the steps of City Hall, begging are hung with peels of paint like the skin of flogged gathering unto itself and unto its vast corporation for change, slaves, the partners Frenzy, Panic, Terror, Rage. and you, O city, outlaw begging for change. where brown stains the size of secret massacres Now Fear has made you, city, darken the corridors, where classmates named its latest catalogue, its vivid marketing of itself— Riot has slept for years under Denesha Saturday Night specials, the steel basement doors of Main Street. and D’Juan disappear over Christmas, never to fully loaded high-caliber deals, corpses of young Riot has hung out at Vine & Elder, return, black men in alleys, sprinted glass-breakingly crazy through Mohawk where teachers lose sleep over spelling errors grim-faced denying and stonewalling cops, and Madville, and multiple-choice tests on Citizenship. red-lined neighborhoods of poverty and woe, sputtering councilmen, shrieking backstreet martyrs smoked reefer and crack at 14th and Clay, shot heroin in the parking lot of the Boudinot Failure in the Proficiencies— and agitators, LaRosa’s how obvious on your streets, how clear children up and down Vine Street chewing their while Petie Rose bunted dull one-liners in the in your downtown gunshot alleys, how perfectly fingers kitchen. accomplished and weeping. Why have you not seen Riot in your mostly-white powers and your black in his red shirt, the tattered schoolbook defendants, how And on the catalogue’s cover a sheet of brightest freshly thrown from his hand? expressed admirably in your school statistics, metallic paper You have ogled Riot in her tight white dress, and your self-indicting demographics— mirrors your face, city: cut low over her tattooed chest. how completely and successfully, city, you fail your in Fear’s catalogue, we are this month’s Why have you been surprised own citizenship proficiencies. cover girls and cover guys, the main attractions. to find Riot at your door, hawking blood, (Self is always the greatest fear, facing Self the stealing the keys of your car, (What is it you are testing, most spray-painting the columns of your new temple personal and intimate fear, stadium? projected so that your dreams, city, STREETVIBES Page 10 �what facts ignoring, what truths turning your backs on, you who make the tests, you who think bullying with percentiles is less offensive than bullying with fists? Legislators, testers: heal thy selves.) and squats under every freeway overpass, loading and pointing its guns. Universities, you have mostly failed, the city is little better for you, the citizens no more peaceable, civil, tolerant, understanding, the environment no more protected, the wealth no better distributed, Riot lives where most mayors, hotshots, high the coalitions no healthier nor abundant nor muckamucks effective, have never lived or would dare to live; the citizenry little the wiser for all your departments Riot lives where the governor and programs and degrees. would never send his own children to kindergarten; Riot demands a Patience and Forbearance exam, Riot limps to its job Riot requires a major in Self-Examination, in the inner city school cafeteria where it hawks a Chancellor of the Study of Studies, french fries and cholesterol to its own nieces and an Ombudsman of Decency and Retribution, nephews, a Dean of orderly discourse. and eats its own dignity and sickens itself; Still, Riot continues to live in the black and Riot refuses to be patronized or even to demand Appalachian what it is entitled to, being denied so many times; and Cambodian and Latino pointed fingers, Riot requires immediate gratification after centuries in the wake of the bailed-out CEO motoring off in of being put off, lives poorly, eats poorly, drinks his sleek yacht of too much, money smokes too much, can’t imagine a better life, while the shareholders’ futures flatten like slashed breaks every bottle city tires. it sees on the street, tears the branches off planted Riot has stood with its heart on its sleeve, trees, with its hand out in peace, and has waited for walks as an infant with bloody feet in front of its centuries in line own trashed house in the interminably opaque uninhabited answering- and sets fire to its own garage; machine bureaucracies of passing the buck and hoarding. Riot lives in another universe from the Garden Show Riot wanted to move, but couldn’t. and the Hyde Park Gold Coast mansion tours and Riot wanted to learn to read, the Cardinal Pacelli School but the building was cold and the rain came in. Best-Dressed and Most Likely to Succeed. Riot stood before the Music Hall and asked to Riot eats flowers and burns mansions and takes up listen, the phone book and the answer was No Panhandling. and chooses addresses at random. Riot wakes you Riot wanted a better place to live, up, city, but the landlord was in Florida, counting the gelt. from the sleep of your spirit and your heart, Riot wanted equality it cries out in the wilderness, and you are either but the scales were tipped by privilege and custom Moses, and fear. city, or you are Pharaoh. Riot wanted quiet nights but the sirens of the police stabbed it in the side Riot makes these demands, even without and the blue flashing lights speaking— strobed it into nightmare. a Mayoral Proficiency exam, Riot wanted protection a corporate CEO Mercy and Justice accountability and was given assault. exam, City, will God help you if you continue your evil fixing the athletic teams’ bungling and shredding of ways? millions of tax Will God be satisfied with mostly white schools and dollars. mostly black City planners, you have failed, schools? traffic clogging all the orange-barrelled ignored Will God be satisfied with the BMW gated infrastructural community Haves highways and byways, and the locked-down abandoned-to-the-Metro so that Road Rage, Riot’s cousin, moves to town Have Nots? Will God be satisfied with shrieking and cursing in the place of singing and healing? Will God sit down at your tables and negotiate justice? Is justice negotiable? Is liberty negotiable? Is poverty a crime? Is hunger a vice? Is ignorance to be upheld? Is callousness to be rewarded? City, draw a line around yourself, and beyond that line, say No More. Freeways, subdivisions—no more enervating sprawl. Reinhabit yourself, city, your busted blocks, your wasted vacancies, your beautiful cast-iron downtown storefronts and brownstones and walk-ups, reinhabit them all with well-meaning people, people abandoning the isolation and privilege of the segregated suburbs, abandoning the temples of Mammon off the freeways, abandoning the mall parking lots, returning them to trees and crops and birds; people rebuilding their own downtown, repairing the infrastructures of spirit, building bridges of talk and story-sharing and glee. Do not spread yourself thin, do not continue to flee yourself, but concentrate your efforts and your wealth and your justice where they are needed most, City, make Vine Street paradise, Main a haven of delight, the West End a jazzy fellowship, downtown a crowded dance of sidewalk ballets and chess games and street rap and thriving vendors. Otherwise, city, Riot will become your next mayor, seizing a lifetime term, and you will continue to empty, to fold up, to die, and there will be no there, city, and without a center there can be no direction from which to venture forth toward the future, or to gather in to celebrate the past. You will be lost inside yourself, O city, you will be a fallen temple, ruin, your people a tribe of wanderers in the desert of yourself: Shall you overcome, city, or be overcome? STREETVIBES Page 11 �Preparing foster kids for life on their own by Margo Pierce Excerpt reprinted with permission from CityBeat. Turning on the oven and popping in a frozen pizza for about 20 minutes doesn’t seem difficult. The directions on the box are explicit. Some boxes even have a picture of a dial on the stove turned to 350 degrees. So what is there to screw up? “We walked into this place: ‘Something’s burning in here,’” says Mark Kroner, describing a visit to a teenager’s apartment. “He goes, ‘Yeah, I’m making a pizza.’ He opened up the oven, and he had a pile of sticks in the oven and this pizza sitting on top of it. “He grew up in an Appalachian family with no money — the utilities had been shut off. That’s how they cooked, gathering wood in the city. You would never think that you would have to teach someone not to do that.” The boy with the pizza is one of the approximately 25,000 kids in some form of child protective services in the United States who will “age out” of the system at 18. The goal of independent living programs is to teach the soonto-be-adults how to be self-sufficient. In conjunction with Hamilton County Job and Family Services and Juvenile Court, which has legal custody of kids removed from their parents’ care, Lighthouse puts teens who are working or going to school into their own furnished apartment and pays all of their bills — rent, utilities and an allowance for food and clothes — as a hands-on method for teaching them how to survive. “A big part of our job is to help kids understand what they don’t know,” Kroner says. “We put them out there and we assume they know a lot of things they don’t know. Or we’ll assume they don’t know a lot of things that they do know. “They come to us at 17 1/2 with no knowledge of the bus system or even money. They’ve been infantilized by the system, which is made up of lots of good people. But they’re not thinking about the reality of these kids being gone at 17 1/2 and 18.” Cooperation works The child welfare system is designed to take care of and protect children who have been abandoned, neglected, abused and removed from their families. The intention is good, but when you have a county system responsible for caring for children — in Hamilton County, that number fluctuates daily but hovers around 700 — the already difficult job of parenting is complicated by the fact that social workers, caseworkers and judges all have to decide and agree upon what’s in a child’s best interest. When it became apparent that abruptly cutting off support to these kids at age 18 was causing serious problems — homelessness being STREETVIBES Page 12 the most immediate — Hamilton County created a program that is now a best-practices model emulated all over the country. From the beginning, Lighthouse Youth Services (lys.org) proposed an approach based on practical knowledge gained from providing youth homeless shelters, at-risk-youth emergency service programs, group homes and foster care families. However, getting three different agencies to agree about the best way to facilitate and support growth while providing a safety net that wouldn’t undermine the goal of self-sufficiency was a huge challenge. “There was a lot of tension between the courts and the county,” Kroner says. “There’s still a lot of tension about how long these kids can stay ... that’s based on deficit realities. But at this point in time you have all three parties sitting down together on a regular basis saying, ‘Given the realities, what’s the best thing we can do? What do we need to do?’ “We’ve had to work out a lot of these things ... and have this trust amongst all the systems.” ‘This is how’ A collaborative relationship between the county, courts and a private agency such as Lighthouse is what it takes to make sure the kids get what they need, according to Kroner. Cincinnati’s program has been around for 25 years. “It could very easily be a blame game when something does go wrong,” he says. “We got kids that will do some outrageous things. They’ll commit crimes. Nobody’s going to point the finger and say, ‘It’s your fault that this happened.’ Everybody goes, ‘It’s really unfortunate that this kid took this opportunity and chose to do that.’ These kids are just like every other teenager — anxious about leaving school, unsure about their future and hormonal — but they have the added issues of mental health problems stemming from their childhood, no parents to offer guidance or serve as a safety-net and limited life skills. The Independent Living Program appears simple, but its concepts are difficult for kids to grasp. The kids are given a budget and they have to live within it; if they run out of food and money, they have to figure out how to handle the situation. Over the course of the six- to 12-month period, the kids gradually begin to take over paying their bills. “American kids are super-sophisticated in this area but they don’t know anything about this area; they will know how to use a computer and every electronic gismo and not understand that the apartment they’re moving into belongs to somebody who’s trying to make money off them,” Kroner says. “When they break something, they have to pay for it. “A lot of them grew up in families that were always dependent upon public aid. The thing is, that system has been dismantled.” Foster home-ec Emancipated in August 2006, Canon Hopey took over the lease on the apartment Lighthouse gave him the year before. He’s grateful for the practical training he received at the end of his nine years in the foster-care system. “Budgeting,” Hopey laughs. “Oh my God, that’s got to be the biggest one. They actually had a thing that helped you with the budget. There was a budget book to keep up. You have an expense book, and you write down everything that you got to pay and how much will you have at the end of your activity. Go over your grocery list, go over your bills, put all that in and see what you have left. Being the person I am, if I don’t have anything else to do, I’ll sit there and write up an agenda. I go over my agenda every day.” When Hopey first moved to Clifton, his agenda included finding a grocery store and coin-laundry on the bus line — he doesn’t have a car — and a place to get quarters on Sunday, when he can do his wash. It’s been difficult, but Hopey says he’s OK with that. “You get used to being on your own, carrying on your own business, making your own appointments, doing things when you’re supposed to do it,” he says. The key to achieving a success story like Hopey’s is up the kids, according to Kroner, but the kids need the support of a solid, consistent infrastructure. “We’ve probably had more failures than successes, but you have to look at that over the long term,” he says. “If there are no self-sufficient 18-year-olds in America (and) if our kids aren’t self-sufficient at 18, is that a failure — or just normal?” ‘A fighting chance’ To date approximately 1,600 teens have gone through the Lighthouse Independent Living Program, and there are a lot of successes. Kroner believes this is because the approach is realistic and supportive. Like all public programs, it could use more money, more caseworkers and more time with the kids, but Kroner also makes it clear that Cincinnati has the best of the best in place already. Even though everyone agrees selfsufficiency training is essential for all kids in the system, independent living isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to deliver those skills. Watson, Arnold and Kroner express frustration over the stereotypical view of kids who are in the custody of the state. That is exactly why they’re involved is supporting and promoting independent living. “I think people have a picture in their head of foster kids; they put them somewhere along with delinquents and the scum of the earth without realizing that foster kids got here not on their own choosing,” Arnold says. “Somebody else did to them or didn’t do for them, and that’s why they’re here. “What I’m fighting for is to give them a fighting chance, because up to this point in their lives most of them have not had anything near a fighting chance.” �Homeless Outreach Group (HOG) conducts quarterly survey by John Lavelle It was four o’clock in the morning on May 30th, and people were filing into the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless office as if it was four in the afternoon. However, the lobby wasn’t open yet for normal, daily operations. Homeless outreach workers were gathering to conduct a survey and count of individuals sleeping on Cincinnati’s streets. The workers are part of the Homeless Outreach Group (HOG), a workgroup formed in 2003 to bring together street outreach workers to share information and develop common goals. They conducted their first street survey on a cold night in February 2004, when they discovered 24 individuals sleeping outdoors, despite freezing temperatures and five inches of snow. Since then, the outreach workers have conducted three to four street surveys throughout each year. Armed with clipboards, cups, coffee, and donated goods, they break into teams to cover as much of the city as possible. They climb under bridges, through wooded areas, along the river, and down alleys. The purpose is not only to document how many individuals are sleeping on the streets instead of in shelters or their own homes, but also to ask questions as to why they are on the streets, what special needs they have, and what types of income they earn. The mornings are also a good time to do coordinated outreach and potentially meet people who haven’t had contact with an outreach worker yet. Workers share information afterward and often do follow-up outreach. This past May, the Homeless Outreach Group encountered 55 individuals sleeping on the streets in central Cincinnati. There were large concentrations of people under several underpasses and around the Courthouse. Some outreach workers were able to reconnect with clients who had been displaced from their camps by police just days before the survey. Down’s Syndrome Will Not Slow College-Bound Kids by Dr. Steve Sunderland Watching young people giving testimony of how they survived the first steps into college programs kept an audience of 150 parents, youth and academics in thrall. We saw the future on the brink of being and becoming the present. Young people, 3 with Downs Syndrome, gave panel presentations, luncheon talks and power point presentations that were filled with their love of their colleges. They spoke about going to classes, taking tests, living in residence halls, eating on their own, and living life outside the expectations of a society that had “institutionalized” them. Katie Beresford, a young woman in her twenties, gave her talk using a PowerPoint to show her history, her family, and her joy at being a college student. “I am going to be a chemist,” she said with confidence, clarity and determination. Many of us gasped at her dream, catching ourselves in the hopes she and her panelists were sharing, and we wondered if we were seeing the liberation of people previously trapped. Katie not only spoke with confidence but threw in humor, music, and a dance. “Wow!”, was the reaction. T h i s conference was a part of a major movement to redefine who was a college student, what a college experience should be, and what kinds of supports, intellectual, psychological and instructional, were needed by those who have intellectual and emotional challenges. “As soon as a student is admitted,” Scott Lissner, Ohio State University’s ADA Coordinator,” the university or college is committed by federal law to providing whatever support will make each student a success.” Scott’s definition of a student is most inclusive and based on years of experience both helping students and counseling faculty on how to implement the spirit and letter of the federal law. A college was not only a place for a student, a certain kind of student, to come and take notes, hear lectures, and struggle with exams on their own. A college, thanks to the Americans Disability Act, was now a place where advocacy for supports, a change in attitudes of students and faculty, and creative use of technology, could be just the right ingredients for opening doors, professions, and hearts. This is a historic change in the definition of a student and the purposes of a college. Now, with strong parental support, positive and creative admissions directors, sympathetic faculty, able lawyers, and experienced counselors and students, a whole new group of students can enter colleges and universities with an expectation of success. “Success” can mean coming to a college like Strive U in Portland, Maine, for two years of continuing education programs aimed at heightening life skills of people, preparing for new occupations, and helping students succeed with great enthusiasm for a life of meaning. Or, students can go to Mercer Community College in New Jersey and attend classes similar to Strive U and also enroll in traditional academic classes. Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, is preparing a similar kind of program. Mt. St. Joseph, Cincinnati, Ohio, has a program, “Project Exel,” with over 80% success in assisting students, largely through mentoring, to both overcome their intellectual and emotional difficulties while becoming effective degree seeking college students. This summer, the Ohio Mental Retardation/ Developmental Disability department, in alliance with the Peace Village, will offer 6 days of a “College Camp.” The goal of the educational experience is to bring together students selected by MRDD with students and faculty of the Peace Village, based at the University of Cincinnati, for a conference centered in classroom, cultural, and living and learning experiences. A parent, Candee Basford, of Winchester, Ohio, a slim, feisty, funny and determined mother who had beaten her head against year after year of rejection, confusion, and skepticism about her daughter’s vast ability and wonderful personality, spoke for many parents in the group. “We don’t have to change our children to make them ready for college,” she said in her opening talk. “Our job is to change the system from one that labels us and our kids as invisible, irrelevant and beneath seriousness. We need to change these systems into human ones that can create relationships of caring with and for our children so that all students, with support if needed, can succeed. Her remarks, tinged from time to time by tiredness from the long battle to just get to the starting line, inspired many who heard her. Candee is not someone to take lightly. She has and reveals a kind of toughness toward intolerance and tenderness toward people and institutions that welcome her daughter and any person seeking an education. Candee watched her daughter, Katie, dance and speak with a comfort and ease that opened the hearts of the audience. Katie made it clear that she loved her mother and that she, Katie, had her own independent mind. Candee’s smile, attempts to interrupt Katie, and to add her own view, were neatly integrated into Katie’s solo performance. It became clearer that Katie’s success in being an independent woman also depended upon being able to bounce ideas off of Candee. And, how the ideas bounce! At times, they were a complete team; at times, they were two high flying acrobats, amazing us with their swings and spins. At bottom, though, we were watching two leaders that had built their strengths on being in the presence of each other so as to spark deeper capacities for love and power, while also swinging out into an air that encouraged individuality. I spoke with Candee over dinner and learned of her struggle to find a way through the thicket of regulations and ignorant attitudes, in order to gain the glimpses of success that she had accomplished. Candee is slim, medium size, with short brown hair on top of a head that keeps moving as she communicates her enthusiasm and/or tiredness. As a change agent, she has learned how to capture learning from each major event, whether failure or success, and construct a lot of paths to success. Yes, Katie was a teacher who happened to have Downs syndrome. Perhaps some of the comments the teacher and the class could have made about her art were kept silent out of alleged respect for how much she has accomplished. I could not tell if she was being accepted as a full member of the class at all times. I saw a fine teacher at work, creating the space to share her own story and making inviting room for the entire class. The conference ended with a strong sense of hope and impatience. Many parents of children with Down syndrome and other problems had seen just the beginning of an effort to create an open door for their children. Many parents met people just like themselves who refuse to give up their children to labels and the attitudes that keep them in place. Young people saw many adults willing to join them in the efforts to provide serious alternatives for adult learning. We ended with conference co-chair, Janet Gara, executive director of the Down Syndrome Society of Cincinnati, promising to bring us together for even more stories about those youth and their families as they enter post secondary education. I left to the words of one set of parents: “It is a new day.” STREETVIBES Page 13 �Don’t Forget by Elbert M. Holcomb, Jr. When you’re out there in the streets, And you’re feeling all alone, And you find this place that you started calling home. When you come in through the door, You see this person’s sitting at the desk, You ask him a question, Take time out to listen, And give him an answer if you can, It might be important. When you see a guy on the corner, Begging for some change, And you walk by, And he says “Hi,” Say “Hi,” Back. Don’t just walk on by, Like you never even see him, When you see yourself getting better, and you start treating people different remember, A lot of us were in that same situation once, The only thing is we are doing something about our problem. Don’t forget, Where you come from, Because you never know when, You might have to come back. For an exercise in the InkTank writing group at the DropInn Center, the participants were asked to describe the worst place they ever tried to sleep. Here is one composition. by Scott B. Insanity is how I describe my life and situations I have put myself in. How crazy is it to work for a company for two years and the majority of that time be homeless. In 2002, I would get off work at 11:30 PM and catch the last bus. I would look at the people’s faces with a look of assurance of having a place to go. I would rest as much as I could on the ride towards town. Then there was my stop. I would go to the apartment building where just a year before I lived with my mom before she passed. People there knew me, so I would wait for someone coming in or leaving. Once inside, I would take the elevator to the seventh floor then take the stairs to the roof door landing. The rug was dirty where the maintenance guys’ dirty shoes had tracked black debris either from the roof or the elevator shaft, yet at the time I couldn’t wait to lay on it. I would lay my coat down and would sit there listening to people on the other floors going in and out of other stairwell doors. I got to the point where I could tell by the sound of their feet how close they were to me. If I should jump up and put my shoes back on or do I even care anymore. I would lay there smelling the dust and the mixture of different kinds of food from all the floors mixing together. Boy I wished I had something to eat. I would lay there staring at the ceiling thinking of good times I had in this building but those days are gone. The hum from the elevator shaft became soothing as I tried to figure out why am I here? I better go to sleep because 7:00 AM comes quick when the maintenance guys come on duty. I take my empty wallet out of my back pocket to be more comfortable. I open it and glance at my ID which still has this address on it. In my mind I still live here. At the Drop-In Center... Home by Ria Strong My home is fragments of a dream. My home is a safe place to hide. My home is a sleeping bag, radio and clothes. My home is a stuffed toy wombat. My home is in the library. My home is electrons through cyberspace. My home is a coffee shop. My home is an office. My home is a soccer court, chair wheels spinning. My home is the beat of my djembe. My home is a song in the chaos. My home is cutting through water. My home is the links between people. My home is the four directions. My home is the breath of the planet. by Ria Strong “How are you?” you ask me. How am I? I think I’m cracking up again. Do you really want to know? I don’t trust myself in the art room. Craft knives can cut flesh, too. Or are you just being polite, I won’t sit outside with you today. When I see the cigarette butts, still-smouldering in the ashtray, I want to pick one up and burn myself with it. making conversation? You look forward to holidays; I look forward to death. I lie in bed at night, dreaming about it. “How are you?” you ask me. “Okay,” I answer. La Isla by Jose Ornelas He would run barefoot down Paisano St. toward La Isla where the grey cinderblock houses didn’t have running water but alma y corazon were plentiful. The river surrounded his neighborhood on three sides, just like a big American hug, welcoming and promising. There, mama would be making tortillas by the glare of a bare lightbulb. The side to side slap of the dough would continue to be a welcome rhythm of childhood memory. A few years later the new projects in the second barrio seemed like a dream, residents could borrow the lawn mower once a week! Here the sidewalks were not broken, there was a real lawn and street lights. The best part of course was that Marcelino, his best friend, lived down the hall. Time and again a new roof would signal a new start. Until the American dream became a reality in the suburbs; his very own lawnmower now occupied the other spot in the two car garage. But no matter where he ever was, the barrio, in the barracks, or on Main Street, it was never home until the tortillas came off the flame, hot, crispy and familiar. STREETVIBES Page 14 Interrupted Journey by Earle Thompson Coyote pauses arching his head, surveying the blue meadow Grey paws pad among morning glories, finding a fallen doe. He halts his journey, cleaning himself as best as he can, finding the small deer had recently died, wounded by man. Coyote sets aside a rib, cleaning it on the starry grass; Makes a valuable gift, polishes it, and hears magpie pass. He invites the long-tailed one to share this good fortune Eating and gossiping, the polished rib absorbs the sun. Are you thirsty, he asks, did he have anything to barter? Magpie explains that the Frog people govern all the water. At the dam, they learn he has a valuable gift to trade They discuss the amount and price, an agreement is made. Coyote proceeds to drink the water putting one hand in ready to scoop the earth aside, when he finishes drinkin’. Coyote destroys the dam and water rushes by. To be fair, he announces with a smile that water shall be everywhere. �Eve’s Afterglow Untitled by E. O. Anthony Announcing egypt-bronze skin your invitational fuschia lips surround gleaming teeth more precious than pearls. I would swim in your smiling lake eyes to that forever milk and honey land where the pure river of life eternally proceeds out of the throne of God and of the lamb; but you are endorphin afflicted to sin again removing you from Abba our heavenly Daddy especially now that your purple blinking semaphore eyelids flutter and your mascara dribbles across your cheeks differentially eclipsing all delusions of control: this ontic pretense of sep/a/ra/tion ego boundedness as opposed to the opening upward heart leaping I-Thee-Thou More than love, grace beyond Yule-tide is Christ cleansing the conscience so much more than our thalamic exchange of electrons: bodies of many kinds and different species thermodynamically dancing in the field around the tree with twelve fruits each fruit healing our separate nations singing hallelujah. by Melissa Mosby I sat and watched chaos As the chaos settled in In your silence I heard you scream Your mouth did not open I sat and watched As the caution became fear In your laughter I heard you cry Your eyes did not tear I heard the ache in your gaiety I saw the isolation in your friendships I felt the hunger in your fullness So I sat and watched As you pulled away and As you pushed toward Your perfect balance beam Mount and floor exercise and The dance which to you is So very necessary Yet so very difficult to maintain Again I sat and watched As the loneliness lay down And even in the spotlight Center stage You played your part Fierce, bold, witty, outgoing And we both knew It was just a role you were playing So I sat and watched And I saw you forget your lines And ad-lib Those things you thought You were supposed to say Those things you thought They wanted to hear I called to you And I sat and watched As you turned away From me as well as yourself For your glance in the mirror Sees me Dragonfly Pond by Paul von Kempf, JR As I lay in the cool, moist sand, mesmerized Watching the chain of events unfold around me. Water skeeter is skating across the water while the honeybees go about their days work pollinating the blackberry blossoms. As I lay in the cool, moist sand, watching The pesky mosquitoes take twice their weight in blood each time they strike while trout hides quietly in the shadows and frog hops onto a rock to say hello. As I lay in the cool, moist sand, watching The stifling heat brings with it the fragrance of blossoms and the sweet smell of uncut hay. As I lay in the cool, moist sand, watching A pair of dragonflys arrive to perform a ballet Flitting to and fro, pirouting like two ballerinas landing gently on the water, wings slowly pulsating in the sun. As I lay in the cool, moist sand, watching a sow bug come plodding along with its hard shell and many legs but, my stomach growls hungrily unwilling, I say goodbye to my friends Memorial Day 1999 by MJ Shaw I walk to the edge of the water. I have a handful of flowers, red and blue. One is for my daughter, Phaedra, who I know is in God’s arms. One is for my Dad’s Mom who showed me love. One is for my Mom’s Mom who shared my room when she was sick. One is for Anita Williams who shared her Indian spirit with me. And one is for Jesse James Spears, who showed his love for my sons and for Naomi, my neighbor who had the same name as my Mom, Naomi who showed me the beauty within her. One for Peter Guadalupe, who gave me my first son. God Love Them The Short Attention Span Gospel by Michael Henson A man was born in a barn. They say she was a virgin. Wonderful things happened – Stars, angels, kings! Terrible thingds happened – Massacres, beheadings, exile. He lived awhile, he died on a cross. They say he rose back up. He traveled and he preached. And what he preached was love. Love God, he said, and love one another. Love your neighbor. Love your enemy. Yes, even your enemy. Love one another, Love the sinner and the prostitute. Love the poor and even the rich. Even the stuck-in-the-eye-of-aneedle rich. Don’t worry about tomorrow, Just love one another. Love your neighbor. Love yourself. Love the improbable. Love the unloveable. He went to a wedding and turned water into wine. He did things no one could explain. He preached from a mountain and he made loaves and fishes and he told us to love one another. He said, yoiur siins are forgiven. So take up your pallet and walk in the love of one another. Couples Only by Stan Burriss Enough time. A sense of belonging. This thing of coming to meals, of finding enough. A place, and enough to be left with friends behind you, and where friends should have been in- side through housing that City forgets to share, while you make a place. Then, you share it. Given enough time, you share it STREETVIBES Page 15 � 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 2007 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 2007 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Exposed to Tuberculosis Pg 2: Vendor Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: Darfur in Turmoil Pg 5: The State of Affordable Housing Minimum Wage Increased Pg 6: Is Something Great Happening in Cincinnati? Pg 7: Jaywalkers Giving Back to the Community Pg 8: Homeless Youth: Often Overlooked and Pushed Aside City Creating Office to Help Homeless Pg 9: Cincinnati Urban Experience Pg 10: Riot Pg 11: Riot Continued Pg 12: Preparing Foster Kids for Life on Their Own Pg 13: Homeless Outreach Group (HOG) Conducts Quarterly Survey Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry 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 July 2007 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty John Lavelle Lynne Ausman Andy Freeze Kenneth Cheruiyot Melvin Williams Linda Pittman Susan Smith Leigh Tami Jimmy Heath Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF affordable housing Andy Freeze Cincinnati College Darfur education Foster Children Georgine Getty HOG Homeless News Digest Jimmy Heath John Lavelle Kenneth Cheruiyot Leigh Tami Linda Pittman Lynne Ausman Melvin Williams Minimum Wage Roy Kaiser Sudan Susan Smith https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/872cfc6d0252cf101127784fbdbff9bf.pdf 8ed7c39b6e576ebf7c909d06fe5345a9 PDF Text Text Poem "' p age 8 TH E TR I-STAT E'S ALfERNATIVE NE\VS SOURCE W\rn'.cinc.i ho1ne'ess.0J"l: Charity Begins in the Park Some seefood distribution as nuisance Bv ~~01i£'"' FRU'.tt exclusive foct1s ofyourevent STAFF WIUWt Failute tocomply ..vi th this rule could auton1arically forfeit the event. Disrriburion offood and clothing shouldbecoordinatc.-d v.1th one ofthe local non-profit age-1cies." Y ou "'ould be hard pressed co find someonev.hodo(,'Sfl't want to end hunger and l Right wing crusade targets adult ads B r G IUIGOt( \' F1.,,~'Ntl(\' EDITOR A ho1nelessness io Cioc.iooati. Controversyarotu1d passing out food andd otho1gat11\ishingion ' Bless them with food ' Today this policy has Park has led some groups to circumvent regulations to do peopleon bolh S>desofdie issue still discussing thebest V.'3)' to tl1e1r patt to feed the hw1gry. T\.\•o years ago the end htutgerand honielessnessin Cincinnati l>atk Boardtook C\\'l> Cin<.-innati Julie Home, n1anager of steps to make Washinf,rton Pail: a n1ore v.-elcon1ing place for business setv1ces for 1he eve1yone. Theboatd added a Cincinnati Park Bo..vd. saysthe second-shiftattendant to keep board ··declinesto givegpecial· the parkclean, nlearlingthere is staff·at the parl: from 7 a.m. to 8p.nt TI1epatk boardalso added a newstipulation to the special pen11it process:"'l')e1111it holder agrees NOT to distribute FOOD or CLOTHING on Patk Board propetty as 1he 1968 The 40­ Year Journey To understand 2008, look to the tur111oil of 1968 BY LE,,. A1ooR•:s CONTR.IDVflNG W RJ'l'IZR. 2008 uscpc.'fl'Tlitto groups \\<ho \\'t\flt to use \Vashington Park as a staging atea 10 hru1d out food orclothing." She says die board changed the rules because"asignificant an1ount of garbage resulted Ste PARKS on pnge 5 1968 \\13.Sayearofconsid· emble irony, a yeat that began ";d1a P6)'chological blow to 1!ie Anterican \Vareffo11in \fiemant - theTet oft"cnsi,,c, \vi'l<.'11 the \fietcong laid siege (ntilitatily unsuccessful, 1t tumed out) to cities in South Vietnant- and a year that ended on a high note ofspacecxploration. h 'vasa yearv.tlen progres· sive politics v.•as in its ascen­ dancy - liberals Sen. Robert F. Ke.11nedy and Sen. Eugene McCarthy. both ofwhomop­ posed the Vieman1Wat, \vete challen.ginga sitti.ngpresident f0t dte Den10cratic nontination and inspiting n1uch e.,xcice.n1ent ­ and yet endc.-d in November v.-ith d1eetecrionofa son1e'"ha1 soporific, centrist and veiy 1>am­ noid man as president, Richard Nixon. lt \\l&S the year that Martin Luther King Jr. \Vas assassi· natecl in t\pril, unlea.<;hiog:a1or­ rent ofnational grief that also sparked urban riotsaround the Alternative Newspaper Under Fire I OlunreerJ /RHll I iJ1i")~1nf ( :-0,,1r11u1111y (:lff11'C/1 /Xll'fic1pme 111 the "(;()(Xf fiar11 R1111 'b.voffer111gfood <111<.f w1~Y!tsot101110 re.sk'k11ts ofO~Y!r-1lw­ R11iJw. Photo by .•ll1<fre\1' 1b1<fer:so11. counny. Yet it 'vas also a yeat, anod1et irony,v.11en black rruh­ tancy - even separntisnt - had grov.11and began.just barely, tot."\'(.'O marginali~ King·s phi­ losoph)•of civil disobedience ru1d non-violer1ce. f\·lore radi­ cal elen1ents, both black and v.~1i te, \vetegaining son1ecur rcncy,arguing Kjng's strategy v.•as too tepid. A ctuel locaJirony in that yearofironies was the death of Noel Wright,ooe of people v.ho \ \ t."re kjJlc.'d in Cincinnati i_n the aftem1a1hofKing's ~sa.ssi. naoon. All had been relati,..tyq1oet in Cincinnati forfour daysafter theApril 4assassination. Then. on Monday, April 8, that all changed. In 1\vondale, crov"ds collected, v.indov.'S i.n the busi­ ness district \vetebroken., fires v.·erc set, a curfe\\' \Vas im­ po<ed. Twenty people \\OOldbe treated at Genetal (nov.•U111ver­ sity) Hospital. and 175 would bearrested. 0 "'o R:>ge on the s treet tn1ed n1en gather in Ciry l"'\..J.lall to deno unce a ne\vspaper: This must be Cirx:innati. A coalition Ic.-d b)•the anti­ gay, anti0pon1lobby Cirizensf0< Community Values(CCV) held a press conference June 9 to denult\d Ci{}'Beat elurunatetl1e "adult services"catef,'Ory in its classified ads. Pronlinent an10ng the coali11on v.<ere C1ncinna1i PoliceChiefThonUIS Streicher Jr. and Hamilton County Sheriff Simooleis Jr. Son1e of the classified ads are thioJy vealedadvertisemenL') f0<prostin1tion,1!ierebymaking Cif>·He(ll con\plic11 io"huo1an tratlicking," according to the coalition. 111at leap oflogic ­ anal~0-0LLI) 10 sayingads for catS lead to dnink driving - failed to elicit the intended public outrage. in part because the coalition'ssrrategi,.•struck 013ny as arrogant andheavy-handed. Several Oirisrian n1inisteis, notably !he Rev. Chatlie \\linbum,a fonncr membc."C of Cincinnati City Cotutcil, are pan of1he coali1ion, but there 'vas nothing conciliatOJ)' in its approach.l11e coat11jor1 dtdn ' t c.ontac.t CifJ18en 1 to air its concerns before n1aking a pul>licattack; andit didn ·1 invite c ;,)18eal to the press confet'ence. That \Val)IOO n\uch for even the conservative Ci11ci111101i £11q11irer, v.'hose editorial chided theooal1tior1 f0t its inlJ)Olitic manners. Not didtl1e pa111c.ipa1100of the polic.e officia ls and ptosecutors - Can1pbell Couo(y Auoroey Justin Verst, KentonCountyAttorneyGarry Edn\ondsoo aod Dearborn Noel Wright v.<as 30 years old, a graduate s tudent in the Univ'<.-.sit)•ofCincinnati School of Oesig,~ An andAn:hitecrure. As repo1·ted by 77re Cinci111Kl1i Enquirer, Wrightandhis\vife, Lois, 27, also an an sn1dent, hadbeen marric.-dj ust months earlierin December 1967. "l11ey v.<ere dtiving: 10 their hoo1e in ~lolDlt Ad.111lsfron1 lheirsrudio inMountAubun1ontheeveni:ng ofApril 8 \lihcn their car \ \ '85 stopped on DorchestetAv12:31ue. Their 'vhite Ford station wagon \\"3500 Dorchesterv.ohen the)• fol.lld thenl:Selves blocked b)•a car in the street. lbey stopped, and a dozen blackyouths, male and female, began throv.iing rocks at their car. bteaking the 'vindO\\IS. Ooth Noeland Lois w•rcpulk-d fton1d1e car. The lateRoben Knii>schiId, CountyAttomC)•Aaron See 1968 o n page 4 SeeCITY REATon page t 2 �STREETVIBES About Us 2 STREETVIBES Streetvil;es r1 7East 121hStreet Cincinnati, Of-1.45202 phone: (513)42 1·7803 x 12 fax: (S 13)42 1-78 13 July 2008 Our Mission Streetvibes isa newsp.1per Ihat provides relevant cliscussionsol homelessness, pove1'ly andolherrelata:I social justireissues It is published onrea month by U>t'Greater Cincinnati Coalition fo r the ~Iomeless. 't'heGrea t e-r Cinci nr~.:it i Coalition (or Lhe Hon\Cless isa group ofshelters, agenciesand.indi.v iduals •'Ommilted toending homeless in Cincinn.atl through coordina~ng.'*rvices,educ'1ting thepubucand g rassrootsorganizing. Our Vendors streetv1bes2@}rah00.('0m \VV.'~v.cindhon)t'}es,.c;..org Streetvibes Staff AlfO\<I \\roolfolk An1hoc1y \ViJJian:t.11 Antonio lfudgr Bt>rta Cleo R;t~11anl L'U1.tbc.'J1 \Voulbld Joues Editor Contributing Writers GRl...; Oi..t..Hli'-15~\'' ~.fUL\ll I~ 1-.1\SUN, S'1T.vtr $G!I.'DlllC!.Af\'D, L \·N~lt A u:;MAN, Jon Joseph111e Dnrby Bas.kt_l'viUt. ~1u~ll~r '\\'illinn1s Davis Toos .B rantki11 .lat.f.ison SiJ,·ia COiiins 011nt1fll0f1d Nelson Doris Ch:u-tt.~ Bi:uiou Cole Ktlly Smith Jr. J ason Ha11'ison M:u·k G1mly Ja~s Quintioo Shc.::s1'S Cook Bybee 1 \\ Julit' Wnl""r Ltoniu'CI ~1a.rl< MIU)' .J=icks:on Citmpbcll l\('nneth Rlrcardo S1u11 Stonits<b T..'lylnr Tiffanie f\ilichae-1 11111·1-is. illian1s Ai"¥'.fl ,f\ l'ANCTll./\, L,A)IAYC I«~, r Ar1ur1A CAI{)(\'. Lr.•ni Moo1,t-s,. ANO~E.tV fXO:ll~ l}(>N~ll~ NBThlf:fl'Jl. RflOf:Rl M.\Nt&A, JQ!:li\. IL.\STI..i\<,-:5:, M.uu.l.\'N .... Sl::tll lt~U,J\, ~rlf\I C,\NM_IN1 Cf1~ HAlMA~~ A l'i$A KCY.111iRriiti\~'N Photography A \It •RI;\\' .-\~J~..K.'it~, B l!IQ')\ Li\.\llltRT, Artwork t\."-'ll)~ ~' l·IOl)(iL A mliCY,1,:''f \<V1t.1.L'"~ Advisory Committee j or \<\'tslil.S, S·n~•e NOVOrNI, l\Nl~Kl:\\1 FHEl!Zf, Gf.Dr\GINI~ G El.'1'\, .Mtt1L\l:.J.. I (£."ISl.l.\!, Su.11 IA:\:Ill Du.'lf1.,,1•, SnLvitG1oos· Cover Sth.alTcr C.<,lVtx PHC)l(> av "OM FE:AvE1­ 75 cents 25 cents goes directly to your vendor pays for • printing costs ( We are members of: .k-----------------, -------------------· Donate to Streetoibes --.. No11h Antrri<::ln St r\~1 Ne" spape1· ;\.sso.c.iation 1 The mofe.support wehave from the community, the runher oureffons reach; Ourwork is possible only with the help of gen-etous Irtdivldtlal gifts. Please cllnsider nuiklng a contribution today! ./ l11tert1alio.11al Ntl\vorkof Street PoP<r• J Enclosed is my •tax-.deduetibleoontriburlon of: $25 IN SP I I I S5lY_$100 $ 150 Others Or nuike ch"'lkspay;lb1e-ro: Vqucan doo!areonlino •W.W,~lii>UJCIC....orl.; ,City I S.tnle/ Zip: - - - - - - - - ­ 1 I , !Sttci.\IVi~;m 117 E°ilstlirl1s'~ Cinolnnon,c:>l145292 .. ________________ _________________________ _ I hsn kyou for givjng generously! .... �STREETVIBES The Vibe July 2008 3 In The News Streetvibes celebr:ates J uly as Strei!JVibes month By 6rogory Fla-.ery Portune Wants Probe of Exploitation "This is t~besi-f.Olinj: in.my life. e.;n, ,honest·with people and belni proud of wJ,·a u am s~lh•g is ibeh;est.fttliog. P~ple areso "ie~ t()­ ~· E\.·en dte-eops like me." ~Kmn~da Seonits ch, new St:rteMbes ''\\'eAreTheirSla\'CS,-•.•aninvesrigauverepon in theJlUle I edition of.'fueafllhf!J'. has pron1pted Han1ifton County C.on1n:Ussioner'[Odd Ponune to call for a probe b)' Jav.· (:ofurcemcnt, 11u! s1ory <Jn ~xptoitation ofLatino '''Orkcrs 111 suburban Cincinnati focused on workers ln1-ed here (1·01n J>oe1'to Jtico by a ten1poraty er111>IQYn\t:lu n~--enLy, ti ulou org;u1tzc!f'St11\d\\Otkcrs· righL~actiVISIS say dte \~rkt.'t'S are housed incrov.'<ledoonditioos, fcirced tool~" intrusiven1lesabou1lheirpersonal behavior.subjeccedto fines and od~r in\\"QIunru.iy poyr<>ll deductionsand ~n1e1inleS c;vjctcd \vithout ducproi;1,..~ 111a letter to the.Cincinn.ati Beaooo. a progre)sivepohtical blog, Ponune said he \vauts 1.healkgaLiQnSfully i11\1ei.'1Jg11ted. "J·read lhe article in the June200S .~irer1viht!:t about 1hepersonnel agency ·andother local con1pany d1arare forci ng inunigrants into s.la\'e..Jike \\'Orkingand hvios conditions,.'"' ·r ortunc \\'fot<.\ "I h}ndercd n formaJ rcquc.s t 10 ·01>en an 1nvesrigarion into the jssue ro U.S. Attorney for dleSoud1em DistrictofOhio Grl!'g L.ookh1t1dt, toOt1io 1\ 11on1eyC'.e11t.'t"cti N:incy R<;)'::;-crs. tolhuuhonCowu)' PrQsect1t0t JoeDe1ers and SheriffSimon Leis. The conditions'{lredeplorablennd. l suspect. illeg;il." vendor 9oyoirrememberJason? He,'s th..9.year-Oldhoi11cles5 pre-sch'oOlec;ou fl.>adabouhn .1Yivc11·Jb<s,)l:emember ishm~el Beah? Ele's.lheformerduld soldier.fromSien:a L.eonov.lio yiSjtodCii>cmrullLYou read abo~t him.fa S.'t ro.el1ibes:·roo. t~ ·the pas()~ear..~rceb'ibe.s hasosho..,11 readeffl·thefaoeofhOmelessneSs, r,,.fllrlng U1e·suu£Si"'I- and tl1•sucoesses- of dus,growingsegniem of0ur socieiy, \11e' ve.also givm,):'OUoon1preJimsj Ve covera&l.ofibeefforttosecure hiiman.,,.,rvfcesfuiuling};)im the ciiy.ofCinciiuioll, shlfrei!u1.<>f>Oetry and am"1ili offiln!i:i1il><s ,;,;,,dori and in-1i;atocfthoshooking0i<pl6itati()ii of l:.atino \VOtlCeiSinstlburba11:Cincinn'ati. Of <x>urse, JKqvidingcol)lpellingnews and f earu~storjes isjustJlru1 oftl1e ~~ of.i'm;ci11•ih<'s_T.he olherpart iS 001po\.,\;,;,,g1i0mf1ess'aitdf00nedy homt..f~-..\~111cn~d11Wn tiy·[rivii1g 1ij6mjobs :s:e1 Ii ng.~1i:.e1~·lhe$, $dline Strypibg.hfioi )·cpdors tea·rn rotreprepttarial skjlls and hcli>s·tb·cm 'U Q;l mQllC)l IQ&Cl offtl1C$lf'ttlS;J1nlso helps lllOl'e fo11wu1teclti~ 111ee1 Arresting the Victim l!'l!!re·s $0111etJ1iJIS, ~lse dim doe~1 ' t sull:ll right. TtacyK. J(llm~o sayshe \'13$ crossing RnceStreetatGarfield Par\.: ooenightlast n10nth \\Tien he'''asstn1ckby ·a car~ 11led.ri\'.er t1 eel. \\i'i tnesses called 91I. and police and pata.J11edics arrlved. Thnt's \\•h.cn things 111rnt<I s trange. Ac;cording U) JolulSQn. H_e SB)•s-1he.dnver v.110 suuck hin1 \vasa num. BU! about 15minutes Inter 1.hecarretun1ed, this tin1e. dciveu by a v.on1at,, \vith tJ1~ 11tru1 \\.f10 strµck Johnson siuing 1n tJ1c p~en gersidi:.. OfticerSspoke10 the couple.,bU1 didn't char-&re ei1herdrl\:er. lnstead 1hey asked for Johnson's idenrifiGi.tion. He gave ru1 fO cfudshov.iinghis·a:ddressasd1e Drop Inn Centi.'.!(. Ne'1 duns helme\\\ he found h1mself bandculfod andplaced ln theback.of• patrol C"df, ..\Vhe-n lhe}' seen Ill)' ID and,-sa''' that I \V3S homeless, I·\V'Ull from being lhe vicDn1 to1his," JohnsonSil)'S. OfficttrSc1n:d J<.)hnson for (I. crossv.-alk v1ohuion and, '"',,""'"heref-used to sign the cttation, took hin1 to the Hantilton County JusnceCenrer. Police.released ltin1 v.·heil heagl'ee<l 10s1gr, d1e ticket, Joh1t.i;onsays A requestforn copy oflhe :iccideo1 repon brought ·:.m unusual tesponse·ITom· CinciMati 'Police. 'f11ere isooaccidenrrepon.. according 10 Fran Cibon.npublic •nfo1mat1011.off1c:~ .., SJ>Qke-10 theoftic.ers \\1ho responded to the scene," shesays...111C)•said it was notM accidei1t,, so thc1c was.on ocCicten1 rep<ut gcot:tnled. Th~oAicers ,...~i.o v.oent to d1escene- 1old mehe '"itS notstwck. Flecommi1ted a pedestrian vior3tion v.11e.1 he \v3S in dle.road\\13}'." ul feel Ji.kc t•nt· bci11gdi$Ct'l{lllOUt<.'d agnntSt because f m homeless.·· Johnson says_ Si1t:(!tl~bc.,· i$ \vllitingon records.lfot11thepoliccruxt fil'edi!t~Unt:1lts., including 911 audio lilpes. \\tatch fur·afull report in ourAugust 1· edirio·n. Dumb Laws Don't Help Kids h~m~J'IS•Jl"OP.I• :mets~• !h• l\e behiild-lhe.st~esso casu3lly propa~Ocl lr.,rtl1e c0rporruemecfui. :\Vjtb j'ourbrlo nran re'u lt ogr goal ofint1tasipg 1tic·Crcq11enry o( publlgtitlp to C¥Cn"lhrtt l\'telq. pdgli11g 6 111ore is.sur.s pygry)'flG Wilh yourhelP.wecao.helP. to provide sales traiiiing·to the vendors·and to oxp;uidsal)>S i~to NonhenJ;.enruekyru1il,o1ber ¢incinruttis,u~uilk w.u:iw help us kctjl ~i<m;ng?'llic·nuniber:<lfli6"!"!ess(lun11i<1o;jo Greatur CincinnatiisOO tl'ie rise~ so we need to'ke\JI infomiih_g_w:sd advocilringon their behaJ(. .Please use theform on lhebortomofpg~ z ro,h~lp ~with whareveryou can aflbld You'll behelpi1ij;'Su·«c'11,/J,i>s re>eh 1T11)to readersand MlP.Jlli>re \'eOdoJS:: Siooon:ly Grei.w Elann~ !,'tteeflibcs: Bd1tor By the Numbers 65°1*-Tbe amou1,1t.Stree1Yi6es sail\.~ a~e up compared to the firsts months in 2007. 36-Average number ofStreetvibesvendors each month ~1outdsonle008 plensetell stare Je.gislru:orsd:w derncxUzin_g 9eXoffendersd:)esn' t help d\or \•1ctiJn.~7 \Vluu S1lll'led astul e~1-0ct t(I keep foriner oflendersa\v.ty ltou\ scllools is turning into a push tomake itimpoosible.forthen110 livean}""·here.at all, Con.sider the lntes1bri2,ht idea In Colu1nbus..House Birt 111, recendy passed b)• dlcOhio House ofRcpre.5Cntati "Yo'S..<:.ll.l):ln·ds tf1c de.tinirion ofn<:gl1."Ctcd t.hlld to include ac.hild\\ hose pareru a!IO\\'Sa convictedse.xoft'"ender to reside Jn tbesai11e. residi:uce lL<; 1.hecluld. Sau1u:ls 1'e!l.'9()c1nble at flt.-a glrutce, ri!#it' Here·s theprobleni: ~"1osi kids '"·ho arese.xuallyabused koo\vlhe1rabusers. h's true lhntsmheoffenders prey on srrnngers-, bul expens say 85 percen1 ofsexual abuse is oon1n1it1ed by people the children koov.'. 1l1atoftl.'ll meansfamiJy mi:mbc.'l'S, 1nt ll1diogpartntS and Siblings. ~'l akmg it a cdn1e co restore a fanul)' after approp1iate tre.atn\ent isn'tjusr CC>Wlh!t--pmduc::u''-:-, it·s nJso Uupracticl\L Lkt<j1oc oot, IOtn1cr ofl'erldet'$ hB\leU) live somev.'here. Legislators ShouJd quitgoing forsimplistic.soluljolis and ,,,.on.: v.1th e.xpens to find\!ffecrive policies. 1 $ 13 - The amount of money it fllkes to get a new vendor s.lftrted $40-~ to buy food for the.mo"nthl)' vendor meetin gs $70 - p,ostagc for monthly subscriptions $250 ~ to p·a y for a quarter of'a print run $500-to pay for hlllf of a print run �1968 STRE E TVIBES The Jump 4 J uly 2008 lO do. \\'e have no tirne to hair:.." Lois Wright would be 67 )'WSOld1oday.TI1e UCalurmii officehasno recordof\\if:iera, a UC professor1 told 1'he lf anyl'hete, sh• mi sJu be, &rquin'n•lnu 1\-ls. Wrij;ht hod told him. ' People are being "'Ill<)' pulled.N<)cl Mdl..()iS manipula ted ' from the car." he said."'There Ho1nelessness had not yet \'las no provocation~ no e.'X.. changes.Theyjust pulled !hem become a n"tio11al i.ssl>e in '68. from die car." By the rime i1 had, son1e four Thti Enqu1t't!I" report~d; )'ears later, Pfestdent Nixon "While ihe girls held Mrs. oould v.in re--electionTn aland­ Wrigh~ theboysslugg..'<l\l'ril;ht slide, a repudia1ion ·o f llhd thensmbbed him in the Ioft McGovern libernlism. chest. .. . Wright fell to the E'len as homelessne.s s ground, bleeding heavily. .,Jis \~rked Jts wuy ln10 tbe pro~ wifekneltbesidehimand rried .&ress.ive lexi.con. j t c·an1e at a to stop die bleeding." time\\iten t>fewDeal politics­ Noel Wri.ghl died one day cappcdolfinthoruid-'60s "ith laterarnearby Christ Hospital. landmark civilrig)nslegislation Mrs. Wright had been a - began to Wltavel. A Republi­ sociaJ \Vorker, had \•,.orked in can Southemstrategy wassup­ lhe past widt young Africa11· pianting it. co1ooolingSouibem American g.lrls in Sr. Louis. Th~y "What we're seeing here In hardly led shel­ the last year or two is that tered lives. Kuipscbild told· people who live in racially 11w Enq1tin:rthcy isolated suburban areas are \vere ..deeply in· becoming acutely aware teces1ed in th~ that education Isn't really pi ig ht of Ne ­ education if it's done in a groes... In fac t, racially isolated situation." - Jeff Brokamp Knipschild said. C.Ootinued rroru paee 1 ..Noel \\'right \Vtl.~ quie4 niodest, young man, Sensitive, yes, but firm. He could takecare of hjm·seJf. but verl>olly, He didn '1 believeinthe fos~ the knife, the gun. A slight man, thin-fuced, c11rly haic He \\-Ureif shon, shoner thal1 nline, He v.-as no Dobemiao. He djd nolcall artemioo tohimselfm 311)1 \l..uy." tt Democrats,feeling disoftected and~'lrayedbythecivil rights' gains, with ogro";ng backlash elsewhere in the count!)• to \Wi:u rnat1y OOclside<ed tJ1dex­ cesses ofthe Ne\v Left, black miUtnnts. threeyearsof urban riots and..spoilcd'' c<>llcg:estu­ dent;. Jules \Vitco,•er, a tornier IWr,-c· {$ f111i.t~11e e~'ltn 4Q} '(JllT:/ '!fh•r ,,,~ iJ...~~·fl.l!il11flt/(»I ()j :l fnrfi11 /.,Jttlw.r Kl11~ Jr. /'hrJlfJ'( (."01111t-,\V (Jj 'R<!r1il"l \"'•lt1,w1n /i1!<'1J rN11·l " '"'1l'. nJ1;ttlrd<1lfrt:t!ilmir.cui.1t. JOwnaltsm at An1ericsn Uni ver~ sity. v.rltc.over notes ho\Y un~ popularthe warandpresident "~l'.'e-then aod no\v. '"No'vthecowitty-is agai11st this \V'J.r in rtaq, ag.ainsl 1he president as well, l31gely be· cause hegotus into a v.•ard1at didn '1 need 16 be fought 3nd botched it,.. \\'itcover says " W11-ar·s re1narkable 10 rn¢ Is iha~ fur all !he qlJIXl6irion 10this warin Iraq, is it hasn' t spilled <>ut fnto th~ Sth..'il."IS like it did In 196$ " Tht: ptlniary reason is the lack of a milillll)' draft.Another is there is110 con1p31abJe cul ~ tural revolution lhat tCcds into 'the.backlaslL.lndeed, Witwver n1uch ~ i t \WIS an 311ri-turrooiJ voce." NathMiolJones,appointed to the federal .appellate coun here in CinciruUlti b)• President ('.urta- U1 1979 and serving unti I his retirenlenl in 2002, served on tho Kerner COtllll'liS ­ sJon 111 I 9 6 7 , \vhich i n­ that isjuc;1 irw:endini)•." ln additiOn «o innuendo obout Obama'sblackness, there m "hi;p"'1>obou1 his religios­ ity.There is the Rev,Jeremiah Wright. tha1 schc)QI in lodoue­ sia, even those terrible allusions " That's when the to the .RJ'K as­ emphasis on civil S$Sination, rights and soc ial 'Very action programs aware' began to encounter youth a great deal of resistance. What's J <. f f happening today is BrOkmnp seeS soniethiiig of a reminiscent of silver lining in 1968." - Judge Nalhaniel Jones both the ironies veStiga.ted die d\'il·dis­ IUJWn.<<S of die '60s and issued its.ta.. mousrepon of 196.8 that talked of rv.•o says. th<: co1m1oy ln 1968 ' 'Iv.is in wmtoil" And the.publicjust Ainetlca.s, gotsickofit Thus the ironyor· one ~tiite andoneblack. a Nix.onelection. Jooessees l968 asa trans:· '1~skindofromonrlc to say formative year.a yc-arthatsa''' tt1at all the pro1esis ~lgai ns1 Lhe oclash nnd the beginningof~>at backlash. "That•s \\<hen tlte en1pM­ S1so11 d\i l n~h~andsociat ac· don pro!,'nUTIS began lo.cnco~m­ ter a great deal ofresi,stanc-e,." he says. "Whal's happening10day is rnminiscent ofl 968." Civil rightscases and gov· cmment p<.llicies in J968. in­ volving eo1ployn1ent, becan1e "reversediscrimination" \\flOO.it in,•olved affirn1ati,•e action. School desegregation beca111e kno'4TI b)' lhc code \\'Ord of l.i l.c lii.Y 111-.:o·l..~1.'tl~.~or R 1cl.'(»'(I /\1l,\'f)t11 (it!f#!!~ II! JJ,,,)/1 i-J 11111111/KJ/Nilur P'"-·1/J,~111 11·11!1 '"' 11111 ")/ llll(Jr 11•u1: 1 / I H1tf)N t:/N11/t>/r~v tif 1.,11·w.1•f,\•ll lu;,> tk.t:t.ir11 ta1il ll'l11lr //1)11.1~ Jl'f tt>ltl. NoelWright had pl1110ed lo become a teac.her once he _g1'aduated. Fie hru:I anex¢llettL fururO, Kn!p.;dtildrecalled31 tho time. ..He minded his 0\1tli busi­ ness- or tried 10," Knipschild s.'lid. One day aAer her husband died, Lois Wright told The 61U(tlln=r•..,,,c~ve got 90 mucll .~1111 reporter and ·colunmist v.bo \\'35 on thefi:ont lit1es covering the '68 presidai. lial election and v.mte 11le Year the Dren111 /)icd: Revisi1i1tg /96l$l" A111eticu, pub.Iishod·i11 1997.says.'68 is ayearthotstill resonates f'our dfcades·la,t~r. •(Oh. noquestioo aboutit." hesays b1 phone from Wash· ington D.C•• wh~c he teacht.'S 8altl11tore \fj etnamWat n.itrted the.coun­ '1Y around." \Vitoover sa}'S. "It didn' t What it really did ""as that the «.-action to 1hatv..•asso negative ru1d \Ws played upon b)•Nixon aod hi,slawaild order can1paign. The di.sgustofn:iany VOfl:!fS and lh~ nppearnru:-e of. the protcstocs v.•crodistinctly ·offe:nslverosomany people.. .. lt \Vast1·1a pro-Nixon vore.-as j tl'il presented \'lithtenninology ~" "People didn' 1tnind bus­ ing fo·r anychjng else," Jones sa)1s."lt'sonly \...tle1rit's done for descgl'.'cgation th1.1t it be­ com·es busing cases:.1\nd no\\' \:vilh Obama and tl1e lemt$ bi't­ ter ondclingi~ 'gunsandfaith.' t1:s a n1ischaracterization. Peoplew:cboingmanip1dawdin 2608 by tliis24/7 news cyde in v-·hich snlpperS ar¢ placed. c011text is lost. historicaljustifi­ cation is ig11oredandpeopleare and parallels- a high school population for whom l 96S might be :mcicothlstory.but roe whom 2008 is energizing. An OWortw1it)•togel in\l()lvedin Q presidential can,Paign tl1a1 mm­ ters[0 d1enl for mefirst rimes in their Ji.,'\!S. They' i:e connecting.. Broka1np offersson-iesym· tne1ry here - his fa1her, Raymond.Brokmap, \\13~ prin· cipal ·o f Wal11u1 Hills High School In 1968. Jcff13rok•mp hasJustfinished his first year as prineip<tl at rhescbool 40y~ later.The schoolh""1't changed muchinthose 40years, be says )lien: are still thobij;h aca<bnic stand;ards. as \\<ell as th.edi,~er­ ~ity. both ethnic ftnd religious. While sludems paid SQJlt• ruren­ rion in '68. che:,.• pay n1ore ar ~ terltiO)t today- mosdy because I8-)'ea1-olds can no~· vote Bcokttnip v1si1ed different classroomsthis poS1 iid>ooly"'~ and a<lked students ifdiey were registered lO vote. "The}' \vere aln.~y regjs­ t~red and ready to vole,-- he says They \\'crO very ptoud. r �STREETVIBES Local News July2008 Parks Continued rrnm p11ge I rooo frQtn and clotl1ing btittg passed o.ul. and 1he park was not designed to be- a social ScrviccugcnC)'···· f\.t-any gro ups such as \ .'lr.eyrutl Coc1unun.i1y Olu1x:h111 Springdale hm•e been going to \\'3sh ingto11 l'ark e''ef)' Sarurd:t)' fo r Seven years lo hand out food a nd forn1 relati011$lups \vith 1>«>plt Jfc>10 Over-tbe-Rhjne. ··we don"t \V:tnt to just prca:th \vh at to do, so \\' C decidedto do sonielhtQ!I." suys Star' rvhtl'ule:I tvlutflhy, direct9r ofevangelism ai dieVine)•ard 11w.t led to die fom1:11ion of lt gmup that co•nes 00"'"' eve'}' Saturday no,v. Son1ed mes ht l\.\tet!n 30 ond . 40 people fron1the churcli help out - rrpeopleare hw1giy, we can bless th'cm '\h•ith food," Murphy says Ahhough lhogtouptl1oug1>1 they \\'ere doing e\'erything properly- until d1ey "\lreasked 5 Thu cJiurchgrO\IPstopped foe a:\vllilebur recently retwned Over-lh<>-Ritine ..111ere·ara: l\\'O churches locotod ri<;ht 0 01 thepark(orid) mnny soc:iaJ..ser. 1ce agencies tlt:IJ \voul<lpt\)bai>ly \velcon>=: the help. They \'Ui} Very good. decent people who n1ean \vell but thc l'e are uninlcnded consequences... This1snotjus1f1ll iss·ue that Cincinnari faces. ~Defining \i..-here groups ain p<isSout fOOd OJ' clo thlnf~ is a con1mon 1actic to-gelhon1eless ou1 of s1~~" Clifford soys. ..\Vhether it is successful is to be .se2n. : \.nothe.r la\,,Ol policy isuot gojng tO 1naJ.:e pOvcrl;)·or homelessnes;sgoav.13}1. " A rei:ion by 1he Nation'll C.oalition fo r I.he 1-lomeless in No-..·en1ber 2007-found·22 cities havo.sirnilarla\\'SOr p0lieici in placo. In Orlondo, Fla,, tbe group .Food No1 B¢ntbs hos suad the Cit)' over a la\v that requires groups to getpennits IQ Wa.~1litl~f01'1 Park ar•d ha~ been passing out food on the sidl!v.•aJk, 100111ically not 011 park property 111eparkboard euooumges groups that v.·an1 to pass 0 111 food to panner \vith a non­ proiil.it¥e' tC)' in Over·4tM:-Rinne tha1-might alr"3dy bbproviding asintilnrservice. 1 " \Vhen gfoups inquire about a.spe:wial use pennit to pa$SQUI food. \\~ refe( th~nt 10 lo~I soci~ l-s:crvicc agencies tliatdisuibu1efoodandelotlting in the vicin'-1.y of\\:Mhing:1011 Park," Honte says. Pa.I Cli ffo l'd, s,enc l'aJ coordi n ~tor al 1he OJVp Inn Center. \vhoseageucy is liSted asa ••ferrnl by !he patks board, believes people should be ill lowed to pass out IOod. '1 thml< people should i>C 31Jo,ved 10 getpemiits to feed a.$ lor•g ac; p:eople ne~d the food to pass out food to the and the groups agree to clean J{t(,•k1.~. ' ' ~T}/11111<·(,'r.JitJ1'1 J1r1(!)'•11f/ I 'Q11111111nif'.' (·/r11rv:h, M'aSlt>J,' i homeless, \Vith a l11n i1 of up and flI~ eonsidet'Jtl! o l~ 1he :W1rl~JIN' ij\~~1 1Ji fl 'm:lli1rgi<Pt /J11rk Pl1r1tr1 b,_t' ,.1u;/n~1o1· ,.t,.r/11rsm1 1lJ>plyin$ l'~1ct! a ye:lr. Thec.:ise neighbCH'$," h OSB)1$, is pending in federal court, S-i1lce the Jle\11 sripulatio11 food rutd clothing. Hesaysv.hat be depende11L :i11-<I not v.tle.relheolayor \V:lS forced co lO Stop. , ....a..c; passed f\VO y ettts a~>t>~ tht."Y dt>n 't \VQnt Is ..groups independent," he Say.s,' 1\\'hen testii)'. "'T\VO years ago 1he park, Clifford says he lms only lmda con·tingby anddroppmgclo<lie; groups leave, th.e re is al\,>ays ~1 urphy SJY.S hJsgroup has _rJ(>hCeask'l:d us 10 l~ :l\t~ w1d 10 t'OUple of ~coups contact hiln 011 the side,valk .:uuJ le•lvin~ trnsh pil<ll h•sh in 1he i;a1bage worked \,1j Lh Cit)· Gospl!J notpassout food in the park,,. aoo,ausing d1c Orop'Jnn Centt:r rrash evety\vhere. rt~s not good cans. f\..fissio n on Murphy says. as·astagingg.round to pass o ut fortl1eneig11borl1oodaod is not various art Tile ne\V "Defining where projoc~ digrll6<..-d tOr tile people." reg·ulat ion groups can pass .. 0 u r has n'r r~ally t.'luJJ't:h t'O/Mul~l!l'-J /'rf!)' ll'illt r a.\iJdnl.\' ufl)~>eJ«//14• .Rltf111! iJt out food or clothing 1 'Unintended deterfed thl! focus: .is not ll'lt$l1i11g1tn1 I'(ll'k, 1/K>l(I h).l t f/11,/rt:,., ,-J11tll'-r;.1)11 consequ ences' public f..aing, is a common tactic solel·y on \ \1essels·s·ays. to get homeless out food, but "lhav1,."f)·I Joe \Vessi.:IS.·\\JJlo lives ntw fo r m i· ng of sight" the parf.::, belie.ves that.groups noticed a relarionsh1ps ·P'dLCllttord and helping '"·ho c(ull~ dO\\'lt t() pass out· declinf! food h11vo good intootions.. because they people bolter "'1 dtlnk their inreutioJis are just use the sid:ewalk t)O\I/, blfl theirsituarioo;·he says. pure tind good bl.it theend n.:?$111 i i is much better .sfn cc the With bU<~gc.'ttings1n.~J« is less than s1>ectacular," he groups did o better iob of and resources lllOreexpeusi\'e, soy~ picking up the trash :t,fh!t 1t rnigtu be in th.e~ lnterestof everyone in\•olved to nol Th• food distribution has themselves." he seys. 1 negari ve consequences. \ \ essets \\!OUld like su<:h 3li~nte groups th.at in lhe'-'ftd according to \\rcsslils b'TO\JPS 10 p~lctnr.,.'1'\vith agencies all·h ave thc$!lmegoaJ: ending "'It encourages people to or churches tbstare alread)• in hlmger ood hon1cl~ness. 1 ... Continur.d rrnm p11ge-' bcrs ivcv», Ilic ccotcrmovcd to M'ain Str ee1. 8}' then Nixon '"'On re-election by a llind~lide, and the Nev. Deal \WS·on ics \Vay ot1t, but soc.fat senric.e 1\ )()cat assassination don't h.avea·great frame ofref­ era1~ this being n1y fi'rst )'ear. Buddy Gmy gre.w up iu bu1I think d10)' ;ire very jJ(lliti­ Mount Carmel in Clern1on1 caUy a\\'al~ really engagedand 1n rune with this elec1ion. It's Coun1}', a.bucolic village set 1n fl rural county. and gradu:.\ted funt.'lSUQ "\\'hat \\1e'reseein~J 1 ere in from highschocil in IQ68 ·r he son of a rai lroad theIastycar ort\\-U is-1hatp00plc \\"Otker, l.e \ve1\L I.Ct Putdne Uw­ v.holivein roc:ially isolatOOsOO.. w'ban are~1s are becoming "'l'Sll)',got d..>eply embedded in acutely av.'are that educarion tl1e anci-\var 11W)ve.1ne111 and l.sn·1 re-.J.!Jy education if(fs OOne d•vpraf out ofcollogcJ~1 t\\O in :J rncially isolated situ.11tion. years latet 11\ die swnmer of 19?0 he 11w.soc.i::d education can bej ust as po'verf'ul ll~ the academic 1noved into an apartnuo!nt in educat100. Peoplev.hc>ba,rerun <:h·l!r-Lhe-Rhine, afiel' leavlug and hiddl!Jl10 be insulated are his engineering pursui1:; al realizing dlut doesn'Ihelp thi:ir Purdue. l~e staned taking iu homeless peQple.at bjs npfif't­ child.. 1 ered a friend, so1neone he'd hc.lped us a bon1eless niait, SOn1CQne \itwho' d \!wt)l'kCd at the l)rop Inn c~.n ter. \VnJked in as Gray s111 1hel'e and 1·rused a handgun ond shot hiin Wilbur ""He \\'Ould speak rtuth 10 Worthen shot him nwi1n wtd f>O\lier and not bo: nfrajd to do again,emptying his ,357 Mag­ that." Bonnie Neun1eier told 11811. Ci1Ji81J(1t rv.o years.ago. ·"J'hat Buddy Gray dted oot qune chreedeca.<ks aft~r that tun1ul­ \V'd$ hJSSt)'lc." The Drop 11111 Cenrer tuo u~ yearof 1968, c;ray \\lfi~ moved ~o E1mSu-eetrnJanlJiliY 46. killed byson1CC)nc \\~10 v.-:i$ 1978. l t reninins lhere tod.tl)~. likc n1inded, \!.'ho apparently i'ound ~01111011 111 home a1,vay Mving 1.housands. Bui t1 do -r,cn ye~;:; ago. from home. in o home.Buddy Buddy Gt3)1, in n1any W'J)'S die Gray helpod set up, killod tha1 aJ1eniative face of Ovt!t·lhe­ yc;.lr almost 1htoc.decAdes 11ftcr Rhine, \\'tlS ai the Drop lnn thar)'~ilr of ironies... Cen(l!f wt1en.a n1an heoonsid· agcncice> \"\.'fC ~II 111tact, (;ri'J\' ~ "''Drl. M'(l,\ lll(ltW ;It 1l11l .vplr~'J <-f 196.'/. rwm~J'..mw,1&' u.-...111 menL Heset up about -a dozen of 1hen1on nlats in his apart· mcnt. \ \1id1i11 a couple ofyears C.my opened UloD10p Inn Ca1­ ter in the 1700 block of Vine Street. a snl::tll pince. .-\ s num· 0 �6 STREETVIBES Community News July 2008 .fllJle/a Panr:-:1111 IS dlrtt.11)1' "/ 1/e1V!/Q/>1J11!t1t iii 0Jtr DlliA• (l,~,-,._1, aJolXI u1t<fhuJ(Jlklll1)• n1t1Jl.~ll')' tll I 730Rl.K:t."i1. , ()1.-'l9'·lfie,.HJ11/1e. 7:/Jt. Jttflll.111':\' Jt't\'t:.~ (J n1kf·tfll)' 11/~U/ i.lan<f(l)' 1/11'0UJ!h Ft'/,/o'i') '. se1\1/11g Ju{JJ\' ihuu50(} 111~uls ot>\'C.'~·tlaJ'. 10 \VJ/iJllli!i'I' Or {/OltOle feo, 11 l)t' I WJI• fJll1'(,f/t1)hle Jtt•1ft )'. ea11.JoaJJ tJI' K'all)' 18 5JJ ~Jl-6J6./, btl\v:ee.n n1eand l\.<lissCookic " 'tis made bcc:1usoour family '"""i;oing to Our Daily Brl.".d, or 1l f\itrs, \\illke, O<Jllced \\'e v.-ere goingthereand made the connection \vtth r...1IssCookta·· lf1/1t1I w1c.•J'l• j:o11r chi/1/lt<>Otl i11y1re.rs-io11s ofAfi.u Cwkie.? Mljust remember ~JIU she '\135 ve1y nice. Sheal\.''llYS ll&:In n1c.e­ snule, il bdght snufeAbourlier. 11 jusl n1ad~ her a ca.ring. conlpas.~01uue ''"utwi l.koo'v Passing it On ,\ f11.ft:.t1f1J1 } 'Ul k'T, Ci/,\1: /lt(».'llJj~l..l ll /11r /)l~Jfl / 111/ 1'rnlt'r, u~1rl« "'''' " /ll'Qfll<' '" /N!lfJ lfrc"' .8''' 1111() !io1t.\•ing. Pl1<1t(} b) fu;lreor ••f,.r/,~r.\'('Nf, Honieless as a child, 7ze norv helps tlze honieless BYA N<;l'J..A l'.\ NCl:J.T.i\ CoNrRUJUTl'NO Wv.ra::u 1\1alco1n1·\ 1amer is.a ne,.,. case mnrmgerartlu.rDropInnC(.'11.tet: Ispoke 10 hin1ih his office.on the """'ond-:itul-a-hlllf' floorof 1he shelter abpu1 die,,'Orl: of1he ·1:>1up-JnnCen1er·s iean1ofcase m:)n~f.,~. includiug.Anl)'Silver. Kenny l:la\rer.s, Sherran Hariis nud t.l1eir- !.up~rVJ!>()r~ Steve Knl£)1l ll'l111l iJ ii J/1r11 J'Ott tlo'! ..f\rfy jo~ as a c.~ 1t1A11Dgel' is 10 refer c.lienTi to various resources,.,fth.in the c.on1n1luii1y tba1 ought Sl!f\'C their needs SS" related to mental health, sub51a11eellbt.t<leor01.heris.'iuL'S Ultimately, 1he case n1anagen1en11eam ishere tohelp 1n1.fividu:~s.gcl into housing.·· 11t,,., du peo11legel /rfl111 flou•11x1air,,• (rl1e ''lti1tr..r aret1) to )'VII? ,.,.Depeudjngon ho\\"ever long our 0 \\111 aparnnentJbra little thatnloreimportantl}'. it '''m 1he relulio11sb1ps- l·ikc (;ertoJn v.bde as '\Cell ·• ta~chers. n1y 01enior at SL X fl 01., 1/iil}'1>11 1:et 0111 uf and the Boys and Girls Club, llllll'! "'tii·ch is·nght do,..n 1h es1rc~t. IL'''as those people \\<ho really ··s asicnlly, 1ny .!!.rru:1dnlotJ1c' hel1>i!dsltapo! n1y ltfu 10 !:? ' 'CU\C took 1ne in Nun1bersand.itges options and to lei 1ne kno,,•the are ve.1y hard for nl'e - I think \\'Orld \V3S much latger ~lan 11 ,,,.as \\lhC..'O I \V!IS bct\VCcn 10 \>\'h.SI ( \\~Sabl e tO!iCC·tuld.v.f)() and 12. \Ve lived in my cared. who \\ref!! re-31 people ¥roodtnotht:r ·s ha.ll\va)1, in bet comnti tl~ to helping <>thets. Jt apartmern building at the time. v.·as those relation.Ships that A re ~.,,,,ie ,·i ftltt' t11l,•ocutes She eventuallysaid, 'Enoug)i is n1otivated me 10 1,vant to gee pe111>le •11lt11 lt111re h1?e11 enough.. ~ Shc-t<.)(Jk n10into her backan<Ironuibuu.: to.sonwc /;011relus tl1e1nse/l'~S'! home. ·n iat totally<changed th< else's lifu. uajt!cto1y of111><life " ··1 v.'t.l\t to \\'~"h1ns;1011 Pruk "'Oh. ye$, A ntnnbe.r of our Elen1eo1ary. I had some great staff ha,.,e been hon1eless. 1111s t/11.~ i!.~perie11<:e •~·illl teachers \\1ho \\'Orked hard in 1nclud1ngmysclf, nnd are nO\V· .v1111r futlter .f1J11~thing 1/101 the community. including Mrs. \rorldng he.re.'' \\lilke. S he \V3.S my i11spire1/ J'"'' tQ g11 i11t11 l'tk~it1/ n>,,rli? kindergartet1 te.achc.r. She.ru1d Miss Cookie; (Vogelpohl. 11111.: /1111;: 1~·ere.V"'' flQllltJfl!S!f? "O!i. definitoly. I dtink ii played founder of Our Daily Bread) a huge role in termsofme 1101 at e goo d fri·<:n<ls I don"' t ""Lt was011:mdoff\\<hen I \\.;lS malcingcemiin OO:isions I think ren1en1ber if the oonnec.tion .f:PUV.111g ~ ltvln£_ ,,1tlt11iy futbt!I'. \\'e slept v~+.erever '-..e c:ould­ on rhe floor of s·on1eone's ap:utmcntbuilding.iua hall\W}" 1'here \Wre tin1eS\\11en v.~had dledi<nthos beenhere, diey rue able lo rec1ue:;l 10 set< a.n ndvocate..and od\•o qiles are the firstenuy step- afiercon1ing 1n10 tho-she?hcr - whcrc they ~ak toson1000e toshare their need$ iu1d \vhaLever their condirions a[e. The ndvocate 1,1,1ill ''ssess things at·that point and referd1cm to c1th-cr usor10 son1e otl1er source \\ihereby they eru·l l'ecei \'C hclp ,. Please be sure to only purchase a Streetvibes from a vendor wearing a white or yellow badge. Interested in neJping with Streetv.ib.es? Are you a writer, p0et, arttst or photographer? Uo you want to heJp Stteetvibes!? Call 513.421 .7803 xl2 oc email streetvibes-2@yabo.o.com my futher.he.speaks highly or bee. He has a .g reat. deal oJ' respect fQr her. She alSQ ­ "''hen I later sav.· her. co111ing back ho n1e, seeing her pcrio<lically. during0<1n jsilS­ she seen1ed 10 ha\1e n deep res_pec1tOrnly ralhet a~ ' ''¢1L.. JV/tu~ 1/11J'tlll S l!l!j'tlllfj'd f ill I/I t! ,/itfl lTt!? " f\1y sho11-tetm pl::in 1'lghtOO\v is to hopefully enroll in the C;ot1egcofM01,1111St. Josei'.>h's Nonp<ofit Lel>:focsbip Progauu. "11jcl1\\fill 1ake11;e.about 12 to 18 l'n onth$ lo contplete. Uldrnately my in1erest istodo aclit~nistralive v.oi'k. Bui 1.llt'1e·s also U1c goo.I ofn.line to getrny J1 h.D. in either soc1oloro• or SQCJal \\()I'~ .,. 5tree.tvibe:i Subscr1ptioos Are you interested in ha~ing Streetvibl!-V dellvilred LO your ma1 lboll; CVCI)' 1nontn'! SendaGbe.iko for $25 \V1th y~ur name and address to: Streetvfbes 117 E. 12th St Ciric!rtnati,OH 4$2-02 �STREETVIBES Community News July 2008 7 Public Assistance as Close as the Library Hamilton County joins with library system to improve access BY LYNNE A u.£\tAN" STAA' W RJl'ER euinghelpfromHamilton Counly Job ond Family Services (JFS)just got easier, thanks to a partnership with the l\ 1blic Libraiy ofCincinnati and Hamilton County. The program ";11 allowJFS clients to subnti t their paporn<Jrk to the library.which v.-ill fax the i nfonr~tion to Jf·s. Forty branch libraries in Hantilton Cotutty, in addition to G the f\1ain Libraiy dO\\'llfO\\'ll, will participate in the ne.w progrant The goal isto make the JFS application process n1ore accessible. Many JFS applicantsandclients tlon'tfeel con1fortable n1ailing personal documents s uch as social security carcls, binh certificrues, passports and n1arriage licenses. This often means applicants will deliver the application andauachmontsby hand. "111aroould nlOOO they have to take time out of \VOrk and spend n1oney on gas;· says Moira Weir, director orJFS. "'We'd rather they saved that tin1e and nlOOey.111.is is anod1er step in our mission to be more. accessible ro the people v.·e """"' JFS doesn •t expect an increase in the nuntber of applicants. The new service is intended tohelp prevent currenr cliaits fro1n having dtelr booefits CommunityAcriooAgem:y,the suspended or tenninated due10 HamiltonCollllly IJepottroenlof an inabi li t)' to deli,•er Mental Re tardation and documents. Developnlental Disabiliry and While thisseivice.\vii.I save. Stop AIDS. The library is excited to clients a crip 'vhen they have papenvork to submit, it V1f()ll 't provide the ne'vsecvice as well. conipletel)•elinlinatedte need to "w e•re cons tantly go doY.fltOY.fl: Clients ,,111 still evaluating and anticipating the net..-d to meet \vi th casc,vorkers needs of our customers and at the do,vnto'vn office. Ne"' pro'<iding diem 'vi th infonnation applicants will still have to go that improves their lives... says do,vn to the K i 1nber n1ain office on fender. " We'd rather they Cent r a l saved that time and ex:ecu ti vc Parkway to dj rector of money. This Is begin receivillg the Public benefits, but another step in our Library. "In subnti tr ing mission to be more addition to s upporting picking up accessible to the documents in tax fomtsand people we serve." addjtion to the applywtgfor a application can pass port , be contpleted through the now they'll be able to connect libraiysystom. wi th the Job and Fami ly For ne'v applicants, there Servicesdepart1nent. It's our are a variet'Y or outreach hope that. by drawing more progra1ns in the community at people intodteLlbrruy dtey 'viii social service cenrers. Jn beconle n»refan1iliar \vithour February, JFS opened its mMy programs and setvices 00\\iest substationatdteColltcil andvalue dte librruy as a cn1cial on Agins They have already sourceofinfonnation." connected Y.iith htmdreds of All Libraiyemployeeshave clients. ln addition, there is a been trained in handling case\ltOrker dcdjcated to the sensitjvc documents to ensure FreeStore/FoodBank, and confidentialit)• and accurate another ""'Orker who rotates submission. JFS has some bet\vem five hontefess shelters. \.\'eek.end ande\teni1:tg hours but Universil}' Hospital has sixcase dte Librarybranches ";ube able v.'Orkers through JFS. Future to fax applicat ions and substations ma)' include the supporting documents when JFS isn't open because the cowttl)'. It offers a sele<:rion of libraries have more \Veekend and evening hours. JFS adntinisters federal. state. Md local programs for thosein need. The Department helps with child protection. elderly protection, child care, child-support enforcen1ent. v.'Qrkforce development. cash assistance, food stamp disbursements and Medicaid. JFS helps to pro,1de the basic in1111ediate needs to a fan1ily living in poverty. Food Stamps areoftoo an inva1uableresource ror IO\V·illcome families. Mar1y families, especiallydtoSein rural and suburban areas, are swpriscd to learn that they arc­ eligible for food stamps. E.ligibility is based on factors su<:h as fa1nily size, incon1e, assets (cl1ecking and savings accounts. stocks Md bonds. etc.) resources and expenses. A persongenerally qualifies if their gross monthly inconte is "id1in JJOpercemofthefederal poverty guidelines and \vithin I00 percentofthepoverl)' level af\ec all allo,vable expenses (rent, utilities, etc.) and if the person's resources such as cash. savings.stocks, andetc.•do not exceed$2,000. With 4 1 locations eounty,.ide, the PublicLibnuy of Cincinnati and Hantilton Count)• is one.ofthe.Iarg,est and busiest library syste1ns in the neatly IO mi IIion books, audio books, cligital audio books & &books, CDs, digital videos& DVDs. magazines and more. plus free internet access, \\'i­ Fi, livehomev.'Ork help orlline. almost I SO researchdalltbases, and J<no,,<ftNow, an online chat v.ith a librarian refermoe 9'7\rice­ avaiIable 2417 through the We b s i t e . W\\'\V. Cincinnatilibraiy org. as v.·ell as over 14,000 annual entertaining Md enriching free. programs on an extensive range ortopics and interests for all ages. Libnuy cards are free for all Ohio residents. All ofthe library branches are participating in the ne\\' partnership with JFS. Some branches include: Bond Hill, Clifton, Conyville, Elmwood Pl ace, ~fad i sonvil l e, ~ft. Washington, Northside, NOr\VOOd. Price )>fill. \Valnut Hills, West End and Wesl\<ood. Note: TJ1e i1!fom1ation pw~·ideci i111/1is article regarding serl'ice eligibili~v is only basic inforn1atio11. A11 accurate detel'r11ina1;011 <if eligibility<:an be obtained by c'>ntacting Han1ilu>n Co1111t)1 Depart111e111 qfJob and Fan1ily Services af 5 I 3-946· J()()Q. WHAT'S AT STAKE? JOIN US for DAYS OF DIALOGUE. What better time than an election year to dialogue on the critical issues that affect us aH O UR PURPOSE is to create an environn1ent \Vhere people with differing views can listen and be listened to, and civil discourse can occur. \VIIEN: Each dialogue \viii be held on Saturdays from 9am to 12 noon V.1HERE: First Unitarian Church (536 Linton St) at comer of Reading ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~- - Free & Open to tbe Public ­ Reservations Requested. RSVP to 513-579-8547 w\vw.ijpc-cincinnati.org Immigration July 19 �Artwork and Poetry 8 STREETVIBES My Sanity f losLn1y freedom oot long ago Bui ell)' sanity rer:ulltL'i. Igo through relapsesremembering B.utnot progressing. M~y past i.s sriJJ SOTJl¢ \vfJ.a1· 1m • future Or S9 it see1ns. for nol n1uch has chru1ged 'A'ages '1J~l<)\v 4Uld living is high Jobs are stan:c and lomporary. A te\voftJte pe.ople 1· kne\vare gone. . \nd lhosc thn1 arcstill thCft haven· 1liboogcd. ['111 searching for a better \Wyof Ufe. A1'1d e.och<by rli·ve Lhlr1gs f.<el l>euer, Oul CVl?I)' inch I 1;-1kem1d ewiy n10ve I 1nt1kc l 'he econon1y crun1bles and shakes 1loSt IJJ}' frcodom f'M)t longugo Btrt mysani1y renmins. ''Distinguished Man'' BY A NTONIO HODGE STREIITVLBES VENDOR And So I Gathered .... And so I g_otheted up all 1hn1I knew andpla11ted i1here in Ovec-d1e-Rhioe• .asntall tO\Vll gut at bean lost u11hecit}· n1ovcd by 1ho pcoplc'sstorics d1n1dov.n hon-ie \\l'JY of li,~ng pro11d faces hard bandsof determinatioo sade}1es9fsorro\\S too nmny co n:in1e I looked up more often back in 19!70 there.\...-ere 111ore tace.s ai 1he \vi11dov.~ above got to gatl1er upstrength got to renten1ber (0 Jook up 110 1 loo.I:> do\vn with despair thnt \i,ii:lt ,,re·ve@therl!d isall fornaugtn l'mo littledizzy from all 1hechm1gesdisrt4>ring R senseofreace in this place \\'e•veplanted seeds ·nie Nannie Iiinki>ton l·loii.c;ea1 12111 nrtd Ehn gone Waslungron l'orkSchool J:,'OllC Shalash'soomer store S<)ile People I reJtrember gone landmarks forv.tiom·isaJI thiscementpouring, condo•s rising'/ Gather up thestories gatl1erup the spirit gathcr up the song.8Qf~1c pl'Opl-c gof ro gatherup~n1ething that ,.,,u le.id us 10 see.the ligh1 throug1·1all ofI.his .and not tlle mood S\vi.nging darknessofde1nolition July 2008 �STREETVIBE S July 2008 Artwork and Poetry \.Vriters! ~ subn1ityour WJI poetry to Strectvibes ­ email your writing 10 streetvibes2@yahoo.co111 I 9 Abstract Ball To Scott and his wife / )3\' AN 'l'll(•~Y \VILlJAJ.JS - Lord I'm Thankful l}y Rt)IJEWI' l\if~\N A~A Tharikyou for 111)' ~·es tosee lbank you forsetting n1e free 11uutk you fot )'Ol lf n1et cy Thank )'Ou foe the...,o;-un.~1ne and Lhe raio lbankyou for.easu1g nl)' pain 11UU1k you fot c..·ery, e-...·e1')"tl1lf1£, rm Indy ~innkfol Work Advertisement " Our" Janitorial Serivcc We believe in team \Vork You, Lhe client, decide tbe pay rate We, the cleaners. will handle the re~i Call: Harold V. Taylor 5 13 86 1.0468 Thank)r()u fot I.ti!! n l)\.\'l!l'S and ltil! i~ lb3JJk you for ~ le birdsruid lhe bees 11\tltlk you forgi vlng me v1C1()1)' For 1hcsc things l' 1-n thankful Berta's Art Corner " Chalk Bird" C l.IFTON, CINCINNATI �10 STREETVIBES Columns J uly 2008 The Paperwork Can Be a Killer Inane rules can block the road to recovery yourpicturcJD'T' ol "as taking William h.is nan1e's not Willian1, "I don't have a photo ID... but 1·11 call him that- 10 Peoplecomingoutof prison sign up for treatment for heroin often lock o photo ID. It's just addiction. We had a hard· one ofthe things that n1ake it c.amcd appointment. and v.·c hard fursomc.'()llcv.hohasdone sl10\ved up right on rin1e in the rin1e to get ajob and establish lobby ofthetreatment center. It himselfback in the community. had taken me several days of They get a photo IO in prison, v.<0rkjust lO gel hin1 this far. I andsonle places \viii recognize had to negotiate ''ii th a parole them as ' 'alid . but many officer, a case n1anager, the corrections officers insist on intake person at the1rea1ment laking lhe:m a-; a prisor1erleaves. center, and \\'illian1hin1self to lt'snot right, it'snot policy. but get to this lobby. I thought v.•e had a chance. You have to be able 111e s taff I n1et \vere not to prove you are particulal'ly friendlyorhelpful. It was, "Take your backpack the person you say you are. offthe coun1e( "- not "l•lo'v mll)' l help you?" - until I We wouldn't want to explained I ..va.saprofessionaJ, detox the wrong not a client. Why do you person . suppose that is? Shouldn't So, no photo ID, no everybody be trea1ed with treatment. r.;.."Spect? Out back to our story. Wil lian1 is lean as an arrovihead.Tattoosclimb up his die')' do it. Any"~Y. bockto the neck and dov.11 his ant1s and lobby of the treatnlent center. "\Ve can·1 take you if you ove1· his ankles 10 the IOJ)S of his shoes. Hjs eyes arc blue as don't have a photo ID." sn1oke and \Ya.I)' as those ofa ..It's at nl)1 sister's." "Can·t take you." fox. HehadgoneAWOLfour ri111es fron1 the halfu-ay house I piped in at this point. "His v.•here parole had placed hin1, siste.r'sjust 15 n1inutesa\\r.ty." and he \I/SS just an inch or t\VO "Can't takehim," front being sentback lOprison. .. You could start hin1 Like any good addict, he had through intake \W\ile I go pick it barg.."Li.ned and resisted.. but he up." But no, d1ey couldn"t wait v.•M, fo~ the n10mer1t, '"illing. He had everything he v.tiile v.~ ran to get the JD. O\vned trussed up in a blue Make a note to yourself. If lau1diybag. Everything. it1ums you ever become a heroin out, except for one thing. addict, you are likely to want First ques11on: "Cao I see 1rea1.n1ent at sorne point. So s The Box One man's trash is another man's home furnishings B Y L ARR\. CROSS CoNTR1nurc~o WRITitR think ahead no\v, so that \\then your life becon1es totally disorganized andyou beooole either homeless or in1prisoned (orson1econ1bination of both) or v.•hcn you get robbed or v.tlenyour housegetsbun1t out, make sure that. a.-; you get separated front ~reiythi.ng e1se of value in your life, you never loscsightofyourph040l0 You have to be able to prove you ared1epetSOn yousay you are. Wev.'Ouldn't want to detox d1e \\ll'011gperson. So. no photo ID, no Hammered by Micha.el Henson .~ficf1<1cf ff('ll$(1JI is (tf/l/IQr offemUot'~\ A S,,1(1/f fee>O/fl \l'ilft T'ro11l:J/c 0" .~!)' j\Jind, 111c T<W ofW11gi11g. (tfld Crow C<t//, T'Jiis ce>lu11111 is pt111 ofo !f1011tlrly .Jerics e»1 pol'c11)r <»td (l(/iliclior1, We had to se1 another appointment for fi,redays later. Five nlOredays in tlle lifeof an activeheroinaddict, Willian\ didn't \\iail five days. Active heroin addicts don'tusoolly wait five days for rnuch ofanything.. \Vhen the jon.;.."Sison. thc.TCigi 't ml.di \liill stop it. Apron1ise ofcreatnlenl a f<..-..\•daysdov.11 the road isn't much ofa barrier to the hit that's v.•a.tting just rninutes av.•ay. I took \\1illiam and his laundry bag back to the halfv.•3)1 house v.•ith stric11nstructJ.ons: Follo'v the n~es, stay at the facility and don"t use. He \vas AWOL again v.-ithin hours. Bigsurprise. •••• I could try to be mad at the u11akepet90f1 I1aJked to on the phone. He could have said son1ething that \VOuld have ren1inded n1e to get the ID problen1solved before we got 1he ~e. Bui rnaybe he to ld Willian1and William ignored lw.n1 l could try to be madat the v.<0111an \vho v.'OuJdn' t give us time to 8<-1 over to the si&1er for the photo lD. But she is a seasoned hand, ru1d she 'vas acrually 'iet)' sensiri...reabout the v.•hole thing. So l can't blan1e hereithc."f I could ti)' to be 111ad at \\lilliao1. I put a lot of v.otk into th.is referral, and so did his paroleofficer, his case n1anager andthe intake v.'Orker. H_e had evel)•body puUingfor hint But Willian1·s J USI doing ,vflat an addict "ill do. l could try to be n1ad at myself l shouldhavekno.,,11 I hadbeen do"n this road before. I had bought ID's for addicts with 111oney fro n1 my own pocket. I kne'v they \\iOuld ask for a picture ID. and I simply didn' t figure that into nty calculations. But I had to give up being ntad at myself (and odier people) long ago. l'mjust mad atthe nilcs, Addiction is a huge problem in this society. \\lehke to n1ake a big show of ho'v serious v.<e ate. \Ve say 'veare in a v.•ar on drugs. But it's like 1hat 01her war (you pick the war)v.-esayv.e're6ghring. \Ve pick the 'vrong 1arget, and v.•e under fund the fight<.'fS. And die casualties keepn1ow1ting up. I don"t know the numbers, but itseems to nte\\<e could lay offsoo1e admitaJs or pull the funding from the Homeland Security boondoggle in Wyoming and set upa fund for photo lDs for those \\iithout tl1ent \\lecould sell a ballleS'h1p and expand the number of treatn1ent centers. We could Pa)' the \\()rkc.'f'S in the treatment centers a decent salary. \\lecould do a lot oftllings. Maybe William '"'"Id still "ant to use. Addicts are likethat But it v.rould give him one less excuse to keep on. I assun1e he·s out tllete no,v, nodding frontthe latest highor ti ending for the next. Or S\veating it out in a cell in the Justice Center. Or dead in on alley.Anyooeof tl1ese1shkely. But it's not likely he is i.n a tecovery progrant. Not for a\vhjle, We had a little \llindo\v of.,\iillingness, but it'sgone. I hoJ>ehe finds it again. '"'fliis took place last sum.me." 1 back ..vhoo I 'vas doing son1e consul1jng wo1·k fo1· an office fuminire store do\\fltO\\fl. TI1estore is ruo by a fatlh!tar1d his son l no longer \VOrk there. because the father is the devil and the son is Fon.'SI Gu.mp. but that'sa tale for another day. Ne..vfumllure v.ould arrive at the store almostdaily. Th.;..'Se shipn1ents includedhugeoftice sofas that \1.1ould be shipped in large, th.ick, cardboard boxes. After the sofa s 'vere unpacked, the boxes \VOUld be left nexcto lhe side\\ialk fot the trash collc.'<.10rto haul a'\'3)' that night. Also left for the trash colfec.tot wereoflen old chai~ fra111ed pictures and various other things that the O\\lllers considc.'f'Cdjlmk. One sun1n1er afternoon I v.·a.sstandjng outside the store sn1oking a cigarene. Nexc to the sidev.•alk ..vas one oftl1ose big cardboard boxes.. I ..va1ched a man cross Eighth ond Main, ond he stam.-d v.•alking quickly \Vhen he eyeballed the box. He \VflS a short. shinlessmon '""'1ring dirty bluejeat1s. f<lis face wasdir(y, too. He had short blonde hair and his body \\13.S n1uscular. When he re.ached the box next to the sidewalk, he looked at it, d1en at me. "Hey, )'OUgot an extra cigarene?'· heasked. He had a look on this face that \V8S stem and not all that friendly. I gavehin1 a cigarette. He also needed a Light. The 111an took a longd:ra\V on his smoke and then turned his anention to the box. He moved it around a few 1in1es, lookc.-d it O\~r and lifted it to sec ho..v heavy it ..vas. He then looked at me again, "I v.·ant this box," hesaid ··1t·s yours," I replied . "\Ve're throv.ing itout" ·•1can use it," he said He picked the box up and. v.1ththe cigarette hanging outof his o~uth.hestatted 'vlllk1ng up ~lai n Street, heading toward the courthouse. ln the days follO\\iing. the man \\'OU.Id return to check out otherjunk thru had been lefi fot the trash collectors.. He always ren1ained shircless, al ..vays v.'9.fltt.-d a cigan.11e but that & 1em face ofhis got a linle friendlier. Fie took an interest 1n an old chair that had a damaged u-eanr~nt > �STREETVIBES Columns July 2008 11 The New Jackie Robinson Obama's promise for a different America at docs U.S Sen. year but the grade inner city Barack Oban1a's schools get continues to be an presidential run "F.,. 111e younges1 Md most mean for ourcommunity, this pe>0rly experienced tt:achcrsarc nation and the \VOrld? By rotatedduough 1he mostdifficult v.•inning the e lection in schools and, after tv.'Oor three November, Obama~t prove years, these teachers leave to that the promise of Anlet1ca be repl<lced ,.;!h equally poorly m.ight finally be \vithin reachof anyone. Obama needs to The promise of the change the Constitution has been rarely question: " How can W: reahzed due to polilicaJ and c.'C()fl()JTlic.habits ofinj usticc that seent so deeply en1bedded in our hearts. Today the promise of equal education for all rrunonhesis denied a~ only one major group graduates from high school. 111e prontise of l.'(]Ual justice has lx."C."n dcnicdas only one majorgroup is jailed. Tuepromiseofequal health care has bcc.'fl abandoned as prejudicial treatntent by doctors for heart disease, high blood each citizen and each community be advocates, models and agents of peace?" trained teachers. Thescandal ofhealth care increases as more and more peoplc arcacc<.'Pting that hc.-alth care is too expensive. The C()flS(..'(]lK.'llOOS in life uxpc.'<.tan<.y pressure, diabetes and other for nlinoriries revealshorrifying dis"""'8 is doledout differendy stati&1ics about chjldn.., • andold people. A silence persislS. The silence of inner-cit)• mayors. countyofficials,church leaders and others in charge ofmajor colleges and universities only chills the at.mosphete faciogout cities in this region. Oban1a's challenge is lo change the nature of the questions about An1erica. Instead of denial aboul race, poverty and class. he needs to ask, ''Ho,vcan \Ve usethe gifts of all p(,-ople to rccon.struct a society of contpassion?" Instead ofseeing our country and citiesinviting \\'tll'S. Obama needs to change the question: "Hovi can c.-achcltizx,.'ll and<.-ach co111n1unity be advocates, models and agents ofpeace·r· Rather than let the c."COnomy drift into a depression, Oban1a noods to raise the <1ucstion. "\Vhat kinds of jobs can be ce Village by Stev Sunderland otlercd to citizens. offering stroog '-'11ge5, goodbenefits and realisticpensiorlS'r· Thesequestions su.__ggest a burning desire lO Slop a slide to\varddespair abolrt our major institutions.. These questions point toa di recbOll that callsout to citizens to join a tea111 of equally acrivecitizens in facing and lcadjng our V.'3)' out ofthe failureofoursociety in the past years. Sadly. evidence indicates dtatracisn1 \\111 playa nlajorrole in many sectorsofoursociety. Education forstupidandabsurd unders1anding has led 10 our current context. The "best" n1inds have been lost, fractured by fear. and cncoura_gcd to abandon large sectors of our for blacks and \vhit(..'S of all SOCtet)'. incon1e levels. ·111e pron1ise of fair housing has been shattt.'fCd as poorly financed loans have crashed around the heads of poor pc.'Oplc and have spread to the nUddleclass.111epron1ise offair employrnent has never been achie,recl. It is rare to see n1inorities atthe he.ads orin lhe uppc." ranks ofmajorAJn(,-rican businessesand orgru1izations. llle progress ofnuno1·i1ies in genera l and African­ An1ericans in panicular has bc."Cn spctty. ~tajor advances are al\vays tentporary. lntpactedproblenlS have f,'Olteo mo"'diftic1•t. The politicaland spirin1al optionsseen1 nue ood more Iimitt.'d. Schools change superintender11s eve1y other Without solid thinking, backed up \\~th values of inclusion.fostered at the local level, sociecy stuntbles into er1onnous holes. l·lo,vdid v.•e get SO n1illion people \vithout health insurance'? Ho,vdid \Ve let banks abandon their risk­ assessntentresponsibilitiesand 1rap people into losing their hon-.es? Ho\vdid v.-eal.IO\V lies to lead us into a horrible and costly v.'Rr? Ho\vcan v.clct fi:ar trun1p reason v.hen itcomes to racial and religious leadership? Now, \\~th the political cantpaign entering a n1osl impcrtant phase, Obama \\~ II need to contend \\1th the rising fear and hatred fron1 conu11unities. No one ntakes n1ajorchange by then1selves. I r~ ""fw~ of~ IQ ~~th.;~" 1111,.,""*'" c,. #lfdr-111,. /row Sr, t..',.RJa, think back to Branch Rick•'Y'• effon to bringJackie Robinson 1n10 the major leagues. Rickey had to open the door and Robinson had to perfom1­ and perform hedid. \Ve forget theobstaclesofhatred that he faced in every n1ajor ci(y and even fro111 his ov.n ballclub. instead, \'IC lhink ofRobinson as a pioneer, l ike Neil Annstrong. landingon apartof America that must have seen1ed like the n100Jt Obanta needs nlany Rickcys, many of us v.Tio arc prepared to open the door and 1nsiS1 dlal raciso1rl0tbe allov.ed to rear its head i.n our fantilies, neighborhoods and electoral process. We must take a deep breath and realize that eachday 1ha1 \Ve n1ove IO\vard 1he No..rentberelection is a day of "playing in lhe 111ajors... We must f.'<> to bat to end racism in the election, n1ake few errors that create even more feat.play by theAnterican rules ofjustice and useallofourintelligenceto make a ditf(,•n:ncc by \'()ting. As a 7-year-old, I looked a1 Robinson, and I wa~ an1azed at his talent and courage. As a 68-year-old, I ant again irtspinxl by ffie "n1n"ofObama Robinson and Rickey changed America by making the achieven1entofjustice a"1ctol)" for all. Oban\acan do the san1e, rcrnindjng usofthe hope inour dentocratic processes. As v.-e say in this tov.n,"l·le isrounding third andheading honte. Slide, Obanta, slide... r-------------------------------------------------------~ I I I I I Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression ofthe views and opi nions ofour readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those ofthe Streetvibes staffor the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Hon1eless. I I I I I ~-------------------------------------------------------~ leg. store decided to throw out a at least l had sonte kind of protect that cardboard box co1•dall beu1 my head Pelilaps "'l can fix that," hesaid. beat·upold studentworl< desk. imaginaiy story in my head front theelen1ents'? Did he cue l \Vant to have sonte kind of AJmost like magic., assoon as it about the n1an. outa doorfor it? Docs thatdoor sati sfactory ans\ver or One~ thc.-re '"'t.'fC someold. faded, franted pictures that was left by the sidewalk, the Thal box he look with him ha"realock? Didhe nl3}'be also conclusion orcl05ure as tov.hat v.-ere being throv.11 out that he shi11Jess man f'eal>peated. those fcv.• \veeks back \vas cul out a \vindo\v? I saw during those sun1mer liked. His e)' es glean1ed v.•hiIe sontehO\V his hon1e nov.•. 'The l guess those pictures he months lastyear. "Ican hang these up, Ican looking overtheolddesk. l knO\V nothing for sure other stutI he \vantcd - that took are hanging up inhis box. usc th cs~"' hesaid to me v.Tijle "Hell,yeah I'" he said to me dantaged chair, those old Docs he \\trite or read by aboutany ofthisexceptmaybe lookingthen1overcarefully. as Ismoked. "I n1ay not have a pictures ru1d that s1udet11desk candlelight v.hilesiningat that foronething: hontelesspeople, I didn't see the man for a home bul al least I cru1 have a - arc nov.• in that box.. His s1uder1t desk? If the store had JUSt like a ll o f us, need fe\\•weeks after he took those desk!" hon1e. d1rov.noutamattress, \\OOldhe pemt."lllence. They need asense pictures. With lhat said, l staned to of place and a place called havetaken that, too'? Que<.'rions filk'<lmymindOne allcmoon in August the put tv.'O and tv.'O together - or and still do. Ho\\• does he Ofcourse. it's possible thjs home, �12 STREETVIBES Local News July 20 08 Developing Communities Award ivinners have tnade a difference in neighborhoods Bv PA'rnJ<~IA GAnRV C<*'-"l'l<!fll i('l}."Q \ VkiTEK Tho Co111n111nify·t):.•,vclop­ n1en1 CorporationAssociatio11 ofGrcaicr Cincln1,1.iti prtScnts \vurking ,,~·th theAvund:alc Re­ development Corp. llfld Walnut l'fJlls ROO~~topmen1F<1uncta . tlon. Je11nnc. direc1or of opi:ra­ cio1tS.-h.as tx~n with the WnlnuL HJJ1s.R.cdC\<·clopmcni Founda­ uon since the I~SOs, hired b>'" i1s tirsi t:Xt'tutjve director, Dou Lenz, nod is.stiII n1an1niinin_g the records. doing the reports and keeping the orga1li7J.Uion On awards.each year to the n10st outs11tod1ogpractiti()tlerinsev· era.I comntunity dcvclopmcnl catet,sories. n 1e\\-rinnenffor dlis year.:prL'Scnt"''<i June 26 atour Annual Awards Gelebrntioo at ttock the Coc:nn1uruty..\ctior1Agcney, • llie MOSI OulSUu1dJng arc; Proj tct for the p.'l!'.Tycnr -..wis • The~\1001 OutSlM<ling C.01ruuons on ·f\1lai.tt, developed Ex.e<:utivc Director iS·ST, Oar­ by Meroy Housing, The 199 bara Buscb, SC, the founder units 1n 1he old Franc1.scm1 ilt'ld leaderofWotkuigUtNei.gh· l'fouSing ~vclopn.ettL proJetl &orhoods The 30-yoar-old art lx;jng revitnJi7..cd into Com­ 1100-profit organi.1.aricin iS dedi~ nlonS O"O/\.fain. twferC}' Ho us· cared to helping lov•'- atld mod.­ Cng. lhc nation's largest non­ erate-incon1e peopJe shape profit housing developer. lever­ 1.h~lto\\'lt co1u111un11i es1 Work­ uges additional resources ing in Ncig)ibomoods hos b1ril1 1hrQugh Cathol ic RcaJLh..::are or rehabbed and sold 137 Prutners. lbtal investn1enc,..;u hollle'.S IO fir.:;r--timc, 1<,......ln<.:0100 topSM miJJion Throusn May home ()V.'ners. s~ of "vhonl 200$. Mercy and C'otholio 11'1(,)'led dittcd)' Out ()f pubhc l'fea1 Lhcare Po:trLn~ts hav~ In· hou~ing. Busch isa111\Titlyhclp-­ vested nearly S9 f\ifillion and ing residents address the fore~ completed 01ajor renovations clo~urc c-risis. Nclf,hbo{hood on SS units and mfnorrcno'v·a­ l ~·aders have ne.gotiated fair nonson JS 1110re. lendingagreenlt.\'llS v.;rh natiooal • "fhe Most-Ou1suu1ding and k>cal lenders and loan scr­ Lender is OS Tlrulk, \Vilh 1ho vicers. -r'heseag,ree.rnents have 3\\l'ard 11.ccepted b)' Glenda led 10 dle protet ti01\ o l' 222 Cousios~ vice presidt-01 arid homes valued.al S 14.Sn1iUion co1n1nuni1Yde:vefopnlent nlSfl·­ WJ.N has 3lso done a ye31ly aget VS B'11lk has led the way st\Jdy, beginning in 2(!02, to in s1:1pporting thotity's Neigh­ rra:ck foreclosures, ·atr e·cced borllood Enh:mcen1en1 l)ro· nesghbothoods·ru,d 1nortsage gmn, siJlce its inceptioo·it12007~ providing $3,00<) to each of the lenders. • ·n1e Mo.st Out!.1anding partic-ipaung con1munities CDC Staffer is Jeanne Dav.is. three each year Avondale. CityBeat cn~ni 1»1oryosto beunconsti­ umonat, the appealscourtruled. Coutluued (1·0111 1•a2e l ~egan gard - stop .tbe~a.. litiDJ1from o\1e1-fook1ng lhe fl'ICL U1at this is.sue has been take.o to court be.fore, ruld d1,epolicelosL ln 2002 the Ohio f irst DistrictCoun orAppeals admon.. ished Cinc.iJu1atl vicecops for singling out ad\'ertisers in (JtJ:/Jea1• .A. three-Judge panel upheld• nili11g by the Hlimilt"" CZow1ty Munici pal Counlhnt d'u'e\voo1d iMges ~gain..<it three peo·pte ac-cused of pr3¢ticing n13SS3ge ''~d1oot a license.·n1e vi cooops- bcha,i or "•~S~1 form ofselec6ve pros·ecutionso dis~ "We do not make relative moral judg­ menls on any busi­ ness placing ads In CityBeat." "lllepol!Ce ha-.. not lnsii.. tut'--d ;:igooeralcmckdo,vn;" 1hc appeals: judges \vrore. "11l e con1rnandetof the vice squad testified th.at.rntherd1:m sinlplyconsulI I.he Yel/uur Pages, ill v..hichiln)•n urri>crQfi.111 liccn~-d n1assage es1ablishn1ents an-cl provide.-s readily idet1tify lhetn­ selves ns offen der~ lhe vice S£1uadady t.lrh'Oled forenlb rce. mcntuf1holit cnsiogorcllnan¢o 1. : chose .advl!!rfj sing under the ·ad1J1· section i11 -<.:it)·Be,'lt," The.""~kly 1\e.wsp.<iperand i LIO. s.1.1ppot1ers mllied Juut!20 011 FolmtainS<1W'lroto :aonooocc its formal response to the ccv.. led coaliLion. Dan BockJ·a1Jt, gfl11crol 111a11crgar (if( 'ft)1JJeaJ. S(t/ c/ the.~ /10/l t' I' <JOQ/ #!l"t.Llt!.\' \Vii/I /;1'11' C!t !/iJt'Cellll;: l'I / Tt\'i"\·· 1iga1io11:t'. But 1/1c ,fact 1!1a1 so1ne l11lvv::1·1iscrs Jtin'C broken Noithside, Price Hill in 2007: Clifton Re1ghts/On1,•ersity l·leights/Fauvie,v, Evan-. '.>l i;>n, \\'e;st\VQod In 2008. fora iota.I ofsix .sO fur. 1'be oonlmunity counci-Js urc using these fi.nJds veiy cr~'l.tl \<ely to in1prove thetr neli;ltborhO<)ds. Sup11orte1s of each Of 1hcse ncig.hbo·rhoods cannmkeckpositsin d1eir11enr­ csi US Bonkbe.inch to help " itb che \\'Ork. • The£\.fast Ou~'t:tnchn_g Collaboralivc Eitfon . \- \wrd \VL'f\t to thecityofCincinn.ati tbr the Neighborhood Enhance­ ment Prowwn WtmCity Man· llf."" Milton Dohonoy Ol'nvcd in Cincinnati, hu sa~· thenood in several neighborhoods fo<drns· tic aciion- 3.i:id he t<.lOk i i, The N'EP\WS"crea1ed to have a last· lng physical lntpact-011 lxuuntu­ nifics, onlim:ingbuildin.gcodcs; demolishing irreparablebuild· inS-S and clealiing upocighbor­ 1~ sore spots.. Keep Cinc1n· nail Beautiful and ~>e Job Co1ps jofn(.-d ln to hulp. as did ni:ish­ boffiood leadetslllld residents. • There arc tv.'Q 0\\'(lrds rn th.e Most Outsranding City Stafferca1egQf)'. presented 10 citycmplQ),.~ EdCu011l11gtiam of~ie BuildingDepanmenr" "" n<>01uiatedby PriceHill Will h<­ cal1Seofh1s ded1cauon to in1· proving die.Jiving conditionsand tholiv¢SofI.he rcsidi..-ntsofCin­ cinnati, especially Ofhis li.o nle neigltb01'hOOd Qt' Pric-~. Hi ll. Whe11 theciiy's Neighborhood Enhanc-en1eon1 Progran1~gan l a$tyc~ir. Clmtnn,bohnm rcacht.-d ~ fjf((}lf n(}l /IHlffj' l'f('l!}l""-f ( '/)f' (/It ((/\' / for lf/fl~I (}llftllllo' ///tg N1f14Jh<1r<1ll1'1 1'.lforl far th~ "'',•lgJ1btJrJwtxl Et1l 1ati<lft11'11t1 Prr;grQf11, Piiot<>at>•U1i!.t)· oj' f 'l11<.·1r111n1/-ul1,gp1· ba.ck to hls roots \vllh People rion,. Over-the-Rhine Commu· Wolidng Cooperariw!y, helpin~ nit}' Flou$lng_, an4 Cmcinna11 ci-eaten ia.skJOl'ce to 1tmke .stJrl! Revitaliz.arionAgene)'. . -\nof lo'ver~incoo1ell0ntoo'"nersdid rhem spoke of his famously de­ «liledstylc .and nbiht)• to gl11de oot <lip·lhroush th• c.rocks. TheQther MostO utsmnd­ die J;,reparalion of con1plex 1ng Ci1y S1aiferis Jeunifer\Valke· fmdiug applicaLiQcis. Pert) ' is a of°Lhe Dtpru1t11ciu ofCon1n1u­ local heio for affordable com·· nity Developn1entrutd Pltllll.ing n1unity-b3S('(fhousing. \\'aJke~ pl :mn 1ng~-u1ulyst, "'11Soomina.J­ ed by S:irah T. All'11l of Over· die-Rltine C.On1muui1y:Eloll!ling. ..She alv.·ays gets'back 10 you righl'a\vay ::ind gives you (1!1 the jnfum1~ttion you rt1.-ed tuid d1en son1e.··.-\ llan says...She's ve1y pl'ofes:sional and knowl­ edgeable about bov.• the city pro_~;mn1s \\(lt'k; ~ld ifSJecan'c ans}''Or your <1ucsli<.ln. she k110\\rs; \\ ho crut" 1 • • a developn1-ent.aod The "''J~1 Ou1stan<~ng \'oluntoor 8\V31d was present ~ ~d 10 l\•fel WiUJAJUS, b(,)i!fd memberof die \\'alnur Hills Re­ de\telopillOOI1-'oundation.\\'ill· 1ams Uves nnd brc~thcs ~1alnut Hill> He manl\!led die CVS dfugsiote a1Peebli:sC'.onlt!ffor more than 2$ y_ ears. \\•as the fow1ding president of 1he \\1al· nu1Hills Busan~ . \ssoc1at1o·n and has long :llld faithfu lly !il!tved <~1 d.e \V~ilnU1.~hUs 1\Jea The ~10st Ou~s1and1ng Council Boacd. He's been a Consultant tt\\Wd\\Ult toSteve 1nen1berofd-ie.Redevelop1i1en1 Pere'y of Steve Percy Real E.-;. Foundanon's board of 1rUSti.."C$ 1alc Consulting S(:rv1ws. Re fo r ntore than 15 }'ears. not \Vas non1inated by 1he \\'ah1u1 couttting the year-Imig breaks Hills Rede\lelopn11~11 FouncJa. ri!·quired by the by-la-..\'S. t/1(• /t1111<io6sn t 1111.·a11<1I/ac/11/1 T h C· , - - . - -- - - - - - - -..... ad s aw 1r 1"(1n g , lie !fa1cl conlirlon's .....~~r., ·' We do not n1ake rela'i'•e attack ''ms. 1nor~ Judg1nen1s on any bust· al its core, 11ess_placing adsin Cil)tlcol. '' «Ul assault 1Jockl'alh .1·a id ·· Doing so o n th e. would 1>h1cc us on (I ' 'Cf)' slip­ pery slope :llld would also be innppropdate... ,\ s an e.xru11pl 6~ lhere \\f3Sa major story in tl1e ne\i..s yesterday that n1ore lhan 400 n;Q) estate ind,~1ry plti)•ers h3ve been indicte.d aspa11 ofa J ustjce Deparunent crackclo\vtl on allegoo mongage fraud. So \:l/O t1ld it be frur to s_ay that nle· dia.wm1x111i-cs·shouldno Ion~ accept adve11ising fi-o nt busi.. ni:s._~ otrer.i11g n1011ga.g.e-set· .;rel!' ln published respcnses to the coalinon, r;~rfJ(!f1J Cdilor John Fo x pointed ou1 d1at S1re1eher, Lds. \Vit11)uru and CCV have been fr•quent tar­ gets of cn tlc.isn1 in Lhe paper. p 11pe r ' s F I r s t Amen d­ n100t righis, according to Pox,and Bookrnth. '"'Mos1 1m po r · ta n t l y . C i tJt/leal believes 10 .' flNI B<if.:J;1vr1lJ...1>¥lfiJr(i/ 111tn1d;,.¥r and values lefC il)•}ft'ttl.o c1.ffitr,f fl l~IS}Nfll.l'f! UJ fr.OOom ofspeech and liee· ( '1'1i:l!tU fer ( 'ot111111111ir y I i t/11qs (If dom of tho press; · BocJ..-nuh ot I Vll(11 11 11 flr11111t111r1 :-,'111111/'i! SSJd. "Govenlmoot1nte1terence P I NJt <J I')'. l1t<lr.:-u • ,.IJNk l :JIYJ \\'ith lhtse inalienabl~ iights dt$­ turbs-usgreatly·.,. fl') co1nply "1ith itsden1and, but 1be coalition :u:mounced it dido 't say "Th" iisn""1 .rep " ill �STREETVIBES Local News July 2008 13 Many Struggles, One Goal 'Voices ofHope' at tfze Freedom Center Br Jou.~ EAS'l'L.\CK CoNl'IOULl'fl NU \\1Kl'l'Blt '';Jiu/ StJ !(>diJJ\ a.\' ll'L' init1afk' 1/1~ U11i~1t.•rsol J.Jecla1Y1tion t?/'H111na11 /ligh1s. u•e c:'Oll tt> 111h1<ltl11t .fi)11rfreado111.\' u/HJn 11•/1Jch 1J1c>·arc bt1st~,t .._ 7ht .fir,r;t J.~· .freedo11t r~/· speech 1111d e.~·p1'l! ssio11 ­ i.:•'CtJ"''ltctt' '" 1lli' u·orld. 711.: steo1ul i.\'/n!t.~tltJ1tt u,f L'•'i'I) ; pt:r.,·011 (() 11•r)r.+.'f1q1 ~•'cl1J:,;•hcro i11 1'1e ufotld. G1><-f 1n hi~· 1111•11 U'O)' ­ 11u· '//1irr.J is.frue<lo111.fro11> '"fin/, '''Inch, 1rouslt11eJ l11tf1 '''orld 1er111s, lril~au~ cco110111i'' u11rler.;to11tl111g.~u1hf''h 1111//sec.·•~re lfl e1x:ry· 1111ri t>n f1 health)' pc'ac.etlutt: lf/t:,/01· it.t luhahi1tu11., - e1·cr>·111/u:1t: in the U'tJritl. l1u:/011r1h ls fir:1:d,JJ11 fir>ttt fear. u /1icl1, rranslate,J inru u•o rlcl ren11s. ~ueans frl1·orlflurltlc 1Vtlucrior1 ofa111mn1c11r.1' ro sut •/1 u 1x1;u1 nnd i11 Sll(.'lt o 1hon.>11g/t fi1-;hin11 rluu no 1 •11•1// be Ill {J JJONiflOtt 10 ( '.{ llt t 111i 1 {Ill acl u.I 11h)·si1:11/ t1g,!!rc.\·.,·io11 a,r;c1i11:t 1 u1t>' n«1gl1bar ­ l/(lfi (}t, <111Jt1t·hc1\,' in 1/1e 11'0J'ld. ·• -~ Frnuklin D. Roostvt.11 .\ilcuce. " the eivil rights- moveruont i.o Arncrica,. lhoH.oloc.tu.1S1 · Rabbi Joachi111 P1·inz, 196'3 l\tarcb on and \\'orfd \\•ar U,.al1 ....•ere 1nfloonrial in defining the \\ras-J1ing,1011 iss:ue. The innovatjve script \\'3.5 perforn1ed by an " 111t:1t· f,,. a11.Jr}rit.'.f111 1>1'tJ~i:tb thttt St1f ·'" '(/J(lu alSCrti>lc cast and ~tured asei·iei; a t'hlswical v.n ting:: u·ant l tl'(!O quick'l)~ g11 u/(JJ'tt!. /fJ 'Ott •~·0111 to l{l).fr11; andOrfltQJ)' froro rnOrc thu.n 30 inWvidu..'ils. in<;ludiog $!r> 1ogt.rhe1; · H'a J~e~l 10 go jh.1; t/1iit kl):" Eleonor Roose,,,,i~ Illie Wi<Se~ Goorge Bemard Shaw -Al Co1-e. Nobcl Lttfu1•e, 2007 :ind othe' s.. Topics included the aften11ath of slavery. the " /.au1.•i11g hchitu'/ 11lg/11s u,f 1cr1vr ttnd,/t ur l~oloc.au.«, d1e Declaration of Independence. 1hc I ri.,·t.· Univc-rsal 0 ¢Cllaralion of Human RJgbts. lbc 1963 Into a tlflJ'bJr:ilk t/Jt11 ~· 11 •<11Jdrously clror ~1 arcb on \\l:ishingtoo, theEqual Rig.hes..\.nlMdi11eJ1t, I rl.1e S1ooe,vaJJ 25 l'ltld.ga)· ~ctlv1sn1, tlle auoot1es i.i1Sud:in and the perils of indifference, \vhich continues 10 8ringi11g the gifts. 1)int "~" u11(.-es1ors ,t;a,·e, p'etpetoruenll)te nliSet)•mdsuffeiing, I u111 thi! tlrca111 t111d tltt '10/)C~fthe ,o;:fal·'t!. { 1-i.)'l' Thcscriousnciss·o fthe matier \ V'4$ appmo1 fro1n I ri:;c d>eSlark appenranceofd1e'S1age-·sctonJy 'vid1 seven I rise. " chairs \vitJ1ceadi.!lgstand~ for the fUli'1ntots ::iud tt lruge -~1ay it An gelou. '"An d Still I Rise'· screen tl1at provided for background Visuals. r ''lfl1•c uu~ .l 'Our 1i1\·J. ) tOlft' /NW t: ; ·u11r /11uitlletl 111<1.t se.\'JY.:arnfn$.! tfJ hn:q1/u:.rro~. " The pr~'SetllAli('Ul, direct and r~trained, n ()\\'6d So1:ooor d1osc quon11ions-o:tigh1be famiUar, some ....£ n1111a Lazarus, fl"oo.11he:sonnrr 1•t 1he base not: but aH \vec~. spoken as pa11 of "\rbicesof Hope: of tilt: Stillu(I- of Libersy Flumru1 RightS- Since the holocaus1," a drn.tfllltlc perfon11anceand call to.action created by the Center ''()p/Jl 'f:i>'.'i'1d f>COJ>I~ t'-i11111ol ~111ai11 0/J/Ut'!l'.\'e'I for l·lolocaus1and l;lu1nartity Educaboo, prod1Jced 1n ,f<)t:i:,•er: 7'/u! Jrct1,.ni11_g ,for J 'rt.•edf1111 c11t.:n1110 ll) • parrocrship \11ilh dle Natl<H:l.Sl U11derground Railroad 11Janijes1s if:;clj.' .. l':reedon1Center. Ii took placeJw1e 11 and 12 in dle ·:\fa1·1i11 Lu1l1cr King JI'., "•Let ter ft'O.ll1 n Preedon' Cen1er 1s J.lat i:1et Tub.ma1l Th¢at re 8i1111inghamJaif.. St1vte11:ibc.•s \Vas proud to be a sponsor ofche event. l11r: piec~.\Vriuen and dil't"Cledby Bob Saut!'lbrey ''81J;ol1J' ttntl hatrt:,/ an: n1>1 Jl1c: 11u).,·111rgt111 covt.'fS tbe events and ti.guros thzit scrvr..-d as cahal}'stS 1>1vb/11-1n. 111e utosf 111gc·111. the 11w~·1 <lil·grt'fcef 11/, 1n d>e revolutiooofl1un:w1 nglits.~and present From 1/Jr: 11Jl1S1 sha1u~fi.tl an•l the 1ftos1 tragic pn.>ble1t1 1s diec:re.atioci oftl1e.lJn11ed Nattoos 10 1.heeirLer~-ei)ceof scaonlossly fro•I' 1opic to topic.Thediologue<"'11¢re'<l on the pron1otion oftolerance. inclusion and social )ustJce- The cen1raJ message \vas tha1 nope.ace is pos.5ible in a \VOl'fd in \1ih ic.h persons, otherbeingsand the eruth iISd r""' abU'ledMd mi$Uled. Theoppr•ssion ofo.n.y St.'llti<mt b~in g. is the of)pri:ssion of all The ftee-dont ofany unplies freedo1n tOraH. It urges our 1n\'(>lve1'ueDl, nOtJt'ldiil~ce, \\'luchhaq_nddJ.e(l hiSt01y \.\; tti so ntauyt~"'«lies . Pethnps 1he banoers thathnni:, on the fa(:ade of cho Frci:don1 Ccnror itself Sum j t op bCSt: "O ur diO-"e.rences are unporta.111 but ot1r sllared hunianiry m~-iS 1nosL" He Makes Others Look Good ·;B,· GRt!C°: O.t.fcttQ~R'' nt)-Selfthmu9;h tliarsiruationagilin," ltCSQ)'S. '1 kneWI had tO.k"'11'!\Shtli1~to coilti)lueon." l'row 19s2 duougb 1 9&~ Hudey setvedJn !he Nwand trained to 0ec-0m~ a borl>er, Regradillit.XI from·Ni>nolk,B0tbl!rsc1ioo1 llllooc t;rpohsmc1Ualroh heopcncd-bislirst'Shop inPiiil.ndelphi• in 1986. 11 lj'aSdtll!ln!l;.bJS·I Q•;)!eal' Silly inJ'Ltlla<(elp!na th•the b.t'Mn ~tred11gJr"i;seiviCO!; \o. th~~~ss. '[b;:goDcuttin!i;lli,o h3irilfli<l!iieless:P'!Cll)[o ear]y onin n1y oate!c,'1 Fiutley SR)'$, "I \\lauld,oAeltrlmes secsoroconepassmgcy-,moI kneweoold usea 1rim or ~.J woul~ th.~i;go outs1der reeruitthe,person Mddi:;u1.thenwp. ll'l'i:le;medi»n1eqne.up, I lirli"' I wa&provi"llmgthem wi'lli a chance 10 sue<OOO'omdi.~ ond llilit \<iai;*"'j !initlf)'fng.~ Jfurl'eyosba~fic·stoJ)' ofhlsnlOSt memorable 01qleneo<;e: lu lhenuddleofwmt~r hesm\\so­ SJanding outlti<Jo who n¢~a hJlit<uLButloy 1ook liinii nsiilo~ tlew\ediiimup,·At iliatv.i1y-momen1 bOth RurLO)i'lll\dbls'cU$1ometnotl<Mn manin Staling l..sidothoShot).Jt turned oin thotwo 111•,,.hll<I 0Jice,beenco,.workess.;Il1en131;¥md1es.uitill'lped.bis ~' Uwl~?· ",:1ri11'(1t1~ "•~W11 1Jr,i~)11,'/.fhrl lli 711rfN~tt1ln 11(~ P!Wq 1'11.llidfv.W ~.-.i o(theci>n1[xlay. STAFF Wiirrnlt ~!J!IS.Hui!ey cuts!!>ebwrofboJh.pwu1g.sodnon· R~rirl~t~\~"'C\'S ~·h1~bai:\lersbop ~·~"''~'Tho' nativel)fBu<ikey.e l:aKe, O~io "115cbe"1) •irtling'l1rur Since 1986. l·le<IJldled bis sltopat ~4 EaS•Coun St in October<ZOO~. Hudt>y hos 1\lways' beeq ell)patheac •IOwatd s:trujf!!iin~ indlVfduol~~t~ 16 he )"tS ••!lllllcl'.l""e<\ Tcy,m_g1o find·ondn1'111llllln a jobJ Ustto sug{lorthimsrlf. be"1cinrnJer&I hardshipse:uiy ln his~ou~lt l \1<>.ycars latcr Rur!oy bi:<>am,c homc)css His brush with bomelJ'SSliess1bWJ11ruely lasiedJustooeda~ b)ll ttJ11ade on.im1~qtelnlR>l<i, "I vow~theV..iy nextdoy ttitul 11<>ulanev'Orp,u\ ltlt'f'.d wli1,1/.r.,lu)p. •s\JI• fri<:nd\>.e<Qmo.sober- lUld'evetttu"1ly !like ch0rs,b �STREETVIBES Guest Column 14 Joe Now and Then A haircut, a meal arid a siirprising kindness 5,. ·r1~ 1 c C.\~"NoN· for bleeding sore.s: and li e~ July 2008 T/111 C111111au ta 1.1 j.'IKll1'>JlFtl{>l11•r und pot•I- flt. ll\"'iiS '11 C J1JC.lfri'ifll ( \11ftl1 .tl11r1..·r11, his u'fl'-' qf.~IJ t>t•111-... they'd boon drinking. They '~'eregettlnga littletoo friendly ru1dbei~iug lb1·n1011ey: I think thC}· just \\IMted to ge1 wann. Jnc v.·s~n ' 1 ~ayu1g 1 uucb as he stood thctc in a bl'\vildcrCd m1por. To n1y d1.$beher,one of th~ insir11ctors ca.Jne over and suu1td $hbv1t1g d1e1t1 oul the ck>or Jo~ s turnble<Iand foll 10 1he floor.·rile i11strucrors1arted kickutg.lunl, l.d.l1nghu1t,, "Get ouL 3lld-stayou1I.. My bro1her :md I riui ov~r and pushed Ille 1nstn1ctor o ut of tht ' '-'It}'· Joe "ns bleedingfrom ih•-•"""- We helped hl111 1.o h1.s reel aod sent bcf(lre\\ ¢C()Uldsti111 CUltit1g. Joestumbled in that day ""d ··1 10\'I! ya. nmn.... 1»1ntOO 10 hi.s.he:id I nlOlioned Mc? I ~skod mysolf Hud for him to conic over; he son1eone.sent an unkoo\1111 re!eas..">Ci a.deeJ> 11)()311as h e.~t i:;irurdian? \\'ho kne,vrha1such do\0,11. I \lllUllCVCf rofl~CI ~le reassurance \~':IS needed to lift odoL He smelled like bacon nw fion1d1is nlclanchol)•? gre<ase ruld cigareites. ....tiile !us 111cfirsthmc IsawJoo, he breath s1unk of •~l •:oh()I and himon hjs'"~· \l/:tS lyingin a doorway~ 11 \v.ts rouing 1ee~1~ Soon nfttt, u1y broll1crruld the v.lnterof 1977 ~·I)• bfother I thrl!\VO.haltc:loLlt around I Y.'Ql"t: oo our\.\'ll}'·to the Oank Cluis and I lutdjlist begun our himand preparedn1y clipj)ers. Cn:fe for lunch_Joe v.•as again tirst day 111 b3cberingscbool i1t AsJ looked into dlen1innr. hts StQf'diug ou1Stde, begging:. J3e O\'cr~the-R.h 1 nc. Joe l~l)' 1herc feattrros began lo-sofit.'11as11ny asked forson>echonge. L~ead like a pieceof gu1n thatsociety dro.plets of frost a.nd sinus \Vt:Off't!rl.°d.IO buy hiiu lttli!ILEli$ had chev16d up an<l :::p11out, drain a.Se s1zu'.1.t!d to mel 1a,.. a>• ,...holiJ pcr$00nQpcncd \\'11111!,..., Citl l::Sl' ( )11..l l),t!\'IST 1 ouly to be trampled upon and fromhis beard1llld mustache. embedded into theooucrete. Ido11' 1re-m~nlber. if l asked His c.lothes '''ere b.tircly fit \vhnt k~ n d o f h1.11 rcul Joe eoough to keep him v.·an11: his \V:tnled. h e"\\'3SJUSI a subject., and I1 ,.,.as o shin satdout past the He asked for some free service. J sbnmken·and change. Instead we only l:newhow fr~·Y ed \VOOI offered to buy him t<.> give u burr. jocket l 1un1ed on the lunch. His whole Through the clippers and persona opened split seam on p roceed~d to while we ate. 1.he rearoJ11js n1o'v his hair pants. his ngh1 do\\'11 the ntiddle. underwear sho~\!ed \Vi111e he " Naah,.... Joe's volce curled up on Mold rur..-ce of gmbledwhile moti01"'1g ,,;lh his cardboard. I '"'3S 17, and never lO O\}' hands. Iifc. had I v.·i tn~scd S\tCih a " l-lcJUSt\\l11nls a J1ttlooffall cle&ilm•individwLHe probably over,jw.1'll trim." Rt>' instructor desetve-d th.:.siru~tion he v.·a~ s.nirkcd, in, jusl plain lazy or drunk. I ·11.Uswosmy fu>treal l<SS011 d1ough1 n ironick'>\\atdt av.100 in humiJi·iy.1 later lwn~d tllnt unnnlo in u g;trbagc can nnd IX."Opleon thc-sti:.:ets k~(.'P thi:1r then Inter see another·person ha.tr longer for \Yarn1th in ·1he St'aJ'th lbr~1trlt1ing 1oca1fro1n \Vint.er. 1feh so Cdlhlu'mSscd. I thesameoontffinet. hwcit-d to finish the halrcm Dnd l'here\I/Wel\IJOan.>::tS 10 the cnn1med his bea.rd. L1ook the schOOI, nJun1or und~n 1 or Side ht11r1.1loth oA:' and lo'''l.!rcd iho ·n1e senior side charged for bruberchair. Joe ;lowly lifted services., 7Scei11S lbtabnircu1 his body uplf01n the seat,cruue and 50 tents·for a shave. On O\'~' ond patted Ille on the back ·rhe juruor side. haiccua and as he spoke; 1L sounded l ike~ sl;(IVCS\\'CrcgQncr!tlly free An " lt'sO.K," instructor \VouJd grasp a for 1he 11ex1 fe\V days, ,..ftenever Joe walk!?d pa.-;1 the display 'vlndo,v. he'd stop. kJ1ock on d1e glass, lakeoffhis beiu11cicup.JJ9in110 hisha1r nnd sn1ile. Jn th11t sin1ple. act of f()l'.gi venes:s, he had s1ar1cd LO becomea J1unw.a tome_ Onecold day, businffl \l/aS sJov.i unll students '''l.lru standing around 1alking. Jus1 dtu:t dw:<ls:)C)rfle,vapt.:nandJoe came iu \Vith L"\VO othtJr indi\:1duals. It \V3S obvjol1S ho1nef~inci'vidual ofl'dtestlt'el and offer a free sen•ice. or son-:eonu~sdle}' ~\'Ot~djust 'v.ill: 10,111¢)· nll received tht:s<1n1e ha.ircu1on 1heju11ior side~ \Ve would take u burr cli~}1>et and j ust bUzzI.he hair do~·n.. Son1e of thesepeople had nolbathe<.i or '~tied 1ht.:1r h!\1r in n1onths. ·n1e dippers 'vould clog ,\Ji1h ac.c:un1ulat«ld'lndru.IT andscabs in the ,va.,-y-coa1ed hair. V.le al \vays had 10 chec.k a1e. Soup dripped as his 1ren1l~ui;: l•11>d Jd\edtl>e spoon, ..111/s 1.t i11}1e:~ I j lr111Jai.l lu1Kl1 w·1tli a ho1t1l!/eJ.1 N1t Nr ntN1Jt•(f ",/l,f " titbl his ftnger.s stained yello''' by I.JI! tt.1.lrf Ill(! (J SIOty aOOl/J life- .. Pholb b,1· 1111UJJ/()1( '10111ot1. CQtS Of .S1noku1g \Vltllc J" thought Jqc '1"1a$Al\\~'!'drunk, ) 1 Ibecrune a'vnre that hesuffered menUlJ problems: his spe.ec.h wos a lillle hord to understand nt tin1es \\'e ti::1n1cd through our conversati on thaL \\!hen Joe cal'ne baek fton1 the Vieuuun Wor, his wife had left fom. His 1>are:t11S had died, und \\•itl1.uo othor l'amlly. Joe fcli into u sev.eredepression.He.drifted arowld nnd e nded up 1n Cincinnati. He did nligrntory Carin lnbor t{) l!"'.iJ"n cnouey., only to IQSC ifoo alcohOI,giunllling. being beate1l and robbed I a~ked Joe o;vhy he dJdi1·1 receive,'t.'terans' l>enefils. He AA rugged. a.nd sce1ned 1101 to ,aro. Ho loved ~oscball and kept repeating, ...t hose Cinc.lnnari Rcdsl',\Vc left Joi: Sitting 1hece at 1he b:ir-\''hen v.~ fini:;hcd \'4th lw\Ch. AAL-r S\Lfrdrad nef\•e danlnge from 3 fall 140\\' c.o uld I kel!p ' '·orktng? t\m I no1- a mnn aD)'lllOOil As I drif1cd along bewildored. l heard...I Jo,,. yn, man.-· My feelings 1ransforrned all, to<hly ho '"~ a p:~ying a!:; 1 i·urncd :tnd s:.l\\t a mun c.ustooler, he could stay warm learung against a bulld1ng, P"lhnrxlling ~· hnlc \\~1ilclonger. It v.•as Joe. 1walked over .\llany yecars Inter I '"as and pu1\\ hat I hOO i11 hiscup. I v.•alkin!; dov.·ntovm, lov1 on sclf-csti..'Cm /\ty life.bud taken told liim thnt I n.'mCmiJ<ln:dhim a oonlplete spin 1n rern\S of J\om n•11l)' ag<>. We !llook hcal1h, employmcnl and handsasour li\'l!S toud,cd Ot:lCC finsn<:es. There hodbeen n bod ng•un. Thal OOy .loe·seemed an .o.uto ncclde11t, a h~an annck, I anj;d, af)U!ll'dian. \Vh.:.-n ii ,.,..!IS had to close our business and 1 my tum to need him ' 'U 1 l"'"" Do you have trouble reading? Seeing people's faces? Doing everyday tasks? There is hope. There is help. We can help you or someone you know who has: •No Vision • Loss of Some Vision • " - .Cincinnati Association for the ' '' - Blind & Visually Impaired 2045 Giibert Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45202 A not-for-profit agency For information call 513-221-8558 and ask for Adrianne. �STREETVIBES Opinion July 2008 Working for Nothing Bricklayers unpaid far low-income housing project Bv CnRJS H .AR'"l'r.t.,NN Ai\1) At.\SS..\ Ko~'ERi\IANN 1J1l8gine fora nlinutethatfor the past five l'llOnLhsyou have av.11,kcnedbt.-foredav.n to''~ as a bricklayer for 10 exhaUSbog:houl'S.oo.Jy to te(um hon--.e to explain to your fan1ily thru you will sajll r\Ot be able to affurd food or n:nt, The reason: you haven't beenpaid in over a monlh. Tens of thousand of 1n1n1igrant \VOrkers 10 the Cincinnati area~ to v.'Qrkc.-ach da)• on housi:ngprojecsrMging from g:overnmen1-funded projects to private hontes. ln order 10 offer the Jo,vest bid, hO\\•evcr, c-o ntractors and subcontractors 'viii son1erin1es unethically cut comers. For 0 .A.G Construction and subcontractors Best Masonry and O rlando Cacedes, chat has ntea.nt v.•ithholding the pay front 35 c.mp!O)•ecs, an atnOlSltequating to arow1d $300,000. D.t\ .G Consttuclion is not a new nan1e in Ci.ncinnati. The genera] contrac1or has also bC(,.'11 responsible tOr the Paul Srov.·n Stadiun1, the Carl H. Lindne r Y MCA and 1he A~'llncedTedmology Leaming Center at C1oc.innati State Coll cge. Likc\\'i sc. th c s ubcontractors involved cootinue to work in lhe Cincirutari area. Froo1 Novernber 2006 through February 2007, these 3 S n1en \\forked as bricklayers for a D. t\ .G. Cons1ruct1on project in the West End The ptOJeCI utihzed federal g.raot money to fund the initial consrructionofpublichousing, 1\s governo1ent-contracted V.'Ork, there is a 111andate that v.'Orl\ets be paid the prevailing v.·age. According to Oavis­ Sacon \\'age Detem1inations, this "'Ould be$33.SO pethour. Many of these v.•orkcrs . hov.·ever, v.·ere paid SI 8 per hout- or nothing at all. As an ironic twist, the project exists io order 10 provideaffordable holrsing. but those used in the constn1ction process are not being paid. Public housing is 111eant to address poverty, but not paying employees in no v..-ay reaches this end. lllis C)1Clical systen1 only perpetuales the negaiive stereotypes of im.111igrants: if they ate oot paid, 1hey caooot realistically be expected to participate in thecon1n1uni[)1 or contribute to 11S econorny. This situation also reflects pootly on the local econonl)' on both moral and commercial levels. Unethical business practices s uch as this discourage outside jobs fron1 corning into the city, ru1d local union labor suffers \\ihcn a contractor knO\\IS he or she is able to hire in1migran1 labor 15 V.'ithout being held accountable 10 pay them n1atket wages. There are nun1erous problen1s that Cincinnati's Hjspanic pcpulation is tilcing. and this is an issue that carutot be ignored. This is not one isolated case, but rather an exan1ple of one group of individlia.ls \\<hOare stri,iing to make their voices heard. ln order to end 1his cycle of exploitation, action n1ust be taken 110\V to hold contractors andsuboon1111e10rs oocounll!ble to their en1ployees. The unpaid wages ­ rougMy $10,000 perworker­ ate currenlly froze n in a government account that \\'aS originally set up to pay the v.orkers through the contractor. D.A.G Construction has the ability to end this sicuation by simply agreeing v.•ith the U.S. govemntent that this n1oney is ov.-ed, but instead 1he ca.o;e is tied~ in 1.i tigation.The \\'Ofkers have \\iaited through nun1erous promjscs for paymc.'11t tOr the postyear, and U.S. Depomnen1 ofLabor off1c1als estin1a1e the case could still proceed for another year before reaching a court. Ho'Ne\rer. itdoesn't appear that D.A.G c ­o nstruction ,vJJI agree that the \l;'Qrkers must be paid w1less pressured to do so. We ask St1t?en:ibes readers to take action on this issue, parricularly by contacting D A. G Conotnx.'lion andasking the111 to reassess the situation and pay the v.•orkers. Dale While, the CEO of D.A.G Conscruction., has dte pC>\verto do this. forthis reason. \l;'Cask thatoon1n1l1licarion be directed to hint We have drafted a santple lener, v.hich can be obtained by c-mailjng cincinnari'vorkersrights @gmajl.com.Tiie Ohio Regiooal Office for D.A.G Conscruction is locatedat 4924 Win100 Road. Cincinnati. OH45232. Their phone nun1bet is 513-542· 8597. f>leasejoin these \\IOrke.rs and the many others they represent by usi.ng your voice 10 den1and theirpayn1eo1. Maybe it's the Wrong Dream B Y l\l Atut .\T\ K. Sc111R.\ IER CoNTR1nurr~o WRITER I mababyboonier- anold \VOman to a lot ofn:adc:rs. I \V<\S born in the prosperous ru1d post war 1950s ru1d can\e of age in the early 1970s. My parents dido ' t aspire to the American dream~ they knc\\' they \vete in the n1idst ofit. I grew up io a rural area of ClemtontColllty. Welived in a n1odest hon1e su1Tounded by a couple of acres. My fa ther raised a garden and n1y n1other ..put up.. or canned tlte bounty. lintes 'vere hard, because n1y falher \\OOld be regularly laidoff his job at f ord ~lotor Com- Rural reflections on the housing crisis in Ohio My parents didn •t \Vas te monc..')'; they ate simple food and didn't go a lot of places dw'lng d1eir \\()rl\iogyeatS. But they realized \vhat I can1e to kno\v as the Anterican Drean1 - the opportunity to achieve theirgoa1s through hard v.'Ork. But \\iheo did our goaJs get soske"-ed? My patents' goals \\lere simple: obtain adc."<.1uate housingand live oon1fo1tably v.iithin their rneans. ltseenlSto nle thatman)1 of the descendantsofn1y parent's generation have goals that arc Drive through Clermont and Brown counties; there are stretches of rural routes where It seems that every third home has a " for sale" sign out front pany. Their first hon1e cost $7,000 and it 'vas a srruggle to make the mortsagcp3)rmcnts. lllll diey did it Af1et a li fetime, they antassed their empire: a very nice hon1e they had built and paid cash for and a \\iintc."home in Florida. Ifthe)•needed a cat or boat or lawn rllO\ver, they could buy one and pay cash. radically w1realisric. A three bedroont, onebathtoon1hon1e is not sufJicit."llt. I've often nla1veled at the rnag.nif1cet1t hon1es tltat grace v.•hat used to be cornfields. Large hon1es on five-acre lots v.ith roaringcathc.-dral mtranoes O>owdid diey wash thoseenor· rnous windO\'YS anyway'?) and atlached (or delached) three· and four· cat garages. Whl."11 did these homes start popping up? As the farn1e.rs ~ed on, the1..1d \\'ltS split and sold off in lots. Subdivisions v.·ere developed in the fan11 tictds ofmyyouth \\iith namc,'S like Drakeland. When I \\13.S younger, I though! that pemaps the own· ers ofdtese honle:S n1ustbe doctors and such \vhO moved out fron1 the city lOenjO)• counny livirtg. I later realized that man)1 of these hon1eov.ners \vere n1y contemporaries, \vhO had tOIk>\vedin d1eirparent'sfootsteps ru1d got good JobS \vi th son\erimesmerely a high school edi1· carion. lvlany ofd1en1hetdjobs at ford ~lotor But v.•hen did nly conten1° poranes decide tltat dleArnencan Orean1 their parents held v.-asn·1enough for then1? \\iltat ma~thc.'111 think the.')' oould surpass their parents in such a big v.•ay? \Vl1a1 ntade tl1e1n think diey nolonlycotdd Im'" the big· gest, the finest, the 111ost, but that the.')' tfese1,'i!cl all this and nlore? AndOO\V for tl1e declioe. Ori'" throtl!'I>ClennonIand S rO\\'ll counties; there are for the deeIine oftheAmerican stretchc,'S ofrural routes \\<here Dream much closer to home? Could it be that v.·c forgot the onethi:ngourparents taught, that The middle class is 1s, 10 live \\lithin our n\eal1s? I guess U.S. citizens can't dissolving, and the divide between the be blamed et1tirely \Wter1 tl1eit government has a soaring: na­ two remaining riooaldeb1of$ 9.38 trillion.·1ne classes is greater apple didn ., fall far from 1he than ever before. tree. But is it tinte, perhaps. to rethink \vha1 the American it seen1s that eve1y third hon1e Dream should or could be? has a "fo1·sale.. sign out front. Would ii be 100 far.fetched Look in the local papers: there 10 unag.inea cow11Jy, or even a is listing after lisring each ,veef< V.'Orfd, \vhere everyone has adofforeclosures. equate food. shelter and re111ein1nlinentclosingofthe spcct? I \1;-0nder ifthcAmcri­ Ford Plruu in Batavia iscertainly can Drean1hasn't resulted in one reason. The outsourcing of creating tl1e \iety cla.'i&.'S that \V'e n1anufacturing and service in· in1111igrated to the U.S. to esdustry jobs overseas is another. cape. f>redatory lendingisyet an· Tho middle class is dissolv­ other. Your Ii ve-bedroon\, ing, and d1e divide bel\"eeo lhe three-and-a-half bath isn't 1v.o rernru.ning clMses1sgreatet enough? It's eaS}1 ; sintply ob· than everbefore. Shouldn'11his tain a hom<..--cquity lineofcrc.-dit serve a.-; a v.•ake-u1> call for all and, using the equity in yout of""'I horne, go ru1d buy )'Our 1oys. Whethe.r 've like it or not, No\vthere are "forsale" signs the deo1ise of 1he An\er1can flaitking big trucks, boars, R\'s Dreant is i.n motion. Ifv.-e are and motort.)'clcs in abundance. 1ntell1geo1, v.<e·u use tl11s as 101­ Younot only loseyour toys, but pctus for change. lt 's tin1e to rethink the aJsoyourhon1e. But isn't one prime reason American Dream. � 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 2008 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 2008 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Charity Begins in the Park The 40-Year Journey Pg 2: About Us Pg 3: The Vibe Pg 4: 1968 Continued Pg 5: Parks Continued Pg 6: Passing it On Pg 7: Public Assistance as Close as the Library Pg 8: Arts & Poetry Pg 9: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 10: The Paperwork Can Be a Killer Pg 11: The New Jackie Robinson Pg 12: Developing Communities Pg 13: Many Struggles, One Goal Pg 14: Joe Now and Then Pg 15: Working for Nothing Maybe It’s the Wrong Dream 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 2008 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Greg Olkhovsky Michael Henson Steve Sunderland Lynne Ausman Angela Pancella Larry Gross Patricia Garry Lew Moores Andrew Freeze Bonnie Neumeier Robert Manassa John Eastlack Marilyn K. Schirmer Tim Cannon Chris Halmann Alyssa Konermann Andrew Anderson Berta Lambert Antonio Hodge Anthony Williams Joe Wesels Steve Novotni Georgine Getty Stephanie Dunlap Steve Gibbs Tim Feavel Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alyssa Konermann Andrew Anderson Andrew Freeze Angela Pancella Anthony Williams Antonio Hodge Arts & Poetry Barack Obama Berta Lambert Bonnie Neumeier Charity Chris Halmann CityBeat Freedom Center Georgine Getty Greg Olkhovsky Gregory Flannery Hamilton County Jackie Robinson Joe Wesels John Eastlack Larry Gross Lew Moores Library Lynne Ausman Marilyn K. Schirmer Michael Henson Parks Patricia Garry Robert Manassa Stephanie Dunlap Steve Gibbs Steve Novotni Steve Sunderland Tim Cannon Tim Feavel https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/d492f153dc92a2251aa7e81b2f24746e.pdf 6ac0f80d429ae8ce3312ed37f41a31a4 PDF Text Text Cincinnati Activists ST R EE T V IB E S Expose ALEC Feed Me Seymour: Fruit Salad J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Artist as Activist: Lauri Altman PG 4 PG 8 J U LY 2 2 N D - A U G U S T 4 T H 2 0 11 1 PG 16 ISSUE 204 ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNITY House Bill 159: Obstructing Your Right to Vote Breaking News: On July 13th a compromise bill was brought forward, House Bill 224. This bill does not include the requirement to present a photo- ID to vote or the requirement to give one’s full social security number to register to vote. This new bill does however remove the option to register online to vote. This means that for now House Bill 159 is not actively being considered for passage. However, as has happened in the past, this bill or a version thereof may again be presented as soon as the fall of this year, requiring all of us to pay close attention and be ready to act. In this most recent struggle, action reaped results- for now. The following article explains what House Bill 159 or another bill like it would mean for citizens of Ohio, please read to be prepared. Disenfranchisement, Ohio MARK GRAUHUIS & KYLE GALINDEZ Contributing Writers hio residents are facing yet another challenge to their civil rights. If House Bill 159 is enacted, Ohio will have one of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. If passed, the law will disenfranchise nearly 900,000 Ohioans, targeting students, seniors, people of color and low-income voters who have been hit hardest by the recession. This new bill follows hot on the heels of SB 148 and HB 194. Make no mistake, these are voter suppression bills that cripple in-person voting, prohibit Ohio’s 88 counties from mailing absentee ballots to all voters, or to O pay the return postage, and prohibit counties from providing voting hours on Sunday, Saturday afternoons, and the Monday before Election Day. The new bill also prohibits local board of elections officials from designing systems to meet the needs of their own communities, such as setting up more convenient voting sites. The new bills mandate prospective voters to show at the polls government-issued photo ID, cuts down on early voting (slashing the timeframe for early in-person voting from 35 days to 17), and make it more difficult for Ohio voters to cast their ballots. The purposes of such cynical bills are to dramatically scale back the window for early voting and eliminate county-level flexibility to craft innovative, pro-voter policies. Studies indicate that 25% Increased voter regulations; does it protect us from voter fraud or “Them” from our votes? of African Americans nationwide do not have a government-issued photo ID, 18% of voters over age 65 do not have a photo ID, and 15% of voters with incomes under $35,000 lack the ID as well. Alternative forms of identification were devised by the legislature when it initially started to require photo identification at the polls to give people the ability to vote who do not have a drivers license and no other reason to have a State issued identification card. The Republicans refuse to discuss an amendment that would accept a college student ID with a photo from the student’s own state-funded uni- versity. If the laws pass, over 600,000 students in Ohio would be prohibited from using their student IDs to vote. In addition, the “Miscellaneous” section of HB 194 sneaks in a measure that explicitly prohibits any public school from transporting students to a polling place during regular school hours for the purpose of casting a ballot. One of the worst sections of HB 194 eliminates a poll worker’s responsibility to direct you to your correct voting precinct. They are actually barred from answering questions or See House Bill 159, page 8 Kentucky Board of Elections Counters “No Address, No Voter Registration” Claims JESSE CALL Streetvibes Intern Writer U nder Kentucky law, eligible residents experiencing homelessness can register to vote based on the place where they regularly stay night-to-night, regardless of whether that place is a traditional dwelling or has an official address. For example, someone regularly sleeping outside a courthouse can register with the courthouse as his or her address. However, the issue that has brought confusion and debate is what happens when people experiencing homelessness fail to give any address on their voter registration form. Are Kentucky’s county clerks required to allow them to vote anyway, and if so, in what precinct? Chris Kellogg, communications director for Kentucky Secretary of State Elaine Walker, who chairs the Kentucky Board of Elections (BOE), explained that when a voter registration card fails to list an address, it is considered incomplete and clerks are not required to register the voter. However, Kellogg said a BOE policy that has been in place for several years in the Commonwealth states that if a county clerk knows a person is homeless and lives in the community, he should register the individual in the precinct where the county clerk’s Homelessness and Healthcare PG 6 facebook.com/streetvibes cincinnati office is located. This is the message intended to be articulated through the memorandum, she said. At least one local county clerk got a different message. Kenny Brown, the clerk for Boone County, said he read the memorandum as creating a loophole that could lead to rampant voter fraud. It also could allow voters to cast a vote for a position in a precinct in which they actually do not reside. “We don’t mind anyone homeless registering to vote as long as they fill out a card telling us wherever they are staying so we can put them in the proper place,” Brown explained. That way, voters are voting in the elections that actually influence them. In response to the BOE memorandum, Brown issued a press release and sent a memorandum to the State Board of Elections as to why he felt the directives were not consistent with state law and should be changed. Let Me Be: An Interview with Chris Ellis PG 9 twitter.com/streetvibesnews Brown cited Kentucky laws which require residents to provide both their mailing and physical addresses. Unlike the portion of the law which states a registrant must provide a Social Security Number, “if any,” there is no similar language alongside the address requirement. Another law states that if a registration is not “properly filled out,” it should be rejected. Brown says lacking a mailing and physical address means the form is not properly completed. He also cited two criminal statutes that people can be charged with felonies if they vote in a precinct other than the one in which they reside. Kellogg said Brown’s complaints are in regards to state laws and policies that have been in place for years and there was no new or changed requirements in the memorandum. See No Address, No Vote, page 4 Book Review: Understanding the Crash PG 12 streetvibes.wordpress.com �Editorial 2 “The Homeless Don’t Exist.” T 900,000 Number of voters that would be disenfranchised if HB-159 is passed Pages 1, 8. 5 Number of years Willa Jones went without permanent housing Page 3. 317 million Number of dollars contributed by ALEC to state election campaigns over the last decade Page 4. 2/3 Percent of Tea Party members with incomes above the national median. Page 5. 30 Number of years shorter the lifespan of someone living on the streets is than the average person Page 6. D eadheads, keep the stories coming. We’re coming up on the 16th anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s death. Garcia, a musician many might agree WAS the Grateful Dead, died of a heart attack on August 9, 1995. Keeping with tradition, I’m asking (begging actually) you to share your memories of anything Jerry Garcia- related. Maybe you went to a single concert. Maybe you followed the band around the country. Do you sleep with concert programs and ticket stubs tucked under your pillow? Please share your adventure. You can call me (513) 421 – 7803, ext.12, stop by the coalition at 117 West 12th or send an email to susanlakesgcch@yahoo.com. Talk to me please so we can pull together a story for Streetvibes. Thanks, and looking forward to meeting you. Susan Lakes. he Homeless. What do you know about the homeless? What I’d like to know is who are “the homeless”? Continually I hear people on all sides referring to some group of people called “the homeless”. Sometimes the comment is “we are trying to help the homeless” or “the homeless should just help themselves” or “the homeless cause problems in our neighborhood” or even “the homeless have such a hard time.” I continually hear explanations for what “the homeless” are doing, having done to them or for them. “The homeless” are described as some sort of sub-culture or a certain group of people. The first truth one needs to realize in order to understand who “the homeless” are is to understand that “the homeless” don’t exist. “The homeless” is a blanket pronoun that ignores the problem of homelessness and instead intentionally or unintentionally places people in a little box that makes it easier for the rest of us to do what we want. “The homeless” is a broad label; labels have a tendency to be negative. Labels ignore the humanity of the person. A person currently experiencing homelessness is experiencing the consequence of a greedy society and is without housing. This person or family should not be defined as “homeless.” To replace one’s name or replace a pronoun like “person” with a label is the same as stating that that one label fully describes the person. Other examples include “gays,” “addicts,” “criminals,” “professionals,” “blacks,” “whites,” “educated,” “lowerclass,” “middle-class,” “upper-class.” Of course we all are guilty of this to a certain extent- lumping humans into one group or another and putting a term before a name. What is worse about the phrase “the homeless” and some of these other examples is that the description implies that a certain group of people have always been and will always be not only homeless (or criminal for example) but will always be “the homeless”- that this defined group does not change. The truth is that many different people with a variety of backgrounds are forced to experience homelessness. No one group of people suddenly “became homeless” years ago and is still “homeless” today. In fact, most people do not experience homelessness for very long (though one day is too long). In Hamilton County most people in shelter successfully exit after just two months. Despite this fact almost immediately after one bed is emptied, it is filled. People are forced to experience homelessness; people work hard, receive assistance, stop experiencing homelessness and then right away another person takes their place and this process continues. Clearly what we are doing as a society is not sustainable. In an ideal society no one would ever experience homelessness. In a less ideal society, but more ideal than now, with the high success rates of people and shelters the number of people experiencing homelessness would significantly decrease- this is not currently happening. When people who are housed refer to “the homeless” not only is a blanket description placed on many different individuals and families, but the speaker gets to define the description. One body of people gets to make decisions for other people. Often when one refers to “the homeless” he or she either implies a chosen criminality that must be hidden or implies that that “the homeless” must be savedThe other implication may be that “the homeless” have been afflicted or infected with the disease of homelessness and must be cared for as they suffer through this illness and perhaps should be saved from the illness. This is why most discussions about homelessness don’t include people who currently don’t have housing. There is an assumption that such a person would not understand the situation or simply put, that “homelessness” defines them and therefore they don’t possess the capacity to discuss multiple layers of a situation- all they are is “homeless”- one dimensional. Even if in many cases this is not intended, it becomes implied. Furthermore referring to “the homeless” allows the speaker (and perhaps the listener) to get off the hook of true and often difficult responsibility. If in the past there was a group of people known as “the homeless” and now too there is a group of people known as “the homeless” it is then easy to assume that “the homeless will always exist.” If “the homeless” will always exist then it is easier for other people to either assume that nothing needs to be done or this group should just choose to stop being “the homeless.” It is also easier when referring to “the homeless” to assume that since “they” will always be here the solution is only to give them assistance to stay alive. This allows the speakers and listeners the opportunity to not consider the system and to not challenge the way they and their friends live or the society in which we live- or especially corporate ceos, politicians and developers- to not say and do things that cause discomfort and frustration and ultimately change. If “the homeless” exist we don’t need systematic change because “the homeless” are to blame. We must stop defining people by circumstances or by one aspect of their experience. One who has black or white skin is not solely defined by this one aspect- every person consists of different facets. It is impossible to find a one-word description for any human being- there is far too much to us to be captured in one word. Language is important. Regardless of intention (because very well intentioned people make mistakes), when one person refers to “the homeless” she or he reveals a bit of her or his own thoughts and affects what others believe. There are certain terms that many of us would never use to lump people into a group because we have learned how this can negatively affect life. We must begin to act the same way with homelessness. Changing our language can start to change our attitudes and the attitudes of other people. Homelessness is not a definition, it is a circumstance forced upon people by society. With all of this in mind and realizing that since our Coalition was created when modern-day homelessness was brand new, the description “the homeless” has come to reflect homelessness as permanent, an evolved reflection never intended or anticipated by those who came together to form us, please pay attention for an upcoming organizational name change for the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Website: www.cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress.com Email: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Staff Guest Editor, Design & Layout J.P. Dean Executive Director Josh Spring Director of Development & Operations Catie Dargue Director of Education & Outreach, Layout Assistance, Streetvibes Distributor Program Manager Jeni Jenkins Staff Writer Susan Lakes Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator Riccardo Taylor Reception & Office Administration Della Woolens, Rubye Goode Georgia Bohannon, Stephen Gentry Contributing Writers: Willa Denise Jones, Saad Ghosn, Jim Luken, Lee Mccoy Photography/Artwork: Susan Lakes, Jeni Jenkins, Josh Spring, Saad Ghosn, Bill Howes, Paul Davis, Aimie Willhoite Summer Interns Journalism, Media & PR Jesse Call Journalism, Media & PR Mark Grauhuis Research Alisa Balestra Education & Outreach Harrison Lott Development Corey Luthringer Statistics Brittany Fong Civil Rights/Social Justice Terique Scott �ST R EE T V IB E S Distributor Program 3 J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 STREETVIBES IS DISTRIBUTED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO PURCHASE THE PAPER FOR 25 CENTS PER COPY AND SELL IT FOR A $1 DONATION, KEEPING THE PROFIT THEY HAVE EARNED. BECOMING A DISTRIBUTOR IS A GREAT WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FINANCIALLY POOR TO GET BACK ON (OR STAY ON) THEIR FEET. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR THOSE UNABLE TO SECURE OTHER EMPLOYMENT. MONEY EARNED HELPS MEET BASIC HOUSING, FOOD AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS. THE PROGRAM IS A HAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN IN A PLACE OF GETTING ONLY A HAND OUT, OR EVEN NO HAND AT ALL. ALL DISTRIBUTORS WEAR A BADGE AND CAN BE FOUND SELLING THE PAPER IN DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, CLIFTON, NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND AREA CHURCHES. CURRENT DISTRIBUTORS ALFRED BRANDON NELSON WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 SINCE 4/2008 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DAVID TOUGH 3/2011 DELESA HENDERSON NEW 5/2011 ELISA HILL SINCE 9/2010 GRADY COOK SINCE 8/2007 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES BYBEE SINCE 9/2010 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003 JAMES MOORE SINCE 11/2010 JERRY DAVIS SINCE 5/2011 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 A Poet Called Jones WILLA JONES Contributing Writer and Distributor F ifty-four year old Willa Denise Jones, that’s me. I sell Streetvibes today because the Vibe is what saved my life! Being homeless and on the street all alone, reading the paper made me understand that I wasn’t really alone. So I got involved and started writing poetry for the paper in order to be able to share my story with others. Writing about all the things I have been through and how God didn’t give up on me. Fifth and Main or Findley Market are regular places where you can buy Streetvibes from Willa Jones. Photo: J.P. Dean JULIE WALKER SINCE 6/2007 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARK DAUGHTERY NEW 3/2011 MARK ANTHONY SHEARS SINCE 12/2007 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 PAMELA TAYLOR NEW 6/2011 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAY BREWER NEW 5/2011 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY LUNDY NEW 5/2011 Today by the support of different organizations such as: The Off The Streets Program, Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, The Daily Bread, St. John Francisican and St. Vincent De’Paul, I was able to obtain housing for the first time in five years. The first being at the Anna Louise Inn on Lytle Place from a one room effiency to the one bedroom apartment I have now. Knowing how far I have come and how blessed I have been, I now take pride in being a Contributing Writer for Streetvibes paper. When I am is not writing, I do 500 to 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles as a hobby which makes decorations for my walls. I am presently trying to learn how to get my poetry published due to insufficient funds. I discovered a web site called “TRIOND.COM” where people can log on, read my poetry and be recognized as a poet. So far my patience is indeed a virtue! For now I will continue my mission of writing for the paper and continue to pray that God gives others the insight, the strength and understanding of living life one day at a time as He has so gracefully blessed me with. My Distributor Is… RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 SHANNON MOATS NEW 3/2011 TERRY RANSON SINCE10/2008 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 TOMMY THOMPSON SINCE 2/2009 VICTORIA MINOR NEW 3/2011 WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WILLIAM BURDINE SINCE 8/2009 W. KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 Many Streetvibes readers buy their copy of the paper from the person they consider to be their regular distributor. Every two weeks you walk by that same spot and look out for that friendly smile announcing that the latest issue of Streetvibes has arrived. We would like to hear from you and publish your positive thoughts about the person from whom you pick up your copy of this paper. We invite you to write a line or two, starting with the phrase “My distributor is,” that describes your Streetvibes distributor. Please email your observations to streetvibes@cincihomeless.org � 4 Local News ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Young Cincinnati Activists Help Spark International Exposé MARK GRAUHUIS & BEN STOCKWELL Contributing Writers I n April, hundreds of mostly young activists converged on Fountain Square to protest the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC, whose members were meeting in the Netherland Plaza Hotel downtown, is a group consisting of think tanks and corporate members who produce model legislation to be introduced in local, state and federal government. The protest was the first of its kind, even though ALEC has been around as a powerful right-wing front-group since 1973 (when it was founded by rabid capitalist-conservative Paul Weyrich) and on its Corporate Enterprise board sit representatives from some of the largest corporations in the world; EXXON, Peabody Coal, Glaxo Smith Kline, Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, Altria (Phillip Morris), Pfizer and Koch among others (many are still undisclosed). ALEC sees thousands of its pieces of model legislation introduced in statehouses around the country each year, and sometimes entire bills. ALEC model legislation was used in Arizona’s SB1070 “show me your papers” law. Closer to home, Governor John Kasich is one of the founding members of ALEC and it is believed that SB5’s anti-union provisions, like Wisconsin’s recently enacted State Act 10, were straight out of the organization’s playbook. Though the public can view the names of many model bills on ALEC’s website, the actual language in the bills is behind password protection, available only to high-paying members. That all changed when, after the April protest, Aliya Rahman, one of the organizers, leaked over 800 of the previously unavailable documents. On Wednesday, they were released by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) at ALECexposed.org. Later in the day, the Nation was the first media outlet to provide in-depth analysis. One bill that could prove influential No Address, No Vote Continued from page 1 She also indicated there is a possible misunderstanding. She gave a resounding no when asked if a clerk must register a voter who provides “homeless” or “place to place” on his or her voter registration form, unless a clerk knows the person and knows that they are homeless in the community. She said a person cannot just walk in and write “homeless” as their address and be registered to vote without question. Despite these policies being in place for those years, a GOP candidate vying for Secretary Walker’s seat, Bill Johnson, has filed an ethics complaint against her for directing county clerks to register voters under the policies. “[The BOE’s] guidance is unlawful and against the Kentucky constitution,” Johnson said, echoing Brown’s sentiments about voter registration laws requiring an address. “No Address...No Voter Registration. That is the Law!,” his website, kentuckybill.com, reads. But, Johnson said he has no problem with in Ohio is the “Education Accountability Act”. This would mean school districts deemed underperforming could be declared “Educationally Bankrupt” and taxpayer-subsidized vouchers provided for parents to enroll their children in private schools, rather than providing funding and other assistance to the district. One owner of a for-profit online school who would benefit from the voucher program is an ALEC corporate Co-chair for 2011. ALEC model legislation like HB 1021, introduced by Rep. Chris Dorworth (an ALEC member) in Florida in February, directly attacks public workers’ last bastions of defense, union representation, denies them the right to political activity, and seeks to further privatize local and federal government in the interests of a business takeover of public policy. ALEC openly advocates privatizing transportation and deregulating public health, consumer safety and environmental quality, including bringing in corporations to administer: foster care, adoption services and child support payment processing, highway systems (through heavy tolls and resistant to green energy), drinking water, and solid waste services and facilities, etc. ALEC has a long history of regressive environmental policies that hinder the effectiveness of regulation, protect big business polluters, promote climate change denial, and also threaten the ability of environmental activists to speak out. “The Groundwater Protection Act,” for example, would limit the EPA’s ability to stop polluters. “The Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act” would establish an “eco-terrorist” registry that would include activists who have committed, among other things, the new crime of taking photographs of factory farms. The “Targeted Contracting for Certain Correctional Facilities and Services Act” allow states to contract prisons out to private corporations. Along with other bills that would ‘reform’ the prison industry, it would reduce regulation on private prisons people experiencing homelessness exercising their right to vote. Johnson agreed that every American has the right to vote, but he “We don’t mind anyone homeless registering to vote as long as they fill out a card telling us wherever they are staying so we can put them in the proper place,” said every American must also meet the state-mandated requirements in order to exercise that right. He said he feels Walker is being unethical by not enforcing those requirements and that is why he filed an ethics complaint against her. To him, the solution is not to make an exception to the voter registration process. Instead, the Commonwealth needs to work harder to help those experiencing homeless- and allow for the expansion of slave labor, particularly using immigrants and detainees processed as part of Homeland Security’s increased power, and the exploitation of prisoners. The leaked documents help us understand how corporations like Koch Industries (who have given well over $1 million to ALEC) can make billions by demanding bailouts and taxpayer subsidies while corrupting government and polluting for free. ALEC gave the Kochs its Adam Smith Free Enterprise Award, and Koch Industries has been one of the select members of ALEC’s corporate board for almost twenty years. The company’s top lobbyist was once ALEC’s chairman. The scope of the model legislation is large, ranging from concerted efforts to remove the public option on health care to voting rights, from corporate tax code to public services funding, and from workers’ rights to gun control. ALEC even wrote a resolution in support of the horrendous Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates for corporate money in our elections, and helped ensure that a socialized health care system was never considered. In essence, ALEC has created a deceptive web of lawmakers and public employees who act as lobbyness get an address. “The most compassionate thing to do is to help them get an address,” Johnson said, adding that when he volunteers at homeless agencies he stresses the importance of getting an address with the clients. The outcome of the ethics complaint is expected in September. Walker responded to the ethics complaint in a statement which included: “As board chairman, I can assure voters that [local election] officials serve their communities with diligence on this and every issue and execute the voter registration process for all citizens who meet the eligibility criteria to the letter of the law and policies.” In addition to the ethical and legal concerns, Johnson, like Brown, is worried about voter fraud. He cited the recent scandals involving the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which had some of its offices accused of orchestrating voter fraud efforts. If persons are able to register homeless without question, it may be difficult to prevent people from voting out of district or voting multiple times. ists/agents on their behalf and on behalf of their corporate and special interest members. The laws and the way in which they are written are entirely undemocratic and are an attack on our ability to work toward a more equal future during a time of financial crisis. In recent years, ALEC has taken in about $6.5 million in tax-deductible donations, and reported $54,504,702 in “gifts,” “grants” and other contributions from its corporate and special interest members. Common Cause calculated that 22 of ALEC's key member companies had contributed more than $317 million to state election campaigns over the last decade. It is time for ALEC to stop masquerading as a nonpartisan public interest group and receive a full investigation by the IRS. Currently, their corporate backers can take a tax deduction by giving money to ALEC to push for more tax breaks and less regulation for their companies. The young folks behind the Cincinnati action are now working with organisations and public advocates across the country to organize a protest action at the ALEC August meeting at a luxury hotel in New Orleans' French Quarter. Show up, send money, spread information, and ask the media to cover this event. You can make a difference. http://protestalec. org/ ALEC refused to comment on any aspect of the material covered here. Learn more at www.truth-out.org and www.greenpeace.org Johnson said his motivations are not based on any concerns that people registering as homeless might vote against him or for another political party. Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should have to follow the same voter registration laws regardless of social status, he said. People experiencing homelessness in Kentucky should not be worried about registering to vote in their local communities, Kellogg said, because no laws have changed. Every person registering to vote should, however, be as specific as possible about where they regularly stay and use that information on their voter registration form if they do not have an official address. One form, available online at: http://tinyurl.com/homelessvote allows people to draw a diagram of where they live in lieu of providing an actual address. The form can be submitted to their local county clerks offices or the address on the form for the State Board of Elections office in Frankfort. The form can also be used to register to vote in Ohio and Indiana. �ST R EE T V IB E S Column 5 J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Whence the Tea Party? MARK GRAUHUIS & PHILLIP LOGAN Contributing Writers From the heartland to the coasts, the Tea Party has emerged as a fleeting yet highly visible bullhorn, pushing radically right-wing views about the role of government into public debate, and also appearing as a major player in the national debate over health care reform. From the perspective of its funding and influence on the nation's politics, the Tea Party is a top-down interest group led by national and local political officials and financed by corporate Ameri- The Tea Party can be best characterized as the “We Accept No Responsibility” Party, refusing to accept its own role in producing systemic problems, and yet it considers its own opinion sovereign. ca. Millionaire David Koch founded its largest corporate backer, Americans for Prosperity Foundation. The corporation now owned by Koch’s sons spent a stunning $250 million between the period of 1998 and 2008 in order to influence US politics with a right-wing agenda. In this sense, the Tea Party is not a popular movement, and hence had to run as Republican seats. It was organized to channel the anger and frustration that certain sections of the middle class have over the economic crisis, in an effort to further the divide and conquer strategy led by big business against organized public sector labor. However, the Tea Party is not simply an Astroturf organization. A non-partisan Project Vote study described Tea Party mem- bers as an “overwhelmingly white, older, middle class and universally dissatisfied,” despite having “the least reason to for dissatisfaction.” The study also found that twothirds of Tea Partiers had incomes above the national median, and three-quarters reported being in good financial shape. By contrast, 60 percent of African Americans and nearly one-half of young voters had incomes below the national median. Moreover, the Tea Party movement finds its core social group in the 'petite-bourgeoisie,' who appear high enough on the social ladder to bear the privileges of American society. The Tea Party learned from Karl Rove that a key battleground is metropolitan edges, where white families obsessed with crime, TV, and family values tend to live. Such communities are frequently political monocultures that despise democracy. Further characteristics of the Tea Party include anti-tax fanaticism, “doublethink,” and “false consciousness,” in the sense of a kind of Stockholm syndrome — of embracing purely imaginary solidarities with one’s exploiter or oppressor. However, material selfinterest is still what really drives the populist elements of the Tea Party and not the figure of the devoted family man carefully seeing to it that their children will never be able to attend college or have proper health care. Many of its members see themselves as dissidents who, distrusting all, understand the system to be rigged (they attacked Obamacare at the highest level, for example, if for the wrong reasons) and, as proud alpha-males, seek to maintain their dignity. They have suffered a dramatic erosion of their wage-earning power and cultural status. Why the hell should they trust the latte liberal establishment after what it has done to them? And with union halls shut down and the independent press almost extinct, it is not surprising that many white men search for answers in the Tea Party, or that they equate the loss of employment security with the decay of patriotism and family values. Glenn Beck epitomized the national backlash culture producing the Tea Party, colonizing commute time when They were savage and bitter, especially the middle-aged and the old . . . Their boredom becomes more and more terrible. They realize they’ve been tricked and burn with resentment . . . Nothing can ever be violent enough to make taut their slack minds and bodies. — Nathanael West, The Day of the Locust (1939) white guys head home in gasguzzling vehicles and creep along in infinite columns of fatigue and bad temper. Since the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Tea Party protesters show their true colors; a fearful white. Photo: Jesse Russell conservatives have used white anxiety, amplified by a shrinking job market, to paint a narrative of America as a zero-sum game between whites and people of color. Nevada Tea Party candidate, Sharron Angle, argued that social security needed to be abolished and went on to legitimize her argument by praising Augustus Pinochet — a military dictator who, in a CIA-backed coup, overthrew the democratically-elected Chilean government and implemented free market reforms at gunpoint. To achieve these ends her campaign ran racist ads that targeted America Hispanics as “illegals.” Racism, a strong (and more or less open) tendency in U.S. “conservatism,” is a constant amongst Tea Party members. It is part of the terrain, and the 'new' form taken by the Tea Party adds little except for some lunatic historical revisionism. The Tea Party can be best characterized as the “We Accept No Responsibility” Party, refusing to accept its own role in producing systemic problems, and yet it con- Why Public Housing Is A Good Thing JOHN SCHRIDER Contributing Writer I n recent weeks the media has reported extensively on the prospect of more public housing coming to the suburbs. Opponents have been quoted as saying that public housing will destroy property values. The media reports and community leaders seem to take this claim as indisputable fact. The reality of affordable housing and property values is a very different. As the National Association of Realtors says on its website: “Are the sales prices of single family homes made higher or lower when low-income housing is nearby? Most studies indicate that affordable housing has no long term negative impact on surrounding home values. In fact, some research indicates the opposite! However, local communities continue to believe the myth, raising a cry of ‘Not in my Backyard!’” What is the record in Hamilton County? Since the mid-1980s the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority has developed about 500 units of scattered site public housing in Hamilton County's suburbs. CMHA's approach has been to buy houses and small apartment buildings, fix them up, and rent them to its tenants. CMHA improves the physical housing. Also, CMHA has done a good job of managing and maintaining this siders its own opinion sovereign. Everything is the evil doings of the Black-President-Liberal-SocialismIslam bogeyman. The basic political agenda of its alliance with the housing. It screens the tenants and requires good behavior. The families who apply to move to this housing are often motivated to have access to better schools, employment opportunities, and safer neighborhoods. Other tenants need affordable housing to be able to live near family and services. Public housing like this is a good thing. Many of Hamilton County’s leaders came to this realization as CMHA developed its scattered site housing over the last 20 years. Now CMHA has an opportunity to provide more affordable housing in Hamilton County. It is a win for the residents and the whole community. GOP is to implement austerity measures, and lower taxes, which require vicious attacks on the American working class and are counterproductive in reestablishing the middle class. In order for Team Obama to continue moving to the right and to continue the Bush administration policies, it needs the Republicans to move even further to the right. They have to be so extreme that they're perceived as the crazies. If the Teabaggers did not exist, then the Democratic Party, the roach motel of the left, would have to invent them. A revolution is not a tea party. Neither is reactionary false populism aimed at evading all collective responsibility for the consequences of one’s ideas. For it is precisely an unshakable belief in “free markets” held the likes of racist Tea Party members that gives us attacks on social welfare and workplace solidarity, increased inequality in America, and which allowed high finance to lead us into yet another global economic crisis. �6 ST R EET VIBES National J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Homelessness and Healthcare: A Troubled Relationship JOE NOLAN The Contributor (USA) www.streetnewsservice.org where they are, whether in a shelter or at a congregate meal site or encampment," explains Friskics-Warren. "Having to venture across the Cumost Americans think that berland River to receive services at everybody living in poverty is our Downtown Clinic can be a barrier eligible for Medicaid, but this to someone who might be campis not the case. Poor adults who are ing in Shelby Bottoms. Sitting in the disabled or are parents are most often almost always crowded lobby of the eligible, but for adults who don't fall Downtown Clinic can be difficult for in these categories there may be no someone with fragile mental health or safety net available. A non-disabled, sensory integration issues. Knocking childless adult-even with ongoing, on the door of our mobile unit when chronic health concerns-will likely it's parked outside the day shelter not find relief and assistance through where you wash your clothes each Medicaid. Mothers who've lost their week, though, may be less emotionchildren to foster care and adolesally or logistically daunting for some cents who've outgrown the foster care people who are homeless." system often also face a tight squeeze Many may hesitate taking a trip between the rock-and-a-hard-place to the doctor out of anxiety or inconthat poverty and lack of healthcare Afshan Kirnani performs an ear exam on Delores Davault at the Downvenience, but most in the homeless represent. A nationwide study in 1996 town Clinic. Photo: Raven Lintu community make an even more confound that only a quarter of America's centrated effort to avoid medical care. sis. That desperate path is marked by more than 30 years shorter than that homeless population was enrolled in With little resources available and few the too-often tread footfalls that pass of their housed counterparts." Medicaid. alternatives at hand, most homeless Friskics-Warren manages the Homelessness and healthcare are from untreated illness into disability people will only and unemployment-which, of course, United Neighborhood so interconnected that it's nearly imvisit a doctor by Health Services' possible to consider the former without is a leading cause of homelessness. passing through In addition, whether a person has (UNHS) homeless “Studies done in several the emergency investigating the latter. Understandinsurance or not, the leading cause of programs in Nashing the relationship between physical U.S. cities have shown room doors. As bankruptcy in America is a crushing ville, including the health, the cost of care and homea nasty wave of medical expenses. Income Downtown Clinic, that the average lifespan acutresult, lessness is in many ways a Rosetta becomes a and illness are completely intertwined the evening clinics Stone that clarifies the complex snarl of someone living on limb-threatening in America's for-profit healthcare in the basement of of issues that surround homelessthe streets is more than infection and a model, and when poor people can't the Nashville Resness. As soon as one takes the time seasonal cold cue Mission, and 30 years shorter than results in pneumoto pull at the threads of how America's pay, those poor people may lose their the UNHS' mobile healthcare system affects the poor, an homes. And a life on the streets is a nia. The excessive that of their housed life of illness and injury that starts the medical unit. In his understanding about homelessness costs involved in cycle turning back on itself. experience, homecounterparts.” comes into drastic, dramatic relief. these preventable "Life on the streets is brutal and less people are not The relationship between healthemergencies are only vulnerable to care and homelessness is cyclical, se- short," says Bill Friskics-Warren. ultimately another "Studies done in several U.S. cities health threats from the elements and vere, relentless and pervasive. Many symptom of a healthcare philosophy have shown that the average lifespan violence, but also because of lack of people find their exit to a life on the that reacts to trauma and cures illness of someone living on the streets is treatment for chronic illnesses and street as a direct result of a health crirather than maintaining health and conditions. promoting prevention. And once a "Of the nearly person is discharged back out into the 4,000 different people dangers on the street, it's only a matwho were treated at ter of time before they make a return the Downtown clinic in trip. 2010, 44% had high "Studies done in several U.S. citblood pressure, 16% ies have shown that the average lifeswere diabetic and 36% pan of someone living on the streets is had documented mental more than 30 years shorter than that health and/or addicof their housed counterparts." tion disorders," says Facing up to these hard facts, Friskics-Warren. Among many municipalities and hospitals other patients, chronic have begun to implement unique soluobstructive pulmonary tions that are designed to break the disease, AIDS, tuberlinks between healthcare and homeculosis and malnutrition lessness by prescribing shelter as part were common along of their cures. Seattle, Wash.'s Downwith the ubiquitous town Emergency Service Center has anxiety or depression made a dramatic impact on the lives that afflict most everyof chronic alcoholics on the streets of one who lives day-tothe Queen City. The center's supportday with no place to call ive housing project has seen the incarhome. ceration rate of its residents cut in half UNHS has implewhile the hospitalization rate has been mented a creative array reduced by a third. The financial result of facilities and services for both the federal government and to address the special 30 AM Registration 8:30AM8:Registration the City of Seattle can be sung to the needs of Nashville's 9: 30 AM Walk begins tune of millions of dollars in savings. 9:30AM11:Walk begins homeless population. 30 AM Reception In Chicago, Ill., the Chicago Housing The organization took 11:30AM Reception for Health Partnership has also shown over operation of the that homeless patients who received Downtown Clinic in the immediate housing and intensive case fall of 2008, and their management were a third less likely to mobile medical unit visit a jail cell or a hospital. is also allowing them Lighthouse Youth Services provides a continuum of services for homeless youth, including Anthony House, a drop-in In Nashville, Room In The Inn center for homeless youth between the ages 18 to 24. Visiting youth can eat a warm meal, visit the nurse, take a shower, to reach into isolated provides a respite care program which and collect clothing and other vital supplies. homeless communiprovides a safe place for homeless ties, making healthcare Our drop-in center was visited almost 4,000 times in the past year. The young people served by the program often walk people to recover from illness or available to people who miles just to eat a warm meal or visit their case managers, regardless of the weather. hospitalization. Shelter, meals and may have no means of medications are buttressed by needs Proceeds from Walk the Walk will provide the basic supplies – sturdy walking shoes, new socks, bus tokens, etc. – that making the trip to the assessments and advocacy efforts make this daily trek possible. downtown facility or one that attempt to connect patients with of the satellite clinics. Lighthouse on Highland is under construction to become the first homeless shelter for 18 – 24 year olds. It will include [Continued on Page 7] the current drop-in center and expand to allow up to 28 individuals to stay overnight. Participants of Walk the Walk will "The unit enables M SATURDAY Saturday, AUGUST Aug.13TH 13 For more info visit: www.lys.org be among the first to preview the facility, scheduled to open this fall. us to meet people �ST R EE T V IB E S J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 National News Summary JESSE CALL Staff Intern Writer S everal residents of a Houston, Texas neighborhood are pressing for a new expansion to a city ordinance aimed at ridding their streets of people experiencing homelessness. A “civility ordinance” is in effect in a few select neighborhoods, including downtown Houston, which prohibits people from sleeping or sitting on sidewalks from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Some members of the community of EaDo, on the East End of downtown, are demanding that City Hall expand the regulation to their community, according to KTRK, a local news channel which referred to those experiencing homelessness as “vagrants” in its story. Proponents for the change claim that there is too much trash in the streets from people trying to live there. The City Council has not voted to expand the ordinance. A recent string of arrests has Charlotte, North Carolina defending itself as a compassionate city for people experiencing homelessness, according to The Charlotte Observer. The arrests revealed that drug dealers were exploiting people experiencing homelessness to operate drug markets within its cities. The victims of the exploitation were promised small sums of money or drugs in exchange for doing the dirty work. This is only the most recent in a series of scams in Charlotte targeting the homeless community. Other scams include luring in people to cash bad checks or defraud health care providers. One scam promised housing to women but then required them to beg for money on street corners to pay for it after-the-fact. Officials fear these scams could increase because homelessness is expected to rise National 7 in Charlotte in the near future. I n Florida, a radio host paid people experiencing homelessness to stage a protest for homeless rights outside the vice mayor’s house. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The vice mayor, Terry Turner, had supported a plan designed to push anyone homeless out of a local park. The host, Phil Grande, solicited people for the protest by paying them, according to a police report. City commissioners in Sarasota have now backed off a plan to create any new ordinances and instead will wait for a report on how to best help those experiencing homelessness in their community from the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness. L ong Beach, California, was home to the state’s first Stand Down event specifically designed to offer services to women veterans experiencing homelessness, according to the Long Beach Post. A recent report revealed that women veterans were twice as likely to become homeless than women in general. Unlike previous stand down events that were not targeted specifically to women, this event took in to consideration the unique concerns of women veterans that may have experienced sexual trauma. The event was sponsored by U.S. Vets, the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor and Women Veterans of America. M aryland’s only state-accredited preschool for children experiencing homelessness may become homeless itself soon, according to The Baltimore Sun. The building in which the daycare is located has lost all of it other tenants and is unable to afford continued operation with- out new tenants. The Ark, located in Baltimore, opened in the late 1980s to help meet the core needs of children living in Baltimore shelters or staying with relatives or friends. It is still working to find a new location before its current building is sold. “Heathcare” Continued from Page 6 is a member. Lozier and his group are one reason why a new understanding mainstream medical services. This about the cost-effectiveness of ending web of security and support greatly homelessness is beginning to gain increases the chances for successful traction at the federal level. But it's recoveries, and severely lowers the been a long road. costs incurred from emergency room In 1986 the National Academy of care and incarceration. Science published their groundbreakThe connections between Ameriing report "Homelessness, Health, and can homelessness, American healthHuman Needs." The report clarified a care, state and federal budgets, and trinity of relationships between homethe health of the country's social fabric lessness and healthcare that demonare abundantly clear: homelessness is strated the profound connections bea healthcare issue and when housing tween the two issues: 1) Poor health is a part of the prescription, everybody leads to homelessness; 2) Homeless wins. people receive poor healthcare; 3) At a recent National Conference Homelessness complicates treatment. on Ending Homelessness, the DepartAlmost exactly a year ago, a ment of Housing and Urban Develquarter of a century after the report opment Secretary Shaun Donovan came out, the Obama administration stated, "…if we want to tackle healthenacted Opening Doors: The Federal care reform - if we want to lower costs Strategic Plan to Prevent and End - we must tackle homelessness. It's Homelessness, a program that intends that simple." to end child and family homelessness Regarding the connections bein America within the next 10 years. tween homelessness and healthcare, Monitoring and affecting policies that John Lozier couldn't agree more. affect the homeless community is a "It's a profound and well-established central mission of the National Healthrelationship." Lozier is the Executive care for the Homeless Council. "Since Director of the National Healthcare our beginning we've incorporated for the Homeless Council (NHCHC), policy advocacy into the work we do the blanket organization of which the and the work of the groups we support United Neighborhood Health Services around the country." In fact, the NHCHC places much of the blame for America's homeless problem on public policy. As NHCHC explains on its website, "Contemporary homelessness is the product of conscious social and economic policy decisions…" For Lozier, the slippery slope began with federal cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that began in the late 1970s. "It started in the Carter administration and came to full force under Reagan," he explains. "There was a decision to pull housing supports out from under homeless people." When it comes to advocating for new policies to help end homelessness, the NHCHC isn't just fighting for what it perceives to be the needs of people living on the streets. For Lozier and the organization, healthcare and shelter must be made available to all people regardless of their ability to pay. He supports his argument by citing the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted on December 10, 1948. "Human rights are expressions of what is necessary for human beings to live in the first place," he explains. "The first are food, clothing, shelter and medical care. We all have a mutual responsibility to see that we all have these rights." While the U.S. has never endorsed the declaration, Lozier and the NHCHC are spearheading efforts to ensure that programs like Open Doors continue to move in accordance with its recommendations. While the future of American healthcare is unclear, there is one thing that is certain: there will be no real healthcare reform for any of us until there are homes for the rest of us. �Recipe 8 ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 UR... ONG! O M Y E ES IGHT LI JENKINS N L FEED M L EA BY JEN FEED M The title of this column is taken from the 1986 film “Little Shop of Horrors,” where a plant keeper must meet the demands of a ravenous plant that feeds on humans. Instead of plants that feed on people, this column is for people who feed on plants!! FRUIT SALAD EXPLOSION! Fresh Summer S During the summer as the heat rises I find it difficult to eat a heavy dinner, so the perfect solution is something fresh from your garden or a local farmer’s market. I personally love salads and in particular I love the ability to mix it up a bit each time using a variety of ingredients. Here is the third from my fresh summer salad series I hope you enjoy! Serving size, 4-5 bellies. ala d ! Ingredients: 2 cups fresh seedless red grapes, rinsed 1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed LOREM Praesent molestie lorem 1 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed ½ cup sliced almonds IPSUM Sed turpis ½ cup crushed walnuts 1 cup plain yogurt 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional) 1 tablespoon honey • • • • • Etiam ac libero In a large bowl combine the grapes, blueberries, and raspberries and gently mix together In a separate small bowl combine the yogurt, vanilla and honey Mix the yogurt mixture with the fruit Top with almonds & walnuts Voila, FEED! House Bill 159 Continued from page 1 providing directions to voters. And, if you get to your polling place and the worker sends you to the wrong table, your vote will not count. As the ACLU of Ohio puts it, voters are then “guilty until proven innocent, by assuming that all errors are voters' errors.” The consolidation of districts is also making it extremely difficult for many citizens to transport themselves to the voting booth. Republican Ohio State Rep. Robert Mecklenborg's HB 159 a dead ringer for American Legislative Exchange Council’s Voter ID Act (see ALECexposed.org), and a stricter version of a bill signed into law in Rhode Island. The Dearborn County Prosecutor’s Office recently released an embarrassing video of Mecklenborg being stopped by police and failing a DUI test. The lawmaker had a .097 blood-alcohol level and had traces of Viagra in his system. The 59-year-old married father of three fail to cooperate with the police and also refused to explain why he had a 26-year-old female stripper in the car. If the law is passed, Mecklenborg, who should have had his license confiscated at the time of his arrest, may be a victim of his own legislation. He renewed his Ohio driver’s license four days after his DUI arrest and lied about the arrest on the application form. Ohio Rep. John Adams (2010 ALEC "Legislator of the Year") continues to push for the most restrictive voter ID bill in the country. GOP Governor John Kasich, a founding member of ALEC, is himself the beneficiary of a dubious vote count in 2010. Neither the Ohio Association of Election Officials, nor Secretary of State John Husted (R.), Ohio's chief elections officer, have thus far endorsed the bill. It is clear that one of the two major parties are poised again to steal the election of 2012 by rigging Ohio’s electoral process. Since 2000, the Republicans have eliminated more than a 1.5 million voters from the Buckeye state voter rolls. The purges have been centered on urban voters. In 2004, hundreds of thousands of additional voters in Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland were disenfranchised by orchestrated bottlenecks at polling stations that forced people to wait seven hours and more in line. The new bills mandate practices designed to lower turnouts as much as possible. These are draconian measures, recalling the poll tax of earlier centuries and all the Jim Crow burdens on voting, and are part of a national strategy to undermine the election process and make it harder for the poor and minorities to exercise their civil rights. Florida Governor Rick Scott (R), for example, is trying to reverse past precedent and prevent convicted felons from voting even after they have completed their sentence. Elsewhere, the Democrats have allowed the Republicans to directly attack a rising Latino and Asian population in various parts of the country, by sending the U.S. back to the era before the Voting Rights Act. One U.S. state after another seems to becoming immovable one party entities at the statewide level, making a travesty of the system of representation. With regressive voting rules, there can be no platform on which any voice for the people could address mass audiences other than through punditry. On this past sweltering Monday afternoon, Cincinnati residents held a protest outside the Board of Elections, followed swiftly by another in Dayton. In attendance were members of various student and community organizations, the Labor Council, UFCW, the Coalition for the Homeless, Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters, the AMOS Project, and local ministers. The message was clear from the signs present: “One Vote is My Voice.” Doug Sizemore of the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council spoke of HB 159 as “one of the most destructive laws,” at a time when “all efforts should be towards recovering the economy,” and not shutting out those who most need to be heard. Bentley Davis, staff project coordinator at SEIU District 1199, promised those gathered that “the fight will go on.” �Exclusive ST R EE T V IB E S 9 Let Me Be J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 SUSAN LAKES Streetvibes Staff Writer C hris Ellis travels with a song in his heart and a lot of tunes in his head. The 50-year-old musician calls himself homeless, but right now friends give him a place to stay. He’s been “couch surfing”, or relying on other people for basic needs, for about three years. Thanks to kind friends, Ellis, has a place to store his beloved bass guitar, an instrument that’s yet to be named. Some knowing friends even let him practice. Janel Williams is one of those, he said. “She lets me plug in and stay intact,” he said of Williams. Ellis has been playing and writing music for 32 years. “Everything I play I taught myself,” he said. He remembers the day he first touched guitar strings. “It was June 4, 1979 and I remember that date because it was exciting,” he said, while squinting his eyes and looking up at a clump of ceiling tiles. “You know that feeling you get when you ride a bike?” he asked. “I just love what I do.” He loves music even when he’s not practicing or performing. Ellis plays bass, rhythm and lead guitars, drums and piano. He’s well versed in putting down tracks of different sounds, adding words to the combinations and recording songs. The old school guy’s skill is one that impresses at least one budding musician, Harrison Lott, a college student who shares Ellis’ love of music. “I think he (Ellis) seems really upbeat and positive,” Lott said. “I know if I was in that1situation, I may PainterTeam:Layout 6/15/2011 4:43 PM not Pagefind 1 it easy to be that way, and I might not find it easy to keep creating when all the odds are against you.” Lott plays rhythm and lead guitar, and, unlike Ellis, composes in short bursts, but nothing really long lasting and serious---yet. “He’s (Ellis) is so committed to getting better and so committed to his outlet for creativity,” Lott said during a face-to-face interview about a week after he met Ellis at the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. “If I never smoked again, I’m still high. God is boosting me up. Without him, my development and skills would not be what they are.” Chris Ellis, musician The day the two met was a typical day for both men. Ellis had just walked 8 or 9 miles---from Western Hills to Over-the-Rhine----and Lott had reported for an internship at the GCCH. He’ll return to The University of Michigan in the fall. Smiling Through A Long Summer Walk Ellis put in what some might consider a full day’s work before the clock struck 10 a.m. He left Western Hills at 2 a.m. in order to make the cut at Labor Works, a day labor business. “They say you can’t work if you get there late,” he said about why it’s so important to sign the availability book by 5 a.m. Buying or selling . . . The Painter Team For all your real estate needs, call: Michael D. Painter, e-Pro, REOS, SFR 513.348.7999 Candace Kadivnik Painter, CRS, ABR 513.266.1025 Painting the town sold . . . 513.474.9100 Chris Ellis chills with a cup of coffee. Photo: Susan Lakes So he walked, and he walked, and he walked. “It didn’t dampen my spirits because the whole time I was walking, the only thing I thought about was my music,” Ellis said. A Ten Minute Break and A Great Big Gun Handle “I stopped to rest for a ten minute break, and I had a couple of guys who came around the corner and one of them was brandishing a pistol,” Ellis said calmly. Unfazed, Ellis calmly spoke to the guys. “I asked them how they were doing and saw the gun in the guy’s pocket,” he recalled. “The handle was sticking out.” He didn’t know the men, but would like to. “They looked at me but never bothered me. They were young,” he said, adding that he’s thankful they [Continued on Page 10] �Exclusive 10 “Let Me Be” Continued from Page 9 disappeared rather than shoot or rob him. Originally Ellis So he continued on the journey with familiar and original songs playing in his head. “I got one that is called Ocean Love,” he recalled about one particular song swirling through his head. “And I got another called Getting It Done, and one called My World. I’ve never made a professional CD, but for some strange reason, God keeps telling me that once people hear this music, my whole life will be different.” Eden Park is where Ellis creates music. “Writing music is a way to cope with being homeless,” he said. ‘I can step into a new atmosphere.” He stretches out in the cool grass and creates. “It’s so peaceful.” Music, for Ellis, is something that calms the savage beast. He believes music is built on faith---a faith, he said, that can only come from God. Day Labor Horror Despite having to travel eight or nine miles on foot, Ellis said he made it to Labor Works, a day labor center, in plenty of time to get called out on a job. “I arrived at 4:50 a.m. to sign in,” he said. He wasn’t late. He maintains he showed up so early that his name appeared fourth on the daily list of available workers. But he didn’t get called out. “They still had people signing in at 6 a.m.” he recalled. True to Ellis style, music was all he could think about while he watched other people being called out for day labor assignments. “I think about music because I believe God put me here for that purpose,” he said. “It didn’t dampen my spirits.” The younger musician Lott noticed Ellis’ tenacity and commented on his discovery during an interview held about a week after the two musicians met. “Whether you’re homeless or not, it’s a good attitude to strive for,” he said, adding that it’s good to look at opportunities in new ways. “It’s easy to get defeated. To maintain that positive outlook is admirable and notable.” Good attitude or not, the day labor place turned Ellis away for a work as- signment at the Great American Ball Ballpark where he had toiled away, cleaning up trash, earlier in the summer. “They DNR’d (Do Not Return) me,” Ellis explained to Don Sherman, executive director at The Interfaith Worker Center on Vine Street. The center, with assistance from The Department of Labor, recently won a yearlong battle to get Labor Works workers transportation pay. The company is in the process of sending checks to last year’s stadium workers for the difference between what Labor “You don’t have to talk to me that way,” he recalls telling a workplace bully. “I don’t think he heard me he was so enraged.” Chris Ellis, musician Works charged workers to make the short drive from Walnut Hills to the stadium and minimum wage since the mandatory $6.00 transportation fee brought workers below minimum wage, which is against labor laws. The stadium work was all new to Ellis this season, so he wasn’t on the list of workers to be reimbursed for the $6.00 transportation fee that the company used to deduct from workers’ daily wages. But Ellis faced another problem faced by day laborers. He was on the no return list, and was not sure the reason why. He still doesn’t know. “I know I was a good worker, but by the time I went back to Labor Works to ask the reason for the DNR, there was nobody behind the desk to ask,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want to say anything bad about the business. “But I’m still wondering why I was not allowed to work.” Fact Finding That question weighed so heavily on his mind, he took the advice of the Interfaith Worker Center and called Labor Works to ask what he had done Dorm Room Wisdom The Women of the Drop Inn Center E. HAYDEN Contributing Writer Okay, I am not a morning person, but waking up to "Good morning ladies, the time is now six thirty. Breakfast is at seven. Let's get up and let’s hit the showers.” It's too early for that R.A.(resident assistant), but I move, or rather sit up. I keep repeating my chant “Learn to flow,” float myself towards the showers, hot water is my new best friend right now, but honestly, food will be my new best friend at 12:00 p.m. The Drop Inn Center has changed a lot since I was there in 2008; they have quotes now to start your day off right. Beds made up nice and tight and little chores like clean up behind yourself and positive activi- ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 ties. Monday and Fridays have additional counseling (Drug and Alcohol) and writing groups to write about your feelings, your dreams, etc. and art classes in the evenings. Being Positive is the new word for the D.I.C. As I was coming out of the showers one of the girls, who was about 19, was having a conversation about how she was going to court and the other lady said, "That what you are wearing?" The girl replied “What wrong with what I have on? She was wearing those flash dance type of pants with the blouse hanging off the shoulder. “I like to look sexy." The older women, about 48, said "Not in front of a judge. Respect goes a long way in court.” She yelled to another lady to throw down a dress. wrong. So, eight hours after he first started the trip to the job that didn’t work out, Ellis called Labor Works from the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition. He got the answer, shrugged his shoulders and immediately started talking about music. According to Ellis, the Labor Works worker politely told him that something did not work out right on the stadium job. The person who talked with told him that while he couldn’t go back to that particular job because of the DNR, Labor Works would call him when other jobs came up. Ellis believes an incident with a stadium employee is responsible for the DNR. “It was hot,” Ellis recalled of the incident. Ellis got a cup of water at the very time a supervisor rounded a corner. “He said some words I’d rather not mention,” Ellis said, adding that he told the man what he thought about the swearing directed his way. “You don’t have to talk to me that way,” he recalls saying. “I don’t think he heard me he was so enraged.” Ellis said he didn’t lose his cool then, and he has this advice to offer others who are bullied on the job. “Take a deep breath and count backwards, and when you get up to three and two, try to erase it from your mind.” Getting mad to get even doesn’t work, according to Ellis. “Losing your cool will add up to one big zero,” he said. “They will win and you will lose.” Leaving the Past Behind People on the streets say “hit this” sometimes to Ellis, but he maintains he doesn’t need drugs to get high. “If I never smoked again, I’m still high. God is boosting me up. Without him, my development and skills would not be what they are,” Ellis said. A record that includes a felony conviction makes getting a job difficult. He got in trouble for drug trafficking about thirty years ago. “I was supposed to have sold a nickel bag to an undercover officer,” he said. “Here’s the twist. About four years later, I had some police officer tell me I had another drug trafficking felony, and come to find out (someone else) had been using my identity.” By the time the girl left, she looked like she worked in a downtown office building. Funny, no matter where you are or what you are going though, women and advice will always go hand in hand. Some of the best advice comes from a woman four beds from mine, she says, "Be quiet and have less to say. Watch them, somebody going to get loud and mad about something that had nothing to do with them in the first place." Some of these women have been surviving anyway they could, she says, “By their instincts, which is a hell of a thang. Do what you have to do to get out and remember what you have been through, so you don't have to come back." I had some job hunting to do. I left out about 8:00 a.m. It's really hard when you have a felony, but I just keep on trying, that's all I know to do. I got back in about 7:00 p.m. that evening and they were passing around a card for this older Later, according to Ellis, he got another felony. “That was a felony by entrapment,” he said. “Two under covers walked past and dropped a bag of crack cocaine on the ground,” he said. He takes full responsibility for that felony. “I do admit that was my fault,” he said. “I did a year in Chillicothe.” Hitting Number One During the penitentiary stay, Ellis formed a band of fellow prisoners. “I was the number one player in Chillicothe,” he said. On Sundays or “yard days,” Ellis and others would set up in the prison field and play for thousands of people. “I was sad to leave there,” he said. “I had got attached to those guys.” Got The Music Ability Honestly Ellis grew up in Cincinnati’s Lincoln Courts, a housing project that’s been torn down. He went to Taft High School. “They said my father played trumpet, but I never saw it,” he said about early life. But Ellis does remember listening to another relative’s music. “My granddad played sax,” he recalled. “I remember hearing him play Mr. Magic, by Grover Washington. What’s Next Ellis said, while munching on a big plum he found on his way to work,“I pray and hope every day I run into musicians who could use me. I’ll give whatever I can to help them.” The philosopher in him explained how he scored the fruit for breakfast. “God said ‘look up’ and I saw a plum tree.” Readers can look forward to learning what other states are doing to fight the silent epidemic of the kind of workplace bullying Ellis claims he faced. Some states have proposed legislation to help curb activities of onthe- job- bullies. Do you have a story about your workplace bully? If so, contact Susan Lakes, staff writer for Streetvibes in confidence at susanlakesgcch@yahoo.com. You can call me at (513) 421-7803, ext. 12 to share your story. Look forward to hearing how the silent epidemic impacts your work day. lady named Mrs. Tiny, she turned 56 that day and they got her cake; they planned on celebrating after the meeting that night. The girl that had to go to court this morning was back. She said the judge was giving her one more chance. She also said she started school on Tuesday in a nursing program. She had been to Job Corp first and now nursing school. I am impressed. I am bipolar it takes a lot to impress me. At 9:00 p.m. the R.A. started the nightly meeting. They talk about rules for the all new women in the dorm (it holds up to 40 beds and about ten cots) and any new concerns or problems anyone has. The R.A. has a saying, “What did you accomplish today?” she started by telling us her accomplishments and then we went around the room. Mine was five job applications today, but tomorrow is another day... �ST R EE T V IB E S Street Voice 11 J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Summertime RICCARDO TAYLOR Staff Writer A s we come to that oftentimes awesome season of the year, I think it only appropriate that we take a look at how the street flows. Although for the most part the situations and circumstances are the same there is a difference in the way things are done. The summer brings on a sense of relief and, to some extent, a carefree attitude. Momentarily the pressures of survival are at ease; at least for some, while others feel the full extent of the drudgery which often accompanies the season. Seemingly, as the heat index goes up so does the violence and aggravation that so often comes with the lifestyle. The competition is much higher as more opportunities present themselves. Vying for position in the crowded lines that street people are so used to brings on a heightened response. Survival takes on a much greater urgency and it becomes “live and I don’t care if you die!” The concept of “me” becomes the rally cry for each prospect of obtaining that all-so-important need. It’s that time when push becomes shove in its gravest sense! Every want, need, or desire is on high alert. Our options aplenty, so we take advantage where and when we can the only concern is that we get what we want when we want it! With the promise of the excitement that each warm day brings, we look forward to the rising of the sun. It’s off to see what we can get into. The hustling is fast, as we don’t have to look in an array of places for the things, which make for a blessing as it’s called. All the vices, as well as necessities, are readily available on every block. A sandwich, a cold beer, and a blunt can all be gotten within feet of each other! Singing and dancing with a glimpse of a mini skirt are all within eyesight; it can be like heaven on earth! It is the time of year that one can forget all his troubles and trials if only for a part of the day! Then after all the excitement and pleasure of the moment we slowly come back to reality of our situation. The misery and pain return. As the evening turns into night we have to again find that place of refuge for tonight. Seeking the comfort of safety and whatever privacy one can expect we drift off to our spot, hoping as we go that it hasn’t been occupied by another! Yeah, sounds pretty sweet for those of us who have survived the cold winter and rainy spring months, yet for those who live this lifestyle year in, year out it is only the beginning of another set of skill sets for which our existence depends on. Again, perhaps we don’t have to be prepared for cold or soggy nights at the end of these days, yet it’s not in the least sense a pleasure to adjust to the rancid smells of urine and alcohol that permeate every stop along our day’s journey. The only relief for which we can look forward too is the idea that we can accumulate things faster! Sleeping in an abandoned car when the temperature is in the eighties can be harsh! Sweating while enduring the whispering of all sorts of insects during a night’s sleep can be harsh. Tossing and turning on the floor of an abandon building, trying to get in a few hours of sleep is the constant reminder that one has to forgo some of the perceived pleasures of the proceeding day, when again the sun rises. Our clothes and hygiene are a constant reminder that this is the time of year that our priorities are not being attended too. Feeling gritty with a profound odor reminds us that we have to be up and moving before the world awakes! Getting that shower is seemingly more important now then it was during the winter and our health can suffer just as much. Needing to seek a place to cool down during the heat of the day be- Riccardo Taylor. Photo: GCCH comes a challenge as well as a priority. Heat strokes and freezing are both a part of our reality and must be guarded against. Our baggage becomes a bit more crowded as we must have the relief of hydration during our travels throughout the day. As in other seasons of the year we cannot afford to lose sight of our life’s mission while seeking some relief from the pressures of the lifestyle, knowing that our survival depends on our being prepared for the encounters and circumstances of each day. Still, most of us welcome the season, a time when we can live carefree to some degree! Ah! The summertime. To celebrate Streetvibes publishing its 200th edition we are offering special advertising rates for Summer 2011. Ads can be purchased for as little as $35. Call 513-421-7803 ext. 11 or email streetvibes@ cincihomeless.org �12 Arts & Entertainment ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Explaining the Bleak Picture Jeni Jenkins Staff Writer M ost Americans still can’t really grapple with the causes and consequences of the world financial crisis that erupted in 2007. Many are so overwhelmed with what has happened, with the housing market, the banking industry and with the rising costs of living, that spending the time to analyze and unravel the history behind what happened seems like an insurmountable task. Lucky for us, some folks have decided to do all that dirty work for us—graphic artist Seth Tobocman along with journalist and activist Eric Laursen and artist Jessica Wehrle have taken on mapping out how the financial crisis happened, in the 2010 release of the graphic novel Understanding the Crash. Through their intelligent analysis they answer this question for the general public, like many have done, but in simple terms paired with a striking visual candor. The authors draw from an opposition to big businesses asserting, successfully, that our current situation is rooted in the push for the “American Dream” paired with the greed of Wall Street and the de-regulation of the banking industry. Through their stimulating artistic narrative, the authors take us on a visual journey, breaking the complicated workings of our country’s economic model down, chapter by chapter. Although, still somewhat difficult to follow, which is by no fault of the authors, but more by the very nature of the system we are part of, readers can at least begin to understand where “We” may have gone wrong, how we could have prevented it and why we are still so far from fixing our broken system. Through each chapter the story line reads like a beat poem, following a steady rhythm and dramatically focusing our attention on unraveling the mystery. One rather striking quality of the work is the way in which the power brokers responsible for much of our demise are portrayed as various predatory animals. Other depictions or metaphors of these brokers are purposely vicious or violent including a man with a meat-grinder as a head, Casino-mob bosses, and men with fangs or heads that resemble piranhas. The authors outline the connection between layoffs of the working class at factories who find their neighborhoods deserted and their pantries depleted and the middle class who followed the American Dream of pulling themselves up by their bootstraps by getting a good education, to securing a high-paying job and still ending up laid off and trapped by debt. The story they tell shows us how one family’s loss of a home causes another family to watch their savings disappear in thin air. Throughout Understanding the Crash, the authors draw from real examples of real people in real neighborhoods to tell their story. In “She Lives Here”, we hear the story of Mrs. Redrick, who did everything right and still nearly lost it all due to the trickery of a mortgage officer. In “The Neighborhood” we see the downfall of a Cleveland neighborCover Art, Understanding the Crash. Art submitted: courtesy of Seth Tobocman. hood transformed into a Free Trade Zone where any and every predatorI won’t spoil the entire book, but I will say that vultures, wolves and sharks make a Understanding the Crash has improved my undercommunity into a war zone. standing of the state of our economy significantly. It The most fascinating chapters are “Reinventing also helps me to understand how the demographics the Octopus”, which tells the story of our governof our homeless have changed so significantly over ments involvement and dis-involvement in the bankthe last two years. What’s more, while the book is ing industry and “Bailout”, which carefully outlines 116 pages, it’s easily accessible and can be tackled how the U.S. government responded to the housing in under and 2 hours. bubble bursting and the actual “crash” we all refer to. Images from “The Casino” in Understanding the Crash by Seth Tobocman, visually relay how meat grinding banks, loan sharks, and vultures contributed to the economic crisis. Art submitted: courtesy of Seth Tobocman. �Arts & Entertainment ST R EE T V IB E S 13 J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Say What? My White Tee “It is never too late to give up our prejudices.” Henry David Thoreau My white Tee that I wear is only a tee... My white Tee that I wear the police say it's a gang thang... My people say it a way of respect in a tough life... My white Tee that I wear is only a tee that I wear. Do you see? Do you see? It doesn't make me, it doesn’t define me, it’s just a white tee... Where are my forty acres and a mule?? Today I will take it, to feel the land that is cool to the touch And soil that shows all the progress of my hard work. Let me see what will I be giving up? No more street siren, No more line ups, No more invisible twin – That may or may not fit the description that is wanted for question?? You see. It is only a white tee, do you see … Do you see it … don't define me !!! I can take it off... E. Hayden Outside the Loop: Jungle Jims JESSICA HOPSICKER Contributing Writer J ungle Jim's International Food Market on Rt. 4 in Fairfield, isn't just a grocery store, it is a nationally known tourist destination. With over six and a half acres of floor space and more than a hundred thousand products from roughly seventy-five countries around the world, people make the pilgrimage to shop this Mecca of merchandise from all over the Tri-State. It was the kind of Sunday afternoon in the Jungle, I wished I was at least fifteen feet taller. With the added advantage of extra long legs I could stride right over this great congregation of consumers, indiscriminately plucking up people and placing them accordingly and out of my way. My roommates and I were there on a mission to pick up food for dinner and seeing how this sprawling supermarket is a mere mile from our apartment, it was our grocery store of choice. As it was for everyone else it seemed that Sunday. There were men, women and children of varying shapes, sizes, and nationalities. Countless customers were milling about gawking, grocery shopping, and clogging up the aisles. On days like this, navigation through the Jungle takes a great deal of determination, perhaps a pith helmet, and a pair of horse blinders. There are so many things to look at before you know it, you're the one blocking the aisle. Jutting out towards Route 4, beckoning like a come-hither finger ally big cheese, and a lion dressed like Elvis that sings in the candy section. The shelves themselves are also topped with all sorts amazing stuff, a great array of antiquities and oddities. You could venture into Jungle Jim's for every day for a year and still find something new you have not yet noticed. This fabulous funhouse of food and product playland is the inspiration of one man, the sorcerer of savings Jungle Jim himself, Jim Bonaminio. He was given the nickname for he always dressed in shorts. His em- you can see him standing at the railing of his upper level office watching over his store with all the customers and fervent foodie followers. He pays extra close attention to his precious produce section placed right below him. It seems the ceaseless strings of recessions have barely touched the vibrant thriving ecosystem that is now The Jungle. His goal was to transform the simple act shopping a fun experience other than a chore and something you have to do to eat. There is no doubt, he just did that. is an actual working monorail, taken from the former wild animal habitat at Kings Island. Poised at another entrance is an animal pond which boasts large replicas of gorillas, spouting elephants and striding giraffes. Inside you can traipse through the beer and wine section, which is considered one of the largest in the United States, with the awe and wonderment of a child. Poke excitedly around the exotic meat selection, which carries anything from antelope medallions to a whole frozen rattlesnake. Even the restrooms amaze, whose entrances are disguised as Rumpke portapotties. Stepping through those rigid plastic doors is like stepping into Narnia. Along a back wall is a European village with the The motionless monorail that is to Jungle Jim’s what the glass elevator was to Willy Wonka. store front facades of Photo: Larry Combs the all different countries and each variety pire spawned from a simple roadside of food they pertain to. Great Britain produce stand in the early 70s, and is topped with a Sherwood Forest. underwent many reincarnations and A giant Campbell's Soup can sits on relocations to become the nationa swing suspended from the ceiling ally known grocery store and theme loudly greets you in the soup aisle. visit park he coined “Foodieland;” where There is a rock band of General Mills he has been known to don a wizards cereal mascots, a mini “SS Minnow” www.cincybooks.com robe and go about the store on a pair boat, penguins in the frozen food deof roller skates or hop on a Segway partment, an antique fire truck, a reand perform acts of price magic. Or Great Books! �Meetup 14 Fields of Forgiveness JIM LUKEN Contributing Writer M Meetup is meant to tell people’s stories in their own words. The views expressed in this column are solely those of the interviewee and not those of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Streetvibes or the staff, volunteers and board members. doors are locked from 11 p.m. to 7 In the early years of this millennia.m. During daytime hours, residents um, there was still a lot of turmoil and must either be at work or looking for problems according to Fields. When Fr. Schmieder retired from his full-time work. According to Karl Fields, the rules are strictly enforced. He says fillprison ministry, the situation began to turn around. “Things started to get bet- ing an empty bed is not a difficult task. As an outreach to the neighborter and better and better,” Karl says. “People began to be held accountable, from the house manager to the staff and guests.” They developed what Fields describes as a “system.” One with a semi-rigid set of rules and guidelines, as well as objectives which were both positive and clear. “We want our guests to get clean, to get work, and to Ron Carter . Photo: Jim Luken become selfsufficient.” Although there is no charge to live hood, Fields states proudly that the at the Catholic Worker House, the staff Catholic Worker House provides a Soup Kitchen (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) every monitors, through weekly progress Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday— interviews, the status and income of each of its 16 guests. Each of the men bag lunches in the summer months and sit-down soup in the wintertime. is pushed to save 65% of his income for a little nest egg, because the guest They usually feed around a hundred, he says. may stay at the house for no longer Karl Fields has a keen underthan 60 days. standing of the situation the CWH “The best pat of my job,” states guests are in. Although he grew Fields, “is when they move out to their up (Episcopalian) in a middle class own place…get their own keys.” And African-American household, although the hardest part? “When we have to he always held a job, and always ask someone to leave.” provided nice things for his children, “I At the CWH, each of the 16 was a lost soul for more than 20 years, “beds” is assigned a set of chores, due to alcohol and drug addictions,” including, of course, weekly dish duty. he says. There are eight and four bed dormiFields describes his childhood as tories, and two two-bed rooms. Beds basically stable and normal. But, he are filled almost as soon as a resident says, it took many years before the moves out, and the switching of beds family realized that his truck-driver is a no-no. father was a closeted, functioning Fields explains that he and his alcoholic. staff do everything they can to proAfter graduating from Courter mote a three-word program: Safety, Healing and Transformation. Tech in 1973, Karl became an autoKarl explains. “If there is no safety, body repairman, a job which gave the there can be no healing. If there is no young man too much freedom to work healing, there can be no transformaas much or little as he pleased. “But tion. It is our duty to make sure that for the most part, I worked hard and I they have a safe place to recover.” played hard,” he says. To achieve that environment, there At 21 Fields was married, alis a zero tolerance for alcohol, drugs, though, he points out, “I started having or threats. Profanity is discouraged. kids when I was 18. There were three There are two required AA meetkids from that marriage and five total.” ings each week at the house. Unless Karl says he is proud of all of the chila guest is working the night shift, dren and their achievements, in spite what he now sees as poor parenting. “One thing I noticed. I gave them Air We serve as a creative outlet for women in need to Jordans, but what I didn’t give them uncover their talents and was that psychological nourishing.” build relationships while He worked at Stearns and Foster making and selling jewelry, quilts, and other handcrafted in Lockland and then in 1977 he got items. We provide a a well-paying job at Reliable Castings welcoming environment and on Spring Grove Avenue, all the while continuous support-our women do the rest. They are continuing his bad habits. “Often, on our voice. They are our my lunch hour I would drive downtown mission. They are our Sarah and get some pills.” He worked there Center. Artists receive 50 % until October 26, 1994, when, he says, from the sale of their items, while the rest goes towards “it all came crashing down.” materials and other support. During the previous year, after a friend had died mysteriously in his own 1618 Vine Street bathtub, Fields’s wife left him. “She Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 HELPING WOMEN HELP THEMSELVES couldn’t take it anymore, God bless her soul. She didn’t want to come For more information visit www.sfoutreach.org eet Karl Fields. 55. Father of five. Pentecostal Protestant. Former convict. House Manager for the St. Francis/St. Joseph Catholic Worker House. Fields might seem an unlikely person to be heading up a 25 year old Cincinnati shelter that is Catholic in its roots, its history, and—even it its name. But, although he is not quite aware of it, Fields is following in the footsteps of the famous radical Catholic Activist, Dorothy Day [1897-1980], now a candidate for sainthood, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement in the US in the 1930s. Modeling her organization, to a certain degree, on the Communist Worker Movement of the 20s and 30s, Day published a daily newspaper (The Catholic Worker), and lived with homeless men in shelters (“Houses”) that she established in New York City. To this day there are more than a hundred of these Catholic Worker Houses (CWH) worldwide. Over-the-Rhine’s CWH stands at the corner of 14th and Walnut. It was established there by a young Catholic layman [and personal friend of the author’s] Jim Mullen, in 1983. Mullen came to own the house himself, and he began living there with homeless “guests,” (as its residents are still called) who trickled in and out over those years. Fields explains that in its present form, Cincinnati’s CWH has no formal connection either with the (ongoing) International Catholic Worker Movement, or with the Catholic Church itself, although many of the individuals and families that help support his work are progressive local Catholics. According to Fields, “The part [of the Catholic Worker model] we believe in is to help poor working men.” Karl Fields asserts that in the “old days” the Catholic Worker House had a more informal and unstructured way of dealing with the often indigent men who stayed there. “It was just a place for guys who had nowhere else to go,” he says. Mullen died of cancer in his fifties. Before he passed away, the house was sold to Father Mark Schmieder, who was then a full-time minister at the state prison in Lebanon. Fr. Schmieder brought Karl Fields, fresh out of prison himself, onto the staff in 2002. Before his own death in 2004, the beloved priest, turned the building (and its name) over to an independent board of trustees. Sarah Center ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 home and find me dead too.” For drug related crimes, Karl Fields was sent to the penitentiary in Picaway, Ohio. Reflecting on this period of time, he is very self-critical. “What was rational became irrational. Things I swore I wouldn’t do, I was doing. I had a family. I was raised right. But there was something about me that I obviously didn’t like. How can you love yourself when you are putting stuff inside yourself that will kill you? ” So Fields spent eight long years in the slammer. He has no complaints. “The way I see it, I wasn’t arrested that day [Oct. 26], I was rescued.” At the penitentiary, Fields says that he had the opportunity to take inventory of his life. “When you are forced to be sober, you can really look at yourself,” he says. There in the penitentiary he would learn the skills that would be essential for his job as House Manager at the CWH. He found himself in a therapeutic program called OASIS. “They made me look in the mirror,” he says. The program was very confrontational. Inmates had to confront one another on their problematic behavior. “If I’m checking you,” Karl explains, “I better have myself in order.” The men called each other “Mr.” and “Sir.” They did what he calls behavioral “pull-ups.” All the while he was in prison, Karl Fields says he worried about his youngest son. The other children had each embarked on successful careers, but “when I got out, he was real rough.” Karl says that he was in no position to lecture his son. He doesn’t even believe lecturing works. “People are gonna be looking at your actions not your words. I started living the way you are supposed to live.” It took years of this kind of example, but now Fields beams when he describes how proud he is that his son has been clean and sober for seven months. [As we speak, he calls his son on the phone to verify the date]. “Now I talk to him almost every day,” he says with a smile. Although, by 2002, he was out of the penitentiary, and sober, and doing a job that mattered at the St Francis/ St. Joseph Catholic Worker house, Karl found that there was still something missing from his life. So in 2007 he married a second time. His new wife, Vanier, was a Holiness minister at Harac Ministries in Bond Hill, “The marriage completed me,” he says. At the moment, Fields is battling a form of lung cancer. This new health reality, along with his marriage, put him on track to get his spirituality in order. “The threat of death does that to people,” he says. And so, Karl Fields prays every day, prayers of thanksgiving “for what He’s done for me so far. That gives me faith that everything will be all right. “What I’m trying to get across is, even if you’ve fallen, you can get up. If God forgives us, who are we not to forgive ourselves.” �Resources ST R EE T V IB E S 15 J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Shelter: Women and Children St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John 558-8888 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County 458-6670 PATH Outreach 977-4489 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 Treatment: Men Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Prospect House 921-1613 Other Resources 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 Justice Watch 241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Starting Over 961-2256 Anthony House (Youth) Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 First Step Home 961-4663 Goodwill industries 771-4800 Healing Connections 751-0600 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Treatment: Both 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) 471-1100 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 Housing: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services 751-0643 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 621-5514 Treatment: Women 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 961-4080 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter 661-4620 Shelter: Both Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Emmanuel Community Center 241-2563 241-2965 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Hamilton County ADAS Board 946-4888 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 641-4300 Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 Faces Without Places 363-3300 Stop AIDS 421-2437 Health Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 859-491-8303 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House 859-261-5857 Fairhaven Resuce Mission 859-491-1027 Homeward Bound Youth 859-581-1111 Mathews House 859-261-8009 Homeless & Housing Coalition 859-727-0926 Parish Kitchen 859-581-7745 Pike St. Clinic 859-291-9321 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 Welcome House of NKY 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 �16 Artists as Activists ST R EET VIBES J u l y 2 2 - A u g u s t 4 , 2 0 11 Saving the World One Life at a Time Lauri Aultman uses her art and art teaching to foster peace and social justice “A rt has to be a social commentary,” says Lauri Aultman. “To me art and activism have always been connected. Throughout history, artists have used literature, music, visual arts… to open dialogue about areas where society needed change. I myself am a concerned citizen, and my art reflects my frustrations with the political system, my desire to make our community a safe, peaceful and better place.” Whether through her personal art or through her art teaching Aultman has always wanted the creative process and its product to touch people, trigger thinking, encourage social change. “I accept that it might be just one child or person at a time,” she says. “But YES, I want through art to save the world; I also want others to help me do the same!” Lauri Aultman stands next to her mixed media doll, American Girl: Terra Hart. Photo: Saad Ghosn Saad Ghosn Contributing Writer Aultman, a local visual artist, grew up in a liberal family, in progressive Yellow Springs and Xenia, OH. Early on her mother exposed her to visual arts and crafts, her father to literature and writing, her grandmothers to music; she loved to draw, sing, dance and act. When selecting a career, however, she opted initially for psychology, a practical field as she says, but soon added to it art history. This led her to work in museums, to travel to Glasgow, Scotland, to help with an international exhibit on Glasgow women artists, and finally to join the John F. Kennedy University in San Francisco, CA, where she earned a Master’s degree in Museum Administration. She wanted museums to be less elitist and more inclusive, welcoming all. After few years in San Francisco, Aultman moved to Columbus to be near her family. Employed at the Columbus Museum of Art she started a preschool multicultural program titled WOW Art? It became very popular and put her in touch with a large number of kids and their family. They often Water Cross: Darfur Sudan, mixed media sculpture by Lauri Aultman. Photo: Saad Ghosn confided in her, sharing their various problems; they indirectly prompted her enrollment in art therapy classes. “I felt a calling for at-risk youth,” she says. “So I left museum field, worked for few years at the Homeless Families Foundation Educational Center, then moved to Cincinnati to teach art and yoga at various Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC) Centers.” Aultman loves to work with kids as they look at the future with hope and uncensored perspectives. She involves them in various art activities using art as a vehicle for their self expression, confronting their own issues and those of society, also reflecting on diversity, peace, justice, on how to better the world. Her students and those of other CRC centers, as a result, regularly added their voice to the yearly SOS Art community art show for peace and justice in Cincinnati, thus contributing to its open dialogue. For several years, however, Aultman just focused on teaching art to children at the expense of her own art. “I had become so busy teaching art that I stopped creating my own,” she says, “It caused me a breakdown and I realized it was important I do art every day.” Responding then to her sister’s request to create an art piece for a fund raiser for an abuse shelter, Aultman started delving into art for social issues; she has not stopped since. She has created works for various causes, international, national and personal. Through her church, Ginghamsburg United Methodist, in Tipp City, she got active in the Sudan Project, helping raise money for its various programs in Darfur (implementing sustainable agriculture, building schools, training teachers, constructing water yards for safe water…). Aultman contributes to the Project by making art for the yearly fundraising art exhibit “HeArt of the Sudan”. Do They Know It’s Xmas, a mixed media sculpture, was based on the song from the 80s about famine in Ethiopia; it incorporated the lyrics with pictures of toys made out of tin cans and photos of malnourished Sudanese kids, thus reminding of the dire reality. Her series of Crosses, one each for Sudan, China and Ireland, meant to call attention to the different conflict areas and to their need for prayers. The crosses, made of painted water bottles, have added and somewhat hidden, words, statistics, pictures, objects… all related to the conflict. Each sits on a Bible referencing the importance of prayer and spirituality. Water Cross: Darfur Sudan, painted white alluding to the importance of water, included material related to water, agriculture and education. Water Cross: China, painted red, related to human rights and censorship and used Chinese stamps for decoration. Water Cross: Ireland, painted green, included a handkerchief that belonged to Aultman’s great-grandmother originally from Ireland, also crucifixes and elements related to the religious and ethnic fighting. Recently Aultman did works pertaining to the Congo conflict minerals. Through an activist meeting she learned that portable electronics contained the 3 Ts (tin, titanium and tungsten) usually mined in Congo, in areas where people are murdered and women raped every day. Her mixed media Cell Out/ Healing Mandala consists of a wooden circle representing the world on which was added information and images addressing the minerals issue, juxtaposed to a globe mandala as a peaceful solution. “We have no idea how our daily use of cell phones in America effects women in Congo,” says Aultman. “I can’t help feeling like a sellout each time I use my phone. We all need to know about it.” Her ongoing American Girls series consists of dolls with no head, themed after important American issues: religion (Hope Nkonde), environment (Terra Hart), patriotism… She picked girls due to her interest in women issues, also because young American girls nowadays are obsessed with dolls, often used in our society as means of escape. Aultman resorted to their symbolism instead as a way back to the reality of the country. “Their themes represent me, my current concerns, issues I and Americans struggle with…” she says. Aultman has always had at heart issues of violence and abuse directed at women; she makes it part of her life to tell people about them. Yes and Proceed With Caution are body prints in acrylic that address sexual abuse and rape; they are meant to give hope to abuse survivors. Peace, another omnipresent topic in her works, owed her the title of “peacenik” by her students. In Wishful Sign of the Times she arranged buttons in a sign peace, each button representing a prayer for one of her students and his/her family. Peace Dove and Peace Dreams, 2 mixed media pieces, reflect her inner path to reach and communicate true peace. “Art is not just ‘in my blood’," Says Aultman. “I actually need it to survive. I am an artist for peace and social justice and use my art to educate others on causes they may not be aware of. I want to raise consciousness and make a difference. I am proud to be an artist activist.” Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be reached at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � 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 2011 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 22-August 4, 2011 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: House Bill 159 Kentucky Board of Elections Counters “No Address, no Voter Registration” Claims Pg 2: “The Homeless Don’t Exist.” Pg 3: Distributor Program Pg 4: Young Cincinnati Activists Help Spark International Expose Pg 5: Whence the Tea Party? Pg 6: Homelessness and Healthcare Pg 7: National News Summary Pg 8: Recipe Pg 9: Let Me Be Pg 10: Let Me Be Continued Pg 11: Summertime Pg 12: Explaining the Bleak Picture Pg 13: Arts & Entertainment Pg 14: Fields of Forgiveness Pg 15: Resources Pg 16: Saving the World One Life at a Time 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 22-August 4, 2011 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource J.P. Dean Josh Spring Catie Dargue Jeni Jenkins Susan Lakes Riccardo Taylor Della Woolens Rubye Goode Georgia Bohannon Stephen Gentry Willa Denise Jones Saad Ghosn Jim Luken Lee Mccoy Paul Davis Aimie Willhoite Jesse Call Mark Grauhuis Alisa Balestra Harrison Lott Corey Luthringer Brittany Fong Terique Scott Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Activists Aimie Willhoite Alisa Balestra Art Brittany Fong Catie Dargue Cincinnati Corey Luthringer Della Woolens Georgia Bohannon Harrison Lott Healthcare Homelessness House Bill 159 J.P. Dean Jeni Jenkins Jesse Call Jim Luken Josh Spring Jungle Jims Kentucky Lee McCoy Mark Grauhuis National News Paul Davis Riccardo Taylor Rubye Goode Saad Ghosn Stephen Gentry Susan Lakes Tea Party Terique Scott Voting Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/ca0c77979a08fdbfbf87f660b545edb6.pdf d97a88adc3e3084ab83ab388da14ea42 PDF Text Text J u l y 2 5 t h - A u g u s t 1 s t 2 0 1 9 | Vo l . 2 3 I s s u e 1 5 ( N o . 4 1 2 ) advo cating justice | building communit y Any opinions in this issue are of the authors and don't necessarily represent Streetvibes or The Homeless Coalition. The Big Squeeze Article on Page 8 This Issue is sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.com Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 12 �2 COALITION N ov 2 o v 19, 0 18 || No. N o . 412 393 July 25- -NAug 1, 22019 From The Editor: HUD Changes, Who Benefits? Gabriela Godinez Editor-in-chief In May there was a proposed rule change within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The proposed rule change would require households of mixed citizenship status to verify said status in order to continue receiving assistance. This means that if a household contains a family member that is not of legal status, this household will be in jeopardy. According to a letter written by Megan Hustings, the managing director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, this proposed change would put many undocumented immigrants as well as legal citizens in harms way. She writes, “the proposed rule would force families legally accessing housing assistance to lose their homes, needing help from an already overwhelmed homeless assistance sector.” Hustings wrote this letter to condemn the proposed changes and argues it will only hurt, not help anyone. In a household with an undocumented head of household but with U.S. citizen children, this household will most likely stop attempting to receive assistance. This will then increase the likelihood of the household to experience homelessness. Hustings writes, “Since 70% of mixed status families currently receiving HUD assistance are composed of eligible children and at least one ineligible parent, it is likely that these families will forgo the subsidies to avoid separation.” This is only going to increase the population of people who experience homelessness living within our borders. The argument for a long time has been that people without legal documentation are a burden on our society. People who subscribe to this belief might use this proposed rule change to show how undocumented citizens receive benefits from the United States without actually contributing to it. This is rhetoric echoed by President Trump. It is also a lie. In an article for Vox, journalist Alexia Fernandez Campbell writes, “Millions of undocumented immigrants file tax returns each year, and they are paying taxes for many benefits they can’t even use.” Furthermore, according to data gathered by the IRS, individuals without a social security number paid $23.6 billion in income tax in 2015. This is not an argument about whether or not we allow people of unknown status keep receiving “benefits,” this is an argument for how we want to treat the people living within our borders. What type of America do we want to live in? What type of home are we trying to create? This proposed rule change says that we want to live in a country that leaves people behind, ignores the root of the issues, and wants all of our neighbors to look, talk, and act exactly the same as we do. Even though this is an obvious attack on undocumented folks, those are not the only people who would be harmed by this new rule. The rule requires multiple steps to prove documentation. Hustings writes 25% of the African American population doesn’t own a photo I.D. as well as 18% of citizens over the age of 65, and 12% of citizens making less than $25,000 a year don’t own proof of citizenship. When we attack one vulnerable population, we attack all of our vulnerable populations. So again I ask, what type of America do we want to live in? I want to live in one that helps uplift vulnerable and marginalized populations. I want an America that doesn’t allow assistance programs to decide who is worthy of receiving assistance. This proposal is saying that in this America, you prove that you are worthy of help, and if you can’t prove it then you aren’t worth our work. That is not the America I want to live in. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org www.cincistreetvibe.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor-in-chief: Gabriela Godinez Feregrino Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Volunteer Editors: Katelyn Lusher, Chris Wilkey Distributor Program Manager: Sallie Mascus Layout: Gabriela Godinez Feregrino Reception: Bonita Batton, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper “Through four decades of public education, community organizing and policy advocacy, we have come to understand that widespread poverty and homelessness is not caused by personal failing, as most stereotypes lead us to believe. Rather, we see clearly that extreme poverty and homelessness have been caused directly by Federal, state and local policies that fail to invest in health and wellbeing of the entire community.” ------------------------------------------- -MEGAN HUSTINGS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS ------------------------------------------- S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Gabriela Godinez, Bill Woods, Kate Ryan, Daniel Trotta, David Barnett, Thomas Peter, Dr. Mark Mussman, Farah Master, Lisa Mauch, Angela Hursh, Willa D. Jones, Ashley Archibald, Depthstroke the Cypher, Kim Green Photography/ Artwork: , Gabriela Godinez, INSP.com, Dr. Mark Mussman, ---------------------------------------------Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 39 Nov 21, - N o v 19, 2 0 18 July 253 -| Aug 2019 | No. 412 3 HOMELESSNESS Endless Kiddie Tunes To Spikes In Doorways – Eight Insidious Ways Cities Shun People Experiencing Homelessness Kate Ryan Reuters W hile homeless people are among the most vulnerable to the kind of ferocious heat that scorched Europe in June and is blasting U.S. cities this month, officials have adopted some novel approaches to pushing them out. Although some cities have made strides for homeless populations, others concerned with public health, tourism and image have taken steps to drive away or criminalize people living on the street, who make up about 25 per cent of the world’s urban population, according to the United Nations. Here are eight ways cities and urban businesses shun the homeless. 1. The West Palm Beach, Florida parks department has put a new spin on playing music, hoping to deter loitering by playing children’s songs all night long to keep people from sleeping by a park pavilion until trespassing laws can be enforced. 2. Cities across Europe, from London to Hamburg, are seeing more so-called ‘hostile architecture’, such as arm rests dividing benches and metal spikes placed in doorways to discourage sleeping. 3. Cape Town, South Africa has seen an increase in complaints about fines issued to homeless people this summer owing to enforcement of a 2007 by-law that prohibits bathing or urinating in public, erecting a shelter or starting a fire in an unauthorized area or blocking pedestrian traffic. 4. In 2018, a car park in a wealthy Paris neighbourhood raised eyebrows when cold water was sprayed on anyone without a resident’s permit to prevent the homeless from seeking shelter. A bookstore in New York City, a luxury auction house in California and a salon in Britain also drew public outcry for using sprinklers to deter sidewalk sleepers. 5. Parliament approved a law in 2018 banning sleeping in public streets in Hungary, increasing the penalty from a fine to an arrest and confiscation of property for those who refuse a shelter or work programs. 6. Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur has banned soup kitchens within two miles of the city centre, where more than 1,000 people are homeless and others who live in poverty rely on kitchens for daily meals. 7. An “urban camping” ban in Denver, Colorado in the United States bars homeless people from using tents, sleeping bags, bed-rolls and blankets to protect themselves from the elements. 8. In 2018, towns in Sweden banned begging, following the leads of Greece and Romania. Sources: Reuters, European Parliament, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, European Federation of National Associations Working with the Homeless Courtesy of Reuters / Thomson Reuters Foundation / INSP.ngo Tents and tarps erected by homeless people are shown along sidewalks and streets in the skid row area of downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 28, 2019. REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon News that the popular but irritating ‘Baby Shark’, and other twee kids’ songs, are being used to move on homeless people taking shelter in certain areas of Florida beachfront is not surprising – cities have been using insidious tactics to shun their homeless populations for decades. To highlight this, Reuters picked out some of the most egregious examples. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 ADVERTISMENT Tours focus on the historical and contemporary struggles and successes of the Overthe-Rhine Peoples' Movement. Learn what gentrification looks like and how displacement affects community members. NJuly o v 2 25 - N-oAug v 19,1, 2 2019 0 18 | |NNo. o . 393 412 Social Justice Walking Tours Cost: $80/Group (max 20 in each group). Sign up today: https://cincihomeless.org/ please-register-youreducation-event-here/ THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �NJuly o. 39 3 |-NAug ov 2 1, - N2019 o v 19, 2 0 18 25 | No. 412 5 U.S NEWS Nine-year-old helps teach educators about queer youth Daniel Trotta Reuters W hen a third-grade teacher from Texas asked her mostly 8-year-old students what they wanted to be when they grow up, one of them wrote on the white board: "drag queen." That response came from Keegan, now 9, a "gender creative" kid, in his mother's words, illustrating just one of the challenges facing educators as they accommodate the range of gender identities that students might express. In order to protect them from potential harassment, the family and school, at their request, have not been fully identified. Educators who for centuries have divided students into boys and girls are now figuring out better ways to address students who are non-binary, gender fluid and gender nonconforming, in addition to transgender kids, whose gender identity differs from the one they were assigned at birth. By one survey nearly three per cent of youth in Minnesota fall under these categories, identifying with neither gender, or both, or trans, or just defying a traditional male/female binary option. Some school districts in the United States are using more genderneutral language, addressing students by their preferred pronouns, which can be "they," "them," "theirs" for an individual, or the invented "zie," "zir," "zirs," which are used as a substitute. Some schools also allow students to easily change their preferred name or gender identity. The degree of acceptance for such students can literally be a matter of life and death, experts say. A national survey of 34,000 LGBTQ youth aged 13 to 24 released last week found 39 per cent seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, as did more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth, according to the Trevor Project, a pro-LGBTQ group focused on suicide prevention. Another study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2018 and based on a cohort study of 129 trans and gender nonconforming youth aged 15 to 21, found that suicide attempts plummet 65 per cent and depression symptoms fall 71 per cent if they are allowed to use their chosen name at school, home, and work, and with friends. The issue comes up long before adolescence as gender identity typically manifests itself in children by kindergarten. "What's at stake is nothing less than the future lives of these children and own health as a society," said Eliza Byard, executive director of GLSEN, a national advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students. Texas, his mother said. "We expected a lot of pushback from the school and we expected some intolerance, but we've been very with a photographer on this project, he said he was gay. Minneapolis Public Schools in Minnesota offer some of the most Keegan, 8, who identifies as gender creative, drag name Kween-Kee-Kee, poses for a photograph after completing his first drag performance during the Austin International Drag Festival 2018 near Austin, Texas, U.S., November, 18, 2018. REUTERS/Amanda Voisard "We still live in a world where the most marginalized are not receiving the support and affirmation that they need in order to achieve academically and thrive personally. And we all will benefit when that is true," Byard said. Transgender rights have risen to the fore in recent years and LGBTQ people have just marked the 50th anniversary since the Stonewall uprising of 28 June, 1969. The protests by patrons of a New York City gay bar, who fought back against police harassment, is considered the birth of the modern LGBTQ rights movement. Keegan is one student who has benefited from the Stonewall legacy. He plays soccer and video games and also likes to dress as a girl, using the name Kween-Kee-Kee when in drag, his parents say. Among his mentors are a pair of real-life adult drag queens. He usually goes by the pronouns "he," "him" and "his." Keegan has found acceptance and support at his school in a conservative, Christian suburb outside of Austin, surprised," said Keegan's mother. Keegan's teacher paid close attention during the lesson on financial literacy, when other students aspired to be doctors and dentists and Keegan wrote "drag queen." "One of the students asked, 'What's that?' and Keegan kind of said 'I don't know' and moved past it," said his teacher. "But I do see little, like, hints of him trying to make people aware that this is something that he is, something that he does." Neither Keegan's teacher nor his principal said they received any formal training on educating gender nonconforming students and have worked with intuition and observation. The teacher wants to let Keegan bring up the subject "at his own pace." His parents, too, have wanted to "let Keegan be himself " and not impose any norms on him. They said they were surprised on Friday when, five years after he first started wearing dresses and a full year after they began cooperating THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED extensive guidelines for teachers, students and parents as part of its Out4Good program supporting LGBTQ children, outlining polices developed over 20 years on names and pronouns, gendered activities and facilities, and safety and bullying, said Jason Bucklin, the Out4Good coordinator. Some 2.7 per cent of Minnesota high school students identify as transgender or gender nonconforming, according to a 2017 University of Minnesota study. A gender-inclusive curriculum can prevent the kind of bullying that typically begins in grade school and can evolve into homophobia by middle school and sexual harassment or dating violence by high school, Bucklin said. "It isn't just about the transgender students," Bucklin said. "It is about bringing everybody into the classroom and having the ability to feel successful." Courtesy of Reuters / INSP.ngo �GLOBAL 6 NJuly o v 2 25 - N-oAug v 19,1, 20 18 | |NNo. o . 393 2019 412 The man from Bradford who was essential to Australia’s role in the Moon landings David Barnett Big Issue North When he was growing up in Bradford in the 1940s, Mike Dinn’s father was a wool salesman, travelling around the area with his samples from the local mills. Perhaps that’s what fired the young boy’s interest in engineering and electrics. “We had the benefit of a car,” says Mike, now 86, from his home near Canberra, Australia. “Because of my father’s job, and that was unusual in those days. So I used to take an interest in that and how it worked.” Or perhaps it was the Meccano set, the venerable construction toy beloved of generations of children, that the young Mike found under the tree one Christmas morning at the family home in the city’s Little Horton area. Or maybe the electric train set he received on another occasion. “To be honest, I’m not sure what it was that started it all off,” says Mike. “Certainly, my parents had no background in that sort of thing. But somehow I got an enthusiasm for the topic, and I was away.” Whatever fired Mike’s interest in electrical engineering, it was to set him off on a rather amazing journey which would see him on the front-line of history. Everyone has seen the footage of Neil Armstrong taking his first step on to the surface of the moon in the early hours of 21 July, 1969. Millions watched it all around the world as it happened. And that was all thanks to Mike Dinn, the lad from Bradford who ended up playing a pivotal role in NASA’s epoch-making Apollo 11 moon landing half a century ago. When Armstrong made his giant leap for mankind, Mike was working as the deputy director of the Honeysuckle Creek tracking station near Canberra, a facility boasting an 85-foot dish turned to the heavens. Mike had been there since 1967 and the site was part of NASA’s manned spaceflight network. Together with similar tracking stations in Madrid and California, Honeysuckle Creek was part of a network that offered continuous, over-lapping contact with the Apollo 11 mission. No matter how the Earth turned or where the moon was in its orbit or at what point on its flight Apollo 11 was, at least one of the three stations would have a direct link with the mission. And when Armstrong put his boot into the lunar dust of the Sea of Tranquility at 2.56am GMT on 21 July, it happened on Mike’s watch. Mike rather disarmingly calls it “very pleasing… the highlight of my Mike Dinn career.” But while the world was holding its breath as the pictures from the moon were relayed across the world from Mike’s control suite, he and his team of 25 couldn’t just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. Now 86, he recalls, “One had to keep one’s eye on the ball and focus on the job at hand. We had a big team all operating specialist equipment, and though we all knew we were playing a vital part in the mission everyone had to concentrate on their own part so we didn’t really have the luxury of stepping back and watching the show.” Throughout the mission, Mike’s team were responsible for sending communications up to Apollo 11 and receiving data back down, and relaying it all to mission control in Houston. They would patch through voice comms and send instructions to the spacecraft’s systems, and receive telemetry on how the craft was bearing up to the rigours of space, and biomedical data on the astronauts themselves. It’s often said that today’s mobile phones have more computing power than was used to send Apollo 11 to the moon, but Mike Dinn had no actual computers to help with the job at Honeysuckle Creek. “We had a bank of lights and meters showing us what was happening,” he says. “Everything was analog – switches and dials, not computers, and we had to have several back-up systems… plans B to D at least, in case Plan A went wrong.” Mike’s journey from small boy studying his father’s car to key role in the moon landing really began at Bradford Technical College, where he studied for an electrical engineering degree from 1951 to 1955. After graduating, he took a job with EMI Electronics in Hayes, where he did an apprenticeship working on airborne radar. In 1959 he returned to Bradford. He had married a local girl, Trudy Walsh, and took up a position at English Electric’s Aircraft Equipment Division in Thornbury. He’d barely been there a year when he was offered a temporary contract working with the Australian Air Force on aircraft testing. It was a big move for Mike, his wife Trudy, and their two small children, but they decided to do it for the three-year duration of the contract. From there he was offered the job at the Tidbinbilla tracking station, and though he admits he was “dropped in the deep end” with this new discipline, by the following year he had made deputy director at the Honeysuckle Creek station… right as the race for the moon stepped up in earnest. “It was a hugely exciting time for space travel, but I was in my mid thirties and I took things as they came,” says Mike. “The Apollo missions were just getting going and the first one I was involved with was Apollo 7, which was the first test of a command module in orbit, then Apollo 8 was a quite dramatic mission as it was the first test THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED of a module actually circling the moon. That was the mission we at Honeysuckle Creek really came into our own, and then, of course, the next logical step was to quickly move towards getting a manned mission to land on the moon.” Mike’s association with the Apollo programme didn’t end with the career highlight of the moon landing, though. He was also in the hot seat for the illfated Apollo 13 mission, which had to be aborted when an oxygen tank exploded on the spacecraft. He was preparing for his shift as Honeysuckle Creek came online to take over the comms with the mission when he heard the fateful words issue over the speakers: “Houston, we have a problem.” He says, “We provided the comms for the next eight-to-ten hours, and that was a hugely challenging day.” Mike retired in 1994, and was awarded Public Service Medals by NASA in recognition of his contributions. He lives with Trudy and their ever-growing wider family near Canberra. Mike Dinn might have come a long way since playing with his first Meccano set as a boy in Bradford, and been at the forefront of the most historic moments in space exploration history, but he knows that giant leaps for mankind do not happen at the hands of individuals. He says, “I was the leader and the orchestrator of what we did, but everything was a team effort.” Courtesy of Big Issue North / INSP.ngo �NJuly o. 3925 3 |-NAug ov 2 -1, N2019 o v 19, 2 0 18 | No. 412 GLOBAL 7 Frustration Of Surviving Pricey Hong Kong Stirs Protest Anger Thomas Peter and Farah Master Y Reuters oung people in Hong Kong have been at the forefront of violent protests over a proposed extradition law that have shaken the city and angered Beijing. At the root of the protests is concern over what many people see as school teacher, sitting on rainbowcoloured sheets in her 7.4 square metre (80 square feet) bedroom explained how Hong Kong people felt stifled by Beijing: "They control people more and give us less freedom." But Wai said other problems made life increasingly difficult, in particular what she said was an unfair housing policy that only seemed to make the rich richer. China denies interfering in Hong Kong and warned this week that the violent protests over the proposed legislation allowing extraditions to mainland China were an "undisguised challenge" to the formula under which it is ruled. Fung Cheng, a 25-year-old graphic designer living with his parents and brother, vented his frustration at a system that he believes has robbed next year. But the protesters want it scrapped and have called for Lam to step down. Michael Ho, a bespectacled 24-year-old graduate who also lives with his parents, said the protests were also about unjust circumstances that prevent young people living their dreams. "It's just hopeless for young people to grow, to develop their career because A combination picture shows native Hong Kong resident Fung Cheng, 25, a graphic designer, who lives in a flat with his parents and brother, posing for a picture in his five square metre bedroom of his family's apartment in Hong Kong, China, June 27, 2019 and residential apartment blocks in Hong Kong, China, June 29, 2019. Cheng vented his frustration at a system that he believes has robbed him of the chance to ever have his own home. He said Hong Kong's Beijing-backed governor Carrie Lam, who was chosen as leader in 2017 in a vote by an electoral college approved by Beijing, just didn't listen to the people. "It's the system's problem ... they don't need a vote to be the government, there is no democracy," he said. REUTERS/Thomas Peter A combination picture shows native Hong Kong resident Eunice Wai, 30, a primary school teacher, who lives with her parents and a brother, posing for a picture in her 7.4 sq metre bedroom of her family's apartment in Hong Kong, China, June 25, 2019 and laundry hanging out to dry in a residential apartment complex in Hong Kong, China, June 27, 2019. Wai explained how Hong Kong people felt stifled by Beijing: "They control people more and give us less freedom." But she said other problems made life increasingly difficult, in particular what she said was an unfair housing policy that only seemed to make the rich richer. "Housing is one of the most important ones. We have so little room in Hong Kong and people find it hard to buy a flat. The property companies control the market." REUTERS/Thomas Peter the inexorable erosion of civil liberties and the city's autonomy by an evermeddling Beijing, that refuses to grant full democracy in the former British colony. But many young people in one of the world's most densely populated and expensive cities are also infuriated by sky-high living costs, and a feeling that a home of one's own is just a dream. Reuters spoke to 11 young people in their tiny bedrooms in their parents' homes about their political concerns and frustrations about life in the Chinese-ruled city. Eunice Wai, a 30-year-old primary "Housing is one of the most important ones. We have so little room in Hong Kong and people find it hard to buy a flat. The property companies control the market." The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that allows freedoms not enjoyed in the mainland, including freedom to protest and an independent judiciary. But many in Hong Kong resent what they see as Beijing's creeping control and its refusal to let its residents directly elect their leader. him of the chance to ever have his own home. Cheng, perched on his bunk above a white desk in his five square metre (54 square foot) bedroom, said Hong Kong's Beijing-backed governor Carrie Lam, who was chosen as leader in 2017 in a vote by an electoral college approved by Beijing, just didn't listen to the people. “It's the system's problem ... they don't need a vote to be the government, there is no democracy," he said. Lam has suspended the hated extradition bill and said it would lapse THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED of the pricing problem," Ho said. On average, people seeking public housing in the city of 7.4 million people have to wait 5.5 years. The average living space is 40 square metres (430 square feet). Roy Lam, who lives with his mother and four sisters, said young people were determined to stand up for what they deserved but it was hard to stay positive. "We do also sometimes think 'let's just give up, let's just move to someplace else'." Courtesy of Reuters / INSP.ngo �FEATURED 8 NJuly o v 225 - N v 19, 0 18 || N o . 393 - oAug 1,22019 No. 412 The Big Squeeze Dr. Mark Mussman Staff Writer I s all development good? This question comes up time and again during discussions, community meetings, and city-wide proceedings. There are some individuals who believe that $1 of investment is worth it, no matter what. With this attitude, there is no consideration for the current residents, the residents who are being displaced, workers, the built environment, or the natural environment. From my perspective, it is a dangerous viewpoint, as we are in a changing world that requires extra care and thought when doing development. So then, how can development be quantified and measured to ensure that it doesn’t have an adverse effect on the community? Fortunately, Peaslee Neighborhood Center has been studying this issue for a long time, and they recently put together the Equitable Development Rubric. (If you’re not familiar with a rubric, you can think of it as a checklist with subcategories.) After doing their research, Peaslee is making recommendations on development in several areas, including: Housing Affordability, Jobs and Labor, Community Input, and Community Footprint. Just for good measure, they have an Extra Credit section that includes Diversity and Inclusion, Public Space and Infrastructure, Natural Environment, Community Organizations and Programs, and Local Enterprise. According to the Rubric, the hope is that developers and the community will “prioritize goals of equity around class and race; increase knowledge and transparency of important public processes; facilitate is being squeezed in on all sides. These geographic considerations, coupled with lifestyle trends and decades of public neglect, have made Over-the- creative, empowering work across neighborhoods; and create a framework that equips citizens to organize for meaningful change in our local policies and practices.” We are currently feeling a real “squeeze” (as I describe it) in Over-theRhine. This is not a comfortable hug- Rhine a desirable, yet nearly unlivable, place to call home. The loss of affordable housing in the neighborhood has been significant. Across the country, over the past ten years, the United States has lost most, more than 60%, of all affordable housing. The percentage lost in exclusively market-rate, then you will receive no points. This is most likely due to the fact that we are more than 40,000 units short county-wide of affordable housing for our neighbors with the lowest incomes, yet we have more than enough housing above the area median income. To receive all four points, your project must include 65% of the units affordable at 60% AMI or less, or at least 30% of the units are affordable at 30% AMI or less. AMI means area median income. AMI can be calculated using the Neighborhood (lowest), City (middle), or County (highest) AMI, which are different from each other. The Rubric makes note of this, and shows affordable housing rents at 30% and 60% of the County AMI. When it comes to the labor put into the development, to score highly, you must abide by Cincinnati’s Wage Theft Ordinance and all labor laws, as well as meet Ohio Prevailing Wage Contractor Responsibilities, and pay all adult employees a local living wage and meet the criteria for federal Section 3 Business Concerns, which ensure that individuals who are local, and have low incomes, are included. According to the Rubric, the highest scores can only be attained by “projects that will generate a significant number of new, post-construction jobs.” While these items may seem onerous, the fact is they represent a model that does not exploit workers, particularly lowincome workers, who deserve to have a living wage and protections from Wage Theft. type-squeeze, but more of a painful and unending squeeze. With downtown to the south, hemmed in by highways to the East and West, and the hillside with the University of Cincinnati and the hospitals to the north, Over-the-Rhine Over-the-Rhine continues to grow as developers claim that they must move to market-rate housing to survive. The Rubric’s point system gives a clear way to score projects, including on housing affordability. If your project is Whenever a development is proposed, it should include community input beyond an announcement of the project at a single community council meeting. To even get a single score, a developer must go beyond a community THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �N o. 39 3 |- N ov 2 1, - N o v 19, 2 0 18 July 25 Aug 2019 | No. 412 9 FEATURED council meeting and hold an accessible public input session, take the input and rework their plans to include feedback from the public. This new plan must be re-presented at a community council. and strengthen the use and quality of the community benefit. While this tends to lean towards the preservation of actual physical spaces, to receive the full points a development must also To receive the full points, the project must do everything already discussed and local, low-income residents must hold at least 20% of positions within the project’s governing board. Included in the intermediary points is “support from a majority of non-profit organizations in the neighborhood that primarily serve a low-income population.” These community input protocols are designed to ensure that the community has a voice in the development. The final standalone category covers the community footprint, which includes recreation, green, and social gathering spaces, as well as, small, neighborhood-serving business, social services, housing, trees and vegetation. The goal of this section is to preserve financially contribute “to further the positive impact of the asset(s).” The recent development on Race/15th/ Pleasant is perhaps a good example of a development that did not follow this directive, as the “Field of Greens” playspace was destroyed for a gravel parking lot for construction materials. In order for a project to be eligible for Extra Credit, they must have scored at least 50% on the previous sections. The Extra Credit will be added to the total score, opening a possible additional 20 points. In terms of Diversity and Inclusion, the City’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program criteria must be met to receive a single point, and to receive the full points the 7 principles of universal design must be meaningfully incorporated, and the project must provide space available for use by the general public. For Public Space and Infrastructure there must be contributions to public funds, redevelopment of public space, be welcoming to people of all income levels, and be located in a primarily low-income area. The Natural Environment category is based upon LEED certification. To receive full points in Community Organizations and Programs, the project must be “owned and occupied by a non-profit or community based organization with the primary purpose of meeting an established community need... and low-income residents will be directly served.” The last category, Local Enterprise, awards a highest score to THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED projects that “provide commercial space to a worker-owned cooperative.” Peaslee aims at getting developers, community councils, and eventually the City, to use the Rubric when considering development in every neighborhood. The first steps have been to educate the public about the Rubric and demonstrate the need for each community. If these criterion were adopted city-wide, and used to determine where public subsidies were granted, even in cases of tax abatement, the City would be actively working towards a more equitable future. As we experience the squeeze in Over-theRhine, it would be more than beneficial to fully adopt and regulate development to ensure that our neighbors have a future here, in their home. �10 LOCAL NJuly o v 225 - N v 19, 0 18 || N o . 393 - oAug 1,22019 No. 412 Honor Book Collection From Library Available at OhioMeansJobs Center Lisa Mauch Angela Hursh T Contributing Writer he Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is committed to supporting residents looking for work or aspiring to a better, more financially and emotionally fulfilling career. To this end, the Library is in a longstanding partnership with OhioMeansJobs (OMJ). Starting July 17, the Library expanded this partnership to a new place: the OhioMeansJobs Center at 1916 Central Parkway. For the past year, a dedicated member of the OMJ team, Cindy Frietch, stocked the lobby at the Center with books for clients of all ages to enjoy. Thanks to the support of The Friends of the Public Library, an honor book collection of donated materials is now located at the OMJ Center. Clients can now take books home and enjoy them. “Every day we serve parents who are trying to make their lives and the lives of their children better by finding a new job—but often they need to bring their children with them,” said Frietch. “Reading is such an important part of lifelong success. I wanted the families that are here waiting for service to be able to enjoy a book, as well as to take a book home with them.” When Paula Brehm-Heeger, the Library’s Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director and board member of the Southwest Ohio Region Workforce Investment Board (SWORWIB), heard of Frietch’s efforts during the SWORWIB SuperAwards ceremony, she knew a new way the Library could help. “Books and making connections that better serve our community are part and parcel of what makes the Library special,” said Brehm-Heeger. “Creating an honor book collection at OhioMeansJobs is another way we can help connect people with the world of ideas and information.” ABOUT SWORWIB & OHIOMEANSJOBS (OMJ) CENTER: SWORWIB procures the service provider for OMJ/Cincinnati– Hamilton County that works every day to connect job seekers and employers. By bringing together business, government and the community into a collaborative unit, the OMJ Center is able to create a more skilled and better- trained workforce. The collaboration results in more successful employers, increased tax revenues generated by new or better jobs for previously unemployed or underemployed individuals, and improved social services through reduced reliance on public assistance. THE Remembering Marian Spencer - A Model For Reformers To Keep On Getting On Bill Woods Contributing Writer When originally planned, the aim of this article was to review the current status of political reform locally, in Ohio, and in the U.S. in general. Then one of Cincinnati's leading, longtime reformers died. Marian Spencer, known for her major Civil Rights achievements in the Queen City, passed away on July 9th. Although we need to celebrate Marian Spencer's Civil Rights' victories such as the integration of Coney Island, we also must remember how she vigorously championed political reform throughout her life. Proportional Representation (PR) stood out as her particular reform cause, but she also supported a wide range of other political reforms. For instance, she became involved in the successful campaign in 2001 to pass a City Charter Amendment that addressed "big money" in Council and mayoral elections. Spencer, the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve on City Council, saw a direct link between Civil Rights and political reform. She saw that protecting the vote for everyone is a key to protecting other rights. Her dedication to Proportional Representation stemmed from the fact that this system of voting usually insures that a significant minority can elect a representative to office. Cincinnati used PR to elect Council members from 1925 to 1957, and several African-Americans won seats under this system. In fact, the local referendum to eliminate PR in 1957 succeeded because of a racist campaign that warned that Councilman Theodore M. Berry was gaining too much influence and might become mayor. As a young Civil Rights leader during that period, Spencer would have felt the sting of that campaign and its results. She threw herself into the unsuccessful campaigns to bring back PR, and as a Charter Committee board member she taught this reform Party that Proportional Representation was every bit as important as the City Manager System that was also adopted in 1925. When several younger Charter leaders wanted to oppose the 2008 Charter Amendment proposal to readopt PR, Spencer, then in her eighties, helped rally enough board members to insure Charter's endorsement. Ever the optimist, she was buoyed by the close results of that fall's campaign. A month before Marian Spencer's death, reformers in Ohio and across the country were disheartened by the Supreme Court's decision that it was not the role of the federal courts to intervene in how states draw districts for elective office. This five to four decision marked a major setback for the movement to end the worst forms of gerrymandering in the U.S. Here in Ohio, the decision of the U.S. Federal Court of Southern Ohio that new districts must be drawn before the 2020 election is now void. Remembering Marian Spencer's lifelong commitment to keep working for Civil Rights and reform even when confronting huge obstacles should provide current reform activists with a model for going forward. Even if Ohio won't have un-gerrymandered districts in 2020, the Constitutional THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Amendments passed by the voters in 2015 and 2018 will insure fairer redistricting processes in this state after the completion of the 2020 Census. Although frustrated about the Supreme Court decision, Catherine Turcer, Executive Director of Common Cause Ohio takes the position of needing to move ahead on educating citizens about this state's new Redistricting Amendments as well as advocating other needed critical political reforms. Thus, if we wish to honor Marian Spencer's life, we need to move ahead in pursuing her goal of eliminating all the obstacles that often block or make it difficult for many citizens to vote. Further, we must take on the dominance of "big money" in elections that is warping democracy and making average people feel that their voices aren't heard. Spencer's words say it all: "I didn't accept a 'no' when it was wrong. It has been my responsibility to change things." �N o. 39 3 |- N ov 2 1, - N o v 19, 2 0 18 July 25 Aug 2019 | No. 412 11 U.S. NEWS Queencare Empowers Black Women While Fighting Gentrification Ashley Archibald Real Change M onika Mathews opened the squat, cylindrical container, scooped out a bit of lavender-scented cream and rubbed it into my hand. She instructed me to cup my hands near my face and breathe in… 1,2,3,4,5 … and breathe out. The cream — not lotion, she emphasized — is meant to nourish the skin. The scent is meant to nourish the soul. Mathews is the founder of QueenCare, an organic skincare line that’s run out of a boutique in Columbia City. The storefront is small, with products lined up on shelves, and the office area where she met this reporter is up a treacherous spiral staircase. “We create a new product every month,” Mathews said. QueenCare is the profit-making arm of the growing empire that Mathews founded almost two decades ago — an empire that stakes a claim for Black people in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood and empowers young Black women and men to do the same. Mathews has already created a nonprofit that seeks to create Mathews said. Sixteen years ago, Mathews incorporated the Life Enrichment Group (LEG), a nonprofit that went into local schools and worked with students to provide academic support. “I saw a need and started volunteering to fill that need,” Mathews said. Stereotypes against children of color are numerous. Mathews wanted to disrupt that cycle and bring culturally relevant help to the students in her neighborhood. It was meant to provide academic support, but the project grew into more. Mathews founded the Young Queens group, which operates out of South Shore PK-8, Garfield High School and Cleveland High School. There, young Black women and other young women of color work to build community and skills in a world that devalues them. She also secured funding to run a program that brings high school students to colleges for visits and tours, an attempt to get young people who might not think that college is for them to envision themselves as students in higher education. From that point, it was a natural evolution to offer the internships, Mathews said. Monika Mathews, the owner of Queencare, right, shows Jamillah Goodrich one of the products sold in her new store in the Columbia City neighborhood of Seattle. community and promote healing for Black girls and women. Now she’s expanding, offering six internships to Black women in sales, administration and retail management. It’s all part of a long-term strategy to build capacity within the community not just through professional skills, but through selfcare, Mathews said. “It’s a self-love revolution,” On Niya Thomas’ first day as a retail management intern, Real Change was there to interview her. She was on break from Virginia State University, a historically Black university, where she was studying business management. Thomas was no stranger to customer service. She’d been working at her father’s Philly cheesesteak shop since she was Kiana Green, 17, shows a customer one of the skin care products at QueenCareís new storefront in Columbia City. Green is a participant in the Life Enrichment Groupís Young Queens Youth in Business program. young. But this was her first chance to get a look behind the curtain. The experience is about more than learning how business works, she said. “It’s self-care, self-love, sisterhood,” Thomas said. At QueenCare, she has a chance to Durkan announced that 8 December, 2018, was QueenCare’s day, in honor of acquiring their own retail space. Success hasn’t slowed Mathews down in the least. She wants to expand from working in schools to founding one and establishing a transitional Terri Hendrix 15, is a participant in the Life Enrichment Groupís Young Queens Youth in Business program. learn about the pricing and marketing that goes on behind the scenes of most shops. Mathews’ product and project has attracted support from local government and funders who see the value of investing in local organizations. United Way of King County awarded LEG a grant through its Youth in Business program, and Mayor Jenny THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED housing facility for young people. She has plans to grow QueenCare and found outlets in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and even Nairobi, Kenya. “This is my legacy,” Mathews said. Courtesy of Real Change / INSP. ngo �12 THE LETTER WRITING CHALLENGE STREETVOICE I am sending out a “Writing Letter Challenge”. The letter can be written by hand or typed. Let us step away from the computer or any other electronic devices and convey messages through written expression. So get the pen or something to write on. You do not have to be a poet or someone with vocal talent. Your thoughts can sing on pages. Your words could be the poetry that someone needs to read. The challenge is to get your feelings out without using emojis or clicking buttons. WRITE TO SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT WRITE TO SOMEONE YOU MISSED WRITE TO SOMEONE YOU HURT The Chessmaster Chessmaster who has many puts them years of dedication in Checkmate and determination with vigorous training to strive for excellence Concentration and focus Has paid off Chess WRITE TO SOMEONE WHO INSPIRES YOU is a game WRITE ABOUT WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND The purpose of this challenge is to explore complete thoughts, getting feeling out both positive and negative and to keep the Postman employed besides someone receiving a bill. Then, get the physical address as well as a stamp and mail the letter to the person you were writing to. You can challenge the person to whom you are writing by suggesting that they writing you back and suggest that they write someone else as well. The challenge also helps to enhance patience. WHO WILL ANSWER THE CALL OF THIS CHALLENGE? Now that will be fun!!! PLEASE HELP PASS THE WORD... Be the hero in your story… Be the change that you want to see… Be grateful… Be humble… Be the greatness that you are destined to be… D. C. wuz hear…. Depthstroke the Cypher Contributing Writer When the The Chessmaster WRITE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS HURT YOU WRITE ABOUT WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING N o v 25 2 - -NAug o v 19, 2 0 18 || No. N o . 412 393 July 1, 2019 where your mind is the tool It's over Game Locked What can they do When the Chessmaster brings out his tools Game Over It's BAM The Chessmaster Rules Each piece has a special move Tick Tock Tick Tock Sometimes its played with a Speed Clock Kim Green ContributingWriter Streetvibes Distributor Streetvibes Writing Circle If you would like to submit a story for publication in streetvibes, come join Katelyn Lusher, Chris Wilkey, and Alex McIntosh for a group writing session! THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �13 STREETVOICE No. 39 Nov 21,- 2019 N o v 19, 2 0412 18 July 253-|Aug | No. BANASUN VACATION It was a I often wonder if I had never experienced homelessness would I have met people I know now Such as the Off The Street Program, Cincinnati Homeless Coalition an Findlay Market WOW LITTLE BOY BLUE REACTS TO TRUMP'S MILITARY PARADE Remember Little Boy Blue Wore red, white, and blue To honor the 4th of July. Up to date the Homeless Coalition an Findlay Market But Trump's D.C. charade, With many tanks on parade, allows me to sale this paper With Street Vibes in my life on Findlay Market I met so Caused Boy Blue to cry. many people I need a napper One day I come to the Market an I see somebody setting BILL WOODS Contributing Writer up something different an new I wondered what can it be ? Ice cream I was SHOCKED to find out my Vacation was due After watching the blending of so many different fruits an juices I was ready for a taste SHOCKED the flavor an taste is one that made me understand just what a Slushy is no waste So come on try this VACATION, relaxing with all of us on O.T.R. at Findlay Market downtown Come outside on your VACATION looking for something cool relaxation that's close around Try a SLUSHI I've tried it an I feel BANASUN is the one for me On Findlay Market looking for a SLUSHI BANASUN that's where I'll be Willa D. Jones Thank you Contributing Writer Streetvibes Distributor THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �PUZZLES 14 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 107 Across Down 1. Stalk 1. Male red deer 5. Possessed 2. Long hollow cylinder 8. Scorch 3. Panache 12. Bulbous plant 4. Stingy hoarder 14. Female animal 5. Part of a shoe 15. Desire 6. Veneration 16. Humiliate 7. Style of glazed 17. Snakelike fish earthenware 18. Building offering lodging 8. Black bird and meals 9. Detest 19. High ranking officer 10. Report or maintain 21. Ornate manner of speaking 11. Depend 23. Relieve from 13. Danger 24. Rapid active commotion 15. Part of a song 25. Mediterranean fruit tree 20. Worship 28. Deposit of valuable ore 22. Illuminated 30. Disorderly fighting 24. Sultry 35. Part of the eye 25. Number one 37. Let for money 26. Very angry 39. Beauty shop 27. Presumption 40. Rant 29. Depression in a surface 41. Come after 31. Grains of rock or coral 43. Small semi-aquatic 32. Slumber salamander 33. Further down 44. Warhorse 34. Way in 46. Change direction 36. Outstanding tournament 47. Cervid player 48. Bid 38. Divot 50. A great distance 42. Represent as if in 52. Inquire in a meddlesome a play way 45. Ten years 53. A small compartment 49. Color 55. Crib 51. Cook by dry heat 57. Bluster in an oven 61. Steadfast 54. Venue 65. Speedy 56. Private instructor 66. Actor's prompt 57. Boast 68. Took without consent 58. Complain bitterly 69. Part of a church 59. Part of a church 70. Employ 60. Despicable 71. Sum 61. Ooze 72. Mirth 62. Short letter 73. Deplete 63. Group related by 74. Rip blood or marriage NJuly o v 225 - N v 19, 0 18 || N o . 393 - oAug 1,22019 No. 412 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 2- EASY 64. Contained 67. Country, initially PUZZLE SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD #107 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 1- EASY PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �N o. 39 ov 2 1, - N o v 19, 2 0 18 July 253 -| N Aug 2019 | No. 412 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children RESOURCES Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside Bethany House 557-2873 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 591-2246 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 131 E. 12th Street 45202 1125 Bank Street 45214 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Shelterhouse 721-0643 2121 Vine Street 45202 411 Gest St. 45203 Prospect House 921-1613 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Starting Over 961-2256 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 First Step Home 961-4663 Shelter: Youth 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 471-1100 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Food/Clothing First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Seraph Ministries 549-0542 St. George Food Pantry 2554 Dennis St. 45219 751-8771 St. Anthony Center 1615 Republic St. Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Housing: 15 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Health Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 Other Resources Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 215 E. 14th St. 45202 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Cancer Justice Network 404-3882 Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center (11-17 y/o) 859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Gabriela Godinez Feregrino, 961-0600 email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 386-7899 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �16 NJuly o v 225 - N- oAug v 19,1,22019 0 18 | |N o . 393 No. 412 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BETTIE BAILEY SINCE 10/2017 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2011 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 � 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 2019 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 25-August 1, 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: HUD Changes, Who Benefits? Pg 3: Endless Kiddie Tunes to Spikes in Doorways Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Nine-Year-Old Helps Teach Educators About Queer Youth Pg 6: The Man from Bradford Who was Essential to Australia’s Role in the Moon Landings Pg 7: Frustration of Surviving Pricey Hong Kong Stirs Protest Anger Pg 8: The Big Squeeze Pg 9: The big Squeeze Continued Pg 10: Honor Book Collection from Library Available at Ohio Means Jobs Center Remembering Marian Spencer Pg 11: Queencare Empowers Black Women While fighting Gentrification Pg 12: Street Voice Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 25-August 1, 2019 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gabriela Godinez Bill Woods Kate Ryan Daniel Trotta David Barnett Thomas Peter Dr. Mark Mussman Farah Master Lisa Mauch Angela Hursh Willa D. Jones Ashley Archibald Depthstroke the Cypher Kim Green INSP.com Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Angela Hursh Ashley Archibald Australia Bill Woods Black Women Bradford Daniel Trotta David Barnett Depthstroke the Cypher Dr. Mark Mussman education Farah Master Gabriela Godinez Gentrification Hong Kong HUD INSP.com Kate Ryan Kim Green Lisa Mauch Marian Spencer Moon Landing protest Queencare Thomas Peter Willa D. Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/711fdabda908ade786c60f2ce3bc0e61.pdf fd2f468cb760ee5c2bb5a3ec308091ea PDF Text Text July 28th - August 10th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 42 (No. 361) a d v o c at i n g j u s t i c e | B u i l d i n g c o m m u n i t y Artwork BY A.J. NEWBERRY Afterimage I t’s 2017, and this paper has likely been sold to you by a distributor in a gentrifying neighborhood. Our publication has been fortunate enough to operate on corners and in front of business that 2 decades ago would’ve marked them as “blight.” But make no mistake, the perceived peace of OverThe-Rhine comes not from clean sidewalks or evening concerts: it comes from the police. The University of Cincinnati had been expanding its jurisdiction in 2015, with the rise in need of student housing putting more college kids in neighborhoods like Fairview and Mount Auburn. “I don’t have that map, I don’t know the boundaries right off the top of my head, but we do work off of campus.” UC Police Chief Jason Goodrich stated following the killing of Sam Dubose by Ray Tensing, who was... (Continued on page 8) This issue sponsored by (Former) Judge Mark P. Painter Inside this issue: Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 $2.00 donation Local: Streetcar "Contributions" with Tax Dollars | 3 Local: It Takes a Whole Community | 5 Local : Bonnie to Tom | 7 Local: Poll Cat | 13 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org �2 LOCAL From the Director: Truth to Light I t is a very regular occurrence that we learn of yet another apartment building somewhere in our city in which all of the Tenants are threatened with displacement both because of gentrification and long-term deferred maintenance. In the case of displacement for the purpose of gentrification, often the city has or will be giving the property owner a tax abatement without ever having asked if people would be displaced. We work to organize the Tenants, the Tenants make demands and together we meet with the owner. The owner says they are just fixing the building up to their personal standard, they are not trying to move in a certain economic class of people (even though they are) and that this is just business. Clearly plenty of property owners, developers and J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 JOSH SPRING Executive Director landlords believe that business does not have to include proper morals or basic human rights. How do you sleep at night while financially prospering off of the displacement, increased financial and mental hardship of other People and possibly even forcing People into homelessness? How can accruing financial wealth be more important than People and their access to basic needs? Next time you meet a developer who wants to create high-income housing ask them how much money they will be spending on the project, how long will it take to pay off any loans and how much will they profit in the end. Very likely they will become offended and refuse to tell you. Even if you ask these questions after they announce that everyone already living in the property will have to leave or be evicted, they still won’t tell you. They may even tell you they need to significantly increase rents because of the cost of renovations (renovations that may not actually need to be done) and when you ask well what is the cost of renovations and how much profit will you make, they most likely won’t answer. They want it all: buy the building, set everyone with a low-income out, renovate the building, get a valuable tax abatement, potentially a zoning change, move wealthy people in, claim they are “revitalizing” the block, claim accolades from other like-minded people, and pay actual account to no one, least of all the people whose lives they throw into a tailspin. One of our jobs is to bring truth to light. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre TAKING STOCK - WHERE ARE WE TODAY? BILL WOODS E very so often a review of where we are today as a country seems to be in order. This past year has been so tumultuous in terms of the Presidential Election and the first six months of the Trump Administration that all other forces and factors that shape our society have been neglected. So, the following article comprises a brief taking stock of our economic, social, and political health. First of all, the country's political health is in critical condition. The election of Donald Trump itself offers evidence that the system is not working in the eyes of millions of Americans. In fact, a number of observers believe that Trump's narrow victory last November was a result of our current political malaise. Beginning with the primaries in 2016, the success of Senator Bernie Sanders and Trump indicated that many Democratic and Republican voters were unhappy with the current political establishment and its tendencies to ignore their problems and concerns. For instance, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton were both perceived as part of the establishment. This anti-establishment sentiment carried over to the fall campaign, and Trump sold himself as the disruptive outsider who would shake up government and "drain the swamp." Confronted by economic insecurity, many white blue-collar workers Contributing Writer voted for someone who showed great contempt for current government and who pitched simple answers like "making America great again!" Although many of us view Trump's ascendancy as a disaster for numerous reasons, we, nevertheless, can still depict those factors that have so weakened representative democracy in this country. Dependence on "big money" to get elected, gerrymandered Congressional Districts, and polarized parties that prevent compromise and effective legislation constitute a few major reasons for the loss of public confidence in politics and government. Another influential idea spawned by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s is that "government is not the solution, but the problem." Reagan's mantra helped implement the steady cutting over the years of federal programs for cities and for people in need. The growing dominance of "big money" in campaigns has transformed politics in the last thirty years. Distracted from representing their constituents, elected officials spend much of their time courting big donors. Dialing for dollars has become a preoccupation of both Republicans and Democrats. Instead of focusing on issues that impact the lives of average Americans, Senators and members of Congress pay too much attention to the agendas of corporate and financial interests. Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United have made things even worse by further protecting corporate campaign spending as freedom of speech. This political and governmental decline evolves at the same time economic inequality in the U.S. has reached a level that may surpass the gap that existed in the post Civil War era of the Robber Barons. While corporate and financial executives receive higher and higher salaries and benefits, average workers' incomes remain stagnant or in decline, and the working-poor eke out livings near or below the poverty line. Trends such as the expanding global economy, the dominance of technology, the loss of industrial jobs, and the decline of organized labor are some of the complex drivers of economic inequality. Meanwhile, Americans experiencing tougher times watch government doing little to address their problems. So - where are we? Dysfunctional political and governmental systems, badly in need of reform, are failing to deal with major economic and social issues that have created extreme economic inequality in the richest nation on earth. Donald Trump's presidency is in part a result of this dysfunction. To many people, Trump is the (Continued on page 3) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Michael Earl Patton, Dr. Mark Mussman, Bonnie Neureier, Justin Jeffre, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones, A.J. Newberry Photography/ Artwork: Michael Earl Patton, A.J. Newberry, Dr. Mark Mussman, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 36 1 LOCAL Streetcar “Contributions” with Tax Dollars | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 3 MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer I n my last article I talked about the ever-increasing amount of property in Hamilton County that has received some kind of tax abatement. I mentioned that this had led to a smaller tax base, which means that even if there is no levy increase – that the amount of dollars collected for things like schools, parks, and senior services remains the same -- then the amount of collected from the taxable property which remains has to go up because the tax base is going down. However, I did not show this in a chart. So I did a new chart, again based on the data in auditor Dusty Rhodes’ open letter of March 9, 2017. Making the situation even worse is that these are raw dollar amount which have not been adjusted for inflation. The City of Cincinnati continues to give tax abatements. In 2014, in order to raise more money for streetcar operations, it even tied the opportunity for tax abatements to “voluntary” donations to the streetcar. Seven of the nine members of council, all except Winburn and Smitherman, voted for Motion 201401368. This moved that the city establish a tax incentive policy where those who “contribute” 7.5% of the property taxes that would be otherwise owed Streetcar in Over-the-Rhine Photo: Michael Earl Patton in Over-the-Rhine and the Central Business District would be more likely to get a property tax abatement. In 2015 another motion bumped this up to 15%. The city’s website states, in the section about “community reinvestment area commercial abatement,” that up to 60% of the property taxes can be abated. (Other areas are eligible for up to 75% abatement.) It calls the streetcar contribution a “Voluntary Tax Incentive Contribution Agreement,” or VTICA. Even though 25% of the property taxes abated still have to be paid to the Cincinnati Public Schools, that still is a significant savings for a 15% “contribution.” Although a partial abatement, the taxes are still reduced beyond what a typical home or property owner would pay. As an example, if the taxes to be abated were $10,000, you would agree to contribute $1,500 to the streetcar and $2,500 to CPS. You would still be $6,000 ahead. And this deal could be good for up to 15 years. If you have enough money and influence, you might be able to strike an even better deal. Just a few weeks ago Cincinnati City Council agreed to a deal with SkyHouse Cincinnati for a tower with 352 units on Pete Rose Way. See ordinance 178-2017, for which all 9 members of council voted. The developer there balked at a 15% contribution for the streetcar so they negotiated just a 7.5% contribution. Further, since the project is so large, they can advance to the next level, or Tax Increment Financing. This normally means that the city will give the money back by somehow investing in the project. Paying for part of the parking lot or garage is a common method of doing so, but it is not limited to those possibilities. And now instead of 15 years of abatements they can get 30 years. Instead of being limited to 60%, they can go up to 100%. Even with the 7.5% contribution to the streetcar and 25% payment to CPS, this still is a very large amount of money they get back. As for you and that home addition you want, don’t bother applying unless your project is going to cost about $5 million or more. What can we do today in Cincinnati and Ohio? A campaign began this spring to establish a fair Congressional redistricting process in Ohio. Getting this proposed Constitutional Amendment passed would be a major reform for this state. At the local level, it seems appropriate for citizens to get behind proposals such as a housing trust fund to deal with the critical lack of affordable housing. In taking that approach, we can make city government a laboratory for solving economic and social problems that are now being neglected at the federal level. Streetcar in Over-the-Rhine Photo: Michael Earl Patton BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) problem, and if we could be rid of him through impeachment, everything would be fine. However, as this analysis indicates, nothing could be further from the truth. The real long-term work for reformers and civic activists will be renewing the democratic process through effective reforms and then prodding government to enact some policies and programs that will deal with the economic inequities that currently beset us. “Breakdown Stereotypes” “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 �No. 36 1 5 LOCAL It Takes a Whole Community | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer A s an Over-the-Rhine resident, I have seen so many changes in the neighborhood in the past few years, but most noticeably is the influx of high-end stores and the exodus of people with low incomes. The loss of affordable housing is terribly disturbing and intentional. Recently, CityBeat wrote about many of the Homeless Coalition’s organizing efforts in an article called “Moved Aside,” which chronicles just a few of the many people who are being cemetery together, pushed Marriage Equality to the entire United States. As you have read in Streetvibes over the past few years, Over-theRhine has also served as a place for disruption and protest against racism and police brutality. Our proximity between the University of Cincinnati and downtown’s City Hall and Courthouse gives us a unique placement in the struggle for black lives. As with all communities, this community is deeply personal to everything we do. Black Lives Matter is a starting point, not the final act. When we say Black Lives Matter we acknowledge the deeply entrenched racist society in which we live. Even before they are conceived in the womb, Black children are already labeled, systemically excluded, and given little opportunity to succeed. Health, education, workforce, social, and other indicators are less positive than their white counterparts, simply because we, as white people, have an are disproportionately affected by homelessness due to generations of racism, state sanctioned institutional racism like redlining, and the continued practices of housing discrimination.) These acts show us how systematic racism is more prevalent than we realize – and as a white person, it’s difficult to see, so we must listen more than we speak. Black Lives Matter is simply the beginning or the continuation of a long struggle – and you can choose which side you will be on. Will you support Black Lives Matter actively, with no loss or detriment to yourself, or will you sit by, ridicule us and do nothing but extend American racism, white supremacy, and general apathy? Do you want to see A Crowd Gathers at a Recent BLM Cincinnati March Imagination Alley is an example of a contested public/private space Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman pushed out of the neighborhood. It’s an article worth checking out. I have urged readers to watch “Good White People” on YouTube and gain a sense of the impact of gentrification on the residents of Over-the-Rhine. On the positive side, we have recently seen Mercer Street get a symbolic new name celebrating the lives of (now former) Over-theRhine residents who forced the Ohio State Attorney to push the issue of Marriage Equality to the federal level. The street now bares credence to Jim Obergefell and the late John Arthur, whose case which demanded that they be able to be buried in the me. It’s not the buildings, but the people that make it special. Whether it’s the friendly “hello” I get from my neighbors and strangers alike, or the “DR. MARK!!!!” I hear from the great Streetvibes Distributors, I know that there are people out here looking out for me and others in the community. This community is made up of people of all types of backgrounds, experiences, and ways to contribute to our lives. Ultimately, we can’t detangle the racist and oppressive structures of American society from our communities or occupations. Which is why we need to stand firmly with Black Lives Matter Cincinnati in inability to understand and act upon our privilege. Let’s think about it this way – if we were to end the systematic racist policies and procedures of the American (In)Justice System, we would still have a long way to go to achieve equity in housing, education, healthcare, and other areas of life. When people experiencing homelessness are being forced to sign forms by EMT that they “refuse treatment” simply because the ambulances are told that they will not pay up, then we have a very real problem. (Just in case you are wondering: People of color a just world? We must start using science, case studies, research, etc., to find solutions to real problems, like the War on Drugs, which is resulted in higher drugs use, more isolation, and more criminalization rather than reformation. We must end sentencing by zip code, and by skin color, and start to see us all as products of an unjust society. None of us are unaffected by white supremacy, and it’s going to take a whole and complete community to solve the problems we face. Stand up to displacement now! Students end their Walking Tour on the Peace Bench created by Yvette Simpson Speaks at the Unveiling of a Street Sign local children and community members honoring Jim Obergefell and the late John Arthur Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 �No. 36 1 T LOCAL Remembering Tom Dutton 7 | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 BONNIE NEUMEIER Contributing Writer om deliberately chose to use his privileged position as an architect and tenured academic at Miami to stand in solidarity with our Over-the-Rhine Peoples Movement. He believed our people had lived experiences that could teach, inspire, transform his students and colleagues at Miami. Our relationship with Tom deepened over these 36 years. I met Tom in 1981. He was our “Peoples Architect” for our first Over-the-Rhine Comprehensive Plan. He landed at a meeting and offered us support. He served on Over-the-Rhine Housing Network Board until we merged with ReSTOC in 2006. He devoted his time to the Residency Program which had its first class in 2006. The premise of the program was that the community had to benefit, not only the students. Tom used all that he had to support our many organizations: resources of students, money for projects, his connections introduced us to activists around the country (Manning Marable, Barbara Ehrenreich, Robin Kelley, Pam Bonnie Neumeier (center) and Thomas Dutton (right) attend Conference Credit: The people's movement Bonnie to Tom McMichael), and his skill of analysis and his writings publicized our plight. I believe our Over-the-Rhine struggle grounded Tom. He loved us. He connected with our people, our places, our dreams and hopes. He believed in the viewpoint of the oppressed. We were not a neighborhood just to study, we were a people who could benefit from cadre willing to walk the long haul with us. Tom did that for 36 years. He became a part of our movement. He spent countless hours here making a difference. A faithful friend I had the joy to work with close up. We challenged each other to grow. I will miss him dearly. We will miss him on our streets, in our lives. Tom made a commitment to us and he kept it through and until his last breath. I hope Tom Dutton and buddy gray are already scheming how to shake up the current order of things from where they are: they gave their lives not wanting the poor to be displaced from Over-the-Rhine. Tom wanted affordable housing for our people, he challenged developers to do the right thing. Tom and buddy were close friends, too. The “Dutton Center” at buddy’s place, what a powerful corner of history making. Tom’s spirit lives on in us, we will keep the justice work moving forward. It’s hard to catch the words, they are floating in my heart Your life and work flashes before my eyes A long movie with credits unceasing Thirty-six years faithful to our neighborhood Your tires made grooves in the road from Oxford to here Projects, panels, presentations Dialogue and debates, Challenges, critiques, and collaboration Forever championing our causes Proudly upholding Our People’s Movement Walking beside us through bumps and bruises Always finding joy and hope through struggle Tom, you could see the beauty of our people Our places, and our dream-filled plans The black bound journals with your architect’s script Always recording; your brilliant mind busy churning thoughts Scribbling down ideas for your next scholarly piece or action While your fingers moved through your signature thick hair Switching your colorful eye glasses so you Could focus close up one minute or far away the next Your eyes laser sharp to SEE deep inside Your elation electric when your students Developed a capacity to see through a different lens other than their own I watched you teach Tom Always encouraging conversation, participation Challenging students to wrestle with hard questions You bridged two worlds The world of academia at Miami And the one found on the ground here in Over-the-Rhine Our daily fight for basic human rights You understood the preciousness here Wanting your students to taste it, touch it, be transformed This residency project you seeded and nurtured Challenged all of us to cross divides and Learn what it means to live with radical empathy Top Photo: Tom Dutton, Bottom Photo: Tom Dutton, with Janis Dutton My friend, my brother, our co-agitator for justice We are all emboldened Because your heart and feet walked a long haul with us Our love is with you, we are deeply grateful for you Tom and For Janis, your sons Nathan and Nolan who shared you with us Credit: The people's movement THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �8 COLUMN: RELIGIOUS PEACEMAKERS J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 PHOTO FROM CINCINNATI GODDAMN; APRIL MARTIN/THESE OLD BUILDINGS; BARBARA WOLF/JIMMY HEATH/A.J. NEWBERRY. FOR STREETVIBES Policing Gentrification far from campus. Because students pay exorbitant amounts to the school, University cops have been more and more likely to dictate how these neighbors— and the behaviors of the people in them— exist. Over-The-Rhine is now the city’s most profitable neighborhood, designed so by a city-corporate development effort that has eclipsed $1 Billion. Two decades ago, what is now ‘OTR’ was as neglected as any other black neighborhood, but gained a bad rap due to crime started by drug dealers who’d set up shop next to downtown. Disregarding the fact much of the drug sales were to rich white businessmen rolling through, in late 1990s, racial profiling resulted in the death of 15 African-Americans. The killing of Timothy Thomas began a civil unrest that would provoke enough property damage the city would not allow. The four days have been engrained in our city’s history as a spectacle. CPD brought in deputies from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and troopers Ohio Highway Patrol. They rode horses, they fired beanbag bullets at children, they did not know what they were doing. All said, the city seemed most enraged by lost profit— over $10 Million lost due to boycotts. But worry no more. OTR is the most protected place in the city, with little to no overhead. Restaurants need not install HD cameras or hire security guards (they do anyway), because outpricing black customers in Over-The-Rhine is a much easier way to curb ‘suspcious’ individuals. Black teenagers are more likely to be scared of white women today, as any messy interaction could land them in jail. Gentrification is the process of forging a community fit for upper- or middle-class lifestyles, or of making a product, activity, etc., appealing to those with more affluent tastes. Along the way people are displaced, and resentment grows. The police are essential to protecting and ensuring gentrification. For many affected, Ray THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Tensing represents all police— the ones who evicted them, pull them over, or tell them they may not bring outside drinks into Washington Park. On Monday evening, a man passing by Newport officers on the Purple People Bridge pointed his phone in their faces. “You are Ray Tensing,” he said. It is important, now more than ever, to acknowledge the role police play in the protection of the wealthy, the protection of exclusive, oppressive “entertainment districts.” And it is important to denounce acts of pride in the police, who have the power to ruin persons lives and make people so scared they can’t even fight. The Homeless Coalition is currently processing surveys on interactions between people experiencing homelessness and the police. If you are interested in Police reform, take the Community Perception Survey at: cincinnaticollaborativeagreement.com/ �No. 36 1 | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 COMMUNITY ACTION 9 The response to the court’s verdict has been swift and peaceful by the Countdown to Conviction Coalition. Organizing Friday night for a rally and a counter-protest to #TensingProud supporters on Monday show that “pride in a murderer” is disrespectful and not welcome. One participant of the ‘peaceful’ Tensing vigil was armed, walking with his hands in his pockets. On Monday, #TensingProud supporter walks away from crowd, alone. “This isn’t over,” he said. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �10 LOCAL J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 September 8 - 30, 2017 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 1 LOCAL What does it mean that Cincinnati is a Sanctuary City? | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 11 JUSTIN JEFFRE W hat does it mean that Cincinnati is a sanctuary city? Wikipedia defines a sanctuary city as one “that limits its cooperation with the national government effort to enforce immigration law. Supporters of sanctuary cities argue that enforcement of federal law is not the duty of localities.” Defenders of this type of resistance are motivated by stories like the ones you’ll read in this special Streetvibes Editor & Staff Writer series of children and adults fleeing horrifying circumstances in their native lands. These true stories have been provided by Margaret Singer of the Su Casa Hispanic Center. Founded in 1997, Su Casa is a program of Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio which serves Hispanic/Latino immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families. “During 2014 and 2015 I was working with Su Casa Hispanic Center and specifically with unaccompanied minors from Mexico and Central America. Most of these children had not seen their mother or father for about 10 years or more. Imagine being a mother, and one day, late in the afternoon, you receive a call from an immigration official on the border. He says, ‘Do you know a child by this name? Is this your child? When is his/her birthday?’, etc. “A few hours later the child calls. On hearing the voice of a child she hasn’t seen for so many years a mother’s heart drops and she cries and tries to talk. She tries to say, ‘Yes, I’ll pay for the ticket so you can come home to Cincinnati! I…I’ll have the money for the plane ticket in a month.’ By now both the child and mother are crying and they cannot believe what is happening. ‘Que solo Dios es tan grande!’ proclaims MaMa. “Why do unaccompanied minors leave their grandparents or other relatives to make this very dangerous trip through Guatemala or the country they are from to reunite with their parents?” Margaret's Picks Antonieta Escalante My name is Antonieta Escalante. I am from Guatemala. I left my house at 3 a.m. on November 5th determined to go to Mexico. In Guatemala I was living at Ixmujil, Tectitan, Huehuetenango, where I had been born. My three cousins were also living there because his sister, my Aunt, immigrated to the United States to be able to send money home to her children. Unfortunately, her brother, my Father, is an alcoholic and we are all staying with him and his wife and my sister and brother. Many times he would hit us and chase us out of the house at night. The four of us decided we were going to leave and we did. One morning at 3am we left for Chiappas, Mexico. We headed towards Comalapa, Chiapas, Mexico. All four of us arrived there walking because there we met the person that was going to take us to Altar Sonora, Mexico, and we did go on to Altar Sonora, but we were making this trip carrying almost nothing. The following day we went into the desert where the coyote was leading us. However once we were a ways into the desert the coyote tried to abuse me. I did not allow him to do what he wanted to do. My three cousins, Yesser Roblero, and his two younger sisters, also, began shouting which terrified the coyote who was always quiet and running away from where immigration agents might be .coming. He was so terrified he immediately took off running and left us four children abandoned and he also had dropped his cell phone. There we were in the desert, suffering because we were starving and we were very cold. The reasons why I decided to abandon my country were because there I suffered domestic violence. In Guatemala one lives in hell. In this hell one lives four experiences: malnutrition, delinquency, poverty, and machismo. My Father would consistently hit me, physically and morally mistreat me and my three cousins that lived with us. He would treat them terrible just like he treated me. While we lived with him it was like we were living people who were dead. We were constantly living a life of hell so that at times it would be better if we were to decide to die. Many times my father left me so badly hurt I wanted to die. One of those times he cut me with a piece of tin. Other times it was so horrible what he did to me that I don’t want to think about it again. I carry my Mother in my heart. She is the reason and the strength that I have for living in this country. It hurts to be far away from her but I am not going to lose my faith in God’s blessed mercy, and I know that someday I will see her again. I passed the third grade. This was because my Mother fought so much so that I would be able to study to be someone in the future. In order to study we prepared and sold tamales made with meat to pay for my classes. Unfortunately, my father became crazier and I had to leave school. Neither the police nor the authorities did anything. All of them are corrupt. One lives in Guatemala by defending oneself or they kill you. Now that I have been in this country I realize everything is different. Here there is life, love and respect. At the same time my second court is coming up on December 9th in Cleveland. Right now I do not have the money to pay the attorney so I can continue my case. I don’t want to return to my country. Because of this I beg that you listen to my story and help me make sure I do not have to return. Here I live with my Aunt Modesta Escalante, who takes care of us and protects us. She doesn’t earn very much money. Always we are asking her for a ride to the store and other places. However, I believe and am hopeful that my full immigration case will be heard and I will be able to legally drive someday and be free someday to fly like a dove Three years later two sisters and a brother had arrived. Antonieta had moved into her own apartment and was taking care of her siblings as they were arriving. Antonieta obtained an attorney, applied for asylum, received a work permit and a driver’s license. She is working to put together more money for the attorney so she can complete her court hearings, have her residency and then earn her citizenship. Alba Dubon Alba Dubon is from Chaltenango, El Salvador, and this part of Salvador is called The Paradise. She arrived 14 years ago through the desert like most of the immigrants who come to our office. Her husband, the father of her five children, had arrived three years earlier. Unfortunately five years ago he beat her when he was drinking and he would also run around with other women continuously. She decided that was the end and left him. Her two oldest children are in California, two others are with her here in Cincinnati, and one is still in El Salvador. Beatriz, one of the older daughters, is 23 years old and left El Salvador with her Aunt Blanca, her Mother’s sister. They were brought to the U.S. by a coyote. They were in two different groups led through the desert from Phoeniz, AZ. The coyote leading Blanca’s group called Alba and said Blanca was too exhausted to go any farther and he would have to leave her there in the desert by herself. At that point Alba came to Su Casa. We helped her send pictures of Blanca to the different embassies – American, Salvadoran, and Mexican – to try and find out where she might be. There has been no response. It is as if she disappeared. Beatriz was arrested in Arizona. She was bonded out for $1,500, an attorney was contracted for another $1,500, and the airplane ticket to Cincinnati was almost $1,000. Her Master Court hearing is May 2014. Without Blanca’s knowing it, her 14-year-old daughter, Jennifer, left El Salvador and arrived in Nov., 2013. She was picked up by immigration and taken to a house in Arizona for unaccompanied minors. There she contacted her aunt Alba and Alba was approved to be her sponsor. Her court case has still not been set. In December, 2013, Alba’s youngest son Jose Marvin Dubon arrived at the frontier and Alba was approved to sponsor him. He was taken to a house in San Diego, CA. Her brother lives and has a work permit in Los Angeles, so Alba caught a plane for Los Angeles where she met her brother. They began the trip to San Diego with the GPS turned on. Even though they were listening to the GPS and watching the signs, they missed the turn and were headed straight for Mexico. They saw no more turnoffs. They crossed the border and twenty minutes later saw a Mexican, whom they approached and asked where the road was to return to the US. They followed his directions and found themselves in a long line. Finally an immigration official spoke with them and asked them for papers, passport, citizenship card/ certificate, or resident card. Both of them showed their work permits and also their driver’s licenses. Immigration said that wasn’t what they needed and told them to drive their car over to a parking lot about a quarter of a mile away. At the same THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �12 LOCAL Margaret's Picks J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 time a notice was put under their windshield wiper. They arrived where they were told to park and another official came over and looked at the notice and just stood there shaking his head. They were taken to the office. Alba said they needed a translator. When the translator came and they tried to convince the office that they had been called by immigration to come and pick up Alba’s son in San Diego, but they missed the exit and ended up in Mexico. The officials acted as if they did not believe what they were being told. They wanted them to sign a paper about a court hearing on Monday. It seemed to be a deportation hearing, and they didn’t want to sign anything. Then finally one official looked directly at Alba and told her that he believed her. The translator started smiling and Alba began feeling that just maybe they were listening. At the same time they were handcuffed, her purse and everything she carried had been taken, and the same with her brother, who had not been able to stop trembling. After another half hour an official said, “Your record is clean. You have done everything as it needs to be done.” After awhile the handcuffs were taken off but they had to hold their hands apart in the air so that they could not take hold of anything. Standing like that for a half hour, they waited for what would happen next. Another official came in and asked questions about her son, his name, his birthdate and a few other questions. Alba looked around and saw an official tearing up the document that they had wanted her and her brother to sign. Then she was asked if she wanted to see her son. The translator said, “Wow! Diosita is with you.” In a few minutes an official came walking in with her son. Her brother, her son and Alba began crying, hugging and kissing each other. Then she turned to the official and said, “I need one more favor. Could you help me make the reservation so he can fly back to Cincinnati with me?” “Yes, of course,” he answered. Yordi Cabrera Garcia Yordi lived in a village about 20 minutes outside of Concepcion, Chiquirichapa, a medium- size town in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Yordi’s family cultivates corn, potatoes and beans. His sponsor, his brother Bernabe, said, “Our Family has no money, just money to live day by day in Guatemala. These crops, especially corn and potatoes, are no longer productive for the farmers because places like the U.S. have technology that allows corn and potatoes to be produced less expensively. Four of my siblings have immigrated to the U.S. and four are still in Guatemala.” Yordi completed elementary school in Concepcion and began the 9th grade after he had investigated different secondary schools that focus predominantly on Music. He found the closest one in the Capital of the Department of Quetzaltenango (the capital is also called Quetzaltenango). His family would not be able to pay for room and board but would be able to pay for the bus ticket every day. So he decided to begin his 9th year of school at the music academy. To arrive at the Academy he had to walk 20 minutes to Concepcion to catch the bus for Quetzaltenango. During the next four months he was attacked four times when he was returning home; twice he was severely beaten, and each time he was robbed of everything he was carrying. Yordi said, “I didn’t want to die and I knew that some evening when I was returning home these people might kill me. I spoke with my brothers here in the U.S. and they said I could live with them. They helped me pay for the trip. “Here I am in the eighth grade at Dater School. I spoke with Mary Jo Montenegro and she helped me identify what grade I should enter. I graduated from the eighth grade in Guatemala and am familiar with most of the material I am studying, but I am learning English. I like school and I want to continue studying. Winston Laynes Reynoso Winston is 12 years old and was born in Guatemala. When he was just 7 his parents left him in the care of his grandmother to travel to the U.S. and seek better employment and treatment for his father’s kidney disease. Over the next few years Winston received money and clothes from his parents, which helped him get by, but he desperately missed them. The situation was dangerous in Guatemala, and the older he got, the more scared he became of the gang violence. Winston’s father was able to find employment and sufficient treatment for his disease, and eventually he was able to find a coyote to bring his son to the United States. He arrived in February 2014. Reunited with his parents and able to meet his three younger siblings who were born in the U.S. for the first time, Winston was finally happy. In his apartment complex, he made friends with other children his age. The happiness was short-lived, however. After less than a year in the U.S. with his family all together, Winston’s loving and supportive father was deported. Every day Winston and his siblings wonder where he is. They miss greeting him when he comes home from work and sharing a modest dinner as a family. To complicate matters, Winston’s father’s future is uncertain in Guatemala because if he can even find treatment for his kidney disease, it will be extremely expensive. His mother cannot support the children by herself and thinks the entire family will have to move back to Guatemala, a long and difficult journey with four young children to bring along. All Winston wants is for his family, so long separated, to be happy and healthy and together. Elizabeth Felipe Velasquez I was born in the ‘80s during the time of the civil wars in Central America. I was living in the city of La Democracia in the department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, with my son, Anderson. He was in preschool for a year, then kindergarten, then finally first and second grade. In his two years of elementary school, he had some of the worst experiences that any first or second grader could have. Several times a week people would be around the school who would shoot guns and sometimes kill people. At the sound of a gunshot, the teacher told all of the children to go under their desks until the shooting stopped. My son would feel scared to death upon hearing these shots. Unfortunately, they were very regular before we decided we needed to leave. My nephew, who is about Anderson’s age, also told us about his fear of school. He would be walking to school and see people shoot other people on the sidewalks, adults who fell dead immediately. Needless to say, our family, my sister’s family and other friends of ours who live in this town are scared to go anywhere. We were afraid to leave the house, whether it was to the market, the clinic or church. Here are two other events related to what these young boys faced on a daily basis: Once my father was traveling to our town, La Democracia, with our grandfather, from a town called la Libertad about a half hour away by foot. It’s a much smaller town, but generally very peaceful and the shootings that happen in our town are less common there. We expected to hear from them when they arrived, and we tried calling and calling, but we never found them. They totally disappeared. Another event that happened in the last couple years is that the Mayor of la Democracia was shot and killed, and once again no investigation has been done. Every week in La Democracia, there are at least 5 or 10 people who are announced as missing in the newspaper. Eventually their bodies are found, but there are never any investigations about their disappearances or murders. Because of this terrifying lifestyle, I decided my son and I were going to immigrate to the United States. Currently we are living close to Su Casa Hispanic Center. My son is attending AMIS, the bilingual elementary school close to us. Compared to his last experiences with school he is loving his classes and new experiences here. We realize that our new life here is much safer, and Su Casa Hispanic Center is helping the unaccompanied minors and their mothers, who traveled with them to protect them. This gives us more a feeling of security. Natanael Marcelino Perez Perez I am Natanael Marcelino Perez Perez and I am from the village of Agua Caliente, the municipality of Tectitan, Huehuetenango, Guatemala. I arrived to the United States in April 2014, because I was afraid of living in Guatemala. In January 2014, neighbors who lived next door had a rooster stolen and another family had 300 pounds of corn stolen. All the neighbors know our family is poor, because my mother is unemployed and has four young children living at home. Our father is an alcoholic and he spends his days going to the closest town to drink. He does not work. Because we don’t have a regular income the neighbors accused me of stealing. Several families began accusing me of stealing the corn and the rooster in February. These families began saying that when they found me they would cut off my feet so I would not do anything like that again. Also, I had to leave Guatemala because of my father. Many times when he would come home from drinking all day he would shout and hit his own children and our mother. We are all scared of him. For example, when I was 10 years old my father once hit me with a rope. Many times he would grab his machete when he returned from town, where he was drinking all day. When we saw him coming swinging his machete we would all get out of the house and run into the scrubland. Most of the time we ended up staying there overnight. I want to work so I can get a good job and send money home to my family so they can build a new house. ALBA DUBON (Continued from page11) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 1 | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 I LIVE FOR YOU 13 STREET VOICE OBSESSED WITH REPEAL I live for you! The repeal of ObamaCare I think for you! Is a Republican obsession. I love you! They won't compromise, I hope for you! Or accept any concession. I will die for you! Right now in the Senate, They seem a few votes shy. I cry for you! I worry for you! I sacrifice for you! I pray for you! I write this for you! There’s no me without you! Maybe folks with coverage Won't have to kiss their care Goodbye. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer NOW Do you know what you feel? I love you! Do you hear yourself when the world is standing still? My only begotten son Do you recognize the difference in the sounds that you hear? Rico, stay true! Do you believe that you can make a difference in this world today? Be for real!! KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer Do you recognize the world and hear the world as it so slowly revolves around? Do you understand that it is your life that you are hearing and only your life you’ve found? Do you know your rights to live without disrespect, being happy, and loving your life? Do you know anything about your past, present, not to mention being born in strife? Realizing that we are born from one womb and destined to die in one tomb ALONE. With all this knowledge do we know right from wrong or how to be strong?! Now knowing everything and living our lives and forgetting where we derived from. Now seeing deceit and can't do nothing about it, NOW don't we all feel dumb! NOW I believe that there is a power greater than any man's understanding right here today! Looking around today trying to distinguish what was and what I see NOW! Every day I have to Pray!! Changes everywhere I look, from where to catch a bus to where do the hungry eat. Changes in every walk of life and that includes if you homeless NOW where do I SLEEP? NOW think are you happy, sad, disillusioned, misunderstood, confused or simply LOST? NOW IS THE TIME TO BELIEVE IN THAT POWER GREATER THAN MAN. I KNOW GOD AND HE IS BOSS!!! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 130 Across Down 1. Subsequently 1. Corrosive material 6. Small snake 2. Renown 9. Soft or semiliquid food 3. Interpret 12. Freight 4. Food product 13. Tall woody perennial 5. Fish eggs grass 6. Song for solo voice 15. Assist or encourage 7. Transmitted 17. A visual representation 8. Trivial 18. Unite or merge 9. Golfing term 20. Lair 10. Die away 21. Domesticated 11. Part a flower bovine animals 14. Erase 22. Old salt 16. A limited time period 23. Powdery starch 19. Segment of DNA 26. Japanese currency 21. Demure 27. Type of tree 24. Canvas canopy 28. Forever 25. Total receipts at 30. Beverage a sports event 32. Less than the 28. Skin condition full amount 29. Singing jazz 33. Fell concern 31. Punish by a fine or interest 32. A small amount 36. Large military of liquid food dining room 34. Mature 40. Unlace 35. Frolic 41. In the past 37. Add details to 42. Speed in music 38. Box lightly 43. Part of a hammerhead 39. Offspring 44. Stalk 42. Melody 45. Relating to the city 44. Saunter 46. Acquire 47. Alleviate 48. Nipper 49. Anger 50. Ballet step 50. Group of 53. Part of a circle hunting animals 55. Spool 51. Plant-sucking insect 56. Pertinent 52. No longer new 57. Military action 54. Wicker fishing basket 60. Circuit 58. Voice quality 63. Lizard 59. In or of the 65. Sound off present month 67. Unit of metric 61. Poker stake weight, in short 62. Look searchingly 68. Part of a camera 64. Hayloft 69. Squander 65. Be in debt 70. Condensation 66. Hit lightly 71. Allow 72. Organic compound PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 129 J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 260 - MEDIUM SODOKU PUZZLE NO 259- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 1 RESOURCES | J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 131 E. 12th Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1125 Bank Street 45214 Shelter: Men Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 411 Gest St. 45203 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 2121 Vine Street 45202 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Starting Over 961-2256 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Parkway Center 661-4620 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Interfaith Hospitality Network First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) Housing: 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Our Daily Bread 621-6364 $100 for 26 issues Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Cincinnati Health Network OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Salvation Army 762-5660 Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Shelter: Family 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 J u l y 2 8 - A u g 10 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 1 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 GREGORY RAY SINCE 4/2015 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2015 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource July 28-August 10, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Afterimage Pg 2: From the Director Taking Stock Pg 3: Streetcar “Contributions” with Tax Dollars Pg 4: Hot to Respond to Panhandling Pg 5: It Takes a Whole Community Pg 6: GCHC Pg 7: Remembering Tom Dutton Pg 8: Policing Gentrification Pg 9: Community action Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: What Does it Mean That Cincinnati is a Sanctuary City? Margaret’s Picks Pg 12: Margaret’s Picks Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 28-August 10, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Michael Earl Patton Dr. Mark Mussman Bonnie Neureier Justin Jeffre Kim Green Willa Denise Jones A.J. Newberry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF A.J. Newberry Bill Woods Bonnie Neureier Cincinnati Dr. Mark Mussman Gentrification Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kim Green Margaret’s Picks Michael Earl Patton Photography Religion Streetcar Tax Dollars Tom Dutton Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/1aa6d536669a42f640e678bca56a4855.pdf 826152819bde84d541aaa53afd525f59 PDF Text Text “Everybody Poops” St r ee v ib e S Picnics & tPotties July Feed Me Summer Salad 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Seymour! PG 3 PG8 J U LY 8 T H - 2 1 S T 2 0 11 ISSUE 203 Ken Swinson Art & Community 1 PG 16 ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNITY Drawing the Line: Redistricting in Ohio Redistricting. Cartoon reprinted with permission: Steve Greenberg MARK GRAUHUIS (members of Congress, state legisla­ tors, and many city council and school Staff intern Writer board members are elected from districts); what kinds of policies and very ten years, the ruling politi­ issues get debated; and how the com­ cal party sets about redrawing plex set of challenges we face during congressional districts, slic­ the ongoing global financial crisis are ing, dicing and piecemealing in order handled (or not). When district lines to give their team the upper hand in are drawn voters are grouped in one upcoming elections. The redistricting district and others are separated into process determines how your commu­ nity is defined along political lines; who different districts. Whichever group has more votes within a district usually you have the opportunity to vote for decides which representative wins. E The redistricting process itself is usually marked by secrecy, self-dealing and backroom logroll­ ing, with either of the two major parties seeking to maximize the number of seats to win. The trick is to create a large number of seats that are reasonably safe for the majority party and a smaller number of districts extremely safe for the minority party. This usually results in most legislative districts being solidly held by one party and uncompetitive in the general election. It also means that, if you live in a solidly X or Y district and vote in opposition, your vote simply does not 'count' as much as much as your political adver­ saries who (always) choose to consent with the district's general voting patterns. Under the present system, the ultimate distribution of seats in the state legislature may not reflect the overall popular vote totals in legislative elections. In a shocking antidemocratic fashion, politicians are able to choose their voters and incumbents and chal­ lengers can be effectively eliminated. Partisan redistricting only adds to the growing number of uncompetitive leg­ islative elections, overrepresentation of the dominant party in the legisla­ ture, and greater polarization in state government. Most concerning, is the fact that the present system leads to the dilution of minority votes, which has the effect of dividing our communities. Research shows that single-member districts do not operate as some magical remedy for exclusion of minorities from a fair share of seats in the nation's legisla­ tive bodies. Rather, minorities may be residentially dispersed but can be politically united. These communities are perfectly capable, if given half a chance, of choosing their own rep­ resentatives when they are provided with appropriate electoral tools. But talk to our ruling bipartisan officials and you would never believe this to be true. Ohio’s hyper-partisan redistricting process has serious implications for wresting democratic control away from the people who need it most. In the 1960s, Ohio established a 99-member state house of representatives with two-year terms and a 33-member state senate with staggered four-year terms, with both chambers’ represen­ tation based on population. It also adopted the Reapportionment Board to redraw the boundaries of the state legislative districts after each decen­ nial census, composed of five mem­ bers: the Governor, the Secretary of See Redistricting Ohio, page 4 A Penny A Pound More, Is What We’re Fighting For SUSAN LAKES Streetvibes Staff Writer W alk into a Kroger store and walk out with a few pounds of juicy ripe tomatoes. You cut them up, or slice one for that BLT. Maybe you eat a few slices along with your toast and eggs. Or maybe you keep the tomato whole and stuff it with some tuna or chicken salad. It doesn’t matter how you slice it, the farmer workers who might have picked that big red orb want a pay raise. A penny a pound pay raise. That’s what pickers in the $1.3 billion tomato industry want to see for their labor. Just a single a penny a pound more could double the pay for the workers, according to advocacy groups that are joining the fight for fair wages and better working conditions for farmworkers. The fight hit close to home Thurs­ day, June 24 when The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the Interfaith Worker Center and concerned citizens teamed with Fair Food Ohio for a peaceful informational protest outside the location where suits from Kroger gathered for an annual shareholders’ meeting. The group targeted Kroger since its high-power purchasing power that could play a role in feeding into or curbing farm worker exploitation. The Immokalee Workers, an internationally recognized Florida farmworker organization, knows the feeling of success, and the group is hopeful the Kroger campaign yields a fair foods agreement similar to the ones put in place with other corporate giants including McDonald’s, Subway and Whole Foods. See Penny A Pound, page 4 Photo Essay: Northside 4th of July Parade PG 5 facebook.com/streetvibes cincinnati Protesters March Outside Music Hall. Photo: Jesse Call Bike Safety PG 5 twitter.com/streetvibesnews Mark Twain Was Right: pages from a graphic novel PG 10 streetvibes.wordpress.com �Editorial 2 BRIEF UPDATES STAFF REPORT Rallying Cry: Sports! __________________________ lisa Hill’s story appeared in our April 15 edition. She’s the busy mom of three sons. Here’s an update on what’s going on around her home: E Elisa – began college at Cincin­ nati State. She hopes to make a career switch from the medical field to writing, and has enrolled, she said, in a literary arts associ­ ate degree program. Christopher Harris, 19 – gradu­ ated from Walnut Hills High School and has been accepted into a graphics design program at Cincinnati State, his mother said. Christian Harris, 17 – landed a third job with Artworks of Cincin­ nati where he’ll help with a mural project. Jamar Honaker, 14 – was one of a hand full of Chase Elementary School students selected to com­ plete a college tour of historically black colleges and universities this spring. _________________________ avid Hebert, not Jason Weller, claimed he was cut and robbed. Streetvibes regrets the error printed on page 6 in the June 24, 2011 edition. D Deadheads, listen up. We’re coming up on the 16th anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s death. Garcia, a musician many might agree WAS the Grateful Dead, died of a heart attack on August 9, 1995. Keep­ ing with tradition, I’m ask­ ing (begging actually) you to share your memories of anything Jerry Garcia- re­ lated. Maybe you went to a single concert. Maybe you followed the band around the country. Do you sleep with concert programs and ticket stubs tucked under your pillow? Please share your adventure. You can call me (513) 421 – 7803, ext.12, stop by the coalition at 117 West 12th or send an email to susanlakes­ gcch@yahoo.com. Talk to me please so we can pull together a story for Streetvibes. Thanks, and looking forward to meeting you. Susan Lakes. http://wittoe.blogspot.com/ T he Masses. What brings out large amounts of people in our current era? : sports, concerts, fairs and theme-parks. All of these destinations and events can be fun and relaxing- which is okay and something we all need and should have. However, every time I am at a sporting event or a concert and I see thousands of people cheering, yelling, dancing in a display of passion- I get confused at first, then cynical then somewhat sad. I first wonder why this many people rarely come out to justice rallies or protests or city hall meetings or marches. I wonder why many people have enough passion rise up within them to go to a sporting event or a concert and cheer, yell, chant, sing, stomp and dance, but most of these people probably never have been to a rally or protest. At first it confused me that it appears as though people care more about sports, etc. than more important issues. Next, I think- why am I yet again confused by this situation? I remember that people naturally are drawn to coming together for a common cause and pushing forward in pursuit of that cause. I then remember that often people like the easy way out and that larger corporations and politicians know this. I cynically remember that coming together to passionately support a sports team, or a band is not stressfull, is in fact quite easy and therefore appealing to many as a manner to deal with their desire to gather with other people. I remember that businesses and politicians that want to keep poverty and other injustices around are owners of the sports teams and the concert arenas and that it pays for them to keep much of the public in a sort of trance or to give the public a “sugar pill.” People desire camaraderie and standing and struggling together- so the businesses oblige by giving people a way of feeling like this need is being accomplished and in the mean time most of the folks miss the real issues and don’t even see the ill-doings of the businesses and politicians. This happens in a variety of ways. For example- much of early rock-and-roll was about rebellion and standing for justice. Even more so the beginnings of rap and hip-hop were all about struggling for justice. Yet today large companies have taken over both of these music scenes and it is quite rare to hear a mainstream song attempt to rally people for justice. We are being duped and sedated. I can’t tell you how many passionate and detailed conversations I have witnessed about sports. We all have witnessed these con­ versations. I often wonder during these times if the people having those sports conversation care about politics and justice and hon­ estly how they can boil over with so much passion about sports. After all of these thoughts I do get a bit sad that people are so easily sedated and that marketers that work for oppressing compa­ nies have so well figured us out. After this, however, I come back to fervor. At the root of this it is clear that many people do have a need to gather and struggle for a common cause and I know it is our job to proclaim those causes, un-sedate people, open eyes and create a body of people moving together for justice. There most certainly is nothing wrong with sports, concerts, etc- we all need times to relax and have fun with events that in the end really don’t matter that much; however, it is important that we realize that in the end these events truly don’t matter that much. It is even more important that we keep ourselves and our collective selves in “check” to priori­ tize our passions. Our primary passion should always be for other people- for justice. St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Website: www.cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress.com Email: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Staff Executive Director Josh Spring Director of Development & Operations Catie Dargue Director of Education & Outreach, Design & Layout Jeni Jenkins Staff Writer Susan Lakes Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator Riccardo Taylor Reception & Office Administration Della Woolens, Rubye Goode Georgia Bohannon, Stephen Gentry Contributing Writers: Willa Denise Jones, Saad Ghosn, Jim Luken, Lee Mccoy Photography/Artwork: Susan Lakes, Jeni Jenkins, Josh Spring, Saad Ghosn, Bill Howes, Paul Davis, Aimie Willhoite Summer Interns Journalism, Media & PR Jesse Call Design & Layout, Journalism J.P. Dean Journalism, Media & PR Mark Grauhuis Research Alisa Balestra Education & Outreach Harrison Lott Development Corey Luthringer Statistics Brittany Fong �St r ee t v ib e S Distributor Program 3 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 STREETVIBES IS DISTRIBUTED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO PURCHASE THE PAPER FOR 25 CENTS PER COPY AND SELL IT FOR A $1 DONATION, KEEPING THE PROFIT THEY HAVE EARNED. BECOMING A DISTRIBUTOR IS A GREAT WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FINANCIALLY POOR TO GET BACK ON (OR STAY ON) THEIR FEET. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR THOSE UNABLE TO SECURE OTHER EMPLOYMENT. MONEY EARNED HELPS MEET BASIC HOUSING, FOOD AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS. THE PROGRAM IS A HAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN IN A PLACE OF GETTING ONLY A HAND OUT, OR EVEN NO HAND AT ALL. ALL DISTRIBUTORS WEAR A BADGE AND CAN BE FOUND SELLING THE PAPER IN DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, CLIFTON, NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND AREA CHURCHES. CURRENT DISTRIBUTORS ALFRED BRANDON NELSON WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 SINCE 4/2008 DELESA HENDERSON NEW 5/2011 ELISA HILL SINCE 9/2010 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DAVID TOUGH 3/2011 GRADY COOK SINCE 8/2007 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES BYBEE SINCE 9/2010 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003 JAMES MOORE SINCE 11/2010 JERRY DAVIS SINCE 5/2011 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 JULIE WALKER SINCE 6/2007 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 Day by Day Project JENI JENKINS Streetvibes Staff Writer T his summer marks the second year that Streetvibes distributors had the oppor­ tunity to participate in the Day by Day Calendar Photography Workshop. Day by Day is a collaborative project produced by Praire Gallery and the Homeless Coalition. The mis­ sion of the project is to provide creative and economic opportunities for people experienc­ ing poverty. Streetvibes Distributor Tia Cass. Photo: Aimie Willhoite The Day by Day pilot project began in 2010 as an effort to give financially poor individuals a chance to portray Cincinnati through their own eyes as well as provide an additional financial prospect for all Streetvibes distributors. The final product is a full color 12 month calendar that will be sold by distributors throughout the community. Streetvibes Distributor James Davis. Photo: Aimie Willhoite LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARK DAUGHTERY NEW 3/2011 MARK ANTHONY SHEARS SINCE 12/2007 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 PAMELA TAYLOR NEW 6/2011 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAY BREWER NEW 5/2011 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY LUNDY NEW 5/2011 SAMUEL RONNIE JACKSON PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SINCE 10/2006 SHANNON MOATS NEW 3/2011 TERRY RANSON SINCE10/2008 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 David Rosenthal, local photography pro­ fessor and director of Prairie Gallery, provided an eight class workshop free of charge to those interested in participating. All participants who took part in the work­ shop will select their top ten photographs which will then be reviewed by a panel of jurors who will select the top three photo­ graphs. Top photos of all participants will be showcased during the Day by Day Exhibition in October 2011. Streetvibes Distributor James Brown. Photo: Aimie Willhoite TOMMY THOMPSON SINCE 2/2009 VICTORIA MINOR NEW 3/2011 WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WILLIAM BURDINE SINCE 8/2009 W. KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 Support Day by Day Your support for Day by Day will help more financially poor individuals take steps towards maximizing their potential. Help this project by sponsoring a month in the calendar. Sponsorship funds will help offset the costs of printing, distribution costs and showcasing the artistic work of participants. If interested in sponsoring a month in the calendar contact Jeni Jenkins (513) 421-7803 Ex. 14 or David Rosenthal at (513) 5573819 �Local News 4 St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Penny A Pound Continued from page 1 The Cincinnati gathering kicked off the actions of a new group called Fair Food Ohio, according to Sue Carter. She got interested in farm­ workers’ issue after doing some tutoring in Florida, and hearing the workers share horror stories. Carter moved to Ohio and remained in­ terested and active in farm worker issues. “We can organize Ohio,” she said, adding that she “struck gold” when she hooked up with Dan Moore, outreach worker, at the local Interfaith Worker Center. Moore and others pulled together a group of people who carried signs, screamed chants and handed out informational literature to the suits as they walked into the shareholders meeting. Three shareholders denied opportunities to make comments to Streetvibes. Many of them politely refused the pamphlets and literature offered by the protesters. HEAR WHAT THEY CHANTED: Moderator: No More Slaves. Crowd: Hail Hail Living Wage. Moderator: Down Down With exploitation Crowd: Up Up With Fair Food Nation. 1 – We Are The People. 2 – A Little Bit Louder. 3 – We Want Justice. 4 – Farmworkers Immokalee Workers team up with Fair Food Ohio for a peaceful protest outside the Kroger shareholders’ meeting on June 23. The protesters informed the suits about the need for wage increases and safe working conditions for the people who pick the vegetables Kroger sells in stores. Photo: Susan Lakes Redistricting Ohio Continued from page 1 State, the Auditor of State, one legisla­ tive Democrat, and one legislative Republican. Whichever party wins two of the three statewide offices controls the redistricting process for state legis­ lative seats. The redrawing of U.S. House district boundaries is done by an act of the state legislature subject to the ap­ proval of the Governor. If one party controls the Ohio House, the Ohio Senate, and the governorship, it can maximize the number of seats drawn so as to favor the dominant party. When there is split control, the two parties must necessarily limit their aspirations and arrive at some sort of compromise in congressional redis­ tricting. The five-member Ohio Ap­ portionment Board is responsible for updating the legislative lines, which is known as reapportionment. The board is composed of Gov. John Kasich, Husted and Auditor David Yost, all Republicans. That is, Kasich and the Republicancontrolled General Assembly will be responsible for drawing the congres­ sional district boundaries. Republican leaders in the Ohio House and Senate will choose a representative to the board, as will Democratic leaders, to round out the five-member panel. This group will draw the lines for 99 House districts and 33 Senate districts, each made up of three contiguous House districts. Candidates who are running in 2012 for county com­ missioner, sheriff, prosecutor, engineer, recorder, auditor, clerk of courts and coroner need to have their petitions filed and certified by Dec. 7. It is a near cer­ tainty that Republicans will eliminate one Democratic district – U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s Cleveland-area10th District has been targeted because it features some of the bold progressive viewpoints that its political leader has helped foster there. In the 2010 elec­ tion, Republicans won 13 of Ohio’s 18 congressional districts. But Ohio’s lack of population growth is costing it two seats, meaning state lawmakers must redraw only 16 districts. The legislative task force has al­ located $130,000 each to legislative Democrats and Republicans to pay for staff and equipment related to the redistricting process. However, many activists and community leaders are concerned that the real issue is a lack of any representation for low-income and poor families and individuals living in urban areas, neither of whom cur­ rently have a significant voice in the two major parties and whose specific demands tend to fall on deaf ears when it comes to shaping the vision of Cincinnati's future. Most Ohio legislative districts are solidly held by one party and uncom­ petitive in the general election. Non­ competitive elections can lead elected officials to be less responsive to voters because they know they are “safe.” And because there is no competition, Sue Carter from Fair Foods Ohio holds up the likeness of a big red tomato at a protest for fair wages for farmworkers June 23. Photo: Susan Lakes Fast Facts About Farmworkers - Florida workers are paid a half dollar for every 32-pounds they pick. (a piece rate that has remained unchanged for about two decades). - 100 buckets at one bucket every six minutes earns workers $10,000 ­ $12,000 yearly, based on a ten hour work day. (Source: USA campaign for Fair Food) no real issues tend to be raised in campaigns, and there is no reason for incumbents to listen to voters. They are much more likely to listen to their contributors, cor­ porations, and special interests. To address these serious problems, the Ohio Campaign for Ac­ countable Redistricting will hold a contest this summer inviting anyone to use 2010 census data to redraw the districts. The completion of the census might present a challenge to Ohio elec­ tions officials because states must adjust their legislative boundaries and congressional district lines to reflect population changes. A coalition of groups including the League of Women Voters of Ohio and Ohio Citizen Action is sponsoring a map-drawing contest, where private citizens can draw maps of congressio­ nal districts and state legislative dis­ tricts using publicly available software and the same population and voting data used by public officials. The hope is to build a base for future reform of redistricting standards. Submitted plans will be judged by a computer formula that weighs whether a pro­ posal preserves county lines, its com­ pactness, its competitiveness based on partisan makeup, and whether a district’s representation matches its balance between Blue and Red (what is, regrettably, called “representation”). The winner will be submitted to the legislature for consideration. The Ohio secretary of state’s office also will develop a website for public comment on the redistricting process. It may be some measure of Ohio voters' disillusionment and defeat­ ism with regard to bipartisan electoral politics that no communities currently have a strong voice demanding pro­ portional representation as a sensible remedy for the problem of gerryman­ dering. We should know and reflect on our own history and be proud of the days when fair representation was possible in Ohio. In the Progres­ sive Era, proportional representation elections were used in 22 cities in the Continued on page 5 �St r ee t v ib e S Local News 5 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Community Bowel Movement CATIE DARGUE Streetvibes Staff Writer I t’s Sunday, June 26th and the rain has stopped just in time for the Everybody Poops Picnic in the Park. As visitors start to gather around the covered shelter, dry off wet park benches and fire up the grill, a porcelain toilet is carried from the back of a van and placed front and center of the party. The toilet; it’s not something that most people really think about too much in depth. If you have to go, you find a toilet and you go. If you’re not at home you wan­ der into a local business, purchase something or you just ask. But what if you’re homeless? What if you are not even allowed into most businesses to use their toilets, what then? Find “3CDC poops, but I think they poop money” a public bathroom right? Well not if it has been torn down. Would you go in an alleyway, behind a dumpster or a tree? You’re probably thinking “no way,” but what if you had no other choice? “Everybody Poops” is a cam­ paign raising awareness about the lack of public restroom facilities in the Washington Park area. When the park closed, 3CDC tore down the only public bathrooms in that area and have not replaced them as promised. Local businesses are now complaining on the increase of public urination and defecation but many are still reluctant to join a very simple and practical plan put forth by the Home­ less Congress to have local business sponsor five port-o-potty’s in the area. This is a plan where everybody wins. People can use the toilet in a respect­ able and dignified way and business­ es can continue as normal without worrying about what they might find on their door step. For all the work that the Home­ less Congress did to personally invite local businesses around Washington Park, not one representative showed up. Advocates for this issue are dis­ appointed but are not giving up hope that businesses will come around to help fund the much needed latrines. Despite the lack of representation from local businesses, the event was still a success. About thirty to forty residents and agency representatives mingled together to share a picnic lunch, danced to the beat of Baba Charles and drummers and listened to CCM professor Michael Burnham’s theatrical reading of Taro Gomi’s book everybody Poops. They discussed issues, shared personal stories and expressed concerns for the neighbor­ hood. People who don’t even live near Washington Park voiced their opinions and expressed the need for the city, 3CDC and local business to provide facilities for one of the most basic human needs. As Burnham added to his reading,“3CDC poops, but I think they poop money.” The events continued on Tues­ Picnic in the park: a toilet sits watching the neighborhood. Photo: Catie Dargue day June 28th at the corner of 14th and Race Street with a theatrical demonstration and second reading of everybody Poops. This time there were seven porcelain toilets mixed in with protest signs specifically placed outside of 3CDC’s head office. News crews and cameras lined the streets and passers-by looked on from their cars at the very peculiar but strong statement. The people in this community have spoken and they want justice, they want dignity, they want a toilet or two but mostly they just want to be heard. If you would like to join in and voice your opinion, we are collecting letters at the Coalition to submit to the City and 3CDC. Contact Riccardo Taylor 513-421-7803 ex. 15 or riccardotaylor@cinichomeless.org. Theatrical Event: Burnham performs his reading of Everybody Poops for the rally. Photo: Catie Dargue Continued from page 4 United States, yet in our time only Cambridge, Massachusetts kept its council elections by propositional representation in the wake of a steady loss of popular participation in system­ atic reform campaigns. Party list systems and the Single Transferable Vote were developed in revolutionary nineteenth century England (also the source of plurality voting practices), and are sometimes called “choice voting” or “preference voting.” They have been proven to deliver representation to 90% or more of the voters, drastically improve voter turnout, provide greater stability in government, and have been tried and tested in many social democratic European countries. In 1915, Ashtabula, Ohio became the first American city to adopt pro­ portional representation elections, as a result of strong activist leaders (and an unusually large component of labor leaders) who were sick and tired of partisan misrepresentation and party duopoly. These were supported else­ where in the state by courageous men and women who fought “boss rule” of their cities by educating citizens about direct democracy, promoting referendum and recall, demanding popular election of senators, women's suffrage, railroad rate regulation, mu­ nicipal ownership of utilities, protective labor legislation, tax equity, and home rule for cities. In subsequent adoptions of home rule charters, Cincinnati, Hamilton and Toledo elected path-breaking African Americans to their city councils, while in Cleveland the one African American on council was joined by others as the black population grew. This effectively held their charter sponsors to efficient administration implemented in the framework of more representative -- and therefore more responsive -­ policy-making. The level of factional­ ism was significantly reduced because minorities won a share of council seats, and there was greater solidarity and cooperation between campaigns to the benefit of the people. They did away with the winner-take-all voting system, which betrays its origin in the business corporation model of com­ petition and sees so many candidates simply lose in plurality contests. Currently, if there are three or more candidates, close to two-thirds of the voters may not win any representa­ tion in the elected governmental body. When a minority candidate is elected in this electoral context, it is usually the majority's choice of who should represent the minority. During the Cold War on the homefront, when the civil rights movement helped foster the rise of many popular Left-leaning black politicians, pro­ portional representation was seen by the ruling members of society as distinctly “un-American” – Tammany Hall famously called it a "Stalin Fran­ kenstein" that would inevitably lead to the election of Communists all across the nation! And today, both racist and anti-working class gerrymandering are used to handicap certain groups and play a shameful role in Ohio's elec­ toral politics. Under proportional representation ("free voting," as Cleveland's Tom Johnson called it a century ago), even the most alienated or disillusioned citizen could chose to vote based on which voices they would also like to be heard, and go to booth believing that even if their first vote didn't count for much, the second and third would. In order to understand what happened to defeat this system in Ohio one has only to look at the explicitly racist and red-baiting campaigns – often linked to prohibition and, later, “the War on Communism” – which historically followed the momentum and success stories state-wide. These reactive forces were aimed deliberately at disenfranchising the city's poor, black and immigrant citizens, and ensuring a reserve army of labor for the wealth­ iest industrialists. This is not to say that the voices for democracy went down without a fight. In Hamilton, Ohio, in 1944 voters rejected a fourth repeal attempt. In Toledo in 1946 proportional represen­ tation prevailed again; and again the following year. Significantly, in Cincin­ nati in 1947, another repeal campaign, lead by the Republican organization, linked the progressives and radicals with the 'red' menace, using a highly concerted propaganda campaign that included newspapers and billboard advertising, street car cards, posters, placards, leaflets, book matches, per­ sonal letters and radio spot announce­ ments. But even this backlash failed to change voters' minds on the issue for yet another two years. In white precincts, where many feared the election of black officials, proportionsl representation lost by a 2 to 1 margin; voters in black precincts supported its retention by 4 to 1. And in 1954, both Democrats and Republicans were de­ feated in their repeal efforts, but only narrowly. Three years later, Cincinnati finally succumbed. At the very start of the twentiethcentury, the 'important' votes in Cincin­ nati were collected through small favors in the wards of the major cities, and financed both by contributions from businessmen seeking franchises and tax benefits, and by kickbacks from illegal operators in gambling and prostitution who bought protection for their activities. While this no longer accurately describes the situation, we are still a long way from achieving fair representation, inclusion, and equal opportunities for minorities. Does it not make good democratic sense that our communities select the person we believe will be the most responsive to our needs and concerns? The power to draw Ohio’s legislative and con­ gressional district boundaries should be open and accountable, perhaps best invested in a commission which ideally would be independent and nonpartisan. For more information about the redistricting competition or to request a presentation, contact: Jim Slagle, Manager, Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting – 614-2634600 or jslagle@ohiocitizen.org �6 St r eet vibeS Local News J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Safe Pedaling: Cincinnati Graded on Bike Safety SUSAN LAKES Streetvibes Staff Writer W ith fuel prices soaring and obesity rates climbing, the City of Cincinnati embraced a plan to increase the number of people using bicycles for pleasure and commuting. The City committed $140,000, according to Michael Moore who heads up the city’s transportation and engineering department, for a bicycle plan that was put together by a design group from Maryland. Now, a few years into implement­ ing the plan, an evaluation or “report card on bicycling” is available on the city website. The most recent results “Motorists need to understand that the law mandates that cyclists be accommodated by all others on the road. Cyclists don’t “impede” traffic, cyclists are traffic!” Steve Magas, attorney were reported for 2009, with the evalu­ ation taking place in 2010. Here’s how Cincinnati fared: • Cincinnati as a city for bicycling – C, the same grade as it earned in 2009 •City’s efforts, progress in the past 12 months – B+, this was a new report card question in 2010 • Completeness of the bicycle network – C-, an improvement from the previ­ ous D/F grade in 2009 • Pavement quality – C, the same grade as was earned in 2009 • Respect shown by motorists – C, and full letter grade better than the 2009 grade That final “respect” category is what lingers on the mind of at least one cyclist, Oscar Chambers. He’s been pedaling since as long as he can remember. His trusty bike is his primary form of getting from point A to point B. “They go too fast,” Chambers said about what bothers him most about motorists’ behaviors. “They pull out in front on right turns on red.” Chambers offers these cautionary words to all the motorists who insist on speeding by and cutting him off. “Slow down. Look where you’re going before you end up hurting someone.” he said. “You’ll regret it and you won’t be able to sleep if you end up hurting someone.” Cycling enthusiast Steve Magas makes a strong argument that Ohio is a very safe place to ride a bike. Magas, known as “The Bike Attorney” reported just 11 bike riders lost their lives on the state’s roadways in 2010. That’s relatively low, Magas wrote in an email, compared to similarly-size d states. Ohio, according to Magas, aver­ ages 15 – 16 cycling deaths per year. That’s a statistic that should ease Chamber’s and other bikers’ minds. Compared to “The Big Three” states of California, Florida and Texas, which combined, account for 40 percent of annual cycling deaths, Ohio’s death statistic seems tiny. And it should. “Florida had ten times the number of deaths as Ohio last year,” Magas wrote. As far as safety advice, Moore offers this: “Wear a helmet, wear a helmet. Wear a helmet.” Magas too spoke out on safety. “Some things that riders can do to stay safe include: - Treat riding a bicycle like driving a car - you have exactly and precisely the same "right of way" as a bicycle operator as you if you choose to drive a car, truck, bus, motorcycle or Amish buggy along the roadway. You are to obey the same laws, and have the same responsibilities as well. Thus cyclists must: - Stop at stop signs - Stop at stop lights - Ride with traffic - NEVER against traffic - Obey speed limits - Never "Drink & Ride" reasonable and safe. In 2006 I helped write changes to that law which added specific examples of when you don't have to ride so far to the right - in­ cluding when there are parked cars, debris, etc. For motorists a strong education program is absolutely needed. There are many motorists who simply don't understand that the law allows a bicycle rider to ride on virtually every road in Ohio. Motorists need to understand that they can't harass cyclists - they can't run us off the road, they can't harass us, they can't ignore us. Motor­ ists need to understand that the law mandates that cyclists be accom­ modated... by all others on the road... cyclists don't "impede" traffic, cyclists ARE traffic!” - In addition to thinking like a "driver" you should ride your bike sufficiently into the lane so as to be a visible and conspicuous and visibly part of the traffic flow. There should be no question in the minds of other vehicle operators that you are ON the roadway. Hugging the white line like a "gutter bunny" is not a good strategy for riding on the roadway. - The law indicates that cyclists must ride "as near to the right side of the road as practicable." That word "practicable" is not defined in the law. I have always Bicyclists Kenny Havens moves down the road in Overargued that this word means the-Rhine. Photo: Aimie Willhoite Speak Out a Little Bit Louder Streetvibes reporter Susan Lakes hits the streets to ask Over-the-Rhine community members: Do you believe humans have the right to choose if another person lives or dies? Judy Tensing, 72, catering – How do we have the right to take the life of someone? (She pointed out the bumper sticker on a car that reads, “Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong? Source: Friends Committee to Abolish the Death Penalty).” We don’t want anyone to kill people in our name. That’s what the state does. What gives them that right?” Leon Jewell, 53 – Some people need to be taken care of. (The death penalty) is a good idea. Anita McCollum, 25, customer service – Not really. I’ll leave it up to the fate of God….it’s a touchy subject. We respected her wishes for no picture. Joe Boling, 23, security – I don’t believe in the death penalty. You should spend life in prison if you kill someone. Each crime should be looked at individually and a sentence given. David Harris, 52, former investigator – Yes. If they raped a child or something, they shouldn’t have the right to live since that destroys a child. Murder? Yes. I believe they have the right to be put to death. �St r ee t v ib e S The Whole World is a Stage RICCARDO TAYLOR Staff Writer A s in the words of the old Smokey Robinson ballad: “the whole world is a stage and everybody plays a part” the reality of the life of the street person fits perfectly. The scene is ever chang­ ing, yet, somehow the same. It is Riccardo Taylor. Photo: GCCH 7 Street Voice J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 here that we measure the difference. The stage being set, we each take a role, only the stage settings are not prompted. The runway for the stage is the sidewalk, and all its inclusive surroundings. Each role player has a script created from their own needs and understanding. The rules are ap­ plicable only when they are beneficial to the individual who institutes them. Created at whim the rules do apply! The ac­ tors, playing the role of their life start their per­ formance. Mindful that it’s all about me, each actor sets his or her goal on the immediate gratifica­ tion or gain that’s de­ sired. Accustoming our­ selves to the particulars of our desires, we step from the curtain of life’s scene. The sidewalk, that stage from which we give our greatest performance is always bustling, every player from the most to the least is in attendance. Hearing with your eyes and seeing with your ears act one begins. Canvassing the street we find that all the players are in po­ sition to perform the actions, which are geared specifically to- ward fulfilling their immediate needs. The sidewalks and alleys are busy with traffic; the coming and going are indicators of the availability of what­ ever product is being used and the available funding of the consumer. Of course from the outside things look quite normal and indeed they are for those who have that role, yet in order to understand what the shuffling back and forth really represent you have to become a part of the scene, or lend a very cautious ear too. The underlying action is often only imagined, the actuality of the scene is one that only the player can understand. So, let’s say we take a closer look! The dress often tells us the story of the individual. Draped in new gear (outfits) with a nice piece of jewelry tells us that this person is likely a dealer! Demanding attention from many of the street people assures us this is the person you need to see if drugs or vice is what you seek. Just a few feet away we see that individual with the cart. Always on the move, filling and then emptying the cart of its goods, a true hustler, work­ ing for every dime they get earned their way by the sweat of their brow, bartering, trading and selling their goods they make a living, playing out their role in the stage of life! Then there is the most common of the street people, the con man. Al­ ways with something to share, a line that is too real to believe. Lend an ear and relieve your pockets! He has a line that would make any playwright envious! The bystander is the last of the role players. This individual waits on the action, sometimes becoming in­ volved other times not. They can school you in on everything that’s happening on the street, having no hustle or merchan­ dise they just wait until an opportunity presents itself before they put their skills into effect! Everyone’s putting forth the best effort for the almighty dollar. It’s win some, lose some; when the game don’t pay, you change your role for the day! There are no limits to what, when, or how it’s about playing your role on the stage of the street world. As the curtain goes up, the scene is one to be created, understanding that broken dreams are everyone’s reality to be rewritten in the time al­ lotted before the next scene. Or one might ask, is it in fact one continuous play? The game of life, acted out on the stage of the world, where roles and scenes are intertwined so much so that the reality of a few affect so many. Domestic Discovery HARRISON LOTT Staff intern Writer I t’s amazing what a few scraps of paper and a couple of crayons can do. In the hands of a welltrained artist, they become an exten­ sion of the soul, capable of creating a visual masterpiece. In the hands of a child they are something to play with, giving free reign to the imagination. In my hands, however, as well as those of kids and adults from around the country, they are a means of discov­ ery. For the past two weeks here at the Coalition for the Homeless, we have had service groups from Texas and Missouri descend upon our doors in order to learn as well as serve. Their main task was to make deco­ rations for the GCCH parade float that was featured in last weekend’s Northside Fourth of July Parade; so each day for three hours, we sat in the conference room cutting, coloring, and most importantly—connecting. These groups traveled hundreds of miles to experience something un­ familiar—to step outside of their com­ fort zone and discover things about the world, and themselves, that they had no idea existed. Their discoveries were widespread. They learned about serious issues like homelessness and poverty, as well as more trivial things like Skyline Chili and that I ask for a “pop” when I want a bubbly soft drink. To them, Cincinnati represented the unknown, a blank canvas that they could paint with new experienc­ es and new ways of thinking. To me, a Cincinnati-native, that was a little harder to see. My canvas has years of brush strokes and pencil marks, decades of color and contrast, all of which can get in the way of discovery. But that doesn’t mean that I am un­ able to discover. In fact, perhaps the most important means of discovery comes when you think you have noth­ ing left to discover at all. When you are familiar with something it is easy to become complacent. It is easy to get stuck in a routine and become blinded to the colorful, complex world that surrounds you. There are so many opportunities to discover that we pass up every­ day because we feel as if we are too familiar with things. My canvas is littered with missed opportunities and experiences. For the longest time, I was too focused on my routine to discover my cre­ ative side. Now I love acting. For the longest time, I was too concerned with my routine to put much effort into new friendships. Now I’ve formed friendships with a variety of different groups. And for the longest time, I thought my city was boring and resis­ tant to change, but now I spend more time downtown than I do at home— and that time is spent working to effect the very change I once thought impossible. So I invite you to look beyond what you think you know, both about yourself, others, and your world in general. Look for those moments of discovery in everyday life. Seek to fill your canvas with new colors and brush stokes. Don’t be afraid of messing up, either, because every day brings with it an opportunity to repaint your canvas, to start anew and change your world. Kudos to the Media STEPHEN SNOW GENTRY Contributing Writer T he media response to the “street theatre” staged on Tuesday, June 28 across from the administrative offices of Cincinnati Development Corporation (3CDC), at 14th and Race, made me proud to be a native Cincinnatian. The event was a joint effort of the People’s Platform for Equality and Justice and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. All four local channels (5, 9, 12 and 19) reported the story with sensitive and excellent coverage. It is refreshing and positive to realize that this issue is being taken seriously. Having access to restrooms (that once existed) is a necessity and not a “mere” convenience. Denying access to restroom facilities does not negate the need for them. It only necessitates the resolution to “chart an alternative plan of action.” I am angered most because accommodations were made for the contractors and laborers inside the fenced work area of park renovation. However, little (perhaps, no) thought was afforded citizens who travel (between neighborhoods, either on foot or by public transportation) in the course of their daily business activity. I firmly believe that if this work was being done in some other area of the city a contingency plan would have been created BEFORE any demolition work was started. That, to me, would have been the proper and correct action to have taken. Finally, is “skirting” on the petty cost of a solution worth allowing our streets, sidewalks, stoops and doorways to become receptacles of human waste? Is it easier for the city and 3CDC to abandon responsible action so that they may blame others for a problem that is of their own CREATION? �Recipe 8 St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 ... MOUR T LONG! S Y E S E H L NIG JENI JENKIN FEED M L A E BY FEED M The title of this column is taken from the 1986 film “Little Shop of Horrors,” where a plant keeper must meet the demands of a ravenous plant that feeds on humans. Instead of plants that feed on people, this column is for people who feed on plants!! WALNUT, GRAPE & BLUE CHEESE SALAD Fresh Summer S During the summer as the heat rises I find it difficult to eat a heavy dinner, so the perfect solution is something fresh from your garden or a local farmer’s market. I personally love salads and in particular I love the ability to mix it up a bit each time using a variety of ingredients. Here is the second from my fresh summer salad series I hope you enjoy! Serving size, 4-5 bellies. Ingredients: 3 cups leafy romaine lettuce rinsed and chopped in bite size pieces 2 cups fresh red grapes, sliced Praesent molestie lorem Etiam ac libero 1 cup chopped walnuts LOREM ½ cup chopped red onions IPSUM Sed turpis ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper ¼ cup Blue Cheese • • • • • • In a large bowl toss the romaine, grapes and red onions together Top with chopped walnuts In a separate small bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad Top with blue cheese Voila, FEED! ala d ! �Photo Essay St r ee t v ib e S 9 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 OFFICIAL distributor Great Books! visit www.cincybooks.com Tommy Thompson Only Purchase STREETVIBES from BADGED Distributors To celebrate Streetvibes publishing its 200th edition we are offering special advertising rates for Summer 2011. Ads can be purchased for as little as $35. Let Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky know your business or organization supports those overcoming homelessness in your backyard! Call 513-421-7803 ext. 11 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org �Graphic Voice 10 St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Mark Twain Was Right: Stories from the 2001 Cincinnati Riots and Unrest DAN MOORE Author & illustrator ark Twain Was Right: Stories from the 2001 Cincinnati Riots and Unrest is a soon to be released graphic novel about United States’ first urban uprising in the 21st century. The story is told in a series of first-person perspectives from people who became intimately involved, from community leaders to random bystanders. Tying these narratives together is commentary by the author himself, then a budding radical teenager who finds the urban unrest influencing his life. Drawing on interviews and primary resources, a picture is painted of how one kid’s solitary death in a ghetto alley grows to impact every resident of the region. Mark Twain Was Right follows the sometimes contradictory and hard-to-comprehend developments from the day of the killing to Thomas’s funeral six days later, including the marches, posturing, organizing, brutality, looting, prayer, curfews and analysis that commanded international attention, inspiring ghetto residents and tormenting city leaders. M In a sense, all protest movements aspire to create a crisis for people who otherwise feel shielded from the harsh realities of the status quo. In 2001, there were undoubtedly all sorts of unpleasant things that occured on 13th and Republic. It was a tough place to be at that time.The vast majority of the population’s lives were never intruded upon because of what occured on 13th and Republic. That changed when Timothy Thomas was killed. For me, my life happened to be “interrupted” quite early on. THE DETAILS: For more information about the complete graphic novel Mark Twain Was Right, email cincinnatiriotsbook@gmail. com for information and updates about the release of the completed novel. �National St r ee t v ib e S 11 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Advocacy Group Tells Scholastic Kids Minds Are Not For Sale JeSSe CALL Staff intern Writer A n advocacy organization is calling on one of the nation’s largest publishers of school textbooks and curriculum to end its practice of allowing corporations to directly market to students through its products. Since the 1950s, Scholastic says it has allowed direct marketing to stu­ dents by providing free curriculum to teachers paid for by government agen­ cies, non-profits, foundations, and for-profit corporations the Scholastic InSchool program. The materials provided by forprofit corporations are the ones that are of most concern to the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, the Boston-based advocacy group that has started an online campaign to end the program. “There is widespread outrage that Scholastic is choosing to promote cli­ ent objectives and we’re very hopeful that Scholastic is hearing that,” Josh Golin, associate director of the Cam­ paign for a Commercial Free Child­ hood, said. In response to the recent atten­ tion brought to this issue by CCFC, Scholastic said it is taking “a thought­ ful review of all sponsored programs.” “'Kids are a captive audience,” Go­ lin said, adding that Scholastic should only be developing materials for the educational benefit of children and not “for the benefit of corporations to get their messages into schools.” However, Scholastic said it feels that this program is for the educational messages should not be coming from stakeholders. CCFC was successful benefit of children. last year in getting Scholastic to pull a Good cited several different program created by the coal industry programs that have been developed about the environmental impact of coal this year through the InSchool Market­ mining in the United States. Scho­ ing program, including lessons on the lastic declined to comment further U.S. Census, math literacy, fire safety, drug prevention, on that decision, diversity and the but CCFC said it environment. demonstrated a While CCFC clear conflict of believes tackling interest. important issues Scholastic like these should argues that the be done in schools, amount of eduCCFC does not cational materials support the mesdeveloped outside sages on the of this program issues coming from greatly exceeds foundations devel­ its sponsored curoped by corporate riculum. stakeholders. “These sponScholastic sored materials declined to name represent a tiny any of its clients, fraction of the but CCFC said hundreds of milthat in the past lions of pages of some clients have Photo: Campaign for a Commercial-Free content Scholastic included Disney, Childhood produces annuDreamWorks, ally,” Good said. Nestle, McDonald’s and America’s “Our trusted position in schools has coal industry. been earned over the past 90 years “Selecting partner organizations by the hard work of our committed em­ is challenging in a country rich with ployees who make it their mission to debate and divergent views on so ensure that every child learns to read many issues,” Kyle Good, vice presi­ and becomes a lifelong learner.” dent of corporate communications for And, Good contends that teachers Scholastic, explained. “But the alterna­ across the country appreciate that the tive of not teaching our children about sponsored curriculum is free. important and relevant issues of the “Teachers consistently tell us how day is not acceptable.” valuable our free materials are – and But, again, CCFC said, those even more so in these difficult eco- nomic times when so many schools are strapped for funds and resources.” However, CCFC said they are consistently being told by teachers and school board members that they feel Scholastic is violating its sacred place in our schools by allowing out­ side corporate influence. “People who are on school boards said they are extremely concerned about this and that if Scholastic did not change their policy they would be reviewing the entire presence of Scholastic in their schools,” Golin continued. It’s not clear whether any of the InSchool Marketing curriculum has made its way into local schools, but a Cincinnati Public Schools spokesper­ son said it is unlikely. CPS has a policy which does not allow schools to engage in activities for the benefit of for-profit corpora­ tions, she said, adding that a selection committee is in charge of determining curriculum under strenuous guidelines. Teachers are not supposed to use any curriculum not approved by the district. CCFC has used change.org, an online petition site, to collect more than 54,000 signatures demanding Scholastic end the InSchool Marketing Program. The petition is accessible online at: http://www.change.org/petitions/ tell-scholastic-stop-pushing­ corporate-pr-in-classrooms. National News Summary JeSSe CALL Staff intern Writer S mall crimes like riding public transporta­ tion without a ticket, when committed by people experiencing homelessness, are being referred to a special docket in Houston known as the “homeless court,” according to the Associated Press. As many of these indi­ viduals are unable to pay even the smallest of fines for these minor offenses, the court al­ lows them the opportunity to pay society back through community service. Defendants are referred by the local coalition for the homeless. Since early 2008, nearly 1,400 tickets have been cleared for people experiencing home­ lessness who might otherwise have gone to jail for minor crimes. It is the only court of its kind in Texas. T he city of Brentwood, Tennessee, an af­ fluent suburb of Nashville, has recently ticketed seven vendors of the street news­ paper, the Contributor, according to Nashville’s NewsChannel 5, for selling the paper in the public right of way. In response, the newspaper has teamed with the American Civil Liberties Union and filed a federal lawsuit alleging a constitutional violation of the First Amendment. Brentwood officials says there is a city safety ordinance banning the sale of merchandise in rights of way and they are simply enforcing the law equally to all persons. The officials added that they plan to amend the ordinance given the ACLU’s concerns to make it clear selling the newspa­ per is permitted as long as vendors do not enter the street. The lawsuit remains unsettled. T he clerk of Boone County, Kentucky is contesting a demand for the Kentucky State Board of Elections to al­ Kip Tiernan founded several homeless outreach agencies in Boston, low voters to register in his including the first U.S. homeless shelter for women. Here, she looks at county using “homeless” or the X placed in the lobby of the Greater Boston Food Bank, which she “place to place” as their ad­ dress. The Associated Press co-founded, to honor the story of her grandmother placing on X on her house during the Great Depression to mark it as a safe house where says that Kenny Brown, the people could get a free meal. Tiernan died recently at the age of 85. clerk, fears voter fraud will become easier in the Com­ man experiencing homelessness in monwealth under the policy. Kentucky election Bangor, Maine, was arrested and charged officials have seen a rise in the number of reg­ with theft of services after charging his istered voters in Kentucky that are homeless. cell phone on an outdoor outlet, according to the Associated Press. A Bangor Police Depart­ he founder of the first U.S. shelter for ment officer spotted the man using the outlet homeless women, Kip Tiernan, died of cancer in her Boston home July 2, accord­ and arrested him. The man was also charged ing to UPI. She was 85. Tiernan left a career in with carrying a concealed weapon because he was in possession of a small folding knife. advertising to help the homeless after hearing Several states offer programs that provide free a sermon. She founded Rosie’s Place in 1974. The mayor of Boston took time to honor Tiernan cell phones to people experiencing poverty for safety and assistance in finding employment. and her legacy. A T �Arts & Entertainment 12 St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 An Evening with the Music of Eli August J.P. DEAN Staff intern Writer I f you’re into steampunk and the music associated with it then you probably know bands like Abney Park, the Extraordinary Contraptions, Vernian Process and you might also know Eli August. Now for those of you unfamiliar with steampunk, well that’s a whole other article that you need to read (one which I’ll happily write for you someday) but stick with me for the Eli August bit for now. Originally from Wisconsin, Eli August now lives and records in Bal­ timore, a city strongly associated with the chilling musings of Edgar Allan Poe, which seems most apropos for the haunting tunes created by Mr. August. Although recognized by the steampunk community through his performances at many events such as the Steampunk World’s Fair in New Jersey, Eli August presents a sound that carves a unique niche within a unique genre; he’s not your typical steampunk musician. There is a melancholic earnest­ ness to his songs as August pours his soul through the strings of guitar, ukulele or mandolin. He is more akin to a folk singer sharing ballads of shadows and ghosts than a steampunk rock star blasting you with tales of airships and clockwork robots. The recent album “Let This House Burn Slowly” is packed with an emotional intensity that requires a large degree of commitment from the listener. Don’t expect many happy tunes from Mr. August. All of this resolute feeling is packed into his live acoustic per­ formances as demonstrated when he swung by Cincinnati in June; he is currently touring the Midwest on route to another circuit in Canada. The venue for the Queen City show, Roxx Electrocafe, was most apt for a steampunk singer. Newly opened this March in its home on Calhoun Street at the edge of the UC campus, Roxx Electrocafe appears to be just another hip coffee shop when you first walk in. A few steps further in, how­ ever, and you see all the steampunk inspired décor with gilded frames, rusted ray guns, and other objects that blend antique and modern in a strange harmony. For those still lost about steampunk, I promise I’ll write that article soon. A modest but dedicated crowd came out to see Eli August play his one man set for the coffee shop. At larger venues he plays with a band, Eli August. Photo: Jack A. Barker but this tour is what he refers to as his Parlour Tour, opting for smaller and more intimate venues that allow him to sit directly across from the audience to whom he performs. This closeness just seemed to amplify the emotional honestly of his songs as though you were there to bear wit­ ness to a confession rather than there to be entertained. Between songs, however, August is actually most entertaining with his self deprecating humor and there was a very dark mirth in his one cover song of the night; his take on Cyndi Lauper’s 80s hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” turns the pop tune into an­ other of his tragic ballads. THE DETAILS: Intrigued to know more? You can sample his style and music on his website www.eliaugust.com or of course you can find several Eli August songs on YouTube. Heard and Not Seen R ecently I went to the Blind Cafe in the North Presby­ terian Church in Northside, Cincinnati. The patrons filled in the pews by table assignment while waiting to be led to our respective tables. When it was our turn, we were instructed to hold onto the shoulder of the person in front of us and we would walk together to our table this way. We were not given any information about the size of the room or its configuration. The more experience I gain as a photographer the more I find myself seeing the world as a place filled with visual stimuli and less as a place filled with smells, textures, tastes, and sounds. But I’m also a person who, every once in a while, wants to experi­ ence life in a way different from the routine we all settle in to. Total blackout is something I’ve experi­ enced before: caving in Kentucky, a cabin in Hocking Hills, and many times under a lot of blan­ kets in the winter. The difference is — I’ve never had to walk in total blackness, and I’ve certainly never had to rely on someone else to get me through a room. My immediate first impression is that I instantly became unsure of how close I was to the person in front of me, despite the fact that I was holding onto their shoulder. I took extremely short baby steps for what seemed like a very long distance. While our blind conga line moved slowly through the blackness, the various sounds of tables chatting as our group passed by them sounded as if they were surrounding us and were inches away. It felt like, with a single mis-step, I could fall onto someone’s lap with my face in their soup! Eventually, we reached our table and were directed to our chairs. I was glad to be seated, walking in that level of darkness leaves you feeling unsteady. The food was already in front of us, something that felt like a lettuce wrapped burrito and a bowl of soup with a piece of corn bread. It is actually somewhat freeing to not be able to see the food you are eating. We were also informed that there was two familystyle bowls on the table, one with saag (an Indian dish made with spinach) and a separate bowl of what turned out to be very sticky rice, as well as a jug of water. It was up to us to pass around the food and try to figure out how to get it onto our plate once we finished what we already had. This is a challenge I’ll let you experi­ ence for yourself. It was a wonderful experience with music in the dark, as well a very interesting Q&A about living with blindness. I wonder if people were more comfortable asking certain questions because nobody could see them… When the night ended and there was light once again, the configuration of the room and the tables was the thing I found most surprising. But that’s also something that I’ll let you find out for yourself. They’ll be back — and when they are, we’ll let you know. [Jeff B.] Streetvibes has made a zany friendship with Make Cincinnati Weird and their mission to unveil all that is strange and beautiful about the Queen City. Watch out for more weird findings from these Over-the-Rhine, Northside and beyond writers. Learn more about their other bizarre investigations at makecincinnatiweird.com �St r ee t v ib e S Poetry & Entertainment 13 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 APPRECIATION WILLA DENISE JONES Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor Appreciation is a word that can be reckoned with Appreciation is something we oftentimes consider a myth Appreciation is something I give to God each day for living above ground And for his blessing of putting people in my life so stable and sound To understand just what it is that I as a person need to honestly appreciate Outside the Loop: Loveland Castle J.P. DEAN Staff intern Writer A loop cuts a ring around Cincinnati and North­ ern Kentucky. Some people lead their lives inside of it, some folks stay outside of it and others zip back and forth across of it; on the map it’s known as 275. There are many exciting and quirky things happening inside the loop, but what about out there? What odd and interesting things lay on the other side? Outside the Loop aims to explore the strangely familiar and the delightfully unknown things, places and people to be found in these outer limits. And to know that my mission of appreciation will not be a simple piece of cake Through being jailed and being homeless not to mention in the world all by myself I’ve learned to appreciate the hand that God to me has gracefully dealt I’ve learned to never forget that past and look forward to each day even though not promised I’ve learned to forgive but not forget and stop being a doubting Thomas I recognize and therefore appreciate the changes my life has ultimately taken I’ve learned to appreciate my faults for without them there would be no lesson I’ve learned to recognize my shortcomings and not I appreciate God’s Almighty Blessings I PROMISE YOU JOSH MCCONNELL Contributing Writer I’ll be there with you when you want me too, I’ll be there with you when you need me too. I’ll be there to catch you when you fall, I’ll be there to stand by you when you’re tall. This I promise you, this promise I will keep, from now until the end of time, the times we will test together as one. The fork in the road has been removed the moment our eyes met. A life without Love becomes meaningless, and when we met, you gave me back lost hope. You have found me, and I have found you. We are two turtledoves in a pear tree. You are like the sun that shines bright and you’re warm and you comfort me when I’m cold and blue. You take the worse of me and transform them into an inspirational passage, a beacon of hope in which the very beat of our hearts souley depends on. You are the light of my candle, the compass that guides my spirit on the path of true righteousness. You are the remedy that purifies my broken soul that makes me whole. I was lost, and now I’m found. You accepted me for who I am, you made me better then I could be, you made me stronger physcially and spiritually. Because of you, you taught me to be me. ©2011 Josh McConnell. Towering over the banks of the Little Miami River is a castle. It’s a modest-sized castle compared to some­ thing you might find in Europe, but it is indeed a castle with turrets on the roof and on the surrounding walls. To get there by car one must journey across the Loop near where it meets 71, follow Fields Ertel, drive away from the busy strip malls and finally down a narrow winding road. This serpentine path, Shore Road, is where the magic begins as you feel yourself moving away from the hubbub of highways and commercialism. The road ends with the castle grounds and suddenly you have been transported through time and space to something that is far removed. The first stones of the castle, officially known as Chateau Larouche, were laid in 1929 by Harry An­ drews who almost single handedly built the whole place himself. It was his life’s work and home that he contin­ ued to build until 1981 when he died at the age of 91. Andrews, or Sir Harry to those more familiar with the castle, served in the First World War as a medic and was declared dead for a while. Upon returning from the fighting in France, very much alive, he discovered that his fiancé, believing that he was dead, had married another. Andrews remained a bachelor for the rest of his life; starting during the Depression years, he chose instead to mentor local boys who later became known as the Knights of the Golden Trail (KOGT), a religious reference to the path to heaven. Andrews decided that the “knights” needed a castle, so he began to build one. The castle still stands strong and the current gener­ ation of the KOGT act as stewards of what has become a museum and local yet obscure attraction. Each year in October the castle becomes an impressive haunted house for Halloween and over the summer there is a monthly family friendly castle day on the third Saturday that has the feel of an intimate Renaissance Festival. On July 16th the castle is also hosting its second Mid­ summer Masquerade in collaboration with Queen City Cabaret. This is an event for the adults to don masks and fancy costume and then dance into the night with entertainment from fire breathing belly dancers and other such circus-like performers. If you remember the masquerade scene from the movie Labyrinth, it’s sort of like that. There are quite a few events held there, it’s even available for fairy tale weddings, but mostly the castle just sits serenely looking over the river. During the sum­ mer, April to September, the castle is open every day between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and only on the weekends during the winter months. It costs $3 per person to tour the grounds and the museum which all goes to the maintenance of this magical addition to the greater Cincinnati area to be found Outside the Loop. �14 The Carter Doctrine JIM LUKEN Contributing Writer Meetup St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Meetup is meant to tell people’s stories in their own words. The views expressed in this column are solely those of the interviewee and not those of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Streetvibes or the staff, volunteers and board members. eet Ron Carter. 58 years old. Father of ten. Long­ time proud resident of Over-the-Rhine. Self-styled evan­ gelist … without a church. True believer… in the power of his own truth. If you spend any time in the neighborhood, you’ve probably seen Ron hanging out and/or help­ ing out. He’s a big guy with long dreads and an easy, infectious smile. Walk up to him and start a conversation, even if you don’t know him. He’ll have something worthwhile to say, almost guaran­ teed. And, it’ll be easier to get him started talking than it will be to get him to stop. Ron Carter is full of big ideas, and it doesn’t bother him if they may be unpopular with many of the folks he calls neighbors. He believes in these ideas. When we sit down for lunch at Our Daily Bread, the first thing he wants to talk about is welfare. He says he wants to reform welfare. He calls his reform idea: The Cart­ er Act. His goal is to save money for the welfare system, so that money will be available in those situations where there is the great­ est need. “I would like to see the welfare office dislodge the people [wel­ fare recipients] from the money.” Carter explains that if they send out vouchers for major services— rent, utilities, phone, transporta­ tion, food, they would eliminate Ron Carter . Photo: Jim Luken the monthly check [the money] and, with its elimination, many of a burden on society. the problems caused by that check “The way I see it,” Carter says, would disappear, or lessen. many of the young women on wel­ And what are those big problems fare “are taking full advantage of in the neighborhoods? Duh! “Crime, something good, to do something drugs and the misuse of money,” he bad. If you eliminate the money, you says. But the big problem, according get rid of many of these problems.” to Ron Carter, is a problem of “at­ Ron Carter feels as if his own titude.” life—even with all its mistakes— “If you eliminate your attitude, could be an example to some. “I was and if you can pass the piss test, you working when I was 12, paying taxes will be able to get a job, and suc­ when I was 15. After squeaking ceed. If you shut your mouth, and through Taft High School, he found open your eyes and ears you learn himself in the military in Vietnam, a lot. It’s not the weak. It’s not the where he was an equipment storage strong. It’s the educated.” specialist. Carter continues: “I want my “Even though I wasn’t it combat, brothers and sisters to take respon­ Vietnam did something to me,” he sibility for themselves. If you are not explains. “I went to school in the taking care of your personal busi­ service. I went to school in ‘Nam. ness for you and your family, all you It gave me a chance to stand up should receive is the vouchers for and be accounted for in this world. your specific needs.” I made it. I got into the groove. I Carter believes that cash money wasn’t the same person when I should not be a part of the equation. came back.” Period. According to Carter, this was a “In the new millennium,” Ron two-edged sword. His high school Carter attests, “we’ve got more and sweetheart, who had given birth to more, younger and younger, women his first child, couldn’t handle his on welfare.” According to Carter’s new personality. assessment, many of these women “I wasn’t little Ronnie anymore. I take drug dealers into their apart­ couldn’t take it. I didn’t adjust well [to ments, and sometimes into their civilian life].” lives. The women give their welfare Carter insists on avoiding the money to their favorite drug boy, and subject of his own childhood, except he “flips it.” This means he uses it to to say that, in the midst of many buy drugs, and then sells them for a well-paying jobs, in the midst of big return, often more than doubling raising ten children, from seven the original money. Carter explains different women, he was plagued that the dealer then pays the young off and on with mental issues that woman back (usually), plus interest. emerged and re-emerged from his So the welfare money itself creates M difficult upbringing. “I suffer from anxiety and de­ pression, I am unstable a lot of the time. Alienated. I’ve been in psyche wards, [and] a mental hospital.” And worse. Twice he has found himself in prison for robbing banks in the downtown area. “I can’t explain it exactly. I guess I would just go a little crazy. Couldn’t control myself. I didn’t want to hurt anybody. Robbing a bank seemed better. Banks are secure. Cops can’t easily fire their guns in banks. And tellers have to give you the money.” Finally, Ron concludes. “It was stu­ pid.” Carter’s work life was robust and varied. After the army, he worked for the old Shillitos, downtown. Then, on the basis of his military background, he got a job at Cincin­ nati Milacron, where he learned to read blueprints. He worked for Buckeye Steel Foundry in Lockland. He spent 13 years as a dispatcher for K-D Lamp. “I became somebody you could trust to get the job done,” Carter says. He left the lamp company be­ cause of a long-time desire to own his own business rather than work for someone else. In 1986, he bought three used cabs from the Yellow cab company. “I had it made until this drug thing had its effect.” This was the period of time when drugs were coming into wide use. “I couldn’t get decent people to work, without them using drugs,” he la­ ments. In 1990, he went back to work at K-D lamp, and worked there until 1994, when, as Carter describes it, “I went back to the old Shady-Lane gang I used to hang with.” This re­ sulted in the first of his bank robber­ ies in Brighton. After paying his dues in prison, Ron Carter did something that he believes few have done. He con­ vinced Procter and Gamble to hire him into their maintenance depart­ ment. “It took me two years to get into P&G. Finally they hired me, de­ spite my felonies. You’re a liar if you try and tell me that having a felony will prevent you from working!” Proctor and Gamble was groom­ ing Carter to be a supervisor, but he left his job in 2004, shortly after one of his sons was murdered. “I had a nervous breakdown,” he says. “The VA helped. They sent me to a men­ tal hospital. But I can’t get past it. I haven’t been the same since.” Now Ron Carter is himself on assistance from the VA. He has found a kind of mission in life to help people and to advise them. He says he has helped more than 200 young people in various ways. “Some of them call me ‘Poppa Ron’ when they see me.” After his decision to give up reg­ ular employment. Ron Carter took to the street corner. “I thought it would be better if I got out here and talked to people, and tried to inspire them.” He says he can’t help it if people look at him as a born leader. “I’m comfortable with people who are less fortunate,” Carter says. “The best I can advise you is to minimize the power of your environment.” We serve as a creative outlet for women in need to uncover their talents and build relationships while making and selling jewelry, quilts, and other handcrafted items. We provide a welcoming environment and continuous support-our women do the rest. They are our voice. They are our mission. They are our Sarah Center. Artists receive 50 % from the sale of their items, while the rest goes towards materials and other support. Sarah Center HELPING WOMEN HELP THEMSELVES 1618 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 For more information visit www.sfoutreach.org �Resources St r ee t v ib e S 15 J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Cincinnati Union Bethel 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 381-SAFE 768-6907 FreeStore/FoodBank 557-2873 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 681-2365 762-5660 872-9259 Shelter: Men City Gospel Mission 1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Justice Watch St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 St. Vincent de Paul 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 241-5525 Prospect House 241-0490 381-4941 Starting Over 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 961-4080 761-1480 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 471-1100 221-3350 Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 721-8666 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 562-8841 621-5300 961-1983 784-1853 Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 357-4602 352-2902 352-6363 558-8888 981-5800 458-6670 977-4489 Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 961-2256 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 961-4663 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House 241-2965 Hamilton County ADAS Board Recovery Health Access Center Sober Living Talbert House 946-4888 281-7422 681-0324 641-4300 Hamilton/Middletown 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 Northern Kentucky 721-4700 421-7803 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 Center for Respite Care 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 351-7921 631-1114 211 977-5541 421-5211 People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets Joseph House (Veterans) 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 621-1868 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless 381-0111 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 351-0422 381-6672 241-2600 241-2563 621-5514 214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Treatment: Both AA Hotline CCAT Other Resources 921-1613 Health 621-6364 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach Treatment: Women 661-4620 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 271-5501 381-2247 Crossroad Health Center Treatment: Men First Step Home 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 241-1064 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 Charlie’s 3/4 House Shelter: Both Anthony House (Youth) 535-2719 591-2246 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 �Column 16 St r eet vibeS J u l y 8 - 2 1 , 2 0 11 Art Grows Communities Ken Swinson uses art for his own sake and the sake of others. W orking at the Beehive Tavern, in Augusta, KY, Ken Swinson befriended the owner, Luciano Moral, a native of Cuba, who had immigrated as a child to the United States. “Luciano was very generous, always helping people in the community,” says Swinson. “He gave much more than he took. He influenced me a lot and I wanted to follow in his steps.” Since then Swinson has been very active in every community where he lived, using art to bring people together, empower them, help improve their communal life. A self-taught visual artist, he grew up in a mili­ tary family and never lived in one place for long... until ten years ago when he fell in love with rural Northern Kentucky. He has been living there since, initially in Augusta and more recently in Old Wash­ ington, part of Maysville. John Parker, painting by Ken Swinson. Photo: Ken Swinson appreciation of nature, also from issues related to where he lives. Many of his prints, for instance, pertain to biking and its beneficial effects, healthy exercise, direct connection with the surroundings. An avid biker himself, he rode all the way to Wash­ Raised in a Mormon family, he was taught early ington, DC, and documented visually his trip. Up Hill, on to care and have compassion for others. In col­ a serigraph, shows him biking up hill, welcomed by lege, he took pre-med classes, seeking a profession cows and birds; a Pig on a bike ironically alludes to to help people; he learned quickly, however, that his conviction that everyone can use the transporta­ medicine did not suit him. He quit, did not pursue his tion mean to an advantage. undergrad education, and resorted instead to mak­ “Poor health due to sedentary living, and scarce ing art. and polluting fuel, are two important problems our “Art was one thing I always loved to do,” he country faces,” he says. “Bicycling is a natural says. “It helped me in difficult times; I discovered it remedy for both. Through my cycling artwork I try was a powerful tool I could also use with others.” to inspire people to want a bike, raising at the same Swinson learned on his own the techniques of time awareness about health and the environment.” printmaking and pottery. At the time, his printed im­ Also a video-maker, Swinson recorded in motion ages were mostly portraits and landscapes; his pots, many of his nature experiences, trying to impart a functional, decorated with painted scenes. sense of awe onto the viewer witnessing nature’s beauty, at the same time stressing the importance of a healthy natural living. His video Kentucky Canoe trip incorporates his painted images with nature scenes, communicating a feeling of peace and harmony; birdwatching, the pleasure of biking and discovering the world of animals. Living not far from Ripley, Ohio, a key town in the Underground Railroad, Swinson learned more about slavery. He started a series of paintings and prints illus­ trating heroes of that period, “brave people who stood up for the right thing at a time when it was the wrong thing Ken Swinson in his studio stands in front of his art work. Photo: Bill Howes to do,” he says. In 2003, when the Iraq war started, he got dis­ His painting John Parker illustrates the story tressed, firmly believing the war unjustified; he also of Parker, a former slave who bought his freedom, resented the direction the country was taking and settled in Ripley and became active in the Under­ the imposed climate of fear and control. He sold his ground Railroad, helping runaway slaves escape to belongings and wandered for six months in his van freedom. He is shown barefoot assisting a couple throughout Florida and California, camping, living and their baby he had just rescued, to escape. mostly in natural parks. He drew and painted many eliza Harris, a linocut print, is a portrait of the nature-related scenes, peaceful subjects that took famed woman holding her child. Desperate for him away from politics, helped him meditate. Back to freedom, Harris crossed the partly frozen Ohio River Northern Kentucky he continued his own art but also jumping from ice flow to ice flow, braving death. became more involved in community activities. Swinson incorporated the image of a white hand, Swinson’s art stems from his contact with and that of Chance Shaw of the Ohio Patrol who rescued Saad GhoSn Contributing Writer her and stated: "Any woman who crossed that river carrying her baby has won her freedom." A better Life, a screenprint, is in honor of all the nameless fieldworker slaves who dared to dream of a better life; it includes a dove, symbol of hope, and a river and the North Star, for freedom. Swinson later animated the print showing the dove flying. “In the last four years I have been able to live completely from my artwork,” says Swinson. “I have been very grateful and felt the responsibility to give even more to the community.” As a result Swinson became involved in many community-oriented projects. In Maysville, with artist friend Barb Clark he started few years ago Art Walk, now a yearly com­ munity event where artists connect with various businesses, exhibiting their work inside their spaces; the event brings visitors downtown to view the art­ work and discover, at the same time, what the town has to offer. Also in Maysville he has been teaching a monthly free art class to both adults and children. He recently arranged a screen-printing activity for residents to screen-print a design on their old cloth, thus introducing them to printmaking and to recycling. Volunteering for a neighborhood children Christmas party in the Pendleton area of Cincinnati where his studio is, he brought in his portable press and taught the kids how to print their own holiday cards. In Augusta with only one school and no art teacher, he will be organizing this November an art fair for local artists to interact with students, demon­ strate and display their work, educate on the pos­ sibilities of art. Living in a house with a large backyard Swin­ son opened it as a community garden, making it a rallying place for the neighborhood to gather, plant and connect. He also started Grass Root Arts an independent social project to encourage community participation, reciprocity and generosity through the arts. It proposes communal art-related activities to help promote social causes. “I have always been passionate about causes that improve community and society,” says Swinson. “I want to use art to help advance them. I also hope to inspire people to make their own art and contrib­ ute to a better world.” Swinson is an activist through his artwork, his actions, his lifestyle. Very active in his community, he strives to make a positive difference… He uses his art to express himself, communicate, give and bring others together. Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be reached at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � 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 2011 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 8-21, 2011 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Drawing the Line: Redistricting in Ohio A Penny A Pound More, Is What We’re Fighting For Pg 2: Rallying Cry: Sports! Pg 3: Distributor Program Pg 4: Penny a Pound Continued Pg 5: Community Bowel Movement Pg 6: Safe Pedaling Pg 7: The Whole World is a Stage Pg 8: Recipe Pg 9: Photo Essay Pg 10: Mark Twain was Right Pg 11: Advocacy Group Tells Scholastic Kids Minds are not for Sale Pg 12: An Evening with the Music of Eli August Pg 13: Poetry Pg 14: The Carter Doctrine Pg 15: Resources Pg 16: Art Grows Communities 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 8-21, 2011 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Catie Dargue Jeni Jenkins Susan Lakes Riccardo Taylor Della Woolens Rubye Goode Georgia Bohannon Stephen Gentry Willa Denise Jones Saad Ghosn Jim Luken Lee Mccoy Bill Howes Paul Davis Aimie Willhoite Jesse Call J.P. Dean Mark Grauhuis Alisa Balestra Harrison Lott Corey Luthringer Brittany Fong Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aimie Willhoite Alisa Balestra Art Biking Bill Howes Brittany Fong Carter Doctrine Catie Dargue Cincinnati Corey Luthringer Della Woolens Eli August Harrison Lott J.P. Dean Jeni Jenkins Jesse Call Jim Luken Josh Spring Lee McCoy Mark Grauhuis Mark Twain Music Paul Davis Photography Poetry Protests Redistricting Riccardo Taylor Riots Rubye Goode Georgia Bohannon Saad Ghosn Stephen Gentry Susan Lakes Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/96600fdd4c998e350cddf1ee679495ad.pdf 3ada771f65c5aa06d29807b5944cfaf6 PDF Text Text Interview with Mia Carruthers Page 11 Hollywood and Poverty Page 8 Artists as Activists Page 16 STREETVIBES $1 June 1-14, 2010 • Advocating Justice, Building Community • Issue 178 Tell Me: Do You Want to Hold Me? Buy a street paper, help end homelessness By GreGory Flannery Editor egates from 42 street papers in 27 coun­ tries. Some of the papers are huge. Erlik Oslo, in Norway, for example, sells 24,000 elbourne, Australia – Clar­ copies a month. The population of met­ ity arrived on the final day of ropolitan Oslo is about 1.3 million. In the the 15th annual conference city of Cincinnati, whose populations of the International Network of Street is about 340,000, Streetvibes sells 8,000 Papers (INSP). copies a month. “We could very Some street papers well be the largest have paid staff. Many The general membership do not. (Streetvibes has social enterprise in the world,” said Lisa one.) Some European embraced the notion: McLean, executive di­ Street papers are a tangible street papers receive rector of INSP. government subsidies. solution for individuals. Street papers around Many street papers do Given the size of the the world employ not. (Streetvibes is pubstreet-paper movement, an estimated 50,000 lished by the Greater street papers are already homeless and former­ Cincinnati Coalition for one of the largest social ly homeless people as the Homeless, which enterprises in the world. vendors, according to refuses all government McLean. funding.) INSP members shared sales strategies, Social enterprise is the use of econom­ ic activity for social good. Selling street discussed local impediments – it is illegal papers is a form of self-employment for to sell on the streets in the Philippines, for example – and pondered new riddles: poor people. “Selling street papers is an instant shift When Big Issue Korea launches in Seoul from unemployment to employment,” this summer, how many copies would be said Steven Persson, CEO of Big Issue right for a city of 10 million people? Australia, host of the INSP conference. The one common element among “You can start a business for $1.” street papers is their purpose: to fight Streetvibes and many U.S. street news­ poverty by giving homeless people jobs. papers sell for $1 but street papers in Europe and Australia tend to be glossy ‘Other choices’ magazines, selling for up to $5. The price range and print quality are among the The final day of the INSP conference many variations in street papers around featured a presentation by the Global the world. Poverty Project, whose Australian gen­ The INSP conference included 70 del­ eral manager, Richard Fleming, provided M See INSP, p. 4 Frank Dries shows a bag that says, “Do you want to hold me?” INSP. Sheriff Wants to Follow Arizona Jones wants cops to be immigration agents By Jeremy Flannery Contributing WritEr B Butler County Sheriff Richard O. Jones posted this online photo of himself at the Mexican border with Arizona on May 25. utler County Sheriff Richard O. Jones is pushing a November ballot initiative to have Ohio voters adopt legislation similar to Arizona’s new immigration crackdown. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says he will veto any bill that mirrors Arizona’s new law, which requires local police to question anyone suspected of having entered the United States without legal documents. State Rep. Courtney Rick Combs (R-Hamilton) is working with Jones on the ballot initiative, according to the sheriff. The Arizona law states, “For any lawful contact made by a law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigra­ tion status of the person.” The League of United Latin American Citi­ zens of Ohio (LULAC Ohio) sent an open let­ ter to Jones opposing his initiative. The letter details the positive economic impacts of im­ migrant workers and the negative impacts of anti-immigration laws. Jason Riveiro, state director of LULAC Ohio, wonders why Jones considers immigration law a priority for Butler County and Ohio. “I think fiscal conservatives should be questioning how this is going to affect the budgets with enforcement of such a law,” Riveiro says. “Is this really a priority in Ohio? Why is Rick Jones making this a top priority in Butler County? Ohio isn’t Arizona, so it’s like Arizona budgetary concerns requesting snow See Arizona, p. 4 �2 STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Editorial By The Numbers 7 The amount of taxes, in billions of dollars, paid by undocumented workers (see page 1). 24,000 The number of copies a street paper in Oslo, Norway, sells each month (see page 1). 1 The dollar denomination of U.S. currency used to create Hey Buddy Can You Spare a Dime (see page 16). 2010 The year Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for best actress (see page 8). 90 Mojo’s weight, in pounds (see page 3). 34 The number of homeless patients served on a typical day at McMicken Dental Clinic (see page 5). 2.5 The length, in boring hours, of Robin Hood (see page 7). 90 The speed, in miles per hour, at which a suspected drunk driver was traveling (see page 12). Don’t Look Away By GreGory Flannery Editor L ynne Ausman could have looked away in disgust when she saw a man pull down his pants and defecate on East Twelfth Street one morning last month. But she didn’t. Instead, Ausman, administrative coordinator of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, looked at the man with compassion, knowing he was troubled, know­ ing he would be arrested if she didn’t act quickly, knowing he needed help. She resolved to make sure he got it. Ausman phoned Josh Spring, executive director of the Homeless Coalition, who enlisted the aid of Rob Goeller, the coalition’s human-rights outreach coor­ dinator. Together the three of them tried to reach a social worker who specializes in helping homeless mentally ill people. A fourth employee helped Spring escort the man to the Homeless Coalition before police arrived. This is the kind of people I work with. It turned out the man – his name was Eddie – was out of medication for his seizure dis­ order. Initially suspicious, he thanked the people who helped him. He said he was 48 years old. He looked 20 years older. “Why are you people being so nice to me?” Eddie asked. “Because you’re important,” Spring said. The work isn’t always as unpleasant as the circumstances under which our staff wel­ comed Eddie. It can often be rewarding, as when vendors succeed in selling enough copies of Streetvibes that they are able to secure housing. It isn’t uncommon for our staff to invite extra work. Della Woolens is a receptionist for the Homeless Coalition. If that job title sounds mundane, there is nothing commonplace about the work she does. Our homeless guests are by definition people in distress, and they bring with them the anger, the frustration, the need and the fear that characterize life on the margins of society. They find in Woolens an unfailing patience, an unfaltering kindness. Want proof? Woolens is now embarked on starting the Safe Haven and Homeless Mentor Network. “Since I began working here I have taken a great interest in helping the homeless,” she says. “Particularly, I am concerned with protecting the homeless from violence and hate.” The facility she hopes to found will start out as a day shelter for homeless people, with the hope of expanding as funding allows. “Safe Haven will provide a nurturing and hospitable environment, while providing much needed connections to community resources as well as safe, reliable transportation to and from outside agencies, physicians, employment sites and housing opportunities,” Woolens says. “A second major component will be the creation of a homeless mentor network that would pair homeless individuals with caring and nurturing community volunteers willing to devote time to providing support, love and guidance.” Here’s where you come in – and it won’t cost you a penny. Pepsi Co. is holding a compe­ tition for a $50,000 grant to benefit a non-profit organization. Safe Haven and Homeless Mentor Network is among the groups contending for the grant. To help get the project start­ ed, go to Refresheverything.com/safehavenforthehomeless and vote for it to get the grant. Finally solving homelessness will take major government funding and changes in so­ cial policies, because the greatest single cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing, as Jeni Jenkins, education coordinator for the Homeless Coalition, tells anyone who will listen. But the work of helping individual homeless people is often grassroots in nature. Earlier this year a blogger criticized the Homeless Coalition for trying to organize low-income residents of the Metropole Apartments to resist their forced displacement. The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) has decided that their homes would make a fine location for a boutique hotel. The Homeless Coalition’s effort was clearly just an effort to make money, according to the blogger. The assertion was false. The coalition didn’t make any money by helping the low-income residents. Nor did it try to. Nor is the coalition the kind of employment likely to fuel a lucra­ tive career. One example: This month we are at long last able to put paper towels in our rest room. When budgets are tight, as ours always is, we cut costs where we can. Fortunately, we are not in this fight alone. Thanks to the generosity of United Nations Appeals Judge Mark Painter, I was able to attend the annual conference of the International Network of Street Papers last month in Melbourne, Australia (see “Tell Me: Do You Want to Hold Me,” page 1.) The street-paper movement is growing. Until governments around the world meet their responsibility and end homelessness, it is up to organizations like the Homeless Coalition to do what they can. What we can do right now is enable homeless people to earn a small income by selling street papers. Streetvibes is part of an international social enterprise, helping homeless people support themselves. By buying this paper, you, too, are part of the solution. The first step is to not look away. If you see someone relieving himself on the sidewalk, he likely needs help. Call the Homeless Coalition at 513-421-7803, and we’ll make sure he gets it. If you would like to help the coalition, you can make a tax-deductible donation by send­ ing a check to GCCH (117 E. 12th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202). If you see someone selling Streetvibes, don’t look away. Your $1 donation will mean 75 cents in the vendor’s pocket. You might also find yourself surprised by her commitment, determination and wisdom. Homeless people are your neighbors – people who are important. 50,000 The amount, in dollars, that Della Woolens hopes Pepsi Co. will give for the Safe Haven and Homeless Mentor Network (see page 2). www.facebook.com/ streetvibescincinnati twitter.com/ streetvibesnews streetvibes. wordpress.com Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Email: streetvibes2@yahoo. com Website: www. cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress. com Streetvibes Staff Editor Gregory Flannery Art Director Lynne Ausman Graphics/Layout Intern Veronica Glass Vendor Coordinator Jeni Jenkins Contributing Writers Michelle Dillingham, Samantha Groark, Margo Pierce, Paul Kopp, Jeremy Flannery, Michael Henson, David Heitfield, Corey Gibson, Jeni Jenkins, Saad Ghosn, Lew Moores, Larry Gross, Eli Braun, Jesse Call, Brendon McCartney, Michael Fanning Photography/Artwork Aimie Willhoite, Lynne Ausman, Anthony Williams, Vinit Murthy, Jon Hughes Proofreaders Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes. We are proud members of: �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 3 Column One Thing Leads to Another A search for a missing dog leads to unexpected discovery By B. CliFton Burke Contributing WritEr T oday I am sore, I am tired, I have blisters on my feet, but I am immensely happy, and here is why. It’s now late Wednesday, but my tale begins on Monday night around 6:30 pm or so. It was a glorious evening, nice and cool for midMay but still sunny with the trees in full bloom. I lounged on the deck – there is no other way to live on the deck – and sipped on one of my father's beers – a Stella Artois, I believe – and contemplat­ ed dinner. The Reds would start soon and I hadn’t watched them in a while. They were playing well; my interest was piqued. I decided I’d meander up to Chicago Gyro and eat something greasy while I watched baseball and drank beer. My Dad was out­ side, and I explained my intentions to him. “Get me a gyro” is all he said about it while he tooled with something in the dirt. I reached down and petted Mojo on the head. “I'll be right back, buddy,” I told him. It's what I always tell him. Most times I tell where I’m going. If I’m off to work, I don’t say that I’ll be right back, I tell him I'm going to work and that I’ll be back that night. But he knows that without my telling him. Like all dogs, he is a master observer and picks up on the slightest cues from my behav­ ior. Still, I like to believe that he is more observant than most dogs and is what we would call “smart.” This time he didn’t know where I was going, and it bothered him. My Dad continued working on something, transfixed on his task. I wandered away from the house and my mind wandered away from the present. No one noticed Mojo follow me. On my walk to Chicago Gyro, it dawned on me how content with life I’d been of late. It had been a good run for a while. I enjoyed my job, loved my woman and found being happy the normal state of being; there was nothing worthwhile to complain about it. But like any good sports fan, I felt the jinx lurk­ ing just behind such pleasant sentiments. Super­ stition might be silly, but it hasn’t lasted this long by accident. I see it as a weird byproduct of human freewill. Prior to human intelligence there was no superstition on Earth. Things happened for sci­ entific reasons only, and there were no mysteries. Then somebody got the idea that too much of a good thing can only spell eventual disaster, which is invariably the case, and then allows some sage of paranoia to leap up out of his hut and yell, “Ah ha! I told ya!” once the shit hits the fan. Based on that guy, the world can’t shed the idea that maybe there is something to superstition after all, which leads to all kinds of nonsensical traditions, includ­ ing organized religion; but that rant is preserved for another day. The point is, thinking everything in my life was gravy immediately led me to regret thinking it in the first place for fear of swift personal tragedy brought on by the power of the announcer jinx – the announcer in this case being me. I laughed off the notion and once more began considering ways to properly end the novel I’d been tinkering with off and on for years. Thirty minutes later I returned to my house with a six-pack of Si­ erra Nevada's Glissade and two gyros. There is a large grassy field next to my house where many dog-owners, myself included, use as a play area for their dogs’ recreation. Mojo loves this particular field. He has spent most of his life coming here to play and no dog has ever played harder in this field than he. Chasing the tennis ball is as much his job as tackling people is for Ray Lewis. It’s no-nonsense and visceral. You would be impressed. Dog gone In the field on this day was a different, smaller dog (Mojo is a Rottweiler-German Shepherd mix and weighs in around 90 pounds). This other dog’s owner was a college-looking dude, fairly non-de­ script, and was throwing his own tennis ball to this clearly amateur dog. I expected to see Mojo gallop­ ing alongside this stranger, showing how the game is played, but he wasn’t. If he saw this game taking place, he would have stormed the scene and caused a moment of fear and apprehension from the other dog's owner. “Why is this giant dog running at us unattend­ ed?” he would have asked himself. “What should I do?” My Dad was still fiddling with something and uninterested in the tennis-ball chase taking place nearby. “Did Mojo try to play with those guys?” I asked. I assumed, as he wasn’t in sight, that Dad had put him in the basement. “Where is he?” Dad asked. That’s when I knew he was gone. His tennis balls lay there in the yard. I picked one up, called his name, and bounced the ball to get his attention. Nothing. Dad tried yelling, too. He has a booming voice that dwarfs mine, but still to no avail. The only place I walk my dog is to my girlfriend Melanie’s, so I set off in that direction. A middleaged man I often see in his yard was there. He hadn’t seen Mojo. I called Melanie and told her I was out­ side her apartment and Mojo was missing. We drove around for a couple hours looking for him. I was also able to enlist my buddy, Aaron, and his dog, Apollo. The two cars (Melanie's and Aaron’s, as well as Dad’s), cruised the neighborhood. He was nowhere. After a while, darkness set in and it began to rain. I relieved the drivers, borrowed Apollo and set off on foot. I canvassed huge swaths of Clifton yelling his name every now and then. Nothing. I Trees brighten an urban landscape - and sometimes conceal tragedy. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann. walked for a few fruitless miles and even had the unpleasant experience of hearing one pit bull kill another pit bull, or at least significantly maim him, as I unintentionally got the dogs riled up by simply walking past their yard. I didn’t hear anyone come out to check on the carnage. Needless to say, that only sharpened my worry and anxiety for my bud­ dy, Mojo. I eventually became listless and very tired. I rea­ soned that, in order to search more tomorrow, I had to go home and sleep. I took the long way home, checking on all kinds of weird, dead-end roads and ended up at home near midnight, dogless and dis­ traught. Once the idea settled in that I was now giving up for the night, all the terror and fear for Mojo fully set in. There was only one way this saga would turn out OK, and that was getting my dog back un­ harmed. But there were countless ways it could go wrong, and they all consumed me that night. I’m not ashamed to admit that I sobbed – a total emo­ tional meltdown. The thing that wouldn’t leave my head is that old dogs weren’t supposed to run away. Yes, old dogs die, and that was a big enough challenge to wrap my head around, but an old dog wandering off just wasn’t the way the universe was supposed to work. It wasn’t right. I couldn’t swallow it. I tearfully prayed to anyone tuned in to that kind of frequency that night that I would really appreci­ ate Mojo’s safe return. I mentally projected at him to hang tight for the night and that I would find him the next day. It was a miserable night. I fell asleep close to 1 a.m. I woke up at 6:45 and was out of the house by 7:15. Anyone who knows anything at all about my regular schedule will unanimously agree that anything before 8 a.m. is completely unheard of, and yet that was the case. No breakfast but coffee, an umbrella, a rain coat and I was out again. The body in the woods The part of town I was convinced hadn’t been covered enough was the basin of McMicken and its offshoot streets. I plowed through those seedy nooutlet streets like I owned every abandoned apart­ ment building in the neighborhood, still to no avail. It stormed that morning. Mojo hates the thunder, and I caught myself telling him that it was OK, as I always do. I weaved through all the area’s major parks on my way home to change into some dry clothes. I thought about eating once I made it back to the house but still couldn’t do it. I drank some water in­ stead. My next mission would be into the woods; I was really beginning to feel desperate. I tooled around the woods near my house for See another, p. 6 �4 Local News STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Tell Me: Do You Want to Hold Me? Continued from page 1 inspiration for the struggle. He described his work at a school in a village in Bangladesh, where he met a girl living in a brothel with her mother and sister. “She told us the only reason she worked in prostitution was there was nothing else she could do,” Fleming said. “She had no skills. She couldn’t read or write. … She doesn’t want to do it but it’s the only economic power she had. That’s why street papers exist – to give people economic opportunity to change the way they live, so they can go off and “She told us the only have other choices in their life.” reason she worked in The theme of the prostitution was there was INSP conference nothing else she could do. She had no skills. She was, “Global Col­ laboration: Real So­ couldn’t read or write.” lutions.” Fleming’s - Richard Fleming, presentation was Global Poverty Project the opening salvo in planning for the Global Speak Out, INSP’s initiative for address­ ing poverty in the year ahead. Inspiration isn’t enough in itself, of course. Facts matter. This was, after all, a conference of journalists. When Fleming closed with a bit of rhetoric – saying “extreme poverty" can be ended in this generation, even as Nelson Man­ dela succeeded in ending apartheid in South Africa and Great Britain succeeded in ending the slave trade in the 19th century – it did not go unremarked that the latter assertion was a stretch. Great Britain banned slave trading in the early 19th century, but hardly eliminated it. In fact, some 26 million people across the world are victims of human trafficking today, according to organizations working to end slavery. Fleming’s call to join the struggle to elimi­ nate extreme poverty led to practical thinking by delegates. In a workshop following his pre­ sentation, INSP members came to the conclu­ sion that, rather than start a new campaign to end poverty, they will do best to concentrate on the work they already do. The general membership embraced the no­ tion: Street papers are a tangible solution for individuals. Given the size of the street-pa­ per movement, street papers are already one of the largest social enterprises in the world. Trudy Vlok, general manager of Big Issue South Africa, summarized INSP’s newfound self-ap­ preciation. “We are rock stars,” she said. Vlok’s paper plans to publish a special edi­ tion for June, when the World Cup is played in South Africa. “They’re going to have this huge event,” she said. “We want to make sure poor people get something out of it.” That special edition will not be about the woes of poverty, but rather a guide for visitors in town to enjoy the soccer championship. Not doing favors Therein lies the existential tension of the street-paper movement – trying to build news­ paper sales in order to benefit vendors while giving readers substantial content. Street pa­ pers have to be about more than homeless­ ness, or they won’t sell. No one, after all, wants to be scolded by a constant refrain about the woes of being poor. “I think most street papers realize they don’t want to be called a ‘homeless paper’ anymore,” said Joanne Zuhl, managing editor of Street Roots in Portland, Ore. “If vendors can’t sell the paper, we’re not doing them any favors.” Enlov P. Mathiesen, editor of Erlik Oslo, agreed. “I think homelessness bores people,” he said. “If it’s about homelessness every issue, they’re not going to read it.” To that end, delegates at the conference dis­ cussed ways to improve editorial content in order to build sales and thereby benefit ven­ dors. Some street papers don’t limit themselves to journalism. Some are affiliated with larger social enterprises. For example, Der Jerusalemmer, in Germany, operates a café that A display of street papers from around the world. INSP. employs and serves homeless people. Big Issue Australia sponsors a touring street-soccer team. Frank Dries, editor of Straatnieuws in the Netherlands, described a project through which vendors offered for sale not only copies of the magazine but also recyclable shopping bags. A competition among local artists led to the final design, with the shopping bags em­ blazoned with the message, “Do you want to hold me?” Straatnieuws vendors sold about 2,000 shop­ ping bags, and local media coverage helped promote the street paper as an employment opportunity for homeless people. The slogan on the bags also points to another purpose for social enterprises such as Streetvibes – wearing down the social barriers that isolate homeless people. Thus our question for readers: “Do you want to hold me?” Sheriff Wants to Follow Arizona Continued from page 1 removal.” Ohio law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could face ex­ pensive round-ups and transfers to ICE from de­ tentions of suspected undocumented workers under such legislation, according to Riveiro. He suggested Jones becomes an ICE agent if he’s so concerned about the legal status of immigrants in Ohio. LULAC Ohio has asked Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory to endorse its boycott of travel to Arizona but hasn’t received any response yet, Riveiro says. Columbus Mayor Michael Cole­ man has announced a ban on city-paid travel to Arizona. The Cincinnati Branch of the International Socialist Organization hosted a May 21 forum with the Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center and the Campus Anti-War Network at UC to dis­ cuss the proposed legislation. Speakers Dan La Botz and Shaun Harkin proposed their own im­ migration reform. La Botz, a Cincinnati teacher and journalist, is the Socialist candidate for an Ohio seat in the U.S. Senate. He wants decrimi­ nalization of the estimated 12 million undocu­ mented immigrants in the United States and a path for them to have the right to work and earn full U.S. citizenship without penalties. “If your starting point is it’s a crime, then it becomes about criminalization,” La Botz said. “I think people need to put it into context of why people come here. We have a system of forced migration. People don’t have the right to move freely, nor do they have the right to stay.” Corn exports from the United States have weakened the competition for Mexican farmers to sustain a living on their own farms, so they move here to seek employment, La Botz said. Be­ cause undocumented immigrants cannot find legal work in the United States, they should re­ ceive immediate rights to work without onerous costs or penalties, he said. La Botz also wants an increase in the number of visas issued to people seeking employment in the United States and an open-border policy for workers to move be­ tween employment and their homes across the borders, he said. “I think immigrants will have to be the lead­ ers for this social movement because they’re the ones that know best,” he said. “They’re the ex­ perts, and we need to be their allies. Voting for me won’t change society.” What’s required is a social movement among immigrants, students, unions and people seek­ ing social equality, La Botz said. Modesto Verde, an immigrant worker, talked about an employer who withheld his wages. Modesto Verde joined the Cincinnati Interfaith Workers’ Center to seek legal aid to sue the em­ ployer for back pay, he said. Verde and his fellow employees won in court, but the employer fled to Mexico without paying the wages owed, he said. Verde now advocates for workers’ rights, making sure they are aware of safety requirements and receive their full wages on time, he said. Unions and student groups should publicize the fact that immigrant workers pay sales and social security taxes and are a part of the fabric of U.S. society, according to Shaun Harkin, an activist from Chicago. “Undocumented workers pay about $7 billion in taxes annually, including social security taxes under false social security numbers, to which they will not have access,” he said. Sheriff Jones testified May 18 in Columbus on Senate Bill 238. The bill would require all injured workers seeking compensation through the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) to prove their legal status to work in the United States. The bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Bill Seitz (RGreen Township), testified March 23, “Because BWC is mainly funded by charges to Ohio em­ ployers and because employers constantly com­ plain to us about the size of the payments, every dollar paid out by BWC to illegal alien workers is money that would otherwise go to reduce em­ ployer charges and make Ohio more competi­ tive.” If the bill becomes law, an illegal immigrant will have the right to sue for worker’s compensa­ tion against an employer for intentional harm. Jones visited the border fence between Mexico and Arizona on May 25. His office issued a press release saying Jones wanted to review border se­ curity and meet with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to discuss the new Arizona legislation. The Cincinnati Branch of the International So­ cialist Organization plans to hold a rally for im­ migration reform in Ohio at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 5, at the Hamilton County Courthouse. �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Agency Spotlight Bright Smiles for the Homeless 5 McMicken Dental Clinic helps uninsured By Jeremy Flannery Contributing WritEr A smile can brighten a person’s mood, espe­ cially if he feels confident about showing his teeth. A dental clinic in Over-the-Rhine is working to brighten the smiles of homeless peo­ ple. The McMicken Dental Clinic has been operating for nine years to improve the oral hygiene of home­ less people, according to clinic manager Sandra Bernard. “We have one full-time dentist and we have four volunteers with their own private practices,” Ber­ nard says. “We also have two-week rotations with Ohio State (University) students, and we have one Raymond Walters (College) hygienist. We offer the same services that you would receive at a private practice.” The clinic offers emergency dental care to home­ less people only, she says. Referrals come from homeless shelters and the Mobile Medical Clinic that traverses the city on a weekly schedule. The dental clinic operates from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and Friday by ap­ pointment only. “We close from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm for lunch but sometimes we’re late for the lunch break because we’ll still have patients we’re working on,” Bernard says. “Some days are crazier than others. It depends on how many people come in for emergency care. I’d say we serve somewhere between 17 and 34 peo­ ple per day.” The clinic is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Cincinnati Health Network, Inc., the city of Cincinnati and pri­ vate donations. The funding allows the clinic to of­ fer free treatment to homeless patients. The only out-of-pocket cost for patients is for lab­ oratory work, such as denture repairs, bridge and crown work. Patients must pay for that work in advance. “We offer a payment plan for the lab work, even if it takes $5 at a time to make the pay­ ment,” Bernard says. The clinic is a part of Cincinnati Health Network Inc., a federally qualified health cen­ ter that is a partnership of organizations of­ fering homeless people medical services, ac­ cording to Executive Director Kate Bennett. The network helps about 7,000 patients per year, including about 1,200 dental patients, she says. “A person is homeless if they lack a fixed, permanent home,” Bennett says. “Someone living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or living on the streets or if they lost their apartment or house and is doubling up with friends like a couch-surfing situation. We can continue to see a person up to one year after they’ve been housed.” The network has contracts with the Mobile Medical Clinic, the Center for Respite Care, the UC Department of Family Medicine and the Pike Street Clinic in Northern Kentucky to coordinate services for the homeless, Ben­ nett says. Volunteers paint the Nu-Blend Building, which now “Our physicians really care about the peo­ houses McMicken Dental Clinic and other health ple they see,” she says. “They call the patients organizations. Vinit Murthy. by their first names, they ask questions about what’s going on with their situations, and Last month volunteers from Crossroads Commu­ their general concern for the patients is really won­ nity Church in Oakley repainted the dental clinic derful for a population that is generally not looked and planted flowers as a part of their Go Cincinnati at and (is) ignored.” project – putting a smile on the building’s exterior. For more information on the McMicken Dental Clinic go to www.cincysmiles.org. Building Confidence in Leadership Avondale Youth Council uses push-ups and participation By Brendon mCCartney Contributing WritEr C ommunity councils are vehicles of em­ powerment for neighborhood residents but their influence can also extend beyond their localities. Judging by its April 29 meeting, that is the case with the Avondale Youth Council. The youth council operates under the wing of the Avondale Community Council, sharing a room at the Pride Center at 3520 Burnet Ave. Posters call for action from all ages, from Public Allies to the 2010 Census. But the space was clearly in the hands of the young that evening. Fulton O. Jefferson, Jr., membership chair of the community council and facilitator for the youth council, presided over the meeting. The guest speaker was Bill Madison. The subject of Madison’s speech was the role of emotional intelligence in leadership. In order to keep the attention of the restless youth (under­ standable given the nice weather), he employed a variety of tactics. Madison encouraged participa­ tion by asking questions and making those who answered stand and project their responses for all to hear. He also used anecdotes, including conflicts he observed between the kids before meetings, to support his points about the role of personal confi­ dence in managing one’s self. Yet the biggest lesson he gave was holding himself to the same standard by which the kids were held. Madison had missed his speaking appointment the week before because of a business trip. But as he had not informed the council, he was deemed un­ excused and subject to a penalty of 50 push-ups. The 71-year-old retired professor, looking all of 51, managed an impressive 26 push-ups before saying he would have to finish the rest later. But a member of the youth council volunteered to do the performance of The Wiz at Xavier University. the remaining 24 for him. After breezing through The youth council receives support from the the push-ups, he and Madison shared a strong Cincinnati Community Action Agency. Together, hug-and-shake. How many community councils they help kids find summer jobs through the Sum­ can boast of fomenting solidarity through public mer Youth Employment Program. Not only does speaking and punitive exercise – in the same meet­ this program help kids understand the responsi­ ing, no less? bilities of employment, but the youth council bars Throughout the meeting, the kids alternated students with failing grades from participating. between listening, responding to the speaker and The Avondale Youth Council is a sign of the com­ playfully jostling among themselves. At one point munity’s vitality in the face of local coverage that a clique had to be split up and a participant was tends to focus only on the latest homicide. By en­ forced to sit out. Still, the kids displayed a remark­ couraging youths to actively engage their neigh­ able level of care and participation, even though borhood through hard work and good deeds, the there was bound to be squirming after so many youth council is grooming those who will one day hours of sitting in school. take governing roles in the neighborhood. Even if After Madison concluded his speech, Jefferson they take root elsewhere, participants gain the so­ called the Avondale Youth Council’s board of trust­ cial skills to be confident leaders wherever they go. ees and committee chairs to the front. Kids who had been on the council for years were invested with limited power to help not only delegate but also understand the func­ tion of their positions. They talked among themselves as Jefferson then read out the schedule for upcoming meetings and events. The council has a full pro­ gram. Its calendar included activities for every weekday except Friday in the month of May. In addition to po­ etry readings and homework studies, Avondale Youth Council participates in a number of events such as the Flying Pig Marathon and The Avondale Youth Council is very active. Lauren Justice. �6 Column STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 One Thing Leads to Another Continued from page 3 about 20 minutes, skimming the wood-line parameter. The wooded hills are steep bluffs of a sizable hill that our house sits atop. We live on the ridge of the hill that descends in many directions, and my concern was that maybe Mojo had fallen or was stuck somewhere. I moved into one section of the woods that used to be a trail connecting the grassy field next to our house with the city park at the bot­ tom of the hill. There were never proper steps on this trail, but many people used it, espe­ cially the Hughes High School football team who would practice on the lower field. My sis­ ter and I and our friends used this trail all the time as kids. Now it’s overgrown and not much of a trail; you wouldn't know one was there if you hadn't seen it before. I took perhaps five steps into the wood line when I saw something odd on the old trail. It was a shirt that was sort of upright. The rea­ son it was upright was because something was wearing it. That something also was wearing jeans and New Balance sneakers. It had large, hulking shoulders and was slumped onto the trail. It appeared that it was close to sliding down the hill. It was facing away from me and seemed to be leaning a bit against a nearby tree. It wasn't moving. I looked over this thing and decided it looked an awful lot like a person. I noticed something near its head. At first I thought it was a long staff that was going through its head, but upon a few more seconds of observation, I deter­ mined that it was a necktie caught on a branch overhead. The other end was tied around his neck. This was what kept him from sliding down the hill along the old trail. The idea that I was looking at a dead person began to set in. When it did, for some reason I decided I should get a look at the person’s skin. For no reason was I going to get any closer. I was roughly 10 feet from it already but I could Shutter Speed see his hand. It was completely black. That didn’t make sense. Dead people don't turn black, do they? I decided it was still inconclu­ sive. I looked at his head. His scalp was gray, with wisps of black hair. At that point it seemed to me that this was either a corpse or a really elaborate hoax. I wanted to hold onto a pos­ sibility other than my actually finding a dead guy. I looked back at his shoes. One was curled in a very uncomfortable position. For what­ ever reason, that was what convinced me that this was a person who, by my inexpert eyes, appeared to have committed suicide in the nearby woods less than a hundred yards from our house. That’s when I realized it did indeed smell like something dead, and I got the hell out of there. I don’t know anything about who it was, how he died or how long he was there. I do know this: Both our neighbor, Bill, and I smelled something dead in that corner of the grassy field for the past week or so; I found the body mere feet away from that corner of the field. Many residents on that street have witnessed a small homeless contingent congregate in those woods, and I assume that this unfortu­ nate soul was part of that group. It was one of the strangest moments of my life. It was a quiet, private discovery. It was creepy but not traumatizing – I couldn't see his face. No matter how you spin it, though, it is sad. This man not only presumably killed himself, but no one came looking for him. He might have been homeless and was likely haunted by depression. If anything, I feel sorry for the poor guy. It took me, who was looking for something else entirely, to find him. Once I did, though, I continued searching for my dog. The way I figured it, Mojo could still be alive, and the guy in the woods wasn’t, so my priorities stayed true. I carried on through the rain and woods without finding anything else of any real interest. After a few more hours of nothing, I went home and called the cops to tell them what I found. The first cop there was a youngster. He didn’t like the idea of dead bodies. He also didn’t like the idea of my being too involved in a crime scene, so he was faced with the challenge of having me point out the body to him without my disturbing any evidence. We reached the tree line and he didn’t want to go in. I went in first, cleared away the branches for him and pointed the guy out. The young cop didn’t like it a bit but he soldiered over to the body. I said, “From what we’re looking at now, I determined that that’s a dead body.” He took two more steps, became visibly grossed out and said, “It is. You need to get out of here.” More police arrived. The male cops made the female cop stay with me to chat while they investigated the scene. We mostly talked about my missing dog, which I was eager to get back to finding, and she tried reassuring me with stories of a dog she found after missing it for two weeks. She took down my information and they “let me go home” even though we were all gathered on the driveway of my house. Lost and found The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign marched across the Purple People Bridge May 20 en route from New Orleans to Detroit. The march is calling attention to the nation’s urgent need to end poverty and solve problems including homelessness and the lack of job opportunities, according to a spokesperson. Local sponsors include the Contact Center, Ohio Empowerment Coalition, Hip Hop Congress, Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center, New Prospect Baptist Church, St. Johns Unitarian Church, Masjid Ac Ashab OTR Islamic Center and the Over-the-Rhine Community Council. Jon Hughes/Photopresse. The next stop was the SPCA. This was a chaotic place of scared, loud mongrels essen­ tially screaming at you to take them home or back to their owners or anywhere else that’s not the dog pound. There were rows of cages of all sorts of dogs. I scanned the cages with a desperate anticipation, increasingly let down as the options dwindled to nothing. There was one dog there that looked a lot like Mojo. He was younger and smaller but had enough similarities to make me stop and make sure it weren’t him. It wasn’t. The guy working there was sympathetic and reassured me that they See another, p. 7 �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Film Review Barons Fight for Their Country 7 Robin Hood battles 12th century socialism By david HeitField Contributing WritEr “I think the core value of Robin Hood – the robbing from the rich to give to the poor – is the thing that’s gon­ na survive,” says Russell Crowe, producer and star of Robin Hood, in the History Channel's two-hour infomercial, The Real Robin Hood, released the same weekend as the movie. “We haven’t approached that core from a literal ‘money’ sense,” Crowe explains. “We’ve jumped off from there into a metaphor, and that’s why we’ve shifted the timeline and put it into the era of the Magna Carta. And our redress of the balance, our robbing from the rich, is their rights and privileges.” I can empathize with this approach. When I write a movie review, I try to steer away from a literal “review” sense, and instead jump off into a metaphor for how our popular culture has become so cynical and manipulative that the defining trait of our post-industrial state is self-delusion. We like meeting new friends, travel and keeping our heads firmly up our collective ass. Hence, we don't even have a homeless problem because, as the popular mayor of Colorado Springs has explained, many people simply prefer to live homeless – and if that speaks to their mental illness, well, they’re probably happier, too. And that’s my rationalization for writing this bullshit in Streetvibes. But I digress. As does Mr. Crowe in Robin Hood: “What Ridley (Scott, the director) and I sought to do was reca­ librate the whole story.” I woulda chosen the word “bas­ tardize,” but whatever. This “prequel” sets Robin Hood as returning from the Third Crusade (the time is a little off, but there are economic principles at stake here, dam­ mit), a world-weary warrior who doesn’t define “greed” as an individual moral failing, but as an act of the evil state, through taxation. See, because of the Crusades and other battles, when King John takes the throne after Richard the Lionheart’s death, he inherits a bankrupt empire, and so he wants to raise taxes. It turns out his best bud, Godfrey, is a traitor who is friends with the French (shoulda asked to see his birth certificate, John!). The French, of course, love higher taxes, and so Godfrey not only encourages John, but starts So when Crowe delivers what passes for a dramatic soliloquy nowadays, screaming for “liberty,” it doesn’t sound like a rallying cry, but one of those vague generalities used in horoscopes to sucker the credulous into believing they have a unique and defining trait. If you’re an Aquarius, you believe in freedom. If you’re a Libra, you believe in justice. looting English noblemen (with French sol­ diers) to collect more taxes and burn stuff down. The French figure the taxation scheme will de­ moralize the English and then the French can invade and easily defeat the taxed-out English. What’s truly amazing about the movie – with its large budget, big-name director and actors, historical background, battle scenes and myth­ ological underpinnings – is just how much of a bore all 2.5 hours of it is. There is no drama, no humor, no romance. Even the big battle scene (outside of the massive CGI crossbow launch, which is pretty cool) at the end feels kinda pointless. Spoiler alert! The tax-loving French retreat. Sure didn’t see that coming. Feudal fries for everyone! Much of Robin Hood just feels so false and manipulative, besides the premise: Crowe’s bare 21st-century chest; warriors with closely shaven Bruce Willis heads and fab facial hair; Maid Marian (Cate Blanchett) as a post-femi­ nist landlord who shows up to battle the French at the end (keep in mind that Clause 54 of the vaunted Magna Carta said no man could be convicted based on the testimony of a woman unless her husband was dead). Crowe plays Robin Longstride – Robin of the Hood, you see – a yeoman whose father was killed when he was 6. Turns out his father, a stonecutter, had worked on an early version of the Magna Carta, a sort of Tea Party manifesto that spelled out the inalienable rights of the landed gentry. And then somehow, probably because of his Superman/Batman/Freudian tragic father figure roots, he becomes spokesperson for the noblemen of the time, even though Robin, like many yeomen, owned no land himself. No irony is intended here; it’s just pure piss-poor storytelling. So when Crowe delivers what passes for a dramatic so­ liloquy nowadays, screaming for “liberty,” it doesn’t sound like a rallying cry, but one of those vague generalities used in horoscopes to sucker the credulous into believing they have a unique and defining trait. If you’re an Aquarius, you believe in freedom. If you’re a Libra, you believe in justice. If you're a Nobleman, you believe in liberty. You’re gen­ erous to a fault but hate taxes. You generally like people, but will kill them if necessary. You believe in the inherent individual dignity of the homeless and mentally ill to re­ main that way. One Thing Leads to Another Continued from page 6 get new dogs everyday and that it’s important to keep coming back. I felt my last real hope had gone and my sadness soaked all the way to my bones. I had officially let him down and now he was truly lost. Not seeing him again was a possibility hur­ tling toward the forefront. I started emotion­ I took perhaps five steps ally fragmenting and a deep regret began to into the wood line when build within my chest. When I returned, more cops were there to I saw something odd on the old trail. It was talk with me. They wanted to know if I knew a shirt that was sort of the dead man or recognized him or moved him. They even asked if I saw any identifica­ upright. The reason it was upright was because tion on him. It was a series of head shakes and something was wearing no’s. My friends, Elliott and Jen, came over to it. That something also was wearing jeans and help me look for Mojo. While I dealt with the New Balance sneakers. homicide detectives and the rest of the Police Circus, Elliott and Jen made “Lost Dog” post­ … It wasn't moving. ers. After answering just a few more questions from the detectives, I caught up with the post­ er-making duo and admired their work (it was Jen’s work, really). They made flyers to put on cars, posters to put on lampposts and cardboard signs for busy intersections. We posted maybe six posters around two intersections when I got the call. “Hi, I just saw the sign for your missing dog,” said a college-aged fe­ male voice. “Yes?” I said. “I found him. I have him. He's at my apartment.” At those words, a thousand lashes were removed from my back. I thanked the woman as clearly as my lips would allow and, for the first time in my life, had a happy cry. Later that day I leashed my healthy, happy dog once more and brought him back home. I gave the girl 20 bucks for her trouble and talked with Mojo the whole trip back. He’s an old boy, 10 and a half, and I got him when he was only six weeks old. To have lost him would have gone against all logic, belief and superstition that dictates the universe in my head. Once I knew he was beyond my help, long before I found any dead bodies, I put all my faith in human­ No dog has ever ity – and it worked. People saved my dog. Not me, nor played harder the institution of the SPCA, nor Mojo himself. It was a in this field than person who cared: a stranger. Mojo. Chasing the I have ever so slowly become a person who be­ tennis ball is as lieves that things happen for a reason, and while I much his job as trudged through muddy hillsides and pouring rain tackling people is with sizable blisters looking for my aged and arthritic for Ray Lewis. It’s lost dog, I questioned that belief to its fullest extent. no-nonsense and I never really believed that any superstition played a visceral. You would part in Mojo’s disappearance, as coincidental as all of be impressed. that may have been, and so it came down to finding a purpose to his disappearing to prevent me from giv­ ing up hope. It still didn't make sense until I got Mojo back: Mojo ran off to make me look for him but it made me find the dead guy instead. And look at the nice, neat happy ending we have all tied up into a bow. I have my dog, who spent his only night away - a stormy night – comfortably chill­ ing with some young woman and her puppy in a Clifton apartment, I found a deceased human being who might have gone a lot longer with­ out being found and now doesn’t have to haunt the nearby woods, and the girl got 20 bucks. Everybody wins. But in different ways. �8 STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Film Review How Does Hollywood Do Poverty? Rewarding stereotypes and preserving myths By JonatHon e. Stone Contributing WritEr I n the past two years, films like Slumdog Millionaire and the Blind Side have attempted to tell stories featuring the poor, and both gar­ nered several major awards. In fact, both movies totaled 12 Academy Award nominations, winning 10. Both movies appealed to audiences as “feel good” stories, with Slumdog Millionaire centering on a young Indian man, orphaned due to a reli­ gious riot, who happens to make it on Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He experiences the improbable answers to each question asked on the game show. In The Blind Side, based on the real life story of Mi­ chael Oher, an African-American teenager who has been shuffled in and out of foster homes is finally adopted into a white, upper-middle-class family. Due to his size and athletic ability, he finds his way onto the football field and is drafted by the Balti­ more Ravens in 2009. On the outside, both movies seem harmless; but to those in developing and poor areas of the world. upon further examination, the depiction of the poor The movie further celebrates the lack of choices and the way Hollywood tends to manipulate stories these characters have, placing judgment on the like these should give the audience concern. fates of both Jamal and Salim. This picture belittles Slumdog Millionaire glosses the Indian people who, in their over the plight of not only the poverty, huddle around small three main characters – Jamal, On the outside, both television sets to see one of their Salim and Latika – but also the movies seem harmless; but ‘own’ win a million dollars, as if, fact much of India’s poverty de- upon further examination, because one of their own can get rives from its recent history of so lucky, these untold millions of the depiction of the poor British colonialism and a capital“slumdogs” are instantly empowand the way Hollywood ist economy pushed on it by west- tends to manipulate stories ered to do the same in some alterern nations. like these should give the native capitalist universe. These characters, along with In The Blind Side, Michael Oher audience concern. millions of other Indians, suffer is subjected to poverty and orfrom the western lifestyles pushed phaned at a young age as well, but onto them at the expense of centuries of cultural his history fits within the southern white paternalisand national development. Brothers Jamal and tic storyline that has been pushed since the days of Salim are orphaned early in life and forced into an enslavement. Before and after the Civil War, white exploitive orphanage, then escape into a lifestyle southern apologists attempted to depict slavery as of travelling on top of trains, selling goods, picking a benign practice that “civilized” black people, dispockets, working as dishwashers and pretending to avowing the cruelty of the institution and pitching be tour guides at the Taj Mahal. slavery as a service to society. The story seems to celebrate both Jamal’s and The Touhy family, led by Leigh Ann – a role that Salim’s precarious economic position, where Jamal won Sandra Bullock the 2010 Academy Award for serves tea in a call center (employment sent over- best actress – is the most guilty of remaking a beseas, where labor is cheaper) and Salim chooses a nevolent relationship between a white family “taklife of crime, one of the only labor choices available ing in” a poor black male. Oher’s character through- out the film continually takes a back seat to Bullock as she makes life choices for him. The Touhy family makes an extraordinary effort to keep Oher away from the black community, especially with a scene in which Oher fights off three members of his old neighborhood because they made “sexually sug­ gestive” comments about Leigh Ann. The Touhy family unethically pushes Oher toward the University of Mississippi, bringing upon them an NCAA inquiry as well as a tutor who lies to Oher about the University of Tennessee. The movie expects the audience to accept that Oher is an ignorant, adrift, good-hearted young man who is just in need of white people to tell him what to do in life because he doesn’t have the mental capac­ ity. This worn-out stereotype is sadly celebrated in The Blind Side, with few media critics pointing out its racist premise – or Bullock’s recent adoption of a black male in the wake of her ex-husband’s much publicized racist beliefs. Both of these movies share a disdain for the poor and orphaned that should appall audiences. As long as audiences blindly cheer and award these types of movies, labeling them “feel good” stories with little regard for the destructive forces of capi­ talism and racism, the media will continue to push ignorance. Waiting at Los Angeles International Airport By Anne Skove �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Out in the Open 9 �10 STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Vendor Voice CanYou See Me Now? Over-the-Rhine mourns her losses By lee mCCoy StrEEtvibES vEndor I was once beautiful. Now I am fading away. I used to house low-income, middle-income – yes, I used to house the squatter who used my empty buildings. This is my home but not for long. Can you see me now? The Cincin­ nati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) has bought all my property now. It’s all about condos and lofts. But what about all my children that I have hosted many, many years? I don’t think you have them in mind. Let’s take a stroll down Race Street between 14th and Liberty streets, Lee McCoy has been selling Streetvibes for almost a year. Lynne Ausman. where my pimp buddy Denhart Re­ alty used to reign king. Now there is only one build­ jor facelift it is getting. You can believe Cincinnati’s And what about my wonderful sister, Mary ing holding onto life. Oh, did I mention 3CDC has finest will step up even more to serve and protect. Magdalene House? Do you know her? Since March taken over the corner of Race and 15th? I remember when Washington Park used to host 25, 1988, she has served my children to give them a Can you see me now? Out of all the places in my many churches to feed my children. Now the city place to shower, get a clean set of clothes and wash Queen City, the School for the Creative and Per­ says no because it costs the city so much to clean their dirty clothes. Free – yes, I said “free.” Can you forming Arts has moved in, and they have made the up. Now my churches have to feed my children on imagine their water bill? But the developer on Main Drop Inn Center jump through so many hoops just the sidewalks of Washington Park. You can’t stop Street wants to close my sister down. Where will my so they can be a friendly neighbor. God’s work. children go to keep their tails clean? Can you see me now? I know Buddy Gray is turn­ Can you see me now? With the facelift around Mu­ Can you see me now? ing over in his grave. This is not what his dream was sic Hall, the School for the Creative and Performing I used to be Over-the-Rhine. I am quite sure they about. Arts, look out, for the new sheriff has moved into are already changing my name. Oh, well. I wonder how many tickets the police have writ­ your neighborhood. They might just fence in my Can you see me now? ten in Washington Park now, with the so-called ma- kids in Washington Park. (Home on the range.) Have something on your mind? Do you agree or disagree with an article? Let us know: 117 E. 12th Street 1 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 1 streetvibes2@yahoo.com 1 �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 11 Music The Fedora That Changed a Life Interview with Mia Carruthers of the The Retros By ariana SHaHandeH Contributing WritEr M ia Carruthers founded the Cincinnati band, The Retros, with brother Alex Carruthers and friends Seth Huff, Stevan Wright and Aaron Breadon, who recently left the band. She was also a leading character in season one of MTV’s Taking the Stage, set in the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Mia Carruthers spoke with Streetvibes about lyricism, Lady Gaga and the story of how a fedora and stranger in an airport, changed her life. What’s the most vulnerable lyric you’ve ever written? It would have to be something from “Nothing to Believe In.” That entire song was just accepting something that I didn’t want to for a long time and was afraid to for a long time. What was the condition of your faith in humanity when you were writing that song? It’s less about faith in humanity, more about a lack of faith in … a God? Or … a higher power? Or something I’m sup­ posed to be afraid of that’s beyond me? For me, that’s what I was talking about. I was talking about religion. I was talking about how I’ve never felt like a true believer and that was hard for me because I want to try to be a good person. That was the confusion for me. It was, “Oh if I don’t believe in God then I’m not a good person.” To so many people out there, that makes me a bad person in their eyes. And I’m just trying to do what’s right. Not what's accepted. Just what’s right. So there was a period of time when what other people Mia Carruthers of The Retros. thought was affecting you a great deal. Oh, every moment. Every moment I lived in someone else's there’s something great, like passion, that is so pure and so wonderful, it’s sad head. It’s a horrible way to live. No one should live like that. that there has to be something equally as dark. What changed? So do you ever think that, if you want to pursue something, if you want to I was in the Dayton Airport, traveling for a gig with The Retros. We played a pursue a passion, you have to pursue it moderately and keep it checked? cancer benefit at UNC. But I had to do something in the city the day before we No. I think you say, “Fuck it” to that, and you go after it just as hard anyway. were supposed to leave so I had a flight coming a day later, meeting the band That’s what you have to do. When you’re in that position, when you’re that pas­ there. I was going through security, getting all my stuff. I had a fedora – put my sionate, there isn’t a choice. There’s no other choice; you’ve never had choices. fedora back on. There’s been that and nothing else. Tunnel vision. That’s how I am with music This guy comes up to me and he’s like, “That hat is the most comfortable ac­ – it’s (music) and nothing else. cessory I’ve ever seen.” And I immediately just say, “Thank you,” got a coffee, Even if I woke up every day knowing that there would be horrible things that walked to my gate, popped in my headphones. He comes up to me again. Only happened if I reached my goal, I would still go after it just as hard. Because I this time he has something behind his back. He pulls out a book. He’s like, “If have to. you have room in your life for this, then it’s yours to keep.” And he handed me You recently experienced that flip side, when you had to make a personal this book, and it’s by Eckhart Tolle, called The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiri- sacrifice and ask a member of the band, and close friend, to leave for profestual Enlightenment. sional reasons. In any other circumstance, if I had looked at that book, I would be like, “This It’s confusing sometimes. Before that I would think, “Music is so great. How is complete bullshit. I’m not even going to read this.” I might’ve read it, but I come there’s so much pain that comes about because of this goal or this dream wouldn’t have believed in it. But because this stranger sought me out randomly, I have?” I couldn’t believe anything would be bad surrounding it because it is handed me this book and said that the way he said it, I had to pay attention. so good and so pure to me. But that’s how it is. I read (during) the flight. I got to my connection in D.C. I had read like half There’s ups and downs with any profession. Why should music be any dif­ of it, and I was already starting to internalize it. I get off and I have 20 minutes. ferent? Just because it’s more glamorous to people, because it’s pushed to the I’m running to my next flight, and when I get to the gate the (attendant) is clos­ forefront of more people’s minds? Doesn’t make it any different. ing the door: “The flight’s full.” The old Mia, would’ve been livid. I would’ve Is music glamorous to you? just freaked out thinking, “I’m not going to get to the gig on time. Everything is (Laughing) No, music is anti-glamorous! Music is roll outta bed, practice going to go wrong.” with no makeup on, all gross in cut-off jean shorts and sweaty boys. Music to But I was just like, “OK.” And I called my dad, completely calm. I ended up me is – is no different to me than breathing. Or walking. Or running Or clap­ having to stay in the airport in D.C. for 10 hours. I read the entire book, crying ping. most of the time. Basically I was in a state of meditation for 10 hours. For the Music for me has always been the guarantee of being myself. Writing a song: first time I wasn’t living in anyone else's head. I was living in my head. I can’t lie in songs, I can’t have a bad hair day in songs, I can’t do my makeup a My dad was just crying. He looked at me and just cried. He’s like, “My little certain way. That’s who I am: at the core of me, when I’m alone and vulnerable. girl is back.” So if anyone would want to get to know the real me, all they have to do is listen What’s the most surprising lyric you’ve written? to a record. Well, the song is called “Moon” and it’s literally just about a war on the moon that we won. That’s how it starts out. So we’re basically drinking beers around a fire because we just won the war and saved the moon. And that’s what the first lyric is: “We saved the moon.” (Crosstalk about favorite artists) I absolutely adore Lady Gaga. Now, you seem like a very logical person. I would love to hear an articulate argument in support of her as serious artist. It feels like she wakes up every day trying to think of the most outrageous thing she can do. That’s really who she is. I know in your mind you wanna say, “That’s (not) aFFordaBle rateS genuine. That has to be contrived because it’s something I’ve never seen before. But honestly, Gaga is Gaga. I think that’s who she is. many SizeS (full page, 1/2 page, 1/4 page, 1/8 page) All that aside, what I love about her is the music that she writes. I’m not just talking about the hits. I’m talking about the rest of her album. There were a few BlaCk & WHite and Color availaBle songs that just moved me, (such as) “Speechless,” the song she performed with Elton John. diSCountS For nonproFitS What moved you about that song? A lot of references to the stereotypical bad boy: “With your Johnny Walker Contact Lynne at 513-421-7803 ext. 11 eyes” and “Your tight jeans with the long hair and your cigarette-stained lies.” or lynneausman@cincihomeless.org I love it. I love that she just dates these bad rocker guys, which she talks about in interviews and then obviously things go wrong. And then she writes these for more information. awesome songs. I like her lyrics; they’re really interesting. Why is there so much pain, so much devastation in dream-chasing? There’s so much collateral damage. Because everything has to be equal, equal parts of bad and good. So when etvibes? tre nS rested in Advert Inte isin gi �12 Short Story STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 We, the Jury My adventures in the Hamilton County justice system By miCHael FanninG Contributing WritEr Throughout the whole selection process the court stenographer is sitting at her machine, but reads a Janet Evanovitch novel instead of typing anything. Part II: Trial Proper The defendant stares at the courtroom ceiling as if admiring the plaster work. He looks totally at ease. ere’s how it goes down. We find ourselves in a courtroom that The jury is finally selected. There are eight of us, with two substitutes. looks like anything you’ve seen on Matlock or Perry Mason. The judge says that, due to the late hour, we will stop now and continue The judge sits behind a desk that looks like a decommis­ tomorrow. He asks if any of us have any special needs. Fat Man, whose sioned wooden battleship. He is a stern looking fellow with thin black presence I hadn’t noticed until now, raises her hand. I don’t see Little hair and glasses – not the Boy anywhere and can type I’d try to lie to. only assume Fat Man ate We file into the jurors’ her. box. Everyone else is al­ “I got a torn ACL,” she ready present: attorneys, croaks. “I’m gonna need defendant, witnesses, an aisle seat so’s I can even law students observ­ stick my leg out.” ing from the back rows. “I’m sure that won’t The judge informs us be a problem,” the judge that this is a DUI case, and reassures her. “We can the attorneys will present make sure you are on the evidence to attempt to end or –” prove or disprove that the “If it locks up on me,” defendant was impaired she continues, “I won’t be by alcohol while driving. able to walk. Last month He says we will now begin I saw Benjamin Button, the jury selection process. longest movie I ever saw The attorneys for the de­ in my life. Couldn’t walk fense and the prosecution outta the theater. They will ask us questions and, had to wheel me out based on our answers, we in the manager’s desk will be excused or kept chair.” on for the duration of the I massage the bridge trial. of my nose as she wraps I wasn’t aware there up her tale. could be a jury trial for a Like Princess Leia step­ DUI case. The defendant, Fat Man, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. ping off the Millennium a suave, 40-something, Falcon into the belly of grey-haired guy with nice the space worm, I have a clothes, has a slick, Aldous Huxley look about him. I guess he is a psy­ bad feeling about this. chiatrist and imagine him with an Austrian accent. We will never hear his voice. Enter the Candy Man How exactly does one contest a DUI? Don’t you have to blow into one of those things? I guess we will find out soon enough. One thing is for The trial begins the next morning with the testimony of the police of­ sure, I think to myself: A case like this can’t last too long, can it? ficer who pulled over the defendant. He is in full uniform, and I wonder “A case like this usually lasts from two to five days,” the judge says. how often they have to do this stuff. He seems to be in close conten­ I hear the sound of 20 jaws dropping. tion with the defendant as far as who is the most disinterested in the The lawyers begin to question us. proceedings. It is immediately apparent these questions are to gauge our preju­ “I could smell alcohol on the breath of Mr. ___ and asked if he’d been dices, if any, toward drinking and those who partake. drinking,” he says. I am asked by the prosecutor, a tall African-American woman, if I “Then what did you do?” the prosecutor says. drink alcohol. “I asked him to step out of the vehicle and approach the front of my “Yes.” squad car so that I could test him for alcohol impairment.” I am asked if I’ve experienced the intoxicating effect of alcohol. A TV is pushed in front of the jury box. We are told we will now watch “Yes,” I respond, with an energetic nodding of the head that probably the police-cruiser video of the sobriety test. The video that follows can isn’t necessary. only be compared to a Laurel and Hardy movie. It shows the policeman Similar questions are asked around the jury box until finally a hand­ testing the coordination of a man who is plastered, plain and simple. some middle-aged woman reveals that she lost her only daughter in On the screen, the defendant is instructed to walk in a straight line an automobile accident. The defense attorney is asking the questions. for 10 paces, turn and come back. As he attempts to do this, it looks as He is young, handsome and carries himself as if, deep down, he knows if there are invisible people pushing and pulling him from all sides. He everyone in the world is on his side in any endeavor he wishes to take nearly falls on his face twice. Next the police officer tells the defendant up, including this one. to raise his arms at his sides and look up. “I’m sorry Miss … Taylor. I can’t imagine what it’s like to suffer a loss “Touch your nose with your left hand,” the officer says. like that.” The defendant touches his nose with his right hand. “No, you can’t.” “The other hand,” the policeman says. “But I have to ask,” he continues, looking at his notes, “do you think “Oh! Ha, ha, ha, ha,” the defendant chuckles. that tragedy will unfairly influence your decision making in this trial?” As he touches his nose with the correct hand, his entire upper body “My daughter was killed by another 16-year-old driver. Alcohol was tilts and sways from side to side as if the shoulder of the highway were not involved. It was lack of experience.” a clipper ship caught in a squall. “I understand that alcohol was not involved,” he goes on, “but do “OK,” the cop says. you still think it could unfairly influence your decision-making in this As he handcuffs the driver, the man mutters something unintelli­ case?” gible. “No, I do not,” she says. “Yes, you’re under arrest,” the policeman says. “Jesus,” I think, “couldn’t this case have been about anything else? End of video. Rape, murder, livestock pornography, mail fraud?” I would have en­ The prosecutor asks the police officer if, in his opinion, the defen­ dured anything to spare this poor woman from discussing her dead dant had been driving under the influence of alcohol. daughter with a room full of strangers. “Yes,” he says. She is cool and collected through the questioning, and I admire her The defense attorney approaches the stand. strength. “Officer, did you administer a breathalyzer test at the time of the ar­ She is dismissed from the trial. rest?” A young man in hip-hop clothes is asked if he has ever drunk alco­ “No, he was given the breathalyzer at the station approximately 30 hol. He is slouched in his chair as if the whole jury box is his own ’78 minutes after the arrest.” Crown Vic. “What were the results of that test?” “No,” he says. “He tested within the legal limit,” the policeman says. No one believes him, and he is excused. The defense attorney then tells us that the results of this test, plus the H See Jury, P. 13 �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Short Story We, the Jury Continued from page 12 13 Back to trial. Several more questions are asked of the policeman, but nothing new is revealed. Soon the windows of the courtroom reveal the sun is beginning to set, and before long the judge ends the trial for the day. He reminds us, as we go, not to discuss the case with anyone. I can’t imagine who would want to hear about it. late hour of the arrest, (about 1 a.m.) as well as the fact that he might not be a very coordinated guy all came into play during the coordina­ tion test on the side of the road. I admit this could be true, and I hope we will be able to watch the video again. Little do I know that, by trial’s end, I will have seen the ar­ ‘Unsullied and clear’ rest video more times than I’ve seen Dances with Wolves. The judge announces that we’ll take a break. The second day starts with the testimony of a toxicologist who also “We’ll give you a chance to watch the video again,” he says. “Discuss happens to be an attorney. He has been hired by the defendant to tes­ it, and if we have time, we’ll continue with more testimony.” tify on his behalf. The toxicologist is a short, grey-haired man in his fif­ We stand as the judge disappears through a door behind his desk. As ties who wears thick glasses that make his eyeballs look huge. He seems we file out of the jury box, we hear, “Hey, Paul!” Someone hurls a candy never to blink and possesses a rodent-like staring quality. He instantly bar at a courtroom guard. The guard easily catches it from apparent gives me the creeps. years of experience. It is the bailiff who has lobbed the candy bar – a This toxicologist had apparently, at the outset of the trial, given tes­ heavyset, jolly guy we jurors will soon come to know as “The Candy timony regarding this case that we jurors were not privy to. The court Man.” was now going to share this information We enter a tiny space just off of the with us. courtroom. It is the kind of setting that The judge says that, due to the late hour, we will “Mr. _______,” the defense asks him, would send anyone with claustrophobia stop now and continue tomorrow. He asks if any “would the results of the blood-alcohol into a frenzy. It has an ugly drop ceiling of us have any special needs. Fat Man, whose test, administered at the police station, and is painted a pale yellow. We sit facing presence I hadn’t noticed until now, raises her lead you to believe that the defendant one another around a circular table. was incapable of operating an automo­ hand. I don’t see Little Boy anywhere and can “Don’t give us much room, do they?” bile on that evening?” only assume that Fat Man ate her. Fat Man says. “I wonder how long we’re “I believe,” says the toxicologist, “that it gonna go on. I can’t sit for any length of was unlikely he was impaired.” time.” This statement was evidently not congruent with his prior testimony “Well, I think we should all introduce ourselves,” says a neat, middle- and pisses the judge off something fierce. aged woman with short hair and pearl earrings. “Now wait a minute!” the judge blasts, “that is not what you said in We look at one another and silently agree this is a good idea. There your statement. You’re contradicting yourself!” are many walks of life represented. One man modifies Hummers for “No, I’m not!” the toxicologist says, throwing up his hands in a de­ the Army. There are salespeople, stay-at-home moms and a young girl fensive pose. with terrible acne who works on a horse farm. And then, of course, The judge seems so upset that I’m half expecting the gavel to go right there is Fat Man. Another woman in the room is wearing a jacket with a into the middle of the toxicologist’s forehead. I have the impression fur-lined collar that someone compliments. Fat Man, sitting next to the that the judge had dealt with this toxicologist several times before and woman with the jacket, says, “My sister once got bitten by a ferret and had developed a hell of a dislike for him. had to get shots in her stomach for six months.” The defendant stares at the ceiling and looks very sleepy. There is, of course, no response to this, and all eyes stare at the center “What I said in my statement was …” the toxicologist continues, try­ of the table. Fat Man’s only prerequisite for throwing out an anecdote is ing to talk his way out of his little deviation, but the judge is having that it have nothing to do with the subject at hand. none of it. “Later my younger sister Norma got piles real bad and couldn’t drink “No! What you said in your statement was …” her Sanka for a year.” The judge then reads from notes in front of him. I do not catch his The door to our tiny little room bursts open as if kicked, and the last several comments because something extraordinary has just hap­ bailiff appears. He dumps a bag of candy across our little round table. pened in the courtroom. From out of the far side of the judge’s desk, Tootsie Rolls and miniature Chick-o-Sticks slide everywhere and drop creeping from behind the cowering toxicologist’s witness box, steps a into our laps. We must have been distracted from our hunger, for we gigantic black German shepherd. As the judge continues his diatribe, descend on the candy like so many falcons to field mice. The bailiff ad­ and the toxicologist squirms in his seat, the dog slowly walks in front of mires his work and rests an elbow high up on the doorframe. the judge’s desk towards the jurors’ box, sits and stares at us. “Everybody havin’ fun?” he asks. “You are bordering on contempt!” the judge booms, as I stare into We all silently nod, chewing our Chick-o-Sticks. the eyes of the giant dog. I wonder if I’m having a stroke or if it’s really We chat with him for a while as he rolls in the TV so we can watch the there. Is security this tight now in official buildings that they need large police tape again. aggressive dogs in the room? I imagine the defense attorney yelling, “What’s the craziest thing you ever saw happen in the courtroom?” I “Objection....AAAAAAAARG!!” as the dog leaps for his throat. ask the bailiff. The toxicologist gets up and leaves the witness box, and I have no He thinks for moment. idea how it panned out. The dog is still sitting at the edge of the judge’s “There was a guy once who got a 30-day sentence for something – I desk, staring at us. can’t remember what – and then he threatened to kill the judge for lock­ The judge says that this is the last of the testimony and we, the jury, ing him up. He went from one month to 10 years in the blink of an eye. will now try to come to a verdict. Some people are just stupid,” he says. We file back into our little room and sit in silence for a moment. No “My sister once had a warrant on her,” Fat Man adds. “She went to one says anything about the dog, and my fear of a stroke becomes more jury duty for one day, and then quit goin’. Stupid bitch.” pronounced. “Yep,” the bailiff says, “we need you here.” “I think we should start by reading the Juror’s Creed,” says Neat The judge sticks his head in the room. Lady. “I’d like you to watch the police tape again,” he says, “and then write I turn and look at the wall behind me, and in a big cheap frame is down any questions you have for the arresting officer. I’ll read them, something that looks like the Declaration of Independence. Neat Lady and anything I think should be brought up in court I’ll ask him for a reads: clarification.” • I am a juror. We watch the tape a second time. Any doubt put into my head by • I am a seeker after the truth. the defense attorney is quickly brushed aside as I again watch the de­ • I must listen carefully and with concentration to all of the evi­ fendant stagger all over the shoulder of the highway. Short of vomiting dence. into the policeman’s hat, he couldn’t have acted more intoxicated. It is • I must heed and follow the instruction of the court. hilarious, simply hilarious. • I must respectfully and attentively follow the arguments of the I stifle any urge to snicker, remembering this man is in big trouble. He lawyers, dispassionately seeking to find and follow the silver could receive jail time, lose his license, not to mention a lot of money. thread of truth through their conflicting assertions. “HAAA, HA, HA, HA, HAAAA!,” Fat Man brays. “He’s sauced!” • I must lay aside all bias and prejudice. We write our questions for the policeman. I can’t really think of any­ • I must be led by my intelligence and not by my emotions. thing to ask, except “How long do these things usually go on?” and • In fine, I must apply the golden rule by putting myself impar­ “Would your Taser work on someone like Fat Man?” tially in the place of the plaintiff and of the defendant. “Does anyone want to take a preliminary vote?” asks the Hummer • My verdict must do justice, for what is just is “true and righ­ builder. teous and altogether.” And when my term of jury service is We all say OK. The vote is eight to two for guilty. ended, I must leave with my citizenship unsullied and my con­ The two “not guilty” votes come from a man named Jeff, who – it science clear. came out in the selection process – had a DUI not long ago. The other “Where’s the john?” Fat Man asks. “I wanna make sure my pants are is a man named Ron who is the living double of W.C. Fields. He has a unsullied and clear first.” bulbous red nose that looks like a miniature globe of the Martian land­ All eyes close, and a nearly imperceptible shudder passes through scape. They both say that the police cruiser tape is “inconclusive.” the room. See Jury, P. 14 �14 STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Short Story We, the Jury Continued from page 13 Silver thread of truth my ass, I think. What about that German shep­ herd? We watch the police-cruiser tape again and again and again. Each time the man in the video swoons and staggers all over the place. No matter how many times I see it, I still wait for the man to fall face-first onto the highway and eat a mouthful of gravel. He never does fall, but it really doesn’t matter. Not to most of us anyway. Afterward, Hummer Builder asks if anyone would like to take anoth­ er vote. It is still eight to two – guilty. We all sit in an awkward silence for a few moments, not sure how to proceed. Finally, Hummer Builder addresses the two “not guiltys.” “Well, with the minority opinion, could you tell us why you think he’s not guilty?” Ron (the W.C. Fields lookalike) looks to Jeff (the recent DUI) to speak on their behalf. This is fine because Jeff, as it turns out, has all the an­ swers. “I simply can’t find the man guilty based on this tape,” Jeff responds, with more than a hint of spite. The rest of us wonder which video he is referring to, because he sure as hell can’t mean the one in the VCR. “You do remember,” Neat Lady says, with an admittedly condescend­ ing tone, “that we are judging whether or not we think he is impaired, and not on the breathalyzer test results alone.” “Yes, yes, I know that,” Jeff says. “When I watch this video, I can’t tell if he’s drunk or not.” “You can tell us,” I want to say in Leslie Nielsen’s voice. “We’re ju­ rors.” “We can’t know for certain if he is, I’ll grant you that,” Hummer Build­ er says, “but I think he’s showing obvious signs of being under the influ­ ence of alcohol.” “He could be tired,” Jeff says. “He could be clumsy. And when it fi­ nally comes down to it, I’m still just guessing. I do not know for certain if he is truly intoxicated.” This goes on for six more hours. “This is worse than Benjamin Button,” says Fat Man. “I’m sure we’ll find something to wheel you out on,” says Neat Lady. After so much time, and another 10 viewings of the arrest video, we are all at our breaking point. I’m chewing on my twelfth Chick-o-Stick of the day, courtesy again of the bailiff. “OK,” Neat Lady asks Jeff and Ron, “after viewing the police video so many times, am I to assume you are only more dead-set in your ver­ dict?” “Absolutely,” says Jeff. He takes a deep breath through his nose as he looks up at the ceiling. “I think we all need to take a big step back here, folks. It’s easy, especially at this late hour, to go with the crowd and make quick decisions on matters upon which we have no proof. All we know for a fact is that the defendant took a breathalyzer test and passed it. Other than that we are only speculating.” “The guy on that video is falling down drunk,” I say. “Falling down drunk,” Jeff says, scowling at the center of the table. “OK, he’s staggering and he’s stumbling drunk. How’s that?” The room snickers as the judge pokes his head into the room. “I appreciate the time you are taking making a careful decision,” he says. “I had some paperwork regarding the testing at the police station and the arrest that may clarify some issues for you. There is really no new information in it, however, that hasn’t already been brought up.” He takes his leave, having left a stack of papers, and thanks us again for making a careful verdict. Hummer Builder gives the paperwork a cursory look. I wonder what Jeff blew on his own breathalyzer a few months back and, if he passed it, how he was convicted. I have the question on the tip of my tongue when Hummer Builder speaks up. “Good lord,” he says, looking at the paperwork. We all stop chewing our candy for a second. “I don’t think we’re supposed to have some of this,” he says. “What do you mean?” I ask. “This paper here mentions a prior arrest for a DUI less than a year ago for the defendant. At the bottom of this other page it says that, when he was pulled over this time, he was going over 90 miles per hour.” We sit in stunned silence. What if, because they gave us the wrong papers, they declare a mistrial after all this time? “We’ll have to tell the judge right away,” Jeff says. Despite my dread of a mistrial I have to agree. It wouldn’t be fair to consider evidence that hasn’t been allowed, but how can I put the new information out of my mind? The defendant had another DUI less than a year ago. And before this recent arrest, despite his condition, was driving at an incredible rate of speed. “Jesus,” I think, “is he crazy?” “He ain’t got the sense of a goddam Dalmatian,” says Fat Man, speak­ ing for eight out of 10 of us. We inform the judge and, within a half hour, he types up a paper instructing us to ignore any information in the paperwork that was not already introduced as evidence in the trial. Of course, I couldn’t do this if I tried. I can’t help but feel vindicated for all of my guilty votes, not to mention going up against the “nots.” This might very well be unfair, having seen the new papers, but I don’t give a shit. This is how people are killed by drunk drivers. I would not have wanted to be anywhere near the defendant on the road that night, especially with my family in the car. Jeff himself has children, as he mentioned at some point. I saw this trial as an opportunity to act, to take one recidivistic drunk driver off the road. I don’t expect he and Ron to change their votes, despite the new information we have been instructed to ignore, and, of course, they don’t. It is still eight votes for guilty and two for not guilty. We are a hung jury. The judge thanks us in court for our hard work and time spent on the case. The defendant continues to admire the ceiling as the judge an­ nounces that the case will be tried again with a different jury at a later time. The German shepherd is nowhere to be seen. No ice cream After the trial, back in the deliberation room, the judge and both at­ torneys come to speak to us. “What direction were you leaning?” the defense attorney asks us. His face sinks when we tell him all but two of us voted guilty. “It was the video,” several people say, to soften the blow. “What about the two not guiltys?” he asks, looking around the room. “What made you vote that way?” “It was the video,” they respond. The German shepherd was being trained as a seeing eye dog at the jail across the street. Some of these animals have “sponsors” who take them for walks and provide other services. The judge was his sponsor. Serving on a jury was a strange and interesting experience. It was not unlike the feeling one has when leaving his first Carnival Cruise. The malaise and disorientation were the same, just no soft-serve ice cream. Also, as in the end of Twelve Angry Men, we jurors all went our separate ways without really saying a word to each other. The Neat Lady, Hum­ mer Builder, Jeff, Ron and Fat Man all went back to their lives as before. I wondered if they felt the lack of satisfaction that I felt, the same sense of having just wasted a lot of time. And did I really feel that way? One thing was for certain, I wouldn’t be having jury duty fantasies again for a long while – at least not until Judgment At Nuremberg aired again. Michael Fanning lives in Hartwell with his trophy wife, Alex. Streetvibes vendors keep 75% of sales. Consider helping Streetvibes with our publication costs by making a tax-deductible donation or by purchasing a subscription. Streetvibes is the activist newspaper, advocating justice, building community. Your gift is tax-deductible and will go to producing the paper every two weeks. Started in 1997, Streetvibes is distributed by homeless and formerly homeless vendors who purchase the paper for 25 cents and sell it for $1, keeping the 75 cent profit. Make checks payable to “Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless” I want to support Streetvibes and the vendors. $25 Please return your contribution to: GCCH 117 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Name: Address: E-mail: $50 $100 $150 Other $ _______ �STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 15 Resources Need Help or Want to Help? Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Cincinnati Union Bethel St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 381-SAFE 768-6907 FreeStore/FoodBank 557-2873 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 681-2365 St. Vincent de Paul 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 535-2719 591-2246 762-5660 562-8841 872-9259 381-2247 5 E. 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House 381-4941 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Starting Over Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 661-4620 First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 961-4080 Treatment: Both 761-1480 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center AA Hotline CCAT 721-0643 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) 471-1100 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 721-8666 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 621-5300 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 241-2965 Hamilton County ADAS Board Recovery Health Access Center Sober Living Talbert House 621-6364 People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets 946-4888 281-7422 681-0324 641-4300 Hamilton/Middletown 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 Northern Kentucky Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 421-5211 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 351-7921 631-1114 211 977-5541 421-5211 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 381-0111 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Shelter: Both Anthony House (Youth) 621-5514 214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Treatment: Women 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter 241-2600 241-2563 721-4700 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 Health 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 SOS Art 2010, a showcase of sociopolitical expressions for peace and jus­ tice, is underway through Sunday, June 6, at the Art Academy of Cincin­ nati. Now in its eighth year, SOS Art includes work by more than 200 Cincin­ nati visual artists, literary artists, musicians, performers and school chil­ dren. The visual art can be seen from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Thurs­ day, 9 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. The program includes: • 7 p.m. Friday, “PeaceWorks: Teaching Art for Social Justice,” a docu­ mentary, Power Point presentation and discussion by Marie Lindsey, art teacher; • 8 p.m. Saturday, On the Fast Track, a film about the tribulations of a young man down on his luck, directed by Traven La Botz and Alexan­ dra Kuzik; • 7 p.m. Saturday, a poetry reading facilitated by Mary Pierce Brosmer, founder of “Women Writing for (a) Change”; • 9 p.m. Saturday, “Earth in Pain” a modern dance performance by Ta­ dashi Kato, Japanese dancer and choreographer ;and a didgeridoo per­ formance by Heather Hughes; • 3 p.m. Sunday, “America as a Piece of Art: The America I Love,” a panel discussion facilitated by Jerry Judge, poet and art activist; and • 4:30 p.m. Sunday, artists’ discussion and closing potluck reception. The entire program is free to the public. 859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Center for Respite Care Call to Artists Brighton Center 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 799 Ann St. Newport, KY Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 Go Ahead: Ask a Vendor Invitation to a dialogue with our readers Streetvibes vendors see a lot that you might not. For example, some can describe what goes on in an abandoned building at night when they sleep there. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stand on a street corner sell­ ing newspapers? That’s hardly a common occupation anymore. How much money do Streetvibes vendors make – and what do they do with it? Do they have other jobs? If you have questions, some of our vendors would like to answer them. “Go Ahead: Ask a Vendor” will be an occasional feature, with questions submitted by readers and answered by Streetvibes vendors. You may direct your question to a specific vendor or we’ll invite one to respond. Only include your name if you want to. Send questions to streetvibes2@yahoo.com Or to Streetvibes, 117 E. 12th St. Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Go ahead. Ask. Missed an Issue? Check out the Streetvibes archive at www.cincihomeless.org/content/streetvibes �16 Artists as Activists STREETVIBES June 1 - 14, 2010 Flags and Penises “I do not see myself as special or different from anyone else. I am just an artist who enjoys what he does. My art makes me happy; it is my being.” - Aaron Kent K ent’s art is also his voice as he uses it, instead of words, to express and affirm who he is, convey his views, question and confront political and social issues and challenge viewers to think critically about our government and the values of our society. A versatile artist born in Springfield, Ohio, Kent now lives in Cincinnati. Encouraged by his nurturing mother, he has been drawing or involved in art classes since early childhood. In high school he studied commercial art, later switching to fine arts. He graduated from the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a bachelor of fine arts degree in sculp­ ture and worked at Casting Arts and Technology for seven years, practicing mold making, bronze casting and metal fabrication. Kent also uses other media including print­ making, painting and performance art. From the beginning his work has been unconvention­ al, questioning the status quo, triggering thinking about controversial issues such as religion, sexuality, money, freedom of speech and some aspects of punk culture. It Aaron Kent sitting next to casted bones for his Bones series. Saad Ghosn. has also been provocative both in its imagery and the of­ ten taboo subjects it addresses. His graphic series, America the Beautiful, recreated the American flag in various ways, associating it with money, religion and trinity in our society. war, thus using it to ad­ Kent’s sculpture, God Told Me It Was OK, represents a cross covered dress different issues that with Bible pages on which he silk-screened images pertaining to sexu­ pertain to America, its ality. His intention was to throw religion and the underworld of sex to­ politics and its culture. gether, questioning what is right and who judges wrong and points to It served to artistically the fact that religion looks down on lifestyles not of its likeness instead reaffirm the freedom of of accepting people for whom they are, appreciating their goodness. as speech that Kent believed Other artworks address the hypocrisy of religious institutions, for in­ the U.S. Constitution pro­ stance their tacit approval of wars and violence contradictory to their vided, at the same time peace teaching, just because they benefit from them materially and By Saad GHoSn raising awareness and monetarily. Contributing WritEr dialogue with the viewer. Kent’s latest series, Bones, consists of sculptures reflecting on death Hey Buddy Can You Spare and its spiritual connection to the circle of life. Based on bones repeat­ a Dime, a piece from the edly casted in bronze and arranged into unique, somewhat abstract series, consisted of an American flag made of $1 bills. By incorporating sculptural patterns, the pieces represent a shift from death to the beau­ money into the flag, Kent alluded to the important role money plays in ty and power of the continuous creative process. They connect indi­ U.S. politics, American wealth in the face of its coexisting poverty and viduals in a serene and harmonious way to their questioning of life and the increasingly changing economic horizons locally and worldwide. death, their own death, their survival through giving back. His sculp­ In New American Anthem, he used music bars as lines for a flag that tures illustrate at the same time the fragility yet the strength of all living he shot several times with a gun; he then had music written based on beings, neutralizing indirectly the fears imposed by religions. the shots-caused pattern. He thus associated firearms violence to the Kent also makes a point of putting his art outside galleries, in pub­ American flag, creating a new anthem lic spaces, in order to impact passers­ with a new message, making an implic­ by and make his art and message part it statement about the direction of our of their daily lives. For instance, he country. pastes his enlarged prints on blank, Another series, In God We Trust, chal­ abandoned walls, installs his sculptures lenges the thinking on who and what anonymously in the streets, sets spon­ God is, religion, right vs. wrong and taneous performance installations. how people use God for money and “I am an activist,” he says. “My art make money their god. Raised Catho­ says something that I want to commu­ lic, Kent disassociated himself early on nicate. It reflects who I am, what I be­ from religion as it did not answer his lieve in. I want it to raise questions and questions and was often, in his eyes, trigger thinking, irrespective of the im­ misused to perpetuate control, repres­ mediate reaction.” sion and self-interests. To point to sexuality and its impor­ “I do not need God to have a good tant role in life and fight its unhealthy heart,” he says. “Without religion one obliteration by society, Kent displayed can still be a good person.” in many public places large plasterAlthough agnostic, Kent remains casted penises, connecting them to spiritual, connecting to people and each other as if leading the way. To call helping others whenever he can – the attention to the terror of wars we inflict poor, homeless, abandoned and less on other people, he performed unan­ fortunate. This is his religion, being nounced, dressed up in a hazmat suit, honest, kind and supportive – not the public acts in restaurants and coffee materialistic, empire-building values shops, leaving behind him, unattended, promoted by institutions, which de­ small black boxes and briefcases. Per­ tract from the essential. ceived as a threat, he would be asked His print, In God We Trust, consists to leave, but after having generated in of $1 bills forming a cross. It shows those present the same uneasiness and the front of the bills with “The United fear others live on a daily basis because States of America” prominently printof the wars we have created for them. ed on them and the image of George In God We Trust, silk-screen print by Aaron “If I do not do art, I do not feel comWashington in their center. It directly Kent. Saad Ghosn. plete,” Kent says. “Art is my voice and links money to politics to religion, an my communication. It is also my share omnipresent, omnipotent, overlapping for a better world.” A rtists ctivists Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be contacted at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � 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 2010 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 1-14, 2010 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Tell Me: Do You Want to Hold Me? Sheriff Wants to Follow Arizona Pg 2: Don’t Look Away Pg 3: One Thing Leads to Another Pg 4: Tell Me: Do You Want to Hold Me? Continued Sheriff Wants to Follow Arizona Continued Pg 5: Bright Smiles for the Homeless Building Confidence in Leadership Pg 6: One Thing Leads to Another Continued Pg 7: Barons Fight for Their Country Pg 8: How Does Hollywood Do Poverty? Pg 9: Out in the Open Pg 10: Can You See Me Now? Pg 11: The Fedora That Changed a Life Pg 12: We, the Jury Pg 13: We, the Jury Continued Pg 14: We, the Jury Continued Pg 15: Resources Pg 16: Flags and Penises 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 1-14, 2010 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Lynne Ausman Veronica Glass Jeni Jenkins Michelle Dillingham Samantha Groark Margo Pierce Paul Kopp Jeremy Flannery Michael Henson David Heitfield Corey Gibson Saad Ghosn Lew Moores Larry Gross Eli Braun Jesse Call Brendon McCartney Michael Fanning Aimie Willhoite Anthony Williams Vinit Murthy Jon Hughes Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Kent Activism Aimie Willhoite Anthony Williams Arizona Avondale Brendon McCartney Corey Gibson David Heitfield Eli Braun Gregory Flannery Hamilton County Hollywood Jeni Jenkins Jeremy Flannery Jesse Call Jon Hughes Justice System Larry Gross Lew Moores Lynn Baker Lynne Ausman Margo Pierce McMicken Dental Clinic Mia Carruthers Michael Fanning Michael Henson Michelle Dillingham Over-the-Rhine Paul Kopp Saad Ghosn Samantha Groark Stereotypes Street Paper The Retros Veronica Glass Vinit Murthy