18 10 291 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/6ad9b017575298a04fcc8734f72f9d79.pdf f64001e8f7c407018f1e38a4bea8f875 PDF Text Text Child Care Subsidies Crucial to Working Poor, by Lynn Williams "If I didn't get my child care subsidy, I would have to quit my job and go back on welfare," says Vanessa Jones, working mother of a three year old child. "I would not be able to afford the high cost of child care." "Oh, no she wouldn't! She would not have a good cause to get welfare if she quit her job," retorted Joan Lawrence, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. Ms. Lawrence further stated that child care subsidies should not be an entitlement because they would make parents "dependent" on the government! Of course, the Welfare Rights Coalition disagrees with the Spe~ker of the House. We believe: I. Child care subsidies are crucial for helping working parents transition off of welfare. They are key to helping parents stabilize their work and home lives and permanently stay off of welfare. Governor Voinovich in his 1997 Proposed Budget wants to only' guarantee transitional child care until a parent reaches an income level of 135% of the poverty line. This equates to an income of $13,986 for a working mother and child. Under Voinovich's plan, parents leaving welfare to work would no longer have a one year guarantee of transitional child care. 2. Currently in the governor's budget proposal, there is no guarantee for child care for parents who are not on welfare or transitioning off of assistance. There is no plan for an entitlement to child care for the working poor. Many people who are not on welfare are still living far below_the poverty level! Currently in Hamilton County, 140,000 people are living below the poverty line. The Welfare Rights Coalition advocates that guaranteed child care subsidy should be in place for all low-income working parents up to 200% of the poverty line. 3. The Welfare Rights Coalition ~sks why isn't the government requiring that employers pay a livable wage so workers can afford unsubsidized child care? Our government puts white kid gloves on when it comes to regulating businesses on fair labor practices. Employers should be required to pay livable wages; if not, government needs to subsidize child care. Some legislators are trying to get around the subsidy issue by saying we'll return to the "good old days" when neighbors watched after each· other's children. "What if your neighbor a Continued on Page 1O _ilSbo_ ___..::,: \ Dr. Robert Donovan provides health care for the homeless. Photo by James Heath. Health Care Urgent Need for Homeless by Dr. Robert Donovan It may sound ridiculous to say, "Being homeless is bad for your health." Now; because of the Health Care for the Homeless Programs, we can not only intuitively say it, be we also have evidence for it. These programs were begun as several pilot projects by two philanthropic foundations in the mid 1980s. They were so successful that the federal government finally caught on and began funding more programs so that now, there are over I00 throughout the country. Some are mobile, like we have here in Cincinnati, and some are run in clinics. Over their years of existen.ce, the programs have compiled statistics and done special studies, demonstrating some of the particularly unique medical needs of the homeless population. Two major concerns create significant obstacles in takfng care of other medical illnesses for homeless people: • One-third have severe mental health_ problems. This comprises 40% of homeless women, double tbe rate of homeless men. These problems often include major depression, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders. • One third have a drug and/or alcohol problem. 47% of the men are alcoholics; 16% of the women. For these people to have adequate medial care (or, for that matter, to get beyond homelessness), these two problems must also be addressed. Part of the money is directed towards meeting these needs. In these Health Care for the Homeless programs, two-thirds of the visits (of those who were seen more than once) are for relatively minor ailments, similar to the rate seen in any family doctor's office: colds, bronchitis, trauma, and skin disorder-S. Twenty-eight percent of those seen have one or more chronic physical conditions. This rose to 37% in those seen more than once (an indicator of chronic homelessness). It rose even further to 60% in those over the age of 50. These figures are much higher than in the "domiciled" (people who live in homes) p~pulation. Some of the conditions we see-that are increased in people that are homeless include: • high blood pressure: 2x (4x if alcohol is a problem) • chronic gastrointestinal conditions: 23x even excluding alcohol • peripheral vascular disease (varicose veins, phlebitis, arterial hardening, etc.) 4-Sx ( this is not essentially alcohol related) • chronic lung diseases (like emphysema): 6x • infectious diseases: 5-6x as many visits • TB: 50-1 OOx (fortunately, this is not as severe in Cincinnati as in other larger cities like New York) • sexually transmitted diseases: 2x • pregnancy: I0% (vs. 7% domiciled) • HIV disease is also elevated. Other conditions of living on the streets or in shelters complicate much of medical care. Diet is critical in several illnesses {diabetes, for instance), but few homeless people have any possibility of obtaining a special diet. Rest is important for recuperation, but most have little opportunity for a safe place to rest during the day. So, like the chicken or the egg problem, which comes first poor health or homelessness? Probably both interact on one another. However, it is clear that medical ~re is impor.tant not only in preventing homelessness, but also in helping those who are homeless. ·.r A homeless person accesses the Cincinnati Homeless Health Van. The van v,i sits a different shelter each day staffed with a doctor and nurse practitioners who provide basic care to the homeless. Photo by James Heath. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless G~apevine Underground Railroad Museum Rolls into Cincinnati STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine by Donald Wf!ilehead The underground railroad symbolizes the struggle for freedom by our AfricanAmerican ancestors. I take great pride in knowing that Cincinnati played a big role in the road to freedom known as the underground railroad. I also take pride in the efforts to make the museum a part of Cincinnati's future. The National Underground Railroad Museum will be an approximately $80 million project. The 125,000 square foot project will be located on an undetennined riverfront site. Funding for the project is slated to come from private and public sources. A 41-member advisory board includes many prominent names such as Nikki Giovanni, Rev. ,Fred Shuttlesworth, Myrlie Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. . The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed ·to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Committee meets monthly to plan our issues and jncrease circulation. If you are interested in helping or have a comment, please call 421-7803. Staff Pat Clifford, Coordinator Donald Whitehead,· Outreach Coordinator Photographers James Heath Berta Lambert Writers Tim Burroughs F. J.C. Pat Clifford Brian Davis Dr. Robert Donovan Bridget Hanna Amy Harpeneau Mike Henson Leslie Horner Max Johnson Berta Lambert Zollie Long Myron Gregory Payton Coy Ramsey Bart Roth Alexander Taylor Sandy Valadon Donald Whitehead Page 2 ~ Evers-Williams, Earl graves, Bryant Gumbel, Quincy Jones and several other local and national figures The Freedom Center will be a tremendous tribute to Cincinnati's contribution to the efforts to end slavery. What will be equally important is proposed training that will address current struggles for oppressed people throughout the world. The Museum and training center are much needed in Cincinnati. While we can be proud of our past contributions, we must be appalled by the dismal present which includes a ranking as the 15th most segregated city in the United States. The Center will hopefully remind us of our roots. . Harriet Beecher Stowe House, located in Walnut Hills, is part of Cincinnati's connection with antislavery efforts and the underground railroad. Photo by Berta Lambert. Part Two I Chose Honest by Gregory Payton Volunteer Editors Patrick Ayers Becky Ranallo Kimberly T enai Refer all stories or inquiries, to: Streetvibes do .Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch .i!bfl!JOd Ofi "CH SYOI · My name is Gregory and I'm homeless, but I feel that won't last for long. I was given a chance to sell Cincinnati's ,Homeless Newspaper called "Streetvibes." I talked to Donald Whitehead, and he took me out for training, teaching me the rules and guidelines. I felt good about having a job. When I got the opportunity to talk to other vendors, my spirit was lifted. They welcomed me to the team. They shared with me some of the ways to approach future customers. I'm excited about what I am doing, and the job that I have to spread the word of homelessness. I read my paper and study it well, so that I can answer the questions my customers ask. . After I did my homework, I felt I was ready. I had decided on a location, and whether I would walk or stand. That was easy, because I wanted to try different spots to see what was the best for me. I started thinking, or should I say, dreaming. Talking with my customers, I learn a lot froni them, and they look forward to each issue. Some are new and some are discovering the problem of homelessness through friends, family and, yes, some of my customers used to be homeless themselves. A lot of my customers encourage me ·to keep doing what I'm doing. To stand for the people that have nothing; to speak for the people that are afraid to speak; to listen for the people that are not there, because homeless people are everywhere. That thought told me where I wanted to sell my papers. I picked Government Square: there the buses and the people on them, go all the way to Fields Ertel, TriCounty, Beechmont, Delhi Township, Milford, Loveland, Forest Park, Bridgetown, and other places that are far away. I know by how many readers are saying homeless people don't live in these places but care, and want the opportunity to share. Some are from St. Bernard, Norwood, and Elmwood. There are too many cities within. a city to just name a few. We all make a team. What teaml , The team that made Cincinnati, the area here, the best city to live in in the United States of America. Readers, I'm getting chills and thrills writing from my heart. The only thing I ask is that you remember your part, yes readers, you have a heart. Please let us remember: The Blessings we need Are the ones we receive �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine Page J Gentrification Continues in Over-the-Rhine Residents Express Anger and Fear Over Changes by Tim Burroughs Changes are occurring in the Findlay Market Area of Over-the-Rhine. The demolition of buildings, the creation of parking lots and the relocation of playgrounds have altered the dynamics of the community. Old city neighbo rhoo d revitalizatio n invo lves mo re people than just the operators of bulldozers or contractors for buildings. Although new bricks and fresh blacktop are what outsiders may perceive as revitalization, original residents in su.ch areas have a different perception. Steve, a resident of the Findlay Market Area, notices "buildings being torn down for parking lots. One of them was originally a co rner store and blood plasma center before being torn down for a parking lot." His comments imply an attitude of confusion and disapproval of what he saw. The relationship between landlord and tenant often leads to eventual displacement. Environments are often created for residents who cannot afford them for financial and health reasons. As long as the process is legal, original residents have limited options. Court procedures handle eviction cases with a systematic process that gives evictees little incentive to show up for their own hearing. The relationship residents had with their landlord revealed an obvious difference in resources and power, which was often to the disadvantage of the resident. Building maintenance is a popular area for residents to perceive their landlord's assertion of power and lack of concern. Dan, a resident of the Findlay Market Area, felt like the landlord was unfair because of the way the landlord dealt with repairs. Dan said, "the repairs are ridiculous prices. Most of the time I don't even know where the repairs have been made. And many repairs are overpriced." Dan recognized the lack of control he had. He was living in Section 8 housing and the rent varied according to his income. However, the landlord could assert power over the residents and affect his desire to live there through maintenance costs. In a similar way, residents experience pressure to move out through maintenance practices when landlords fail to make needed repairs. When I asked Stan, another Findlay Market Area resident, how the landlord dealt with utilities and repairs, he replied, "he doesn't. Look at the ceiling, when the people upstairs flush their toilet, raw sewage seeps through our ceiling and down the wall. Chunks of plaster fell on my wife's head when she got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. There are no fire-escapes. The windows are covered with cast iron grates that are molded on. The landlord won't even let the Board of Health in." One need not ask. It was obvious that maintenance in Stan's apartment was nonexistent. Roaches covered the deteriorating walls, making it difficult to sit patiently and listen to Stan's situation. It was not only undesirable or perhaps uncomfortable, but the landlord contributed to an environment that was also clearly unsafe. Displacement may be seen as more than just the physical removal of residents. The creation of an unfavorable, overpriced or unsafe environment can be identified as the beginning of displacement. Elevated rental costs provide the landlord with a more obvious and much faster The recent moving of the Findlay Ballfield for a new parking lot is raising re s ident's concerns about displacement. Photo by Berta Lambert. form of displacement. A popular method involves remodeling and repairing and then, immediately following, an increase in rent. When I asked Larry, a Findlay Market Area resident, what was going on in the neighborhood, he said after he thought for a moment, "Displacement! Yeah, that's the right word. Just like in Mt. Auburn, buildings are remodeled, then the rents skyrocket!" It seems unfair that the residents have no control over their homes. Those residents representing lower socio-economic status are subject to the will of owners and developers. Having been evicted several times from buildings all over the downtown area, David, who now lives in the Findlay Market Area, said, "Owners come in and fix the buildings up, everyone is given 30 days to move, and then the rent is doubled." Elevated costs demand resources from low income residents that they cannot afford. There remains no option except to move. Besides housing changes, there also has been a crack down on crime in the Findlay Market Area recently. Steve and his friend, Larry, agreed that "recently they have been harassed more by police." Neither understood why they were being questioned for no apparent reason. Recent incidents like the arrest and near riot on McMicken Street on February 21, 1997, and the police officer who ran over a pedestrian on February 23, 1997, both occurred near the Findlay Market Area. Gentrification is a complex concept. It is not characterized by a specific place or a specific group of people. It may be evident when its effects are obvious. By the time gentrification can be seen, however, much of the process has already occurred. Unfortunately, opinions about neighborhood revitalization often develop from the product, which often appears to be an improvement. One needs to identify urban change early in the process through the perspective of original . residents. Low income populations, especially the aged, are greatly affected by neighborhood transitions. According to a study done by Andrew Thomas Singelakis in Manhattan, the aged are found to be over-represented as compared to the rest of the population in distressed areas. Most seniors do not know where they would move to if displaced. Particularly for those seniors residing in SROs, the possibility of displacement is very real. Once displaced, few, if any, housing options exist. In comparison, Singelakis's research concluded that in-migrants to gentrifying neighborhoods are typically more homogenous than those displaced. Gentrification expresses dependence on the presence of large numbers of childless households. Renovators with children often move to the suburbs because of the belief that cities are the least desirable places to raise children. Renovators are typically young middle-class professionals. Segregation often follows gentrification efforts. What were once thriving racial or ethnic subcultures are often disrupted by the arrival of renovators. Another Way of Life by Gregory Payton When I had a home, I realize I had friends. Since I became Homeless I realize I have real friends. These friends have so much to share. They don't laugh at me, we laugh together, we share sorrow together. We talk and motivate each other. We don't steal from each other, we have nothing to steal. We don't judge each other because we take the same steps in life. We experience the same pain. The pain of hunger, and wanting to belong. The pain of not knowing the events of the next day. The pain of not having. and even the pain of wanting to have. You watch T.V every night, I see a T.V on the street. Ready to go to the dump. My clothes, never new, always old. My water, never hot, always cold. When we walk in the store, we never get a hand, authorities just want to search and scan (stolen property) when we stand on a near by comer. Cars come to the light, we hear a click of the door, and get a stare of fright. If by chance you see me at night, please don't think I'm a drug dealer, or I'm committing crime, I just have a whole lot of time. When you go to church on Sunday, she in her Jewelry, he in his suit, my clean jeans and ruff and dry shirt, get the stares that really hurt. When you get things, I wish for things; when we read, we dream, Oh what a dream, I respect you, can you respect me; you are a person, am I one to you, your God says love, mine does too. In his eyes I'm just like you. Why can't we all be the same or, are back to that word called. What comes around goes around, But God's love has no bounds. .. . tf �. STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Editorial Page Page 4 I~ yo1>. O\boli5L-. , •• pO\Ye\\\-5 will L-.0\ve to wov\:. \A-\l\\l\A-\L\\A-\ 10\\~ev L-.01>.v5. We Love Development! Th""t- ""'e""\\5 \A-\OYe 1>.\\51>.peY'JiseJ. You may think that homeless and low income people oppose development. It seems that they are always complaining and in general, just can't be satisfied. Wei~ nothing could be further from the truth. Every new downtown plan and riverlront development opportunity just has us abuzz with excitement and anticipation. How can we get on boardl we quickly wonder. After al~ we need to keep moving around every few years anyway to keep us on our toes. What could be a better excuse than a worthy cause like an aquarium or a domed museum or a new boating canal. We are good citizens and ready and willing to sacrifice for the common good. When we are asked to give up our ~est emergency shelter for a Classical Music Hall of Fame, we say, "Why just take the shelter? Why don't you take some housing while you're at it!" When the people who came up with the Quest plan show the entire Newport Public Housing complex submerged for a new yacht dub, we look forward to all the opportunities to fish for food and live outdoors like God intended. Location for a new baseball stadium? Heck, why just settle for putting it on the edge of Over-the-Rhine. Let's just demolish a few square blocks. We'd be happy to move and get jobs as ticket scalpers and parking attendants. Or if we're lucky, we can embark on a career of selling those little bags of peanuts. You see, it's all a matter of having an open mind and a positive attitude. Do we feel any resentment at the costs associated with these worthy endeavors? No. We were surprised to see that each stadium would only cost a billion dollars. Heck, why pinch pennies? Can't we afford a itde morel It's not like we have a budget crisis or anything. It's not like we really NEED school lunches and schools don't really NEED to be heated. This is America. If tax money were meant to be held on to, they would have put handles on it. I know it is unrealistic and downright selfish of me to expect to get any of those funds for myself for housing or food or some other frivolous waste. It makes me feel lucky when I watch TV and see those sad faces of all those poor football owners begging passionately for people to buy seat licenses. And here I am complaining when I get at least two bowls of soup and a mat guaranteed each day...at least until they develop it away. ___________________ .___ \:.id-5 ~et+\\\~ i\\ ho1>.ble. CvitMe t5 IM05\l""'f OY\-0\\\tl55L\e! OL\Y The Unique Challenges of the Homeless Mentally Ill by Amy Harpenau As many as one-third of the nation's homeless adults suffer from a variety of severe mental illness such as schizophrenia. In many ways, the homeless mentally ill are similar to their non-mentally ill homeless counterparts. Homeless mentally ill individuals tend to be young, non- white males and are long-tenn residents of the community where they are found and which consist of higher-functioning individuals. Economic factors and family conflict are the primary reason for their homelessness. They tend to have problems with alcohol and drugs in high numbers. It is increasingly realized that the population of homeless mentally ill individuals is not comprised only of the stereotypical individuals who are seen as isolated or psychotic street dwellers. Deinstitutionalization, the large-scale release of patients from state mental hospitals that began in the 1950s, is often sighted as the explanation for the mentally ill homeless. In a study conducted in Ohio, 29.9 percent of persons interviewed had spent time in an institution while only 5 percent were judged to be currendy in need of hospitalization. Deinstitutionalization has contributed to homelessness to some degree, but since the majority of homeless persons have never been in a psychiatric institution, most explanations overemphasize the cause. The broader cause has more to do with economic changes that have left an increasing number of poor people, including the mentally ill who are most vulnerable, to compete for a shrinking number of lowincome housing units. A loss of single-roomoccupancy (SRO) hotels to urban renewal affects both the poor and the mentally ill. The shortage of community residences leaves the mentally ill trapped; a lack of affordable housing with adequate supportive services compounds this shortage for the mentally ill. In addition, the Reagan administration tried to eliminate the federal subsidy of low-cost housing although not with complete success. Coupled with the issue of homelessness is the mentally ill's susceptibility to stigma, neglect and victimization; their dependence on others; their symptoms, and their lack of resources. In general, American society has _, never adequately cared for the mentally ill inside or outside of institutions. They have largely been referred to as the "underclass" or "diseased," rather than marginalized or disenfranchised. In fact, most homeless mentally ill persons identified their economic and social problems rather than symptoms of mental illness as the principle reason for their homelessness. The quality of care should be the true objective as well as the basic necessities of adequate food, shelter and clothing. A remedy will not fare well unless an effort is made to stabilize the homeless mentally ill and reduce stress in their lives. Low cost, decent housing represents a critical component of mental health services. Sadly, the lack of safe affordable housing is one of the biggest obstacles. Services need to be provided that are consistent with the skills, values and beliefs of homeless mentally ill persons, and the inherent dignity of the persons must also be respected. Coalition Hosts Basketball Fund raiser The Homeless Coalition is having a basket ball fundraiser on April I I, 1997, at 7 pm at Finneytown High School Gymnasium. The Homeless Coalition and Friends team will play two games against WLWT Television team and the WIZF Radio team. Proceeds will be split between the Homeless Coalition and the Recovery Program at the Drop Inn Center Shelter. For more information, contact Donald Whitehead at 421-7803. �-- STREETVIBES - -·---~---.-----~ The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Dear Homeless. • • by Myron Dear Confused (from Last Issue), In the last issue, your question to me, was about vendors licenses. It was brought to my attention that the infonnation I gave was not complete. We have vendors badges that can be used to sell the paper, and those are issued from our office. Dear Myron, Outside all day and night, I can't get rid of this cold, it makes me weak and tired from coughing. I would go to University Hospital, but I'm sure they need a home address to bill me, or treat me. Any ideas? Dear_Anonymous, Be careful with the weather changing so much. This cold you speak about could be a flu, which is a virus. This is dangerous. Please read carefully. There is a medical van that helps t he homeless population. It stops at a different location each day. On Mondays and Thursdays at !:30 p.m., it stops at the Drop-in. Center at 217 w 12th St.. If you go there you can get medical attention and the rest of the scheduled sites. . P.S: Please hurry. Myron Love is the Answer Dear Homeless ... accepts letters. Please send your questions to: Myron c/o Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 We will attempt to answer all letters in a timely manner. Don•t Criticize, .Sympathize by F.J.C. I am among those who at this particular . time in life homeless I am up in years and through no fault of my own lost many of my wordly possessions Through this circumstance it has been my privalage to meet a quantity of men in life circumstances To my surprise I have found that. many through various circumstances have lost most of what they cherish People homeless are not bums, tramps or otherwise I have seen many pray before each meal They are not vicious resentful or otherwise against society There are those of course through human weakness have fallen through t he crack Ninety percent all of whom I have met personally, want only a chance to become selfsufficent Therfore do not criticize but sympathize and help the lost Remember th is can happen to . you Dear Edilorl I was downtown awaiting a bus and had a very hopeful and stimulating conversation with one of your vendors, which led me to purchase one of your publications. I would like to wis)l you all of God's blessings and continued support for your well reported and infonnative paper. I remember saying to the vendor that the problems we face shall be upon us until the return of Jesus Christ. At which time he shall establish his government in this world. Those who haven't or won't acknowledge him shall have another dominion to inhabit. Does this mean we should stop .trying to help ourselves and others? No, it simply means that the condition of hearts we posses with motives of pride and selfishness shall not be overcome without divine intervention. · And I praise him and say come Jesus for we need you. We hear so much these days from the government and media that this nation or, shall I say family, can't support itself. There's no budget for it. We can't afford to nourish, protect and encourage. I truly believe it is a sad state of affairs when our elected officials try to convince us that this, our divine and sanctified family by God and his grace, isn't in a position to care after its preservation. I remember reading somewhere about Alexander the Great's last request. This man held the wealth of the nations and temples of the known world of his time. He said, "Place me upon a cot with a white sheet as a cover with only my empty hands showing. Then carry me threw these lands I have conquered." This is a message to us all that we carry out of this world that which we brought in. What we do take with us, though; is ·what we have learned. And I believe the greatest gift is love. Only through the shared gifts of wisdom, hope and knowledge do any of us ever achieve our potential. We truly rob ourselves of the things most important in life. Look around America and see your broken communities, your hospitals, your prisons. See that loss of potential. Look at that hungry child, that suffering senior and realize there is a condition which can be overcome with effort ·and hope. I pray to God that people come to believe each .one of these faces was made in the divine image of God, who has in his mercy offered salvation, who is able to care for all of our needs, and shall never turn from blessing us if we only recognize· his will. For if we believe money is g9ing to restore broken lives, we have truly lost sight of our own worth. Sincerely 1 Coy Ramsey Page 5 A Personal Perspective by Bridget Hanna I have been living in Over-the-Rhine for only a little over a month. I am a student at Xavier University. ·For this semester I am living here, taking classes, and doing 20 hours of community service in the community. This is . the first time that Xavier had offered this program, and I have gotten some strange reactions from people. When I explain what I am doing, people ask me how dangerous it is, and warn me to be careful. Some wonder if I am crazy and ask me why I would want to be here. After h~ring thi ~ over and over, I began to question myself as well. · What I have experienced every day has reassured me. I have found the exact opposite of the fears others put in my heart. I have met courageous and amazing people that are carrying on an inspiring movement. In my life, I have never witnessed such strength and faith of people working together for justice. There is a true community in Over-the-Rhine that is not found in the suburbs that I have known. There is a history here, passed on by word of mouth that is richer than any history text book I have ever read. In Over-the-Rhine, faces have names and relationships are fonned. In the past month I have been accepted and welcomed by many. People have shared their stories and have taught me such things as courage, love, hope, and wisdom. I want to thank the people in .Over-the-Rhine for continuing the struggle for justjce and fo r welcoming me into you r community. You have changed my. life. Project Connect is Moving. As Cincinnati Public School's Program to Educate H~meless Children and Youth we have outgrown our office space and are now expanding to a larger office. Project Connect's new location fs on the third floor of Washburn Elementary School at 1425 Linn Street room 24. If you would like to learn more about our program or if you would like Project Connect to present to your class on the issues of homelessness, please contact us at 357-5720. Subscribe to Streetvi bes Subscriptions to Streetvibes cam be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a ch.eek to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Your subscription helps keep our paper alive. l i I Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call the office at 421-7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 The Contract with America - t Washington, DC: Farragut North Station continue to move swiftly, they had to do a great deal of dodging. In spite of the turn in the weather, street vendors were already out Two men trotted quickly up the steps with their tables and racks full of jewelry, Tfrom the subway and into the cold winter shirts, scents, and souvenir miniature monu. ments. "Neckties, three for ten dollars," one light. A vicious, cutting wind swept across the open mouth of the subway tunnel; called. Others stood blowing into their hands overnight, the weather had turned. Each for warmth. At one stand a vendor demonman pulled the collar of his overcoat tighter strated spinning toys-the accent was Jamaican or Haitian. A knot of tourists, already to his throat. With a free hand, each gripped his briefcase to keep the wind from shopping and admiring, had ga~hered and bottlenecked the flow of traffic so that the two tearing it away. The two man eased quickly men had to elbow and· sidestep through the into the stream of people on the sidewalk, crowd before they could get back to full looking neither to the side nor to the rear, but straight, dead-ahead. They knew where speed. They walked in silence for half a minute they were going. more before the younger man saw, just ahead, "So, like I say," the one continued. a young man with a dyed-blonde mohawk, The gust of wind had silenced him for a squarely in the path of his co_mpanion. The moment, it was such a sudden, numbing blonde mohawk was shambling down the blast. As they breasted the current of the sidewalk traffic, he resumed. "It hasn't been . sidewalk, blind as a rowboat, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes cast to the ground. easy going these past few months." With the press of people to the right and left, "Well I don't see how it could have there was no way his companion could avoid been," said the other. "It has to be tough him. He watched his friend squint his eyes sledding." By habit, this man glanced to the left, grimly, slow himself, and pause for the mohawk to snap out of it. The punk must into the park across the street. As usual, have seen the flash of the man's shoe, for he homeless men lay like bundles across a half dozen benches, and he pondered briefly suddenly raised his head and stopped. They danced for a moment, first right, then left, to how they could survive such a night. But get around each other. When that did not they did survive. One of them, a shaggy and work, they were locked in a stalemate. The massive thing - sat bolt upright on his older man's eyes narrowed under his dark hat. bench and stared - hard - back at them He stared at a spot to the left of the punk's ear from under thick black brows. which had been pierced a half dozen times and He shook his head and turned back to was loaded with metal. The butterfly lances of his companion. "You've had almost conhis hair stood gleaming in the sun. After his stant pressure." he resumed. double dodge, the older man settled in. He Neither man looked at the other. The wind had abated after the first gust; it now drew himself up taller and squared his shoulran steady and bitter. They kept their faces ders as if coming to attention. He would not drawn down into their scarves: Each of the be the one to budge. But the blonde mohawk did not seem to men had jammed his felt hat down close over his eyes. notice. A break emerged in the press of The two men were nearly the same people on the sidewalk; he excused himself size; they were dressed in nearly identical with a mutter, and passed to t he right, brus hsuits and overcoats and highly polished, ing the man with his shoulder. The man cordovan, wi ng-tip shoes. They wore scowled back briefly at the punk in his black neatly identical fedora hats and insulated leather jacket and bagging trousers. leather gloves with wool plaid scarves at The younger man looked back ·as well and their necks. The creases in their trousers recognized, beyond the sagging shoulders and were pressed sharp as blades. But the first yellow flag of the punk, several paces back man was older; you could see that in his among the crowds jostling to work, the shaggy, face, which sagged just slightly at the corblack-browed homeless man he had seen on the park bench. He was amazed. To be this ners of his eyes and across his brow. He was just a few pounds heavier; just a bare close behind, the man must have grabbed his inch taller. As he walked, his step _was more duffel bag as soon as he saw them and flung labored and determined. But he walked himself through the sidewalk crowds at a run. steady and square, moving swiftly through The younger man turned back to his walking; the crowds. The younger man noticed that he .had to stay sharp to keep up with his and admired him for it. The two had companion. But it was odd, he thought, to see the , walked this length for nearly three years now. They worked in office buildings next park bench man again. Perhaps it was not him. door to each other. They had met on the Back on the bench, he has seemed massive and train and saw each other nearly every day. monumental. . But in that quick glimpse of him "A lot of people couldn't handle the standing in the street, the man . had seemed stress you're under," the younger man terrifyingly gaunt, like a concentration camp continued. He had worried about him for victim. The eyes were black, though, and weeks. , sheltered under shaggy black brows. They barreled at them, heavy and dark as deer slugs. The first man appeared uncomfortable A live one, he thought. with these words, as if he were embar.. rassed to be caught complaining. He · "The koo~s are out early," he said. remained silent. It was twenty minutes to The first ~n shrugged, and sai~ nothing nine and the sidewalks were crowded; to · for a long .time. They quickly passed dozens The shaggy man _ half-stepped to block him. "Do you forget your own brother?" more people obviously headed for work, and the man with the tin cup thrust out for change. "What gets me," the older man said finally, "Is that I tried to do it right, and I did. I did it as right as I knew how. But right ·isn't right enough for these people." "And they a,ctually went through your trash?" The older man sighed and shook his head. "They actually paid some guy money to root around in the dumpster outside my building to see if they could find something on me." "And they got : . .?" "A couple of letters. That's all." "Is that even legal?" "That's what we'll find out soon." "You'd think they'd have something better to do with their time." "You'd think they'd dean up their own act instead of looking for something to throw at me." "They're desperate." ''They'll get theirs." . They came to a corner and were faced with a DON'T WALK light. They waited, closely packed with others - secretaries, tourists, domestics, business people like themselves. Neither said a W<_?rd, packed in - so closely with all of these people. A similar crowd was stacked on the opposite curb. A dozen ~rs whipped through the intersection and a Metro bus slowed in front of them, blocking their view. The bus passed, t he light changed, and the th rong on the opposite corner charged forward like the front line in a Civil War battle. A young woman stepped at the head of the charge. She wore the uniform of a secretary on her way to work: gym shoes, nylons, and a skirt. She was bundled fiercely against the cold, but they could see that she had dark, precisely penciled eyes. A gust of wind took up the hem of her skirt and granted them a vision of a fine-muscled thigh. Neither man spoke, but both watched as she brushed back her skirt and pushed on. The younger man continued to glance back and follow the sway of her shoulders until she passed into the press of people headed in both directions. He jogged two steps to catch up, then glanced back once more. She had disappeared. Instead, he saw again, the man from the park with his hair hanging loosely and long like an old-time picture of John the Baptist. His eyes were dark and intent and leveled straight at his friend's back. Is he following us or what? A half-minute later, he glanced again, and the man was gone. He was relieved. His friend did not need to have some freak tracking him. Still, who was to say it was even the same man? The bundle rising from the bench had 'looked..hJlb ov �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 I iction by Michael Henso-n fleshed, broad-shouldered, and oddly monumental. The man he had just seen was hollow-cheeked, long in the face, and bony as a rail, too frail looking to have kept up all the way from the station gate - and hauling such a pack! It must have been everything he owned! It seemed impossible. But still, there were those dark, shotgun eyes and those rumpled, butternut clothes. His friend had not noticed and did not seem bothered, for he kept up the same pace, trudging heavily but steadily and, · at times swiftly, moving in and out among the other walkers, the litter cans, mailb9xes or whatever constituted an obstacle. They continued down Connecticut Avenue toward the large office buildings at the flank of the mall, passing still more vendors, tourist groups, and people headed off to work. The younger man took a chance and looked back into the crowd: still no sign of the black-browed man. He sighed with relief. You never knew what these people might do. He stepped forward alongside the first man with just a little more spring. "So, you have a court date today?" he asked. "Not a court date, just a hearing." "Another one?" The first man shrugged, as if to say that he had been through it before. He could handle it. At F Street, without a word, they turned, . by custom, into Swing's Coffee Shop where each, by custom, brought a coffee-to-go and a scone. Pressed shoulder to shoulder with the other customers, thei had to wait for only a moment; the men in white shirts were quick at their work. They crossed to the window counter to add cream and sugar. The younger man glanced over his shoulder at the clock. It was thirteen minutes to nine. They had a little time. In spite of the crowd of customers, Swing's was an island of old-time sanity, with its white shirt service and its glow of polished wood and brass. He paused to watch t he cream swirl into the coffee, the merging dark and light. Such a simple thing, and a relief after the push and struggle of the street. He felt suddenly dreamy · an d tired. Two more days to the weekend. Twenty mo re years to reti rement. Dozens of people passing in fro nt of t he window, each in the same rush to the same situation. He was tired of the steady dai ly march, from the suburbs, to t he t rai n, and into the heart of the city. He had good work, and he made good money, but still, look what was happeni ng to t his poor guy: twenty-seven years on the job, one little trumped up charge, and now - on the edge of losing it all. To wo rk so hard, and to see it all . .. The older man broke his spell. He had snapped a plastic lid onto his coffee, hoisted his briefcase, and was already striding toward the door. · The younger man reached for a lid ancl did the same. But just as he . grabbed his briefcase handle, he saw the gray coat, the heavy bundle, and the shaggy black hair of the man from the park. The shaggy man passed in front of the window, shopped short, pivoted and reached out his hand as if he, too, were headed in the door of Swing's. The younger man wanted to catch his friend's elbow to hold him back. He knew that his friend and the shaggy man from the park were about to collide. But it was too late .. The two men bumped at the front door. He watched from the window as the shaggy brows on one rose and the heavy brow on the other tensed. There were words, but as yet, he could not hear them. The black-browed man stood square in the first man's path and threw his hands wide. The first man shook his head No and tried to dodge him. The yoiikger man pushed out the door of-Swing's and into the street behind his companion, catching up to hear him say, "Sorry pal, my hands are full." The shaggy man threw his hands still wider. "You don't remember me?" The voice was pitched as high and thin as the man himself. It was a voice impossible to read; it poised between pleading and parody. Up close, the man looked even scrawnier. The bones of his face _seemed to laugh .beneath his skin, and his skin itself was clouded with faint · blue bruises. The cold had drawn his lips back so that he seemed to grin. An odor came up from him of sweat and vinegar. "Do you forget me?" The first man's face had gone red as meat. "Excuse me," he said, trying another dodge. The man obviously repulsed him; his eyes flinched at the corners. He tightened his lips and tried once more to dodge past. The shaggy man half-stepped to block him. "Do you forget your own brother?" "Buddy," his friend drew himself up. "I . don't know you from Adam." He squared his shoulders and made ready to go forward. "What can I do to tell you . .. ?" "Get the hell out of here." He set his left shoulder forward and raised his briefcase as if it were a shield. "What can I do . . .?" The first man used his shoulder and briefcase to wedge his blocker out of the way. "Get a job," he shouted and marched forward several paces, leaving the man from the park behind. The younger man glanced just once more at the man, then jogged a few paces to catch up with his friend. "He's got a lot of nerve .. ." he said as he came alongside him. The first man looked stern and troubled. He glanced at his watch and rocked his shoulders as if trying to shake something off. " . .. calling.himself ... " It was hard to keep us at this new pace. The moments spent confronting the shaggy man seemed to have eaten up the clock. He fell behi nd agai n and jogged to catch · up, before he could fin ish his sentence. " .. . your brother ... " The fi rst man looked over at t he younger. Without slacking his pace, he seemed to have grown taller and his shoulders more erect. A strange wrinkle of contempt crossed his face. I don 't understand, the younger man thought. He felt hurt. But he continued his struggle to step at the ·first "'!an's new pace. He was sure that they had left the man behind, but he did not dare look back for fear of losing ground. He did glance into the window of a restaurant and saw the time. It was three minutes to nine; they ¥{.ere running late. His companion set his pace even faster. His stride became powerful and unrelenting, so that people on the sidewalk divided before him to make a path. A half block more, and without a word or a glance, he turned into his building, pushing at the big glass door. Just as his companion disappeared, the younger man heard the reedy voice of the man from the park call, ·Don't you remember! He stopped, forgetting all about the time, and turned. There, just ten paces away, stood the shaggy man with his face the color of · bread, his bundle of his back, anns spread wide, gaunt and grinning in the cold. I Book Review Each One Teach One UP and Out of Poverty: Memoirs of a Street Activist by Ron Casanova (AS Told to Stephen Blackburn) A powerful and compelling autobiography, Each One Teach One chronicles Ron Casanova's struggle out of poverty, homelessness and drug addiction to find . dignity and purpose in his life. Through his own dramatic awakening, this Black, Puerto Rican activist ultimately finds his answer in helping other people. Bor!l into a dysfunctional family and placed in an orphanage on Staten Island at an early age, Casanova's life is a dramatic ~ le of struggle for survival against overwhelming odds. His tale illuminates some of the major events of our time including the "police riot" at Tompkins Square, the "Housing Now" march of the homeless on Washington, and community takeovers of housing in Kansas City, New York, and Philadelphia. In collaboration with Stephen Blackburn, Casanova describes how his middle age reconstruction enabled him to overcome the devastating effects of the orphanages, prisons; and rehabilitation centers of his early youth. Underlying Each One Teach One, with it's vivid cast of characters and intimate descriptions of Harlem and the undersides of various cities, is the profou nd sense that no matter what you experience, you can use your past to help others. Ultimately, Casanova's story is a message of hope for the future and fo r the possibility of self-sufficiency and selfempowennent for each individual. Today, in spite of being HIV-positive, Ron Casanova remains dedicated to alleviating the ills of society. He is Vice President of the National Union of the . Homeless, Editor of the Union of the Homeless National News and former Director of the Kansas City Union of the Homeless. He has worked as a house manager for Dignity Housing, an organizer of special events for The Employment Project in Philadelphia, an AIDS counselor, and as a drug counselor for juvenile offenders. Each One Teach is distributed in the U.S by Consortium Book Sales and Distribution . · by Alexander Taylor �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine WORD ON THE STREET ANOTHER WAY OF SLAVERY by Gregory'Paylon Slavery to me , You have no rights the master owns them. You have no choices the master took them. You have no car the master took it and said "walk" You have no family , the master separated you from them. You have no friends , He took them from you too, You have no say and yes this is everyday. You want to escape but you know when he catch you he'll beat you You want to go places but he won't let you. You eat only when he lets you eat. If the master says steal you will, if he says rape I won't tell you will. You jump when he says jump: · You fight for sport when he wants you too. You're looking for Abe Lincoln to abolish slavery. But He's Dead. I know who will, that being God. But you have to go to him. He will help you escape. He will crush the master, for he is greater than all. He will show the way. Now that you are ready. Who is the Master I say who is he. The master is Crack and his pipe. Page B The Divine Tragedy by Bari Roth here i am ... again . a room without light; a room without a view. another night, treacherous. it tortures me tO move. my skin, so tight. it SCREAMS. i'm helpless again . my body; it's cut and broken. it's shattered and sore. torturing, but i'm almost... there. YOU NAIL ME TO THE FLOORBOARDS AND WRITH MY GUTS FROM BODY! . Lets abolish slavery , Let's find GOD GET OUT GET OUT. GET THAT VOICE OUT O F MY HEAD ! i never wanted any of this. if only, tonight, i could slide. slide into the deep black sea. then an angel would come. with burning eyes like stars. and a gleaming sword, engulfed in sulfur smitten flames, and bury me deep. I/Don't eat everything on your plate ... remember all the hungry children waiting at the dumpster." but, this is only a shadowed hope. WHY MUST YOU TORTURE ME SO? Untitled by Sandy Valadon I looked for shelter And found none I slept on the street comer I was cold. I searched for food And found scraps, Bread that was dirty and old. I was filthy and sick In need of care, But none was there for me. I was made derelict Exc~pt for roaming the streets T~ere was no place for me. I chattered to myself as I roamed around With no direction in mind. Through the vicious streets of the city, Half out of my mind They tossed me out of the bus stop, Where I meant to spend the day. And the children and old ladies laughed at me And told me to get out o~ the way. There was a .time I had a good name. But I can't remember when. I had children, a home, and a good job But it's too painful to think of them. I WANT TO SMASH YOU. I WANT TO SMASH YOU UP INTO PIECES I WANT TO SMASH YOU UP AND SCREAMING. I WANT TO SMASH YOU HELPLESS DOWN ON THE FLOOR SMASH YOU UNTIL YOU"RE NOT HERE ANYMORE the nightmare begins push it away. don't cry or give into the pain, or watch yourself burn life is but a stage. and we are but mere actors waiting to be dismissed. I'll probably die this broken creature, Nobody knowing who I am or used to be. DEATH IS A REALITY AND SO AM I! They say this could have happened to anyone, Dear God, why did it happen to me? i'm afraid to live but, i can't die. (Reprinted from Street Sheet, San Francisco's Homeless Newspaper, September 1996, Special Poetry Edition) inferno? paradisio? PURGATORIO! �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri Stote s Hom eless Grape vine CLEVELAND HOMELESS GRAPEVINE Cleveland's Mayor Settles Dumping Case with Homeless by Max Johnson A settlement in the lawsuit O ements vs. City of C leveland, which was schedu'led to go to trial on Feb ruary 18 in United States District Court is complete. In the growing criminilization of poverty, this is a rar e victory. Brian Davis, Director ·o f th e Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Ho meless, hailed this settlement as pennanend y stoppi ng a policy of forcibly picking up homeless ipeop'le against their will. He said, "I think this lawsuit and the settle ment will for ce po lice and city officials from examining t heir interaction with the ho meless of Cleveland." Participants in the so-caUed dumping or kidnapping case a lleged that t he City of Cleveland police department office.r s were ordered to "pick-up" and "deliver" t hem -to remote locatio ns. Plaintiffs filed the lawsuit because -they were being picked up a,gainst their will by the police and dumped. •t was the contention of the ;plaintiffs t hat this was an attempt to clean up certain high traffic areas, and to sweep poverty out .o f the sight of visitors to the Downtown business district. With the prospect of the Mayor ,of Cleveland having to testify about his involvement in creating the policy, and a ·cr edible law student who was going to testify that she witnessed the dumping, the C ity's attorneys decided to settle t he lawsuit. The City of Cleveland ·o riginally demanded that the specifics of the setdement be kept confidential., but because of pressure from the media the specifics were released. The settlement does not punish the city for engaging in such an assault on the rights of the homeless of Cleveland,, but it does prevent such a policy from ever being implemented again. The .s ettlement includes: * $9,000 for the Coalition to pass completely on to the three plaintiffs for education, job training or housing. * A public statement from the city stating that activity involving ~o'latii,g homeless people's right to move around downtown will never be po.licy in Cleveland. * A directive to the police ·s tating that they cannot pick up homeless people against their will and deliver them to semces. * The City will pay the costs associated with this lawsuit t hat the ACLU has incurred. The Coalition had asked as part of the settlement that the City make some .a ct of contrition to all those homeless people that were dumped, but who were not named in the suit. This was rejected by the Gty The Coalition for the Homeless will remain vigilant in the monitoring of the civil rights of the homeless members of our city. Page 9 Federal Court Overturns Cleveland's Licensing Law by Brian Ba.v is On Monday February l . t!he United Stares f ederal Appeals Goun: 1e 1used a bwercourt's decision npni~ 1he icensinz of street newspapers. The suit w.as ibroQght the Gq of Oevebnd on behalf of 1he N onheast Ohio Coal1ion for 1he H omeless (puh1isher of the H omeless ~ aml the N ation of Islam (pubisher of ·t!he linal Calj bf t!he American O.J liberties Union to ~a po1icy iinvdMng the adc~ of t!he Yendo:rs of the two papers. The G 1;Y initiiated a poicy to !license Y:endors of sttTeet newspapers ID mum the .same way as hot dog venm:rs are ic:ensed. The !license a>:sts $50 for a staaGn31J' license o r $~00 if die vendor wants to be mdbile. This wou1d 'e ffective'ly ~te the tp;g>er out of existance a:coo11c:!ling \to Hario'.ld Do~ Managing !Editor of ttbe Gr.apewn·e. T he d ecision r eversed a D isttiiot Count d ecision, which found a n eed m p ro1iett t!he distribatio.n o f a p oii1lica1 discussion o n illhe streets ,d f OJeveb:nd. Tlhe District Count decision was b as-ed on the freedom of sp:eeoh a:nd the press. mn the ~pea1's Court decision, the three judges did lllGt m enliian dle economic impact 1tbe fee wm p1ace on die home1less a:nd ~ow · m·o ome ven-do:r:s of die G:r.apenne. The Gty !bad -argued thait ·n mu:oh dle same way that o:rganizatiions pay mr p:arade licenses this was :a e,g'i1iimate fo:rm of g-0vemment intrusion. The Gty c;'laimed that t!his was not .a restriotion 'on selling the paper. !but an att~pt -for ·t he G11J t.o ~mare or ;at least !have lknoWl~e of t!bose pe<if>1e Who are selliqg it-ems on die streets m iidentiff dl-ose that .a:r.e defrauding people. •nst cistribution of reigious material by the jahovah W nnesses.. If the court does not grant the ~ the ACLU wil be forced to appeal 1D the S..,.a11e Court. GTaJllMne 11'JiUD&ing ecitor, Dopemm c:rontmds 1hat this is just a continuing fonn of haAssment by the Ci1J of Clewebnd of homeless people. ""This is a dear -violation of our ·free speedi. and another effort to get rid of this Yght on the ci1;Y known as homeless ~'le." T/J.e Fllllrlll Annual Training/ Ellucalional Conferen&e al the Noil/Jeasl Ohio Coalition tor the. Homeless Homelessness in the New World Order Friday, March 2 1, 1997 University Gub of Cleveland 3818 Euclid Ave. a>-sponsored by: OleYebndTCuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Committee $45 NEOCH members $54 non-members CaJI 2 16-241 - 1104 to register. The AOLU has asked for a rebeariqg by a11 the ju4ges iin the Sidh Orc0uit atgDing ·c!hat this deciisio-n vio:lares IMu:rdo:o'k v. Pcen~nia a Supreme Co urt decision ~ng t!he National Facts Show Housing in Crisis • While 15 million !households iqudff -mr federal housing assistance !by Yiritue of their low incomes and family status,, ~~ o.r di~, only 4.3 million w ere ifieCle!Mng assistance :as of ·• lhe White House proposes to mt die !Mdcinney Homeless Assistance j u'ly 1'9 96. Att programs in • lFiv,e million low-iinmme lhouseho.1ds pay more dlan haff their iinmme on rern;; '40% .o f these h o useholds are emp'lo,rect 14S are ~·Joyed fu'l l-1iime • Gu men~. MS of die lbousdmWs li~"'g jn pub1ic housing have iin~omes o f lDS or less of Ann-uil Median lnco.me $41.700 . nationally) or $ 11,500; ms of lhouseho1ds h ave iincam es of HSS or less of Annuat Median Income or $7,5'00. • Hl!JD's I·9 97 lbu~et for low.+inmmie ho using :assistance totals $ 1'9_4 billion. This m eans that only ICJS of t!he housing bu¥ !benefits low-inoome Americans. By o:i>nnst, in 1995,, mo~e iintierest dedtmiiiom alone for househoWs with :mnual ·nmmes of $ 200.000 or more :a:mounlled 1D $ 12.6 lbillion. • Only 36'% of disahled 3dult Rnla'S live in affonbble housing; the rest IP31' .., 1D 75'% of their federal ~ income tor~ HUD~s 1"8 budget lby27S.. • In 1995. inadequate fedenl appropria1ions reuhed -n only 225% of AFDC recipients tre<leM~ housi~ subsicies. Consequentily. dte number of AFDC bmilies who became homeless tripled from 1993-1 995. • Seotion 8 programs enable households t.o rent from !p rivate indMduals. They pay 30% of their adjusted income for rent and utilities, and t!he federal government pays the remainder m the landlord In 1995, for the first time - 20 years,, no new funds were appropriated for new Seotion 8 certificates despite the fact that dlousands of f.uniies across the country :are on :a Section 8 waiting list. Source: National Coaition For The Homeless -~- �, STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 Downtown Interests Evident in Newly Formed ULI Coalition by Leslie Horner Over-the-Rhine has long been a neighborhood struggling with groups differing in their ideas for development, but in the last few years the voice of the low-income AfricanAmericans and Appalachians who make up the majorit)' of the neighborhood seems to be increasingly over-powered by the voice of wealthy developers and downtown businesspeople who see value in the historic buildings. [Residents are 95% low-income and 60% are African-Americans.] One example of this struggle for control of the neighborhood is the gentrification of Main Street; once a residential st reet, the signs of low-income residents being gradually displaced by owners who raised rents as the area became more popular sites for bars and art galleries are obvious and well-documented. Another example of the residents' voice being overshadowed by outside interests is a process which began mid-1995, when Downtown Cincinnati, Inc. (DCI) hired a group of Washington, D.C. panelists called the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to give an outside analysis of what is needed in Over-the-Rhine. The panel was invited in November 1995, with no notice to major neighborhood groups such as the Over-the-Rhine Community Council (ORCC), whose purpose is to serve as the clearinghouse for all plans, issues, and concerns relating to Over-the-Rhine. The 5-day study was intended to be comprehensive, but the majority of interviewees of the panel were not representative of the economic and racial make-up of the neighborhood; 6% of the interviewees were low-income, 83% were white. The study was also slanted in that the briefing book given to the Ult panelists was put together by the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, who represents business interests in the community. In 400 pages, the briefing book contained 50 pages of pro-gentrification news articles, 15 pages of anti-low-income news articles, and only 5 pages in support of low-income issues. The obvious missing piece of the puzzle was any discussion of the continued positive work of social service agencies in the neighborhood, and a representation of the African-American and Appalachian culture which largely comprises Over-the-Rhine. Many residents, including members of Over-the-Rhine Community Council, were angered by the study, stating that is was racist and classist in nature. However, businesspeople and City officials have given much credit to the accuracy of the Ult study and are enthusiastic about the outcome of the study. One recommendation by the panel-the formation of a group called the Over-theRhine Coalition-has already been followed through on, with the announcement of the 15member board of trustees on February 13. The Over-the-Rhine Coalition has been a major point of controversy among residents for several reasons. First, the function of the new ~roup, as stated in the Ult recommendation book, is to "become a clearinghouse for all plans, issues, and concerns that relate to OTR." This is the precise function of the ORCC, so members of the Executive Committee and the Council feel that the OTR Coalition is simply an effort to out-muscle or erase the voice of the Council, which has been an institution in the neighborhood fo r twenty years. The new group was to serve as a unified voice for the neighborhood and "to promote collaboration without creating conflict," but the threat to the validity of an organization which is recognized by City Council as the long-standing representative voice of the community has caused divisiveness among groups and residents. Secondly, members of the ORCC and the broader community assert that the OTR Coalitio n is not a true coalition because of the tensio n surrounding the whole process and the very composition of O TR Coalition's newly-elected board of t rustees does not fit into the definition of a coalition. The OTR Coalition is essentially a membership organization, with its board made up of 5 residents, 5 institutions, and 5 businesses. The five resident members will be representing only themselves, the five business members represent corporations rather than small neighborhood businesses, and the five institution members include only one social service representative. The model for a true coalition would be group representation. The Downtowner newspaper reported that about 70 of an approximated 175 members of the OTR Coalition voted in the February board election. There are close to 9,000 residents in Over-the-Rhine. The low-income residents of Over-theRhine are not well-represented in the OTR Coalition board and the sponsorship and financial backing of the ULI process to date has been from downtown corporations and the City of Cincinnati's Department of Economic Development. For these reasons, the ORCC believes that if there is no intervention in the process, the only voice that will be heard from this new group will be the voice of wealthy developers and businesspeople. If this happens, the process of gentrification is sure to continue. The ORCC Executive Committee has been conducting small group meeti ngs with the keys players of the ULI process, trying to slow down the implementation of the report, which clearly has no consensus support. In these meetings, the planners behind the ULI process have said that in order for Over-theRhine to be an "economically-viable neighborhood" there must be a ratio of 80% upper and middle income residents, to 20% low-income residents. In a position paper recently published in Everbody's News, members of the ORCC and its Executive Committee responded: "Common sense tells you that this would mean massive displacement for our neighbors while the [the OTR Coalition ms] giving lip service to 'economic mix.' We will no and cannot negotiate our neighbors away." The Community Council is not adverse to atrue coalition being formed, through a fair process, and wants economic growth in the neighborhood, but the fear of displacement is very real. In the small groups meetings, the ORCC has also been urging the involved groups to take a new look at an eight-year comprehensive study which was conducted in the late I980's but has had no committee through which to implement it. In hearing all the voices of dissent during the Ult process, and looking at the history of the daily struggles of low-income people in Over-the-Rhine, it is clear that the Ult process and the OTR Coalition will not benefit the community. Only when the threat of gentrification has been quelled and when lowincome and homelessness issues are given the attention they deserve by City officials and by members of the business community will it be possible to establish a real medium for consensus-making. The sooner this happens, the sooner there will be real growth for all sides in Over-the-Rhine--reaching a balance of rewarding economic growth and attention to the needs of a low-income community. Child Care Subsidies Continued from Page One is a crack addict?!" responds Vanessa Jones. "Neighbor care" only shows how out of touch with reality many of our legislators are, including Governor Yoinovich. Joan Lawrence is advocating for "minimum" child care standard; this means child care and home care standards will be minimized so that child care is barely regulated. We envision children unattended and unsupervised while their parents are working. Our WRC mothers have definite concerns about this. Kay Boyd, a mother and grandmother expresses her concerns. "I think they need to stop and think about what they're doing, particularly when it comes to child care. They're requiring these young people to work. You're asking people to work, but you're not thinking .about the child care...the safety of the children in those child care centers. And without adequate child care, these parents are going to be charged with neglect if these children get hurt because they placed them there. And you don't always know when you place a child somewhere that they're going to get adequate care. Children get left unchanged all day, unfed, not given any attention, and that even happens in the home with a home care worker." The Welfare Rights Coalition is urging people to join us March 5 at 6 pm at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center to hear working parents' concerns and speak about your own experiences. We have invited local and state legislators to attend and hear our concerns. If you would like to speak at this event, please give Katy or Lynn a call at 381-4242. Now is the time to speak up for our children and ourselves! �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevjne Page 11 The Purple ·Turtle Hate in Corporate Overthe-Rhine by Berta Lambert No Way Buddy Gray 4i 1-4065 Marge Hammelrath and Jim Tarbell have for nearly .20 years, represented the underthe-rock persona of the anti-poor and antibuddy gray attitudes of the art-bar corporation speculators of Main street. For several years the old guard conserva. tives have been supplanted by the overt guerrilla activities of Chris Frutkin, Jennifer Sizer, and Peter Calloway. For nearly two years these folks, along with their greedideology friends have disrupted the meetings of the 30 year old Over-the-Rhine Community Council (ORCC). It has been necessary in recent months to: move the meeting place, appoint a sergeant-at-arms, tighten the still very open meeting process, video tape the meetings, and, on several occasions, request additional police presence at meetings. , Chris Frutkin is the nephew of the wealthy Fred Burger. He is a 30-something owner of several properties in the neighborhood. As a yuppie entrepreneur, he is a board member of the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce and its clean-up subsidiary, Impact .. Jennifer Sizer's mother is a recent president of the Over-the-Rhine Chamber. She is the public relations person for the infamous Damon Lynch Ill's so-called ULI coalition. She is also the P.R. person for both the OTR Chamber and Jim Verdin's Pendelton Art Center (Verdin is responsible for the 13th St.. phallic Corporate Bell Tower vis-a-vis his Verdin Bell Co.). None of the rascals named above are OTR residents. Peter Calloway, however, is a resident. His personality seems driven by this current fashion of right-wing entrepreneurial spirit beliefs. At ORCC's October meetillg, he was video taped thanking buddy gray's friends, taking down the hate No Way Buddy gray stickers, and announcing the existence of a No Way Buddy Gray organization. The reader will find it useful to know that the sticker with a telephone number, which remains posted throughout the city, is a third generation effort. It was proceeded by a nine month distribution: I st a gray and black silverdollar sized Stop Buddy Gray sticker, and then a fluorescent green or sometimes reddish hand sized circular stick-on. If you called the number on the most recent sticker, which was disconnected by I0 a.m. the day buddy was shot, you were invited to push I or 3 for separate hate messages. The reczordings consisted largely of lies, misinformation and inferences of impropriety concerning papers in the possession of City Hall. Frutkin, Sizer, and Calloway bear the moral responsibility for the hate campaign and the climate of fear for buddy gray's personal safety. Post script: within 24 hrs of buddy death, stickers appearid in OTR which read, "Where there is a Wilbur there is a way." Chris Frutkin and Jennifer Sizer, leaders of No Way Buddy Gray, at the Over-theRh in e Community Council meeting on February 24, 1997. Photo by Berta Lambert. Push for Housing Trust Fund Reaches Columbus by Donald Whitehead The State Coalition on Housing and Homelessness presented a very successful conference on Homelessness and Housing issues February 4th and 5th. The conference, entitled Building Support For More State Funding, was a very informative and educa..: tional conference. Presenters included representatives from HUD and ODOD, along with representatives from the state house. Topics covered included Welfare Reform: How the State and Local Communities are Responding; Organizing Around the State Budget Process; Expiring Assisted Housing Contracts: What to do Next; the 1997 Super NOFA; Homeless Assistance . Grants; Ensuring the Civil Rights of Homeless People; Property Management; New Insights Assisting Homeless People; and Supportive Housing for Special Populations. One of the most interesting parts of the conference was the lobby sessions with state legislators. There was a huge turnout from the Cincinnati area. Representatives from the Cincinnati area were able to speak with ~very legislator that has Cincinnati in their jurisdiction. Most of the legistators were contacted personally. There were a couple that were unable to ·meet because of schedule conflicts. They did, however, provide their aides' presence. The focus of the conference was to lobby for a permanent funding source for the housing trust fund. Despite some opposition, the h~using trust fund as a line item in the state budget seemed to be well received according to legislators who were contacted. The Ohio Housing Trust Fund: A Record of Achievement - * 1,323 afffordable apartments constructed; * I, 192 rental units rehabilitated; * 2,326 homes .repaired or rehabilitated; * 2,286 households received short-term rental assistance; * 903 first-time homebuyers received downpayment assistance; and * 10,710 individuals and families received housing-related sertices such as housing counseling and employment training. In all, more than 18,000 Ohio families . have unlocked their dreams of having a home through the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. • Housing Advocates from Cincinnati meet with State Legislators to urge funding for the Ohio · Housing Trust Fund. Photo by Berta Lambert. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes TV and Ra ·o Schedu e Vendor Profile: Dallas Cas·h When you meet Dallas Cash, his humor and intelligence strike you, even jump o ut at you. You are immediately impressed by his gentle demeano r and his treme ndous insight. If ever someone deserves an anti-stereotype symbol on their chest it 's Dallas Cash. The S on his chest would ·normally be for Superman, but, more fittingly for him, Stereotype Breaker Man. Mr. Cash breaks through most of the stereotypes and labels attached to people who struggle in today's society. When I asked Dallas to tell ·me about his experience as a vendor, and informed him that he was the vendor to be profiled this month, he insisted that we not glorify him. Instead, he said, we should give thanks to the people who really deserve honor--those that buy the paper. "Make sure you let my customers know how much I appreciate them," said Dallas. His selfless determined attitude makes this and easy and pleasurable writing assignment. Thank you Dallas. Dallas went on to thank others who have helped him along the way. "I really need to thank again personally all the people who stopped right in middle of whatever they were doing.and wherever they were going to listen and get a paper this month. Someone once said 'As we go thru life there truly are only two things that we collect that really matter they are our sins and blessings, because of course the rest you can't take with you,' The blessing that all of you gave myself and the cause for the homeless did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I would also like to thank Dr. Bennanaye A. Brooks social psychiologist for her time, effort, and energy, for me personally · and all the people who's Uves 's he touched while wor,king with the Over-the-Rhine Community Council here in Cincinnati. you will be missed. Check us out, We 're on TV Streetvibes Vendor Dallas Cash SHELTERS: Women and Children Alice Paul. House (abuse) 241-2757 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome Hquse 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission · Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) . St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Vol unteers of America SH ELTER: Both Carac;ole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Light house Youth Center St . John's Temporary Housing 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761 - 1480 82 1-5100 721-0643 381-543 2 863-8866 961-4080 651-6446 This show deals with the Drop Inn Center and how it is coping after the loss of homeless advocate, buddy gray. The guests include staffworkers Tom Lee and Glen Ward as well as Pat Clifford, Coordinator of the Homel~ss Coalition. On WAIF 88.3 Im The Coalition also has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday .of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Pat Clifford and Donald Whitehead. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates. WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, March 8, noon to I pm Saturday, April 12, noon to I pm http://cinci.com/gcch Channel 10 Monday, March 3, 6:30 pm Thursday, March 6, 9 am Sunday, March 9, 4 pm ,Slreetvibes TV March This show deals with Women's Issues and Homelessness in honor of International Women's Month. ·It will include guests from women's recovery programs, domestic violence shelters and advocates for cnild care funding. Channel 7 Monday, March I0, 7 pm LIVE Streetvibes Online This month we will be adding a searchable interface for our Streetvibes articles. Websurfers will be able to index our stories by date or subject. Please visit our site. Channel 10 Sunday, March 16, 4 pm Thursday, March 27, 9 am Thursday, April 3, 9 am Monday, April 7, 6:30 pm Sunday, April 13, 4 pm ?• HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) Tom Geiger House 721-4580 241-9683 241-0504 369-0004 . 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women O .D.A.A.T First Step Home 241-7343 921-7324 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751 -3260 TREATMENT: N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline . CC.AT. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary The Great er Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless produces a monthly cable access show called Streetvibes which d.eals with iss ues related to housing and homelessness. The show is hosted by Donald Wh itehead. It is filmed live every seco nd Monday of the month. Below are the topics to be discussed and the show times. Streetvibes TV February Streetvi bes Radio Hour Need elp or Want t He If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. Page 12 Both 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491 -4435 559-5011 OTHER SERVICES 421-2437 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 621-5991 Appalachian Identity Center 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. . 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-550 I 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721 -7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women 's Crisis Center � 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 1997 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 Language A language of the resource English 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. Text Any textual data included in the document - Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 1997 Vol 1, issue 2 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 1997 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a<span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Relation A related resource - Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource - Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context - Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant - Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Description An account of the resource Issue covering: child care for working poor, homeless health care, Underground Railroad Museum, homeless narrative, Findlay Market, mental illness, Cleveland homelessness, OTR Coalition No Way Buddy Gray organization Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Tim Burroughs F.J.C. Pat Clifford Brian Davis Dr. Robert Donovan Bridget Hanna Amy Harpeneau Mike Henson Leslie Horner Max Johnson Berta Lambert Zollie Long Myron Gregory Payton Coy Ramsey Bart Roth Alexander Taylor Sandy Valadon Donald Whitehead Alexander Taylor Amy Harpeneau Bart Roth Berta Lambert Bridget Hanna buddy gray Coy Ramsey Donald Whitehead Dr. Robert Donovan Gregory Payton health care Leslie Horner Max Johnson mental illness Mike Henson Myron Sandy Valadon Tim Burroughs Zollie Long https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/c09bca00b4b9a10a4ac6912938a74018.pdf d79d49c78b9d5a66076d6d486a13871e PDF Text Text Landlord Attempts Demolltlons Again and Again and Again... by Andy Hutzel Clifford Rydell, owner of 1105-09 Broadway, has again applied for a demoliti.o n permit to destroy three of his. buUdings for a parking lot. This is the third time Mr. RydeH has tried to demolish them (fegaUy) since he acquired the buildings in r991. He tried in 1991, f994, and now rn 1·998. Mr. Rydell is well known for his mass evictions of I.ow-income residents in the adjoining Huntley Apartments upon its acquisition at the same time. It's his way of ..making a difference''. The.i r were two hearings in front of the City Historic Conservation Board this month, as the buildings sit in the OTR South Historic District. Although staff recommended on both occasio ns to deny the "certificate of appropriateness" for the proposed demolition, the Board gave an extension to Mr. Rydell each time. This despite the fact that the buildings remain OJJen to the weather with missing or deteriorated roofs (since 1'99l) and Mr. Rydell admitted he onfy wanted to demolish the buildings from the outset for a profitable parking lot, not to mention the insults against the residents of the neighborhood. The community must stand up against this injustice. The Conservation Board has granted a six month delay in order to seed alternatives. One · alternative is for the community to take control of :#~~~~~~:~::::;;~:::::::;~*=:::~m~~~. Buildings at 1105-1109 Broadway by Jimmy Heath remain unlniiablted as.owner"'i11iimpts demolition. Photo Are The Homeless Becoming More Vlslble? Contents WESTCO Struggles Building a· Movement Word on the Street Run for City Coun'c il The Odd Cookie Awards Editorials & letters Puzzle Page Page4 Pages Page 6 Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Ravings of a Mad Womyn News Nationwide Cleveland News Page 12 Page12 Page 13 Annoucements and Classifieds Page 15 Yes, according to preliminary Welfare Reform Studies and interviews with local Cincinnati home­ less-shelter staff personnel. Shelters are as full as ever and there are increasing numbers of homeless families. Approximately 35% of the women with children interviewed in she.lters are there due to tightening restrictions on Welfare and so-called sanctions. Sanctioning, for example, involves restrict­ ing people from Welfare benefits or subsidized housing because they did not follow through with appointments or other obligations. Reasons given by the client for the lack of follow-through was the inability to find child care, unanswered phone calls at the Department of Human Resources, or lack of transportation. Individuals may also be ineligible for subsidized housing because of money owed for past rents. or even drug related criminal records. These sanctions result in poor persons, especially families, bei ng forced to live on the streets or crowded into homeless shelters. A recent New York Times article cites a growing presence of homeless people on the streets of Manhattan because of the easing of restrictions against hanging out on the streets in so-called 'public' places. These are chronic homeless individu­ als that avoid the crowded shelters in New York City. Some of the homeless in that city avoid the shelter systems, chose not to seek housing or assistance and have learned to be as unobtrusive as possible. Major crackdowns had sharply reduced the presence of the homeless in that city for a time, while homelessness in Ohio continues to be a growing concern. The State of Ohio is playing it's part in creating the new wave of homeless people with restrictions on we lfare for people who are seeking help from the system. Now families are left with nowhere to go except the shelters. In this county, new ways are being found to waste the taxpayers money- previously low-income subsidized housing projects are being torn down to make way for market-rate housing, while families seek shelter at over-crowded shelters. Ohio is now enjoying a windfall in money saved by these restrictions while innocent children, desperate families and disabled persons suffer. Photo on page five ••• �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The G~eater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending home­ lessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Committe~ meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in helping or have a comment, please call 421-7803. Staft" Donald Whitehead, Director Frank Carrino, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Heath, Admin istrative Coordinator p~ James Oimmy) Heath Writers Junior Baughn Ron Carter James Heath Gail Frazier-Holley Andy Hutzel · Lemuel Israel Berta Lambert Judith Mendriski Patrick Mosolf Gregory Payton Mark Salter Malaka Sanders Donald Whitehead Volunteer Editors Pat Clifford Lemuel Israel Tammy Nettles Bonnie Neumeier Malaka Sanders Editorial Polley: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes do Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (S 13) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Page 2 Bring on Britain• s Street Paper By Brian Davis, from Cleveland's Homeless Grapevine What is the big deal with the Big Issue? Whi le there are currently 40 homeless street newspapers in North America, the street newspaper industry has exploded in Europe with approximately 90 papers from Scotland to St. Petersburg, Russia. There is a newspaper sold by homeless people with its main office in London, England called The Big Issue. It has a couple pages reserved for homeless issues, but features many entertainment and current-event type stories. It is a smaller Ufe magazine with some progressive thought thrown in , and its sold by homeless people. It is slick with splashy headlines and a solid base of advertising. (The Grapevine in Cleveland and Streetvibes in Cincinnati allows vendors to make most of the profit-about 80 cents per issue.) The Big Issue allows the vendors to make 40 pence. They buy the paper for 40 pence and sell it for 80 pence. They sell a ton of papers each week. This is a big business. The Big Issue supports a foundation that supports other social service organizations. The paper is not an organizing paper, but a solid job for homeless people. The paper has a wide audience, and it is pretty easy to sell. The Big Issue has expanded to Edinburgh, South Africa, Australia, and many cities throughout t~e mother country. They now have decided to come to the Los Angeles market with its over 8.5 million possible customers and its burgeoning home­ less population. The one problem is that there is a new, small street paper based out of Santa Monica that publishes every other month that may be hurt by The Big Issue. Santa Monica is just outside of LA. This has caused quite a stir in the street newspaper movement. 1997, the North Ameri­ can Street Newspaper Association was born. The group has taken on this issue as a primary focus over the last two months. I say 'forget it and move on.' There are far bigger problems to tackle than attempting to control other media outlets. If this was actually a grassroots street newspaper that focused on local issues about poverty then there might be a cause for some action. But not in a huge city like Los Angeles and not with a paper that has very few stories about homelessness. I think that it can only help the street newspaper movement. I say come to Cleveland. We would love to have England's Big Issue. Both of our papers would improve. The Big Issue would have to cover local stories if they wanted to compete with our paper, and we would be forced to improve the look of our paper to compete with The Big Issue. There are enough homeless people to support both papers in Cleveland, and there are enough to support 6 to 8 papers in Los Angeles. I feel as though if there were more businesses that attempted to hire homeless people, the world would be a better place. Make no mistake, The Big Issue is a business venture first with a twist of social concern to add a little flavor. Those people who want to trudge through a bunch of advertisements to read about the night Diana died or the Resur­ . rection of Sid Vicious' musical career will pick up The Big Issue. Those who want to read the words of homeless people and find out about what is going on in the homeless community but don't mind the somewhat archaic layout style will but the papers that are like the Grapevine. Those who want to provide some direct assistance to the homeless and very low­ income people will buy both papers. I have a sneaking suspicion that this frenzy that has arisen because of The Big Issue has a lot to do with a back-handed way to thrust a litmus test on the North American street newspapers by the most progressive elements of our movement. In many progressive move­ ments there are those who want their com­ rades in arms to be "pure." They wake up in the morning after the battle is won with those who have stayed true to their convictions and have taken the moral high ground. In the homeless organizing move­ ment, the extreme progressive element wants only those people who live, breath, and eat poverty. They want the white-male dominated, corporate, morally bankrupt system to fall. They isolate themselves from those peopfo and organizations t hat "sleep wit h the enemy." Organizations that survive by using corporate dollars or are o rganized like the big bad multi­ national corporations w ith a white-male at the head look too much like the perceived enemy. The problem with all of this is t hat th ere are not enough of those organizations of such high character in existence. They isolate them­ selves to the point that there are only a select few that can pass the purity test. Those select few who can pass the test are so battle worn from fighting for every single cause with a fol k song attached to it that the movement peters out and dies. The reason that the multinat io nals are kicking our asses is t hat they have one single thing in which they rally around - money. Everyth ing revolves around the mo ney. If an organization wants to be a part of the dub, all they have to agree to is that profit is the reason for existence. From selling medicine to prison oversight to art to ice cream, all of the corpora­ tions have profit in common. A_ writer in the Nation noted recently that the system of keeping the progressive move­ ment weak could not have been designed by conservatives to work better than it does. There are thousands of organizations that fight -for women's rights, trees, homeless people, children and animals, and never do they meet at a common table. If progressives are ever going to succeed they have to ·come together and stop putting up barriers to forming alliances. We have to figure out what we have in com­ mon and send t hat ship into battle. {A side note: The t r ue progressives hate when organizations use war metaphors. It is cold, violent and demonstrates a clear lack of understanding and ill will toward the women of the movement or something like that.} I say bring on the British. They are not the competition for most North American papers. They competition to the so-called "alternative media." Our grandfathers in the progressive movement fought against the monopolies of Morgan and Rockefeller, and today we are fighting to corner the market on employing homeless people. We have room for all who are fighting for human rights - no matter how that manifests itself. See related story on page 13: 11 Homeless Industries••• 11 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Over-The­ Rhine Residents Celebrate Through Song at Nast Trinity Church. Photo by Jimmy Heath Neighborhood Celebratlon by Rev. Bruce Hinckley Celebrate the week that's past and gear up for the week ahead at Nast-Tri nity United Methodist Church, Sundays at 6 PM The community is building on a wide variety of gifts from many lives to lift up our gratitude in music and song. We're taking time to recog­ nize with joy, that higher power in our lives. The Sunday afternoon celebration is Nast­ Trinity's gift to the neighborhood. In it we reflect many faith traditions and we open up th e time to receive everyone in their own way. The six o 'clock event just began in February and welcomes help from all in the community. Music is our main thing but much more will be added to a multi-media time together. We need musicians, technicians in sound and lighting, poets, actors, greeters, ushers, singers, and performance artists. Whoever you are and what ever you do we need you to help us celebrate. We aim to have a good time as we greet the week ahead with energy and enthusi­ asm. All of us look to the future with hope for better things in our lives and this is the spring­ board we're going to use each Sunday at 6. If you want to sing in the choir arrive for practice at 5:30. If you have special ideas or gifts to offer to the celebration call Bruce Hin ckley at 721­ 7339 o r 38 1-0298. We're having a lot of fun and you don't want to miss out. Nast-Tri nity United Method ist C hurch is located at 1310 Race Street, across from Music Hall on Washington Park. Thanks For The Mllllon Bucks; Now Get Outl by Farr Carey MAHT VISTA Coordinator After over a year of struggle to win money for repairs for her bu ilding, Thelma Hairston and her two children face the threat of eviction from their two bedroom apartment at Milliken Apartments. In early September, Hairston received a notice from the court awarding "possession" and $142 to the Milliken Apartments Management Company despite her success in winning $1.1 million dollars in repairs for the building. The eviction action was sta.rted by t he National Housing Partnership (NHP), the nations' largest owner of HUD-subsidized housing, with 85,000 units. NHP has since "sold" the building to Milliken Affordable Housing, Ins., a NHP spin-off created to take advantage of federal T itle VI grants for sales. Boston 's HUD office refused to process t he sale at first, because the purchaser was a "sham non-profit," but their decision was overruled by HUD's Washington office. Deserves A Medal "This is probably the most outrageous case of t enant harassment I've seen in 25 years The nation 's largest subsidized landlord is evicting a low-income mother who just won them a million dollars for repairs. T hey shou ld give Thelma a medal, not an eviction notice!" said Michael Kane, Director of the Mass. Alliance of HUD Tenants (MAHT). Hairston joined the Milliken Apartments Tenants Association in the Spring of 1996, when the MAHT got involved. Milliken Apartments was for sale under the Title VI Preservation Program, and tenants were in a position to make some changes in the building. Many were concerned about the physical condition of the building: water seeps into the apartments, every t ime it rains, soaking tile and ca rpeting. Tenants chose Hairston as the president of t he tenant association t o hold the owner ac­ countable fo r repairs. Over the next year, Hairston worked closely with the tenant steering committee and MAHT to develop some solutions. U. S. Representative Barney Frank became actively involved, writing letters to HUD an d funding agencies. At first NHP and their sham purchaser refused to meet with residents. Meanwhile, the Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants obtained a grant for the tenant association, which was used to hire architects to asses needed repairs. Last summer, tenants got HUD and Congressman ­ Barney Frank to bring the purchaser to the table. Page 3 The te nants eventually secured $1.1 million addi­ tional do llars for repairs in th e building. This is the only known case in the country where HUD actually increased the Title VI grant amount over the amoun t originally approved . Management Wages W ar on Tenant Leader Hairston has played a vocal role in her leadership of the tenant group by raising security issues, criticizing management practices , and ex­ pressing concern about the condition of the building. But the real trouble began in June 1997. The Tenants' Association demanded that HUD cut over $1 million in Title VI grant funds scheduled for windfall profits for the "seller," and to invest the funds on needed repairs instead. In an article published in the Herald News, Hairston was singled out and open ly criticized by then-Milliken site manger Ellen Fisher. Soon afterwards, Hairston rece ived a "Thirty Day Notice to Quit." Management alleged that she had failed t o pay the correct amount of re nt fo r a period of three months and that sh e had mis­ reported her income. But Hairston 's rent is paid directly to the management office by the state. The record shows that management error led to a $142 underpaymen t by the state. Instead of settling the matte r with Hairston, manageme nt hauled her into court. Owner to Tenant: Out on the Street! In August, Hairston appeared in court twice without legal counsel, as she could n't afford a lawyer. She agreed to pay the disputed $142 to settle the matter. Management refused to accept the money and said they just wanted he r off the pre­ mises. Despite the evidence presented, an d Hairston's willingness to comply, th e judge ruled in favor of the management and Hairston was issued a court order in mid-September. Very few tenants in the buildi ng we re aware of the severity of the situation unti'I a tenant associa­ tion meeting in September. Managem ent showed up uninvited, and tried to announce that they were responsible for the recent funding successes. V\lhen Hairston asked them to explain the meaning of t he court order, they told her she had t o be o ut of he r apartment by the next day. Tenants Outraged The tenants present at the meeting were outraged. Mary E. Conforti, a forme r president of the Milliken Tenants association and 24-year resident of the building, was shocked at the actions taken against Hairston . "She worked so hard fo r t he build ing to get the mo ney for repairs and no one can un de rstand w hy they are evicti ng her." "There are many people who have bro ken house rules and are creating proble ms who should have been evicted but are still here. Manage ment is not pushing to get them out," added Ed De pin, also a former tenant association president and 17-yea r resident. Neighbors and MAHT Fight Back Tenants initiated a petition opposing Hairston's eviction, and demanded a apology t o Hairston and the Tenants Association. T enants and MAHT staff circulated th e pet itio n and secured over I00 signatures. "If t he people d idn't think she was a good tenant and doing a good job, they wouldn't have signed the petition," Mr. Depin added. MAHT staff assisted Hairston in obtaining a lawyer through legal services. The lawyer was able to put a hold on the eviction until a new cou rt date could be scheduled in March. In the meantime, MAHT has asked HUD to get involved to punish National Housing Partnership's "sham" buyer for this obvious case of tenant harassment. �, STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Bulldlng a Movement by Patrick 'Tree' Mosolf What would a better world look like and feel like? Many of us have been exploring this question, and are beginning to try to put our vision into reality. Out of this desire for a better world for all people is born a movement. This article explores the dynamics of a healthy movement of people. It asks the question: "What are the attributes of a healthy and successful movement for social change?" In particular, the focus is on the internal dynamics of a movement - the structure of it and the relationships between the people in it. A reader may be surprised to read something written about such a large topic by a person who is so yo ung and inexperienced. Isn't such an attempt a bit presumptive? In response, I say that these ideas are offered humbly, and should be treated with constructive criticism. At the same time we should be wary of discarding the ideas of the young. Sometimes the young, who are less socialized into the systems of the world, are more flexible in perceiving creative solutions to our problems. The best movement will balance the experience of the old with the imagination of the young. What is a Movement? A movement, at its most fundamental level, is a group of people who share some or many over­ lapping goals. A movement also refers to the specific configuration of relationships between people in the movement. On a more structural level, it is mani­ fested in the existence of institutions like the Peaslee Neighborhood Center and the Drop Inn Center. It also refers to a set of overlapping beliefs which are made material in various forms of media like speech, song and the Streetvibes newspaper. Finally, a movement is a series of actions taken together, and a sharing of time and space. Communication - Because the primary material of a movement is people and their relation­ ships, it is not surprising that communication is extremely important for the success of a movement. First, I want to establish that some forms of commu­ nication are more effective in accomplishing the goals of a movement than other forms of communi­ cation. Many people are resistant to this idea because they are purely relativistic in their approach to life, or because they think that this implies some kind of uniformity or conformity in communication. A person who is a relativist can be addressed by insisting that there are values in the world such as the preservation of life. These values are inherent, and come from the needs of people - such as food, shelter and nurturant social relations. Further, effective communication does not mean enforcing conformity to a set of rules. In fact, communication which helps to strengthen a movement can take many different shapes and styles, and represent diverse cultural traditions. Communication could be compared to an art - there are many great artists, but their art is extremely different despite the skill each artist expresses. The most basic skill in communicating and understanding is recognizing one's own thoughts and feelings. Even if one has an eloquent style of speech, this is not helpful if a person cannot understand their own motives and feelings. This skill of recog­ nizing what one is feeling/thinking, and hence what to communicate, is ongoing. To see beneath the web of thoughts on the surface may require that a person slow down, and listen carefully to their own body and mind. Once one develops this skill, one can begin to critically evaluate what one feels, and decide what and how to communicate it. Especially when disagreements occur, it is helpful to slow down during a conversation. It seems t hat many discussions escalate into arguments partly because of an increase in the pace of the exchange. Under these circumstances, a person will not be as likely to choose their words carefully, and negative emotions may become overwhelming. Accelerated exchanges indicate a desire to dominate the other persons viewpoint, and are marked by frequent interruptions. Slowing down may sometimes involve listening to an extended statement from another person. Slowing down may also mean accepting that a resolution will not occur on that day, or even in a week. However, it does pay off in stronger relation­ ships, which are the foundation of a movement. Tolerance - Because a movement becomes strong when it involves the work of many people, it becomes necessary to tolerate different viewpoints . As activists we have probably developed strong beliefs about the world. The strength of our conviction, however, becomes an obstacle when we alienate or exclude people who could help the movement. People with different beliefs can cooper­ ate in taking certain actions, and perhaps along the way they will come to some understanding. Diversity within a movement is also helpful because people with different beliefs can teach us something about the world. Further, discussions with people who think differently than we do challenge us to more carefully articulate our viewpoint. Also, it is more likely that a wider pool of ideas will generate the most effective strategies for accomplishing our goals. A final advantage of diversity is that .it makes a movement more appealing to people outside the movement. Outsiders who sense a dogmatic approach will likely be repelled if they are not completely in line with the dominant ideology. Because a movement can accomplish more with a greater amount of human power, a movement should be configured in such a way as to welcome people who are not yet involved. In this way the most people can grow to the greatest understand­ ing. Power inside a movement - It is important to realize that we are not immune to issues of power because we desire social change. We may wish to avoid the issue by hiding behind ou r "good inten­ tions" of changing the structure of power in the wider society. This wish is strengthened by the difficulty of dealing with and understanding issues of power. But the movement to change power structures must begin at home. It is helpful to distinguish between two kinds of power - structural power and natural power. Structural power is created by specific social structures - usually hierarchies. In a corporation, the CEO's power is created by the existence of the hierarchical structure, which was created thousands of years ago and is only manifested again in the modern corporation. The CEO's power is main­ tained by both the cooperation of other people in the hierarchy, and by the flow of resources into the corporation. The CEO's power does not come from their own attributes but from the pre-existing structure. Natural power comes from skills which a person develops over time and which are voluntarily respected by their peers. This person may not be able to dismiss a person, but they have power because of the respect others have for them. Natural power may take the form of charisma, communicative ability, conceptual understanding, a strong work ethic, and healthy psychological development. Different people have differing amounts of natural power and it may be repre­ sented in different areas. One person may be an excellent communicator while another may be very well organized. At this point I should reveal that I am not in favor of hierarchical forms of power. Ideally, people with structural power also have a great deal of natural power, but often this is not the case. Further, our experience shows that class, race, and gender, not the amount of one's natural power, often determines how much structural power one has. Perhaps worst of all, hierarchical structures maintain the unskilled status of persons lower in the hierarchy. The executive director is not willing to let others in an organization learn his/her skills because this eliminates the executive director's reason for continued on page 7 Page 4 Ohio Empowerment Groups Fast to oppose Unfair Sanctions The Ohio Empowerment Coalition organized an Ash Wednesday fast, the Ohio's Fast for Justice, across Ohio to draw public attention to the harsh­ ness of Ohio's Works First sanctions. On February 25th , concerned citizens fasted for 24 hours in solidarity with the poor who have been 'punished' by the state welfare policy. In Cincinnati, an action was held in front of the Department of Human Services in Downtown Cincinnati. More than I 00 people attended the rally to express opposition to the harsh sanctions. Music , street theater, and speakers roused the crowd!! The Miami Full Employement Council, Dayton area coalition member of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition, led an action at the Jobs fair in Dayton, Ohio. Speakers included, among others, Logan Martinez of the Miami Full Employement Council, City Commissioner Bootsie Neal of Dayton, Rev. Steven Camp of the Faith United Church Of Christ and a representative of Montgomery County SCOPE Advisory Council. They spoke out strongly against Ohio's sanction policy and its disastrous effect on poor families. In Akron, the American Friends Service Committee fasted in solidarity. The Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless of Cleveland, an Community Organizing Center of Columbus joined the fast. Currently sixty-four organizations across Ohio are endorsing this campaign to oppose Ohio Works First Sanctions. We continue to urge other groups to endorse this campaign. Our next steps will be to send letters to each state legislator and arrange meetings. We encourage people to call and write area legislators, and join us in meeting with the legislators. If you are interested, call OEC area coalition for more information on ways you can· get to fight the sanctions!! Help Wanted Now Hiring Floor Staff and Maintenance Drop by or Call Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse 217 West 12th Street Over-The-Rhine 721-0843 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine The Vlslble Homeless... Page 5 Get Involved With Your City by Richard Kiefer, Cleveland Volunteer oppo rtun it ies are availab le in the homeless community. If you fee l like ex pe riencing commun ity service first-hand, don't be scared. A homeless shelter can, in truth, be one of the most boring places on earth. A few hours spent volun­ teering at a soup kitchen can really make a diffe r­ ence, Don't worry, you can feel like you are acting out your faith . Homeless people are shunned in public and often brighten cons id e rably w he n someone finds time for them and treats them w ith decency. No one can solve the problems of home­ lessness , but if people get invo!vcd in t heir neighbor­ hood they can change a little co rne r of the world. Continued on page 13 Sleeping on the street while buildings stand vacant. Photo by Jimmy Heath WESTCO Struggles With Culture Clash In Price Hiii by Andy Hutzel Having been involved in homeless and hou sing struggles in Over-the-Rhine for several years, I had been following the efforts of other community groups in other neighborhoods to get accounts of their struggles. The following story was writte n after a conversation with Ma rgaret Singer, fo rmer director of WESTCO-West Eighth Street Tenant Cooperative in Lower Price Hill. In the end, I found the struggle for housing in Lower Price Hill just as political, and lacking in the desperate need to acknowledge housing as a basic human right for all as in OTR. As a comm unity o rganizer w ith Santa Maria Services, it didn 't take long to recognize the need fo r additional safe, affordab le housing fo r low­ income peo ple. Margaret discuss ed this with other commun ity workers and they decided t o create a low- income housing group t hat would be grassroots, asking the res idents to contribute to the rehabbing of vacant units in exchange fo r affordable rents . It wou ld be a comm un ity-based effort t hat woul d make a mod est attempt at add re ssing a desperate situat ion in t he neighborhood. So WESTCO began in 1989 with help from resources such as buddy gray, ban ks, and a local loan fun d. T he "struggle" was qu ickly realized. Building acquisition began slowly, residents attempted t o make repairs, and the budget was very tight. The daily tragedies of addiction and poverty became more apparent. But WESTCO persisted o n. Eventually I I buildings were acquired and contrac­ tors worked with residents to rehab the units. It was in 1996 that the local media covered a story of I 00 Hispanic individuals (most from Guatemala) living in a single building in Lower Price Hill that was owned by a private landlord. The city, after discovering this, inspected the site and immedi­ ately shut the building down, evicting the families. After finding these families in a desperate situation, Margaret, who happens to be fluent in Spanish, began referring those who sought help to various places for assistance. The need for housing was immed iately apparent. As 2 buildings were being acqu ired, 2 families Hispanic families offered to help repair the units if they could live in them for a modest rent. The apartments were eventually brought up to living .standards. The apartments were clean and in good repair, a lo ng way from wh at the families had experienced previously in Lower Pri ce Hill (and Guatemala). But it was only days later, w hile Margaret was on vacation , that the building and fire inspectors were called by somebody in the neigh­ bo rhood to inspect th e bu il ding. After going thru t he entire buil ding, they ordered the building to be vacated . It became apparent to those at WESTCO t hat there was resentment among some in t he neighborh ood for these new res idents. The fam ilies were forced onto the street s again . The day to day operating struggle of the cooperative continued. The pove rty was ext remely visible among differe nt cultures and races. Giving witness to cr ises we re a dai ly o ccurrence. A number of Hispanics sought o ut Margaret for her ab ility to communicate and assist in th eir situations. Where had t hey come fro m and how did they get here? They were escaping a vi o lent ho me land, requesting political asylum (5-6 mo nth process), seeking t o live simp le lives without th e fear of repressio n. In dividuals were spe nding their life savings to reach this place of opportunity, willi ng to suffe r t o get here and stay he re. Over time, W EST CO assisted several people with housing and th e new residents helped rehab the units , paid rent, and participated in the mission of WESTCO. But life in Lower Price Hill wasn't easy. T he Hispanic residents were of a differen t race and culture, enter ing into the lives of many people who have experienced displacement and broken prom­ ises. Being asked to share what little land resources t hey had access to (as they saw it) didn't improve the situation. The community council, as leaders in the neighborhood , were not in favor of supporting or accepting this new group and most neighbors responded in the same manner. Accusations and Support Your Lo­ cal Vendor Tell A Friend About Streetvibes harassm ent fo llowed. Rumors spread that "drop in centers " fo r Hispan ics were being planned, with WESTCO involved in their development. Open resentment and anger began to show itself on a daily basis as fa lse threats of being "taken over" spread. At one point, WESTCO was thought of as rec ru it­ ing these "i nvaders" from forei gn lands to Lower Pri ce Hill. Th e intens ity grew - vandalism, int im idation ­ t o the point t hat made people reevaluate their posit io ns and roles. One night in September 1997 Margaret was driving to her home in Lowe r Price Hill with her daughter in t he back seat. As she t urned a corner, the next thing she heard was her rear window shatte r all over the back seat and onto her daughter. It was t hen t hat she knew she had t o leave W ESTCO and Lower Price Hill. T he mi sun­ derstandings had grown too great, w hile sol utio ns and alternatives were not being provided by city o r commun ity leaders. One major problem Margaret had was ga ining su pport from th e local comm un ity co uncil. The community council had plans for the neighborhood of Lower Price Hill and wou ld develop it as t hey wanted to. Margar et and WESTC O ran into opposition from the co mmun ity council on several projects and qu ickly became disheartened by t he politics of low-in come housing. With re sident s openly crit icizing WESTCO staff, t hose in leade rsh ip positions in the comm unity did littl e to alleviate the hard feelings . Although Margaret has since moved on, WESTCO continues to operate a grassroots low­ income housing cooperative in Lower Price Hill. I imagine the real tragedy is having to witness poor people battling poor people. Th ose with few resources wanting to hold on to what little they have. Histories and pasts full of violence, evictions, displacement, unemployment, etc. The broader injustice of the situation, the violation of basic human rights, is not being dealt with truthfully. The politics involved in lo w-income housing can be paralyzing. The situation of /ow-income communities at the whim of wealthy business people, a political system that caters to the wealthy, and a national inability or unwillingness to deal with the suffering of the poor is all too real. In th e end, creating division among the poor with few alterna­ tives can and does lead to violence. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine "Thirty Days" /)y Josh Gray So I have to vacate within thirty days If I don 't stop fighting for my rights If I don't change my ways. The Other Side of the Desk So I guess you think this letter Puts me in my place Well I guess were not communicating Because that's simply not the case by Anonymous So you don't thin k that I have rights That I am entitled too. That you can push me around and shove me down. Just someone you can screw. Have you ever thought just a wee little bit, Of how it would seem to be a misfit, And how you would feel if you had to sit, On the other side of the desk? So now you want to reel me in, and be the catch of the day. Well you're dead wrong, cause I'll stay strong I'll have it no other way. Have you ever looked at the man who seemed a bum, As he sat before you , nervous-dumb-­ And thought of the courage it took to come, To the other side of the desk? Now that we've been educated You'd better get out of our way. We've been empowered, it's not just me. We all plan to stay. Have you thought of his dreams that went astray, Of the hard, real facts of his every day Of the things in his life that make him stay, On the other side of the desk? Did you make him feel that he was full of greed, Make him ashamed of his race or creed, Or did you reach out to him in his need, To the other side of the desk? May God give us wisdom and lots of it, And much compassion and plenty of grit, So that we may be kinder to those who sit ON-THE-OTHER-SIDE-OF-THE-DESK. When people look at the homeless­ What do they see? a "faceless" group up to No Good? people- who fall between·the cracks! "those 'poor' crazies" begging for money a "mist" of drunks, weaving in and out of existence­ "addicts" ruining their livespeople not getting a chance to prove them­ selves Are they really People? They ARE all up to No Good! "Faceless! Shameless! Nameless!" Why can't we "hide" them! They ALL should be Locked UP! Why don't they go home? Where can they go? HOM E'S - a place I want to run from! A lonely, desolate spot! Streets littered and dirty with- Low rent, sleazy, trashy, corner stores selling joy and happiness!!! by Ron Carter Oh give me a home that I can call my own A place I can go if I want to be alone Oh give me a home that's filled with love That was sent from the angels from above Oh give me a home in a peaceful place Where the sun is always shining And you can see a silver lining Oh give me a home where I can lay my head On a nice warm comfortable bed Oh give me a home and I'll be grateful to you And I would pass on this blessing to someone else that needs it too. Once Was Enough by Denise Crew YOU HAD NO REAL WAY OF KNOWING THE FIRST TIME I HEARD YOUR VOICE ALL THAT HAD BOUND ME SIMPLY FADED FROM MY WORLD We know there will be a fight But we're tried & true And this time we'll be the driver Turning every screw. I KNEW .......... AND ONCE WAS ENOUGH FOR ME Choices (for all the comrades who have had to make real ones) by Judith Mendriski Oh, Give Me A Home So you've made your threats and your demands But I have one for you. You've thirty days to change your ways And the evil things you do. by Gary Hicks Homeless Page 6 to decide for writing a poem rather than going to a be-there-or-be-square event. to place proofreading as a priority over getting to read your stuff and blessedly it works out that you can do both-this time. to run ragged when common sense demands your health for the struggle. to be open, accessible-or even to try when everything points to the need to hide out and silence is given the dignity of being politically correct. to decide, period, when hedging is in vogue, and there really is a good chance you'll make a mistake. maybe a big one. there's nothing quite like figuring out the ways in which to kick imperialism dead in its ass. THE LONG CONVERSATION THAT T URNED MY ALL INSIDE AND THEN OUT SEEMED ONLY A MOMENT IN TIME FEELING YOUR SOUL TOUCH MINE WARMING MY SOUL I .KNEW .......... AND·ONCE WAS ENOUGH FOR ME TIME WHICH TO BE SO LONG AGO YOU BECKONED ME POURING ALL YOU HAD TO GIVE GENEROUSLY, UNCONDITIONALLY, INTO THE VERY DEPTHS OF ME I KNEW......... . AND ONCE WAS ENOUGH FOR ME LOOKING DEEP INTO YOUR BABY BROWN EYES YOU SWEPT ME AWAY FOR THE FIRST TIME FEARING NOT YOU BUT, WHAT SAY MINE LONE DID ENTWINE I KNEW.......... AND ONCE WAS ENOUGH FOR ME SINGING THE SONG OF LOVERS REMEMBERING THE BEAUTY I COULD ON'LY SEE IN YOU RELEASING THE PASSION LOCKED, DEEP WITHIN ME SURRENDER DID WE TO THE FREEDOM OF ECSTASY AND I KNEW......... . ONCE WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME (DEDICATED '!°O GEORGE HENDERSON) �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine -•Movement ••• • continued from page 5 being. For this reason, unskilled people remain unskilled. In the best movement, people would be encouraged to increase their skills at all levels. This way, the natural power of both the movement and the people in the movement would be increased. This is not intended to imply that there are not natural ·power differen:es between people. In our society, which distributes its resources very un­ equally to the poor and rich, African American and Caucasian, female and male, vast differences in capability result. However, in the best movement, those with natural power would devote their ener to the advancement of the whole movement, instea of working for their own advancement. Given that it would be difficult to fully explore the issue of hierarchy here, it may be necessary to propose some guidelines for making hierarchical structures less hurtful to a movement. When a movement becomes solidified in institutions like ReSTOC or the Drop Inn Center, they often take on hierarchical forms. In these circumstances, the people with more structural power in the hierarchy need to act in such a way that reinforces the dignity and importance of other people in the organization. Further, the organization should be structured in a way to allow all employees to increase their skills, t develop new forms of power. Finally, all people in the organization should be included as much as possible in the process of making decisions and guiding the organization. If these steps are taken, th movement will be strengthened in spite of the existence of hierarchical structures. Issues of power are important to consider in order to strengthen a movement. As people who want social change, our aim should be to empower each other as much as possible. This may involve questioning traditional power arrangements. Conclusion - I've only been able to touch on a few of the complex aspects of a movement for change. But the fundamental thesis of this article is that the internal workings of a movement are extremely important in determining the success of the movement in the context of the wider society. Thus, we need to direct our attention to the featu res of the inside of our movement. By doing this, we can establish a strong foundation with whic to realize our vision of a better world. STREETVIBES Sweatand T-Shirts! Only $5 for T's, $10 for Sweats. STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grope·<ine 100% White Cotton Shirts and Lon Sleeve Sweat Shirts Xl Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at 1506 Elm Street. Please sto p by and see us. Page 7 Bringing Home Housing Strategies by Donald Whitehead As the pilot announces "we have just reached our cruising altitude of 30,000 feet" I gaze out my window at the sight of endless rows of clouds as far as the eye can see or the mind can imagine. I am overwhelmed by feelings of peace and serenity. How wonder­ fully uncomplicated life is at 30,000 feet no pending wars, no housing crisis, no homeless hate crimes, no sex scandals in the White House. I begin dreaming of a kindlier gentler World, housing for all, no racism, no hunger, no... just then I am startled by the captains next announcement "Ladies and Gentlemen we have been cleared for landing please make sure all packages are stowed beneath your seat or in the overhead compartment, fasten your seat belts and make sure all tray tables are in the upright position." In Albuquerque it does not take very long before reality brings me out of the clouds. I am handed an article that talks about a campaign to displace a homeless shelter. Incredibly, I have been on the ground for ten minutes and already I am confronted with homeless discrimination. My mission here is to learn about the pending crisis in subsidized housing. I am here as a guest of the Corporation for National Service, the Administrators of the Vista and Americorps Projects. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless will supervise a Vista volunteer to help in homeless prevention. This position will be part of a Nationwide group of organized HUD tenants called the National Alliance of HUD tenants (NAHT) NAHT was formed in March of 1992, NAHT is the first national membership organi­ zation of resident groups advocating for the 1.9 million lower income residents in privately owned, HUD assisted multi-family housing. NAHT goals are to protect affordable housing; develop tenant self-empowerment; promote tenant ownership and control; and make HUD accountable for its constituents: HUD tenants. We have tried to share with our readers the seriousness of the housing shortage in th is country. Affordable housing in this country is under an assault of historic proportions. React­ ing to the 1994 congressional elections, the Clinton Administration has proposed radical measures to de-fund, deregulate, convert to "market" rents, and replace 3. I million units of public and subsidized housing with a smaller number of housing " vouchers". Congressional Republicans and the Clinton Office of Manage­ ment and Budget have proposed even deeper cuts ahead on the road to a balanced budget. Taken together, these proposals threaten millions of low income families with mass displacement and the literal destruction of t he enti re national system of affordable housing. This loss of ho using has al ready begun to strain an already stretched homeless provider com­ munity. The upcoming project with NAHT and The Corporation for National Service will help the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less to begin much needed prevention strategies in an effort to end Homelessness in our city. ANQTHER CLASS PRODUCTION Oise-Jockey Service ·cuFFOAO JONES (513) 761-3464 Community Celebration. live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St Cincinnati 721-7339 11 11 In Memory of Mac Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch••• Because 'Everyone' included Prisoners and Former Prisonors. Jimmy Beath Photography Cinci.nnati - (513)564-9856 E-Mail - jimmy_heath@juno.com Friends and Neighbors of Over-the-Rhine An Organization Seeking Justice for People in Cincinnati's Most Endangered Community Subscribe to STREETVIBESI For only $12 peryear you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons.•• Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Streetvibes C/O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �STREETVIBES 11 The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page a Nead A Good Job? Run For City Councll 11 by Raymond Avrutis If you're homeless, unemployed, or have a BA or better and are performing menial work (i.e., are underemployed), run for public office on the platform of wanting a good job, and of helping the poor. I'm serious! In 1996, I collected 337 petition signatures to get on the ballot for City Council but was thrown off the ballot because only 228 of the signatures wer~ "valid." I needed 250 valid signa­ tures (but no money was required as a filing fee), to register as a candidate. Incorrectly, I assumed that having 130% of the required number of signatures would put me on the ballot; obtaining 150%, just to make sure I had the minimum, would have been adequate. Learn from my mistake! Get 150% of the signatures you will need to run for~ public office you wish to run for. This need not be a "big-time" federal job, such as Congressman or Senator, but you should find plenty of jobs that pay salaries, as City Councilperson, State Representative, Mayor, even Dogcatcher if you have the ability to catch stray dogs. Go places where people congregate to get your petition signatures, i.e., outside of supermar­ kets and public sidewalks in busy commercial areas. Problem: The $ I00 to $250 it costs to file for, say, City Council (if your city requires a cash payment and not signatures to get on the ballot), is more than many people can afford. You may have to panhandle many spare coins that you put into a bank and DO NOT SPEND until you have enough money to file your papers. Or, distribute your platform and ask for spare change. People may be impressed by your being a different type of panhan­ dler. ward - even at a homeless shelter), and you 5) are a with the problem of people tortured to ,confess registered voter who has 6a) filed enough valid signa­ when they were .reaHy innocent, the founding tu res, or who has 6b) paid the filing fee, or both if fathers simply enacted the fifth Amendment to the required in your jurisdiction. . . . . . h ... - . . U.S. Constitution, stating that no one need test:1fy Establ1s ment po 11t1c1ans, sometimes acting .. , . ·If . . f . d th ff agamst one s se .. th rough th eir B th b r nen s, w1 11 try to row you o the ba11 ot, d . .h . . . . .. ut tru s can e 1oun wit ·out torturing even 1f you have enough vahd signatures , etc. How can S f th . . . ...i· • · , peep 1e. ome o e peop1e m your 1ur1su1ct1on - .. h a home Iess person have a Iega I resi d ence.1 t ey wi1 1say. h d . h k . . ..... bl. . b . b hb r c arge wit · eepmg me pu 1c trust may not . e A sk at t he Board of Elect1ons . . . · . . ot e1ore simply incompetent, but may be liars. th1ev·es and and after you file - about this. Many civil servants, as corrupt people who themselves belong in jail (see distinguished from elected officials, are honest in telling next suggestion). you what your rights and responsibilities are, if you just 5. Cocaine only grows in a few p:laces in ask politely. Remember, as a citizen, you have the right B 1. . C 1 b" d p p h c . . o 1v1a, o um 1a an eru. ropose t at ongress to run for any pubhc JOb for which you are qualified, and d 1 1... (. ) d . 1 an station ·ec a·r e war on tue coca me pant the bureaucrats in charge of the election machinery have a1rcra . ft . ff th W C f -s ..iL - earners o · e estern oast o ouu 1 the ~ obligation to answer your questions honestly. America, whose job it wiH be to s·end over .airplanes In fact, after interviewing a public servant, you to drop: I) defoliant. 2) insects that eat on1y should ask, "Is there anything of importance I didn 't ask coca(ine) plants, and 3) seeds of plants that effec­ that you believe I should know, or that would help me tively choke off the coca{ine) plant's abi'lity to get on the ballot?". flourish. If you face a legal challenge, you may repr,esent Send over a spy-in-the-sky satellite, with yourself in court. Much better is having a lawyer help infrared detectors that sense where the stuff is you: from a homeless organization, the ACLU. your growing. Keep up the good work until there are local law school (or even a law student); a friend who is zero, as in, "zero tolerance", coca(ine) plants a lawyer, or the local branch of the Legal Services growing on earth. Corporation. Then free atl cocaine prisoners, giving them Write out a platform of what you would do if jobs or training with money formerly used to you got elected. Here are some suggestions: warehouse them. Peo.pl1e with relatives who are or I. Find a way that poor, unemployed or homeless have been in jail may tend to vote for you. people are being treated poorly, then propose to either Finally, have a program to ,gjve food and change their treatment if you are running for a job that other necessities to dispossessed South Americans. sets policy, or to ask for legislation to rectify the Have fun, and good 'luck! "If you don't have a campaign man­ ager, don't worry. Ididn't." If someone gives you $I 00, take $5 and give the rest to charity... When I solicited signatures, I didn't ask for any money and wasn't offered any. That's all right with me. I'm not beholden to any special interests. In my campaign literature, which I didn't distribute because I had been kicked off the ballot, I refused to accept money from welfare and food stamp recipients, and my literature stated that I would accept a $5.00 maximum contribution per person (implying $10.00 from a couple). You will need an address for your cam­ paign. Get a PO Box. If you don't have a "campaign manager", don't worry. I didn't. No law says you must have one. You may act as your own manager. If someone gives you $100, take $5 and give the rest to charity. Don't let yourself be bought off. Keep your check receipts to show later that while you cashed a $100 check, you sent a $95 check to a charity. If you are offered a job you want when you're an official candidate, by all means accept it! But don't drop out of a political race just because you have a job. You can be fired just as fast as you were hired. The power structure may have offered you a job just to tempt you to drop out, lulling you with a false sense of security. Take part in debates! And ask your local newspaper to endorse you. Maybe you can better your economic situation and improve your commu­ nity. Oh yes, if someone else is running as a homeless candidate, run with him or her claiming you can represent the poor more effectively. Go to your local city hall - NOW; filing deadlines are often in the winter and early spring ­ and ask, "What elected jobs are available on the ballot? What is required of someone to become a candidate? What do these jobs pay?" You have the ri~ht to run for any public job you please, jf: I) you are a U.S. citizen, 2) aged 18 or older, who has, 3) never been convicted of a felony, who 4) meets the residency requirements (usually one year living in the state/county/city or situation. Example: Increasing the unemployment insurance tax on employers, so that maximum weekly benefits can be set at 2/3's of the state's average weekly wage, adjusted annually. This suggestion was first proposed by the old Social Security Board during WWII and was first recom­ mended as legislation by president Eisenhower in 1954. More than 40 years later, the Federal government still hasn't enacted this long overdue reform. If your state legislature says, "we've already done this" (a few states have), make sure that aH industries are included in computing this weekly maximum. You see, a few states that claim to have the 2/J's maximum count only the lowest-paid workers in their taxing formula, so benefits are still kept lower than they should be - often by $I 00 a week, or more. 2. Buy modern textbooks for the schools. Volunteer to commit civil disobedience by staging a sit-in at the local Board of Education with a teacher. Have his or her students carrying their ancient textbooks. All you want is the same exposure to quality education that rich people now receive. Make sure you get newspaper publicity for this action! 3. Hire grant-writers to apply for every potential benefit from every possible federal and state program that can help poor or homeless people. A large amount of money doesn't get spent each year, simply because the Feds and the states don't receive applications. Shame! 4. Require that all elected politicians in your locality - including yourself - submit to an annual truth serum injection, and answer one simple question, "Who takes bribes or is otherwise corrupt?" Also, administer truth serum annually to every member of the narcotics police. You may be amazed at the corruption this will uncover. Hypodermic needles were not invented in the 18th Century, much less truth drugs. Faced Raymond Avrutis was elected a Junior Class Senator and also Senior Class Presi­ dent at American University in the late I 960's. Struggles II by Gregory Payton God, when you open my eyes, t see peop1e struggle, for who you say? For them and somet;imes others; for what? A need, a cause, a wish, a dream. The most important thing I have and I need is a desire. Something I have to do anything, and to be somebody my desire is good, my intentions are great. , My motives I check eve'ryday. Desire, intentions, enthusiasms. AH these I need. But most of aH your guidance, your order, your direction on the way. I like to start and yes with your strength and mercy finish. I like to began by saying. Take me, show me, 'lift me, and ho1d me. For I want to betong to you. It is by your wiH that I am here, that I am seen, and that I am heard. Please lead me. The journey can be great for I known you ar,e greater. If it is a trait I wiU follow if it is a path, I will make it today J know t am not alone. Your :purpose for me 1do not know, Yes indeed I chose to go. If no one is tlhere I know you are. Sometimes it's lonely at the top, and when I try to do right. Sometimes it's ~ one'ly when ,J am behind and I don't know what to do.. But I know who to ca.II, I know who to look for. and today t know who to pray to. Yes I struggle wit my eyes open my desire is to you my jo-umey is yours you give me hope please show me freedom. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 9 Aren't You T:ired? by Mark Salter The Odd Cookie Awards by The Shadow The 1998 Odd Cookie Awards was held at the Cincinnati alack Book fak on February 7, 'I '998.. This was the first time for these Awards which wiH become an annual event. The pro­ gram wiU be aired on Warner Cab1e TV. Ms. Edna How.eH of the WIZf FM radio station has been very 1instrumenta~ and supportive in promoting this unforg,e ttable event. Ms. Edna HoweU and freddi.e Suggs, of Talk Magazine wer,e 'S pecta,c ular guest speakers. The Odd Cookie Awards is reading award for chi.idren. To be eligible for the Odd Cookie Awards children must belong to dle Odd Cookie Book Club. The mp reader was Randi L Bipps. She won the Odd Cookie Award, $ IOO cash, the Odd Coo'ki,e Book, and a free photo session with Cfatties Moorer, pho~ographer, an Odd Cookie T-sbkt and a pass to The Odd Cookie Play. The s.e cond winner, Asia B'l adanon, won the Odd Cookie Award, $75 cash, the Odd Cookie Book. and a free photo session with Clatties Moorer. The third winner, Robyn Jones, won dle Odd Cool~i<e Award,, :$ 50 cash, the Odd Cookt,e Book, and a free photo s ession with Clatties Moorer. The nominees were pres,e nted widl Certificates of Achiev,e ment in readin,g. The nominees a4so included Ryan Po,p e. Marquis Foster, Mia N:uby. Justin Powell and Rashad Shabazz. Terry Taylor ~eceived a Certificate of Achievement for writing. 1 1would like to give s;pecia:I dianks to Mr. 1 Ronnie X. B:lack who founded The Odd Cookie Book Club. The nominees and winners were selected from his 5th grade class. The students were required to read various books that he selected. write a rev;iew of the book, and answer questions to be sure they understood the matenial. Mr. Bfack is a Sth and 6th g,r ade teacher at Bond Hill Elementary School. He has been teaching since 197·9. Jf I could give an award away for be,ing a dedicated school teacher he woutd get one. Un1 ike s·o many scho:ol teachers and prindp.les who perpetrate, Mr. R,o nnie X. B1ack is dedicated to educating and inspjring our chitdren to r.ead. 1 Mr. Ronnie X Bfack and I dis·ciussed The Odd Cookie Book Ctub ,in December but, unfortunate~y. on Januairy 3rd h e was in a head­ on coHtsion accident on Central Pankway. De~ermined to stiill make The Odd Cookie Awards a success, Mr. Black attended the Awards Program ,o n crutches. His body was wounded, but not his spirit. I wou1d also :like to give speda' thanks to Mark Pastor and Bomani Tyehimba for another successful 8fack Book Fair for the City of Cincinnati; and Mr.. Cfatties Moorer for donat­ ing his talent as an artistic photographer.. We are entering a wot.Id of computerized automation whe.r e mach,ines and numbers are more important than .o ur children. There i:s nothing mo,r e important thao ,o ur 'children.. let's prove that by sup,p orting and promotin,g The Odd Cookie Awards. I remember a movie titled Jacob's Ladder, and what an interesting movie it was. You had to see it from the beginning and pay close attention. I wou1d like to share this memory as best I can. Believe it or not, there was a message in it, one which I hope to never forget. It started with Jacob on a hospital bed during Vietnam. He hac;I been mortally wounded, and whatever consciousness he possessed, brought back an .image, of his only son who had died while he was on a tour of duty. It began there with a flash back of his son being struck down by a car, in his absence. From there the story began, and Jacob found himself in a world of chaos with men ,in b'lack suits trying to capture and kill him -even amongst all the insanity of the picture, his mind perh~ps . Ther,e were moments, when trying to regain some sanity or even clarity, that he found himself in session with a psychotherapist, who gave him bits of insight during the insanity and chaos. Finally we get to the crnx of the storyline, where Jacob informs the therapist that men are trying to kill him. 1t was one line that the therapist sa.id that stuck with me and urweiled the whole meaning of that movie. He said, "What you think is evil and trying to take you, is very likely angels coming to take you home." Jt was then that reality hit Jacob and his memory came back to him. He realized he was on his death bead, and had not come to terms with his feeHngs of not being there for his son. Where feelings of guilt, shame and pain had set the tone and perception of his mind as he lay dying, it was only when he accepted that he truly loved his son and just wasn't able to be there and that he had no ,c ontrol ove·r past events; only then did he recognize the "men" as angels. I hope it ,came across to you, because I know that our fee'lings can set the tone for our perceptions. Guilt can make us paranoid, and 'lying makes us distrustful of others as well. I guess cliat's what it means to '"I. . ~eep our L~ 1ouse m ord er" or " dean house"- getting rid of excess bagga,ge. What are you feeling as you read this? Why do we become so defensive? The way we feel makes a difference in how we s,e e the world around us. k can hefp or hinde.r us. Cripple or fre.e us. But sometimes the fear .o f being free keeps us from being fr·ee. Free to have a nice -day. We may even feel we don't deserve it, because of all the latent guilt. shame or even pain from the losses, for whatever the ireasons were. Today :I'm 37 yea.rs old, and I'm tired of the pain. I'm tired of !lhe suffering- especially that I've created for mysetf. Aren~t you tired? �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine In his farewell speech President Eisenhower said, "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence wh ether sought or unsought by the military­ industrial co mpl ex. The potential for disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.". THE PURPLE TURTLE (THE JANGLE OF JINGOISM: CLINTON'S MURDEROUS POLICY vs. IRAQ) by: Berta Lambert The rhetoric of the war hawk: "age-old appeasement", "slack-jawed college students", " rogue nations", "human shields on military sites", "cheat and retreat game", "remove Saddam Hussein" (the latter an endorsement of the murder of a head of state despite a 1975 congress_ional law specifically outlawing such a deed). Of course the U. S. Chief Executive would bomb all military targets of value, i.e.: communications, command and control installations, the Mukhabarat or general intelligence service , the Special Security Organiza­ tion, and the Republican Guard. No people here, only bureaucrats, technicians, and soldiers who one should understand don't have families, wives, husbands or children. Targeted also are: suspected sites of weapons of mass destruction , atomic production facilities, missiles, chemicals and bio-tech labs. Never mind that not so "smart bombs" will be delivered by the planets largest producer of these tools of war. Since the combination of dumb and smart bombs might not always destroy only physical targets there just might be "collateral damage" or plainly speaking, the death of thousands of civilians. The pre-bombing rhetoric suggests Iraq has " ... 5,000 gallons of botuli, ... 2,000 gallons of anthrax, 25 biological-filled scud warheads, and 157 aerial bombs, "which one writer suggests U.S./ British policy can save the world from by "...making a congenitally duplicitous Mideastern Caligula abide by his promises". Not mentioned " ...the two dozen deve lop ing countries now have weapons of this kind." or that six of them are in the Mideast region. Nor is it said Israel is in defiance of 69 UN Security Council resolut ions and has been protected fro m 29 more by U.S. veto es. But, one would bomb Saddam Hussein's Takrit i clan. One-and-a-half million child ren have di ed in Iraq since the early shooting in the continuing Iraq war. The cold-blooded among us say the sanctions­ caused death are Hussein's fault as will be our bombing of his country. Th is is the illogic of those who would make war. If a person were to hold a gun to another person's head and demand the second party strip naked, and if the first party said if the second party did not comply then it would be t he second party's fau lt if t he first party shot the second party, no jury would find th is reasonable. W ar is peace, peace is war. Or is it, tolerance is racism , racism is tolerance. The would be warriors - Albright, Cohen and Berger are shown th e illogic of their bellicose ways by t he Ohio State University community. The January 1998 issue of t he Pro~res sive Magazine in a two-page editorial about November's media war blitz gave a' sense of how out-of-joint the public discussion is, wherein: the liberal view is Hussein should be killed, the centrist view bombing is right and the conservatives say land invasion. At this moment UN Secretary General Koi Annan appears to have struck a deal which pre-war voices decry as not the product of diplomacy but the threat of force. On the Outside looking In, ''Judge and Ye Shall Be Judged" By Gail Frazier-Holley This is what people all over the United States do. Many people judge and comment on th.ings that they nothing about, and being homeless is just one of the issues. Homelessness is caused and created by many different factors. All the people that gather daily into the many shelters all across the world gather for one reason only, and that is that "they need help". Now there are also different reasons why they are there - they may have been involved in domestic violence, fire, mental illness, just released from prison, or alcohol or drugs, or just are fed up with being "sick and tired" of being sick and tired. There are everyday struggles that sometimes makes us feel that we are :losing our minds". They just need someone to listen to them and guide them in the right direction for a more peaceful and enjoy­ able life, if possible. I don't have all the answers to why people feel the way they do, nor do I have the answer to the question that has been asked by many: Do I think homelessness will ever end? But people stand from the outside looking in and try to analyze. Misunderstanding can and has caused great pain for individuals that somehow landed into homeless ness. Un less we have walked t he walk and talked the talk, we need to get some understanding and learn to love and help those less fortunate than ourselves. So before we set out to judge others let us at least try to be a little more understanding and show compassion. In Romans 12:3, Jesus said: 'For I say...to everyone who is among you, do not think of yourself more highly than he ought to think'. This is what Jesus said; this is what I say: 'the only time we should look down on someone, is when we are picking them up'. Page 10 Quallty OF Life We in the city of Cincinnati should be ashamed ·of not stepping up and speaking out for the poo r and anyone living close to the poverty level. How can we stand by and let sanctions go unques­ tioned. We all are one o r two checks away fro m th is kind of treatment. You can not stand by and th ink that th is can not happen to you or someone in your family or even a neighbor. Mistakes are being made every day and the consequences are painful. Every citizen of Cincinnati should have a chance at improving their quality of life. We are letting attitudes and mistakes run peoples lives. We are letting someone's decision's cause domestic violence, homelessness, and more crime. The people over­ seeing these mistakes and acts of cruelty can not be given this power. Who is in charge of training and education? You teach change, not force change. Can we expect more of this from these legislators. We must stand and fight with a vote. This is a city, not a plantation. I say drop the whip now. These are people not slaves. This is 1998, not slavery. Stand against sanctions of welfare reform Gregory PaYt:on Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street C incinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Ci ncinnati Coalition for !he Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 42 1-7803. letters To Streetvibes Dear Streetvibes Collective: February's issue was a blockbuster! Ms. Neumeier's story was a real inspiration (as was its content too, of course). Congratulations on one year. Enclosed is a check for a year's subscription. I wou ld also love to help out with copy editing as is requested on your wish list most every month. My address and phone numbers follow. Sincerely, Chris Hudson To Whom It May Concern: My name is Mona Malik and I am a fourth year student at the University of C incinnati's Schoo l of Social Work. Grego ry Payton came to my class a few weeks ago and shared his life story with us. This was my first time speaking to anyone who has ever been homeless and he truly touched my heart. Not only is Gregory an excellent writer, he also has exceptional speaking skills. I learned so much from Gregory that I shared his story with my family and friends. I just wanted to congratulate you all on your excellent work with Streetvibes, and thank you for helping Gregory so he could get the opportunity to enlighten myse lf and my classfellows. I think it wou ld be t o your causes benefit to send Gregory to o the r schools and organizations to bri ng people to the reality of the situations of the home less in C incin­ nati. It is amazing how ignorant I was on this issue. I have gotten a subscription to th e newspaper and am really enjoying the articles. Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Mona. From the Editor: Thank You, Mona. Streetvibes and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless appreciate the kindness and positive response shown to our vendors. Many of the vendors take the time to share their stories so that other people are informed and educated about the issues surrounding homelessness. Ve ndors like Gregory show the public the human side of these problems - the wasteful tragedy of homelessness in our country. Streetvibes and the Coalition is currently in the process of developing a program, called The Speakers Bureau, that invites homeless and formerly homeless vendors into public forums, such as schools, churches and civic grou ps to speak on their lives and these issues. The Speakers Bureau will hopefully bring these messages of hope to many mere people. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 11 tioned; they were terminated completely. A Tufts University study," Are States Improv­ ing the Lives of Poor Families," released on February 23, 1998, cites sanctions as being an ineffective and detrimental method in helping recipients reach economic stability. Sanctions are making it more difficult for Ohio's poorest families to move out of poverty. Among the 50 states and District of Columbia, Ohio has recieved one of the worst ratings by the Tufts University study. Ohio is placed in the bottom 14 worst states for welfare policy that helps families reach economic well-being. Pam McBride, a former recipient, stated, " this system is creating a short fuse for people. The sanctions are saying its okay to put people out on the street. People are not going to be able to take the pressure." The Ohio Empowerment Coalition is opposed to sanctions completely. However, we realize that the requirement to sanction recipients in some manner was mandated by the federal government. At this time we are urging our state legislators to change sanction policy as much as allowable under Federal Law so that TANF dollars are coming to Ohio. We are advocating that our state legislators change the following sanctions: Bobby Lyles. Photo by Jimmy Heath Bobby Lyles celebrates 17 years on the job at the Drop Inn Center Bobby Lyles, Recovery Program Coordinator at the Drop Inn Center and Recovery Hotel celebrates 16 years on the job this month. Bobby first came to the Drop Inn Center as a floor worker in the early days and since has risen through the ranks. Bobby remembers well those early days: volunteers worked most of the shifts because there was not enough money for paid staff workers. Volunteers and the few paid staff had to work hand­ in-hand in order to keep the shelter open and serving the needs of all of the homeless people that came to the shelter on a daily basis. The faces of the homeless have changed too, recalls Bobby. "The shelter population at that time was mostly older, white street alcoholics. What was then known as 'hobos'." Bobby remembers the ongoing struggle with the city and the state over funding and law­ making issues concerning the homeless. "We were always going to City Hall and Columbus, fighting for money and our rights," recalls Lyles. "It was important that everyone stuck together through the rough times to provide basic needs and rights-doing the right thing for other people-basic fundamental rights. We were made to feel good about doing the right thing for human rights. It wasn't always perfect. There were up's and down's. But when it came to the residents, everyone was I 00%," says Lyles. p E L 0 A M N 0 T 0 p L F B p 0 N G 0 H c w E R A c 0 I 0 s 0 0 R 0 D A D R H M s E wN A 0 w N M c E I N p s 0 A I N E L D p R N N R A A 0 M G E s y y G N I w 0 K G 0 I Second Punishment: Three month's loss of: cash assistance, adult portion of food stamps, child care & job search. Third Punishment: Six months' loss of cash assistance, adult portion of food stamps, medicaid for the adult, child care and job search eligibility. For each additional sanction, the household will continue to be sanctioned for a six month period or until compliance. The Ohio Department of Human Services released data that 9,549 households were under sanction between October I - January I, 1998. Between that same period, the number of house­ holds dropped from the roles (called "caseloads reduction") was 13,822. Based on OOHS statistics, it is estimated that 69% of caseload reduction was because of sanctions. In Hamilton County, 50% of the caseload reduction was due to " closings for unknown reasons". These families weren't sane- Find these words in the puzzle: p R I E I First Sanction (Punishment): One month loss of all cash assistance, adult portion of food stamp, child care eligibility & job search eligibility. >A minimum cut in cash assistance instead of cutting full cash benefit >Food stamps remain the same >Job search be allowed >Also, the sanction should only last until the recipient complies. >Sanctions households should not be allowed to be counted in caseload reduction numbers. >In addition, we urge the State Legislators to lobby the Federal Government to completely remove sanction policy from the Federal Law. OECMeeting Thursday March 12 I0:30 a.m. at Sullivan Gardens Community Center 755 Remick St. Columbus, Ohio A Mother's Story of Sanction My nname is Robin Sutherland and I live in Wiinton Terrace. I use the Metro bus for transpor­ tation and it was hard getting getting my children back and forth every day on the bus. I found two separate home providers in Northside for two of my children, but I could not find child care for my two year old. I was sanctioned because I refused to leave my child home alone. I was doing the right thing as a mother to not leave a two year old home by herself! My caseworker said this wass not a good enough reason. She sanctioned me. This was wrong. Because I was being a responsible mother to take care of my three year old I was punished. Scramble Search Word by Gregory Payton s What Are Sanctions??? March Spring Womens Day Flowers Growing Gardening Baseball Picnic: Showers Bloom Rain Plant Seeds New Care Warm Play by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these sports-team related words: ENBLSGS MRAS IDRRSAE OLSCT ANTGIS LASLDA NGSKVll TOWASINGHN OOSBRNC NAS OCSICANRSF Answers on page I 5. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 Ravings of a Mad Womyn a monthly attempt to chip away at the rule of the Establishment... by Malaka So tell me, just when are you planning to wake up? Open your eyes and see that you do not live in a "free" world? That just about everything you've ever been told is a lie? No, n_9J all welfare recipi­ ents live in the inner-city, many live in quite large homes in quiet neighborhoods and can downsize you out of existence. No, not all criminals are in jail or are on death row, many run the jails. No, Saddam Hussein isn't the biggest holder of "weapons of mass destruction"- can you guess who is? But knowing the truth about these three situations isn't enough - when will you ·become truly conscious and see the connection: that both the domestic and foreign attacks, in a massive war on the poor, are simply the outgrowth of an imperialistic white power structure that only has it's self interests in mind? As this government isn't in the least bit legitimate (that is it doesn't truly represent the masses they, with the help of the media, manufacture consent; because their interests will, more often than not, conflict with yours-which means that you will suffer, no matter what color you are. However, if you are a poor person of color, your suffering will come fastest and with the most intensity and, often you will be scapegoated for the suffering brought to the others. Still proud to be an American? Let's begin with "welfare reform" shall we? This subject got a lot of hype (including lots of media images of the Black mother with ten kids...), and a bill to, "get people to work" was quickly passed at the federal level, and made way for the harsh mandates at the state level here in Ohio, which include taking away all cash, most food stamP.s, and childcare benefits from families that don't, "'comply" with various requirements. In every article in the mainstream press locally (The Enquirer, Post and I would include City Beat) when talking about "non-compliance'', always cited the work requirement as the example of why families are cut. Of course, this isn't the reality. Your perception ofreality is being manipulated­ recognize this. At the Welfare Rights Coalition (where I work) the reason most women (that's really who we're talking about) give for being, "sanctioned" is their refusal to submit to a paternity test. In instances of domestic violence (which is more prevalent in low-income-communities), it 's obvious why a woman would not want this man to know where she and the child(ren) live. The Welfare Law Center, in their 1996 publication, Welfare Myths: Fact or Fiction? accurately states that, "Even if their were .no deadbeat parents, most poor children would still be poor, and most children who need TANF would still need it." So, then the question becomes, what does establishing paternity for the state have to do with a singl e mother being an effective parent anyway? Why are poor WC?men being targeted for this action, when studies show that since poor women don 't usually get wit rich men, there is little financial benefit to this intrusion? Of course, when looking at the facts, it's seen that people who receive public benefits and the grassroots organizations that represent their interests were (and continue to be) kept out of the decision making process as much as possible. Now, can you really hold on to the illusion that "welfare reform" was done to aid poor people? How does taking away childcare, for example, help a family to "self-sufficiency"; if the parent was working, they can't now, if they weren't, they can't start! This was done for middle class people (those lazy, greedy, poor people are the real problem!)- to distract them from the reality of capitalism at work: which has meant for them a decrease in real earnings in the past 20 years, more downsizings and lay-offs, and a higher cost of living which results in, for example, families that have never had financial trouble going into debt to send their children to college. The Congressional Budget Office disclosed in 1992 that 77% of before tax income growth of U.S. families went to the top I%. But the economy's booming you say, after all, that's what my favorite corporate­ owned mainstream paper told me. Booming for whom, I ask? Then there's crime, ahh, crime. "Put the fear of crime into them. Splash crime on the front page of every _newspaper. Make it the lead in every broadcast.", Dan Pens wrote in, The Sellin~ of America, on how the media maximizes fear. Your perception of reality is being manipulated­ recognize this. Study after study has shown that violent crime has been decreasing since 1991, which isn't surprising since the population is aging. The same age group (youth) are still committing most crimes, but now there are less of them (well, us, I'm 18). All of the polls that are always cited that show crime to be one of the nation's biggest fears don't reflect reality, but again, our perception of it. People, young African-American men caught in what Stokely Carmichael called the "poverty cycle" of being, "denied good jobs, and therefore stuck with a low income and therefore unable to obtain a good education with wh ich to obtain good jobs," are the most likely victims. By the year 20 I0, it's been projected that most Black men (2/3) will be behind bars. Why? Because of laws like mandatory minimum sentencing, which doesn 't allow a judge to decide a case based on it's individual merits, "Three Strikes, You're Out" legislation all over the -country that put people away for life for petty theft, and of course,-the biggestreason why Black men are in jail, the racist, classist, drug laws that give someone with possession of particular type cocaine jail time, and someone else, with the same stuff, in the same amount just of a different type, a fine . When the larger societal factors are added, that our sanctions against South American countries encourages their increased growth of the coca plant (it's the only one that's profitable), the CIA's involvement with saturating the inner-city with the drug, and again, few economic opportunities for many coming out of poverty (and all that it means in this country) it's easy to see that this more covert institutional raci sm is nothing but entrapment of poor, Black men. The "correctional facilities" in this country are nothing but warehouses of the poor and who, if felons, cannot vote, will be in a colonial situation, much like that of the inner-city, where the decisions are made for them by the white power structure that runs the country. Did I say, "runs the country"? I meant, "runs the world". Most of us have heard a lot lately about Hussein's alleged store of biological weapons. Your perception is being manipulated- recognize this. The "Revolutionary Worker", a prominent alterna­ tive weekly, stated, "There seems to be little actual evidence that Iraq has significant amounts of such weapons..."The massacre in Iraq, don't forget, this is a third world country, is nothing short of imperial­ ism at work. Joe Urgo, a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist (WAW Al), spoke to this, " ...when thousands of us vets read about imperialism we knew what it was, because we did the murder, torture, and rape, and imperialism gave us the explanation why. Just like the Gl's that went to Panama, the Gulf War, and Somalia ...they too must figure it out. Many...talk about Continued on page 14 Wisconsin last Welfare Checks Printed The Governor of Wisconsin, Tom my Thomp­ son was at the control button of the printing press that printed the last batch of 50 Welfare checks, signaling the end of the Aid to Families with Depen­ dent Children program in that state. The checks, the last of I, I 00 checks issued to serve families in the state of Wisconsin, will be replaced at the end of the month by the new Wisconsin Works program. Albuquerque Residents Protest Homeless Shelter by Troy Goodman, Albuquerque Journal . , ·: ' - • ,1.-.. _· Wells Park residents didn't let snow and cold temperatures Saturday stop them from protesting the existence of a homeless shelter in their Albu­ querque neighborhood. About I0 people gathered at the Wells Park Community Center for th e "Human Defecation and Urine Press Tour" to talk about problems they say are caused by homeless people. Many of the homeless, they say, often use St. Martins Hospitality Center, a private, non-profit shelte r on Third Street a short distance from the Community Center. After the gathering, a few resi dents escorted news reporters to a First Street appliance store, in the shadow of Interstate 40, and next t.o a shanty town th at borders the Downtown railroad tracks. Feces lay on the sidewalk in front of the store. Jeffrey Rich Munoz, a member of the W ells Park Neighborhood Association, said he bel ieved it to be human feces . The neighborhood association and many business owners believe the homeless attracted by St. Martin's are responsible for public defecation, crime and vandalism in the area from Mountain Road to the interstate, and from the railroad tracks to 12th Street. The group has launched a campaign to close the shelter and convince city councilors to locate homeless shelters in other parts of the city. "I agree with what (St. Martins) is trying to do," explained Andy Gutierres, who owns a pawn shop in the area. "But if the city wants to spend billions of dollars redeveloping this area, they have to get rid of the transients." Tony Louderbough, executive director of St. Martin's, who didn't attend the news conference, said in a phone interview that his group of social workers and homeless counselors don't want to be in the business of providing overnight lodging. The center's primary mission is to provide meals for the home­ less, counseling, and job assistance. Yet, the area's other homeless shelters just can't hold the increas­ ing number of transient individuals and homeless families, he said. "We want out of the she lter business," Louderbough said. "But it's more inhu­ mane not to do it." St. Martin's, which costs about $375,000 a year to run, receives about a third of its operating money from the city and the rest from health-care sources and non-profit organizations, Louderbough said. �STREETVIBES The!riState's Homeless Grapevine ( Better Late Than Never by Brian Davis The business element of downtown Cleveland sought to clean up the city. They built a number of playgrounds for suburbanites and tourists with money to have a reason to come to Cleveland. We built a Science Center, a new sports complex, and that crown jewel, that legacy to the kingdom of Mayor White, that great glass pyramid known as the Rock' n 'Roll Hall of Fame. For the past twenty years, we had sent all our mentally ill, drug addicts, and those too poor to be able to afford a stable place to live to that empty shell known as Down­ town. Little did the business element know that they would want that area back someday. It was painfully obvious that it would be difficult to attract people downtown if they had to step over people sleeping on the streets and turn away from the faces of poverty begging for some change. Despite the messages that poor people were the cause of all our problems, some people clung to the doctrine of our holiest of men that commanded that we care for the poorest among us. With visibly homeless people seeking answers and finding only stream grates, visitors to our fair city came away with a sense of fear, apprehension, and sadness. Business got together to forward a policy of out of sight/out of mind. Get rid of the visibly homeless people and the problem is solved. First, we believe, that the business leaders sought the assistance of a "man of the people," Michael White, to clean up the streets. We alleged in a lawsuit that was settled out of court that the city implemented a policy of kidnapping and dumping homeless people out of the area and off of a busline. This policy was stopped after our lawsuit. There was also a great . deal of attention paid to pan handlers and various groups attempting to get a handle on the situation. Also, the Mayor placed the Grapevine (Cleveland's homeless newspaper) vendors in the same category as pan-handlers and targeted both for elimination. We at the Grapevine believe that he ordered police to begin to ticket our vendors for selling the paper without a license. This is a unique strategy that had not been tried in the 30 other U. S. Cities where street papers are sold, and was rather ingenious. It was the same strategy that was used effectively against the Black Panthers in the I 960's. They did not dispute the fact that our vendors had a right to distribute their words. They limited their enforcement to the commerce that was taking place on the streets. They said that commerce did not enjoy the same constitutional protections as speech, and the city has a legitimate interest in regulating commerce. But we won at the district level. Despite how much Mayor White has said that he found our vendors so courteous and admirable, he chose to appeal the decision. He could have dropped the issue, but he made the decision to dedicate staff time to appealing the case. In the Appeal, the decision was reversed, and Mayor White had the upper hand. The U. S. Supreme Court refused to hear our case, and so the Mayor won. He could have gotten so much "personal pleasure" by doing "a little thing" like sitting down with the homeless who run the paper and "making a small potential difference" in their lives. He could have decided to not rub our noses in the court's decision, and instead acted as a leader to come to the best outcome for all. Instead Mayor White sat down in a closed door meeting with me (no wit­ nesses) and said basically, "It is my way or no way." He was willing to exempt the fee, but our vendors had to get a city issued license which meant follow­ ing all the rules and restrictions associated with a license. Then he mat up with one of our vendors, we will call him Greg, the day before his inauguration in Cleveland Heights. This vendor was actually kind and courteous. A couple of points of clarification: I. The vendor was not homeless when he met the Mayor, 2. The Grapevine is not a magazine, 3. The vendor did not say that he had not worked in years, 4. And finally, this vendor that the Mayor met is typical of the professional men and woman that we attract. Greg, who avoided the harassment from the Cleveland polic~. sold his paper in Cleveland Heights, usually without incident. Greg was held up as an example of the best of what Cleveland has to offer. A formerly homeless person who fled Cleve­ land for the better business environment of the suburbs was featured in the Mayors speech champi­ oning Cleveland. When all the facts are presented, the speech has an ironic tone. Greg, (who is not that young) did show up at the Mayors office. He has been interviewed twice, but after almost a month has not been offered anything. One positive outcome was that the Mayor did not carry this political stunt further by inviting the media to see if Greg actually showed up. He also did not offer his new friend, the stereotypical poverty job like cleaning out the Police horse barn or street cleaner. I have yet to understand why he chose the Grapevine, a newspaper that he has basically tried to shut down for years, in his speech. Why were we singled out of all the organizations on the long Mayor White "Coal for Christmas" list? Did he feel he could score political points by stressing his concern for homeless people in the holy setting of Olivet Institutional Church? The White administra­ tion has had only contempt for homeless people, ad has shown an unwillingness to actually take the lead in reducing the homeless population. I do have to say that the City Hall staff has been amazingly willing to assist the Grapevine. They have treated the paper very professionally and with a refreshing degree of respect. In fact, I was sur­ prised how they were willing to balance the Mayors demands_ with tbe...needs .of the p_aper. I hope that after we let it be known that someone in City Hall was accommodating to a homeless org;rnization they won't be fired. The city has not come forward with a plan yet, but we have done all that we can to negotiate something that our vendors can live with and the city will accept. We did get another ticket in January from the police, and we still do not have the ability to buy a license. If the police routinely take it upon themselves to issue tickets to our vendors at this time, how can we expect a system created by our government bureaucracy to license our vendors to ever work? We will abide by the decisions if the U. S. Court of Appeals, but we have little hope of it working. Cleveland's Homeless Grapevine 'Get Involved' continued from page 5 Remember not to have any preconceived assumptions about homeless people. Don't push your faith. Don't throw money at the problem. Do take time to hear a story and try to be a patient listener. Do dress in less expensive clothes. Some homeless shelters attract street crimi­ nals who will waste your time. They are not really looking for help, just a hand-out. Nevertheless, volunteering is still all right for youngsters if they are accompanied by an adult. The world is an imperfect world. Expect to do volunteer work which is practi­ cal. If you have skills such as dishwasher, truck driver, cook - you can make a difference. A home­ less shelter needs the help of all of its volunteers. Page 13 Homeless I ndustrles Not An Oxymoron by Jennifer Waggoner This year, street newspapers all over the United States are discussing the impact that the negotiations between Making Change and The Big Issue will have on the face of the street newspapers and homeless people. The issues that these two street papers have been confronting are heralded as the lightning rod of the street paper movement. Making Change is a newspaper written and sold by homeless people in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. Upon the publication of the second edition of the paper, The Big Issue, (London's top rank entertain­ ment magazine > sold by homeless people) made public its plans for a TBI version in Los Angeles. This move sparked a controversy in the street paper move­ ment and has burned holes through the North American Street Newspaper Association. The move into Los Angeles was initially viewed as hostile by the smaller paper edited by a 28 year old formerly homeless woman who jumpstarted a former failing paper into Making Change out of the cab of her pick-up truck that she was living in. Jennafer Waggoner had attended the NASNA conference in Seattle during September, financed by two national homeless groups. The Big Issue, who had sent a representative to observe the conference, said that they had no plans for the US. Previous plans for the US had failed in major cities like New York and San Francisco because other street newspapers existed there. The Big Issue is a member of the Interna­ tional Network of Street Newspapers and in its charter under the number seven, it states that no INSP member will enter the selling territory of another street paper. Internet traffic and confer­ ence calls ensued with debates centered around the ethicality of TBI entering Los Angeles under such terms and whether or not Los Angeles was a big enough market for two street papers. The two street papers are currently in negotiations, although INSP and Big Issue are still silent about the Charter issue. The larger issues that enter into this debate, is the corporatization of homeless services and its impact upon homeless people. Widespread home­ lessness is a social issue that is hitting the legal system on all levels. The poverty spectrum is no longer limited to ethnicity. It is a combination of environmental, social, business, political and health ­ physical/mental issues all wrapped into a giant web. It has become a municipal problem, a state problem, a national problem and an international problem and is visible on all levels of society. This is why Waggoner feels that homeless services should no longer be about serving homeless people, but incorporating homeless people into the process of becoming the policy makers and planners for relief efforts. "If it is about product, anyone could have homeless people out selling things like toothpaste or laundry deter­ gent. It's about having a voice". The Big Issue, however feels that its mainstream media entertain­ ment approach creates a product that is profitable for a person to sell to derive an income and is a socially acceptable alternativ_e to begging. The Big Issue donates its profits into a foundation that provides social services to its vendors. Of the 550,000 homeless in London, the Big Issue serves approximately 7,000; and the Big Issue distributes approximately 300,000 magazines a week to prove its mainstream acceptance. Making Change would like to be sure that such a large takeover of the LA market does not in fact drown whatever chances it may have in serving the homeless population through the street newspaper tool. The Street Paper Movement at large is a challenge to multi million dollar social service agencies who have created a vortex for corporate begging and have traditionally squelched the smaller more grassroots initiatives in the larger grants funding circles. Street Continued on page 14 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 "Homeless Industries Continued from page 13 Junior Baughn at the Drop Inn Center. Photo by Jimmy Heath Junior Baughn I live here at the Drop Inn Center. I take people on tours and tell th em how the Center is run. It makes me feel real good that I can tell people how we run the place. I have a lot of friends here. These people are like brothers and sisters to me. For we all cut up and tease each other. I have been living here at the shelter for seven years. I have gone on trips with people here at the shelter. And it makes me feel real good that we can stand our ground fo r t he homeless. I haven't touched any drugs or alcohol in ten years. I quit smoking five years ago. This makes me feel real good about myself. And I am going to keep looking up, for there . is nothing to look down on ... Editors note: Junior is a permanent resident of the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse in Downtown Cincinnati. He enjoys giving tours of the Drop Inn Center and likes receiving letters. Write to Junior: clo Drop Inn Center, 2 I 7 West I 2th Street Cincinnati, Ohio, 452 I 0 ' "Ravings••• II Continued from page 12 imperialism ...like it was a policy of the government. Like somehow this government could decide not to be imperialist ....'We'll vote for change, they govern­ ment in a world where the U.S. is the biggest among powerful nations, squeezing the life blood out of oppressed peoples ...U.S. troops will continue going 'round the world and we will be complicit in our silence or our confusion ." The facts are that the U.S. governme nt is the biggest manufacturer, distributor, and user of "weapons of mass destruc­ tion" - the only user of nuclear weapons! Combined with the economic sanctions that are starving them , this "War of Shame II" (VVAW Al) is genocide of the Iraqi people and a message to the other major powers, as written in the "Revolutionary Worker" (2-22-98), "that it (the U.S.) still controls the oil lifeline of the imperialist world economy" With that in mind I encourage everyone to find out more, and do more. Be aware of the forces at work to keep you silent- your silence is deadly. (Activist alert: Our efforts have not been in vain- Wilford Berry, the poor, mentally ill man on death row still lives! Let's keep the pressure on the state!) Ma/aka Sanders can be emailed at homecoal@primax.net. Newspaper generate an inco me practically indepen­ dent of the charity circl es and combine Freedom of Speech and entrepreneurship to create a way to get an immediate income in a crisis situation such as homelessness. In cities ac ross the United States like Los Angeles, where municipal governments hav~ enacted a vari ety of laws that target homeless people; it will be interesting to see the impact the Big Issue will have upon American political opinion of homelessness. Already in Los Angeles and in Santa Monica, two major court battles over "Free Speech Vending" papers coming into these areas. Making C hange, a street newspape r which has the tin iest of ope rating budgets will struggle to keep afloat in a world where the market place encourages a capitalistic approach to small business ventures. "Everyone ke eps asking me why our paper isn't reaching the same goals as the Big Issue and it comes down to two things, we are really young as paper and we have no money. Geezuks , we are a homeless paper, it kindamakes sense. If we were left in a pristine environment, we may have been able to produce what the Big Issue provides for it's customers and its vendors. Now we have to do more with what we have and we have to do it by April, when t hey begin publishing. What that means to us, is that we will now have to "compete" with another paper. Solving homelessness shouldn't be about competition, it should be about working together. I am hoping that what we are negotiating will ensure that our paper won't go under, despite thei r presence her e. The Big Issue is plan ning on McDonaldizing the street paper market by offering their paper in every city. We in NASNA were hoping that there could be a street paper in every city by the year 2,000. Some of us were hoping t hat homeless people would be enabled to do it, not to have it done for us, like what always happens. They provide an income, we provide an income and a voice. Who is to say which is better? Sales or Social Justice? If they have come here to help the homeless, I hope we don't lose the voice of the homeless.'' For information , contact: Jennafer Waggoner, Editor Making Change ...a community newspaper empowering the poor and unhoused with an income and a voice ... (310) 289-7446 John Bird, Executive Director, The Big Issue ­ (310) 587- 1537 Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority A«ordsble rent that never exceeds 30% of your income ... Many buildings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and· near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. Tim Harris, Chai r, No rth American Street Newspaper Association, Real Change of Seattle (206) 441-3247 Robert Norse, Commercialization Sub Committee, North American Street Newspaper Association, Street Shit Sheet of Santa Cruz - (408) 423-4833 �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine - ANNOUNCING A new Group at AVOC... For Heterosexuals living With Aids M. 0. M. S. Mothers Of Murdered Sons need your help. There is 80% starvation in Haiti! Non-perishable food items are needed for Haitian Children and families. No dona­ tion too large or small. Monetary donations are also needed. Call 351-7854 for more information. Are you looking for a broader knowledge of the challenge of living with HIV/AIDS? Would you like to meet people who share similar experiences and hear their coping strategies? Are you looking for peers with who ou can discuss and plan for the future? COME MEET WITH US STARTING ON ~5/!fJ B~Jazz,Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves tfvough free enterprize. Call421-7803. for sale Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ Native American cookies; orders being accepted: R. ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The C.Janus, fFaxJ 891-8663. rate is only $1 per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be recei¥.e,d befor:e:__,.......,.--'-'.Dllrta~ntrseelr"-2~30 · hoursitdownjobonbus the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if line, within 2 miles ofthe _ there is an error, notify us after the first printing. riverineitherKentuckyor You will be given an extra month of ad tim e. Ohio;non-medkal Mail the ad copy to: temlinology,non.filing Streetvibes cabinetofficewortc;social services, sales. public 1506 Elm Street information..crafts,and Cincinnati, OH 45210 otherbackground,some or fax it to 4 21- 78 13 computer experience; position wanted contact Box 2, Streetvibes, 1506 Elm St., Cincinnatt Bengals Rams Raiders Colts Giants Dallas Vikings Washington Broncos San Fransisco 4521Q. Laborer Looking for a laborer? Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center, 721­ 0643. Elderly or Children Looking for a community orientedjob dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteacb worker/ counselor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience including Windows, Lotus, Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop InnCenter, 72 l.o643. Degreed. successful grants administrator/ writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same; ten percent commission per award. ContactJ.Janus,. Jr. (FaxJ 891-8663. Native Alllerlcan­ Hispanic female seeks sit down,slowpaced industrial FACTORY' position;physicaly challenged. (Fax) 891­ 866i. STRE.ETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $1 per line. Call 421-7803 for info. Streetvlbes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. I. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar tollected. Future issues .o f Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of by Myron Dear Homeless•••accepts letters. Please send your questions to: Myron 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45Z 10 We wlll attempt to answer all letters in a Where: AVOC "Gray Room" When: 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to 8:PM More information: Susan or Judy 421-243 Streetvibes fthe band). We like to party. R&B, Oldies, from page 11••• Dear Homeless••• cfo Streetvlbes Band Looking for Work Scramble Answers Page /5 Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. timely manner. Sales Representatbre dishwasherorcook. ls Looking for position as sales representative or management. Has good very dependable and bookkeeping.typing and available immediately. Please contact Wiley Powellat83 l-8404. supervisory skills. Has experience in retail management.. customer service and sales. Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at 552-9351. Restaurant Work Responsible older man able to work any shift. Has had experience as a cook and as a janitor. Would prefer work as a busserat a restaurant as well as work as a office hours and name of law school on letterhead paperto 1111 Elm Street. No. 432, Cincinnati, O H 4521Q. Streetvlbes Radio . Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Pat Clifford, Gregory Payton and Donald Whitehead. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates. WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, March 14th, 1998, noon to I pm Advertise In StreetvlbesI Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. Business Card Size z·xa 11z· s10 per ftlOlllll Two Business card Size 4·xa 1/Z. szo per 1110111111 A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES TheTriState's Homeless Grapevine Page /6 Vendor Prof:lle: Stree·tvlbes TV Aaron Pitchford If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. fdeas shoutd address subiects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewe·r ideas, so piease give us a calf... The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cabfe changes programming and channels. Streetvibes TY March Schedule Aaron was born in Chicago and raised in Ctncinnati, Ohio. Aaron has a six year old son. Aaron heard about Streetvibes through another vendor. He figured it would be a good way to help get his life back in order. Aaron also plays the guitar. Aaron said, "I took about four lessons then began to teach myself'. He has played on subways and at airports to make money to help support himself. Aaron is a very pleasant person and hopes to overcome his homelessness soon. Aaron has been working at a temporary job services with hopes of find ing a regular job through a job training program. Good luck Aaron, I'm sure you will reach your goals. We at Streetvibes wish you well. Ron Carter This month•s show address tss.ues of subsidized housing and housing in the US. Channel 10 Saturday, March 7, I 998, 4 PM Friday, March J3. t998, t I am Friday, March 20, 11998., 11 AM Monday, March 23, 1·998, tO PM Saturday, March 28, 1998, 4 PM Streetvlbes Wish List Streetvibes is pubHshed monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a can... >Adobe Photoshop Software·for tBM to save scanning costs >Zip Drive Channel 7 LIVE Monday, March 1·6, 1998 7 PM >VCR to Show Streetvibes Epi's odes to Groups >Volunteer Copy Editors and Stori.es >Advertisers to help support the paper Where Your -"---­-1 ' Goes Vendor: 80 cents > Fax Machine , : 1 >Decent Typwriter >Computers for Streetvrbes layout and writing Ca 1421-7803 ifyou can help! Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be coflecting for a p.rivate charity, please call our o·ffice at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coali.tion Member Agency for Sheker, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call, the Homeless Coalition at Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing 421-7803. Alice Paul House (abuse) Bethany House Salvation Army W elcome House S HELTERS: Women and Children 241-2757 557-2873 762-5660 431-8717 CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) Tom Geiger House SHELTER: Men TREATMENT: Women City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Vol unteers of America 241-5525 241 -0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 38 1-1954 9·61:-4080 65 f-6446 HOUSING O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMEN:T : Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 721-4580 241-968.3 24~-0504 369'- 0004 38 l-0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 921-7324 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 761- 1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244-7226 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Tarbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-29'47 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 49 t-4435 559-501 1 OTHERSERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421 -243.7 Appal:achian Identity Center 62 f-S99 I Center for Independent Living Opti.o ns Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network Community Action Agency Contact Center Emanuel Community Center Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries Hamilton Co.Mentar Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Missi.o n Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. Mary Magdalen House Oral Health Council Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 241-2600 591 -2246 9611-0600 569-1840 3'81-4242 241 -2563 241-1064 771-4800 621-7149 632-7186, 357-4602 352-2902 221-3679 241-9400 271-5501 721-4811 621-0248 621-6364 621·-55"4 721-7660 721-7900 559-6656 491-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 1998 Vol 2, Issue Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Page 1: Landlord Attempts Demolitions Again and Again and Again... Are The Homeless Becoming More Visible? Page 4: WESTCO Struggles Page5: Building a Movement Page 6: Word on the Street Page 8: Run for City Council Page 9: The Odd Cookie Awards Page 10: Editorials & letters Page 12: Ravings of a Mad Womyn News Nationwide Page 13: Cleveland News Page 15: Announcements and Classifieds Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Junior Baughn Ron Carter James Heath Gail Frazier-Holley Andy Hutzel Lemuel Israel Berta Lambert Judith Mendriski Patrick Mosolf Gregory Payton Mark Salter Malaka Sanders Donald Whitehead Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a<span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF affordable housing Andy Hutzel Berta Lambert city council Donald Whitehead Gail Frazier-Holley Gregory Payton James (Jimmy) Heath Judith Mendriski Junior Baughn Lemuel Israel Malaka Sanders Mark Salter Patrick Mosolf Ron Carter social movement street papers the visible homeless vendor profile welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/eecc210e5522f466d79ac4f9e3eae8ca.pdf 16e123c6381ff9e47cd194d0391eafa4 PDF Text Text NEW ARTS CENTER PROPOSAL PITS THE RICH by Susan Knight, Drop Inn Center Staff. Photos by AGAINST TH.E POOR Jimmy Heath "We will not move. Period." This is the statement Pat Clifford, the General Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center, Ohio's largest homeless shelter, issued to the media, the community, and to Erich Kunzel, the conductor of the Cincinnat i Pops Orchestra. Kunzel and his select commit­ tee are facilitating the creation of a new SCPA (School forthe Creative and Performing Arts), currently located on the corner of Sycamore and 15th Street. The lines have been drawn; from the residents at t he Drop Inn Center to the executives at various foundations and local corporations (who have agreed to support the project), people are taking sides. The clash could potentially come to a climax in City Hall's chamber in a simple majority vote for or against the City exercising their right to imminent domain. For the Drop Inn Center the issue is an old one-upper income individuals have a dream and they want to realize this dream; at the expense of the low-income. Bonnie Neumeier, a longtime resident and community activist of Over-the-Rhine spoke at a forum held recently by Christ Church. She commented, "We live in system that p its the affluent against the poor. And this is about power. Who has the power to have their dreams real­ ized." Erich Kunzel sees it differently, however. Initially, Kunzel said there would be no displace­ ment of residents. However, in the final weeks of a two year long study Erich Kunzel changed his tune. He believed that the Drop Inn Center and Music Hall were incompatible. The loss of supporters for Cincinnati Pops was due largely he said, to Music Hall's location. "We're in a location where we're being hurt in terms of ticket sales because of the nature of the neighborhood . .. Two Cincinnati musicians," he continued, "were robbed outside Music Hall and the Pops had 500 less subscribers last year than in the previous · year." "We live in a system that pits the rich against the poor. And this is about power. Who has the power to have their dreams realized... " Bonnie Neumeier So now, in the hard-working world of non­ profits, two have been pitted against each other­ the arts and a homeless shelter. Two institutions that have thousands of dedicated people working to enrich lives and make Cincinnati and maybe even the world a better place to live. One says, "build around us." The other asks why can't the Drop Inn Center just take the mon~y and go find another location since it is more feasible for the Center to move than for Music Hall to move. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The Drop Inn Center in its 26 year grass-roots history of controversy, speaking out and taking stands for the low-income, knows this. Erich Kunzel, who The Drop Inn Center at Elm and 12th Street, Over-the-Rhine. entered this controversy simply wanting to offer his love of the arts to more people, and most importantly, more children, is learning. There are the basic (but important) argu­ ments for not moving. David Logan of Prospect House, a men's treatment facility says, "The idea that only one thing is permitted per area is like introducing obsessive-compulsive disorder as a principle of city planning ...Real urban life in real cities is characterized by vitality and variety." Bonnie Neumeier reflects on this, saying, ''They know if the Drop Inn Center doesn't move, they'll have their economic mix!" Also important to note, is the clientele the Drop Inn Center serves. Dorothy Gary, Day Advocate for the Drop Inn Center says, "We serve the people that everyone else has thrown away. When nothing else comes to the mind of a mentally ill man, the Drop Inn Center does." The location is known by its residents and when they are in their most desperate moments, they know where to go. This will not be the case if the Center moves. The Center's proximity to day labor, to the Police Station and bus lines are all part of the equation. The location of the Drop Inn Center (12'h and Elm in Over-the- Rhine) is also key to the con­ tinuum of care the Drop Inn Center utilizes in working with their residents. Jennifer Summers, the Coordinator of ReSTOC, a low-income housing cooperative in Over-the-Rhine, empha­ sized this importance at the Christ Church forum, ''The Drop Inn Center," she says, "is a life line for a lot of organizations . . . it was not an accident that ReSTOC is around the corner, Emmanuel Center is right there, Tender Mercies is down the street. It is an intentional web." The sentimental discussion of the impor­ tance of being rooted in a piece of land also came to the forefront for supporters at the Christ Church forum. J ennifer Summers said, "It [the Drop Inn Center] is a public investment, it's a private investment and most importantly a personal investment. That cannot be negotiated away, that cannot be replaced. " Stories came forth of volunteer crews, of building a center bit by bit, dollar by dollar. Bonnie Neumeier, who helped to found the center 26 years ago, reminisced , "We didn't know then [26 years ago) that we would be here fighting this fight. But we knew at that moment we were doing the just and right thing... The Drop Inn Center is our own community's grass-roots effort to deal with the problem that our neighbors.and friends faced. It is something you cannot just transplant." No money can replace the blood, the sweat, the work and the emotion that has gone into the corner of 12th and Elm ... These issues are sincere and true to life. However, they are not the bigger picture. The Drop Inn Center knows all-to-well the bigger picture. Gregory Payton, formerly homeless and now working on his bachelors in chemical addiction at the University of Cincinnati alluded to the bigger picture, "Move 'em or we' ll take it. Makes me feel like Rosa Parks felt. 50 years ago people didn't like people. Today people don't like homeless people." "Save the people," Jennifer Summers pleaded, "not just the facades." Forcing the Drop Inn Center to move is upholding a precedent set since the industrial revolution 'Arts' cont. on page 3 ... The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES A Trip That Will The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Not be Taken by Donald Whitehead Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation. The Streetvibes Vendor Program gives our vendors an opportunity to get back on their feet. All vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. A file is developed on each vendor so that we may track and help facillitate thier move from poverty to self­ sufficiency. 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. The Streetvibes Planning Commit­ tee meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in ~el~ing or have a comment , story or ed1tonal that you would like published please call 421-7803. Staff Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Ron Carter, Vendor Support Photographer Jimmy Heath Writers Belquees Ali Ron Carter Pat Cliiford Brian Davis Richard Hague Jimmy Heath Susan Knight Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Eunice Ravena Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Editorial Policy: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 o (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421 -781 3 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net web page: http://cinci.com/gcch I originally wanted this months traveler to talk about two of my recent trips. The first trip w.as to Washington DC, our nations capitol. This tnp was a very busy trip and there's much that could be shared with you. The trip consisted of ~everal very important meetings, the first meet­ ing was the Executive Committee of The Na­ tional Coalition for the Homeless and was followed by a meeting with the GAO (Govern­ ment Accounting Office) concerning a recent study ~f h~meless programs. Our next meeting was with high ranking government officials including Deputy Assistant Fred Kamas, F~ther Joe Hakala, and HUD Secretary Cuomo. Our next meeting was a lunch meeting with the new staff person for the Senate Banking Committee and finally we met with Deputy Assistant HHS (Health and Human Services) Secretary Ham­ burg. Each one of the meetings could be a Traveler Column itself. I also made a trip to Columbus to meet with statewide representatives ~eg~rd~ng fair lending by Ohio's largest financial 1nst1tut1ons, again an issue that will be an entire Traveler Column in the future. . This mo~ths issue is not on these very important National and Statewide issue's: it will focus on an extremely important local issue. Some of our reader surveys told us that most ~tre~tvibes readers were of above average intelligence and up-to-date on current affairs. Most of you have no doubt heard about the newest threat to the Drop Inn Center. [ed. note: The Drop Inn Center is Ohio's largest, most comprehensive homeless shelter, located in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. See story beginning on front page.] The Drop Inn Center has been under attack for most of its existence, so being under attack again is nothing new. The source of the current attack is not new either. Over the last twenty-five years conflicts have arisen between groups wanting to rid the community of the homeless. Many people over the last twenty years have confused homelessness, an economic situation, with a moral deficiency. Blaming the poor for being poor is very common in today's America. Cincinnati is no different. In Cincin­ nati , the homeless population continues to grow and this statement is substantiated by the fact that the Drop Inn Center has been at or near capacity since the beginning of November. While more affordable housing and not more shelters are the solution for homelessness we can hardly afford to lose any shelter, especially the biggest and only 24 hour access shelter the City of Cincinnati currently has. The Drop Inn Center was threatened by a study a few years ago by a team of researchers from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) . The ULI final report called the Drop Inn Center along with Tender Mercies inappropriate at their present locations and suggested they be moved to the "Warehouse District". On January 29, a group of consultants doing a feasibility study for a proposed arts and education facility in the Washington Park area of Over-The-Rhine also concluded that the Drop­ Inn-Center was inappropriate in its present location. A spokesman for the group made reference to the inappropriate location of t he Drop-Inn-Center and a possible figure of six million dollars to relocate both the Drop Inn Center and the Pipefitters Union Building on Central Parkway. Many of you will undoubtedly hear state­ ments like "Why don't they just take the money and get a better place" or "You could probably get a wonderful shelter for six million dollars." What those people do not understand is that - p age 2 history leaves low income advocates with little faith in promises In tact, no promises have actually even been made, and contrary to popular belief, there is no real offer on the table. The 6 million dollar offer would be split with every other building that needs to be relocated. And the fact is, any offer made would never be accepted. Many people have given blood sweat and tears and even their lives to build and maintain the Drop Inn Center. You can put a dollar value on property but what value can you place on a human life. Shelters in other cities have had a hard time finding a home because of zo~ing laws and NIMBY (Not In·My Back Yard) att1tudes._Another very important factor ignored by many 1s the Drop Inn Centers importance to the neighborhood as a whole . The Drop Inn Center p~ovides employment to many neighbor­ hood residents. The Drop-Inn-Center is also the ~nchor f~r several other social service agencies in the neighborhood. The Drop Inn Center is the site of many important events such as Stand Down, meetings of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, and many others. The Drop Inn Center is also easily accessible to law enforcement agencies who regularly use the shelter to house individuals who might otherwise be ja~l~d and/or harmed because of their physical cond1t1on. I could go on and on about the many reasons why moving the Drop-Inn-Center is an unthinkable option , but we only have sixteen pages in Streetvibes. I will share one more reason, an~ this one is personal. Four years ago I st.u_mbled into the Drop Inn Center an obituary wa1trng to happen. Life to me had become nothing more than an unending list of broken promises and lost dreams. The Drop Inn Center was a lifeboat in the sea of hopelessness. I crawled in looking for a warm place to sleep and a hot meal. What I received was a reason to live. I still remember this short bespectacled long-haired guy, with a bandanna and overalls walking up to me and saying "I'm glad your here.• That man gave his life for the Drop Inn Center: h~ became my buddy. I'm proud of the couple of things that I ve been able to accomplish over the past few years and I know that they are all due to my buddy and those words. There are plenty of su~es s stories from the Drop Inn Center. They all, hke me, would without a doubt echo what I feel: "Drop Inn Center, I'm glad your here." 1 The Traveler Drop Inn Center Letter The Broken City Arts & Poetry Nationwide News Prison News Rights of Homeless Welfare News Streetvibes Etcetera Scramble Letters & Editorials Cleveland News Book Review Classified Ads TV Schedule Page2 Page4 Pages Page6 Page 7 Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 "The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power." -Daniel Webster �STREElVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'Arts' from front page. when groups of people lived in small defined areas. The rich live next to the rich and the "poor" live next to the "poor." This makes it easy for wealthy citizens to buy and/or manipulate land owned or lived on by the low-income. The low-income were no longer intermingled with a rich overseer as occurs in agrarian societies. Instead the land, the homes on the land, the people's ·lives this land sheltered, were all of one class and this made it easier for the upper class individuals to control the lower classes. In other words, power became consolidated in territory not just by race. Effectively the poor's right to a home became equal to that of the black man or immigrant who did not have equal rights under society. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's Bonnie Neumeier addresses gathering at Christ Church Forum. Dear Friends and · Suppc;>rters of the Drop Inn Center Bonnie Nuemeier, Board Chairperson and Pat Clifford, General Coordinator - Drop Inn Center We are reaching out for your help as we have throughout our history. Recently, a group of arts and business supporters lead by Erich Kunzel declared that the Drop Inn Center must relocate to make way for a new $99.2 million arts complex connected to music hall. We need your support and immediate response to protect our very existence. We cannot move and this is why. The Drop Inn Center lias been serving the homeless for 26 years. It is a grassroots re­ sponse to the crisis of homelessness in our community. We provide food, clothing, shelter, chemical addiction treatment, counseling, medical and mental health care and transitional housing to over 16,000 people each year. It was buddy gray's dream and vision that we create a center so that people would not have to live and die on the streets. The corner of Twelfth and Elm has been our home for 21 years. We have rehabilitated our Page 3 recognized this. Malcolm X was struck at the similarities between the black man's plight and the plight of the Third World. Martin Luther King, Jr., at his death, was planning a poor man's march on Washington. This is the bigger picture. Cincinnati is upholding precedent held by our country since before the existence of the Drop Inn Center and one that the Drop Inn Center has been fighting against since its inception. No money can replace the blood, the sweat, the work and the emotion that has gone into the corner of 121h and Elm. But more importantly, even if the Drop Inn Center was offered millions (currently the figure being heard in the media is a share of 6 million) to build a grandi­ ose new facility, it could not replace a community that has worked (and fought) for generations to rebuild ~self. Over-the-Rhine is a community that is already being attacked by developers from every direction, a community that already faces growing numbers of homeless due to the displacement that has already occurred, a community that looks to do more than just exist, that continues to push itself to protect the safety of their residents and schools and a community that at its most moti­ vated, most vocal most active moments, when people stand up and want a say in their lives and their children's lives, is rarely respected inside of City Hall or downtown. People often ask why there is so much crime, trash, addiction in our inner-cities, why people should try to help people that do not help themselves. But upon examina­ tion of low-income communities one could find that before crime, before trash, is the struggle to be heard and to take control. Low-income people must fight for the right to help themselves. For many, such negative stereotypes are a rationaliza­ tion to so say it is OK that an arts center is more important than a homeless shelter. Besides, many would contend, it would bring in more tax revenue to the area. Tax revenue is something needed if you want to fund these social service agencies. However, maybe if a community was allowed to prosper on its own terms the Drop Inn Center would not be so desperately needed. That self­ determination, stable homes, and a sense of ownership and control are a recipe for positive community. After all, that is what the Drop Inn Center has been working for for the last 26 years. "Our City doesn't understand that its soul is at stake here," says David Logan. "It's (the Kunzel Dream) a wonderful dream. But it must find its place, not the Drop Inn Center's place," remarks Canon Steven Solle. And so the Drop Inn Center is gearing up for the fight of its life (one of many) as Kunzel and his committee begin figuring out how to fundraise the estimated 99 .3 million dollars for this project. Fortunately, this conflict is not about the arts and the low-income-there is no real conflict there.· It is an age old battle between the classes and in this battle the Drop Inn Center will not be bought. Erich Kunzel just wants to make beautiful music. Hopefully, he and others will come to realize the Drop Inn Center and the community the Center came from are part of making this happen . dormitories and treatment areas bit by bit, grant by grant so that we would have a secure home designed to provide quality services . We also have five transitional buildings close by to help people in their transition to permanent housing. It has taken us many years of blood, sweat and tears to get this far. We feel it is wrong to displace and jeopardize the home of the most vulnerable in our society. Development in our neighborhood should benefit current low-income residents, not dis­ place us. It is unfair to force us to defend our right to stay in our home because others have negative stereotypes of the homeless . We feel that it is an injustice to pit one public service against another. Debating whether helping the arts or the homeless is more impor­ tant seems pointless. Unfortunately, fighting this forced relocation will drain our energy from where it needs to be-helping people survive on the streets. The Drop Inn Center is an anchor in our neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine and is critically linked with many other programs and services. Disruption of the shelter would impact the web that exists to shelter and protect the rights of the homeless and low-income people who live in Over-the-Rhine. Relocation is not a solution. The same prejudice which is trying to move us out of our own neighborhood would prevent us from enter­ ing other neighborhoods. We would become a homeless homeless shelter. We need you, our community supporters, to join with us to defend our hqme. Our supporters are many and broad based. They include homeless residents and volunteers; civic, reli­ gious and community leaders; churches and synagogues; schools and teachers; unions, businesses and social service agencies. We will survive by standing together. You can expect that the arts and business group will be unrelenting in their campaign. We have already seen negative articles and editori­ als and can expect many more. We can expect that they will prey upon the public's prejudice against the homeless and that they will attack our shelter efforts. We need your help to counter with the truth of our positive work and reasons why relocation is wrong. We will keep you updated on develop­ ments and our ongoing strategies in an upcom­ ing flyer and newsletter within the month. Please support our cause by helping with the action steps below. Pat Clifford, Genera! Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center - " We will not move. Period. " ACTION STEPS 1. Contact Erich Kunzel and urge him to let us keep our home. 1241 Elm Street, Cincin­ nati, Ohio 45210. Fax: (513) 651-2262 2. Contact the Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent and School Board Members and tell them that you do not support removal of the Drop Inn Center or any community residents to make way for the proposed Arts and Education Center. P. 0. Box 5381 , Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-5381. Fax: (513) 475-4935 3. Write letters to the editor of the Cincin­ nati Enquirer,.Post, Herald and your community newspapers and church bulletins. 4. Volunteer with our services or our defense campaign by calling Susan Knight at (5 13) 721-0643. Please send a copy of your letter to the Drop Inn Center or fax it to us at (513) 721­ 8937. We would like to thank all of our many supporters who have already called or written to express their outrage. �- - - - --- ----------------------~-~----~----------------- STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 STAFF AND RESIDENTS OF DROP INN CENTER RESPOND TO THREATS BY ARTS COMMUNITY If it wasn't for the Drop Inn Center, I wouldn't know who I am and I would still be on drugs. I hear that someone is trying to tear the Drop Inn down; for what reason, I don't know. Also, I hear that they want to take the park and a few schools that are landmarks, you know, t hings that can be restored. The Drop Inn saves lives and it has restored men and women to sanity. This is a place where people can come for help when they are homeless, burntout and when no one else doesn't want them, the Drop Inn gives them a home to live in and helps people get back on their feet. The Full Circle Program is for women who have no place to go. It also has a program to help with kids as well as finding homes for them outside of the shelter. The place that the Drop Inn Center is now, is the right place. God put it in a person's heart to see that the homeless had a place to go. Now tbat we've stuck together and made it, they want to take it away from us or move us outside the community, we are somebody. I will do what I have to do to protect my home. Moses brought the slaves from Egypt, God gave us the home called the Drop Inn Center. It is a home for the homeless. Warren Cook WHAT THE DROP INN CENTER MEANS TO THE OVER-THE­ RHINE COMMUNITY The Drop Inn Center is temporary shelter for homeless people who've fallen short, for more reasons than alcohol and drugs. Hus­ bands, wives and children who've lost their homes and found that they couldn't make ends meet together anymore. Families that have fallen because of welfare reform and its sanc­ tions. The Drop Inn Center is tempor~ry shelter for the mentally ill who've been thrown away by society. The Drop Inn shelter is temporary shelter for the homeless who were sleeping under the railroad tracks, in alleys and on the streets . It is a place for those who are not received any­ where else because they don't have identifica­ tion , because they don't look right, talk right or smell right, because they don't have the right personality, or they have drug and alcohol problems, or other diseases and don't know where to go. For the mentally ill person, going to the Drop Inn Center means getting a case manager, a payee and finding out about group homes. People at the Drop Inn Center can receive medical attention . The D.l.C. means birth certificate, social security card, i.d. and police check so that people can get jobs. The D.l.C. has a 50/50 plan which helps people save money so we can help end homelessness. The Drop Inn Center means getting a G.E.D. or going to college. It also means clinical for colleges students. The Drop Inn center saves lives!!! There is no price that can be on t he D.l.C. Why should we have to move? People are just realizing where the D.l.C. is and all it has to offer. We are the solution to a lot of problems. would think that before fighting to move the problems somewhere else, people would like to help us end homelessness here. Help us by coming together. We want what you want but not at the expense of the poor, mentally ill or persons trying to find a new way of life. Buddy gray died for the homeless and this building and we should not be moved. Dorothy Gary Daytime Advocate MY WORK HAS JUST BEGUN Until I applied for a job at the Drop Inn Center and found out all the services they offer to the people in need, I have to admit my view of the Drop Inn Center was very narrow. But after I became a part of the cause and stopped sitting with my hands folded, I realized my work has just begun. I now see how I can give and not take and know that all I give would be appreciated. In just the few months that I've been here I've seen several success stories walk out the door. I've also seen several men, women and children come in with tears in their eyes, glad they found somewhere to go. Seeing is believing and now I see there is much to be done and a lot of it starts with you and me . .. Janice My name is Douglas Webb. I am 26 years old. I have been in the recovery program for three month and six days. I have been homeless. I had been in the Drop Inn Center a couple of times before entering the program because of my addiction. I want to ask a question. Why people treat other people different? Because they are homeless and they are having bad luck or they are suffering from addiction. If they move the shelter people will still be homeless and the workers might be out of a job. I am going through the program to get a second chance at life. What happens if somebody needs help for their addiction? Let someone else have a chance at this program. It will help them when they go out there in the world . I am·getting my G.E.D. now; then later I-­ am going to try going tp college when I get done with my GED. I might be dead if this program wasn't here. I want to give thanks to everyone for helping me to get a second chance at life. Douglas Webb DROP INN CENTER IS AN INTERNATIONAL MODEL We are established and known world wide-from Canada to Mexico. We are known to be here, in Over-the-Rhine. People in England receive our newsletter, we have had guests from Ireland visit and tour our facility. We are a model enigma for the sheltered homeless. There is not another shelter in our nation that operates or provides a wide range of extensive life saving services. Our doors are open 24 hours. It is a beginning point for many people who seek and receive: hot meals recovery transitional housing permanent housing Moving the shelter would be a great disservice to the homeless of the Greater Tri­ state area. It would hinder, greatly, the continuum and quality of medical, health, outreach services we currently provide on a daily basis . Especially for those who cannot receive services through regul.ar avenues, due to life's instabilities, lack of funds, addictions, and or direction. Our goal is to service any and all people, who walk through our doors. The only requirement to receive our services is to simply get here. A vis Nichols Staff Worker FOOD FOR THE SOUL When I first arrived at 121h and Elm Street one week night, I was planning on working at the Drop Inn Center soup kitchen. I had images of filing bodies in one by one, handing them a bowl of soup, and quickly sending them on their way. This alone is a welcoming gesture offered at very few places. But as I walked through the doors, I experienced something completely different. I could feel the compassion and love with the first hand I shook. Each person here puts so much heart and soul into his or her job. They always give 100% effort because they are doing something t hey love and believe in. Junior was the person who affected me the most. He gives tours to the newcomers at the Drop Inn Center. He does not just give tours, though. He tells stories, he laughs, he cries , he affects people, because the Drop Inn Center affected him. The people here took him in, and helped him restart his life when he needed it most. This is what the Drop Inn Center continues to do for each person who arrives at their door. When· we began serving dinner, I realized we were not just serving to a crowd of people, but we were serving to individuals with names, faces , personalities and stories. That is who they are and that is how they are treated here. We were not simply offering them soup, bread, and shelter, we were offering them a helping hand-a chance to regain the hope and integrity they once had. The Drop Inn Center does not just wanno give people a break from their trying times, they actually want to break those times, and help them regain their lives. Everyone•wants tO help themselves, they simply· -· need to kriow they can. This is what the Drop Inn Cenler·does. This is why I choose to come here and work at the soup kitchen . There is enough hope and i:>romise to uplift anyone. To be a part of it is a gift. After all. . . It is in giving that we receive. Rae Roberston Volunteer THE MAN BEHIND THE MIRROR On January 291h of this year, a Mr. Cliff Radel from the Enquirer wrote an article about the Drop Inn Center and our late founder and friend "buddy gray." When I read his article, my mind wondered back to an article that I had written entitled, "On the Outside Looking In." This man, Cliff Radel is a prime example of what I wrote about. First, he mentioned that this location is not safe nor suitable for anyone that has money, nor is it safe for children, he along with others pay lots of money to send their children to school and be taught but yet and still even though they are paying money for their children to get an education, the teachers in the school are abusing them, and might I add that these teacher's are supposed to be professional (no, if we can't send our kids to what we believe is a safe place then how is this man gonna judge the homeless population?) He went on to say that the man that gunned down our friend and founder was a resident here at the center and that buddy was trying to help him, which was a lie. I dare him to use the name and death to corrupt the minds of those who believed in what buddy stood for, I dare him to tell lies in order to get people to look down on the home- Continued on next page. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The BrQken City... by Jimmy Heath TV Lounge area of the Drop Inn Center on a typically busy evening. The Drop Inn Center in Over-the-Rhine provides shelter, food, clothing, treatment services, counseling and referrals for thousands of persons every year. less, placing evil seeds in minds of others that the Drop Inn Center is a dangerous place, placing thoughts of fear within the hearts and minds of men, women and children that when­ ever they see a homeless person that they will get hurt. I dare him to try and take away our residents home without a struggle. I dare him! Even if buddy had lived, would have forgiven the man that took his life. that was the kind of person he was. If the shelter has to be moved, there will be no other shelter, because the word "homeless" to some means the same as the work "jail" and nobody wants neither of these places in their neighborhood. The residents we serve are no animals, but human beings like Cliff Radel and I and they should be treated as such and not placed in a warehouse as though they were waiting to be shipped out. We the Drop Inn Center staff has come along way since our founder and friend was gunned down and it took a lot for us to try to hold things together, starting over for us made us feel like a rose bulb just starting to bloom and to try and tear down what we and a lot of our friends helped us build would be like Mr. Kunzel pulling a gun on us. There has been no record of any homeless person bringing any harm to any of those rich folks that attend Music Hall. If Music Hall feels that they are losing clientele because of the homeless people, then maybe they ought to be the ones to relocate. In 1 Corinthian, 15m Chapter it says, "Therefore, my beloved breth­ ren be ye steadfast. unmovable always abound­ ing in the lord for the lord as much as ye know your labor 1s not in vain in the lord." and we at the Center will continue to steadfast and be unmovable and our labor 1s not in vain because we are doing exactly what the Lord wants us to do and that is offering and giving food, shelter, love, support, understanding and most of all a place which someone can call home. So I leave Mr. Cliff Radel along with Mr. Erich Kunzel with these encouraging words: Whatsoever things are true Whatsoever things are honest Whatsoever things are just Whatsoever things are pure Whatsoever things are of good report, If there be an virtue of praise, let us remember. Gail Frazier-Holley HERE WE GO AGAIN This time the plan is not to bluntly say, the Drop Inn Center is this and that and needs to be closed. Instead the plan is to kill us with kindness. The offer is a share of 6 million dollars. This is to draw public support from those who involved themselves with the Center and have no idea of how, directed right, the money could be used to help with finding solutions to ending homelessness. The idea that people are saying the Drop Inn Center is stopping progress both in business and being attractive enough to want people to live and send their children here and wanting a diverse neighborhood, just doesn't ring t rue. In fact, it is the community which welcomes diversity and has the ability to coexist with people of every make-up and it is the community who comes up with the plans to beautify and not tear down­ displacing the poor. In fact, if the Drop Inn Center is forced to move, then whomever, whatever, becomes an eye soar to contain people is forced to move. The notion of a diverse community then becomes totally false. Let us not be blinded by the figure of 6 million dollars. Remember, this will be your money, your tax money, this is yours and our chance to say to those whose only concern is for them­ selves that what we want counts and we support the Drop inn Center in its effort in its right not to be moved. Tom Lee WOMEN'S PROGRAM The Full Circle Program is currently on the 2nd floor of the Drop Inn Center. The Drop Inn Center is located in the center of most local agencies designed to help the homeless get on their feet and off the street. Health Care, Phyciatric help, soup kitchens, transitional housing , human services are all located within walking distance. If the shelter is moved the choice for many will be to avail themselves of shelter or of these needed services. A shelter removed from the resources needed to solve the prob­ lems that cause homelessness effectively lock the door to these resources. Page s It makes no difference where you put the shelter you will still have the same problem. The neighborhood needs to be cleaned up. Moving to another place, the problems will move tob. Many other institutions and agencies regularly or sporadically extend assistance to homeless men and women. Yet, in perhaps no other field of social work is there more overlap­ ping and duplication of effort or so low standards of service. For example, the missions and some of the churches working independently of one another boast that they feed and clothe the needy but they make little or no effort to distin­ guish between those who do and those who do not deserve assistance. SELECTED RIGHTS OF HOMELESS PERSONS Homeless children have the right to attend public school. Homeless children are entitled to the same public school education, including a public preschool education, as is provided to all children. Homeless children do not need a permanent address to enroll in school, nor can they be denied enrollment if school records are not immediately available. Children may choose to remain at the same school attended before becoming homeless, or enroll at the school serving the attendance area where they are temporarily housed, determined by the best interest of the child. School districts are re­ quired to remove barriers preventing the enroll­ ment and attendance of homeless students. Each state that participates in the McKinney Act Education Program has a coordinator for the education of homeless children and youth who can assist in resolving enrollment and atten­ dance problems. Homeless children have the right to participat e in mainstream federal, state, and local p ro grams . Homeless children and youth are entitled to participate in all extracurricular activities and all federal, state, or local programs for which they are otherwise eligible, including food stamp programs; before- and after-school care pro­ grams; vocational education; Title 1 programs; Head Start; and programs for gifted and talented students. Ho meless people have the right to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Homeless people may be entitled to the Earned Income tax Credit (EITC) , if they worked and earned at least $1. The EITC may go toward taxes owed, or if they don't owe any .taxes they may receive cash back from the IRS. Homeless persons do not need a permanent address to receive the EITC. Homeless people have the right to vote. Homeless people should not be denied the opportunity to vote, or to register to vote be­ cause they do not have a house, apartment or other traditional residential address. If an address can be provided,. such as a shelter address, homeless people should not be pre­ vented from voting. In almost all states, home­ 'rights' cont i n~ed on back page ... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine~ WORD ON THE NOT FOR LOVE OR STREET Arts & Poetry MONEY Yes, I too... by Gina Miller Yes, I too have been homeless. Yes, I too have been hungry. Yes, too have been without money. Yes, too have been unemployed. Yes, too have been ridiculed. Yes, too have felt alone. Yes, too have felt afraid. Yes, too have thought of suicide. Yes, too have struggled. Yes, too have become cou rageous. Yes, too have reached out for help. Yes, too have become employed. Yes, too have returned to school. Yes, too have a permanent place to live TODAY. Yes, I too am willing to help other people. Yes, I too am grateful!" CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE STOP TELLING ME HOW LONELY YOU ARE FEELING NO ONE CALLS YOU, NO ONE VISITS YOU AT HOME YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT MAKING THE QUOTA AND -BRINGING IN THE MONEY (YOU WORSHIP) YOU DO NOT FEAR ME YOU SELDOM LET ANYTHING GET PAST YOU YOU ARE A SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE SO SAD, YOU HAVE NO SOCIAL CLUE BECAUSE I LOVE YOU YOU WORSHIP A GOD THAT GUIDES A EXTRAVAGANT LIFESTYLE DINNER ON THE DINERS CARD..... .. JACKET ON THE GOLD CARD ..... .. OFF TO THE MOVIES TWO DAYS PER WEEK FOR TWO AT SEVEN DOLLARS A POP I MUST TAKE MY LEAVE FROM YOU AND YOUR NEW SPORTS CAR NEVER TO LOUNGE AGAIN IN YOUR HOME WHERE EVERYTHING IS QUOTED BY ITS PRICE IT WAS A DISTURBING PLACE TO VISIT AND, I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THERE I firmly believe that mother universe will provide all that I am 'in need of to sustain this life of mine. Please understand my fear I'm the only one standing here When I woke up.. · I didn't know what to do I do remember I prayed to you .This time and place is new to me There's no instruction for me to see Please God can I hold your hand At least I won't be lonely as I stand My feelings and goals are hard to do But God, deep in my heart, there really for you Ther paths you make and choices you give Are those that I cnose to. liye You are my master, I am your servant I seek you. I submit to you Even wothput you in my view With your grace and mercy everyday I can face fear and doubt in every way As everyday goes past My faith in you, I know will last Thank you God in every way Thank you God just for today Gregory Payton OVER-THE-RHINE COMMUNITY COUNCIL T-SHIRTS FOR SALE!!! 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. Page 6 Be Proud to be a Member of the Over-the­ Rhine Community Council. T-shirts are in Large Size; Colors Available Purple or Burgundy Cost: ORCC Member $4 Resident, non-ORCC Member $5 Others $10 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 Call 381-2956 or 381-4242 for information on where T-shirts are sold. You can also purchase them at the monthly ORCC meeting. Great care should be taken of what you manifest. '·:\ Do not speak or act anything negative into existence ... Knowingly refrain from these activities. ~ )f y _.-· -~ IF YOU WRITE POETRY AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK IN STREETVIBES, CALL 421-7803 OR FAX US AT 421-7813 .., ­ OVER-THE-RtllNE . . . COMMUNITY COUNCIL The creative design is by Jimmy Heath �---~---- --- - - - . STREEOll.B.ES.,. :~.I~tl~-~t.rJ::~.~~!.~k§~?~l:JgfJl/!JJ.i~~~4~JJ~-Yt'J~_. ~ -~:.:_~;:. ~~;,_,t,~:..:;!:r;~.f!~Qr~.- ~Ci~ Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United, strongly urges the House Committee on Business and Consumer Affairs to oppose the passage of HB 2401, HB 2402, HB 2403 and HB 2405 . "The living and working conditions farmworkers currently have to endure in the State of Oregon are horrible." Farmworkers today continue to live in sub-standard housing and work in piece rate crops , while violations of state minimum wage laws continue ram·pantly, field sanitation is non·existent in many farms, children continue to work in the fields, and the health and well-being of farmworkers in Oregon continue to decline. A study done several years ago by the GAO, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, concluded the following: 1) 300,000 farmworkers suffer acute illness or injury each year; 2) 31 % of farmworkers work without drinking water or toilets; 3) over 100,000 childnm under the age ANOTH ER CLASS PRODCCT I O~ of fourteen work in the fields; 4) health care facilities only serve 15% Disc-Jockey Service of the farmworkers; CLIFFORD JONES 5) growers are three times more likely (513) 230-6353 (513) 761-3464 to omit or under-report workers' earnings which qualify them for Social Security · benefits; and 6) currently housing is only av.ailable to George E. Ferguson 30% of the farmworker workforce. Alex Typing Service Pulaski, a r~porter with the Oregonian, recently completed a series of articles which By Appointment Only examined these conditions in Or~gon , confirming many of the GAO conclusions. 7 East University Ave. ­ "Agricultural work is one of most Cincinnati, Ohio 452 l9 hazardous occupations in this state. The (513) 559-9908 Legislature must recognize the importance of having safeguards to protect workers from injuries and conditions which may lead to long term health problems. We feel adoption of HB 2405 would significanW hurt t he enforcement of health and safety protection Social Services/Chemical Dependency for farmworkers. "We feel that given the Program conditions facing farmworkers in agriculture, Weekend Monitor (Part Time, all shifts) enforcement laws and resources need to be strengthened, not gutted. HB 2405 sends the needed at residential program for chemical wrong message to the agricultural commu­ dependent women. Begin a career in social nity. To the growers, it removes an incentive services or make extra $. Must be for them to comply with state health and supportive and motivated with High School safety regulations . To the farmworkers , the Diploma or equiv., min. one year relevant message is that we don't care about you. "Farmworkers have made Oregon agriculture experience & driver license with auto ins. into a strong, productive industry nationally Fax resume & letter ASAP to Liz Hughes at and internationally. It's about time that we 921 -2375 or mail to FSH, 21 18 St. Michael recognize this contribution and start trea1ing St., Cinti, OH 45204. EOE. farmwQrkers \A{ith respect and work towards ending the Apartheid conditions in our state." FARM­ WORKERS UNDER ATTACK Conditions faced by farmworkers in Oregon are in many ways typical of those in agribusiness throughout the U.S. Not satisfied with the present level of exploitation , gr~wers are using their considerable lobbying power in an attempt to roll back - even further! - the weak protections currently available to those who put the food on our tables. In Oregon and else- . where, farmworkers are fighting back. The Oregon farmworker union PCUN is organizing_ statewide resistanc·e to this latest anti-worker effort by growers. The 1999 Oregon Legislature started off with four bills trying to gut farmworker rights. At the request of the Oregon Farm·Bureauy Rep Jeff Kruse (a grower from Roseburg, Oregon) introduced the following bills: • HB 2401 exempts agricultural employ­ ers with 10 or fewer employees from require­ ments to have workplace safety committees. • HS. 2402 exempts corporate fc;irm officers and members from occupational safety and heath requirements. • HB 2403 excludes seasonal farmworkers when determining need for work­ place safety committees. • HB 2405 prohibits Oregon-OHSA from issuing citation and notice of civil penalty to • employers for non-serious violations discovered during first inspection or investigation during a calender year. At a legislative hearing a week after these bills were introduced, Ramon Ramirez, Presi­ dent of Oregon:s farmworker union , PCUN, t testified: "Or.t behalf of our m~mbership, composed of 4,500. Willamette Valley farmworkers, ' treeplanters and nursery workers, PCUN ~ COMEDY CORNER . by Ron Carter A man was given a ticket for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. So he went to court to plead his case to the judge. He replied, "Your Honor, I had to be going the right way." The judge replied , "How do you figure?" He said, "because it got me where I wanted to go." "Are you happy about that?" the judge asked. "Yes sir," the man replied. The judge said, "Good, now we can both be happy." The man said, "why are you happy, your Honor?" The judge replied, "I am happy because you got to where you were going driving on a one-way street. I am also happy because you are now going where I want you to go for driving the wrong way on a one-way street." "Where is that?" the man asked . "The Justice Center," the judge replied in a loud voice. "Ninety days!" Help Wanted ~ Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority ... Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o· of your income ... Many bu(ldings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks • Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/F~lrmount West End Winton Place . R• For more information, call 421-8190 today. �I STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine JOINING STREETVIBES FORCES TO Prisoner's News SAVE A LIFE STREETVIBES PRISONERS NEWS IS THE WRITINGS OF PERSONS INCARCERATED IN OUR NATIONS JAILS AND PRISONS. SEND YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO: >STREETVIBES@JUNO.COM or mail to: >STREETVIBES 1506 ELM STREET CINCINNATI, OHIO 45210 or fax to: >(513) 421-7813 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: My name is Yo-el Brown and at present I'm incarcerated in Orient, Ohio. This hell-hole is known as the Orient Correctional Institute. I write article's for papers and magazines. My subject matter varies depending on what IO'm dealing with. I'm hoping with this short letter that you will find it in your heart to publish some of my writings.not so much as to get praise or to give it, it's simply not about that. It's about getting the message out, whatever that message may be. Enclosed you will find an article I wrote for the news letter titled Impact. If you like or are i•rested in what you read , please publish it. Should you have any subject matter that you wish me to write on, by all means, let me know in a follow-up letter. Also, I write this letter seeking to get on your mailing list for STREETVIBES. If a fee is attached to me being on your mailing list, let me know that too. Before I close out this letter, let me thank you first, for taking the time to read my letter, and thank you also for the work you are doing to aid and help the homeless. I'm a native of Cincinnati, and I just want to help, if I can. Mr. Yo-el Brown Here is Mr. Brown's Article... There are presently more than 1 .7 million men, women, and children impris­ oned in the U. S., with over 49,000 of those right here in Ohio State Prisons . The vast majority of us are trapped in the cycle of poverty, imprisonment, and exploitation ... In the community we will be/are the working poor, or wage slaves, and in the prison system we are the slaves of the state. Prison laqor is once again being marketed to private industries, just as it was over a hundred years ago.... The entire prison system is dependent upon the labor of prisoners. Our labor is by Eunice Timoney Ravena Ohio plans to execute the first death row inmate since 1963. The scheduled execution of Wilford Berry is Friday, February 19th at 9PM. Mr. Berry has refused the appeal process therefore moving his case to the forefront. Berry is mentally ill and suicidal; activists fear the State is carrying out this man's suicide wish. On Wednesday, February 3rd, over 100 concerned Cincinnati citizens rallied at the Hamilton County Court House. Participants heard from Maria Hines, a family member of a murder victim. She spoke of the need for healing that comes from forgiveness, not revenge. She was able to truly come to a sense of forgiveness for the man who killed her brother, and found comfort and closure. Ms. Hines is active working against the death penalty in her home state of Kentucky. On Saturday, February 13th over 75 citizens of Cincinnati joined with others to demonstrate on the grounds of the Governors Mansion. This rally was attended by a _diverse crowd including representation from activists, mental health professionals, religious leaders, politicians, academics, and penal system professionals. All were calling on newly elected Governor Taft to commute Wilford Berry's sentence. Music was lead by Paulette Meier and Brian Crum. Local speakers included Tom Luken, Tom Choquette and Berta Lambert. Page a Active students from XU , UC, Antioch, and Dennison were also in attendance. While traveling to Columbus, the Cincin­ nati group shared reasons for attending the rally and supporting the clemency of Wilford Berry. Many were able to point to Mac Mccrackin as a leader in this fight and a presence on the bus. We all joined in the spirit and sang our way to Columbus keeping Mac's memory alive. During the week prior to the scheduled execution many prayer services are scheduled throughout t he city at various denominations. Many thanks to St. Gertrudes, St. Paul's United Methodist Our Lady of Victory, Faith United Church of Christ, and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church for sponsoring these services. We should all be proud of our local legisla­ tors who have lead a lobby in Columbus. State Senator Mark Mallor}' along with fourteen other state legislators (including Catherine Barrett and Sam Britton) met with Governor Taft on Tues­ day, February 16. Mallory's concern involves the competency of Mr, Berry and, "If this execu­ tion is allowed to stand, it will set the course for many others to follow." Mallory's concerns are well founded, since the US reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the United States has executed more than 500 citizens. On Friday, February 19th, many people will attend a prayer vigil in Lucasville to mourn the scheduled execution of Wilford Berry and to show a strong opposition to the death penalty in Ohio. For those seeking information regarding the death penalty in Ohio call toll-free 888-565­ 4410, or visit the Ohioans to Stop Execution web site at www.otse.org. For those interested in working against the death penalty and joining our local committee please call Eunice at the lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center at (513) 579-8547. Jen Manning reads Wilford Berry's story to gathering at Hamilton County Court House. Photo by Eunice Timoney Ravena the key to the solution. Without our labor the entire prison system would have to be shut down. If the majority of prisoners participate in a prolonged work stoppage, prison administrators would be forced to shut down the entire prison for security reasons. Simple mathematics tells us that prison officials can't ship us all to a maxi­ mum or super-maximum security prison. They don't have enough control units to hold us all. With solidarity among prison­ ers, it's clearly possible to paralyze this oppressive beast known as the criminal in­ justice system . Non-violent protest will garner more outsic;le support for our cause. We must not only protest the actions of the Ohio Parole Board , but all the inhuman living conditions that exists within the prison syst~m. We must include the interests of all prisoners to generate the unity needed for the action I speak of. It has become all to obvious that prison officials and guards have been trying 'Brown• cont. on page 9 ... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'Brown' continued from page 8... to provoke us to violence, to further demori­ ize us in the eyes of the public, all to justify financing the construction of still more prisons. · This is a struggle against racism and classism, and all the injustices that are inherent in this corrupt system. Non-violent protest is also necessary to show our sons and daughters that we are human beings, and that we can bring about change in this system without vio­ lence on our part. Violence has been prevalent among the under-class and the casualties have been limited exclusively to our own people. It's time to end the vio­ lence and unite in this struggle, and show our oppressors that we have the power and the force to bring about the justice and equality that all human beings deserve. Inside these concentration camps there is only one race, the huma11 race. Our Brothers at Lucasville showed us that strength is possible through unity. This is not a struggle for justice within the prison system, this is an effort to break the cycle of poverty, exploitation, and imprisonment in society at large. Through our example, it may be possible to rally our brothers and sisters from the working class to the larger struggle in society. We desperately need outside support in the movement to make the public aware of the true nature of the problem within these prisons, not only in Ohio, but throughout the nation. THANKS, STREETVIBES by Eric I want to thank you for responding to my letter regarding an unusual incident I was involved in on 12/4/98. I am in a little better health since being maced by Lt. Carter and pushed down a half flight of stairs at Ohio State Penitentiary. So far, I've had a 'use-of-force' hearing on 12/23/98 about what happened. I haven't received a copy of the committees determina­ tion yet. But I imagine that I will hear something in good time. And I've recently sent in my appeal to the Chief Inspector's Office on 1/1/0/ 99 to make sure that I get the complaint and issue all the way down to the grievance court. But right now, I am just waiting for a response to my appeal. And I guess that's the latest update con­ cerning the issue. But while I am writing this letter to you, I might as well fill you in on a few of the things that Lt. Carter has done since I wrote my complaint about his assault. He has come by my cell and threatened me with revenge if I didn't stop making noise about the 12/4/98 assault. These two times happened on 1/ 15/99 and 1/22/99. It doesn't seem like he is a fast learner, but I am confident that in the end I will see him disciplined for his actions contrary to prison rules. The black Lieutenants are constantly doing things contrary to established prison rules here at OSP, and are rarely held accountable. However, I hope you find a place to publish this letter in your upcoming issue. Much thanks again. Page 9 Poverty as a Commodity Do Temporary Labor Agencies Profit From the Struggles of the Poor? Temporary agencies can be really hard on people, the people they rely on to staff their workforce. We are not talking about the white- collar temp agencies here, but the kind that serve the low-income neigh­ borhoods. Folks are w·orked hard for minimal pay. And the jobs are sometimes . dangerous or repetitive. These are jobs that don't require any skills or training and are the kind that no one wants anyway. Most of the jobs pay between $5 or $6. Some pay $7.50 an hour. You go to the temp agency and wait to be selected. Sometimes if the agency knows you they will pass you over and give the higher paying work to someone who "just walked in" and hasn 't waited at all. This keeps you hanging if THEY need you, and treats the newcomer right so that he will continue to come back. If you don't have a car, the agency will take you to the job site in their van. And this service will cost you: it's taken off the top of your days earnings. This will usually cost around $3. You may wait an hour and the transpo rt time can be another half hou r to an hour depending on where the work is. You work 7.5 hours. When you finish you must wait another hour for the van back to the agency. They may deduct money for advances for lunch money. Or, they may charge you for hard hat rental or steel toed shoes. So, you might spend 11 -1 2 hours in total (transportation time anq work time) and only get paid $27 (after taxes, deduc­ tions , etc.). The agency is not required to provide you with a retirement plan, or insurance or any other kind of incentive. Basically, you are a TOOL at their disposal. There is no incentive to promote you , to train you , or help you find any kind of permanent position. They are not there to help you get back on your feet. It is to their advantage that you remain poor, and stuck. _Preparing . fo~ Most of the folks who work temp agencies consider the work demeaning and difficult. It certainly is not motivational to be working as a temp and getting paid $5.00 an hour when you might be standing· next to someone (who is a permanent worker) making $15 or $16 an hour. It seems obvious that for people who want to work, there should be better oppo rtunities made available to them. Temp agencies should be made accountable for how they do business and they should be providing their workers with at least a livable wage. These agencies should not be allowed to profit from the struggle of poor folks caught in this cycle of poverty. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you every month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Ho meless-Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421­ 7803. economic downturns Is my Golden Parachute packed? t> Do we take reservations? �PROTECT OHIO'S CHILDREN Shanna Owens was sanctioned from Ohio Works First in December of 1997. When she went in for her recertification appointment , the caseworker told her to get a job. Shanna has no problem with the idea of working (she's now employed), but at the time she was five and a half months pregnant and had a six month old baby. Shanna was unable to find chi ld care for her baby so she was not able to work at the time. Shanna was verbally told that she was sanctioned, but never received a formal letter stating this. Hence she found herself and her baby completely cut off of cash assistance. The caseworker also elimi­ nated their food stamps, including the baby's, and cut off Medicaid for both of them. Shanna was pregnant with health problems of diabetes and high pressure. After she was cut off of Medicaid, she received no prenatal care. Ohio Assembly that would stop Full-Family sanctions. Full-Family sanctions punish the entire family. In effect, they sanction children along with the adults. Studies in other states are showing that Full-Family sanctions do not help families find work. Instead, families are being driven further . into hardship. Ohio is only one of fourteen· states that completely cuts the cash assis­ tance for a first offense. The majority of states reserve this most severe sanction for the third sanction. When Ohio public officials gloat that welfare caseloads are down, making welfare reform a "success" in their eyes, they are also speaking of the families with children who have unwillingly been thrown off the roles. Sarfctioned households are counted in caseload reduction numbers. Stories of families like Shanna's are hap­ pening all across Ohio. A recent sanction survey by the Ohio Empowerment Coalition shows similar stories happening in other counties. Counties more families have . been terminated oe·cause they and their caseworkers could not keep up with the maelstrom of paperwork required quarterly­ or more frequently. • ., .Jr - Stopping Ful~amily sanctrons would be one positive step forward that Ohio legislators could support to assist families in leaving poverty. Punishing them se­ verely only drives them dee~er into destitu­ tion. • stop the Full-Family sanction wherein the entire family loses their cash assistance . restore food stamps to the sanc­ tioned household . keep the recipient eligible for other support services, as child are subsidies, from local welfare departments . end the sanction as soon as the recipient "complied" Full-Family sanctions punish the entire family. In effect, they sanction chil­ dren along with the adults. Studies in other states are showing that Full-Family sanc­ tions do not help families fine work. In­ stead, families are begin driven further into hardship by having to borrow money, doing without, and ending up in homeless shel­ ters. "When I was sanctioned, I was five and a half months pregnant with a six month old baby. The caseworker said I had .to do the work requirement, but I didn't have chilq care for my baby. I ended up .losing my apartment," stated Shann~ Owens. Opportunities to interview sanctioned recipients during February are also available. If you are interested, call CYnn Willams at 1­ 513-381-4242. Call your Ohio Assembly legislators now and urge that they support stopping . the Full-Family sanctions in Ohio. Because she was completely cut off of cash assistance she lost her apartment. Because welfare payments are so low, $ 296 for a family of two, she had no savings accumulated to tide them over. The sanc­ tion left her and her six month old com­ pletely destitute. Shanna was unaware that she could not legally be sanctioned if she was unable to locate child care for a child under six. The caseworker never informed her of this "good cause" reason for not doing a work requirement. Shanna automatically as­ sumed that the caseworker knew the rules. She was never called back in for a recertification appointment because she did not "comply" with the work requirement. When she went back in to tr-Y to apply for assistance in May 1998, the caseworker immediately asked her if she was working. Shanna said she was taking care of both babies. The caseworker refused to even let her apply for assistance. Evidently the sanction was still in effect because techni­ cally she had not "complied." When Shanna asked the caseworker for help with transportation money to look for work and look for a child care provider for her chil­ dren, she was denied this also. Being sanctioned threw Shanna and her two babies in a very precarious situa­ tion and it will take time to undo the dam­ age to these human lives. The Ohio Empowerment Coalitio~·is working hard to get a bill introduced by the Submitted by the Contact Center and Lynn Williams For more.information, call the Contact Center at (513) 381-4242. BILL TO PROTECT OFllO'S CHILDREN Ohio has one of 'the harshest welfare sanction laws in the United States. This· may be about to change. Senator C.J. Prentiss of Cleveland and Representative Tom Roberts of Dayton plan to introduce legislation in February that would soften welfare sanction policies. A press confer­ ence will be held locally on February 17th, Wednesday, 12:30 a.m. at the Contact Center, 1441 Vine St., to release the results of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition's statewide sanction survey report and our local monitoring study report by the Con­ tact Center and Applied Information Re­ sources (AIR,lnc.). The Ohio Empowerment Coalition, a statewide welfare rights coalition of which the Contact Center is a member, advo­ cates that the following changes be made: Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street. Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, ~a!I 421-7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVl-BES Etcetera ... ·that this be done. Residents, Businesses and Institutions in Over-the-Rhine want their Coalition back. They want whatever ransom is owed to Kirkland to be paid so she can go back to wherever she fled from to come to Cincinnati. The Coalition cannot survive under its current state and Directorship unless Kirkland realizes the uniqueness of the Over-the-Rhine community and its demand that it be resp ected and appreciated for its diversity and character. Whose Coalition is this anyway, Ms. Kirkland's, the City of Cincinnati and its inves­ tors or the Over-the-Rhine Community? WHOSE COALITION IS. ·ARTIST THIS­ CAPTURES ANYWAY? COLD by Belquees Ali REALITIES OF HOME­ LESSNESS In June of 1996 the Urban Land Institute visited the community of Over-the-Rhine. They completed an assessment of the community, its residents businesses & institutions, which included several face-to-face interviews with those outside the community as well. The result of this assessment was the Urban Land Institute recommendations for OTR. They included the relocation of several social service institutions an increase in residential development for families of higher income than the current OTR residents and the recommen­ dation that a coalition of Residents , businesses and institutions be formed so that the develop­ ment process and the Master Plan recom­ mended would have input from all facets of the community. The Coalition building process took over a year and a half to complete. Those involved with its conception and actualization faced and still face various reproductions for being sup­ portive of this process and its concept that it would help to facilitate the Master Plan process as well as act as a clearinghouse for plans and projects. The OTR Coalition completed several tasks, such as the creation of Bylaws, Tax exempt Status as a 501© 3 Organization and several subcommittees were formed to address community issues. In April of 1998, this newly formed Coali­ tion hired its first official Director, Linda S. Kirkland. Ms. Kirkland was chosen after a 7 month search. An OTA Coalition Committee chose Ms. Kirkland from over 63 responses. Initially, the Coalition and its members were supportive of Ms. Kirkland and her abilities and credentials. This soon faded after board members began to resign and the accountability to the community decreased. There was no attempts to continue the community outreach started by the Outreach Committee formed prior to Kirklands hiring. All communication and openness was shut down. The Coalition was under seize by its new director and still remains that way. Membership at the time of Kirklands hiring was 200 and growing. Over the last 9 months Membership has fallen over 75%. There is no accountability from the current Coalition to the Over-the-Rhine community. Kirkland's failure to realize that various members of the Coalition risked everything they had to see it become a reality is blatant disre­ gard and disrespect for community building. The community of Over-the-Rhine was supposed to be well into its Master Plan process by now. Ms. Kirkland has alienated so many community people that no one knows where this process is or what the Coalition is planning to do. For over one year now no financial state­ ments have been given to the general member­ ship, although various members have requested Page 11 feel a pulse of corporate emotion as we experi­ ence our lives together." She continued, "In these paintings, one sees not only the images of people who are homeless, their faces and body structure, but the cold realities of what a society creates when the gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" widens without concern." Michael Stoops of the Washington, D. C. ­ based National Coalition for the Homeless, a national homeless advocacy organization, says that "the Images of Homelessness exhibit will make people realize the many different types of people who become homeless in this country." This largest-ever oil painting exhibit about homelessness will tour the country, beginning in May with a showing. in Wheeling, West Virginia. Other exhibit cities include: Louisville, Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Huntington, WV and Washington D.C. After the tour, the exhibit is to be donated to the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D. C. Scramble ·. by Ron Carter The "Images of Homelessness" exhibit, a collection of 20 oil paintings of homeless people nationwide, goes on a nationwide tour beginning in May of 1999. The portraits are from photo­ graphs taken of homeless people in both urban and rural locations. Painted by National Artist, Tammy deGruchy, the exhibit introduces you to the many different faces of homelessness. It seeks to educate the general public about the growing homelessness crisis in both urban and rural areas. "Art is not only a reflection of ourselves," deGruchy says, "But it affords an opportunity for a society to see itself as a living body politic. We may not see our exact image, but we can Try to unscramble these related words: NOTNSWAHGI NOLIN LC NDENYKE TCRRAE HSUB TNLINCO NGAERA UNTAMR TOVLESROE HNOJNOS Answers on page 15. .J ·­ Rapid Exit assists families and individuals In moving from homelessness 10 permanent housing 18Pid/y ror more lnlormauoo contact The Greater Clnclnnatt Coanuon For The Homeless at 421-1803 and ask ror Gina Miller �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Dear Sir or Editorials & Madam, Letters STREETVIBES I want to thank you for responding to my letter regarding an unusual incident I was involved in on 12/4/98. I am in a little better health since being maced by Lt. Carter and pushed down a half flight of stairs at Ohio State Penitentiary. So far, I've had a 'use-of-force' hearing on 12/23/98 about what happened. I haven't received a copy of the committees determination yet. But I imagine that I will hear something in good time. And I've recently sent in my appeal to the Chief Inspector's Office on 1/1/0/99 to make sure that I get the complaint and issue all the way down to the grievance court. But right now, I am just waiting tor a response to my appeal. And I guess that's the latest update concerning the issue. But while I am writing this letter to you, I might as well fill you in on a few of the things that LT. Carter has done since I wrote my complaint about his assault. He has come by my cell and threatened me with revenge if I didn't stop making noise about the 12/4/98 assault. · These two times happened on 1/ 15/99 and 1/22/99. It doesn't seem like he is a fast learner, but I am confident that in the end I will see him disciplined for his actions contrary to prison rules. ~he black Lieuten­ ants are constantly doing things contrary to established prison rules here at OSP, and are rarely held accountable. . However, I hope you find a place to publish this letter in your upcoming issue. Much thanks again. Eric. To Whom it May Concern: I write you for help! Will you please, please, help me. I need help with my enemy. My enemy he walks with me, he talks with me! God, this guy even sleeps with me!! God, everybody knows Him. His name is "Cocaine." His last name is "Alcohol." God, I don't want this guy in my life no more. So can you please help me. You say in Your word what ever I ask in you name it shall be given. So Gpd, I ask that you will please kill my enemy. Cocaine and Alcohol. From Gerald McMillan Better knowed as Detroit!!! I would like to explain the small story behind this subscription. On Th ursday, February 18th, I was coming out of CVS [pharmacy] on the corner of Walnut and 7th Street at approxi­ mately 2:45 or 3:00 PM. As I exited the store with full bags in each hand I noticed a young lady holding up newspapers and asking passerby's if they would be inter­ ested in Streetvibes. Normally, I would have walked on by as I have enough to read. As I waited .for the 'walk' sign, I noticed how gentle she was as she contin­ ued to smile and speak with people. I turned around and asked her what the paper was. about. She enthusiastically explained the paper and its reason tor . being, she gently explained a little about herself. I bought the paper, mainly be­ cause of her industrious and gentleness. I After reading the paper I am ordering a subscription as I am familiar with many of its issues having worked at the Free Store (social work) for 7 and a half years. I'm no longer there but live downtown and have friends in soup kitchens, shelters, etc. I wish I had gotten this young ladies name, she does very good work and I commend her. Please thank her for me. Thank you. Sue A. Murray Page 12 PLEASE, DON'T INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE By now you've heara of the plan to move the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse. Why? We have to ask this question. No. First before we answer that , Who? The Drop ln.n Center is located at 217 West 121h Street. Prime property, I said, prime property. Someone said, "Let's build an art center so that people from all over the w9rld can come to Cincinnati, and enjoy the arts ." Then someone said, " Lets be the Arts Capital of the World." All the Powers that be said , "DO IT . .Well let's see, first we have to have some things in order, MONEY, we have make this look like steak, we need money. They won't know until it is too late. We can get a lot out of this, especially revenue. WE can make promises we don't have to keep. The Airport can grow, the Convention Center can grow. We can be like Nashville, only we can be the classical music hall of fame. They won't under­ stand, we are already getting away with two new 1 1 INTELLIGENCE continued on page 14... buddy's place is a community effort to help alleviate the tragedy of homelessness. We invite you to take part in this community effort and provide housing to our sisters and brothers who are homeless. Thank you for your on-going support. RESTOC f \/E;.5-') 114. W. 14th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 • 513-381 -0954 we would like to buy_ brick(s) to support the construction of buddy's place name .........................................iifiane................................................ . ...........................sa:ii:iai·a·r·arsaiilZ-iitfon·········.......................... amount enclosed ($50 per brick) .................. please make checks payable to RESTOC. In the space below, please indicate name you would like painted on brick �STREETVIBES I The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 News From Cleveland's Grapevine I What Needs To Be Done To Significantly Reduce The Homeless P.opulation? These are a compilation of solutions developed from discussions with homeless people, homeless service providers, and community forums around the issues of homelessness over the last two and one half years by the staff of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Create a better emergency shelter system for men . This could involve the Salvation Army proposal or the creation of two or three smaller emergency shelters with at least 50 additional beds for men, tnis would allow better entry into the sys­ tem. This system should accommodate those who work second and third shift. There also should be a "wet" shelter for those who have not made the commitment to undergo treatment. There is a success­ ful model in Minnesota. Get the Mental Health Board to get into the Emergency shelter business or to take additional responsibility for those with a mental illness in providing them additional safe places. This means the lobbying fhe state for additional funds. Get the Alcohol and Drug system to make housing their clients a priority. Right now they do treatment and then they send the client into the world . _ Address the hospital dumping issue by getting a protocol for HMOs to deal with homeless people, and providing funds to create a respite care center. Bring Cleve­ land Health Care for the Homeless back to the table to address the needs of thosft without medical coverage. With $30 million dollars in Federal funds under the direction _o f the-Office of Homeless Services, they need additional staff to do oversight and planning in col­ laboration with the City Health Department and NEOCH. They also need to be in­ volved in the decisions that are made by private foundations that have supported .. HOMELESS SHELTER SQ~~'l Wi'I\~ '~g~;.Q FiLLED UP projects that have little impact on the community. Get the County Commissioner more involved in affordable housing locally. The Commissioners should have a seat on the CMHA Board, and should be working with HUD on a regular basis to develop housing for poor people. There needs to be a priority with Federal Funds for creating additional Transitional, permanent housing, Single Room Occupancy housing opportu­ nities for homeless people especially those with a disability. There is a great example of a Single Room Housing apartment in Youngstown which is an old n,yrsing home for recovering addicts with so7'a1workers on staff. There needs to be an expansion of programs that help people with security deposits. There needs to be some attention given to the most difficult to serve popula­ tion cu rrently in the system-homeless young people under 20 years of age. These are people who are either emanci­ pated foster children or runaways who have very little hope of getting out of the home­ less system. They cannot get a place because they are too young and have a difficult time with getting a job. This may involve the expenditure of additional local funds. Using Federal Funding or State Funds establish a non-profit temporary service for those coming out of jail or homeless people that will pay a livable wage. For profit temporary services exploit homeless people and pay below minimum wage. [editors note! also see Poverty as a Com- · modity on page 9] Establish a one stop referral center using the First Call for Help Database augmented with other on-line databases to provide one place downtown homeless people can go to get accurate up to date information. This would be a place with storage for homeless people, and comput­ ers and a message center for homeless people. Encourage· all local educational institu­ tions to do some outreach to homeless people to make GED and other higher education opportunities readily available. We should have a goal of getting everyone over 20 years of age without a job a GED by 2002. There needs to be a safety net for those who live in Cuyahoga County to prevent homelessness with a local human services entitlement fund . The most critical need in the community is for comprehen­ sive services to children who are infant to three years old. If nurses, teachers and social workers regularly visited high risk children in this critical developmental period many problems that develop later in life could be avoided. Create a local Housing Trust Fund that would set aside money from the sale of all houses to fund the creation of affordable housing locally. There is a successful model in Dayton/Montgomery County. Expand existing early warning systems and examine policies and procedures that needlessly cause or prolong homelessness. Place social workers at the Housing Court to work with those who_will lose their hous­ ing to place them in accommodations other than the overcrowded shelters. A better method of prevention will save millions each year. Expand the local protected classes to include poor people to prevent discrimina­ tion in all areas including housing, employ­ ment, and contacts with governmental employees. Prepared by the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. For more information call 216/241-1104 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Book Review A POEM OF STRUGGLE AND RENEWAL: MIKE HENSON'S RANSA.C K by Richard Hague The namesake of the central character in Mike Henson's novel Ransack is the son of Adam named Seth. As father of Enosh, Seth was an ancestor of Noah, of whom Genesis tells us, "Out of the very ground that the Lord has put under a curse, this one shall bring us relief from our work and the toil of our hands." Throughout the novel, Mike Henson invites us to witness a difficult life in which relief and new growth are earned. Seth is a homeless youth, late teens maybe, trying to recover from the effects of displacement from the hills of Appalachia, and from the broken relationships, drug addiction, and hopelessness caused by that displacement. He finds temporary work as a demolition worker in downtown Cincinnati, and in the course of wrecking old buildings slowly works his way toward rebuilding something good from the wreck­ age of his life. The book is filled with superbly ob­ served descriptions of manual labor, of city life, of street people, of the threatening presence of cops in the lives of the poor and oppressed. In what might be Over-the-. Rhine's Washington Park, Seth sits down a moment to rest. "Around him, the fat pigeons lobbied over their bread, their necks glowing, their soft voices stewing and cooing. He watched, and the pigeons lifted, as one, off the floor of the park, checkering the air with the black and white of their wings." Later, armed with a wrecking bar, Seth is given a job of work to do in a condemned building. "When he cracked the mantel shelf off the wall he saw, like foxfire, caught on the lath-plaster, a silver dollar, bright as mint: Liberty's head placid with all her ribbons, the only brightness in the room, and behind her, a stain even darke·r than the rest, and the lath-piece rotted to char­ coal. A dollar like that's worth some money, he thought. Old money's always worth something. But when he tried to pick it up, it broke in,to foil and black dust and the foil dropped to the floor and the dust capped his fingertips ..." · Another time, after having been turned out of an employment office, hungry, his only prospect two days off in the future, he passes a restaurant while garbagemen work in the distance. "The engines and hydraulics ground upward: Stern stern stern stern: and gulleted the mash and groaned the lip around again and Seth looked from the streaked smears of paper and spoil along the foul throat of the dump to the restaurant's window where he saw a huge horse-eyed woman with cheeks like toma­ toes in a yellow wig waving a fork at him and soundlessly laughing at him from behind the glass." This is the recurrent character called the "Princess Pocahontas," who fun ctions in the novel as the personification of gross abundance and consumption, and of the spurious worth of misused American wealth and political power. "Her elbows were buried in plates and the plates were piled with columns of hotcakes, rafts of eggs, and splinter piles of bacon. She laughed again, winked, then mannered at he food, shoveling it at her mouth with a millwheel motion and swallow­ ing bolts and spools each time." Aside from the remarkable writing in each of these passages, we see something else, something of Henson's intentions throughout the novel, which are realized time and time again through such descrip­ tions; he wants to remind us of the political nature of inner-city poverty and suffering, of the class roots of pain. Looking back to the first example, of Seth in the park, we see this insistence of the political even in the verb describing the pigeon's ruckus over food; they "lobbied." In the description of the silver dollar behind the mantel, we cannot overlook the irony of Seth's obser­ vation that "Old money's always worth something" and the subsequent emptiness of this classist platitude when the dollar turns to dust in Seth's hand. Nor can we fail to realize the connection between the Princess Pocahontas's lewd, selfish appe­ tite and the garbage trucks to which she is implicitly linked in the last passage's de­ scription. But this is not to say that Ransack in any way reads like a political tract. It is more like a poem in its style and in its consistency and reiteration of image and symbolic motif, and in its spare ballad-like story line. And all the while, Seth's inner struggle to release that which is healthful and life-giving inside him-represented by the imagery of a seed about to burst into a seedling and by Seth's work crew's informal adoption of a former girl friend's baby at the end of the novel-is contrasted· with his literal work of demolition. But much is made of the .notion that even the demolition of a house is a rebirth of sorts, since to the crew, salvage like copper pipes, nails, even good boards, is a source of income. In a sense, such salvage is the only "trickle­ down" of profit the people on the street enjoy. Still, the ~ovenant is clear; Seth 's adopted child may be the one who is "brought relief from work and the toll of hands" through Seth's hard work, through his overcoming of his addictipn and his anger, through his faithfulness and commit­ ment. That new life is promised out of old suffering is one of the hopes of Ransack, and one of the strengths of th e tough, struggling people who populate it. Photo by Jimmy Heath Mike Henson, author of Ransack 'INTELLIGENCE' from page 12..~ stadiums. We can use their children. Give them some money to close three schools, then we'll tell them, we'll open one special school which their children can go to. They won't know they can't afford it. We have the ULI (the Urban Land Institute) in place and don't forget we have DCI (Downtown Cincinnati Inc.) The Queen well be done soon. Just make promises. Don't forget the Linn Street Job. Remember, buddy, he's out of the way, we can move them through imminent domain. And its on to Liberty. Don't Page 14 worry we'll treat them like the Native Americans. We'll move them and take it. Just like old times , fifty years ago. Those low-income, and the homeless, they're the new minority and we'll win. We don't want them down here with the blacks, anybody that doesn't make 35 thousand is not allowed. Remember, if we build it, they will come. The tax payer is going to take care of it. If we get resistance YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO. If that doesn't work, talk about the Olympics. · Part two soon. Gregory Payton �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Announcements Live Studio Audience Wanted STREETVIBES TV SHOW­ WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE?. SHOW IS TAPED LIVE ON THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AND IS BROADCAST FROM THE STREETVIBES Classified Ads Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month . People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, P.ayment must be received before the ad will run . No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O or fax it to 421-7813 STUDIOS OF CINCINNATI COMMUNITY VIDEO, 2114 READING ROAD, F_ROM 7 TO 8PM. STREETVIBES TV COVERS NEWS ON POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND RELATED ISSUES. CALL US AT THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ,C ALL 421-7803 Irr===--=--= -l:1 j 1 I i -=--=-~~ I . .IJ.. ~/ Page 1s In Memory of "Mac" Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ... Because 'Everyone' includes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. L~ music Band Looking for Work Streetv1bes (the band). We like to party. R&B, Oldies. Blues/ Jazz. Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421·7803. position wanted DwjgbtWjse HVAC Technician for hire. 24 Service! Call 751·3182. Thank You! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $1 per line. Ca/1421-7803 for info. Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvibes! Scramble Answers from page 11 ... Washington Lincoln Kennedy Carter Bush Clinton Reagan Truman Roosevelt Johnson Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, April 10th, 1999, noon to 1 pm Advertise in Streetvibes ! Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to s ign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $ 1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to over 5,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4 11 x 3 1/2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads , call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES _-T he Tri-State's , '- . 'rights' continued from page 5 ... less people should be able to vote if they can identify any location they consider a horn~ base to which they return regularly. Homeless people may have the right to sleep in public if there is nowhere else to sleep. Homeless persons may have the right to sleep in certain public areas at night if there are no other available places, such as shelters, for them to sleep. Homeless people have the right to apply for basic public assistance, e. g. Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Supplemental Secu­ rity Income ~nd may also qualify for other benefits. Homeless persons do not need a perma­ nent address to apply for government benefits. Federal law requires that Public Assistance offices provide a method of enrollment to otherwise eligible persons that do not have a permanent address. The offices must also devise a protedure to allow eligible persons without a mailing address to obtain benefits for which they are entitled. For example, Food Stamp and Social Security offices may allow homeless persons to pick up their benefits at the agency's offices or to any address they desig­ nate as their home base (e. g. shelter, soup kitchen, religious organization etc.). - Homeless Grapevine Page ..t6 . ·: . . STREETVIBES Streetvibes TV TV Schedule The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video, 2114 Reading Road. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421 -7803 for more information. Streetvibes TV APRIL Schedule April's Live TV show will begin at ?PM, Monday, April 12th, and will be broadcast from the Reading Road Studio. The new show format includes a studio audience along with a guest panel discussion. Channel 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. MONDAY. APRIL 12th at 7PM. Rebroadcast Oates for Show on Chan­ nel 10: Saturday, April 3, 1999, 4 PM Friday, April 9, 1999, 11 am Friday, April 16, 1999, 11 AM Monday, Apri 26,1999, 10 PM Saturday, Apri 24, 1999, 4 PM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. ' endor: 80 cents · Printing and Production: 20 cents If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our viewing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homelessness and poverty in our city. We are always interested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call. .. Streetvi bes Wish List Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call. .. >35 MM Film for Streetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper >Good used or new Xerox machine >Office Supplies Where >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, etc.) Your >Computer for Streetvibes layout and writing Dollar Goes Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421­ 7803. Thanksforyoursupport . >Subscribers Call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 if you can h elp! ••• !!!!!!!!Pi!~ - • l!I • !!II !II !I Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 281-5770 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241 -2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244-7226 Center for Independent Living Options Lighthouse Youth Center 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING 721-4580 CMHA Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 369-0004 OTR Housing Network 381-0954 ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental 111)721-8666 961-4555 Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women 241-7343 O.D.A.A.T 921-7324 First Step Home TREATMENT: Men 784-1853 Charlie's 3/4 House 921-1613 Prospect House 751-3260 Starting Over TREATMENT: Both 820-2947 N.A. Hopeline 861 -9966 A.A. Hotline 381-6660 C.C.A.T. 684-7956 Talbert House 491 -4435 Transitions, Inc. 559-5011 VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421 -2437 621-5991 Appalachian Identity Center 231-6630 Beech Acres Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network Community Action Agency Contact Center Emanuel Community Center Freestc>re/Foodbank Goodwill Industries Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. Mary Magdalen House Oral Heal!h Council Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 241-2600 591-2246 961-0600 569-1840 381-4242 241-2563 241-1064 771-4800 621-7149 632-7186 357-4602 352-2902 221-3679 241 -9400 271-5501 721-4811 621 -0248 621-6364 621 -5514 721-7660 721-7900 559-6656 491-3335 . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1999 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 1999 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: New Arts Center Proposal Pits the Rich Against the Poor Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 4: Drop Inn Center Letter Pg 5: The Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Pg 8: Prison News Pg 9: Rights of Homeless Pg 10: Welfare News Pg 11: Streetvibes Etcetera Pg 12: Letters & Editorials Pg 13: Cleveland News Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Belquees Ali Ron Carter Pat Clifford Brian Davis Richard Hague Jimmy Heath Susan Knight Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Eunice Ravena Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF arts Belquees Ali Bonnie Neumeier Brian Davis Donald Whitehead Drop Inn Center Eunice Ravena Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Gregory Payton homeless rights homeless shelter Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams Pat Clifford Richard Hague Ron Carter Susan Knight the broken city The Traveler https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/32f1b4088f638d60e9aeac8b559e8bfb.pdf 7deb1171e8787bcb859c55f343f306a9 PDF Text Text HO·MELESS CENSUS SET FOR MARCH . Three-day effort will attempt to count the homeless in Cincy With the 2000 census ready to begin in just one month, workers are gearing up for the challenging task of counting the homeless. This will be part of what is called the "Special Places Count" and will take place the week of March 27th. The Special Places Count will enumerate the population that are not staying in traditional places s uch as homes, apartments, or mobile homes. This includes people in shelters, on the streets, in mental health facilities, jails, hospitals, and any other non-traditional dwelling. Many of these people will be counted in these special places and in a place of permanent residency. When the duplication is corrected, those who were counted solely in a "special place" will be considered homeless. Mako Nikadoh of the U.S. Census Bureau is in charge of the Special Places Count and says that based on the 1990 census, he will make no estimate of the local homeless population's size. Service providers didn't accept the 1990 statistic, so it was probably not accurate. Nikadoh stresses the importance of the census, and he says that his department is doing every­ thing they can to get an accurate count in 2000. Because so many funds allotted to the city depend on the number he finds, he hopes the census is accurate, enabling service providers to secure the funds they need. Because of an undercount in 1990. the city of Cincinnati has lost 40 million dollars. Susan Knight, co-administrator at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, appreciates that the effort of the census bureau is improving but says the homeless count will still be sh01t. Because so many people live doubled-up with ftiends and relatives and because there are so many outdoor locations that will not be found , the entire homeless population will not be able to be counted. Neve1theless, she thinks that they are doing a better job than in 1990, with efforts that include hiring homeless people to conduct the count. Mako N ikadoh says that he hopes the homeless enumerators will be able to help them reach the homeless who live in out-of-the-way places and will help people feel more comfortable participating in the count. Three places - soup kitchens, shelters, and "targeted non-shelter outdoor locations" ­ are where Nikadoh expects to find the majority of the homeless population. Nikadoh says that his staff will visit all of the shelters and soup kitchens in the area before the actual count. They will brief the staff and establish a plan specific to that agency. The "targeted non-shelter outdoor locations" are where the bureau hopes to find and count the segment of the homeless population who do not use services. This part of the census is presenting different problems for different cities. Maryanne Gleason, director of the National Coalition for the Homeless says that Indianapolis has 135 outdoor locations reported where they intend to count. She doesn't know how census workers will be able to reach all of these areas during the three hours allotted to this pait of the count. Mako Nikadoh reports that very few outdoor locations in Cincinnati have been reported to him yet and is urging service providers to share this information CMHA LAYS DOWN THE LAW --- (Lady Liberty Sighs again) Is the US becoming a No-tolerance Zone? LAUREL HOMES: Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority'S Zero Tolerance Area ­ Advocates suspect that the Zero Tolerance Rules (form dated 819199) were initiated by CMHA primarily to escape responsibility to find housing for Laurel Homes residents when the demolition happens. CMHA: "If you and m embers of your I with him. Advocates for the homeless have ex­ pressed concern that illegal campsites of homeless people will be reported to law enforcement officials. Maryanne Gleason says that for months the bureau would not promise to keep these outdoor locations private. The bureau first said there was a law that required them to report the outdoor places to local governments - although for census purposes only. Later, they reported that this law did not apply, and the locations woul d be kept private. Gleason says that the National Coalition is now "relunctantly suggesting participa­ tion" and cooperation with the census, but she urges great caution. Nikadoh stresses that no outdoor locations in the Cincinnati area will be reported to local authorities. Title XIII of the U.S. Code is the nation's strictest privacy law and protects the census bureau's information. In the past the FBI, IRS, INS, and other groups have sued the census department to get information but have never succeeded. Donald \Vhitehead, former director of the the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, says that in his experience, authorities in Cincin­ nati already k~ow where these outdoor locations are and reporting them to census officials probably wouldn't negatively affect the homeless popula­ tion. His only concern is iflocal officials obtained information about abandoned buildings in which the homeles s live. These are the only places where he thinks action might be taken against the homeless. household presently reside in, or will be moving into Laurel Homes, you should know char it is a Zero Tolerance area. Residents are advised of the following requirements, which pertain to all m embers of their househ old and their guescs. ln addition co sp ecific requirements ofthe CMHA lease and other policies, the followin g requirements and provisions are required in order for CMHA to prevent the destruccion of ics property and to preserve the rights of all residents co reside in dean, safe and affordable housing." The following is a sample ofthe regulations we find especially characteristic ofthe dehumanizing structure ofCincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (our own paraphrases included) OUTSIDE AREAS: Preventing che destruction of CMHA Property. (Thar's a good one!) I �ST REE TV I BES - The Tri-State's Homeless G~apevine STREETVIBES The Tri-S t ate's ...by Donald Whitehead First ofall I would like to offer my apologizes to the loyal Srreervibes readers who sometimes read th~ Traveler column. I must apologize to you for my absences from last months Streervibes. As many ofyou may know I have resigned as the director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the homeless. In January I took a position as Program Recruiter at Goodwill Industries. One of the first differences had to confront was, I no longer had a floating deadline for my column. I had to have my column in at the same time everybody else did (life just isn't fair sometimes). I wanted to share with you my reasons for The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t~e Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through .coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. Sta ff Co-Director Co-Director Streetvibes Editor Assistant Editor Editorial Intern Vendor Support Homeless Civil Rights Tenant Organizing Warren Perkins, Melissa Samhan, Rapid Exit Program .Gina Miller and Susan Knight, Tom Billman, John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter, Writ ers Donald Whitehead Drew Miller John Halpin Tom Billman Lynn Williams Tyrone Smith Melissa Samhan Ryan Mo Better Azariah Israel Alanna Maloney Dutch Dalton Sarah Gallant Jess Ballew Sonny Williams Rodney Sutton Lashanda Damien Minor Aaron Pitchford Carla Pitsinger Graphics Photographs by Sonny Williams, Berta Lambert, Lemuel Isreal Streetvib es accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graph­ ics, photos.... We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greate r Ci n cin n ati Coa litio n for the Homeless 1 506 Elm Street · Cincinnati, OH 4521 O (S 13) 421-7803 fax ( S 1 3) 4 21 -7 81 3; e-mail: streetvibes@juno . co m (text-only) or homecoal@p r i m ax . net ( attached files) web page: http: //cinci.co m / gcch _ THE TRAVELER Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless social . . ' Justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month, 1 2 issues a year, by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t he Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover printing costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a St reetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low­ income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibesvendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes vendor badge. Page 2 through gainful livable wage employment. While advocates continue co advocate for the development ofsafe sanitary, affordable housing. I feel that in the interim we must make existing housing affordable. Workforce development is a key component for those seeking relief from ever shrinking available resources for those at or below poverty levels in the United States. The other reason for my move was the need to live up to my growing responsibilities as a family man. Five years ago I was a single man with very little understanding of responsibility or commitmenc. Today I am a full time dad, husband and basketball coach. My responsibilities have required me to look at the long-term. I would like to be able to help my children gee through college or whatever else they desire. While finances were not the o~ly reason I would be dishonest ifl said they did not effect my decision. One other factor that may be hard for some to understand burns within us all. It is sometimes hard to have a desire to improve one's self and not appear superficial or materialistic. It is impossible to predict the leaving the coalition. I have outcome ofour decisions or the direction chosen to travel down a new road for a couple those decisions will move us into. One can ofreasons. I hope that this column will help only hope that the path we choose turns our others to avoid the mistakes that caused me to to ultimately be the right path. have to change career paths. After five rewarding and eventful years at the Greater I have the upmost confidence in chose who Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I are still working at Coalition. Gina Miller, found myself face to face with an old nemesis. Susan Knight, Ron Carter, Tom Billman, All throughout my life I have found that the Warren Perkins and Pat are some of the most biggest barrier for me as a person is capable people I have ever met. I have also complacency. In order to remain effective I heard good things about John Halpin and need to be constantly challenged. While Melissa Samhan the two newest staff many challenges remain, the staff at the members. Bottom line is the Coalition is in coalition was is so talented very rarely did very good hands. The confidence in the staff those challenges reach me. When I started at made my decision a lot easier. I hope that I the coalition all ofmy work was about one on am able to link Goodwill industries and its one contact with individuals or groups. In considerable resources with the homeless others words I was what is commonly referred population. I am thoroughly convinced that to as a people person. I enjoy being a people the people at Goodwill have the mission and person. I feel proud of the programs that values I have come to identify with from the were developed during my tenure as coalition other members of the coalition. Thus far it director. I am even prouder ofsome of the looks like the path that I took when I came to people that have been assisted in their 1 the fork in the road was the right path. development, myself included. HappyTrails. Much of the work that my job evolved into was working on systemic changes that could ·f ;p;F('. end homeless in the near future; I also enjoyed this aspect of my work tremendously. Streetvibes exists as a forum for Since my work with the National Coalition the expression of the views and for the Homeless will continue, I am in the opinions of our readers and ~nvious positi?n of having my cake and eating supporters. The opinions it too, I can sull work to address che big expressed herein are not picture issues that will hopefully result in necessarily those of the systemic changes. At the same time I get co Streetvibes staff or the return to my roots as a people person. As a Program Recruiter for Goodwill I have a chance to really positively effect many people Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 Homelessness in AmeriCa: Why are the number$ increasing? increasing poverty, and welfare reform , among othe.r: r.easoos, Oftentimes, people. deal.ing. w~th things such as mental illness, addiction, or domestic violence are the first to fall victim to the structural shortcomings of our society and through the cracks into homelessness. In order for us te. solve the problem of homelessness we must address the structural problems in our society that allow homelessness to occur in such large numbers. What are these structural problems? Homelessness has been an increasing ~ probrem in the United States during the past twenty years. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about the causes of homelessness. Many people believe that an individual becomes homeless simply because of personal problems, such as mental illness or addiction. While these may be contributing factors, it is structural flaws existing in our society that truly make homelessness possible. HOW MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE THERE? Conducting an accurate count of the homeless population is nearly impossible. Various different organizations have attempted to count the homeless and have found very different numbers. Because there is no standard agreed upon definition of what · homelessness is, each study uses a different definition and has different results. Even with a standard definition, it would be impossible to count everyone -the homeless are too hard to find. The lowest count of the past twenty years was by the Department of Housing and Urban ·Development in a one-day 1984 study. They found 250,000-350,000 people to be homeless. In 1987, the Urban League counted 500,000-600,000. A federal study in 1994 estimated that seven million people were homeless between 1985 and 1990, not including three million families who were waiting for Section 8 vouchers or public housing. A follow-up to this federal report found that 12 million people have been homeless at some point in their lives. A National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty 1999 report estimated over 700,000 people a night and two million per year experienced homelessness. In any event, homelessness is increasing. The National Coalition for the Homeless reviewed research conducted in eleven communities and four states and found that shelter capacity doubled in nine of the communities and three of the states and tripled in two of communities and two of the states. The reasons for the dramatic increase in homelessness are many. Structural problems in society should receive much of the blame - the lack of affordable housing, -- INCREASES IN POVERTY The economy may be booming but the benefits of this phenomenon have been concentrated among the rich . The lower­ income population is actually worse off now than they were thirty years ago. Between 1970 and 1988 the number of poor people grew from 25.4 million to 31.9 million, an increase of 26%. In 1997 the Census Bureau reported 35.6 million people were living in poverty. Forty-one percent of these 35. 6 million people have incomes that are less than half of the poverty level. · Why the increase in poverty? First, just as the baby boomers were coming of age and flooding the job market in the 1970's and 80's, de-industrialization was at full swing, leaving people with no work or with low paying, non­ unionized service-sector jobs. Today, an increasing number of these jobs are temporary or part-time. · The value of the minimum wage has fallen drastically. In 1997, the real value of the minimum wage was just 18.1 % of what it was in 1979. Currently, in the median state, a person would have to work 87 hours a week at the minimum wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment at 30% of her or his income. Paying thirty percent of one's income on housing is what the federal government has defined as affordable housing. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that job growth outlook is not promising, either. Forty-six percent of jobs with the most growth between 1994 and 2005 will earn less .. - ·­ (ilCiii :Pio,GGv f>eYye"cii. Savemy-rour percent of these jobs will pay families below a livable wage ($32,185 for a family of four). -- ~ See CMHA, PAGE 3 1) No one is permitted to walk or play o~ grass or landscaped areas. (Any non-military-like behavior is strictlyforbidden! Flowers must never be touched or smelled! Walking on the grass with barefeet borders on anarchy and will not be tolerated.) 2) All furniture must be removed from concrete or blacktop areas after use. CMHA will dispose of any items offurniture, grills, swimming pools, etc. which are found anywhere on the grounds (Hang on to your possessiomfar dear life! Don't trust anyone!) 3) Adults, teenagers, and/or children are not permitted to loiter anywhere within the area. ( Don't stop and smell the roses, heaven forbid! And by no meam attempt to fraternize with your neighbors!) I Only CMHA approved signs are permitted. All others will be immediately be removed. I ' ' ..• ... "'• • • • • •• ,,.• • • .. • ...: ..: ... : . : . : ...: _.- ...: . : ...: . : ... - _ ; ;..: _.- .... - ...- ...- , - ~·- _..- ...- ; Y'- _.; J- . - .- - THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING Advocates for the homeless often cite the lack of affordable housing as the number one cause of homelessness in the United States and this may very well be true. During the past twenty years, the number of affordable housing units has plummeted while the demand for these units has skyrocketed.' In the 1980's it became less profitable for private landlords to create affordable housing. At the same time the federal government was making cuts in public housing. Combined with a decline in first-time home-buyers (these people were continuing to rent), the market was flooded and rents went up. From 1973 to 1993 2.2 million low-rent units were lost because of rising rents, abandonment, .or gentrification. In the four­ year period of 1991-1995 alone, median rental costs went up 21%. By 1995 there was a 4.4 million-unit shortage of affordable housing. Housing aid to low-income individuals and families actually increased during the 1980's, but the demand for housing was so great that two-thirds of low-incomP. renters still received no subsidies. The situation is the same today. In 199~ HUD reported that the wait (PLEASE SEE HOMELESSNESS, PAGE 4) CMHA, continued from Page 1 4) - THE DECLINING VALUE OF PUBLIC ASSlSTAN.CE PROGRAMS One of the reasons that poverty has increased is that public assistance programs have either been eliminated or their value has sharply declined. Between 1970 and 1994, the value of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits fell forty-seven percent when adjusted for inflation. The current Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF) that replaced AFDC after the 1996 Welfare Reform is no better. Combining benefits with food stamps, families Who receive TANF still fall below the poverty line in every state. General Assistance programs that provided aid to single adults have been eliminated in many states, including Ohio, despite the fact that studies have shown that General Assistance benefits reduce homelessness. ,. ~! ,. (Only government-sponsored events may be advertised!) INSIDE AREAS (Hallways and apartments) Preventing the destruction of CMHA Property. 1) Loitering or playing in hallways is not . permitted at any time (Anyone caught talking with their neighbor will be subject to punitive measures!) 2) ihe use of any illegal drugs of any type, on or off CMHA property is not permitted. 3) Engaging in any type of criminal activity, on or off CMHA property is not permitted. (The previous two regulatiom, while we understand the intended purpose, actually repres~t a kind ofdouble jeopardy and an unnecessary invasion ofprivacy. Ifsomeonegets in a fight somewhere across town and is citedfar, sa_)4 disturbing the peace, this means they can be permanently kicked out ofpublic housing. If someone happens to go to a party across town and takes one hit offa joint, they can be kicked out of public housing. · [ This would make President Clinton ineligiblefar residence in public housing.}) How ca,n you have cqmmunity when you have no say in how·your community operates? The principle oflocal control is extremely important ' in assuring that people are invested enough in their communities to make them safe' . comfortable, enjoyable places to live. It is time that CMHA understood this. �ST REETV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine HOMELESSNESS (Continued from page 3) for public housing increased by 50%, from 22 months in 1996 to 33 months in 1998. The wait for a Section 8 rental assistance voucher was 28 months in 1998. People who must wait for housing are forced to live doubled-up with relatives, in substandard housing, in shelters, or on the street. An important source of housing for single adults in the past was single room occupancy units. These SRO's were regarded as last resort housing for thos·e who had no other place to turn, especially the mentally ill or substance abusers. During the 1970's and 1980's most cities lost over half of their SRO units, most to urban renewal projects aimed at revitalizing downtown areas. Chicago lost all of its SRO units. Once this "last resort" housing was gone, the population that depended on them became homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that federal housing policy actually benefits the rich more than the poor. . "...it should be noted that the largest federal housing assistance program is the entitlement· to deduct mortgage interest from income for tax purposes. In fact, for every one dollar spent on low income housing programs, the federal treasury loses four dollars to housing­ related tax expenditures, 75% of which benefit households in the top fifth of income distribution (Dolbeare, 1996). Moreover, in 1994, the top fifth of households received 61% of all federal housing benefits (tax and direct), while the bottom fifth received only 18%. . Thus, federal housing policy has not responded to the needs of low-income households, while disproportionately benefiting the wealthiest Americans." These are just a few of the major reasons why homelessness exists in our society. It is crucial that we address these issues if we are to find permanent solutions to this senseless tragedy. A livable wage, support and funding for the development of affordable housing, a moratorium on the demolition of public housing, and effective and compassionate welfare laws are all necessary, among other things. Most importantly, perhaps, the public and our elected officials ~u-~; !earn the f~cts cf ~c :r~!e$snE?ss. Continued misconceptions about the magnitude and reasons for poverty and homelessness in our country will only make the problem worse. Educating the public about the facts of homelessness must be the first step in working towards solutions. • • • Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions can be purchased for $15 per year. (But if you~d like to give more, that's okay, too!) Just send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month Streetvibes, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless If you have any questions, call 421-7803. If you have subscribed, but are not receiving your Streetvibes, Please let us know. Our dog (Streetvibes computer) ate some addresses during a recent crash . EDITORIAL: Presidential Election 2000: Where's the democracy? .....by Jess Ballew For the last three hours I've been surfing the Net, desperately seeking information about the presidential candidates and their positions on important issues. I checked the Associated Press-nothing. The Washington Post-nothing but rhetoric. How do we make informed decisions-without any information? I've been surfing the Internet for two days, desperately seeking the least biased information on the presidential candidates and their platforms. First I tried the "official" websites. That's a joke. All I found out is that Michael Jordan endorses Bill Bradley. Good to know, since we all respect Michael Jordan's political wisdom, right? Then I tried the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and the League of Women Voters. Nada. At least the League of Women Voters had a connection to a "Democracy Network," where persons such as myself can customize an "issues grid," choosing which candidates and wh ich issues I want to learn about. Too bad most of the responses are "No Comment." Want to know how the major candidates stand on welfare? Only Alan Keyes is willing to respond. What abou affirmative action? Only Keyes and John Hagelin take a stance. And how many of you have even heard of these candidates? Probably not many, because they are not the major names in the election. And there is a reason for that. The major names-George W. Bush, Al Gore, John McCain and _Bill Bradley- are "major" because they refuse to take stands on many major issues, thus appeasing the maximum amount of reg istered voters. This Democracy Network has thirty-seven issues from which to choose; Al Gore only responded to thirteen . Bush is even worse , making official statements on only nine of the thirty-seven issues. No wonder those two are so popular-it's difficult to disagree with them if you don't even know their positions. Not only do we have the right to vote, we have the responsibility to vote. We have no right to complain about the state of our government if we do not exercise the power we do have, however small. But how do we choose a candidate who best suits our beliefs when their beliefs have yet to be revealed? Page 4 The ATD Fourth World Movement by Gerald Bitoun SHARE INTERNATIONAL, FRANCE A report on homelessness and poverty in France and the organization which, for 40 years, has sought to keep this human crisis before the eyes and ears ofgovernment. ATD Fourth World Movem~nt (Aide a Toute Detresse - literally: "Help in all distress'J began in France in 1957, in the muddy Noisy­ .le-Grand Camp - one-of many shanty towns ly­ ing in the eastern suburbs of Paris. There, Fa­ ther Joseph Wresinski (1917-1988) took over the torch from another exceptional priest, Abbe Pierre, who had founded this shelter for home­ less people in 1955. Hundreds offamilies pack into the camp, trying to survive, a day at a time, in tents, strug­ gling against the extreme cold and mud of winter and the summer heat, battling against hunger and illness, confined by fear and the obvious in­ difference ofthe public authorities. Added to this is the physical confrontation with the police, psy­ chological trauma, and the endemic ignorance shared by the ministry of housing, the general public, as well as charitable organizations. ATD says: "Misery is worse than pov­ erty. It cannot be relieved, we can only try to put an end to it. One must fight it as an evil, the su­ preme injustice, because this misery destroys all harmony and allows no hope of improvement." ATD volunteers settle in the camp and from the start they participate in initiatives set up by the homeless people themselves, considering them true partners, thinking in terms of rights and duties rather than assistance. With few resources, this handful of vol­ unteers endeavours to break a system which keeps the 'excluded' (Les exclus - a French term which neatly covers homelessness, marginalization, and all attendant woes) in a kind ofpolitical and economic coma, turning them into a downtrodden class. ATD has to deal with prob­ lems on all fronts at the same time: cultural, reli­ gious, social, and occupational. ATD realizes that the poorest often know n:1~ ::>"'!n!h!=>r :'::i"!!'t:> nr111e>rlv i.c; :'? r.!OSAd r.ircfe iust -••V "'41 • - •••V• 1 .,..•••...,._f"_ .. _. .... J.- - -·.. _..:; ,. .F -­ like that of the very rich and privileged. Poverty is also environmental with the corresponding transmission of values, knowledge and legacy which refutes all the cliches about isolation among the poor. In this battle for freedom of speech and independence, A TD is setting up what will be called 'People's Universities' to help people be­ come aware of their dignity and power, of their "inalienable right to act freely for their own and other people's good". As meeting places, the People's Universities offer the opportunity of a positive confrontation between the world of ex­ treme poverty and the world of scientific re­ search, through an exchange of ideas and a sharing of knowledge. Among the excluded, the thirst for life and emancipation is great in spite of their fear of the system. ATD is working to heal the wounds and to knock down the walls. But the change is slow on both sides. One morning, the men and women of the shanty towns (and their children, if the parents have not been de­ prived of their right to raise them) are turned out of their homes; after a while their shelters ­ supposedly temporary, but which they have been living in for years - are razed by bulldoz­ ers. Some set off again just roaming around, giving up, which often leads to a dead end and tragedy. Others will finish up in an HLM (block ofcouncil flats), the 'reservations' of mod­ �. . .. . .. STREETV_IBES . __ . .. The Tri-State's,. Homeless . . . . em times. More sizeable than the sinister "emergency areas", the tower blocks hide the truth of rootlessness and a lack of a group structure: the homeless are now excluded on two fronts. All his life, Joseph Wresinski tried to ex­ pose the hypocrisy ofthe system: "The question is not what powers to allow the poor but rather: are we ready to let them have all the powers? From then on a change of civilization becomes possible. If the poor don't become true participating members they will never get any­ where. To be heard, one must be met. On the contrary, our system is based precisely on the avoidance of meeting with the poor. The encounter will happen only when the poor are able to escape confinement and appear in front of us as equals." The present system exists by hiding the true extent of the problem. The policy of the French Government remains unchanged: small patched-up solutions or spectacular selective face-lifts, without real will or vision for the future. There is a reluctance to see the human side of the problem behind the statis­ tics, to consider the wider issues, which would force the government to take new, radi­ cal steps. ATD is now an international organiza­ tion sustained by tens of thousands of sympa­ thizers and thousands of volunteers helping to promote long-term action such as emergency rescue plans. The movement created in a waste­ land under the impulse of a single man 40 years ago has become an essential partner to govern­ ment housing policies. ATD also has a consulta­ tive status within NGOs, the United Nations, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), /LO (International Labour Organization), and other agencies. However, the spectre of misery contin­ ues to haunt the outskirts of our towns and per­ sists due to the lack of a real egalitarian political will. The members of ATD endeavour to bring solutions to the most elementary, the most do"Yn­ to-earth problems which the homeless face. Is­ sues such as schooling for children and adult literacy (a sine qua non to get out of the rut) stagnate, not through lack ofstructures or inad­ equate resources, but because extreme poverty is a vicious circle. Yesterday the poor queued impatiently with their buckets waiting to take water from the commu­ nal fountain; today, they knock on our doors and claim a share ofprivileges......... . We are not speaking about the Devel­ oping World.but about a rich country - France ­ which, with its colleagues from the G7, exploits and handles a majorpart of the world's wealth. "The world of the poor is endowed with all creative possibilities along with the potential for defeatism and self-destruction. It is a universe crossed by an almost imperceptible boundary line. On this side of the line, the human being braces himself against adversity, clinging to the society and culture ofwhich he is an under~privi­ leged member; on the other side, the world is turned upside down; he gives up and surrenders. Beaten, he becomes the instrument of his own destitution, leading to misery." For ATD Fourth World and others who have turned their back on dependency - there is at present no adequate way ofdealing with misery and poverty as by-products of our civilization. They are a cancer we have to ex­ plore and cure with as much energy as we dedicate to fighting those diseases which seem to affect only our body, though they are the manifestation of a deeper and earlier imbal­ ance. "Misery is man-made and only man can destroy it." ~ ,• Grapevin~ . Page­ - ~ INTERNATIONAL NEWS 86 Arrested in Protest of Economic Sanctions Against Iraq 86 protesters from across the United States and Canada were arrested at the US Mission to the UN, on Monday, February 141h, at 12:00 p.m. Their non­ violent resistance was confronting the US/ UN Security Council sanctions against Iraq. Among those arrested were Kathy Kelly, Chicago, co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness; and Reverend John Dear, executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. A broad spectrum of human rights groups were represented in both the nonviolent resistance action and the legal demonstration. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Pax Christi USA, the American Friends Service Committee and the Fellowsh ip of Reconciliation , have all taken official stands against the sanctions. Leaders form every major religion in the US have also condemned the sanctions. In August 1999 UNICEF used the infant mortality rate from before the · sanctions to estimate that 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of five have died due to the effects of sanc~ions . 'They die from dysentery, typhus, cholera - and other epidemics of water-borne diseases which were created when the US bombed the civilian infrastructure of Iraq during the Gulf War. "The sanctions prevent infrastructure repair and maintenance." Noted Raed Battah from Kentucky, who recently traveled with Voices in the Wilderness to Iraq, in open and public violation of the sanctions. The protesters echo the concerns of the UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator in Iraq, Mr. Hans von Sponeck, who has now asked to be relieved of his duties. Von Sponeck was not available for comment. Diplomats, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said Von Sponeck will be leaving because of the difficulties entailed with implementing the U.N. trade sanctions, initially imposed to force Iraqi withdraw from Kuwait. The sanctions have crippled the Iraqi economy, leaving ordinary Iraqis struggling to feed and clothe themselves. Von Sponeck wanted the Security Council to separate Iraq's humanitarian needs from its disarmament. His outspoken remarks drew sharp criticism from both the United States and Britain, the main proponents of sanctions on Iraq. Von Sponeck was also critical of the U.N. approved Oil for Food program. Von Sponeck's predecessor, Denis Halliday of Ireland, resigned in 1998, saying he did not want to be associated with the adverse impact of U.N. trade sanctions on ordinary Iraqis. Halliday stated, "We are destroying an entire society. It is as simple and terrifying as that." graphic courtesy of WordArt (www. windchime. walker. net/wordart. html) �ST REE TV I BE 5 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 WORD ON THE STREET We Need YouT CTeativity! Send your poetry, writings or artWork to Streetvibes, do GCCH (Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless), 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati 45210 Phone - 513-421­ 7803, E-mail (text): to st:reetvibes@juno.com, E-mail (attached files, graphics): to homecoal@primax.net So after getting off the helicopter (who wrires this stuff) and after a Hard Day's Work I saw the Rahbit on the Couch and Chow-Chow, the android cat who was put on the Muhammad Ali Potato Chips with the orange background and Oscar Von Steuben played by Ron Carter. He said its velly nice and its Riceland and he put Cymbals on their heads and hit them with a Golf Pencil (and Ron! How am I doing) Well Any way their brain got transferred and the rabbit gave Chow­ Chow some liquid LSD and they plotted against me and Good night! ......... .Aaron Pitchford WHAT IS IT G od. By Lashanda Fools in Love Why do fools fall in love A foo l falls in love with someone who doesn't care about them A fool fal ls in love with someone who doesn't feel the same for them A fool falls in love with so meone who's in love with someone else A fool falls in love with some9ne who doesn't care, doesn't feel, or is in love "' ich someon1. else because there is ~omcchrng in chei1 heart telling them Lhat person is the one and only person for lhcm. That's why fools full iu love! Sunday As You Walk a steady path Over snow and ice In church shoes And carrying a bible I am sure That I love You. .......Drew Miller Making a replaceable cardboard box into the one and only pri- · For Each and Every One ofYou FREEDOM? America the beautiful Land of the free Sure is · Just ask Malcom X Or Martin Luther King, Jr. Oh ~ait, you can't, Maybe you should go to Philly And ask Mumia Abu-Jamal What freedom is. Maybe you should go to the strawberry fields in California And ask the migrant worker Who makes fifty dollars a month what freedom and the American dream are all about. G o down to Hollywood Blvd . and ask the junked-up h ooker with HN about her slice of apple pie. Or better yet ask the si.x year old boy growing up in the projects with a crackwhore for a mother and some cockro.lches for he.st friends What good ol' Abe Lincoln smod for. He'll tell you in a second: ...... By Dttmien Min01; Drop Inn Center ...... Azariah Israel You may be bi-polar And shouting To the heavens But I have found My quiet answers With you And they are my reasons .F or walking A steady path Behind you. What is this disease that makes us repeat a cycle that will never end When will we look this D emon in the eyes and say I won't allow you to continue to concrol m e anymore What is it that can help us beautiful people and beautiful things You become beautiful. Woe unto them that see evil as good and good as evil. They will receive their just reward.. I can not Be left behind. What is this demon that is breaking us down What is chis plague that makes us loose hope Why must we allow this thing to win When will we get up and say enough is enough and change If you surround yourself around Freedom? ... .. ...Melissa Samhan Be who you are and will be. Learn to cherish that boisterous angel that drives you up one day and down another protecting the place where your power rises running like hot blood from the same source as your pain. When you are hungry learn to eat whatever sustains you until mourning but do not be misled by details simply because you believe them. Do not let your head deny your hands any memory ofwhat passes thro.ugh them nor your eyes or your heart as everything can be used except what is wasted. Even when they are dangerous, examine the heart of those machines which you hate before you discard them, but do not mourn the lack of their power lest you be condemned to relive them. If you do not learn to hate, you'll never be lonely enough to love easily nor will you always be brave, although it does no t grow any easier and do not pretend to co nvenient beliefs even when they are righteous while you will never be able to defend your ciry while sho uring. Remember our sun isn't the most noreworthy st.u, only the nearest. Respecc whatever pain you bi ing back from your dreams. but do noc look for ne"' gods in rhe sea nor in any pan~ ot :i ratnbow. Each cime you love, love so deeply ~ if it were forever, only noching is eternal but life itself. .......By Ryan Mo Better �STREETVIBES The .Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 INTERFACE Impersonality can be a somewhat distant place from which to see; seemingly unemotional and decidedly detached in search of objectivity, not particularly desirable traits nor resonating in the internal spaces of those much more personal and subjectively inclined to experience themselves as the centers of their own universe. Interfacing as antagonists first, these polarized aspects of the very same whole remain firmly planted in their own ground, desperately clinging to all that has both dignified and defiled the past because the future is unknown, denying th~ relativity of each other truths unto themselves, thus unable to grow. Fighting against cold: cold weat her., cold responses from -the aovernm·eots and cohf looks photo: ShUtl·fohi Oshima Turned To Stone Like an alien carrying a plastic bag of belongings she stood new wave bag lay-hatted silent smoking cigarettes One pursues, the other dodges or runs; one demands, the other caves or won't give in, But neither listens, nor do they hear, resistant to becoming self and other aware, Driven instead to protect the inherent imbalances they embody out of fear; Fear of losing individuality inside of another's reality, Or fear of never even existing without another to mirror their own worth. Thus have gone many cycles of becoming here on earth that will continue to unfold ; the quest for the Holy Grail A bejeweled and golden cup in metaphor only, but essential and symbolic nonetheless of on the corner bus waiting squirrel watching bird feeding a crumb or two in erratic motion feeling uncomfortable with eyes cast down she sat awhile after miles of travelling inside and out Inner Journeys, Outer Manifestations Progressions, Limitations Giving and Receiving Sharing Quantum Leaping Daring Acceptance Humanity WHOLE ........Sarah Gallant rocking, self numbing so tired a laugh here, a snicker there METAMORPHOSIS cold stares, open hostility shame rushed through her body on the corner. CRAZED COCOON ENCUMBERED. EMBRYO SILKEN T HREADS CHOKING CATERPILLAR ASLEEP TOO LONG DREAMING ON IN FORCED EXILE INCUBUS INCARNATE CIRCUMSPECT CYCLES VAGUE INTELLECT PAIN AND ISOLATION QUIET INTROSPECT~ON COMES A DISTANT CALLING HOME BUTT ERFLY AWAY .......Sarah Gallant Sarah Gallant blushing cheeks to burning crimson beating her limited image down, down further down erupting deep volcanos overflowing covering her in a river of lava molding a stony statue gripping a plastic bag of belongings THE SECRET LIFE OF BUBBLES "This satisfies my urgent need for solitude, I thought to myself as I sat quietly on a tree stump deep in the forest. The scents of pine and honeysuckle hung delightfully heavy in the air. Treetops bowed to some invisible entity as the wind whistled past soundi.ng notes I faintly recognized. I watched and listened , mesmerized. So deep was the connection I felt to earth and heaven, both seemed to merge in iridescent hues, swirling spiraling designs that melted with the remnants of long forgotten dreams. All motion ceased and a bridge now stood befo re me with a sign pointing that read 'To The Future'. Millions of bubbles whose origin I could not determine floated around the bridge, then moving out, dancing on the breeze. Extending my arm with open had, a delicately formed sphere came to rest on my pal. It seemed to breathe, then to vibrate, and bursting open, a tiny fairy appeared. "Who are you?" I questioned her, surprised. "I am", she replied, "Does it matter who? Isn't the fact that I am enough for you?" "Well... um" I stammered, at a loss for words. "Follow me" she said with dainty wings drumming the air. And so I followed that captivating creature, so bold and yet so small; that tiny fantasy, or was she, (real or the makings of a broken mind or an overactive imagination?), across the bridge to the other side. What lie beyond the bridge, much rn my dismay, was a vast, vast space filled with unidentifiable shapeshifting forms in spectra grey; nothing at all like the glorious colors and designs I had seen just 1/4 mile behind. "So this is it?", I thought. "interesting no doubt, but so drab, so vague, and certainly not what I had en\fisioned". And that tiny little being who somehow know, said as she handed me a rainbow colors palette and paintbrush with crystal handle: "Paint the day, I bave uncovered the Way, the rest is up to you!" She then quickly withdrew inro a circle of vibrant light, scattering fairy dust before its radi us diminished and disappeared from sight. I was again aware of the tree stump, the honeysuckle, and the pine. "How long · have I been sitting here?" I thought aloud, "It must be way past early afternoon". Feeling sorne·thing in my pocket, I reached inside, pulling out a paintbrush with a finely faceted crystal handle. I held it up in front of me, enchanted as the setti ng sun's rays became refracted beams splayed into exquisite patterns at my feet. The ligh t then consolidated, forming an arrow directing my gaze toward the sky, where I caught a glimpse of a bubble, a delicately formed sphere, floating up .. up ....., and watched with my entire being until it faded from view. .. ......Sarah Gallant �ST REETV I BES Prison The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page B News Justice for W.J.M. Campaign Phone (513) 76 1-5452, 281-2256 We the family and friends ofW illiam Jonathan Mayo encourage you to lend an ear and perhaps even your hearts to this tragic yet true account of an attempt to des~roy this young, aspiring black _ man's life. IN MEMORY of Timothy "Little Rock" Reed. On January 14, 2000, my friend and brother died as a result of injuries sus­ tained in an automobile accident in Albu­ querque, New Mexico. Little Rock was best know for his tireless fight on behalf of his imprisoned native American brothers and sisters. He spoke out on national TV while on parole against the injustices occurring at the Southern Ohio Carree­ tional Facility (SOCF in Lucasville, Ohio during the 11-day Easter uprising by the prisoners, resulting in his having to go underground or having his parole violated and returned to SOCF. Little Rock successfully fought extradition, with Federal Judge Peggy Nelson granting himpoli!ical asylum, saying he was a refugee of injustice by Ohio parole officials and would likely face a death sentence at the hands of Ohio prison-crats if returned to Ohio. Rock was the author of the book "The American Indian In the White Man's Prison: A Story of Genocide", as well as countless articles and interviews he gave, educating the public of the plight of those of us in these cages of repression. One of the greatest joys in Little Rock's life was his 2-year old son Jasper Cole, who survives him with his mother Leanna Brownlee. May you walk in paradise, my brother, watching over us and all your people who you tirelessly fought for. We will meet again one day and that thought helps give me strength. Your Spirit remains, John Perotti William Jonathan Mayo, is a native C incinnatian. He attended Roger Bacon High School, graduating in 1984. Very determined to ·make his life better, he decided to further his education. He first attended Central State University and then transferred ro Morehouse C<?llege in Atlanta, Georgia. He majored in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. William was ve1y proud to have had the opportunity ro attend such a prestigious college. He worked ro put himself through college as a plain-clothes store detective and as a model for magazines in Deuoit and Chicago. ­ While at Morehouse, William had several dreams. The most important to him was being pare of the Mentoring Program. This was a program designed by college students to help less fortunate children and teens get to college and improve their lives. In 1990, while living in Chicago, William met two underprivileged teenage men. Ir was William's belief that he could help make a difference in their lives by becoming their mentor. In November of 1991 , Wi1liam drove the two young men from Chicago to Atlanta for the Morehouse College Homecoming weekend. It was William's hope that (he visic would demonstrate to the young men just what college life was like and co encourage chem to seek a better life than what they were living in Chicago. They arrived in Atlanta on November · 3, 1991, making several stops on campus and around the city. That evening, around 7: 15 ­ 7:30, William made a stop that would forever change his li~e. William stopped to retrieve some clothing and personal items from a friend who had stored them for him until he could pick them up. The two young me n accompanying William decided to remain in the car while W illiam picked up his belongings. During the time William was as his friend's house these young men decided to commit a despicable crime. They burglarized and robbed a home that was two doors away from the house were William was. They terrorized a middle-aged biracial couple fo r what had to seem like hours to them, but in actuality was about 10-20 minutes. They stole small items from the couple and tied them up with telephone cord. They were able to get back to the car just as William was returning with his belongings. William drove away without any knowledge chat anything had taken place; The car was pulled over upon entry onto the interstate by police men with their guns drawn. William and. the two young men were arreste~, taken into custody and charged with burglary, robbery and assault. William was the only one granted bond which enabled him co return home to Cincinnati to await his trial date. On April 3, ~992, after a week-long trial , at which he was represented by a state appointed attorney, William Jonathan Mayo was found guilty of five counts: ONE BURGLARY CHARGE, TWO ARMED ROBBERY CHARGES AND TWO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT CHARGES. Earlier in the trial the two young men pied guilty for a lesser sem ence and implicated W illiam as the mastermind behind the crime. W illiam J. Mayo was sentenced co two life sentences for armed robbery, two 20 year sentences for the aggravated assault charges, and 20 years probation for the burglary charge; all to run concurrently with each other. William maintained his innocence then and does so roday. During William's trial letters were submitted from college administrators, employers ~d ministers a(testing to his good character. There were no injuries or deaths and William had no previous police record or contact with authorities. The type of sentence William received is clearly outrageous and a clear sign of racism aimed at a young, educated, black male. This type ofsentence was meant to destroy William's life! New counsel was hired and appeals were filed. In September 1993, in a hearing for an extraordinary motion for a new trial, the two young men came forward of their own accord and admitted that "William had nothing to do with the crime, nor was he aware ofwhat they had done until their arrest; William Mayo is innocent"! Much to everyone's surprise in the courtroom, the same judge in Cobb County, Georgia who had·previously sentenced William, denied his motion for :i. new trial. If William had been granted a new trial based on the testimony of the two young men who had committed the crime, he would have been · relieved of the charges, his conviction would have been overturned, and today W illiam would be a free man. In December 1995, a State Habeas Corpus Evidenriary Hearing was conducted and several witnesses testified again. T he two young men ·testified again under oath in court for a second time. They swore that they lied about William's involvement in the crime that they committed. They made a pu~lic apology to William and his family for the pain and suffering they had caused. In spite ofall the evidence clearing William, the Judge in south Georgia refused to �STREETVIBES release William or even grant him a new trial. William is now thirty-two years old and has been incarcerated in'maximum security · prisons in Georgia for over 7 years. He has been in different prisons and is currently in Phillips State Prison in Buford, Georgia. He has waited patiently for J USTICE to prevail, however the Georgia courts have tried to hide the facts in this case. It was revealed that W illiam's prior four attorneys rendered ineffective representation by their own admission which is documented on transcript. W illiam, his family and supporters h ave finally obtained counsel who realizes the injustices W illiam has suffered and they are presently working very hard to o;erturn his conv1cuon. William's family and friends h ave organized the Justice for WJ.M. Campaign. Mose of the supporters are in Cincinnati bur also in Detroit and Atlanta. We are seeking supporters where ever they may be found. If you believe in justice, YOU are the person we need. William's case bas now been filed in the Northern District Federal Court, Atlanta, Georgia, as of May 22, 1998. H e needs your prayers and support. William wants his tragedy to be heard all over the United States so that no one else has to suffer the injustice he has. As ofJuly 2 1, 1999 the Magistrate C. Christopher Hagy gave his report and recommendation to deny W illiam's Habeas corpus action. As ofAugust 9, 1999, the case sits before the Federal Judge for final review and disposition. Along with the Attorney's reply to the state we were able to fi nally submit documentation that one of the State's key witnesses (William's would be alibi witness) not only testified falsely but also under a false name which the prosecutor knew or should have known at that time. This is only one of many grounds (Constitutional Violations) that Mr. Mayo has brought before the courts over the years. In the Magistrate's R&R report he stated that William had no proof of the above­ mentioned allegation. In August, 1999, through the work of a private investigator we were able to obtain proof ofsuch and h ave submitted it co the Federal Judge along with other grounds that we have had proof of for a long time. William only needs to be successful on one of these grounds in order to get a new trial. It seems that in spite of the truth that has been revealed, the State of Georgia is trying very hard co keep this from happening. If you believe in justice, and are willing co help in any way, please contact: Campaign Chairperson J ustice for WJ.M. Campaign, c/o Ms. Kimberly Todd 1581 Summit Road #53, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 (513) 761-5452 ******************* Mrs. Elaine Patterson (Mother) P.O. Box 29535, Cincinnati, OH 45229 (513) 281-2256 ********************* Please send letters of encouragement to Mr. William J. Mayo, E/F #296129 Phillips State Prison 2989 W Rockquarry Road, Buford, GA30519 The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page g MUMIA ABU-JAMAL: A CASE OF INJUSTICE "The law will never make men free; it is men who have got to make the law free." -Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience For those of y ou who are familiar with the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, I hope this article will give you an update on his plight. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his case, I hope this story opens your eyes to the kind of injustices that occur in American courtrooms everyday. Mumia Abu-Jamal joined the Black Panther Party in 1967, at the age of fifteen. He went on to a distinguished career as a journalist. Mumia was the president of the Association of Black Journalists.in Philadelphia. He was also known as the "voice of the voiceless" because of his advocacy for Philadelphi a's black community. Because of his outspokenness on issues of racism and police brutality he earned the wrath of the notoriously racist Mayor Rizzo and the Philadelphia police department. On December 9, 1981 Mumia AbuJamal was driving a taxj at night when he saw that his brother had been stopped by the police. starting February 22nd. In a recent study conducted by Law Professor David Baldus and colleagues at the University of Iowa the facts speak for themselves: -The odds of re~ei v ing the death sentence in Philadelphia are four times higher if the defendant is a person ofcolor. -More than 50% of the death sentences rendered in Pennsylvania are cases from Philadelphia, which comprises only 14% of Pennsylvania's population. -Of the 226 death row inmates in Pennsylvania, 126 are from Philadelphia and 82 % of those are people of color. -More than 90% of Pennsylvania's death row prisoners were too poor to afford a lawyer for their initial trial, and were left with whatever representation the state selected for them. -After sending an indi victual to death row, Pennsylvania provides no funds for post­ conviction legal defense, and instead, has appropriated $5 00 ,000 to the Attorney photo by Berta Lambert Free Mumia Rally in Philadelphia He got out of his car to make sure police were not violating his brother's civil rights. In General 's office to establish an execution the altercation that followed, Philadelphia police resource center to oppose capital appeals. officer Daniel Faulkner was shot and killed. -Governor Ridge has sig ned 132 death warrants in his first term in office. This When the police arrived they arrested Mumia Abu-Jamal , who had also been shot. This is more than four times the number of death resulted in the "trial" that even Amnesty warrants signed by all the previous governors International proclaims as unfair and biased. .of the last three decades combined. MumiaAbu-Jamal went to trial in 1982 -Since beginning his second term in for the murder of officer Faulkner. The trial was 1999, he has already ·signed 61 more death presided over by Judge Albert Sabo. Judge Sabo warrants!* is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police These facts alone should be enough to and was openly hostile to the defense. Sabo convince a person that the judiciary and legal refused to let Abu-Jamal represent himself and system in Pennsylvania has been less than fair prevented Mumia's court appointed attorney and unbiased. (who asked several times to be taken off the A Habeas Corpus petition filed by Abu­ case) from getting the money necessary to J amal 's lawyer's, Leomard Weinglass and Dan investigate and prepare a defense. Judge Sabo Williams, has proof of no les s than 29 has sent more people to death row than any other constitutional violations. Any one of these judge in the United States, most of them B lack violations should be enough to prove that Mumia and Latino. There is a higher portion of Black Abu-Jamal did not receive·afair trial. Six fonner people on death row from Philadelphia than Philadelphia prosecutors even swore in court from any other city. In fact, recent evidence documents that no accused defendant can shows that the death penalty is racially skewed receive a fair trial in Sabo' s court. Every witness in Pennsylvania. It has gotten so bad that the that testified against Abu-Jamal in his initial trial Judiciary Committee. of Pennsylvania's Senate have all come forth and said they were coerced is holding hearings on Senate Bill 952, which calls for a two-year moratorium on executions MUMIA Continued Next Page �STREETVIBES Mumia, The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 Continued from page 9 by the police to say they saw Mumia shoot officer Fau lkner. Ballistics reports that were not brought forth in court prove that the gun found on Mumia, a .38 caliber weapon, was not the gun that killed officer Faulkner.. He was shot with a .44 caliber weapon. Police did not even bother to do a test on Abu-Jamal's weapon to see if it had been fued. Mumia was last scheduled to die on December 2nd, but thankfuily a stay of execution was granted by the Federal District Court. As stated earlier, a Habeas Corpus was filed by his lawyers that proves that the 29 constitutional violations should warrant a new trial. This does not mean that the fight for Mumia's life is won. Far from it! Please get involved, there are several organizations listed below that would appreciate anyone's help in the movement to free Mu mia Abu-Jamal. Also, I would recommend that you read Mumia's books: Live From D eath Row and D eath Blossoms. His attorney, Leonard Weinglass, also has an excellent book out, In Defense ofMumia, th at I highly recommend. It includes court transc1ipts from his original trial. Here is a list of organizations and people you can contact to make a difference: The Honorable William H. Yohn, Jr., c/o Leonard Weinglass, 6 West 20th Street, Suite lOA, New York, NY 10011 Governor Thomas Ridge phone:717-787-2500, fax:717-772-8284 State Senator Vince Fumom · fax:717-783-5210 State Representative Marie Lederer phone:215-426-6604, fax:215-560-3995 U.S. Representative Chakah Fattah fax:2 15-387-5407 Mayor Ed Rendellm fax:215-686-2180 PA Attorney General Mike Fisher phone:7 l7-787-3391, fax:?l 7-772-4526 Refuse and Resist!http://mojo.calyx.net/ -refuse/mumia, 305 Madison Ave Suite 1166 New York, NY 10165, 212-713-5657 Twin Cities Coalition to Defend Mumia Abu-Jamal, 2441 Lyndale Ave , South Minneapoljs, MN 55405612-649-4579, (http://www. l .minn.net/-meis) International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal , http:// www.mumia.org Or stop in the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and chat with me! .~.. ·· Melissa Samhan Reprinted from IMPACT WEEKLY, Dayton Ohio, January 20-26 issue Montgomery County Cashes in on col lect calls from inmates All state corrections facilities have their own phone service provider. And that provider pays the county in which the facility is located a commission, or "kick-back." The provider for Montgomery County is Ameritech, which paid the county $575, 118 in 1998. Rion said the state of Ohio received $16 million in '98 from various phone companies. "When we discovered that Montgomery County received over $500,000 for 1998 in exchange for allowing a phone company to install a phone in the jail, which is a matter of right anyway, we became highly suspicious," Rion said. "We looked deeper into it and found that the phone companies had more than doubled their rates in the last two years." Although the money goes back into the penal system - Sheriff Haines said it's used for operational costs of the jail - Rion contends that how the money is used doesn't make up for how they received it. We have a situation where we have taken a group of people that clearly don't have a choice. We've seized upon that lack of choice and milked it for everything it's worth," said Rion, who added that he doesn't believe the penal system should be fodder for big business. "We think that when all the information comes out the citizens wil be very.disappointed that our government orga nizations were receiving this amount of money form a group of people that, frankly, doesn't have it. " Greg Dunsky of the Montgomery county Prosecutor's office said the county filed for a dismissal on Jan. 4. He declined further comment. ... .... ..ANGELA WATSON GAY Does $2 .50 seem like an excessive amount to pay for a collect call? That's the average cost to accept a call from the Montgomery County Jail, compared to the $1.10 charge to accept a collect call from any. pay phone in Ohio. "It's just not right," said Dayton attorney Jon Paul Rion, who last month filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the family and friends of Ohio inmates; lawyers and bail bondsmen are also plaintiffs in the suit. Defendants include the state of Ohio, Oh io counties and their sheriffs' ..offices in which a corrections institution is located, the phone companies that provide service to these institutions, and the Oh io Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Inmates who want to phone someone - a friend , family member, bondsman or even their attorney - must call collect. They can't use calling cards, long distance services or toll free numbers. "I have an 800 number but the jail blocks out the numbers, forcing them to call collect," bail bondsman Tom Short said. And it's generally the inmates' family or fiends who are stuck paying the bill for collect calls. "A mother can't tell her son who's calling from jail that she can't accept his phone calls, "said Rion. "It goes against her instincts." Ameritech spokesperson Rich Magaini said calls from corrections institutions are subject to- higher rates because "it's a different service; it's specialized and requires special equipment by the corrections agency. It requi res security." He added that Ameritech is simply a "supplier to the corrections facility; the facility decides what to charge. " Montgomery County Sheriff Gary Haines said the county jail's fee is compatible with the standards set by the Public !Jtilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). "It's a PUCO­ approved rate," he said. "The lawsuit is without merit and that's what the courts will find ." ...., . -.~ Anyone interested in participating in this lawsuit, call John Paul Rion at (513) 223­ 9133, or write him at: 1 First National Plaza, Dayton, OH 45401. ~~......,.,.., rat (il\W'a~lfi!W1 tOAl.mqtt fOA rm fl~US PHOTOS BROKiNcrrv ... !. .. ... .. ,. . . BY JIMMY HEATH . Information provided by the Calendars MARK THIS DATE!!! ForSale MARCH 23 Togetyourveryown, send $8 to GCCH ($5forGCCH members), SPEAK-OUT ON TIME LIMITS Thursday, March 23, Noon At the Statehouse (Location TBA) If you are concerned about Ohio's three year time limit for receiving cash assistance, w e need YOU to testify. All legislators wi l be invited to listen to our stories at the Speak­ Out. Call (513) -381-4242 to sign up to speak. t> 20(\or \oi.l ; J\ ' \ · ~ -.,,;;,.;.;~ · 7 A VISUAL TESTIMONY OF THE STRUGGLE IN OVER-THE-RHINE, CINCINNATI 'S INNER CITY 1506 Elm St. Cincinnati 4521 0 orcomedown and pickone up �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Welfare News STOP THE CLOCK CAMPAIGN BEARS FRUIT On February 16, 2000, Rep. Dale Miler of Cleveland introduced HB 578 in the Ohio House. HB 578 extends the Ohio Works First 3-year time limit to receive public assistance (formerlyAFDC) to five consecutive years. The bill calls for a moratorium on time limits if Ohio enters a recession. In addition, the legisfarion makes changes in Ohio's sanction policy by ending a sanction when the recipient complie.." with the work requirement, with a pro-rated check from date ofcompliance. It also restores the adult's portion offood stamp s so ·that no food stamps are cut when a household is sanctioned. Co-sponsors ofthe bill include Rep. Catherine Barrett (Cincinnati), Rep. Roberts, Rep Beatty, Rep. Patton, Rep. Allen, Rep Flannery, Rep. Bender, Rep. Ford, Rep. Krupinski, Rep. Sullivan, Rep. Sani Britton (Cincinnati). Senator C.J. Prentiss ofCleveland plans to introduce similar legislation in the next couple ofweeks. The m?-jority ofstates are allowing poor families the full five consecutive years allowable under the federal government. In addition, some states have chosen to continue providing benefits or vouchers with state funds for families who reach the Federal limit. In contrast, Ohio has chosen to implement one ofthe harsher time li.mit policies in America. Ohio has a three year limit which will end cash assistance for families with children on October 1, 2000. According to the Childreri's Defense Fund-Ohio, 26,000 families are slated to be cut offstarting October l , 2000. Fi.fiy-five thousand children are expected to lose their cash assistance across the state. After being offfor two years, a family may be eligible for another 24 months only if they meet the hardship criteria decided ·by the 88. individual counties. Ohio needs to maintain a safety net to protect the poorest families with children. Because many jobs that recipients are taking are entry­ level, minimum wage jobs, these workers could easily need cash assistance upon job loss or another crisis. No children (or adults) should be deprived ofthe basic essentials oflife: a home, heat in the winter, food, safety from not qaving to sleep on the streets. According to monitoring studies by CatholicSocial Services, National Coalition for the Homeless, and the National Children's Defense Fund, states that have already ended cash assistance report increased homelessness and greater demand Page 11 on soup kitchens and food pantries. Linda Howell-Perrin; a staffmember at Bethany House, a shelter for women and children in Cincinnati, states, "I was able to get a four year degree while I was on public assistance. I was fortunate. This isn't allowed now. Ohio's three year time limit does not allow women time to get a four year degree to be able to get a livable wage job. Single parents won't be able to make it on minimum wage jobs. What is needed is to give these women time to get a good education and learn job skills. You need sufficient time to get adequate job training and/or an adequate education. Welfare reform should be about women getting Livable wage jobs, not sinking further into poverty. J> Lori, who is currently on Ohio ~rks First, shares her story. 'Tm divorced with four children. I was forced to drop out ofcollege and take a minimum wage job to get assistance. My time is quickly running out on Ohio Works First. I will be one ofthe first people to be cut off. My children will be the ones to suffer." The Ohio Empowerment Coalition (OEC), a statewide low-income people's organization, will hold a speak-out on time limits on March 23, Thursday; 5:00 pm at the Statehouse. It will be held in the Ground Floor (central area) ofthe Statehouse. All legislators will be invited to hear testimony from recipients, advocates and others who support HB 578. For transportation to Columbus, or for more information, call the Contact Center at 381-4242. OhioWelfure Policies Questioned January 9, 2000 To: Ohio Legislators: How the Ohio legislature determined that there should be an arbitrary 3-year time limit on OWF recipients receiving benefits within the Federally mandated 5-year time limit and why 3 years, I do not understand. Questions come to mind, such as: Why not 4 years or 2 or 1; why not 42 months or 54 months or 1 month? What is the magic in the number 3 years? Is there a guarantee by Ohio Employment Services and/or a guarantee by the private sector that absolutely all OWF recipients can be moved from welfare to work within 3 years? Can absolutely all OWF recipients be moved from welfare to work within the 3-year time limit in a way resulting in the ex-OWF recipients all actually being better off in terms of income and benefits than previously? Or even as well off? Or wilJ many recipients simply be moved from welfare, but not to work, not to a paycheck, not to benefits of any sort? Or if ro work, then how many to work at the lowest possible pay with no benefits, barely able (or not at all able) to afford childcare; and work having no medical benefits for the worker; and work that pays too low an amount to allow the person to purchase medical insurance? ls this simply setting in motion the first domino of a real ~uman disaster? Maybe even helping to bring on a recession? Or perhaps, considering the magnitude of the task, and the magnitude of the risk, the full 5 years allowed by Federal mandate is a bit more realistic. Just two more thoughts: A large number of churches, soup kitchens, food pantries and other non-profits, since welfare reform, have reported increased numbers of people requiring their help. Isn't this just the first "domino" already pushed by welfare reform and the stated goal "welfare to work"? As the system seems to be working at present, I really must question the stated goal, "welfare to work." I must ask, is the goal more simply just to eradicate welfare, regardless of the long-term human cost, and regardless of the long­ term cost to society? On many fronts that is the present accomplishment. From my personal experience: There exists in Ohio a problem with "d~dbeac dads" working under the ~able to avoid reported in~ome and to avoid child support payments, and this problem is made worse by "deadbeat employers" who employ these "deadbeat dads" knowing that child support is supposed to be withheld from pay but as the employment is under the table the employer avoids the paperwork and bookkeeping and hassles involved in withholding child support. In such cases the employer is as culpable. as the "deadbeat dad". It is rare that either the "deadbeat employers" or "deadbeat dads" are prosecuted, as the existence of under­ the-table employment is hard to prove in court, according to Montgomery County prosecutors. Where the child support not paid affects an OWF recipient, this becomes welfare fraud in reality if not in the letter of the law. Neither at the county level nor at state level is there a task force to deal with the latter problem, although it appears one is sorely needed to aid prosecutors in dealing with this situation, which sometimes is welfare fraud. These are both problems that may eventually haye to be addressed by the legislature in some way. Sincerely, .... Carla Pitsinger �.. ... . ST REE TV I BES -- ~he Tri-State's ----- ---- - - ---- - - ~---~--- ---- Homeless Grapevine HOPE VI PROJECT CONTINUES Cincinnati Metropolian Housing Authority Ignores its Responsibility On February 17, the Lincoln CourULaurel Homes Hope VI Task Force Meeting met at Cincinnati Metropolitan Housin9 Authority's Crosley Commons Auditorium. The purpose of the meeting was to update task force members on the plans for the Lincoln Court/Laurel Homes "community renaissance." Hope VI is a grant program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, aiming to redevelop what it labels as the nation's worst public housing projects. Cincinnati has won two of these grants, for Laurel Homes and Lincoln Cou rt. Both of these communities will be demolished and rebuilt as a mixed-income community. Citing the success of upper-income housing developments in other areas of the West End neighborhood, planners say this project will be of great social and economic benefits to the city, particularly the adjacent downtown area. Many advocates for low-income residents disagree with the glowing praise that this redevelopment project has received. The project may benefit the downtown area, but they wonder what effect the project will have on the current residents of the two communities. In making the two areas mixed-income, over 700 units of low­ income housing will be lost. CMHA has plans to provide for the residents who will be displaced, but advocates say these measures will not work. CMHA proposes the following relocation options: 1. Move temp'Orarily to other on-site housing during construction, move to a newly complet ed apa rtm e nt, or purchase a home on the site. 2. Rent another West End CMHA apartment. 3. Rent a CM HA unit in another neighborhood not in the West End. 4.Receive a Section 8 voucher that would allow one to rent in another neighborhood. 5. Rent in the private market. Donald Troendle, director of CMHA, emphatically asserted that all displaced resident's housing needs would be met. Any resident unable to be placed in other CMHA units would be given a Section 8 voucher that would allow them to rent an apartment in any neighborhood they choose. Homeless advocates say these options will not be enough to absorb the massive displacement that will occur. With over 700 units of low-income housing lost, the advocates believe that there will not be enough housing available. .. .. ' . Even if displaced residents are given Section 8 vouchers, there is no guarantee that landlords will accept them. Homeless shelters are currently housing people who actually have vo uchers but cannot find apartments. Additionally, because Lincoln Court/Laurel Homes residents are bumped to the top of the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers, other low­ income individuals and families will continue to wait for housing. In other words, housing shortages are just being shifted to another group. The Lincoln Court/Laurel Home's ... The poor are being shipped around like they are the property of the city and its public housing authority. .. residents' housing needs may be met, but another group will be left out in the cold . Even if Troendle and CMHA's plan to relocate all displaced public housing residents is successful and all residents find new housing, does this make the plan okay? What message does Hope VI send to the residents of these public-housing communiti~s? CMHA is basically telling the residents that they are worthless. What gives CMHA the right to displace thousands of people, destroying two well-established communities in the process? Can you imagine if 2000 residents of Hyde Park were relocated? It would never happen. The poor are being shipped around like they are the property of the city and its public housing authority. The city, CMHA, HUD, and all involved parties are failing to realize that just because a community is poor doesn't mean it is not a community. With the mass displacement of the 700 units, 2000 people, innumerable community ties, friendships, and family will be split up and scattered across the city. CMHA obviously views these communities as projects, their projects, and not as homes, the homes of people who have the right to remain in them . Last April when tornadoes hit wealthy neighborhoods on the east side of town , the press detailed every aspect of the tragedy. And it was a tragedy- people lost their homes. Why can't Cincinnatians and CMHA see Hope VI in the same light? This time the situation is even worse - thousands of people will be uprooted from their homes and may not be able to find new ones. CMHA is ignoring its responsibility to provide housing for members of the Cincinnati community who need it the most. It is time for them to re-evaluate the Hope VI project. • • • • • Page 12 Street Scopes by Alanna Maloney The Urban Astrologer Pisces Happy Birthday! Triple-check new ventures and party arrangements, or confusion and misunderstandings may result. Universal advice this month is tO focus on finishing existing comm unications projects, rather than scarcing new ones. Be careful of breaking your scuff when you are mad also be wary of impulsive spending. On the other hand you can use this Mars energy co heat up an artistic or financial project. Party with siblings, work on you r car, and maybe even take a trip with your boss, a grandparent, or a m entor. Operatic science fiction, the Internee, and alternative spiritual work can help boost self-esteem and help you adjust in this time of rapid change. Aries The first thing that people notice about you this month is your energy and ambition. Pursue fitness goals especially t0 keep your anger in check. Stay in couch with your desires, and how you plan to have them met or your temper is going co Aare. You may be up for a raise or a gram make sure you are clear with decision makers abouc why you deserve it. Keep school and educational goals on the front burner. You and a m ate may enjoy hanging out with an unusual spi ritual or political group. Your dubs and acquaintance networks would be a good place to find friendship or love this month. Be ready to journal, meditate or see a therapist because things from your past are ready tO surface. This is a yearly pattern and you may want to begin planning around it. y Taurus Its Likely that you will make more money this year, but be careful because its just as likely, you will have more financially obligations. Focus on carefully paying any debt down. You are in a long-term period where out of control debt could become an issue, however you could cake advantage ofopponunities to borrow for important education or travel projects. The same triggers that highlight debt, also highlight taxes. Don't hesitate to get help or educate yourself before doing your taxes. If you do them this month you may need to triple-check them. Face it there are shenanigans and change going on at work. This is the rime where you may discover a sh ocking truth chat will make it clear what action is required. Beware ofgossip and miscommunication coming between you and your groups and goals. Use your intuition and your heart t0 feel your way through anger from the past may surface this month. Beware of headaches. Do yoga or Tai Chi. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevi(Je Gemini If you are in school or dealing with a travel-centered field during rhis period in your life you may be facing nearly constant innovations and reversals. This month use raw artistic charm and self-esteem to make it through. You could find a date or a new buddy in an educational or exotic cultural environment this month. Beware of miscommunication on the job front this month. Buckle down and finish old writing projects. T hii:ik about your goals, and group affiliations. It is important to know and get what you want to avoid unexpected angry outbursts. Visionary and spiritual opportunities are developing throughout the year bur don't let unexpected delays throw you. . Page 13 Self-expressive projects and communication with children need double-checking and reworking ~his month. Beware of anger on the job front, you really need to get in couch with your needs and desires to avoid headaches and stomach upsets. When you have decided what you want feel free co pursue it. Be patient with delays in wedding p lans, romance and partnerships this year. Also watch ou t for overspending but do press your financial luck. You may enjoy quiet evenings with friends or a mate at home this mooch. Even if unusual things continue to happen there. If you aren't publishing or getting paid for your writing or communication skills continue to work on your options. Sagittarius Cancer A friend may give you an opportunity to fix your taxes, or go on an occult study trip. Now could be a good time to make school or travel plans that require vision but this month triple-check any communication in these areas and if you can avoid signing on the dotted line 'til after the 14th: Headaches at work will signal unresolved anger or unmet needs. Be clear with yourself first, then aggressively pursue what you want. Your acquaintance network, groups and goals can bring opportunity this year but be prepared for inexplicable no fault delays. Don't forget that Chinese medicine and alternative treatment like Holism could profoundly change your health during this period. The Sun shines on your home life this month, but be patient in communicating with family and look out for miscommunication especially with your father. Workout, pursue a sport, express yourself Embrace your anger and expect that your needs will be met. Be patient with stops and starts on the job front this year. For every opportunity there may well be an unavoidable delay. Remember that others may be intimidated by your personal and psychic power during this period of your life. You need to learn ways to use and channel so that it doesn't work against you. You may develop romance or friendships from phone calls and short trips or through a sibling. But be methodical and safe for communication in these areas is stalled for you until the 14th. Leo Capricorn If you are feeling methodical go do your taxes. It is a good time to finish Make extra time to communicate clearly with siblings and car _mechanics this month. Beware of anger on the home • • • • • front. Think about your needs so you can meet them. Self-expressive projects and relationships with children are experiencing both expansion and unexpected delays this year. Be patient. You may get a break from the strange changes going on financially. Artistic or creative projects may really be satisfying. You may come upon a windfall or at least have enough money left over to invest in a good cause. · what you started but also a time where your contracts, loans, and taxes have to be triple checked if you aren't already close to finished it may be prudent co wait 'til after Mercury goes direct on the 14th. Think about any unresolved anger about education and travel. Now is a good time to envision how you are going co gee what you want and need in these areas. You really might be athletically motivated all month. Give into it! Conrinue to expect combinations of opportunity and uncontrollable delay on the work front, try to be Zen about ir all. Interesting things are bound to happen to your career in May. Enjoy unusual romantic dates or parties this month! Virgo Double-check all romantic communication this month. Be on the lookout for misunderstandings in partnerships. Things should clear up by the 14th. Think about what you really want and need spiritually and sexually, or your anger may make you do something rash. Expansion and delay play havoc with your educational and travel plans be patient. You may also enjoy love or friendship on the job. You can really look good at work this month in the face of radical changes. Feel good about your role and insist that you are valued. Libra Communication is stalled at work this month. Triple-check and focus on finishing extant intellectual projects. If you fo llow your instincts and give your uber-logjc a rest you can really shine at work. Beware of anger surfacing in partnership this month. You know what your partner needs and have probably taken care of that, but until you address your needs it will be one headache after another. Inheritance, legal issues and taxes are in a weird expansion and contraction cycle- lucky days are followed by delays. Be patient. Don't fo rget to finish writing projects that you've already started. They are important. You really may need a spiritual retreat or romantic getaway this month. Scorpio Aquarius Be clear and double check your work when communicating about fmances this month. You may be able to fund a visionary idea. Rash commun1cat1on or driving can be avoided if yo u remai n aware of your needs, and the causes of your anger. _.Family life and home . . improvement projects are lucky one day and delayed th e next, be patient. You can continue making innovations in your approach especially in the use of technology to show your best face to the world. You could make new friends or a love match while making a new scene this month. Astrological Holidays Sorry everyone! I neglected co warn everyone last month that Valentine's day is an astrologically incorrect holiday! "I forgot the flowers, the jewelry, and the hotel reservations .. ." it happens to all of us on this ill-fated holiday. Since Victorian times this holiday has become increasingly associated with our tenderest feel ings for our romantic mate. What a big mistake! While Aquarius is an excellent month to celebrate our love for our fellow humans on the universal level through things Uke social work, politics and history, it's a lousy time to celebrate our love for any one individual. Unless, you have major planets in Leo (which Aquarius can really kick up a notch) to avoid that "date with the absent minded professor feeling"-your best bet is the "greeting card" holiday Sweetest Day. It falls in Libra the month of partnership and harmonious marriage. You can find Alanna at Sitwell's Coffee House at 404 Ludlow Ave. from 9pm to Midnight on Tuesday nights. Astrology and Tarot are available by appointment at the Occult Shop 471-5200 or by E-mail at psi_chic@hotmail.com. �STRE.ETVIBES The Tri-State'~ Homeless G~apevine ·Page ·14 Words from the Evangelist.... On February 12, 2000 I traveled to Akron, Ohio, the city of my birth. I went for the purpose of tending my Grandmother's headstone, and burning incense to the Lord in memory of her. She would have been 86 years old on Valentine's Day. She was a woman who truly knew what the love of God was, and how to share it. She shared it with me, and it saved my life. No, I am not here to tell you about myself, or my Grandmother. God bless her memory. Yes, I am here to tell you about the love of God, and how its is being shared at the Haven of Rest Ministries and impacting lives for Christ. The experience of trudging through snow and removing frozen leaves from headstone after headstone, until finally I found my Grandmother's, was such an experience! I received memorable images of her and the many ways she shared God's love. The experience was so fulfilling that my next stop, an unplanned one, was Haven of Rest Ministries. This ministry had expanded since my leaving Akron in 1978. I wanted to see how it measured up to the Word of God. I was greeted by Scott Campbell, the Evening Chaplain. I introduced myself; asking Mr. Campbell if a tour of the facilities and an interview were possible . He informed me there were no administrative staff available as it was Saturday, and they normally handled interviews and such; however, he did suggest I return for the evening Chapel Service. Now you must understand how God was totally in control of the following events, because beyond tending to the headsone I had made no definite plans for my visit to Akron. I returned to Haven of Rest around 6:15 p.m., and at first watched men entering at a side entrance. Just as men enter the Chapel door of the City Gospel Mission each evening for a Chapel Service and a meal. Yet when I entered I could see a man at a computer in the corridor, and the men in line being checked in by picture identification. Some were there for the. Word and a meal, and others were there for a bed as well. Upon my return February 13, 2000, I entered the well lit Chapel and did not feel the . sullen silence and despondency which I experienced at City Gospel Mission . There were quiet conversations going on as music played softly. Men and women moved to and fro in greeting. The staff and volunteers seemed to be everywhere with a smile or kind word. I could feel His Presence. I knew I was in His Presence because my spirit soared within, and I felt as the psalmist when he .wrote: "Let us come before His Presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms." (Psa 95:2) After watching in amazement I saw Mr. Campbell coming my way. We greeted one another, and after a little small talk about why I had come, he introduced me to Terry Thigpen . Terry is a 38 year old man from Cleveland,.Ohio who came to Haven of Rest, leaving behind employment at Hopkins Airport, to work on his addiction and relationship with Christ. His quiet reserve at first made him cautious and thereby hesitant to speak to me, a questioning stranger. Then I handed him a copy of STREETVIBES, August 1998. It was opened to the last page where I am the vendor profiled. The Christ who had changed this man began to shine through when he recognized me as a brother who had been through the fire, and by the grace of God had come through to encourage people such as himself. He began to tell me how he progressed to the stage of intern in the resident rehabilitation program , a program which he has been in six months, one month as an intern. Terry describes the Haven of Rest Ministries as "God-sent," for the help they gave him in establishing a relat:ionship with Christ and the daily help they give men, women, and children - 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Terry told me there are 18 men in the program, and despite personality clashes at the fellowship during Bible Studies, basketball 1 err: higpr games and daily work asignments, all display the love of God. He said, "NA and AA Programs are okay, but here at Haven of Rest I have received a sure cure --a personal relationship with Christ. That is how I overcame my addiction." Scripture says that he who has Christ has overcome the world (I John 5:4,5), so why not an addiction? I had gotten all I could from Terry, so I thanked him and he returned to his duties. My· attention was then drawn to the Chapel, for we had been sitting in a large foyer at the back entrance. While talking with Terry, the Chapel service had begun and I had shut out the singing and praise; but I now allowed it to engulf me. The voices of men and women blended as one; and had I not known, I would have thought I was in the congregation of a church in one of our Ohio suburbs. I say this because often the services held for our less fortunate brothers and sisters lack the spirit of praise and rejoicing which I heard on this evening. It was obvious to me that someone had been spreading the love of God, and was impacting lives for Christ. When I arrived Sunday morning I found Mr. Campbell at the client services center, and to my amazement there was +a day room for homeless men and women , a clothing distribution center, laundry facilities, shower rooms and most of all the opportunity to feel the love of God. Mr. Campbell informed me the Day Shelter had been built in 1993, and usually there are 60 to 100 men and women in the day room. They do not have to roam the streets or city parks. They come to the Day Shelter where they can read, watch television, wash clothes, exchange clothes from one of two bags they can store at the center, and just live as people do in their own homes. If an individual wishes to stay for an extended period they can make a contract with the center to save so much of their earnings, and when they leave the full amount is returned to them. In this way the men and women can get ahead. I saw the dorms which could hold 100 men, and 40 extra mats if needed. I saw a clothing room as big as any Goodwill I have been in, and these items were all free. Men, women, and children could come once a month and get 4 items, which are stored in a huge warehouse after being delivered via the donation drive-thru. Mr. Campbell then took me to Haven of Rest Ministries main building which houses its administrative offices, chapel, food service facilities, housing for men enrolled in the resident rehabilitation program, and a computer enhanced learning center. The more I saw the more I marveled at the hand of God, because when Charles Curtis Thomas, Sr. began this ministry in his basement on a budget of $35, only ·God knew his mission; but it is certain Mr. Thomas and many others learned before long that his mission was to impact lives for Christ. Now with 85 paid staff, over 600 volunteers, and total support and revenue for the 1997-1998 fiscal year at $5,022,246, the· Haven of Rest Ministries has come from a very humble beginning to become the largest private social service agency in Akron and the neighboring seven-county area. Help is available without charge to any person, and this is made possible not by any government resources, but individual donors: churches, foundations, and the corporate community. 80% of this revenue goes directly to programs and services. I have read many an organization's statement of purpose, but when I read Haven of Rest's purpose (to serve and glorify God through a Christ centered outreach of love and compassion that responds to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of disadvantaged men, women, and children without regard to their race, color, creed, or social standing), I could feel in my spirit that this purpose had in it the power to impact lives for Christ. Thus, when Mr. Campbell responded that haven of Rest Ministries has a 100% success rate, because each person who comes whether by referral or walk-in is in some way impacted by the gospel of Christ, I could agree with him. I had seen the impact on the homeless at chapel and in the day room. I had talked with men in the program , I had talked with staff, and I had seen services from laundry facilities to a 1a-computer learning center. I also learned that one of our very own; Eugene Cannon, was one of the the first to graduate from Haven of Rest's Career Development Program. I send my congratulations to Eugene, because he was in the New Life Program at City Gospel Mission when I worked there and I always knew he left too early, but by the grace of God he has persevered ...... Returning to Cincinnati. ........ March is here, and the much requested Bible Study is about to begin. If you have not reserved a seat yet, call 210-4181 while there are still vacancies. We shall begin discussing how to release the power within us, so we can all impact lives for Christ. If you are searching for my web page, hang in there; I will be back on line soon. In His Service, RodneyL. Sutton, Sr. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Tales from across the river Life on the River and Life in an Apartment I lived on the River for a short time; I've lived on the streets from time to time; and I didn't tint it much different, except instead of a box or a dumpster, I had a tent which I gave $10.00 for. Life on the River was special; I made some good friends and met some really special people. While on the river, I found I couldn't cook, unless it was over a candle. I didn't have heat to keep warm on those really cold days or nights. It was hard to save money because I got myself candles and an oil lamp for light and heat. I drank pop when it wasn't frozen , and could only eat things that were canned and pre-cooked. After freezing for a few weeks, I decided to put back a little money each day from working in order to get a place to live. Finally I saved enough. Once I moved into my apartmnet, I took a good hot bath. And the pleasures of what a lot of people take for granted started happening to me. It's a good feeling being able to cook a hot meal, to be able to take a hot bath whenever you want. Or just having a warm, dry place to ca ll home. To be able to sit back after a day's work, watch T.V. and take it easy. I plan on keeping this apartment for along time. It's a good feeling to be able to have something and fix it up nice. I've had friends I met at work and other people give me towels, silverware, dishes, coffee cups, coffee makers, sheets, pillows, furniture, etc., the list goes on and on, plus what I find on the streets. Some weeks I don't make enough to pay my rent, so I pawn things to pay my bills; but with the help that God gives me, I always make it right. Also, having a good landlord helps. I now feel better about myself. Now my goal is finding a full time steady job. Pag e 15 Contact Us, Write Us! We welcome input from our readers. Send your letters and editorial comments to: STREETVIBES: 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Email: streetvibes@juno.com Fax: Attention Streetvibes, (513)421-7813 photo by Berta Lambert "Dutch" Rev. Rick Dalton VENDOR PROFILE Earlene Moreland and Grady Cook This is an update on two of our best Streetvibes vendors. Earlene and Grady are celebrating their third anniversary with Streetvibes. They are very dedicated to the paper and have contributed a lot of their time getting the word out about Homelessness. They are always willing to give a helping had to someone that needs it. We have received a lot of very positive comments from our readers about Grady and Earlene. I call them Bonne & Clyde because they are always busy passing the word to the fortunate to help the unfortunate, which are the homeless. Keep up the good work, Grady and Earlene, alias Bonnie and Clyde, the Streetvibes Bandits. Best Wishes, Ron Carter, Vendor C. E.O. photo by L emuel Homeless Coalition visits Ursuline Academy As a new member of the Coalition and also as a new vendor, I would like co elaborate on my first visit co this school. Earlene Moreland and I were chosen to sell papers at Ursuline Academy. Our hose was Todd Forman, and we were made extremely welcome by all. The time was spent very well. We made Valentine Cards for shutOin and elderly persons at rest homes. The atmosphere was extremely heart-warming for me because it b rough t back memories of my days ac Our Lady of Mercy, wh ich I attended years ago; now the building is a Job Corps building. After closing down shop, we were invited co talk wich che senior class about whatever experience we could share. G ina Miller (the Homeless Coalirion's co-director) and Ron Career (vendor CEO), joined us as well. This wcnc well, especiall} tor mo: I got to share .1l>out my t p•riencc of being homeless and my 'iews 011 ho\\ important eduC:.ltion is as I kne\\ things now as a emor Citiz n. Thanks, Todd, for an enjoyable day! girl~! An<l Lunch wa~ gn~ac . Also. thank you, ........ Pat Mitchell �PULSE OF THE OTR NEIGHBORHOOD In early January of this year, I was listening to WCIN radio talk show "1480 Talk" and a person named Otis Childres was speaking about a build ing on Pleasant Street in Over The Rhine that was given a demolition order by the director of Building Inspections for the City of Cincinnati. Mr. Childress wanted to below: Findlay Market Pleasant Street -- this secure his property to plt.i:Jntial /ow-incom develop a business there. ti elfing is now ~ ·*· Building Inspections refused molished to reverse the demolition order. They even offered Mr. Childress a demolition without charge if he couldn't afford to hire his own crew to tear down the building. This he also refused. In later February, the building (see photo below) was leveled, anyway. I believe the city demolished this building to expand Pleasant Street for Findlay Market. There is no longer any low income or Even Tom Jackson, who works for the section 8 Housing on Elder Street in the City ard manages Findlay Market, admitted Market area because of development and that one reason for the demolition was that expansion for Findlay Market. I am afraid that City workers complained that they couldn't further expansion of the Market means further safely widen Pleasant Street with the building loss of low income housing in Over the Rhine. standing. .. .... Sonny Williams NOTES FROM C.O.P.E. ls it possible that the source of socio­ po l i ti cal change is the change in awareness that comes about as humans engage in sincere spiritual practice? Through meditation, done regularly and with pure intentions, an individual can awaken their powers of intuition and insight. This awakening not only brings about a vision of a higher ideal, it also creates a reaction of discontentment with th e present reality. This moment of insight and ensuing discontent is the starting point towards socio-political change. The inner awareness ach ieved creates the catalyst char drives the discontented one into action to bring the ideal into conformity with the inner vision. What action, then, does one rake to bring the ideal into concrete reality?. What do we do-as a people-to express this new state of awareness in economic and political terms? How can the awareness brought about through sincere spiritual practice be translated into institutions designed fo r the betterment of the people? The actual building of working structures designed to provide for the material and spiritual needs of the people in a new way is what our goal is. In ·order to manifest the ideal one must perform acts of mind over matter. One must engage in operations that have distinct principles and laws chat must be followed. Very few seem to be aware of these laws as they retain the name Mysteries. To those who Know there's nothing mysterious about making the .' ideal real. Some would call this the Process ofManifestation. When a group of aware individuals collaborate one-pointedly, nothing can stand in the way of the attainment of the group ideal. First of all it is important to be aware th at: Anything that is conceivable is achievable! Secondly, one must be willing to follow through from the conception of the vision to completion of the manifesting form . Thirdly, one must be willi~g to maintain the form as long as needed to fulfill its purpose of manifestation. Lastly, once its meaning fa no longer useful, one must be willing to abandon the form to build a better and more useful one. It is a co ntinuous process of growth and developmen t. T he discipline needed for this process of manifestation is not for the weak­ hearted. Only through strict discipline will we as a people change the conditions we live in and build a new, living society in contrast to the old, dying one which is rife with racism, sexism a~d exclusionism. As for those labled unemployable, unwanted or unhelpable by the "powers that be", we must be ready and able to provide alternative ways and means for .our collective empowerment. Before beginning on this quest of creating the Ideal Reality one must ask at least a few questions: 1. What is really important in this current state of physical beingness? 2 . Who am 1? 3. Who do 1 chink I am? 4. Am I all that I ought to be? 5. What type of relationships will we actively maintain while creating the Ideal Reality? The answers to these questions provide the psychological perspective ~ecessary for engaging in the process of creating the Ideal Reality. Another aspect in this process is to vitalize your spiritual and mental functions while channeling your emotions positively. We must understand that we · own our actions and our responses to stimuli. In other words, as Funkadelic says, "If you don't like the effect, don't produce the cause!". Ultimately we need to determine what kind of person we want to be and bridge the gap between private and public life while moving towards total integration of our selfhood. Ask yourself which of these .3 people you want to be: A person that makes things happen; a person that lets things happe.µ; or a person that wonders what's happening? Remember that the greatest conspiracy is the action ofdoing nothing! In the end (or beginning) we all must answer to each other because we become one with that Spiritual Power chat permeates the Universe when we come together-as a people-co improve our condition and positively express ourselves in whatever manner we choose. ..... Community OfPracticing Eclectics (C. 0.P.E.) �. STRIETVIBES . ~. ~· . . ; The Tri-State's Homeless. .G rapevine .,. . . . : News from the mother ship Honieless Prevail in Federal Court and CLEVELAND: Stop Sidewalk Sweeps Three homeless individuals and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless settled with the City of Cleveland to stop the sweeps of homeless people from the sidewalks. This_ means that City officials can not use disorderly conduct statutes against hom eless peo pl e who are sleeping, eatin g, ·walking or sitting on the sidewalk. Th ree individuals cam e forward to assure that others would no t be threatened with a rres t for being homeless. Cornell Carter, Law Director for the City of C leveland said in a December 23, 1999 press co nference, "It is clear t hat the city's en force m ent effort is not o nly legal it is humanitarian." -The three individuals and rhe many other affidavits that the Coalition for the Homeless took show a more inhumane treatment of people who look transient. O ne in dividual was p·ut in custody for accepting food on the sidewalk. Another was told by police that he co uld not be walking on the sidewalk after 9 p .m. and had to get into shel ter. One individual, Ro nald Russell, was cold ro move along 12 times as he greeted people in the morning at rhe welfare building with a friendly "good morning." The police officer told him chat he was no longer wekome in the area. Another individual, Jaso n Maiden, was told he had to keep moving or he would be arrested. The su it brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Coalition fo r t he Homeless is aimed at stopping the threat of arrest by City officials for the crime of using rhe sidewalk wh ile homeless. The City of Cleveland agreed to a court supervised consent decree to prevent the case from going to trial in federal court. The Mayor claimed that they are just enforcin g ex isting laws and atte mpting to help homeless people in a press conference at First Church. A federal judge had extended a temporary restraining order through the trial date, which exempted the D owntown area. The conse nt decree does not include any exempted areas or limit the protectio ns to only homeless peo pl e downtown. Affidavi ts from experts in the communiry show a lack' of adequate housing in this Cicy and a lack of an adequate safety . ' . ' . Page 17 net. Jim Schlect, outreach worker of Care Alliance, said in his affidavit that h e was concerned about people being push ed off of the public sidewalks and disappearing. It is dangerous for a person with a chronic heal th problem to be out of more pub lic areas . If an emergency happens and no one is around to call for an em ergency vehicle an individual may die under a bridge. The other concern is that homeless people who sleep off of t he public areas will be targeted as has happened in Toledo. Six older homeless people were killed over the last four months who stay under bridges. The Mayor had rejec ted a similar secclement offer by the ACLU in December. The America n Civil Liberties Union was scheduled to begin depositions of police and city officials 24 hours befo re the consent decree was announced. Plaintiffs expected t he police to verify all of the facts put forward by the ACLU in the lawsuit. It was anticipated that the police would confirm that the genesis of the policy was in City Hall, and that it was a stretch co tie the policy to existing laws in the C ity Code. The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the H omeless and the NAACP of Cleveland brought in Rev. Al Sharpton of New York into Cleveland for a celebration of the victory over the. City of Cleveland. On February 10, at the C leve land Free Stamp nex t co C ity Hall homeless people gathered to highlight the victory in federal court, and announce that they will continue to monitor the situation . • • • Over-the Rhine Landmarks Defaced ..... photos by Berta Lambert Bushes that used to provide green in Washing­ ton Park, were not-so-mysteriously removed in February by the Cincinnati Park Board The Denuded Landscape of Washington Park, another testimony to the City's igno­ rance of the principal of local~ontrol (Community self-determination) CORNER OF 13th and VINE: Unknown Vandals have left these 1O ­ year-old murals without a face. Let us hope that the Cincinnati School board's newest inner city centralization plan doesn 't do the same thing to the children of Over-the-Rhine. Above and Right : AFTER Left: BEFORE Murals painted at the corner of 13th and Vine graced this otherwise drab facade for 10 years �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine ·····stoLEXl nvts:··~ ·~~~· ~·~ti~~~ii~ ·cii~i;i·b~i~ci ·b~·~k: ··~~~t~i·~~· th~ ··· stories of_several Cincinnati victims, including Michael Carpenter, who was killed by two district 5 police officers. To obtain copies, send in the order form below. . . . .. ............................................................................ . STOLEN lf\/ES, 2nd edi_tion Order Form : Stolen Lives is a joint project of the October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, · the National Lawyers Guild, and the Anthony Baez Foundation. u\ o~· Number of Books Cost per Book Sub-total $15 for I-9 books $7 for 10 or more (# of books) X (cost per book) Shipping & Total Hand.ling <QO ·o~ . . ,. e~ 6.,,... '!> ~ 6e 1J.r:,e '1,.~ ~" G "~ 1-" #of books Special Std. Mail .. 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 Amtrak $2 $3 $4 $5 $32 $45 $59 $72 $86 $99 $117 $144 $171 $198 $230 $257 $284 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-9 1.0 Priority Mail $9 $12 $15 $18 $21 $24 $30 $36 $42 $48 $57 $63 $69 . : : . : .: Type of Shipping (check one): D Special Standard Mail (U.S. only) • Can take up to 2 weeks) 0 $35 $35 $35 $45 $45 $45 $45 $52 $60 $68 $77 $85 Ship to: _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ -Phone number: Priority Mail (2-3 days) (U.S. only) : D Amtrak (call us first) (U.S. only) 0 International (Surface Mail) for • ALL destinations outside the U.S. : $2 per · book for any size order Make check of money order payable to "IFCO/Oct. 22 Coalition." Write "Stolen Lives" and the number of books ordered in the memo line. Additional tax-deductible contributions are always welcome. • · Mail to: October 22 Coalition PO Box 2627 New York, NY 10009 Any questions? Call us at 212-477-8062 fax: 212-477-8015 In Ohio, Call the local chapter ofthe October 22 Coalition at: 513-241-8014 ..... . ....... ................ ...... . .. ... .. ... . . ....... ...... .. . . ... . . . .. .. ..... . . Streetvibes VENDORS' NEWS The Latest Vendors Meeting - Friday, Feb. 18, was a great success, thanks to a lot of input from vendors. Stay tuned forthe next meeting -- Friday, March 10. Don't miss the opportunity to sign up to work one of the sites where vendors are specifically invited to sell papers - Bellarmine Chapel at Xavier University, Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash , First Unitarian Church on Reading in Avondale, Xavier University, or the University of Cincinnati. We have a new free-paper incentive system , due to the tightening of finances and the goal of the paper to break even. Starting in March, There will be no weekly bonuses, only a monthly bonus of 50 papers if you sell more than 300. You can still get free papers for submitting stories, poetry, art work, or photography that is used in Streetvibes, the number subjectively dependent upon how much the editor needs your stuff at the moment. (usually from 10 to 50 papers [more for front page story w/photos]) Free pape~s also given for tips leading to stories. If you want to take photos for Streetvibes, you can obtain the use of a disposable camera at the Homeless Coalition office. We presently have three computers dedicated to Streetvibes production, so there is space available for typing stories. Good Luck, and thanks for making Streetvibes the success tha~ it is! - '" '1 ··-'"'· . .............. ........ ---­ Page 1a �"~.- :-·_ STREETVliES . , . : . The~~;1r1-.~~~-te's·.· .. Hof.nefiJ~s~.:-'!J(C!Pfi~fri~ - ~·- ~ .·:,._·:-.~~ge, :·- 7~. ·:. - . .[.. ........ ' , ... l .• -.," . • - ·' ' " . '- .i •• ~ • • Streetvibes'TV covers news on poverty, homelessness and related issues. If you would like to be a part of the audience, or if you have ideas _ for future shows, call us at 421-7803 Streetvibes Live Radio Hour Tune in to WAIF 88.3 fm! on the second Saturday of each month at 12:00 noon for The Education: Bachelor's Degree preferred. Experience: Organizing skills, experience with homeless people or desire to work with fragile populations, administrative experience, fund-raising experience, leadership qualities. A strong desire to work on constructing a project to protect the rights of homeless people. Skills: Basic computer skills in word processing and/or data processing helpful, and communication skills are important. Working Hours: 40 hours/week. No more than one weekend per month; no more than two evenings per week. Project ends one year after start date. Second year possible. Compensation: About $728 per month with Medical insurance. and $4,700 education award or smaller cash stipend, after a year of ser­ vice in VISTA. STREETVIBES Classified Execut ive Director position avail­ able at the Greater.Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Send resume and cover to Mary Burke, GCCH Co-Chair, 220 E. Clifton Ave., Cincinnati 45210, (51 3) 369-0004 Wanted , Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. People below the poverty level will be given five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Call 421 -7803 for more information Mail the ad copy, or deliver, to : GCCH, 1506 Elm Street ,Ci ncinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813, or e-mai l t o streetvibes@juno.com Rapid Exit assists families and individuals in moving rapidly from homelessness to permanent housing for more information contact The Greater Cincinnati Coalition For The Homeless: 421 -7803 To apply: Contact Susan Knight at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (421-7803) , or NEOCH 2012 West 25th ST. #717 Cleveland, Ohio 441 13, FAX 241-1047 For further information or to obtain an application, call 241-1104 S1Jl£EMBIS and ask for Prisoners News Melissa Samhan contains the writings ofpersons incarcerated in ournation's jails and prisons. Subscribers within the walls receive Streetvibes free. If you want to support us in this effort, please sponsor someone on the inside by sending us $12 for a year's subscription ANOT H ER CLASS PRODUCTION Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 e-mail: jonesacp@tbol .net Crop Circles ... . ... -·· - . . .(5}~)}~~:~-~.?.~ . . .•.•.·-·.·. (See Front Page article, January Streetvibes) Gina Miller, former Rapid Exit housing specialist at the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless, has decided not to accept this GCCH Cincinnati-based position, So ---It's still available! Qualifications: Homeless Coalition's live radio program. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Wh itehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Streetvibes accepts Classi­ fietl Ads for items such as Help Homeless Civil Rights VISTA position still open Sendyour comments and quest ions to streetvibes@juno.com mail : STREETVIBES, 750 6 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 452 70 _ �ST REETV I BES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES . . TV Schedule · - Ir • - • Check us out, We 're on TV! The Streetvibes TV Show is producea at the facilities of Media Bridges (Cincinnati Community Video), 2114Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would lik~ to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. StreetvibesVendor code Volunteers Needed! Each vendor has to sign the followtng code to beable to sell thepapei: Streetvibes is looking for volunteer writers, reporters, photographers, etc. interested in serving on t he Streetvibes Editorial Board. For more information, please call the office at 1. Sireetvi.beswillbedistributedfora$1 VOIW1tary denatlon. I agree not to askfor donations more than $1. I also understand that! will be able to keep 80cents ofeach dollar collected. Future tssues ofSbretvlbes will be purcllasedfium the Homeless Coalition for20 cents. 2. ragree thatI will never distribute Sireetvibes while tmder fue influence of drugs oralcohol 3. I agree thatI will notaskfordonatlons after 12 ~ 4. I agree to treat others with respect I will not use abusive language orforce.som eone to f!jve a donation I will notf!jvea "hard sell" ormakesomeonefeel threat­ en:rl Broadcast Dates for February's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Saturday, March 41h, at 5 PM Tuesday, March 14th, at 1 O PM Saturday, March 18th, at 5. PM Tuesday, March 28, at 10 AM Thursday. April 6, at 10 AM 5. I agree that! will notsupply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distrtbutors. 6. I agree notto deceive the public bysayingthatI amcollecttngforanot-for-profttcbarityorthatiam collecting for the "homeless~ in general. I willbe honest in statingthat all the profits from the sale ofStreetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. Iagreethatlwillnotcontesttenitorteswtth · otherdi.strtbutors. 8. I understand thatStreetvibes strtves to be aSelf­ supportingpaper created bypeoplewhoarehomeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and wrtte stories ifpossible. . 9. Iunderstandthatfailuretocomplywithanyof the above statements will result inmenolonger being able todi.stiibuteStreebibes. Page 20 421-7803 .I Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list, please give us a call ... O Supplies for vendor's lounge (coffee, cups, paper towels, cream and sugar, etc.) Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory, 0 Photography Help of all sorts for Streetvibes- photographers, film, developm , 1~n:Ugitalcam e ra ?) -----:.... 0 Streetvibes has a minimal overhead costs so that the vendors can keep­ as much of the proceeds as possible. If any on e selling Streetv ibes c laims to b e collecting for a private c hari ty, please c all o ur office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. el orWa If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for tne Homeless. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Womens Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 431-8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veteran s) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America SHELTER: Both Caracole {AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (Singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 471-1100 Advertisers and Subscribers ~ 0 Computers/components (monitors, hard drives, etc.) for story-writing, editing, research, and f uY,.re home­ less co ter-.lab--__,_­ If you can help!, contact us at: Streetvibes, clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 ph: (513) 421-7803, fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com to Help? Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Wom en 0 .0 .A.A .T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES 721-4580 632-7149 241 -0504 369-0004 381 ~ 1171 639-7056 961-4555 241-7343 961-4663 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 241-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621 -7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-3619 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721 -4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center Women Helping Women 621-6364 621-5514 721-7660 721-7900 572-6226 491-3335 872-9259 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2000 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 2000 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2020 Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Census Set for March: Three-day effort will attempt to count the homeless in Cincy Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 3: Homelessness in America: Why Are the Numbers Increasing? Pg 4: Presidential Election 2000: Where’s the Democracy? Pg 5: International News Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 8: Prison News Pg 9: Prison News Continued: Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case of Injustice Pg 10: Prison News Continued: Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case of Injustice The Broken City Pg 11: Welfare News Pg 12: Hope Vi Project Continues Street Scopes Pg 13: Street Scopes Continued Pg 14: Words from the Evangelist Pg 15: Tales from the Across the River Pg 16: Notes from C.O.P.E. Pg 17: News from the Mother Ship: Cleveland: Homeless Prevail in Federal Court and Stop Sidewalk Sweeps Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gina Miller Susan Knight Tom Billman John Halpin Jess Ballew Ron Carter Warren Perkins Melissa Samhan Donald Whitehead Drew Miller John Halpin Tom Billman Lynn Williams Tyrone Smith Melissa Samhan Ryan Mo Better Azariah Israel Alanna Maloney Dutch Dalton Sarah Gallant Jess Ballew Rodney Sutton Lashanda Damien Minor Aaron Pitchford Carla Pitsinger Sonny Williams Berta Lambert Lemuel Isreal Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford Alanna Maloney Arts & Poetry Astrology Azariah Israel Berta Lambert Carla Pitsinger Census Cleveland Damien Minor Democracy Donald Whitehead Drew Miller Dutch Dalton Editorials & Letters Evangelists Federal Courts Injustice Inmates International news Iraq Jess Ballew John Halpin Landmarks Lashanda Lemuel Isreal Lynn Williams Melissa Samhan Over-the-Rhine Presidential Election prisoners news protest Rodney Sutton Ryan Mo Better Sarah Gallant Sonny Williams the broken city The Traveler Tom Billman Tyrone Smith welfare news William J. Mayo https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/eda93f92c27c0d98e82b369fbe8e76b1.pdf f07c92419224e3f0140262eeda1e4ea1 PDF Text Text STREET ' 1 THE TRI-STA TE S HOME.LESS 6RAPE\fIN£ $1 DONATION MARCH 2001 $1 DONATION BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY I The Battle of Pike Street: Co'vinton 's Opposition to a new Homelss Resource Center Page 1 6R£AT£R CINCINNATI COALITION FOR. THE HOMELESS �I' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MARCH 2001 THE STRUGGLE OF THE LIFE LEARNING·CENTER: s Covington Opposition to a n~-W Homeless Resource Center By Alicia Beck In May of 2000, homeless advocates of Northern Kentucky were looking forward to a world of possibilities and increased avenues for those they setve, .to end the nightmare of homelessness. But like service providers across the country, social services in Covington have experienced the ever growing trend of anti­ homeless attitudes and actions by municipal government. Services for the homeless were taking a step fon.~ard in Covington in the Spdng of 2000. Service providers had worked endless hours organizing a multi-phased project to provide homeless individuals and families with needed servic~s. The Life Learning Center had its beginnings with the "Homeless Services Project". This grant funded program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban , Development, addresses a variety of barriers to ending homelessness, including mental illness, untreated substance abuse, chronic problems with physical health, lack of good paying employment, and a dwindling supply of affordable housing. This parking lot is the proposed location of the Life Learning Center, an ambitious project that Serving as the lead would combine several different resources for homeless people into one building. Ph.oto by Alicia Beck See LLC, page 10 Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks A compelling portrait ofan African-American artist director. Yet, he may be best known for his portrayal of clime, poverty and racial intolerance A major exhibition of the art revealed by the dispassionate eye of Gordon Parks, now .being hosted by the Cincinnati Art of his camera. Museum, began in 1998 at the Gordon Parks was born in Fort Corcoran Gallery fo Washington, Scott, !(ansas in 1912, the DC. But the history of Gordon youngest of fifteen children. He Parks' art spans decades of traveled and worked at a variety of curiosity, and his love of beautiful jobs - playing a piano in a broth.el, things. Parks, now 88, is a washing dishes in a restaurant, and composer, poet, novelist and film busing dishes in a hotel - before taking up photojournalism. In 1 9~8 Parks bought a camera at a pawnshop in Seattle for $7 .50 after becoming inspired by the work of the photographers of the Farm Security Adillinistration. Roy Stryker assembled the FSA photographers under the direction of President Roosevelt to document the unimaginable struggles of migrant farm Gordon Parks at the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for the workers during the opening of bis exibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum Great Depression. by Jimmy Heath · Photo by Jimmy Heath The sweeping images created by those photographers haunted Parks, and he realized that he had found a tool he "hoped to use against a warped past and an uncertain future." Parks writes; "Finall y, after a long search for weapons to fight off the oppressions of my adolescence, I found two powerful ones - the camera and the pen." Parks began his career by convincing a department store owner to allow him to photograph their fashions, a job that introduced him to a frequent visitor of the store, Marva Louis, the wife of Joe Louis, a world champion boxer. Marva Louis convinced Parks to travel to Chicago where she promised to help him find work. "A few of Chicago's fashionable ladies sat before my camera. But I began focusing on the city's south side; where poverty ensnared the huge black population," says Parks. "Within a year, the body of work I had accumulated there brought me the first Julius Rosenwald Fellowship awarded to a photographer." In 1942, the Rosenwald Fellowship helped him land a job working for Roy Stryker at the Farm Security Administration in Washi ngton, DC. But 1940's Washington was not ready for an African-American photojournalist. In DC, Parks found racism that rivaled the bigotry he experienced in the Deep South . Stryker, Parks' new boss at the FSA told him, "It's bad - very bad. That's why I was hesitant to take you on here. You 're not going to have an easy time of it. You' ll have to prove yo\lrselfto them with superior work." While exploring the streets and the halls of government, Parks went on to prove himself through the images he created with his camera. The oppression he saw and experienced first hand in our nation 's capitol was the beginning of a journey that See Parks, continued page 18 Inside Streetvibes GCCH News Local News National News Recovery News Prisoner's News Feature Section Editorial Page Art & Poetry Veao-ie Vibes ;::;-;:: Economic News Page l Page .... 2-5 Page 6 Paae 7 b Page 8-9 Page 10 Page 12 Paoe 14 0 Page 16 Page 17 CiREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THI HOMELESS �Diversity Defines Streetvibes' new Editorial Team By Susan Knight Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is anewspa­ per written by, for, and about homelessness, social justice, and poverty-related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents (to cover pri,nting costs) and then sell the paper for a dollar ,donation. The vendor keeps the profits. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for home­ less and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. The Greater Cillcitinati 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. GCCHStaff Alicia B eel< ExeCuti'Ve Uiiector Susan Knight Administrative Coordinator Dan Marschner Editor H. L. Bowen Assistant Editor Pat Mitche ll Outreach Volunteer Mary Gaffney Receptionist Mary Taylor Receptionist Sonny Williams Prison News Editor Writers Alicia Beck Rodney Sutton Ji mmy Heath Sean McDonald Susan Knight Tom Billman Mr. Lee Susan Huesken Riccardo Taylor Steve Gibbs Pat Mitchell Juliette Beck Mary McCoy Casey Trupin Micael Stoops L auren Byrne Streetvibes a<>cepts letters, poems, stories, -essays, original graphics, photos.... We will print everY­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $ 15 per, year. clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless {GCCH) 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (5 13) 42 1-7803 fax (5 13) 42 1 -7 813~ e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com or homecoal@primax.net web page: http://cinci.com/gcch acquired enough of Tom's the poor. Lee feels that the knowlege of paper production to opportunity to write appeals most keep up the quality of the paper." Streetvibes has always to him about the j ob, beyond the represented diversity. From As Editor, Dan hopes to continue "plush offices, high pay and stock options." to increase the visibility of homeless thoughts and artistry, to the Free Tibet Movement to Lee has been there and done Streetvibes: "I hope to make the that, and offers a viewpoint Central American issues, to stories public much more familiar with Streetvibes; its mission, its from prison, Streetvibes works to fa miliar with the pain, struggles present and participate in the and issues of homelessness. He vendors; the issues it addresses, struggle for social justice etc." He also hopes to increase believes that through the paper and worldwide. our·emphasis is sales and advertising. Dan feels his own writing efforts, other may ' his commitment to the paper and homelessness, and our member gain the ability to see beyond their agencies struggles are at the the energy he offers to the humble and broken state. forefront, but Lee has a our commitment well defiried to being a vision for collecti ve voice Streetvibes: " I for the want to see the oppressed readership remains real . base broaden. And so with We need to this in mind, know whq. our our new editor, ··audience is ... Dan Marschner, 1 want people and ournew to buy tfi.e. Assistant paper to read Editor, Lee it, not just to Bowen, make a endeavor to donation." maintain the His previous integrity of the experience paper while helps bis bringing their relationship visions and with vendors: energy to 'Tve been elevating there, I know Streetvibes to their story. new levels. They help me Lee Bowen and Dan Ma.rschner are thrilled to be the new editorial team at · With diversity Streetvibes. They pledge to continue the high quality of the paper. remember as a key where I came production process are his greatest from, and I believe I can offer component to the paper, o~ . assesfs. lJpon his graCluation in editors could not more adequate1y them some hope that my daily May, he hopes to enter the represent varying perspectives in strnggles can allow them to see international portion of the Jesuit Cincinnati. beyond their current situation ... Volunteer Co1-ps. As a participant Dan, our new Editor, sees the Most days, you don't get to hit a in the program, he would live position as a challenge, and is home i·un, you're just lucky to overseas and work in an excited about the possibility of make contact with the ball." combining talents and collectively impoverished area for two years. GCCH is proud to have Lee on Lee, our new Assistant Editor, facing the issues that Streetvibes board and anticipates that Lee will initially can1e to the paper as a addresses. Dan is a senior not only challenge himself, but us vendor. In short order, his interests. in terms of perspective and Psychology major at Xavier in writing surfaced and he began to Streetvibes development. Unversity. Dan is sw-prisingly well-equipped for the position; his contribute articles, poems and Between Dan and Lee, ability to focus amidst the chaos is st01ies to the newspaper. Lee's Streetvibes lo.o ks to maintain the extensive experience as an phenomenal. His laid back hard work and dedication of organizer, community developer demeanor has allowed him to editors' past as production and fu nction effectively as Streetvibes' and activist coupled with his real quality continue to increase and l ife experience of being "on both Assistant Editor this past year: our voice for the homeless and the sides of the desk" have prepared "Working with Tom BUiman was oppressed grows ever louder. him well to comment on quite an experience, one that I The new editors have more than homelessness and the struggles of enj oyed immensely. I hope that I enough ability to continue Streetvibes excellent tradition. Streetvibes Vendor Code Each_vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 volun­ tary donation. I agree not to ask for dona­ tions more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alco­ hol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not regis- tered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I· agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self-supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. �LOCAL NEWS STREETVIBES Page 3 Street View Chabad House Homeless Shelter: Helping Families in Need By Pat Mitchell by Riccardo Taylor The view which clouds the eyes of the street person is one in which only a person who is a part of the life can f ully understand or appreciate. It takes a great deal of patience and ingenuity to survive in the street. One has to have the knowledge of the many different aspects which are so important to street survival in order to succeed. Its like being a jack of all trades, while being able to hold on to some sense of . Riccardo M. Taylor principle and self respect. It is so easy to slip i nto indolence and self ruin. You have to be guarded about allowing yourself to become a part of the riff raff. So many of us who live this life style have succumbed to hopelessness: a life of crime or subj ec~vity, allowing ourselves to feel that we have to do whatever is neccessary for survival. Anything from begging in the street to stealing from the local businesses. A loss of self worth, hopelessnes toward the future, living from day to day. A life which only a few can appreciate. Often there is a glimmer of hope only to be dashed by the reality of our street status. Living life on the edge, never seeming to get ahead. A never ending battle for some sense of sanity, or relief. Believing that the only way out is through drugs or alcohol. Numbing the senses gives some sense of relief, but this is always short Jived. We come right back to reality! You question yourself so often, is there a way out? What do I have to do, or how can I change my status, my lifestyle? These questions plague our minds constantly, forming elaborate plans on just what to do. Most often these plans are disgarded when o n our first try we .find failure. Failure is a constant companion of the street person. It seems to go with the territory. Even the small victories seem a failure in the scheme of our lifestyles. Still we go on. Looking for tomorrow convincing ourselves that it wiU be different once we get through our immediate ciisis. Yeah, there is always tomorrow. With the new day there is some sense of renewal. A glimmer of the elusive. Perhaps See Street View , continued page 19 Chabad House is ano.ther program of structure: a non-profit emergency shelter able to house eleven families (38-46 occupancy, depending on the size of the families). Chabad House is the largest shelter in the Greater Cincinnati area serving entire fami lies. What I find so unique ~ about this program is that is one of few that will house a single father with children. When the program first started, it housed only single men. Chabad House expanded its mission because the need became so great to house families. The Chabad House is one of the first shelters that became part of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, and it promotes a friendly family atmosphere. Residents can receive two hot daily meals. Individual families prepare breakfast; Dorothy Liggert (staff member) prepares lunch and dinner. The length of stay depends on family circumstances and their motivation to move on to a more productive life. Services include shelter, food, clothing, transportation, case management, child tutoring, health and dental care, parenting classes, career counseling, and stress workshops. Assistance in state and federal benefits, financial assistance for housing, and a Rapid Exit program (helping with deposits or rent) are also available. Transportation is provided for homeless families from designated shelters. Free services and referrals to individuals and famil ies are also provided. If you are in risk of losing permanent housing, having your utilities shut off, jf you are in the process of eviction, or need emergency food or clothing, call the Chabad House. The program advantages provided to you and your family will enhance your family's living standards. Chabad Shelter may not provide the services, but may know who, where and how. I find since working with homeless people, one of the barriers is not to be able to be informed where resources are available. Whether you are in a shelter, on the street, or doubled up, you need to be A YEP Sucess Story By Kevin L. Blackledge I was 19 when I ended up homeless. I aged out of foster care. I had the perfect plan, so my social worker thought. I was to leave my foster home and the people that I love and go to college like most young people my age and stay in a dorm. They even put money aside so that they could pay my foster parents when I came home on vacation. At first the plan was perfect; but then I was raped and I could no longer function as a normal cbllege student. I had to leave college. To make a long story short I ended up on the street. I went downtown to the welfare office to ask for help and no one could help me and so they sent me some where else. Basically they told me that because I was not a drug addict or fresh out of jail there was not a . whole lot that they could do for me and they gave me a bus ticket and told me to try some where else. The thing that got me about the situation was that everyone kept asking me why I didn't just go home and I had to kept telling them that I had no home to go to. In the end , I ended up going to my mother who at the time was homeless but she didn 't call it that because she had a roof over her head. The place had no hot water or lights and it was a crack infested roorrung house. She showed me how to go to the different places to get a meal and how to go to the Ameri-Temps to make money so that [could fine some place to live for real. So I would go to work at night so that I would not have to be around the crack addicts and sleep during the day, because crack addicts sleep during the day and they are up all night. My mother . informed of the resources that are available to you. If I look back on my situation of being homeless, this was a one of my greatest barriers. Cbabad House welcomes volunteers for answering telephones1 office work, working with the children's program, record keeping, yard work, and maintenance. Some of the volunteers that render their services include Finneytown H.S. , Ursula Academy, CCY, Human Services, and churches. I, Pat Mitchell, am a new staff member to the Chabad House and case manager. My job involves personal responsibility plan through welfare reform, working with residents moving from emergency shelter to permanent housing. I am excited about this new opportunity! If you would like to make a donation of food, clothing, or money, make donations to Chabad Shelter House, 1636 Summjt Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 or call (513) 821-5100 and speak to the director, Kathy Whalen. stayed arou!1d long enough to show me the ropes of being homeless. She even told me about another rooming house that was a hundred fifty dollars a month with light and gas, all I had to do was get the money and she would talk to the land lord and I could have the room right next to hers. She left me in that house by myself and I had to stay there till I got the money working through AmeriSee YEP, continued page 18 IMPACT Over-the-Rhine Family Freedom Gardens This community service project provides compact, raised bed gardens to inner city families. This opportunity encourages sustainability and independence for families to grow fresh, nutritious vegetables in their own yard. IMPACT Over..the-Rhine provides design consultation all material~ (timber, soil, seeds and bedding plants): installation and follow-up support Over-the-Rhine Families provide yard space, a desire for fresh, tasty vegetables and nurturing care. This is a community enrichment program available at no cost. Only Over-the-Rhine residents are eligible to apply. For an application please contact: Eco-Garden Coordinator Impact Over the Rhine 1718 Pleasant Street Cincinnati, Ohio 4521 O (513) 141-8934 (513) 141-5564 Fax �ST REE TV I BES LQCA L NEWS Page 4 Wish List Preserving Ohio's Affordable Housing Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe­ string bQdget from the offices o the Greater Cincinnati, Coalition for the Homeless. 'W4 depend heavily on the g<><ldwill of many volunteers and donors. If yo,u can·help out with some o the items 9n our wish list, please give.us a call.~. have a right the right to organize. information about the status of the building a nd the subsidy contract; HUD regulations (4381.5 REV-2) , require owners and agents must The Coalition on Homelessness comment on the needs of the recognize l~g itimate resid~nt and Housing in Ohio (CORRIO) is property as a part of a review by the PAE; and build alliances with organizations which r;neet an association of housing activists regularly, operate democratically, across Ohio who came together in community leaders to identify solutions for p otential "opt-outs'' are representative of all residents J984 to end homelessness and or enforcement properties. in the development. an9 aie promote decent safe, fair and Tenants have some protections: independe;nt of·non-resident afforidable housing in Ohio. even if an owner's subsidy is ' owners and management a.gents. CORRIO is working with the reduced, the owner is not O wn ers or. managers way not Greater Cincinnati Coalition for o Advertisers -Classified and ' i permitted to raise the tenant's mpede the r~asoh<!ble efforts of the Homeless, the Alliance of portion of the rent rugher than 30% residents. to organize qi:, reas,onably Cleveland HUD Tenants, unclassifred of income; and if an owner "opts represent resid~nt interests (24 Organize! Ohio and other groups o Supplies for vendor's lounge out" of the subsidy program, HUD CF R, Part 245.105). to spread the word about (coffee, tea, paper towels, Owners/agents are expected to · preserving HUD subsidized homes. will provide tenants with Section 8 provide an accessible meeting vouchers that can be used "iil cream and sugar,etc.) p lace" for up to one year. space within the premises of the H UD policies are reshaping o Office and Cleaning Sup­ development for legitimate Public officials and subsidized housing programs. plies neighborhood activists need to resident associations to hold Tenants, owners, public officials meetings. and local development groups now have a clear picture of the impact o Photography Help - film of these policies on the housing Owners/agents may not have a role jn preserving (400, 800, 1600), develop­ unreasGnably withhold the use of needs of their communities. What subsidized units for future ing help, digital and/or film housing will be lost? When wil l community rooms or other generations. available space within the project low income people have to go? COHHIO is working to create camera(s). when requested by a resident Communities need to form and strengthen tenants' organization in connection with the o Computers/components for affordable housing councils to organizations in HUD subsidized Streetvibes story-writing, identify the threats and representational functions of the buildings and local community opportunities in these new policies. organization, or residents seeking organizations so that they can get editing, research. to organize Some owners will decide that or to collectively involved in the Mark-to-Market o A new vehicle (van?) they want to sell their buildings to consider any matter pertaining to program to help save subsidized non-profit organizations. In that the operation of the project (24 hous ing. If you can help!, contact us at: case, COHHIO will work with . CFR, Part Z45. 110). COHHIO will be mobilizing Streetvibes, ·clO' Greater local non-profits to deve!Qp the F at; more info Gn tenants rights technical assistance for owners,• Cincinn~ti Coalition for the to organize in HUD housing, call expertise they need to become developers and public officials Homeless, 1506 Elm Street, owners. HUD at l-8-00,§8:}"847.0 or visit who want to devise ways to Cincinnati, OH 45210 HUD is also taking a tougher • the HUD website at www.hud.g0v/ preserve subsidized developments. stand towards subsidized housing Subsidized housing is low omhar. ·' ph: _(5132 421-7803, fax (513) providers who do not provide safe income housing that is owned by a 421-7813 and decent housing that meets private individual. partnership or e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com Housing Quality Standards (HQS). corporation which receives money Where from HUD to provide affordable HUD finds housing to low income people. substandard Over the nex~ three years, the conditions and subsidy contracts on thousands of the landlord units are coming up for renewal. fails to correct Congress has told HUD to renew the problem, s ubsidy contracts at a level that is HUD will take no more than the "market rent" for possession of the neighborhood. the property Owners have six choices: through renew at the current level if lower foreclosure. than the "market rent"; accept a Tenants reduced subsidy after a review of operations by HUD's Participating may be displaced as a Administrative Entity (PAE); apply for a subsidy increase (if the result of an enforcement property is in a high rental action, market); restructure the mortgage although HUD to lower operating costs and make wil1 make a long term commitment to decisions about keeping the property affordable: enforcement "Opt Out" of the subsidy program actions on a and to "market rate"; or transfer case by case the property to a non-profit that basis. will preserve the property as Get your BEING subsidized housing. Greater Cincinnati Coa\ition for the Home\ess COHHIO js assisting tenants in ORGANIZED HELPS Mark-to-Market eligible buildings Now! preserve the to form tenants organizations and Examining Home\essness from a kid's point of view housing for participate in the restructuring Featuring photos by Jirnrny Heath. your family. process. Through COHHIO, Tenants tenants can: get accurate 5end .S5 to GCCH, 1506 E\rn 5t ., Cint i, Oh Ll5.2 IO Submitted by COHHIO Year~OOl CALENDAR . �LOCAL NEWS Page 5 Vineyard Community Church: Community Shares Soars Past Goal STREETVIBES Small Things Done with Great Love Change the World By Mr. Lee the-Good Samaritan Run. They distribute clothes and food in Recently, Mark Engler and Washington Park; a ministry Bob Clark stopped into the initiated by Pam Wells, a Vineyard Streetvibes office. As is usually member. Vineyard was recently the case, they were seeking to find recognized as one of the five most out how they could help the effective churches in the Greater Coalition in its work on homeless Cincinnati area. Vineyard has issues. Neither their dress or several other ministries targeted at demeanor would reveal to the casual observer that they were both the low-income community. They ministers. Mark shared that he was have an Adopt-a-Block Program, where a group of church members a minister in " honorable location", adopt a family in a targeted not assigned to any particular building or neighborhood block. church, but attending and working through The Vineyard. Bob Clark They will visit the family on a weekly basis, bringing fellowship is Pastor of Community Outreach. sometimes a small gift, and Our brief conversation, a visit to praying with and for the family. the Vineyard's website and the Currently, such a ministry is being writer's recollection of a recent canied out in buildings on Vine article about local churches Street, Court Srreet, and Walnut provide the substance of this Street. Additionally, the Vineyard article. has a monthly ministry at Mt. Airy The Vineyard Church began in Shelter. Once a month they Men's 1983 with a handful of people bring snacks, games and meeting in various homes around fellowshi p to the shelter. The the city. Today, the Vineyard is Church is located at 11340 home to over 5,000 regular Century Circle East, Cincinnati, attendees. Vineyard 's Mission: Ohio 45246. " Loving tbe people of Ci_nc innati Through the MercyWorks Co­ into a relationship with Jesus The Vineyard provides food, op, Christ", is-most effectively clothing and prayer. The church demonstrated in its outreach works with those attending to ministries, bringing God 's love in develop an action plan to help practical ways to all kinds of them overcome the problems people. The Vineyard tries to their need. On Mercy causing demonstrate God's love in Runs, members take a bus packed practical ways to people all over with bags of groceries and clothing the city by doing simple acts of to the needy. They also host "The service free because God's love is Party" in needy neighborhoods free. throughout the city with food, Vineyard Community Church, music and games for everyone to a non-denominational church, e nJOy. committed to what they call The Vineyard truly servanthood evangelism, a phrase demonstrates that "small things­ coi n and phi losophy preached by done with great love can change its founder the Reverend Steve the world." For information abo.ut Sjogren. VCC continues to reach the Vineyard call (5 13) 671-0422 out to the poor and homeless or check the internet at through a variety of ministries. www.cincyvineyard.com or Since Apri l, 2000, as many as 20 volunteers meet every Saturday for www.Servant Evangelism.com. LEGAL SUPPORT NEEDED!! During the TABD protests, November 17-19, 2000, 53 arrests wer~ made, hundreds more were searched illegally, and still others were beaten or gassed by the Cincinnati police force. CONCERNS REGARDING: ILLEGAL SEARCHES IN ORDERTOSETFOOTONFOUNTAINSQUARE­ PUBLIC PROPERTY, ILLEGAL ARRESTS AND POLICE BRUTALITY, ALL MUST BE ADDRESSED! $15,000 FOR LEGAL EXPENSES Expenses include all legal fees/counsel Checks can be made payable to: N16 Legal, do Molly Mail to: P.O. BOX 3415, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-3415 Updates can be found at CHE-2000.org Or please call 513-929-4102 By Mary McCoy Financial support is increasing for organizations working on issues of importance to the homeless, thanks to Greater Cincinnati Community Snares. Last autumn, the federation of 21 local nonprofit organizations asked people in 50 workplaces to give through payroll deduction to its member organizations, which include the Drop Inn Center, ReSTOC, Justice Watch and the Northern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition. With campaign results in from all workplaces, Community Shares has announced receipt of pledges totaling $230,000, exceeding its goal for the year by 7 percent, with contributions up 18 percent over the previous year. Established in 1996, Community Shares has raised a total of $698,000 in its first five years. The organizations that comprise the federation also address issues such as health care, job training, environmental renewal, human rights, and chemical dependency. The Community Shares' organizations not only provide direct services but also work for systemic change. The newest member, just added in January, is the Northern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition. According Joan Weingartner, director of that organization, "This is a great opportunity for us to work collaboratively with similar organizations to provide real answers for some of the toughest problems faced in the region." Currently, Community Shares is expanding its workplace . partnerships. Among the new workplace campaigns last year were the Metro Bus System, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and the Museum Center. Other workplaces with Community Shares campaigns are the City of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Public Schools, and the federal government. Community Shares' strongest campaign is with the University of Cincinnati where it raised over $76,000 last year. According to Kevin Ronnie, field director of the National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy, who provided start• Shares, up support for Community "Of all the new federations in the nation that conduct workplace campaigns, Cincinnati 's Community Shares is one of the fastest growing." Community Shares moved into new offices in November, located in the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church. Funds to renovate the space were provided by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the Mayerson Foundation, and others. An expanded volunteer program was also launched to provide support for the federation's various committees. Community Shares is committed to diversity and welcomes all offers of support. To contact community shares or to give a donation, w1ite, call, or email to: Greater Cinc.innati Community Shares 103 William Howard Taft Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 513.475.0475 fax 513.487.4262 email: rnccoy @cintishares.com www.ci ntishares.com STREETVIBES TELEVISION Streetv1bes TV 1s produced Live, the Second Tuesday of each month, 7 - 8 PM, at Media Bridges, 2114 Reading Road, Cincinnati Ohio. If you would like to participate in making an episode of Streetvibes TV, please call us at 421-7803. March Schedule Re-Broadcast Dates for March's Show on Channel 24: (Please check your schedule) Tuesday, March 6, at 9 AM Friday, March 9, at 5 PM Saturday, March 17, at 9 PM Friday, March 23, at 5 PM Tuesday, March 27, at 9 AM Broadcast schedules are subject to change ­ Consult your local TV directory. �- STREETVIBES NCH NEWS Page 6 · Seattle Resident Sues Postal Service: Demands Better Access for Homeless People By Casey Trupin, Real Change Three homeless residents of Seattle seeking adequate mail service today filed a statewide class action in federal court challenging policies of the United States Postal Service that operate to discriminate against and deny basic postal services to individuals who have no pe1manent place to receive mail. The homeless Postal Service customers are joined in this lawsuit by the Seattle-based homeless advocacy group Seattle Housing and Resource Effort (SHARE), whose attempts to keep in contact with and share essential information with its board, members and other homeless persons have been hindered by the Postal Service policies and practices challenged in the suit. At issue in the case is the Postal Service's refusal to provide its homeless customers with indefinite general delivery service at neighborhood post offices. Instead, the Postal Service will only provide general delivery service to homeless customers at a limited number of post offices throughout the state. This practice operates to force homeless persons to travel substantial distances to pick up their mail during limited hours on weekdays, and has a disproportionate impact on disabled homeless persons who can only travel with extreme difficulty. In an unconstitutional and discriminatory twist of irony, the Postal Service provides free Nominati~n post office boxes at neighborhood locations to all customers who are ineligible to receive carrier delivery service except those who need it the most - its homeless customers who are disproportionately reliant on regular mail delivery service for essential support. Throughout Washington State, thousands of homeless people rely solely on the United States mail to maintain contact with their families and friends and to receive the bare necessities of life such as Social Security disability and veterans benefits checks, notices of eligibility for food stamps and other benefits, and notice of appointments for medical and other treatment. Yet homeless people are denied access by the Postal Service to the same mail services that other citizens receive. "My mail is very important to me," explains plaintiff Willard Johnson, recently unemployed and homeless due to a physical disability. "It's very difficult to do what I need to do to find a home and disability benefits without mail. But the Postal Service wants me to pay to get mail or to travel eight or nine miles to get it, when other people don ' t have to do either." "While most Americans take it for granted that a mail carrier will bring mail to their home six days week without charge, the homeless are apparent] y entitled to no such expectation," said Casey Trupin, an attorney representing the a plaintiffs. "Because the homeless, by definition, do not have homes the receive no such service. As a consequence, the only reliable way they can receive mail is by deli very to a post office box or general delivery. Unfortunately, the Postal Service refuses to provide either in an adequate or affordable manner." The federal court lawsuit filed today (February 1, 2001) asserts that the Postal Service's refusal to provide homeless citizens with adequate access to mail violates the Service's own statutes and regulations and operates as an unconstitutional infringement of the rights of homeless individuals to receive and send mail. The plaintiffs have asked the federal district court to enjoin the Postal Service from continuing its discriminatory practices and to direct the Service to allow homeless patrons to secure a free post office box or, if no box is available, secure general delivery service at their local postal station. The Plaintiffs are represented in this action by Columbia Legal Services, a statewide non-profit organization that provides legal representation to eligible low income citizens on civil matters. Ed. Note: In Ohio, the Postal Service charges homeless people to rent a P. 0 . Box for their mail. Sought for Buddy Gray Award for Homeless Activism by Michael Stoops This annual award is given to an individual or group who has been most effective in advocating on be­ half of people who are homeless or living in poverty. The individual or group must have been involved in advocacy work for at least five years. The award is named after Buddy Gray who from the early 1970's until his untimely death in 1996 worked with low income and homeless people in the Over-the­ Rbine area in Cincinnati. He de­ veloped a number of non-profit or­ ganizations focusing on emergency shelter, supportive services and per­ manent housing. Buddy was al­ ways th e one person you could count on to stand up for the rights of low income people in conserva­ tive Ci ncinnati. He also served as a mentor to a host of homeless/for­ merly homeless people, as well as high school and college students . Many of the people. he once mentored are now carrying on his legacy in Cincinnati and elsewhere. He was a founding board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless and his influence on the organization continues to be felt. We will give out this national award at our spring 2001 board meeting in Washington, DC. Please take the time to nomi­ nate an individual or group you believe meets the criteria for the Buddy Gray Award for Homeless Activism. Self-nominations are allowed. Deadline: March 15, 2001 (postmarked) The recipient will receive a plaque, $100 honorarium, and travel expenses to attend the award ceremony in DC. Send a cover letter along with supporting documentation (e.g. news clippings) to: National Coalition for the Homeless Attn: Michael Stoops 1012 14th St., NW; #600 Washington , DC 20005-3471 Fax: 202-737-6445 Email: micstoops@aol.com Please address the following in your cover letter: 1. Why is this individual or group being nominated for the Buddy Gray Award? 2. How does this individual or group exemplify the work and legacy of Buddy Gray? Business Card Size Two Business Card Size ~~ 2"x31/2" ~ 4"x31/2" $15 per month $30 per month IM Send your add copy to Streetvibes, 1506 Elm Street,Cinti, 45210 > (Larger Adds Also Available) homecoal@primax.net,or call 421-7803. ADVERTISE STRllTYlllS Radio Marathon on Homelessness By Lauren Byrne The following are statements niade by participants in the Third Annual Radio Marathon on Homelessness in Janua1y 2001. We are going to talk to people all night. It's a very cold night tonight, and let's remember that on this very night there may be one or more homeless people who are actually freezing to death somewhere in this land. And that's a disgrace and we must do something about it. - Nobody (host of Radio Marathon on Homelessness) I'm able to work, but I am so far away from everything and without transportation. That's an issue too. If they really want to solve the problem why c~'t they give me $127 a month for transportation instead of food stamps? I would love to work. 1 would love to feel useful for a change. - Brian There are some of us (in Los Angeles) that are housed, but are not housed well. I live in a facility that qrres for people with mental disabilities, and some people come here from mental hospitals. It's substandard housing and you lose your dignity when you walk in the door. If you want to stay here and get food and shelter you have to give up your dignity. I never hear people talking about the board and care. The most significant thing for the poor is that we should not be forgotten. -Anonymous I am not homeless ... I have always had a home and I appreciate that. .. (but) I can remember a time when I was in Denver and there was a snowstorm that hit and it was probably 15 below zero. I was driving a diesel car and I didn't have any anti­ freeze in that car and I had to drive around for hours just to make sure that my fuel wouldn ' t freeze up. I can't tell you how many people I saw that night that were just like walking ghosts and all the shelters were just stuffed full. And it was · See Radio, continued page 19 �STREETVIBES RECOVERY NEWS the products of dysfunctional families and broken homes that were significantly impacted by by Mr. Lee addiction. Recovery, the act or power of Besides not having a home to regaining or getting again; call their own, most of the 500,000 restoration from sickness or to 3 million people identified as faintness; restoration from low homeless have something else in condition or misfortune; to regain; common - addiction and mental to get or obtain after being lost; to illness. According to one study, up get back; to restore from sickness, to two-thirds of homeless adults fa intness, or the like; to revive; to cure; to heal; to retrieve. T hese are suffer from alcoholism and at least half suffer from drug disorders. In probably the most common and generally accepted meanings of the their book, A Nation In Denial, Alice Baum and Donald Burnes word. Today, most people shatter many of the myths recognize that they are or should surrounding the root causes of be recovering from something. homelessness, which have little to Recovery is not the sole province do with the economy, of the street drunk or suburban governmental social policies, lack matron. Recovery can be sought of affordable housing, and so forth. for dozens perhaps hundreds of According to their research at least illnesses, physical, mental and 65-85% of all homeless adults spiritual. What ever it is, it is about suffer from chronic alcoholism, getting better, by whatever means drug addiction, mental illness, or necessary. some combination of the three, What does the overall issue of often complicated by serious recovery have to do with medical problems. At least 1/3 of homelessness? If you accept the premise that most people today are the homeless suffers from severe and persistent chronic psych iatric recovering from something, or disorders. Forty to fifty percent of should be, whether they realize it these individuals are "dually or not, then it logically follows diagnosed" - suffering from that homeless need to recover from usually multiple problems in order addiction to alcohol and/or clrugs, as well. These are root problems to rectify the condition that cause or constrain .them in this condition. and unless they are adequately addressed, any other help we Who are the homeless? What are provide will not be effective. they suffering fro m, other than a While millions of dollars may t»e "state of disaffiliation from spent on education, housing, and meaningful human relationships employment for the homeless, and the social support systems these efforts do little to improve most people have working for their lots I they are unable to stay them"? Most homeless people are sober by working through the same either addicts themselves, or are Recovery The Serenity P rayer If If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and To accept the things blaming it on you; I cannot change, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, . Courage to change But make allowance for their the things I can, doubting too; And the wisdom to know the If you can wait and difference. not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, Living One Day At A Time; don't deal in lies; Or, being hated, Enjoying one moment at a time; don't give way to hating, Accepting hardship as the And yet don't look too good, Pathway to peace. nor talk too wise; GOD, gra nt me the serenity Taking, as He did, this Sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it. lf you can dream-and not make dreams your master; lf you can think-and not make thoughts your aim; Trusting that He will make If you can meet with triumph and disaster AU things right if I And treat those two Surrender to his Will; impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth That I may be reasonably happy you've spoken In this life, and supremely Twisted by knaves to Happy with forever in make a trap for fools, The next. Amen. Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, Page 7 recovery issues that many of us a.re dealing with in our own lives. In addition their efforts at recovery may be undermined by failure to effectively treat diagnosed or undiagnosed mental illness and/or physical illnesses. The above information was found in an article titled ''Homelessness & Addiction Recovery: A Lasting Solution" by the Association of Gospel Missions. The article was about Christian based recovery and the resultant movement. The article further stated that according to recent congressional figures, only 12.5% of the nation 's 6.5 million drug users have access to publicly funded treatment. It would appear that things are getting worse rather than better. Most people, particularly tpose for whom the term homelessness has no personal impact, homelessness does not seem to be something that one recovers fro m. You simply get a place to stay, and you are no longer homeless. Wrong! The article quoted from an SRI Gallup study of recovery from homelessness conducted by a rescue mission in Knoxville, Tn. This study conducted by a secular research had no thought of "Christian recovery" principles factored into it. They identified six c1itical "life themes" that were strongly present in the lives of people who were able to recover from homelessness. Interestingly enough, these "life themes" clearly reverberate through the Twelve Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tool; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn .of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your peginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart an nerve and sinew To serv.e your turn long after they are gone. And so hold on when there is nothing.in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on"; broadly copied by many other twelve step programs across the world. The following are listed according to their degree of importance: Spirituality - as a source of personal strength and as the basis for rebuilding relationships with other people. Self-Insight - by overcoming denial, acceptance leads to a new and accurate knowledge of oneself. Security - feeling safe both physically and emotionally Self-awareness - being in touch with one's own emotions People Support - having others who care enough to be truly involved with one's life(the total opposite of "disaffiliation") Suppression - being reconciled with one's past and able rej ect negative thoughts, worries, and a poor self-concept. The intent for the Recovery Page is to provide a forum where information that pertains to the many illnesses that the homeless fi nd themselves recovering from, most with the exception of homelessness itself are share with the millions in the community at large can be shared. Position papers, historical documents, prayers, stories, bow-to information, agency profiles, book reviews, poems and anecdotes are welcome. If it can help, education or illuminate and it deals with the problems and the possible solutions, we want to print it. No one has the only answer. There js no single path. Much is known, much is to be learned. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virture, Or walk with kirigs-nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance runYours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And-which is moreyou '11 be a Man my son! RUDYARD KIPING buddy's place Permarient Housing for formerly homeless individuals at 1300 Vine Street. For more information, call Connie Martina or Agnes Mack at (513) 784-0800 �STREETVIBES PRISONERS' NEWS The School Of The American Empire By Mumia Abu-Jamal Women in Prison and HIV By Sheila J. M adhani National Minority AIDS Council " A society that becomes accustomed to using violence to solve its problems, both large and small , is a society in which the roots of human relations are di seased." - Ignacio Martin-Baro, O.J. It is virtually impossible for anyone to consider the horrific violence that has taken place in Central and Latin America, without accounting for the hideous roots of that violence, that grow and thrive in America. For decades, the bloody fl ood from murders, massacres, rapes, torture and carnage, created a trail that could be traced to the doorsteps of a U.S. military training institution known as the School of the Americas, in Fort Bennin g, Georgia. Human rights activists have held increasing ly swelli ng demonstrations at the SOA, and have dubbed it the "School of Assassins." For years the Pentagon dismissed such criticism, and defended the SOA as an elite international training academy for "counter-insurgency," or, more obliquely, for "teaching democracy." The graduates of SOA, however, constituted a kind of rogue's gallery of military despots and dictators, like Boli via's Ge n. Hugo Banzer Suarez, who brutally suppressed progressive church workers and striking ti n miners; like Guatemalan dictator Gen. Romeo Lucas Garcia ( l 978-82), whose rule saw over 5,000 political killings and about 25,000 civilians murdered by the Guatemalan army; and Gen. Juan Rafael Bustillo, of El Salvador, former airforce chief, who, according to a U .N. report of 1993, both planned and then covered up the massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter, fo r s tarters. If you mention a massacre, the chances are great that the men who either ordered or committed the deed were SOA grads. The El Mozote, El Junquillo, Las Rojas, and San Sebastian Massacres were all the work of SOA-trained "death squads." Wh en four U .S. churchwomen were raped and murdered, when Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated, when union members were killed , it was SOA grads who led in the carnage. U.S.-trained and armed SOA people have been involved in so many military coups that in Latin America the school is known as the escuela de golpes: coup school. Recently, the Defense Deptartment, stung by decades of negative publicity, officially "closed" SOA, only to immediately reopen it under the name Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Co-operation (WHISC). Although not as catchy as SOA, WHISC promises to play the same game, by another name. Shortly after the Jesuit murders, U.S .-trained Salvadoran troops surrounded the office of the Catholic archdiocese, and shouted, "Ignacio EJlacurfa and Ignacio Martin-Baro have already fa llen and we will continue murdering communists!" Ellacurfa and Martin-Baro were two Jesuit priests in volved in Christian base communities, where the poor learned literacy, history and how to organize for human rights in the midst of monstrous repression. Martin-Baro was a brilliant liberation theologist and psychologist, who , like the revolutionary Frantz Fanon, chose the side of the oppressed rather than the rich and powerful oppressors. For this he was targeted by the U.S.-trained terrorists of the SOA, and it is for men and women like him , who seek an end to economic and social oppression, that imperial training camps, like SO A/ WHISC exist. Its name has changed, but the game remains the same. Page a . Support John Perotti John has spent nearly twenty years in prison; he has spent fifteen of those years in control units. These are u~ts designed to break people through a combination of isolation and behavior modification techniques. John originally entered the prison system because of petty crimes associated with his wild days as a young man. He has spent so long in prison because he has fought against injustice tooth and nail wherever he has found it in the Ohio prison system. Extra time and loss of the chance of parole has resulted in his stay in prison being much longer than be or anyone e lse ever thought it would be. John has fo ught back through the court system, he educated himself, and has filed many w rits and c ivil suits against guards and officials in the prison and state legislature. These battles have been fought on his behalf as well as for felJow prisoners. John has fought cases concerning living and working conditions, brutality by guards as well as challenges to court ruling and prison rules and regulations. The reward for fighti ng back (and worst still, succeeding) has been beatings that have ]anded him in the hospital and additional charges and court cases. Some of the beatings have led to John fi ling suit and getting guards into court. John received an extra I0- 15 years for a stabbing that took place in a block he was in . At a travesty of a trial in which he was held in fuJJ restraints and flanked by g uards, the prisoner who did it confessed but John still got the time. John was at Lucasvi lie, the scene of his most bitter battles. He had a long history there at Luke. and received harsh treatment. John is now at Supermax Prison at Youngstown. Isolation is the strongest weapon of the prisoncrats; it is the real mind killer. We can break that hold by maintruning contact. Short messages of s upport can make all the difference. John will reply to While women account for only 6% of the nation's prisoners, their numbers increased by 172% between 1986 and 1994. By any s tandard women in prisons are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. Incarcerated women have a HIV prevalence rate that is two times hjgher than incarcerated men and thirty-five times higher than non-incarcerated women. Another troubling trend within this population is that while infection rates for men have stabilized, the number of HIV-infected female inmates is continuing to 1ise. The high prevalence rates for incarcerated women and HIV are inextricably linked to the crimes women commi t: drug use and drug related crimes. Drug use is linked to HIV risk. According to U.S. Department of Justice Statistics, nearly one in three women in state prisons were serving time for doing offenses in 1991, compared to one in five men. Often sex work contributes to HIV risk. Many incarcerated women have traded sex for drugs or money, regard less if they were arrested or charged with prostitution. Researchers have found that incarcerated women have a higher rate of sexual abuse than non­ incarcerated women. Because it has been found that women who have a history of childhood sexual abuse are statisticall y more likely to participate in high risk HIV behavior such as non-condom use, sex work or drug use, incarcerated ~==========================dall le~~.althoo~~~~e~ stamps may cause a bit of delay. women are therefore at an His address now is John Perotti increased ris k of HIV infection. # 1677 12, Ohio State Penitentiary, Black and Latina women make Youngstown, O hio, 44505. Some contains news about the justice system up a disproportionate 60% of words from John: "After serving and the writings of persons incarcerated female inmates and 92% of women seventeen years, I was scheduled in our nation's jails and prisons. prisoners are under age 45. to see the parole board in According to the Centers for Subscribers withinthe walls receive Streetvibes free. November 1997. Due to the fact Disease Control, Black and Latina If you want to support us in this effort, please that I was on a hunger strike to women of childbearing age are sponsor someone on the inside by sending us support a work stoppage, the disproportionately at risk for $15 for a year's subscription parole board continued me sixty AIDS/HIV, accounting for 75% of days without seeing me. They Send your comments female AIDS cases in the United used the excuse that they wanted and questions to streetvibes@juno.com States, al though they represent more information on the 10-15 mail : STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street on ly 2 1% of all women. Prisoners News Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 \.:::::==========================::::V See Perotti, continued page 19 �. . \ ' STREETVIBES PRISONERS' NEWS Page 9 ., Peltier: Disappointment and Renewed Commitment by Leonard Peltier reprinted from Indian Country Today Jan. 20, 2001, was a sad day for all of us. I know that this denial of clemency has affected many of you as much as it has affected both my family and myself. It is a terrible feeling and disappointment knowing that this nightmare has not ended and will continue for many months to come. When I received the news, I felt my stomach curl and a feeling of nausea rolled over me. It took a whjle for me to refocus. For some reason I bad thought I might be having dinner with my family that night. It was an especially disappointing day for all of us. What Bill Clinton did to us was cruel. For eight years he ignored my clemency petition despite .the maj or campaign that was waged. Then, just months before leaving office he publicly promised to make a decision on my case, one way or the other. He said he was aware of its importance. The White House gave my attorneys indications there was a good chance for my clemency to be granted. I had to prepare myself for being released because there was no sign my petition would be denied. The Leonard Peltier Defense Committee bought me clothes, my grandson prepared his bedroom for me to sleep in and other preparations were made for my homeqoming. My friends on Pine Ridge began plans to build me a house. We were literally forced to get our hopes up because we did not want to be unprepared if I was suddenly set free. Jan. 19, came and still, they kept us in nervous anticipation saying the more difficult clemencies are still being worked on and would be announced the next morning. Then Jan. 20 came and went! The White House never even told us what the decision was. We had to fin d out through the press that my name was not on the PENPAL WANTED Roger Hall # 161405 OSP 878 Coitsville­ Hubbard Road Youngstown, Ohio 44505 list of clemencies. To leave a person's life and so many peoples' hopes hanging in the balance like that is truly hardhearted . Since that dark Saturday, I have managed to get up and dust myself off, and begin to lift my spirits once more. I am j ust as determined now to fight for my freedom as I was on Feb. 6, 1976 when I was first arrested. I will not give up. This is the second time in the span of my incarceration that I made it to the top of the hill and saw that freedom was in view, only to be kicked right back down to the bottom again. The first time was in 1985, when the evidence used to convict me was impeached and I was denied a new trial, despite Judge Heaney's finding that I might have been acquitted had the jury been presented this evidence. To be denied a new trial after such a finding shocked our network and me just as much as this denial of clemency has. However, we never lose a battle without making some major gains in the overall struggle. you to remain with us while we regroup and develop a thorough plan. We must 'c arefully consider every option and make sure the strategies compliment each other in order to have the best effect. The LPDC will release strategies as th~y are developed. Some will be released this week. I also have my own personal plans. I will continue doing artwork and will be looking at ways to make it more available to the public. I will also be working with my friends, Fedelia and Bob Cross, to build a grade school in Oglala. Before my clemency was decided, I began to drean1 of the different projects I would like to work on in Pine Ridge if I were free. Now that I have been denied, Fedelia and Bob have said they will take the initiative to begin the projects themselves, with my input. Soon, we will be establishing a board and non-profit status. Bob and Fedelia are schoolteachers and lifetime Oglala residents, and they have the land on which to build the school. This is the second time in.the span ofmy incarceration that I made it to the top ofthe hill and saw that freedom was in view, only to be kicked right back down to the bottom again. I want to compliment and thank my staff at the LPDC and all of you grass-roots supporters who stood beside me and fought so tirelessly for my freedom. You put on one of the strongest and most memorable campaigns I have experienced. Years from now people will read about the accomplishments you made. People from every walk of life worked on this campaign. People from every denomination and belief prayed from every corner of the earth. Although it feels like our sentiments were shooed away like an irritating fl y by a president who did not want to face the consequences of his own mistakes, I believe we put up a serious challenge. We can see who was granted clemency and why. The big donors to the president's campaign were able to buy justice, something we just couldn't afford. Meanwhile, many political prisoners continue to languish unjustly, proof that this nation's talk about reconciliation is nothing but empty rhetoric. We now have a number of strategies to continue this struggle for my freedom. These ideas are in the early planning stages. I ask They have told me of the desperate need for an improved school in Oglala. The existing school is severely under funded and inadequate and does not provide the kids with the quality education they need and deserve. We have the highest drop out rate of all ethnic groups in the country and part of the reason is the lack of stimu lating and challenging programs for the youth. Another idea I would like to develop is building a small recreation center for Oglala. As most of you know Native health conditions are also probably the worst in the country. We want to change that, beginning with this center. We want the center to have modern exercise equipment, a kitchenette and card tables. As everyone gathers here to socialize, have coffee, gossip and play cards, we can encourage them to try the equipment and to begin getting in the habit of exercisi ng and eating healthy foods. I believe it would be a nice place for people to spend time and a good incentive for them to get into better phys~cal condition and stop the trend of diabetes on the reservation. The reservation currently has no facility like this. If we are successful in establishing these two services, I believe that the community of Oglala will truly benefit. We will then be able to move on to other projects that will bring people together and raise the quality of life. For example, one day I would like to rebuild Jumping Bull Hall so that there will be a drug and alcohol free place where people, especially youth, can gather. We could set it up for a movie theatre and bring in video games. People can watch movies, hold meetings, have bi11hday celebrations, community meals and dances here. Right now, our youth have no place to go to socialize and I believe this facility could help prevent the hopelessness and despair too many of our young people feel. I would hope that word of these projects would spread to other reservations and others like Fedelia and Bob Cross will be inspired to take on similar i.deas which we could help support. Your ideas, input, and support are welcomed. If you know people who would donate supplies (books, wood, cement, hardware, etc), make financial contributions or donate their skills and labor, please get in touch with the Leonard.Peltier Defense Committee. In closing, I want to thank you again for your support and ask that you stand with us in this struggle. I believe that one day in the near future we will succeed. But it can' t be done without your support. In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, Leonard Peltier A1tention Prisoners Tliose who want to join the class action lawsuit against the supermax pnson, Youngstown, contact: Staughton & Alice Lind 1694Timbers Court Niles, Ohio 44446 or for more informa­ tion call (513) 241­ 8014 collect ' , �STREETVIBES FEATURE SECTION Page 10 · The Struggle of the Life Learning Center, continued from page 1 location for homeless families and helping to provide a more adequate individuals of Covington to access space for their services. A much­ needed men's shelter is planned for needed services. the third phase. Currently, there The initial phase of the Life are very few beds serving single Learning Center includes a Day men in Covington. In the final Center to house the multi-faceted services that are available to the phase of the project, a center for homeless, in addition to women and children will be transitional apartments for the completed and a Montessori day homeless. The second phase of the care will provide a bridge in the gap of services to families. project would incorporate the Homeless individuals and already existent Pike Street Clinic, families will have the opportunity to go from a life on the street through an assessment, services, training, and educational curriculum that can result in self­ sufflciency. Despite pressure from HUD, the funding agency, the City of Covington bas been trying to stop these services to city occupants. Developers of the Life Learning Center have peen meeting with the City of Covington since submitting the plans for zoning approval last Spring. Each time the City requested a change in the plan or consideration of an alternate site, the development committee complied. For example, dormitories were changed to apartments and the committee Grassroots support of the project has been strong, including this window. looked at alternative sights, most Photo by Alicia Beck or all or which were either agency on the project, Transitions, Inc. has partnered with four other service providers, NorthKey Community Care, Catholic Social Services, the Recovery Network of the Mental Health Association of Northern Kentucky, and Welcome House, to provide a continuum of services. This grant falls on the heels of a prior HUD grant, for the construction of a Life Learning Center that will provide a central inappropriate or not for sale. Although the Covington Board of Adjustment approved the Life Learning Center plan, the City of Covington has not issued a zoning permit. Moreover, after a vote by the City Commissioners of 4-1, they have begun the process of taking the property by eminent domain to use as a parking lot, a move that the City of Covington views as supporting economic development. The law firm of Adams, Stepner, et al. has also stepped in as an opponent to the services proposed for the corner of 81h and Washington, and is suing the Covington Board of Adjustment to overturn its approval of the plan requested by the developer of the Life Learning Center. The fate of the Life Learning Center is yet to be determined. However, advocates for the Center are working hard to raise public awareness about the need for th.e se valuable services for all of Covington's residents. For those interested in learning more about this situation and the impact on the homeless population of Covington, caJJ the Northern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition at (859) 431-8003. More than Bread: Christians Debate Charity "Beyond the Band-Aid" By David Bloom Reprinted from Real Change ... 4 While America enjoys the longest peacetime economic expansion in history, 44 million of us lack health insµrance. One in five children grows up poor. Millions live in substandard housing. As many as 3.5 million have been homeless at some time in the past year. While the Seattle area has an estimated 50,000 millionaires and, at nearly $130,000, the highest average salary in the high-tech industry in the nation, there are 6,000 people on our streets every night, with shelter available for less than half. It is a time of both growing prosperity and despair in our nation and our community. Many say it is the church's responsibility to meet the needs of those left out of the great American boom. According to Rev. Tom Quigley, director of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, churches in our community have responded " with great determination and significant resources" to local poverty - by sponsoring emergency shelters, providing housing, doing casework for homeless f arnilies, and distributing food, rent subsidies, and vouchers to families · and individuals in crisis. Last year, the Church Council alone spent well over $1 million to respond to direct human needs. Just one charitable project, the council's Emergency Feeding Program, provided 450,000 meals through 35 church and agency sites to over 75,000 different people. But how much charity is enough? Is it the church's responsibility to step into the role once provided by government to assure the fe~ding and sheltering of Amerka's poor? Or should people of fai th cultivate a sense of outrage? During September and October, the Church Council sponsored six dinners at diverse church locations throughout the greater Seattle area under the theme, "Beyond the Band-Aid: Healing the Wounds of Poverty." About 350 people from churches representing 10 different denominations attended. The Church Council is an umbrella organization for the cooperative social ministry work of 500 mainline Protestant and Catholic congregations in King and south Snohomish counties. Combined, these churches represent an estimated 10,000 Christians. "We are using these fall dinners to start a community conversation on the need to move beyond band-aids to work at the goal of eliminating poverty," said Quigley. "The conversation we need to have is about the kind of community we are building. Compassion for many and great wealth for a few does not equal justice for al l. We need to be about guaranteeing justice for all." Sister Linda Haydock of the lntercommunity Peace and Justice Center recalled the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: '"Any" religion concerned about the souls of men and women and unconcerned with the slums that doom them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them is a dry-as-dust religion. ' People who are poor reflect a combination of powerlessness, poverty, and systemic exclusion from full membership in the community. That is what Dr. King was talking about." . Bill Grace of the Center for Ethical Leadership raised a troubling dilemma for church people to consider in their purported concern about poverty. According to Habitat for Humanity, 80 percent of the world's resources are in the hands of Christians. "If that's true," Grace asks, "then why is there so much poverty? Hasn't the church arrived? Where is the disconnect? If we have most of the world 's power and money and influence and resources, and if our faith clearly calls us to work for justice for all, then why does poverty persist? Compassionate Contentment Grace's answer indicts the very behavior for which churches receive so much credit, the work that President George W. Bush wants to codify through government's reliance on so-called "faith-based communities" to provide a major share of the social service support in communities across America. "We are much more content with charity than justice," Grace contended. "We make ourselves feel comfortable while giving out food and providing shelter and offering child care and other basic human services. Bu t we are unwilling to discomfort ourselves with the work of systemic change that wo~ld be necessary to implement true structural justice." See Band-Aid, continued page 18 �STREETVIBES FEATURE SECTION Page 11 WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST.. ••• I recently spolce to a group of youth who are a part of IMPACT Over-The Rhine. I shared with them my experience as a homeless youth, juvenile delinquent, convicted felon, homeless adult, college graduate, and minister. When I had finished it was a certainty that I had given them something to think about. However, of all their questions the one which stood out most was the request for someone to write in Streetvibes the plight of Cincinnati's youth who will be effected by the CCY audlt and cancelled contracts of $5.2 million. Prior to speaking with these youth I had just read in the Post articles written on the 15111, 16th, and 17th which eluded to mismanagement of funds by the We Are The Future training program, a program which claims to have taught 100 "unemployable" young men construction skills. The cutting of these funds will affect 1,000 young people in Hamilton County. Having just read these articles, I was prepared to discuss the matter with these youth. Yet as I reflected on what I had read it dawned on me that the concern of Clarence Williams, CCY President, and our council members was not for the youth who will be effected by these cancelled contracts. I am not saying that the mismanagement of government funds is something to take lightly, but if we fail these youth they will not be off the streets this summer obtaining employable skills. This is a classic case of the sins of the fathers effecting the youth. While the county commissioners and city council members are conducting their audit and making plans to revise CCY programs our youth will be without jobs as early as March 1. The youth of IMPACT Over-The-Rhine who were employed by CCY will have self-esteem issues to workout as a result of tl;leir sudden unemployment. Programs such as IMPACT who have worked in collaboration with CCY will find some of their goals impeded. Goals to uplift youth, build pride in community, and family life will be effected according to Kenneth Toney, Director of IMPACT. Toney believes some youth will be lost as a result of the city's abrupt dismissal of our youth back to the streets. What are we goi ng to do about it? We concern ourselves with the lack of livable wage jobs for our homeless and poverty stricken, however, if we do not address the issue of unemployment among our youth then we are preparing them and our society for'failure. The purpose of such programs like CCY is to prepare our youth for the~r future role as productive members of society. Therefore, it is in our best interest to insure that the $5.2 million is granted to some other program such as Cincinnati Recreation ':"ho can provide employment for these youth. I encourage all who have 5-l\!tJ?.f Sight, Out of Mind Civil Rights Americorp VISTA Civil rights violations are increasingly being carried out by individuals, public institutions and governmental entities against persons who are homeless. Local advocates believe that such actions, policies and ordinances are responses to homelessness driven by anger and frustration, and are fueled by·the powerlessness of persons who are homeless in this society. They are discriminatory because they target persons ba~ed on their home1ess status. NEOCH, Americorp VISTA, and local agencies nationwide are working with the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) on "Out ofSight, Out of Mind," a report on the criminalization of homelessness. Educating the public about the demographic makeup of the homeless population, causes, solutions and what individuals/groups can do is essential to the goal of ending homelessness. The NCH is providing substantive information on issues related to homelessness and poverty to the public. Local governments continue to turn to the criminal justice system to address problems associated with homelessness in their communities. "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," due to be released in March, 2001 , is an update of the National Law Center 's 1998 report which documents a rise in anti.­ homeless activities across the country. The report also examines the progress of this trend in the same 50 United States cities surveyed for past reports. It is the sixth such report published since 1991. In "criminalizing" homelessness, cities generally pursue one of four primary types of action: (1) enacting and/or enforcing restrictions on homeless people's use of pubLic spaces for necessary activities such as sleeping or sitting, (2) enacting and/or enforcina restrictions on begging, (3) co;ducting police "sweeps" designed to remove homeless people from specific areas, and (4) targeting homeless people for selective enforcement of generally applicable laws. Accordina to local advocates Clevel~d ha~ repeatedly ' attempted to use its police force to enforce a policy of "Out of Sight, Out of Mind". In 1999, the mayor of Cleveland adopted a policy to threaten the arrest of anyone sleeping, sitting or even wa\king on the street. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the NEOCH together sued the city to stop this policy. After two months of court battles, the city settled the lawsuit pledging not to engage in this activity. In 2000, there has been a rise in the number of homeless people arrested for criminal trespassing for sleeping underneath public bridges. "In the ten years that the mayor has been in office, his administration has used a liammer to deal with the rising homeless population" stated in an interview with Brian Davis, Executive Director of NEOCH. "The City Council of Cleveland is at war with the Mayor's administration which has made it impossible for the Mayor to get any anti-homeless laws passed. He has traditionally used Executive order to accomplish what he cannot accomplish through legislation," said Davis. In an interview with Angelo Ander~on, Dire~tor of ~he Salvauon Army s Mens Emergency Shelter, he stated that "Sweeps see~ to be d~·ectly connected with the holiday season i~ th~ city'~ central business distnct which steps up en~o~cei:ient of a~gressive sohcitatl?~ laws. NEOCH and other ~ctiv1st~ w~rked to stop the sweeprng policy m February, ~000. They have also sett~p a Ca~e ~m e for_the Central Bt~smess D1stnct, which allows busrnesses to call , ~nd social_ service agencies _to mterve~e rnstead ?f t,~e pohce. According to Da:'1s, Alt~o~gh we have onl~ he.ard isolated i_n c1dence of sweepmg connected with events, we have seen limited and will employ youth to contact Clarence Williams at CCY and learn how you can help our youth. Also you should contact the city council, county commissioners, and Don Thomas at the Hamilton County Department of Huma11 Services. As Assistant Pastor of Evangelism & Housing at Washington United Church of Christ, I have been very busy getting settled into my job. However, AWOL Ministries and its volunteers are still very much involved in changing the way of life of individuals and families; so please continue your support of this ntinistry. Contributions can be sent to: P.O. Box 36065, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. Call 2 10­ 4181 or e-mail me at awol@goodnews. net for assistance. In His Service, Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. The Evangelist attempts to prevent homeless people from going into surrounding suburban communities." Public institutions are creating exclusionary policies that target persons who are homeless, such as restrictions on the size or number of bags patrons can take into a library. Local communities are selectively reinforcing existing laws, or writing new ones that . make the performance of life­ sustaining behaviors in public settings such as sleeping, standing, or sitting criminal acts. Over the past five years in Cleveland, the ACLU and NEOCH have challenged anti-homeless policies three times. The first in 1995 was the kidnapping and dumping of homeless people. The second was the registration of See Out of Sight, page 18 Berta's Art Corner Berta Lambert took this photograph in Over-the-Rhine in August. �STREETVIBES EDITORIAL PAGE . Page 12 . The Wire Curtain and Legislative Deception: Political Prisoners and a Shrinking Budget in Ohio By Kenneth D. Smith We have all seen the headlines: "Aid Agencies, Prisons Brace for Cuts in State Budget", or " Unheated Cells Delay Move to New Prison". Interesting headlines, but what do they really say about what is going on within our state government? Actually, very little, unless you read between the lines. For weeks the news has canied stories about dwindling state tax revenues, an increasingly desperate school funding crisis, and Bob Taft's proposals to fix the problems. • But what were these fixes? They were cuts in Veterans Services, Employment Services, etc. Did we see any real meaningful proposals? No! Years after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Property Taxes were unconstitutional as a school funding tool the tax is still there. People are still paying an unconstitutional tax for an unconstitutional purpose! Has our legislature passed legislation to repeal this tax? No! And they don't intend to, either! If the state is really interested in budget cutting and reallocating the funds to education and other needed serv.ices they could start with an area they are all afraid to touch: PRISONS! But we can't cut prison budgets! What about all those nasty prisoners? They might be released! What would we do then? Well, you could start by paying less taxes ! Ohio has 34 prisons. Why? They don't even need them. They have never needed them! The only reason they exist is because of deceit and corruption. Period. When the new sentencing code was being formulated it was intended to be made retroactive and applied to everyone. Why wasn' t it? Simple. If applied to everyone the prison population would have dropped, new prison construction would have stopped, there could have been four or five prisons closed, and then governor, now senator, Voinovich could not have fulfilled his behind the scenes promises. The retroactivity clause was forced out of the new code and in doing so our legislators raped the tax payers for purely political gain. They sold what little honor they might have had to special interests and threw our state Constitution out the window! At the same time they increased the prison budget by FIFTY PERCENT, authorized hundreds of millions for new prisons, and allowed the radical increase of Department of Rehabilitation and Con-ections personnel! Yet the new code was reported to have been intended to REDUCE prisons, prisoners, and prison related costs. Once again they lied! What was said publicly and what took place behind closed doors were totally different. And the taxpayer, as always, loses. As soon as the new sentencing code was adopted a "Wire Curtain" went up around the prison issue and tens of thousands of men and women became POLITICAL PRISONERS. As with the unconstitutional property tax, politicians have buried the school and prison issue under what George Orwell called "double speak." Our so called "elected representatives" have clouded the issues, danced around the problem, and tried every trick in the book to avoid facing the messes they have made. Their deals behind closed doors are costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions while our school system company owners should join forces to eliminate this oppressive tax forever. Then we must demand bureaucratic fiscal responsibility checked at random by independent accounting teams. But part of this "Fiscal Responsibility" should be the elimination of all politically motivated "fat" in the overall state budget. And the biggest hunk of "fat" lies within the state's largest bureaucracy, the Department of Rehabilitation and CoITections ! Since the new sentencing code was NOT made retroactive in order to protect political promises to Youngstown, the prison labor unions, and the politically connected prison builders we must start there. Establish a "Resentencing Commission" staffed by RETIRED judges. Give them the new sentencing guidelines, the power to make decisions, and have them review EVERY old law prisoner's case who is not doing a life sentence. Within ONE year release ALL prisoners who have achieved or exceeded the sentence they could have received for their offense The only reason they (prisons) exist is because ofdeceit and corruption. is the laughing stock of the nation ! With tax dollars shrinking, Bob Taft and those in our legislature are scrambling to save their political promises by trampling on other more worthy budgets! But what should be done? Well, we as citizens need to tum on the fan of truth and blow all of that political smoke out of the way. First, recognize that the oppressing property owners with an unconstitutional tax is wrong, AND there ARE equitable alternatives! Second, we must recognize that we have been lied to about the "prison problem" for years while our pockets were plundered to pay off political debts, debts WE did not make. Then we must take a rational look at what the truth really is. Let's start with property taxes. Who suffers from property taxes? The old, the retired, and those new families who are struggling to make ends meet! Property owners, home builders, and under the new law. Not parole ­ final release. Immediately impose a moratoriumon building ANY new prisons and IMMEDIATELY eliminate all prison jobs caused by closing and destroying the eight oldest prisons. Give each released prisoner $1,000 start up money from the D.R.& C. budget and shift the other $15,000 per prisoner permanently to school equipment, buildings and texts. For every prisoner released back into the work market the tax payer will save $15,000 in new taxes. By closing and destroying the old prisons hundreds of millions in operati ng costs will be saved, permanently. Next let's look at other high costs forced upon us by our "politicians" through deceit. The first item we should look at is the "Felony 5" which was nothing more than misdemeanors raised to felonies to increase prison populations. Thls should be repealed and the lower categories reassigned to local county court control where they should have stayed. Next let's look at "post release control" which is under the new law and is only a propagandized method of increasing the D.R.& C. budget. It guar·anteed that the no longer needed Adult Parole Authority and their parole officers would keep their jobs. Eliminate "post release control" AND the A.PA. completely. Put probation back where it belongs, under the control of local courts. All jobs eli minated by the "belt tightenings" should be permanent. No one whose position is eliminated should be allowed to enter ANY other department for any reason. You don 't save by moving an expense from one spot to another! And regardless of "contracts" you cannot say that a do-nothing in the D.R.& C. is qualified to "bump" anyone from another agency out of their job. There is only one problem. How do we improve our schools without allowing the politicians to keep robbing us blind. The solution is a broad realigning of priorities within our government and a return to government for the people, not the special interests! We can save $800,000,000 a year by eliminating the "pork" from our prison system and return justice at the same time. We can eliminate laws that are deliberately designed to increase prison populations and destroy lives. We can even repeal the new "get tough on drunks" law that increased the felony drunk driving penalty to five years to fill two unneeded "drunk tank" prisons. Reggie Wilkinson was quoted recently in the Columbus Dispatch as saying, "The first thing we're going to try and do is prevent a prison from closing. You, as a tax payer, can believe he will succeed unless there is a concerted push by property owners and other tax payers who have been raped and robbed by our politicians to bring a stop to the waste and corruption within our state government. The citizen IS the government. If you allow YOUR hired servants to rob you than you deserve what is coming, higher taxes, more waste, and more corruption. It's YOUR CHOICE! Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression ofthe views and opinions ofour readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those ofthe Streetvibes staffor the Greater'Cincinnati Coalition/or the Homeless. �EDITORIAL PAGE STREETVIBES Page 13 Access Denied: Grocery Store Harrassment Arrogant business owners with little respect for their customers have no right to ask you to prov~ you are not a t)lief, especially if no evidence exists to suggest that you've done something wrong. But they have no legal right to demand that you comply with such insulting requests, because to do so is to demand hat you surrender basic protections guaranteed as a citizen. They have no right to detain a customer, much less confiscate personal belongings or search them, unless some specific evidence exists that a crime has been committed, i.e. they have witnessed a theft first-hand. The reasons for this are fairly obvious, among them that store owners, police officers, etc. could and would otherwise subject people to searches and invasions of privacy based solely on what they look like, how they 're dressed, and even what race they are. So I was appalled the other day when, after having made a purchase, I was asked by management at downtown Covington's Economy Market­ the only grocery store accessible to people who live downtown without a car - if they could search my backpack before banding me my groceries. Taken aback, I said no. Then after thinking about it for a moment, I said, "Absolutely not." I had been disturbed by an incident that had happened moments earlier when store management aggressively questioned another customer, a man in his fifties or sixties, whose groceries were being carried to his car by a store employee. Even after producing receipts for the groceries he had just bought, he remained the object of management's suspicions until finally he blurted out in indignant expression, "Look, nobody's trying to put anything over on you!" In my own case, I was detained several moments while the woman in charge debated whether or not to hand me the groceries I had paid for, until finally I demanded that she either give me my groceries or give me my money back. But first the owner was summoned from the. back of the store and 1,:>0inted to a sign that be reserved the "right" to search customer's bags. I did my best to explain to him that such a sign didn't preempt the laws that govern searches and customer privacy, and his response was telling. He said, " I am the law." Luckily for the people who Iive in downtown Covington and need to buy groceries at its only market, he is not the law, though you wouldn ' t know it from the local police, who show little interest in dissuading his behavior. The market exists to serve the needs of the multitudes of people who live downtown, many of them of very modest means and without private transportation. To tell them that, for the privilege of buying groceries, they must surrender ordinary legal rights that other Americans take for granted is not only insulting, demeaning and arrogant, it's illegal. Customers ready to risk management's ire should make it known that they do not intend to tolerate such treatment, and city government should bring the necessary pressure to bear to see that customer's rights are protected and that no one is denied access to the store for refusing to be searched. Access to the basic necessities of Jjfe is too important to be left to the whims and prejudices of one private business owner. Sincerely, Sean McDonald Compassionate Conservatism "Truely, an Anierican tragedy... a faniily too ilnpoverish.ed to con.tribute to 1n_y presidential canipai~n." .·-.. ... �STREETVIBES ART & POETRY . Page 14 Don't Cast Him Aside Soft as a Petal Poor Strange Boy He boiled in angry and hungry beside, Others who knew him shuffled aside. He glared at the servers and scowled at the food, Many among us knew of his moods. Black Woman Soft as a petal Beautiful as a rose Majestic as a star Majestic as a diamond She's Clothed with The garments of salvation Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit Anointed with the Holy Ghost Transformed by God's Holy Word Poor Strange Being Set apart Set aside, Different by choice or circumstance? Poor strange boy, ever increasing uncertainty Poor strange fellow, searcher in mirrors Honest child of liars. Poetic soul in a house of filth Torture self-imposed no less real No less inescapable Entreat to your God for forgiveness Have courage to forgive yourself Until tomorrow I dream only of today Reconciled to each other with ties that bind Bound for grievance sake Unwilling participant in madness Along for the ride the trip turns for the worst Fall away little man, fall away Find solid truth in a liquid world? I don' t think so. We all have to surf our dreams Solid-things are meant for rest Demanding "more meat" and "I want two trays!" We acquiesced meekly just so he' d go away. "Hey you! Don' t serve me none of that crap." My reddened face burned from his verbal slap. Bud calmly asked me to "help him, yes help him, Act as his guide, Work with him gently, very gently, Don' t cast him aside." He was tough, he was homeless and as mean as a snake I wanted to scream out, "Hey, just cut me a break!" A master manipulator, he played with my mind, And easily deflected surface attempts to be kind. Black Woman She's planted by the Living Waters And her fruit shall never wither She's respected in our congregation Because of her love and devotion, She's a multiplicity of unpredictions Her complexities confuse the geniuses Yet, she's so simple her children understand And call her blessed In the nights of sickness and pain She's there to hug, to kiss the tears away And even when man's fears perplex, She's there too to caress She's a black, soft petal - Everybody 's Rose. WARREN PERKINS MARJORIE BOOKER He pushed and he prodded, and crammed bis bags full And said only of my entreaties, "That's just a Jot of bull" His clothing was dirty, he smelled like the streets, His nose it was broken, and he wore sandals on his feet. He locked on my face with dark piercing eyes, Snapping with anger, and wide with a high. Without a kind word he turned for the door, And stepped out quickJy into the blizzard's roar. Still trying to know him, I asked for his name, His response, a slow turn, was the end of our game. Snow coated his cloak, and covered his back, Yet, the carpet of snow showed not his track. The snow swirled between us and in the clearest of words, He stunned me with, "I' m Jesus Christ, or haven ' t you heard." Time froze around us. I felt heavy with sin. He was the least of my brothers. It may have been Hi'm. (Written for and dedicated to Bud McDennott ­ January 13, 1996) DAN GIBBONS SUBMllTED BY GLADYS Dooo Extra! Extra! Advertise to Socially Conscious Readers! Rate: $2 per square inch �STREETVIBES ART & POETRY Page 15 '"J:ti!!-·«···~ In the faces of the poor I see the (ace of Christ. In the life of the poor I see reflected the life of Christ. In turn, the poor and those discriminated against identify more easily with Christ, for in him they discover one of their own. Jesus said that in the final analysis he will identify himself with the disinherited, the sick, the imprisoned, the hungry, the lonely - who have been given a helping hand. From The Prophet Parable A man was imprisoned for years in China. One day in the shop where he worked in prison, his eye caught small bits of bright wire amidst the shavings on the floor. He began gathering them and saving them in a bottle in his room to brighten things a bit in his cell. After years of confinement, he was finally released from prison and brought the bottle full of wires with him to remind him of his years there. Now an old man and unable to work, he spent days "Speak for all those who cannot speak, for the wakino- at the exact hour the warden had rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge decreed that prisoners should awake and going righteously, defend the rights of the ppor and to sleep at the usual prison lights-out time. He the needy." paced back and forth in his room in the same Proverbs 31: 8-9 SUBMITTED BY GLADYS DOOD pattern he had while confined in his cell, four steps forward and four steps back. After some City birds flying, time of this, he grew frustrated and one day their day is complete smashed the bottle. He found the mass of By a little old lady rusted wires stuck together in the shape of a that throws bread at their feet, bottle. The winos are calling, they need change for wine. DANIEL J. MCCLAIN Despite their sad faces, these people are mine. Natural Highs The men talk of working, the women old times; Falling in love. I talk of California, Laughing so hard your face hurts. and read them my rhymes. A hot shower. Just another Monday No iines at the Super Walmart. at 12th and Vine. A speciaf glance. It may not be pretty, Getting mail. but it's home and it's mine. Taking a drive on a pretty road. KATHY HEWLICK MCGUIRE SUBMITTED BY GLADYS DOOD Verbal Abuse When he was A grinning boy of four, Breaches of protocol Brought him forty lashes In the fear-ruled land of Punishment, The land of pride and prejudice. Now he sleeps through breakfast, Through lunch Waiting for the bitch to tum and busy herself In some engaging meaningless protocol of her own. Then, he can slip away Onto the highway of self-expression, Be it only to scream spinning out of the driveway To the Quickee mart for a pack of Marlboros and a coke. Long since her quick-to-criticise hand has stepped aside, to allow A much sharper weapon, her tongue, to work its dulling beatings on his tired brain. Dulling, 1 say, because, After a few stabs, One begins to fall into a daze, Lose consciousness, begin to dream And Sleep To hide away To escape The pain. TOM BILLMAN Hearing your favorite song on the radio. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside. Hot towels out of the dryer. Walking out of your last final. Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half pdce. Chocolate milkshake. A long distance phone call. Getting invited to a dance. A bubble bath. Giggling. A good conversation. A care package. The beach. Finding a $20 bill in your coat from last winter. Laughing at yourself. Midnight phone calls that last for hours. Runnning through sprinklers. Laughing fo~ absolutely no reason at all. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful. Laughing at an inside joke. Friends. Fa11ing in love for the first time. Slumber parties. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep. Your first kiss. Being a part of a team. Making new friends or spending time with old ones. Playing with a new puppy. Late night talks with your roommate that keep you from sleeping. Having someone play with your hair. Sweet dreams. Road trips with friends. Swinging on swings. Writing for Streetvibes! ANONYMOUS Then said Almitra, "Speak to Us of Love" And he raised his bead and looked upon the people, And there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said: When love beckons you to follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep And when wings enfold you yield to him, Though the sword hidden among bis pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden. For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the ea11h. Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds yo~ to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, That you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast. All these things love shall do unto you so that you may know The secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge Become a fragment of Life's heart. But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness And pass out of love's threshing floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, But not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Loves possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love, U it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of Jove; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn wi.th a winged heart And give thanks for another day of loving To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart And a song of praise upon your lips KAHLIL GIBRAN �VEGGIEVIBES 3'.·~~~·v STREETVIBES ~s?.~~~)'.our . Page 16 · Cancer Risk by Eating A Plant-Based Diet "Your food shall be your remedy". These words, written by Hippocrates more than 2,000 years ago, hold true today as researchers continue to reinforce the connection between good nutrition and good health. Diet is now believed to be a leading factor in 35% of cancer deaths accordina to noted epidemiologists Richard Peto, M.D. and Richard Doll , M.D. Walter C. Willett, of Harvard University's Department of Nutrition and Epidemiology, says, " .. .in the nonsmokers, diet is likely to account for a substantially larger percentage of cancers, probably more than 50%". Professor Willet cites over two hundred studies suggesting reduced cancer rates by people who eat more vegetables and fruits in his book Diet and Health: What Should We Eat. In 1996 The American Cancer Society issued nutritional guidelines; they note that: "The introduction of healthful diet and exercise practices at any time from childhood to old age can promote health and reduce cancer risk". From there, the guidelines get explicit about which foods to eat and which to avoid. The guidelines advise people to "limit consumption of meats, especially high-fat meats." And they go even further - sounding al most as if they were written by a vegetarian group, in stating: "Emphasize beans, grains, and vegetables in meals to help shift the dietary patterns to include more foods from plant rather than from animal sources." The following are the guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society. ~ 1. Choose most of the foods you eat from plant sources. Eat five or more serving of fruits and vegetables each day. Eat other foods from plant sources, such as breads, cereals, grain products, rice, pasta or beans several times each day. 2. L imit your intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources. Choose foods low in fat. Limit consumption of meats, especia1ly high-fat meats. 3. Be physically active. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Be at least moderately active for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week. 4. Limit consumption of alcoholic beverages, if you drink at all. While these guidelines don't explicitly recommend a vegetarian diet they certainly lean that way. When the chair of th.e panel that drafted the ACS guidelines, Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., w~s asked to compare the cancer risk of vegetarians to that of the general population, her response was: "Vegetarians and vegans have one-third to one-half the cancer risk of omnivores." In 1982 the NationaJ Research Council released a technical report: Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer, showing that diet was probably the greatest single risk factor in the epidemic of cancer, particularly for cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate. Since then, evidence for the effects of certain foods on the incidence of other types of cancer has also steadily accumulated. Of all the cancers, colon cancer is the most directly related to food choices according to the Dietitians Mark Messina and Virginia Messina. Seventh day Adventists in the U.S. have 40% less colorectal cancer than the general population. Since about approximated that of Caucasian women living around them. Prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men. In a 1995 study, published in the Journal ofthe National Cancer Institute, they fou nd a significantly positive association between total fat intake and prostate cancer for all ethnic groups studied. Detailed analysis attributed most of the cancers to saturated fat. A study published by Dr. Charles Meyers M.D., from the University of Virginia, showed that without fatty acids prostate cancer won't grow, but adding arachidonic acid, which is in meat fat, will double or triple the growth rate. The number one cancer killer is lung cancer. But many studies have consistently shown that the higher the blood cholesterol count of a smoker, the greater the risk of lu.ng cancer and that vegetarian smokers have di stinctly lower rates of lung cancer than do meat­ eating smokers. Please note: I am Vegetarians and vegans have one-third to one-half the cancer risk ofomnivores half of them do not eat meat ' scientists believe that diet may be the primary reason for their lower cancer rates. Back as far as the 1970's, the Journal ofthe National Cancer Institute reported that the incidence of colon cancer was high in precisely those regions where meat consumption was high, and low where meat consumption was low. It was found that there is not a single population in the world with a high meat cohsumption that does not have a high rate of colon cancer. Further research has also discovered that fat and fiber played a role in colon cancer. Typically, diet's that are high in meat are also low in fiber and high in fat. In the U.S., one 'in every eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. U.S. breast cancer rates are three times Mexico's rates, four times Japan's rates, and five times the rate of China. These rates correspond closely to the amount of animal products in each country's diet. It is interesting to note that studies have shown that when Japanese women migrate to the U.S. and shift their diet toward a more Western, higher-fat diet, their breast cancer rates steadily climbed. Within one generation it not recommending that you smoke! The China Project, which the New York Times called the "Grand Prix' of epidemiology," and "the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease," found that the Chinese who eat the least fat and animal products have su bstantially lower rates of cancer, heart attack, and several other chronic degenerative diseases." The study collected data in 1983 and in 1989 from each of the 10,200 people. ln the 1989 survey, over 1,000 pieces· of information were recorded over a period of days for each person surveyed. The China Project found that less affluent, poorer rural residents often have dramatically lower rates of what are sometimes called the "diseases of affluence." These include diabetes, heart disease, and colon, breast, and lung cancers . .The higher incidence of common cancers and other "affluent" disease, the researchers found tend to occur in richer, more urban areas of China where incomes and lifestyles allow for meat, oil, and animal protein consumption. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a professor of nutrition and biomedical sciences at Cornell University and director of the China Project, S~fllldS by bis · findings, and his subsequent recommendations for eliminating animal products from one's diet, because the China study has looked at diet and lifestyle in a very comprehensive way. "Most contemporary research focuses narrowly on relationships between single nutrients, single foods, single diseases, and - if possible - single molecules !" Campbell observes. The China Project is different, he contends, because it focused on the relationship of whole diet and lifestyle patterns to whole health. "We found that a high level of blood cholesterol was consistently associated with many cancers - including leukemia, liver, colon, rectum, lung, and brain," reports Campbell. High cholesterol levels can be attributed to eatina b fats, animal proteins, and meat. The China data shows that as both cholesterol and urea levels rise, so do the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The project results suggest that even small amounts of animal products in the diet produce significant increases in disease. However, the more plant foods a diet contains, the lower the disease rates. Why do plant foods protect against cancer? The nature between dietary ingredients and cancer is elusive and many questions remain, but fruits and vegetables are chemically very complex and contain many biochemicals that contribute in the reduction of cancer. Several of the most promising are the anti-oxidant lycopene found in tomatoes, which may help prevent prostate cancer, resveratrol in grapes may block cancer development, indole­ carbinol found in plants in the broccoli family may halt the growth of breast cancer cells. Especially promising are the isoflavones or plant estrogens found in soy and flax seeds that have a role in breast cancer prevention. There is also a great deal of interest in the antioxidant vitamins - beta carotene, C, E and many others that are only found in plants. These chemicals interfere with oxidation by free radicals, a process that can result in the formation of carcinogens. As Professor T. Colin Campbell says: "Every bit of vegetables and fruits supplies the body with numerous powerful anticancer See Veggie Vibes , continued page 19 �ECONOMIC NEWS STREETVIBES Penny Wise and Pound Foolish? By Steve Gibbs, President and CEO, Freest6re­ .... Foodbank (excerpts) America's Second Harvest, the national food bank network ... issued an analysis of the dwindling Food Stamp program entitk.d The Red Tape Di vide. It notes that "Over the past four years Food Stamp participation has declined by more than 33% ­ to a participation level of 17 million during the first quarter of 2000. Yet the number of Americans who are at risk of hunger has remained constant at approximately 31 million over the same period of time." Whatever one's politics, the increasing size of the "divide" has many direct effects .. . Why is this happening? Without getting real technical, let me touch on a few of the reasons: Welfare isn't a lot of fun, so when folks get jobs, they leave welfare rolls by just walking away. When they fail to turn up for an appointment with a welfare worker ... because they' re working .. . the casewo(ker closes the case. This means that after they take a job (which may not pay a liVing wage), they fail to get the Food Stamps, health insurance, and childcare help that were intended to help them surv ive. This fact alone has changed the face of whom food pantries feed. Of working-age Do you fi n~ folks, 40% of them are unemployed. As states struggle to reduce their Food Stamp error rates, the forms they use have ballooned. Ohio 's is eight pages long, while Indiana's is only two pages long. Yet Ohio's and Indiana's error rates are virtually identical to West Virginia's, whose fortn is 33 pages long. · · Clearly thj~ process isn't working. The New York Times notes that these forms pursue "Bu'r ial Plot's,' Bingo, and Blood" in trying to exclude families needing help. Sixteen states have either adopted "finger imaging" for applicants or are exploring doing so - Ohio is one of them. Texas spent sixteen million dollars installing the "Lone Star" system to fingerprint Food Stamp applicants. At the end of its first year in operation, it had detected fraudulent multiple applicants that saved the state $10,000. Other problems arising out of The Red Tape Divide spread like ripples through our nation 's life. Hungry children don't learn well, affecting everything from mjlitary preparedness to workforce development. When folks Jose their Food Sta·Q1ps, they · also lose lheir health insurance. Costs to care for the uninsured have skyrocketed in the past 18 months, and those with insurance pay for those without it. rt's j ust part of the cost of doing business. yourself on the outside of the job market, looking in? Do you want a ~elf-motivated, low-pressure job? Sell Streetvibes! The monthly newspaper with news from the street: homelessness, poor people's issues, poetry, prose, and articles with their feet on the ground. Economic Boom for Whom? by Juliette Beck (excerpts) First 10 copies free to new vendors! Come in today to sign up! The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street ' Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 (513) 421-7803 rejecting corporate control over all aspects of life, from Monsanto's monopoly patents on seeds to the conglomeration of media to the privatization of water. Just as past revolutions have fought for political democracy, this movement aims to 1 democratize economic decision making at all levels so that the people who are most affected by economic polic\es.have a voice in designing them. Decisions made by Washington and Wall Street will never eliminate poverty. The question is not whether to have a closed or open trading system, but rather whose values are being enshrined in the global rulemaking. Is the goal to maximize corporate profits for the few or to meet all basic human needs and protect the earth? As citizens of a global society, we recognize that our freedom comes with responsibility. The time to act is now. When 43 million people in the United States lack health care insurance, 250 million children worldwide go to work rather than school each day and 24,000 people die daily of hunger, it is easy to recognize that this boom is only skin deep ... The widespread social, ecological and spiritual crises we' ve inherited are caused by li ving in a capitalist society that teaches us to buy without thinking and consume without caring. Our overconsumption is fueling this economic boom, but at a heavy cost to the environment. Every major ecosystem is in decline. Fisher stocks, fertile topsoil, biodiversity, virgi n forests and a stable atmosphere are disappearing and cannot sustain the more than 6 billion people on this planet (at this level of consumption.) Rather than shy away from these global problems, young people are tackling the root causes with myriad strategies and a groundswell of optimism. Mote than Cliffo rd Jone s ever. people are (513) 761- 3464 (5 13) .230 - 6 353 think ing syste mically Office t • WWw Voicemail "o\.1\C •('J°q and acting strategicall y. C',-<'J(Jfl. • <:-; /) s lllail: joneSa~< '>"b'exchange-~ You ng people are ' Streetvibes Classified Americorps VIST~ Positions Availa ble! The NortheastOhio Coalition fo r the Homeless (NEOCH) has positions avai lable in Canton, Akron, Cleve­ land, Columbus, and Cincinnati with the Homeless Children and Youth Project. Contact the NEOCH for more information. NEOCH 2012 West 25th Street $717 Cleveland, Ohio 44113 (216) 241-1104 email: neoch @bbs2.rmrc.net www.neoch.org GCCH Position Available Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and sell it for a $1 donation. Page 17 Outreach Coordinator will direct the Speaker's Bureau. The Outreach Coordj nator will recruit cites and speakers for the GCCH Speaker 's Bureau. This coordina­ tor will also assess the speakers in the Speaker's Bureau. Interested applicants should contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the HOmeless, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati Ohio 45210 or call (5 13) 421-7803. AVOC P osition Available Social Work Case Manager , For Homeless/HIV+ Responsibilities include: F.T. Case manager for case load of homeless, HIV affected indi viduals and fam ilies, and pru1icipation in related agency and community activities in busy AIDS Service Organization. Requ irements: Minimum LSW; Experience with HIV/AIDS , case management, the homeless and/or substance abuse preferred. Send resume by 31510 I to: Case Management Position AVOC 2183 Central Parkway Cincinnati , Oh 452J 4 AVOC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages all minorities to apply. �STREETVIBES . Page 18 YEP, continued from page 3 Temps. I only made thirty dollars a night, out of that I had to eat at least once a day and catch the bus to and from work. It took me a while to get the money to move and when I did that house was not much better then where I was. In some ways it was worse: it had ton of roaches and a whole lot of mice. I stayed there for three years until my low income housing came through. The really sad part about the story is that it took a crack addict to teach me how to find food and shelter instead of the people who get paid to do it. Now I try to give back by helping others in the same situation by helping them, just like my mother the crack addict did. ­ DelMeda Presently DelMeda is giving back to the community as an AmeriCorps Volunteer for the Salvation Army's Harbor Light Complex. DelMeda, with the help of another AmeriCorps Volunteer, is in charge of reconstructing the complex's housing and referral center. Now that DelMeda is sitting on the other side of the table she vows to make sure that every person who walks threw her doors will be properly directed to the services they need to get off the streets and turn their life around. So how does the church move beyond the band-aid in order to heal the wounds of poverty? By looking for the root causes rather than just meeting needs, said the Rev. Anne Hall of Ulliversity Baptist Church. "We need to work for structural change so that food banks and shelters are no longer needed ," she said. "The church needs to talk about poverty. Its voice needs to be heard loud and clear within the domain of community decision-making. It needs to speak about our collective responsibility - not just the church's responsibility - to provide low-income housing, child care, health care, job training, and a livable wage." "The churches can't take care of everything," declared longtime social welfare activist Nancy Amidei in her fall dinner speech. What they can do, she said, is "to take action to create a different culture in our society, a culture of justice." They should start at home, she said, by making sure that all church employees receive at least a poverty level wage, not a minimttm wage that is less than poverty. They should deal only with businesses that do the same and place thefr accounts in banks that invest in low-income housing. Then they should act as piatforms for the discussion of poverty, telling elected candidates to make ending it a top priority in their political careers. The Church Council's board president, Ed Choe, summarized the concerns of many at the fall · of Churches, recently called upon dinners: "Real change will come the nation's religious institutions to about when enough of us think this unite in a 10-year Mobilization to situation is morally End Poverty. Jim Wallis of the unconscionable. The issue of Sojourners Community in poverty is finall y not about the Washington, D.C. has launched a lack of money, but about power. It national Covenant to End Poverty isn't so much our willingness as that brings church people from "faith communities" to sponsor diverse perspectives together programs, but our willingness to around the one thing they agree stand publicly for the God who on: Jesus' very clear concern for loves the poor. Addressing the poor. There are efforts poverty fundamentally involves underway to promote Wallis' our willingness to act on our faith, covenant in the greater Seattle see ourselves in the poor, and church community. understand that poverty degrades The challenge for the all of us." churches, both locally and The sense of urgency for an nationally, will be to move out of · ecumenical effort is growing both their comfort zones of service locally and nationally. The Rev. provision and bring their moral Robert Edgar, the new general passion into the rough-and-tumble secretary of the National Council p ublic realm. Sight, continued form page 1l homeless vendors of The Grapevine . The third was the sweeping of homeless people from the sidewalk. Criminalization is an ineffective response to homelessness and its manifestations. Efforts to rid public places of ho meless people through such polic ies are likely to be fu ti le; in the absence of adequate housing, jobs a nd treatment, penalizing people for sleeping in public spaces or begging on the streets is unJikeJy to deler them. Homeless people who are chased out of one public area will simply move to another area. Further, broad bans on panbandling, and - when challenged by homeless people with no alternative place to sleep - · broad bans on sleeping in public are especially vulnerable to legal challenges; indeed, several courts have struck down such laws as unconstitutional. According to the "O ut of Sight, Out of Mind" report, anti-homeless actions also constitute poor public policy. "They ar~ counterproductive because they often undermine homeless people's effort to escape poverty. An-ests, citatio ns, fines, ' moving-alone' orders or other harassment by police only serve as barriers to self-sufficiency." The report continues to say that anti homeless actions "impose improper and unnecessary burdens on the criminal justice system. Reliance on police officers, who are not properl y trained to deal with homelessness and attendant problems such as mental illness or alcoholism, and on j ails, wruch are frequently overcrowded and usually cannot provide adequate s upervision or treatment opportunities, often causes difficul ties and widesp read frustration within the criminal justice system." The Nati.onal Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty recommends that cities pursue constructive policies, including: 1) adopting Jaws that are designed to assist rather than harass homeless people; 2) ensuri ng that law enforcement officials protect homeless people, who are disproportionately victimized by crime, rather than single them oul for Jaw enforcement action ; 3) encouraging, rather than limiting or harassing, pri vate service providers; 4) addressing legitimate concem s,.such as san itation, through constructive rather than punitive responses, such as providing a sufficient number of restrooms, and ; 5) fostering dialogue and outreach among city agencies, homeless people, advocates for homeless people, and members of the business community to find long-term so lutions that address the underlying ca1,1ses of homelessness." NEOCH and other agencies Parks, continued from page 1 led him to his most compelling photographs. Parks work has led him all over the world, including stints as a war correspondent, photojournalist with Life magazine and fashion photographer for Vogue magazine. But Parks will always be remembered for his images documenting the black experience. Though Gordon Parks considers himself to be in the autumn of his life, he continues to compose his music, paint and write . "I never allowed the fact that I have experienced bigotry and discrimination to step in the way of doing what I have to do ... " The Gordon Parks retrospective ofphotographs, .films, poetry and music is on exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, until May 6th. For more information call 638-2954, or visit the CAM website: www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org Band-Aid, continued form page 10 As a COHHIO YEP Youth Advisory Council Member I had the pleasure to see DelMeda blossom from a temp worker to full-filling her dream of helping others who are in the same position as she once was. Thank you DelMeda, I'll miss you. Social Security/SSI Denied? Call -John M. Keegan Attorney at Law Practice concentrated in Social Security/SS! Disability Law NO FEE UNLESS WE WIN ml (513) 651-9222 4l FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION have been instrumental in designing const.ructi ve altem ati ves. "We have done one police sensitivity training at the police academy," said Davis. This resulted in the 1999 sweeping policy being opposed by the police force who refused to arrest people . Dav is said, "They were very sympathetic to our arguments, and quietly helped the Coalition behind the scenes." Advocates have also been effective with the state of Ohio, which has agreed not to conduct sweeps under bridges without providing warning to local outreach workers. The "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" report is a tool to rid society of the criminalizing "quick fix" attitude. It is designed to help communities begin to create adequate alternative solutions which address the problem of alleviating homelessness and discontinue the practice of focusing on the symptoms of the problem. �STREETVIBES Calendar of Events Streetvibes bas a monthly calendar of events to keep yott informed of happenings around the Greater Cincinnati area. Please contact us if you have an item to list. Any submission is welcome: local community council meetings, social justice fonJms, protests, community festivals, art shows, etc. Please call 421 -7803, fax to 421-7813 or email streetvibes@juno.com to list an event. Page 19 Street View , from page 3 you seek employment if only for the day. Up early to catch the temp job, if your are lucky you get a days work in, if not you seek another way to earn a few dollars. If nothing else, you find your "cats, " hang out with them until you find something to do. No matter, it always seems to come out the same way. Street l ife, for those on the outside there is no understanding. For those on the inside there is even less understanding ! We .all believe there is a way out, but getting there is another thing. For street people there is no how or why, only do or dje. A sad reality, but none the less, a reality indeed. Time is so important to the street person, yet time is the enemy of change in "the life". The need is immediate, almost as if now or never. A day is too short, a week too long. The street person lives by the moment, giving your all for right now. "Ob well", there will be Radio, from page 6 truck. He had not way of getting the health care he needed; he was -so distraught and so desperate and .he understood that the onl y way that he could get the health care that he needed was to get into the health system through the are out there - you know, cavemen emergency room. So he was working very hard to create an would have had logical ways of keeping warm in 15 below weather. emergency even at the risk of But it becomes illegal to save your loosing his life. Rather than only talking own life. You know, you can't set about the health problems that up a tent; you can' t set up a l ittle homeless people face, I think we shelter; you can't build a fi re. It need to step back and also becomes illegal to save your own understand that the health care life. - Dave ( J) system is a contributing factor to In terms of national ~tati stics it homelessness and economic is impor:tant for people to hardship. For example, one understand that less than half of serious injury or health problem, homeless folks are actually such as a disease, can wipe out an enroJJed in Medicaid. A nd so entire fami ly in terms of their when they need health care and a economic stability. And, in fact, lot of times the only way they are the lack of health care is the going to get any health care is number one reason that families through the Emergency Room and who have left the welfare system possibly through some p ublic go back on welfare. - Claudia health services. In Champagne/ A couple of years ago Urbana, IL, there isn't any safety homeless people were sleeping net. If you don't have money, you around the county building here can't get health care .. . I was and under shrubs. And the police driving home on a major street here came through under orders of the w hen a man threw himself at my March 3-4 The First Annual Athens amazing that any normal city, any Do-It-Yourself Festival to · city that would call itself a part of be held at Ohio University the civilization, wouldn ' t have in Athens, OH, for the done something to open up any purposeof helping people kind of facility. But the idea that educate themselves and gain hundreds of thousands of people valuable and fun skills. 4 Welfare Rights Coalition Potluck lunch and meeting. J2 noon at the Contact Center. A new co-chair will be elected at this meeting. Call 381-4242 for more information 4 EarthSave Dining Out, 6:00 p.m. at a restaurant to be determined. Call EarthSave at 929- 2500 or Mary Ann Lederer at 59 \-3003 for more information. 5 The Just Earth Campaign will present a program about human rights abuse. the global environment, and multinational corpora­ tions at 7:30 PM in Muntz Hall Auditorium, Raymond Walters College, 9555 Planfield Road in Bl ue Asb. Sponsored by Amnesty International and the Sierra Club. Call the local Al number for more informa­ tion: 221-7659. 8 Amnesty InternationaJ Cincinnati Group 86 meeting, J :00 at Joseph Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Pavilion. For more information, contact Amnesty International at 221-7659 15 Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless General Body Meeting, 1 :30 p.m. at the Drop Inn Center. Call 421-7803 for mere informc;ition. 17 EarthSav:e Vegetarian Pot Luck Dinner, 6:00 p.m. at St. John's Unitarian Church, 320 Resor. For more information, call EarthSave at 929-2500 or call Mary A nn Lederer 591 -3003. Veggie Vibes, from page 16 substances. Scientists may have a tough time isolating these agents, and they may not work individually as supplements, but it's now indisputable that fruits and vegetables exert tremendous anti­ cancer activity." Although identifying the anti­ cancer agents in plants has been more difficult than expected, researchers have identified numerous compounds in animal Perotti, from page 8 they added to my sentence. In January 1998, the parole board continued me 10 more years, allegedly due to the vio lence of this case. I retained counsel and an investigator and obtained an affidavit from the victim saying I was not the one who stabbed him, and that I should be released from prison. Thjs was submitted to the parole board, who still refused to change their decision. This means products that can trigger cancer tumors or hasten their development. R_e searchers are especially concerned about a highly carcinogenic and mutogenic free rarucal called heterocylic amines, a class of molecules often found in cooked meat but not in cooked vegetables. Utilizing accumulated knowledge about cancer and diet, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) another chance. (This is the only real hope that a street person has ... convincing ourselves that there is a chance comi ng later). Even in the realms of hopelessness there is always the possibility that things will change if we just keep p utting fort~ the effort there is a chance. B elieving that this is the beginning of change, counting the events' of the now, with hopes that they will enhance the next series of events. Stay strong, keep your wits ... it has to change! city council and they threw away sleeping bags and other personal items. Among those items was insulin belonging to a homeless woman with diabetes. They just scooped it up and tossed it into the dumpster. - Billy I've been homeless off and on since 1992. I went through three or four shelter programs before I figured out that they weren 't the answer. The problem is that we are living in a country with a political system that supports poverty and homelessness. As a homeless person, I don 't want charity. I don't want a shelter. I want poUtical power. l want my human rights ... As crazy as it may sound; (being homeless) I learned bow beautiful people really can be. When you are sitti ng on the street asking for change, a Jot of people ignore you, but a lot of people come up and talk to you and they are really kind ... One day I was really, really hungry and someone came along and said, "Oh, you're hungry. Well, come with us; we are just going to this restaurant right here." - Dave actively promotes a plant-based vegan diet as the most effective way to reduce cancer risk. The advice from the m ain stream cancer community is to "limit" animal products rather than to eliminate them. PCRM feels that since ani mal products cause risk (and even the most traditionally oriented nutritionist must now admit they do), people should be advised to cut them out of their diet entirely. I must go back through the court freedom. I thank all of you who system to try and obtain justice. I h ave assisted and written with am in desperate need of funds to words of support." pay for counsel. Any and all donations would <;J'hef}ku.i ~ ~ be greatly appreciated, 3722 Came/en Avenue ~-~/".> and can be sent to J Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Perotti 1142 Hall Ave, 513-708-2228 Lakewood, Ohio 44107. bgeasfer'@fuse,net Twenty years i n prison is www.tfieg lasscharmer. c o m totally disproportionate Econom v and d eluxe wedding to my offense. Yet I will Invitations, birth a nnouncements, parties continue to fight for my !!, �Need Help or Want to Help? lf for some reason you fi nd yourself · homeless. contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. HOUSING : CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 369-0004 784-1853 921-1613 75.1-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 SHELTERS: Women and Qbildren YWCA Battered 421-2437 621-5991 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in 591-2246 Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 . 381-4242 Contact Center St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 661-4620 Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of Amer. 381 -1 954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Friars Club 761-1480 821-5100 381-5432 Drop Inn Center(Singles) 721-0643 Haven House (Hamilton) 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Ntwk 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center 961-4080 (Teens) St. John's Temp Housing ReSTOC Tender Mercies 381-1171 639-7056 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women 0.D.A.A.T First Step Home 221-6937 961-4663 651-6446 18" Palmyra Push _____r oom - Emanuel Comm. Center 241-2563 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 771-4800 Goodwill Industries G .C. Coalition for the Homeless 421 -7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 621-7149 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 . 221-3619 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & 271-5501 Assistance Center Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect -­ Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 859-572-6226 VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 859-491-3335 Women Helping Women 872-9259 Than~ you for your support. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2001 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 2001 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: The Struggle of the Life Learning Center Half Past Autumn Pg 2: Diversity Defines Streetvibes’ New Editorial Team Pg 3: Chabad House Homeless Shelter: Helping Families in Need Pg 4: Preserving Ohio’s Affordable Housing Pg 5: Vineyard Community Church Pg 6: National News Pg 7: Recovery Pg 8: Prisoners’ News Pg 9: Peltier: Disappointment and Renewed Commitment Pg 10: The Struggle of the Life Learning Center Continued More Than Bread Pg 11: Words from the Evangelist Out of Sight, Out of Mind Pg 12: Editorials Pg 13: Editorials Continued Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 16: Lower Your Cancer Risk by Eating A Plant-Based Diet Pg 17: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish? Economic Boom for Whom? Pg 18: Parks Continued YEP Continued Band-Aid Continue Sight Continued Pg 19: Street view Continued Radio Continued Veggie Vibes Continued Perotti 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 March 2001 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Alicia Beck Susan Knight Tom Billman Dan Marschner H.L. Bowen Pat Mitchell Mary A. Gaffney Mary Taylor Sonny Williams Mr. Lee Riccardo Taylor Mary McCoy Micael Stoops Rodney Sutton Sean McDonald Susan Huesken Steve Gibbs Juliette Beck Casey Trupin Lauren Byrne Jimmy Heath Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF African American Artists Alicia Beck Artists Arts & Poetry Berta’s Art Corner Casey Trupin Charity Church Covington Dan Marschner Diversity Editorials Evangelist Gordon Parks H.L. Bowen HIV Homeless Resource Center Jimmy Heath Juliette Beck Lauren Byrne Life Learning Center Mary A. Gaffney Mary McCoy Mary Taylor Micael Stoops Mr. Lee National News Pat Mitchell Peltier Prison prisoners news Riccardo Taylor Rodney Sutton Sean McDonald Seattle Sonny Williams Steve Gibbs Street View Susan Huesken Susan Knight Tom Billman https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/b79cf397a369815730838e6e94ff038a.pdf 4052bf684bb6c7bc6142db8755f6f412 PDF Text Text $1 D0i ~'ion . ree v1 Your Progressive News Source _. BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY March 2003 ~ Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �March 2003 Cover Siory this must have felt. People often forget that the people on the street are like all of before she passed away. us. We all have similar needs, I was very grateful for this similar problems, and we all live in gentleman's kind treatment. I the same strange world. People really needed it right then. I knew .often treat panhandlers like litter this gentleman, and I knew he had that needs to be swept from the a hard life. The fact that he took a streets. But the only difference, even a brief morpent to help generally speaking, between console me was something I'll panhandlers and those people who never forget. complain about panhandlers is this: A month or so before this the panhandlers live in poverty. encounter, I had spoken with When my grandmother another homeless man who had just passed found out aw~y, I was that his dad "I knew this gentleman, and I knew able to get a had passed he had a hard life. The fact tliat he call on my away. He cellphone had learned took a even a briefmoment to help about her console me was something I'll never of this .condition unfortunate forget" and drive news the home in day after his father's funeral. His time to see her. The gentleman I .relatives had tried to get into knew whose father passed away contact with him by leaving couldn't afford a phone or a car or messages at the shelters he usually a regular place to stay where he t frequented, but he got the message could receive messages. He lived too late. I can't even imagine how Panhandlers need change by Andy Erickson One afternoon, a couple days before Thanksgiving, I was walking downtown when I got a call on my cell phone from my sister. She told me that my grandmother wasn't expected to live through the hight. My grandmother had been sick, but this was unexpected news. Standing on 7th and Vme, I suddenly felt very far away from my family who lived six hours away in Illinois. I wanted to try to get home to see my grandmother before she passed, and according to my sister, that could happen any time. As I was processing all of this, a panhandler I knew asked me how I was doing. I told him about the phone call. He patted me on the back and said he was sorry. He encouraged me to go home. I did. I walked to my car and drove the $ix hours to see her one las~ time in poverty. Some people will say that the panhandler's situation has to do with much more than just economics. They' ll say that panhandlers are drunks, drug users, lazy, or criminals. These are stereotypes. And besides that, they are traits that pretty well span economic divides. To be sure, some panhandlers ba:ve a drug or alcohol problem. But I know many panhandlers who are sober, hard working, and very kind. Panhandlers are poor. That's why they're asking us for money. They panhandle to pay for shelter. They panhandle to pay for storage for their belongings. They panhandle to pay for food and clothing for their kids. They panhandle because their government assistance doesn't last the entire month. They panhandle because minimum wage jobs don't Change.... cont. on page 6 I -l=learts in the ·Right Ptace with the WAGES Campaign by Lynn Williams Who will hire me ifl increased access to education for "Protect Ohio's don' t even have a Ohio Works First (OWF) Families; Keep your Heart GED? Being allowed recipients; exemptions from work in the Right Place! (on OWF) only 5 to 10 requirements & time limits for Support WAGES!" hours each week to domestic violence victims, the (Work After Good attend GED classes is disabled & grandparents raising Education is Success) was not enough time for grandchildren on OWF; fair & the Valentine's Day theme me." She told the equal treatment regardless ofwhat ofthe Cincinnati Welfare state legislators county a recipient resides in; and Rights Coalition tour for listening to her, "making work pay" with a State state legislatoi:s on ' "Please support Earned Income Tax Credit. February 14. Senator A two-day Mobilization allowing recipients to Louis Blessing, Rep. count their full work Conference & Lobby Day to Tyrone Yates and Rep. requirement of30 promote WAGES is being planned Catherine Barrett attended Catrina Weber discusses the WAGES campaign with hours each week for for March 11 & 12 in Columbus. Blessing Senator Louis tbe tour meant to expose education!" For more information contact the state legislators to the The tour was Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition Bethany House, stated, 'We need a held as part of the statewide stories ofmothers and children at (513) 381-4242. affected by state policies governing State Earned Income Tax Credit WAGES Campaign their Jives. for these families to help them pay ("Work After Good bills. Many of our families are the The tour started at the Education is working poor, but minimum wage Contact Center, moved on to the Success") of the Ohio jobs just doesn't cut it. It takes a Peaslee Child Care Center and Empowerment ended at the Bethany House Family job paying at least $12.00/hr. to Coalition. WAGES Shelter. pay for a 2 bedroom market rate offers specific At the Peaslee Child Care apartment in Cincinnati. f'hey solutions to help Center in Over-the-Rhine, state would· have to work more than 80 better the lives of legislators were toured through the hrs. per week at minimum wage to low-income families, afford that. Plus tl).ey have children some ofwhich would child care and presented with valentine bags labeled with the to care for. They want to work, cost the State of Ohio WAGES theme. At Bethany but they still can't make ends meet. nothing, but would House, the legislators learned A State Earned Income Tax Credit significantly benefit about how state policies are driving would help." low-income Laura Goodell (right) gives tour ofPeaslee more and more women and At Peaslee Child Care, households. Neighborhood Center Child Care. Ohio Legisla­ children into homelessness. Linda Catrina Weber stated, "I want to WAGES tors (l.eft to right) Catherine Barrett, JYrone Yates Howell-Perrin, a staff person at get my GED so I can find a job. advocates for and Senator Louis Blessing GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS - �STREETVIBES Local l\Te1vs March, 2003 Family Faces War by Jimmy Heath Last month,"my 19 year-old nephew Jerin shipped offas part of an Army Reserve Engineering Unit. The job ofthe 478th Engineering Battalion, should there be a war in Iraq, will be to clear roads and bridges for advancing troops. The whole idea of war and killing as a way to resolve disputes in a civilized society seems like a ridiculous and primitive notion. After thousands ofyears ofhuman existence, and experience, we still haven't found a }May to live with each other peacefully. We know there are bad guys out there who will continue to do bad things unless there is the fear of death or exhile hanging over them. Saddam Hussein is like an evil villain out of a comic book, a repressive and brutal dictator responsible for mass killings ofhis · own countrymen. His hobby is collecting horrific weapons, for who knows what purpose. He leads his country by fear and intimidation. Yet, the idea of war and the justification of killing do-es not sit well with me at all. And we all should be concerned about the militarization of our foreign policy. Secretary ofState Colin Powell sat before the United Nations with information about the Iraqi regime that was news to everyone including the UN Arms Inspectors; fuzzy satellite pictures ofsupposed mobile cl).emical weapons labs and a cryptic phone recor.ding of"terrorists" talking to each other, allegedly plotting to hide chemical weapons. Secretary of State Colin Powell called the France/German plan to increase weapons Page 2 inspectors "a diversion, not a solution" to disarming Saddam Hussein. The U.S. push for military action against Iraq has further agitated a bubbling fiustration over U.S. global dominance. Said Dominique Mois~ deputy director of the French Institute oflntemational Relations in Paris, "This is the first major crisis of the post-Soviet era. There were crises before, but they all took place when the Soviet Union existed and there was a glue to bind us. Todaywe disagree fundamentally and there is no glue." But the United States ~ unpatriotic and unsympathetic tc the memories of those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 . But I think that war is a poor tribute to the loss of all of tho~e innocent lives. We are led to believe tha we are fighting a war against terror. But the "terrorists" have regime, no assets, no borders, m discernible faces. We don't kno· where they are. This is the kind situation th doesn't see: possible to resolve wit) without wru Either choic is bad. It's like trying t find aBin Ladin in a haystack The is doing Pfc. Jerin Rutherford monetary ci everything to of war is get ready for war, including staggering. The Congressional shipping young men like my Budget Office has estimated tha1 nephew to -the Middle East region. the costs of deploying forces to · Anti-war feeling is running Persian Gulfis between $9 billio high all across Europe. German and $13 billion. Prosecuting a VI Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder won would cost between $6 billion a1 re-election last year largely on his $9 billion a month. (A.single en anti-war message:. ~-ArlFF11ree:n11ccihtr---.,.nnitif:<tss!ttilli'eKG~Ql.l:i!'1t~l mill ion!) polling company said 81% of the After hostil~ies end~~o bring my nephew and the rest of French surveyed were not the U.S. forces home would tani convinced by Powell when he presented the case against Iraq at between $5 billion and $7 billior the U.N. About 77% of French Further, the cost of an occupa · citizens polled last month opposed following combat o · s cot a war in Iraq. Russia and..C · a out $1 billion to $4 continue to share France's doubts billion a month. The other cost of war is about a war. And, not since the Vietnam lives. How many soldiers will di War, have we seen such massive How many innocent civilians wil public protests in the U.S. against be killed? How much of a coum war. Hundreds of thousands of will we need to blow up? No people have gathered to protest in matter what the reasons; oil, cities across this nation and the terrorism or the dismantling of a world. President Bush says that he dictatorship, I just want my is not deterred by anti-war protests. nephew back home. Protesters risk being labeled as Streetvibes Vendor Code Each vendor must sign and agree to abide by the following code of conduct ... 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual donation. I agree not to ask for donations of vendor. Falsely stating intent or otherwise mismore than $1. I also understand that I will be representing is a violation of a city ordinance an able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. may be cause for arrest. 2. Streetvibes may only be purchased from the 8. I will always present my badge when purchasing Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless papers, and I will display my badge at all times (GCCH). Purchasing or selling unauthori.zed while vending. Replacement badges are $5 eacl · papers, or from other vendors, will result in 9. There are no territories. I agree that I will not termination from the program. . contest territories with other distributors. I will 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations or attempt not sell on private property without permission. to vend after 12 midnight. 10. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self 4. I agree to treat others with respect - other vensupporting paper created by people who are dors, customers, and GCCH personnel. homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this 5. I will not sell Streetvibes while under the influence effort, I will try to spread the word and write of drugs or alcohol. stories if possible. 6. I will not give a ~'hard sell" or make someone feel 11. I understand that failure to comply with any of threatened. the above statements will result in termination 7. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I reserves the right to terminate a vendor at any am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I time as deemed appropriate. ~ill be honest in stating that all the profits from �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Homeless News Digest for a camp that provides the best option currently available to a lot Compiled by Molly Rhodes of homeless people. "It's a or people who don't want to earn practical alternative for many their way in society." Homelessness in Atlantic (who) would be sleeping in It also doesn't include City, NJ, has reached such a doorways and under bridges," people who get free lunches, at level that it's even warranting Portland city staffer Marshall least according to businesses in coverage in places like Gambling downtown Omaha, NE, which Runkle, who works with the Magazine, which describes a Portland camp, told the Bee. "At are angling to get a local lunch growth of single women and the end of the day, it's a group of program moved from a popular female senior citizens in the homeless people taking outdoor mall to a less visible city's homeless population. The responsibility for their own lives location. Proponents of the plan notable shift in the homeless and trying to help improve the lives point out that the indoor location population has been attributed to a of others." would be warmer and provide number offactors, including Apparently "finding joy access to restrooms, while gambling addictions, domestic and profit through demeaning homeless advocates caution that abuse, and the increased cost of other human beings," specifically the needs of homeless people maintaining a home. While single should be taken into account before homeless human beings, is not a women make up about 13 percent the program is moved simply to get felony, at least not in the eyes of ofthe nationally recorded homeless it out of sight ofvisitors. "It's a Southern California judge who population, inAtlantic city they important to remember that 11-(e will dismissed felony charges of made up 20 percent last year, or battery and soliciting against have homeless people in our 600 out of 3,000 people who four men who made the community, whether or not we can sought shelter at the Atlantic City Bumfights video. The men had see them," Rev. Stephanie Rescue Mission. Just over 50 of bee11 accused of soliciting homeless Ahlschwede ofDietz Methodist those women were ages 62 or men to fight each other, then told the Omaha World-Herald. "I older. videotaping and selling the results, think Omaha looks our best when Key ·West, FL, has according to the San Diego Union­ we are visibly living with and become the latest in a growing Tribune. More than 300,000 caring for our homeless people." list of cities that have instituted people are believed to have In the course of tackling anti-homeless laws in the name purchased the $20 tape over the the homeless problem in of promoting tourism. Last Internet. The four men still face Birmingham, AL, advocates month, city commissioners created charges of conspiracy to stage an tried to record exactly who that a " no-panhandling" zone in the illegal fight, and three face population is made of and what downtown core, so now anyone conspiracy to commit battery. services they most need. Last caught sleeping outside or asking month, 30 volunteers for the Three ofthe men involved in the for money in that area gets up to a fighting have also filed civil suits Metropolitan Services for the $500 fine and 60 days in jail, Homeless hit the city streets, armed against·the filmmakers. A note on according to the Austin American with cigarettes, scarves, gloves, the video's website, Statesman. While homeless blankets, socks, muffins, pens, and www.bumfights.com, reads, advocates in Key West and across paper in the hopes of enticing wary "Despite all this nonsense, we at the country argue that such laws Bumfights would like you to know homeless people to talk to them are in violation of free speech and and complete a survey, according that the video is still for sale, and as assembly rights, city officials, with to The Birmingham News. The long as there is a 1st Ammendment a healthy push from downtown in this country it's gonna take a volunteers visited streets, parks, business organizations, counter that bus shelters, and abandoned helluva lot more than that to shut without the laws tourists don't houses, anywhere homeless people us down." They are currently want to visit their streets. Other not in emergency shelter might stay working on a sequel. cities that have recently passed for the night. Last year, MBSH Sometimes, it takes a similar laws include Santa Monica, major fire for officials to see the recorded 1,900 homeless people, a CA, Providence, RI, Fresno, CA, figure they guessed was only about homeless problem right before Huntington, WV, Eugene, OR, and half of th~ total population. their eyes. Such was the case in Las Cruces, NM. Key West is also Morristown, NJ, when a fire Plans for a tent city i,n the home of one of the most started by a homeless man's candle Sacramento have been stymied progressive anti-discrimination reignited debates about what to do by the city's refusal to grant a laws, including the protection of permit for any kind of overnight with homeless people who don't transgender people, which find their way into shelters and camp on public property. . promoted the " One Human Family" Homeless advocates have not given instead stay on the streets. Mayor city slogan for which it is known. John Delaney, Jr., points out that up, however, especially when the Explained city commissioner Tom the city has plenty of shelters; and alternative to a camp, living on the Oosterhoudt, who sponsored the streets, has led to the deaths of at suspects that rules about sobri~ty anti-homeless law. "'One Human · least three homeless people in the and curfews are keeping people Family' does not include criminals city last year, not to mention a away, according to the Daily handful of other suspected Record News. Yet simply blaming homicides that have not been homeless people who don't want to confirmed by the Sacramento follow the rules and sweeping them We'd like to bear " County Coroner's office, according out ofvacant buildings and lots will from IJOUto the Sacramento Bee. A letter do nothing to solve the problem, from the city's pointed out Professor David C. Parks and Send letters or Recreation Department denying the Listokin at the Center for Urban comments to: permit stated that allowing Policy Research at Rutgers Stre;tvibes@Junoieom, ~, camping would interfere with parks University. "We don' t know or write the Coalition office meant for ""occasional recreational exactly who they are and why they attn: $treetvibestetters, visits" from all residents. Yet in go where they go," Listokin told 1506 Elm Street cities like Portland, OR, officials the Daily Record . "If people had Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 have learned to make exceptions such a good sense of it, there may Page 3 not be a homeless problem." After more than a decade without a direct venue to listen to the problems of homelessness in Min~eapolis and St. Paul from the people who experience it, city and county officials got to hear the stories and needs of hundreds of local homeless people. The forum was organized by County Commissioner Gail Dorfman as a way for officials to try to find new solutions to homelessness, according to the St Paul Pioneer Press. Yet finally hearing .all the various problems did not mean officials were in any better position to make people's lives any better. As one participant put it toward the end of the long day, "Are we wasting our time? The non-violent technique does not depend for its success on the goodwill of the oppressor, but rather on the unfailing assistance of God. Cesar Chavez Wish List Can You Hel-p ? Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the H-0meless. € a n you help us with some of tb,e followillg items? * Blank CD-RW Disks - For Streetvibes. Write Us!· If you can help, contact us at: Streewibes, clo Greater € i ncinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 1506 Elm Street, Cinc.innati, OB 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com �ST R EETVIBES March, 2003 · Page 4 Se.lling Streetvibes by Patricia Payne - I'm a young black female going from place to place selling Streetvibes. Streetvibes helps me to meet new people and to learn about the homeless. I have met a lot of homeless people and have explained to them what our goals are, and how Streetvibes has helped me learn about other people's situations. I take selling Streetvibes seriously, and I try to represent the good vendor. I meet by Dwight TzJ.rnei a lot of people who don't have faith in what Streetvibes is all about. I like selling Streetvibes because we have a lot of discrimination in this city and that makes me even more determined to stay focused and maintain my work for Streetvibes. In closing, Streetvibes has also helped me to have a better outlook on people and their lives. I thank God for gi,ving me this opportunity. Woman's City Club National .Speaker Forum 2003 nr;... - A political essayist and social critic, Barbara Ehrenreich has tackled a brave and diverse range of issues in books and magazine articles. She is the author or co-author of twelve books including Fear ofPalling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class, and Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions ofWar. She has written for dozens of magazines, including Ms., Harper's, The Nation, The New Republic, The Atlantic Monthly and the New York Times Magazine. She has also appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America and the Charlie Rose Show. In Barbara Ehrenreich's most recent book, she turns her eye on the view from the workforce's bottom rung in Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Determined to find out how anyone could make ends meet on $7 an hour, she left behind her middle class life as a journalist to try to sustain herself as a low-skilled worker for a month at a time. Despite the advantages of her race, education, good health and lack of children, Ehrenreich's income barely covered her month's expenses. The Woman's City Club of Greater Cincinnati, founded in 1915, supports the exchange of ideas and information to encourage · involvement in the community. The National Speaker Forum is the annual fundraiser for the club and raises the majority ofthe annual operating capital Tuesday, March 18, 2003, 7:30pm, Plum Street Temple -downtown, Tickets are $15 purchased in advance by calling the wee, $20 at the door. Extra! Extra! Advertise in Streetvibes! Reach thousands of downtown workers each m on th! Call 421-7803 for more information about how ave smgm Streetvibes will work for --~=~-~~~ _.,.-~~~__,_,_."'--_ your business- • I To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your ha nd and eternity in an hour. WUliam Blake Rockdale Temple has annotinced the release of latest in its s eries of Communit y Resource Cards. The new one, printed in Spanish, is customized for the needs of Cincinnati's rapidly growing Hispanic/ Latino population. The tri-fold, plastic cards are funded by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati as a project of Rockdale Temple, in consultation with Bienstar, Su Casa and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. In addition to the His panic Resource Card, the Resource Card Project has also produced cards for senior c itizens, the homeless, and public school and Catholic school students covering the Tri-s tate area. Cards can be ordered from: ~he cc 5300 Hamilton Avenue, #210 Cincinnati, Ohio 452 24 or send a fax request to: (513) 541-0099 �STREETVIBES March, 2003 When I Boarded The Midwest Know Your Express To Washington DC, On Rights And next I dare turn to September 11 words I wrote in 1993: "The by Daniel C. Maguire When I boarded the Midwest Express to Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, at 8:00 a.m. (Central Time), I had no idea that the definition of power on planet earth would be rewritten within the hour.. I read the paper, enjoyed a nice breakfast, and felt quite secure. Why not! I was a citizen ofthe "world's last remaining superpower." This "superpower" was pouring into its "Defense" budget some thirty million dollars an hour, nine thousand dollars a second to keep me safe. As we neared Washington, the pilot announced that Reagan National airport was closed and we would be heading back to Milwaukee. Within minutes he reported that the airport in Milwaukee was also closed and we were to land at the closest airport, Columbus, Ohio. Cell phones and television at the Columbus airport told us the news, that our superpower status was a myth. In a superpower, the president would not have to hide out in Louisiana and Nebraska because of"credible evidence" that he could not return to the Capital; the congress would not be running from the Capitol Building; schools and businesses throughout a superpower could not be forced shut; I would not suddenly be looking up into a sky where no airplane would dare fly. These were the facts of this new world order. The Defense Department could not defend us - pdts main temple, the Pentagon - from a hatred and a mode of power that we had never known before. It was not Pearl Harbor revisited. The bombers had left no return address. The instinct to retaliate with bombing is an anachronism. Fewer than twenty men had brought us to our national knees and raised the biggest question facing us in the twenty­ first century, posed by a little girl and reported in the press: "Why are they killing themselves and killing all those people?" The Guilt Gap The government's answer was that we are good and love freedom and these people are bad and hate it. That vapid answer came from an arrogant national culture that has lost its talent for healthy guilt. The hatred that could so easily paralyze our nation has a history, and as Teilhard de Chardin said, "nothing is intelligible outside of its history." absence of pity is the root of all evil." Can we sit now in our First World comfort at a table with a view of the golf course, and ignore starvation in the Third World and joblessness and homelessness in our cities? The prophets oflsrael would answer "no." In Jeremiah's words, there is no hiding from the effects ofguilt and morally malignant neglect: "Do you think that you can be exempt? And finally, Cottn't'Cavour ofltaly said that ifwe did for ourselves what we allow our country to do in our name, we would be jailed and hung as scoundrels. These were not the voices heard in the National Cathedral on September 14. Our Guilt and This Stunning Hatred · Afiluence and comfort dull the optic nerve. The poor world sees us differently. Draw a circle and cut me out of it and I will see sharply what goes on there. The attackers pinpointed the reasons for their outrage. They struck at what they saw as the twin towers of our indifference and at our haughty military heart. They see our nation as an arrogant, spoiled five-hundred-pound gorilla that pollutes and then scorns treaties to end pollution, that was built on slavery and practices racism and Express .... cont. on Page 7 Brochure Available! The Know Your Rights Brochure is now available at the Coalition's office. The brochure is a legal guide for Cincinnati's homeless and covers a person's basic rights when interacting with t he police, as well as some local : It, : laws that might be ofinterest to the ~;· ~· homeless population. If you are a ~ J!-.r homeless person or if you work ' ~~~'l.t-.e. with homeless people and would "' like to obtain free copies of the , brochure for yourself or your ~ agency, please call 421-7803 , or ,~ stop by the Coalition office and pick · one up. Watch for the return of Streetvibes TV Streetvibes TV is a live program created by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and Media Bridges. Watch as our panel discusses the issues surrounding homelessness today. Check your local cable listing for broadcast dates and times.... · Jimmy Gipson Painting, Repair and Remodeling Specializing in downtown and Over-the-Rhine Free Estimates Call 421-7803 �STREETVIBES Change.... March, 2003 to give cash, these suggestions will probably make the interaction go cont. from page 1 rather smoothly. pay enough. They panhandle I do want to say a little because higher-paying jobs are more about a couple of these difficult to get when you 're points, though. I think the part of homeless. They panhandle because the pamphlet that states, "The they need the money in a way that streets of Cincinnati belong to many ofus will never understand. everyone" should be stressed. The Recently, the City of streets do belong to everyone ­ Cincinnati and even Downtown panhandlers. "Wherever laws have banned Cincinnati, Panhandlers panhandling, courts have Inc. teamed are citizens of together to consistently struck them down. Cincinnati, create a Panhandling is a protected form too, and they campaign are allowed offree speech in this country, called, "Put the same rights. and nothing short ofa your change as everyone constitutional amendment can where you can else. In fact, change that" panhandling is make one." The essence of itself protected the campaign is that giving to by the constitution. Wherever laws panhandlers is bad, but giving to have banned panhandling, courts charities that help the homeless is have consistently struck them good. They've hung posters in down. Panhandling is a protected downtown shop windows and form offree speech in this country, passed out pamphlets to people on and nothing short of a the street. constitutional amendment can The pamphlets detail how change that. to say "no" to a panhandler. The However, aggressive pamphlet says things like: panhandling is not legal. • Make eye contact or Aggressive panhandling is acknowledge the person with a characterized by such actions as nod blocking another's path? dem~ding • Politely say "no " or money, touching or following "sorry" and remember that someone, or similar actions. If a assistance is available. panhandler does any ofthese things, it is illegal, and you should • Walk with confidence. The streets ofCincinnati belong to call the police. Aggressive everyone. behavior should not be tolerated. But please don't treat non­ • Aggressive panhandling is illegal. If you feel threatened, confrontational panhandlers as seek out a uniformed Cincinnati criminals. Simply flying a sign or Police Officer or a uniformed DCI holding a hand out and asking for Ambassador. change is not considered aggressive •Ifyou want to help as far as Cincinnati law is financially, donate to your favorite concerned. charity. The thing that I don't like I think these are fine about the "Put your where you can suggestions. If you don't have any make one" campaign is it's main idea: that giving to panhandlers is cash to give, or simply don 't want Page 6 wasteful. The posters show a Low Income and Housing panhandler with a cardboard sign Coalition (NLIHC), a worker that reads, " Give me change, and I earning the minimum wage would may never get off these streets." In have to work 99 hours per week in a press release about the campaign, order to afford a two-bedroom Cincinnati City Councilmember Pat apartment at fair market rent. In other words, a DeWine said, person would " We are sensitive to have to earn $12.43/hr in the sometimes order to live ir very real needs of Pu,t your change where that apartmen1 panhandlers, while working you can make o ne. but giving only 40 hours Glv~ moAey where It <:arr b"! used eff'l'ct1vdy • to th\>St> or9llnliations th;lt :provld~ tbe ro!'.an$ tG h~p money to per week. t~ !hdMd.iMIS !MV<? off ilw si~t~. panhandlers And the doesn't help problem has them, and it been getting doesn 't help worse. the city." Between 2001 and 2002, the Both the posters amount one Mr. and would need to earn in order DeWmesay that giving to afford a money to two-bedroom panhandlers apartment at doesn't help fair market them, but they rent increased 14.9% here in don't say why it doesn' t help Cincinnati, them. As I've according to noted before, NLIHC. panhandlers I Tue-actual value of The pamphlet created by Downtown are most minimum likely living in Cincinnati, Inc. poverty, so it wage keeps getting worse, ifhousing continy,es doesn't make much sense to say that giving them money won't help. to become less affordab).e,-ftl'rcfif I suspect they just thought this was the economyingen;;l continues a clever way to try to get people to in the direction it has lately, stop giving, and if no one gives to panhandlers will not be able to leave the streets with any ease. panhandlers, it was probably Reversing these trends will, of assumed, panhandlers would go course, take much time and effort, away. but these things need to happen i( But that's not going to we want to raise people out of happen. Panhandlers have been poverty and eliminate the need for here ever since people have been panhandling. poor in Cincinnati. The only way Until these things happen, to significantly reduce the number of panhandlers in our downtown is we need to give a little more to effectively change the amount of thought and care to the people our population that lives in poverty. living on the streets. We can't just stop giving to panhandlers because The only w~y to eliminate we're tired of seeing them on the panhandling is to eliminate the streets. Poverty isn't something w NEED for panhandling. can sweep under the rug. We need One barrier to getting to give panhandlers something people off the streets is the they've been asking for since minimum wage. In 1969, the they've appeared on our streets: federal minimum wage was $1.60, an amount that seems small, but in change. 2002 dollars, that's $7. 74. Since then, the actual value of the minimum wage has been decreasing. Right now, the minimum wage is $5.15/ hr. That can't buy a lot. Especially if one is working for a temp agency, which will take a big chunk out of a paycheck. People working full time at a temp agency can sometimes go home with $25 after an eight-hour day. Andy Erickson, Greater Cincin­ Another big problem is the nati Coalition for the Home­ lack ofaffordable housing. Right less, Civil Rights worker now, according to the National �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Express .... cont. from Page 5 yet shuns the United Nations conference on racism in Durban, South Africa. They noticed that the genocide of black people in Rwanda did not stir us to action. They believe we would have acted differently if Swedes or Irish were having their throats cut. Those outside the afiluent circle are stunned at our ability to lock into caricatures of others. We don't say that Timothy McVeigh represented Irish Catholics but the Taliban and bin Laden somehow symbolize Islam. When they see us getting ready to repeat the Soviet madness in Afghanistan, a writer from that land agrees that bin Laden is properly compared to AdolfHitler and the Taliban are well compared to Nazis, but the people of Afghanistan, with a huge preportion of widowed women are best compared to the Jews in concentration camps. They would love to be free of that tyranny. Those outside our world hate us for ignoring this and threatening slaughter, to be masked as "collateral damage." Very relevant to September 11 , many Muslims see us as incapable of an even-handed policy in the Middle East, a policy that would defend with equal vigor and equal 'financial aid, the existence of a safe and secure Israeli state and an equally safe and secure Palestinian state, each with territorial integrity. There is no other solution, but those who hate us see that our leaders do not know that. The Muslim world has a nation-transcending unity that we little understand. The UMMAH, the community ofbelieving Muslims, melts borders between races and nations. That is why so many African Americans were drawn to Islam. All Muslims feel the pain ofthe reported half million innocent children dead in Iraq due to our sanctions. I see it as the surest principle in all ofethics that what is good for kids is good and what is bad for kids is ungodly. They grieve over those children ­ sacrificed to what end? - as we grieve over our dead in New York and Washington. They marvel at our ability to kill as many as a quarter million young Iraqi soldiers in the GulfWar - young people like the students I teach at Marquette University - while leaving our announced target in control. (Surely "the mob" would have been more kind and effective. If Saddam were the problem, they would have "whacked" him rather than slaughter his children.) The problem goes beyond Islam. The poor of the world see an absence of pity in our economic policies. There are 1.3 billion in absolute poverty, 70 percent of those being women. Forty million people die yearly from hunger and hunger-related causes. This is like 320 jumbo jet planes crashing every day with half the passengers being children ,as Clive Ponting points out in his monumental book A Green History of the World. The poor of the world are not dumb. They notice, as the United Nations points out, that 82.7 percent of the world's income goes to the top 20 percent, leaving 17. 3 percent for the rest of humanity. The poor notice ~hat this does np,t~ngage U.S. politics or economics. We are the biggest actor on the world scene at the moment and they note a cold absence of pity, and they hate us for all,of this. Solutions George Kennan once compared large nations to dinosaurs with brains the size of a pea. When struck they thrash out, destroying much and helping little. The Bush Administration seems intent on living out this image. Bombing the victims ofthe Taliban will do no more good than bombing the children of Iraq who had been forced into the.army. Building a new ·Magin9~ hne of missile defense is tragically comedic. Tightening security at the airports as we should have done years ago is as late as it is inadequate. (Biological, chemical, and small atomic weapons are probably already in preparation.) All these are efforts to plug the faucet. What is needed is to tum off the faucet. The faucet is perceived injustice in the Middle Page 7 East, the need for separate states purely innocent and that their for Israel and for the Palestinians. hatred ofus is "unfathomable. " The faucet is the disastrous But the fact remains that the maldistribution ofwealth in the solution to the problems of poor, world and the proliferation of enslaved, or occupied people is not starvation. nuclear physics. All that is needed The religions ofthe world is the moral and political will. The need to rise to the occasion - they poetic author of Deuteronomy put have not done so thus far. Religion this exasperated plea into the is a powerful motivator. John mouth of God. "I have set pefore Henry Cardinal Newman said that you life and I have set before you people will die for a dogma who death, and I have begged you to will not stir for a conclusion. choose life for the sake of your Nothing stirs the will as the tincture children." We can't seem to do it. ofthe sacred. Religions so far in The hope now is that with our this exploding crisis have mainly military power embarrassed and fulfilled their Prozac function of our vulnerability terrifyingly clear, soothing the pain. This is good and fear might be the penumbra of all religions are into the purveying wisdom. of comfort and .hope. But the DANIEL MAGUIRE challenge of prophetic religion in specializes in Christian ethics at Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Marquette University and has increasingly in "engaged" published articles in Cross Buddhism and Hindu.ism is to Currents, Commonwealth, Linacre "speak truth to power," to Quarterly, Hastings Center Report, "conscientize" power, and to and Theological Studies. discomfort power. This they have He is also the author of not done. seven books. We can pretend that we are ; "... and send out the layoff notices with a nice American flag motif" �ST REETV I BES March, 2003 Page 8 My Letter of Hope husband. Itwillmakeallyourbad Aid to Poor Faces Tighter Scrutiny by Paula Normon 1 hope to deal with this emotional problem and not let this relationship with crack cocaine kill me. I hope to remember what it was like. I'm trying to do this crack breakup thing, but with this relationship you can find yourself going back: Thinking t hat it will be better this time. Guess what! ? It's not! You have to face the same old crap. I mean, at first everything is fine and going the way you want. You 're in control. But it starts all over again. You forgot how controlling this relationship could be, how demanding, ungiving, uncaring. But wait, let's go back. Let's remember the first time or the second rime or the third time, etc. When you said I'm going to get out ofthis relationship, all it does is make me do things I don't want to do . It tells you it's OK, you can steal for us. Steal from your mom, your kids, your friends, your feelings go away. OK, now don 't make me mad . Do what I ask and I'll leave you. I won't be there for you and all the crap you've done. You know what I mean and you don't want that, you wouldn't like those feelings. That's why you have me, I'm all you need. So come on get on your knees, bent over. So what if he's a friend, so what if he's kin. So what ifhe smells. I'll make it all go away. I'm all you need and you'll never get enough of me. Sleep? You' re not sleepy. You' ll never get enough of me. You don 't need food. You' ll never get enough of me. You don't need music. Sell it. You never get enough of me. SO what if you haven't taken a bath in weeks, you don't need one. All you need is me. I'll take care of you. You ' ll never get enough of me. You ' ll never get enough of me. Never enough. So what if you are killing yourself I ' lJ never be enough. Never. You Can Change by Mary Ann father for ten years. When I again saw him for the first time he had Back in the late eighties to changed. Julian is a kind, caring nineties my mother fell in love with and good hearted man. God bless you, Dad. When I got home I saw a man, his name was Julian. I didn't like him because he was an my Stepfather. He's happy with his alcoholic. We didn't do anything changed life, I am sure. He cares as a family because he stayed drunk more about his life now, and his all the time. My mother didn 't go family. My Father does a lot now out like normal couples - it hurt me than he did before. so bad, I left town. I couldn't stay I.asked Julian to adopt me there and watch him destroy his but he said he couldn 't. Ifhe · and my mothers life. Before I left could, he would. I wish that he town, I told him, "please get help if was my father. 1. love him like a Dad. Ifl ever need him he will you love my mother. Don't destroy your relationship with her. always be there for me. I miss my My mother loves you, we love Dad a lot knowing I can't see him you." Even though I left in every day, because we live in October, 1990, I haven' t seen my different states. by Robert Pear President Bush's budget proposes new eligibility requirements that would make it more difficult for low-income families to obtain a range of government benefits, from tax credits to school lunches. Arguingthat much ofthe federal money intended for poor people is diverted through error and fraud, the administration wants to require families to supply more proofoftheir income and living arrangements before they can qualify for aid. Critics, including some local officials, said today that the extra steps would deter eligible poor people from applying for needed assistance. 1'be Bush budget would also replace one ofthe largest federal housing programs with a block grant to states, which could redirect some ofthe money away from working poor people in cities. Mr. Bush said he wanted to shift money and responsibility for this and other social welfare programs, including Medicaid, to the states. About halfofthe 28 million · children in the National School Lunch Program receive free meals because they come from low-income families. But John H. Rice, a spokesman for the federal Food and Nutrition Service, said the government had found that the number of students certified for free meals was aboµt is percent higher than the number who appeared to be eligible, according to Census Bureau data. The Bush administration wants to require families to produce evidence oftheir income, like pay stubs or tax returns, to get free school lunches. Now parents report their own income, and a small sample is checked by school officials. When the government tested these tough~r requirements in eight school districts last year, there was a 20 percent decline in the number of children approved for free lunches. Many federal, state and local programs use school lunch data to decide who gets billions of dollars in Scrutiny.... cont. on page 18 National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing - Project (t\IFfCl<OP) · 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 homelessci vilrights@yahoo.com Call Andy Erickson (513) 421-7803 While we make every effort to provide a forum for those without a voice, STREETVIBES and the staff of THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, is not responsible for statements, and do not necessarily endorse the opinions of the people whose writings are represented here. f{ ob~rt s T r-4 c.. k J 1 S OM/'MevJS C- 0.-~ Support your local Streetvibes Vendor! !ft" I ' ' .. ..,,,._.... . ! ART by Sara Williams, age 9, of Over-the-Rhine ~- .... Your vendor keeps 80 cents ofevery dollar..... �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Volunteer Opportunities at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition /or . the Homeless would like to advertise in our paper, we offer very competitive rates for ads that reach about 15,000 people per month. Our dream volunteer would be a self-motivated volunteer that would like to fundraise for our organization. This could include asking your friends and family for donations to researching and writing grants for our excell~nt programs. The Streetvibes newspaper There are numerous project is always in need of people opportunities for volunteers at the interested in connecting with the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for vendors and helping them write the Homeless. We are willing to articles on social justice/poverty work with each individual in issues, poetry, or personal stories. choosing a service opportunity We need help in t'lie that is rightfor them. The afterno?ns at the front desk,. following are a few ofthe areas in answen~g pho?es and handl~g which the Coalition could use transactions with ourStreetv1bes your help: . Vendors. Thi~ ~erson w~l ad~ress Designing a web site for ~he needs ~f v1s1tors, h~vi~g_ direct our National Civil Rights contact with hom~less md1viduals Organizing Project. 'Ihls would. and should be available one include working with the afternoon a w~ek. Americorp Vista volunteers on how . There is ai_~ays a ne~~ for ~elp w1th bulk ma1h;ngs. Maihngs to prevent further criminalizatio.n ofhomefoss individuals as well as mclude the annual report, quarterly newsl~tter, Md v~ous capitol pre:venting the increasing hate· crimes against them. , campaigns. .. . . If you are mterested m To enhance our Streetvit>es program, we are searching for v~lu~tee~ng at ~~e Greater volunteers to solicit advertisements Cmcmnat1 Goaht1on for the , Homelessi please .c?ntact the office from local businesses. Ifyour business or a business you know of at 421-7803~ or visit JJS al l 506 Elm Street in Over-the-Rhine. Page 9 We Can Be Proud! Judge MARK PAINTER Ohio Court of Appeals The Most-Published Hamilton County Judge Ever! Our own Judge Mark Painter has reached a milestone­ 250 of his decisions have been published nationally. He is the most-published Hamilton County judge ever. and one of the most-published ·ohio judges in history. .Judge Painter has: • Served on the Court of Appeals for seven years. after 13 years on Municipal Court. His opinions have been recognized as legal precedent more than 2000 times­ in cases, textbooks, and encyclopedias. •Written 52 articles on appellate practice, sentencing, DUt. contempt, and legal ethics. He writes a monthly column on legal writing for Ohio Lawyers Weekly. • Taught 85 seminars for judges, lawyers, and police officers, and is an Adjunct Professor of law at U.C. • Authored the textbook Ohio DUI Law. now in its 12th edition. His other book. The Legal Writer: 30 Rules for the Art of Legal Writing, was published in June. www.judgepalnter.org Local Schizophrenia/Schizo-affective Research Study * Financial Compensation * 45 years and over * Symptoms of depression * 1 3 visits (513) 861-3109 ext 4187 or toll free (888) 267-7873 ext 4187 The GCCH wouid like to thank these Starbucks locations for their generous donation of coffee and pastries: 11379 Montgomery Road (513) 469-1111 3366 Erie Avenue East Hyde Park (513) 533-34()2 . 7896 Montgomery Road (513) 891- 7740 18" X 24" poster print: Washington Park, Over­ the-Rhine, Winter 1999. · Each print is individually signed by OTR photographer Jimmy Heath. Purchase benefits the children's Literacy Through Photography program at Peaslee Neighborhood Center in Over-the-Rhine. Posters are $10 each, plus $3 for shipping. Send your order and check to: Peaslee Neighborhood Center Attn: Photography Program 215 East Fourteenth Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 or call (513) 621-5514 for more information �STREETVIBES March, 2003 0 Page 10 • A ainst ·Wa 1n r q Naval Yard. Another rally was held here but had not ended by the time the end of our march had arrived. Large demonstrations were held throughout the world this day. Many US cities organized protests locally; three hundred at Indianapolis's Monument Circle and several hundred at Cincinnati's Fountain Square. SAM Sunday, back in troubled Cincinnati. May Peace prevail on earth. photos and story by Berta Lambert Washington, DC - Here we come! Bush is at Camp David so we are coming to town to do democracy's work. Three hundred in all; two hundred and sixty in three busses and forty or more via van or car. A proposed war against Iraq we will come to protest and prevent. With hundreds of thousands offellow citizens, young and old, from cities and rura:I plains country-wide we petition the government for no war. 9AM Saturday, January 18thm 2003, we arrive at the mall next to the Capitol building. It is sunny and cold by day's end. Many will envy fellow protesters in San Francisco. Many signs and banners, both serious and satirical were displayed, and large puppets and street theater were also present. Cincinnati organizers for the Coalition to Prevent War in Iraq served us well by allowing time for citizens to wander before the l IAM rally, and we could start collecting the many handouts, for example. FEBRUARY ISTH, STOP THE WAR and pamphlets announcing ANSWER 's large New York demonstration, or we could buy THE MILITANT. The rally had a chorus of many good speakers, among them Jessie Jackson and Ramsey Clark. A 2 1/2 mile march followed; Independence Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, right on 17th Street and then a sharp right on to M Street, ending at the Washington - - - - - - The idea of absolute freedom is fiction. It's based on the idea of an independent self. But, in fact, there's no such thing. There's no s_e lf without other people. There's no self without sunlight. There's no self without dew. And water. And bees to pollinate the food we eat.... So tbe idea of behaving in a way that doesn't acknowledge those recipr.ocal relationships is not really freedom, it's indulgence. Peter Coyote �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Page 11 " chronic homeless" - those helpless cases, usually the mentally ill, substance abusers or very sick ­ by Joel Stein member~), but a Time survey of the who will probably be homeless for The Liberals tried. They eight jurisdictions that have good life. The study found the chronic gave money. They watched boring statistics shows that this population homeless make temporary shelters news specials. They held hands all has grown significantly and that its their long-term home; they tak~ up the way across America. They fastest-growing segment is 50% ofthe beds each year, even even pretended to laugh at composed offamilies. though they make up 10% of the sketches with Robin Williams, Billy Homeless parents and their ·homeless population. Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg. kids made up roughly 15% of the Culhane's idea appeals to But at some point in every case load in 1999 - or, if you count conservatives: it has had proved one-way relationship, pity turns to every bead, about 35% of all results in 20-year-old projects resentment, and now even the homeless people, according to the across the country; it gets the really liberals are turning on the Urban Institute, a liberalD.C. think hard-to-look-at people off the homeless: San Francisco has voted tank. The Time survey suggests street; and it saves money, because to reduce their benefits 85%; Santa that population bas since increased administrative costs make it more Monica, Calif, passed laws - registering year-over-year jumps expensive to put up people at a preventing them from sleeping in in either 2001 or 2002. These shelter than to give them their own the doors of shops or receiving families mainly consist of single apartment (sheltering a homeless food from unlicensed providers; women with kids, whose greater person on a cot in a New York City Madison, Wis., is handing them a housing needs, compared with shelter, for example, costs on record number of tickets; Seattle those of single people, make them average $1,800 a month). It's banned the sale ofmalt liquor and more vulnerable to rental i~creases similar to the problem faced by Thunderbird in Pioneer Square as than are single people. hospitals, where the uninsured use its initiative to shoo away the Even as the problem ambulances and emergency rooms alcoholics. worsens, there's little appetite in as a very expensive version of Sensing an opening, the Washington for the large-scale primary care. Bush Administration has decided solutions the Democrats have been Culhane's finding is also to make the homeless problem a advocating for 40 years: creating attractive in its simple ifunspoken target of compassionate affordable housing and logic: because the mentally ill were conservatism, which got pushed strengthening programs that attack put out into the street after the back after Sept. 11, when the causes of poverty by finding public discovered the abuses in conservatism was everywhere but people jobs, teaching them skills, mental hospitals and JFK passed compassion was available only for giving them transportation to jobs, the attack victims. And it's putting getting th.em off drugs, providing its central domestic doctrine to the medical care - essentially trying to test on an issue on which the fix entire lives. Some homeless Democrats have been unable to experts are beginning to wonder show much progress. whether building shelters only It's a good choice, not only exaggerates the numbers: they because the expectations are so argue that poor people who low after decades offailure but wouldn't otherwise be homeless also because it is unassailable in its are attracted to shelters as a way of immediate need. quickly tapping into government With a freak-show assistance. economy in which unemployment . "It didn't take long for 6% a 50% increase has reached people to figure out that this was a since November 2000 - but way to scam the system," admits housing prices have stayed at or Andrew Cuomo, the Secretary of near historic highs, the number of Housing and Urban Development homeless appears to be at its (HUD) under President Bill highest in at least a decade in a Clinton. Given all this failure and wide range of places across the disgust, Republicans could deal U.S., according to Bush's own with this problem however they homelessness czar. "It's wanted. The first GOP member to embarrassing to say that they're pick up on this was Susan Baker, up," says czar Philip Mangano of who had the ability to get the the number, "but it's better to face White House's attention because the truth than to try to obfuscate.'' she's the wife of James Baker, chief You don't see homeless of staffto Ronald Reagan, people as much as you did in the Secretary of State to Bush's father ' 80s because the one great policy and, more important, the guy who initiative ofthe past 20 years has ran W. 'selection-after-the-election to move them from grates been campaign in Florida. into the newest form of the Baker is co-chairwoman of poorhouse, the shelter. Even · the National Alliance to End though cities are building shelters Homelessness, a cause in which she as fast as they can, the homeless became interested in the early ' 80s, are pouring out of them again, when she got involved in returning to the grates. Homeless organizing D.C. food banks. Baker numbers are notoriously unreliable read a 1998 study by University of (many people may be counted Pennsylvania professor of social twice or not at all, and some work Dennis Culhane that homeless advocates include people suggested that the most efficient who move in with family solution to homelessness was to provide permanent housing to the T e Real ce o Homeless es the 1963 Community Healt h Center Act which deinstitutionalized ' 430,000 people, the plan really amounts to building much nicer, voluntary mental hospital. Three weeks after Bush named Mel Martinez his HUD Secretary, Baker landed a meeting with him. She sold him Culhane's research, arguing that with just 200,000 apartments, the Administration could end chronic homelessness in 10 years. The meeting went so well that the plan became Bush's official stance on homelessness: the 2003 budget has four paragraphs promising to end chronic homelessness in a decade. Bush reinstated last spring the office ofhomeless czar, a position that had been dormant for six years, tapping Mangano to be head of the lnteragency Council·on Homelessness. He is liked by members ofboth parties and fits Bush's theme offaith-based compassion. A former rock manager who represented members ofBuffalo Springfield and Peter, Paul and Mary, Mangano says his Faces .... Cont. on page 16 Peaslee Neighborhood Center is a peaceful place.... and a place where young people learn while having fun... �STREETVIBES Page 12 March, 2003 The Peace Village by Steve Sunderland The tragic loss of the .Columbia space shuttle, the rising tensions about Secretary of State Powell's presentation on war with Iraq, and the ongoing extreme tension over North Korea's moves for recognition raise my awarene~s about how fragile life, pe~ce and justice can be at this time. However, the war in Cincinnati is fully attracting my attention and raising questions in my mind about whether peace anywhere is possible if we cannot have peace in our city. The "war" in Cincinnati is a deadly one, involving both the taking of life by drug dealers in increasing numbers, plus the threatening of neighborhoods that have drug dealers and youth crime running rampant, and, the steady and serious withdrawal ofpolice services precisely at the time that crime is on the rise. Peace in our neighborhood is unpredictable, threatened at any moment by intimidation oflocal citizens by drug-related criminals, and slow responses to citizen calls for help from our local police. I do not want to underestimate just how serious this situation is and is likely to become if the current trends in criminal behavior and police incompetence persist. We; citizens ofCincinnati, are being asked to watch the destruction ofour city, especially the persistence of drug zones that are not the subject of police intervention in any way that is timely and effective. Working for peace with our communities and police has seemed to backfire: just when we thought there was a commonly agreed upon peace treaty between the communities and the police, with timetables; common goals, mutual respect, and a call for a new and radiq\l form of collaboration, we find, instead, a steady police slowdown of activity in "hot spots," an avoidance of taking any leadership on · community-police problem solving methods, and a statement by the police union head, and unchallenged by our mayor and city manager antl police chief, that the police should "go slow." Recent crime statistics released by our local newspaper read like Isrnel and Nigeria: serious crime is way up and arrests are ·way down. At a recent meeting of our community council leaders with leaders from the city, including the police chief, mayor, and city manager, the issue ofbad police methods leading to the rise in violent crime, was brushed ·off. " We are a work in progress," said members have extended themselves, following our riots, to the Colonel in charge of changing educate their congregations, the problem solving method of schools, classmates, and the police action. "There must be a average citizen. Team members stop to emotional policing," an have come up with trusting angry citizen suggested to the city methods of sharing stories of manager, "a policing where the failure and success in connecting police can decide, because they are and respecting the difficult jobs of not liked, they can slow down." being a police officer. Peaceful The city processes have been proposed manager said for citywide methods ofworking that more is together. These have been being done ignored by the city administration and will be and the police. Now, the Peace done. But no Village faces the hard task of timetables, moving to a different dimension deadlines, or ofnon-violent understanding and forms of protest. accountability I welcome your ideas and were made involvement on what should be clear. done and done soon. Like other communities in conflict, war, and The distrust, the options for peaceful peace efforts and just solutions are running out will not stop. along with the emotional interest Citizen in finding non-violent solutions. community I am convinced that an angry and councils and their leaders ~ loud movement for peace and justice will get the attention of are becoming Dr. Steve Sunderland directs a Posters for Peace session more aware our citizens and elected officials. order to save our neighborhoods. of the methods used in slowing .I am sure that there can be realistic down and stopping cooperative It is amazing to sit in meetings with timetables for working together. I methods of peace keeping. One city administration: elected know I must sound like every other officials, and those who have been city council representative has peace activist at this time that is begun to wake up to the realization appointed to lead important city saying that we n~ed " ... to give agencies and hear that pitiful sound peace a chance." Watching my that the Cincinnati Police are not neighborhood crumble, the loss of using the major policing methods of excuses for the lack of that have worked in other large supervision of professionals. sleep and hope on the part ofloved cities. Nor, it is now clear, is our Where is the anger from our ones, the despair of the youth for policing driven by the timely and officials that our neighborhoods are any alternative, and the dull looks strategic collection ofinformation having to be fought for by moms, in the eyes of so many police, I fear oncnme. for my city, and your city, too. The Cincinnati is not immune from community further violence even though we has been hold the sad honor of being the igno.rant of last city with an urban riot. The how destruction of a neighborhood information must be seen as important to about rising grieve as the explosion of a crime can be rocket, or, the loss of life in any used to ~ar. Now, especially. now, is the mobilize time to commit to peace right police and here, right now, in Cincinnati. community Stefanie and I went to talk groups. It is with Greg Baker, assistant city nothing manager for CPOP (Community short ofa Problem Oriented Policing) and miracle that Lt. Col. Richard Janke, citizen crime Cincinnati Police Department watch and in charge of CPOP for the groups have police department. We went not suffered with anger in our hearts and grief violent acts on the part of about our latest murder the night kids, workers, and others who criminals. Yet, there bas been before last just three blocks away. expect a peaceful and just intimidation by the criminals, community? Where is the anger at Both Baker and Janke have been suggesting that if the intimidation the incompetence ofthe police and working on the creation of CPOP doesn't work, there will be the leadership ofthe police for but we have not seen one shr~d of vio.Ience to back this up. their work to this point as the allowing our neighborhood parks, This intimidation and the planning group is in total privacy. comers, stores, and schools to inaction of the police will not stop become havens for drug deals? Baker is an articulate spokesperson the peace and justice effort. A for the City and maintained that The Peace Village is one small and hopefully increasingly nothing is ready because the parties part of this city that is alive to the strong group of citizens, drawn to the suit that led to the police­ possibilities of cooperative work from across Cincinnati, are coming ma.king a difference, even in community agreement have not together to develop our own form horrifying conditions. Team agreed on just what CPOP is and· of police supervision, community data collection, and media sharing. We want a broad based peace movement in our community, ready to march on City Hall, ready to sit outside our district police offices, ready to publish our own statistics about the amount of time it takes to react to a crisis, ready to seek state and federal intervention in . > �ST REETVIBES March, 2003 should be. " Going slow," Baker said, "is a way of getting it right before it goes public." We pushed him to tell just how far along the process and he refused to give us any hard date, suggesting that there were still intellectual differences about whether CPOP is mainly about better policing or a better use of all of the city's agencies in reducing crime and improving the quality oflife ofthe citizenry. But Rome continues to burn as drug killing continue along with intimidation oflocal citizens with a downtown in arrests and a growth in crime. Baker made the point that all of the present work to improve crime reduction lay with the good Lt. Col. Janke. Baker made it clear that pressure on the police was not the only place vyhere pressure was important: all of the parties, the Black United Front, the ACLU, and the Ctiy all needed pressure to complete a fi nal design of CPOP. And pressure is what top city administration and some in the media are putting on the police as we learned that the police chief is making 3 5 meetings with every police group to get them more motivated to fight crime. Janke, a spirited defender ofthe police as well as a philosopher ofpolicing, urged us in no uncertain terms to let the police take the necessary time to create and roll out CPOP. Acting a bit offended by the pressure we were bringing, he suggested that the police are both more aware of what is happening than we think and less able to stop what is happening than we think. The sum ofwhat he was saying that was important is that the police, too, are frustrated by the spike in crime and the reasons for it and what to do about it. Janke gave the clearest support of a partnership model between the police and the community that I have heard to this point. He was clear that CPOP was needed, a big change in information gathering and sharing was needed, and a connection to the assignment of police to "hot spots' based on this data was needed. But "it is just not ready, yet. " We argued for three hours for the sake ofmaking it clear that our neighborhood is becoming a · permanent war zone. Both officials · heard us, saw our frustratio~, and sought to suggest that the city was readying some kind of multiple offense to battle the criminals. I shared with Baker some information provided by one ofmy students on the long term progress of the Chicago police and community with a form of CPOP. I urged Baker to look at their web site to see that remarkable difference with our own police department's home page. I am astounded that other cities have not only developed working partnership models, and, information gathering and sharing methods that connect to crime reduction, but that these processes are effective and totally untried in Cincinnati. We left our meetings feeling as many peace workers must feel at this time: war is hell and tiring! The battle to rid neighborhoods ofurban warfare requires levels of sophistication in informat~on and deployment of people, as well as motivation and leadership, along with creativity in partnership, that are nothing short of massive. Drug control of our neighborhood, casualties from killings, and the general intimidation ofthe citizens, takes their toll in the abandonment of people and vitality in a community. Stopping the criminal trends, reversing the spirit of hopelessness, and joining in a common struggle for peace and justice requires in our little town, the public cooperation ofpolice and citizen. Dr. Steve Sunderland, professor ofSocial Work at the University ofCincinnati, is the Director of the Peace Village, A group ofindividuals from the national and internaional community commited to examining all issues Qfpeace in the world. Dr. Sunderl,and also heads up Postersfor Peace which engages people in expressing their visions ofpeace, in their own words, through the creation ofposters. . Page 13 ART, MUSIC, AND WRITING OPPORTUNITIES! Peaslee Neighborhood Center, 215 East I 4th Street, hosts lots of arts opportunities for adults and children to learn skills such as playing a steel drum or piano, photography, making mosaic art, or writing. Any resident ofOver-the­ Rhlne or the West End is welcome! All sessions are FREE, including instruction and materials. No previous artistic experience necessary. Contact Brenda Z. at 621-5514, or peaslee bz@hotmail com for more information. Photography - Teenagers and young adults are invited to learn basic photography skills through introductory courses provided at Peaslee. Writing - Any young person in the Greater Cincinnati area may submit poems and/or articles via email at peaslee bz@hotmail com for publication in Streetvibes. Content should be related to homelessness, social justice, or poverty-related issues. The Center also offers classes in creative writing and "Rhyme-n-'R ap" poetry, sharing sessions. OTR Steel Drum Band -Learn how to play the steel drums! Participants will learn steel drum technique, rhythms, and how to ~ead music. Ages 9 and up. Call '.For New Arts Advisory Comm~ttee Members! - The Arts Advisory Committee is looking for representatives from the neighborhood and the arts and business community. This Community Mosaic Art-Project ­ committee helps to formulate the Community members are coming direction and development of together to make mosaic art for the Peaslee's arts programs._ Over-th~Rhine neighborhood. Stop by buddy's place at 131h and Looking For New Staff - Peaslee Vine Monday -Friday 2:30-4 :30, is a1sQ looking for new music and Saturday 11 :00-1 :00. Children instructors for the piano. This is a must be accompanied by an aault wonderful opportlinity to get Groups inter~sted in participating involved in teaching music to should contact Brenda Z. at Peaslee children in a fun ana rewarding to schedule a special group time. setting. Anyone interested should contact Brenda Z. at Peaslee. Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality- not as we expect it to be but as it is- is to see that unless we Jive for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily; that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love. (Carl) Frederick Buechner · "You know, if money DID.grow on trees, I might be more sympathetic to the environmental movement." �STREETVIBES Art & Poetry March, 2003 Page 14 The Weighted Hour Be Yourself The Bottom Line by Michael Henson by Bruce Wilmer by Michael Nelson There is an hour The world would like to change Sin on our streets, when the world is too weighted for us to bear. Death in our city, you; When the minutes press on us The bottom line is, There are pressures all around. Life shows us no pity. like the stones of Salem. You must decide just who you are, An hour when the slant light falls to ash. Then firmly hold your ground . When the red-eyed liar gnaws at the ear. Women cheat on husbands, When there is no end to the drone of engines. Men cheating on wives, You have an image ofyourself, The bottom line is, And there is no end to the sad parades. An ideal sense ofyou, And hour when anger clots the lungs. more pain in their lives. And to this vision you must always When there seems to be no hope. Struggle to be true. Then I look to the lonely crow. Kids killing kids, There, in his cold rooms You know what you are good at, Cops shot everyday, The bottom line is, high above the red tips of the maples And you know where your talents We all need to pray. above the strung powerlines lie, above the cell phone towers. But if you are ruled by others, He is a black ship in a vast bottle. Your uniqueness could pass by. People watch violence, He works his wings in short bursts against the wind, See ladies quite nude, then coasts for a time, Remember, there is much to learn, The bottom line is, Our morals are crude. works in a burst, then coasts again. But all new things aren't good. Wisdom lies in what you've Then I want to think myself the crow, eagling across a broken heartland . Our leaders are weaklings, learned, And what you have withstood. Far below me, Our court systems fail, the asphalt ribbons and the bulldozer scars. The bottom line is, So, be yourself and don't allow Far below me, DoesTruth ever prevail? The world to take control. the suburban checkerboard, Preserving you identity, The bottom line is, The end may b€ Far below me, near, the gash of abandoned factories. ls life's precious goal. The bottom line is, Far below me, Mankind shall know fear! the rivers that choke with the runoff ofthe poisoned farms. Far below me, the .s~all _men who. walk ~een fields ~tting sma}l \Vhi.te.b!llls.. () Far below me, . strip malls and theme parks. Far bel~w me, the broad separate roqfs of the houses on streets that meander like the tunnels of the mole. Far below me, the close-packed roofs of the projects. And I am sad, for I see nothing that looks like home. byjh The horizon is wide by Tryna R Moore and far off. Through the void, the outstretched hand At the line where the sun sets, directs you to the icy, blind stare. what ifI choose not to help I see the gray fences ·Fearful, glassy, scratched and marred . but instead to look away? and the leaning stalks of corn. Retarded plea, old recital, tedious. and for those who are in trouble The Light leans to the earth's back door. I want to go.... I do not pray? I search the dusk if I run frQJll my brother for my brothers Beneath the su1face of this rounded gem, when he only asks for help? and my sisters. speaks a chorus of screaming violence. ifinstead of lending a hand to him I call them There is a smell. I choose only to help myself? in a voice I want to leave, keep on walking. what kind of creature would exist of husks and gravel. only to do harm? Life is Like a chicken wire fence, what kind of heart saw danger in hope trapped beyond the reach, the distance ofthe eye and the illusion .... but never rang the alarm? Wire pressing back the flesh. what if I take all of my money and throw it frivolously away? Then, our fears grow like fruitless vine. on abuses ofthe body Clinging to the cracks and concrete, sex, liquor, and cocaine? in that place, beyond the Fence. what ifI never gave a dime " Sorry, I don't have anything to give." to help someone who was down? what if I always focused on me and ignored the problems that surround? I pray the one who reads this will not feel that .it describes any aspect of their being for they know that they have tried. Life Is Like a Chicken Wire Fence what if.. . �STREETVIBES March, 2003 My Prayer For You by RickAshcroft May you always stop and think, Before you relapse, and start to drink. May you find your Higher Power, And let him be with you each passing hour, May your road to happiness be ljned with gold, And may alJ your dreams, somehow unfold. May each ofyou find success along the way, And may your road to recovery start each day, For tomorrow is not pr<?rrused, it is said, May relapse never enter your head. Always stop and think, from where you came, May your troubles never remain the same, May you find peace of my at heart, God has given each of us a new start. So my prayer for each ofyou js the best, He has showed us the way, we just have to do the rest. So good luck in everything you do ., I say goodbye, the best ofluck to each of you. An Eclectic AmeriCorps Poem Secret Alcoholic by Charlie I'm here at the mountain that I have to cross, Ifl can 't get over, I know I'll be lost. Though not broken hearted, but not happy it's true, And I'm not a poor man, I'm just like you. I have a problem, like many folks do. I'm tied to a bottle as I write to you. The place where I'm standing, I've been here before. I couldn't cross over, I'm riddled and torn. I know about drinking, the harm it will do. And I try·to hide me from folks just like you. There's no starting over, but I'll stumble through. It's hard to explain but I'm worse offthan you. But I'll keep on climbing, till I reach the top. And thank you for reading, I pray that I'll stop. For I AM NO BETTER than the one on the street. Remember I said this, one day when we meet. Art& Poetry Page 15 Taking a Stand on Iraq Sp eak Out by Lawrence Ferlinghetti And a vast paranoia sweeps across the land And America turns the attack on its Twin Towers Into the beginning of the Third World War The war with the Third World And the terrorists in Washington Are drafting all the young men And no one speaks And they are rousting out All the ones with turbans And they are flushing out All the strange immigrants And they are shipping all the young men To the killing fields again And no one speaks And when they come to round up All the great writers and poets and painters The National Endowment of the Arts of Complacency Will not speak While all the young men Will be killing all the young men In the killing fields again So now is the time for you to speak All you lovers ofliberty All you lovers of the pursuit of happiness All you lovers and sleepers Deep in your private dreams Now is the time for you to speak 0 silent majority Before they come for you Lawrence Ferlinghetti is San FranCisco sfirst poet laureate (J 998) and the owner andfounder ofCity Lights Bookstore. This poem first appeared on the City Lights Web site (http://www.citylights.com/) . Shutter Speed Change creates the opportunity For serendipitous events. While the fluctuation of events Passes us passers-by, We, ourselves can know Only one thought... Who am I presently? Then, the next thought. .. Who am I about to become? I sit and turn into a stone And eventually the stone splits And a flower grows from the creVIce, The flower ofmy incipient being. The evanescence of our existence Becomes the bane of our present reality When once we resolve to stop listening And follow the mercurial nature of the wind Getting up a little slower.... by Ste ve Shockley �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Faces .... Cont. from page 11 life changed in 1972 when he saw Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a movie about the life of St. Francis. For Mangano, who calls himself a homeless abolitionist, ending chronic homeless is a moral call. "Is there any manifestation of homelessness more tragic or more visible than chronic homelessness experienced by those who are suffering from mental illness, addiction or physical disability?" he asks. Building permanent housing for the chronically ill is in fact a long-standing Democratic initiative . .In 1990 New York Governor Mario Cuomo began building "supportive housing" projects with attached mental­ health services; there are now more than 60,000 such units across the country, funded by a combination of government and private organizations. While the buildings are not licensed like mental hospitals, nurses, social workers and psychologists keep office hours. That's the compassionate part. Here's the conservative side: Bush isn't spend1ng any money on this. While IDJD already spends 30% ofits homeless dollars on permanent housing, all the Administration has added so far for its new push is $35 million, scraped together from within the existing budgets of three departments. To give a sense of how much that means in Washington budgetary terms, $35 million is equal to the money set aside to help keep insects from crossing the border. Although last month HUD touted the $1. 1 billion in the budget for homeless services as the largest amount of homeless assistance in history, it's about the same as the amount set aside before Newt Gingrich's Congress made major cuts. And the Administration, more quietly, also announced a 30% cut in operating funds for public housing last week. Congressman Barney Frank, ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee (which oversees government housing agencies), is not kind about the Bush Administration's intentions. "They are just lying when they say they have a housing program," he says. And ofthe additional $35 million pledged to end chronic homelessness, Frank says, " it's not only peanuts; it's taking the peanuts from one dish and putting them in another." In fact, in October the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that, if it becomes law, will cut $938 million from the President's budget for rental vouchers, one of the government's main methods of paying to house the homeless. The old-school Democrats are also upset at the philosophy behind Bush's plan, which they argue is more interested in getting the homeless out of view than in solving their problems. "The largest-growing sector is actually women an,d children," says Donald Whitehead, the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, the oldest and largest advocacy group on this issue. "A true strategy needs to include the entire population." Andrew Cuomo, founder of HELP USA, a national, nonprofit shelter provider, says the administration is merely redefining the issue so as to appear to be doing something. "What makes you say that a guy who has been on the street for five years and is a heroin addict is any more needy than a woman who is being beaten nightly in front ofher children?" he asks. For his part, Senator John Kerry, a Democrat running for President, has proposed legislation that would add 1.5 million units of affordable housing to address the fact that America's population has grown 11% in the past decade while rental stock has shrunk. . According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which lobbies for government housing, for the fourth year in a row there isn't a single jurisdiction in the U.S., with the exception of places in Puerto Rico, where a person working full time for minimum wage can afford to rent a one-bedroom home at fair-market value. Without a federal plan that has worked, cities have lost patience, concentrating on getting the homeless out of sight. In New York City, where shelter space can't be created fast enough, Mayor Mike Bloomberg has proposed using old cruise ships for housing. New Orleans removed park benches in Jackson Square to discourage the homeless; Philadelphia launched an ad campaign asking people not to give to panhandlers; and in Orlando, Fla.,. a new law makes it a jaiJable offense to lie down on the News & Editorial sidewalk. Polls in San Francisco, where the streets are clogged with the homeless who lose the nightly lottery for limited shelter beds, indicate that homelessness is a major concern. Billboards show residents holding cardboard signs that read, I DON' T WANT TO HOLD MY BREATH PAST EVERY ALLEY Voters last November overwhelmingly passed Proposition N, which cuts handouts from $395 a month to $59, providing food and shelter instead. The proposition was proposed by Gavin Newsom, 35, a member·ofthe city's Board of Supervisors who describes himself as a liberal. Newsom's proposal was supported by a $1 million campaign and was so controversial that Newsom felt compelled to travel with police protection as Election Day approac~ed. To his critics who contend that Proposition N doesn't do much to help the people whose assistance he's taking away, Newsom says, 'We never said N is going to solve homelessness." Two weeks after the proposal became law, Newsom announced a mayoral bid. Even in Miami, where homelessness has been reduced because of a 1997 court settlement that forced the city to decriminalize it and develop an elaborate system for dealing with it, citizens are demanding that the streets be cleared. New laws prevent sleeping on the beach and building shelters too close to one another. "They want to hide us with all kind of zoning tricks and such," says Steve Silva, 50, who makes $7 and a 5% commission selling _Miami Heat tickets and lives in a shelter. "But it's a Band-Aid on a sucking chest wound, man." Likewise in Dallas, where the problem continues to worsen, the homeless complain of cops delivering wake-up calls from their car loudspeakers by blaring "Wake up, crackheads! '' and handing out vagrancy tickets. "It doesn't make you want to go> and rejoin society," says Gary Jones, 36, a laid-off welder. "What's lower than writing a man a ticket for sleeping on the street? If he had somewhere else to go, don't you think he' d be there?" David and Gina Christian and their four children have avoided the streets by staying in a 600-sq.-ft. apartment at the Interfaith House in Dallas, which provides three months' housing to Page 16 100 needy families each year. David, 34, lost his job fixing rental cars in Austin after Sept. 11 when the tourism industry fell apart. Gina, 36, wasn't making enough as a nursing-home temp to cover the family's expenses. The Christians hocked everything they owned-their TY, the kids' · PlayStation, J?ad's tools - to follow David's old boss to a new job in Dallas. When that business fell apart too, David sold the tires from their two cars to pay for their nightly meals ofrice and beans. "I was reduced to begging. I felt degraded, like I was less than human," Gina says. "When I was a child growing up in Watts, there was a 10-month period where we were homeless. I didn't want that for my family." Interfaith has found David an $8-an-hour job as a mechanic at a Texaco station, and now that the Christians are not paying rent, they are able to save a little money. But time at Interfaith is running out. The program already broke its own rule QY letting the family back for a second stay. Given that so many are without a home but have tempor(\ry shelter, the real policy debate is no longer about whether society is responsible for keeping people out ofthe cold - we have agreed it is - but whether.it is obligated to give them somewhere permanent to live. By fighting to end chronic homelessness; the Bush Administration argues that we need to give houses to those who are incapable of providing for themselves. The others will have to weather the storm in a shelter, if it can be built fast enough. Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 East 14th Street Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 621-5514 Empowering our neighborhood children through peace, art and education Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression ofthe views and opinions ofour readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those ofthe Streetvibes staffor the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. �ST RE ET VIB ES FRAC News Digest NEW 2003 FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES RELEASED March, 2003 Greenspan announced that he disagreed with many of the arguments offered by the Bush Administration for the tax cut package. Mr. Greenspan said that the economy probably do.es not need any short-term stimulus and that the rising budget deficits would have an effect on long-term interest rates and an impact on the economy. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/ 12/business/ 12FED.html (Adobe PDF) (from Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 26, February 7, 2003) The Department ofHealth and Human Services released the 2003 poverty guidelines. The guidelines are adjusted each year to account for inflation and serve as the baseline for determining eligibility NO CONNECTION for means-tested programs. For BETWEEN FEDERAL F'OOD example, various percentages of PROGRAMS AND OBESITY poverty are applied to determine (United Press Intemational, eligibility for the National School January 29, 2003) · Lunch Program e.g. , 130 percent This article analyzes a paper for free lunches), the Food Stamp published by the conservative Program, and others. For the 48 American Enterprise Institute that contiguous states and D.C., the said federal food assistance guideline is $1~'400 for a family of . programs for low-income people four. Amounts vary by family size. are contributing to the obesity Amounts are slightly higher for epidemic. When asked to explain Alaska and Hawaii. For the entire how increased consumption, a goal poverty guideline table see:http:// of the food stamp program, aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/ negatively affects recipients or 03poverty.htm contributes to increased obesity, author Douglas Besharov BUSH ADMINISTRATION "appeared reluctant to comment on PROPOSALS TRANSFORM his report" and said only, "of FEDERAL PROGRAMS course it is negative. " Robert FOR T':\E POOR Greenstein, of the ·center for (Washington Post, February 9, Budget and Polfoy Priorities', said 2003) that there has been recent research The Administration is seeking to specifically looking at whether tip control over social services to food stamps cause obesity and has the states, reduce the funding of found that t hey do not. Research some programs, and require more by economist Diane Whitm.o re of proof that low-income people are the University ofCalifornia at eligible for assistance. These Berkeley found that 70 to 80 proposals are the ideological heirs percent of all food stamp recipients to the Congressional attempts at had to spend more on food than "devolution" in the mid-1990s. their benefits are worth. Whitmore http ://www.washingtonpost.com/ said her research suggests wp-dyn/articles/A.4560 l­ Besharov's icleas would lead to 2003Feb8.html "worse nutrition, and not better." http ://www.upi.com/ ECONOMISTS ON view.cfm?StoryID=20030129­ PRESIDENT BUSH'S TAX l 00634-4288r CUT (Economic Policy Institute, February l 0, 2003) The Economic Policy Institute released an economists' statement signed by 10 Nobel laureates and 450 economists from around the country who oppose the adoption of the Bush tax cuts on the grounds that they will not create jobs and growth in the near-term and will lead to chronic deficits. http ://www.epinet.org/stmt/2003/ statement_signed.pdf (Adobe PDF) FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN GREENSPAN DESCRIBES PROBLEMS WITH TAX CUT (New York Times, February 12, 2003) Federal Reserve chairman Alan LACK OF TRANSPORTATION, ACCESS TO GROCERY ~TORES, COMPROMISES HEALTH (Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, February 9, 2003) In Southside, Brookhill Village and several other neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina, there are few grocery stores nearby, and many residents do not have cars. Residents are forced to shop at smaller grocery or convenience stores in the area that charge higher prices and offer a smaller selection · of foods. The Observer mapped the addresses of 97 supermarkets in the Charlotte area. In south-central Charlotte there are no supermarkets near the main strip that is easily accessible to News & Editorial thousands of residents. National studies show that there are fewer supermarkets in predominantly black neighborhoods. People who shop with food stamps usually buy fewer nonperishable items and impulse items, the things that bring stores their biggest profits. Another study found that for every additional supermarket in a predominately black neighborhood, people's intake offruits and vegetables increases 32 percent. http://www.charlotte.com/rnld/ observer/news/5140765 .htm See the entire.Charlotte Observer series on accJsho grocery stores: http://www.d'la~lotte. com/mld/ charlotte/liviiiifspecial_packages/ nowhere_to_ shop/ SCHOOL LUNCH INCOME VERIFICATION PLAN COULD DENY MEALS TO TOUSANDS OF NEEDY CHILDREN IN SOUTH FLORIDA (Miami Herald, Miami, FL, February 6, 2003) The Bush Administration's plan for income verification in the National School Lunch Program could remove thousands ofchildren in south ~lorida from the program. Local nutrition officials cautioned against assl;lming,there w~s fraud in the prqgram. They say that many families are removed from the program because of failure to respond by the deadline, or they' re intimidated, don't understand, or the verification letter isn't received. These problems are of concer~ in south Florida with many immigrants and high poverty. http://www.miami.com/mld/ miamiherald/5116038.htm EDITORIAL: " DON'T PLAY KETCHUP WITH SCHOOL LUNCHES" (Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH, February 10, 2003) This editorial calls school lunches "the single mdst reliable source of daily nutrition for many children and the only for some." It also cites analysis of census data showing that when poor and near­ poor households are compared to the number ofchildr.en certified for free lunches there is a near-perfect match. http://www.activedayton.com/ddn/ opinion/daily/0210ketchup.html CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA SEES DRAMATIC INCREASE IN FOOD STAMP USE (Charlotte Observer, February 8, 2003) The Charlotte, North Carolina area has seen dramatic increases in food stamp participation over the past 2 Page 17 Yi years. Local social services officials believe that most ofthe new applicants are first-time recipients. In the 15 county Charlotte region, food stamp enrollment rose by more than a third. Food stamp use in the Carolinas grew faster than in much ofthe nation - South Carolina had the fifth-highest increase in the nation and.North Carolina saw the 20th largest increase (as of October 2002). "It reminds me ofthe times back in the 1970s when we had that severe recession," said one Charlotte·social worker. http ://www.charlotte.com/ml_d/ observer/news/5135058.htm MINNESOTA GOVERNOR CUTS $20 MILLION FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, February 8, 2003) Minnesota Governor Pawlenty cut more than $20 million from the state's Health and Human Service department to help balance the budget. Among about 20 health and human services programs that will be affected, the WIC program will see $3.5 milli,on in cuts. State Senator Byckx ~pur~y call~~ th~ : WIC c~ts "ironic,;, saying that a week earlier the governor was ­ talking about restricting foods that could be bought with food stamps, and "now he's cutting a program that provides nutritious food and does nutrition counseling to people who receive food stamps." The elimination ofafterschool programs produced another $5 million in avings. http ://www.startribune.com/stories/ 587/3641050.html To subscribe to the weekly FRAC News Digest ; http:// capwiz.com/frac/mlm/ Ben Winter Food R esearch and Action Center 1875 C onnecticut Avenue, NW Suite540 Washington, DC 20009 (202) 986-2200 x3019 phone (202) 986-2525 fax Email: bwinter@frac.org �STREETV IB ES documented a dramatic increase in ordnances outlawing life sustaining activities.such as sitting, sleeping in by Donald Whitehead, National parks, or. feeding the hungry. Colition for the Homeless Separately, any ofthese issues are cause for great concern - but Executive Director combined, they are frightening. The recently published U.S Conference ofMayors report NCH believes that there has documents that homelessness has never been a better time to launch increased by 19% in the United the "Bringing America Home States. From Alaska to Campaign." The Bringing America Washington, the number of Home Campaign is designed to homeless families has increased by address the root causes of an average of20%-including a homelessness. The centerpiece of startling 40% increase in New York the Campaign is an omnibus bill City. In addition to record that will be introduced by increases, we are faced with Representatives Julia Carson and additional cuts to federal housing John Conyers. The bill is programs. The Department of revolutionary, an attempt to finally Housing and Urban Development reduce homeless by addressing recently announced a cut in public systemic causes. The Bringing housing operating subsidies. Both America Home Act addresses the House and Senate propose homelessness in a comprehensive drastic cuts in the number of manner that is a change from recent piecemeal approaches that have section eight vouchers. Welfare reform, often touted as a success only resulted in maintaining because of roll reduction, is now homelessness rather than ending it. seeing many people who were able The act and the larger campaign are to transition offofpublic assistance very ambitious, extremely necessary, and will require an returning to welfare. State budgets, already strapped as a unprecedented combination of result ofthe administration's advocacy and grassroots organizing. massive tax cut, are facing I often visit shelters and additional shortfalls due to the soup kitchens when I am asked to continued woes on Wall Street. Even foundations, one of the major speak in cities across the country. support systems for nonprofits, are My visits to shelters keeps me beginning to experience shortfalls. grounded and remind me that I didn't come to Washington to be an In addition to serious insider. Last week, I spent three concerns in housing, the economy, and medical issues, public opinion days in a shelter disguised as a aboQt poor people - especially regular guy. I talked to men, women, and children and realized homeless people - has shifted that from their stories, not one of dramatically. Many cities, them met current guidelines for responding to pressure from the permanent housing under ffi.JD­ business community, have begun McK.inney guidelines. Most ofthe crackdowns. In the report "Illegal people I spoke to could be to be Homeless," NCH Reflections Scrutiny.. .. cont. from page 8 Page 18 M arch, 2003 operations for the child nutrition programs in East Baton Rouge Parish, La., which serves 44,000 other types ofassistance like subsidized child care and health care. lunches a day to school children. Barry D. Saclcin, vice In one pilot project, at Oak president ofthe American School Park and River Forest High School near Chicago, the number ofchildren Food Service Association, whose members run feeding programs, said approved for free lunches dropped the Bush plan "would turn us into 50 percent. At schools in Morenci, accountants and auditors and take us Ariz. , the number dropped 36 away from what we should be doing: percent. serving nutritious meals to children." Diana Gonzalez-Sumpter, The Treasury Department is the fooa service director in Morenci, equally determined to crack down on said that parents had made honest what it says are erroneous payments mistakes in some cases. A few under the earned-income tax credit families, she said, had deliberately program, one ofthe nation 's biggest understated their income. antipoverty programs. Ms. Gonzalez-Sumpter said At present, the government she supported the verification estimates, $9.3 billion ofthe $30 requirements because she had billion paid out each year in tax "strong feelings about the credits to low-income working stewardship ofpublic funds." But families may be a result offraud or she said that the requirements honest errors. In 1999, the Treasury deterred some eligible people, including immigrants, from applying says, 27 percent to 32 percent of claims were paid in error. for benefits. President Bush is asking "It would be a nightmare for Congress for $100 million and 650 L. Mann, director of us," said Nadine considered victims, victims of different things from domestic violence to the economic downturn to bad public policy. As I was leaving the shelter, it dawned on me that if the same policy had been around eight years ago, I would have been a victim also. It's time to "Bring America Home." Bill holds promise for homeless; The Las Vegas Sun endorses the Bringing America' Home Act Tens ofthousands of homeless people in this country are surviving day-to-day through the goodwill of churches, volunteer organizations, and kind individuals. They are also sustaining themselves at soup kitchens and shelters run by local governments. Some areas offer excellent programs that include health care and counseling. In other areas the only hedge against starvation and the elements is the proverbial flophouse. Nowhere is the need fully met. In Las Vegas, for example, there are a few hundred beds and an estimated 10,000 homeless men and women.· Inconsistencies from city to city are the result ofvarying abilities - and varying desires - to give. What's long been missing as the nation's homeless population increases every year is any consistent federal involvement. The sporadic federal grant for a homeless program here or there is insufficient, as proven by the fact that every sizeable county and city in the country has a growing homeless population. The programs in place are a godsend in the sense that they' re all that stand between life and death for many homeless people. This country, however, should be doing much new employees to identify potentially erroneous claims in advance, before money is paid out. The Internal Revenue Service has tried such procedures, with people who reapply for the tax credit after' having claims denied in prior years. In a report to Congress last month, the ombudsman, Nina E. Olson, the national taxpayer advocate, said that some legitimate claims for the tax credit were " erroneously denied." Moreover, she said, some taxpayers who pressed their claims found themselves in an "endless loop" of audits and delays. Ms. Olson, a tax lawyer, emphasized "how complicated it is for taxpayers and IRS employees to determine eligibility" for the credit. The documentation requirements create a hardship in large cities like New York, where many of the working poor live in rented rooms and pay their rent in cash, Ms. Olson said. The General Accounting Office asked 21 tax examiners at the more for the fathers and mothers, the veterans, the kids, and the senior citizens who are filling the ranks of the homeless. The greater percentage ofhomeless people, with a little more help, could get off the streets and again lead fulfilling lives. This has been proven in every credible study ever done ofthe homeless. We support the "Bringing America Home Act" that will be introduced in the next session of Congress. Representatives John Conyers Jr. ofMichigan and Julia Carson ofIndiana have collaborated on this legislation, which is just what America has been needing for the past several decades. The bill would provide money to assist local governments with their homeless programs. Affordable housing, job training, vouchers for child care and public transportation, emergency funds for families facing eviction and homeless centers are some of the services the money would provide. Already this year, 48 people in the Las Vegas Valley have succumbed to life on the streets. Most local programs do what they can, but the need is overwhelming. With a consistent source of federal support, the majority of homeless people could again begin having goals beyond survival. National Coalition f or the Homeless 1012 14th Street, NW; Suite 600 Washington, DC 20005-3471 Phone: 202. 737.6444 "• Fax: 202. 737. 6445 Email: info@liationalhomeless.org Website: http:// www.nationalhomeless.org Internal Revenue Service to evaluate five sets ofdocuments filed in support ofapplications for the credit. "For none of the 5 scenarios did all 21 examiners agree, and in some cases, the examiners reached widely varying judgments about whether the evidence was sufficient to support a claim," the accounting office said. The block grant proposed by Mr. Bush would replace the nation's largest rental assistance program., known as Section 8. States would get the money, $13. 6 billion a year, which is now allocated to 2,600 local housing authorities. Local officials scorned the plan. "Who needs an· extra layer of bureaucracy?" asked Elizabeth C. Morris, chief executive ofthe San Diego Housing Commission. "States would take 5 percent to 10 percent ofthe.money for administrative costs, so there might be less for low­ income families." http://www.nytim es.com/2003/02/ 05/politics/ 05POORll1ml?ex=J045443258&.ei=l&en =f37d520fdl 958e60 �STREETVIBES March, 2003 Page 19 A World of Websites by Carolyn Messaros First this month, here's that important government (subsidized) housing information again: In the address bar, type in: http:// www.hud.gov/ and when you get that front page, slide up to the top right and click on search/index. You ' 11 get an alphabetical listing ­ go down t6 "S" and find " Section 8 Program." Click on that and go down to the bottom of the text area. There's a place there where it says "Learn More.." In that, one link says " property search" which connects you to pages that ask you to fill in the state, then city and other information, and which then connects you to actual apartment locations. If you need a map, too : http://maps.yahoo.com/ is one place to find locations. NEXT: The business at hand is county websites in the tri-state, presently, some more ofKentucky. (There's at least one person out there somewhere who needs information on Kentucky!) Th~ primary thing searched for, as before: official or semi-official access.to county commissioners. Fourteen ofKentucky's 120 counties are within the 50-mile range (one ofthem on the "fringe"). Fifty miles into Kentucky, of course, is going to bring one into some sparsely populated areas where there is less "need" ofgovernment. Some of the fourteen have no "official" websites that could be readily found. There are private, business, historical, and other websites brought up in a search, but not access to the government. In addition, some ofthe fourteen have no county commissioners. How then to find out something? Well, just about any group of people will have at least the equivalent of an attorney, a sheriff, and a judge (that's the foundation ofthe principle oflaw and order). One can probably ask any that can be found (or the state legislator might be able to provide some help). Of cours.e there's likely to be someone in charge ofthings ­ evidently ifthe population is small enough a Judge/Executive can manage it. No offense meant, but he/she may very well know 98% of the registered voters personally. Here's Kentucky, the three from last month repeated in their proper alphabetical setting: Boone County: http:// www.boonecountyky.org/ - on the left look for "Elected Officials." County seat: Burlington. Bracken County: no official-like site found. Also, no commission found - Judge/Executive only. County seat: Brooksville (not names ofPresidential Departments seat: Georgetown. and Secretaries keep popping up in Trimble County: http:// Brookville). the news, possibly the most www.trimblecounty.com/gov.htm. Campbell" County: http:// important one to check out is: However, no commission found, www.campbellcountyky.org/, on Judge Executive only. County http://www.state.gov/ which is the left look for "Elected .Officials." seat: Bedford. Colin Powell's State Department. County seat: Newport. NEXT. ... People without other To be brief at this time: Carroll County: http:// http://www.whitehouse.gov/ means (homeless or not) can often www.carrollcountyky.com/, on the access the internet from a local government/ lists all the left in the link click on library or computer cafe - and the departments (and the people in governments; but, no commission charge), a section for the vice­ library is likely to be free (cafes found, Judge/Executive only. may very well cost some money, president, various councils and County seat: Carrollton. offices, and more, some ofwhich is but in some cases it may be worth Gallatin County: no official-like worth.a separate mention, but not it). site found. Also, no commission The library is likely to be at this time. Click on the person's found, Judge/Executive only. name, then on the departmental free to properly registered patrons County seat: Warsaw. link right under the cabinet in good.standing, including people Grant County: http:// without telephones. The public member's name on the biography www.grantco.org/-there's an page that comes up. library (there are also university email service there; but, no http://www.un.org/ is the libraries) in these parts has well commission found - Judge over I 00 terminals available for main page for the United Nations Executive only. Couqty seat: public use in the downtown branch which will eventually connect Williamstown. alone. Although there are time someone to a number of different Harrison County: no official-like limits, someone who "works at it" places some of which is worth a site found. Also, no county separate mention, but not at this can accomplish quite a bit, with a commission found, Judge/ key point being sincerity more than time. Click on "Welcome" to get it Executive only. County seat: in English. anything like "computer Cynthiana. For someone who feels lost knowledge." Kenton County: http:// the governmental maze, here in NEXT... WAR ON TERROR www.kentoncounty.org/, on the left listed separately is one ofthe On February 7, 2003, the look for "Elected Officials." federal government, again, raised "governmental explanatory County seat: Covington. services" created to help people the "alert status" for the country Mason County: http:// find things - this rides around the from yellow to orange. It seems www.masoncounty-ky.com/ and reaSOQable to be posting some internet: http://www.firstgov.gov/ there is both a commission and a and it may be of assistance to more or less pertinent additional Judge/Executive in this.county. someone lost in 'the United States government siteS7 County seat: Maysville. Possibly "a most important" government. Owen County·: no official-like site NE:X:T·AND LAST:" · _··.· the ~verage government site found. .Also, no county person would be the Center for There's nothing much to commission found, Judge/ review separately from last month, Disease Control: http:// Executive only. County seat: the three Kentucky counties being www.cdc.gov/ Owenton. That Department of listed in with the rest and the IIlJD Pendleton County: no official-like housing directions being at the Homeland Security that issues the site found. Also, no commission alert status is: http://www.dhs.gov/ beginning. The buses, and found, Judge/Executive only. Another site that may be of especially United Way, belong to County seat: Falmouth. general interest is the Federal other groupings. Robertson County: no official-like Burea':l ofInvestigation (FBI): PS: if one would really like site found. Also, no commission http://www.fbi.gov/ to explore the world it's hard to found, Judge/Executive only. An interesting "not exactly" beat the library web: http:// County seat: Mount Olivet. sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb/ and governmental site on counter­ Scott County: no official-like site intelligence can be found at: http:// note, there's no "www" in that. found . Also, no commission found, www.cicentre.com/ Hope everyone has a good month. Judge/Executive only. County Although a number of for V.endor: 80 cents here Your ollar es· Printing and Production: 20 cents 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 informa­ tion about the program. Many thanks for your support. �Need Help or Want to Help? If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. ~HELTER$: Women and _hildren YWCA Battered Women's Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 859-431-8717 Women's Crisis Center 859-491-3335 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, tr.ansitional 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, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 357-4602 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith 471-11 oo Hospitality Lighthouse Youth Center 861-1111 (Teens) St. John's Housing 651-6446 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 639-7056 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's ·3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline .820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6660 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental . Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile 352-2902 Health Van House of Refuge Mission 221 -3619 Legal Aid Society 241 -9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) . 423-4673 � 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 2003 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 2003 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Panhandlers need change Pg 2: Family Faces War Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: Selling Streetvibes Woman’s City Club National Speaker Forum 2003 Pg 5: When I Boarded The Midwest Express to Washington DC, On September 11 Pg 6: Panhandlers need change Continued Pg 7: When I Boarded The Midwest Express to Washington DC, On September 11 Continued Pg 8: My Letter of Hope Pg 9: GCHC Pg 10: 500,000 Protest Against War in Iraq Pg 11: The Real Face of Homelessness Pg 12: The Peace Village Pg 13: The Peace Village Continued Pg 14: Art & Poetry Pg 15: Art & Poetry Continued Pg 16: The Real Face of Homelessness Continued Pg 17: FRAC News Digest Pg 18: Reflections Pg 19: A World of Websites 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 2003 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Andy Erickson Brendan Goodwin Pat Mitchell Steve Shockley Mary Taylor Virgil Tuttle Elaine Coffy Jimmy Heath Jerome Manigan Berta Lambert Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Andy Erickson Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Brendan Goodwin campaign Elaine Coffy FRAC GCHC Georgine Getty Homeless News Digest Iraq Jerome Manigan Jimmy Heath Mary Taylor Midwest Panhandlers Pat Mitchell Protests Steve Shockley The Peace Village Virgil Tuttle Voting Wages War Washington DC https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/8288922e819012085549e1e0581e845b.pdf d2292af8daea96e1600ae9e9d6051d94 PDF Text Text Streetvibes March 2004 Radio Marathon Brings the Voices of Homelessness to with my family when I was the Airwaves car younger – I’ve never forgotten this,” by Jimmy Heath On one of the coldest days of the year, Cleveland homeless advocates spent the night outside in a makeshift booth to campaign for homelessness awareness. The Seventh Annual Homelessness Marathon aired from Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday, February 12th and ran until 9AM on Friday. The homeless and advocates brought their concerns to the public in the overnight marathon radio show heard across much of North America. The 14 hour radio broadcast originates from the streets of a different city each year. The radio broadcast - the longest regularly scheduled public affairs program in America is “the most significant media event focusing on homelessness and poverty” according to Donald Whitehead, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. “Homelessness continues to be a silent issue, and we will do whatever it takes to give homeless people a voice,” founder and radio host Jeremy Weir Alderson said. “We give them the chance to tell their stories and talk about the obstacles they face. And from what I’ve seen, America does care.” As in past years, the broadcast booth was set up outside to dramatize the plight of people with nowhere to go in the cold. The St. Malachi Center on Cleveland’s west side was host to the event, providing an indoors respite from the cold, along with hot food and drinks, some of which were donated by the Cleveland Restaurant Association and other local agencies. Calls were taken from around the country; the program focused on homeless issues nationwide. The program’s goal was to generate a national dialogue about homelessness and poverty in America and to create positive momentum for solving these problems. Presidential candidate Dennis J. Kucinich called in on-air during the Marathon to express his gratitude to the work of the homeless advocates in Cleveland. “Society has an obligation to provide housing to everyone,” he said. “Affordable housing, jobs – these are things that I’m concerned with,” said Kucinich . “First thing we need is affordable housing and living wage jobs. Then we need universal health care, tuition-free college. But first we need to address immediate needs. There is a fundamental moral obligation to help people. I lived in a said Kucinich. His message to those still on the streets? “Never resign yourself to being homeless.” Kucinich sponsored a Homelessness Summit in 2003 in his home district of Cleveland. The Summit assembled advocates, elected officials, and homeless people to examine the causes of homelessness in the district and identify the gaps in services and ways to close them. Kucinich convened the Summit in response to the increasing frequency with which his constituents were contacting his office about homeless related Brian Davis, executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the services. More than 26,000 people are Homeless (left) is interveiwed bt Marathon host Jeremy Weir Alderson homeless in Cuyahoga County Homelessness Marathon. This years’ every year since its inception in (Cleveland) according to Brian Davis 1998. The first broadcast was heard Marathon was heard on nearly 80 of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for stations nationwide, and on 25 to 30 only on WEOS in Geneva, New the Homeless (NEOCH). stations carrying the Canadian York. The sixth broadcast, in 2003, There were no on-air Homeless Marathon. Visit the was heard on more than 70 stations solicitations for money as Maraththon’s Web site - http:// coast-to-coast, with another 18 “consciousness raising, not fund www.homelessnessmarathon.org. stations airing a parallel Canadian raising,” was the Marathon’s policy. “The most important thing we do is put homeless people on the air,” says Marathon producer Karen D’Andrea. “So we make a great deal of effort to get their participation, by working with shelters to set up special listening rooms, contacting advocacy groups, and making a kind of homeless people’s block party right at the broadcast site.” Many homeless people and advocates took advantage of the free call-in and the onsite microphone. The broadcast was made available free to stations via the NPR and Pacifica satellites and a Webcast. The Marathon continues to grow Fred listens to the Marathon on the radio Streetvibes Vendor: 70 cents Printing and Production: 30 cents 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. Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for home­ less and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Brendan Goodwin - Administra­ tive Coordinator Andy Erickson - Education Coordinator Elizabeth Linville - Civil Rights Coordinator Mary Gaffney - Receptionist Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor Photographers Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert, Curtis Proffitt Cover Homelessness Marathon outdoor radio broadcast booth, Cleveland - photo by Jimmy Heath Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or ven­ dors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, de­ livered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://homeless.cinci.com Ohio Cities Face Common Challenges by Jimmy Heath There are an estimated 26,000 people in the Cleveland, Ohio metro-area who experience homelessness each year. Over 2,000 are homeless each night. In appearance and circumstances, the faces of homelessness in Cleveland are the same as in Cincinnati. Men and woman, families and children, all struggle to afford decent, affordable housing while maintaining a sustainable living. Women and children continue to be the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in both of these Ohio cities. Cleveland is now the home of the largest shelter in the state. 2100 Lakeside Place has a capacity of 400 persons, but more than 500 people are routinely housed there each night when the weather is bad and because they never turn people away who need help. Lack of affordable housing Ohio’s largest shelter, 2100 Lakeside Place is the major contributor to the Streetvibes newspaper nearly eight dealing with the issue of homeless population in both homelessness is education, and Cleveland and Cincinnati, and is the years ago. reversal of commonly held The Homeless Grapevine, number one cause of homelessness stereotypes. With public support, nationwide. published by NEOCH for over ten we can move the problem of years, has had a history of Spousal abuse, drug homelessness into the past. A struggles with identity and addiction and mental health issues moral and ethical change in public amongst the homeless are some of controversy with Cleveland city attitudes about the less fortunate government. the concerns shared by homeless will allow the homeless to find the advocates in both of these Ohio “Mayor White hated the dignity and the strength within paper,” says Davis. cities. themselves to realize their own Both cities “But the cops were struggle with NIMBYmuch more sympathetic potential and grace. With government support, we can begin ism, (Not-In-My-Back­ early on, especially Yard), as shelters are since the vendors police to help people find their own way pushed to the more themselves. The police out of homelessness with affordable housing, a living wage industrial and know that if there is a warehouse areas of the problem with a vendor, and educational opportunities. The visit with advocates in city - away from jobs, we will take care of it.” Cleveland last month taught me transportation and Cincinnati’s mayor Jimmy Heath that even though we share the opportunity, and people and city council detest same struggles, we also share the Streetvibes too. In the past the who do not want to come face-to­ same hopes. The common mayor has publicly derided the face with the problem of community, Americans in general, homelessness in their own paper and the vendors, but neighborhood. Cincinnatians in general continue to don’t want to see the problems of homelessness persist. The Northeast Ohio support the concept of a street Cincinnatians are paper sold by homeless vendors. Coalition for the Homeless supportive of the work that is In my travels I visit many (NEOCH), headed up by executive director Brian Davis, struggles to cities and shelters, and I am always going on to alleviate homelessness keep the shelters and advocates on struck by the similarities. Denial of in our city too, and will continue to be if they to listen to their hearts a unified course of action. the problem by government instead of the status quo. “We sometimes are kept at officials is universal. Animosity arms-length politically, but we help and hate bridge many gaps, including legal crimes against the homeless issues and grievances. All of the shelters need this collaboration,” are common says Davis. “We have one shelter occurrences. that won’t even let us in because All of these issues know we have handled some client grievances against them. This no borders. particular shelter used the cloak of The common privacy to protect themselves from struggle of the scrutiny. But we try where we can homeless to provide links in the system.” remains the Cleveland advocates also same in every boast a street newspaper, The city. Homeless Grapevine, which The helped launch Cincinnati’s own first step in NEOCH’s Brian Davis S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 From the Editor Page 2 �ON A SCALE OF ONE TO A HUNDRED, HOW MUCH DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE CITY’S TREATMENT OF CINCINNATI’S HOMELESS? I WILL DONATE: $1 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 He’s only 18 months old and already he’s trapped in the cycle of homelessness in Cincinnati. His mother needs an affordable place to live and a job with a living wage as she escapes a life of domestic violence. The current treatment of homeless individuals in our city means that he may never be able to live in a home of his own. There are 25,000 people in Cincinnati that experience homelessness each year. More than one-third of those are women and children. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless believes that by addressing the root causes of the problem through education, advocacy and coordination of services, we can end homelessness in our city. The more support we have from the community, the further our efforts reach. Please cut the coupon and pick a box. It could mean that one less child will have to live in one. Send your donations to Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Page 3 Page 3 �Homeless News Digest Compiled by R.V. Murphy A group of homeless people is seeking to get Denver mayor John Hickenlooper to create a tent city for the city’s homeless. With the help of a college professor, the group studied tent cities in Portland, Seattle, and Los Angeles and presented a 39page proposal for their own to the city’s Commission on Homelessness, according to the Denver Post. A tent city is a small plot of land where people with no available shelter could sleep without fear of police harassment, bulldozers, or predators. Advocates for the tent city estimate that setting one up would cost $100,000. There is no precise census of homeless people in the Mile High City. A survey by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, an advocacy group, puts the population at about 9,700. The number of shelter beds has remained at about 1,000 since the early 1990s. Families and children are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News have both come out against the tent city idea. But surprisingly, the idea is drawing criticism from the most unlikely critics. The Colorado Coalition of the Homeless says, “the plan fails to address health, safety and sanitary issues and it doesn’t address causes of homelessness such as mental illness, substance abuse, job loss and the lack of affordable housing.” San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently held the first of many promised meetings of his new “Homelessness Cabinet,” made up of representatives from roughly 10 city agencies wrestling with the problem. He told the San Francisco Examiner that the planned weekly, or at least monthly, meetings would “connect the dots” and provide accountability so that needed services are delivered efficiently and homelessness can be ended in the coming decade. Newsom also said he plans to save some $400,000 a year by eliminating the Mayor’s Office on Homelessness. “It’s disbanded,” he said, adding, “I’d rather put those dollars in direct services.” The mayor said he wants to create much closer communication and cooperation among the various city agencies that together spend more than $100 million a year dealing with aspects of chronic homelessness. Last week, Dallas mayor Laura Miller held a town hall meeting for the homeless, according to the Dallas Morning News. Miller wanted to hear opinions on city plans for a homeless assistance center. The city has narrowed down possible sites to three. Some homeless people and advocates are concerned that one of the sites is eight miles from downtown. “It’s like throwing a party and no one will come,” Linda Cahanin said. “They want us out of downtown. Out of sight, out of mind.” James Waghorne, president of the Dallas Homeless Neighborhood Association, said the group collected signatures asking which site homeless people preferred. The city plans to open a facility for 24 hours, seven days a week that offers restrooms, showers, laundry, drug and alcohol counseling, mental health services, child care, computer access, lockers and other services. Voters approved $3 million for the facility in a May bond election, but officials say that does not cover the cost and that they must also raise private money for the facility. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the facility Feb. 25. Hundreds of migrant workers in Merced County in California could be left homeless this summer, the county’s housing authorities have said. The Modesto Bee reports that state funding to build new migrant worker housing is in danger, and Planada’s dilapidated Felix Torres Migrant Center was in such poor condition it was forced to shut down last October and designated for demolition. Back then, the state had enough cash to build more housing. Now funding is in jeopardy, and about 400 migrants, their spouses and children could be left without a place to stay. The department had set aside about $4.1 million to build the new facility, with another $3 million promised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There has been no official announcement to withdraw the funding, but Nicholas Benjamin, executive director of Merced County’s Housing Authority, said he believes the project won’t be funded, and that once the state funding goes, the federal money will go as well. Many migrant workers sleep in their cars. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 On a 28-degree night in February, advocates count those living outdoors. by Andy Erickson due to the cold weather. Education Coordinator The drop in the numbers On February 3, a night that from May to February is probably reached a low of 28 degrees, the also due in large part to the cold Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the weather. On a night like this one, Homeless, the PATH team, and a many people who would have handful of volunteers counted 24 otherwise slept in camps outside people sleeping outside in might have sought warmer cover in Cincinnati. The count was shelters, abandoned buildings, or conducted by the Homeless friends or family’s dwellings. Outreach Group, a coalition of Another reason for the social service agencies change in numbers that provide outreach to could be attributed those living on the to the increase in street. outreach to this The Homeless population since the Outreach Group formed summer months. last summer when Brent Chasteen, an people living under outreach worker for downtown bridges Downtown clashed with city Cincinnati, Inc. has officials who wanted helped over 40 Andy Erickson them removed. The people get some struggle resulted in form of housing just since many changes in the way the September. The PATH team and police, social service agencies, and other members of the Homeless the homeless population interact. Outreach group have also had many During the height of this issue, successes. social service providers recognized At this point, however, the the need for increased, coordinated reasons for the change in numbers outreach to those who sleep are only educated guesses. It will outside and out of sight from many take a few more quarterly surveys agencies that help homeless before patterns in the outdoor individuals. homeless population can really be The survey on February 3 is understood. One thing that the first of what will become a everyone in the Homeless Outreach quarterly effort to count those Group agrees on, however, is that living outdoors. The Homeless whether the number is 193 or 24 Outreach Group hopes that these homeless people sleeping outside, counts will help social service that number is far too many. providers better understand who is living outside, where they are 20 YEARS staying, and how the numbers tend to fluctuate. By better SERVING THE understanding the changes in this NEIGHBORHOOD population, outreach workers will be able to better serve this population. A similar but separate survey was conducted nearly nine months ago on May 21. That survey found 193 people living outside, along with 1018 people living in shelters. The recent February count did not survey shelters, but it could be assumed that the numbers would have been slightly higher than the May count, Story, Editorial and Art Submission Deadline for the April, 2004 edition of STREETVIBES is Friday, March 12th Homeless News 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 4 �Your Negro Tour Guide: Truths In Black And White by Kathy Y. Wilson Emmis Books Hardcover, 284 pages ISBN: 1578601436 Price: $19.99 Review by Jimmy Heath I look forward each week to picking up Cincinnati’s City Beat magazine and reading the prose of award-winning columnist Kathy Y. Wilson. Her column, Your Negro Tour Guide, is the first thing I look for when I pick up the city’s free weekly art and politics newspaper. When Kathy came to City Beat from her former job as a reporter at the Hamilton-Journal News, City Beat editor John Fox gave her a job and free reign to write about anything she wanted. And write she has! Kathy’s cutting commentaries dissect the AfricanAmerican experience from her own perspective and personal experiences, and challenges white Cincinnati with potent and biting observations of the city and its disowning of racism, classism and poverty. Each of her columns reaches into the realm of denial, rips it up, and takes to task those who are responsible. There is a softer, compassionate side to Kathy Wilson too. And there are echoes of her own life and history here; her mother and family and friends, and how they all played a part in her becoming who she is today. It is good stuff, and only Kathy Y. Wilson could pull it off. For hard-core fans like me, her best columns have now been published into a book, Your Negro Tour Guide, Truths in Black and White. Published in a limited run by Emmis Books here in Cincinnati, the book is a collection of Wilson’s City Beat articles from the last three years. In her introduction Wilson writes, “herein lies the truth. During three years I’ve gotten better at telling it – mine and ours.” Her new book is a fresh and deliciously irreverent Kathy Y. Wilson discusses her newly released book with the crowd at Joseph-Beth declaration of everyday life and politics in Cincinnati, lucidly described by a woman who knows how to get to the root of culture and relationships. Wilson is an insightful philosopher, who weaves her keen insight into words, assembling and dissecting human social behavior in Cincinnati. If you don’t know Kathy Wilson, and want to find out what all the fuss is about, pick this book up as a primer to your life, and a guide to Cincinnati in black and white. I think people who are considering the move to Cincinnati need to read this book. White suburbia needs to read this book. It is a way to learn about this troubled city from a sharp and witty, hopeful and honest perspective. There are three truths: my truth, your truth and the truth. Chinese Proverb Know Your Rights Brochure Available! The Know Your Rights Brochure is now available at the Coalition’s office. The brochure is a legal guide for Cincinnati’s homeless and covers a person’s basic rights when interacting with the police, as well as some local laws that might be of interest to the homeless population. If you are a homeless person or if you work with homeless people and would like to obtain free copies of the brochure for yourself or your agency, please call 421-7803, or stop by the Coalition office and pick one up. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project (NHCROP) Jimmy Heath photo Kathy Wilson’s Book Brings Clarity To Cincinnati Politics 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 homelesscivilrights@yahoo.com Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (513) 421-7803 Help build a powerful, resident led organization! The Republic Street & Vine Street Block Clubs are fighting for the rights of lowincome residents in Over-the-Rhine and they are going strong. Block clubs are forming in other parts of the neighborhood, too. Call the Contact Center at 381-4242 or stop by 1227 Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine to learn more about how you can get involved with these resident led organizations. Page 5 Page 5 �The Peace Village by Dr. Steve Sunderland grief train that I have been riding since the 1980s. At that time, thanks to grief organizations, Parents of Murdered Children, Compassionate Friends, a grief specialist, Ken Czillinger, and grieving parents, Rachel and Paul Burrell, we started drawing and meeting with children who had experienced a death in their lives. We didn’t know then that the pictures and music, the hugging and discussions, were working little miracles in the hearts of children, but we hoped that we were making a statement to children who were in the abyss without much guidance from parents, schools, and religious The mail brought the very good news that I will receive the Friedl Dicker-Brandeis award at the first annual teacher recognition luncheon of the Social Studies Department of the Cincinnati Public Schools. The letter informs me that Friedl Dicker-Brandeis “...was a teacher and art therapist who used drawing lessons to bring both solace and catharsis to the traumatized children in the Czechoslovakian ghetto called Terezin.” I believe that this award is for everyone in the Peace Village working with children at this time of war and violence. I share it with the whole village, youth and child, adult and senior that are making a major difference by being with children at this time in a way that heals what can be repaired, reconciles what has been shattered, and works for more peace with Dr. Steve Sunderland justice. Sitting in Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, last institutions. We called our work, “Fernside,” partly for the street that week, listening to Ambassador the Burrells picked up their artistic Kuslijugic, representative from son, David, when he was alive. Bosnia to the United Nations, I But also because we wanted to find immediately thought back to his opening statement: “We must learn a “side” we could draw and live on that connected the dead and the to remember without hating and with justice.” How are the children living. We wanted the children to and adults of the war zones to do grow up without hating their this AND HOW DO WE HELP deceased family and friends. And, THEM? I remember the faces of most importantly, we wanted the the children of the Winton Place children to not grow hating Youth Center the day of the riots themselves. Very quickly we and the day after when we did learned that our efforts needed to some posters. We pushed stretch to that place in the child’s ourselves to draw the killings that had preceded the riots and to face, heart where all of the blame and responsibility for the death had as only 7 and 8 year olds can face been lodged. Art was one great the violence that has become a major part of Cincinnati life. Many way to reach and touch. I remember a very little one, 5 or 6, posters had guns, bullets finding drawing with me about her little their marks, and blood dripping, brother’s death and coming up with splotching, and all over. The war a drawing of a “broken heart.” zone was this neighborhood and “Let’s draw a healing heart,” I not just downtown. And we drew requested and she obliged and right and talked, over and over again next to her “first” heart she drew a until one little child asked, “What picture of a heart with a band-aid are you going to do with our pictures, Puppetman?” I told him I stretched across. We both looked at the hearts and then at each other, would protect them; take them to smiled, hugged and kept on some churches that wanted to see drawing. them and to also make their own. I sense that something a little “Take good care of them,” he like this was going on with Friedl warned me, “they are us.” I have been caring for these Dicker-Brandeis in her concentration camp. I had not posters and the additional 10,000 that have been made since that time heard of her before last week and I had seen the children’s art from this and the unknown number made by camp in lots of books, a beautiful children who were part of a long S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 book by E. Markarova and R. Miller (2001) Friedl DickerBrandeis: Vienna 1898Auschwitz 1944: The artist who inspired the children’s drawing of Terezin. It exists as a very valuable look at her life and work. In a remarkable essay on what she was doing with art and children in the camps, she makes this beautiful point: “The teacher, the educator, should attempt to influence the child as little as possible. A teacher ought to be restrained to the utmost when it comes to influencing the pupils...The ideas of children cannot be directed. Not only would one rob oneself of the chance to gain access into the world of the child’s ideas, but one would lose an overview of the current degree of the child’s openness and ability and his psychological state.” The authors of the above book make the point that DickerBrandeis never mentions that war, the physical plight of the children, or any political idea in her essay. She directs her ideas to those who may be working with her and following after her in this “work.” I bow to this strength of not increasing the burden on the children of the context of their lives and wonder how she did it without losing her own spirit of hope. For this “work” is aimed at the part of our imagination in which hope and very strong emotions, including peace and justice, reside. Her insights about how to bring the “art” of the inner beauty of the child to the surface really defies words but is a beacon for those who continue the “work.” How many children (and adults) in the war zone put their heads down without the hope of peace? Drawing opens the heart a little and sometimes that is just enough to make it from one part of a day to another, as every artist knows. Another sentence continued to ring in my ears from last week’s conversations with Bob Herring, principal of Nativity Elementary. Somehow our discussion moved to the current exhibit at one of our art museums called, “the Treasures of the Vatican.” “I am not going to see it,” Mr. Herring said with the only sound of defiance I had heard from him in our discussion. He continued: “The Catholic Church is stuck in keeping up buildings, paintings, and sculpture and confusing them with the real treasures of the church, the children.” Right in the war zone of Nativity, he continues to think about the need for a “new” church that has invested in children as the “works of art” and celebrates these human creations. I heard him Peace Village speaking for many religions, many school systems, and many cities that have abandoned the children in the war zones to another sports stadium, another shopping mall, and another cut in taxes for schooling. Keeping away from Vatican art seemed a most unusual form of protest; yet, I smiled as this clear thinking educator continued to try and “draw” another picture that made sense to him and his notion of a truly caring religion. So an award will be given to our work in the Peace Village, to everyone holding a child’s hand and heart with the beauty of teaching, service, art, and the memory of this remarkable woman, alone with children’s spirits, lighting one more great candle. 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-for-Peace which engages people in expressing their visions of Peace, in their own words, through the creation of posters. Wish List... Can You Help? Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget from the offices of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Can you help us with some of the following items? * Digital Camera & Accessories * VCR for making copies of Streetvibes TV show and for educational packets * Blank VHS tapes * Desktop paper folder * Supplies (paper towels, toilet paper ) * Cleaning Supplies * Office Supplies - postage stamps, floppies, copier paper and other supplies If you can help, contact us at: Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: Streetvibes@juno.com Page 6 �Cleveland Shelter for Women Re-opens; Provides Safety same room, a former has bathrooms on each floor with Suellen Saunders, the program and Support the gymnasium, on bunk beds or mats working doors. There are plans in manager, seem committed to on the floor. In 2003, Catholic by Elizabeth Linville Charities announced they were During the month of February, staff members of GCCH stepping down as the agency in charge of the shelter. Nearly a visited the newly opened year was spent attempting to find a Community Women’s Shelter in new provider to run the shelter and Cleveland, Ohio. The emergency a better location to house people. shelter had opened less than a week before the visit, and residents The chosen provider was Mental Health Services (MHS), a nonand staff were living and working profit that serves mentally disabled, in an atmosphere of slight chaos. homeless adults. Other The staff of the new programs provided by shelter, though, were the organization include enthusiastic about a mobile crisis team and providing a safe child trauma services. environment and According to MHS’s assisting women out executive director, of homelessness. Steven M. Friedman, The Elizabeth Linville the organization is Community Women’s “expanding our mission once again Shelter is a replacement for what to include all in our community was Cleveland’s only emergency who are homeless, regardless of women’s shelter, the Bishop whether or not she has a disability.” Cosgrove Center. Repeated In its first week of service, complaints had been made about the new shelter appears to be conditions in the center, which was providing a much better run by Catholic Charities. There atmosphere for the women it were allegations of drug and sex serves. Both Nickie Antonio, the abuse on shelter premises. All the new director of operations, and women and their children slept in maintaining a safe shelter and continuing to make improvements based on the needs and desires of the residents. Clients live in rooms of varying size (from 4 beds a room to larger, dormitory style accommodations). The staff is trying to place women in rooms based mainly on compatibility. This allows some women more privacy (such as those with children or mental issues), while others can take advantage of the support network and closer proximity to staff the dormitories provide. Women who had lived at the old shelter reported that they were able to sleep much better in these new environments. There is full time security placed at the shelter to help guard against the sex and drug abuse problems at the old site. At previous incarnations of the shelter, women were not permitted to shower with the door closed. Antonio reported that one woman told her that, before moving to the new facility, she had not showered in four months. The new shelter Poor to Put ‘Bushville’ Tent City at NY Convention A group fighting poverty announced plans last month to erect a tent city called “Bushville” during the Republican Party convention in August, one of several demonstrations expected in a summer of political protest in New York. The Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign will put up the tents for five days before the Aug. 30 September 2 meeting, which will nominate President Bush to run for a second four-year term in the November 2 election. The group said it will also demonstrate at the Democratic Party’s national convention in Boston at the end of July, but had no plans to set up a symbolic shantytown there. “We will be marching because both Democrats and Republicans alike have failed to address our real life and death issues,” said spokeswoman Cheri Honkala. She said the political establishment neglected poor and homeless people and issues such as health care, housing and farm workers’ rights. Honkala, a formerly homeless mother in Minneapolis, Minnesota, said the group will provide “reality bus tours” in rundown areas of New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey from the tent city. She declined to disclose its precise location. The group plans a march on August 30 from U.N. headquarters to the Madison Square Garden convention venue, she said. As a prelude to the summer protests, the US led war in Iraq The Lone Ranger of Righteousness by Paul Rogat Loeb It’s my right to run. This is Ralph Nader’s core case in announcing his 2004 presidential candidacy. Yes, Nader has a legal right to do this. He also has a legal right to donate $100,000 to the Republican Party and become a Bush Pioneer. That doesn’t make it a good idea. So much of Nader’s career has been built on reminding us of our common ties. It’s not ok, he’s argued, for companies to make unsafe cars, pollute our air, or pillage shared resources. Actions have consequences, he’s pointed out with persistence and eloquence. Now, he’s taking the opposite tack, fixating on his own absolute right to do whatever he chooses, while branding those who’ve argued against his running as contemptuous censors, who “want to block the American people from having more choices and voices.” This argument would seem familiar coming from an Exxon executive. Coming from Ralph Nader, it marks a fundamental shift from an ethic of responsibility to one of damn the consequences, no matter S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 will be the focus of anti-war rallies on March 20 in New York and around the country. The date was chosen by the United For Peace and Justice organizers because it is the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. One protest will feature military families in Fayetteville, North Carolina, with the “September Eleventh Families For Peaceful Tomorrow’s” group, whose members lost loved ones in the 2001 hijacked plane attacks on America. New York activists organized one of the largest antiwar rallies on February 15, 2003, when hundreds of thousands took to the streets to oppose the war over Iraq’s purported weapons of mass destruction. Weapons stockpiles have not been found and how much populist precedent he tries to dress it up with. The reasons to defeat Bush escalate daily. This regime enacts massively regressive tax cuts, wages pre-emptive wars and lies about their justification, smashes civil liberties and appoints hard-right judges to shut down any challenges, and does their best to totally destroy the union movement. They attack root structures of democracy by disenfranchising tens of thousands of Florida voters, redistricting dozens of Texas, Pennsylvania and Michigan Congressional seats in raw power grabs, and jamming Democratic the works for further improvements, such as kitchens on each floor and better meeting rooms for case management and substance abuse programs There are various approaches to assisting an individual out of homelessness. Some see providing and helping pay for an affordable apartment as the best way. Others see basic shelter that provides a safe place with access to structured programs and permanent housing as the best option. As we left the shelter that night, a woman stopped a member of our group to complain about conditions inside. She did admit, though, that it was a huge improvement over the previous women’s shelter. Shelter life is difficult and there will always be complaints. Cleveland’s Community Women’s Shelter and its staff are at least working to improve conditions. We can hope that, for some women, this facility might be the answer. more than 500 Americans and thousands of Iraqis have been killed. “The intensity of interest is different than it was before the war began,” said Bill Dobbs of United For Peace and Justice. “For months, there has been a quiet vindication of our position, but we still need to send a clear message against Bush policies.” A spokesman for another activist organization, Campaign to Demilitarize the Police, said it planned monthly demonstrations through the convention to highlight police conduct at rallies. Last month, 52 anti-war protesters sued the New York Police Department and said officers unlawfully arrested peaceful protesters and detained them for up to 12 hours after an April 7, 2003 rally, only to dismiss all the charges. phone banks in New Hampshire. They brand all who oppose them as allies of terrorism. That doesn’t even count global warming, which (as sources from Fortune Magazine to the New York Times and a Pentagon study have recently warned) now brings the potential for melting polar ice caps to shut down the Gulf Stream and plunge Europe and Northeastern North America into a man-made ice age. This election may decide the very habitability of our planet. How Ranger... cont. on page 12 Page 7 Page 7 �by Jamie Poque Ohio Congressman and Presidential Candidate Dennis J. Kucinich visited Buddy¹s Place in the inner-city neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine as part of a campaign stop in Cincinnati last month. He talked briefly about how impressed and inspired he was by the work of Buddy Gray and RESTOC and by what they have done for the Over-the-Rhine community. He said that the work done by Buddy Gray shows “the capacity for one individual to unite a neighborhood and make a difference.” Congressman Kucinich then fielded questions on issues ranging from his “Department of Peace” proposal, to a question about a possible U.S. conspiracy to blow up the World Trade Center, to economic issues like healthcare and jobs from the crowd of about fifty gathered together in the Miami Center for Community Engagement meeting space of Buddy’s Place. Kucinich also spoke about the need to “create change at the voting booth. War is not inevitable. We have come to think of it as inevitable and it is not,” said Kucinich, in reference to the war in Iraq, citing the loss of lives of both Americans in service, and Iraqi citizens. The Cleveland-area congressman talked at length about the issue of affordable housing, something especially relevant to the crowd of people in attendance, most of whom live or work in poverty-stricken Over-the-Rhine, one of the neighborhoods where many of the city¹s homeless and low-income people reside. He said that, “the government has an obligation to see that every person has a roof I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody. Benjamin Franklin Community Resource Cards Rockdale Temple has announced the release of the latest in its series of Community Resource Cards. The new one, printed in Spanish, is customized for the needs of Cincinnati’s rapidly growing Hispanic/Latino population. The tri-fold, plastic cards are funded by the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati as a project of Rockdale Temple, in consultation with Bienstar, Su Casa and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. In addition to the Hispanic Resource Card, the Resource Card Project has also produced cards for senior citizens, the homeless, and public school and Catholic school students covering the Tri-state area. Cards can be ordered from: CC 5300 Hamilton Avenue, #210 Cincinnati, Ohio 45224 - or send a fax request to: (513) 541-0099 S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Jimmy Heath photos Presidential Hopeful Dennis Kucinich Visits Over-the-Rhine over their head.” Congressman Kucinich has faced pressure to drop out of the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination in order to allow the front runner to focus on the general election, but addressing these concerns, he said unequivocally “I’m not leaving.” Presidential candidate Howard Dean has dropped out of the race leaving Kucinch and Al Sharpton trailing far behind in third place. Congressman Kucinich also made appearances at a fundraising dinner in Clifton and at the University of Cincinnati, where he outlined his plans for affordable housing, employment and fair trade. Buddy’s Place, a project of ReSTOC, provides the Center for Community Engagement storefront to Miami University. The building also provides 20 units of housing to persons who were previously homeless. 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 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. 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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. Page 8 �The Sun Will Come Out and women who had a by Ms Mary Gaffney, determination and a faith. Some Greater Cincinnati Coalition for of their work was not easy, with the Homeless climbing and To the walking up on readers and the road of life. purchasers of I know at times Streetvibes paper, that the people welcome to the had a rough spot third month in the in their road, but year 2004! were able to go While around it, and sitting here by my now have living room Ms. Mary Gaffney caught the window, one glimpse of reaching for the stars minute it is snowing, the next minute it is raining. And before I by gaining some position in life. As I first stated, there was got up from my chair, I looked up first darkness and dreariness. and could see that the clouds Before you know it, the sun seemed to be parting, and there comes out. We all have dark was a little ray of sunshine. And before I could turn around, lo and days, but we must keep traveling. Know as you travel with faith that behold, the clouds were gone. before you know it, there is the The sun was out, bright as ever, sun shining bright. I know the with strong rays of warmth. I sun doesn’t shine bright all the began to think that this was like time. If it did, could we accept it? life, especially like my homeless friends. Oh, you might say “there Could the earth accept it? If you could take a she goes again!” Yes, because I moment and think of the life of enjoy being around them. my friends who need help. How For six years, off and on, I’ve been with them, helping them they have to accept life, good or bad. There is sometimes no work and getting to know them. And I or other things, but they try to really know them, when they are remain happy. down or don’t care or even when I always say, it doesn’t they are a little bit happy. I can still talk with them and give them cost much to give a smile, and if they approach you, take the time a smile. Some even call me and opportunity to speak to them. “mom”, “granny” or “miss”. I answer them and tell them to keep You never know what is in the future. the determination, for there’s a We are all the children brighter day ahead, if you just placed in this garden of life who keep the faith. must brave hard weather, wind, On a Thursday of last month, I was the guest at a Xavier rain and storms. Remember, for every dark cloud there is a silver University luncheon called lining. Until next time remember, “Reaching for the Stars, 2004”. God loves you and me – all races, The event honored emerging creeds and colors. Cincinnati leaders, young men Progress he came forth out of slavery like a man just woke up from sleep. by Ms. Mary Gaffney Since that length of time, The following is a speech just think how the colored race has by Mrs. Nazarine Procter, given at progressed, built churches, New Hope A. M. E. Church in Ft. colleges and organized societies. Gaines, Georgia, in 1945. We have in the State of Georgia, Man comes into this world Bishops, Presiding Elders, without his consent, and preachers, teachers, leaves it again without doctors, undertakers, his will. During his stay and many other on earth his time is positions the colored spent in one continuous man can hold not only round. in Georgia, but Let us take a throughout the United view of the path we States of America. have trodden since This view represents freedom. It had been 82 the Negro at the years since Abraham Nazarine Procter present time. Lincoln gave to the For a world his immortal proclamation, thousand years in Thy sight is but and for a time we have enjoyed yesterday. Now in conclusion, freedom, however imperfect it may members of the Church of God have been. Have we shown and society, build your hope upon ourselves worthy of it? Thanks be Jesus Christ, the Solid Rock, that to God, we are not our own when the storms of life is raging, judges. The world has set in and the foaming billows are judgment against us. We have risen dashing, we can confidentially say, since the last 82 years of our life in on Christ the Solid Rock I stand, acts, but what of the future? What all other ground is sinking sand. has time brought us to? The work of our race is Out of clutter, find twofold; subjective and objective. simplicity. From discord, Let us look at the Negro at the find harmony. In the close of the war; look at him middle of difficulty, lies walking out from under bondage with not anything in his head, his opportunity. hand, his heart, or his pocket. And Albert Einstein on the first day of January, 1963, Streetvibes: A proud member of the North American Street Newspaper Association.... Representing over 50 street newspapers throughout the United States and Canada VISIT - www.nasna.org Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Vendor Program. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. To report a Vendor, call 421-7803. ext. 16 S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Page 9 Page 9 �Cincinnati Inner-city Children Share Their Lives Through Photography Exhibit A photography exhibit showing the lives of inner-city children in Cincinnati was held last month at the Kid’s Café at Our Daily Bread soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine. Parents and teachers came to the exhibit to see the display of writing and photography created by the children. The exhibit was the culmination of a week’s long project that engaged the Kid’s Café children in photography and writing. The photos and the combined writing showed the lives of inner-city children from their own perspective. Kids were encouraged to take photos that reflected their life and surroundings, including family, friends, pets and environment. Volunteers from Ursuline Academy in Blue Ash, headed up by student Molly Berendt, organized the photography project for the children at Kid’s Café, with lessons and discussions that took place throughout the month of January. The program was designed to promote an increased awareness of life in Over-the-Rhine and also give inner-city children the opportunity to develop photography and writing skills under the teaching of Over-theRhine photojournalist, Jimmy Heath. Each child was given a one-time use camera along with a list of possible subjects to photograph. After taking all the photographs, the children were led through exercises that enabled them to express the meaning and significance of their photographs through writing. The photographs were developed and each child created a piece of art around their favorite photos to show at the exhibit. The photomontages were put into frames and displayed alongside the children’s writing exercises. “This was such a wonderful experience for these children,” says Molly Berendt, a junior at Ursuline Academy and Beth Cadle, Senior at Ursuline Academy, with Alexandria volunteer at Kid’s Café. “They had so much fun and will appreciate their artwork forever. The exhibit will be a chance for each child to display his or her photographs and it gives the public a chance to have a glimpse of a child’s life in Overthe-Rhine.” The photos, along with the children’s writings, are also scheduled to be displayed at Peaslee Neighborhood Center in Over-theMolly Berendt, of Ursuline Academy works with Nicholas, age 4 on his photography Rhine and at Ursuline Academy in project Blue Ash. Homeless Awareness Week Join the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless during the week of May 10 – 14 during our Homeless Awareness Week. All week long, fun and informative events will be held for the public. Look for more details in the April issue of Streetvibes.... Monday, May 10 – Movie Night. Join us for a showing of Dark Days, a film about homeless men and women living in abandoned train tunnels in New York City. A discussion by formerly homeless Cincinnatians will follow. Tuesday, May 11 – Homeless Civil Rights Day. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 May 10 – 14, 2004 The rights of homeless individuals are being disregarded in many cities across the US. You can help by attending this informative event and taking part in our simple, yet effective actions. Wednesday, May 12 – Book Club. Pick up a copy of The Street Lawyer by John Grisham and join us for our book club. We’ll discuss the book and how it relates to real homeless issues right here in Cincinnati. Thursday, May 13 – Armchair Advocate Day. Fight to end homelessness without leaving your own home (instructions in next month’s Streetvibes)! Friday, May 14 – Homeless Awareness Concert. Local performers will make this a wonderful closing event. Soul Mission Chorale, Winton Woods High School Choir, Stepp’n Out, and NuVue gospel singing group are just some of the performers scheduled. Bits & Pieces Page 10 �by Jimmy Heath In spite of a federal lawsuit filed against the City of Cincinnati on behalf of former tenants of Huntington Meadows and investors, the project to tear down and replace the now-abandoned housing units with new up-scale condos won City Council support. Over one-thousand units of affordable housing will be lost when the project is completed. Last month, Cincinnati City Council voted 7-1 in favor of the plan, a day after former tenants filed a federal lawsuit claiming the city conspired to evict residents to free up the site for upscale housing. The goal of the lawsuit was to stop the vote and compensate those forced out. The suit also accused Vice Mayor Alicia Reece of using her power for the financial benefit of herself, her family, and her friends. The suit said the plans to develop the Huntington Meadows site were calculated and designed to improve the value of nearby property owned by Alicia Reece’s father, Steve Reece, while harming African American females living at the housing complex. wrote, “I categorically deny these false allegations. This is nothing more than a pattern of malicious, slanderous, and false allegations filled with ‘personal attacks’ by certain attorneys designed to defame my name in the community. I will continue to fight for neighborhood development throughout our city.” “We want progress in this city,” said Jennifer Kinsley, the residents’ attorney. “What we are trying to stop is development on the backs of the residents evicted from this property.” With plans by two local churches to turn the property into several hundred houses and condos, attorneys who filed the lawsuit said a number of people stand to benefit from the deal, including the churches which planned to invest less than $500,000 of their own cash in the project. About $14 million of taxpayers’ money will be used to build the new single family houses in the Bond Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati. Jimmy Heath photos City Council Approves Plan For Huntington Meadows In a statement to Development local news, Alicia Reece But Mayor Charlie Luken vowed the lawsuit would not halt progress on the project or interfere with council’s vote. “We will not be discouraged by frivolous lawsuits,” Luken said. City Council voted to give the two local churches control of the nearly $14 million to develop the nowabandoned apartments. Until it shut down about 18 months ago, Huntington Meadows was the largest privately owned apartment complex in Cincinnati with over 1000 rental units. The tenants were evicted after the management company said residents faced the dangers of mold, sewage, asbestos and other health problems. The city plans to buy the land and demolish the Huntington Meadows apartments. The land will be turned over to the two community churches. The lots will be sold to potential homeowners and builders. Many previous city redevelopment efforts have failed. Mayor Charlie Luken said the city manager has safeguards in place to make sure the city watches how its money is spent. “I think we’ve all learned a little bit about having some confidence in the people who are making the decisions. I think for too long we just put people at desks. They just filed papers. They didn’t look carefully at things. I think with Valerie Lemmie, she’s changed all that,” Mayor Luken said. Council member John Cranley cast the only vote against the plan. Council member Pat DeWine was unable to cast a vote because of a conflict of interest. The proposal had ample support from members of the two churches involved in the redevelopment plan. Mayor Charlie Luken issued a statement that “the city intends to move forward with the housing development, and we will not be deterred by those who have no interest in helping the city and its neighborhoods.” Reverend Jordan from the Allen Temple, one of the developers, called the allegations outlined in the lawsuit “ridiculous.” DEAR READERS! Send us your Vendor Stories Do you have a favorite Streetvibes Vendor that you would like to tell us about? Send your stories or comments to: Streetvibes@juno.com or Streetvibes 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati. Ohio 45202 Aaron Raines Memorial Garden, Lower Price Hill - Photo by Curtis Proffitt S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 GCCH News Page 11 Page 11 �Haiti’s Collapse supporting and perhaps leading the current chaos. But in hundreds, perhaps thousands, of instances, it is Aristide’s own toughs who have turned against him. Someone has convinced them that he no longer represents Haiti’s future; no doubt someone with money. In a country as poor as Haiti, the man with more money to spend will win in the end (as in the favelas of Brazil and the slums of Colombia), because it is so very hard to maintain the high moral ground when no one’s paying you to do it and the kids are starving back in the village or your one-room shack. And the miserable street – with its thugs and its slumdwellers, with its students and bricklayers and flat-tire fixers and car-wash boys, with its orphans and preachers and market ladies and tap-tap drivers, with its cart-pullers and trough-cleaners, its seamstresses and tailors, its cockfighters and garbage-pickers, numbers-runners, whores and money-changers – is Haiti’s political steamroller. The gods must help the Haitian politician the street has finally turned against – nothing else will. It will be interesting to see who will reward the “resistance” for its courage, and how. If Aristide must fall, let us hope still for real, meaningful elections in Haiti, soon. But let us not expect them. Amy Wilentz, an associate professor of journalism at Columbia University, is the author of ‘The Rainy Season: Haiti Since Duvalier’ (Simon & Schuster, 1989). by Amy Wilentz The Aristide administration, which has been overthrown once already, has been egalitarian in the lives destroyed during its time: Among its dead can be counted the president’s former friends and his foes, democrats and supporters of dictatorship. Among the victims have been policemen and prisoners and politicians; rich men and poor, journalists and slum-dwellers, human-rights workers and doctors and businessmen. Almost no sector has been untouched. No one can argue that JeanBertrand Aristide’s presidency has been in any way successful other than this: It exists. He was elected in 1990 with enormous hope by an overwhelming majority in a legitimate election – and quickly overthrown by the Haitian Army and its friends. In 1994 he was returned to power through the good will of the Clinton Administration, in the optimistic expectation that he would be able to turn Haiti around. He was not able to do so for a combination of reasons, some political, some personal and most having to do with his inability to conduct a happy relationship either with the Bush Administration or with his own business and intellectual elite. Washington also cut off huge portions of aid, which cannot have helped Aristide’s standing. Still, a fatal combination of arrogance and naïveté on his part made Aristide’s difficult position much more intractable. Meanwhile, the Haitian opposition has been coddled and pushed toward the depths of intransigence by Aristide’s detractors in the US government, in both Haiti and in Washington. By now, with the country well on its way to chaos, many argue that Aristide has exhausted the electorate’s patience and must be replaced. Yet now – as he finally begins to recognize how powerful the opposition has become despite all his political jockeying and playacting – should be the time for all friends of Haiti, especially in the US government, to support Aristide’s continuation at the helm: not because he is good but because he is president. Aristide is a transitional figure and not the best of these. He is no Mandela, and he does not have the political maturity to control the violent forces that swirl through Haitian politics – no easy job. Yet the future of Haiti hinges on support for institutions and for a state based on law. As part of the unrest, a gang element managed to take over Gonaïves, one of Haiti’s largest cities – a ramshackle affair of shantytowns and gingerbread houses atop salt flats and roads made undrivable by potholes, with few enough institutions as it is. This gang, which styles itself the Cannibal Army or, in its latest incarnation, the Artibonite Resistance Front (perhaps more palatable to the international community), has burned down the courthouse and the prison in Gonaïves, released the prison population and forced the mayor to flee. Though there may be elaborate and in some cases good excuses for these actions, taken as a trend they do not bode well for the rule of law. In the wake of the Gonaïves takeover, ten lesser cities have fallen to such forces, each in differing circumstances but all motivated by encouragement from sectors of the opposition and by the sense that Aristide is about to fall. That will not be helped by State Department spokesman Richard Boucher’s hints on February 9 that a solution to the situation might not necessarily include President Aristide. Three of the towns have been retaken by the government. The numbers of Aristide’s detractors, their unwillingness to stop their protests even in the face of police brutality and killings and their takeover of Gonaïves and other towns have brought a new humility to Aristide, which sits rather uncomfortably on his proud shoulders. Still, the situation has been volatile enough to force him to make necessary concessions, under pressure from the Organization of American States and Caribbean Community, to the opposition. Because the opposition is swollen with self-importance in the wake of so many bloody victories in the countryside, it may not respond to Aristide’s eleventhhour overtures. It was not moved by a huge outpouring of support for him in the streets of Port-auPrince on the recent anniversary of the fall of Duvalier. When Aristide returned to power, he bravely disbanded the Haitian Army and then promptly permitted a kind of mass civilian militarization without insuring his continuing control over it. A remnant of the old army is Ranger... Bush’s regime with Nazis, but splintered votes can produce Terrible consequences.) Nader seems to have forgotten his own historical contribution to a different, more hopeful path, where he encouraged thousands of citizens to join in challenging illegitimate actions of power. He once recognized that progressive politics gathers its strength from the breadth of citizen movements. Now he acts, with an almost messianic fervor, a Lone Ranger intent on holding on to his own moral purity whatever the pleas of his compatriots and whatever the cost to the planet. By denying the real choices we face, he betrays the best of his legacy. Will Nader’s candidacy ultimately matter? Many of his supporters have bolted. He may not get on the ballot in every state. But if the election is close enough, his candidacy could still have a tragic impact. We all know the Florida numbers. We forget that the Nader vote made the difference in New Hampshire as well, and that him blindly. his support in states like Oregon, As we work to challenge’s Washington, Wisconsin, New Bush’s lies and to reach out to our Mexico, and even California forced fellow citizens, we can build Al Gore to divert time, money and autonomous community. We can resources away from other close connect with coworkers and races he might well have otherwise neighbors, work to unite historically won. separated progressive movements, As a leader in the keep raising core issues no matter conservative group Concerned who’s elected in November. We Women for America recently told the don’t have to be true believers. But Washington Times, the Bush ticket we’re faced with as critical a choice may be in trouble, and they need a and challenge as we’ve experienced Nader alternative “to draw in our lifetime. It’s too bad that by Democratic votes away from the prizing his own righteousness over Democratic candidate.” the risks of his actions, Ralph Nader Because the more strongly has just made that challenge a little Nader campaigns, the more time, bit harder. money, and energy we’ll all have to divert away from the prime task of defeating Bush. (Business Card Size, ad ready copy) Assuming the Reach 18,000 customers per month admittedly flawed John Kerry becomes the Call Streetvibes @ 421-7803 Democratic nominee, we don’t have to support cont. from page 7 can Nader know this and still run? He says he’ll raise the otherwise buried hard issues. He says he’ll bring disenchanted citizens back into politics. He offers Byzantine explanations of how he’ll actually help defeat George Bush by raising fresh subjects and approaches, opening up “a second front of voters against the regime,” and offering an alternative for moderate Republicans. But he can raise the issues on his own, as he has throughout his life. He can do it without his every critique of the “two-party duopoly” driving people away from voting for the Democratic nominee. He can do it without offering the illusion that a purely symbolic vote will do anything to get Bush out of office. (I keep thinking about the endless political infighting that helped Hitler rise to power, culminating in the German Communist Party’s ghastly slogan, “After Hitler, us.” I’m not equating S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Rent This Space! Only $25 per month... Politics Page 12 �Ohio Empowerment Coalition Joins in “Presidential Dialogue With America’s Families” by Lynn Williams, OEC Organizer, with background information from Center for Community Change On January 29 the Ohio Empowerment Coalition traveled 512 miles to Columbia, South Carolina, to join over a hundred other community and neighborhood organizations, in addressing the Democratic presidential candidates. This event, the “Dialogue with America’s Families” was co-produced by the People’s Agenda for Economic Justice and the Center for Community Change (www.communitychange.org) in association with radio host Tom Joyner. The Dialogue was carried live from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm on the largest NBC affiliate in the state, WIS-TV, as well as C-SPAN and MSNBC. Members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition from Cincinnati, Athens, Cleveland, Dayton and Adams County, as well as participants from Columbus, Blanchester and Greenfield, boarded the bus that left from the Contact Center in Cincinnati. Most bus riders were from the Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition. “We want the Presidential candidates to take seriously the needs of poor families in this country. We want changes made in welfare laws that will help families get out of poverty, not throw them deeper in debt. We want answers!” stated th Catrina Weber, co-chair of the Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition, before boarding the bus. The Center for Community Change’s “Presidential Dialogue with America’s Families” was the grassroots kickoff for the Center’s Community Voting Project to elevate the voices and issues of low-income families through voter registration and mobilization in 2004 and beyond. Over 3000 leaders from South Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Montana descended on Columbia in solidarity that poverty issues be vigorously brought to the consciousness of Presidential candidates and the public eye. All Democratic Presidential candidates except Sen. Lieberman attended the Dialogue and fielded questions. President Bush was also invited but did not attend. The Dialogue consisted of individuals directly affected by government policies on Medicaid, TANF, public education, NAFTA, immigrant policies, and the military’s occupation of Iraq. The Dialogue gave low-income people the rare opportunity to pose questions directly to the candidates. It gave unparalleled public attention to low-income issues within the context of a presidential election. After the Dialogue, participants boarded buses to rev up support for voter registration and voting in the primary Letting Rumsfeld Set the Rules by Jim Naureckas The Washington Post (11/0/ 03) described an unusual arrangement between the Pentagon and 18 local TV stations across the country: In exchange for being allowed to interview Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, the stations agreed to also air interviews with three or four other Pentagon officials, like Paul Wolfowitz and Paul Bremer. One should always question when government officials dictate to news outlets how they will be covered. And particularly for local TV news, which rarely covers national politics, interviews with four or five different people giving the same point of view is a large price to pay for getting access to a public official. But Rumsfeld is not just any official; he’s an official with a clear track record of obfuscation and denying reality. To cite just one example: In a September 25 interview, a reporter from Sinclair Broadcasting said to Rumsfeld, “Before the war in Iraq... you said they would welcome us with open arms.” Rumsfeld responded with a denial: “Never said that.... Never did. You may remember it well, but you’re thinking of somebody else. You can’t find anywhere me saying anything like [that].... I never said anything like that because I never knew what would happen and I knew I didn’t know.” But on February 20, Rumsfeld was asked by PBS’s Jim Lehrer: “Do you expect the invasion, if it comes, to be welcomed by the majority of the civilian population of Iraq?” And Rumsfeld responded: “There is no S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 throughout Columbia. In South Carolina the primary was the following Tuesday. On the way back to Cincinnati participants on the bus spoke with enthusiasm of the event. “This was really worth while to go to. I feel that people from across the country were unified in expressing the needs and concerns of low-income people. I wish I could have taken my children because this would have shown them first hand the democratic process and what it means to be a citizen in our country. We each matter too!” stated one participant. For more information contact the Ohio Empowerment Coalition at 1877-862-5179. question but that they would be welcomed. Go back to Afghanistan—the people were in the streets playing music, cheering, flying kites, and doing all the things that the Taliban and the Al Qaeda would not let them do.” Eric Rosenberg of Hearst Newspapers (11/9/03), who pointed out this contradiction, also noted that Rumsfeld has denied statements he made concerning Iraq’s supposed “large clandestine stockpiles” of chemical and biological weapons (House Armed Services Committee, 9/18/02); later, when asked whether he had been wrong to claim that Iraq had “extensive stocks” of such weapons (Pentagon briefing, 10/30/ 03), Rumsfeld retorted: “You go back and give me something that talks about extensive stocks.... I’d be surprised if you found the word ‘extensive.’” If you can’t trust a person to acknowledge his own words, can you really trust him to accurately convey the complex reality of what’s going on in Iraq? Instead of following Rumsfeld with three or four of his subordinates, TV news should put on some independent experts who can set the record straight. (212) 633-6700 http://www.fair.org/ E-mail: fair@fair.org GCCH News To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. e.e.cummings Write Us! Send letters to: Streetvibes@Juno.com, or write the Coalition - Streetvibes 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Page 13 Page 13 �I’m Not Alone THAT’S JUST A LITTLE RUDE by Robert Manassa They seem so dreary, the problems of today They’re taking all the poor people rights away They’ve ended welfare, they’ve cut SSI, low-income housing programs are in disarray. There are no treatment centers, shelters are shuttin’ down. We can’t even sleep on park benches, even there they push us around In Atlanta, it’s really getting dark, you might just go to prison for sleeping in the park. As poor people struggle from town to town, they see new stadiums opening, and schools and churches closing down. While they use a poor man’s tax dollars to bailout S&L’S Their not building him houses, they only building jails. While the poor can help pay for battleships or other weapons of war, their told money to help themselves isn’t available anymore. While the working poor help pay farmers not to grow any food They’re the one’s who are starving and that’s just a little rude!!! I wake up this morning, singing a new song. I even took the time out to thank the Lord. I’ve been reborn There’s not a day or nite that passes me by That I don’t send up praises to the Lord on high. I know that I have all my sins forgiven me. I have my Heavenly Father above, Watching over me continuously. I never, ever worry; I don’t have to fret, I have someone walking and talking with me. He’s never left me, nor has he failed me yet, I’m not alone. Bring Our Children Home On The Brink by Vera Zlatkin by Anthony Wayne Stone to all those who cannot or will not understand me These Bones will Rise Again - until we all have homes again (inspired by traditional “them bones will rise again”) by Melissa Tuckey Over the Rhine is under attack by the rich who neglected her and now want her back. and everywhere i look i see the signs of war, led by bankers and bulldozers and greed to consume more. buddy gray was a friend of mine he was under attack for feeding the hungry and teaching them to fight back for loving the children of Over-theRhine for standing in the way while others just stood by You can kill buddy gray but not Over-the-Rhine the spirit that lives here continues to rise these bones will rise again these bones will rise again these homes will rise again these homes will rise again the sun will shine again in over the rhine again you can kill buddy gray but not Over-the-Rhine the spirit that lives here has been around a long time these bones will rise again these bones will rise again until we all have homes again until we all have homes again. In loving memory of buddy gray, may his spirit live on, always as i drink the drink that brings eternal life, i realize th ethings i’ve done to my self since i first took the drink of the dark and dead, that drove me to the brink of insanity, so that i must drink to regain my santiy, even though now, the wish for life eternal is now lost, barely holding onto sanity as i drain the life force of the immortal criminal who sought my life and wallet, and who now hears the sound of his last minutes on earth, this is the brink, and as you stare at me, i can see that insanity is even closer, for if i am to survive, one must die, you or me. In This Deadend submitted by Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan They smell your breath. You better not have said, “I love you.” They smell your heart. These are strange times, darling... And they flog love at the roadblock. We had better hide love in the closet... In this crooked dead end and twisting chill, they feed the fire with the kindling of song and poetry. Do not risk a thought. These are strange times, darling... He who knocks on the door at midnight has come to kill the light. We had better hide light in the closet... Those there are butchers stationed at the crossroads With bloody clubs and cleavers. These are strange times, darling... and they excise smiles from lips and songs from mouths. We had better hide joy in the closet... Canaries barbecued on a fire of lilies and jasmine, these are strange times, darling... Satan drunk with victory sits at our funeral feast. We had better hide God in the closet. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Someone’s heart is broken, Another daughter dies. Somebody’s father won’t come home; Somewhere a family cries. Five hundred now and counting. Today – eleven more. How many people have to die Before we end this war? Strangers in a distant land, Our children kill and die Learning hoe to hate and fear, Never knowing why. Six hundred soon will be the toll; The wounded- many more. And the number of Iraqi’s killed Is someone keeping score? A soldier draws his final breath, With comrades standing by. Along a road a bomb explodes And seven people die. One expert says, “at least three years”; Another, “nearly ten”. How long? My God, How Long! Before We bring them home again? Darkness by D-Von Sanders There is darkness on the surface of the deep But is the darkness really bad Because with light comes life then death and emotions Of pain and suffering, for the things you’ve never had So is the darkness really bad? We was born in darkness of the womb Of our Mother Earth, and we will return to Darkness Until the dawn of our new birth So is the darkness really bad? No I don’t think so Because in the Darkness there is peace From Heaven above and Hell below Art & Poetry Page 14 �Crows Awaken For information on submitting your poetry or art to STREETVIBES email Streetvibes@juno.com by Michael Henson Two crows awaken in the snow at dawn. All night, they have roosted on an iron truss of the television tower. All night, the red light at the peak of the tower pulsed in their dream like a bolus of radiant blood. Now, they shake the snow from their shoulders and stretch their wings and legs. They are cold at the claw, cold in the joints. Snow stretches all around them, caked in the branches of the trees, along the power lines, and in the untracked street. They call, they call to warm themselves, then lift from the iron roost to feel the cold air under their wings. The city roars with traffic. The cables hum with messages. Even the trusses of the tower thrum with an electric mumble. But other birds hear the call of the birds and they answer. Soon the hillside rattles with the gravel of their voices. Up in the crow-patterned air they greet and they are greeted. They call again and call again joyous, wild. Death by Detachment by JH What is this other world on the Corner? Of violent and menacing gestures, and growling peril. And bloated pockets, filled with danger. The bulky shells, and anger gone wild, fills the street with deadly void, inside and outside the soul, with and without spirit. Ways of My Heart by Anthony Wayne Stone when you look at my heart, please know that its shape is sharp, with the edges of a razor, quick to cut. when you look at my heart, please know that its color is still red, though it is darker than most, and yet, i’ve known darker. people are afraid to be around me, afraid of things they cannot yet see, afraid to love me, because a dark love is all i can give, and yet they refuse me, when i ask them to teach me this love that they preach to me, this love that is light to the heart, this bright love that they speak so fondly of. Clashing on the gray, the staggering limbs askew, twirling, menacing, frightened, of the blue and white shadow. Tomorrow is a hazard, out of reach, on a dusty shelf. Beyond the dream of home, and mom, and warming family. To get there is a nonsense dream, in TV land and liars, peddling another place, a vision beyond reach. so before you judge me, look at your own heart, and see how it grows, and tell me what it is that you find. Shutter Speed by Jimmy Heath Street Musicians, 7th and Vine Street, Downtown Cincinnati S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Art & Poetry Page 15 Page 15 �Hard-core homeless prefer the outdoors by Rachel D’Oro Ron Feldhouse draws the line at 45 degrees below zero. Then it’s time to sleep indoors. Otherwise, the 47-year-old man sets up camp in the woods outside Fairbanks, where winter temperatures can hover around minus-20 or colder for weeks at a stretch. Dealing with extreme elements is the norm for Feldhouse and other hard-core homeless Alaskans who live outdoors in weather so cold it can be easily fatal for the unprepared. “It’s a learned art,” Feldhouse said. “After a while, you just start getting used to it.” Many of Alaska’s indigent a population that’s difficult to measure - cope by drifting from couch to couch or sleeping in motels, cars, boats and homeless shelters in the state’s larger cities. But a small number say they prefer dealing with the bitter cold to following rules at shelters, which offer limited stays, forbid the use of alcohol and drugs and impose strict curfews. Ed Heeckt arrived in Alaska a year ago from Arlington, Washington, settling in Juneau where he got a short-lived job processing fish for $8.50 an hour. He stayed at the Glory Hole, a local shelter, for a week, but hated the cramped quarters. Unable to afford even the cheapest rent, he set up a hand-medown tent among spruce and alder trees at an abandoned mining site just outside downtown Juneau. In the summer, he has a perfect view of the cruise ships that frequent the Southeast Alaska town. “I can’t handle the snoring and the smelly feet of a shelter,” said Heeckt, 36. “But I’m very independent and I can survive anywhere.” Practiced campers say it’s not that hard to stay warm - it just takes a little ingenuity. They dig caves out of snow mounds, pack snow high around outer tent walls for insulation, and line inner edges with clothing. Some burrow in trash bins or curl up in doorways. On cold nights, Heeckt burns a can of gel fuel inside his tent for 10 minutes to get it “nice and warm.” He puts on layers of shirts, pants, a couple pairs of socks and a hat before diving into his mummy-style sleeping bag, which is sandwiched between a plastic foam pad and a pile of blankets. Feldhouse, who’s been without a permanent home in Alaska and North Dakota for 25 years, is a regular at several Fairbanks coffee shops. When temperatures plummet, he can be found inside long past midnight, nursing a cup of coffee before heading to his camp on his bicycle. “People ask me, ‘Don’t you get cold?’ No, not really, only when I get out of my sleeping bag,” he said. “I just don’t like being tied down. Living like this lightens the load. I don’t have to answer to anybody, don’t have bills to pay.” In Anchorage, a city of 274,000, agencies that work with the homeless estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 people find themselves without a permanent roof at least temporarily over any given year. Only a fraction end up at one of the 35 makeshift camps currently well-hidden around the city and its suburbs. The number of camps fluctuates as authorities make periodic sweeps. Many campers are Alaska Natives, said Norma Carter, social services director of Bean’s Cafe, a day shelter and soup kitchen. She knows a 92-year-old man who grudgingly moved into a subsidized assisted-living home three months ago. The elderly man, who grew up in a Western Alaska village, told Carter he misses his old life. “I think it’s a cultural thing in some cases, where people are accustomed to taking a boat up the river and sleeping on the bank, under the stars,” she said. “For others, it’s just not having money, not wanting to be found. There are different reasons why people camp.” It’s a choice for Ellamae Clark, who has camped in Anchorage for nine years. She shares a site with her boyfriend and six other men. They sleep four to a tent, which goes a long way to staying warm. Clark said they all drink heavily, so watching each other is crucial to avoid freezing to death. Clark, 43, said she rarely feels the cold, having grown up in the village of Selawik above the Arctic Circle. “I even sleep in shorts,” she said. “For me, it’s an easy life. Having a camp is harder in the summer because you have to watch out for teenagers who want to vandalize it. In the summer, it gets too hot.” Chronic homelessness is almost unheard of in rural villages, where few people are strangers. That applies even to the southwestern hub of Bethel - a largely Yupik Eskimo town of 5,900 people that serves as the regional center for 56 villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta. “Yupik society is pretty generous,” said Bob Herron, Bethel’s city manager. “If your second cousin is in need, society out here will take care of them. You can pretty much get help.” Most of Alaska’s homeless wind up in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and other urban areas, where shelters, public transportation, job opportunities and lowincome medical care are available. Leaving the state, however, is not an option for those who can’t scrape together the price of a oneway airplane ticket to a warmer place. But many wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, said Jetta Whittaker, director of the Juneau shelter. “It’s certainly easier to be homeless somewhere else where it’s not as cold, where you can sleep under a bridge and it’s not life-threatening,” Whittaker said. “But this is their home, their community.” Streetvibes 3rd Best in North America by the North American Street Newspaper Association Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Editorial Page 16 �Towards a Justice That Lasts by Kathe McKenna The most common ingredient in justice systems is punishment. The thought is that if the person who committed the crime is punished appropriately, the victim will be satisfied. Justice, on the other hand, implies a vision where the needs of the victim as well as the perpetrator are considered. Why? Because crimes affect all of us, not just the individuals involved. The grossest example of this is the higher real estate values where the crime statistics are lowest. The principles of restorative justice speak to this breach that crime creates within the community. A commonly cited example of this manner of dealing with crime is the story of a teenager who robbed a local tire store. As a second offender, the young man was at risk of time in jail where, everyone agreed; his chances of becoming a more serious criminal were greater. A mediation between the thief and the older couple who owned the store was arranged. Step one was for the young man to learn about the impact of his crime. The immigrant couple described the effect on their tentative financial survival, but also the fear that hampered their continuing work. The sentence agreed to by both victim and perpetrator (as well as the courts) was for the young thief to volunteer in the shop. This enabled him to repay the victims financially. It also taught him the workings of a business; knowledge he shared with his peers. What began as restitution grew into a mentoring relationship and then a part-time job for the youthful offender and a new engagement with local teen-agers by the owners of the store. This may seem an easy situation, but there are incidents of rape victims and their rapists who have successfully (and voluntarily) completed the process. It is important for victims to confront their attackers and to articulate the harm they have suffered. And how liberating it is when true remorse is the result. If the victim remains merely a witness or, worse, an observer of the court system dispersing punishment, there is little movement away from being just a victim. Even in capital cases, victims’ relatives will often describe the empty sense of relief or closure when the murderer is executed. In the soup kitchen where I work, guests are often ex-offenders. An infraction of the common rules of courtesy that we have all agreed upon results in a person being barred. This expulsion is first and foremost done to cut through the explosion. It gives the one acting badly and those affected by his behavior an opportunity to breathe deeply. The offending party is invited to a meeting of those who experienced the incident, not for the purpose of receiving his punishment, but to explain what happened from his perspective and to hear the impact of his actions on both staff and other guests. Sometimes there is someone to whom an apology is owed and this must be done. If there appears to be genuine comprehension of the problems inherent in one’s disruptive behavior and a willingness to do better in the future, the guest is welcomed to return. This is so much more fruitful than just imposing a certain number of days out depending on the severity of the outburst. When only punishment is inflicted, there is no opportunity for reflection on alternatives, never mind remorse. Sometimes a guest who has committed a violent act refuses to meet with us. This is always an indication that he is not yet able to address his own behavior. Often men request a time-measured bar rather than engage in such selfexploration. The invitation to begin to develop even this small step in selfawareness is a gift we offer to our guests. For many, it is the first time they have been given such an opportunity. It requires much more from the staff than meting out a sentence. But the effort, time, and healing brings attention to one’s unconscious habits—the first step in changing behavior. Such changes then affect the larger community, and justice is truly served. Reprinted from the January 2004 issue of Whats Up, Boston. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Berta’s Art Corner “Genius of Water” - a 9 foot bronze statue stands above other statues illustrating the uses and need for water. The 43 foot tall “Tyler Davidson Memorial Fountain” was bought in Munich, Germany by Henry Probasco as a memorial to his brother-inlaw, was erected in 1871. Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them. Ralph Waldo Emerson Editorial Page 17 Page 17 �Nathanial Jones: The Question Remains by Brian Garry Would cops have administered mouth to mouth resuscitation if it was their wife or mother or child, lying on the ground, not breathing? If you will, remove from your mind, the badges and police uniforms - forgetting the color of the people involved. Imagine six men, bludgeoning one man to death with metal poles. The man on the ground lies dying, moaning, begging for his mama...his last word…. mama…... What do you see? Is it just? Is it fair? Is it a destiny that you would wish upon any one? Rich white man from Indian Hill on the ground and six low income black men brutally beating him. What would the police response to that situation be? Would it have been different than how they have treated the beating of Nathanial Jones? Medical attention was never received The Republican controlled coroner’s office allegation that Jones was on PCP is questionable at best. Information came out that he was “on PCP” before the coroners report came out. Then on Tuesday the coroners report coincidentally matches the previous unsubstantiated allegation. Fishy. “What’s the problem here?” That’s a damn good question. That is the question that the second officer asked upon arrival to the White Castle the evening Nathanial Jones was murdered by the Cincinnati Police. I’ll tell you the problem. The problem is with the police attitude. They don’t value black people’s lives. They value animals over black people’s lives. They can chase around a 1,200 pound, wild, rambunctious cow for two weeks but they can’t chase a black man a round a parking lot for 20 minutes without killing him. They even built the cow a stable, had 24 hour watch, and brought him bales of hay to eat. They also had tranquilizer guns ready to shoot the cow. Guilty of being happy and then encountering the Cincinnati Police: What happened between the last picture of him on the surveillance tape in the front of White Castle to when the second cop arrived and he was on the other side of White Castle? Which cop hit the remote and turned the camera back on? Why is this not revealed in the video tape? The tape does not show an officer that was not involved in the struggle? Who could have possibly used the alleged remote? I interviewed two male mental health nurses concerning the treatment of Nathanial Jones. When asked if Nathaniel should have died, both said “no.” When asked if they had restrained someone of Nathaniel’s size before, both said “yes.” When asked if they would have been able to apprehend Nathaniel both, said “yes.” When asked if they could restrain someone of Nathanial’s size without killing him one said, with jest, “it’s very rare we have to kill our patients” and the other said, satirically, “well I would hope we wouldn’t kill someone.” I then asked the nurses to comment on the behavior of the police. One nurse stated “It takes us 10-15 minutes to calm them down but the police don’t seem to have the patience to do this.” The other cited special training provided by the Ohio Mental Health Department called Crisis Intervention Services. “We have special holds and maneuvers that they teach us, to make sure the patient is safe…You think that when a patient begins to get quiet, that he is calming down, but often it is because he can not breathe. We always make sure the patient is safe.” What if the police had waited for the force’s mental health specialist to arrive? Those cops that killed Nathaniel were not trained to deal with Nathanial Jones and therefore should never have engaged him. What if the cops had just walked away? So what, a guy is enjoying himself at White Castle? Since Nathanial was not committing a crime, the cops should have just left and Nathanial would be alive. There was no evidence that he was a danger to himself or anyone else. So, it was really a matter of ego that Nathanial Jones was killed. If Nathaniel had lunged at me, I would have backed up and moved to where he couldn’t hit me. How would those officers have treated him if he were white? Anyone would try to get up if they were being beaten with metal poles. We must step up the fight. Our tactics up to this point have been ineffective. Citizens of Cincinnati, our brothers and sisters, are still being murdered, whether by bullets or choke holds or being whacked to death. Remember, police, you are a Public Servant. Which one of us is the public and which one of us is the servant. If what we’ve seen on that tape is “official police policy,” then the “official police policy” is wrong. If it is “police policy” to savagely, and in a Neanderthal like manner, bludgeon one of our citizens to death, then that policy must go. If it is part of “police policy” for six men with clubs to take out their repressed anger and frustration on a defenseless, unarmed, sick person who was in need of medical attention, then our “police policy” needs serious revision. Clubbing him, like a group of cave men would club down a buffalo. Getting back at them with every swing, every punch, every beat down. It seems that their clubs, their phallic symbols, are making up for their inadequacies. Something just seems backwards. An occupying force of renegade cops is ruling our city, while our government officials sit back and wring their hands. Not one of our city government officials has even had the balls to acknowledge to us that what happened that night “was wrong”. If they need a pair, then I’ve got an extra set they can borrow. our city council doesn’t run the city; the cops and rich people do. We elect City Council members who don’t represent us. We call protests and fifty people show up. We have become numb to the police murdering our people because it has become so common place. The time has come for “We the People” to stand up and take the bull by the horns. This is our city, we’re gonna take it back. Crying is not enuf. Talking is not enuf. We will win this battle. We will bow to no one. We are not afraid of Lukkken. We are not afraid of Strike-her or Fangman. We don’t fear death. We are not afraid to die. We will charge, we will nonviolently storm city hall and take over. We will win. They will turn and run. Our principles of equality and peace will live and their principles of oppression and greed will die. They will not hurt any of us ever any again. Fight back. Walk Tall. Join the resistance. We are courageous, powerful resisters. We, the poor people and black people are uniting under one banner and saying No! to cops who brutalize and those who allow cops to brutalize. Ain’t no power like the power of the people cuz the power of the people don’t stop! The question remains: “What’s the problem here”? Streetvibes Vendor Sonny Williams and his daughter Sara Streetvibes exists as a forum for the expression of the views and opinions of our readers and supporters. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 Editorial Page 18 �FRAC - Food Research and Action Center News FRAC RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BUSH’S FY 2005 BUDGET PROPOSAL, AND RELATED BUDGET STORIES (FRAC News Alert, February 5, 2004) The President’s Budget Proposal fails to provide new investments to increase access to the federal Child Nutrition Programs. This omission is particularly glaring given the US Department of Agriculture’s stated goals in the Budget of reducing hunger, combating obesity, and improving nutritional status. A spate of recent studies have shown that the best way to accomplish those goals is to reach more children and families with the benefits of the federal nutrition programs. http://www.frac.org/ html/news/2005budget.htm BUSH ADMINISTRATION DEFENDS LONG-TERM BUDGET CUTS IN PLAN TO CUT THE DEFICIT IN FIVE YEARS (Washington Post, February 6, 2004) A computergenerated Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimate highlights the continued spending clampdown and budget cuts to domestic programs in the “out years” that would have to be achieved in order to meet the Bush Administration’s goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009. Such sustained spending cuts to domestic programs (e.g., lowincome education, child care, job training) would represent an unprecedented shift in federal priorities and would be the first sustained rollback in federal spending since the 1930s. The document’s tables are normally part of the Budget but this year, according to Richard Kogan of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, OMB “took extra pains to hide them.” The administration cautioned that no budget decisions have been made beyond 2005 and also took issue with the interpretation of the long-term budget that shows declines in spending on domestic programs for low-income people: “This administration has done a lot for low-income people,” said OMB spokesperson J.T. Young, citing increases in food stamp participation and the recent Medicare prescription drug plan. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/articles/A173152004Feb5.html The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says that the President’s budget would make the nation’s fiscal problems worse; and that the deficit-reducing proposals are disproportionately tilted against lower- and middle-income families, while affluent and powerful constituents are essentially given a free ride. http://www.cbpp.org/22-04bud.htm he Children’s Defense Fund says the Bush Administration’s budget proposal presents a reckless plan to expand tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the most vulnerable Americans including 12.1 million children who live below the poverty line. http:// www.childrensdefense.org/ release040202.php the end of June. Only 1,000 jobs were created by the economy in December and 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the past 41 months. Congress voted in 2002 to give unemployed workers an additional 13 weeks of benefits and extended the program twice. But it expired just before Christmas. Congressional Republicans said another extension wasn’t necessary because job growth was near at hand. http:// www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ articles/A617152004Jan29.html?nav=hptoc_b Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis: http:// www.cbpp.org/1-29-04ui.htm REPORT FINDS HIGHCALORIE, LESS NUTRITIOUS FOODS ARE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE (Los Angeles Times, February 1, 2004) Low-income people tend to choose more high-calorie, low-nutritious foods because they provide more energy for the dollar, researchers have concluded. “Energy-dense foods composed of refined grains, added sugars or fats may represent the lowest-cost option,” said Adam Drewnowski, director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington. For low-income people, choosing these kinds of products “may represent a deliberate attempt to save money,” he said. The report also found that women from food insecure households were less likely to get enough fruits and vegetables and, on average, weighed about 10 pounds more than women from food secure households. “People know what food costs. Parents know they are buying enough to make their kids and themselves not hungry, but they know they are not getting a totally balanced diet,” said Jim Weill, FRAC’s president. http:// www.latimes.com/news/ nationworld/politics/wire/sns-apfood-for-the-poor,1,3891154.story (free registration required) IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RURAL AND SMALL-TOWN POVERTY (Amber Waves, U.S. Department of Agriculture, February 2004) This article discusses how rural counties with high poverty rates differ across racial and demographic lines. Comparisons are made among and between high-poverty counties populated by African Americans, Hispanics, Whites, and Native Americans. Of the 444 non-metro counties classified as high-poverty counties in 2000 (based on 1999 income), three-fourths reflect the low income of racial and ethnic minorities and are classified as Black, Native American, or Hispanic high-poverty counties. Some high-poverty areas have low labor force participation rates and could benefit from job training and job development. Others have a high share of female-headed families with children, and programs that provide child care and secure child support would help defray child care costs and open up employment opportunities. http://www.ers.usda.gov/ Amberwaves/February04/Features/ Anatomy.htm RECORD-HIGH 375,000 JOBLESS WORKERS LOSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN JANUARY; 2 MILLION WILL LOSE THEM BY JUNE (Washington Post, January 30, 2004) An analysis of Labor Department statistics by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that 375,000 jobless workers, the highest number for January in the three decades the statistics have been tracked, will have exhausted their unemployment benefits in January. About 2 million additional jobless workers will exhaust benefits by S T R E E T V I B E S March, 2004 REPORT: NEARLY 1.2 MILLION OHIOANS EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY (Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, January 31, 2004) A report by the Children’s Hunger Alliance entitled “Hunger in Ohio: The State of the State 2004,” shows that nearly three-quarters of a million Ohio residents experience food insecurity during an average month. “These families live on the verge of hunger and are often unsure how they will be able to afford their next meal,” said William Dolan, CEO of the Alliance. Some 129,000 additional children and 180,000 adults experience the worse condition of hunger. The Alliance recommends that Ohio change its food stamp FRAC News requirements and allow recipients to show eligibility once a year instead of every six months. Last year, more than $100 million in federal food stamp funds were left unused by potentially eligible people in the state. The Ohio Department of Education is also working to expand School Breakfast Program participation through initiatives like “breakfast in the classroom.” http://www.cleveland.com/news/ plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/ 1075545104213372.xml. For the full Children’s Hunger Alliance report: http:// www.childrenshungeralliance.org/ Hunger%20Report%20files/ Ohio2004.pdf EDITORIAL: OHIO CHILDREN MUST RECEIVE FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEAL BENEFITS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE (News Journal, Mansfield, OH, February 4, 2004) This editorial urges the Ohio community to do more to find a way to get free and reduced-price meals to school children who are eligible for them. Calling the situation where low-income students miss meals while at school “needless hunger,” the editorial points out that students who are hungry have trouble focusing on their classes. Free and reducedprice school meals must be available to eligible students in a discreet manner to alleviate stigma, outreach must be performed to alert parents to the resources available, and summer meals must be made available at sites that encourage participation and provide food as well as activities. http:// www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/ news/stories/20040204/opinion/ 347678.html ACTIVISTS URGE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATORS TO PASS ANTI-HUNGER BILL (Associated Press, January 30, 2004) Anti-hunger activists urged Washington State legislators to support proposed legislation that would simplify the Food Stamp Program and require schools to offer free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs. House Bill 2769 would make free and reduced-price school meal programs mandatory, expand summer food programs, extend food stamp benefits for five months to people leaving the TANF program, and simplify the food stamp process so that recipients would only have to report changes in income that make them ineligible. http://www.kgw.com/ sharedcontent/APStories/stories/ D80CRGEO0.html Page 19 Page 19 �TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643 TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256 TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643 HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth) 357-4602 Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 861-1111 St. John’s Housing 651-6446 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954 Need Help or Want to Help? If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below. SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome Hse. 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563 Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 651-6468 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids 357-5720 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259 MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673 $1 Donation March 2004 Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless “Homelessness Marathon” hits Ohio Airwaves BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS ONLY Streetvibes Serial Number � 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 March 2004 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Radio Marathon Brings the Voices of Homelessness to the Airwaves Pg 2: Ohio Cities Face Common Challenged Pg 3: Donate Pg 4: Homeless News Digest On a 28-Degree Night in February, Advocates Count Those Living Outdoors Pg 5: Kathy Wilson’s Book Brings Clarity to Cincinnati Politics Pg 6: The Peace Village Pg 7: Cleveland Shelter for Women Re-Opens; Provides Safety and Support Poor to Put ‘Bushville’ Tent City at NY Convention Pg 8: Presidential Hopeful Dennis Kucinich Visits Over-the-Rhine Pg 9: The Sun Will Come Out Progress Pg 10: Cincinnati Inner-City Children Shar Their Lives Through Photography Exhibit Pg 11: City Council Approves Plan for Huntington Meadows Development Pg 12: Haiti’s Collapse Pg 13: Ohio Empowerment Coalition Joins in “Presidential Dialogue with America’s Families” Letting Rumsfeld Set the Rules Pg 14: Arts & Poetry Pg 15: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 16: Editorial Pg 17: Towards a Justice that Lasts Pg 18: Nathaniel Jones: The Question Remains Pg 19: FRAC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2004 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Andy Erickson Brendan Goodwin Mary Gaffney Elizabeth Linville Jimmy Heath Berta Lambert Curtis Proffitt Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Brendan Goodwin Cincinnati city council Cleveland Curtis Proffitt Dennis Kucinich Editorials Elizabeth Linville Food Research FRAC GCCH Georgine Getty Haiti Huntington Meadows Jimmy Heath Justice Kathy Wilson Mary Gaffney memorial Nathaniel Jones New York Ohio Over-the-Rhine Peace Village Photography Presidential Election Radio Washington Post https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/054adbb7d55c72cff995f318146a5b60.pdf 99edf2585f07c1776cd45e127d5246d9 PDF Text Text March 2006 STREETVIBES Peace, Unity, Freedom and Community Art in Over-the-Rhine by Brenda Zechmeister, Arts Program Coordinator Peaslee Neighborhood Center Over-the-Rhine Enter the Community Education room at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and you’ll find several beautiful mosaic panels in various stages of completion. At regularly scheduled times, you’ll see groups of varying ages, such as youth from Lighthouse Community Services, adults from Our Daily Bread, or men from City Gospel Mission’s Exodus program learning the art of mosaic making and creating public art pieces that will be installed in Over-the-Rhine. None of them have had any previous mosaic-making experience before, and many of them have never thought of themselves as artists. The program is The Over-the-Rhine Community Art Project, an ongoing collaboration of Peaslee Neighborhood Center and the Art Academy of Cincinnati with Over­ the-Rhine schools, churches, and agencies. The initiative began in 2001 after riots heightened racial tension in Cincinnati’s inner-city neighborhood of Over-The-Rhine. I had shared the idea of building community through art with Michelle Markert, the Art Academy’s Director of Community Education, as a pro-active response to further understanding and promote a positive side of Over-the-Rhine. The two of us wanted to develop deeper relationships within the neighborhood and produce useful, beautiful works of art. The purpose of the project is to be a community-building instrument that brings together a diverse group of people whose common goal is to create works of art. This artwork uses the themes of peace, unity and freedom to enhance the beauty of the neighborhood. With the guidance of lead artist Suzanne Fisher, this community-driven project involves neighborhood participants at every level of the artistic process. Neighborhood resident, Lisa Haynes, is Artistic Assistant. This year’s projects include making additional mosaic panels for the Over-the-Rhine Freedom Trail and Imagination Alley, a pocket park on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine. The theme for the Freedom Trail was inspired by Martin Luther King III’s visit to Cincinnati in honor of the 40th anniversary of his father’s march on Washington and his “I have a dream…” speech. Mr. King III spoke about Over-the-Rhine being the key spot for change in this city, change that could lead to true freedom, equality and economic justice for everyone. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of these issues while also increasing awareness of the work that each participating organization is doing to bring about Freedom to our community. The projects in Imagination Alley (located on Vine Street between 13th and 14th streets in Over-the-Rhine) promote the themes of Peace and Unity. To date, mosaic panels adorn a wall and an archway entry to the park. Soon, more panels will be installed on planters and benches. Later this summer, the panels currently being created will be installed in a sidewalk through the park. Our first project, a park bench entitled, “I Have a Dream of Peace,” is installed in Washington Park. To date, over five hundred participants have enjoyed coming together to design and create beautiful mosaic works of art that promote the themes of peace, unity and freedom. Our Daily Bread is one of the groups coming this year. One of their staff members, Cookie Vogelpohl, has shared that they are “so very excited about being a part of the Freedom Trail and the mosaic project! The entire staff has been involved from the very beginning, from coming up with the message we want to express about ourselves and our commitment to the people of Over the Rhine and vicinity. It has been so interesting watching and listening to the Mosiac cont. on page 8 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 Monique Little - Education Coordinator Kelly Carr - VISTA Chris Dourson - AHA Coordinator John Lavelle - VISTA Melvin Williams - Reception Susan Smith - Volunteer Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor Photography Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert Cover Suzanne Fisher directs OTR mosaic project 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 Inquiry into Government Spying on Nonprofits behalf of seven organizations, while Expands expressing dissent or engaging in press release from the ACLU of On Feb. 1, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expanded its inquiry into government spying on U.S. nonprofit groups by filing multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the Department of Defense (DOD), in order to determine the full extent of monitoring by the Pentagon. The new ACLU information requests seek information on four national groups and several local groups in six states. Further review of documents already released to the ACLU reveals that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has used reports by right-wing groups in its investigations. The ACLU requests seek all documents maintained by the DOD, including its TALON database. TALON, which stands for Threat and Local Observation Notice, was launched in 2003 to track groups and individuals with “links” to terrorism. Leaks to the media in December 2005, however, revealed that TALON was also being used to spy on peace groups. The ACLU requests also seek details on whether TALON records have been or will be shared with other agencies. In a statement released by the ACLU, announcing the new FOIA requests, Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson said, “Unchecked government spying has a chilling effect on free speech and causes Americans to think twice before lawful protests.” In January, after the uncovering of TALON and other spying on domestic groups and the outcry it sparked, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England ordered intelligence personnel to get “refresher training” on collection and use of information on U.S. citizens. The groups identified in the ACLU’s recent FOIA requests are the American Friends Service Committee, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, Greenpeace and dozens of groups in California, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. A press release from the Maine Civil Liberties Union said the group found evidence of FBI interception of communications from members of the Maine Coalition for Peace and Justice. It joined the recent FOIA requests to DOD, asking for information on three peace groups and itself. In California, students at UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley learned in December 2005 that they were the subject of TALON investigations. An ACLU of Northern California press release, announcing that its request for further documents, said, “Students should be able to freely express themselves on campus without fear of ending up in a military database.” An ACLU of Pennsylvania press release said its FOIA requests were filed on Florida said the chapter sought DOD information on nine organizations and four individuals. Meanwhile, a review of previously released documents by the ACLU and National Public Radio (NPR) showed that the FBI is using research reports about environmental groups from right-wing think tanks in conducting its domestic surveillance of nonprofits. NPR’s Living on Earth guest host Jeff Young described searching through nearly 2,000 pages of FBI documents and concluded the FBI investigation of the environmental group Greenpeace depended “pretty heavily on research done by a couple of think tanks that are very conservative, pro-business, antiregulation in their mindset and their mission.” The two groups were identified as the Capital Research Center and the Washington Legal Foundation. Capital Research Center’s website says the group analyzes “organizations that promote the growth of government and in identifying viable private alternatives to government regulatory and entitlement programs.” The Washington Legal Foundation’s site says its mission is “advocating freeenterprise principles, responsible government, property rights, a strong national security and defense, and a balanced civil and criminal justice system.” Recognize Attacks Against the Homeless as bats on the Fort Lauderdale campus Hate Crimes Norris Gaynor and aggravated of Florida Atlantic University. The Cooperative Feeding Program of Fort Lauderdale is calling for the state to recognize attacks against the homeless as hate crimes. In a news conference scheduled for later today, local and national representatives will speak about the recent beatings of three homeless men in Fort Lauderdale that killed one of them. Three teenagers face murder charges in the death of 46-year-old battery charges in the videotaped beatings of Jacques Pierre, 58, last month. They are also suspects in the beating of Raymond Perez, 49. Thomas Daugherty, Brian Hooks and William Ammons are being tried as adults. Police said Ammons admitted he shot Gaynor in the torso with a paintball gun while Daugherty bashed Gaynor’s skull with a bat. Daugherty and Hooks were also caught on surveillance video beating Pierre with First Success for Fair Day Labor Coalition by Randy and Vincent A group working for better conditions at Cincinnati’s temporary labor halls met with Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory at the “Mayor’s Night In” on February 7th. Three of the members of this group work at the labor halls. They informed the Mayor and his Chief of Staff about the transportation fees workers pay to go to work and submitted a proposal on how to improve the conditions though legislation. He commented that he had heard nothing about the problems with the labor halls and was very interested in the proposal. All in all, his reaction was very positive, and he resolved to look into the issue more to see what can be done. If interested, please contact the Fair Day Labor Coalition at 621-5991. Worker meetings are Wednesdays at 9:00AM at the Cincinnati Interfaith Worker Center (1415 Walnut Street). Streetvibes Miami-Dade County’s homeless trust has also gotten involved by starting a campaign to protect the homeless and push the state legislature to treat attacks on the homeless as hate crimes. The trust wants to have a hate crime provision added as an amendment to an existing bill. The campaign is targeting the homeless as well, encouraging them to report attacks similar to the ones that occurred in Fort Lauderdale. Don’t be Squirrelly! Buy Streetvibes! �Homeless News Digest Compiled by Jimmy Heath San Francisco officials have agreed to stop sending homeless people to Humboldt County without notifying their counterparts in the far northern county. The agreement reached last month resolves a dispute that began after Humboldt County officials learned that San Francisco had sent at least 13 homeless people north on one-way bus tickets over the past year. San Francisco officials said they will inform Humboldt officials whenever homeless people are sent there through the city’s Homeward Bound program. The program has given more than 960 homeless people one-way tickets home where friends or family members are willing to help after they return. In Fort Worth, Texas a 52­ year-old homeless man died last month after he was struck by a car while trying to cross the street in the 3400 block of Lancaster Avenue East. Ronald Leech died shortly after being transported to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. He had been staying at The Presbyterian Night Shelter, according to police. Police are looking for a 1990s model two-door beige Cadillac in connection with the accident, said Sgt. Rodney Bangs, of the Fort Worth Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Unit. Bangs said a witness saw the car leave the scene. “They clearly knew they struck someone,” Bangs said. “They could have stopped and they didn’t.” In Ansley, MS a homeless man who has lived peacefully for years in a secluded patch of woods here before allegedly assaulting two men with a machete is a decent, welleducated man, according to locals. Wayne Stephen Parks, 57, has been living in the wilderness in this south Mississippi town for the past five years, in a makeshift tent. It is the site where he allegedly “hacked” two men with a machete last month following an argument at his forest quarters. The story in this small community is a bit different: Hunters say Parks was defending himself and his land. “He was a good man to me,” said Roy Necaise, 37. “We’d go back there and visit him all the time; he’s never hurt nobody.” Kevin LaFontaine, who also hunts deer in the same woods, said Parks would sometimes leave to get food and supplies, but that’s it. “I hunted all around him, and we’ve never had any problems,” LaFontaine said. Authorities believe the victims were passing through town earlier that day on a train, which often stops in the area to switch tracks. County investigator John Luther said three men allegedly spent the day with Parks, but only two were assaulted. The men were treated for machete wounds at Hancock Medical Center. “They tore his camp up, and destroyed the water and food that FEMA gave him,” he said. “To me, he was defending himself.” In Texas, Phil Lipnick flipped through a half-dozen envelopes marked with places Galveston’s homeless are known to frequent. “We’ll go through these, and if we run out, we’ll come back here for more,” he said. Lipnick, project coordinator for The Jesse Tree’s homeless management information system, was among more than 20 volunteers fanning out across Galveston Island last month for the Gulf Coast Homeless Coalition’s annual survey. At least some of the volunteers, he said, would be out past midnight. “The count is done to get a baseline on how many homeless we actually have in our community and what we need to do to alleviate homelessness,” he said. The coalition is made up of 20 agencies working with the homeless in Galveston, Brazoria, Liberty and Chambers counties. The count is a requirement for coalitions seeking to obtain funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A homeless man already in police custody for allegedly breaking into a shoe repair shop has confessed to as many as 100 burglaries in the downtown area, authorities said. Andrew Larry Austin, 56, was arrested about 3:30 a.m. Jan. 11 after officers found him looking into a garbage can about two blocks away from Model Shoe Renew on Shattuck Avenue. The store’s front glass door had been shattered, and — according to police — Austin had slivers of glass on his hat, jacket and gloves and stolen property and burglary tools in his possession. After questioning Austin, police initially tied him to about 50 commercial burglaries in Berkeley. In subsequent interviews, Austin has admitted to committing at least 50 more burglaries, police said. In Springettsbury Township, Pa. a homeless man was found dead last month under the Mt. Zion Road railroad overpass at Concord Road. Police said the 50-year-old man died from being out in the cold weather. His name is being withheld until his family is notified. In South Florida, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is demanding that the state attorney’s office charge a 17­ year-old boy accused of beating three homeless men as an adult. Thomas Daugherty is being held without bond at a juvenile detention facility for his alleged involvement in the beatings. Daugherty, along with Brian Hooks and William Ammons, both 18, face murder charges in the death of 46-year-old Norris Gaynor and aggravated battery charges in the videotaped beating of Jacques Pierre, 58. They also are charged in the beating of Raymond Perez, 49. Police said Ammons admitted he shot Gaynor, who was black, in the torso with a paintball gun while Daugherty bashed Gaynor’s skull with a bat. Daugherty has been held in juvenile detention since his arrest and was ordered to undergo a psychological examination. In Miami, following a sermon about respecting the dignity of all people, parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church said Sunday they supported pressing charges against a homeless man for sleeping inside the Fort Lauderdale church and eating canned goods from its donation basket. Orienthal Bowens, a 36­ year-old drifter from Georgia, spent 16 months in a Pompano Beach lock-up until Jan. 23 when a judge sentenced him to time served. ‘’We don’t mind [homeless people] sleeping here, but when they start destroying things - it’s like, would you let someone continue to stay in your house who was doing that?’’ said Michael Hargrave, 56. “[Bowens] wasn’t a nice guy.” It’s unclear why it took so long for Bowens’ case to come to trial. Though one thing is clear — he Streetvibes remained behind bars at the Joseph V. Conte Facility because he couldn’t come up with a $1,500 bond. “That in itself is disturbing to us — that he spent so much time there,’’ said the Rev. Sherod Mallow. Last month, Mallow posted a letter to his congregation on All Saints’ website defending his decision about Bowens. The church, he tried to emphasize, is a place of tolerance and kindness. Bowens wasn’t just sleeping at the church or taking food, Mallow said. The homeless man had also lit a fire in the balcony during one overnight stay. And parishioners said he had harassed them. Church member Beth Welker, 39, said Bowens made her uncomfortable. “People were scared of him,’’ she said. Five days a week, homeless veterans show up at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix and get a simple bag lunch. But sometimes a turkey sandwich and a banana is more than it seems. In addition to providing sustenance to people who don’t eat well, the lunch allows social workers to start a dialogue with the vets. The daily interaction allows staff members to check up on them and get them involved in programs to make sure they are taking their medications and staying off street drugs. Six months ago Westside Food Bank hooked up with the veterans hospital to provide the meals. They serve about 35 a day. “I’m having a pretty rough time right now. I’m on the street,” said James Aylor. “A lot of the halfway houses and shelters do not feed you well. This helps take the hunger pangs away.” Aylor, 49, served in the Army in 1974 and 1975. Now he comes to the hospital a few days a week to attend meetings and pick up a lunch. That is what Michael Leon was hoping for when the program began. “First of all, these people are hungry,” said Leon, the health care for homeless veterans coordinator at the hospital. “The lunches serve as an outreach mechanism.” Leon said that sometimes a homeless veteran will hang around without ever talking to anybody. “It is frustrating for them to be so close without taking advantage of the programs we offer,” said Leon, a social worker and a veteran. There are 3,000-4,000 homeless veterans in the state, according to Leon, the majority of them in the Valley. Page 3 �The Incantation I dream of singing with the kids by Koichi Yoshida Big Issue (Japan) vendor Mr. T and I were casually chatting outside Osaka station, when suddenly Mr. T recited “Back issue! Come on! Come on! Come on!” and clapped his hands as if in prayer. Somewhat taken aback I asked what he was doing. Mr. T replied that it was an incantation to sell back issues of the magazine. Sensing my incredulity, Mr. T insisted that it worked and that he had, in fact, sold 10 back issues, not once but twice thanks to this incantation. I remained skeptical, but later on that evening my office received a call from an excited Mr. T. A customer had bought 20 back issues! The next time I visited Mr. T, I asked him about the incantation. He said there were three tricks to using it: 1. chant “Back issue! Come on! Come on! Come on!”; 2. Only use the incantation when it pops into your head suddenly; 3. Don’t do it everyday. It seems that the day I visited Mr. T was a “back issue” day. by Naoki Koide Mr. Hori sells The Big Issue in a residential area about seven kilometers south of the center of Sendai. While there is a large shopping mall, most of the people who pass by are commuters hurrying to work and school. Few people have time to notice The Big Issue. Ironically, a group of elementary school students were the first to pay attention to Mr. Hori. Initially, Mr. Hori was hurt by their unfriendly stares, but he mustered up his courage and explained that this was his job. By making the effort to talk to the students they accepted Mr. Hori and began to chat with him. Hearing of Mr. Hori’s efforts in cleaning up the area around him and watching out for the students, a local teacher even called on Mr. Hori to thank him. One day, a child he recognized walked past singing to himself, “big, Big Issue”. Mr. Hori was struck by an idea: he would write a song about The Big Issue! Though his musical past was distant, Mr. Hori had recently received an old guitar from a street musician friend, Mr. Nii (who wrote the music for “Look at My BIG ISSUE”), and had just started to get a feel for it once more. Mr. Hori wrote the lyrics of “Look at my BIG ISSUE” to show how he feels when he is selling The Big Issue. Riding the sound of the arpeggio chords, Mr. Hori’s Big Issue sales pitch always seems to lead into the song, calling people to the street: “The info mag that was born in England and spread to Japan…” A lot of memories flow through Mr. Hori’s mind as he plays his guitar: when people from Osaka or Tokyo have remembered his face and have greeted him; when a university student bought a magazine from him as a good luck charm for a job interview at the local convenience store; or the time when it became tradition for university students wanting to pass their exams to buy a Big Issue from Mr. Hori. There was even a time when Mr. Hori reported a suspicious-looking car that had hit a pedestrian on the corner right in front of him. Compared to vendors based amongst offices and public buildings in the city center, Mr. Hori’s location is a tough one. Putting a positive spin on it, however, he says that he sees the same people at the same time Show your support! Get your STREETVIBES T-Shirt Today! (Back shown here. Shirt not actual size) everyday, so his face is quickly remembered. Mr. Hori was forced to start living on the streets five or six years ago after suffering from the effects of the recession. Before that, he had worked in machine manufacturing and security. Mr. Hori says that selling The Big Issue has made him think about things that didn’t even cross his mind when he worked for a company– how daily sales are affected by customer interaction, for example. “That makes it all worthwhile,” Mr. Hori says. Traveling about 6 kilometers by bicycle to his supplier, Mr. Hori starts at 6am and on busy days will make a second trip to the supplier and back to his sales base in the afternoon. Mr. Hori only takes a few magazines at a time and his sales are limited, but he savors the joy of each sale. “I still have a long way to go”, says Mr. Hori, “First I just want to increase my sales by five copies a day. What is more important, though, is what I’ve gained from The Big Issue in terms of courage, connections and compassion. The song is my way of giving something back. It was the kids who inspired the song, so I would really like to sing it with them”. Of the one million people living in Sendai there are more than 200 without homes. Despite the harsh winters, this number is on the increase. The homeless are both young and old, and there is an increase in women on the streets. Homeless woman have become more noticeable recently. I have no greater wish than the desire for each person living on the streets to take even the smallest opportunity and use it constructively as a step towards independence – just like Mr. Hori and his song. Translated from Japanese by INSP volunteer Kathryn Johnson, Australia by Booger Love When someone needs a hand of a friend, they can’t be found. No one to talk to, walk around with. All you want is someone to talk to. When there is a pain in your heart, all you need is friend you can talk to. To tell them your troubles, so you don’t lose you mind. 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 We give up on everything sometimes, When we are down. More Poetry on Pages 14 and 15 �Drop Inn Center Roll Up Your Sleeves, America! president used the words ‘the societies and our market’s by John Lavelle Update Middle East’ when he didn’t really “addiction to oil” should be I’m sure many people have * Cross Town Help Out: Thanks to all the volunteers from Xavier and UC who participated in the Cross Town Help Out. They helped the men in the recovery program here at the Drop Inn Center repaint and uplift their dorm rooms. * Summit on Homeless Individuals: The Partnership Center convened key staff and board members from all the agencies working with homeless individuals (people not currently with their family...) all day on January 27th. After presenting updates on how each group fits into the fabric of the system, we brainstormed on needs and goals across the system. We also heard a presentation from City Ministries on their proposed CityLink project. Hopefully, the information presented will help in determining what possible unmet needs could be addressed through that project. The Drop Inn Center also presented on our need for Permanent Supportive Housing for the Long-term Homeless. * Budget Status: Although we were successful in meeting last year’s level in our Holiday Drive (thanks to your help!), we still are facing a tough six months due to state cutbacks as well as greatly increased energy costs. We will be trimming some part time and on-call positions as well as cutting back on some of the food we buy. If you know of any grant or funding sources, please let us know. Also, if you know of any sources of prepared food we could use for meals, we would appreciate it. Cold Snap Effects: Just briefly, this past weekend our average census was 242, up from 224 for the previous week, due to the cold weather. seen the humorous picture of Uncle Sam proclaiming “Roll Up Your Sleeves, America” as he gleefully injects gasoline directly from a gas station pump into his exposed arm, parodying the vintage war propaganda of classic Uncle Sam and his female counterpart, Rosie the Riveter (“We can do it!”). How appropriate this seemed, when during President Bush’s January 31, 2006, State of the Union Address he acknowledged that “America is addicted to oil” and that we must John Lavelle “break this addiction.” For the first time that night I stopped screaming at the television and lent a heartfelt ear to what our country’s “elected” leader had to say. “Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025,” he stated. Even a raging cynic such as myself had to stop for a second and give Bush his due…provided that he actually follows through on any of this. However, hearing all this from an oil profiteer is a start, right? Right? Well, the morning after, his administration was quick to make clear that they were not ready for a committed relationship with reduction of oil dependency. In reference to the quote above by President Bush, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said on February 1 that: “This was purely an example.” Oh. From Knight Ridder writer Kevin G. Hall: “Asked why the mean them, one administration official said Bush wanted to dramatize the issue in a way that ‘every American sitting out there listening to the speech understands.’ The official spoke only on condition of anonymity because he feared that his remarks might get him in trouble.” In other words, we really shouldn’t take the president literally. Well, time to roll up your sleeves, America. A week later in Houston, the heart of Bush’s home state, Exxon Mobil Corp. Senior Vice President Stuart McGill said that the United States should stop trying to make ourselves energy independent and that we will always be reliant on foreign imports. “Realistically, it is simply not feasible in any time period relevant to our discussion today…No combination of conservation measures, alternative energy sources, and technological advances could realistically and economically provide a way to completely replace those imports in the short or medium term.” So, according the largest publicly traded oil company – who just posted the largest quarterly profits ($10.71 billion, despite two damaging hurricanes) of any company in U.S. history – energy independence is impossible and just plain bad. And while we’re on it, Exxon Mobil very recently asked a federal court to wipe out its $5 billion in fines for the 1989 Valdez oil spill. The issues surrounding our important to all Americans. Perhaps the most seminal way in which average Americans have felt the impact of the oil economy is at the gas pump with surging and fluctuating prices. Even Americans who do not own automobiles and take the bus should be wary of increased fares for public transportation – even small increases can be devastating to the tight budgets of low-income individuals and families. Along with sheer market economics, we have seen very clearly in the past 30 years or so how closely petroleum is tied to our national security. Regardless of anyone’s feelings on why we went to war with Iraq in 2003, one must admit that the ensuing conflict has had a grand effect on the oil industry. Despite their multifarious ties to terrorist threats, Saudi Arabia has carried on largely unchallenged. Many theorize that this is due to them being one of our largest exporters of oil. The increased production and popularity of hybrid automobile models is promising, as consumers realize that they are economically and environmentally responsible. In the spirit of the market, some are finding that new energy resources can be profitable and responsible. Nevertheless, Americans are still addicted to oil. And much like the case with “big tobacco,” it will take years of lawsuits and legislation to force most oil companies to invest in reducing dependency on their damaging and limited product. Until then, roll up your sleeves, America! Thanks to Juicio Brennan for his compilations of resources on his website. Check it out at: www.juiciobrennan.com The Orange Bicycle placing a box filled with magazines on the bike rack and carefully covering the side with a poster Mr. Toyomura’s bike is transformed into a sales promotion machine. The sight reminds me of the bicycle salesmen of old who would sell tofu or put on shows for children. It gives Omotensando a distinctive atmosphere. My biggest surprise, however, was to see Mr. Toyomura polishing his bicycle with CRC5-56 oil everyday before work. It startled me and made me think of a craftsman polishing his tools before starting work. Today, the sparkling orange bicycle will once again be carrying Mr. Toyomura’s hopes on its handlebars. Back on Track I couldn’t get a regular job. Streetvibes really gives people like me a chance to get back on their feet. I can now save money, pay my rent and get my baby back. The Streetvibes Program has really turned my life around. It gives the homeless hope and faith again. I give a huge thanks to the people who purchase Streetvibes. I would not have been given the chance to get myself back on track without your donations. Keep donating to Streetvibes. You could change someone else’s life with only one dollar. Just doing a little turns out to be a whole lot. God Bless all of you. by Mariko Ikeda It takes Big Issue vendor Mr. Toyomura one and a half hours to ride his bicycle to his sales base in Omotesando, Osaka. That’s three hours both ways – with 100­ 200 magazines weighing down the bicycle, it’s a battle just to pedal. To struggle like this everyday, Mr. Toyomura must be a man of great determination and will power, as well as having awesome quadriceps. Mr. Toyomura’s beloved bicycle is not just his transportation, however, it is also a sales tool. By by Tiffanie Schaffer I give all thanks to the Coalition for the Homeless for the Streetvibes Vendors Program. It really has changed my life. I wasn’t always homeless. I came from a good home with money. As I went out on my own I made some bad choices. I found myself 21, homeless and with a baby. I was homeless for three months. Then I found the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. I heard about the Vendors Program and became a vendor in the first week of January. By the first week of February I had an apartment. Streetvibes Page 5 �Thanks Susan streets, for our young people, the elderly and my homeless friends. by Ms. Mary Gaffney My homeless friends come around the office each Wednesday To the purchasers of afternoon for a full Streetvibes and my meal and desert from homeless friends, this a special lady who is now the third serves and donates month of the New these delicious meals. Year, and we have Also, there are always seen the appearance pastries on hand for of the groundhog. He the walk-in homeless. saw its shadow, but Susan is her name and we will see what’s Miss Mary Gaffney she is a very down to what in the coming earth person. She is months. always jolly. She always uses a I do hope during this parking meter but never asks for a beginning of the New Year we will donation. Inside of three weeks she hopefully see a new beginning of has received two parking tickets, at more safety on our neighborhood New Report Finds a Widespread Epidemic of Hate Crimes/ Violence Against Homeless People by Michael Stoops, Acting Executive Director, National Coalition for the Homeless The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) released its 2005 report tracking the widespread epidemic of hate crimes/violence against homeless people. The report entitled, Hate, Violence, & Death on Main Street USA: A Report on Hate Crimes and Violence Against People Experiencing Homelessness in 2005 is NCH’s seventh annual report on this issue. The report documents incidents that occurred in 2005 against homeless persons by housed individuals who were overwhelmingly teens and young adults. A seven-year historical analysis of NCH’s reports is also available. For a complete copy of all seven reports, please go to: (www.nationalhomeless.org). This latest report continues to maintain the same goals and objectives as in the previous ones: * To compile the incidents of hate crimes/violence that NCH has received and reviewed in order to document this alarming trend against people who are homeless. * To make lawmakers and the general public aware of this serious issue. * To recommend proactive measures to be taken. The report also includes information about model legislative/organizing/ public educational initiatives in California, Florida, Maine and Washington, DC The 2005 report documents hate crimes/violence against homeless people in the following 38 cities from 22 states and Puerto Rico. Page 6 Battle Creek, MI Berkeley, CA Boston, MA Broward County, FL Camden, NJ Cave Junction, OR Cheyenne, WY. Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Dade County, FL Davenport, IA Daytona Beach, FL Detroit, MI Duluth, MN East Palatka, FL Fairbanks, AK Fairfield, CA Holiday, FL Holly Hill, FL Indianapolis, IN Kansas City, MO. Los Angeles, CA Myrtle Beach, SC New York, NY. Orlando, FL. Pascagoula, MS Portland, ME Roosevelt, NY Sacramento, CA San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA San Juan, PR. Springfield, IL Staten Island, NY Stockbridge, GA St. Paul, MN Tucson, AZ Virginia Beach, National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 “P” St., NW Washington, DC 20037-1033 Phone: (202) 462-4822 x19 Fax: (202) 462-4823 Email: mstoops@nationalhomeless.org Website: www.nationalhomeless.org $25 dollars each, with no complaints. Sometimes it takes her a while to unload the food and ingredients! I do hope that she can find somewhere nearby to park her car where the homeless don’t always have to watch her car for tickets because they always look forward to her meals. She also supplies the office with coffee, creamer and sugar and pastries for in the mornings. My hat goes off to you Susan, for the kindness and concern you have shown to our homeless visitors. This month, this article is dedicated to Susan for the concern you show for your fellow man. May God forever bless you. I am very proud to have a friend like you and my homeless friends. They really appreciate your kindness. Until next time, thanks to you and my friends. Send your letters or comments to Streetvibes, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati Ohio 45202, or email to Streetvibes@juno.com 21 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 Beaten Homeless Man Remains in Critical Condition A homeless man remained in critical condition in South Florida after being severely beaten by three suspects at a convenience store pay phone, police said. Thomas Kotowski, 36, was found bloody and barely conscious last month outside the H&M Discount Beverage Store at 1361 Ave. E. He was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center. Riviera Beach police were searching for the three attackers, described as young men or teenagers. In some ways, the attack resembled the deadly beating of a homeless man January 12 by three Broward County teens. Video of a related attack that night was broadcast worldwide, drawing attention to the plight of the homeless. The motive for the attack was not known. Police say one of the unidentified attackers was using a pay phone outside H&M Discount Beverage when Kotowski approached him about 6 p.m. and asked to make a call. The man said no. Kotowski waited nearby until the man’s call was finished, then stepped to the phone to make his own call, police say. That’s when the first man struck, pummeling Kotowski repeatedly. Streetvibes A moment later, two other attackers joined in, investigators said. Together, the three beat and kicked him bloody, then ran off after someone called 911. Kotowski has lived in the area for years, running up an arrest record on charges ranging from cocaine possession and resisting arrest to trespassing and shoplifting. During the past six years, the National Coalition for the Homeless has documented 386 attacks on the homeless, including 156 deaths, although experts agree the actual numbers are probably much higher. Last month, Moses Prophet, a 58-year-old homeless man, was shot and killed on 55th Street in West Palm Beach. Police say he knew his killer and that his murder was prompted by an argument. Violence against the homeless is nothing new, but the issue has taken on new currency in recent months. “This is not an increasing phenomenon, but what has happened since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans is the invisible class has suddenly become visible,” said Alan Clapsaddle, associate pastor at Westgate Tabernacle, which operates a homeless shelter. “Before, this stuff would have been unnoticed. Now it’s becoming visible.” �Citizens X by Joanne Zuhl Most of us think the picture on our ID is embarrassing enough, but how about having your residence listed as “under the Burnside Bridge?” That’s what has happened to one man who prefers to remain anonymous for this story. He says he knows of one other person in the same situation. “Talk about embarrassment,” the man said of his ID. “You go out for a job application, they see that and they laugh at you. I’m 48 years old. This is the first time I’ve been homeless, down-and-out like this, and I can’t get a job.” “I’ve got to do something, I’ve got to work,” he said. “I was brought up to work and work hard and now I can’t work. I never had nothing like this happen to me before. I don’t know how to take it.” Despite the man’s embarrassing setback, he’s fortunate to have a state ID at all. For many people living on the streets, or extreme poverty, an ID card is an elusive item, and one that holds the key to housing, employment, social services and civil rights. “Basically, since 9/11, without a photo ID you’re a persona non grata in our society,” said Ed Johnson, an attorney and homeless advocate with the Oregon Law Center in Portland. “There’s a whole range of things you can’t do. Not only can you not get permanent housing, there’s a lot of temporary emergency shelter you can’t access without photo ID. So, if you find yourself on the street without a photo ID, getting off the street, as an essential priority, is almost impossible.” Likewise, a state photo ID is the key for accessing disability assistance, medical insurance, food stamps and other government-based social services, according to Johnson. Employment? “Forget about it,” Johnson said. “You’re not going to get any steady employment without a photo ID.” To get a standard state ID through the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, you need some other form of ID: a drivers license, proof of address, employment, Social Security, birth records and the like. And the streets are a lousy place for keeping records. “When you’re moving around, things get lost when you don’t have a stable place to keep your things,” said Fern Elledge, director of the Community Service Center at Transition Projects, Inc. “I hear stories from a lot of people that the police took their ID and they didn’t get it back. And for women leaving domestic violence situations, lots of times the abuser will keep the ID as part of keeping control. People are vulnerable, things get stolen. There are just lots of reasons.” Transition Projects, or TPI as its known, assists people in getting photo IDs through the DMV. TPI will help people locate the necessary records, such as birth certificates, and pay the state’s $25 to $30 fee for the ID. TPI can only afford to serve four people in the morning and four people in the afternoon. “People come early to get in line, and usually we have to turn people away,” Elledge said. The combination of 9/11 and concerns about identity theft has made getting IDs even harder in recent years, according to Elledge. Picture IDs are prerequisites to accessing other forms of ID, including Social Security cards and birth certificates, in some states, Elledge said. In some cases, living relatives can help people get birth certificates, but not everyone has that option available. “There are some people we just can’t help,” Elledge said. Debbie Eagle had her backpack – carrying her birth certificate, ID, Social Security card and tuberculosis card — stolen from her on the streets. That was five months ago and she doesn’t have the money to gather all of the documentation she needs to get them restored. “I don’t have any picture ID,” said Eagle, who is hoping to hold out until mid February when she’ll have money to begin relocating documents. Deborah Mandley bounced between the DMV and the Social Security office for more than a week trying to get her ID replaced after it was stolen. She was recently released from prison and had her inmate ID and little else. Getting the necessary documentation cost her valuable time, money she didn’t have, and possibly a job. “I needed my ID in order to get a second job interview,” Handley said. “I didn’t have my ID so I didn’t get the second interview and I didn’t get the job.” She has since gotten her ID, and is now looking for a job. Eric Sevos, manager of the Royal Palm for Cascadia Behavioral Health Care, says he’s also seen the barriers to getting ID cards increase, and he fears that they are only going to get worse. “It’s a catch-22,” Sevos said. “You need a birth certificate to get a photo ID, but you can’t get a birth certificate without a photo ID.” The process, which in difficult circumstances can take months or years to get primary documentation to get an ID, is a stressful one for all those involved. Sometimes there’s no resolution at all. “I’ve seen clients who have lost their IDs, and the level of anxiety, and sometimes panic, rises,” Sevos said. “I think that like a lot of things, the safeguards are necessary and practical, but when they get applied to the homeless population, or folks who don’t necessarily have as much of a voice in political and economic affairs, people get lost in the shuffle.” In a 2004 report, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found that state laws, particularly those instituted in the wake of post Sept. 11, have created unreasonable barriers to acquiring identification, and as a result Streetvibes are exacerbating and prolonging homelessness. After Sept. 11, at least 43 states considered some form of legislation or rule change to restrict access to drivers licenses, according to the report. In 2003, approximately 117 state bills were considered that similarly intended to restrict access The NLCHP issued a survey to service providers across the country, focusing on three primary areas: barriers to accessing services and benefits, problems with law enforcement, and lack of adequate funds to pay for identification. NLCHP surveyed 56 service providers in fifteen states that serve a total of 25,647 clients per year. The providers surveyed range from homeless shelters and food pantries to transitional living facilities. The survey found that large percentages of clients were being denied basic benefits because they lack photo identification. In one month, more than half of those applying for SSI, Food Stamps and housing or shelter services, and 45 percent of those who applied for medical services, were turned away for lack of photo ID. Among its recommendations, the law center says states should waive the fees for obtaining ID for people who are homeless, and use logical verification, when appropriate, such as a mother’s maiden name. While most people take for granted their documents of identification, there is also the benefit of simply being stable — of being known in the community. People on the streets often lack that more subtle form of identification, and can simply disappear from the social network. That extended disconnect can make the process of attaining an ID very intimidating for some people. “They’re just further outside of the mainstream,’ said Brad Taylor, an outreach worker with Cascadia’s Project Respond. “So they have to operate outside of that, and staying indoors is more challenging, finding ways to make money is more challenging.” Taylor said he comes across people every day who don’t have an ID or are having trouble getting one. If someone has an ID one day, he said, the person’s often lost it or had it stolen by the next time he sees him. Mental health issues also complicate the process. There are some people who simply don’t know their own names, Taylor said. “We’ve had police do fingerprints just to find out who they were.” Patricia Barrera, director of Community Education with the Lola Greene Baldwin Foundation, works with women escaping prostitution. Prostitutes are vulnerable to having their identification stolen by pimps Citizens X cont. on page 9 Page 7 �Mosiac cont. from page 1 staff talk about the project and being really involved with the idea and the design.” Another participant, Joseph, says “This place gets better and better! Plus, pretty; not so many places are this pretty for us.” Cookie goes on to say, “The trips to the studio to take part in putting the chosen colors into place and anticipating the gluing and grouting of same, has been a real source of community building among the staff. It has been that for all of us, and at the same time, finding that creative part in each of us, and being able to celebrate that with others. The staff has also become very interested in studying the other mosaics already being displayed around the neighborhood! We are all very excited about finishing ours; it has been a wonderful experience to work with such dedicated, talented professionals who want to tell our story. Amen.” I think Ed, another mosaic art student, sums it up very nicely: “I heard about the picture that is going to go outside; I know it is going to be good. Everything is good here.” Recently, the project was awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fine Arts Fund, Summerfair, Inc., the George B. Riley Trust, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and the LaBoiteaux Family Foundation. Artist Suzanne Fisher directs work on a mosaic project Street Paper vendors in Russia inspire modern classical music piece A classical music concert took place at Herzen University in St Petersburg on 5th February, within the framework of a project called ‘the New Music Initiative of St Petersburg’. The project represents a dialogue between classical and modern music. The participants of this particular concert were the St Petersburg State Orchestra and two British composers, Peter Dyson and Marcus Tristan Hitcock. Peter Dyson was born in Huddersfield in Yorkshire in 1949 and came to study at the State Conservatoire in St Petersburg 10 years ago. He has lived in the city ever since, considering it his own and writing music for St Petersburg. “Life in Russia has definitely had a bearing on my music”, says Peter, currently teaching a course Page 8 called ‘British Cultural Identities at the beginning of the 21st century’ at the St Petersburg University. “I would call my music a reflection of the time and milieu in which I am living. I consider it to be social realism.” Peter Dyson titled his narrated piece for orchestra and clarinet, ‘Conversations and Observations: The reflection of a homeless street paper seller in winter’. Dyson explains his reasons for the theme of the project: “Many people’s rights are limited here, the authorities neglect the elderly, the ill, the homeless and the hungry. I composed the music about homelessness because I can understand what it means to stand in the freezing cold all day in order to sell even a few street papers to earn enough to live. So the least we can do for a homeless vendor is buy a street paper from him” Dyson’s narrator starts by painting a picture of life on the street, and by the final movements, the audience understands that he is actually a homeless street paper vendor. He speaks about what is happening in that part of the city and in society in general. The concert finishes with the words “Sometimes, when the sun is setting, I hear music ….” And then it becomes clear that the narrator is the composer himself. Many of the homeless vendors of the St Petersburg street paper ‘Journey Home’ came to enjoy the concert and had the opportunity to sell papers during the interval. 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 Streetvibes �The Big Issue South Africa calls for Low-Income Children Are at full enquiry into beating Health, Developmental, and Izak van Staden, who lives at “I hope that the relevant Educational Disadvantage, U.S. a shelter in Cape Town, was taken to authorities will conduct a full hospital after being beaten at the investigation into this incident and Chartbook Says Wynberg Military Base. He is in take necessary disciplinary action critical condition. Richard Ishmail, managing director of The Big Issue homeless streetpaper, South Africa has called for a full investigation into the incident. “In the past six months, there has been a series of attacks on homeless people in Cape Town ­ some of which were fatal - and the time has come to protect the rights of this vulnerable group and to seek justice against those who perpetrate crimes against them. should it be required. By doing so, they will be sending out a message that homeless people deserve to be treated with respect like any other human being,” he says. “Attacks on homeless people worldwide have become a growing phenomenon. Organizations, government and members of the public must collectively raise their voices to protest against the abuse of homeless people.” Got The Vibe? This chartbook highlighting the major findings of the 2003 first National Survey of Children’s Health was released by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The book includes many positive findings about American children, but it also reports on conditions of children who are particularly vulnerable to health risks, such as children in lowincome families. Compared to children in higher-income families, children in low-income families are less likely to be in excellent or very good health; they miss more days of school due to illness; they are more likely to have moderate or severe emotional or behavioral problems; and they are more likely to live in neighborhoods that do not feel safe or supportive. Since mothers in lowincome families are one-third as likely as higher-income mothers to be in excellent or very good physical and mental health, their ability to care for their children is adversely affected. The book’s data show that children in lowincome families are put at a health, developmental, and educational disadvantage compared to higherincome children. http:// www.mchb.hrsa.gov/thechild/ index.htm Buy Streetvibes Citizens X cont. from page 7 and Johns as a means of exerting power and control. Barrera’s organization focuses on advocating for the victims, and goes with them to help them get a replacement ID at the DMV. “They are up against people who pass judgment on them and people who think they are nothing but filthy whores,” Barrera said. “Often they are treated disrespectfully if they’re not with an advocate. So we go with them to help them get their ID. It seems to go more smoothly when they have an advocate.” Barrera said the more experienced people at DMV are generally very receptive to helping people get their ID, provided they have something verifying who they are. While 9/11 takes a lot of the rap, David House with the DMV says identity theft is the primary reason for tougher ID requirements. 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. “We have to be safe rather than sorry,” House said. “ID theft has been getting bigger and worse for decades. It’s an arms race, essentially. So we have to constantly update the card, our procedures and our requirements for documentation.” In the past four years, the lists of allowed identify verification documents has shrunk, House said, and employees have undergone training in fraudulent identity measures. For people who are homeless, individual field office managers can make exceptions, but House said he believes those are very rare. Regarding the address of “under the Burnside Bridge,” House said that’s one of the exceptions allowed. “We will do that under circumstances where somebody has no actual mailing address,” he said. House recommends that the man who’s ID names the Burnside Bridge as a residence request a change of address from the DMV, which is free of charge. 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. To report a 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 �The Big Issue South Africa calls for Low-Income Children Are at full enquiry into beating Health, Developmental, and Izak van Staden, who lives at “I hope that the relevant Educational Disadvantage, U.S. a shelter in Cape Town, was taken to authorities will conduct a full hospital after being beaten at the investigation into this incident and Chartbook Says Wynberg Military Base. He is in take necessary disciplinary action critical condition. Richard Ishmail, managing director of The Big Issue homeless streetpaper, South Africa has called for a full investigation into the incident. “In the past six months, there has been a series of attacks on homeless people in Cape Town ­ some of which were fatal - and the time has come to protect the rights of this vulnerable group and to seek justice against those who perpetrate crimes against them. should it be required. By doing so, they will be sending out a message that homeless people deserve to be treated with respect like any other human being,” he says. “Attacks on homeless people worldwide have become a growing phenomenon. Organizations, government and members of the public must collectively raise their voices to protest against the abuse of homeless people.” Got The Vibe? This chartbook highlighting the major findings of the 2003 first National Survey of Children’s Health was released by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The book includes many positive findings about American children, but it also reports on conditions of children who are particularly vulnerable to health risks, such as children in lowincome families. Compared to children in higher-income families, children in low-income families are less likely to be in excellent or very good health; they miss more days of school due to illness; they are more likely to have moderate or severe emotional or behavioral problems; and they are more likely to live in neighborhoods that do not feel safe or supportive. Since mothers in lowincome families are one-third as likely as higher-income mothers to be in excellent or very good physical and mental health, their ability to care for their children is adversely affected. The book’s data show that children in lowincome families are put at a health, developmental, and educational disadvantage compared to higherincome children. http:// www.mchb.hrsa.gov/thechild/ index.htm Buy Streetvibes Citizens X cont. from page 7 and Johns as a means of exerting power and control. Barrera’s organization focuses on advocating for the victims, and goes with them to help them get a replacement ID at the DMV. “They are up against people who pass judgment on them and people who think they are nothing but filthy whores,” Barrera said. “Often they are treated disrespectfully if they’re not with an advocate. So we go with them to help them get their ID. It seems to go more smoothly when they have an advocate.” Barrera said the more experienced people at DMV are generally very receptive to helping people get their ID, provided they have something verifying who they are. While 9/11 takes a lot of the rap, David House with the DMV says identity theft is the primary reason for tougher ID requirements. 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. “We have to be safe rather than sorry,” House said. “ID theft has been getting bigger and worse for decades. It’s an arms race, essentially. So we have to constantly update the card, our procedures and our requirements for documentation.” In the past four years, the lists of allowed identify verification documents has shrunk, House said, and employees have undergone training in fraudulent identity measures. For people who are homeless, individual field office managers can make exceptions, but House said he believes those are very rare. Regarding the address of “under the Burnside Bridge,” House said that’s one of the exceptions allowed. “We will do that under circumstances where somebody has no actual mailing address,” he said. House recommends that the man who’s ID names the Burnside Bridge as a residence request a change of address from the DMV, which is free of charge. 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. To report a 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 �A New form of kidnapping About a month ago there was a woman standing by a mall entrance passing out flyers to all the women going in. The woman had written the flyer herself to tell about an experience she had, so that she might warn other women. The previous day, this woman had finished shopping, went out to her car and discovered that she had a flat. She got the jack out of the trunk and began to change the flat. A nice man dressed in business suit and carrying a briefcase walked up to her and said, “I noticed you’re changing a flat tire. Would you like me to take care of it for you?” The woman was grateful for his offer and accepted his help. They chatted amiably while the man changed the flat, and then put the flat tire and the jack in the trunk, shut it and dusted his hands off. The woman thanked him profusely, and as she was about to get in her car, the man told her that he left his car around on the other side of the mall, and asked if she would mind giving him a lift to his car. She was a little surprised and she asked him why his car was on other side. He explained that he had seen an old friend in the mall that he hadn’t seen for some time and they had a bite to eat and visited for a while. He got turned around in the mall and left through the wrong exit, and now he was running late and his car was clear around on the other side of the mall. The woman hated to tell him “no” because he had just rescued her from having to change her flat tire all by herself, but she felt uneasy. Then she remembered seeing the man put his briefcase in her trunk before shutting it and before he asked her for a ride to his car. She told him that she’d be happy to drive him around to his car, but she just remembered one last thing she needed to buy. She said she would only be a few minutes; he could sit down in her car and wait for her; she would be as quick as she could be. She hurried into the mall, and told a security guard what had happened; the guard came out to her car with her, but the man had left. They opened the trunk, took out his locked briefcase and took it down to the police station. The police opened it (ostensibly to look for ID so they could return it to the man). What they found was rope, duct tape, and knives. When the police checked her “flat” tire, there was nothing wrong with it; the air had simply been let out. It was obvious what the man’s intention was, and obvious that he had carefully thought it out in advance. The woman was blessed to have escaped harm. How much worse it would have been if she had children with her and had them wait in the car while the man fixed the tire, or if she had a baby strapped into a car seat? Or if she’d gone against her judgment and given him a lift? I’d like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only; but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it on to them, as well. State of Union Address Foreshadows Fiscal 2007 Budget President Bush’s annual State of the Union address on January 31 foreshadowed his plans for the Fiscal 2007 budget, which will be released February 6. Most significantly, the President proposed expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), tax-free savings accounts created in the 2003 Medicare law that can be used to pay deductibles and out-of-pocket costs of health care provided through a high-deductible health insurance plan. Many economists and analysts point out that HSAs offer the greatest benefits to those at the highest tax brackets who need help with health care the least. HSAs drive up the cost of health care for low-income and sicker people who would be more likely to stay in traditional lower-premium plans. Further, higher out-of-pocket costs will induce many lower-income people to avoid seeking necessary care, which could eventually result in health problems that are more costly to treat. The idea behind HSAs is to create a greater incentive for people to avoid unnecessary health care costs, but research shows that the vast majority of health care costs are spent on the ten percent of people who have major illnesses or disabilities, situations in which health care cannot be safely avoided. Critics also argue that some ways of expanding HSAs could even encourage employers to stop providing coverage, making health care further out of reach for the average worker. (For more information, see the recent paper released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at http:// www.cbpp.org/1-31-06health.htm) The President’s speech included other proposals that could affect services for moderate- and low-income families. The President pledged, as he has in previous budget cycles, to reduce or eliminate a number of programs his administration deems to be not successful. He will propose to save $14 billion in fiscal 2007 by eliminating 140 programs. The President called for reducing or eliminating 150 programs last year and 65 programs the year before that and each time Congress has largely declined to do so. The sorts of programs targeted for elimination last year included the Safe and Drug Free Schools program, Upward Bound for low-income high school students, and Hope VI funding for revitalizing public housing. Although funding has been cut for these programs, Congress rejected the President’s plan to eliminate them. The President also announced a proposal to “train 70,000 high school teachers to lead advanced placement courses in math and science, bring 30,000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms, and give early help to students who struggle with math so they have a better chance at good, high-wage jobs.” This proposal would be one prong of his American Competitiveness Initiative, which would also increase federal funding for scientific research and make permanent the research and development tax credit. Educators generally agree with the need for more focus on math and science, but the new initiatives are hardly adequate to make up for other shortfalls in federal education policy, such as underfunding the Leave No Child Behind Law by $40 billion over the past five years. Costs of Making Tax Cuts Permanent Would Grow to Unsustainable Levels Notwithstanding the country’s swelling deficits and debt and long-term fiscal challenges, the President now insists on making all the tax cuts enacted between fiscal years 2001 and 2006 permanent. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has estimated that the overall cost of the tax cuts enacted to date, plus interest on the debt they create, would total $3.2 trillion through 2016. If extended, Bush’s tax cut policies would cost the country another $3.3 trillion over the same period, and the total cost would be $6.5 trillion through 2016. Costs would be higher in subsequent decades. To put this figure into some perspective, the annual cost of the tax cuts would equal the cost of 10 government agency budgets combined: agriculture, labor, education, veterans affairs, transportation, HUD, justice, state, interior, EPA, and energy, when the tax cuts are fully in effect. The size of the Social Security shortfall, emphasized by the President, “pales” when compared with the cost of making the tax cuts permanent. “Just the cost of the tax cuts for the top one percent of households … is nearly as large as the entire Social Security deficit.” Go to http:// www.cbpp.org/2-6-06tax.htm “Don “Don’’t Leave Home W ithout IIt...” t...” Streetvibes 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.... Vendors must not tell customers 1. Streetvibes will be distributed 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 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. 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) 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. Slumlord Survival (Real Change News, USA) by Cydney Gillis So much for holding bad landlords accountable: If Zane and Renee Morris can’t get any help under the state’s one-year-old antislumlord law, there’s a good chance no one else can, either. After six years of living in a duplex in the town of Spokane Valley, Zane, his wife Renee and their three children were being evicted Jan. 31. It’s not what they did, but what they asked their landlord to do: fix an ant infestation so bad that, to wash, “We have to take out the bath mat and hose out the bathtub,” Renee Morris says. Slumlord cont. next page Page 12 Streetvibes �Numbers by Cindy Sheehan The now famous black shirt with white lettering that I was wearing on January 31st to the State of the Union address originally read: 2000 Dead. How many more? That shirt was made by Veterans for Peace on the occasion of the 2000th U.S. soldier killed in Iraq. That tragic number was reached on September 25th, 2005. About four months later, on the morning of January 31st, before my fellow peace activist and partner in patriotic dissent, Ann Wright, and I set out for our day’s adventures, Ann put masking tape over the zeroes in the 2000 and wrote: 242. Thus changing the number to 2242, which was the upsetting casualty total for that day. Before I set out for my fateful trip to the Capitol Building, we discovered that the number had sorrowfully risen to 2245. While Ann and I were giving the People’s State of the Union address that afternoon with Congressman John Conyers, courageous Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Katrina rights activist, Malik Rahim, three more American families were sent into a tailspin of loss, grief and despair from which they will never fully recover. The number on my shirt was changed to 2245. 2245 Dead. How many more? As of January 31st, at least 2245 North American families had paid the ultimate price for this administration’s stupid and careless policies in Iraq. Thousands upon thousands of our young men and women have been wounded, some Slumlord The ants are the end of a long trail that includes dry rot, moisture, serious mold and an electrical short in the $625-a-month, four-bedroom unit, which is paid for by Section 8 federal housing assistance. At 32, Renee has had two strokes and Zane’s work options are limited by a back injury. The Morrises believe the landlord owes them $2,000 in moving assistance under a law dubbed the Slumlord Accountability Act, which the legislature passed one year ago to help low-income tenants like the Morrises. Without the $2,000, Renee Morris says, the couple and their children, ages 15, 12 and 10, will end up homeless. But just try getting the money. Despite contacting a myriad of city and state officials, “We can’t get anyone to tell us how to enforce it,” Morris says. Whether the family is entitled to the money, says Siobhan Ring, director of the Tenants Union, a nonprofit tenant advocacy group that pushed for the anti-slumlord act, depends on the building code in the grievously, for the arrogance of empire. Innumerable Iraqis have been slaughtered for just going about their lives that day and for the heartless and supercilious policy of “fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here.” Today, in the City of Brotherly Love, I attended an awards ceremony for the Shalom Peace Center where I was given an award for being a prophetic voice. (It’s not an easy job). But, that’s not the important thing. The important thing is that one of my friends and biggest supporters brought some masking tape and a marker and many of the attendees were wearing about four inches of tape with the number 2250. That means five more angels were sent to an early grave, five more Mothers were unjustly and needlessly given a life’s sentence of pain, five more Fathers will be beginning an odyssey of mostly silent heartache: countless families ruined for our country’s preemptive foreign policy against imaginary enemies. I believe that whether one supports the wars of aggression of the malicious empire that is taking away our civil liberties as it is sending our young people off to kill and be killed, or whether one opposes preemptive murder, we should all be honoring our children who have given their lives nobly for such an ignoble cause. Numbers frighten people. The number of crosses that the Veterans for Peace put up each Sunday on some California beaches scares the living daylights out of the people who support George and his murderous policies. These people claim that the VFP are making a political statement and want the numbers to go away and not disturb them. Being confronted with numbers, faces, and reality is too much for some people. As a former math teacher, I know that many people have an unreasonable fear of numbers. The number of our war dead in Iraq is very fear inducing. I know numbers are very alarming especially when there is no logical reason for them. We know George Bush went AWOL from his dangerous ‘Nam duty in the Alabama Air National Guard. I suppose he was fighting them in Alabama so they wouldn’t have to fight them in Massachusetts. We know George Bush did not have the tiniest bit of the courage of our troops when he wouldn’t meet me face to face on his adoptive turf of Crawford, Texas. Now the world knows that he doesn’t even have the fortitude to face a t-shirt. As humans, we all know that it is very hard to face one’s mistakes, especially when undeserving people have paid a horrible toll for that foolishness. But what am I talking about? From failures in his business life to compound, harmful and inexcusable failures in his public life, George Bush has never even admitted a mistake, let alone faced one. Well, it’s time George faced this mistake and is somehow made to feel intense shame for the biggest mistake of his miserable mistake filled life. I call on people that are for peace and justice to wear the number on their chests every day…near their hearts. To honor our dead, but to also confront the ones who are waging this war, and supporting the wagers of death, but who won’t risk their own flesh and blood for the crimes against humanity that are perpetrated on a daily basis. I implore everyone in the U.S. to remember that each number in the grisly count represents a living, breathing, wonderful, loving and indispensable member of a family, community, and our nation. They are not just numbers. They were human beings before they were exploited for oil and greed. Wear the number for our dead. Wear the number for their families. Wear the number for our wounded. Wear the number for our children still in harm’s way whose confusion about the mission is growing and who only want to come home. Wear the number for people who will be in the way of the future wars of aggression that the war criminals in DC are already planning. Wear it for the people of Iraq who only want us to go away. Wear the number for peace. To find the number each day go to: www.iCasualties.org Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Specialist. Casey Austin Sheehan who was killed in Iraq on April 04, 2004; Founder and President of Gold Star Families for Peace (www.GSFP.org) and author of Not One More Mother’s Child. Cindy is also the very proud mother of Carly, Andy, and Janey Sheehan who hold down the fort in Vacaville, California. given jurisdiction and how the inspectors there interpret it. On Dec. 29, after a month of asking the unit’s new property manager, Moland Management, to fix the problems, the family filed a building code complaint and contacted the local Section 8 administrator, the Spokane Housing Authority. A city inspector came out and issued the property manager a notice to fix the ant problem in five days. Moland responded by calling in an exterminator, who wrote a report stating no pest control could be done until the floor and walls were replaced. The same day they filed the complaint, the Morrises found an eviction notice posted on their door. Outside of Seattle, a landlord doesn’t need any cause for eviction, so the notice might have been legal — except that state law prohibits retaliatory eviction and, as it happens, Section 8 rentals do require a just cause. On Jan. 6, Morris says, Moland sidestepped the law simply by giving the family a new eviction notice citing “economic reasons”: The Morrises have to vacate so that Moland can replace the bathroom floor and walls as ordered by the exterminator. Siobhan Ring says it’s a common switch for a landlord to make. “It is illegal for a landlord to terminate tenancy in retaliation for a tenant asserting her rights,” Ring says. “But the landlord can come up with a non-retaliatory reason like ‘Oh, I need to do all this work.’” In order for the Morrises to qualify for the moving assistance — which the anti-slumlord act sets at $2,000 or three times the monthly rent, whichever is greater — Ring says a code inspector from the city of Spokane Valley would have had to declare the unit uninhabitable. But, under Spokane Valley code, “The infestation did not rise to a level that it would require that declaration,” says city spokesperson Carolbelle Branch. According to Branch, the city had no jurisdiction to order the landlord to pay the moving assistance. Since then, the Morrises have contacted the Northwest Justice Project in hopes of suing Moland Management, which represents landlord R. Ryan Properties. They’ve also been frantic in looking for help to move. The state turned them down for $1,500 in emergency cash known as a “diversion grant,” but a private nonprofit called the Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP) has offered to put the family up in a motel for 30 days. Bob Peeler, the Morrises’ counselor at SNAP, says he sits on a local homeless commission that includes 45 agencies but had never heard of the anti-slumlord law. That’s a problem the family has run into over and over. With eviction day just around the corner, Renee Morris said her children are stressed out and having trouble sleeping. Her grandmother just paid for a storage unit for the family’s belongings, but Morris says she’s worried five people, two dogs, and a cat aren’t going to fit in one motel room. “How are we going to manage to live like that for 30 days?” Morris asks. “Granted, we won’t be living on the street, but it’s all because these rich people can’t divvy up a couple thousand to help us get out of this dump.” Streetvibes Page 13 �Real Man The Homeless Man by Angela C. A homeless man Scavenges In trash barrels And envies People who look down on him With scorn As they hurry home To their evening meals. He crouches In a rat infested corner, Content to be with creatures That don’t cringe At the sight of him. Angel by Erin C. Although I was young I remember. . . Memories shared, Games played, Times spent talking, All in the distant past now That you are gone away, Watching from above, Loving, caring, An angel in the heavens My grandpa Faith by Tiffanie Schaffer Life is a struggle and even a fight. Sometimes you feel hopeless. You may find yourself shelterless. But remember, you are never homeless. Home is where the heart is. Keep the faith. by Tina Bapp It’s a grey night, clouds roll in. It’s cold. Yet in your home, you are safe. You fail to notice the storm. You fail to feel the frigid night air. You fail to notice. You’re all to consumed with your warm life. Your work. Your Family. Your Home. You fail to notice. On this grey night, the family hovering, in the tiny damp corner, the baby wet, the mother coughing, the father distraught. Unemployment hit. welfare reform hit. The cold hits hardest. On this grey night, are you going to notice? Day of Silence by Dan T. Dedicated to Sgt. Andrew K. Farrar killed in Iraq on his 31st birthday. A line of black marches on hallowed ground. The pipes call out to him Though he cannot hear. The pipes play a tune he holds dear. A tune all can hear. We lost a brother on that day. We honored him as the pipes did play. His boys close, so young, so cute. All silent for the twenty-one gun salute. by Ron O’Neal It’s hard to be a real man Most of us can, but some of us can’t Some of us take the word ‘man’ so lightly But why do we hold on to our freedom so tightly A real man has to make so many hard choices No matter what someone else says, or how loud their voices It’s hard to understand why they stay on top They must have the strength of a rock They live life, one day at a time It’s a wonder they don’t loose their minds They have to make choices, right or wrong No matter what, they remain strong They’re always there for family and fiends They’ll never give up, even if the world comes to an end I only wish to live my life like a real man And I know with God’s grace and mercy, I can How would you like to be a real man? Not just me, anyone can I Will Never Be Homeless I will never be homeless, It won’t happen to me. I will never be homeless, I’m doing so well, don’t you see? I have a good job, a nice house and a car, I have everything I need to go far. I am not like those Welfare bums, To whom prosperity never comes. You know, the ones who don’t want to work, Any kind of physical labor, they shirk. All they want to do is drink, Some are not clean, and they stink. Then, I see a man, lying in the street, A tattered coat around him and no shoes on his feet. But, I sense that something is wrong, That somehow, this man does not belong. So, I decide to stop to say hello, And ask him why he fell so low. He once worked on a street called Bay, 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? Writers! Submit your Poetry to STREETVIBES ­ email your writing to He lies just six feet away. I swell up with tears. For this is the thing I did fear. The pipes played loud and proud on that silent day. If only you had been there as the pipes did play. Streetvibes@juno.com Page 14 Streetvibes �Our Greatest Fear The Weighted Hour by Nelson Mandela (From 1994 Inaugural Speech) Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. by Michael Henson There is an hour when the world is too weighted for us to bear. When the minutes press on us like the stones of Salem. An hour when the slant light falls to ash. When the red-eyed liar gnaws at the ear. When there is no end to the drone of engines. And there is no end to the sad parades. And hour when anger clots the lungs. When there seems to be no hope. Then I look to the lonely crow. There, in his cold rooms high above the red tips of the maples above the strung powerlines above the cell phone towers. He is a black ship in a vast bottle. He works his wings in short bursts against the wind, then coasts for a time, works in a burst, then coasts again. Then I want to think myself the crow, eagling across a broken heartland. Far below me, the asphalt ribbons and the bulldozer scars. Far below me, the suburban checkerboard, Far below me, the gash of abandoned factories. Far below me, the rivers that choke with the runoff of the poisoned farms. Far below me, the small men who walk green fields hitting small white balls. Far below me, strip malls and theme parks. Far below me, the broad separate roofs of the houses on streets that meander like the tunnels of the mole. Far below me, the close-packed roofs of the projects. And I am sad, for I see nothing that looks like home. The horizon is wide and far off. At the line where the sun sets, I see the gray fences and the leaning stalks of corn. The light leans to the earth’s back door. I search the dusk for my brothers and my sisters. I call them in a voice of husks and gravel. What the World Is Made Of by Brittany Owens What the world is made of, children Playing in dirty streets. What the world is made of, Trash Left by passing individuals. What the world is made of, single Mothers struggling to give her child The simple things in life. What the world is made of, homeless Begging on the corners. What the world is made of, more polluted Air outdoors than an indoor cramped space. What the world is made of, dreams, Hopes, and wishes crushed in a single moment. What the world is made of, people wishing This was not what the world is made of. Berta’s Art Corner The Clock by Kevin G. The Clock Ticks, Counting out bits of time. Monotonous and never ceasing, making minutes seem eternities or a day of fun only a minute long. It is our master, we its slaves. From its place on the wall the clock rules our modern world, counting the seconds toward eternity. Dancing in the snow - Sculture at Clifton and Ludlow Avenues (Burnet Woods) 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 381--0111 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 363-1060 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 March 2006 10 Years in Publication! Peace, Unity, Freedom and Community Art in Over-the-Rhine 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 March 2006 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Peace, Unity, Freedom and Community Art in Over-the-Rhine Pg 2: Inquiry into Government Spying on Nonprofits Expands Recognize Attacks Against the Homeless as Hate Crimes Pg 3: Homeless News Digest Pg 4: I Dream of Singing with the Kids Pg 5: Roll Up Your Sleeves, America! Pg 6: Thanks Susan Pg 7: Citizens X Pg 8: Street Paper Vendors in Russia Inspire Modern Classical Music Piece Pg 9: Low-Income Children Are at Health, Developmental, and Educational Disadvantage, U.S. Chartbook Says Pg 11: A New Form of Kidnapping State of Union Address Foreshadows Fiscal 2007 Budget Pg 12: Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless Streetvibes Pg 13: Numbers 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 March 2006 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Alison Leeuw Monique Little Kelly Carr Chris Dourson John Lavelle Melvin Williams Susan Smith Berta Lambert Jimmy Heath Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF 2007 Budget Alison Leeuw Art Berta Lambert Chris Dourson Drop Inn Center education Georgine Getty Hate Crimes Health Homeless News Digest Jimmy Heath John Lavelle Kelly Carr Kidnapping Low-Income Melvin Williams Monique Little Nonprofits Over-the-Rhine Russia South Africa State of Union Address Susan Smith Tax Cuts https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/04e122fcac4e8839b1187abc44c971b1.pdf c9c7fc3640af08341fc47b212fcf9718 PDF Text Text How does Ohio stack up in the death penalty? page 6 TH E TR I-STAT E'S ALfERNATIVE NE\VS SOURCE INSIDE THIS ISSUE Local News Sleeping bags donated to the GreaterCincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. are distributed to people sleeping outside. page4 Soccer team perseveres Deaf Iraqi players brave violence to play U\ SAIJ~ fOUAJ) STREIIT NE\\'S $ F.R\'ICE BAGHDAD M )'One bon1deaf and mute aces a challenge playing in asoccer tean1- it's hard to con1n1unicate on the pitch, playerscannot hear the n.f'croo's v.tiistle and fewooaches knov.• Slgtl lan.guage. Community '.'lews Our DailyBread. soup kitchen in Over the Rhine, receives many blessings on Valentine's Day. page 7 Columns Michael Henson talks about addictions and the language people use to d iscuss it. page 10 National '.'lews \\l"'''-<'incihonlclcss.o rg Add the risk ofbeing shot or blo\~ up on the \YaY to training in Oaghdadand Jrll(]'S soccer tean1 for deaf-mute playe<s could be forgiver1 for Stlying hon--.e. But the squad is set to compete in a_n international townament in Kuv.·ait in April, an.d ltainel'l·ILSSein al-Shafi 5a)'S he is deten11ined the tean1 v.ill do their best. A forn1el' local league footballer. Shafi uses sign language he learned fron1his brothc:r, thcchainnan of a sports association fo r handicapped Iraqis, to ttain. a squad of 15 players. He also trains a 12­ strong deafchildren's side. " It's tough, but J feel spiritual.I)•bound to 111y players. It's my duly to 1nake sure they succeed." Shafi told Ret1ters. as yoo1g ntenbehind hin1 botutced ballsoffthc.-irfec.'t, gesturing to each other v.iith hand signals "11er1 they passed lheball. \ ljolence has dropped in Iraq, but bon1b blasts and gunfire stil l echo across B3!'1>dad. That ha.-; n'l.:'l.de Ii fe hard fot the ph1)•ers and son1etimes interrupted practioe. first. Ipanicked. but eventually ..11·s d iff1cult 10 attend they \vetlt dov.'l'I. \Vher1 the training~ions v.tien there are shooting stopped and they got glU1fig)us andbl3stSeveywhere. up, they still thought it \V<tSa I'm afraid to co1ncout,'' said ne\v training drill,... he said. Mohan1n1ed Ja\.vad Yusif. 20, talking in. sign. language through his coach. "Son1etimes there's no tra nsport because of roadblock~" Yusif s.."'li.d one oflUsfriends, also deaf, "vas killed \.Vhen glllmen opened fire on a car he v.'3S travelling i1t "Jt sappod my SlTc'llgth IO play for a V.'hile." he said. Shafi recalled \.Vhen a gWlfight bef\veen rival n1ilirias oncebroke out near the training ground. The players cooldn ' t hear the gtUlfire.so hesignalled fol' them toh1t the ground. "They <lidn' t understand at See Jraq Soccer page 13 The attack on dignity will not prevail to restore some s h red of dignit)• CONTIUDUTINO WIUTEK to suffering fan1ilies. Ho"'~ver, the attack on djgnity continues.. " Body parts ror sale Outside ofthe Cinc~ooati lvithout per111iss ion ~~ OYS'l'lt\'t SU1''0tRJ,A1''1) about them Vle do not knO\.\' if the bodies \vere prisoners, slaves, political victims, or donated \Vith the pen11ission offa1nily nlembe<S. " Bo d y 1>a•·ts take-n T Amanda Wolfe discusses growing up with a different kind of povcny expenence. page 14 lroq1s love their football. The countf)' v.•as the surprise \vinner of last year's Asian Cup oompcririon, The victol)'brought rarej oy an.d mity IO thesl:1att«ed rk'lbon, v.~ th Shi'ites. Suru1i Arabs and Kurds pouring into the streets tocelcbratcthc:irtca1n'sunJikely 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Peace at the bodies exhibit An article from Street lvithout per111iss ion ~~ ''Body 1>arts used fo r Sense, where a reporter learns what it a rtistic purposes \virhout permission!'! is like to live with schizophrenia. hese three headl ines page 13 should bevel)' familiar to Guest Column Passion for soccer C1ncin.na11ans. Ovet the pa.<;t fe,vyc-ars. Hamilton County has paid close to $30 n1illion dollars to families that have suffered as a result ofthe prior coroner·s actions with the misuse of body parts. v.Tiether selling then1ortaking pictures v.>ithout pcnnission. Laws have been changed due to class action la~vsuits that have successfully sou,g;ht Peace Village by Steve S1mderland Museun1 Cence.r a sn1all group of protesters have continoed to n1ake clear that the e..xhibit on " Bodies.. is unaccep1able because it defi les homan digniry. People·s bodies have again been taken \.vithout pem1ission ofthe fami lies. The bod ies a l'e fro1n China. and that is all ""''C knO\.\' l'heMuseun1 directot, lvlr. Douglass f'litc Donald. soo,g;ht to assure the public about the exhibit in a recent opinion article in the Cinci nna ti Enquirer. "Despite the invaluable learning experience ··Bodies...The Exh1bi11on·· offers. \Ve understand the nc.'Cd to offer it in a respectful and responsible n1anner. At Cincinnati l\<fuseum Center. v.·e' ve alv.•ays believed s uch ru1 e.xhibit1on- 1nvolv1ng real human bodies-should be handled \vith extraordinary scnsiti\•ity and consideration. Before agreeing to host the exh1bi11on., ..ve asseo1bled a team of area doctors. unive rsi ty professors, phi losophers, thcolo,g;ians. medical ethicists and legal expects 10 help eos ul'e the exhibit ion upho lds the n1useun1's ethical standards a_nd furthers its educational mission. After much discussion and reseorch, this group, alons v.•ith the Jv_luseum Center leadership, unani n1o usly agreed that the ex.hibition \Vf!S See Bodies page II �STREETVIBES About Us 2 STREETVIBES Street vil;es n 1 liast 12th Street C incinnati, Of-1.45202 phone: (513)42 1·7803x 12 March 2008 Our Mission Streetvibes isa newsp.1per Ihat provides relevant cliscussionsol homelessness, pove1'ly andolher relat«I socialjustireissues !1 is published onrea month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition fo r lht' Homeless. ·n"K?Gl\:......-it1trCincinr~ati Coalition (or Lhehornelcss is a g:n)upof shelL-ersJ agenciesand i11divit1uals •'Ommitted lo ending homeless in Cincinn.atl through ooordlnating.servk'ES. educating !he public, and g rassrootsorganizing. Our Vendors fax: (S 13) 42 1-78 13 streetv1bes2@}rah00.('0m \VV.'~v.cindhon)t'}es..c;..org GCCH Staff E.Xr.cut1VEOIRECTOR GeorgineGetty AtfO\<I \\roolfolk An1hoc1y \ViJJian:t.11 Antonio lf udgr Bt>rta Cleo Ooi"id L'Uu.bc.-rt \Voulbld \\rntkirtS A0ti1INJS1'fl,\T.lVE COORDU-.~'fOR SusanSmith EOUCATIONCOORDlNA'l''OI~ Andy Frc"e7.e 1\J\IP..RICO,Rrs \tJS'ri-~S Lynne Ausn1an, Greg Olkhovsky, '11ffo ny Hannon M:u·k G1mly Ja~s Jaml's Shc.::srs Cook Bybee Oan)'Oll Jon Dnrby Bas.k t.rviUt Julit' ~1arl< l\'1UI') ' Nett 10ni1• WnJJ;,,r Uoniu'CI .J=icks:on Citmpbctl ~1u~ll~r '\ \'illi11n1s 1-lnlf)' RacshRwo Rir-cardo S1u11 Si.l\'la Tooy Rn): llnrd Gipson T..'lylor ,Jac.f.ison COiiins 011nt1fll0f1d Joseph111e A~IAPRO.JECTMANACEll Ken.,eth Cheriyo I RECEPTJONLS'l'S Melvin WiUjantS, EleUa \Aloolevs Streetvibes C01'"fRIBlflU"'<G\ \IRrrERS Cl'\i; OlkW••iSk)·, C\.fich11cl l•lc1~l\n, St\:\-.: Sundcrl;,nrl,. Andy Frt.'"?~'• /\lys::<a K(1n.,: rm"ru1, P..fari: Sl \1..~ltrS, 0.."4.• \·Vu1n blt.~. Julie: l'rl'yby~ r.. /\ngL'll11 1\,u '<l'lltt, Qi.101.1tlc \'\>'right, J1.•ff~r O-,t111rn, O;i,•id l-h1rrt.., l\.16hammcd Ali, Su1:a11114!' l•l ,'\1111(~)', Am t1ndt1 \\t('\ft•, f\f,indy ~l eA n n ll y1 r-.t.1uric~ King, t.1n Grif(n..-r ,I ones OOlCN!i •UUl : .11 Pl·JOl·ocnAPllV/AR'l'\\'ORK Anrl y FllX':tto, 1-\ nton i(1 Hodgl', 1\ nlh<.' n)' \.Yillian1~J 13crta Lambert, --~ ;12 . J, , ,. : Ct-.ISTlil! --··­ ...........12 <-'OVER (' l")''I' ~\;t:rd'-C.' during fl lrninlng ·~~Sion for 1r:llf$ ~(l('C\' r lo.!.1m , f'h01<• by REUTER.S/CN"n\ an .Az l?_ 75 ce11/.~ gt>eJ.' ,/Jrtctl)• ltJ J'OIU' 11e111lt> r 1:'i t:e11/.1' pu)il' ,{or prblliftg ( 'tJS/.)• We are members of: - No11h Antrri<::ln St r'\~1 Newspape1·;\.sso-tiation IN SP ./ l11tert1atio11al Ntl\vorkof Street PaP<r• Reat.i ers! Do yo11 have a favorite Vendor you would like to non1inate for Vendor of the Month? Please send your 11on1inations to streetvibes2@yahoo.com or Streetvibes 117 E 12th St. Cinciru1ati, OH 45202 513.421.7803 x 12. �STR EETVIBE S The Vibe March2008 3 Shutter Speed By the Numbers Frum lbc Bro6klugs lo.stitulo's ongoin~Jraq inde.~; th,e laresc l'ele~ed ·oecerober 2 1. - 111e numb'eroinewly disploce<I pcoploio lrvq, intoruolly 'Md abroac\, ran·between 60,000 artd 90,000 pet mon1h beet weeo Jnnuary and August~of 2007 In 'N<>vem.b~(. 40~000 peopre wer~· nowly displocc'd - Since th~ s:wc of 1be wnr 1n 2003. 124 Jouni:ilis:ts ~oveb.~n killed. IQ2 ofthem Iraqi Of 1hl>sc, 84 ~·•Iii~ were by n1u1:detnnd'AO by ae·ts of' war. [(___roe(lio wo1·ket~ such 1\S delvers aud inte~reters-are c9ucited, 1b.e numberreacbes Ib8. - The coali11on uoop s1reogth U1 lr;ui was 173,000 Jn !vla,r 2003(U.S. "1th ISO,O'o0. all ot,lrer~ not lrnqi. 23,0DQ). As of OeCt1J'1bcnhc tOol js do\viJ sli~hdy to l 70, 96 1 (9,S. wnh 169,.000 alloihecs 001 rraq1, i'o, 9'6 1). 1'hennnual Honteless J\tart11on ,.,.as broadcast from Nashville tl1isyeaL lt \Vo1·ks to prontote dte issuesofbou-.elessness ::ind poverty /1 l1or,; '1J•/l ffuJ!'" , 8n1w11 -'As 6f Deoembcr, thcre'wcre an esumated 25.,000 de1ainees­ n)·U.S. custody lniraq'$ prisons U.S. andJraql t,t0vtmmeru offl'c i:ils rapomha1 ""' cstimntod 44,000 - 65,000 Mr. and Mrs. H omeless Downtowner suspected l rriq1 msurg~nts or ~ectar1an kJllecs<letnJoed 1c11taq have been released .s_iiJ,ca March 2003. Ci~ed reasonsinchlde prison O'•Crcrowding. 'SL6bal poljti.cs-and·corroption tn the Na1ut: Ky le:\yner Ho1nch1,VJ•: Cleveland,OH Ncighborhood: A''Ofldale Fs.vorife intti.1-est: .<\.ltplru1es, listun,g.Md JUstoiy I r.an't 1:esist: Staying \\•arn1 and a:good bot meal I cau 't stand it " 'he11: t>eople \\':1.lk right l>)i n\eand ignore rue~ When people think d1ey arebe.rter than nu~ Ir '''''on the. lot tel'")' 1·,vould: Buy my O\VJl airp'lane and travel the \v~nrd Tl1e one thio2 l '''ou1d chan2e about the 'vo11d \\'Ould be: Findinga cure torcancer a.ad otherilJnesseS Jf I c:ould hll.V~ done it all over again I " 'ouJd hn,·r: Ne\'~r gotcen i1110 drugs 1 l'l\.q•ju~11c~-sx.ste.it:L - NC)lrly 4,000 U.~. soldiers biivc diod rl> f;oq Love to lllt is: F.org1veness l~----------------------------------------------------· Donate to Streetvibes 1 T~e morl!'supwn we h11;ve from th,e community, the f1utherouretfotsreacl:). 'You cni't don·aie.onl'ine -\\'\Y\'i·, ei'rrcilJo·n\eless.ofg . ' 1 Our work is possible only with tile he.Ip ofgenerous i11dividual gifts. : !?lease consider making a c0111rThu.tion 100ayl Et1cl0sed is my iax-deducl11bl<!'co111nbuti<>11 o( l $50 >$ 100 Others_ I I I Or make chooks payable to: S.treetv ib<-.s 117East 12th St:reet, E:'i ncinnuti. OH !15202 Addnlss: - - - - - - - - - - - - ­ T hank you for giving generously! e'ity I S\'ate/ 2!ip: - - - - - - - - I I I I . ________________ ______________ ______ __________ ________________ .. . _. . . I I �STREETVIBES March2008 News 4 Sleeping bags reach those in need Toledo inmates participate in comn1unity service, make bags and blankets for the 111ost vulnerable One hc;>1)1eless persoo srud 10 l'ue that geuji1g the b~ Wa.5 agtc'Uhelp, Thc'Y only hlldone9Tlall blonkctMd nov.•theextr:a \\'llmlth helps a lot. ,o\ separateperSOo 1 ()n Wednesday Februaty 13' \ I.he Grea1et said that 1he ~provided exera supr1<)11 fol' tlleirback Ciocinnnti Coali1ion for1he ~to nu~l ess received I00 issues.'' donruedsleepu1gbags Md 101es. Both the homeless 1-\ ltllough thetna1n goal is 10 get people off tJ-1e and communily outreach \\Urkcrs have Visited 1hc slrcctsAodsuccessfully placed intohOu$ing. the 1t.-ality Coalition daily ro colJeer theslee1>ing b.a,gs for eiiher is lhaton any given nigl1t in Cincinnau L,300 people pel'So11 al use, or to v.~11 behotnc-Jess and l't1any \viii sleepou1Aide, on th!.! "Although the main goal is to get ri..~istribute to hon1eless riverbook. under badges or i.n abwldoned bu ildi~ U\ ' GRr-:c; OLK UO\l'SICl. S'l'l \fF \\rR.m~ people off the streets and successfully placed into housing, the reality is··that on any given night in Cincinnati 1,300 people will be homeless" wd1vidullls \.;110 may oot have the means toget the bags dtentselves. The -slc~ping bags were doo•tedby the Bags ~111<JBtanke1 pn.)gi<un li'om the Ohio Oepann1llnt of Rcilc"lbihtruion nnd Comction (OORC). ·n1eBagsand a Blanke. ptograot is OORC's comtnunity si.::tvice corunlitme.11 to parmerv.•j1b organiz..'ltic>ns that ne~d help lo 1>rovlded seN1ces 10 sup1>0rt-die homeless. Cincinnati isn•11hconly city lhKI has benefited from the donations. OD'RCprovida-sleepingbags and roll.~ to ci1ies 1htough6tJ1 1he state to help hon1elt.'SS org..111lzal1oos during th~roveriloM'season. The ptoduCti(ln ortt:ieactuaJ bag,~ Md t0l<!$ lhftt tho GCCH.rccei \'Cd cume from the commmicyseivicc inmates at the 1bledo Correctlonnl Institution. .o\11 of the f-abric u:;e-d to produce th~ ha-i~ ar1d tolt!::i·\lo"ete don.ated nt.."l!erial One of Cii1~1!Ut:th ·s outrc:te:h \VO.l'ke.rs, Chico l~Qck ha" , shares. " I ltilkc.d lo~ lot of people \vho received the blrutkecs and dley \\1Cre ~finitdy thrutkful. Please be sure to only purchase a Streetvibes from a vendor wearing a white or yellow badge. ISSUES 2 WHAT' S AT STAKE? JOlN lJS for DAYS OF DIALOGUE. What better tin1e than an election year to dialogue on the critical issues that affect us all OUR P URPOSE is to create an environn1ent where people \vith differing vie"vs can listen and be listened to, and civil discourse can occur. Economic Development March 15 <> ' <1><) 'i¥flEN: Each dialogue \Viii be he.I d on Saturdays h .... E.... d_u_c_a_ti_o_n_, frou1 9a1n to 12 noon Wl:lERE: first Unitarian Church (536 Linton St) at corner ofReading ay17 - Free & Open to the Public ­ Reservations Re.que$ted. RSVP lo 513-579-8547 wvvw.ijpc-cincinnati .org <) �STR EETVIBE S News March2008 5 The state of Massachusetts releases five-year plan to end homelessness ll\' l,\ N G 'l,OFl;o;\1\K Srlla:r N1-:v.7' SliKVJCTi O\'en1or De.var P3triCk \\1ll atti:lmpl G to 11n1>l~menl n 1>l an 10 end homelessness ii'1 1hc Comn.1Qn\VC11l1h ll1e plan lmsbeal given a bodg,'tof$ I0 rnjJhonovet fiveyears, \'••iicll \\~II be b~\sedon n reportfiled in Deoen1berb}' the M.assachuse11S ContnlL~1 on 10 End Homcl-cssncss, 1'heoonu1:tission•s. repon proposes: to end hon1elessness fol' both fanulies and indi \.idtKtls ~~pro,1ding affordable hoUSlng. p1'0.\iet1Ll0£ d10$C !11l'lsk rrom bcingcvic:.t'-xl or di~'pl ncOO. Rlld roding in nsse1 develop~nt 1\ccording to smte 1cpresen1ntive AngeloJ.Pupollo Jr.. there"ill be.some diflerences bet\Veei1 the ("~·ven)()C ·~plan ~nd 1ho<:ommis.sion's n:porl l:.-J<.1'-'vvcr, "a significantportion doesoverlap,..he srud "1he Govemof?s·pJan isin line ,,.jth ou1· ~m 1·n1s.oe;.io n... said P'upollo, Q mcml')C'fof~1c CQmmi~<.lll He<b:hnc<I to c-01nn1enton the difli!rei1-ces bernre-n d1Cl\.\ i0. The repon recomntends 1heuseof cash and tlOn-C3Sh l'esources 10 p1'1!\!esn displaccmcn1 and cvict1on, including re-u1por.uy cash assismncl!.for rentand utilities. The CQ O tJl lis.~ion also reoomnlends \1iurking \\<itb tltose about 10 be disch:1J'g¢d. ftoin prrso.11 10 li od pcnnanCn1"hQusi.1Jg.. l'hec-0mn1isslo11 's.plan to proVlde per1nauen 1 housing fol' the C.onunon,,'ealtft >s ho1nelesS begins ''41.h n10~·111ga~v<l)' fl'01n d'k!tiscoFeit ll'1get-.cy shcltcrsasdcfuctohuiising. The nombcr ofshelters in Mass. will be reduced bin 1101 a.l t-0ge1her don~. awily with. According 10 Joe Fin1t, C'xec.uti,,e director of the -~'Jnss. Housing and ShcllerAll1anco(MMSA)ond :1member Qf1hc«lmn1iss1o.n, shcltcrs \\'Ill b\!U51;!d only forsl1on-rern1emergoocy stays, Jtot housing fot the duonicolly homelosi wid diS3bled. "Shel te<s: '''1JI be used~ diey :u·e mcanr tQ be." said Fron Gail £runru1,. e~ec uti ve. clir~tor of CASPAR (Can1biiclge and SbmeJ''"lle Program for 1\ lcohQI and Drug Rehab1l1tat10.11). ~01nn1ended 1be commissioo and 0q,,crnor Palrick f'o r proposing 3 pla n to help the homeless but she clojnts the plti.n does 1101 adequately deal \vilh non-economic l'easons JOr hontL.-.fessn·ess~such as 1nental iJJ nessc;; and substanCI.! midiction.s ''ih~ probleol ofhon1elessuess is 001lq>lex,..said EnnlM'1l1ei1·solu1ions \viii \VOrk for so1ne people .butotheJS \vtU 1101be able 10 keep their hou.~g;. ~ For this rcnson En n1~m 001 icvcs shcitMS.. especiaJJy ~lose th::tt deal \\'ith. s ubstance 9.buse. v11ll continue 10 be necessary despiw the plan to end homel ~'>llt!SS. Srud Unman. '"'There,,;JI al'\ln)'S be a place forshe1 ters. especiaUy fo r the populn1ioc1 \\iese1ve, thepopula11on \vith aoriveaddictions. The community \liill al\v.l,YS \Vlllll IQS~porropponun1ties for thu• populntioo," Sana ~adel. Director of Public Pl:1lic;,· fol' Ros(e's Placea Booton-brtSed \VQnten 's shelter, Is nlore op1imistic about tliepropoS<d plruL ~add cited the focus en 1hc di fferent needs of the h.;;im~l css RS o pQsih\rc asp<XI of thc repon. Fadel illso :tpproved of 1J1~ tl:po1t's :ltlecn pt to add.J·e~ djf'fetl!nt C.'l.USes ofho1nelessness and 1he focus oofinding 'o;ay:sofincrms111g.dte 1ocoine or a~s ofthe hon1ctcss. "1tlunk it's r....Jly grea~" said f'odel ••11'sn n'rulti.focuSi.."'d plan.·· TJ1e repor1 seek.s to reduce lhe Sb.Ue·~ 1'el1ance on s:hcln.>tSl;,:r• 1ncreasu1g: thi::produdion oflo\v-in..:omohous.lng u11hs and the add1tioc1 ofnlore housi1lg vOuchers. 11aJso c.alls Ibt producing a torn!of 1000 Single Person Occupancy hous1og. UIUIS and 800 lb.itUJy units O'Vel' the plann~d five years.r ive h1Jndrcdof the fim1ily lllJIS \\ouid be COOSln1ctOO Ul privitte de,ielop1nents \vltl!e300 ''IOuJd be oonstn1cted in ne\vpublic housing 11le repoltn1so hsts k>1.,\!1111g 00rr~ers th..-u prcvcnt 1hc homelc-ss from ncqtrim1g exisnnghousiJtg.asa !,."OaL The plan ,v;11 ~,r~)ltlotc: an t."'Tl d to hon1elessoess notonly in dle.Bos:ton area bu1 tbtoughou1 Lhe Con1nlo11\veaW1 Geraldine ~~cC'afl'erty, 1hc Deputy Directorofthe Onjce of HousLng :u1d the l!it) ' ol'Sptin~ietd·spoinl 1Jersonoo homelessness. slates that Sptinb<field is ~dready \\Otk1n,gID oi.'lkecluuiJ:,>ess11u1l3J· to cho5~ suggested in die .;omm1sslon's reporl such as tOcusing on crc?.afulg nifordablelX>using.for die homeless. ..Springfield is \VOrking to make the saolfl ch.aogeso\re1·1hep"3! )'ear ol~$0," saidMcOilli:rty. ).'l c.Caffer.ty belie\les: that 1.h ~ C"JO,rcroor·s proposed SI0 1nilllon 1,vill help ~eJernte 1he cities efforts to 11\Cl\.->ase lK>Using. "Wearespecifically looking to cn::ilo 250 unitsQfsupportive housirtg." said rvlt.~feny adding thn1 the resoucces pc~ b)1thel:ovetnot1.v1U hastendie JOyearexpectancy oftheplru1. To solve the e(;011ornic causes of' homelessness the roport rcco.1nmcncls ptovidin_g reSources and c.teating progtatns 10 allow those at tisk U) n1axjn1iie lheir inco1l\e and become econonuc.a lly stable. T1lere are also proposed progrums 1hat \'fill provide skill training and en1ploy1nent as \\<ell as SlJ!poqjve en\ploynllmt oppn1tuliliiSfor lhoSe \\<ith ntental illoessesorsubstance ab\IS.e problenl$. Acconliug 10-Pupollo. 1hc- ti rs1 step in 1nsti1uongthe co1un1ission·sreponis· funding.Tlte (;ovetnor. has proposed a budget of$10 million dollarto f101d the goal of enduig ho1nelessnes~ 111 the Comnlon1.vcalth Finn said that approXJmately $1.8 mlllion of tl1e proposed $10 nlillion " ill f;OIO MliSA. and dreotherSS.2 million ..;n go to the Depanment of l.lo~ing :ind lJrban Development (HUD). ·rhe Govc?mor's plan snJI 111us.1 be 1~iss.ed tltrousfl Sfate legislature before it can be instituted Ke\'irt Hun1ey. a hoo,eJess 1natl h\f1ng on t.heStteets·Of' Boston, has fui1h 1hcGovcrnor·s p)BTI to end honlelessness v.;nsucceed. "I lecould do 11 I dunk."said liumey. "lt~s thesmart thing todo. \Vith all the hQ111elessness.-0u1 dtere it' s a big priority." Re11ri111cdfiv111 .S1x1re <"':h<1nge f.'. .\~J;!CI :Ven'.~ ~t·n·ic(f: UTUTU',,\'frC'l'I • /k.1/JCl's.o rg f\.1issed a copy of ,{}freetribes. Check out the Street1•ibe.\· nrchive on the Greater Cincinnati Coalition l<.1 r the Hon1eless· \\'ebsite at http://\V\V\\.ci nci hon1eless.orgicontent/street vi bes.ht111 l Do you have trouble reading? Streetvibes Subscriptions Seeing people's faces? Doing everyday tasks? Are you interested i11 having Street11ibes delivered to yt>ur mailbox every month. Send a check for $25 with your name and address to: Streetvlbes 117 E. 12th SL Cincinnati. OH 45202 There is hope. There is help. We can help you or someone you know who has: • No Vision • Loss of Some Vision • \ Clnclnnad Association for the ' ' '-' Blind & Visually Impaired 2045 Gilbert Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45202 A not.for·profil 'lgency For information call 513-221-8558 and ask for Adrianne. �Community News 6 STREETVIBES March2008 Moratorium now! Many states rethink capital punishment laws, not Ohio B r .IULIF. PRZ Yll\'SZ CONTR.IBUTING VlR.IT~ R F a111ous a uthor and longtime death penally opponent, S r. Helen Prejean. OSF often describes support for lhe dealh penalty as, ..a rnile long and an inch dee1>." \Vhy is that? Often that one inch of su1>port is based upon easily c.hallcng,cd beli efs sue.It as - the death penalty is reserved for the v.•orst of1he v.•orst or that it deters crin1eorthat eveiyone receives a fai r 1r1al of 1he1t peets. Yet. digg ing beyond that f irst i nch, surprisi ng real i t ies a re discovered. that over 3,3 50 people sit on death TO\VS in our nation, that 126 innocent persons have been exonerated fro m death rO \\IS, the role of racial and geogra phic d isparities 1n death sen tences, the all-too-con1mon story of ineffective assistance of co unsel, to nan1e a fe \v, As these facts and tl av"s arc slo,vly exposed, the enti re d eath penaJty syste1n n1us t be caJled into question. So, ho'v d oes Ohio stand up? Ohio to execute innocent person Of the 126 nten exonerated fro nt death ro..v, five of them were fro m Ohio: Gary Beeman, Dale Johnston, Timothy l·lo..vard, Lamar Jan1es, and Derrick Jamison. Altogether, these nte.n spent over 80 ye.ars in1prisoned 'vrongfully and ri s ked bei ng executed for crimes they did not innocent people. \Ve arc thankful that ~Ir. Richey did not have to lose commit. Beyond these five exonerations. his life due to the nawed policy and countless others have been ntoved ineffecti\•cness of Ohio 's death o ff death row or granted ne..v trials penalt)•. Wearethankfulthat he,vas due to trial errors and ne\.\• e\•idence able to return home to Sc-o tland to that called the fairness o f their be \Vith his n1other fo r the fi rst ti111e convictions into question. The most 10 over 2 1 yeatS." T\vO days fo llO\\•ing Kenny recent exan1ples are Kenny Richey Richey's release, and John Spirko. K e n n y "Across the co untry, John Spirko a Richey, a native more and more states received to co m1 n u tat1on of Scot la nd , are beginning to l ife ""i thout \Vho "'as rethink t heir capital parole front convicted of the punishment systems, G overno r Ted 1986 murder of recognizing the Strickland - IS Cynthia Coll ins days prior to his irreparable flaws ." spent O\•e r 20 sch e d u I e d years on Ohio 's execucion. Jo h n Spirko had been death row. The en tire tin1e Kenny 111aintained his innocence. Concerns convicted of the 1982 n1urdet of over the entirely c1rcun1stantial Bett)' Jane r\.1ottinger and s pent nature ofevidence that \\'&$ used to a ln1os t 25 years o n death ro\v convict hin1, eventually led to a ne ..v d espite no incriminating fore nsic trial being granted. \Vi th lacking evid ence. In November of200S, the State confidence in the justice systen1, it is oflittle s urprise that Richey pied ofOhio began conducting extens ive 'no con test' fo r lesser charges and D NA test ing to obtai n any to be released for tin1e served at the conclusive evidence that "'<>uld have linked Spirko to the crinte. l n over beginningof2008. Sister Alice Gerdentan, who two years, no evidence was fo und. gre..v up in Putnan1 County, Chair of During the investigation, Spirko Ohioans to Stop Executions said received a record 7 reprieves (five ··.,ve have kno\vn for years that the fromfo rmcrGovernorTaftandt\VO death penalty ri sks execut ing front Governor Strick land) , receiving a ne ..v execution date each ri111e. Come and have a cup of coffee and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere at 1506 Elm St. Monday - Friday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm Saturday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00pm Phone# (513) 381-3368 d ispariti es. a nd i nsuffi cien t protection for in111ates with 111ental d isabilities. \Vhethe r o r no t someone receives the death penalty c an depend upon the race ofthe victim. The ABA found that those that kill 'vhite victin1s are 3.8 t1rnes n1ore likely to rec-e ive the death penalty than those " 'ho kill victints ofcolor. \Vhethe r o r no t someone receives the death penalty can also depeod upon what s ide of the state thecrimeoccurred. Only IOout of 88 co un ties acco unt fo r ·14o/o of Ohio's death ro\v, And, those \vho co111n1it capital cri111es in Harn.i lton County are 2. 7 tin1es n1ore likely to be sentenced to death than in any o ther county. lo regards to 1he ineffective assistance of counsel, the ABA found that indigent defendan ts do not have eq ual access to v.•ell­ qualified ano111eys and that anomeys representing those who may have 111ental illness need to have n1ore s ufficient tra ining in order to recognize these mental disabilities and recognize the in1pact o f the disabih ty on their client's defense. Lastly, the risk of wrongful inc.arcerarion continues to occur due to a lack of p reservatio n o f biological evidence , lack of documentation o fi n1erroga1ioos. and frequent fa lse eye\.\•it ness identification. Study demonstrates need for moratorium A changing tide In September of 2007, 1he A nterican Bar Association, j o ined t he 130+ organ iz ations and institutions in Ohio \vho have called for a n1oratoriun1 on the death penal ly in O hio. T he ABA conducted a 30 -n1onth in-depth study o f Ohio's death penalty and fo und that o f the 92 standards of fairness set fo rth by the ABA, Ohio failed to meet 93%ofthe s tandards. In addition to concerns about innocence, the ABA reported on inade<1uate legal counsel. unfai r j uiy practices, racial and geograph ic Across the country. more and n1o re states are beginning to rethink their capital p unis hment systems, recognizing the irreparable flaws. J ust 1n 2007. ·rennessee implemented a study. Illin ois continued its lvtoratori1u1t, Ne"' York choose to not reins tate its death penalty, and New Jersey abolished its d eath penalty. \Vhen .,,,ill Ohio li sten to the n un1erous groups c a l ling for motatotiuo1, 1nclud1ng the Cincinnali City Council, and begin to ad dress this issue? �STREETVIBES Community News March2008 7 Valentine's day brings many gifts Our l.!<11/y lJ1•ad Is a)Qod a1uJ 110.l'j>irnli i}' 111l1ri.1·U'J' 1J\' A1'<it:.J,,, P.iis~"t'.A.LA Cor..'T«1nunl'o WxrrEM Ou1·Daily Bread celebrnlcd Vale-iltlne's l)ay fully thisyo.'IT. Hem1-sh:ipedsugwrookies covered \\ii.th 1>ink icing front ·Larin Club of M.oooi.n1 High Scbool set the tooofor lbc day. Masy Beth Pefers, our ExecutiveDirector. lulf'lded lhe1nou1to people and \' 1::Ult0£. rot the .serving1ine io open, 1be celebrnt1on continued ,vflen. an 1he rrtlddJ e of Iuu<.:h. ~ truck pulled up·1:1r Ql(r back door, wluch IS located nghtdo\\'1 tbefirstalley offElder a.1\et the lntersecCJoo '"1th Race. The door \velcon1es and 1hanks chose bringing do.nario.ns 1.vilh thl.!' \.\'Or.ds -aoo ll l..ESS U'"spray-paimcd bcSidc ic Ourof the truck can1eagro~ of\IOIunteas \\1to b1ought1n boxes u1:>Qn boxe$ filled \v1th foo<l, toiletries, blankets iu1d more. 1bis wasOjleralion Wann-Up. ex1>lained l~ l i ~bcth, a 1114.lmbcrofthc crc\v, ·rite Elil lel Jewish Student Center at the Univers1t)1 of C1ne:1nnaHh3:$·1X!en $i)Ollsonng I.his wu~u!ll e\lenf since 1996. II is not, hO\\'ever,just a one day atTuir. for $Cvcral m011ths pri6l', volun1ccrssolk.it bUSlnessesfordon:irio11s, \\hich dley then bnng to vnnous.sheltel'S,J>Mtnes., mi$$1ons. ruldsol.4) kitdiens. Maiiy UC students are invol ved; "yeso.:rdS)• mu b.undrcd vohmlc.'C~ bc:Ip¢d OOg upall that wascoll<eted," Eh2'1beth said,"we had eight tl101L$attd b~. ·•AdddJonally. the Cincinnati f\1on1essori Secondarv Teacher Education l'r9gran1 provided s.is of our u1 01 ·c~r-1/J'i!-R/1i11c, C inc:i111m1i JJ'e .~c.>t,'t.' (I f ll}t/-</(( I' 1111!'1l li1111un: 1i1a1r 500 iluil1rh/11nl.s c 1°'l.''J' ,f(JJ ~ A1(11ula)t tflJ"Vllg/J f;ritlOJ' rti· pro,·hfc. )1•a rur a t-0111j(1nnhl1: /Jfacc j i1rall 11·J1(1 C(1111e. lt ;s o.·11/nc:c u•/Jc1r.· 11// 1111!'11.\ ;,, arv in1·111.·1/ 1a hv a f ll1'" ~fa ttJ1111J11111i1}' 1ha1 ix CMSTE.P \o'Olunll!Cr$ in th!.! kitchon at Our D~lly Rn..-ad. l'brJ10/rt1111 !'1 1s7·51~ Sdf\•ln_g..fine volunteer.; for the da>'· This trniiti11g course tQr, middle school teachers included a.serv1ceoon1ponent, and they c.u1no n.ot only from lndiann and Ohio. butalso as foras Washington. Florid."l, Tux.., Md l\tlichtl}&Jt "The- idct1 is to help us learn ~1-0\V to 1ntroduceoon1nlun1t)r service-to our 1111ddle ~chool students.... ~pres;c~ Rcbc<:ca, one of theCMSTEPvisitcrs. lnorder to ex,x'Yit!rtce Cinci.tmari's'various soc'ial SCJYicc agencies> the group $pCn1 time ·'ill f'easlee Ne1~borhood Center.. \ le n.1ce on n'. ft-e l '1i! t1h·,·11,L<'S looki11gfi1r 1'()/11111ccirs anti literacy pro.g,rBn1, learned aboul social t l (11HJ1i(1n.f ofn o1t­ enterprise.Sat \ 'coiccoq \ 1ine and lcaftlcd tho /k'ri,\'}rnblefoods. valueof\!•TInng and refl ecuo11at InkTank. !'/ease _gJ1.-c ~IU{111 or Tuna-tl.sh-saladsnnd"~ches \-\'ci:oservcd Kmh }' u ct1l l '1t up and greetings or-'Bappy \\1lentine~s Day" \'1/f!{i:.¢.XCh:U\_yedb e!Y>'Cen t\l.L The Spidtof1hc dt1J \\'l\S thick in the u.ir• ooeof'our guests gave \\obite rosesto those of' us on 1hc stuff. Slt'ts of stickci:s. lollipops. .stuffed animals, and cards v.;;~lre exchanged. and hugs 'vere fm..-.ty givt'1'1. \Ve havo a fricnd·v.i10 likes to givf:. us all h~~ shecan1e 1n ~a)' ai111oun.c.ingshe bad sp~1:d v.ilentine's Day hugs \\:~. did not turtt V1n~m1d lnk Taitk. They \\Urf.:ed \\ti th (;hildren in the,.Peasfee her do\.\'J"t Well put together c IL\ RJ.01-n: \VRJGtrr Co.,'1nun1.rrrNO \\'R1TER h is n(>tveiy often that you areplacecl in a facility "'here you can say you liked the entire staff, l an1a client at 1he Center for Respite Care. h is·a -fucilil\.· pr'OVided to hel1, ho1nefess people reco\ie1'physically. 1m>:ntnlly ru1denlOtinnatlY: It also prcp3rcs yo\1to be ready to go back toe·vcrydny living, I have bcitm heresince februaiy 5, 2008. \Vh!!n Icrune here I \Vas.extren1el)r depre~and close lo suicide. I c-0uld have never been placed 1n a better place. h is n very homey n1nl05phere. there is 5o1neone to help evel)·one. Who ever is respo1ts1ble fOr the sraffh'el'e.did fill C'>celle-n1ioh. The\' ••o the e.X"cra tt\1le to ~ help the clients boh:tpp)' and splrit stroo,g1hroug,h thc1rrt:eo\reiy, On da~·s when you are blue at least on~st3fl' perron care enough.to brighten your day. They aclually ,;'lrc lllcy make n.'00\'Cringcasy, no matter \.\•hat)'Our illness all ofourneeds are met$ lhey• are requlred h is asj.feandc.lean enviro1unenl You o ev·~r g,o to sleep 91 night feehng:b'1ld. 1t,s 1heir goal -You :tro prov1dc'3 \W-ll balnnc01.i meals :lnd O•lo snack CRch day. 1\ ll of)·ourmedic.ation is there nsneeded. Yourcloth1ngand personal needs are 1hcre as 'vcll Wehnve-indiVidual acri\rilies lha1are reqlUrOO ofus each ''ieek as ,velJ as gt0of)t1clivi1ies . .'-\11of 'vhich i~ hclpful 1othe clienLI\. [...'lStbu1·001 loast \\o'C have fl.m and do a !_01oflougtung, ltJt1$l goes to-SbO\\' you that being sick is not so bad after:UI Lt'saH about pos:inv.e 1hj11.king. Look at - 'IA'ha1-it did fur me. I. mris.ure I \1,ill recover in n1ore \\'3)'5 than one,no m:itter hO\.\rlong IS1ny heri!. (>oe thing I kllO\\' is nl)l lifeorhon1eless:ness iso\~r. Dtlesrepat a 01ne. l-:lat.'$otT10 the-cli1..>t1tS arldStat'f-ofRcsr>itc. \\1c.\vork ,w-11tog1..1hcr. lb1s 1sour safe-havoo~ ourhon1e.ooril \\lf,l. get our 0\\1l. 1Y<ill definitely \x•, \'Ol1.S1tCC11ngsomcof1ny h1neoncc Ism rclc.'IScd. Th3nks Respite for3ll ofyoursuppon, ·' t '111--r11g. s11pporli1"tt, ,1111/ 11·elao111i11g. 5 JJ..62 J..f,Jf>./ fl) j i11d 011/ llUJll!. ()11t' /,'J(1il)•1Jn:f1t,f i:: /r)clJ/1.~tl lll J 73() liacc .\'11't'..:t, ('inci111tt1ti OH, 45102. Give credit where credit is due f.I\' J\1, ' 1,,R.K S.0F.J.1t-, ST1ia; rv1ues VENDOR Pi~1of-all, I V.'OU.ld like10 tha _nk God for havi.n,g_me here in sow1d hfatthand fOC'havingrny Fits1 Lad)' -trl)' n1on1- in my Life: Mrs Eliz.abclh PCJU"IWaller~ -my in.spinttiOOI 1\\UU!d ltlso like tO thru.1kAndy Freeze from $11YJe1v1bcsand a host ofothet'S; .Ijus-t found<>ul lhal I 2u11 VeodoroftheW1on1hl I would like to thank my ftiend !Tom Clay Su..1that feeds me, (ireg Ross from "Mc110" Jetf11'0 1ll Rhil\os, Bill Bawn ffotn lJtban Sites, and tho M:worM•rk Mnllo1y. Yos,l helped pass out Aye"' for you years ago before you become nlayor. I '111proud ofyou! ·rQyou, thu1f1bs up, You uri::.doin£ fl greatjob 1A1th Ove1·d10 Rhine, As far as I an1 con.cemed, the6ad lhings here are the individuals that break 1n10 cars. r ·rn a rat! If you ttre hrea.ki1lg.in, J an1 relling! Rc!lOOn bciog, I \Ya-')h pc.'Ople'seurs The carthat yoo decide.to break 111 could have.beeo1l\)' nlOther's, so stop that! l anl ptoud 10 say a good thing nbout (rrn. is Str~ecvibes.ruld its man}' suppone-rs Md en1ployees, Ofthe businesses here Classical (jlass fol.tnder Mr. Davicl b ufflla.o; boon hllinspiffition i.n ~1y life for }'ears .Rc-carc.s abou1poopfc. Ph:~c support his business; he is a stained glassex'Pert Alol)g \Vlth·re.rry and nty long t101e fnend1'on1. Jim l'ronl Luc:_y Blue·s Pin-a and 0$11y o1hers I lhink that I \Viii close forno\v 111is is.Ill}' _llrst rinte \"ritin,g,, ro if you like It, buy ru.11ssuc fronl 11, e Md tel 111e krlO\'J! I v.-ould Inter like to \VTitc about"my po,sition in the riots·Of OTR. t hankYou! Mark ,.\nd1ocly 1 �Vendor Artwork and Poetry 8 STREETVIBES March2008 Homeless in N.Y.C. InJail Tiii tile suits \\loreotr J S!l.\V)'Oll On Swid:Ly Ad:iy ofresi BeJOn: Freen1nrket fot.aid more ere.vices ~lelp:!d n'liObili7..chaJfnmlllionpeople Bunwarolf Did >'OUnot Si;Ulding pratJd Loolangcmzy FrQn1 asJtksoc1ety Nine fingera ru~l;ed in One str~tch~ Tojudge '10 your residence On th~ streitt Ye:~~j udt;!i 1a1t To n.-devclo1> Yeah, II wasAugust29. 20-04 When lJ1lilOO fol' Peace aodJusiiC"e Bo.Sng l11e republj ciw' 001\\'e11uon Jn i1 city Notho1.rang e\'ef)'OOI! In t'i cit)' \vhete Touristshurdle l11e honicless and gari)af;e bags On theside·wulk. NofgaJblb>e bags in asense of'tiltl1 Bulg;:ubage b~1gs 1.u 1;\ settSe of duplicity Doubling LtS a n\9.kesilift pillo\'/ t\Jlda ho1dcrofonc•s ,....orld Aholderofevetytlungom1ed Pet~l::il l 1emsortl1lnJ;S cntried And held OOI() Even,,;thoutalu>fna E.vt11 fron1 TI1ecalm Ofhn] f t'I m1Ilion pcaccmnkc1"S Not lotO\Vlng y.•hat to 1uakeof .i\ ~~vcn fbot soarly .1ti :w \.\'ilhout ahome '"' seven fooi SRMly nuu1 WiriK>utquil r\ sl?\·e11fuotsn;u:ly ni..w Rftis111s hJ!S vol~ Wid1 anleSsage But themh>S 10 be Sontedung \\'T011g ''1.lh you You have 10 bosick Too sick To ftu'1dll)Jl Jn aClvili-7,1.-dsoci<..'ly The Wolf #lbday \WIS different N.Y.C htld u makeOvt!r BuiuU IJ1 ~ c.xpht.at1vi: 'rhe hon1eless disappeared In tJ1.:v.-orld For the \vee.keod \\'t).ufd be 11euphef11jsm You "~~re U1elasi Too bold l•lotncle:SS n1:1t' Sltul.tbug TO<.lU!!l)th The oops deporred Thep"ll"' n\etf:!)•es6rd·s Ofd10 TothooutSkins 1\nd1>u1l.be-resr C'.nlm or}'Our C:()Ulttldt:'$ Cleo's Joke Corner Peuce_ Berta's Art Corner \\ft1at did ~jlrs. Vo[c.anosJy to Mr. volc<UlO. Do you lava n1e7 \\'h:it did 1.heoc.ear:l say to 1h~ s.eashoJ'e'? Nothing, i1just v,~ved. \\lriters ! ~ sub111il your liftlJ!J poetry to Strcetv ibes ­ e1nail your writing to streetvibes2@yahoo.cou1 " 1828 - Miami & Erie Canal - 1920" PAINTING llY ?vllCHAEI. J. Bl.tlNKENSHIP 28 W EST C ENTRAL PARKWA V �STREETVIBES March2008 Vendor Artwork and Poetry February dream 9 Abstract ball Last nigluT dreru1u ofpeeriogthrougl1 a \'-indo\\• ofa gray stone cottage, the room \\ri t}un. suffus~J v.-idt \\~rmglG\\<iogligbt .;.\Jong the '"-all~ pastel ballerinas strerched and l\Vlsced their l i 1hcbod1,~, A fieldstone fireplace h~ldanes1 ofcrackling. dancing Bames. Istood, paroJyzl'd.by indecision and desire just before thew;,lootne mn1, sunnunded b)r l,lS \VirJ QfSJ)(.lV.{)(l.ke:;l My leO fronl.(X)ekel \\'JS v.ei,ghted do\\jn v.1diajangJy fiS1ful of'$hiny keys. Aou1nbpaw ·yrutkL"tJ thCltt (onh nnd Jtried chem, one by one, rod1oneaneager tongue tl1ur m1gh1 fit du.: lock .. llk! satvecone slippoo in butdidnotrum: a coppe.rone \l\':1'5 re1cctcd~ "ss-,r.~fk!j ftc,v ag3(nst coldmetal. 1lv..istedru1d tw.;;ged keys time.and time again :is:\\'3Jlt1d1 v.-hhin bcckone<.i .. 1tried a .final kc:y. shin)' and black; 1t caught,~dO\\ll)• ttillted and 1hc1h1c.k Qak door aeakedopen lazily .. my sentleprod•. Then Iv.'Oke and brushed a frosty 1hree-ind l drift J'ron1 d1erough bcr1ch that formed my bed, fronl my icy b<>dy. Ireachedimo my left lrootpocket Jbrnl\.'J ciflu otkt.."""S: .,, ' l found them nil. except the one. soblacknod shiny !\lot opencd tho door ~ Universal love OOn ' t lt.-tncgtttivcclcmc11tS in life Confuse the issue anddestroy yoor nlind Rccof,'Tlize all 1hcevJIS00..usdone toyou Then realize-v.flat do . it is lh.at}'OUhaveto . .Leanl tJu~ sec tt.1$ of tl1e wu \1c1sc T() ~ti er tmc1cn.1andy()ur lifCon earth Becon1e.a panofall cre.ation Only the.n c:.tnyou sucQL~fUl ly Nh: anntion Be the poople \\1boyou \vere<:reated 10 be TI1c aiai1111lgtcdi.e att11$0dety Cause evcl)' m1n11to counts cvcrysccund tOo Cause any niinu1eany seCondyour lifecan bethru Door( \V'3$(C)'Our life by v.·:istingyour n n1c Progress. achievecultivate )' Our 1nind .Li\IC~-..-iesyda)• a.sdinllf;i1 tt "•erey0Utl~1 Plan fQr the fi1ture. learn from the pASt l:teed 1hescriptures \vith 3sieuthfUIey1e Try 10 find lhc answer to dtequc~ioo .. \,fly?" Wakeup and see-\\TIO you rea:JI)• are God's i'iness e:re-ru:ioc1 unde:1-.)e~ the.$1Ql'S Search for 1-hc mnh, fight fQr\-vhi1t's ri~1 i Don'tS!op until they see dle}igh1 Because God Jooks: a~ cvco•body here as l~anhJ1ngs So forge11hestatus quo, let'sbehuman b~ngs Cause Unive1...-.al is "11-uu 1·1u speakin· One (iOd, <~n o planet, nahu11lly One lo vu or 10 \V1UT1llh, lle/Jri11rc<l.fr<1111 SJreer s..~n.\'(~ ("$1.rtet Nt'\t·s .yt!r~·Jce: 111111u'.slree1-pnpers 01g So Jl)aJl)' diffcrl.'11.t pc..'Oplo·in 1Jte \vorld today It's bard to tmderstand all the roles.they ploy lnsi l;J1ifjCai11fl.'i: lltU!!)' $00111 llvoiybody h11$ a purp\JSO f\>r l><!ing 1\ndit's tin1e Man.kind }'OUbe<:onlea\vnre N<>-OnQtS l)O}' bctror thnn :lnybody bcrc No nlan isgreater than another man So v.-hy 1~ it SCI hard 10 w)dl!rs1and That the day youdie son1cone else is b<Jm Bui life goeson and on andon lt ·docsn't \v-ait tor me. it don· t \WUtforyou 11goes on as it \WS pJanned to do See eve[)•body is soniebody is \\<hnt we bebeve No rrtrulet what race. 1,, 1ha1 coh)1 or creed EcononUcstatus<loes:n~1 make.a hu1nan being J11s thed.i\'ioe conlhtn::ttu,)ll ofso n\Bny tlilng.~ It's tho goodnesspf 1hc hcar1, it's thcsl-rt.."Oglh <.lf the mind Jr>s an individllal \.\'i.10 iss}liriruaJized Universal Lo\le is \\fiat I' It\ spc!akin' of One God. one planetoan1rall}' one love PCOjllc arc ditTCR.'111 bu1 \vbo is to bhlnlc ·rharnot bot! living soul on the Earth isthes3Jl:ie Cau.i;e evetytin.e J tum atound \\-ba1 do l see · Nothing. n6 person thar's thesame.as 1ne -\ \'ell 11'sobvious tbeonJy d:ung I can co:ncJude ts lhtHthere has to be purp<.lSe for this 1111tural rul~ \\'here nothingjs.identical on theplanereiinh From d1eti1ne it is00t1c:e3,«1to1hetin1eofi1·s birth And d1e d1ing 1hat aJlov.'5 t!Vef)•thing to be bont ls tl1esnn1epov,-ersow·et: th.at turn..<; C\retytltlngoo Yes. \VCnrcdiffercn1 yes 1hisis (fU9 BUL}'OU.got to understand how this relates:royou Eveii though \\1e.'1-e di ft~t (lC'Je fQCt still ten1ai1is Titat \vhich gives tis life, in all it is thesam·e Un1vel'Sal l ove 1$Y.4u1t I'n\ speakin• Qf One God. <.'nc pl~1net nah1rally one love Cultiv.:ueyow· in.ind soyoucan reoogt\i.:r.c The evil one in f\111.d:isguise .Thenobroi.n lhe kJlO\\•ledg.e Qf tlte uruverse So youcan rule di\rincly on planet earth S~k OU[ the truth :ind you \\/ill find There ate oo li1n.itatimls to tl1egtO\\oth of 1he.rniod All the people !lave to cbis understandone tiling They·renot bea<isorthe lieldsthey'rehumon bcinss. And thohum11:n i~bom \\ith thequal 1 ti ~1ti on ·rharen.ables us lo ruJe allof ~r~ruion And in the inUtgeofhe ll1ru. createdyou So should tho planet Eonh beruled C'..ause UnivctSal is \..hair n1-SJ>eaki1:1' or One Goel, <.'n~planct, naturnlly,one love �STREETVIBES Columns 10 March2008 Language of addiction The words used reveal, more than we might think 1\'1ic:lll1el 1'l e11so11 is author of Ransac:k, A S111ttll Roon1 u1itlr Troul1/4? 011 My Mind, ' 'ery n O\\' and then, to shake thi ngs up, I' ll ask a group in therapy or in E a school 10 list for n1e as n1any \VOtds as the)• can lhink of for getting drunk or getting high. Some of 1he ..vords are like 1his: Sessed Poverty and Addiction by Michae l Henson Getting a wake up The Tao of crwtk Lo11g i11g, a11d ge111ng soo1e c.andy trippin' getting an eye-opener offco your final trip, you' ll be lifted fo r sure. So n1aybe these are a stretch, but is t>tJrt of 11 blazio· a sphf take a look at the technical tern1 itself, 111011thly These \\'Ords testify to the intoxication. \vhich on its face seems series 011 clinical, neutral, unthreatening. 1>leasurable side ofintox1ca1ion ( 111t1ke­ 1 poverty uu1i ) "I'· ca1ulJ or to the transc.c ndent. o ut­ But Strip lhe \VOrd dO\vtl to its root, adtlict ion. of·the-ordinary nature of intoxication and \Ve fi nd that. tucked in bet\veen (tri/>pin ', C}'C-opene1; u·akc-up) ot to a prefix and suffix (ren1en1ber this stuff desire to sound unique, odd, or from grade school?) \VC fi nd the different ( sesse<I. crunk, bl<i=in ' 1ha1 poisonous \VOrd toxic . .tplif) Consuo1e enough of a n1ood-al1er1ng But n1ost of the v.·ords are like this: chen1ical, and you are said to be intoxicated, in·to.t ic·aced. \Ve have taking a hit blasted Poisoned ourselves. We might not think hammered of it that v.'ay, but that's the v.'ay it is. blowed The 01ind rnight be clouded. but the toasted bod y knows. And the body rebels . it \\laSted von1its; it coughs; it shrinks against the v.'l'ecked needle T he body \viii even shut itself f- kedup d0\\11'1 so \Ve can no longer pun1p the These arc v.·ords of violence, \\IOrds Sluffin. ofde.ath, dan1age, and destruction. The bod)• knows this, but the 111ind, in addiction, is clouded. lt'ssontething Son1e group·scan go on and on ..vi1h these v.»ords. I ha,re gotten as many as \Ve knov1, but vie hide it behind this finy-six 1n a single session. If l had kept screen of \VOrds that reveal and hide at al I these lists. I might have hundreds by the san1e 1in1e. 11·sonly v.•hen v.•e stop nO\V. and think about \Vhat the \VOrds are The consistency arnong these lists is saying that \\IC really get it. ren1arkable. Nine out of ten of the " lt•s like I \Vant to die v.•hen 1•m ..votds or phrases using, .. an addict in treatn1ent recently \\IC commonly use told me." If it ·son the street and " If it's on the street and for intoxication son1ebody says. \\•hat this one's got is somebody says , what this in1ply violence to all right, but this ocher guy'sstuffis one's got Is all right, but the self. k1lla. J' m gonna go for the stutl' that•s t his other guy's stuff is These include killa. Killc1: l1ca<i·b11sfer. bo1t1b, \Vhatever, I 'rn gonna go for 1hat.·· killa, I'm gonna go for the '"ords v.•hose references c o So these \\'Ords reflect, as stuff that's kil/a, Killer, ntetaphors, the fact that v.'hat \Ve do death. dan1age. head-buster, bomb, and destruction \vhen vie drink to cxc.css or use drugs in whatever, I'm gonna go for ate not a certain \Vay is to poison ourselves. that.'' ilTlJllcdiatcly I s uppose this is 1he J)lace to note obvious. "f'ake that small an1ounts of alcohol have been chilhn' or cool. These come up pretty s hov.'ll to have health benefits and that often on these lists and seen1 pretty marij uana has been sho,vn. in proper dosage, to be nledicinally useful and innocent. So I ask the group. v.•hat happens that rnorphine and n1e1hadone have \\!hen you die? An1ong other things, you sin1ilar beneficial uses. But \\lhen \\IC talk about addicrive ..viii drop to rooo1te1nperatute. Then, a little later, they take you to use, \vhcn \Ve speak of intoxic.ation, \Ve the 01orgue and stick you in a are not talking about sn1all an1ounts or refrigerator \vhere you•n be chilled and proper dosage. \\'e ate talking about cool for sonte rinte to con1e. HO\V about use to excess and \\<:ithout n1edical /ifteif! When the pall bearers pack )'Ou justification. We are talking about the Crow Cull. 1'his t:ol11111n literal poisoning that these \VOrds reflect. \Vhy so n1any ..vo1·ds? The only other life function I can think of that hassuc.h a rich and fluid vocabulary is sex. And 1t seen1s 1here are ne'v \\'Ords being made up every day and old words being retooled for the purpose every \veek. One reason for the nuntber of \vords is 1ha1people ..vho ate fao11liar \Vi th a topic ha,re ntore \\'Ords that relate to that topic. Someone \vi th no interest in carpentry probably knov.'S there are things kno\vn as nails, but he or she n1ay not kno\V about cleats, comn1on nails, finishing nails. shingle nails, rooling nails. panel nails. or the various penny sizes ofnails. People \Vho are into drugs have a whole glossary of v.·ords relating to drugs because they have an interest. People \vho don't. don•t (When l go inco a school and fi nd that the class cannot con1e up with 01any ..vords 10 put on the board, then I kno\Vthese kids are probably okay, If there is one kid out of the c.l ass v.•ho knov.•s a lot of \vords, then l knov.• co talk to hint or her after class.) \\' ho con1es up with these v.•ords? I have not kept a close tally. but most of them have come from African­ An1ericans and IO\V•incon1e \Vhites. (\.1aybe 1hat's because of ..vho I have v.·orked with for most of my career, but n1y 1otally unscien11f1c guess is 1hat if I \Vere to do this cxcrc.ise \vi th the drug abusers of sonte \Vealthy suburb, I would not get such a list. r\.1y totally w1scientific guess is that n1arginalized people, in general, are more ac.tlve in \\'Ord creation than the nlainstrean1 population. \\' hy? I think. because \Vhen you're do\\'ll, \Vhen you•re on the 111argins, you experience dislocation and pajn. Poverty, \Ve have said in an earlier coluntn, is not just an econon1ic shortfall; 11is a ..vound to the psyche. \\'ounded, v.•e look to \VOrds that express that pain. Blues, tap, bluegrass, arc all )>Oetlc forms that come from people at the econon1ic ntargins. All of them coo1e frorn peoJ)le in pa10 . And so, the street poets who come up with these ..vords for getting h1gh, \vho have this constant drive to create ne\v \VOrds for abuse, are trying, in their way, to tell us of1hei r pajo. Ir-------------------------------------------------------~ I Streetvibes exists as a forurn for the ex pression of the views and opinions of our I I readers and s upporters, l ' he opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of I I I I the Streetvibes staff or the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. I I ~-------------------------------------------------------~ �STREETVIBES Columns March 2008 Bodies, from page 1 an in1ponant and valuable opporn1nit)• for the co1nmunity." Nov.•here in th e article does r\.1r. ~le Donald discuss the fear tha1 the bodies """'illegally obtained Dr. RaymondG\o,...-, c,hiefn1edical director of the exhibit, in a differe nt a rticle. says: "We v.rould never curate an exhibition v.•ith contents v.re knew ·~veteobtained illegally or unethically... \Ve have thoroughly investigated evel)' aspect of \Vhat v.•e are doing. \Ve feel very co1nfo11ablc that the bodies v.·crc obtained ethically(Pulse, 1/16/08)." Yet. there are n1any 1n Cincinnati ..vho kno'v that serious questions ren1ain about hov.•hun1an bodies are treated in and out of public \ciev1, The key to resolving, this issue is sim.ilar to the earlier <:oroner issues: the ~1useu1n should pl'Ov1de evidence ofhow the bodies were obtained and \\•hether pem1ission \1/35 gjven fron1 individuals and/ or their tttrnilics, The "educational .. and "'spiritual.. 1ntentjons ofthe f\1useuo1come only aftel' we kno\v that people and.for families chose to pa11icipate in this exhibit. History doesn't help Sadly, Cincinnati's history \vi th misuse ofbody parts did not setve as a ..va1·oing to the Jvluseun1 Center. Over the past 7 years, the publi c has repeatedly read about ootrageoos ose of body parts or \11holc bodies \vithout the pern1ission ofgrie,.ring fantilies. Now. efforts are in the courts to change the practices ofcoroners so that this kind of abuse s tops 11 Nor did the national ongoing n'IOven1er1t \VOnder and beaut)•ofthe hun1an bod)' can to ha,•e n1useun1s return the bodies and orlly be n1eaningfully w1del'Slood in a context body patts of Native t\metic.ans to their of resPonsibility. We can be amazed at the appropriate nations and their burial grounds 'vays in 'vhich the bod)1 has been developed aft"'ect the f\.fuseun1. as long as ..ve koov.• that the bodies \Ve Not d id the "Th is exhibit continues a experience \\iith the ate looking at ate not long pattern of arrogantly the victims of illegal taking and assum ing that human dignity religious or political no\v returning of art can be violated with persecutjon. objects fron1 impun ity." \\'e can see 14oloc.a ust v1ctirns alter the r\.fuseu.111's spiritual lessons io the creation ofcells. muscles and bones as 1>0lic1es and decisions. Thisexhibit cootinues a long pattern ofarrogantly asso1ning, that long as \Ve are assured that pern1ission to hun1an dignity can be violated \vith intpunity. exao1ine the 1nost ptivale parls of our anaton1y has been gi'ren freely. \Ve cru1 corne a..vay fton1 Lhe 01itacle of Peace issue hu1nan physical development as long as v.-e kno"' that social, nloral and eth ical The treatn1ent of the huntan body is a devclopo1ent has em.braced the exhibit. 1>eace issue. Societies have tecogn1zed how the bodies of the deceased are treated, contrib utes to a respectful and Answer the questions psycholog.icaJly healthy coping ..vith death. There is no ..vay ofjust "viewing.. the Disn1pring the grievi.ngprocess equates v..ith bodies "'iithout th<.-'Sc moral concerns being viola11og the petsonal and social peace understood. 'rhe Peace \ tillage urges che process ofindividuals and com1nlmirics. ·111ere is a long and grueson1e histo1y of rvtuseun1 to not only pause in tl1eirshov.•ing using bodies to denote vic.to1y. hunuliation., of this exhibit until the vital questions of and pseudo superioriry. Displayingthe bodies choice ofthe people is decided. but to also or body parls is n1eant 10 con1m.unic.ate a undertake a community hc.aling about the fierce and ugly message about the "'<>rth of injury ofour public standards ofdecency. one hun1an being over another. Bodies and Few \VOuld Cl'tticize the rvtuseunl for body patLs have been patt of"ttoph1es;· or realizing that it acted too quickly if the ntade parts ofe.x.h.ibits for as long as people rvtuseurn shows it can bring Lhis exhibit10 a conclusion that r<.-'Spects the meaning ofthe have created museun1s or \va.ts. An indic.ator ofpc.aceful relations, the bodies. 111e local and national con1111unity restoration ofcon1passion, and the healing ,vouJd 1aJce r10teofsuch a hun·wutarian focus. process. has been 1he return ofbodies or If the Museum does not act. v..·e need to 1'eo1e1nbet the Rev. f\•latt111 Luther King. Jr.'s bod) parts during or at the end of \\•ars. \Vhat ate the spit1tual and educational \vaming: "Our lives begin to (,'11d the day v.-e "lessons'' the communif)• is learning about becon1e silent about things that n1atter." the ..body" ofleaders at the l\1useun1? 'The Dr. S1111tlerla11tl. for111erly Dea11of the UC College of Co1'11'111ni1y .Ser1.·ices a11tf a J>ro.fcssor of ~·ocial JYt>rk,for the J.'ast 21 J1ear:; at UC. is Director a nd /'!(.)1,,uler of TJ1c l'ea(:c Village. a C'i11cinnt11i basetl pcat.:e netu ·ork fou1uled after 1/1e 1'i<)tS a1ul e.,·rx111tlecl after 91 I I 10 '•'Ork t>ll pence nnd henli11g. For1t1ore i1if<)r111a1irJ11 on the J>cace Village 1>1vgra1us, please \t'rite: S11t.ktS<l.i!Jmt'lil11c.txlu 1 Vendor Profile - Hustle man IN1'F.R\' l t: \,'F.I) U\'•. \t.\'SSA K ONNRR.\1..\N STAil' WrERN I ..va.o; in the US Am1y. I ..vent 10 Fort Jacksor\, guy and Ididn·1 1ikehetan)' more. I niet aoothor South Carolina for basic training,. After graduation, I had advanced individual rraining in Fott Lee. Virginia. r...1y pe1·01anent duty station \\'35 in FortHood,Texas.. There, I \v.tS Lhe all atlll)' boxing ch.an1pion. From there. I \vent to Ne\v JerS(..')' and became the Nev.• Jersey CJolden Glovechantpion. f\·la&: has been sdhng Streetvibes since the middle o f last Oc."Cembcr. H_e \1/3.S picked by rliestaffto be vendot of the ntonth for his help \Vhat did you do after that! around 1he offic.e, l.-'SpCCially tOrhe.ofping shovel the ~TI0\11 aftc.'1' the In Ne\vJcrsc,.'Y, l had my tirst son. and l v.·as recent stonltS. the fi rst black supervisor for the People ExJ)tess Airlines 1n Ne..v Jetse)', Notlh 1 Ten1tinal. I got eng.iged. but didn't 1113rry her. \\ he1-e djd you ~ro"' up! l11en, I can1eback to Cincinnati. I 101ned the l gre\vup in f \'MSton lt v.·as peaceful ~ it "'<as army reser\•es again. Jn 1988 , I v.•cnt to productive. I used to cut grass, tunlble. and Honduras, in Central Anterica. in ''[ask force &'<> to rvtr. l·latty·s store. I ..va.o; a preuy average 16. That's v..hen I got sl1ot 1n tl1eleg. Befote I kid. Then, \W nlO\redto Bond Hill, and I \\'eflt got over there, the} shot me up \\<ith r\.falaria, 10Cres1 HillsJuniorhi£handWoodward High and I haven·1 been Lhe same eversince. School, where I gradualcd in 1978. From there. I \Will onto then1ilitruy. How did you beton1e hon1ele-ss! young lady and \V3Sstaying \\llthher. blrt \\iht.'ll I \VOuldn'tbecon1ehec enabler for using beer aoddrugssheshov.'ed rnetl1e Mor.so I \\'Ould rather stay outside than deal \\<i th al I of that. H ow did you become invol\ ed with 1 Strectvibes? Jimmy. I used to talk to Jinmty all the ti.n-.eand he .., ias telliog me. ''you're agood husLlel', v.t1y OOn•t yoo come and sell nevo'Spapersand make nlOne)• that \V'J'j?" And l did. I nlisshin1, n1ay he rest 1n peace. I respec1hio1. \\'hat ad\·ice would you give to others! To cry co let go of dte past, \vllich J'nt dealing with right now. And to catty on. 1 " I would like to get my own apartment and have my own key for it, so I can invite my son over and cook for him." \\'hat " ·ould you like to do! I \vould liketogetnl)' O\"O apannlef'ltand have Ill)' O\\fO key fo1·it, 90 I CaJl invite Ol)' SOr\ ovet Ca_n you te.11 n1e Back inCinci1mari, l Y.'35 living v..ith n1) son's and cook for hint And I \\'Ould like to go to about youl' tin1e in lllOO'I. aod v.'erlt lojail fotchdd support When Disney ''()lid. the military? I f.'Ot back out, she \llSS pregnant by another 1 �12 In The News Canada: 12-year-old girl sells red s"arves to help homeless Twelve-year-oldHannah Taylor visited Winnipeg's Parliantent Hill to urg,e Members of Parliament to purchase and v..-ear red scarves to raise awareness for homelessness. Despite her yowig age, Taylor has created the Ladybug Foundation, which sells the $20 scarves to raise mooey for the homelessas'"'" as"to show the homeless people in Canada that \\'e care about them." Taylorsaysshefound herpassion when she was five years old; she recalls seeing a homeless man eating from agart>age can. Ever since, she has worked to showpeople that they ·'shouldn't be afraid of the homeless because they arc people j ust like anyone else but with 'sad hearts.'" lns1ea<I, Taylor insasis, "they should betre:ated like they arefumily....You wouldn't letyour brother or sister eat out ofa garbage can or sleep in the street." (CBC Ne"•, I/30) New Jersey: Homeless removed from Hudson Trail A number of homeless people havecalledthepenmeieroflheHensy Hudson Trail home for years, but Monn10uth COl.111)' plMs to elint.inate this an:a as a possible residence. The county had announced its plans to clear the homeless from the area, and v..tien they arrived at the tent city to deliver the equivalenc of eviction notices. thC)• found that its residents had already abandooed their home. Deeming the remaining items garbage, the county workers threw away al)' belongin~ren-.ainingat the sjte. (Kevin Pen1on, AP, 218) Maryland: Senate passes homeless bate "rime bill In Frederick, Maryland, a homeless man recently found assaulted in an alley has died ac a Baltiimrehospital.William Sigler, 49, of Frederick was arrested and charged eatl1er in the day with attempted first-degree murder and tirsi:-degreeassault. Since thisevenc, The Masyland Sonale has voled for a measure to expand protected groups under the stare·s hrue crimes lav,s to include homeless people, and the bill passed on a 40·4 vote. 11te hopeisthatlhisbill will bolh prevent and pro,.Jde harsher prosecution for violentaasofhatecommined"!ll'inst those experiencing homelessness. (WJZ 2/15, NBC 4 2121) National News STREETVIBES March2008 Chicago receives record $49 million to fight homelessness Chicago programs to end ho1nelessness will have a record $49 niillion in federal funds this year, up from last year's $45 million. 8V S UZ.ANNF, H_A~NF,V Only I in 5 homeless persons arc addition, Continuum grants fu nd chronically hon1eless. but these in1portant services including job people use haJ f of all e n1ergency trajoiog, heaJth care, n1ental health .S. Oepartn1ent ofHousing and shelter resources, so getting the n1 co unsel ing. s ubstance ab use Urban Developn1ent Secretary into pern1anent housing has been a treatntent and child care. Alfonso Jackson announced the federal and Chicago priority. Once Emergency Shelter Grants ($3.7 grant - the lion's share o f n1oney they receive stable housing, they also ntillion of \Vhat \Vas announced last spen1 IO\vard Chicago hon1elessness can receive support - from \Veek) provide f unds for the - on JanuaJ)' 29 as he toured the substance abuse to e 111ploy111ent operation of local shelters and fund training - to heJp related social service and hon1eless ""largo an d Harold Schi ff " On ly 1 in 5 homeless t hem stay prevention programs, T hese fu nds ntay also suppon essential services Residences \Vith housed. perso ns are rvtayor Richard said including job 1raining, health care, c hro nically homeless, the Daley M. Daley. A ne\V foc us d rug/alcohol treatn1ent, child care but these people use on ..pern1anent and hon1elessness preven t ion Single Roon1 ha lf of all emergency Oc cu pa n cy solutions. not activiti(..'S . Al locations v.•ithin Chicago (SRO) building at she lter reso urces , so sh o rt• t ernt strategies;· ha.-; include: 124 4 N. getti ng t he m into Clybourn A,re. , led to progress •$16.S ntill ion to SO projects perma nent hous i ng the Schiff has been a federa l and in elin1inating that prin1arily serve fan1ilies v.•ith Reside n ces homelessness. children Chicago priority." opened last year ''We' r e • $ 13.6 ntillion tO\Vard progran1s a11d \Vere funded changing front a for hon1eless people wi1h substance in part by the federal go,•emn1ent. systent based on te111porary shelters abuse problen1s; ·rhe H·u·o ntoney \ViII support into one that n1oves people quickly • S9.5 n1illion CO\Vard housing more than 150 homeless programs i nto pe rmanent ho using \\•it h and support for th ose v1ho arc in Chicago and \Vas av.'arded on the extensive support services, such as severely n1entally ill and at high risk basis of ann ual, co mpet ilive JOb 1raining, literacy and subs1ance ofbeing cJ1ronically hon1eless; applications. Programs encon1pass a b u s e • S8 73,898 the full spectrun1or ..conrinuunt of trea tn1en t ," " We' re changing from t O\Vard care" for homeless indi,,iduals and Daley said. programs that a system based on fan1ilies- front street outreach and Since 2003, prin1arily serve temporary she lters into en1ergency shelter to ltao.sitional and 1he C i1y has do n1es1ic per111anent housing. ln addition, the a dded 2,500 one t hat moves people \riolence ,.Jcrin1s: fu nding \Viii provide ..supportive units o f quickly into permanent • S349,694 SCf\'iccs" such as job training, child perma n ent housing with extensive to projects that care, substance abuse treatn1ent and housing city\vide su p port servi ces, s uc h target hon1eless n1er1taJ health. fo r the horneless as job training , literacy veterans; This year, HUD hon1elessness and nO\V has a T he largest and substa nce abuse funding v.•i l l go to,vard 8 1 total of111ore than reci pi en ts and t reatment," Daley said . perma ne nt supportive housing 6. 100 un its of h c r progran1s in Chicago, as \Veil as 40 s up por t i v e approxi ntate transitional hous.iog progralllS and 22 housing for its horneless residents. grant totals are: 1he City ofCh1cago In 2007, 758 units of per111anent Oepart111ent of Housing, $3.6 1 supportive sef\•ice progran1s. f or cite third year in a ro,v, housing v.'ere added, DalC)1 said. ntillion; Cit}1 ofChicago Depann1ent Chicago has recei\•ed t he HUD "Jn our effort to end of Human Scrvic.es, $2.05 m i ll i on~ San1aritan Initiative A\vard to serve hon1elessness, one of our n1ost Hea rtla nd Hun1an Care and chroo1cally hon1eless individuals in cons1ant and 11~1po 1·tan1 partners ha.-; l>feartland J'iealth Outreach, $6.46 pern1anent housing. This particular been the Oepart111ent ofHousing and 111illion; Thresholds, $2.61 m.i llion: fu nding, \Vhich is av.•a rded to Urban Developn1ent," he added. Housing Opponunities for \\'0111en, successful programs. has helped add Since 2001 , HUD has a\\•arded Sl .89 mill ion; Featherfi st. $1 .82 450 units of pern1anent housing for nlore than S294 n1illion in funding to ntillion; Catholic Charities, $ 1.6 chronically horneless. 1he City ofChicago to support the n1 ill ion~ Deborahis Place, S 1.08 Thi s yea r, Jvlercy Housi ng ho usi ng and ser,rice needs of 111ill ion: Residents for Effective Lakefront, \Vhich developed the hon1eless individuals and fan1ilies. Shelter Transitions (REST), $1. 04 Schiff resi denccs. \\•ill rec.e i\•e the HUD's funding is provided in t\\'0 million: lnner \ 'oicc. $ 1 03 million. San1a ritan A\vard fund ing: $4.2 v.'ays: 14UD 's Con1i nuu1l1 of Care n1illion for tv.•o yeats, all of which \Viii be spent on programs to help progra111s ($45.3 I ntillion of the the chronic.ally hon1eless. Part ofthe n1oney announced Jan uary 29) J?e1>rinte<ifro1t1 S'trectlfise © Street money ""i II go tov.·ard development provide permanent and transitional Ne 111s .Se r ~·;ce: •v,•·111. stree1­ housing to hon1eless persons. ln /N.1pers. org ofa ne\V SRO in Engle\vood. STRElT NE\\'S SERVICE U Visit \.VWW.cincihon1eless.org for n1ore information on GCCH programs and volunteer opportunities. �S TR EETVIBES March2008 International News Iraq Soccer, from page 1 the final inJakarta in July. Witll the natjonal teams as their inspiration, the deaf·ntute squad qualified for the regional chan1pionships of the Asia Pacific Oc.a f Games in Kuv,.ait Shafi founded the teat11 in 2003, shortly after U.S.-led forces toppled Saddan1Hussein. At a ~rts club onc c.·v·cning. hcmc.'t a group ofyolmg deaf men v.•ho v.·ere l>O\vltng, S\"1nuningand bod)'budding. He suggested the>•pla)' soccer. h1 training. he \VOrks v.-ith tv.o other coa<:hcs \vhO do not kno\11 sign Iangu$f.oe, but -.ho do the physical training. Shafi teaches the various n1oves. tactics and strategy. "Ph)•sical training istn1cial, but it•s notenough. You need son1eooe '"ho can communicate ideas ''~ th the kids. especiallysomethingtechnical." he said " Ifs Sbll difficult- '"'th sign lang uage youneverget the v.~1ol e idea across... Despitethechallenges- the referee has to \\lave a Aas instcadofblO\\ii.ng a \vhisde and each tean1 's trai.nersits on 1.hesidelioes ttllt'ISlattng his decis1or'!S 1n sign language-Shafi says the games are as good as any other. The playerssay so1,,.1imcsonly half the squad turns up to train.ing v.+.en 13 In The News - Cont security is bad. Those \vho do often travel are in fearofbcingk1dnappedor killed on lrnq'ssrill dangerous roads. But \\<ith anacks across Iraq do\1/11 60 percent since lastJlme, thanks to an additional 30,000 U.S. troops, Sunni ne1gld>outhood patrolsand a ceasefire by a feared Shi'itemilitia, the tea111 now n1Mages nl0rerrauungsess1ons. "The 'tiolcncc has cr<.-a.tcd a lot of problen1s for us." said Adel KJ1alef ~lahn'IOud, 20,also LL~ngsign Jru1guage. "But \\'e nWlage." CtJurtesy ofReuters Cl ..."itrtet Ne•vs Servi,·e: 1v1v1t" street-J.""1J.Jers org Hearing Voices: My Hour of Schizophrenia O regon : Teen gers 70 months for beating a homeless man Sh•"" After 16-yeor-old Soldier Glancy and ""'other"1derage young mensolicited a43-yeor-old homeless man, Andrew Gonzalez., to buy them beet, they planned to kill G<>nzalez fo r the thrill ofit and then steal his backpack and bicycle." Gonzalez barely survived the beating, and the stabbing. which \V:.tS only stopped because a homeless v.'Olt'Wl camped neruby scared Glancy and the others away by yelling that the police were coming. (KO!N News 6. 219) 00 Hawaii: Homeless evicted from homes on bea<:h Approximately 300 homeless individuals lived on the Nani Kai portion ofUlehawa Beach Parl< and 0\' J\1J\ l'(l)V l\rl cA~'1.Al.I,.'' level rises as l "•'OIT}' about performing emcrS,t."lll.)' room. the nearby Surfer•seeach area, but Srrrutr N EWS St RVlCE ,velJ on the test. The voices are quiet no\\~. but I' nt Logan reviews tlte test orally.The nervous about ans,ver1ng questions. are now being forced to leave. City voices make it hard to hear her but I The intervie\ver seentS detached. She officials claim to be only temporarily an1about to learn firs t·hand \Vhat kno,v l did poorly. At least l ' nt not has a blank expression and she is closing the parks for ntaintenance and aski ng me repairs. but the homeless living,there life is li ke fo r someone \vi th the only one. Out schizophre nia . People v.•it h of I0 questions, " The voices grow p ointles s suspect they will not be v.·elcomed back. In recenl years, the homeless sch1zo~1ren.iaofien heat intemal voices tlte n1ajority ofd1e quest1ons. louder and more " Who were have befriended the porlt rangers and and experience hal lucinations. class gets about vicious. They are yelling delusions or other relaced syn1ptonts. three correct. the last four U.S. helped to keep the beach clean, often obscenities, commands, president(? \\1hat picking, up trash and evendeaning the About 50% of the homeless suffer I tell 111)'$CllT IJ bel ittling c riti cisms fron1 mental health problenlS, and rebound on the is the point of restroom£ As this process tal<es place at me now." your visit today? on more beaches, the many homeless about 2So/o of them have serious tootltpick act1v1ty. mental i lln~ includingschizophrenia. This activity Ren1en1ber these ore being furtherand further displaced. according to the National Alliance to sho\vS v.hat a patient ntight do in a day v.'Ords and re.peat then1at the end of 111.is, hov.-ever, does nor seem to be a End Homelessness. the intcrvie\\•: umbrella, app le , concern for the city officials. treatmentprogram. complained Tony Kamahalo, "'they I join about 30 people, son1e v.ho The ' 'oices grov.•louder and ntore bicycle.'' have fan1i ly and friends v.•i1h vicious.. They are yelhng obscen1ties, 11te voices dt0\\111her out Ihave al\va.ys push us aroundjus1 because sch.izophrenia. in a Bethesda church to con1mands, belittling criticis111sat nte to ask her to repeat the questions. v.-e're homeless. It's not fair. v.·e're take part in an unusual v.<0rkshop. no\V. ..Look v.hatyou'vedone! You're "J,lease spell ·\vorld' backv.iards. hwnan too, you know." (KlTV,2111) "Do not remO\'e your c.arphones stupid, You'rcshit, You're ''<>rthless!" Repeat the follov.•ing numbers in the Texas: Homeless shelter correct order: 64 -53 · I2-24. What during the next hour," Joan Logan, a the voices say. takes in s tranded chinese f\<(y agitaltOn increases \vith the v.•ere the words you v.•ere a.s:ked to pohce onicer who coordinates the Crisis Intef'\renrionTean1 in ~faryland 's intens il)• of the voices. Plus I can't ren1ernber?" she asks. a crobats read the instruccion sheet to ntake She puts a yellO\Vsticker Montgon1ery County, tells us firntly on nty once \VC are seated \vith our portable shapes \vith the toothpicks. Arc those evaluation. \\1hatdocs that mean? Did A group of 18 Chinese acrobats MP3 players in hand nun1bers or letters on the paper? ls it I pass or fail? I don't ask. I go to niy arrivedon one-\vay rickets to Dallas, "Over the next hour, you 'viii hear n1e or are the instruc1ions 1llegible'! seai to do a cross,votd puzzle untjl dle Texas. onl)• to find thatthe man v.+.o voices, son1e will be quiet and son1e (Logan latertells us that the instn1crions rest ofthe class finishes. had planned their nine-month are intentionally The\•oices have v.111 be loud,'' she says. l put in niy illegible co evoke a returned. ·111ey' re performance lour had run out of telling me l'm stupid l don't complete money and could not ta.Ice care of earphones and tum on the recording. reaction.) Hosted by the National Alliance on I fee l fr us trated and a l ittle a single ansv.•eron the puzzle. thent With no English skills and no Mental Illness ofMontgomery County, paranoid. I v.'Orty tha1 everyone will Finally, Logan tells us to turn off plans. the ac.robats were without the inte ractive ''Hearing Voices" think I'm incon1petent, even though the ' 'oice playe r to discuss the options. Heoringoftheirpreclicomenl v.'Orkshop \\laS lastheld fouryears ago l 'nt not sure v.'ho "'everyone.. is. experience. "f' he group appears Bill Thompson, executive directorof J\.lean,vhile. the ' 'Oiccs continue rclic-.·ed, J\.lanysay the voiocs leftthem the Union Gospel J\•lission homeless to educate the c-o mmunity about schizophrenia. 111ercilessly. "You stink! Evel)•one can be\\<i.ldered, depressed, anxious. even shelter in Dallas, stepped in to help. Logan tells us \Ve v.•ill read an sn1ell you. They· relaugh1ngatyou00\\1 exhausted and nauseated. He is allo\li\n.g team to take residence article and answerquestions, perfonn and talking about you. You better run I agree. I leavethe workshop \\<i.th in the homeless shelter under his a task \Vith toothpicks and take a a\vay fro n1 then1. Run and hide son1e perspective on \vhacit's like to leadershipuntil theirfutun>-whieh is mental health evaluation. yourself. Hideyourself un do~ thcb<'<l." li\'C \vith a mt."lltal illness. very much in the air-can be I begin the article and the voices I v.•ant to turn offthe recording. I resolved. Hisgenerosity has notgone on the recordjng sta1't to v.•hisper. I·m n1ove on to the menia l health l?e1>rin1ccl fronr 5'1rcc1S'enserb uinotiocd; "they made me-h them a lictledistracted but calni. Then Istart evaluation. This sin1ulates ,vflat a Street Ne iv:; Service · ll'll' IV.Street­ to SOY. •thank you.' to say to the Union to have trouble focusing. f\ity s tress patient nlight be adn1inistered in an J>apers.org Gospel staff,- f\·ls. Yeung, a director of research for United Way. said. (Holly Yan, Dal lasMorning NO\\s,21 Learn about other street papers at www.nasna .org 13) I �Guest Column 14 STREETVIBES March2008 My Mother's Promise Growing up with a different kind of poverty ov A\IL\!\1),\ \\'oLrt Gu£S1' COLU~ INl~"T' don't knowPoverty per><>nally. but I do conte fron1 a fantily only one f,'COeratiOn n?lllO\-ed from it My mother, along with herthirteenbrothers and mo sisters, grew up crammed into three bedroomsofan old fa rmhouse. They stilI had to n1akethe crek to an outhouse years after everyoneelse had obtainOO the miracleofindoorplwnbing. and 1ny mothet reme,mbers goingto school in dresses made of old feed sacks. Sho also recalls being kept a"iake at night by thescratching sounds the ralS made I as they crawled in between the floorboards. Sheandhersisters al v.ays madesure to tuck in the blankets sothe rats \VOuldnor be able to clin1b into bed v.iththcm, So she ntade a pron1ise (Oherself that any childofhetS "uuldneverknow poverty. She took me. to the denrist religiously because her fant.ily couldn't afford dental care-until as a last reson they hadthe teeth ptdled. She took me 10 restaurants lO eat because all she ever &'<ll wasbiscuits "'d 8Jllvy and milk &om the CO\VS. l attended the ciry schools, v.+iereas hereducation up h) theeighth grade was in a one-roomschoolhouse. lcanseetheelfectsofd1is~giog in difiCrent v1ays in my aunts and uncles as \\!ell. Son1e hoard their n1oney like they may neverseeanotherceru in their lifetintes, and others spend it like they are nUUionaires, as ifdtey needto get rid of it before somoonc realizes their n1istake and takes it a\vay front thent. One thing almost all of them have in co mmon is that they are e ither successfully se1f-en1ployed or \VOrk at very \\<Cll-payingj obs now, On the surface, n1y fan1ily alone seems togive some "'eight 10 the vety co1runon opinion in myho1netov.11: rhat people \\ieTe poor because they \Vere lazy and "ouldn 't v.'Ork, because-they A1nm1</a ll'olfc, g11cs1 col11ft11ri$Ifor 1/ri.s 11Wlt! ur(l.j a t in1e iss11c. is '' 200$ gra<luate of ,f(1vicr IYhe11 a n1an u'a-'· n king Uni~\~rsil)\ a 11:rxtbook Ci­ litor by tr<N.k, ""'' ifhe ou111eci a poe1 bJ' wt~·ictio,,, A11 oldbro"'" detenninedto riseabove theirbinh and make something of themselves. and through hard \VOtk, they v.·ere able to aocomplish that goal. Those Iazy peoplc no,vad3)•s \liho don' t niake it sin1ply aren·t willing to try hatdenousfl. But ifyousrop to think about i ~ really think about it, as l feel so ntany people don' t. you v.'Ould notice that my self­ e1nployed uncles are things like demolitioniSIS, electricians, mechanics. '"1dtJootrimmors. Youcouldn'tjustpicl< any ofthosed1ings up in thepresentday \vithout training and licensing and 1­ don't-kno,v-\lihat-all. The others. who work for once p<OGpCrOllS tacruries, got theirjobs "ben a man couldj ust v.•alk in andstan v.'Ork that day. Those factories are no longer as stable, and nev.•\li'Orlc.ers are often in Lhe first round of llk)•offs. I' m sure it \V3$n'teasy for my unclestoget to ,vf:icrc they are today, but l 'ntequallysure it's even harderno\v, I con'thelp but "'°oderifthe people 'vho hold those opinions that the poor arcjust lazy havedeluded themselves into believing that poverty isnot all that bad, l kno\v that as a child, it v.ias alntost a thing oflegend to me, like a fairy tale. I heard my mother's stories, the few tintes s he would talk abo ut her childhood, and J also lea mod about a greatwt<:leofmine\liho,vasapoet. He leA a handwrittenbinder fullofstoriesof his childhood; in it he wrote.ofpasting ne\vspaperon the v.•allsoftheshack he lived in to keep out the cold, and of traveling milesdmxl!!h a bli2Zll'CI "; th his one mulejust to keep his family ftom starving to death, But he.somehow 111anaged to keep fai th and be<:ontent \vi th vihathe had. There isone particular poem ofhis dtat standsout i11 1ny nt.ind: just wantedto abusedteS)'stent, and dtat they CQuid change things if they wanted, "King" but they chose to bepoor. One oooldlook 31 my family and S3)' by He111')1Gil/11n1 they are proof of this, They \vere Place Your Ad Here! With sales ofStreetvibes continually on the rise, and circulation reaching 5,000 monthly in the Downto\vn and Cliflon area, now is the time to advertise. Rates are as cheap as $25 for a business card size ad. J.nterested in :id\'ertising ,,11h Strcer\'ibes. c01ux1513.42 1.7803 x 120-reruail stroetvibes2@)·nhoo.oon1 Streervibes is sold by vendors which meaos that nearly CVCl)' paper we print gets into the hands of readers. n111/e IJ11/l 1ongue 11/Q111 hoe a11d rake A bluetick Jwund calleci D111111 A t1t'O l'Q()nted -'·l1a<:k to call ho111e A little •~0111an t<) call /1is Q>vn ./11s1a sntall gnnlen 1J(Jtcl1 1•vo or three c/,;/drt11 1t'itlr n1outl1s agape Looking ''I' fQ this big 111an they call Pap A double-barreled amt oldflintlock A11 oldbell 00111 out on the slope A .fe"' heJts 0111 back in a Ct)Oft JJ'itlt all this uicalth IYhy cottl/Jlnin For he alroady has Aln1<>St t!\'i!f):thing.' (It's an interesting fac1 that Uncle Henry wrote all his poems about living in poverty l!frerhe \V<tS n10re financially secure and retired in Florida,) I don' t think lever really thought aboul ""31 those children "with mouths agape" felt-.hen they didn't get enough to ear at night. l kne,vtl1e poore,'<isted in Chillicothe. v.i:ierc I v.ias born Md rrusect. but I never kne\Vthent It nevet occurred to me thru the old veteransthat Lingeredaround the 1nental health facility ordie guy aslcing forchange outsideMcDonald'smightbohomclcss, So l v.<:1nder ifthose v."10, likc me, don't kno'v\lihat itis notto ha"e enough to eat, or a place to sleep, maybe unconsciously retainth.is ideali.?£d vision of poverty in d1eirminds, believing dutt maybe some.people have to scrape to get by, but that it all works out in the end, happily-ever-allet. Noodless to say. \vhen I moved to Cincinnati forcollege, l v.•ll'S clueless. I bought into rumors l heard that you absolutelydid not go to Over-the-Rhine forany reason, andthat, ifyou did end up there, youshould drive like mad to get out, ignore stop lights and all, and j ust gun it. Wow, I thonght, that must be the \VOtSt place on earth. So I avoided Lhe area tOr a long time. I don't remember anyspec:ifics fron1nl)' first ventures into OTR. but I do recall my impressionsof the people I ntet on the street. Those whoasked for changealwayssaid thank youifyougavethem anything. andifyou didn\moreoftenthan llOI, they still said God bless you. I did not fuel thre31ened; I didn't pick upon any undercurrent ofangerorhate. And J'wsl o"~Y come to rea1;,.,, that the poor in Cincinnati are the san1eas n1y family was. ~·ly mothe,·s family ..vas fortunate enough not to have to beg for ntoney, because of the farn1, but other.vise they v.·cre the same. just ordinary people ''~10 have run into hard times and couJd usesomehelp instead ofjudgntent fro1n people v.00 have no idea ''~1at tlu.¥ 'regoing througlt Just a couple.ofv.<ecks ag.o during a visit hon1e, I heard tlutt san1eold point of view expressed that lhe poor have chosen tobe that way. I held my toogne. l 'vi sh I hadn't, but the fact is, l'n1 still not info rmed enough to make a oonvincingarguntentodlenvise. l'n1sure that there are those whotakeadvantage ofthe syste1n, but for the 1nost part, I don'tbelieve that anyone choosesto live in p0vcrty, Ifanything. I thinl< tho system has failed theni, and as nluch as l v.ish I did, I have no solulion for theproblem. But I do strongly believethat at least a'vareness is a step in the right direction. Interested in helping with Streetvibes? Are you a writer, poet, artist, or photographer? Do you want to help Streetvibes? Call 5 I 3.42 I .7803 xi 2 or email streetvibes2@yahoo.com �STREETVIBES Opinion March 2008 15 Our papers are out of order 8\' $TA.11" \VRITXR smmr'"-s SJ:Jn.'1CF J t's frigjnooiog......;, comes cm•n 1he pok~ Ourlargdy ~-oppomredS..,...,,.CounJUS11ces"..;,hmaa dociS10ll dull <Ould U1S1JftJIJONlu:e1he~ Ind cis<nf11nohisemcr11 of""'1desspo1<11ooJ ,,,.... In lhiscase.1he poor, ""' elderly and""' yomg. The<l1oll<11S< bef0<eo..-hjJll>esl court os..,.,. lndur1a·s,._ ida11ilioarion la"\ considmdlhesrriCl<St in lhelond. ><ltidl r<quim anyone ""inS roptt$Cf11 a cuncn1 80"'""""'' pllo4o Io 1rvoters do not ~ ooc al !he polls, lheir ..,... ore p10V1si01111, "liodl me311S the volers must presen1 their ID ar an appropri a.te p·emment office \Joithin I0 days, or lhe'\.'Oles do nol C0'8'1 t \Vidi Mt1ci palton or 1he highest coun's affi mwion oflndim's Iaw. statesnre preparina 10 ramp 1.4> theirov.n 1dentifianion rcqu1ren'IC01:S to ll04 only regulate voting. bu1alsoali11111hemsclveswi1h the federal REAL ID Ac~ 1n essence creating a national identificB00.1card. But \vl't.at is rrKJrC disturbing ls thestatement by Justice 1-\ nthony Kennedy, v.tio, in the lndiana l3w, said. "You w:u1t us IO invalidate n statuteon theground that it's a 1nill()r1neonvcnicncc to a sn1n!I percentage ofvoters?" lf Justice Kennedy sa\v thepeople '"'\ Md n1nny social service agencies see- those v.<ho cannot &ct into housing gee thohoahh cnrc ordisability benefirs they'reentitled to for lockofidentification - he would not be so callous 10 call it a minorinconvenience. There arte pt.-ople v.flo arcslet.'Pingoutsidein thooo!d 1onigh1 because they do not have the n1oney 10 1mnsfer birth ce11ifica1es1 or procure papers toget Social Security cards, to docun1cn1thorn.selves as valid hu1nan beings by govemnleflt s1Md3rds.. Md therefore access services. You can include in that 1lsa \\01nen \\'fiOhavecsca1>ed dleirprevious identity to escapeabuse. along \\<ith thopoorWld homeless inour oomnnsiity Mio facedailyslogofdocun,..11i0ll th"11selvesac""'5 stateLines and thro.,gh myriad hops. This"small perc:er111141e" of voters inolucles die gJOwing numbersofhousod poor. "l>o storicllly chan~"addresses morefrequcndy man tho5c"1lh means, and"'"' eaoh """'"comes dieohatgeof keepingdocumcnis up to date Bonom lineis, procuringidenrificarion isa oosdy and highly o"'...i S)'Slelll. "rough' "idi barriersofnme. distance and mere aooess (or U.S. c:itiz<m. And polls showdw Ille pcople 1#ge1cd by lhese laws tend., lean 10ward die vi""s of!he Ocmoeraric Piny Thesuict idenlificatioo lav.s.,. bein: by h<nlded by propooeois os a""""""., !he i""dlous '"""'fmud undcm11n11111 ourpollingproces.<. and indeed. our el<cronl pride. oraued "i111 all die vittiol as 1fweaponsof massdeslruoooo were 111he polling SOies. Just like the WMD's 1histhrca1 does11t «ist Evidence sho•'5lha1lhese10 laws will no< doone>•hit 10 curb 1-'0ttf fraud. lbere's no kno~11 record ofS1yonc bc.ngprosecuted for impersonating someoneelse ttt the polls. nor doe.s 1he rede:rnJ govemmen1 keep any statisticson such crimes. Thoseaffct1ed, i.n the words ofJusrice Kenne<ly. nreasmall perceruage, prec.isely because lhe perce111111...., has neverbeen measurodoraccounted for. It is a"minor inconvenience"' because it hasneverinconwnienced those in poYo'Cr. The nttirudcs rcflccrcd in Kennedy'sstatement are steeped 1n v.tute, niiddle-clnss privilege. frompeople.v.tio never knewa dny \vhen a $30 docu1nent tmnsfcr fee n1eai1t foregoing food, or rent, or \\lnSll' 1cvell in the ooonon1ic equation of survival. Do \\<e v.·ant univers3Jsuffrngeornro v.-o content to lei manipulative la"ischannel d1evo1ersofvnrying favor to and front dle polls? Money would bobcuersponl ro facili1a1c membership 10 the rhisgreat county, in itselec1oral process, and its citia."'llry. \\'e CM fearfear as k>ng \~ l et ourscJ\rcs, blrt v.-c can choose es1e,:ig.c in progressandgovernanceonly as k>n.g as \Wd'-"11and it. TI1ere·s nothingmul(H'about it Re11rin1ed,fron1 .'iireet J(oot f P .~reet /'lcu•s .~n'fcc; www stn:et·/"1/JCT'i' <>rg ·:.iccording to our calc11/ations. we can make it ij' "-e become a .'ii:r-i11co111efa1ni(1 1. " Movie Review: Sweeney Todd rall1er nlelaneholy Mrs. Loveu, tu no point i,11 the tilm 1s h erhairproscntobl ~ and het sin,ging leavesson1cth1ni: to be /lpe thing is for certain: "Swealey desired. VTodd: The Demon Barber of Alan Rickmon plays dieevil Judge Fleet Street.. is not a story for Tul'j)ln 1nos1oonvinc1ngly. Sasi,3 Bnron everyone·sta>1cs. AstOI)' redolent Cohen givesa most cnlertaining "-idl blood, cannibalisn1and gore, se1 perfonnanceas 1hecharla1nn Adolfo 10 otusic that borders on opera. it Pirelli;he isone of 1he fev1 ac1ors enjoyed a short runoo Broadway ond 'vhose voice is dubbed, and that f mcc is an aborta \'C tut an London. but iI stiJI indtcated ul the final crcdlIS.The v.'()n numerousTony awards in 1979. performances of meocheraclOrsare Theoriginal stageproduction was forgenable for lhe mo"' pan. sovtty operatic that it v.as difficult to Perhaps Bunoo was uying IO imagine howdiroaorTrm Burton could aeaiea film lha1 seemed less d...mcal rransferlhe play 0010 diescreen and morerealt$1ic by oc1lining the "'flour losing asiglilioantamoum of chorus, but much.,.. far"id1 die d181l1Cter oflhe v.od. hisom.iWons. Somemocshaveat11 Afterseemg lheftlm, I oonduded lamented dw the film v.115made1n10 a 1hat my ~cioos u-ere aauate musical mall ln a \\11)', I c.. under$l3nd d'ICt r because """'a bit ofdie spin• or""' original died indie transition.. die feelings Sweeney Todd IS screen.. leaving the \ie-.'-ersao seean ~y • mUSl<:al.ondS'f O"erty ""£>C resull """""'10ludelhefOC11Sludrcrous. l1 People "ilo °""'rsawlhe stage """'d hovebeen "isef10 h..."O \'etSK>n ate not likely to nob.ce the included all lhe musical numbers Ind., omission of!he manychoral l"'SS'IS<S ~ fomd """1ti'"" ways m hondle lhat rell lhe sroiy oorare they likely 10 diem r.ty recommcndiuioo?The feel shoochanged some oflhe major musical nwnbers areleftout. Entenainmen1 Ch3Mel 's version of Ho\\<ever. someofthedelettons SweeneyTorkl1s avtulableonDVD 11 result in obscurestory lines.such as \VOn three Emmy awards in 1985,Md lhe romance be1ween An1hooy and it delivers lllOSl of11leongi1llll srnae Johanna. ln the stage version, musical version. \Vha.1ls mo~ o.JI ti~ accOtS nwnberssung bet\\ieen the couple sing theiro"fl pans. lt'sa teal explain diedevelopmen1ofdie performanoe an<l is v.orth the n'IOney rel ati onshi p~ in the 61m. thctv.'Q poid. exchange not a word, and the audience is expected 10 believethat Mauri<:e Ki'1g lra-r bc:c1, ,11r11inR JohMna is ready to rlDl a'vay v.1th a sailor 'vhos1ood outside hetwindow fi>r 5~rect 5'c11sc !-.'Ince .Jtruutrl)1100./. one day P1ausible thcsituation isn't. Joie is afs,> a ""'xician u·ho last and1"im Bunonshould h.avekOO\Vll 1>/0J'e<Iin a stage 11ro</11ctio1, <>f .S'reeuey Todcl II. 111trll J1i1u at· better "hen he \VllSputbn_ghis movie IOgerher. be11<1da111(j/;cJ>bc nlucle.con1 hl1ufor Johnny Depp"sperfomunceas details. Sweeney Todd isas brooding and morose as thepan requires. and he Reprintedfrom Srreet .St-1,sct s·1~cr News &n'iCl': u·u'u1.s1rec1­ singsadequatel)' for his role. Helena Bonham Carter romes across as a papers org HY l\IAURI CF. KING S'rRv,J;:r Nl!.'\\'SSv,Rv1cv, he""'" "it"' � 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 March 2008 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Soccer Team Perseveres Peace at the Bodies Exhibit Pg 2: About Us Pg 3: The Vibe Pg 4: Sleeping Bags Rea h Those in Need Pg 5: The State of Massachusetts Releases Five-Year Plan to End Homelessness Pg 6: Moratorium Now! Pg 7: Valentine’s Day Brings Many Gifts Pg 8: Arts & Poetry Pg 9: Arts & Poetry Continued Pg 10: Poverty and Addiction Pg 11: Columns Vendor Profile Pg 12: Chicago Receives Record $49 Million to Fight Homelessness Pg 13: Iraq Soccer Continued Hearing Voices: My Hour of Schizophrenia Pg 14: My Mother’s Promise Pg 15: Our Papers Are Out of Order Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2008 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Georgine Getty Susan Smith Andy Freeze Lynne Ausman Greg Olkhovsky Tiffany Harmon Kenneth Cheriyot Melvin Williams Della Woolens Michael Henson Steve Sunderland Alyssa Konermann Mark Shears Cleo Wombles Julie Przybysz Angella Pancella Charlotte Wright Jeffrey Ostrum David Harris Mohammed Ali Suzanne Hanney Amanda Wolfe Mandy McAnally Maruice King Ian Griffner Berta Lambert Anthony Williams Antonio Hodge Melodie Fickenscher Jimmy Heath CMSTEP Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF addiction Alyssa Konermann Amanda Wolfe Andy Freeze Angella Pancella Anthony Williams Antonio Hodge Arts & Poetry Berta Lambert Charlotte Wright Chicago Cleo Wombles CMSTEP David Harris Death Penalty Della Woolens Georgine Getty Greg Olkhovsky Ian Griffner Iraq Jeffrey Ostrum Jimmy Heath Julie Przybysz Kenneth Cheriyot Lynne Ausman Mandy McAnally Mark Shears Maruice King Massachusetts Melodie Fickenscher Melvin Williams Michael Henson Mohammed Ali Ohio Peace Village Poverty and Addiction Soccer Steve Sunderland Susan Smith Suzanne Hanney Tiffany Harmon Valentine’s Day https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/d4e08eda730df2ea901b546ef432ef8c.pdf 8076d5b699db15a0df224017b5665b1f PDF Text Text 36 C R O S S W O R S U 37 D O K U D P A G 38 A N E 12 D Locations, Page 10 STREETVIBES $1 M a r c h 2 0 0 9 • I s s u e 1 5 2 • C i n c i n n a t i ’s A l t e r n a t i v e N e w s S o u r c e Keeping Babies Alive The secret is helping the mothers succeed By Stephanie Dunlap Contributing Writer A nita Brentley had been waiting for the 16-year-old emancipated youth to arrive. “Is this your first? How far along are you?” she asks the young woman, “Neshia.” Yes, it’s her first, and Neshia doesn’t know how long she’s been pregnant. “Have you had prenatal care?” Brentley asks softly. “Have you been to the doctor?” No to both. Brentley guides Neshia through enrollment into the Every Child Succeeds program: “When we say ‘mother,’ we’re talking about you, because you’re going to be a mother now,” she says gently. There is no judgment in Brentley’s voice or bearing. Later she will tell me that Neshia has developmental problems. Maybe it’s that kind of complete acceptance that’s made ‘Ms. Anita’ beloved as a team leader for the Avondale/Every Child Succeeds Partnership program. Or something about the way she’s relentlessly cheerful or how she freely gives out her cell phone number so young mothers can text her. Or maybe the way she’ll call them first. What happens next is that an Every Child Succeeds (ECS) home visitor will start calling on Neshia once a week or every couple weeks to walk her through every step of pre- Mothers and children at Every Child Succeeds are defing the odds and beating the high infant mortality rate among African-American children in Cincinnati. Photo by Andrew Anderson. natal care, child development and parenting until her child is 3 years old. ‘No long-handled spoon’ The thrust of the 10-yearold program is reducing Cincinnati’s high rate of infant mortality rate by focusing on at-risk, first-time mothers. In 2001 the national infant mortality rate was 6.8 deaths by age 1 per 1,000 live births; in Cincinnati, the rate was nearly twice as high from 19992004, with 13.1 deaths per thousand, according to ECS. The agency says the primary causes of infant mortality are birth defects, low birth weight and premature birth, smoking, SIDS, accidental injury and abuse and neglect. Through home visits and a meticulously plotted, measured and analyzed curriculum See Babies, p. 5 Spring Time at the Homeless Coalition New director takes the lead By GreGory Flannery editor rugged individualism and focusing on the fact that we all need each other.” Ending homelessness reSpring succeeds Georgine quires changes in policy but Getty, executive director of also in the American ethos it- the Homeless Coalition for self, according to Josh Spring, the past six years. Getty is new executive director of the now executive director of Greater Cinthe Interfaith cinnati CoHospitality “Having a home alition for the should be viewed as Network. Homeless. For the a right – food, water, “I think past two h o m e l e s s - shelter and clothing. years Spring, On a moral level, I ness is somea Xavier Unithing that’s think this is a right.” versity graducompletely ate and li~ Josh Spring solvable and censed social it doesn’t worker, has have to exist,” he says. “We been resident services coordineed more affordable housing nator at Over-the-Rhine Comand a living wage. These are munity Housing. the two immediate symptoms. “I’m interested in the issue I think, in terms of a broad an- of homelessness because it’s a swer, it’s giving up the idea of vast symptom of other broken systems we have in America,” he says. “Having a home should be viewed as a right – food, water, shelter and clothing. On a moral level, I think this is a right. Legally, everybody should have housing. All entities, private and public, should be trying to make that work. I would say that it should legally be the case that a person has what he or she needs to get by in life.” The personnel change at the Homeless Coalition doesn’t portend a change in its opposition to the city of Cincinnati’s efforts to restrict new lowincome housing and socialservice agencies. Nor does Spring believe the election of President Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress will necessarily end homelessness. “I would like to hope it Josh Spring, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Photo by Aimie Willhoite. See Spring, p. 5 �2 The Vibe News Briefs Chris Bortz Should Try This CHARLESTON, W. Va. — Unlike Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Bortz and other Cincinnati officials who seem to want to move homeless people out of view downtown, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin wants to draw attention to the plight of people who have no stable housing. Last month Manchin proclaimed Homeless Awareness Day. He signed the proclamation in the state capitol in a ceremony attended by advocates for homeless people. Cincinnati City Council is taking the opposite tack, trying to restrict the location of social-service agencies that help homeless people. New Idea: Don’t Take People’s Stuff COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado Springs City Council is considering a proposal that that could make it easier for homeless people to keep possessions such as prescription drugs during police sweeps of homeless camps. The plan follows an outcry by advocates for homeless people who accused Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful of confiscating or trashing people’s property during sweeps of campsites, accompanied by city police officers. The complaints led to a temporary moratorium on the sweeps. The proposal would also require mental-health outreach workers to accompany cleanup crews. Homeless people reported that, among the items taken from them, were clothing, a tent and family photos. Not Exactly a Workhouse BOSTON — The Commonwealth of Massachusetts wants homeless families to have to work and save money in order to stay in shelters. The new rules — scheduled to take effect, it’s worth noting, on April Fools Day — requires homeless adults to work a minimum of 30 hours per week and save 30 percent of their earnings. Advocates for homeless people want the state to drop the rules, arguing that the recession, growing unemployment rate and foreclosure crisis indicate this is a bad time to make it harder for homeless people to get shelter. Streetwise By GreGory Flannery The Things Mallory Didn’t Say Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory delivered his annual State of the City address Feb. 25. The speech included more than 4,000 words. These are some words that didn’t get used: “poverty,” “poor,” “homeless,” “Drop Inn Center,” “hunger,” “food,” “FreeStore,” “addict,” “recover,” “literacy,” “mental health,” “health care,” “human services.” Mallory thanked and praised 15 private companies — PNC Bank, US Bank, Duke Energy, Prestige Audio Visual, Procter & Gamble, Kroger, Cintas, HDR, Ameresco, TranSystems, dunhumbyUSA, Humana Insurance Company, Medpace, NuTone and Goodwin-Williams Benefits Consulting. The word “volunteers” got a single mention, although that was partly a nod to US Bank. The word “non-profit” likewise appears once, in connection with Mallory’s push for a streetcar system, which he argues will spur economic development, with help from “non-profit service providers and lending professionals to educate citizens in entrepreneurship.” Mallory said nothing about agencies that provide food, housing, clothing, medical care and counseling to the needy, nor about organizations that work to protect civil rights. Mallory saluted progress in reform of the police department, noted city initiatives to protect the environment and promised to work to reduce predatory lending. “In fact, almost 42,000 citizens of the greater Cincinnati region do not have adequate access to traditional banking,” Mallory said. That is almost like taking note of poverty in Cincinnati, because the usual reason for lack of access to “traditional banking” is a state known by banks as “being broke.” In closing, Mallory didn’t urge people to help at soup kitchens or volunteer at a shelter for homeless people but he did suggest using mass transit, recycling and being active in community councils. “And,” Mallory said, “brag about the greatness of Cincinnati everywhere you go.” The Republican Money Trail Let’s review. When the Republicans controlled Washington, they launched a war in Iraq that has cost $1.2 trillion without apparently actually defeating an enemy that wasn’t even armed in the first place. Last year the Republican president agreed to spend $750 billion to bail out Wall Street banks without actually improving the economy. But this year, when the new Democratic president wanted to spend $787 billion to repair American infrastructure, create jobs and help the people suffering unemployment and the loss of their homes as a result of eight years of Republican economics, the now-minority party in the U.S. House decided the country can’t afford to spend so much money. Not one Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives voted for President Obama’s economic-stimulus package. Not one. Doesn’t it say in the Bible or somewhere, “By their appropriations you will know them”? The stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes nearly $1.6 billion in assistance for homeless people. More than 6,000 programs throughout the United States will benefit. Grants announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) include &1.68 million for Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The local funding is part of $24 million to create new pilot programs in 23 communities to rapidly re-house homeless families with children. The additional funding provided in the recovery plan is a dramatic increase in funding to support local programs to keep persons and families from becoming homeless, including the large number of low-income renters who are at high-risk of becoming homeless because their landlords' properties are foreclosed upon. This funding will have an immediate impact by offering these families short-term rental assistance, housing relocation, or security and utility deposits. ‘Streetvibes’ Writer Makes Good Streetvibes contributing writer Margo Pierce has been named a 2009 Peter Jennings Fellow. The Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution is an annual event hosted by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, with support from the Annenberg Foundation. Its mission is to help professional journalists understand constitutional issues more deeply. Pierce, a staff writer for CityBeat, is among the award-winning professional journalists who contribute their work to Streetvibes, published by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Her weekly column, “Eight Minutes,” focuses on people and organizations who "work hard to make a difference for the less privileged (see page 3.). The Jennings Fellowship is the latest journalism award Pierce has received for her work. In addition to honors by the Cincinnati Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, she was a finalist for the 2008 Margolis award. STREETVIBES March 2009 Streetvibes is a newspaper that provides relevant discussions of homelessness, poverty and other related social justice issues. It is published monthly 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 Contributing Writers Stephanie Dunlap, Margo Pierce, Lew Moores, Paul Kopp, Alecia Lott, Adam Clark, David Heitfield, Jeremy Flannery, Jeni Jenkins, Dave Scharfenberger, Angela Pancella, Alexis Gordon, Mike Henson, Dede Stoops, Matt Holcomb Photography/Artwork Andrew Anderson, Lynne Ausman, Paul Kopp, Anthony Williams, Aimie Willhoite, Dave Scharfengerger, Slyvia Pisczor Advisory Committee Joe Wessels, Steve Novotni, Andrew Freeze, Georgine Getty, Michael Henson, Stephanie Dunlap, Steve Gibbs The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Programs include Streetvibes, “Voice of the Homeless” Speaker’s Bureau, Cincinnati Urban Experience (CUE), Homeless Curriculum, and Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project. All donations support these programs and are taxdeductible to the full extent of the law. We are members of: �STREETVIBES March 2009 Community News Eight Minutes with an ‘Abolitionist’ Working hard to end modern slavery industry or part of an industry that is poorly regulated or has little over-sight, you’re going to have human trafficking.” The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlawed slavery in 1865 with two simBy MarGo pierce ple sentences: “Neither slavery Columnist nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime ost people think slavwhereof the party shall have ery is a thing of the been duly convicted, shall expast, but Jessica Donohue-Dioh knows better. She’s an abo- ist within the United States litionist who wants to see slav- or any place subject to their ery end in the United States jurisdiction. Congress shall and around the world. More have the power to enforce this people are enslaved today than article by appropriate legislation.” at any other The 14th time in histo- Anywhere there’s an Amendment ry – approxiindustry or part of required mately 27 an industry that is states to promillion adults poorly regulated or tect the rights and children of all citihas little over-sight, worldwide. “ H u m a n you’re going to have zens with an equally simtrafficking a human trafficking. ple directive: form of mod“No state ern day slavery,” says Donohue-Dioh, a shall make or enforce any law coordinator for End Slavery which shall abridge the priviCincinnati. “People – adults, leges or immunities of citizens children, males, females, citi- of the United States; nor shall zens, foreign nationals – who any state deprive any person are put in places of work … of life, liberty or property, and through force, fraud or without due process of law; coercion, are being held there nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal proagainst their will. “We’ve actually had a tection of the laws.” The problem is that that handful of cases (in CincinnaCongress didn’t pass any laws ti) that are being looked at by defining slavery and punishlaw enforcement mostly in lament for the crime until 2000, bor trafficking, involving both foreign nationals and U.S. with the Victims of Traffickcitizens. Anywhere there’s an ing and Violence Protection Act. The act was renewed and M revised in 2004 and 2008. The most recent update includes specific language regarding U.S. citizens who are forced into slavery here or abroad. “With a U.S. citizen, you might end up with someone who has a debt to pay off or finding themselves on hard times and maybe a little bit desperate for work, really looking for any opportunity that’s coming along,” Donohue-Dioh says. “A trafficker finds them, befriends them and preys upon that desperation, preys upon vulnerability. They need the work, they need the income.” She compares a trafficker’s actions to what happens in domestic violence. A sense of trust is established, and then the victim is made to believe that the situation she is in is her own fault. Disbelief is the most common reaction Donohue-Dioh says she gets when she makes a presentation about human trafficking, so she uses practical examples. “The folks after Katrina -they have no home, they have no job, they have no place to go. They’re desperate,” she says. “They’re looking for any opportunity, and a trafficker’s going to prey on that. They’re going to give them an opportunity they think they want, and then the circumstances will change. “It could be the folks after Enron. They lost their jobs, 3 Many people work hard to make a difference for the less privileged in Greater Cincinnati. “Eight Minutes” is an effort to learn who they are and what motivates them. What is Human Trafficking? After drug dealing, trafficking of humans is tied with arms dealing as the second largest criminal industry in the world, and is the fastest growing, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Understanding the definition of human trafficking is essential to identifying potential victims: Human trafficking is the transportation, harboring, selling or employment of a person through the means of force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of forced servitude. Transportation: A person doesn’t have to be moved across state lines for human trafficking to take place. A child can be enslaved in her hometown just a few neighborhoods away from her home. Force: Restraint can happen in a number of ways: if a person is unable to leave because he is tied down or locked in a room, violence is used when he attempts to leave or he is kept in a place where he cannot leave. Confiscating a person’s ID, money, social security card and any other personal items can make it impossible for her to get away. Fraud: When a person is promised one thing when making a choice but the commitment isn’t kept and she is told she must do something else, fraud is being used. One example would be when a woman is offered a job as a hostess at a restaurant and agrees to go with a trafficker but upon arrival is told she’ll be a prostitute. Coercion: This includes threats of violence against family members, threats of shaming the victim, forced isolation or lying about potential consequences for leaving, for example saying a prostitute will face arrest and jail time or cops won’t believe she was forced. their life savings, they’re going to be losing their homes if they can’t make ends meet -- anybody who is in desperate need of one thing or another. With some of the minors involved in commercial sex, we see (the children) looking for non-materialistic stuff – a relationship, a father figure, a mother figure, someone to take protect them, membership in a group.” Being aware is essential because almost one-third of all victims who are rescued result from tips offered by “good Samaritans,” according to Donohue-Dioh. “Whenever people talk to someone who is needing help, who is vulnerable, be aware enough to think, ‘Is this person being exploited? Is someone taking advantage of their circumstances and their vulnerabilities?’ If they are, make a call and err on the side of caution. It doesn’t hurt to make the call, even if you’re not sure,” she says. “If everyone in this community is just aware enough to take it one step further and ask some more questions, we’ll have that many more people being rescued and have the opportunity to rehabilitate from this crime.” To report someone you believe might be the victim of trafficking, call the Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force Complaint Line at 1-888-428-7581 or call the local YWCA hotline at 513-872-9259. �STREETVIBES March 2009 Community News 4 Booming Market: Women’s Bodies New drama highlights horrors of sex trafficking tion is 14, according to the By Jeni JenkinS Coalition Against Trafficking staff Writer Women. This reading, directed by award-winning filmmaker An eclectic cast of women and novelist E.E. Charltonperformed a staged reading Trujillo, was a fervent reply to of The Global Lovers Feb. 17 those statistics. at the Aronoff Center for the Pettit began the project as Arts. The subject of the new a manuscript of poems about poetic drama, a fictional sex by University of slave in reacIt is estimated Cincinnati Engtion to editorithat between lish Professor als about young 17,000 and Rhonda Pettit, is women forced 50,000 women sex trafficking into brothels. and children are As Pettit's pasFor thousands of years women sion about the trafficked each and children have subject intensiyear into the fallen victim to fied, the poems United States. sex trafficking. progressed into Worldwide Although many a one-act draestimates range laws were enma. The readacted in the past between 700,000 ing was the first century, efforts and 1.75 million a phase of a femito decrease the nist project that year. numbers have is evolving into failed. Millions a full-length are kidnapped, while others play. Pettit submitted the piece are sold by their families and as part of the Cincinnati Playstill others are lured into traf- wrights Initiative’s New Voice ficking out of economic ne- Series through the Cincinnati cessity. While the numbers of Arts Association. human bodies trafficked vary Throughout the drama, a depending on how “sex traf- Kentucky woman, played by ficking” is defined, it is esti- Bett Kooris, sits reading a mated that between 17,000 newspaper. She is inundated and 50,000 women and chil- with advertisements as she dren are trafficked each year contemplates purchasing variinto the United States. World- ous commodities. Elsewhere, wide estimates range between in a distant place, a young 700,000 and 1.75 million a girl (Erin Howett) is sold by year. her parents into a brothel. The Variant though they might audience became spectators to be, the numbers are shock- a physical and psychological ing. Just as shocking, across journey that converts her nathe world, the average age of iveté into the accepting “girl” girls' entrance into prostitu- (Colette Thomas), whereby Photo by Aimie Willhoite. ‘The Global Lovers’ at the Aronoff. Photo by Aimie Willhoite. she undergoes various phases of “initiations” presented as a series of climatic episodes, brought on by ghosts of other trafficked women. Tension rises as the Kentucky woman turns page after page, gradually becoming conscious of the reality of both brothels and of the girl herself. The paper serves as a catalyst as reality penetrates until she is transformed, and the distance that separates their two worlds dissolves. “The language and imagery of the advertisements that keep the newspaper (or any media source) viable so that it may report on such horrors is also the language and imagery that distracts and placates us, and that commodifies through artificial sexualization of the female body,” Pettit says. Charlton-Trujillo says. “It was The cast included 10-year- a very real thing for me even old Natalia Sezer, a student at before that. I remember stories Summit Country Day School, growing up near the border as well as 15-year-old Howett, in South Texas about women a freshman who would “It was a very go missing. at Ursuline real thing for me A c a d e m y. After readTheir ages reing Rhonda's even before that. I poetic drama, flect the realremember stories ity that womthere was no growing up near en of all ages doubt I wantthe border in South are bought ed to be part and sold into Texas about women of the staged who would go reading. The the global sex market. Tolanguage was missing.” gether with ~ E.E. Charlton-Trujillo dynamic, the seven other stories vivid." cast members, Pettit's these women were empow- piece is a part of an extenered to bring the horrors of sive discourse on the comsex trafficking to light. The modification of bodies across piece is an exploration of “our the globe. In the past two deculture’s use of language as it cades, numerous scholars and regards the female body and activists have been working sexuality,” Pettit says. around the globe. End SlavThe reading elicited varied ery Cincinnati exists to apply responses from the audience federal anti-trafficking laws of 150. at the city level. Nationally, “The mythological and groups like the National Humodern double entendre re- man Trafficking Resource verberated the message of in- Center and the Human Rights nocence and loss to a young Watch Campaign work to help girl living in another world as protect and serve victims as compared to a modern Ken- well as enact legislation to tucky woman not seeing her,” combat trafficking. Organizasays Julia Sezer, Natalia’s tions around the world include mother. “The powerful mes- the Coalition Against Trafficksage this piece brings left the ing in Women, which works to audience empowered to ques- eliminate all forms of sexual tion this reality." exploitation; the International The meaning behind the Justice Mission, an agency piece ignited passion for those that rescues victims of sexual involved. exploitation; and Shared Hope “I had seen a powerful film International, which rehabilititled Trade that dealt with tates victims of trafficking. the human trafficking issue,” If you like what you read, but don’t live in the Cincinnati area, you can subscribe to Streetvibes. Call us at 513-421-7803 x 12 to learn more about subscribing to Streetvibes. �STREETVIBES March 2009 Community News Keeing Babies Alive based on a Procter & Gamble Carmel Presbyterian Church, model, ECS has effected a pre- which houses the Avondale/ cipitous drop in infant mortal- ECS Partnership. “The famiity rates: between 1999 and lies understand the importance ECS of this.” 2004, In 2001 the national participants Of Brentley, experienced infant mortality rate he says, “You was 6.8 deaths by can mix all an infant mortality rate that age 1 per 1,000 live kinds of conwas just 2.8 births; in Cincinnati, coctions, but deaths per the rate was nearly if you don’t 1,000 births. have anyone twice as high from to stir it … I These results 1999-2004, with and the dozens think she has a sense of carof agencies 13.1 deaths per involved won thousand, according ing and nurEvery Child turing that is to Every Child Succeeds the without peer.” Succeeds. 2008 AmeriAs Walcan Hospital lace’s grandAssociation Nova Award for mother used to say, Brentley community health collabora- doesn’t use “no long-handled tives. spoon,” he says. From its home at Children’s “It’s not easy to come and Hospital, ECS works through- ask people for things,” Brentout the Greater Cincinnati ley says. “It’s important to me area, but in Avondale the pro- that we smile for individuals gram has taken a more inten- and greet them with warmth sive approach thanks to addi- and compassion.” tional “place matters” funding Brentley also started Avonfrom United Way. dale Moms on a Mission Brentley saw that the young (AMOM), a monthly support mothers in Avondale couldn’t group for the caretakers of begin to focus on their own young children. What began or their babies’ health while with five women has grown as they struggled through crisis large as 60. A new men’s group after crisis, so she set up the already has four fathers. Avondale Caring Network Once police brought in a Pantry for any family with a grandmother whose daughter child age 3 or younger. Once had left her newborn on the a month these families can go floor and run off. to the pantry to load up for “We loaded her up with free on such essentials as dia- all kinds of things,” Brentley pers, wipes and new clothes says. for growing children. When there’s a need for big-ticket ‘Hold her hand’ items — say, a training toilet — Brentley puts the word out Efforts such as the pantry, to her extensive network. which is fueled largely by do“What’s really unique is nated items and bake sales, families that came here, they and the support groups have are bringing things back,” says brought 60 first-time moththe Rev. Clarence Wallace, for ers into the Avondale Every the past 30 years pastor of Child Succeeds program since 5 (continued from page 1) Stuffed animals available to the children of mothers working with Every Child Succeeds. Photo by Andrew Anderson. 2006. But the goal is 100, so Brentley found a way to hire ECS graduates as community liaisons. The luxury of bringing your child to work is one of the perks of working with Every Child Succeeds. It’s 19-yearold Leah Scott’s second day on the job, and she’s brought 3-month-old Kalliah. Lafawnda Sanderson, 35, has brought her 15-month-old son Trayvon. He’s busy answering a toy cell phone. Volunteer and ECS graduate Jenica Dowell, 30, says she learned about ECS from a brochure at the hospital where she gave birth to Ximen, now 4. “ECS literally became my family,” she says. “I decided I should hook myself up if I’m gonna raise this kid.” Ask these graduates about Brentley and she flees the room while they talk over each other. “She cares,” Dowell says. “Not only does she say it, but her actions show it. She never complains.” “She always shows a smile,” Scott says. “She wants to be here. For the mothers.” “If we don’t have it, she’ll take your phone number and call you when we get it,” Dowell says. Sanderson says her first contact with Brentley came in a phone call early one morning as she lay in bed, exhausted from staying up all night with her son. Brentley wanted to know what Sanderson needed from the pantry. “She rattled off like over 100 items on the phone,” Sanderson says. “I’m like, ‘Yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.’ We walked out of here with four bags full of items.” Later Brentley called Sanderson again, this time to offer her the job as community liaison just as Sanderson’s hours at work were being cut. “Ms. Anita’s a true bless- ing,” Sanderson says. “A godsend.” Brentley doesn’t much want to talk about herself. She has a husband and two sons, spent 10 years as a first-grade teacher in Cincinnati Public Schools and then another 10 years as injury-prevention coordinator at Children’s Hospital before starting at ECS in 2005. When she’s not in Avondale, Brentley’s in charge of ensuring all children in ECS are getting immunized and have a medical home. “I’m humbled,” Brentley says of the attention. “It’s not about me. I told the young ladies that, it’s not about us. It’s about the families.” And about the children. I remember how Brentley called after Neshia’s friend, a young mother departing with her 3-year-old daughter trailing behind. “You want to hold her hand because she walking with you, OK?” Brentley said. Spring Time at the Homeless Coalition (continued from page 1) helps,” he says. “Actually, I That includes an ongoing don’t put much stock in any lawsuit by the Homeless Copolitician. A lot of it comes alition against the city for usdown to ing the zonwhat we do ing code to “We represent locally. The limit socialthousands of people new presiservice agenwho are homeless dent and cies in Overand who possess Congress the-Rhine. undeniable strength, can say a “The zonand that should not be lot if things ing issues but really are a definioverlooked.” it comes tive attack on ~ Josh Spring down to people who what we do are poor and here. I don’t specifically think it’s time to put a lot of people who are homeless,” stock in what’s going on in the Spring says. “Zoning in this capital. We have to hold them case is an attempt by people accountable and hold our- in this city and by business selves accountable for what’s to zone where people can and going on in Cincinnati.” can’t receive services, really to separate people from getting what they need. “Much of what we’ve done in this country for a long time is to push people away: ‘Maybe if we don’t see it, it’s not there.’ ” Spring intends to make sure homeless people are seen. “We don’t need to be on the defensive,” he says. “We don’t need to prove to city council or anybody that it’s OK for us to exist. We need to move forward and do what we’re going to do. It is important that, when these issues come up, we present a united front and let council, the planning commission and whoever know that we’re not OK with this.” That was the case Feb. 10 when more than 200 people showed up for a hearing by the planning commission on the proposed restrictions on churches and social-services agencies. Sixty people spoke, only 11 of them in favor of the proposal, Spring says. “It was a real show of strength,” he says. Homeless people have a personal strength and a sense of community – borne of the need to survive without stable housing or food – that not only bode well for the Homeless Coalition’s work, but also illustrate the possibility for a larger social change, according to Spring. “We represent thousands of people who are homeless and who possess undeniable strength, and that should not be overlooked. We come to the table with a lot of hands and hearts. There is no doubt that people who are homeless turn off rugged individualism. For people who experience homelessness, it is a necessity to work together. There’s a strong sense of community.” At age 24, Spring is already experienced in the local struggle and says he’s ready to continue advocating for housing for everyone. “I am ‘young,’ ” he says. “I have been given the opportunity over the past few years to join in as well as take from the strength of those involved in the movement. I am ready to go.” �STREETVIBES March 2009 Local News 6 What’s Next for the Resistance? The anti-war movement after Obama’s election By lew MooreS Contributing Writer his month marks the sixth anniversary of the war in Iraq. What might the reaction be in terms of antiwar protests? What will the election of an antiwar candidate in November during the course of an unpopular war — something that didn’t occur in 1968 and 1972, during the height of the Vietnam War — mean to a U.S. troop presence in both Iraq and Afghanistan? While the antiwar movement has perhaps become less strident since the election of President Barak Obama, it is still alive and well, according to Sister Alice Gerdeman, coordinator of the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center. Agroup still conducts a vigil on the traffic island near Central Parkway and Vine Street downtown on some days. T Others stage peaceful protests once a month at various locations, including Newport near the Peace Bell, the Cincinnati neighborhood of Northside and the city of Mount Healthy. A rally is planned in New York in a couple of months. “There certainly still is an antiwar movement,” Gerdeman says. “We still have people who once a month stand out in various areas. That’s down somewhat, but it’s still there. Other ones pop up in different areas. We are working on the sixth anniversary now. While things have calmed down some, there is not peace there yet.” A rally is planned for 4 to 6 p.m. March 19, at Calhoun Street and Clifton Avenue in Clifton Heights, near the University of Cincinnati. On March 14 a teach-in on the Iraq war is planned on the campus of Xavier University. The numbers at past ob- servances have been impressive, Gerdeman says. During the fifth anniversary last year, hundreds showed up at Calhoun and Clifton, stretching north on Clifton to Ludlow Avenue – in a pouring rain, she points out – and hundreds showed up as well on Fountain Square. What numbers might appear this month at protests, with a new administration, is up in the air. Bumped by recession The differences between this war and the Vietnam War are stark; militarily, of course, but more to the point, in terms of antiwar dynamics. Not only was Vietnam a war that involved much larger troop commitments – and casualties – it also touched the American public much more intimately. There was a draft, which exposed those young men with- out college and other defer“You can talk about this in ments, to conscription. two ways. There are the hardBut it’s not just the differ- core folks for whom this is the ence between issue. And that those two number probNow we have an wars and the antiwar movement ably hasn’t changed election of a that is very well much. And professedly organized but antiwar canit’s not just unwilling to fight. didate that this war. might tend to There was acsubdue this tivism around antiwar movement, says Gene the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Beaupre. It is also what has as well. There are people for become another overarching whom I think it is an ideologiissue – the economy. cal imperative. There are oth“It occurred to me that even ers who care about the issue, before the election, the issue but have other concerns in of the war, even among young their lives. people, had taken a spot be“Except for a headline, the hind the economic issues,” war is reduced to a news disays Beaupre, director of gov- gest. GM (General Motors) ernment relations at Xavier closing plants — that’s the University and a professor headline that scares people.” there. “Among young people, Dan La Botz, a Cincinnatiit was behind the economic is- based teacher, activist and sues, but not maybe as distant writer (he’s a contributing from first place as with the writer to Streetvibes), is somegeneral population. See Resistance, p. 8 The Truth About Military Enlistment Center wants students to know what they’re buying By paul kopp Contributing Writer he life of an enlisted soldier in the U.S. military once seemed fairly simple: Go to boot camp, maybe go to war, come home, go to school or raise a family with monetary assistance and acknowledgment from the government for a job well done. Unfortunately things are getting more complicated for today’s enlistee. Because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military needs more young men and women. The economic crisis means young people might be more interested in joining. Recruiters are able to find them in high schools, where promises of money for college and job security sound very good to students who are low on opportunities. The Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC) believes the military isn’t standing behind those promises and in some cases has been lying to students. IJPC held a training session Feb. 14 for volunteers in a project to counter military influence in Cincinnati schools. This is the second session the group has held since October. Participants visit school guidance counselors, provide information and check back periodically to gauge whether the approach is influencing student decisions or recruiting T efforts. can Friends Service CommitThe project is modeled af- tee believes recruiters should ter a successful effort by Co- give. One question is whether lumbus peace churches to the military can make somegive information to guidance one stay longer than what his counselors about non-military contract stipulates. The anoptions after high school. swer on the card is yes. “We're really concerned Though it might seem that with the presence of military some of these materials could recruiters in the schools at this be biased against the military, time, and we’re recognizing the IJPC says that’s not the that there is a lot of pressure case. being put on young people,” “The important thing is says Kristen Barker, a staff the information provided is member at IJPC. “Also there not opinion-based,” says Ned are things not being described Hamson, an IJPC staffer. “It's (by recruiters), like the full taken out of the Defense Depicture of what the military is all about isn't being shared very frequently.” The packet distributed by IJPC includes information about options for job training and funding for college that don’t involve the military, as well as help in understanding the terms of enlistment. The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization active in the national counter-recruitment movement, created some of the materials. A laminated card lists 17 questions for military recruiters on one side and, on the Kristen Barker of IJPC. other side, provides Photo by Aimie Willhoite. answers the Ameri- partment’s own ranks.” Barker says the project isn’t anti-military, but simply an effort to help students know all their options. “Lots of people get into the military because they feel like they don't have another way to pay for an education or they can't think of other job opportunities available to them," she says. Volunteers originally tried going to schools to pass out fliers but felt they weren’t making an impact because they had no relationships with the students, Barker says. Getting the information into the hands of guidance counselors, whom students know and trust, is the project’s new strategy. IJPC wants schools to be aware of the deceptive means that military recruiters can employ to get students to sign up. “There's pressure for (recruiters) to do whatever they have to do to make their quotas,” Hamson says. “They aren't inherently evil people, but when you have quotas to meet, that's how you keep your job.” Like other sales people, recruiters try to advertise their product in the best way possible, even if that means lying or giving a student a false impression. “We heard one story where a student was told that because of his entrance exam scores, he would receive a position as a courtroom sketch artist,” barker says. “That position doesn't even exist in the Marine Corps." Stephanie Gentile, a guidance counselor at Clark Montessori School, is worried about the way she sees army recruiters view the students. “I feel very protective of these kids,” she says. “I'm looking at them as people who have possibilities and who can contribute to society in some way, and they are looking at them as a number." IJPC says its campaign is similar to consumer protection, making sure a customer knows all the facts before buying. One example is its breakdown of the college benefits that the army promises new recruits. With the G.I. Bill being cut more and more each year and the qualifications to receive money for education getting increasingly difficult to meet, the army's promise of paying for college doesn't seem to be all that truthful to IJPC. “You only get $9,000 a year, and there are many ways in which you can be disqualified from receiving that money,” Barker says. �STREETVIBES March 2009 Reviews 7 The Dance of the Losers ‘Homeland Security USA’: Entertainment in brownface By DaviD heitFielD Contributing Writer man in Cincinnati named either Jim Duff or Jim Crow. The song became so popular ost people know of that it engendered minstrel the Jim Crow laws, shows as a popular entertainthe “separate but equal” leg- ment option later in the cenislation that codified segrega- tury. tion in education, voting, eatWe (at least, publicly) now ing, sleeping and other little admit that making fun of people based nuisances “The First on color (and up until the gender, alCivil Rights Amendment is though we Act and Votno longer about ing Act of still have a a marketplace of 1964-65. But ways to go ideas, the vigorous there, witdid you know debate of which the origins of nessing the makes a democracy “Jim Crow” last election) were in pop stronger, but about is bad. But we culture, with Ann Coulter calling miss the white a local bent? elephant in people names like A white the room: At an immature and comedian, its heart, this unimaginative.” issue isn’t just Thomas Dartabout race (or mouth “Dad~ Holden Caulfield dy” Rice, did gender); it’s a song and heartlessly dance number in 1828 called, making fun of people who “Jump Jim Crow,” allegedly have nothing. based on a song and dance he I confess I was even taken saw by a handicapped black in on viewing episodes of M ABC’s new series, Homeland Security USA (8 p.m. Tuesdays). I’d read mostly scathing reviews, charging the series with jingoism, xenophobia and overt propaganda. I thought the criticism overwrought: After all, many, if not most, of the “good guys,” the officers and agents working for the Department of Homeland Security, were of Hispanic origin. How can one charge that the series is engendering fear against a particular ethnicity while it also Red Skelton as a hobo. shows that ethnicity who possessed a quiet dignity protecting the borders? And then I remembered Clar- – say, Charlie Chaplin’s Little ence Thomas and thought ... Tramp character, Red Skelton’s hobo, or Carol Burnett’s oh, yeah, right. One of the most disconcert- bag lady – into objects of deriing developments in pop cul- sion and scorn. I grew up when country ture in my lifetime has been the transformation of poor bumpkins ruled the airwaves: people from objects of humor The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, The Andy Griffith Show, Petticoat Junction, Gomer Pyle and Hee Haw, to name a few. Money didn’t change Jed Clampett a whit, because he possessed a strength of character that money couldn’t buy. I had a hard time recently understanding people being surprised that Wall Street investment bankers would act in greedy, selfish and unscrupulous ways: Hadn’t these people ever met Milburn Drysdale? These shows resonated with my upbringing, which from the maternal side was deeply influenced by Appalachian culture, areas of Kentucky such as London, Corbin and Hazard – a very strong sense See Dance, p. 11 Life is a Battlefield ‘Wounded Warrors’ captures the effects of everday combat clusively about the individual and collective struggles of war veterans. The book is a collection of Sager’s magazine articles examining all kinds of types of “warfare.” He writes about HiQ intellectuals battling the mundane, celebrities and activists working to overcome negative media coverage, children seeking By JereMy Flannery entertainment on the streets Contributing Writer of Philadelphia and families fighting for the safety of Some wounded Iraq War neighborhoods where police veterans hope to return to officers dare not tread. Iraq, to their brothers in arms, In their plots and characdespite the traumatic brain in- ter development, the articles juries they suffered from im- have some of the qualities of provised explosive devices. fiction. This is journalism that At least these wounded pulls you into a spot next to Marines now have a barracks the subjects. to overcome their physical Corp. Jeff Leeman is one wounds and their mental an- of the wounded Marines in guish together, according to Camp Lejeune hoping to reWounded Warriors by Mike turn to Iraq. Sager describes Sager. The the concern Sager reminds us to Wo u n d e d that LeeW a r r i o r look beyond superficial man’s wife Barracks at has about characteristics Camp Lejeher husthat dictate our une, N.C., band being classifications of provides wounded people. a facilagain, while ity for the they both wounded Devil Dogs of the grip the notion of the job seMarine Corps to remain ac- curity that comes with militive, instead of recovering at tary service. a Veterans Affairs hospital “ ‘And besides,” Leeman until being discharged from continues, “going back over military service. Their orders there a second time – it’s are to support each other and gotta be different. It’s like dorecover together. ing anything the second time. Wounded Warriors isn’t ex- I’ve already been hurt. I know what to do. I know the drill. I know what the processes are now, so it won’t be as bad if I’m hurt again.’ “He looks at her. She looks at him. Neither seems convinced.” Sager spent a few days with the Rev. Al Sharpton in New York City. Sharpton and a group of volunteers joined a construction workers’ protest, demanding more opportunities for homeless people as well. “A few minutes ago, Sharpton penetrated borough limits in a white Pontiac Grand Am,” Sager writes. “He hoisted himself out of the passenger seat, trundled across three lanes of traffic and entered the park, where he was swallowed in a chanting, teeming mass, 12 busloads of followers, gathered as planned under the camouflage of the protest permit issued to the construction workers. “Now they head south, Sharpton and 600 marchers, led by a phalanx of police attended by a gaggle of press.” Sager describes the New Alliance Party’s assembly as it plans to occupy Liberty Island. Afterward, Sharpton and 13 volunteers held hands and awaited arrest for refusing to disperse, while chanting “No Sandwiches, No Peace.” Even what seems ridiculous has a deeper story, and Sager aims to tell it. Each article provides a portrait of warriors wounded in different kinds of combat, ranging from the mocking laughter directed at a 650-pound man in a California parking lot to people ducking for cover from bullets fired from a rival gang. Sager’s most daring report came after becoming part of a street gang for two weeks. He describes how impoverished gang members live and why they’re involved in such dangerous, sometimes criminal activity. Readers can almost see, hear and taste what Sager experienced, even though most won’t be smoking crack at the time, as Sager did with the V-13s before the Culver City gang ambushed them. “The rounds sizzled the air above our heads,” he writes. “Small bullets can do a lot of damage; they get inside your body and ping around, tearing up organs. Yogi rolled on top of Linda. Margarita rolled on top of Lil’ Sleeper. Everyone else hit the dirt.” Sager reminds us to look beyond superficial characteristics that dictate our classifications of people. Their homeland might not be suitable after the war for every veteran, as “Thailand’s Home for Wayward Vets” explains. The nightclub bouncer might be a genius, like Christopher Langan in “The Smartest Man in America.” “He is certainly the smartest nightclub bouncer in America, endowed with an IQ that has been measured at 195, a score that puts him on par with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Rene Descartes, three of the brightest minds in human history,” Sager writes. “Chris is six feet tall and weighs 275 pounds, a great Minotaur of a man with a basso profundo voice. A former cowboy, construction worker, and Park Service firefighter, he has a 52-inch chest, 22-inch biceps, a cranial circumference of 25 and a half inches – a colossal head, more than three standard deviations above the norm. Known in his younger days to play a mean lead guitar, he has light blue eyes, a dry-look Elvis pompadour, and a large chip on his shoulder, something you come to understand once you hear his story.” Who wouldn’t want to? �Local News 8 Enfleshing the Dream STREETVIBES March 2009 Making King’s ‘beloved community’ a reality By alecia a. lott Contributing Writer On Nov. 3, 1979, a caravan of Ku Klux Klan members and Nazis attacked a small group In his books and speeches, of activists, led by Rev. Johnthe Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. son, gathered in a low-income popularized the term “beloved neighborhood in Greensboro. community,” a global vision in The group was marching for which all people share in the racial and economic justice. wealth of the earth. In King’s Although police had full prior Beloved Community, pover- knowledge of the march, they ty, hunger and homelessness “went to lunch,” as Johnson would not be tolerated be- puts it, and withheld proteccause international standards tion. The racist attackers killed of human decency would not allow it; racism and all forms five demonstrators and woundof discrimination would be re- ed 10 others in what became placed by an known as the all-inclusive Greensboro The group was spirit of broth- marching for racial M a s s a c r e . erhood. Johnson was and economic The Rev. stabbed durjustice. Although ing the melee, Nelson and police had full Joyce Johnwitnessed by his wife. Two son, founders prior knowledge of the Beloved of the march, they criminal cases Community “went to lunch,” as failed to conCenter (BCC) vict the attackJohnson puts it, and in Greensboro, ers — despite N.C., spoke withheld protection. the fact that Feb. 19 at the much of the National Underground Rail- event was videotaped v but a road Freedom Center. Married federal civil suit found Klan nearly 40 years, the Johnsons members, Nazis and Greenshave spent decades working to boro police liable for one bring about significant social death. change in the South as well as “What happens to a commutoward healing their commu- nity when you no longer benity, ripped apart by a tragic lieve what you see?” Johnson event 30 years ago. asked at the Freedom Center. Students speak with Rev. Nelson Johnson about King’s ‘beloved community’. Photo by Andrew Anderson. “What do you do when the instruments of justice fail you?” In the years that followed the incident, Greensboro’s low-income African-American communities struggled against discrimination, inadequate housing and police misconduct. Many Greensboro residents preferred not to discuss the killings, leaving their legacies unacknowledged. Although survivors continued to fight for justice, they found that the memory of that day in 1979 was rapidly fading, becoming just another part of Greensboro’s tumultuous history. Inspired by King’s teachings, the Johnsons wanted to ensure that something positive came from the tragedy. In 1991 they helped establish the Beloved Community Center. Not only does the BCC in Greensboro work to inspire dialogue about the killings, promote healing and keep the victims’ memories alive, but it also also fights for the wellbeing of the entire community, regardless of race, economic status or age. Joyce Johnson spoke with pride about the center, where she is director of its administrative support and fundraising entity and her husband is executive director. For their “homeless neighbors,” the See dream, p. 11 What’s Next for the Resistance? (continued from page 6) what skeptical of what effect supposedly rescuing is not a the month-long Obama presi- nation at all but rather a deepdency will have on achieving ly divided, semi-failed state peace and ending war in Iraq with an incompetent, corrupt and, especially, Afghanistan. government held to be ille“The first big problem is gitimate by a large portion of the antiwar movement declin- its population…Meanwhile, ing to take on Obama,” La neighboring countries may Botz says. “There is a creep- see a chance to bog America ing gentleness in the antiwar down in a costly war. Last, movement, which is unfortu- there is no easy way out.” nate.” He cites a disturbing story Co-opted by Obama? in the Feb. 9 issue of Newsweek about the war in AfghanThe problem with this “anistan. The story, by John Barry tiwar” president, as La Botz and Evan Thomas, wonders sees it, is that his adminiswhether Afghanistan, where tration blunts, dilutes, even Obama co-opts wants to “While many of the things the movecommit ment’s enthat President Obama thousands said during the campaign ergy and m o r e singlegave us some hope, we troops, will minded b e c o m e also know you have to be focus. La constantly vigilant with Botz finds “Obama’s Vietnam.” alarmpolitical systems.” To d a y ’s ing that ~ Sister Alice Gerdeman “surge” is Obama the dirty continues word “escalation” of four de- to surround himself, in his view, with hawks, such as Decades ago. “Vietnam analogies can be fense Secretary Robert Gates, tiresome,” Newsweek says. continued from Bush admin“…The nation that we are istration; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who voted for the Iraq war; and retired Marine Gen. Jim Jones, Obama national security adviser. “He’s chosen a group of people who are hawks on the war,” La Botz says. “He’s chosen to expand the war in Afghanistan. U.S. foreign policy hasn’t funda- Protesting the invasion of Gaza in February on Fountain Square. mentally changed. Photo by Andrew Anderson. The United States tics of the Democratic Party says. “But I’m not aware of an hasn’t given up one iota of its and to Obama. So now we Obama exit strategy.” desire to occupy and control have an antiwar movement Gerdeman, too, is cautious, the countries in the Middle that is very well organized but even after the election. East and Central Asia.” unwilling to fight. And I think “We’re constantly vigilant,” He calls the further troop that severely weakens us. We she says. “While many of the commitment to Afghanistan a need to have people who say things that President Obama “slippery slope of escalation.” we’re fighting against war and said during the campaign gave He was, in short, not encourmilitarism no matter who is us some hope, we also know aged by Obama’s election. president. That might take a you have to be constantly vig“I never was encouraged,” shake-up in the leadership of ilant with political systems. La Botz says. “From a civil the antiwar movement.” We give a little bit of leeway rights point of view, the elecXU’s Beaupre also won- and understand that things tion of Obama was a remarkders, especially about Iraq. take time. So we’re hopeful able change in American poli“You know, the criticism but vigilant.” tics. But that’s it. of Bush was he didn’t have “The antiwar movement an exit strategy,” Beaupre subordinated itself to the poli- �STREETVIBES March 2009 Poetry/Artwork 9 The Lump? By holly parker As I sat there and listened I tried to figure it out A lump they said it was Had crept into her breast First off what is a breast? I don't understand That's my aunt they have in there She don't have breast She's my aunt A lump? I get one caught in my throat every time I remember Cancer, I don't understand They say she did nothing wrong So why did this have to happen to her It got bigger and bigger they say Till one then both her breast they had to take By Anthony Williams Berta’s Art Corner I still don't understand everyone is all upset I am crying too Because today we laid my aunt to rest As a child I remember her sweet voice Calling me in for a snack She was all flat up top Not like most women Cancer did it they said Why did it have to take my aunt It's a thief they say She didn't have the money Or insurance back then She worked hard every day Taking care of my cousin Till Breast Cancer took her slowly away I remember her smile, her strength Never give up she said God has it all in control He knows someone one day Will find strength because of me And you know she was right Because today I write this poem In my aunts honor And all that have won the fight Or in the fight Against Breast Cancer That slips in they call it The lump......... “Mural in Snow,” Jackson Street, Over-the-Rhine My Friend By DeDe StoopS I have found a friend, who is pure and true. He loves me always, as a friend should do. He’s by me always, day and night. All men are equals in his sight. His smile is in a child’s face; it’s captured in a warm embrace. His gentleness is in a golden flower; his strength is a mountain’s towers. His love is like an endless sea. He loves all men, whatever creed. His sorrows are the withered sod, my friend. You see, His name is God! God used them to teach us Get tested Take care of yourself Don't suffer alone 1128 Walnut St Pizza by the Slice She said it wasn't a thief It was a test She won For now with our father she is home....... Tues and Thurs Buffet($7.00)-11AM-2PM Wed-Thur-Fri-Sat 9PM-3AM �Column 10 Power and Powerlessness STREETVIBES March 2009 We don’t have to do to others as others have done to us At the bottom of Vine Street hill in Cincinnati is the five-point corner where Vine, McMicken and Findlay streets come together. On the various corners are a fire station, a carry-out, an apartment building, an empty wedge-shaped two-story that has been shut up for as long as I can remember and an abandoned storefront church painted over with a mural in which the hand of the Lord reaches down with what appears to be a string of sausages for the hungry. There is to be a lot of hunger at this crossing. ***** As often as not, at least one prostitute trolls up and down McMicken. So even on this bright, bitter-cold day, as I wait out the red light on Vine, I am not surprised to see a young woman stalking up the street toward the corner. This one is small and slender, with blonde hair that falls to her shoulders. From the angle from which I see her, the hair hides her face. She wears a black leather coat and has a purse slung from her shoulder and she walks slowly with her hands in the pockets of her coat. Two black men accost her at the corner. They know her, it seems. They smile, and their arms are open. They are tall, athletic-looking men and the taller of the two raises his arms to embrace her. She does not want his embrace and she tries to walk past him. So he bear-hugs her from behind. She tries to keep going, and she does. She drags him to the corner and turns the corner, even though he hangs on her erlessness. But to my mind, Michael Henson is author of Ransack, A Small Room with there are two sorts of power- Trouble on My Mind, The Tao of Longing and Crow Call. This lessness. column is part of a monthly series on poverty and addiction. One is the sort of powerlessness involved in the First is under the power of others. Step of Alcoholics Anony- At the moment I saw her, she ***** mous and is part of the com- was under the power of those mon language of recovery, in men. Her addiction — if she The Brazilian educator which the addict or alcoholic is an addict — might have Paolo Freire calls this “the recognizes he or she is only opened the door for whoever horizontal violence of the ophuman and surrenders to a has her under his thumb, and pressed.” Power in society is Higher Power capable of re- she might bear responsibility exercised along a vertical line directing his or her life. for putting herself there. But in which those with the greatThis is the real powerless- what she faces on this street est power direct this force ness, hard-wired is more than what the middle- downward toward those less into our human- class addict faces. She is un- empowered. At progressively ity. It is part of our der the thumb of others as a lower levels, the tendency is birthright and our nail is under a hammer. She is to direct this pressure further condition in the not only powerless; she is dis- downward until it gets to the by miChael henson world. The notion empowered. bottom levels of society where that we are powerWe could also say the same there is nowhere else to take less over people, of the men who are likely to it. So the people at the bottom The men laugh. places and things is a tough be impoverished and unem- direct it toward each other. The light changes and I sell, but once we accept it, the ployed and are black men in a Humiliated, they humiliate have to move on. concept becomes great gift, racist society. They might not those around them. Victims, a core requirement for liv- be so directly under the thumb they victimize each other. ing comfortably in the world. of others as the prostitute. The ***** Or, as addicts will often do, Though practiced differently hammer that beats them down they direct it toward themWhat just happened? in each might not be selves. Where else can this I can only guess. I don’t group, the But it seems to me that so heavy for woman on the street take this know these people and I don’t notion is now as the rage that is killing her? these men, at least know their story and had all of c o m m o n hammer over for that moment, felt 30 seconds to watch the whole to nearly this woman. ***** scene unfold in front of me. all reli- they had the power or But they are the right to taunt and under it noneAnd it may just be that some- gious and This might be heresy, but I one was having a bad day. But s p i r i t u a l humiliate that woman theless. Their believe the person in recovery it seems to me that these men, traditions. and that the woman, for turn for rage is empowered. Remember that at least for that moment, felt It is an inat least that moment, and shame in the 11th Step, the addict or they had the power or the right escapable might come alcoholic prays for “knowlwas powerless to do to taunt and humiliate that part of husoon. edge of His will for us and anything but curse. woman and that the woman, man culSo they the power to carry that out. for at least that moment, was ture. do what dis- “By accepting powerlessness powerless to do anything but But the empowered people often do. in one realm, he or she comes curse. other sort of powerlessness is They take it out on someone in touch with a power greater Which brings me to a a condition imposed by one even more vulnerable. Denied than themselves. The recoverthought about power and pow- human or set of humans on real power, they look for the ing person drops the illusion erlessness. another human or set of hu- illusion of power that comes, of power in order to become mans. The prostitute at the at this moment, in their abil- empowered. ***** five-point corner is power- ity to raise that rush of rage No more victims; no more less as a human being — all and shame on the face of that victimizing. Humbled, the We say that an essential for humans are. But she is also woman. addict/alcoholic casts off hurecovery is to accept pow- powerless in the sense that she No one wins in this game. miliation. and begins to pump his hips at her in imitation of doggystyle sex. She struggles and flings off his arms. He laughs and lets her go. He puts an arm across her shoulders, as if to say, No harm intended. She flings that away as well. She turns and walks the other way. And now I can see her face. Her brow is stormy; she spits curses; her face is red with rage and shame. ammered H Cover the Uninsured Week 2009 March 21, 2009 Corryville 1 West Corry St Cincinnati OH 45219 Hartwell 8241 Vine St Cincinnati OH 45216 Norwood 4500 Montgomery Rd. Norwood, OH 45212 Queen City Center 4777 Kennard Ave. Cincinnati OH 45232 Westwood 2435 Harrison Ave. Cincinnati OH 45211 In partnership with other local organizations, The Legal Aid Society will be helping individuals and families sign up for Medicade insurance and other forms of health care coverage and medical assistance programs at a number of different Kroger locations. From 9am to 12pm at the Kroger’s listed below, any family may sign up for health care coverage as well as receive a FREE Kroger gift card, while supplies last. Please bring the following documents if possible: • • • • • Proof of income (last three months paystubs) Proof of pregnancy (if relevant) Proof of other insurance (if any) Outstanding medical bills Proof of Citizenship (passport or birth certificate and state issued ID) For a full listing of participating Kroger’s please go to www.covercincy.org or call 211. March 29, 2009 Ferguson 2310 Ferguson Rd. Cincinnati OH 45238 North College Hill 7132 Hamilton Avenue Cincinnati, oh 45231 Norwood 4500 Montgomery Rd. Norwood, OH 45212 Queen City 4777 Kennard Ave. Cincinnati OH 45232 Whitewater 4001 S.R. 128 Cleves OH 45002 �STREETVIBES March 2009 Column The Dance of the Losers (continued from page 7) of clan, a sense that God put replaced by hatred of liberals, where a lot of people get inyou in your place because of who are the guardians of the sulted and look stupid and His reason that you don’t need shiftless and lazy. Jim Crow cry; and The Biggest Loser (an to understand. There is noth- laws are replaced by pleas of American original!), where a ing worse than unchecked am- “states’ rights” and “original lot of people get insulted and bition; it is not just an insult intent” in interpreting laws. look fat and cry. The message to the family, it is an insult The First Amendment is no seems to be “Even losers can to God. To think you could longer about a marketplace become winners,” ignoring change your lot in life might of ideas, the vigorous debate the obvious implication that in be part of Americana lore, but of which makes a democ- order to create a winner, you it is an affront to those who racy stronger, but about Ann need to create many, many feel you should be grateful for Coulter calling people names more losers. what you have. Life itself is a like an immature and unimag* * * blessing. Don’t covet. inative Holden Caulfield – in Today, of course, the most other words, free speech is not ubiquitous insult you can call about encouraging debate, but Originally titled Border Pasomeone is a “loser” – not stifling it. Just read comments trol USA, Homeland Security enough stuff, not the right to the Enquirer on the inner- USA begins with a title screen job, not the best-looking or webs, the technology that is of an aerial shot of a coastline richest spouse. Hell, even the supposed to democratize our with dark storm clouds obChristians today often preach debate even further; it’s not scuring the horizon. There’s a message of abundance, from a debate, it’s just really angry an appropriately menacing, Joel Osteen to Rick Warren to people telling everyone with minimalist score to make you P.D. Jakes – be feel some homea good Chrisless shark might It seems safe to say that in this age of tian, and God post-ironic-postmodernism, it’s perfectly be coming out will make you, of the water to OK for all of us to ridicule and be if not rich, at eat your leg. least very ma- entertained by those who have nothing, as Several stories terially com- long as we don’t qualify it by race, creed, are intertwined fortable. It’s in each episode gender or national origin. like a bizzaro to ensure a miniCalvinism: If cliffhanger for you ain’t wealthy, obviously a differing viewpoint to shut each commercial break. God hasn’t chosen you, so up. There are bad guys, of what the hell do expect us to Maury, Springer, Cops and course, but the most disturbdo about it? We’ll say a prayer scores of shows like them are ing parts are when the series and take away your right to all about amusing ourselves at tries to actually show some abortion so you don’t make what others lack: education, compassion: A boatload of any more bad decisions. money, opportunity, common refugees caught by the Coast Methinks hatred and preju- sense. Shows in the same time Guard (they end up detaindice itself is not so much ex- slot as Homeland Security USA ing 10 of the 93 migrants as tinguished as it is displaced. include American Idol (based bad guys), is listing in rough Hatred of people of color is on the British show Pop Idol), seas. The show explains that Enfleshing the Dream center provides a place where they can be seen as part of the community. Almost daily 150-200 homeless people eat breakfast in the center‘s Homeless Hospitality House. Showers, a mail delivery address and a telephone for those seeking work are also provided. Periodically, gath- Joyce Johnson, co-founder of the Beloved Community Center in Greensboro, N.C. Photo by Andrew Anderson. 11 the boat people were at first upset that they were spotted, but then they were grateful to be rescued because they feared for their lives, even though it meant they would go back to the life they were willing to risk their lives to leave in the first place. Is it propaganda? Of course it is, but Jed Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies what isn’t? We us, because they don’t have it. crossed that border back when the Voice Why save New Orleans when of America changed its pro- you’re just saving people who gramming from an objective have nothing? They’re losers. international news source, not People in prison are losers. unlike what you can hear at People without health insurnight on WVXU through the ance are losers. The homeless BBC World Service, to jingo- are losers. If you don’t see istic feel-good stories about your recent layoff as an “opAmericans all living the high portunity for growth,” you’re just a loser. life. It seems safe to say that in At its root, the state-apthis age of post-ironic-postproved message is the same: modernism, it’s perfectly OK Fear people who have nothing. It amuses me in a sick for all of us to ridicule and way that a culture that prides be entertained by those who itself on a “free market” sends have nothing, as long as we people to jail for driving with- don’t qualify it by race, creed, out purchasing car insurance gender or national origin. I – it’s the fear of people with think it’s fair to ask, in today’s nothing, codified. The terror- snarky rhetoric: How’s that ists are jealous of what we working out for us? have, our last president told (continued from page 8) erings are hosted to discuss social issues. The Johnsons believe social change is often sparked by young people; the center invites Greensboro youth who are dedicated to social change to gather and discuss current and past events. “Young people don’t see themselves in history books — or if they do, the view is distorted,” Rev. Johnson says. The Beloved Community Center works with local schools to transform the education system into one that is accountable to the community and encourages parental involvement and works with gangs to encourage their members to sign a pact for peace. The center is also involved in a workers’ center that provides information on labor laws and helps people find employment and a clergy network that has been a key part of several campaigns for worker justice in North Carolina. “Economic justice is the path to peace,” and is a value that is crucial to a beloved community, according to “You will always be a crippled community, whether you like it or not … as long as you refuse to face up to your past.” ~ Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa Joyce. Johnson says. The organization has won numerous awards and national recognition for its efforts to ensure policy changes that improve the lives of minorities and low-income people. The healing that began in Greensboro because of the Beloved Community Center gave the Johnsons the motivation and strength to face the city’s devastating past on a deeper level. In 2004 they helped form the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission (GTRC), the first commission of its kind in the country. Devoted to, as Rev. Johnson says, “unearthing the falsehoods of our yesterdays so our yesterdays won’t be our tomorrows,” the group’s mission was facilitating truth, understanding and healing in their community. Using similar commissions in South Africa and many Latin American countries as a guideline, the commission researched statements given to them about the Greensboro Massacre as well as court documents and produced a report of its findings in 2006. The report included recommendations for the Greensboro community for how to make strides toward healing, reconciliation and justice. The findings have been published online to inspire other communities, and the Johnsons are involved in starting truth commissions for other cities in the South. In a speech to the GTRC, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa said, “You will always be a crippled community, whether you like it or not … as long as you refuse to face up to your past.” For more information, visit belovedcommunitycenter.org and greensborotrc.org. �Local News 12 A Call To Care for Our People STREETVIBES March 2009 A progressive campaign for community values By Dave ScharFenBerGer Contributing Writer A local coalition of community, labor and church organizations recently decided to take the initiative to present their own agenda to Congress and the Obama administration. The group met Jan. 22 at the Contact Center in Overthe-Rhine with Brooke Hill, director of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s regional office. “We know that President Obama and Congress supported a bailout for Wall Street,” said Lynn Williams, spokeswoman for the Contact Center. “We need help for ordinary people.” The campaign, “Call to Care for Our People,” is about “corporal works of mercy,” according to Stephanie Beck Borden, a member of Catholic Alliance for the Common Good. The Contact Center brought the coalition of groups together to discuss issues they want addressed by Congress during the first 100 days of the new administration. They presented their agenda for economic recovery to Hill, who promised to deliver it to Brown. Organizations represented at the meeting included Communities United for Action, the Interfaith Worker Justice Center, Local 9 of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Cincinnati ACORN. “As Congress considers an economic-stimulus package, we must ensure that the needs of communities and ordinary people are included,” Williams said. “We are hopeful for change but we can’t afford to wait to see what they will do.” Health care was one of the issues that evoked the strongest support. Several participants shared personal experience about difficulty in getting health coverage, especially if they had a pre-existing condition. Mary Causey, with Mature Services, said her health insurance ran out when she lost her job. “Because I had cancer previously, I couldn’t find another health-insurance policy,” she said. Cassandra Barham was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I was fortunate that my cancer was treatable,” she said. “The problem that I ran into happened when I had to find other health insurance. I could not find another company to cover me.” Other issues presented to Senator Brown’s staff in- Matt Ryan, Mary Causey, and Lynn Williams present their concerns at the coalition. Photo by Dave Scharfenberger. cluded Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), stopping foreclosures, vacant and blighted properties, funding for the Home Energy Assistance Program and weatherization, the Employee Free Choice Act and humane immigration reform. The main theme of the meeting was values and where ordinary people fit with the federal agenda. “You need you to do more than help the banks,” said Marilyn Evans, executive di- Crossword rector of Communities United For Action. “We need a moratorium on foreclosures so we can stop people from losing their homes. This foreclosure crisis is affecting everyone. Families are losing their homes. Our communities are suffering because of all the vacant buildings.” Matt Ryan of SEIU called for Congress and the administration to “rebuild our economy where everyone is built up.” Dave McDonald talked about his experience of being threatened with losing his job because he joined the union. He said Congress should pass the Employee Free Choice Act to protect workers. The Cincinnati coalition is part of a nationwide effort of community organizations in 38 states working to push the “people’s agenda.” They requested a meeting with Brown and plan to contact other representatives as well. “We really need to get our representatives to listen,” Williams said. Sudoku 35. Collective security organization 36. Authoritative statement 37. Help 38. Fake Down Across 1. Recreational vehicle 4. Silly 8. Tonsillitis bacterium 13. Own 14. Ring 15. Wild card 16. Dagger-like weapon 18. Divorce center 19. Look closely 21. Look closely 23. Smooth-tongued 27. Official symbols of a family 31. Advantage 33. Extinction 34. Far away 2. Winter 3. Ruler of an empire 5. Unskilled laborer 6. Man’s wig 7. Paying stone 9. Womanizer 10. Smooth 11. Poultry house 12. Top of a volcano 17. Strive 20. Russian security organization 22. Sorrow 24. Finds out 25. Dope 26. Legume 28. 500 sheets 29. Consort 30. Intoxicated 32. Amphibians Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 through 9. The fundamental goal of a Sudoku puzzle is to use the provided numbers, or givens, to discover which numbers logically fill in the empty squares. The only rule of Sudoku is that each of the nine rows, each of the nine columns, and each of the nine 3x3 subsections must contain all of the numbers from one to nine, and each number consequently can occur in each row, column, and subsection only once. Answers on Page 15 �STREETVIBES March 2009 For Women Only A chance to talk in the yellow room By anGela pancella Contributing Writer A bout one-third of the guests who come to Our Daily Bread are women. Last year Our Daily Bread started a women’s group as a way to connect with these guests who are facing unique challenges. Monday mornings at 10 am, staff member Lucinda Foster checks in the dining area to see which women might like to join that day’s gathering. The women then meet in the “yellow room,” a conference room in the administrative office area. It’s a smaller room—the ideal size for sharing conversations about whatever the women have on their minds that day. And they can eat their lunch as they talk, away from the bustle of the main dining area. Everything said in the group meetings is kept confidential; as in Las Vegas, whatever happens in the yellow room stays in the yellow room. Judy Frankel, who retired nine years ago as a psychology teacher, is the group’s facilitator. “The first thing I did was find these women are utterly marvelous,” she says. “They are so spiritual. They’ve given me support in times of difficulty. They are the strongest women I know. Life has dealt them all a hand that’s overwhelming; they’re pushed down with it but they keep on going. They are so good to each other when they can be. I just am amazed by their strength.” Sometimes the women who participate vent their frustrations in the group in less than pleasant ways, but Frankel says she understands. “Their own pain is overwhelming them,” she says. “It’s not really personal. “And they know so much. They help each other. (They know when) to talk or not talk, to support each other or just be there.” Women who are interested in the women’s group are invited to check in with Lucinda at Our Daily Bread on Monday mornings before 10 am. Community News 13 Fire Damages Grace Place Rebuilding effort needs volunteers and donations possibly a wiring problem. Only the room where the fire originated had severe fire damage, but several A fire Jan. 18 caused seriother rooms had water damous damage at Grace Place age and other damage from Catholic Worker House in the fire-suppression effort. College Hill. The time since the fire The fire, which started in has been spent talking to a crawl space on the third the insurance company, refloor, caused about $30,000 ceiving bids for repair work in damage. A smoke alarm to be done, sending clothing woke residents of the house and furniture to be cleaned and they safely exited beand finding places for the fore firefighters arrived. residents to stay. Immedi“They got here very fast” ately following the fire, the says Joyce Asfour, who has Red Cross placed four of been in charge of the home the five guests at a motel on ever since she purchased it Grace Place prior to the recent fire. Photo courtesy of Grace Place Colerain Avenue, and the as a modest farm house four Catholic Worker House. fifth went to stay at a neighyears ago. “The fire truck bor’s house. room and board only for those In addition to providing from the station around the Four of the residents have who can afford it. The facility housing, Grace Place works corner was there in minutes — since moved on as some of houses single women as well to increase awareness of the although it seemed like a long them were as women with children who causes of time. The women themselves scheduled “The fire truck from have been to an emergency poverty and were very calm.” to, but many the station around shelter and are working to try homelessness Firefighters later took each needs remain. the corner was and get secure stable housing. in the hope of the residents back in one Because the If a guest has income, she is that it will there in minutes — fire displaced at a time to retrieve what they asked to make a rent payment, incite action. although it seemed a lot of the could. which is held and then re- The program like a long time.” Grace Place, part of the residents at turned to her when she leaves is moving toCatholic Worker movement, once, it pro~ Joyce Asfour the home, for use as a kind ward a more is a multi-faceted transitional vides an opof emergency fund or down v o l u n t a r y, home that allows guests to stay portunity to payment for her next place of simple and for up to one year, charging work on the house. residence. organic lifestyle more in tune Grace Place needs volunwith the earth. teers who are willing to scrape The staff prays daily and paint walls. The house also to provide an environneeds donations of food of ment of spiritual growth. any kind but preferably packGrace Place draws on aged and canned. The fire also Catholic values and increased the house’s utility kindness; none of the bill because of heat escaping resident staff receive pay, through the roof and increased and some give their own electricity use during repairs. money to the betterment Those costs aren’t covered by of the house. insurance, and Grace Place The cause of the fire is accepts no receive governbelieved to be linked to a ment funding. furnace on the third floor, By aDaM clark staff Writer A bedroom at Grace Place after it was damaged in the fire. Photo courtesy of Grace Place Catholic Worker House. To donate or to volunteer, call Grace Place at 513-681-2365. Aiken Students Celebrate Giving Annual gift program for needy kids is in 12th year By alexiS GorDon Contributing Writer he Aiken High School staff and leadership team shared because they cared this past holiday season. Students and staff were asked to buy gifts listed on the “giftgiving” tree at the school. The gifts were to be wrapped and donated to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless for distribution to needy children this Christmas. The school collected more than 175 presents. This was the 12th year that Aiken has T donated gifts. Every year someone new to the school comes to the giftwrapping party and is amazed at how seriously the participants treat it. One student continually reminded students and teachers to bring in the gifts. When we do things like this, we do it out of kindness. We do it because we know that every child deserves to have a gift under the tree on Christmas morning. On Dec. 18 we finished wrapping the gifts and helped load them into the car. After taking plenty of pictures, we went around and discussed how we felt, why we donate every year and what doing so nut Hills and also to kids at means to us. With every per- the Bethany House. To put son we asked, we pretty much one smile on a child’s face is heard the same response: “We the greatest, most perfect gift do it because we care.” Some one can receive. students have said they would want someone to buy nice gifts for them if they were in the same situation. The gifts went to children staying at First Step Students load gifts to be delivered. Home in Wal- Photo courtesy of Aiken high School. �14 Local News STREETVIBES March 2009 The Ghetto Isn’t What You Thought It Was And other lessons for people who haven’t been there By GreGory Flannery editor Unexpected lessons present themselves when relatively affluent college students spend four months living and working in Over-the-Rhine. The sound of gunfire in the night is always informative, but participants in Miami University Over-the-Rhine Residency Program uniformly come away almost awed at deeper realities they observe. A compilation of student evaluations shows the intensity of the experience. “This experience has altered my life. I can’t leave here knowing what I’ve learned and not give something back. … I feel empowered after this semester. … I’ve vacationed in Europe, studied in Africa but can honestly say I was not affected the way I have been here.” Several students contrast their expectations of life in Over-the-Rhine — violent crime and degraded living conditions — with the sense of cohesive community they encountered once they were there. “Coming from a predominantly upper-middle class household, I previously dismissed people as drug dealers, homeless guys and drunks without fully comprehending how they came to live in their situation,” writes student Amanda Stacy. “There has been a complete transformation in my thought processes concerning inner cities and Over-the-Rhine in particular.” Twelve students, with majors ranging from architecture to international studies, participated in the program in the fall 2008 semester. Weekly communal meals, journal writing and meetings with community organizers joined the more conventional academic work of reading and writing papers. But the core of the semester is the work the students do in the neighborhood. Some designed a new second-story, steel balcony for an apartment owned by Overthe-Rhine Community Housing. Others worked at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center, the Workers Center and Rothenberg Preparatory Academy. Ben Romero (L) and Doug Morgan (R) reflecting at the Miami University Center for Community The program is not about the Engagement. Photo by Sylvia Pisczor. fortunate helping the wretched, according to Tom Dutton, The first is student frustration representations that previous- affordable housing, services director of the Miami Univer- at learning how slowly social ly served their middle-class for the homeless, the growth sity Center for Civic Engage- change actually occurs. The biases.” in the size of police forces and ment in Over-the-Rhine. second is the development of That lesson can work both the number of prisons, segre“The residency program empathy as students develop ways, according to student gation and economic trends. constitutes a particular model relationships with people in Alex Libengood. The students Dutton has been active for community engagement the neighborhood. apparently aren’t the only in community organizing in that distinguishes itself from “These re- people learning from the cul- Over-the-Rhine for several programs based l a t i o n s h i p s tural exchange. decades. The residency proon charity, “These relationships t y p i c a l l y “Coming into this semester, gram aims to change student v a n g u a r d i s m typically disarm the disarm the I think everyone had general- perceptions about individuand noblesse students and help students and izations,” he writes. “People als but also to make them see oblige,” he them take steps to help them criticized these white, rich larger connections and to act. says in a report take steps to Miami students coming into “The richness of this kind deconstruct their on the semesdeconstruct the neighborhood for an ‘exof experience, moving from ter. “Students privilege, precisely their privi- cursion,’ while many of us stu- critique to action, is all the in the program because they come lege, precise- dents, including myself, really more amplified when students work collab- to see their privilege ly because didn’t know how to approach and faculty come to see the oratively with as a kind of learning they come to or even what to think about the issues in Over-the-Rhine as neighborhood see their priv- homeless, the addicted and the something more than being disability.” organizations ilege as a kind traffickers. But as soon as the problems of the community,” ~ Tom Dutton and residents of learning street interactions moved to a Dutton says. “Over-the-Rhine — through d i s a b i l i t y, ” personal level, the stereotypes is a global phenomenon.” courses, reDutton says. “It may sound plastered on our foreheads beTo the degree that student search, and active service — naively simplistic but the stu- came irrelevant. … When it evaluations can gauge the in order to assist that which is dents are shocked to find that came down to it, everyone, in- long-term effect of a single already in movement, oriented the homeless on the streets, cluding us, had a story to tell, semester, Katie Shipman’s asto developing the community the children in the classroom, and experience to share and a sessment is one of the most without displacement.” promising, certainly among the day workers waiting in heartfelt bond to forge.” Dutton says he’s noted pat- line, and the neighbors next The educational goal goes the most eloquent. Summarizterns in the three years the pro- door are full, sentient beings beyond tender feelings, of ing her experience in Overgram has been in operation. far removed from the stereo- course. The curriculum in- the-Rhine, she writes, “I want types and media cludes study of gentrification, to live differently.” Sylvia Pisczor, Beth Calvelage and Ben Romero (left to right) discuss the balcony project with structural engineer Daniel Clark. Photo courtesy of Miami University. �STREETVIBES March 2009 Vendor Writings 15 I Don’t Forget Moving out of the depths one day at a time By Matt holcoMB streetvibes vendor W hen God woke me up today and I got out of bed, got on my hands and knees to pray, first of all I thanked him and then asked him to help me and guide me throughout the day and to help me do his will and not mine and to help me to show me how I can better my fellow man or woman in any way that I can and to help me be a better person than I was yesterday and in the past. I am glad today that I have asked him to come into my life to help, to guide me and help direct me in everything I do today, because now I have no reason to ever tell him to go away. He walks beside me and helps to show me how to be a better man than I used to be. He woke me up and showed me that I am really not a bad person. I just made a lot of bad mistakes that I choose not to make anymore. Now I know what my job is: to reach out and help the ones that want help and pray for the ones that are not ready to get help and especially the ones that don’t know how to reach out and ask for help, just like I used to be. I remember being out there, sleeping outside, not knowing which way to go or even have a clue, always trying to find a way to make a dollar or two, waking up every day, whole body shaking, going into tremors, walking around with piss and crap all over myself, having the same clothes on for two or three weeks, not caring if I lived or died. I ran around doing almost anything just to get a drink and a drug so I could get high, not even knowing what the outcome of the situation was going to be, like hanging out there on the corner, holding a cup and flying a sign and having and watching the people walk by, not knowing or caring about what the people would think or say, because back then I didn’t care about anything or anybody. I was just concerned about a drink, because that is all I cared about. It got so bad where I had to have it to stay alive. That is all I cared about. It had become me and took over my life. Today it is different: one day at a time. I am a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous and I have God in my life and I have a sponsor and a grand sponsor. That has helped me save my life. I am using these people and suggestions and until I hear a lie, I am going to be doing what I am supposed to do and not what I want to do. One day at a time, because every day I was running the show by myself, I always found a way to screw things up. I don’t forget where I come from; I just don’t want to go back. I am now moving forward, as long as I do it one day at a time. God and these people are always going to be on my side. I don’t forget those days when all I wanted to do was drink and get high until I died. Now God and these people are showing me one day at a time how to survive and stay alive. Homeless People Look Like You’d Expect Sharing shelter with business people By DeDe StoopS streetvibes vendor H omeless people are people from all walks of life; they work in every type of job. A homeless person can be a college professor, a business president or a street kid like I was. Most people don’t choose to be homeless, but life throws them a curve that lands them in shelters or on the streets or even sleeping in cars. I became homeless several times in my life. There were times I chose to live on the streets rather then live with my parents so I could get away from my abusive home. The first time I became homeless was when I was 5, then again at 10 years old. This happened three times, for a total time of four years, as a teen and five times as an adult. It was a lot harder to bounce back when I was an adult. I saw all kinds of homeless people living with me in shelters or abandoned buildings. Some were young mothers. Others were addicts, senior citizens and young families. I was surprised when I was a child that I saw business people in the shelters. Now nothing surprises me when it comes to who can end up homeless. There are many reasons that people become homeless. Some are teenagers kicked out by their parents or running away from a violent situ- ation. Others are adults who loose their jobs and homes. There are even times when a working person gets nailed by unexpected bills and ends up homeless. This happens more when the economy is bad, but also as a result of war and natural disasters. Some who live in poverty lose affordable housing to big business greed or government cuts in services. There has been a big decline in public services so those who depended on them to keep from becoming homeless end up there any way. I believe everyone has some fault in the local homeless problem, from the government’s wasteful spending to big business buying up all the affordable land that could be used to make much needed housing. I even put some blame on my shoulder because I complain but do little to help, even though I, too, was homeless. Yet I try to tell people where there is help and what services are available. If we as a society work together and show compassion and love, then we can first reduce homelessness and eventually end this problem in the entire world. We could start by taking one day a month to help at shelters, feed the homeless, raise money for programs for the homeless, demand that government and big business help making affordable housing. We can help by voting for programs that will support and assist the homeless get on their feet. Government they can make available more housing certificates, build affordable housing in better neighborhoods and create more programs Puzzle Solutions to get people back to work. Government can also make programs for the mentally disabled easier to use. Plus we need to make better and safer programs for teen runaways that will not force teens to go back to abusive homes. There are few programs to work with theses kids due to ignorance and prejudice, thinking they are gang members or addicts; those attitudes force teen to make those choices. This I know from my experiences. So next time you see a homeless person, try to help her out, even if it can only be a prayer. Hold your judgment because you never know if it could be you in that place someday. Homeless people usually don’t want a handout, just a hand up -- and definitely not you’re pity. �16 Vendors Resource Guide STREETVIBES March 2009 Streetvibes vendors buy the paper for 25 cents and sell the paper for $1, keeping the money they have earned. The vendors can be identified with a white badge and can be found selling the paper in downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northern Kentucky and area churches. The money they earn helps them meet basic housing, food and health care needs. Not all vendors pictured. Josephine Baskerville Doris Binion Terry Ranson Anthony Williams Nell Williams Grady Cook Cleo Wombles James Davis Jon Darby Dede Stoops Julie Walker Kenneth Stonitsch Antonio Hodge Leonard Jackson Samuel Jackson Riccardo Taylor Alfred Woolfolk Berta Lambert Mary Mueller Brandon Nelson Mark Shears Terrence Williams Raynard Jones Richard Tyree Karen Collett Charles Cole Need Help or Want to Help? Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point...381-SAFE Cincinnati Union Bethel...768-6907 Bethany House...557-2873 Grace Place Catholic Worker House...681-2365 Salvation Army...762-5660 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter...872-9259 Talbert House...684-7965 Resources Treatment: Women First Step Home ...961-4663 Treatment: Both City Gospel Mission...241-5525 Justice Watch...241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Worker House...381-4941 Mt. Airy Shelter...661-4620 AA Hotline...351-0422 CCAT ...381-6672 Joseph House ...241-2965 Hamilton County ADAS Board ...946-4888 Recovery Health Access Center ...281-7422 Sober Living ...681-0324 Talbert House...641-4300 Shelter: Both Advocacy Shelter: Men Anthony House (Youth)...961-4080 Caracole (HIV/AIDS)...761-1480 Drop Inn Center...721-0643 Interfaith Hospitality Network...471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center...221-3350 St. John’s Housing...651-6446 Housing: CMHA...721-4580 Excel Development...632-7149 OTR Community Housing...381-1171 Tender Mercies...721-8666 Tom Geiger House...961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services Inc. ...751-0643 Volunteers of America...381-1954 Food Lord’s Pantry...621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Soup Kitchen & Pantry..961-1983 Our Daily Bread...621-6364 St. Francis Soup Kitchen...535-2719 Treatment: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House...784-1853 DIC Live In Program...721-0643 Prospect House...921-1613 Starting Over...961-2256 Catholic Social Action ...421-3131 Community Action Agency ...569-1840 Contact Center...381-4242 Franciscan JPIC ...721-4700 Greater Cinci Coalition for the Homeless..421-7803 Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center...5798547 Legal Aid Society ...241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center ...421-1108 Peaslee Neighborhood Center ...621-5514 Project Connect Homeless Kids ...363-3300 Stop AIDS...421-2437 Health Center for Respite Care ...621-1868 Cincinnati Health Network ...961-0600 Crossroad Health Center ...381-2247 Hamilton county Mental Health Board...946-8600 Hamilton County TB Control ...946-7628 Health Resource Center ...357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van...352-2902 McMicken Dental Clinic...352-6363 Mental Health Access Point...558-8888 Mercy Franciscan at St. John...981-5800 NAMI of Hamilton County..458-6670 Oral Health Council...621-0248 PATH Outreach...977-4489 Catholic Social Services...241-7745 Center for Independent Living Options...241-2600 Churches Active in Northside...591-2246 Emmanuel Community Center...241-2563 FreeStore/FoodBank...241-1064 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart...381-0111 Goodwill industries...771-4800 Healing Connections...751-0600 Madisonville Education & Assistance Center...2715501 Mary Magdalen House...721-4811 People Working Cooperatively...351-7921 St. Vincent de Paul...562-8841 The Caring Place...631-1114 United Way...721-7900 Women Helping Women...977-5541 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center...859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House...859-261-5857 Fairhaven Resuce Mission...859-491-1027 Homeward Bound Youth...859-581-1111 Mathews House...859-261-8009 NKY 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 Women’s Crisis Center...859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary...859-559-5011 VA Homeless...859-572-6226 Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels...863-3184 Salvation Army...863-1445 Serenity House Day Center...422-8555 Open Door Pantry...868-3276 � 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 2009 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 2009 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Keeping Babies Alive Springtime at the Homeless Coalition Pg 2: The Vibe Pg 3: Eight Minutes with an ‘Abolitionist’ Pg 4: Booming Market: Women’s Bodies Pg 5: Keeping Babies Alive Pg 6: What’s Next for the Resistance? The Truth About Military Enlistment Pg 7: The Dance of the Losers Life is a Battlefield Pg 8: Enfleshing the Dream Pg 9: Arts & Poetry Pg 10: Power and Powerlessness Pg 11: The Dance of the Losers Continued Pg 12: A Call to Care for Our People Pg 13: Fire Damages Grace Place Aiken Students Celebrate Giving Pg 14: The Ghetto Isn’t What You Though It Was Pg 15: I Don’t Forget Homeless People Look Like You’d Expect Pg 16: Resource Guide Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 2009 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Stephanie Dunlap Margo Pierce Lew Moores, Paul Kopp Alecia Lott Adam Clark David Heitfield Jeremy Flannery Jeni Jenkins Dave Scharfenberger Angela Pancella Alexis Gordon Mike Henson Dede Stoops Matt Holcomb Andrew Anderson Lynne Ausman Paul Kopp Anthony Williams Aimie Willhoite Dave Scharfengerger Slyvia Pisczor Joe Wessels Steve Novotni Andrew Freeze Georgine Getty Michael Henson Stephanie Dunlap Steve Gibbs Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Abolitionist Adam Clark Aimie Willhoite Alecia Lott Alexis Gordon Andrew Anderson Andrew Freeze Angela Pancella Anthony Williams Anti-War Arts & Poetry Barack Obama Dave Scharfenberger Dave Scharfengerger David Heitfield Dede Stoops Enlistment GCCH Georgine Getty Gift Program Grace Place Gregory Flannery Homeland Security Jeni Jenkins Jeremy Flannery Joe Wessels Lew Moores Lynne Ausman Margo Pierce Martin Luther King Jr. Matt Holcomb Michael Henson Mike Henson Military Mothers Paul Kopp Resistance Sex Trafficking Slavery Slyvia Pisczor Stephanie Dunlap Steve Gibbs Steve Novotni Students Women