3 10 291 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/86220612ff92b629def7b9dacf7e4116.pdf aff9dbd6bc7f475f0b24a2c1493df630 PDF Text Text Sophia bush gives onS St rher ee ttake v ib e women’s rights A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 PG 8 Momentum Grows in Call for the Legalization of Hemp in South Africa PG 12 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Coalition summer internship program 1 PG 14 iSSUe 198 ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNITY Transformation: Seeing Our Community From A Different Perspective For the past five years, Over-the-Rhine has been graced for four months by the presence of college students eager to serve and eager to learn. Each fall, the Miami University Center for Community Engagement, lead by Professors Tom Dutton and John Blake and housed at buddy’s place at 13th and Vine is the hub for new connections, new mindsets, new ideas and new passions. Fall 2010 was no different. Twelve students left the college-life at Miami University to gain perspective a rest from their work at buddy’s place, 1300 Vine. Back to Front, Left to Right: Jose Gutierrez; Gonzalo Martinez; on real-life in Over-the-Rhine. Taking Ashley Kincaid; John Blake; Natalie Otrembiak; Danielle Musselman; Ellen Crawford; Kathleen Roosen; JoePaul Luikart. Through internships with Natalie Otrembiak, Student Photographer neighborhood-organizations, students completed practicums in architecture and interior design, anthropology, art education and business, while taking thought- provoking classes about society, justice, economics, etc. Perhaps more importantly, students entered the classroom of community, politics, love, hate, embrace and fear, as well as positive and negative change. Students struggled, listened, watched, took part and grew. Here we present six reflections from students involved in this project. Sounds ELLEN CRAWFORD Architecture Student n the city, everything relates. there are walls of brick and narrow alleyways and the screeching of the bus stopping on its route. There are four-floor walk-ups and street-level stores, boarded up buildings and those newly renovated. Sirens pierce the night. Arguments are often public and occur at all hours. they brew in the street under our windows at 5 am. Yelling from Washington Park almost always puts me to bed. Hot August nights teach lessons in how public the city can be. Noise becomes powerful, a springboard which sparks my curiosity. the volume has been turned up, a volume that cannot be turned down, no matter if i am surrounded by silence. in September, the volume is created. i am still an outsider. everything becomes routine, wake up, go to studio and get your hands dirty, go to another class and talk, eat dinner, study. At glance, routine i is not exciting, but it is powerful. it allows you to soak into your surroundings as everything becomes more comfortable. the smells and faces here are becoming familiar. the volume is just starting. A new vocabulary is emerging: gentrification, mixed-income, suburbia, poor, community. thinking has reached a new level, which becomes more intertwined as weeks pass. each week brings a new issue: homelessness, affordable housing, capitalism, education, globalization, jobs, and gap. reading, analysis, and reflection consumes my life. Gently, routine submits to complete acceptance of my surroundings and an ever-increasing volume inside. Soon the howls of summer slowly vanish. residents start anticipating the uncontrollable, cold months of the year. the community braces for what is ahead. the controversial developments of Washington Park come with screams of the people who want to be heard. Where will the homeless go this winter? Who will this community cater to in the future? Over-the-rhine is on the brink of combustion. balanced by those who care and fight for its future. October awakens to the history of the people, scarred by their struggles, and weary of their future. Sidewalks are familiar. November becomes numb. the volume is overwhelming. So many people are at a disadvantage. they do not fit in to the typical picture of America. they live with standards far below those of others. Society criminalizes, judges, and casts out people; denies them of their rights, blames them, and sets the system against them. Compassion exists, yet, dedication to true social change remains a threshold, talked about but not crossed. People help the poor and the homeless, but this is just a temporary solution. More permanent changes remain in the dreams of those who fight for Overthe-rhine’s residents. the community has embraced and shared its stories with us. it has called us to think of its people and what they stand for. thanksgiving comes with many blessings and many thanks for those who care for the well-being of others. the sharp air of December has breached the community. the snow falls early this year. Our bodies are forced to adjust to the cold months. Our experience is almost over, but the volume will never be gone. The final push to complete our academic work is made, while talk of adjustment back into our past and future lives is spoken. belongings start to be placed in boxes, to be moved to a new place with new experiences, but the community that is Over-the-rhine remains in our minds. Public to those who walk its sidewalks, know its streets, and talk to their neighbors. Private to those who fear its boundaries, exclude themselves from its people, and develop buildings without consciousness. Over-the-rhine is a community full of front stoop dwellers, sidewalk conversations, and strategic development meetings, one full of the beauty of people, their acceptance, and their sharing. See Transformation Pg. 11 �2 5 the number of years that college students have taken internships with neighborhoodorganizations, students completed practicums in architecture and interior design, anthropology, art education and business, while taking thought- provoking classes about society, justice, economics, etc. Reflections Pages 1,11, 12, and 13 5-8-2011 Mother’s Day! editorial Page 2 0 “…is not a size.” Sophia bush’s character, Fashion designer brooke Davis on One tree Hill started this fictional campaign to raise body image awareness and call attention to women’s rights. Page 8 5-7-2011 the date of the Southern Ohio Amnesty Meeting at UC School of Law. Page 11 50,000 the number of recorded uses for hemp, including clothing, eco-friendly building materials and paper. Momentum grows in call for hemp to be legalized in South Africa Page 12 Editorial St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Spring Cleaning My Life, Mother’s Day it is certainly spring in Cincinnati. For me this means the nagging feeling that i need to clean and make a fresh start. it reminds me of how painfully pale i have become over the winter and how i must get to a tanning bed asap. it makes me yearn for the new floral dresses they’re showing at H&M. All of these things that spring makes me feel are so shallow. So stupid. Unfortunately i know i am hardly alone in these feelings. So many people in our area feel the fresh air of spring roll in and want a fresh start but tend to ignore that they could be using this time of year for something incredible. So this year my spring cleaning will be in my life. While I may go get that floral dress from H&M when I make room in my closet for it I will make sure the stuff I take out goes somewhere, to someone who needs it. i ask you kindly to do the same. When there is a nice spring day, maybe consider volunteering at a local organization. remember that even though it is nice outside there are still so many people that don’t have the luxury of enjoying it the way you do. take the time to evaluate your life, clean up the messes that have piled up over the winter months. For me, i intend to start saving money. Doing this will obviously give me more stability but will also start to relieve some of my anxiety and in generally allow me to be happier and become the person i want to be. it seems like every time i go anywhere cash just seems to fly out of my wallet. I made a list of things I need be more aware of or just plain cut out of my life to start me on the road to a fuller pocket book. Maybe it will help you too. -Pick me up purchases. i constantly try to make myself feel better when i am down in the dumps by buying a new outfit, shoes, purse…whatever. And those impulse purchases rarely are something i want in the long run or are practical. When i am in a crappy mood now, i am going to try to hit the gym…not the mall. Moreover, when i get down in the dumps i cannot justify martinis at a trendy bar to myself. i tend to do this too. -ATM Fees. this is just simply planning and not being lazy. i looked at my bank statement once, i spent an extra $30 that month on fees. it is just silly. -Those ‘friends’ that always tend to stick me with the bill when we go out. these people get on my last nerve. they are the ones who will drop a $20 on a $200 bill and then bolt. they are the ones who don’t understand that when the check comes even though the other person does the customary “i’ve got this” when the bill comes, that they should offer something. i am just going to resolve to stop hanging out with these people or if i do, i am going to ask for separate bills up front. -Take out, fast food, delivery. i spend so much money on this. i have to just resolve to go to the grocery store and stick to eating what’s in the fridge. eating out every week for me probably adds up to an extra $60. -My daily Starbucks or Coffee Emporium. this one is hard for me. i need to either make my coffee at home or simply only buy regular coffee for a buck instead of the four-dollar Starbucks. Caramel Macchiato, i will miss you. -Impulse purchases. i have literally spent over a hundred dollars on a painting i saw and just had to have. At the time it seemed so abstract and beautiful, i couldn’t not have it. Silly Jen. That painting didn’t exactly fit with the country-chic décor in my home. that beautiful painting i couldn’t live without now resides in my basement. Now that i am aware of the ways i can ‘Spring Clean’ my life i feel i can move forward into being more stable and happy. Maybe if i do these things i can also stop needing to ‘borrow’ money from my mom and dad. i had the luxury of wonderful parents who would bail me out of any situation i got myself into. especially my mom, which reminds me….it’s almost Mother’s Day. As I said, I do have a mother who has been able to financially back me up. This is something i know many people have not had and there are literally not enough words to describe how thankful i am for that safety net. in the last couple of years, i split up with my husband and making ends meet to support myself has been hard. it has been difficult financially and emotionally. Yet, my mom is always there. In every day and every step, mistake or triumph she is in my corner. i can tell her anything and no matter what she will listen and help me make the best of it. When i was growing up she was the one who drove me from town to town, swim meets and practice… she would drive me and my friends to the mall or parties. Anything i ever wanted, she would break her back to get it for me. Not to mention the fact that if anyone ever did anything wrong to me, her mama bear instincts would come out and she would take them down. While i am not a mother, i have the utmost respect for moms, those women who will literally fight and destroy anything that threatens their child. I see women every day struggling, working multiple jobs to put food on the table and give their children everything they can while sometimes going without for themselves. You women…. you’re incredible. the gifts you give this world are inspiring. You inspire me. Mama, you’re amazing. Happy Mother’s Day. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 east 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax 513.421.7813 Email: jenmatrin@cincihomeless. org Website: www.cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress.com Streetvibes Staff Editor Jen Martin jenmartin@cincihomeless.org Contributing Writers : Josh Spring, Jeni Jenkins, Laura Osborn-Coffey, riccardo taylor, elisa Hill, Willa Denise Jones, Jim Luken, Contributing Writer, Spare Change Staff, Saad Ghosn, Jennifer Martin, reuters, the big issue South Africa Staff, buddy Gray, Western regional Advocacy Project, Michael Henson, Natalie OtrembiakAshley Kincaid, Kat roosen, Molly brazier, ellen Crawford Photography/Artwork: Jen Martin, Aimie Willhoite, rueters, Jeni Jenkins, elisa Hill, Natalie Otrembiak, ellen Crawford, Pippa ehrlich, Keith bedford, Phil McCarten, Leigh Waltz, Miki Waltz the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes. �St r ee t v ib e S From The Director 3 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Light in Our Heads JOSH SPRING Executive Director M ost people enjoy the light. in fact i would say that most people prefer light to darkness. As humans, we tend to get depressed or saddened when exposed to long periods of darkness or shadows or clouds. this is why people typically feel more down in the winter- the sun is less visible and has less affect on our lives. the light has a way of bearing reality. in darkness, images are fuzzy or perhaps cannot be seen at all. vision is distorted in the dark. even in low lighting, we often incorrectly see what is going on around us. With this in mind it is interesting that in the english language the word light is closely associated with something else most of us value- truth and honesty. We say, if you are proud of it, do it out in the open, not under the cover of night. We talk about evildoers stepping from darkness into light. Why is this concept of light so important to us? Some might say it is because we ultimately do not trust those around us; therefore, we want to see and understand what they are doing- or what they might be doing to us. Others might say it is because we ultimately value each other and therefore we want to be able to see and understand each other in order to better enjoy our human contact. i would submit that in fact, we value light for a mixture of these two reasons. i believe there is probably something within all of us that causes feelings of distrust of many around us while at the same time feelings of trust of those around us. i realize this sounds like a foolish statement. How can one both trust and distrust people? the answer to this conundrum is in the quantity of trust versus distrust and more importantly the reason behind both trust and distrust. i am going to assert that neither predominantly trusting almost everyone nor predominantly distrusting almost everyone is positive. the reason why we trust or distrust some people is the most important factor in determining if our trust or distrust is healthy. Often people will distrust others based solely on things they have heard or read from a source they have no personal contact with. Many people distrust others based on common stereotypes and the common belief in occurrences they have had no personal experience with. Still others will distrust people or an area based on physical appearance, again with no real personal interaction. trust can work the same way. Some will trust others based purely on something they have heard from a distance, seen from a distance or based on stereotypes. For instance, some will automatically trust the businessman developer in a suite walking into his brand new, hip office, but will automatically distrust the businessman dealer in jeans and a t-shirt standing on the street-corner. We assume that one is working hard; making positive progress and that we could generally trust his intentions. We assume that the other is an opportunist, dragging people downward and that we could generally trust none of his intentions. Many of us it is also true to law to hike the rent beyond what each of those tenants can pay and then evict them for non-payment. it is true to law to then purchase the building and change it into condos. All of this true to law and one could say, “We are breaking no laws we are being truthful “We must not only stay in the light we before the legal system.” but must dig deeper. All of now have, but we must seek out more we this may be true to law, but light. We must continually be striving to none of it is true to morality. the fact that the law says it is bring others into the same light. Light okay, does not make it okay, because ultimately moral truth (truth) breeds life.” outweighs lawful truth. there is another saying that automatically believe all of these things without speaks to “light”. We often speak of the “light” ever having spoken with either man. or never coming on inside of one’s head. that eureka even spoken with anyone that knows about moment if you will. What does this mean- “light either man. in one’s head.” Clearly, we are referring to in this world it is necessary that we have a one suddenly realizing truth. We are referring healthy amount of trust and a health amount to all of the clouds, misunderstandings, wool, of distrust, but we must base both our trust stereotypes and smoke screens being pulled and distrust on solid foundations. to trust or back and one finally seeing the truth. Often distrust another we don’t necessarily need to these moments of clarity lead to greater change know the person (though this is certainly the in one’s life. Often these times of “light” lead to healthiest option), but at least we should base new perspectives on many topics and lead to our decision on the understanding of someone other eureka moments. we do know (and trust) that knows the person it is these moments that i enjoy the most. in question. We should also study the actions the moments when a high school student, a of the person in question. We should trust or college student, an adult worker, etc. finally distrust her or him based on what she or he has understands the truth. the moment when done, is doing or plans to do- barring that she speaking to a big group you can see t people or he has not repented of past ill-doings and finally get it- and you can literally see their has made a positive change. eyes get brighter. the moment when a person We should also consider what people say comes into the office and says I used to think and often more importantly, what they don’t people chose to be homeless, but now i want say. Most people that are really good at looking to fight to end homelessness. The moment good while doing bad things don’t go around that an adult says, i used to hate your paper lying in a way that most people would realize or your organization, now i want to volunteer they are lying. Most people that are most for your organization. the moment a person unworthy of our trust say things that sound finally finds their calling. The moment a good, and these claims may even be true, but person with low-income says enough is these people purposely do not include the rest enough and I believe I can fight back to save of the truth. they purposely do not include the my housing from those that want to take it. truth that will shine light upon their ill deeds. Or the moment a person with high-income We must dig deeper always. We should not says enough is enough, i have too much, i and cannot trust the surface of anything. We need to spread out what i have and i realize should question, study, dissect and challenge. that not everyone has been gifted the same We should ask hard questions. We should opportunities as me. the moment a group of take note when they are not fully answered. people decides to keep pushing forward despite We should not let simple, basic answers about hardship, criticism and continued oppression. important topics suit us. We should demand i especially cherish the moments that we full, deep, comprehensive- and fully truthful realize that the businessperson dealer on the answers. (you should bold this…it is the best corner is probably more trustworthy than the part so far.) businessperson developer politician behind the lifted seat or at the top of the tall building Furthermore, we must consider more than downtown. We must not only stay in the light just simple, literal truth. We must demand we now have, but we must seek out more light. moral truth as well. For example, it is true to We must continually be striving to bring others law to offer to purchase a building in exchange into the same light. Light (truth) breeds life. for the removal of all tenants who live there. �Local Issue 4 St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Street Life Springtime RICCARDO TAYLOR Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator i t’s in the air! the coming of the spring season, like, the dawning of a day brings about many new hopes and dreams for those who have survived the long winter. When the burrs turn into laughter and shouting, the Riccardo Taylor, Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator. Aimie Willhoite Photography streets take on a different tint, the color of life’s metaphors, as all of nature rejuvenates itself. From the conversations, to the actions, which fill the streets, the coming of spring brings a sense of relief as well as new challenges for which the street person must prepare. that sense of a new start is one of joy and anticipation. Or perhaps one of anticipation that can lead to joy, yet, there is always the reality that things are not going to be easy, and this is the way of life on the streets. A fresh start, perhaps one can get some work, it’s always easier when the weather is mild. Lining up at the temporary work hall is easier when you don’t have to be subjected to the extremes of nature! Still there is no guarantee that you will get work today! Yet, one feels much better when they are left out in warmth as opposed to the cold. then as the life of the street person goes there are always those traps that tend to keep the individual in their dilemma. A fresh start, given the new opportunity and all the advantages of the weather there is that veracity of give and take. there will be opportunities for both honesty and immorality of actions. that is to say, a chance to get what one earns or what one can obtain by whatever means. the life of the street is an ever changing and altering world, with the interest of those who live the lifestyle at stake. each individual has to make a choice; by what rules to play, to enhance chances of survival. Oftentimes the easiest way through that is dishonesty or deceit, yet there are those whose hopes and integrity keep them moderate in their decisions, allowing them to have little, yet feeling grateful for what they have. With so much at stake, and the beauty of the season, there are hopes for those who struggle the most. it’s as if this time of year is made specifically for new expectations! A job, somewhere to live perhaps a new relationship all these things have a new meaning at this time of the year. Getting to the reality of such dreams can be as rewarding as actually realizing them. the mere thought that everything is changing for the better can be the very first step in life altering events, which may set the individual on the course for re-establishing their lives. So, we start our journey, looking for the next chapter of our lives, armed with the graces of nature we set our course for the most, never forgetting where we come from, mindful of the cold days of winters past we seek our fortunes in the brightness of the hope that the Spring brings. Congressional Meeting RICCARDO TAYLOR Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator O ur appreciation goes out to Pastor Cook and his very generous wife Leslie Cook, for helping us to realize our obligation and opportunities to become a voice for the community of which we belong. the space provided for us at the First Lutheran Church is a blessing, if you will, for our prospect of fulfilling such obligations, and we are grateful for having two very loving and caring people to assist us in this endeavor. Our fourth meeting was for me a great success, in that we have become established as a group with a purpose and a direction. though i personally had no doubts from the very beginning that we could and would be successful there have been times in the last four months that i felt a bit overwhelmed due to our membership being stymied by individuals leaving the rolls to tend to their lives. the truth is that i thought it would be as simple as one, two, three. All i had to do was bring the opportunity and everyone would jump in board. Well, it is a bit more complicated than that! i have found that it takes a special type of person to give an obligation when they are in a quagmire of life’s requirements. Simply put, it is hard to be responsible when we are at our lowest. the Homeless Congress, in order to have any validity has to be made up of individuals who live in, and understand poverty and homelessness. it has to be consistent with the rules of survival and struggle. to date we have a very solid group of individuals who have those experiences, and i believe, it is for that reason that i can say that i am having a sense of pride for what we have accomplished thus far. So, what exactly have we accomplished? Well, we have organized to the extent that we can act as an independent body, previewing matters that affect those who live the lifestyle, and learning to deduce ideas and suggestions that might make the difference in those lives, and a way to implement those ideas and suggestions. We have proposed two projects that we believe would benefit those living in shelters, and perhaps allow them to start retaking control of their lives. Our first proposal, The Shelter assistant project that would assist new residents with finding and utilizing area resources was put on hold due to conflict of interest but is being revamped. Our second project, the creation of a self- actualization group has but to be proposed (details at a later date). Our idea is to have a round table type of discussion group to bring about exposure for individuals living in shelters. Least i not mention, our target for both projects is the Drop inn Center, it being the areas largest shelter. Well, as not to place the horse before the cart (we have not submitted the proposal yet) i will not detail the particulars of that proposal here. Still, we have hopes for our projects and will keep our readers informed of our progress. the latest of news, again which adds to my feelings of success is the fact that at this meeting we had guests! Five students from the University of Kentucky and two students from the University Of Cincinnati, all of which gave us great reviews. We were very pleased to have them come and sit-in on our meeting and would like to invite the public to join us. “the Homeless Congress again has become a reality and we intend to make a difference.” I would like to finish here by giving all my appreciation to our members for their hard work and dedication. Members • Stephen Gentry • Lee McCoy • James brown • Keith eutsey • Jerry Davis • Pomona White • Susan Lakes • Derrick Prophet You may contact riccardo taylor for information at below listed contact information. riccardo taylor riccardo.taylor@cincihomeless.org (513) 421-7803 facebook.com/streetvibes cincinnati twitter.com/ streetvibesnwes streetvibes.wordpress. com Great Books! visit www.cincybooks.com �St r ee t v ib e S Column 5 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Suggested as a program of recovery “Hammered: Essays on Poverty and Addiction” MICHAEL HENSON Contributing Writer i am not enough of an economist to have any concrete suggestions to solve this nation’s poverty problem, though taxing the rich at a rate commensurate with justice and common sense would be, i believe, a place to start. but i do have an idea on what could help break the link between poverty and addiction, a link by which each reinforces the pain of the other. these are simple steps, using what we already know. We’re not a nation that does a good job of using what we know. For example, we’ve known for years that we are running out of fossil fuels, but we have put a move to renewable energy on the backest burner we can find. The planet might die, but the US Chamber of Commerce won’t stand for a dent in the profits of the companies that pay its dues. but i wander . . . i think there are some simple steps we could take which would ease the pain of each, though they would not eliminate either one. We’re not likely to take any of these steps, so the only point in this exercise is to record my despair. the good Christians who run this country seem to think . . . Do i sound bitter? i have to admit i don’t really know what they think. So i’ll leave the ranting alone for the time and tell you what i think. First, and most importantly, treatment must be free or at low cost. i suppose it is inevitable that we will have a two- (or three- or four-) tier system of treatment, one for those who can afford the Hazelden/betty Ford system, one for the poor, and whatever other levels we can fit in between. I don’t really care as long as what we provide for the poor is decent and the workers who serve them are competent. too much of what is available to the low-income addict or alcoholic now is provided by the criminal justice system or religious affiliated organizations. there are stellar examples of competent treatment in each, but they are not enough. Next, treatment must be available on demand. Many alcoholics and addicts have windows of openness during which treatment can have an impact. if you can’t get them through the hoops and into treatment while that window is open, the window closes. the addict makes whatever adjustment he or she needs to make, the walls go back up, and they turn their interest back to the needs of daily survival. For many in the treatment community, the rigors and complications (and sometimes humiliations) of the intake process are proof of readiness and worthiness so that getting into treatment requires a sort of moral test. We say we don’t believe that addition is a moral issue, but the practice belies our words. if the addict can’t collect the three pieces the agency requires or doesn’t return the phone call at the right time. we say, “He’s not ready.” We don’t say this of the cancer patient. We make treatment available whenever they show up. this is how we should treat the addict/alcoholic. it follows from this that there should be no limit on the number of treatment episodes for any individual. Prior to entering the field, a former supervisor of mine was in treatment nine times! And the last one was a ninety-day in-patient program. i’ve lost track of him, but at last report, he was at the head of a major health care network. What if someone had said, “Sorry, you’ve used up your eight treatment chances.”? What if and twenty dollars. Now, to keep all this together is sometimes simply beyond the capacity of some street alcoholics, who are prey to theft, loss, confiscation by the police. Up to the point of detox, any dollar the street addict can hustle up will usually go for maintenance, to keep from going into detoxification prematurely. A person can get around this by presenting a homeless certificate, which an addict can get by staying in a shelter or working with a homeless outreach worker. then there is the weeklong (or more) game of phone tag in which the individual has to call at precisely the right moment, and if the right moment arrives, has to have his or her three items right at hand. the last time i worked to get an addict into treatment, we had to just about case manage him 24/7, during which time we had a team to help him keep his materials together and his behavior on track. He’s due to graduate from treatment, and looking healthy, but there were a lot of hoops to jump through. Not everyone has such support and not everyone gets the chance to graduate and look good. the important thing to remember is that these are administrative needs, not clinical needs. And they are impediments that do not arise in the treatment of other diseases and other modes of treatment. i have taken heart patients and people with possible pneumonia to hospital emergency rooms with none of these demands. they simply serve the patients. Again, we put a moralistic readiness expectation on the poor addict that se do not put on a traditional medical patient. because this disease is so disruptive of all aspects of life and because poverty depletes the individual of resources to deal with the devastation, the addict or alcoholic entering treatment will need wraparound case management and support services. He or she will need help with employment, getting into school, accessing social security, and accessing housing and medical care and so on. New addicts are being created faster than we can treat those we already have. therefore, we need to implement serious, community-based, prevention and community education programs based on best practices. We need to throw away the old drug boards that “…we need to support community organizations to develop healthy, empowered communities.” someone had said, “You’re not ready.” He might still be helplessly ensnared in addiction. Yet, that is exactly what most insurance policies and hospitals do. One local hospital, for example, recently got out of the detoxification business altogether. but before they did, the rule was three episodes. there is a major misunderstanding of the nature of addiction. it is another way of placing a moral judgment rather than a clinical assessment on the addict. that person who goes to treatment eight times may not take on the ninth time either. but we can’t know unless we try it. We also need to insure that access to services is simple and uncomplicated by unnecessary impediments. to get into detox, an addict typically needs a photo iD issued by the state, a piece of mail with that individual’s name on it, have been shown to actually increase drug and alcohol use. instead, we need to turn to the science-based risk and protective e factor programs that develop genuine relationships and supportive communities. it follows on that that we need to support community organizations to develop healthy, empowered communities. to make all this happen, we need training, so that everyone is on the same page and that page is evidence-based practice. Finally, we need to support the supporters. the people who make all this happen need adequate compensation in the form of wages and benefits. And they need to be able to negotiate the terms of their work. Unlike teachers, we are rarely represented by unions and our wages and benefits reflect this. (And by the way, in this time when public service unions are under attack, did you know that those states whose teachers are represented by unions are also the states whose children score the highest on national tests?) So, how, in a time of tightening budgets, do we pay for all this? For one thing, there is a huge, untaxed economy right under our noses. We could start by legalizing marijuana, taxing it, and using the money for treatment. And then we could tax the rich.Simple justice calls for it, but it’s not likely to happen any time soon. None of the proposals outlined here is liable to happen soon. in fact, the current trend is to cut programs, jobs, and opportunities for treatment. times are about to get tougher for the addict in poverty. As if they weren’t already. Note to Streetvibes Readers: This is the final “Hammered: Essays on Poverty and Addiction” installment. With this column, i will have said what i wanted to say on the issue and i’m ready to sum it up and put it into book form. (Any suggestions for an agent? A publisher?”) but it’s not the end of my writing for StreetVibes. i plan to shift my attention to a series of reviews of books (and maybe films or music) on poverty and homelessness. i’ll look at some new books, but some old books as well. (Wasn’t Odysseus just another homeless veteran?) i hope to start with a new release from bottom Dog Press of the poetry of Daniel thompson. Any other suggestions? You can reach me at michaelhenson642@ gmail.com �Social Justice 6 St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 RIGHT to the City The plan to push people from the city because they are homeless and/ or financially poor. WESTERN REGIONAL ADVOCACY PROJECT i n recent years, Henri Lefebvre’s concept of the “right to the City” has been adopted by a growing movement of human rights oriented organizations, policy makers, and activists around the globe (tides 2007; David 2003; Lefebvre 1996; Ortiz 2006). the initial drafts of a World Charter on the right to the City was first elaborated by global social movement actors at the Social Forum of the Americas in July 2004 and the World Urban Forum in September 2004. this document declares the right of all people to the city, not only as an economic location, but as a social, cultural, and democratic space. the charter claims that “the core element of [the right to the city] is the equitable usufruct of the cities considering the principles of sustainability and social justice” (Charter 2004). reinforcing this World Charter on the right to the City have been a series of other official statements such as the European Charter for Safeguarding Human rights in the City, the european Charter for equality of Women and Men in local life, and the City Statute of brazil. in addition campaigns of global social movement organizations such as the Habitat international Coalition have been formed to advance the right to the City framework (HiC 2008) Since 2005, UNeSCO and UN-HAbitAt have also held a series of international convenings oriented around the right to the City. in a joint statement explaining the objectives of their rightto the City initiative, UNeSCO and UN-HAbitAt (2005) declared that “the time has now come for governments to shift from a needs-based approach to a rights-based approach. in a rapidly urbanizing world, such an approach means that all citizens should benefit from what cities have to offer in terms of access to income generating opportunities, land and housing, water and sanitation, education and health care. recognition of this right in national policies and legislation is critical to bringing about a fundamental change in our approach to sustainable development. A rights-based approach can help generate the political will and to create a culture of resource allocation that places the needs of the poor on an equal footing with the interests of those that are better off.” in January 2007, the right to the City movement found footing in the United States. base building community organizations from across the country came together to form a national right to the City Alliance (Perera 2008). bound together in the struggle for economic, social, and racial justice, the alliance seeks to connect urban “fights against gentrification and displacement to other local and international struggles for human rights, land, and democracy” (RTC 2008). The alliance has identified a number of principles of unity including: freeing land from market speculation, public ownership of urban territory, economic justice, indigenous justice, environmental justice, freedom from police and state harassment, immigrant justice, sufficient services and infrastructure, democratic planning and governance, reparations for exploitation, international solidarity, and justice for rural people. in addition to this international movements advancing the right to the City, throughout the last two decades urban scholars have demonstrated how neoliberal cities have increasingly turned to repressive measures to keep urban poor and homeless people out of view in public space (Smith 1998,1996; roy 2003; Mitchell 1997, 1998, 2003; Hackworth 2007). they have examined both how the rights and public presence of poor people have been diminished in urban centers, as well as poor people’s struggles and organizations which have emerged to fight this situation. the most recent and full scale assessment in this literature was Don Mitchell’s recent book, which also following Lefebvre was titled, “the right to the City” (Mitchell 2003). the archetypical example of homeless people being removed from public space in the United States was in Giuliani’s New York. However, the displacement of homeless people from public urban spaces, especially downtown areas, has occurred throughout the country over the last couple of neoliberal decades. in addition to the academic literature capturing this reality, grassroots homeless advocacy organizations and Washington policy groups have also documented attempts by city leaders and business interests to sweep homeless people out of public spaces through anti-homeless legislation, police sweeps, and so-called “quality-of-life laws” (NLCHP 1996; NCH 2004, 2007; WrAP 2008). However, one crucial issue has generally been missed by the urban literature examining the relationship between homeless people and urban public space: the business improvement District model. indeed, in the last 20 years, there is perhaps no other single innovation in the governance of urban space that has had as substantial an effect on the management of downtown areas than business improvement Districts (biDs). through an examination of the relationship between biDs and homeless people in the contemporary United States, this paper will draw together the growing global social movement promoting the right to the City and the urban studies literature examining struggles over the presence of homeless people in urban public space… Sweeping Homeless People From Public Spaces to understand contemporary battles over the presence of homeless people in public space in the United States, it is useful to quick- ly recount the rise of the contemporary wave of massive homelessness in the United States. in the 1980s, homelessness re-emerged in the nation at levels not seen since the Great Depression (burt 1992; Kusmer 2003; Jencks 1994). by the late 1990s it was estimated that each night at least 840,000 men, women, and children across the nation were without a home (NLCHP 2004). All together, between 2.3 and 3.5 million people, including 1.35 million children, were likely to experience homelessness in a given year (institute 2000). this contemporary wave of homelessness resulted in part from broad processes of capitalist reconfiguration, deindustrialization, and urban transformation (bluestone and bennett 1982; Noy Forthcoming). the primary political context for this resurgence of homelessness was the rise of extreme free-market rhetoric, supply side economics, and anti-welfare ideology initiated under reagan and continued through the Clinton presidency and into the present (Lyoncallo 2004; WrAP 2006). reagan decimated public housing construction and subsidization programs, and these programs have never regained their pre-1980 strength (Dolbeare, Saraf, and Crowley 2004). reagan also seriously undermined other important safety net programs, such as community mental health centers – the system which was supposed to replace mental hospitals after deinstitutionalization (beigel 1982; Cutler, bevilacqua, and McFarland 2003; Scherl and Schmetzer 1989). Despite a number of efforts made to address homelessness on the local and national level, these efforts were never more than a drop in the bucket compared to the social welfare cuts initiated by reagan (Noy Forthcoming). Homelessness remained steady and even became a sort of normalized backdrop of everyday life (Hopper 1998; Marcuse 1988; Penner and Penner 1994). However, although normalized, homelessness was not accepted by those who felt that the presence of homeless people in urban areas, and especially downtown districts, was hurting the quality of life and inhibiting business. in cities throughout the United States, as the federal government failed to adequately address homelessness nationally since the 1980s, the visibility of homeless people increasingly became an See Right to the City Pg. 7 �St r ee t v ib e S Social Justice 7 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 RIGHT To The City Continued from page 6 important concern for business and political elites (Sommer 2000; Noy Forthcoming). the turn to neoliberal policies and neoliberal economic restructuring also served as a primary context that shaped the response to the increased visibility of homeless people in urban areas (Mitchell 2003; Gibson 2004; roy 2003; Smith 1996; Sassen 1990). in the deindustrialized, post-Fordist economy, cities face tremendous pressure to create clean and shiny locales which will attract hyper-mobile capital and wealthy tourists – and homeless people are seen as standing in the way of that (Mitchell 1997, 1998, 2003). At the same time, cities are under ideological pressure to adopt an approach to governance framed by neoliberal principles and controlled by external agencies, such as bond rating institutions (Hackworth 2007). As a result cities have sought to turn urban space into a commodified spectacle for the wealthy and the privileged, and to exclude the visible signs of poverty from view (Smith 1996; Mitchell 2003). Cities have employed a number of strategies to try to sanitize public spaces from homeless presence – quality of life laws, anti-panhandling ordinances, banning soup kitchens and other public feeding programs, police sweeps, homeless courts, anti-camping, sitting, and lying ordinances to name a few (NCH 2007; Smith 1998; WrAP 2008). However, one important institution for controlling public space that has often been overlooked in analysis both of the public presence of homelessness and more generally by the right to the City literature is the business improvement District. Overview of BIDS business improvement Districts (biDs) are a marriage of two redevelopment approaches –the financing authority of a redevelopment agency and the targeted efforts of an enterprise zone. An authoritative definition of BIDs has yet to be accepted by academics, planners, and business people. Generally, however, a biD is a legally-recognized territorial subdivision within a city in which all property owners or businesses are subject to an additional tax assessment that is collected by the city and reallocated to the biD operating agency. the agency then uses the funds to provide services and capital improvements within the district (Garodnick 2000). biDs often represent a city’s downtown region and vary greatly in size. A 1995 survey of 23 biDs found the size of a biD to be approximately 20 square blocks on average and range from 1 square block to 300 square blocks (Partnership 1995). biDs provide services to supplement those delivered by the municipal government. Specific services vary from one BID to another, but standard functions include: Capital Improvements: installing pedestrian-scale lighting and street furniture; planting trees and shrubbery. Consumer Marketing: producing festivals and events; coordinating sales promotions; producing maps and newsletters. Economic Development: offering incentives (such as tax abatements or loans) to new and expanding businesses. Maintenance: collecting rubbish; removing litter and graffiti; washing sidewalks; shoveling snow; trimming trees. Parking and Transportation: managing a public parking system; maintaining transit shelters. Policy Advocacy: promoting public policies to the community; lobbying government on behalf of business interests. Public Space Regulation: managing sidewalk vending; discouraging panhandling; controlling vehicle loading. Security: providing supplementary security guards; buying and installing electronic security systems; working with the city police force. Social Services: aiding homeless people; providing job training; supplying youth services. A primary appeal of biDs to commercial merchants is that the biD property tax ensures that all property owners are locked into a payment scheme, avoiding the classic worry about free-riding in which only a few pay for the improvement projects and programs that create benefit for all in the area. Created by state legislatures, biDs claim to solve problems of urban blight and safety, and to promote business in downtown cores, in ways that local government cannot (Leigh 2003). they are classic neo-liberal public-private partnerships (Goode 2006). Usually run by a community board representing the area, power within biDs is generally tilted towards corporate interests. Most biD governance structures weight the votes of business and property owners more heavily than those of residential tenants. District decisions are therefore generally skewed in favor of business and property owners even when outnumbered by residential tenants. For example, a 1995 court case involving a New York city biD revealed that only one biD board member represented 930 residential tenants while 242 property owners had 31 representatives (Garodnick 2000) While some people credit biDs with the revival of urban centers, their prevalence has provoked controversy. Critics accuse biDs of exacerbating the divide between those with money and those without by allowing the secession of wealthy areas from the overall city governance (Davies 1997). Michael Sandel (1996: 311) argues, “as municipal services decline in urban areas, residents and businesses in upscale districts manage to insulate themselves from the effects by assessing themselves surtaxes to provide private garbage collection, street cleaning, and police protection unavailable to the city as a whole.” Others criticize biDs as patrolling public space on behalf of merchants and wealthy residents, while excluding poor and homeless people from their area (MacDonald 1996). Still others criticize biDs as fundamentally anti-democratic institutions which replace local government and community oversight with rule by businesses on behalf of their interests (WrAP 2008). BIDs and Homeless People A primary focus of biDs is public safety and the deterrence of crime. business owners see area improvements undertaken by biDs as conveying the message to visitors, potential residents and potential businesses that the district is “clean and safe.” they therefore see biDs as reducing crime in accordance with the “broken Windows” theory (Hoyt 2005). the broken Windows theory posits that allowing indications of disorder to remain unaddressed, such as a broken window or trash in an alley, demonstrates a loss of social control in a neighborhood (Wilson and Kelling 1982; Skogan 1999). this then fosters crime, especially as criminals actively seek out such neglected areas as a place to engage in deviant activities (Hoyt 2005). biDs, therefore, seek to reduce crime by making cosmetic and capital improvements to their districts. in addition to these cosmetic improvements, biDs also seek to reduce crime by engage in direct private security patrols over their areas. Private security has been a rapidly growing industry in the United States. the last thirty years have seen a per capita decline in public police officers and, at the same time, a substantial per capita increase in private security guards. A 1995 estimate claimed that there were roughly 3 private security guards for every public police officer in the United States (Greene, Seamon, and Levy 1995). Private security is generally much cheaper than sworn police officers. Private security guards are under less public regulation and oversight, and are less well trained. Correspondingly, they also possess less authority. the primary function of private biD security is to uphold the public perception of safety in their area by having a noticeable policing force on the streets. Private biD security generally takes on one of two forms. The first form of security is a team of “ambassadors.” Ambassadors usually roam the area wearing brightly-colored uniforms and are supposed to provide a welcoming smile (Hoyt 2005). Sometimes, the word “security” is printed on the back of the uniform to convey authority. While the role of ambassadors will vary from one biD to the next, it generally involves assisting visitors and looking out for suspect behavior. the second form of private biD security is the more traditional-looking security guard. Often times, security guard uniforms are intentionally designed to closely resemble that of the local police force, emitting a stronger sense of authority. the legal authority of ambassadors and security guards is the same. in public spaces, private security has no more authority in securing an environment than does a private citizen. For example, the only kind of arrest they can perform is a citizen’s arrest, which can be made only when the arresting citizen personally witnesses a felony. everyday citizens may be unaware that a biD’s private security lacks legal authority. regardless of whether a biD relies on private security or police officers, it likely maintains a close relationship with the local police department – possibly even providing a storefront out of which the police department operates a substation. in the absence of private security, biD members will call the police dispatch directly to report suspicious activities. even with a private biD security force, these employees are generally not trained or equipped to handle difficult or potentially dangerous situations, and therefore must rely on local police in such circumstances. Homeless advocacy groups accuse biD private security of intimidating, bullying, and abusing homeless people. Some have gone so far as to accuse biDs of primarily existing in order to remove homeless people from visibility, and to enforce restrictions on public space (WrAP 2008). in 2005, the Los Angeles Community Action Network created a campaign “to take direct action to end fast-growing patterns of abuse [perpetrated] against poor and homeless residents by…biD security guards” (LAGC 2005). the campaign included videotaping and private patrols to monitor the excessive use of force and violation of civil rights by biDs. in Los Angeles County, several homeless people also filed law suits against See Right to the City Pg. 15 �National News 8 St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush talks about women’s rights and the environment Sophia Bush has long been famous for her role as Brooke Davis in the long running US television show One Tree Hill. Yet, Bush has done much more; she’s an icon for women’s rights and fights to change young girls’ body image . She also used her stardom to bring attention to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the lack Sophia Bush attends the 17th annual Race to Erase MS gala in Los Angeles May 7, 2010. REUTERS/ Phil McCarten of clean drinking water around the world. Time for an interview. on in their national politics, to the news, most beautiful, they have that quality - people DANIELLE OLSEN Spare Change News (USA) www.streetnewsservice.org r ecently you put together a CD, Gasoline rainbows, in which the proceeds will go to the clean-up efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. What was it like putting together that compilation? SOPHiA bUSH: We sort of had a revelation, like “Why do just one song? Why not do an album?” You see celebrity playlists on itunes and you see how well soundtracks do when they’re great. People love albums when they are filled with great artists. So we thought, why not make an album that benefits? It’s so simple to distribute music digitally, there’s no carbon footprint, we’re not using any plastic, any paper. We’re not creating any waste, we’re just getting people great music and raising great money all the while. it was a really incredible experience and then to see all the bands who got so passionate about it. to have bands that don’t need to give music away, like black eyed Peas and vampire Weekend say, ‘Oh, yeah, you can totally have songs,’ and then to have Damien rice give us an unreleased track, and to have City and Colour write us a song that is so haunting and so beautiful about what happened when the rig exploded - i mean, it’s kind of an out of body experience to have it all happen. before i forget, we’re very, very lucky to have been able to partner with Dine Alone records. None of us know anything about putting an album together and Dine Alone was such an amazing champion for our cause and really just helped us make it happen. Without them i think we wouldn’t have made it. DANieLLe OLSeN: You are not just involved in issues in the Gulf; what are some other foundations or causes you are passionate about? SOPHiA bUSH: Oh, god, you know, it’s interesting because i think it all relates. i’m very passionate about what’s going on with women’s rights around the world, and once you start looking at statistics you start getting educated. You find that when women are educated it impacts their communities, it impacts their children, it impacts their family, it impacts their environment. i think anyone who is concerned with the development of the world and protecting females should read Kristof’s book, Half the Sky. it will absolutely blow your mind. i spend a lot of time looking at what’s going on with women and also looking at what’s going on with young people. i think i’ve had a really incredible year connecting with youth in America, and around the world, and really tried to start a movement getting kids encouraged to take care of their environment no matter where they are and to pay attention to what’s going to take care of themselves and to be aware of what they’re putting in their bodies. When you watch new things and you start researching factory farming it’s just all interconnected. it seems so incredibly important when you’re discussing what it is that we are putting in our bodies and putting into our environment. With our food industries, water is so crucial and important and it’s been really wonderful to do some work with Charity Water and you take it for granted living in the US, being able to get clean water out of your tap at any moment, any day, and there are people around the world who have to walk miles and miles at risk of physical harm and death just to get water that isn’t even clean to begin with. So i think it’s a really eyeopening process when you start to look at the world around you and take your blinders off. DANieLLe OLSeN: Do you have any plans to get involved in aiding Japan? SOPHiA bUSH: i’ve been doing a lot of tweeting and sending out every donation link that I can find. We’ve all been donating to the red Cross and i think it’s just going to be incredibly important. it’s very simple, very easy rather, when the sort of initial shock of something like this wanes for people to not stay involved but it’s going to take some time as that country starts to get itself back together to even see what they need. i think it’s incredibly important to stay active and to stay on top of it because, maybe, i don’t know if it’s going to be a food drive. i don’t know if it’s going to be donations. i don’t know if it’s going to be clothing drives. What is it going to be that we can do? i really think that we need to keep on top of the situation, and as we get information, continue donating and continue staying active and showing our support. they are really going to need it for a long time. DANieLLe OLSeN: You recently spoke out against a pro-anorexia Urban Outfitters t-shirt. As a woman and fashion icon many young girls look up to, why do you think it was so important for you to say something to your fans? SOHPiA bUSH: i think it’s an absolutely ludicrous idea that beauty only fits in one box. You look at history; look at who are our most beautiful, iconic women in the world and they’re all different shapes and sizes and colors and heights. There is no one definition and yet I get that everyone, most everyone in the world, looks at Giselle and goes, ‘Oh my god, she’s so amazing.’ there are also people who look at her and don’t get it. So why her? there are people who love that body type but there are people who look at that body type and go, ‘eh,’ and who look at a super curvy, short girl and go, ‘That’s what I like.’ There is no one definition of beauty. You know the people that are the say she has “it.” the French say that it’s ‘je ne sais quoi,’ - it’s something special and it’s confidence. It’s a sort of ownership of self. It doesn’t matter what measurement is around our thigh, it matters what you put out into the world. it matters how many times a day you smile; and are you good to the people in your life. Are you good to the people you work with; are you good to your family and your friends? Are you good to your community? those are the things that make a person beautiful. So, yeah, I find it outrageous that a company that caters particularly to young women would say, ‘Hey, eat less. You’ll feel better about yourself.’ Absolutely not. DANieLLe OLSeN: March was international Woman’s Month; how far do you think women’s rights have come? SOHPiA bUSH: i think in some areas we’re doing a great job but i also think that we haven’t come quite as far as we think we have when you still look at the difference between paychecks for men and women in the same field. People kind of roll their eyes and say, ‘Oh, that’s so feminist of you.’ but i find it really irritating when guys are teasing their guy friends and they’re saying, ‘C’mon, man up, don’t be a pussy.’ it’s like, really? it’s a vulgar, pornographic term out there for a women’s anatomy, and that’s what you call a guy who isn’t man enough? Why? Where did that come from? it seems like not a big deal at the end of the day; i hear it all the time and i understand that it’s not. but when you really start to think about what the subtext of it means, it’s interesting. i see it every day. i’m a woman who works at a job that is mostly populated by men. Most of the film set is made up of men and i watch the way that the people relate to each other, i watch the way that they make comments about women on the set and i work with lovely people and i pick up on things that i don’t think are 100 percent awesome all the time. i think it’s important to really make sure that we’re reinforcing, especially from a young age, respect for women. When you think that one of the most powerful things that men can do is put us down, that’s obviously because we’re incredibly powerful if we’re built up. it’s something we need to know and women need to own. if you’re going to get called a bitch for standing up for yourself, for being educated, for having opinions and for using your voice, then fine, let them call you a bitch. If a man was doing any of those things he would be complimented and they’d say, ‘Oh you know, he’s really got balls, he’s really strong, he’s really assertive.’ but a woman who’s assertive immediately gets sort of categorized as difficult. i don’t agree, i say go ahead, be loud, make See Sophia Bush Pg. 9 �National News St r ee t v ib e S A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 9 Sophia Bush Continued from Page 8 them listen to you. DANieLLe OLSeN: Your character on One tree Hill, fashion designer brooke Davis started a campaign called ‘Zero is Not A Size.’ Do you believe fashion such as this can have a positive impact on the world? SOPHiA bUSH: i do, and part of what i really appreciated about that, and part of the reason i still appreciate the message behind ‘zero is not a size,’ is that it doesn’t make any sense. there’s no universal size chart. i own clothes that are a range of sizes. it’s like “Well, okay, this company has these sizes, that company has those sizes. Oh for this designer i can wear a sample but for that one I could never fit into a sample.” It’s like, “Well my body is not changing every time i put on a different dress, for sure. it’s the way that they are cut.” So what does it even mean? What does it mean to be a size zero? What does it mean to be a size four, a size ten? it doesn’t mean anything. Again, i don’t believe that beauty fits into one box and I don’t think that it matters. I think that if you’re healthy, if you take care of yourself and enjoy your life, that the number on the tag in your sweater should not be what defines you. DANieLLe OLSeN: On your blog you often talk about products that help to make a difference. What is your favorite that you’ve talked about that you think everyone should be using? SOPHiA bUSH: i think it’s incredibly important to look at the little things in your home. People don’t consider that the same water that goes down the sink when you do the dishes is the water that you filter, that then comes out of your faucet, that you’re drinking. So think about it, what kind of detergent you use and what kind of dish soap are you using? What kind of chemicals are you pouring down the drain that then have to be filtered in order for you to drink that water? How well are they really filtered? It’s an important thing to look at. So for me, it’s really about using eco-friendly, clean products in my house that don’t make me nervous going down the drain. Again, really eliminating bottled water waste. i mean god, the amount of plastic they use that’s totally unnecessary. bottled water is not as regulated as tap water. So in thinking about all the things that could be in your tap, those are all the things that can be in your bottled water and they say it’s from an exotic locale when it isn’t. Why are you paying all this money? Why are you wasting all this plastic? it is part of the reason i blogged about the Water bobble. i love the idea of that so very much. So often people say, ‘Oh well you know i’m using my brita at home and yes of course i’ll drink tap water but if i have to go somewhere and use a water fountain, i don’t know if that’s filtered. I’ll just go buy a bottle of water.’ Well, take your filter with you. Take your filter, take your bottle and never use a plastic bottle again. DANieLLe OLSeN: Do you feel a duty to use your celebrity to spread word about important issues? SOPHiA bUSH: A duty? No. No, i mean, i think there are plenty of people who don’t care to use their platforms. For me, it’s just a no brainer. it’s something i’ve always cared about, something that mattered to me and for a long time i didn’t want to open up that box. You really don’t know what’s going to come out at you; it is a bit of a Pandora’s box, this whole world of social media and personal exposure. Particularly when you do what i do, which is go to work and you play someone else everyday. I wonder if I’m finally starting to put too much of myself out there will people be able to believe the character that i play? i really believe that we can change things. i really believe that all our little voices can build up into something enormous and powerful and I just figure, “You know, screw it.” i have to do this. it’s in my heart and it’s what matters to me more than my career. it is what matters to me more than anything. FEED ME SEYMOUR, FEED ME ALL NIGHT LONG! Jeni Jenkins, Staff Writer The title of this column is taken from the 1986 film “Little Shop of Horrors,” where a plant keeper must meet the demands of a ravenous plant that feeds on humans. Instead of plants that feed on people, this column is for people who feed on plants!! WALNUT BROCCOLI STIRFRY Don’t miss this delish dish ! 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup walnuts 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups broccoli florets 1 cup carrots 3 packages ramen noodles 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce 1 cup of veggie broth 2 tablespoons soy sauce LOREM Aliquam blandit Praesent molestie lorem IPSUM Ante magna vehicula Sed turpis 1 20oz can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice un-drained 2 teaspoons ground ginger •Sauté garlic and walnuts in oil over medium high heat, about 2 minutes •Add the broccoli and carrots •Cook on medium heat until tender, about 4-5 minutes •In a bowl mix together the veggie broth, chili sauce, soy sauce and ginger •Add mixture and pineapple chunks with juice to veggies and bring to a boil. •Break ramen noodles in half and mix into the veggies. •Cook on medium heat about 4 minutes or until noodles are tender. •Voila, FEED! Etiam ac libero �10 Story and Poetry Now I Give to Thee! eLiSA HiLL Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor Damn, I have a space in my throat that just won’t let me scream. I try to weep to keep myself from going fucking insane. Most times I don’t even know what is going on in everybody else’s life. Yet and still, I am always treated as the outcast, now pass the pipe. I’ve tried to give of myself in and unselfish way. Only to be torn down and treated like less than a damn slave. It makes you lose your self esteem. That anything that you could be in this life, is nothing in there site. I have tried hoping that there is one damn person who feels me worthy to be alive. Only to look the fuck around and see that there is no one sitting by my side. Cry tears, for what? They only make it worse, now I feel that I am forever cursed. I feel like I have no love, no life, no hope and no real plight. God please save me! What am I doing here just filling in for empty space. Even he regrets my presence because; I just seem to get in his way. How can this be when I am especially made? I am a blessing that you my God gave to this life! I am a bright star burning throughout the verses. I flow demolishing misconceptions and misunderstood purposes. Lord, I do have a great will to live and I know what it takes to survive. I won’t let them to continue to do this to me. I will believe in myself and know that soon, you my father, will provide. Then like a surprise snow ball to the side of my face. I hear my God say, “now I give to thee!” The Prediction WiLLA DeNiSe JONeS Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor What would you do if you could predict your every tomorrow? Remembering that tomorrow never comes it’s always today, now that can bring some sorrow Thinking of the changes that the people of the world are being subjected too Remembering the day of the past is what I’ll always cherish for thinking today can be awe so cruel Today there is a complete new set of words we as a people must learn Words like: Shut em down, unemployment rising, evictions and homelessness, now I’m concerned So do you believe that we could make a change in this world If we could predict our future? Believe me being a democrat, a republican or a socialist we all come up a loser Believe that this is God’s world; somehow, the world seems to have forgotten Believe if we as mankind don’t come back to God we’ll all be lost, burned up and then turn rotten To be able to predict tomorrow or for me to be a psychic honestly is not my choice Now predict the readings of the bible about God’s return I believe it’s time for the politicians to heed to God’s voice!!! St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Where Do Your Children Eat? buddy gray Excellent work crew today Spring Street Republic Street 13th Street Peete Street. I brought in 2 children, boy 13, girl 10 who helped on work crew… boy cut his foot, so we carried him “home” to DIC to patch up minor cut. We invited them to eat lunch. They ate coffee with one inch of sugar in cup and 4 creams… He said it helps them “keep going” because they don’t eat every day at their house. The girl’s (his cousin) family had doubled up with his family 8-10 people in two rooms. He said he’s used to it. He gave up his bead for his Aunt and her kids. He was not nasty, angry or bitter. The girl (age 10) said her family had moved away from Millvale because of drug dealers and shootings she had seen. The boy (age 13) said he could make it, he had learned how to go often 3 days without food. She asked me “where my children eat.” He and she were not bitter about sharing their little with too many others. What kind of Country do we live in? We just lost 79 American soldiers lives to conduct an aerial bombing of a small, under developed country – killing 500,000 to 750,000 people, many as retreating soldiers and making several million people homeless and starving, dying of polluted water, disease. What kind of Country spends $200 B to annihilate another tiny nation of people, men, women and children while one of its own children, going hungry regularly for 2 or 3 days asks a homeless shelter worker the fundamental, simple, honest question: March 30, 1991--Written 20 years ago, yet the problem is not better, it is worse. More children without homes and more money spent on war. We steal life all around us. �Reflections St r ee t v ib e S 11 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Continued From Page 1 Questions Matter MOLLY BRAZIER Anthropology t his semester has been emotionally challenging, academically lax, and intellectually expansive. I learned how to barter over fish and asparagus at Findlay market. i have practiced the art of declining cat calls, navigating one-ways, saying no to cocaine, and i like to think i have done my part in helping out a small non-profit. i have been given the time to grapple with some Back to Front: Nathan DeVore; Molly Brazier; Jose Gutierrez. Natalie Otrembiak, Student Photographer Why? KAT ROOSEN Architecture came to Over-the-rhine with culturally experienced eyes, but a very rudimentary understanding of the social, economic and political forces that act on urban society. i have travelled to many countries around the world, have seen all types of poverty and excessive wealth, and political, economic and social systems. being from Detroit, i know how destitute some inner cities have become. because of these factors i cannot honestly say that i was really shocked by anything i encountered on the streets of Over-the-rhine. What really got me this semester, though, was learning about why things are the way they are and how the community has come together to combat those forces. Over the course of the semester, i learned more than i have ever learned about the creation of the ghetto, welfare, poverty, the interconnectivity of race and class, gentrification, mixed-income housing and lastly, community. I was baffled by how much had been going on in these realms of which i had simply never heard, to which i had never been exposed. I find this incredibly disturbing because i have come to realize how invaluable this knowledge is, how important it is to understand the urban core, especially if you want to work or live there, which is what i want to do i hope to eventually return to Detroit and work in the innercity. the semester has become irreplaceable in that it has taught i big issues that–while generally aware of–i have never been able to tackle face-to-face. i have single handedly witnessed the complexities and emotions of what people call “gentrification.” I have re-evaluated my own career path as my understanding of American economics has expanded and i have processed and reprocessed my ability to cope with the realities of the world while negotiating my own place within it. What has really gone on here has been a process of growth. it came, i think, in different moments of inspiration, of depression, of hopelessness, of stubbornness, and reflection. Never before have i helped a homeless woman—drunk and laying in her own pee—off of the sidewalk and given her something to eat and rush off to class in the hope that she would recover. Never before have i felt threatened by the presence of a group of men walking behind me, their taunts growing louder and more vulgar as i clenched a key between my knuckles and sped up. Never before has my whiteness or class been called out on a daily basis, marking me as an outsider, as a minority, or as a threat to a community feeling the pressure of change. there were times this semester i felt overwhelmed with a growing sense of emotional overload followed by a personal distancing of myself from the need i was consistently exposed to. Coming home from the Contact Center, which has no money and yet continues to fight against poverty, only to go to class and learn about the injustices our world faces and then walk home through a neighborhood filled with need was at times difficult. there were days when i spent all my intern time interviewing people who were in desperate need of healthcare or could not afford to take care of their families. Then, when finally having the spare time to grapple with these issues, i was so overwhelmed with emotion i felt like all i wanted to do was take me many of the skills i will eventually need when i return to my hometown. it has taught me the importance of true community, meaning the value of loving your neighbors and allowing community to flourish within and out of its own self. it is as if trying too hard to create a community ruins it and tends to end in the exclusion of certain people, something i have witnessed here in Over-the-rhine. i hope to never forget this and use this knowledge to foster community in my own life. the interview i had with Al rohs taught me how valuable it is to connect with people. He has become such an influential figure in Over-The-Rhine for the simple fact that he listens and helps everyone. As i leave this place, i hope to never forget the things i have learned here. i plan on returning from time to time, so that i may witness how Over-the-rhine continues to grow and change and how true community continues to thrive in the streets of Over-therhine. in every way imaginable, including random encounters, new friendships, and an abundance of information, this semester has made me confident in my ability to create change. i am now overloaded with information about the city, which has forced me to create my own opinions about the information we have discussed. i am now confident and capable of having an intellectual conversation with others about urban society and providing support for my arguments when challenged. My understanding of the world has grown substantially and i credit this residency Program with pushing me to the edge of my beliefs. See Reflictions Pg. 13 myself away from it. How do you tell a generation of children suffering from poor school systems, who have never been told they have the ability to go to college, that education is the key to their success? How do you reach out to the political powers of our State from the office of a place that cannot afford to buy computer paper? Is gentrification really the only solution to a community crippled by high poverty? Who defines when a community is of mixed-income? Will mixed-income, in and of itself, save the poor from their poorness? in a world where capital is king, should we be fighting gentrification or the deeper systematic injustices that have worked to fuel it? Where does one begin, and in what capacity, to take a stand? i do not have all of the answers to these questions. but by living here and experiencing life here, i have expanded my understanding of just how the solutions to these problems may be procured. Sitting at the fundraising dinner for the Coalition for the Homeless, surrounded by the faces of people i have worked with throughout the neighborhood, i saw in a moment what change looks like. Here in a room filled with long-time community activists, grant writers, sponsors, donors, college students, and a myriad of others in between, i was in the midst of community development. through these people, words become actions. ideas become movement. energy becomes change. i am very thankful for my time here. i will forever remain connected in an attempt to live beyond my own individual existence. i will continue to tell others the important lessons that i have learned here. And wherever my career path leads, i will maintain awareness and a connectedness to those less fortunate so that i may forever be humbled by the bigness of the world. the people i have met have been truly inspiring, challenging, and moving.  |        �12 International News St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Momentum grows in call for hemp to be legalized in South Africa An increasing number of South Africans are throwing their weight behind a call for hemp to be made legal in the country, which supporters say will help create jobs and provide housing for South Africa’s poor. tOM riCHeLL The Big Issue (South Africa) www.streetnewsservice.org S upport for an online petition entitled “Hemp Now”, calling for the immediate legalization of industrial hemp, has snowballed with more than 300 signatories and more signing on by the day. the Hemp Now campaign wants hemp - a type of cannabis plant that does not have the intoxicating tHC compound found in cannabis that is smoked or ingested to “get high” - to be legalized for its 50,000 recorded uses, including clothing, eco-friendly building materials and paper. Hemp seed and oil is also rich in vitamins and the Omega 3 and 6 essential Hemp Now spokesperson, Tony Budden, dressed in a hemp material shirt, against a “hempcrete” wall fatty acids, leading advocates to label it a “super food”. holding hemp hurds (housing insulation). The Big Issue South Africa/Pippa Ehrlich tony budden, spokesperson for Hemp Now and a partner in Hemporium, which imports hemp for use in across South Africa to join the 28 countries worldwide that have already South Africa, said: “As a company that has been manufacturing and legalized the growth of the plant for industrial purposes. selling hemp products for 15 years, Hemporium is tired of having to the campaign also emphasizes that it wants to put an end to “botaniimport our raw material and supporting the industry in other countries, cal racism”, arguing that hemp is unfairly viewed as a drug whereas it when we can see how it has the potential to provide jobs, houses has no intoxicating effects and its legalization would and nutrition to create a more sustainable economy and a “Hemporium is tired of having to import our help - three very green future for South Africa. necessary and raw material and supporting the industry in the clout the petition will have is still unknown, but under-supplied is hoping for long-term positive results: “the other countries, when we can see how it has the budden components petition is part of a larger movement that is currently of our society. potential to provide jobs, houses and nutrition” building a lot of momentum with regards to hemp in Hemp can do South Africa. it is effective in giving a voice to supthis in a way porters of hemp who often feel frustrated by the stagthat benefits the environment too, and we feel South Africa has the ponation of hemp research and don’t have a way of communicating their tential to become a world leader in the ethical and environmental hemp opinions regarding this valuable resource.” industry.” For more information, visit: www.hempnow.co.za the Hemp Now petition calls for hemp to be legalized immediately Reflections Continued from pages 1 and 11 Becoming Myself ASHLeY KiNCAiD Architecture i am not the person i was when i swung open the gate at 1324 race St. in August. that girl was quiet, scared, and certain she knew what she wasn’t. i could never let anyone see this. i was eternally fearful of saying, doing, or believing the wrong things. i never wanted to offend or make anyone feel uncomfortable. but something happened. i was uncomfortable. My domes of Oakwood and Oxford had been lifted, but it felt as if they had been violently ripped away from me. I smiled on the sidewalk and floated through classes with an air of intention and belonging, but once i was safely alone, i was broken. i was not experiencing what i was supposed to. On the surface, everyone else assimilated into this community flawlessly. They felt comfortable. they loved this place and wanted to stay. i couldn’t let anyone see that i felt differently. then, in a moment of weakness i had a realization: i am not anyone but myself. it was silly to think i was meant to experience this semester the same way as others. in that moment, everything changed. i let myself experience and mourn the pain around me, the homelessness, the hopelessness, the hurt. this place they call Over-the-rhine is more than beautiful architecture; it is more than politics and policy. this place is community; it is people and children, lives and mistakes. There are people who are fighting through everyday, and then there are those that have given in and given up. i have to admit, sometimes it was very hard to walk into studio and feel that i was making a difference. the only things evident and tangible were the calluses, scabs, and aches. In a very selfish way, I wanted people to know what i was doing and why i was doing it. every time i was asked what i was doing down in Over-the-rhine, my answer was automatic and technical: living down here, architecture credit, construction, service-learning. these things were not what i was experiencing or feeling, but they were the easiest to verbalize. What was i doing in Over-the-rhine? i was breaking out of my comfort zone, slowly and painfully. i was helping, with every swing of the hammer and every piece of flooring. In the end, I was a small part of something beautiful. Not just the obvious, visual beauty of the space at 1300 vine. but the beauty of the effect that this Program had in its short run. As students we were stretched. We were challenged, we were taught, we were changed. i will never forget Over-the-rhine. i will never forget the faces and stories that i passed in my paint-covered yoga pants everyday. i will never forget the professors that showed their raw passion for the untold tragedies of this place. i will never forget the family that we formed, with our inside jokes that make no sense and our ability to say a thousand words with a glance. When i started this semester, i was always open to listening to others beliefs and problems, but i don’t think i ever let them affect me. i was set in my ways.if i had to choose one word to describe my semester it would be: affected. i am affected to my very core and i hope that even the smallest piece of this community is affected because of my presence. See Reflections Page 13 �St r ee t v ib e S A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Reflections 13 Reflections Continued from Page 12 New Lands NATALIE OTREMBIAK Architecture Student i grew up in Northern Kentucky hearing about Over-the-Rhine and the “horrific” things that happen there and the “dangerous people” that live there. People are described as poor, black, homeless, drug addicts, and dealers. From the newspapers, media, and adults around me, Over-the-rhine seemed to be a far-away evil place that should never be encountered. I was intrigued to find that Miami University had a Program that assisted this local community with the skills and time of their students. i wanted to partake in this engagement. i was curious about this place and its people just across the river from me but has always felt like a distant land. i wanted to use my time and energy to assist an underprivileged community all the while learning something in my field of interest. And I did learn, especially from my interaction with the community. Here in Over-the-rhine, i have learned that people are powerful through their voices, ideas, and community. What drives change in our world is determined by ideas. the communication of ideas is powerful. the ability to listen and be open to understanding when someone speaks are crucial. through the Over-the-rhine Program i have encountered several challenges in communication. For example, i was part of a communitybased team, sponsored by the Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, to draft a “People’s Platform for equality and Justice.” We were trying to communicate issues relevant to the neighborhood to get people involved with the Coalition and to advance a movement of people. these issues are very complex, and we had to put the message across in a few images and words. it was fascinating to see how something seemingly so simple could be so complicated. Simple editing went for weeks. i experienced a vast variety of people and their opinions. these experiences are what i value from Over-the-rhine. these people are not evil deviants that must be expunged. they are trying to gain a voice, people that want to be listened to and understood. they are trying to change the stereotypes placed on the area and its people. Over-the rhine is a place that is friendly in its own culture. When i walk down the streets people ask me how i am doing, and say “God bless you.” People here are always interacting with one another—walking side by side on the streets, having public places nearby to go to, and sitting out on the front stoops socializing. the community is very close spatially and in its relationships and experiences. this is an environment different from the secluded suburbs where people are either at work or cooped up in their homes. Over-the-rhine welcomed me and i’ve learned so much from the genuine human interaction and the experiences with communication. It Takes Time GONZALO MArtiNeZ Architecture Student specifically chose to take part in the Overthe-rhine residency Program because i wanted to broaden my perspective on life and shatter preconceptions i have had about inner-city life. the Program presented a unique opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and immerse myself in a foreign world. At the time i had only a fuzzy idea of what the Program was about, and honestly, i came to Over-the-rhine not knowing what to expect. Having spent most of my life growing up in middle-class suburbia outside of Washington D.C., my perception of impoverished inner-city neighborhoods was vague at best. bearing this in mind, i decided i would move in to Over-the- i rhine and try to be as objective as possible. Over-therhine fostered an incredible transformative process in me. i didn’t realize it at the moment, but now it is plain to see that i am not the same person i was at the beginning of the semester. My perspectives have changed. During this semester, more than any other of my college career, i was able to learn as much, if not Left to Right: Natalie Otrembiak; Danielle Musselman. Ellen Crawford. more outside of class as i did during class time. My Now that we see the world more clearly, we alternative education took the form of talking to can help others clear their eyes as well. neighborhood residents, engaging the comI never thought I would find myself interactmunity through volunteer service, as well as by ing with homeless folks or ex-felons. Now, living with a vibrant group of peers who shared however, whatever barriers might have prea variety of diverse experiences with me. vented me from interacting with them are At the start of the semester, i was foolish to gone, for i have learned that they are no differthink that the service work we were doing was ent than me; they have simply grown up under going to make changes manifest themselves different circumstances. No one is inherently immediately in the neighborhood. through inferior, flawed, or evil. We are all just people the course of this semester i learned that real living out our lives as best as we can, given change takes time—more than a semester at what we have. it can be incredibly depressing least. Yet, in that process of learning, it beto hear the stories of some of the residents of came easy to feel defeated. i started to think Over-the-rhine. they have dealt with situathat our presence in the neighborhood was not tions i cannot even begin to relate to. Couple producing positive results, especially when pit- that with our classes, where we studied the ted against the physical transformation occurstructural problems that have led to such dire ring all around us. the renovation of Washing- situations for some people while others profton Park became symbolic of our frustrations. ited from their misery and all of the sudden i How could we ever alter the direction of progbegan to feel negative. i was not sure if i felt ress? Although it was difficult to see at times, I guilt, anger, anguish, or a combination of all am now certain the work we did this semester three. How come i have such a privileged life has undoubtedly made a difference. No matter when others have nothing? Why the heck do how small our contribution was in the grand we have such extensive abject poverty in the scheme of things, what’s important is that we richest nation of the world? these questions made a positive impact on the community infuriated me. However, negativity never leads that exists in Over-the-rhine. the beauty of to good things and i learned that maintaining it is that in trying to make that change in the a positive attitude throughout my experience community, the community changed us for the was not only the best way to cope with the better. depressing reality of some people’s lives but Whether it was discussing plans for Peaslee also a vehicle for ideas on how to change the Neighborhood Center with our clients, Jenn status quo and Kathy, helping neighborhood children with Ultimately, i couldn’t have picked a better their art projects at the Children’s Creative way to end my undergraduate career. the Corner, sitting down at Canticle Café and hav- multitude of diverse experiences that i was ing a chat with the patrons, cleaning up abanable to get out of this Program far outweigh doned houses with the OtrCH work crew on anything i could have learned in Oxford. i the weekends, exploring Cincinnati with my came to Over-the-rhine seeking immersion peers, reflecting and sharing our experiences and to broaden my perspective and it did not in bonnie’s journaling sessions, or just the disappoint. Preconceptions have been shatcamaraderie present at our Sunday Potlucks, tered while awareness has gone way up. Yet, the richness of such diverse experiences now i realize that this is only the beginning of combined with the multidisciplinary education a new stage in my life where doors have been offered by the residency Program made this opened and barriers cleared away. Wherever semester such a transformative experience for life takes me from here, i know that i will have me. in learning more about what was going the wisdom gained from this semester in the around us, we learned more about ourselves. Over-the-rhine residency Program guiding And that became a valuable asset to helping the decisions that i take. us become better citizens. Citizens who are These students also took part in commuaware of the injustices at play in our capitalnity engagement this past fall: ist society. Citizens who are not afraid to step Nathan Devore, Anthropology out of their comfort zone and become active Kayla evans, Art Education participants in their community. Citizens who Jose Gutierrez, Architecture refuse to subscribe to the same old stereotypes that group the poor, the blacks, and JoePaul Luikart, Architecture the homeless into homogenous categories of Danielle Musselman, Architecture deviant minorities. i could go on, but the point robert Weyreter, Business is this has been an eye-opening experience. �Opportunities 14 St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Summer Internship Program The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) is currently accepting applications for 5 part-time unpaid summer interns. Each intern will create an individual work plan and be assigned a specific project or provide general support for a particular program during the specified time period. ABOUT: GCCH located in Over-the-Rhine is a non-profit social action agency established in 1984 with the solitary mission of eradicating homelessness. GCCH works towards this mission by coordinating services, educating the public, grassroots organizing and advocacy and publishing and distributing the Streetvibes newspaper. Homeless and formerly homeless individuals are incorporated into all programs and initiatives at GCCH. PROGRAM DATES: Summer internships range from a 2-3 month commitment which is negotiated on an individual level and flexible between May and September (dependent on university summer term). TIME COMMITMENT: Flexible hours, approx. 15-20 hours per week; must be able to attend weekly staff meetings. Summer interns typically attend school and/or work part-time jobs as long as they do not interfere with the internship commitment. INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE: Development intern- reports directly to the Director of Development and Operations Education & Outreach Intern- reports directly to the Director of Education & Outreach Statistics Intern- reports directly to the Director of Education & Outreach information technology intern- reports directly to the executive Director Journalism, Media & Public Relations Intern- reports directly to the Editor of Streetvibes GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS: Hard working and have the ability to work independently with limited supervision. Creative and willing to bring fresh ideas to the table and a positive attitude. Have a minimum of one year of undergraduate work completed Must be able to use a computer Good written and oral communication skills and diligence about checking work for spelling and grammar mistakes Familiarity with Microsoft Office including Excel and Word Interest in learning about local area nonprofit agencies A commitment to serving those in poverty Comfortable working with and speaking to homeless individuals Good interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate with a wide range of individuals Dependable TO APPLY: If interested please send a cover letter and resume with desired internship title (e.g. Development Intern) in the subject line to HYPERLINK “mailto:gcch. intern@gmail.com” gcch.intern@gmail.com. Interviews will be held in early May. Direct any questions to the email listed above. INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTIONS: Development intern: Intern currently studying or interested in: Non-profit business development, administration, fundraising, marketing, individual giving, grant writing and pursuing donors. intern will assist and report to the Director of Development and Operations. Key tasks: Maintain and improve development plan Coordinate and acquire in-kind donations research and apply for grants Lead an individual giving campaign Work on Summer fundraiser as well as prepare for Winter Annual Dinner Communicate with donors via phone and letters Attend development committee meetings Streamline fundraising database Other tasks TBD. Education & Outreach Intern: intern currently studying or interested in: education (teaching and curriculum development), sociology, social justice, social work, program coordination & development, service learning and working with youth. intern will assist and report to the Director of education and Outreach. Key tasks: Main project: develop a plan for the implementation of the 2011 City-Wide Shantytown program during Homeless Awareness Month. Assist with improvements to the educational and service outreach plan research and update list of schools and social service agencies throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area Assist with the facilitation of educational and service learning activities as needed Assist as a receptionist as needed Other tasks tbD. Statistics intern: intern currently studying or interested in: research, statistical analysis, math, social science research, computer science, engineering or related field. Intern will assist and report to the Director of education and Outreach. Key tasks: Main project: Work independently to assess GCCH’s programs; compile, review and analyze data; develop a plan for tracking data and analyzing outcomes; track and analyze outcomes for a specified time period and create a final report. Gather, collect, record, track and verify data and information. Uses software to compile and generate reports, statistics, timelines, tables, graphs, correspondence and presentations. Assist with the development of a database for tracking and analyzing program data. Assist with compiling updated statistical data related to homelessness and poverty with a focus on Ohio and links to national statistics. Other tasks TBD. information technology intern: intern currently studying or interested in: information technology, networking, managing software and hardware, computer science or related field. Intern will assist and report to the executive Director. Key tasks: Main project: Work independently to assess GCCH’s stock of computers, swipe old computers of data and recycle; assess and update computer software on computers in use; determine networking capabilities and develop and implement a plan to put all computer data on a server. Other duties related to computer management including: assessing security risks and updating anti-virus software. Assist with the development of a database for tracking and analyzing program data. Assist with the launch of GCCH’s new website. Other tasks tbD. Journalism, Media & Public Relations Intern: intern currently studying or interested in: Journalism, public relations, social networking, advertising, marketing or related field. Intern will assist and report to the editor of Streetvibes. Key tasks: Main project: Work independently to upload articles and pictures from old Streetvibes editions to the Streetvibes online blog as well as GCCH’s website. Develop a viable newspaper recycling plan. build up readership and support of Streetvibes and GCCH’s via social networking sites. Assist with reporting, photojournalism, production, copy editing and advertising as needed. Other tasks TBD. �Resources St r ee t v ib e S 15 A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Cincinnati Union Bethel St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 381-SAFe 768-6907 FreeStore/FoodBank 557-2873 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 241-1064 112 e. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 762-5660 271-5501 4600 erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 St. Vincent de Paul 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 535-2719 591-2246 562-8841 872-9259 381-2247 5 e. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van McMicken Dental Clinic 357-4602 352-2902 352-6363 40 e. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John 558-8888 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 1125 bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 131 e. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter Crossroad Health Center 458-6670 977-4489 Treatment: Men Other Resources Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 2121 vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Prospect House 241-0490 381-4941 Starting Over 1419 elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 Justice Watch St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 961-4663 Treatment: Both 761-1480 1821 Summit road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) 471-1100 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 421-5211 621-5300 961-1983 Otr: 1620 vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 351-0422 381-6672 830 ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 621-6364 1730 race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 RIGHT To The City Continued from Pages 6 and 7 four biDs claiming harassment (Ailworth and Wan 2004). Similar complaints were levied at New York biDs, a decade earlier, in the 1990s (Lambert 1995). in April 1995, the New York times ran an article which included confessions of abusing homeless people by employees of the New York biD, the Grand Central Partnership (Lambert 1995). The article began: “bubba, big black, Kizer and red are the street names of four men who have said they served on squads that beat up the homeless. they said that in recent years, while working for the Grand Central Partnership, they and others threatened, bullied and attacked homeless people to force them from doorways, bank vestibules, plazas and sidewalks all over Manhattan. “We beat people at Sixth and Waverly,” said ernest Montgomery, a 6-foot 4-inch amateur boxer known as bubba. “We beat people at tudor City. We beat people at 51st and third. We beat people at 86th and third. We beat people at Herald Square and Gree- Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 241-2965 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 1522 republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Hamilton County ADAS Board 946-4888 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 641-4300 Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 1227 vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry AA Hotline CCAT Joseph House (veterans) 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 381-0111 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (Hiv/AiDS) 621-5514 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 961-4080 Peaslee Neighborhood Center Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart First Step Home Anthony House (Youth) 241-2600 241-2563 214 e. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 661-4620 Shelter: Both Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 1308 race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 961-2256 Treatment: Women 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter 921-1613 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 859-491-8303 799 Ann St. Newport, KY Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 721-4700 421-7803 117 e. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 Health Center for Respite Care Hamilton/Middletown ECHO/Hosea House 859-261-5857 Fairhaven Resuce Mission 859-491-1027 Homeward Bound Youth 859-581-1111 Mathews House 859-261-8009 Homeless & Housing Coalition 859-727-0926 Parish Kitchen 859-581-7745 Pike St. Clinic 859-291-9321 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 Welcome House of NKY 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 ley Square. We beat people at the roosevelt Hotel.” the men, former outreach workers in a program intended to help the homeless, said they carried out the attacks at the behest of an administrator of the Grand Central Partnership.” in general, there is minimal recognition by biDs that homeless people are part of the community and share a right to public space. to the contrary, homeless people are often viewed as part of the “community blight” and “broken windows” that must be removed by biDs in order to reduce crime. biD websites regularly list homelessness under the dropdown menu for “Safety.” in reality, however, homeless people are just as likely to be victims of crime, and private security has little effect on more serious crimes such as armed robbery (Scott 2003; Hoyt 2005). Moreover, although some homeless people are transient, most have been a part of their community for a long time (Scott 2003). the use of biD private security to remove homeless people from public space, however, is more than just about reducing crime. it is, more importantly, about increasing shopping. the presence of homeless people is seen by many business leaders as an important deterrent to shopping and tourism Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 in downtown urban areas (Noy Forthcoming). the prime function of biDs is to encourage such activities. Thus, a fundamental conflict often exists between homeless people and biDs. However, as mentioned above, biDs vary greatly in terms of their formation and functions. it is theoretically possible to create a biD which does not displace homeless people, and even one that assists homeless people. Some biDs do indeed include social service programs for homeless people within their operations. Understanding the range of forms that biDs may possibly take is crucial for thinking strategically about how to address, reform, collaborate with, or oppose biDs as part of campaigns for the “right to the City.” This excerpt has been taken from pages 2 thru 14 of “Strategizing the Right to the City: Business Improvement Districts and Homeless People,” a working paper published by the Western Regional Advocacy Project. WRAP is an organizing body in the western United States fighting to end homelessness. Please check out their website for the rest of this report, other publications, art for organizing, etc. www.wraphome.org �Column 16 St r eet vibeS A P r i L 2 9 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 11 When the Greed for Oil Ignores Peak Oil Leigh Waltz’s recent art is public “emergency” art Cerebral and detached until then, Waltz’s art became more personal and “We can’t decide on our destination, we can only try engaged, reflecting his to decide on our journey,” says Leigh Waltz; and Waltz’s experiences, what he journey took him into many directions and to many parts had witnessed. After of the world. From a happy and art-filled childhood in returning from Iraq, Dayton, OH, he went as a high school exchange student he had a solo show, to Malaysia, lived in Europe studying languages and linguistics, enrolled in the Navy and served during Desert Taking Exception, at Storm, the Bosnian Theatre and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Dayton Convention Center, exposing raw studied movie and fine arts, taught photography, drawing his feelings, the brutal and sculpture. reality he had lived, his As a result, Waltz travelled to 34 countries and critical thoughts as a developed a universal sensibility and culture. He speaks result. It included large5 languages, holds a BA degree in cinema studies from scale white and black Columbia College, Hollywood, CA, an MFA degree in mixed media prints printmaking from the University of Cincinnati, and is with images of a cruise Adjunct Professor of art at Sinclair Community College, missile next to altered texts from the New Testament referring to war profiteers; Leigh Waltz in his studio in front of his 2 foam core carvings, Death and the Maiden pictures of Arab and Death and the Child. By Miki Waltz women with rocket propelled grenade launchers and dead civilians demands in oil would not be met after 2015. They had alluding to the destruction of life in a country; the predicted, as a result, catastrophic implications, unless attacked twin towers smoking with writing above Saad GhoSn the world transitioned from a highly industrial society to saying: “We believe everything”, thus reflecting Contributing Writer a sustainable one, from a society relying heavily on a on the 9/11 attacks as pretext for a greedy non fossil-fuel-based economy to one more organically and justifiable war; translated quotes from the Hadith more community-driven. Rob Hopkins had even started pointing to the highly moral and charitable teachings of Dayton, OH. He is a prolific artist who works across a Transition movement to get from a high to low energy Islam, in contrast to the prevailing preconceptions of a photography, video, printmaking, sculpture, performance consumption culture, favoring local organic gardening and violent and intolerant religion; images of sheep and knives community connectedness, thus adapting and surviving in and installation. Waltz’s awareness of violence, prejudice and intoler- - metaphors for the misinformed, naïve believers, blind the absence of oil. followers and media-victims most Americans had become. ance came first at age 11 when he saw a 200-year-old Convinced by the theory, Waltz started using his art “I was still coming back from Iraq,” says Waltz, “still copy of Dr. Southwell’s New Book of Martyrs; it contained to tackle the issue and educate others about peak oil. He living daily and at home my traumatized memories. I engravings depicting public executions and various acts received an individual artist grant to create an informationof torture. When he asked his father why people were kill- wanted my show to provide first-hand witnessed inforal booklet of wood engravings, poetry and writing, he titled mation, to compel viewers, make them think beyond ing other people, he was told because they had different Dans Macabre, implying that by doing nothing we’re dancreligions. This was complemented later by his awakening the routine brainwashing. I hoped it would also serve ing with death. He disseminated the book widely, posted as a step across cultural barriers, beyond prejudice and to the “haves and have-nots” in America and other counit on the Internet, raising awareness about its content. He preconceived ideas.” accompanied it by 2 large carvings, Death and the Maiden At the same and Death and the Child, depicting Death as a skeleton, time Waltz discov- taking by the arm a young girl using her cell phone, and ered the power of inviting a child to dance, each saying that, unless prelive performance pared, once fuel scarcity strikes, death will also come. art, when the artist To expand his target audience, Waltz worked recently could say, in front on Let’s Talk about Peak Oil, a combination of visual art of an audience, display, street art and performances. He designed a die things not said with the image of a skeleton pumping oil at a gas station; otherwise in news- he intends to use it to stamp aluminum sheets recovered papers, on radio or from discarded cans. Next to the stamped image of the TV. He organized skeleton, he would type aphorisms and quotes relating yearly in Dayton to peak oil, collected from www.theoilage.com. One for such festivals, instance would mention the second law of thermodynamopen to artists ics, which states that energy dissipates unless constantly from all over the replenished; another would list states and cities with peak world, and used oil legislation; etc. Waltz plans on nailing these aluminum the venue to conart pieces on telephone poles, street display boards, and tinue expressing to accompany them with street performances. his own concerns. “I want to get the word out so people would confront This allowed him the reality and take action,” he says. “I view it as necesto also apply for sary ‘emergency art’, trying to avert catastrophe.” grants, get funded, and video-docuWaltz’s interest in peak oil is directly connected to ment the events. his other concerns, in particular the “greed, lies, injustice, “I was lucky to poverty, pollution…” he sees everywhere. His deployment meet Mark Siemer in Iraq woke him up to the important role oil plays in our Let’s Talk about Peak Oil, stamped image and text on recycled aluminum. By Leigh Waltz, who worked on world; also to how truths are often silenced in our domiour video,” says Miki Waltz. nant media-controlled culture. His art has since become Waltz. “Mark was his voice and presence in a society where public distries he visited; and most recently, after his deployment in working at the same time on another documentary, The course and public forums are increasingly unavailable. Power of Community - How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. the Iraq war, by discovering its real oil-based motives. I had never heard of peak oil before and thus became “Talking to army personnel in Northern Iraq, I found educated on the topic. I quickly realized it was essential out that their main responsibility on arrival was to sefor our survival.” cure the oil fields,” he says. “My unit in Qayyarah was In fact, scientists had observed for a while that close also helping build the largest fuel depot in the country. I to 50% of the planetary oil resources had already been learned quickly that our so-called liberation war was in used and that, due to the diminishing reserve, world fact all about oil, money and control.” Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be reached at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2011 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 29-May 12, 2011 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Transformation Pg 2: In My Shoes Pg 3: Light in Our Heads Pg 4: Street Life Springtime Congressional Meeting Pg 5: Suggested as a Program of Recovery Pg 6: Right to the City Pg 7: Right to the City Continued Pg 8: One Tree Hill Star Sophia Bush Talks About Women’s Rights and the Environment Pg 9: Sophia Bush Continued Pg 10: Arts & Poetry Pg 11: Questions Matter Pg 12: Momentum Grows in Call for Hemp to be Legalized in South Africa Pg 13: New Lands Pg 14: Summer Internship Program Pg 15: Housing Choice Voucher Pg 16: When the Greed for Oil Ignores Peak Oil Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 29-May 12, 2011 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jen Martin Sarah Hager Josh Spring Jeni Jenkins Laura Osborn-Coffey Riccardo Taylor Elisa Hill Willa Denise Jones Jim Luken Saad Ghosn The big issue South Africa Staff Buddy Gray Western regional Advocacy Project Michael Henson Natalie Otrembiak Ashley Kincaid Kat Roosen Molly Brazier Ellen Crawford Aimie Willhoite Rueters Pippa Ehrlich Keith Bedford Phil McCarten Leigh Waltz Miki Waltz Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aimie Willhoite Ashley Kincaid buddy gray civil rights Elisa Hill Ellen Crawford Hemp Internships Jen Martin Jeni Jenkins Jim Luken Josh Spring Kat Roosen Keith Bedford Kentucky Laura Osborn-Coffey Leigh Waltz Michael Henson Miki Waltz Molly Brazier Natalie Otrembiak Oil Phil McCarten Pippa Ehrlich recovery Riccardo Taylor Rueters Saad Ghosn Sarah Hager Sophia Bush South Africa Street Life The big issue South Africa Staff Western regional Advocacy Project Willa Denise Jones Women’s Rights https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/957fbcd9739da8619c5f438e1cb8fb38.pdf f7d490725352f59eba4747545b12c5a2 PDF Text Text April 4th -April 18th 2019 | Vo l . 23 Issue7 (No. 404) advo cating justice | building communit y Any opinions in this issue are of the authors and don't necessarily represent Streetvibes or The Homeless Coalition. Disappearing Communities Article on Page 8 This Issue is sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.com Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 12 �2 COALITION N o v 24--April N o v 19, 18 | |NNo. o . 393 April 18,2 02019 404 From The Editor: A Dying Planet GABRIELA GODINEZ Editor-in-chief W e all know that we are continuously hurting the planet. The Intercontinental Panel for Climate Change came out with a new report with data from over 6,000 scientific studies According to the IPCC, “global warming is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate.” This will result in “higher climate related risks” and we will continue to see an increase in extreme weather patterns. Eventually we will reach a state where we will not be able to exist on this planet, if we don’t do anything about it. At 1.5°C, severe polar icecap melting will allow sea levels can rise up to 2.5ft and destroy habitat for many arctic wildlife. This is estimated to affect 69 million people. As ocean water increase, a world 1.5 degrees hotter means fresh water will become more scares, affecting about 30 million people. If nothing changes, we will reach the irreversible affects of 2°C global warming resulting in 150,000,000 premature human deaths, not including the deaths that will be caused by heat wave, drought and famine. Many of us think that our part to play is to recycle. While that is important, it makes a very small dent, and most of us are doing it wrong which hurts more than it helps. In a recent Vox video, they explain how most Americans don’t actually know how to recycle properly. If we contaminate anything in our recycling bins, facilities often have to dispose of entire batches of once recyclable goods. Many experts say because of this, unless you are completely sure without a doubt in your mind, do not recycle it. Pizza boxes for example, contrary to popular belief, cannot be recycled because of the grease contamination. Milk and juice cartons as well as cans need to be cleaned out or else a similar issue will occur. In Cincinnati, we use single stream recycling for the most part, which means that citizens put glass, metals, and paper products into the same recycling bin. However, this allows for a higher rate of contamination. When we as the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition went to Blue Ash Elementary to speak about homelessness to students, we saw that they were not using the single stream system. This is a fantastic way to teach children what can and cannot be recycled with a lower contamination rate because separate bins clearly state what can go inside. One more thing you can do to help our planet and our neighbors survive is to eat less meat. You don’t have to become a vegan, thought that would drastically lower your carbon footprint. Simply voting with our money can help lower gas emissions. If we eat less meat, and therefor lower the demand and production of meats, we can help a lot. Live stock release CH4, a gas that is 25 times more intense than CO2. It also takes about 1 billion tons of grain to feed these current livestock, resulting in high uses of fresh water, land, pesticides, and fertilizer. However, individual change is not enough. The global accords signed in the Paris Agreement will not be enough. According to the ICPP, we will not be living in the inhabitable planet we know if we do not reduce CO2 emissions drastically. We will have to switch completely from fossil fuel to renewable energy. It is extremely frustrating to know that the bulk of this issue cannot be solved by recycling or bicycling to work more. Those are things you should still do to help, but the winning lap will have to be run by corporations. We as citizens need to pressure our governments to make stricter laws on production for companies that directly and indirectly hurt the planet. Whatever America does will affect the world, and vice versa. We cannot sit idly and allow ourselves to be exterminated by greed and ignorance. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org www.cincistreetvibe.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor-in-chief: Gabriela Godinez Feregrino Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Sallie Mascus Layout: Gabriela Godinez Feregrino Reception: Bonita Batton, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper ------------------------------------------CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: D R . V EE R AB H A D R A N R A MA N A TH A N "MOST OF THE POLLUTION COMES FROM THE WEALTHIEST 1 BILLION, THE WORST CONSEQUENCES WILL BE FOR THE POOREST 3 BILLION" Gabriela Godinez, Bill Woods, Maged Srour, Bill Joiner, Kieran Gulibert, Mervyn Horgan, Edith Wilson, Dr. Mark Mussman, Liz Triestle, Madison Brit, Willa Denise Jones, Kim Green, James Brown, June Alexander ------------------------------------------Photography/ Artwork: canva.com, Gabriela Godinez, INSP.com, Dr. Mark Mussman ---------------------------------------------Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 39 | Nov 218, - N2019 o v 19, 2 0 18 April 43-April | No. 404 COALITION 3 A Letter of Thanks BILL JOINER Board Member R ecently the Coalition has received a couple of anonymous gifts to help us support our work. Because these gifts were anonymous, we cannot send the donors a note to express our appreciation. We hope the donors read Streetvibes, and if they do, they will accept this as our thank you, and our expression of that appreciation. Some anonymous donations come from persons who have funds at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and we also wish to thank GCF for supplying this mechanism for giving anonymously. Bit whether you give anonymously or with your name attached, your gifts are appreciated and necessary for the Coalition to carry on its work. The Coalition takes no funds from government agencies, ensuring our independence to speak on behalf of homeless persons, without possible intimidation over the loss of operating funds. This makes our budgets tight, and is a limitation on our ability to do everything possible to overcome homelessness. This is especially true now as we pursue new efforts to assist persons in low-income complexes, to improve what often can be dangerous and unacceptable living conditions. These complexes are often owned by outof-state exploitive entities, with the sole objective of extracting money rather than providing decent housing for people in need. With 40,000 lowincome resident units short of the need in Hamilton County, residents in these complexes often put up with terrible conditions because of the fear that their individual complaint could result in their eviction. This is a fear that is especially present if a family with young children is involved, as is often the case. Recent action by the Coalition has been to organize tenants, creating a governance structure in each complex, with rules and officers, who can now represent them collectively, and weaken the power of retaliation by an exploitive landlord. If conditions warrant it, this gives an organization standing if legal action is needed to force an exploitive landlord into corrective actions. The Coalition, working with Legal Aid and the City of Cincinnati, has used this to save the Alms Hotel and other low-income complexes owned by an exploitive New Jersey owner, and put these properties in receivership while remedial measures are underway to make the properties livable, This year we added an additional full-time staff member to aid our executive director in this work. But that is a new cost on a budget that has often had a yearly shortfall. We are very appreciative of any help, however small, from any donor. But even more than the practical need we have for donations, is the willingness of individuals to express their belief that homelessness is wrong. It ruins lives, especially of children, who get behind, and often fail to catch up with the education of their peers, and usually subjects them to adult lives in poverty. Last year we received an impressive collective donation from the children of an elementary school in Blue Ash. It was mostly in the form of coins, representing the wealth of small children and their want to help other children in need. That donation was more meaningful to me personally than any other donation we received last year, because those children were making personal sacrifices and expressing an empathy sometimes lost, as we get older. Again, thanks to all you who have been donors, anonymous and not anonymous, your generosity and sense of caring means a lot. Bill Joiner Board Member Greater Cincinnati's Affordable Housing Crisis: Lisc Takes Up The Challenge BILL WOODS Board Member G reater Cincinnati finds itself in the midst of an affordable housing crisis of major proportions. An organization that has both documented this crisis and promoted initiatives to address it is The Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky (LISC). At the Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral on March 21st, Paola Garrido Estevez, Special Projects Associate for LISC, reviewed LISC's research, initiatives, and current effort to promote an affordable housing strategy for Cincinnati and Hamilton County. The fact that Cincinnati and Hamilton County combined have an affordable housing deficit of 40,000 units was announced in a LISC study in 2017. A follow up project, "100-Percent Housing," collected information about thousands of vacant units in Greater Cincinnati in an effort to use these vacancies as one way to decrease the affordable housing gap. Currently, LISC has taken up the cause of advocating for an affordable housing strategy for the city and county. Using a power point presentation, Estevez discussed these efforts. Besides coming out with the shocking number of 40,000 units of affordable units needed, LISC's 2017 study, "Housing Affordability in Hamilton County," researched the complex factors creating this crisis. The poverty rate, noted Estevez, has increased markedly, while available affordable units continued to decrease. Since 2000, the number of Hamilton County Households in poverty grew by 40-percent. The Federal Government through HUD has long been the major source of funding for housing for families and individuals in poverty, but at the same time that area poverty grew, money for all types of subsidized housing shrank dramatically. Cincinnati and Hamilton County now have 500 fewer federally subsidized units than they did fifteen years ago. Meanwhile, the bulk of private construction both in new housing and rehabs has primarily been for more expensive developments. Thus, for every 100 of the lowest income households in Greater Cincinnati, only 28 units of affordable units are available. The 2017 LISC study could be characterized as "the bad news report," but Estevez went on to describe the organization's effort a year later to examine how thousands of vacant units in Cincinnati and Hamilton County could be utilized to close the affordable housing deficit. This initiative, "100-Percent Housing," initially used a team of four surveyors to confirm actual vacancies and to examine housing conditions. This twelve week effort found 5,161 vacant units in Cincinnati and 1,352 in the THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED rest of Hamilton County. A majority of these units were also in good condition. The next task, Estevez declared, was to bring together housing stakeholders in the city and county to plan initiatives that would turn these vacancies into available affordable housing. This work continues. Establishing an affordable housing strategy for Cincinnati/ Hamilton County is LISC's new priority. With a housing crisis of this magnitude, emphasized Estevez, City and County Governments, plus the other major housing stakeholders, must buy into a long-range strategy to seriously address it. LISC has convened two meetings with various groups to collaborate on what should go into such a strategy, but it now plans to do more background work and research before holding further sessions. Estevez said that LISC seeks to collaborate with other neighborhood and housing partners in all its initiatives. �4 ADVERTISMENT THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED N ov 2 4 - -April N o v 19,18, 2 02019 18 | N . 393 April | oNo. 404 �No. 3943 -April | Nov 2 18, - N o2019 v 19,| 2 0 18404 April No. GLOBAL 5 Climate Strike: Hundreds of Thousands Unite for the Planet’s Future MAGED SROUR Inter Press Service F riday 15 March saw hundreds of thousands of young people across the world take to the streets to join the climate strike. “We are demonstrating today for our planet and for our future. This is the place where we and those who come after us will live,” said Jennifer, a 16-year-old girl from Rome, the Italian capital, who opted to join the protests. The climate strike has become a symbol of the global movement that aims to urge governments and institutions to take serious steps to implement the Paris Agreement and save the planet. It is a unique voice that united over 125 countries in more than 2,000 places around the world. Protestors want to ensure that actions—which include reducing CO2 emissions, eliminating the use of plastics, promoting more sustainable agriculture—are wisely managed within the United Nations deadline of 2030. In a nutshell: take concrete action today to save the world of tomorrow. Jennifer was following the example of Greta Thunberg, the Swedish 16-yearold girl who, without realising it, gave birth to a global movement. Indeed, this wave of youth activism began in August when Thunberg camped outside the Swedish parliament. She accused politicians of failing to uphold their commitments to fight climate change as agreed to under the Paris climate accord. In a short time, word of her civic engagement spread worldwide and the young Swedish teenager became an international celebrity who was invited to speak to climate negotiators in Poland in December, as well as to the global elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Thunberg has become an example for many young people across the world who have begun to organise themselves to promote similar initiatives. Her name has even been proposed to the Nobel Committee as a candidate for the Peace Prize. “We have nominated Greta because the climate threat may be one of the most important causes of war and conflict,” parliamentary representative Freddy Andre Oevstegaard said. “The mass movement that she has triggered is a very contribution to peace.” Not only a responsibility of the youth Although it was an event mostly organised by young people, some did not like the fact that adults are seemingly handing over the responsibility of caring for the planet to the youth. “Thanks to the efficiency of healthcare, those who are 60 years old today could still live for another 20 or 30 years. So it is not true that the future is ‘ours alone’. The future belongs to all of us,” another young protester in Rome said. Politics was not exempt from criticism. “I think that this global ‘climate strike’ is important for the whole community because the environmental problem has a strong political component in it. If it is true that a lot is in the hands of individual initiatives and in the commitment of each of us, it is also true that there are mechanisms which are very complex and that can only be managed by politics,” said Matteo Cappello, a naturalist from Sapienza University in Rome, specialising in environmental sciences and sustainable development. “Not only ordinary young people and not only ordinary adults: responsibility must be universally shared and it obviously must include those who manage the decision-making processes,” he added. The climate strike was embraced by a wide and varied audience in Rome. Among the mass of people, there were large numbers of teenagers and also university students, young workers, families and the elderly. Lodovica Cattani, a graduate in Political Science who has been specialising in Arctic studies and sustainability, participated in the event not just as a citizen but also as a worker who aims to deal with these issues in her professional life. “I am 28 years old and have been volunteering with the organisation Climate Reality Leaders for six years now, precisely because when I was in high school I could already see that global warming was becoming a problem and that we were going to see the results in the next decades to come. I felt there was need to be informed and take action,” she said. “The youth who have the power to succeed” “In my opinion, the Earth has a spirit that occasionally manifests itself when it really cannot bear any more. This time it manifested itself in the form of Greta and of these thousands of young people,” said Sandro, a 60-yearold farmer who came from Tarquinia, a town 100 km away from Rome, to demonstrate in the capital city. “I really hope that these young people will go ahead and continue to pursue their dream because it is truly in their hands. My generation is responsible for many of today’s environmental disasters and often has no open-mindedness or ability to reverse this course. It is young people who have all the potential to succeed.” Courtesy of Inter Press Service / INSP.ngo Thousands of youth gather in Rome on Friday, Mar. 15, to join the climate strike, a global movement that aims to make governments and institutions aware of taking serious steps to implement the Paris Agreements and save the planet. Credit: Maged Srour/IPS THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �GLOBAL 6 N ov 2 4 - N o v 19,18, 2 02019 18 | N| oNo. . 393 April -April 404 Washrooms for customers only: Peeing with dignity in the city MERVYN HORGAN AND EDITH WILSON The Conversation E veryone needs to use washrooms, but public washrooms are hard to find. Just ask anyone with colitis, or who has ever cared for a child who really needs to go. Toronto, for example, has only one free and public washroom for every 9,213 residents. So, where do we go, when we really need to go? Whether or not we like to admit it, many have probably managed to sneak in to use a washroom that is designated with a sign as “Washrooms for Customers Only” (W4CO) when we have not been customers. Last year, in a well-publicized incident at a British Columbia Tim Hortons, a woman was denied washroom access; she defecated on the floor and threw the faeces at employees. While the ick-factor might distract us, there’s an important issue of human dignity at play here, both for all of us who need washroom access, and for the often minimum-wage workers on the frontlines in managing access to this most basic and essential resource. Employees allow washroom access despite rules Surprisingly, there’s very little research on “Washrooms for Customers Only” rules and their enforcement. We decided to address this and designed an exploratory study to figure out the prevalence of W4CO rules, and how they are enforced. The results were not what we expected. In North America, it seems that W4CO signs are everywhere. After visiting 202 cafés and restaurants along a sample of five of Toronto’s busiest strips, we were surprised to discover that just over one-third of these businesses had W4CO signs. Almost half of all chain businesses had W4CO signs, while only one in five independent businesses did. These numbers paint only a partial picture. To follow up on this basic count, Edith observed interactions between staff and prospective washroom users in both independent and chain coffee shops. Across all 92 interactions observed, there was not one single instance of anyone being denied access to a washroom, despite the presence of W4CO signs. Management might put rules restricting washroom access in place, but employees consistently use their discretion in defence of basic human dignity. To get a better understanding of how discretion works, Edith Photo by Olivier Collet on Unsplash interviewed 15 frontline café and restaurant staff charged with managing washroom access. Participants shared that denying access to a washroom was rare, reserved for times when they felt they had to. Some workers said that they would deny access if someone was aggressive or erratic or showing signs of substance abuse, but they tended to feel bad about the possibility of misjudging someone. Others said they denied access to people who were rude. All but one interviewee stressed that denying access to the washroom was rare. Some discussed purposely subverting management policy by supporting unrestricted access to washrooms. Many participants brought up Toronto’s lack of public washrooms. There did not appear to be a city guide for bathrooms, and so Edith made a complete list and accompanying map of all public access washrooms in Toronto. MAP EMBED CODE: <iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/ embed?mid=1waDSZxNxLTWNSG MTaLq7WWknm3BLd3ZA&hl=en" width="640" height="480"></iframe> How people dealt with difficult situations, though, was based mainly on the volume of traffic that they had to deal with at their workplace and the frequency of upsetting incidents. Workers in bustling locations where mental health issues, substance abuse, and homelessness are visibly present were more willing to call the police when they felt it was necessary. In less busy shops, especially independent ones, some interviewees said they would instead handle whatever situation came up themselves. Police, they said, were just as inexperienced and unable to deal with mental health and addictions crises as they were. Possible dire consequences for the person going through the crisis if the police got involved made these interviewees more willing to take on that labour themselves. In Toronto, the memory of the killing by police of Sammy Yatim, who was struggling with mental health issues, still looms large. Overall, for most staff, W4CO rules are not regularly applied. They seem to exist as a shield to be used if workers felt like they needed to deny someone access for safety reasons. In short, workers use W4CO rules as an imperfect solution to a difficult problem. Much more than places to pee Besides the obvious, what happens in these washrooms? In interviews with café and restaurant workers, over half of the participants talked about working in businesses where they dealt with used needles in the washroom. Two participants reported that someone had overdosed in the washroom at their place of work. One discussed finding someone who needed emergency medical assistance at least once a month. Almost all workers had dealt with hazardous waste (including blood, faeces and vomit) at their workplace. Participants felt that the lack of services for Toronto’s most vulnerable populations results in a downloading of crisis-management labour onto THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED the city’s minimum-wage café and restaurant workers. When asked for policy solutions, workers emphasized more supervised injection sites (Toronto currently has only three); more public washrooms; and the extension of housing-first projects. Housing first is an approach that considers a stable place to live as an essential human right and as a necessary foundation to other care like addictions counselling. Toronto currently has one successful pilot. But there are still over 5,000 people experiencing homelessness in the city. Overall, this initial research points to an unforeseen consequence of not providing essential aid for people living with homelessness, mental health issues or substance abuse problems. As long as we fail to provide comprehensive services that address these needs, low-wage workers throughout the city will continue to deal with difficult and sometimes frightening incidents in their daily work lives. Mervyn Horgan is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Guelph, and a visiting fellow of the department of sociology at Yale University Edith Wilson is a master of sociology whose research specialises in washrooms for customer only use in Toronto Courtesy of The Conversation / INSP.ngo �No. 394 3 -April | Nov 2 18, - N o2019 v 19, |2No. 0 18404 April GLOBAL 7 Migrant workers face abuse, slavery threat in post-Brexit Britain KIERAN GUILBERT Reuters M igrant workers coming to Britain after Brexit for temporary jobs in farming, construction and cleaning risk being exploited and falling into modern slavery under government plans to minimise labour shortages, according to labour rights experts. The two schemes - one for migrants from non-European Union nations to work on Britain's farms for six months and another for workers from "lowrisk" countries to stay for a year - could create expendable workforces prey to abuse, campaigners said. From farms to hotels, European workers are key to the British economy, and the government is scrambling to ensure businesses have enough workers to fill the gap once Britain leaves the European Union and free movement of people ends. While the nature and date of Britain's departure is up in the air, charities and activists say that the interior ministry and anti-slavery agency may struggle to protect migrant workers. Upfront visa and travel costs under the two schemes could leave shortterm migrant workers vulnerable to debt bondage, while a lack of access to public funds could trap them in abusive workplaces, said Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX). "There is a clear contradiction between Britain's efforts to tackle modern slavery and its rush to bring in workers post-Brexit," said Caroline Robinson, director of the charity. "These short-term, rapid solutions will do massive damage to the government's claim of being the world leader in tackling modern slavery," she said. Without access to housing and unemployment benefits, migrant workers arriving under the schemes could struggle to leave abusive employers, or end up destitute and homeless, increasing their risk of being trafficked, FLEX said in a recent report. The two schemes could fuel a "continuous churn of low waged workers with limited access to support or rights," it said. The government has acknowledged the risk of abuses under the farm scheme - a pilot that will see 2,500 workers from Moldova, Russia and Ukraine arrive in the coming months - but activists said it has not outlined Migrant workers pick grapes at a vineyard in Aylesford, Kent, Britain, October 5, 2018. Picture taken October 5, 2018. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez how it would address these concerns. A spokesman for the Home Office (interior ministry) said it would continue to work closely with stakeholders across the country on the future "skills-based immigration system". "This includes consideration of how we will best protect against exploitation and other safeguarding issues," he said, without giving any further details. Despite being hailed as a global leader in the anti-slavery drive, Britain is undergoing a review of its landmark 2015 law amid criticism that it is not being used fully to jail traffickers, drive firms to stop forced labour or help victims. Brexit could hamper Britain's anti-trafficking efforts in myriad ways - from European law enforcement cooperation to child trafficking from France - according to the police and activists. Stretched Britain's Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the nation's anti-slavery agency, said it was working with labour providers to address growing concerns about staff shortages. About 15 per cent of low-skilled workers in Britain come from EU nations, at least 500,000 people, according to a 2018 report by the Migration Observatory at Oxford University. Farmers have raised alarm over a lack of workers to harvest fruit and vegetables and say crops are rotting in the fields, while hospitality companies have voiced concerns about a staffing crunch with little interest from British job seekers. "Brexit will potentially present some challenges in terms of there being more scope for labour exploitation," said Michael Rich, head of the GLAA, which gained police-style powers in 2017 and a wider remit to probe labour offences across the economy. "So we need to be more on our guard," he said, adding that the GLAA was looking closely at the seasonal farm workers pilot. Charities including FLEX have called for measures such as a hotline for temporary migrant workers to report abuse, bilateral labour rights agreements with sending nations, and the licensing of labour providers to be extended beyond just agriculture. Yet the GLAA's broader scope and focus on tackling the most egregious cases of modern slavery has stretched THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED the agency thin as the threat posed to temporary migrant workers by Brexit draws near, said Cindy Berman of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). "I'm worried that the GLAA will have less time and resources to work on prevention," said Berman of the ETI, a coalition of trade unions, companies and charities promoting workers' rights. "We need beefed up labour inspections to ensure minimum wages, decent working hours and health and safety regulation," she added, while also calling on businesses to improve their due diligence as they face growing scrutiny over labour practices. Britain is home to at least 136,000 modern slaves, according to the Global Slavery Index by rights group Walk Free Foundation - a figure 10 times higher than a government estimate from 2013. At least 7,000 suspected victims of slavery were uncovered in Britain last year, up a third on 2017, according to data that activists said last month raised concerns about the government's ability to support a growing number of survivors. Courtesy of Reuters / Thomson Reuters Foundation / INSP.ngo �FEATURE 8 N o v 2 4- -April N o v 19, 2 02019 18 | N o . 393 April 18, | No. 404 Disappearing Communities DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer O ver the years, Over-theRhine has been changed by outside forces. People who live in the rich, white neighborhoods, have come into our small neighborhood and stood for one thing: displacement. Their explicit goals: to displace corner stores, to displace crime, to displace our institutions, to supplant their version of public goods onto our assets. We have lost so many of our neighbors over the last few years, that we know at least 2400 units of housing have been lost to gentrification, never to return. But let’s not confuse progress with the status quo. As I’ve written before, the changes happening in Over-theRhine are not progress, as they are just the wealthy making decisions for everyone who has less resources. This is not progress. This is the status quo. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission has been at the center of many of the losses we have succumbed in the neighborhood. The loss of our public pool at Ziegler Park, the potential loss of Imagination Alley, the potential loss of Findlay Playground. There has been a makeshift fence around Findlay Playground for months now - displacing the normal patterns of residents who utilized the park for years, perhaps even decades. The alley, Goose Alley, which borders Findlay Playground has been sold or leased to private owners on the west side of the alley. This prevents the public from taking in the murals that are along the wall there - a public art project that many will never get to enjoy, due to privatization. Larger questions of ownership of Findlay Playground have been discussed in my articles before, but it brings into the light how vulnerable our public assets are due to gentrification. It’s easy to understand gentrification if you understand the word displacement. Gentrification is displacement. The story of Over-the-Rhine goes back a long time, and it wasn’t some sort of German utopia - even if that’s what current developers claim as they fetishize our history. The Adena, Hopewell, Osage, and other Native Americans were killed and pushed back by the colonizers who arrived at the Ohio river shore. They were displaced, yet their story is never considered as part of the history of Cincinnati. The displacement that is occurring today is the fall-out from the Great Depression, and the federal policies that resulted from the depression. The Federal Government desired to create social economic policies to uplift the populace out of poverty. However well intended, African American people were systematically cut out from that plan. Moreover, African Americans were labeled “vermin” by the same government that is meant to represent them. The Home Owners’ Loan Act (HOLA) was part of the New Deal, and it prioritized white people and communities over people of color. It is regarded as one of the greatest tools that Public Art Now Inaccessible on Goose Alley THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED created generational wealth that white families have today. Black people were denied participation in the program, so much so, that over 98% of the loans went to white people. Black people, even if they could participate economically, had the door shut in their faces. Today, the wealth gap persists between Black and white communities, largely because of the discrimination that was legal at the time, (yet still persists today.) What does this have to do with Findlay Playground? Well, following the money available, approximately 120 billion dollars (1930-1970 dollars), the white people who participated in HOLA, used the federal money to create white-only communities, which we affectionately call the “suburbs” today. Racial segregation policies, such as restrictive covenants and straight up “Whites Only” ordinances, were not found to be unfair until 1968, after the HOLA program ceased giving out the low interest, fixed rate, mortgages. White wealth was created through home ownership, and Black families �No. 3943-April | Nov 218, - N 2019 o v 19,| 2 0 18404 April No. FEATURE Findlay Playground Remains Fenced Off Until Income Generating Plan is Released were shut out of both the opportunity to participate in HOLA through redlining, and they were shut out from communities of wealth through legally supported racist housing policies. So what were their options? Black families were forced to live in areas centrally located to the cities, which have seen the most disinvestment and the most loss of wealth. From the 1960’s to the early 2000’s, these inner city neighborhoods were vilified, strangled by disinvestment, and told to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Meanwhile, the federal government infiltrated movements to improve the conditions in Black neighborhoods, while simultaneously destroying them with an influx of illicit drugs and the eve of mass incarceration. The police continued their legacy from the “slave catching” days and separated as many families as possible to create chaos in Black communities. So, what do Black communities have left, when the City has abandoned them, the wealthy Whites have created their own separtist communities, and the grip of racism keeps them from getting “out of poverty” even though they do all the things that they are told to do? Cincinnati still has no possibility of upward mobility for African American residents to this day. Our only assets then, besides our neighbors, are our public assets. Most of the buildings in Over-the-Rhine are massive, owned by out-of-state landlords, or local white people, who are out to make a buck. Fortunately, the Over-the-Rhine Peoples’ Movement was able to acquire buildings, because without those, we would have very little control over housing in Over-theRhine. But, for the most part, the only assets that we share together are our parks, our playgrounds, our schools, our sidewalks, alleys, streets. 3CDC took aim at each of these public assets and has worked to privatize them and force out the existing residents for new, whiter, wealthier, ones. This has been totally at the expense of low-income Black residents and moderate to low income white residents, who enjoyed the first wave of gentrification and are now being forced out for the next wave of wealthier white people with generational wealth. Today, the police have become such a fixture in our neighborhood, that it’s not uncommon seeing them driving the wrong way up Republic Street, or sneaking around corners in their cruisers, creating an atmosphere of distrust and hostility. The main role of the police is to split families up, not keep them together. The main role of 3CDC is to displace poverty to another location, not uplift people out of poverty. The main role of the CRC should be recreation, but it’s becoming more clear that their bottom line is No Irony Lost on Colonial Fencing Blocking Goose Alley THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 9 a financial consideration. So, as they strive to make Findlay Playground “income generating” they are literally siding with wealthy over our neighbors who find themselves being squeezed out of their own neighborhood by generational white wealth. I wonder if the Director of the CRC, who is making the decisions behind the sale and lease of our public lands, knows the specific history of Over-theRhine. I wonder if he understands the important role of public assets and the current attack upon them. I believe that if he understood the pain and anguish that we experience when we lose our public spaces, that he would work harder to defend them, rather than look at them as ways to make money. The CRC Director is not a Cincinnati native, which follows the trend of hiring outside of our own community. His view of Cincinnati started in 2016 when we arrived to start as the Director of Recreation. His understanding is not the same as someone who grew up “Down da Way,” and who spent their youth on the basketball courts that have been lost now. He doesn’t see the city from our perspective, and his interactions at our community council meetings show that he is only concerned about the almighty dollar, not about the enrichment of the youth and community who are the true owners of the public assets on which he sits. His position is not one from unencumbered racism and class warfare. Cincinnati has a specific history, which didn’t start, nor end, with the German immigrants, but which is a rich cultural tapestry of many immigrants and migrants who deserve to access our public assets. �10 LOCAL N o v 2 4- -April N o v 19, 2 02019 18 | N o . 393 April 18, | No. 404 All Saints School donates over 3,400 books to Literacy Network LIZ PRIESTLE Contributing Writer A ll Saints School donated over 3,400 books to the Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati (LNGC). Students and employees at All Saints School took part in a book drive from March 19-March 29, 2019. Students at All Saints School were encouraged to bring in their gently used children’s books to donate to the Literacy Network. This is the fourth year for the All Saints Book Drive. Collectively All Saints has donated 11,447 books to the Literacy Network for their literacy programs! The Literacy Network was grateful to have a group of volunteers from United Parcel Service (UPS) assisting with this generous donation. The UPS team joined the Literacy Network to load, transport, and sort this mammoth book donation. The Literacy Network participates in numerous book drives throughout the year with partners from various schools and companies. They then distribute the books to over 50 Little Free Libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs, local elementary schools and to LNGC volunteers to give to the students they tutor. Literacy Network President Michelle Otten Guenther stated, “I am deeply grateful to the families, students and staff at All Saints and the incredible team at UPS for their generous support of our mission. Today was a wonderful example of the great things that can happen when our community pulls together.” About The Literacy Network The Literacy Network champions the development of literacy in the individual, the family, the workplace, the school and the community by raising awareness, improving access and serving as a catalyst for literacy efforts. The Literacy Network is also the home of Winners Walk Tall, a character UPS workers & All Saints Students loading over 3,400 books donated to the Literacy Network programs. building program for youth. All of the programs offered to adults and children are free and funded from private grants, donations and fundraising efforts. Racists Go Home MADISON BRITT Contributing Writer S ince 2016, the idea of a wall at the U.S México border has been endlessly contested across countless platforms. It has been the subject of national debate, caused a government shutdown, and, most recently, lead Donald Trump to declare a national state of emergency to secure funding in hopes that he would be able to fulfill his campaign promise at long last. The wall’s detractors certainly have good reason; according to research published by the ACLU, a border wall could inflict serious cultural, economic, and environmental damage on border communities. Furthermore, the research suggests that the “overall number of people attempting to cross into the United States without authorization remains unaffected by walls and other enforcement measures,” and has been in steady decline for years. Existing segments of border fencing have forced migrants to take increasingly dangerous routes through the Arizona-Sonora desert. Neither the border fencing nor the harsh desert has deterred migration to the United States. These strict border policies have been linked to an increase in migrant deaths, and an in-depth look at policy outcomes conducted by Princeton University’s Douglas S. Massey indicates that such policies have largely backfired, and in fact created a self perpetuating cycle of migration. Despite the evidence that a border wall will not be an effective immigration or border control policy, many are still in favor of Trump’s proposed wall at the border and are increasingly frustrated with the government’s unwillingness or inability to fund it. This frustration is manifesting here in Cincinnati, a city where Cincinnati Compass estimates 12.3% of area residents are foreignborn, a number which is growing rapidly. On Tuesday, the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza hosted an “Ohio Town Hall” entitled “We Build the Wall”, lead by conservative pundit Steve Bannon, former chairman of Breitbart news and chief strategist in Trump’s White House. The meeting also featured Brian Kolfage, who started a GoFundMe to pay for a border wall, Kris Kobach, former Kansas Secretary of State, along with other conservative pundits and politicians. This meeting was, as one might expect, an outpouring of hateful, dangerous, and non-factual rhetoric about Mexicans, immigrants, and sanctuary cities. According from detailed notes and recordings Cincinnati activists obtained at the event, much of the discourse at the event blamed immigrants for human trafficking, increased presence of dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, and criminal and gang activity in the states. The speakers directly recommended a privately funded and controlled border wall to combat the government’s inefficiency, “[literal]... push back against the government, and even “devise a plan to go after and dismantle and destroy Mexican cartels and their networks,”. In face of this alarming rhetoric, it is pivotal to consider Cincinnati’s positionality as a Sanctuary City, meaning. This, in its most basic sense, that the city won’t aid ICE in deportations, but the concept of sanctuary means much more than this. According to an analysis of present day Sanctuary by Myrna Orozco and others, the designation of a place or city as “sanctuary” indicates that it is a place of refuge, safety, and respect. Cincinnati’s sanctuary status is admittedly complicated, as a City Beat THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED article by Nick Swartswell explains, but the pushback against the sanctuary movement by Bannon and the like is clear - at the We Build the Wall event frequently labelled the sanctuary movement as unlawful and in defiance of U.S sovereignty. Despite these complications, Cincinnati has committed on paper to being a Sanctuary City. Activists in the city are attempting day by day to create cities and neighborhoods that are equitable for all Cincinnati residents, and a small crowd gathered outside of the Hilton in downtown Cincinnati to protest the event, and loudly tell its participants and attendees to “Go home”, to unequivocally state “you and your wall are not welcome here,”. As a city, we should follow their example. When we proclaim ourselves to exist as a safe space for immigrants and refugees, we dedicate ourselves to keeping racist and dangerous rhetoric about immigration out of our home. We should protest events like “We Build the Wall” to let those proponents of unethical and ineffectual walls that they are not welcome here, complain to the venues that host them, and show our immigrant neighbors, brothers, and sisters that we stand with them in solidarity. �No. 3943-April | Nov 218, - N 2019 o v 19,| 2 0 18404 April No. STREETVOICE 11 How I Came Into My Own JUNE ALEXANDER I Contributing Writer was standing outside of myself in a dream. Whispers from ancient feminine wisdom bombed my ears with, “listen, watch, feel, and be.” Art Deco geometrics and jewel tones dripping from the opulence of the decor in the train car. The sounds of train wheels clacking over miles of wealth and greed; furs and gems, while the alluring comfort beckoned, come stay and see. Women, older than time; fat, brown-Black in their maid’s and caretaker’s uniforms conversing about the One they were preparing for the throne. A scene reminiscent of old Hollywood movies. The darkened Mammies adoring and adorning the white beauty was all--and is all--too familiar in movies and in life. But this “dressing” was different!. After all of the idolizing and goddesfying the silken veil fell from the mirrors and the women (in chorus) sang “Look,” Their hands like a great raging river pulling their jetsam to a great body, stood proud, hopefully beaming in their own radiance. They trumpeted once more, “LOOK!” My spectator self moved forward with the woman. Slowing time, we walked towards the trinity of mirrors and saw. We saw--no! I saw Me. And so begin my spiritual conception: The prayers which would call forth this Great Body. This conception was violent, hateful, and curel. Unspeakable acts done to a young girl at the hands of the men who were supposed to educate and protect her. Men whose skin color mimicked her own. Touching, taking, keeping her in her place as their slave masters did to them. But somehow this was worse-they looked like and were supposed to be, her--my fathers and uncles; my brothers. They were supposed to be my shield from the racist, from the white privilege hell bent on systematic corruption of my mind, body, and spirit--but my brothers got there first. And the betrayal of my mothers and my aunts and my sisters--”men will be men." ; “boys will be boys” was the only answers slaves could give. So now I had to be Diana, hunting alone, The prize..myself. A lone warrior, fighting the battles inside and outside my house. No allies, I prayed to the great parents, “Hear me. Send one to stand with me.” And the prayer was answer. Not just one took up the call, but many. Not just human, but packs, prides, flocks, and hordes. Even a murder of crows lead by Bastet paved the way for Her. At first, I was afraid of Her. She coiled around me, she slithered beside my bed, she whispered, “First, stop listening to your oppressors. You belong to all that’s Holy! Be uplifted, we have not forsaken you .Isis will guide you with all the creature-spirits sent long before to make way for your birthing. And my sister, Athena will give you knowledge of the ancients.” And so begin my spiritual conception: “Sheba, hold your head up. Stay awake. Before the truth was ever spoken to a human it’s seeds were planted in the Earth; Pangea we so affectionately call her. The Venus herself both safe and dangerous, joyful and sorrowful. You are fire and air; water and earth. Yin and Yang. Winter and Summer; Spring and Fall; Life and Death; Love and Balance. Only in your sacrifices will you be born whole!” And with that, my fate was sealed. As ordered by the great Mother, death and birth comes hand in hand. During the time when the ancestral mothers were gathering; coming with my own mother’s sweet chariot my mother taught me lessons she was too afraid to teach while in here own slavery. Now, freed of society, she and all my ancestors guided me to my chrysalis, my next womb, my sarcophagus. So it is done! Time flooded me with images of my rape, my exile, bullying, mental illness, homelessness and the new threat of malicious women and molesting men trying to turn my soul as septic as my illness turned my body. And my nightmares which traveled with me from shelter to shelter. Screaming night terrors of children running from monsters and demons. And my desperate attempt to save these children ...to save me. Saving me from the racism, the sexism, the sizeism, the homophobia, others’ phobia of my being humane even to my enemies; the classism and the invisible and just plain unwanted; the you too black, you ain't black enough; to hide your talents under a bushel because it makes the men uncomfortable, it scares the white people, it angers the black women, it blasphemes the religious, or why live the truth when living a lie will make you rich. And finally, the passing and masking until there is no color left in your Soul. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Stop, stop. Stop, stop! “ Please, I don’t want this. Don’t make me in your image. I want to only love the neighbors I agree with. I want a religion that supports my hate. Drench me in apathy. At least teach me to hate myself.” Prayer not answered. Infact, every breath I took ushered in the voices, the prayers of the forgotten. Spirits of dead babies and the enslavement of their minds reaching out to me like hollowed shells of misery beggin me not to forget them. While stranger after stranger spoke to me. ”You run from God.” “Don’t hide sister, tell the truth. Walk the truth. Live the truth.” Numbness Guite surrender Next, the fire of dragons warmed my bath. The birds dipped me in this new and inviting womb. All the while, from north, south, east, and west; high and low and beyond the soldiers of wolves vowed to protect me. The She, the pig presided over my wrapping, she spoke of my body being made for healing. You are to carry the ancestors voices into a new Eden She answered questions I had pondered so long. “Why?” she read from my soul.“You cry”, she said, “because others can’t. You feast because others can’t.You love because others won’t. You are the presence of all color. Only drums could beat this drowning; this sounding. I thought I had felt pain before. Nothing is as painful as seeing your own transgressions and their consequences. Now, couple that pain with Empathy. Every growing inch of my wings silently screamed with horrifying stories of our hatred for each other. I could feel the painful annihilation of our children’s minds, bodies and spirits. Stripped over and over by monopolies’ and tyrants’ greedy nationalism. I was tortured by the people’s mistrust and despair. Betrayed by those they elected to protect and to serve. Betrayed by religious leaders who made God in their image.The image of selfishness, elitism and only their pursuit of happiness. I said this was how I came into myself...I should have said how I am coming into myself. My wings are not yet strong enough. Once I am fully impassioned with all the hopes of my peoples...all of my peoples and even the creatures’ pains will be my amour!l And when at last , I am called forth from this cocoon Babylon will fall! Wth the songs of multitudes Babylon’s days are numbered in these words ”I am proud to free slaves, I am proud to be “sick and tired”, I am proud to be called sister, mother, daughter, child, wife, lover, healer, visionary, crazy, truth teller, advocate, preacher, protector of the innocent, teacher, wisdom, witch… I am proud to be called Woman! �12 Believe It STREETVOICE The Gate Believe it when you see someone bundle up sleeping in the street Believe it when you see someone looking in the garbage for food to eat Believe it cause all of these things are real and none are made up Believe that there are many men, women and children who are down on their luck Believe that with the economy all twisted and headed straight to hell Believe that there are many who just give up, commit suicide or take leave for a jail cell Believe that to the homeless, jail with three hot meals, cell buddies for friends and a cot Believe to some may mean nothing but to the homeless means one hell of a lot Believe with faith all things are possible for all including you and me Believe in God, have faith, and pray then change will come all you have to do is believe N o v 24 --April N o v 19, 0 18 | |N o . 393 April 18,22019 No. 404 The gate is open It isn't locked there are no locks on the gate You must decide to enter or not There is no turning back one you enter the gatee Baffled and unsure yet wanting to continue the gate is straight ahead open the door enter if possible tell me what you see at the place Where no one Needs a key KIM GREEN WILLA DENISE JONES Contributing Writer Streetvibes Distributor Streetvibes Distributor Contributing Writer Streetvibes Writing Circle If you would like to submit a story for publication in streetvibes, come join Katelyn Lusher and Chris Wilkey for a group writing session! S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �STREETVOICE No. 39 | Nov 218, - N2019 o v 19, 2 0 18 April 4 3-April | No. 404 THE WATERED DOWN MUELLER REPORT MOTHER GOOSE Dear old Mother Magee Went and turned on her TV, To find out Mueller's conclusion. But A.G. Barr's brief, four pager Both upset and enraged her, Especially the words "no collusion." 13 Life on Life's Terms I’ve been selling Streetvibes since May 7th, 2009, the old and new school Streetvibes. But the new people got to know how to sell papers, Everyone has their “pitch,” Mine starts with “Good morning” “Have a good afternoon” “Have a good evening!” In my position, you have to deal with the people. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer You have to deal with attitudes and everything else. I always sell papers at Reds Opening Day, right on vine and Central Parkway by the Kroger building. In dealing with the people coming down from the suburbs or different neighborhoods for Reds’ Opening Day, I have to deal with people who are dumbfounded when they see me. They look at me like a nobody. I get motivated. I don’t mess with Duracell but I mess with Everready batteries all day every day. The bunny is back. I’m from up north, from Detroit. I been down here since July 2002. I came down here the year after the riot. My mother said we all the same color but when I came down here I had to deal with a bunch of racist motherfuckers. I don’t mess with the KKK, I will bring the Black Panthers in here and we’ll occupy Cincinnati. I’m trying to bring the Homeless Congress back and I need some sponsors. JAMES BROWN Streetvibes Distributor Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �PUZZLES 14 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 102 Across 1. At that time 5. Slide without control 9. Singing voice 13. An actor's portrayal 14. Internal 16. Prevaricator 17. Translucent mineral 18. Female relative 19. Edible flatfish 20. Taut or rigid 22. Brass instrument 24. Peculiar 26. Group of three singers 27. Amiable 30. Male feline 35. Mongrel 36. Delicacy 39. Flashlight 40. Charter 42. Religious doctrine 44. Whittle 45. Embellish 47. Commence 49. Liveliness 50. Panic 52. Sent via the postal service 54. Bird shelter 57. An argument in favor of 58. Selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas 62. Bird of prey 66. Certain 67. Excluded from use or mention 69. Stomped heavily 70. Region 71. Edible bulb 72. Female red deer 73. Garment 74. A meeting arranged in advance 75. Jittery PUZZLE SOLUTIONS CROSSWORD #101 Down 1. A slow pace of running 2. Be optimistic 3. Zeal 4. Wrestling hold, can be half or full 5. Transgression 6. Create with needles and wool 7. Torpid 8. Interior layout and furnishings 9. In addition 10. Large predatory feline 11. Story 12. Metal-bearing mineral 15. Send money in payment 21. Redact 23. Item of footwear 25. Move with sudden speed 27. Usher 28. Mistake 29. Fermentation sediment of an alcoholic beverage 31. Swab 32. Have a great desire for 33. Strong and sharp 34. Those people 35. Informal conversation 37. Colony insect 38. Squad 41. Wander from a direct course 43. Snare 46. Not any 48. Become fatigued 51. Right-hand page 53. Abhor 55. Support or foundation 56. Shinbone 58. Monetary unit 59. Ship's company 60. Containing little excess 61. Water hen 63. Power system 64. Yearn 65. Miniature whirlpool 66. Droop 68. Single person or thing N ov 2 o v 19,4,22019 0 18 | |NNo. o . 393 Mar 21- N -April 403 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 393 - MEDIUM SODOKU PUZZLE NO 392- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 39 | Nov 2 4, - N2019 o v 19, 2 0 18 Mar 213 -April | No. 403 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children RESOURCES Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside Bethany House 557-2873 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 591-2246 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 131 E. 12th Street 45202 1125 Bank Street 45214 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Shelterhouse 721-0643 2121 Vine Street 45202 411 Gest St. 45203 Prospect House 921-1613 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Starting Over 961-2256 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 First Step Home 961-4663 Shelter: Youth 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 471-1100 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Food/Clothing First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Seraph Ministries 549-0542 St. George Food Pantry 2554 Dennis St. 45219 751-8771 St. Anthony Center 1615 Republic St. Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 241-2965 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Housing: 15 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Health Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 Other Resources Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 215 E. 14th St. 45202 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Cancer Justice Network 404-3882 Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center (11-17 y/o) 859-491-8303 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Gabriela Godinez Feregrino, 961-0600 email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 386-7899 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �16 N o v 2 4- -April N o v 19,18, 2 02019 18 | N o . 393 April | No. 404 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BETTIE BAILEY SINCE 10/2017 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2011 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2019 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 4-April 18, 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: A Dying Planet Pg 3: A Letter of Thanks Greater Cincinnati’s Affordable Housing Crisis Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Climate Strike Pg 6: Washrooms for Customers Only Pg 7: Migrant Workers Face Abuse, Slavery Threat in Post-Brexit Britain Pg 8: Disappearing Communities Pg 9: Disappearing Communities Continued Pg 10: All Saints School Donates Over 3,400 Books to Literacy Network Racists Go Home Pg 11: How I Came into My Own Pg 12: Street Voice Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Pet Horoscopes Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 4-April 18, 2019 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gabriela Godinez Bill Woods Maged Srour Bill Joiner Kieran Gulibert Mervyn Horgan Edith Wilson Dr. Mark Mussman Liz Triestle Madison Brit Willa Denise Jones Kim Green James Brown June Alexander Canva.com INSP.com Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Joiner Bill Woods Brexit Britain Canva.com Climate Change Dr. Mark Mussman Edith Wilson education Findlay Playground Gabriela Godinez INSP.com James Brown June Alexander Kieran Gulibert Kim Green Liz Triestle Madison Brit Maged Srour Mervyn Horgan Migrants protest Slavery Strike Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/bcdee635a53362987a94bf07c4e515ac.pdf d55ace1450abd31986bce10cd9361f26 PDF Text Text April 6th - April 19th 2018 | Vol. 21 Issue 8 (No. 379) advocating justice | building community Sorry, Not Today | 3 This Issue is sponsored by Bromwell's Harth Lounge INSIDE THIS ISSUE The 2018 Library Levy | 5 Commuity Addicts: Excerpts from a Conversation with Ann Livingston | 7 Religious Peacemakers: Adam Clark | 8 Affordable Housing In Louisville – Can It Work in OTR? | 11 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From The Director: Jeff Berding, But Wait There’s More… W e have been partnered with many people who live in the West End including Residents of Stanley Rowe, Liberty Street Apartments, Parktown, Richmond Village, City West and more as well as several additional groups which include the NAACP, Cincinnati Educational Justice Coalition, West End Community Church, Black Agenda, Jurisdiction-Wide Resident Advisory Board and the local chapter of National Action Network. Together we have been fighting former city council person and former Bengals employee, Jeff Berding and the organization he is currently president of, Futbol Club Cincinnati (FC Cincinnati) as they have tried to force a $250 million stadium into the West End. We are fighting this because experience tells us that if a $250 million, 25,000 seat soccer stadium is built in the West End, significant gentrification and thus displacement will follow. Displacement, in addition to being wrong in and of itself, leads to homelessness. FC Cincinnati, which is financially backed by Carl Lindner III, has used the same arguments A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 JOSH SPRING Executive Director gentrifying developers always use: we are trying to bring progress and revitalization, we will offer jobs, we care about the community, we will attract more people to come downtown and more people to come to Cincinnati in general, we will work with the neighborhood, this is a civicminded effort, blah, blah, blah. Their supporters have been in turn stating the same kind of pleas that come from the “money=good” book Berding and Lindner stand on. Among those arguments is the old argument that people and groups who are against the stadium are afraid of change and prefer the status quo. In fact, this has also been the argument of Mayor John Cranley. FCC supporters have also referred to this stadium as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the West End and the City as a whole. Have you ever stayed up too late and watched one of those infomercials where they show you some gadget that looks really nice? They explain that there are a variety of tasks you need to be able to complete to have a good life and that this shiny new gadget will expertly Josh Spring Credit: Homeless Coalition accomplish all these tasks with ease, but without it, you will remain troubled. If that were not enough, there’s more, you can get it for what they say is a generous price, if you act now! Sound familiar? If you have watched an infomercial it is familiar. This is also the same argument people like Jeff Berding, John Cranley and other developers use to try to sell us their products. Let’s break it down and look at how the claims of infomercial spokespeople are the (Continued on page 3) Reflections From The Front Lines of Public Education: Building Community At Gamble Montessori High School I n a period of government mandated testing and tragic shooting sprees at schools, how do teachers build communities of trust and a love of learning in their class rooms? At the March 29th Forum at Christ Church Cathedral, Jack M. Jose, Principal of Gamble Montessori High School, and Krista L. Taylor, Intervention Specialist at Gamble, addressed that question. Reflecting on their experiences at the High School, they conveyed the challenges, but they also told success stories of how education can be effective when a spirit of community and an atmosphere of trust exists for students. Jose and Taylor just published a book that focuses on their work at Gamble Montessori High School. "Angels and Superheroes" relates their efforts to provide students with "a compassionate education" in this era of teaching to the test. The Montessori philosophy and method offer a solid foundation for what Jose and Taylor are working to achieve in Gamble's classrooms, but the students that arrive there each year provide a multitude of 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Larry Johnson, Anne Evans Maintenance: Pete Roper ----------------------------------------------- BILL WOODS Contributing Writer Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. challenges. For instance, a high percentage of students who enroll in the seventh grade come to Gamble with no (Continued on page 7) CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Dick Croy, Jason Haap, Trenton Davis, Saad Ghosn, Jim Luken, Steve Sunderland, Stacia Hollander, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones ----------------------------------------------Photography/ Artwork: Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, C. Grabowski, Saad Ghosn, Bill Woods, Homeless Coalition --------------------------------------------------Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �3 LOCAL Sorry, Not Today No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 W henever you pass someone on the street who is asking for help, what is your response? Do you stop to engage in a conversation? Do you have a quick one-line, like “Sorry, not today” or “God bless!” and keep walking? Do you reach into your pocket and find what change you might have? How we respond to panhandling is an important part of who we are. Our response is also a good indicator of the system of beliefs we hold. We recently did a speaking engagement with a group of adults at a local church. We love speaking at churches because it usually means the congregation is taking homelessness, and the eradication of it, seriously. Typically, we’ll meet after a service on Sunday, and give the speaker some time to tell their story, talk about solutions, and engage in questions. The questions can be very revealing. At this church, the questions were coming one after another, but one question really stood out: “How do you know who is worthy of your donation? I mean - if I see someone panhandling, how do you decide if you’d give them money?” This question is not very unique, but the DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer follow-up to our answer, was more telling than anything. The speaker, very succinctly, described the process of panhandling, the difficulties, the loss of self-respect, and the role of the passerby. If someone walking by makes eye-contact, and has a conversation, that is worth more than money at times. And the intent that you have, when you give someone a little change, is an intent of doing good… so let that intent be your purpose. Questioning how someone spends the money is actually very problematic. The woman’s response to the speaker was very interesting. She said she goes to Findlay Market with her husband pretty regularly. And almost every time, someone asks them for change. She assured us that she and her husband are willing to give, but they have a test. The husband takes the hand of the person who is asking for money and gives them a firm shake. If the hand is rough, she says, then the husband determines that the individual is willing to work and worthy of the donation, but if it’s soft, he won’t give them a dime. At that point, my heart sunk, and my mind started traveling in many directions: Why would someone do this? Is work a requirement for help? What if this is the first time someone had to ask for money? Whose job is it to judge someone’s worthiness? What is an appropriate response? I quickly gained my composure and asked the speaker, who had panhandled, to give their perspective without attacking the method. Of course, the speaker was able to handle the situation, but it is something that stood out in my head for the past couple of months. What kind of society do we live in that demands that not only people look needy enough to be granted help, but also that calluses on hands are a determinant of someone’s willingness to work? I have heard people say that if someone who is panhandling doesn’t look homeless, then they won’t give them any help. You do realize that most people who experience homelessness don’t “look” homeless? That society’s shame of homelessness creates a system where people work so hard to be not perceived as homeless? This is literally many people’s daily goal — to get through the day without being looked down upon for their circumstance. I guess it’s hard to say what the appropriate response is in this situation. Yes, the husband doesn’t ignore them, but he is still judging them. Being judged, whether you are without a home or not, is always a tough psychological situation to face. Once we break the dominant script around race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or home status, it’s very difficult to get that respect and understanding back. It’s important for us to use our knowledge of homelessness (and the other fights in which we are engaged) to be advocates for all, no matter how society judges them (or us, for that matter). If you’d like to gain more knowledge about Cincinnati’s AntiSolicitation Laws and Panhandling, please consider a Streetvibes Shadow Activity, featuring a Streetvibes Distributor and an opportunity to experience panhandling yourself. Contact me at MarkMussman@ CinciHomeless.org or visit our website http://cincihomeless.org and select Education. CUE Streetvibes Shadow with Lee McCoy, Streetvibes Distributor Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman JOSH SPRING (Continued from page 2) same as FCC spokespeople: • Infomercial says: Your life needs to be better. Jeff Berding says: I care about you and for a long time West End Residents have dealt with poverty, lack of available employment and basic neighborhood necessities. • Infomercial says: We have a brand-new solution: Jeff Berding says: a shiny new stadium • Infomercial says: It will bring you options you don’t have now: jobs, tourists, increased property values, chidren’s soccer programming… • Infomercial says: We will give it to you at a generous price. Jeff Berding says: what we are offering to pay in property taxes to the School Board is more than enough, we even increased what we originally offered. • Infomercial says: We will work with you and guarantee our product. Jeff Berding says: we will agree to a community benefits agreement. • Infomercial says: If you act now you can get this once in a lifetime deal. Jeff Berding says: deadline to the School Board, deadline of time to decide site, deadline, deadline, deadline. Here is the thing, despite all the big talk, people with common sense tend to know they never needed the product the infomercial is offering to THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED begin with and while life may need improvements, the money-grubbing company behind the product isn’t going to bring those improvements but instead will just bring harm with future payments required on the product, etc. FC Cincinnati and Jeff Berding are trying to force the same thing and people of the West End know they never needed a damn soccer stadium! --------------------------------------- �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 �5 LOCAL The 2018 Library Levy No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 I t’s not your fault if you hadn’t heard about the additional tax levy for the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County on the May ballot. If there are any campaign signs out there on this issue I haven’t seen them. News coverage has been almost nonexistent since the levy was placed on the ballot. Even when I searched on-line for additional information I found almost nothing. So I was very interested when EmpowerU (www. EmpowerUohio.org) announced that it was hosting a forum on the subject with speakers both for and against the levy. The levy would be added to the property tax bill. Currently there is a 1 mil levy that was renewed by the voters in 2013 for 10 years. The proposed levy would be for another mil, also lasting 10 years, and would overlap the present one. The present levy brings in about $17 million for the library and the proposed one would also, thereby doubling the amount that the library gets from the property taxes if it passes. A 1 mil levy translates to about $30 a year for each $100,000 of property value as assessed by the county auditor (I used my latest property tax bill to calculate this). This is, of course, if your property is not in a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district or does MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer not receive an abatement. It is also important to keep in mind that the majority of funding for the library comes from the State of Ohio, that is, it is paid for through state taxes, not local ones. Ohio is almost unique in this regard. Hawaii is the only other state that provides the majority of the funds for local libraries. The first levy for the local library was passed by the voters in 2009 in the wake of reductions in state funding for libraries across Ohio. Elaine Fay and Libby Scott, both library employees, based the case for an additional levy on the widespread usage of the current system and the need to renovate the facilities in Hamilton County – there is a current need for $54 million. Seven of the branch libraries are over a hundred years old and 2 of them have never been renovated. Eight other branches have never been renovated and 6 branches are not handicapped accessible. There are almost half a million cardholders, 41 locations throughout the county, and a circulation of 19.8 million items. This is the second highest circulation of any library system in the country – only the New York Public Library has a higher circulation. The circulation is Public Library - North Building Credit: Michael Earl Patton I up 60% since 2000. The percentage of local funding is the lowest of any system in Ohio. The response was given by Matt Wahlert, a member of the North College Hill Council and a high school teacher. He stressed that he liked the library and think that the system is with the decision to keep the North building, which had been slated for sale to a developer. He questioned why the library could not charge out-of-county residents for library cards, which had been the practice in the past. He also said that the library is being used less and less by Hamilton County residents. While in 2013, 90% of county households had someone with a library card, today only 65% do. Sculpture of books in front of Main Branch Library Credit: Michael Earl Patton important. His argument was mostly based on the fact that the voters are taking the library’s word if they really need the additional levy. Unlike other levies, the library’s request does not go through the Hamilton County Tax Levy Review Committee. This is per the Ohio Revised Code – the county commissioners must place it on the ballot if the library requests a new tax. The review committee would normally go over the books of the institution making the request and determine if they had been spending money appropriately and if they do need the money. With the library they did not do this. There has been no independent review of the books. Mr. Wahlert pointed to building programs and upper management salaries as possible examples where the money might not have been wisely spent. He pointed out that the library built 3 new branch library buildings since 2008, in Clifton, St. Bernard, and Reading. They replaced “storefront” type branches, but were they really needed? He wondered if the levy was connected In the end, the decision on how to vote is based on criteria that are the most important to you. If you like the current library, trust its management, and want to see it upgraded and basically continue, then vote “yes” on May 8. If you think that it is important that there be more accountability for how tax money is spent regardless of how good the library is currently, then vote “no.” EmpowerU is a non-profit organization that offers short seminars on a diverse range of topics. A typical class is about 90 minutes. Many are held at a small studio attached to the FrameUSA warehouse on Northland Boulevard in Springdale. The classes are free and are supported by donations. I have attended several; this is the third one that formed the basis for one of my articles in Streetvibes. See www. empoerUohio.org for a list of classes and seminars. --------------------------------------- AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LOUISVILLE: CAN IT WORK IN OTR? s there a realistic way to provide additional affordable housing for residents being driven out of OTR by gentrification? My wife Joy and I became more aware of homelessness in Cincinnati after we were introduced by our friend Jim Luken to Josh Spring, DICK CROY Contributing Writer executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Homelessness Coalition. And I was surprised by the number of buildings Josh said are vacant in OTR: currently over 250, according to Cincinnati Dept. of Buildings and Inspections records. Couldn’t some of these be renovated to help alleviate the loss of affordable housing brought about by gentrification? Having been impressed by an article in the Enquirer about a THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED developer in Louisville doing just that, committed to “giving back” in return for a privileged upbringing, I asked to interview him and find out how he was doing it. Gregg Rochman, 51, and I met at the Silver Dollar, a busy (Continued on page 9) �6 I LOCAL Circular logic loops keep going, and going, and going have long been fascinated by the evolution of the Energizer bunny, which represents for me a psychological phenomenon I see happening in other areas of public discourse. The Energizer bunny first appeared on American televisions in the late 1980's. Back then, the bunny was a toy that kept running long after other toys due to the fact it was powered by an Energizer battery. The catchphrase was that the Energizer bunny "kept going, and going, and going..." I remember being in middle school and seeing the commercials. Sometimes, they'd do multiple spots in a row: the first would show the bunny outlasting other battery powered toys, and then it would seem like a new commercial started, only to be interrupted by the bunny, and the never-ending phrase that it "kept going, and going, and going..." Somewhere along the line, however, a flip happened. Probably A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 JASON HAAP Contributing Writer in the 90's, the bunny started being put inside the battery - as if the unstoppable bunny is what gave an Energizer battery its power. This always fascinated me as it was a complete inversion of the original point. The bunny went from being powered by a battery, to powering the battery! A few weeks ago, when getting my haircut at the barber college, one of the younger students was talking about the phrase "type shit." If you don't hang around younger people, "type shit" has become a popular exclamation. It is a way to express sarcasm, or perhaps something derogatory, such as "President Trump is America's greatest president ever. Type shit." Originally, "type shit" was part of longer phrases. So, someone might say a talented person was "on some next level type shit," or that someone with bad body odor was "on some dirty diaper smelling type shit." In each of these phrases, everything before the word "shit" modifies it: in the first, the shit is of the "next level type," and in the second, the shit is of the "dirty diaper smelling type." Somewhere along the line, however, "type shit" became the object of the modification - so now people talk about "type shit" without any other modification. It makes me wonder "What type of shit?" Just like how I wonder what powers the Energizer bunny toy now that it's powering the Energizer batteries. The history of the phrase "fake news" reminds me of these examples, too. Originally, it meant exactly what the words mean - news that is not factually accurate. Now it is used as an insult for any news outlet that has an editorial bias with which we disagree. It seems like every source has a profile of citizens calling it "fake." It makes me feel like everyone is on some Energizer bunny type shit, stuck in a circular logic-loop. The problem is that so many people are stuck in these logic loops, no matter their political persuasions. Right now, there are homeopathy using, anti-GMO liberals who can't believe conservatives deny the science of global warming. There are conservatives talking about states' rights while opposing marijuana legalization. I know this kind of hypocrisy is nothing new, but I guess the example of the Energizer bunny spins it differently for me. Over time, when we lack collective memory, changing trends may bend back onto themselves in illogical ways, but this illogical thinking only manifests in the context of memory. If we forget the Energizer bunny was originally powered by batteries, then it makes sense for batteries to be powered by the bunny. This is how people end up praising the science they like, and opposing the science they don't as a conspiracy by Big Pharma, or something. Absent a long-term timeline, we narrow in on issues of the day through the lens of our ideology. That's some type shit right there. And it just keeps going, and going, and going... You can contact Jason Haap at jasonhaap@gmail.com Seeking landlords who accept Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers for efficiency and 1 bedroom apartments. Interested in developing a long-term relationship with ongoing tenant referrals. Please contact Alexis Aghotte at 513.446.7554 or aaghotte@ shelterhousecincy.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �JUBILEE CAMPAIGN Community Addicts: Excerpts from a Conversation with Ann Livingston No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 A nn Livingston is a community organizer from Vancouver, Canada. As a leader of “VANDU”, a community made for and by drug addicts, she has helped to galvanize and organize these people that are often labeled “unorganizable”. Ann joined Peter Block and John McKnight recently for a chat about her organizing work, and about how our culture demonizes, punishes, and casts away users of illicit drugs; even though, as a culture, we are users as well. To Ann, addicts cannot be looked at as simply someone to be fixed. She looks at the world in terms of people. Some “…people use drugs or they don't. When you can come to that place, then it allows you to work with people who use drugs and people who don't.” Ms. Livingston continues by saying, “[Drug addiction], it's a chronic, relapsing condition. For anyone who's ever stopped smoking cigarettes, when you are at that party and you have a drink and then you decide to bum a smoke off someone and smoke again, you don't announce to all your friends that you're now back to smoking. You just sneak that cigarette and you get right back to that nonsmoking business. I think that goes on with everyone who deals with addictions. It shouldn't cause shame. The problem we're having now is with Fentanyl in these drugs, they have that one little sneak and now they're dead. They're found dead. We're in a very difficult [situation], and it seems irreversible.” A stark point. I wake up every day with an energy drink infused with tea and caffeine. If I skip my caffeine and start my day, I end up with headaches. I’m an addict and so are most Americans. Abstinence from the activities that stimulate our day is impossible, and probably, unhealthy. In fact, recently, caffeine has been found to stimulate and open veins to allow blood to flow more freely and increase one’s lifespan. BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) previous Montessori experience. Without this background, they need time and assistance in adjusting to this different but effective method of education. When they arrive with negative attitudes and little confidence in their abilities to learn, trust building and connecting them to a classroom community is essential. Furthermore, approximately 70-percent of Gamble's students qualify for federal lunch assistance, and the High School also provides 7 TRENTON DAVIS Contributing Writer I used to get my caffeine from high sugar drinks like Mountain Dew. In fact, my whole family were users of caffeine. Then, my father was diagnosed with diabetes. Our addictions, when overused and combined with dangerous levels of other chemicals (in our case sugar), could seriously put our health to build an abundant community for addicts too. Instead, we’ve built an empire of reactive, hollow services to treat them. “It's exactly what goes wrong with services if they can't remember what they're doing. It's so important to know that you're saving lives, not building an empire, that you're saving Livingston: It’s getting worse Credit: C. Grabowski at risk. After the diagnosis, for a long while, I was abstinent from caffeine: assured that would solve my problem. However, I would relapse often. Luckily, I found a healthier alternative in tea, and I continue to cope. It’s incredible how similar the lives of caffeine, exercise, nicotine, or even heroin addicts are. For exercise addicts, society builds gym memberships. For alcoholics we have bars or, if you’re young like myself, we simply have ‘college’. Starbucks has made billions constructing the idyllic community environment for caffeine addicts. For drug addicts, what community has society provided? Jail and the alley. Ann Livingston calls for society lives, not making a living, that you're saving lives,” Ann says. She describes the cycle as: "’Come in here, do your drugs, overdose, I stab you with some Naloxone, your life is saved, I call 911, the ambulance comes,’ or whatever. You know, the great heroism of the emergency. Then just basically, you go back to the alley. You have no welfare, no housing, no belonging.” Through VANDU, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Abusers, addicts can form a structure of belonging. The planning for VANDU started in her home and after a while they created a harm reduction strategy which included a safe and clean drug injection site. As the community grew, Ann people in the these young people with breakfast. This high rate of poverty among the student body presents another series of challenges in terms of making education an important and positive experience in the lives of students who often confront daily hardships. At the Forum, Taylor and Jose presented several stories of young people who turned their lives around after reaching a trust level with teachers and experiencing community in the classroom. Gamble's field trips such as canoeing on the Little Miami River, according to Taylor, further promote team building and developing a love for learning beyond the classroom. Many of their examples of innovative approaches to education can also be found in their book. Both Jose and Taylor expressed frustration with the current public focus on mandated, annual testing of Public School students. Not only do the current tests fail to adequately measure the progress of students over time, but they often stand as road blocks to creating classroom experiences that fosters a love for learning. Accepting the necessity of some testing, Taylor and Jose stress the need for other ways to THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED network started projects to make the area better. Ann “realized people in the network would go from being someone who had no social status at all to a volunteer who was making the community a better place, and that is a very well-respected person, certainly in Canada and in Vancouver... by being connected to a group that accepts you, you just become a citizen who's engaged in the how to care for your neighbors. VANDU members may not even reduce their drug consumption, but, to Ann, that’s not the point: “One of the things that drug users do all day long, every day, is talk about drugs. In VANDU, they don't talk about that. They talk about the next meeting… I would say, if they're consuming the same number of drugs, they're doing it in a much more efficient way, because they have so much other stuff they have to do.” And the number of deaths has been significantly reduced. It is saving lives. Perhaps, in Ohio and in our nation, we need to take a serious look at Ann’s thoughts because: “surely we're not here just to save their lives over and over again while they live in an alley”. As an Ohioan whose friends and family have and do struggle with addiction, surely the alley isn’t the place for people. These are our neighbors. Though some are eventually able to leave the habit, many will not be fixed. For this group, they need to be organized and supported, made to feel powerful. In a recent study, researchers found that when comparing communities, “Ones that have a high amount of community associations and activities are places where people live longer, addicts or not. Communities with the associational activities, people die sooner. In the one where people live longer, it isn't because they improved their health habits; it is because they have overcome their isolation. Perhaps Americans need to be a certain kind of addict: Community addicts. --------------------------------------gage educational success. As to the current debate on arming teachers with guns or using airport safety check procedures to enter schools, the speakers find these proposals to be the antithesis of good educational environments. As one of Gamble's students declared: "We don't want schools to become maximum-security prisons." Jose and Taylor's articulate and passionate presentation left many of the Forum attendees hopeful about public education. "In this troubling and confusing time," noted one person, "that talk was a breath of fresh air." �8 RELIGIOUS PEACEMAKERS For Adam Clark, Professor of Theology, Doing God's Work Is Righting Relationships, Healing Brokenness, and Showing Solidarity with the Poor & Oppressed A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 "O ne candle can light thousands of matches," says Adam Clark, "and we have to let the light grow." Clark, a doctor in divinity and an associate Professor in the Theology Department at Xavier University, uses his Christian faith, along with his teaching and writing, to touch his students' and other peoples' lives; contribute to the Kingdom of God on earth by promoting justice, solidarity with the marginalized, the oppressed and the poor; and keep the light expanding and growing. Clark's influence is mostly through his academic activities, the courses he teaches, the lectures he gives to varying audiences, the books and articles he writes. Born in Newark, NJ, he grew up in Syracuse, NY, in a religious family, and attended regularly, with his parents, a liberal multiracial Episcopalian church. His faith from the start was a quiet one, not the proselytizing type, but one more about character formation. And from a young age, he had already many unanswered questions about the meaning of religion and the significance of life. For college he attended Colgate University, a small liberal art college in Hamilton, NY, where, thanks to his mentors, mostly African American priests, he became increasingly interested and involved in religion. These latter exposed him to Liberation Theology of which he had not heard before, helped him learn historical SAAD GHOSN Contributing Writer criticism, and connected his faith to the liberation of the oppressed, in particular that of black people. It was at a time when many social and political movements and events around the world and in the United States were dealing with the black "Struggle." And the antiapartheid movement in South Africa, the Hip Hop and Afrocentric movements in the United States, and the emergence of prominent black leaders such as Louis Farrakhan and Jessie Jackson on the US national scene, had a great influence on him. "In college, I did not need any more to put my mind at the door in order to believe with my heart," says Clark. "I learned how to synthesize and put a more rational approach to my religious faith. Being black and seeing so many wrong relationships due to race, Liberation Theology provided me with a framework to think, analyze and imagine what right relationships could be and how to get to them," he adds. Clark then started pursuing his spirituality rather then just an institutionalized faith, affirming it in his humanity, aiming at becoming more fully human, in tune with others, and this in the name of Jesus. He got also more involved in his school community, participating in various social justice activities. "I joined the gospel choir, connecting to others; and started a black male reading group, discovering seminal books we were not taught in class," he states. A Spiritual text Adam Clark likes to quote "Do you remember in the Book [Christian Bible] Jesus and his disciples were going through the hills and there appeared in the turn of the road a man who was possessed of devils as they thought. In the full moon when the great tidal waves of energy swept through his organism and he became as ten men . . . screaming through the hills like an animal in pain and then he met Jesus on the road. And Jesus asked him one question: “Who are you; what’s your name?” and for a moment his tilted mind righted itself and he said, “That’s it, I don’t know, there are legions of me. And they riot in my streets. If I only knew, then I would be whole.” So the burden of what I have to say to you is, “What is your name— who are you—and can you find a way to hear the sound of the genuine in yourself?” There are so many noises going on inside of you, so many echoes of all sorts, so many internalizing of the rumble and the traffic, the confusions, the disorders by which your environment is peopled that I wonder if you can get still enough—not quite enough—still enough to hear rumbling up from your unique and essential idiom the sound of the genuine in you. I don’t know if you can. But this is your assignment." Excerpts from "The Sound of the Genuine," Baccalaureate Address of Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman’s at Spelman College, Atlanta, GA, May 4, 1980. The chosen books related primarily to black issues and included, among others, Steven Biko's I Write What I Like, reflecting on the need for South African blacks, in order to be liberated, to unite and break their chains of servitude; The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, the AfroCaribbean revolutionary psychiatrist, addressing the dehumanizing effects of colonization; and Price of the ticket, James Baldwin's commentaries Adam Clark on race in America. Clark also served as Residential Advisor for an African Americanthemed dormitory, catering for individuals interested in African American history and culture. This required on his part weekly programming and the planning of presentations and discussions relating to black matters. Working at the same time for the college cultural center, he was busy all the time. Clark's religious experience during college was decisive in the orientation of his faith toward social justice. He saw it through the lens of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and through the eyes of people ostracized all over the world. It was also instrumental in his choice of pursuing theological studies at Colgate Divinity School, a small Baptist-orientated seminary, in Rochester, NY. The years Clark spent there were mostly focused on academics, working hard to learn and to earn good grades, both for his graduation with a master’s in divinity degree and for his further enrollment in a doctorate program at the ecumenical Union Theological Seminary (UTC) in NYC. At UTC Clark was taught and mentored by influential and renowned Professors such as James H. Cone, the father of black theology. Cone had formulated a theology of liberation from within the context of the Black experience of oppression, and had interpreted the basic essence of the Gospels as Jesus' identification with the poor and oppressed, and the resurrection as the ultimate act of liberation. This resonated very much with Clark's ongoing understanding of Christianity and he wanted to Credit: Saad Ghosn learn more about the social justice militant movements going on at the time. He joined many Marxist groups, Malcolm X grassroot groups, Hip Hop and other underground movements going on in NYC, and participated in their membership and public activist meetings. Two issues were of particular interest then, the fight against white supremacy and the fight against aggressive capitalism; and how to resist them and come up with alternatives to them. Globalization, having already started, Clark perceived it as a globalization of capitalism and not of the good for everyone, also as suppressing solidarity movements across the globe, such as, for instance, between Palestinians and Blacks who, according to him, had a lot in common. Clark decided to use his divinity degree for the classroom instead of for ministry within the church. He accepted a teaching position in the Theology Department at Xavier University in Cincinnati where he delivers courses on Black Theology, Jesus and Power, Faith and Justice, (Continued on page 11) Religious Peacemakers is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati individuals who use their faith and religious beliefs for peace and justice. Saad.Ghosn@uc.edu is the founder of SOS (Save Our Souls) Art, an organization that promotes arts as vehicles for peace and justice and for a change. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 DICK CROY (Continued from page 5) upscale restaurant and bourbon bar in Louisville’s Clifton neighborhood – his first development, from a former fire station. Affordable housing isn’t the only area of expertise for this father of two teenage sons who grew up in New York, the son of a wealthy surgeon. He and his wife Maria Whitley, who runs a wellness studio offering early childhood music and movement as well as adult fitness, moved to Louisville 10 years ago to be part of a community that they and their sons could be part of. Vital Sites, originally the Louisville Preservation Fund, was established in 2014 as a nonprofit revolving fund focused on undervalued historic properties in Louisville. Its mission was to leverage resources from private developers, private landowners, and other nonprofits to formulate creative solutions for the reuse and preservation of historic structures.  Here’s how Gregg described his widening sphere of influence in Louisville: “All the real estate development I do is a bit of a mixed bag. I was hired for Vital Sites because of my experience doing adaptive reuse in antique buildings and restoring historic structures. Vital Sites’ first project was restoring five Victorian-era warehouse and merchandise buildings on ‘Whiskey Row’ in downtown Louisville which were threatened with imminent demolition.  “We know that reusing rather than demolishing older buildings is a powerful economic catalyst that can help knit our neighborhoods back together. So in another ongoing project, ‘East Broadway Row,’ five 1890 shotgun houses in a very busy neighborhood were essentially donated to Vital Sites by a company developing two large projects surrounding the shotguns. They needed someone to find a banking deal for the houses, work with the architects and the general contractor, get them completed and sold – to families rather than to absentee landlords. And our hope was to get some affordable housing funds so we could offer them to folks who are in that range of affordable housing needs. “Although we did not get funded in our ask, we do expect to have the ability to transfer historic tax credits to the purchasers of these houses. In essence, they will be more affordable than if we did not have that, but we will end up selling them at market rate because of where the neighborhood is. “The idea is to essentially make the funds that Vital Sites has revolve so we can do this again and continue to save some of these beautiful, old, historic structures from being demolished. This will serve as an example of how developers can work cooperatively with property owners and nonprofits. It will give us a basic NATIONAL operating procedure to replicate this model on similar undervalued and at-risk historic structures. Historic preservation allows the story of our community to continue into the future while paying homage to the past.” Despite the best of intentions and a promising business plan, affordable housing is hard to come by. I asked Gregg whether he sees gentrification as a problem in Louisville. “Yes. I wish I understood what the formula for resolving it is better than I do because people ask me this question all the time. They think I should be an expert in it and I don’t think anybody is. Gentrification is definitely a problem for some people while the idea that it’s bad vehicles that will come and say, ‘It can happen.’” I asked Gregg to walk me through how this non-Section 8 project will be structured. (Essentially Section 8 authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to private landlords on behalf of low-income households.) “A small portion of the total amount of the development project is being forgiven. A portion of the development cost is being funded at a very reasonable rate, and then the banks will fill in that gap with a more traditional type of loan. It’s really that simple. It’s those three layers that can make it happen. And we’re building for a community is offensive to other people. I think it’s very difficult to understand, and it has a lot to do with multiples: a smaller neighborhood has a larger fear of gentrification than a neighborhood with multiple acres and thousands of vacant and abandoned and under-utilized structures. “Right now there is a project we are working on in the heart of Portland, probably the largest neighborhood in Louisville, where we are building 24 brand new apartment units. And they will be in the affordable housing sort of range. We are super excited about it. We’ve been working on getting this off the ground for 3 1/2 years. Literally, like bang your head against the ground –that’s what it’s like. Some people in the neighborhood are very concerned that this is not going to be a very good idea. Other folks are very excited that it’s happening. And that dialogue is really important. “I welcome it even though it’s challenging for me to be in the middle of it. I don’t like to be in the middle of these meetings. I actually like to do things. The organization that I am bringing to the table with two partners is called Urban Acupuncture, and we’re in partnership with two other very experienced development firms. The three companies will be the developers who have finally figured out how to make this thing happen. We expect this to be a proof of confidence, if you will, for other developers and other financial as affordably as possible so the units will seem small for folks around here, but I’m originally from New York and they’re large from my experience in city dwelling there. “They’re a little over 1,000 sq. feet, a decent amount of space for two bedrooms. The two- bedrooms will have one bath; three-bedrooms will have two. They’re going to be beautiful, all brick. One concern that the neighborhood had was they wanted to match some of the existing architecture. There will be a lot of green space. Rents will be in the $750 - $820 range.” I asked him how as a developer he evaluates a potential project. “You kind of know a deal is going to be good for a couple of reasons. You can walk into the building and have a sense of its quality and perhaps a sense of what it can be used for. If it’s a single family shotgun house, for example, it’s obvious what the use is going to be. When we did our first one nine years ago – I think we bought it for $19,000 and put $95,000 into it – it’s probably only now that if we were selling, we would actually make a profit on it. “The next couple we did better. We did smarter, took less money to renovate them and get them ready for use by a family or business. I have a pretty good idea how to do it now because I’ve done it a bunch of times and I can walk into a building and see if it’s worth it. What can I not spend money on here and what do I have to spend money on here. Get a gut THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 9 feeling and calculate on the back of an envelope and then decide whether I want to pursue the project further. If we decide to move forward we have to look at the economics. Most of the time the deal will grow in value over time, not quick profit. You need to be patient.” When East Broadway Row really takes off and it’s not as glamorous as other things he and Vital Sites are doing, would he be willing to do this type of development again? “I expect to do this a lot. This is the first multi-housing project I’ve worked on so I have tons to learn and I’m learning from some of the best people around here how to do it. I’m fortunate, super fortunate to have that opportunity. And, yeah, I would like to be involved in all kinds of different real estate. I’d like to build an office tower some day. I would like to build a bunch of tiny houses on a communal farm in the middle of nowhere where people are completely self-sufficient. There’s nothing I’m not interested in doing and that’s part of my problem: I don’t know when to say no…easily. “I have the good fortune of having a bunch of people I can ask that enjoy working with me and I enjoy working with them, and they will take a look and tell me if I’m crazy or not. Frequently I might be a little bit crazy. If I’m really crazy and it’s an absolute no, they will tell me. But a little crazy is the opportunity. And I don’t mean that from just a financial standpoint but also from a community-growing standpoint, a relationship-building standpoint. Look where we’re sitting now. This was an empty and abandoned building, a historic building. And now this strip of the neighborhood has some of the greatest stuff going on in it because we took a risk, all of us, the whole group of us.” You would-be developers and community leaders might ask whether Gregg Rochman’s experience in Louisville has anything to teach us about how we might help balance the current gentrification of OTR with more affordable housing for current and former residents. Could this possibly improve the quality of life for those living, playing and working there? I’m sure Gregg would be pleased to share what he’s learned and is still learning. Recently featured in the USA Today video series I Am an American to introduce its audience to “an exceptional American who is making a difference to unite, rather than divide, our communities,” he had this to say: “Currently Americans are divided from each other. We cast a blind eye to senseless violence, we do not do everything in our power to house the homeless and feed the hungry, to support each other with the goal of betterment for all, even though it’s always within our reach. We should be ashamed. I am – but I’m trying to make a change, and we all can. We’re capable of anything.” �10 LOCAL A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 May 18 - June 9, 2018 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �LOCAL The Deep State Part I Tails wagging dogs, big and small No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 A few months ago, one of the cartoons in the weekly New Yorker magazine was a drawing of two scruffy-looking guys sitting at a bar. One is angry as he says to the other: “What's the point of having a conspiracy theory if everyone's going to conspire against it?” I cut that cartoon out, and it sits here on my desk, annoying me every time I glance its way. Why? Because I am a true believer in many conspiracies, and I'm in no way ashamed to say so. Some six years ago, I wrote a series of essays for this paper about conspiracies related to a variety of topics, The JFK assassination, of course. Also, about Martin Luther King, the fluoridation of our water, and… The day that changed everything My favorite conspiracy, which I researched for years and wrote a full length play about (as well as a short film script and a radio play) had to do with the events of 11 September, 2001. Yes, dear readers, I remain convinced that what happened that day, “the day that changed everything,” were perpetrated by a cabal of operatives within what is now known as the Deep State of the United States. More on that later. But for now, regarding 9/11, it is manifestly clear that it was an inside job, that we did it. 9/11 happened because an elaborate, ultra-secret element of top-ranking traitors from every level of our national-security state planned and perpetrated it, then—even more elaborately—covered it up. This writer is anything but alone in my convictions about 9/11 “truth.” Thousands of architects, engineers, pilots, ex-CIA people, ex-military, scientists and academicians from all over the world have signed on publicly, officially, forcefully, insisting SAAD GHOSN (Continued from page 8) Religion and Hip Hop. His aim is to educate students in both the service of faith and the promotion of justice, and to light up candles wherever he can. This is where he sees his main contributions. "Teaching and doing the work of scholarship takes a lot of time," he says, "and one cannot, at the same time, engage the world by leading movements or being out on the streets, immersed in grassroots..." Clark also tries to introduce spiritual practices in the lives of his students, not only training them into academics. He would like them to discover contemplative traditions, get in touch with what's happening inside 11 JIM LUKEN Contributing Writer that what happened that day was “an inside job.” Many did this at the risk of their jobs and reputations. Some paid with their lives. There is even a huge group which names itself “Patriots for 9/11 Truth.” Look it up. [Or, simply go to You Tube and search: [Retired General Stubblebine “Oh, my God.” A true patriot, Stubblebine's credentials are impeccable. His 15 minute video chat will convince almost anyone.] Here let me provide a short list of recent local conspiracies. 1) I believe that there was a conspiracy involved in the way the obvious murder of Sam Dubose by UC police officer Ray Tensing was handled. The same type of conspiracy takes place regarding virtually every murder committed by uniformed police officers across the United States. There is an almost conspiratorial rule: Even in the most obvious of cases, cops will not be convicted of a crime. I have a friend who is a high-ranking officer in the Canadian Mounties. He told me that Mounties who committed such obvious crimes, like the Dubose killing, would be out of a job in short order, and usually convicted and jailed. Canadian deaths at the hands of police are minimal compared to those in the US. 2) I believe that there was a conspiracy involved in the way Western-Southern, and its CEO, John Barrett, gained possession of the Anna Louise Inn, an historic refuge for poor women in Cincinnati for more than 100 years. That landgrabbing crime should never have happened. 3) I believe that there is an ongoing conspiracy as 3CDC continues to manipulate real estate in OTR, so that the poor are being systematically displaced from the neighborhood where their families have lived for generations. 4) There was also a conspiracy in the way an entire north wing of the downtown public library was being sold to 3CDC for a proverbial song...without community input. Fortunately, that conspiracy was unraveled in time, because angry citizens found out in time, although a primary whistle-blower lost her job. 5) Here is a Cincy miniconspiracy. But it affects hundreds and hundreds of our city's homeless and poor. When the downtown area was “renewed,” one facet of that renewal involved hundreds of new park benches. Nice. But each of the new park benches contains an “armrest” built in the very middle. This armrest all but prevents tired or homeless people from sleeping on the them, develop their whole person and become better human beings. This would help them function more effectively in the world, using not only the intellectual but also the practical dimension of their Christian faith. In the community, Clark has lent his support to social justice movements as they progress. He participated in Black Lives Matter seeing it as a faithful resistance to the unjust powers, and as a means to right the wrong relationships affecting the black community. He directed a 6-week contemplative group at the Hive in Northside (a place where community and contemplation meet), considering the role of the Inner Life in the struggle for freedom, through the writings of civil rights icon Howard Thurman. He also gave presentations at Abundant Community on slavery, poverty, consumerism and on the Jubilee idea and how it brings us to the intersection of the Bible and economics. Being Christian, for Clark, is not only to accept something that happened 2000 years ago on the cross, but more importantly to focus on the entire life and message of Jesus, and to try to establish the kingdom of God on earth, making the conditions on earth reflect those in heaven. "The good news Jesus gave the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed of this world, is that the kingdom of God is at hand, among us, and that we're all invited to participate in it," says Clark. When asked about his religious affiliation he says that he is a Christian Conspiracy theory 101 But in this piece, I want to discuss “conspiracy theory” more generally. I don't need to tell you that those two words are maligned by politicians and the news media on an all-too regular basis. “Oh, that's another wacky conspiracy theory.” Perhaps as you began reading this piece, you were thinking that the writer must be a nut. I congratulate you for continuing to read. By the end, I hope you see that I am relatively sane and fairly well-informed on the subject. The technical definition of a conspiracy theory is: “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.” That's from Mr. Webster. I like it, because it contains nothing negative about we believers. Nor does it suggest that all conspirators were/are doing something unlawful, or illegal, although that is usually the case. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED benches. Is there anyone out there who could be convinced that these “armrests” were simply installed by accident. No, the planners conspired to have the city buy benches like these. Their conspiracy could not be considered a crime, but it nonetheless seems almost criminal. The Deep State Now let's go back to those larger conspiracies that occur on the national and international playing fields. Frankly, the more we hear Donald Trump say there was “no collusion” (i.e., conspiracy) with the Russians, the more most of us are convinced there was. Trump has also made reference to a term that seems new to most of us: the deep state. Although the term has come to wider and wider use in recent years, the “deep state” has been around for a long time. There is evidence that Russian operatives, and probably the Russian government was involved in ruining Hillary's chances in the 2016 election, and bringing the Donald to power. If so, Russia's “deep state” was involved. It has lately been revealed that another element was involved in unlikely Trump's rise to power, a corporate version of the deep state. A company called Cambridge Analytical secured the personal data related to 50 million Americans and sold it the Trump Election committee. That, my friends, is a huge conspiracy, both evil and illegal. We Americans have such short memories. In the hubbub surrounding Russia's attempt to manipulate the recent election, we seem to have forgotten that the American “deep state” had been undermining elections in countries all over the world for decades, centuries even. (Continued on page 12) with no denominational loyalty. He right now attends the New Prospect Baptist Church in Roselawn where he responds strongly to the ministry of its pastor. Clark sees his future in continuing to develop his intellectual projects and to make a difference by his teachings and writings. He would like also to frame the debate about issues of religion and faith and disseminate his thinking and his message by all possible means. But what remains the most important to him is that he contributes to peace and justice on this earth, because, as he says, for him "Christianity is about healed brokenness and right relationships in God's kingdom." --------------------------------------- �12 STREET VOICE WHY IS CANCER MORTALITY SO HIGH FOR MINORITIES IN CINCINNATI PART 6: FACING CANCER ALONE IS SCARY AND UNNECESSARY I ntroduction: In this series of articles we have maintained that the mortality rate for minorities in Cincinnati is so high largely because minorities are invisible in terms of their health needs, hospitals and physicians are underprepared for treating large numbers of new patients who are poor, and there is a lack of kindness toward those in greatest need. In this article, we explore some of the realities facing low income citizens as they think about their health and especially about cancer treatment. 2. Navigating the Cancer Health System: Thinking that you may be receiving a diagnosis of cancer is often overwhelming. Few people imagine that they can cope with the words coming from a physician that indicate cancer is present. The anticipation of an emotional weight of a cancer diagnoses is very heavy, often drowning out the capacity to think forward to the necessary next steps. People who have a doctor may have the same emotionally paralyzing response as those without a regular relationship with a physician. Facing the reality of cancer can be a lonely and frightening experience, and bring the person a realization that critical decisions, perhaps life enhancing ones, may have to be made rapidly. Often, a person believes that there are more important priorities than their health such as employment challenges, family crisis, or personal safety issues. Our organization, the A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 STEVE SUNDERLAND Contributing Writer Cancer Justice Network, knows that a Navigator can be critical at this stage to assist in the overcoming of the chief obstacles to finding out about cancer: fear of death, terror of unexpected expenses, and horror about expected pain as a result of the cancer. 3. What a Navigator Can Do to Promote Screening for Cancer: Our Navigators are placed at dinners and other meetings like health fairs. Navigators are introduced as a free resource to assist anyone with concerns that they may have cancer. We meet people where they are in their fears. Sitting down over dinner, we discuss a three-step process for finding and treating cancer: Step One: Being accompanied to a screening: The Navigator explains that early detection can result in stopping cancer as it begins to grow. Our Navigators will go with the person to a health center or a screening agency. We will assist in setting up an appointment, overcoming travel obstacles, and sit with the person and their family at the time of the exam. Step Two: The Navigator will assist with obtaining insurance, financial aid, or finding out if all experiences with health care are covered by Medicaid. The Navigator will check these details before the visit for the exam and clarify any financial responsibilities. Usually, most health services are completely covered by Medicaid. Step Three: The Navigator will accompany the person when the results of the test are to be shared. If cancer is present, the Navigator will assist the person, if needed, in understanding the kind of cancer and the alternatives for treatment. The Navigator will also assist the person if a second opinion from another physician is desired. Often, there are many ways of working with the cancer and it is helpful to hear from different physicians abut alternatives. 4. Navigators Insure a Kind Process: Our Navigators are aware of many of the obstacles that block a person from taking the steps to find out about cancer. Too often, people have had little education about preventing cancer or even some real description about how cancer works in the body. Many people do not know what to do or who to ask about taking the important medical steps. Even if some people are aware, they are afraid of moving forward due to their past experience with cancer in their families: a cancer diagnosis has meant a “death sentence.” Other people have been overwhelmed by the healthcare experience: going to the hospital has been humiliating and a largely negative event. Hospitals are big, access is confusing, and there is the sense that there isn’t anyone who can explain the ways to obtain correct care. Our Navigators are oriented to create a kind process, a way of working with a person to gain their trust and confidence so that the experience of going for an exam is a positive one. Together, the person and the Navigator go to the hospital or health center and go through the entry as a team. Navigators, by their presence, reduce some of the fear and increase the confidence of the person that they are in a caring experience. 5. Navigation can be the critical factor in reducing mortality: We have seen the smiles on the faces of people following an exam and finding out that they do not have cancer. Their fears have been removed and many people sense that they can face life knowing their health is free of cancer. Other smiling people we meet are those who have had their cancer caught and stopped. Being a cancer survivor is becoming somewhat common within the low-income population and often people approach us with their stories of gratitude. As Navigators, we work for more people who can be happy as they are assured that they do not have cancer or that they have been lucky to get successful cancer treatment. Yet, we still face a generalized fear of finding out about cancer from many of the people we meet at health fairs, dinners, or clinics. The Cancer Justice Network is looking to meet people who want to take the steps to a happy health result. Please call us at 513.404.3882. Teaching Kids About being Homeless J ust a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go and speak to kids about being homeless. The kids asked Ms. Mona and I questions about how the people experiencing homelessness are hated in our society. Most of these JIM LUKEN (Continued from page 11) Example: In 1953, the elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddagh was overthrown, permitting the return of the Shah of Iran to power. Those who, for years, insisted that the CIA and other international actors were involved in the coup d'etat were often labeled “conspiracy mongers.” Several years ago, in the face of mountains of evidence, the CIA finally admitted: “Yes, we done it.” And yes, it was all STACIA HOLLANDER Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Contributor questions had me in shock. I didn’t expect kids that young to show such great interest in the homeless. Our homeless rate is 16% and rising. The average age for a child to be homeless is 9 years old. My experience is that it is not easy. It takes a rough toll on me in many ways. I would love to be more involved with the Homeless Coalition. The staff are great. I hope to work there one day. about oil. Political and religious chaos has ensued in Iran. We continue to pay the price for our conspiratorial skullduggery to this day. Additionally, our “deep state” has had no qualms about assassinating left-leaning heads of state who refused to do the bidding of “greatest country in the history of the world.” Some of their names: Allende in Chile, Arbenz in Guatemala, Sandino in Nicaragua. There were many CIA attempts to do in Cuba's Castro. There were others. Probably many of them. Once the “deep state” got away with killing Kennedy, the evil underbelly of our system has felt no compunction about killing those who, like MLK and RFK, were fighting to create a more just system in these United States. I believe that the CIA killed the liberal senator from Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, by downing his plane. The same for the death of JFK's son, John-John, who’s plane went down of a clear night flying off Nantucket in good weather with his new wife. John junior had been making moves toward becoming a politician. He THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED might have used the Kennedy name, and his considerable charisma, to make his way to the top, to the presidency. Do I have proof of this? No. Nor will I involve myself in trying to prove his death was at the hands of the CIA, and the “deep state”. There are others who are working on this. You could look it up. But John Jr.'s suspicious death moves me toward my main argument. To be continued. [Editor’s note: Look for part II in the next issue. Thank you for reading Streetvibes.] STA HOLLA SINCE �No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 STREET VOICE CRYING RAIN Looking out the window The rain is falling hard, and fast There are intervals of thunder Slashing ever so often And then it suddenly stops Until the next thunder slash appears It lets you know that God is, near So take heed Listen to his might Because thunder and rain, Will, be coming KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THANKS FOR MARCH MADNESS How do you define the word "gladness?" Does it make you think of March Madness? Basketball is an escape for you and me, From the daily news about Trump in D.C. So, for our annual multi-game immersion, Thanks NCAA for this healthy diversion. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer 13 MY FATHERS HOUSE In my father’s house there are many mansions Many mansions, with many rooms to rest and pray in In good times, in bad times, day, night, sleep or wake times All the time I spend in my father’s house cause his house is mines When I was homeless, a drunkard, a drug addict and all alone I found much comfort and peace just praising him in song When I was hungry, hair nappy, dirty and smelling, really bad I held onto my sanity, when my belief in prayer was all I had As in any house with rules, my father has commandments of ten Even though I would make mistakes, I’d always repent of my sins And ask for forgiveness with the understanding to make a change A change for the best so there would be no more fear or pain Taking what each day brings and pray and always believe Having faith to know that my father’s will is best for me While searching for God’s love, wisdom and understanding I came into the realization of just what my heart was demanding I began to go to church to learn more about my father’s house I found peace and my soul was saved I could finally announce I learned that there is a place in my father’s house for everyone The young, the old, the lost and the sick at heart and mind I learned the mistakes I’d made were all of one kind I understand today that we must learn from the mistakes we’ve made And know only by the grace of God can our souls be saved So, won’t you come visit in the house of my father Learn the bible and know that with my father there is no other Take your time and search your soul to truly find yourself An understand that in our father’s house is where we’ll be forever safe with plenty of help WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 148 Across Down 1. Banquet 1. A notable achievement 6. Man or boy 2. Every one considered 9. Theatrical equipment individually 13. Planet 3. Showily imitative 14. Frozen water 4. Tale 15. Throw with great effort 16. Performer 17. Type of fish 18. Avid 19. Gland near the base of the neck 21. Deluge 23. Edible tuber 24. Rural deity (Roman Mythology) 25. Buddy 28. Starchy tuberous root 30. Serving of drink drawn from a keg 35. Turns litmus paper red 37. Percussion instrument 39. Pertaining to hearing or the ear 40. Relatively many 41. Long past 43. Nobleman 44. Attempted 46. Bowling alley 47. A score of zero in tennis 48. Main course 50. Requirement 52. A great distance 53. Hit 55. Flop 57. Taxonomic group 61. Ancient Egyptian tomb 65. Overhang 66. Golfing term 68. Dodge 69. Broker 5. Pharynx 6. Prevaricated 7. Playing card 8. Greek letter 9. Juicy fruit 10. Fury 11. Kitchen appliance 12. Sauce 15. Rupture 20. Adult insect 22. Not at home 24. Candy 25. Adhesive material 26. Fruit of the oak 27. Boundary 29. A list of names SODOKU PUZZLE NO 278 - MEDIUM 31. Draw 32. Factual evidence 33. Immature form prior to metamorphosis 34. Senior 36. Cervid 38. Segment of DNA 42. Impoverished 45. Abstain 49. Female sheep 51. Compulsory force 54. Poplar tree 56. Crane 57. Scorch 58. Part of a book 59. Fifty-fifty 60. Fractional monetary unit 61. Front part of a vessel 70. Self or aircraft 71. Move sideways 62. Constructed 72. Let for money 63. Not in active use 73. At present 64. Abstruse 74. Sharply sloping 67. In the past PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 378 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 147 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 277- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 37 9 | A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 Central Access Point 15 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 St. George Food Pantry 751-8771 2554 Dennis St. 45219 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 386-7899 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 131 E. 12th Street 45202 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 Salvation Army 762-5660 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 Shelter: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 1125 Bank Street 45214 411 Gest St. 45203 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 2121 Vine Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Parkway Center 661-4620 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Starting Over 961-2256 Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Family Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both Interfaith Hospitality Network First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 Housing: 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Food/Clothing First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Health 961-0600 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 for 26 issues 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@ cincihomeless.org $100 859-491-8303 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A p r i l 6 - A p r i l 19, 2 0 18 | N o . 37 9 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BETTIE BAILEY SINCE 10/2017 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2011 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2018 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 6-April 19, 2018 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Reflections from the Front Line of Public Education Pg 3: Sorry, Not Today Pg 4: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 5: The 2018 Library Levy Pg 6: Circular Logic Loops Keep Going, and Going, and Going Pg 7: Community Addicts Pg 8: Religious Peacemakers Pg 9: Dick Croy Continued Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: The Deep State Part I Tails Wagging Dogs, Big and Small Pg 12: Why is Mortality so High for Minorites in Cincinnati Part 6 Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 6-April 19, 2018 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Michael Earl Patton Dick Croy Jason Haap Trenton Davis Saad Ghosn Jim Luken Steve Sunderland Stacia Hollander Kim Green Willa Denise Jones C. Grabowski Saad Ghosn Homeless Coalition Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Woods C. Grabowski Cancer Cincinnati Dick Croy Dr. Mark Mussman education GCHC Homeless Coalition Jason Haap Jim Luken Josh Spring Kim Green Library Louisville Michael Earl Patton Over-the-Rhine Religion Saad Ghosn Stacia Hollander Steve Sunderland Trenton Davis Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/2ee06804be9492b3114a4b5a92535a11.pdf 8444b1f848a62888898ba71963a19396 PDF Text Text April 7th - April 20th 2017 | Vol. 20 Issue 34 (No. 353) advocating justice | Building community National Day of Action to End The Housing Crisis| 7 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE Issues Council and Mayoral Interconnectedness| 3 Candidates Need to Address - Part II | 2 Weather Trends|5 Border Stories: Courageous Women | 10 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: It’s Not Complicated JOSH SPRING H Executive Director ave you ever known somebody who makes a task more complicated than it needs to be or has a solution to a problem available, but does not implement it? Of course, you have, we all have. This could be caused by stubbornness, addiction, misappropriation of priorities, etc. The person in this situation is to their problem what our society and government are to the problem of systemic homelessness. Homelessness is a solvable problem. Enough affordable housing can be constructed. Employers can pay living wages. Healthcare can be accessible. But instead of doing what is necessary to meet these needs, we spend time blaming individuals experiencing the problem, we limit funding to housing and healthcare or cut it. We don’t force companies to pay living wages. We spend private and public dollars on upscale development at the expense of affordable housing. We displace people. We cut taxes for wealthy people. We then have to create criteria to decide who is the “most deserving” to receive what little assistance there is. Then we study it all to see if we are stretching the dollars as far as possible. Then we say it’s complicated problem and we are not sure what the solution is. We have taken something that is simple and made it complicated. Why? This country is addicted to wealth and the idea of wealth. We are addicted to fancy buildings and slick stores. We are addicted to puff stories and façade improvements. We are addicted to greed and we enable A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 it. We are also stubborn about not changing systems that are inherently classist and racist. We push rugged individualism and point to the rich people who “came from nothing” and made it with the “American Dream” (a.k.a. the American Myth which is just a lie) as a means of showing how “rugged individualism” works. The part of the story that is left out is the fact that none of those folks are “rugged individuals” because they are only wealthy because they take resources from other people. Other people suffer so they can be wealthy. So, next time you hear someone say solving homelessness is complicated, please realize that what is complicated is organizing people to create enough pressure to change legislation or create legislation and change societal perspective on the issue. It is complicated because we have a foundational problem of greed. The problem itself is not complicated and is very solvable. Creating more affordable housing and raising the minimum wage are major solutions that can be implemented if we have the political will end homelessness. ISSUES COUNCIL AND MAYORAL CANDIDATES NEED TO ADDRESS - PART II P art II of "the issues City Council and Mayoral candidates need to address" took place on March 30th. Once again, a panel of community leaders focused on often overlooked problems that deeply divide the haves and have-nots of this area. Panelists included Patricia Garry, Chair of Affordable Housing Advocates, Pastor Ennis Tait, President of the Faith Community Alliance, Mike Maloney, Convener of the Urban Appalachian Community Alliance of Cincinnati, Justin Jeffre, Editor of Streetvibes, and Mark Samaan, Chair of the Better Bus Coalition. A long time neighborhood leader and the past Director of the CDC Association of Cincinnati, Patricia Garry emphasized the lack of affordable housing in the City and County. Citing a new LISC-study that reveals a current need for 40,000 units of affordable housing units in Hamilton County, Garry noted that only 20-percent of residents qualifying for housing assistance will receive it. These statistics, she concluded, are major reasons for poverty and homelessness, and local government leaders and the powers that be need to recognize this reality. Initially, the Child Poverty Collaborative did not talk about the housing need in its report on addressing the causes of why BILL WOODS Contributing Writer so many families with children find themselves in poverty. Garry declared that leaders of Affordable Housing Advocates then convinced the Collaborative that housing must be included if it was really serious about reducing family poverty. Garry advocated that Cincinnati put in place tools such as a housing trust fund and requirements that a percentage of affordable housing units be included in any proposed major housing projects. Pastor Ennis Tait stressed three local issues that he believes require major attention. Reducing child poverty, developing preschool educational opportunities, and reducing gun violence top his list. For these reasons, he is involved in "Preschool Promise, " the initiative (Continued on page 10) Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Gretchen Marie Semancik, Justin Jeffre, Bonnie Neumeier, Sr. Nicole Varnerin, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Alice Schneider, Dr. Mark Mussman, Gaelyn Sullivan, Gretchen Marie Semancik, ARISE, Michael Earl Patton, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Pastor Ennis Tait, Patricia Garry, Mike Maloney Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 35 3 3 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Interconnectedness T DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer he state of Ohio offers very few protections to tenants. Far too often we hear stories of people who are being pushed out of their homes and businesses on the whim of the property owner. Other states protect residents from unjust evictions and rent increases, but Ohio always sides with the landlord. We do this both in the courts and through their extension – law enforcement. One tenant organizing. On a recent Alternative Break with the University of Vermont, students arrived with the passion to learn about gentrification – what does the term mean? What does gentrification look like? Am I at risk of being gentrified out of my community? They also wanted to learn more about the history of Cincinnati and how we help people who are experiencing homelessness. Gaelyn and Samantha participate in the Streetvibes Shadow Activity. Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Mt. Auburn, Avondale, Oakley, and Northside). Throughout the week we met with experts, including those at the IJPC (Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center) to learn about how the justice system fails to meet the needs of our entire community. Through their Virtual Reality solitary confinement simulation, we experienced first hand (even for just a few minutes) the psychological effects of isolation, both short term and long term. The experience made We also met with the Interfaith Workers Center where we learned about Wage Theft and the impact it has on communities. We saw how local employers convinced their workers to pay back their overtime and we saw the video of them caught on tape doing this illegal, yet all-toocommon event. Since we know that a lack of livable wages contributes to homelessness, it wasn’t difficult to see the connection here with gentrification and the ability for someone to work hard, yet still not Community leader Brian Garry shares his passions with the group Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman way to help fight injustice in housing is through resident organizations who create a unified voice to counter the script of the landlord. The Homeless Coalition has a strong history in Each of these aspirations are connected and visible in our neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine, but extend to every neighborhood in Cincinnati (most visibly in Corryville, Solitary Confinement Virtual Reality at IJPC Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Community member Jae Washington shared her perspective on gentrification and community life. Credit: Gaelyn Sullivan “Breakdown Stereotypes” me feel a sense of loss of time and of my self. They showed us European models of prisons that actually focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into community. It made clear how our prison system is based upon torture and withdraw, rather than compassion and inclusion. This connects to our housing policies which allow landlords to bar people with criminal histories from housing. receive their fair share. It is also shocking to know that Ohio has over 800 laws prohibiting people with felonies work options. Throughout the week we learned about affordable housing – the real solution to the housing and homelessness crisis we are facing. During the People’s Movement Social Justice Walking Tour, we saw the (Continued on page 5) “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 �No. 35 3 5 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Weather Trends MICHAEL EARL PATTON I Contributing Writer n my last article, “Natural Gas Shortage Coming,” I pointed out that the production of natural gas in the United States has been adequate to meet our immediate need, but also that the past three winters have been much warmer than normal. Production of natural gas is trending down, the number of rigs drilling for natural gas is way down, and it has been replacing coal for the generation of electricity. A couple hot summers and a very cold winter would crimp supplies and cause prices to rise sharply – to the point where some or many could not afford to properly heat their homes. I showed a bar chart of the recent winters, which I am also including in this article, giving the change from the 20th century average winter temperature. Data are from the DR. MARK MUSSMAN (Continued from page 3) wheels of gentrification turning throughout the neighborhood. From the privatization of the parks and the gated off alleys, to the building portfolios being turned over to large developers who are getting ready to mass evict. They learned about the housing statistics in the neighborhood, and the true meaning of affordable housing. They heard from people who have experienced homelessness, and some from people who are currently living on the streets. This was likely their most memorable experience – meeting people in our community who have something valuable to share, even though they have been cast out by society. Sometimes, I find it difficult to get students to “care” about what they are learning about. But the groups from Vermont always seem to have a very strong knowledge and breath of compassion when they arrive. Throughout the week they encouraged each other and myself. They helped pack lunches, serve meals, and coordinate the Know National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov) and were obtained from their “Climate at a Glance” section. Actually, data going back to the 1970’s. I still hear stories from those who experienced that winter – it was truly one for the record books. Also, it seems that there is a trend with the winters getting warmer, starting about 1960. Although that is the trend, it is impossible to say in advance from looking at the graph whether the next winter will be warmer or colder than average. An obvious question is whether these same trends are evident in the data for the meteorological summer, the months from June through August. From the graph, the same sort of erratic pattern as with the winter data is evident. Note the high average temperatures of the 1930’s, the era of the infamous “Dust Bowl.” The temperatures shown in the graph are averaged over the “Lower 48,” or contiguous states so one cannot say from this just how much out “GOOD WHITE PEOPLE - short film” on YouTube to see how just one building being cleared out for out-oftowners to use for short term visits has impacted one man, his business, and our community. And as always, you can always schedule a tour with the Homeless Coalition through our website to learn more. (Continued on page 11) late 19th century are available at the same site. In the last article I was focusing mostly on recent trends so I did not show the full range. But this is interesting in its own right, so I am giving it now. The first thing that struck me was how much the average winter temperature can change from year to year. The range is from about 27 degrees to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. A couple more trends are evident with a little examination. The first half of the twentieth century had more winters that were much colder than normal than the second half, but the coldest winter was in the late Your City (formerly the Standdown) event at Christ Church Cathedral. Throughout the week, they worked with children and young adults in the neighborhood, heard from various community leaders, experienced culturally relevant art exhibits and even sat in a very contentious City Council Meeting. Each step of the way, the Vermont students were there to support each other and they were actively supporting us in any way they could. This is what our Cincinnati Urban Experience is all about – interconnectedness. Ohio tenant’s protections are a disgrace to the goals of our community. How can we expect to have a strong and vibrant community when so many are at risk of displacement? During the Council meeting, I noticed the beautiful stained glass windows above Council Chambers. Emblazoned on one of the windows is the City’s motto Juncta Juvant, which in Latin means “Strength in Unity.” Gentrification is the exact opposite of unity and strength, it’s chaos and suppression at it’s very base. Consider checking CUE Participants with Jen and Bonnie at Peaslee after learning more about the history of neighborhood. Credit: Gaelyn Sullivan THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �6 LOCAL A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 (Continued on page 12) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 3 LOCAL | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 The Play Library Gretchen Marie Semancik Contributing Writers I magine a job that encourages imagination and playing all day long. Offering over 1000 games and toys, The Play Library gives families the opportunity to check-out and return toys instead of buying them. The mastermind behind The Play Library is Julia Fischer. Fischer says her inspiration behind a business based around “play” is that her greatest memories are of playing board games with her parents. “I just want parents to remember it’s the quality of time, not the quantity” spent together, she says. A graduate in visual communications from Washington University, in St Louis, Fischer began working at large toy companies as a designer. She realized that many companies were building toys out with inexpensive materials to reduce the cost of their products. Fischer felt toys are built with planned obsolescence, and thought she that was contributing to a “colorful landfill”. On March 15, The Play Library opened its own doors for the first time on Elm Street, in Over-the-Rhine. Fisher says she chose to open her store in OTR because of the diversity among the community. She says she “loves the fact that different people from different backgrounds come in here” and hopes that The Play Library will be able to make an impact on everyone in the community. The Play Library functions like a traditional library of borrowing and returning, but instead of books, the library lends toys. This gives families access to toys they may not be able to afford, or gives parents the chance to “test drive” toys before committing to buying them. The library offers a variety of items, like game night games, gamery games, art supplies, all kinds of toys for all ages, and seasonal outdoor equipment. According to Fischer, 90% of the games were donated from people all around Cincinnati, and from some from the big toy companies from which she had been a designer. Fischer bought toys and games, as well, so the library keeps up-to-date in the newest items available. During business hours, all the toys in the library are free to access. If parents wish to take toys home, they can rent them out for a fee. For special events, The Play Library will rent out special items like Big Jenga. In the past, Fischer and her Play Library have been part of events like the Kindness March that occurred downtown, on February 28, and is often found hosting events in Washington Park. On April 20, The Play Library in offering a “Beer and Board Game” National Day of Action to End the Housing Crisis Justin Jeffre O n a cold April 1st around 200 people assembled in front of City Hall for the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition’s rally to create an affordable housing trust fund to address our growing housing crisis. The rally was part of a national day of action where more than 100 other communities across the country, including in Washington D.C. on the national mall were also having demonstrations. Mary Burke Rivers from Overthe-Rhine Community Housing spoke about the growing need for affordable housing. A recent housing study shows that we have a shortage of at least 40,000 affordable housing units. In short, 55,600 households at zero to thirty percent of the area median income are trying to fit into 15,581 homes affordable to them. As a result, homelessness is on the rise. A lack of affordable housing and jobs that pay a living wage are the primary causes of homelessness. Ashlee Williams spoke about her personal experience dealing with the need for affordable housing. She described how dehumanizing not having housing can be, that everybody is a human being and should be treated as such. She said if it weren’t for OTRCH she didn’t know what she would’ve done in order to be housed. Despite the fact that shelters never close and never stop working, they are bursting at the seams. Family shelters are forced to turn away about 75% of families with children seeking shelter. The women’s shelter is almost Editor & Staff Writer always full and having to turn people away. The young adult shelter is almost always full and having to turn people away. The men’s shelters are seeing record numbers. In spite of all of this, the numbers of people forced to live outside, including families with children are also increasing. According to the Homeless Coalition’s Executive Director, Josh Spring, “The only answer to this tragic, systematic problem is the construction and renovation of new affordable housing. There is no other way.” He continued, “Federal funds to do this work have already been cut and are currently on the chopping block. We must create a Local Affordable Housing Trust Fund or funds, administered by the Affordable Housing Rally Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 7 night for patrons 21 and up, and, on May 4, a “Star Wars” themed day for children and adults. Fischer hopes to host weekly events for toy lovers of all ages. To keep the play library free and accessible to everyone, Fischer registered as a nonprofit to receive grant funding and donations. In 2015, Fischer applied and received a Globe Grant from People’s Liberty, and was allotted space for 2 months in 2016 to first open her library in People’s Liberty’s store front. Fischer is actively recruiting volunteers to help run her Play Library. So far, she has trained 5 people, but could use many more eager hands to help. There are toy libraries all over the country supported under the USA Toy Library Association, but The Play Library is the first toy library of its kind in Cincinnati. Toy libraries are an example of a sharing economy and have a variety of benefits for children and their parents. These include: financial benefits, environmental benefits, social benefits and educational benefits. City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Such a fund would generate local revenue for the construction and operation of desperately needed affordable housing.” Adding, “If we do not do this, the situation will only become more desperate for many families and the city and county as a whole.” Longtime Streetvibes distributor, Lee McCoy, spoke about his personal experience with how City Hall and police criminalize poverty and people experiencing homelessness. Lee has been arrested while exercising his 1st amendment right to sell his (Continued on page 8) �8 LOCAL Photo Gallery: National Day of Action for Housing April 1, 2017 | Cincinnati, Ohio A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 Executive Director Josh Spring kicks off the rally The rally is calling for a permanent Affordable Housing Trust Fund Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Bonita Campbell informs the crowd about youth homelessness Lee McCoy shares his experiences with police and homelessness Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik Bonnie Neumeier gives historical perspective of affordable housing crisis MUSE Singers support the crowd through song Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik JUSTIN JEFFRE (Continued from page 7) newspapers. He also spoke about how he made a mistake 30 years ago that has prevented him from gaining employment and housing because of a felony for selling drugs in his distant past. Brian Taylor from Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati spoke about how the US has the money to pay for enough affordable housing, but chooses not to. He described how race and class play a factor in the lack of will to properly address this systemic problem. Leslie Moorhead, from the Cincinnati Health Network (and former director of development for the Homeless Coalition) spoke about how people experiencing Credit: Gretchen Marie Semancik homelessness are more likely to have negative health outcomes. In 2015 the Homeless Coalition counted 58 people locally that had passed away as they experienced homelessness that we know of (the actual number is probably larger) - and in 2016 that number grew to 72. The number has been growing every year in the 6 years I’ve attended the Homeless Memorial held in Washington Park THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED every December. Other speakers included Sherri Allen from Interfaith Hospitality Network, Bonita Campbell from Lighthouse Youth Services, Allen Dicken from AMOS, Cleve Williams from Interfaith Workers Center, Chris Williams from Shelterhouse, and Phil Schneider from Volunteers of America. �WORLD Britain’s dark history of criminalising homeless people in public spaces No. 35 3 | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 9 BY VICTORIA COOPER AND DANIEL MCCULLOCH, THE OPEN UNIVERSITY S ince the onset of austerity in 2010, the estimated number of people sleeping rough in England has more than doubled, from 1,768 in 2010, to 4,134 in 2016. As the number of homeless people increases, while support services and hostels are diminishing, rough sleepers are becoming ever more visible in British cities. But rather than finding ways to accommodate the homeless, the UK government has sought to criminalise them. From archaic vagrancy laws, to the more recent Public Spaces Protection Orders Courtesy of The Conversation / INSP.ngo During this time, land privatisation was being rolled out on a mass scale, and hundreds of thousands of people who lacked the means to purchase property were displaced from their homes and prohibited from accessing the land they once lived on. Vagrancy laws criminalised access to land in cases where there was no contractual relationship, which gave police the power to arrest people who were not legally bound to property or land. These individuals were characterised as “incorrigible rogues” and “mobile anomalies” by the law, and punished on begging, which sanctioned homeless communities en masse. When the coalition government came to power in 2010, these civil orders were amended to give local authorities even greater powers over what people do in public spaces. In particular, Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), brought in under the 2014 Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, allowed local authorities to enforce on-the-spot fines for certain activities. Predictably, local authorities are applying these new powers to target homeless people by sanctioning of resistance against these antihomeless measures. Both campaigns by organisations such as Liberty, and individuals like the family who placed cushions over anti-homeless spikes in Manchester, are challenging the punitive measures adopted by local authorities. In some areas this has led to the successful withdrawal of PSPO proposals. In austerity Britain, these movements are gathering momentum and stirring up indignation about the uneven distribution of wealth, property and land. Some resistance movements are even occupying Homelessness crimimalised by Britain Credit: özge çağla aktaş/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND (PSPOs), governments have been passing new laws and reviving old ones which result in the punishment of people with no fixed abode. People without access to land or property are denied the freedom to roam, sit, eat, wash or sleep in public spaces. Or, where local authorities do lawfully permit street homeless people to access and use public spaces (for homeless camps, homeless shelters or day centres), these sites are routinely monitored by criminal justice agencies, bringing the homeless under direct surveillance and control. Modern day vagrants The criminalisation of the homeless can be traced back to 1824 and beyond, when vagrancy laws were implemented to control the spread of “urban poverty” at the height of the industrial revolution. with flogging, incarceration and even transportation to penal colonies such as Australia. Fast forward almost two centuries, and these antiquated laws – and imperious attitudes – are still very much with us. In the period from 2006 to 2014, the number of court cases for “vagrancy-related offences” in England increased by 70% – from 1,510 prosecutions to 2,365. The most noteworthy cases involved three men who were very nearly prosecuted for taking food waste from a supermarket refuse bin, and an operation in Sussex involving undercover police, which led to the arrest of 60 rough sleepers for accepting money from the public. Hostile streets This is the work of successive governments. Civil orders introduced under Tony Blair to target “streetcrime” effectively led to a clampdown what they do in public spaces: street drinking, begging, camping in parks, defecating and urinating and in some cases even sleeping. Not only do PSPOs criminalise the homeless, they also make these tactics appear as a local response to a perceived problem and avoids the exposure and opposition which national measures usually invoke. Yet PSPOs are not a local response: their use is widespread across England, and it’s increasing, with one in 10 local authorities now using PSPOs to criminalise homeless people. To make matters worse, private owners of commercial land are boarding-up shop doorways, erecting spikes and using possession laws to forcibly remove the homeless from commercial spaces. The fight for the right to exist Yet there have been moments THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED empty properties to make space for homeless people and homeless communities themselves are documenting their own daily struggle as they fight for the right to exist in public spaces. Homelessness itself is not yet a crime, but anti-homeless laws and strategies are restricting homeless people’s freedom, and turning everyday activities into punishable offences. Yet survival defines the daily lives of homeless people, and in the face of oppression they will find new ways to expose the violence and prejudice they encounter in the every day. Victoria Cooper, Lecturer in Social Policy and Criminology, The Open University and Daniel McCulloch, Lecturer in Criminology and Social Policy, The Open University �10 NATIONAL Border Stories: Courageous Women I SR. NICOLE VARNERIN Contributing Writer ’ve noticed something a little different about the culture here in the Rio Grande Valley. I see a lot of women. Women are teaching, women are learning, women are immigrating, women are advocating, and women are making change. Most of the people at mass and working with the church are women. Women get things done in the valley. But then I ask, where are the men? The machismo culture present in the Rio Grande Valley accounts for the absence of men. Men and women are very much separate in the machismo culture, except of course when the man is satisfying his sexual desires. In the machismo culture, men have the right to satisfy their sexual desires in any way they choose and women are viewed only as objects to be controlled (1). To satisfy these desires and display their conquests to other machismos, men frequent bars and brothels with the mutual understanding that they will cover for each other. The job of the wife is to raise the children, keep the house, and provide moral respectability (2). But the job of the “outside wife” is to provide pleasure, excitement, and companionship (2). As a result, the men are rarely at home outside of work, but rather are out socializing at bars. While machismo does not describe all men in the valley, the culture is widespread enough that it is a part of life. Because women are left alone so often, they are expected to take care of everything. Women cook and clean, women work, women help their children with homework. To be a woman in machismo culture, you have to be strong and courageous. Oppression has not crushed women, oppression has made them subtly stronger so they can help create stronger future generations of women. Being left on their own creates an independence in the women of the valley. And it is a force to be reckoned with! These women have plenty to fear: abusive husbands, deportation, and border patrol. But these women have the courage to stand up to their husbands BILL WOODS (Continued from page 2) approved by voters last November, the Child Poverty Collaborative, and Cease Fire, a program that works with shooting victims. City Hall, according to Tait, needs to get more involved in these three initiatives and to provide additional financial support. Finally, he averred that Council and Mayoral candidates must recognize the role that racism plays in Cincinnati. In order for effective initiatives to occur, who just arrived home from the bar and protect their children. Women have the courage to face our racist government and demand change. Women have the courage to do what has never been done before. They may put their own lives on the line, but it is worth helping others and creating a more just world. I want to introduce you to three of these inspiring women. All names have been changed for privacy. Maria: Maria is a woman in her midthirties. She is your average woman and often pulls back her dark curls into a pony tail. Maria has seven children, ranging in age from 1 year to about 14. Maria’s husband is verbally abusive and spends most of the day with other men who have drug and gang affiliations. Maria spends the day in a tiny pop-up trailer cooking, cleaning, and finding work where she can. She lives for her children and will do anything to protect them. She brings them all to mass on Sunday, without their father. She recently expressed her fear of her husband and what he might do to her and her children. When we brought her some information on domestic violence abuse she bravely stated, if it gets any worse I am telling my husband that I will leave him and I will call this number. I can’t imagine what strength it will take for her to leave and start new, but her children are too precious. Ramona: Ramona is a community leader. Her goal is to empower other women to make change. She lives by the motto, “We do not do for the people what the people can do for themselves.” The organization Ramona works for, ARISE, is led by all women. She believes that if we invest in women, teach them to read and speak English, use herbal medicines and other valuable information, then we will create a chain reaction. The women will teach their children what they have learned, and the community becomes a better place. Ramona is making these courageous women into leaders. But she is not doing it alone, what wisdom! he concluded, "the big elephant in the room (racism) must be dealt with." "The Appalachian community is still here!" These were the opening words of Mike Maloney, the first Executive Director of the Urban Appalachian Council. "Few people want to recognize us," he emphasized, but the failure to recognize urban Appalachians creates unnecessary divisions and resentments in our City. He cited the Child Poverty Collaborative as an initiative that initially ignored the existence of Cincinnati's Appalachians, a situation A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 Lisa and Carmen: Lisa and Carmen are 18 and 16 years old respectively. They work with Ramona at ARISE. They are a part of the organization’s youth advocacy program. These women, immigrants who live in a poor colonia, are lobbying the government for change to the environmental racism they are experiencing. The water treatment plant for a city north of their community has been filling their streets with a foul sewage smell for over 50 years. The smell can create health problems and often gives headaches to the residents living and doing what is in their heart. Their lives may be full of fear. They may fear their husband. They may fear leaving the house because of the increased presence of border patrol. They may fear being deported and separated from their family and lifeline. They may fear the conditions in which they are forced to live. But they continue to live. What other choice do they have? We, as citizens of the interior of our country, and as humans, may fear “the other”. But we need to continue to live. We need to not let our fear control us. We need to be courageous Sr. Nicole with Ramona from ARISE after participating in their border witness Credit: ARISE because of its strength. It is only in the past two years that anyone has been able to make a difference. This effort is entirely led by the youth and they have succeeded in the city promising to build an up-to-date water treatment plant which will solve the smell. Lisa and Carmen speak eloquently and passionately about the issue saying that they learned the invaluable skill of leadership through their involvement. To read more about their effort you can check out #southtowerpower and #stopthesmell on social media or read this article: https://texashousers. net/tag/south-tower-power/ Each of these courageous women inspire me. They make me want to be courageous too. But the most inspiring part? They don’t realize they are being brave. They just keep like Maria, Rosa, Lisa, and Carmen. What other choice do we have? Being constantly fearful is no way to live. Causing constant fear is no way to live. Sources: 1. Parker, Richard. “Behavior of Latin American Men: implications for HIV/AIDS interventions” International Journal of STD & AIDS. (1996); 7 (Suppl.2): 62-65. 2. Hirsch, Jennifer; Meneses, Sergio; Thompson, Brenda; Negroni, Mirka; Pelcastre, Blanca; Rio, Carlos.  “The Inevitability of Infidelity: Sexual Reputation, Social Geographies, and Marital HIV Risk in Rural Mexico.”  Framing Health Matters. American Journal of Public Health. (2007). Vol 97 (6). 986-996. that has now been rectified. Maloney questioned the usual establishment approach of creating "big solutions" to community problems. These huge initiatives, he said, usually fail to get to the neighborhood level. Consequently, neighborhoods such as English Woods and Lower Price Hill are ignored, and the people on the street fail to get assistance. Besides, Appalachians, Maloney stressed that Cincinnati's leadership is tending to ignore our new immigrants. Hispanics could be called our new Appalachians, and their diverse problems as newcomers must be taken seriously. Justin Jeffre and Mark Samaan concluded the panel presentations with a call to revive the area's declining public transit system. The SORTA-managed system, Jeffre noted, is basically a city bus system. For this reason, it does not have the capacity to transport people to jobs located in the suburbs. Thus, many under employed or unemployed THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 12) �No. 35 3 11 LOCAL SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 those homeless today. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Bonnie Neumeier I have a grave concern about how housing development is done in our City. Without policies that are both equitable and ethical, without concrete plans and incentives for racially and economically diverse and inclusive neighborhoods, we in essence are creating a concentration of the privileged and displacing persons with low incomes from our MICHAEL EARL PATTON (Continued from page 7) hotter the western states were, but it is interesting that this is clearly an anomalous period. There were 11 years in a row with above average temperatures. Also, just like with the winter temperatures, there is a warming trend evident over the past few decades. The increased use of air conditioners over this period is partly due to their becoming less expensive, but it may also have something to do with the increase in summer temperatures. Of course I also looked at the annual average temperatures over this period, which is also shown. Again, the average temperature Contributing Writers urban core neighborhoods. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT I have witnessed the decline of affordable housing both in the central business district and Over-the-Rhine and the West End and many other neighborhoods in this city. All of us benefit if we live in neighborhoods that value the strengths and assets that our people possess, even if we have only pennies in our pockets. In 1973 we opened a storefront on Vine Street to house persons experiencing homelessness, 25 – 30 mats for men. That number has grown huge over these 44 years, families with children are the face of I’ve seen the loss of single room occupancy units of housing disappear (the Milner, the Metropole, the Dennison). Gone. People can’t rent by the week in this city, that option no longer exists. When working day labor jobs or low wage jobs sometimes a worker can only afford a week’s rent. We also now have landlords opting out of subsidy when they catch the gentrification fever. (Continued on page 12) square miles, is going to break off in the next few months or year. Already there is a crack in it that is about 80 miles long. The chart showing the global data is in line with expectations from the previous data. There is indeed a warming trend evident, especially over the past few decades. The amount of warming is less than what we saw just for the contiguous United States, but that was for an area that is mostly land, while the global chart gives the average for both land and water. As one would expect, the vast amount of ocean has moderated the increase. The NOAA “Climate at a Glance” section allows one to select among Thermometer Credit: Michael Earl Patton varies from year to year, but now there is a strong trend towards warming, starting about 1970. The effect of the two very cold winters in the late 1970’s is still seen, but this time they do not dominate the chart. The “Dust Bowl” era is barely noticeable. This is not surprising as seasonal anomalies are now being averaged in with overall trends. The data show that there is a warming trend over the contiguous United States, but what about the planet as a whole? Before I show the data from NOAA, I want to point out that the first tourist cruise ship went through the Northwest Passage last year – a cruise ship(!), not an icebreaker. In the Antarctic, the Larsen A ice shelf broke up in 1995. It had formed about 4,000 years ago. From 1998 to 2002 most of the bigger Larsen B ice shelf disintegrated. It was at least 10,000 years old. Now, in 2017, it looks like about a tenth of Larsen C, meaning about 1,900 global temperatures for land, water, or both. I am including only the one for both since that is the one that is most truly global. The one just for land shows a larger increase; the one just for water, a smaller increase. Note also that the overall trend towards warming is not as jagged as the graph for the contiguous United States. And this was my first purpose in presenting these data. While there is a strong trend towards warming, when one looks at just one area of the planet there can be large variations from season to season and from year to year. So again, just because recent winters have been relatively warm (and gas supplies adequate), that is no guarantee for the future. In addition, hotter summers and the change from burning coal to burning gas for electrical generation will ensure even more usage during the summer, possibly crimping supplies for that winter. It would almost be irresponsible for me not to mention that the claim “global warming is a hoax” is not credible. There are too much data which are consistent with our own experiences and with events such as the break-up of Antarctic ice shelves THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED that had been thousands of years old, for such a claim to be taken seriously. For such a claim to be taken seriously, it needs to be presented with at least as much data as has been presented here. Instead, such claims are generally followed by some news item that it was abnormally cold or snowed in some part of the world on such a date or even a whole season. But anomalies are to be expected in localized places and restricted times. That is what the data show. That was what I started out to show. Some advice to skeptics: all that I have shown here was the existence of global warming, especially over the past few decades. I have not said anything about the cause. I have not shown that the cause is exclusively man-made, or even predominately man-made (although I do think that is the most likely explanation). Manmade causes are generally thought to be emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. Two of the possible natural causes are solar variations in the sun’s output and perturbations in the Earth’s orbit. Perhaps I will cover these some other time. In the meantime, my advice to skeptics is to not doubt the fact of global warming. There may be some room for debate as to the cause(s), especially how much contribution the different factors make. And there is more room for debate as to what our response should be. But there is no reason to doubt global warming itself. �12 LOCAL A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation BILL WOODS (Continued from page 10) Cincinnati residents have no way to connect with available factory jobs. Besides the affordable housing crisis, this gap in the public transit system ranks as a factor that keeps people in poverty. BONNIE NEUMEIER (Continued from page 11) SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Our Public Servants sitting in the seats of power need to legislate our protection. As renters we are vulnerable to market forces. We need to require developers to do a percentage of affordable housing. This issue of affordable housing has been studied enough. We’ve got the data. We’ve had the data. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS DWINDLING. We need action. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT Our City needs to support equitable development, development without displacement. According to Samaan, "Our bus system does a poor job of connecting people to jobs and fails to efficiently move people to where they need to go. It is only convenient for those who have no other option, and because of that fewer and fewer people are using metro for travel and it connects to fewer places. Service cuts have made much of the region inaccessible without a 3 to 4-hour bus commute." Although a truly regional public transit system should be created, Jeffre declared that at the very least a levy is needed to attend to years of neglect. Citizens must convince City candidates that good public transit is essential, and that the great need of many people for effective transit should not be confused with the luxury of the streetcar. The Community Forum on April 13th features the Cincinnati Mayoral candidates. There are tools and resources that can help make things right. We need to push and support a Local Housing Trust Fund, create inclusionary zoning, and have an effective antidisplacement ordinance. Developers must be willing to enter in to Community Benefit Agreements. We have to get much more creative and use alternative models like Community Land Trusts. When plans are made in our communities without the peoples input and voice in decision making…. our needs and wants get overlooked. As renters, we call our neighborhoods our home. It’s not fair, it’s not just, that when the waves of gentrification overpower our neighborhoods, it’s the poor, the working poor whose lives get yanked around like their checker pieces. I long to see the day when I get a colorful postcard in my mail box that announces there are affordable housing units a plenty in our neighborhoods. they have lived simple lives on simple budgets. Down to earth, ordinary, common. Her giddy laugh lifted my spirits that morning. We need to do more for the commoners. Our people get that feeling they are not wanted when we see development that does not consider our needs and wants and prices us out of our neighborhoods we call HOME. SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT When I got this card in the mail from Coldwell Banker announcing a unit on Vine Street for $349,900 I remembered my neighbor, Gertrude. She lived at this address above what used to be Al Rohs Hardware store. Gertrude was 93 years old. One day she grabbed my hand while crossing Vine Street on her way to catch the bus. She says: Bonnie, I don’t think these new people want to live around us. They have good apartments, they look nice. But I don’t think they want to live around me. I’m thinking in my heart: Who wouldn’t want to live around Gertrude? It’s folks like her I want to live around. She’s open and honest. The stories people carry in their bones; THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED SOMETHING’S WRONG HERE, WE NEED TO RIGHT IT GET UP GET DOWN THERE’S A HOUSING CRISIS IN OUR TOWN (Bonnie Neumeier is a longtime community activist in Over-the-Rhine. This is a transcript of her speech at the April 1st rally for an affordable housing trust fund.) �No. 35 3 | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 13 STREET VOICE A DIVERSIONARY TWEET CAN YOU Looking to create some diversionary drama, Can You shut ‘em down? Does the world believe Trump Tweeted he was bugged by Obama. that this is the world’s solution? His accusation received a big media splash, Can you shut ‘em down? But then the F.B.I Chief declared it was trash. Now the real question is as sure as shootin', What are the ties between Trump and Putin? Contributing Writer Can you shut ‘em down? The free clinics, people homeless, Can you shut ‘em down? Crying Rain Looking out the window The rain is falling hard, and fast There are intervals of thunder Slashing ever so often And then it suddenly stops Until the next thunder slash appears It lets you know that God is, near So take heed Listen to his might Because thunder and rain, Will, be coming Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer now that’s pollution no more Drop Inn Center BILL WOODS KIM GREEN Keeping factory’s open with no work, Washington Park, the sanitation workers, I can’t help but litter Can you shut ‘em down? Over-the-Rhine was white, then it was black, I thought we were all together Can you shut ‘em down? I’m confused so tell Congress I really thought they knew better Can you believe in your heart that the decisions of our country are either Republican or Democratic? Can you believe that out of all the people in the world two simple parties be worthy of so much static? Can you close your eyes to the reality of the fear that has such a tight grip on our nation today? Can you keep living shut down and shut up? I’m baffled but not a loss for words I can honestly say For me, learning to live without doubt or fear in my life and keeping God so close to my heart I have no doubt that without God’s blessings this world is doomed to fall completely apart With much faith and without any regard for the Republicans or Democrats controlling my being Without any doubt what so ever today I know that almighty God is the only real thing So can you shut ‘em down? Now slow down and take the time to think, what do you really understand? You need to come back into the days of Adam and Eve and remember when only God ruled the land! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 122 Across 1. A collection of facts 5. Long narrative poem 9. Celestial body 13. Graphic symbol 14. Medium of communication 16. Currency of France 17. Mixture of smoke and fog 18. Particular environment or walk of life 19. Adjoin 20. Serf 22. Sail a zigzag course 23. Renown 24. Sanguine 26. Polynesian dance 28. Cuban dance 33. Relating to principles of right or wrong 36. Veneration 37. Uniform projections on a gear 39. Frozen 41. Cultivate by growing 43. Solid chemical element 45. Frost 46. Giant 48. Ashen 50. Container 51. Hurled 53. Rapidity 55. At the peak 57. Golf peg 58. Thin strip of wood or metal 61. Small stream 64. Cattle farm 68. Apiece 69. A news story reported first 71. Unaccompanied 72. Reverberation 73. Body 74. Ellipse 75. Intense or sharp 76. Trial 77. Part of the neck food Down 1. Particular item of prepared 67. One playing period in golf 2. The highest point of something 3. Implement 4. Domestic breed of goat 5. Epoch 6. Component 7. Notion 8. Something that is easy to do 9. Mariner 10. Brass instrument 11. Starch resembling sago 12. Memorization by repetition 15. Loose fiber obtained from unravelling old ropes 21. Portable shelter 25. Consider 27. Captain's journal 28. Handle of a tool or weapon 29. Look forward to 30. Mooring 31. Bobbin SODOKU PUZZLE NO 252 - MEDIUM 32. Garret 34. Legal excuse 35. Boundary 38. Possess 40. Abnegate 42. Long distance race 44. Rhythmicity 47. Mesh 49. Cervid 52. Least favorable outcome 54. Rationality 56. Looped edging 58. Look for 59. Decorative woven fabric 60. Dull pain 62. Traditional knowledge 63. Result of expenditure in excess of income 65. Type of star 66. Applaud 70. Cooking vessel PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 121 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 251- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 35 3 RESOURCES | A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 Medical Van 352-6364 352-6363 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 131 E. 12th Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1125 Bank Street 45214 Shelter: Men Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 411 Gest St. 45203 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 2121 Vine Street 45202 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Starting Over 961-2256 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Parkway Center 661-4620 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Shelter: Family Interfaith Hospitality Network 15 First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) Housing: 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Our Daily Bread 621-6364 $100 for 26 issues $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 558-8888 351-3500 977-4489 Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A p r i l 7 - A p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 17 | N o . 35 3 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 7-April 20, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Issues Council and Mayoral Candidates Need to Address Pg 3: Interconnectedness Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: Weather Trends Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: The Play Library National Day of Action to End the Housing Crisis Pg 8: Photo Gallery Pg 9: Britain’s Dark History of Criminalizing homeless People in Public Spaces Pg 10: Border Stories Pg 11: Something’s Wrong Here, We Need to Right It Pg 12: Bill Woods Continued Bonnie Neumeier Continued Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 7-April 20, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Michael Earl Patton Gretchen Marie Semancik Justin Jeffre Bonnie Neumeier Sr. Nicole Varnerin Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Alice Schneider Gaelyn Sullivan ARISE Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Alice Schneider ARISE Bill Woods Bonnie Neumeier Border Stories Britain city council Dr. Mark Mussman Gaelyn Sullivan GCHC Gretchen Marie Semancik Housing Crisis Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kim Green Mayoral Michael Earl Patton Photography Sr. Nicole Varnerin Voting Weather Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/be0fd6b6376e2d709b6abacf7a75a9ae.pdf 9b56882b4ff056533ef3b36e1c4ac9e2 PDF Text Text April 8th - April 21st 2016 | Vol. 20 Issue 8 (No. 327) advocating justice | Building community Good White People short film screening | 4 This issue sponsored by (Retired) Judge Mark P. Painter INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Director: Kidnapped| 2 Who’s Afraid of Richard Wolff? | 3 Reducing Cincinnati’s Child Poverty Rate | 5 Making Metro More Accessible | 7 Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From the Director: Kidnapped JOSH SPRING T Executive Director he last resident at the historic Dennison Hotel was removed from his home in handcuffs. Due to the fear and stress induced by the constant pressure from the new owners for him to move and this final forceful removal, he was admitted to the hospital because his heart was not functioning properly. He had committed no crime and had done nothing wrong. The new owners simply would not allow him or his previously displaced neighbors to continue to live in their homes. One such neighbor, an elderly woman in fragile health left before the handcuffs came out and was forced into homelessness. She had been the initial whistle-blower that came to tell us that Model Management and Talbert House were planning to displace everyone in the building. She asked our Homeless Coalition to join her in organizing her neighbors to fight to save their homes. Until August 17, 2011 for many decades the Dennison Hotel boasted 114 homes which were affordable to people on low incomes, fixed incomes or sporadic incomes. For countless people, the Dennison was the difference between the sanctity of a home and the exposure of homelessness. The Dennison at 716 Main Street was one of the last of its kind in the city and specifically in Cincinnati’s Central Business District (CBD) neighborhood. Before it fell, after a two-and-a-half-year battle waged by Residents and the Homeless Coalition, the residents of the Metropole Apartments at 609 Walnut Street had been forced out by 3CDC in order to open the exclusive 21c hotel. This was a loss of 223 affordable homes in the CBD. Before this, the Fort Washington on Main closed; a loss of 75 homes. And before that the Milner Hotel was torn down and replaced by expensive condos on Garfield, another loss of 114 residences. Most recently Western and Southern forced the century-old Anna Louise Inn out of the CBD. In fact, since 1990 Cincinnati’s Central Business District has lost approximately 984 affordable homes, due primarily to gentrification through the forced removal of people with low incomes and the subsequent flip to expensive housing for an exclusive group of people. In 1990 there were approximately 44 buildings with 1248 affordable homes in the CBD. Today there are approximately 19 buildings with 264 affordable residences. 105 of these are at the YWCA building on Walnut. The loss of the Dennison is an example of poor planning, lack of respect for the Residents that lived there, an undervaluing of the need for significant quantities of affordable housing, the disregard of reality and eventual gentrification. In 2010 Model Management purchased the Dennison. In partnership with Talbert House they hoped to empty the building and rehab its single room occupancy apartments into 65 larger affordable supportive housing apartments. As they considered this plan they did not consult with the people who called the Dennison home, the Homeless Coalition or its many direct-service Member Organizations including shelters, soup kitchens, outreach workers, housing organizations, etc. Instead they took over the property and inconsistently told Residents they would eventually have to move. This of course caused fear and anxiety and some people left, heading to less stable situations while other people stayed feeling they did not know what the near future held. We began working with Residents who in a united front wanted to save their housing, but because the rental arrangement was of a month to month nature, Residents did not have a strong legal argument to save their housing and Model and Talbert were sticking to their plan. Working with an organized group of Residents, we were successful in convincing Model to communicate with Residents in a more consistent fashion so that people would not leave prematurely. We also got Model to agree to pay moving expenses and assist people in finding reservation housing. While some people did end up in potentially stable housing, most likely did not and virtually none desired to move. People had chosen to live at the Dennison because it worked for their lives. It could be that it was near their place of employment, or near friends they enjoyed or near many bus lines or any of the many reasons people choose to live where they do. Instead of respecting the desires of the people who lived in the Dennison and consulting with organizations that would better understand the need for the type of housing the Dennison offered, Model and Talbert emptied the building and then began publically working on their plan to reduce the number of units to 65 supportive housing units. They claimed that this plan was a part of the city’s Homeless to Homes plan, even though that plan called for Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 more housing, not less and though the Homeless Coalition publically explained that this displacement of people should not be considered a part of the Homeless to Homes plan, the city did not take a stance. Model and Talbert applied for low-income tax credits to fund the renovation of the property. They were denied. They applied the next year and were denied. They were denied for various reasons. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency said that their overall proposed cost of renovation was too great. In addition to that the Joseph family of the Joseph Auto Group used their close ties to the local Republican Party to influence the decisions because they desired to own the Dennison in order to tear it down and create parking. The Joseph family was successful and eventually took ownership of the property. Guess what, now they are hoping to tear it down. In fact, they will be in front of the city’s Historic Conservation Board on April 18th at 3pm to attempt to convince the board to allow them to tear it down despite the building’s historic designation. The Joseph family would rather see paidparking than people with low incomes residing on Main Street in the Central Business District. So, that’s the history. If Model and Talbert had properly valued the people who lived in the Dennison and the great need for large quantities of affordable housing, they would not have displaced people to begin with. They would not have moved forward with a plan to deplete the number of affordable homes while having no confirmed source of funds. And they would not have exposed the property to the greedy influence of the wealthy Joseph family. In short, all of this was preventable. In fact, every bit of the massive displacement and affordable housing loss in the Central Business District neighborhood has been preventable. In 1985, city council stated that the number of affordable homes in the CBD must be kept at no less than 1300. The need for affordable housing is greater now than it was then and many more individuals and families with children are experiencing homelessness today than in 1985. Despite that fact, instead of maintaining and adding more affordable housing to the CBD, we have eliminated approximately 984 affordable homes since 1990, leaving the CBD with approximately 264 affordable homes, 115 of which are in one building and specifically for older people. Once the Metropole closed, the CBD lost its long-standing designation as a racially integrated neighborhood. We have turned the CBD into an exclusive neighborhood for people (Continued on page 5) THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Leslie Moorhead Director of Education: Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Peter Kobak Reception: Derrick Hudson, Iolanda Barton, Patricia J. Brown, Larry Johnson, Dante Williams Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Griffin Ritze, Erick Stoll, Jason Haap, Bill Woods, Jim Luken, Michael Earl Patton, Steve Sunderland, Sharon Doering, Leslie Moorhead, H. Lee Bowen, Willa Denise Jones Photography/Artwork: Justin Jeffre, Michael Earl Patton, Dr. Mark Mussman, Grace Place Catholic Worker, Bill Woods Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �WORLD Who’s Afraid of Richard Wolff? 3 No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 GRIFFIN RITZE F or generations, working people have shied away from Socialism as the political alternative to the inequality and misery generated by the excesses of capitalism. In the mainstream, the collapse of the Soviet Union seemed to indicate the culmination of the international Socialist political project and its defeat. In the following decades, capitalism developed into a near global consensus through the military, economic, and political domination of the United States. In recent times of economic recession and stagnation in the United States, international capitalist investment has driven India and China into a period of incredible economic growth while developing countries and post-industrial economies like the U.S. compete for investment resources. Since 1998, China for example has achieved between 7.8-14% annual growth in terms of GDP compared to the 3.8% average growth of the U.S. economy during the post-war boom of roughly 1946-1973. (GDP meaning, the gross domestic product: the total value of goods produced and services provided in a country in one year.) With the increasing demand of consumer goods brought on by the postwar boom, the capitalists in the U.S. realized that they could meet the demand for consumer goods while generating increasing profits by outsourcing the production of consumer goods to cheap labor markets in other countries, such as China, where they could pay workers much lower wages. For working people in the U.S. and throughout the world this has meant a loss of jobs and income due to the increasing global competition between workers. The long term effects of this reconfiguration of the global economy were not anticipated by working people in the U.S. Through the economic gains won by unions in the U.S. and the civil rights reforms won by movements of people of color, women, LGBT people, and disabled people it seemed that living conditions for the working class would infinitely increase and expand to those social groups that were historically shut out of middle class ascendance. The prosperity of the postwar boom was not sustainable. A series of national and global economic crises unfolded throughout the 70’s and into the present that further displaced investment to wherever it was most profitable for the capital- Contributing Writer Richard Wolff speaking at NKU Photo: Justin Jeffre ist system. In the U.S. factories were closed, the city centers were abandoned by the ‘white flight’ of capital into the ever expanding suburbs. Jobs in the U.S. were outsourced to cheaper international labor markets, lost to unemployment, or whittled away by automation and demands by the management class for increased productivity from workers. Unions suffered massive decreases in membership and strength as the capitalists beat back wages, employment benefits, and working conditions through collusion with the labor union bureaucracy. For the average household in the U.S., incomes stagnated from 1973 to the present while productivity rose substantially. Wealth became increasingly concentrated in the hands of a small group of people as income inequality grew. Today, the top one percent of income earners in the U.S. hold 40% of the wealth. Globally, the 67 richest people on the planet own more wealth than the 3.5 billion poorest. Throughout this period of increasing hardship for working people in the U.S. Socialism had been cast aside as a failed experiment. The limits and failures of the Soviet project came to be seen as a condemnation of a political alternative to capitalism that could enhance the lives of working people and end the domination of the capitalist imperial powers. Critics of capitalism in the U.S. who were censored and marginalized through the channels of capi- Wall in Eden Park made by the Works Progress Administration Photo: Justin Jeffre talist ideological rule during the Cold War era were cast aside by the 1990’s as irrelevant or crazy. There was a new global capitalist consensus as indicated by international trade agreements like NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) which further displaced production of goods such as cars and allowed companies like Volkswagen to pay Mexican autoworkers $8.00 an hour today over the average $35 an hour that an American autoworker is paid. Workers in the United States and other post-industrial Western countries were forced to compete against workers in developing nations in a global ‘race to the bottom’ for the lowest wages that the capitalists could get away with. Capitalism’s critics, supposedly made irrelevant – have become increasingly louder and more influential since the most recent economic crisis that began in 2007. Richard Wolff, one such critic has observed a dramatic surge of interest in Socialism as a renewed political force in recent years: “For the future of the left, there is encouragement in the more positive view of socialism among younger generations. In a recent YouGov poll, 52% of Americans had a favorable view of capitalism, while only 26% had a favorable view of Socialism. However, among those younger than 30s, 36% had a positive view of socialism, while 39% had a positive view of capitalism.” Richard Wolff, has been a professor of economics nearly all of his adult life and was trained as an economist at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. Wolff made critical contributions to Marxist economic and political theory during a time when the capitalist ideological consensus was pervasive throughout academia in the U.S. and all of society’s social and cultural structures. (For context, Janet Yellen, the current chair of the Federal Reserve in the U.S. Was one of Wolff’s classmates at Harvard.) Through this dark period for capitalism’s critics in the university, Richard Wolff remained convinced of the fundamental instability and injustice of the capitalist system. In 2011, following the cry against rising income inequality in the U.S. embodied in Occupy Wall Street, Wolff began a weekly radio program called THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Economic Update. The program initially aired on one public radio station in California and has since expanded to dozens of radio outlets and become wildly popular as an online podcast. Economic Update provides working people an analysis of economic developments nationally and globally in a plainly spoken and accessible style of delivery. Wolff’s dry sense of humor and relatable observations have proven to be instructional devices for economic and political theories that can be daunting for people to comprehend without guidance or encouragement. Wolff has also been a longtime advocate for cooperative democratic worker ownership of businesses within the capitalist economy. Imagining Socialism as a renewed political project, for Wolff, demands the proven success of alternative methods of organizing the workplace under capitalism: “An enterprise only qualifies as “Socialist” once the distinction between employers and employees within it has been abolished. When workers collectively and democratically produce, receive and distribute the profits their labor generates, the enterprise becomes Socialist. Such enterprises can then become the base of a Socialist economy - its micro-level foundation - supporting whatever ownership system (public and/or private) and distribution system (planning and/or market) constitute that economy’s macro level.” Additionally, Wolff is the cofounder of Democracy at Work a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that advocates for the creation of workers self-directed enterprises (WSDEs) through the conversion of existing capitalist enterprises and the support of new businesses in that model which centers the ownership and democratic control of production in the hands of the workers. Amidst the rising calls for a $15 minimum wage and meaningful employment for working people – worker self-directed enterprises are an important project that points to the potential of a Socialist movement that can inspire alternative ways of organizing the workplace and the economy. The taboo of Socialism has been broken in the United States. The capitalist class has abandoned working people throughout the world in their search for cheaper labor and larger profits. Millions of people have been inspired by the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and his proud identification as a ‘Democratic Socialist’. The Black Lives Matter movement has galvanized the struggle for civil rights and fueled the desire for a politics that rejects capitalism. Critics like Richard Wolff are an important voice among many for a renewed international Socialist project. Working people throughout the world are beginning to realize the power that we can achieve today when we begin to think and act collectively. In a time of growing class consciousness in the U.S. it is crucial that we begin to move toward a Socialist politics that can exceed what was seemed to be impossible only years ago. ------------------------ �4 LOCAL Good White People short film screening ERICK STOLL 45 Contributing Writer days. 200 dollars. That’s what Reginald Stroud Sr. and his family were offered when the building they rented in Over-The-Rhine was bought. Reginald lived at 1232 (?) Walnut St. for over ten years, running two businesses below: Anybody’s Dream, a popular variety store, and a martial arts school, where he taught. Watching Over-The-Rhine gentrify around him, Reginald thought he might be able to survive the wave of development and white newcomers. Anybody’s Dream was no common convenience store. In addition to the usual snacks, soda, and canned foods, the store carried Halloween costumes, used video games, incense, lingerie, classic literature, and most famously, 2 cent candy. On the average afternoon, Anybody’s Dream was packed with folks from the neighborhood, exchanging gossip, sampling out the many varieties of candy, playing a video game in the back corner, or just hanging out. Reginald knew nearly all his customers by name, and had seen neighborhood children become adults before his eyes over the years. In contrast to the controlled chaos of his busy store, Reginald ran his karate school next door with a firm, but caring touch. He taught his students, many from Over-The-Rhine, classic martial arts techniques and practical street-safety moves alike. He emphasized the importance of offering affordable lessons, so that kids in the city who couldn’t pay $200 a month could still study martial arts. In 2014, Urban Sites, a marketrate developer with a large presence on Main Street, bought the buildings that housed Anybody’s Dream, the karate school, the apartment shared by Reginald, his wife Miranda, and their three children, as well as a dozen or so other elderly and lowincome tenants. When the building sold, Reginald says, someone from Urban Sites briefly entered his store to introduce himself, insisted that they weren’t going be making any changes right away, and then left. The next time Reginald heard from Urban Sites, it was in the form of a noticed taped to his door, telling him he had 45 days to move his home and two businesses, and offering $200 for their inconveniences. $200 might be enough to rent you a moving truck to move across town, but it’s nothing to a family who is losing their source of income, their businesses. And 45 days isn’t near enough time to relocate two businesses. I met Reginald Stroud shortly after he received this notice. A friend, Jarrod-Welling Cann, and I had heard about what was happening and approached him with the hopes of following his family for a documentary film about gentrification in Over-The-Rhine. Reginald didn’t hesitate: he knew what was happening to him was wrong, and he wanted to tell his story. To Reginald, as to much of the community, it was obvious: white people with money are moving into the neighborhood, pushing black people out. What most insulted Reginald, I think, was that Urban Sites didn’t even entertain the possibility of his businesses returning to the building after it was renovated, nor did they offer him any extra time or compensation as someone losing two businesses. According to Reginald, “they had another plan, and we weren’t in that plan.” But why not? Wouldn’t two family-owned businesses beloved by the community be the exact thing that developers would strive to maintain as they pay lip service to the notion of a “diverse, mixedincome neighborhood”? Of course not, and we know why: gentrification is a racist, classist process, and a “diverse, mixedincome neighborhood” is just a stepping-stone on the way to exclusively wealthy, white neighborhoods. The white executives at Urban Sites took one look at Reginald’s businesses, which served a predominately black clientele, and knew it wasn’t what they wanted in their newly renovated building; they see no future for low-income black folk in Over-TheRhine. For the next month, we filmed as Reginald and his family closedup shop and prepared for the move, maintaining karate classes and the stocking bare essentials in the store until the day they left. We saw his friends and customers react to the news with anger and sadness, but also resignation, as though they knew it was inevitable. And up the block, in the evenings, we saw growing crowds of boisterous white newcomers, commonly drunk, shuttling down 12th street between the bars on Main and A Triumvirate of Anti-Thought JASON HAAP C Contributing Writer onfirmation bias, negativity bias, and the backfire effect: these constitute a Triumvirate of Anti-Thought, and my fear is there isn’t anything we can do to stop it. First, a quick summary of our Three Harbingers of The Intellectual Apocalypse: 1. Confirmation bias: We are psy- chologically predisposed to interpret information in a way that supports what we already think. And, if something really challenges our positions, it’s pretty easy to find something that debunks our opponent and further emphasizes our sense of rightness. I am an atheist, for example. Sometimes, theists will try to convince me that it is “logical” to believe Feb.12- 25 , 2015 | No. 297 Vine streets, ignorant of and indifferent to the struggles of long-time residents around them. This is why Jarrod and I made our short film, now titled “Good White People”. We wanted to show that the redevelopment of Over-TheRhine might be exciting for white professionals moving to the city, but was a racist, violent process for those whose livelihoods and community are threatened by it. Our film is a testament to the experience of Reginald and other OTR residents who have been displaced, and a call to the ‘good white people’ moving into the neighborhood to confront their role in this process, and, hopefully, to join the struggle against it. On April 16th at 3pm, “Good White People” will be premiering in Over-The-Rhine at St. Francis Seraph School at the corner of Vine and Liberty streets. We’ve teamed up with the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, and will be hosting a discussion after the screening featuring Reginald and other current and former residents of Over-The-Rhine sharing their perspectives on race and gentrification. The event is free and all are welcome. It’s too late to save Anybody’s Dream and the karate school on Walnut St. from being pushed out. But we hope “Good White People” will contribute to a growing awareness that economic development without economic justice is just another brutal capitalist process that perpetuates the marginalization and incarceration of our low-income brothers and sisters of color. Learn more at facebook.com/ goodwhitepeople in God, if for no other reason than the universe must have been caused by something that exists outside of space and time. When I refuse to accept the premise (because if God can exist without being caused, then why can’t the universe?), they will ask me to explain what “caused” the Big Bang. I have no idea what caused the Big Bang (if the Big Bang is even what really happened, as some newer theories are starting to emerge). To them, it is absurd that I would say “I don’t know.” They think I’m dodging the issue because I don’t want to acknowledge the “logic” of their position. I think they are just arguing for “the God of the Gaps,” simply inserting the supernatural whenever we find an area not solved (yet) by science. In other words, though we each have the same conversation, and examine the same “evidence,” we each end up having our beliefs confirmed - “we” are right and “they” are wrong. 2. Negativity bias: This is a tricky one, though it probably served us rather well from an evolutionary standpoint. (There I go again with my atheistic beliefs, so apologies to any fundamentalist readers who believe in Creationism.) Generally feeling a sense of contentment doesn’t help us protect the tribe from predators. For millions of years, this trait helped us survive. The problem, THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ (Continued on page 11) �LOCAL Reducing Cincinnati’s Child Poverty Rate by 22-Percent By 2020 5 No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 BILL WOODS Contributing Writer H ow do you significantly reduce child poverty in Cincinnati? At the Community Issues Forum at Christ Church Cathedral on March 24th, Ross Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact at the United Way, addressed this question and encouraged Forum attendees to offer their ideas for shrinking the high number children living in poverty in the Queen City? Last year they launched the Child Poverty Collaborative. Although the Collaborative was initially going to launch the project this June, it recently announced that more planning and information gathering were needed before forging ahead. The Rand Corporation, a think tank based in a Washington, D.C., has been hired to do this preliminary work. Meyer began his presentation by citing some of the dismal data concerning child poverty in this city and region. 2012 Census statistics revealed 53-percent of Cincinnati’s children living in poverty, and that fact gave the city the second highest ranking for child poverty in the na- tion. Another study in 2014 came up with a slightly lower number, 44-percent, and reported that one out of every five children living in Hamilton County lives in poverty. The child poverty rate for the entire country is 22-percent. Acknowledging the impact of the Urban League’s report, “The State of Black Cincinnati -2015: Two Cities,” Meyer called it “a wake-up call” for this community. This comprehensive report, he said, revealed the long term and systemic failure of this city to effectively address the causes of poverty. However, the amount of public concern about these grim statistics, he continued, provides us with “a unique opportunity to act - to launch some bold goals for our community.” What are some of these bold goals? Meyer cited making quality pre-school available to every poor child as one major advance, and he described “Preschool Promise” as a current local initiative that seeks to achieve this end. He also noted that children are part of families in poverty, and effective new initiatives must be aimed at improving the lives of these families. Meyer admitted that low paying jobs are keeping most of these families in poverty, and that more and better employment programs are needed to give people the skills for higher paying work. He said that one recent effort funded by the United Way had succeeded in training 10,000 people for such jobs. Since the Child Poverty Collaborative is still in the planning stage, Meyer stressed that his job now is to hear from the community. One attendee questioned whether enough high paying, skilled jobs existed to emphasize job training as the key strategy for ending poverty. The same speaker cited studies that predict that technology is going to steadily reduce the number of total jobs available for all people in search of employment. “In the end,” said another attendee, “don’t we have to say that all work is valuable, and pay people a living wage?” The huge cuts in recent years of federal, state, and local dollars for programs and services to assist the poor were stressed by a Forum attendee as a key factor that must be considered. “The elimination of the entitlement program, Aid to Families With Dependent Children, in 1996, was a major setback for struggling families with children!” Another attendee declared that a lack of affordable housing kept thousands of families in dire economic straits or homeless. A giant step toward ending family and child poverty, said the questioner, would be to rehab and build many more units of decent, safe, and affordable housing. Meyer admitted that many of the Forum attendees already knew the major causes of poverty and the steps needed to reduce it. People like them, he said, would be crucial in the long term struggle to adequately address these causes. As an “insider,” Meyer sees his role as engaging business leaders and the community at-large in the Collaborative’s goal of lifting 10, 000 children out of poverty by 2020. He reiterated that this initiative would hold one-hundred community meetings in the coming months. (Part IV of this Forum Series on reducing poverty will take place on April 14th. A panel will discuss innovative approaches to creating new jobs in Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.”) ------------------------ Ross Meyer speaking at the community issues forum at Christ Church Cathedral Photo: Justin Jeffre JOSH SPRING (Continued from page 2) with deep pockets and because of vast racism in our country, deep pockets also systematically means white skin. This is not the end of the story however. The only way to reverse a negative path is to start down a good one. We can stop the Joseph family from being able to tear down the Dennison, by convincing the Historic Conservation Board to not allow the demolition. We can then push city council to fund the re-establishment of affordable housing in the Dennision. People started and fed this problem, people can also end it. And we must not stop with the Dennision, the CBD, like all of our neighborhoods should be a place that anyone can call home if they so desire. *1990 Housing Numbers taken THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED from a study of affordable housing in Central Business District jointly completed by the Legal Aid Society and the City of Cincinnati in 1990. ------------------------ �6 LOCAL The Game of a Lifetime or It’s Only a Game JIM LUKEN Contributing Writer “The fight is won or lost, far away from witnesses.” Muhammad Ali I sit down at my machine, late on the night before the absolute final deadline for Streetvibes. I have written hundreds of articles and essays here over the past five years. Many are intense, some angry. Tonight, for only the second time. I will do an article about sports. Sports—especially national sporting events—do not fit comfortable into the “mission statement” of the Homeless Coalition or of Streetvibes. This paper has—as they say—more important fish to fry. But sports are a part of most of our lives, even the lives of the poorest of the poor. Most of my neighbors, and my friends among the vendors of this paper, enjoy sports, and support our local teams. I write this article on the night when the Reds played this year’s “opening game.” I confess: I don’t really like baseball, and do not even know who won the game. This article is about basketball. Earlier tonight I went to a bar and watched the collegiate national championship game. Villanova, my graduate school alma mater, won with a “three pointer” at the buzzer. Hockey is my favorite sport. I played men’s hockey until I was 63. But it is very expensive to play. As much as $1000 for equipment and skates. Rental fees every time you take the ice. And six players on each team. I love watching professional football. But in order to play the game you need expensive equipment and 11 players per team. Basketball is different. More than any other competitive sport, basketball, to borrow some of my earlier words, fits pretty comfortably into the OTR neighborhood where I live. All a kid needs is a ball and a ten­foot­high net. He or she can shoot hoops all by themselves. Add another player and you can go “one-onone” in “head-to-head” competition. I am almost 72 years old. I live in a tenement near the casino. My wonderful wooden balcony that looks out on a tiny city park which has its own basketball court. Over the years, at this isolated venue, I have watched many poor people—young, older; males-females; single shooters and full five person teams playing against one another with a paid ref. I have seen a few incredibly gifted basketball players on that small court. Such expert skills can be thrilling to watch. In all likelihood, no player from the Spring Street court where I live ever made it to the pros or to the NCAA finals. But a number of these neighborhood players probably played credible high school ball, and a few of them—no doubt—went to college thanks to their round ball skills. My point is that this little court, and dozens like it around town, can evolve into a kind of “field of dreams” for young people from the neighborhood. They can imagine themselves moving into another, brighter world as they practice their lay­ ups and their fade away jump shots. In an intimate, imaginative way, they can go for the gold, reach for the stars, see themselves as winners. All this is a kind of preamble to the Villanova win last night and to the complex, and quite sad, set of memories that victory evoked for me. My History with Villanova Basketball In 1970, at age 26, I left Cincinnati with my then small family to do a masters degree in theater at Villanova, a somewhat unknown Catholic university located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Having taught at Elder High School for the previous four years, I was a huge basketball fan. That year, the Villanova Wildcats were a scrappy team, but no one expected them to make it to the finals. [At that time, only 25 teams competed in a two weeklong tournament]. But they did indeed beat several better teams in order to face off against the dominant UCLA Bruins, under Coach John Wooden. The Bruins had won the championship for the four years previous. It was a case of a small school David against a West Coast powerhouse Goliath. Need I say that our campus was abuzz in anticipation of this nationally televised championship game. Not exactly “abuzz.” Maybe I should say “afire” with passion for the team. On the day of the game, a rumor drifted around the quiet, gray stoned Villanova campus. We learned—everyone heard this—that some of the students were threatening to burn down the “Bandbox” if our team lost, Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 as was expected. The Bandbox was a V­shaped former army barracks where the school band practiced and kept its instruments. One half of the “V” comprised the rehearsal space for our (my) theater department. No one believed that this would be allowed to happen, because the warnings had been so clear. Villanova played a great game that long-ago night and kept it very close. Midway through the second half, Coach Wooden had his team begin executing a “four corner stall.” At that time, the NCAA did not use the 30 second shot clock, so a leading team could stall indefinitely, forcing the other team to foul. Villanova fouled again and again, and UCLA made most of those foul shots, winning the game 68­62. This would prove to be the greatest—and the most ignominious—moment in the school’s basketball history, until the team’s 1985 victory over Georgetown to win its first national championship. So the Wildcats played well, but lost the game. And the students followed through on their threat. They burned down the all wood Bandbox. [I won’t detail the difficulties we theater folks had securing decent rehearsal space]. The Howard Porter Story (tragedy, reconciliation and redemption) The drama of that night did not end with the game’s heroics or the late-night fire. Although UCLA won, Villanova’s three-time all-American power forward, 6’ 8” Howard Porter was named the game’s “most outstanding player.” Several months later, it was revealed that Porter (a naïve, poor kid from Sarasota, Florida) had signed a (Continued on page 7) Now Hiring Caracole Caracole.org - Case Manager Center for Chemical Addiction Treatment catsober.org - Recovery Coach - CDCA Counselor Churches Active in Northside C.A.I.N. churchesactiveinnorth side.tumblr.com - Development Coordinator Position Cincinnati Health Department hamiltoncountyhealth. org - Division Manager (Maternal Infant Health) - Nurse Practitioner - Public Health Nurse - Public Health Practitioner Cincinnati Union Bethel cinunionbethel.org - Quality and Compliance Manager - Payroll and Benefits Specialist - Special Needs Assistance - Family Service Worker - Teachers - Assistant Teachers - Cook Hamilton County Planning and Development hamiltoncountyohio. gov - Sanitarian 1/11 - Patient Registration Speacialist - Assistant Finance Officer - Water Quality Technition - Medical Receptionist - Accounting Specialist Lighthouse Youth Services lighthouse.org - Multiple openings Shelter House Imani Family Center shelterhousecinti.org imanifamilycenter.org - Resident Aid Specialist - Volunteer Photographers and Filmmakers Joseph House josephhouse.com - Volunteer Photographers and Filmmakers Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati lascinti.org - Administrative Assistant THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED - Case Manager - Service Assignment Specialist - Facility Maintenance Worker - Resident Aid YWCA ywcwcincinnati.org - Children’s Program Coordinator (Part Time) �7 LOCAL No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 Making Metro More Accessible MICHAEL EARL PATTON Contributing Writer P lease don’t misunderstand me. I am grateful for the mobility the local bus system, Metro, provides for many citizens of Cincinnati. For many elderly who no longer drive, or for those who can’t afford a car, or those who are handicapped, there is often no realistic alternative. And I love that the busses “kneel,” or lower the front, to make it easier to get from the sidewalk to the first step. Because the elderly and handicapped are so often unable to afford alternative transportation, Metro offers a “Fare Deal” card for them that cuts the bus fare in half. Just show the card – which has your photo on it -- to the driver when you get on. One can also purchase a monthly sticker for $38.50 for the card which enables you to ride Metro everywhere without any additional charges for that month. All good. I just wish that Metro would make it a little easier to get the card in the first place. The only Metro office that issues the card is in the north-east part of the Cincinnati area, in Silverton. Metro says that is served by the No. 4 bus and Metro*Plus lines, but their website is confusing on whether it is really served by Metro*Plus (www. go-metro.com. The reason it is confusing is because Metro*Plus is not listed as one of the routes that stops at the Park & Ride adjacent to the office, and the Park & Ride is not listed in the schedule for Metro*Plus). I can verify that it is served by the No. 4 bus because I saw one stop there. And yes, the bus stop does state “Metro*Plus” on its side. But I’ve even seen signs at bus stops in the past for routes that had been abandoned. Using Metro can be frustrating at times, which after all is the point of this article. If you have a lot of time you can get there by bus, but you will probably have to transfer. It can easily take over an hour. It is outside the city limits so it is in zone 2, meaning the regular bus fare is $2.65 instead of $1.75, each way. A transfer costs $0.50. You don’t get the card right away as it is mailed to you, meaning you can’t use it to get a discounted fare to go back. So if you don’t have a Fare Deal card already it will probably cost you $5.80 in bus fare just to get to and from the place where you can get the discount card. Fare Deal cards can only be obtained on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Public taxis are expensive, unlicensed taxis (“bootlegs”) are less expensive but still much more than a bus, and friends with cars are often busy when you need a ride. Ironically, there are three handicapped parking places in front of the building, all of which were empty when I was there. The building itself sits down in a hollow and there is a long slope down from the bus stop. Accessible, yes, but I don’t know if I would call it easy, especially if you had to use a walker or a wheelchair and the weather were bad. See the accompanying photo for the relationship between the bus stop and the building. Until two or three years ago, Metro bus stop by Metro office Photo: Michael Earl Patton Metro used to make the Fare Deal card available at their downtown office. I called and talked to a couple representatives. Both said that Metro changed this in order to save money. They already owned the Silverton office, which is off a bus line, and the downtown office was too expensive. I stated that I had heard several comments from Metro riders that the Silverton office is far less convenient and I wished Metro could find a way to offer that card downtown again. One more thing I wish would change – if you let your card expire, you have to produce another government i.d. to show that you are you. But if you don’t let your card expire, the Metro office will accept their card as sufficient proof that you are who you say you are. The reason given for this is that they have had problems with people using the Fare Deal card from someone who is de- Bridges to Access and Cancer Justice STEVE SUNDERLAND, PHD SHARON DOERING* Contributing Writers CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: “...differentiated access and treatments defined the line between survival and death.” (1) “Fewer and fewer large and medium sized companies offer their JIM LUKEN (Continued from page 6) mid­ season contract with an agent from an NBA team. Villanova’s name was quickly expunged from the record books. Humiliated and disgraced, the man who continues to be regarded as Villanova’s greatest basketball player, became a kind of pariah at his own university. It would be decades before Porter would return to his alma mater and receive some of the recognition he had earned there as an outstanding student athlete. Porter did turn pro and played for seven years, his career ending early because of cocaine addiction. Eventually, in 1989, he admitted himself for treatment and went on to become a respected parole officer in Minneapolis St. Paul. His life seemed to be on the right track, except for his relationship with Villanova. Then, in 1996, on the 25th anniversary of that infamous champion- workers full health coverage-74 percent did in 1980; under 10 percent do today.” (2) “The experiences of minorities remain strikingly marginal in cancer literature...” (3) “Not only are we in need of new and more effective therapies, but we need a health system that reliably delivers such therapies, particularly to underserved and poor populations.” (4) ship game, he returned for a celebration of his team and its accomplishments. His jersey was retired, and Porter once again became part of the Villanova basketball “family.” In 2006, he was named the second greatest round ball player in Philadelphia’s “Big Five” college history. But tragedy still dogged him. In May of 2007, he was found severely beaten in a trash strewn Minneapolis alley. He would die a week later. According to some accounts, he had been the unlucky victim of a brutal robbery. As I researched Porter’s post­ basketball career, I had hoped this was the case. Tears had come to my eyes as I thought about this man’s tortured journey. I had hoped to dovetail Porter’s story of shame and redemption, of failure and success, into the picture of those young people—mostly poor and black—playing basketball on the court below my balcony in OTR. In fact, Howard Porter seems to have been caught up once again in a situation that involved drugs and prostitution. He had been beaten un- mercifully, gangland style. How then could I make a moral of his story? Well, there is a moral there, because the story is real. Some of the kids playing basketball there on Spring Street may become stars of one kind or another. And some, no doubt, will be killed in the epidemic of violence that surrounds inner-city, black youth. Life, especially for those who come into it with two strikes against them, will often be muddied, and sometimes end tragically. Happy endings are the stuff of fairy tales. Villanova: 2016 National Champions Without cable TV at my place, I wandered to a local bar, jam-packed with young people to watch the game. My team was an underdog to the North Carolina Blue Devils, a team which had won the big prize many times. In the second half, Villanova came back from a ten-point deficit, then went ahead by ten themselves. Slowly, North Carolina chipped away at that lead. With Villanova up by three, NC guard Marcus Paige sank an incred- THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ceased, to the point that they will even alter the photo. That is a problem, but I think their system hurts more than it helps. I was assisting a friend trying to renew her card, but it was expired and her government i.d. (non-driver’s license) was also expired. But she was still clearly the same person, and now needs to make another trip there. All Metro has to do is to compare her to the photo that they have on file. If anyone tried to renew their Fare Deal card but looked 20 years younger and very different, okay, then challenge them. And Metro should do that even if the current card had not expired. As I said in the beginning, I am grateful for the mobility that Metro offers. I just wish it weren’t so bureaucratic at times. ------------------------ A. Introduction: What these astonishing facts illustrate, is the lack of access minorities and low income people have to cancer information, timely screenings, treatment, and care, and help in navigating the maze of their cancer journey. Cincinnati must provide a bridge of access for its poor and minority population to navigate (Continued on page 11) ibly acrobatic shot from outside the circle. Tie Score. 4.7 seconds left on the clock. Taking the in­bound pass, Villanova’s star point guard, Ryan Arcidiacono, rushed down the floor, then—incredibly—passed the ball to junior forward Kris Jenkins who flew into the air, sinking a three pointer at the buzzer, the first three-point buzzer beater in finals history. 77­74. Streamers cascaded down from the rafters. My alma mater had done it again. Cameras focused on Jenkins, beaming, and they replayed his winning shot over and over. As I stared at the TV screen, a very attractive, tipsy young woman leaned toward my ear, and whispered, “I know he’s going to get laid tonight.” I smiled, sensing that—in an oddly inappropriate way— she had summed up the game, the season, and my five­decade relationship with Villanova. And had given me a closing line for this odd story. Sometimes things do have a happy ending. ------------------------ �8 PHOTO ESSAY Keeping up with the Coalition! Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 LESLIE MOORHEAD Staff W e just wrapped up a busy month of alternative spring break programs! Dr. Mark arranged countless hours of volunteer opportunities and social justice education for 55 students that came from the University of Vermont, Southern New Hampshire University, Harper College and University of Colorado Boulder. We are sincerely thankful to our Coalition Member Organizations and Community Partners who showed us how to make community a priority in our lives. Thank you for making this such an amazing experience for each participant! ------------------------ Bonnie Neumeier with Colorado and Harper College Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Southern New Hampshire at King Me with NinaMdot Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Southern New Hampshire at Rothenberg Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Vermont Cleaning buddy’s place Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 PHOTO ESSAY Southern New Hampshire Double-Bagging at St. Francis Seraph Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Southern New Hampshire with Future Leaders of OTR Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Harper College and Colorado with Melissa and Lee Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman Lunch on Foodstamps Activity Photo: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 9 �10 LOCAL Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition would like to thank 4EG, The Lackman and Lachey’s Bar for sponsoring the 2015 Streetvibes Music Fest at the Woodward Theater! The 2016 Day by Day calendar is now available online at http://cincihomeless.org/ THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 11 LOCAL Meet the former director of Grace Place Catholic Worker H. LEE BOWEN Contributing Writer O n Sunday, the 28th day of February, I sat in the congregation of St. FrancisSt. George when the finest JASON HAAP (Continued from page 4) now, in a modern and developed society, is that “tribalism” mixed with “fear” generally leads to things like racism, or sexism, or an irrational fear of people with political views different from your own. As a professional educator, I know it takes something like three or four positive comments to offset the impact on a student of one negative comment. That’s because of the negativity bias. The bad stuff just stays with us longer. You could be having a great day, but if someone cuts you off in traffic on the way home from the office, it could ruin your evening. We are hard-wired to focus on threats. 3. The Backfire Effect: This one is particularly troubling. From the perspective of reason, we should reject our beliefs whenever presented with STEVE SUNDERLAND, PHD SHARON DOERING (Continued from page 7) away from such devastating discrepancies in cancer outcomes. 1. Access to timely cancer information: Minorities and other underserved populations are denied access to the information that they may have cancer. Health and educational systems have ill prepared this population to ask the critical question: what is cancer? Not having the opportunity to ask a physician or nurse for the warning signs of cancer has contributed to the mortality of minorities and the poor. In Cincinnati this population has the highest death rate from cancer in Ohio (5). When people, poorly educated about health matters, finally find out they have cancer, it is often too late for successful treatment. The latest drugs and other treatments are unable to be used as the cancer has advanced to an untreatable stage. Changing death rates depends on providing a bridge between the citizen and information about cancer survival based on early screening and treatment. 2. Access to timely screening and treatment information: Communication about cancer requires a sensitivity to people’s fears about death and pain as well as an appreciation of the person’s prior experience with cancer in their family or with friends. Misinformation about the nature of cancer and confusion about screenings as well as fears of treatments can distort accurate understanding. The key to heightening comprehension may be in providing cancer education in social agencies that are trusted. Already a firm foundation, the social service agency can be the most important bridge to both education and rapid movement to screenings. The opportunity of community educators, some with personal experiences of surviving cancer, can make the connection to understanding that will be best understood. human being I personally know an- near her daughter and family. She, over 45 years because her Alzheimer nounced that she is leaving Cincin- Joyce Asfour, is leaving this parish has progressed to the point where nati and moving to Columbus to be where she has been a member for (Continued on page 12) evidence that shows us we are wrong, simply adopting the new (and better) position as our own. In this, we are not wired for being reasonable! Often, when people are presented with evidence that contradicts deeply held personal beliefs, they don’t simply change their entire view of the world from one breath to the next. Instead, their brain goes into defensive mode, doubling down on the “wrong” belief, making it seem even more justified than before. Taken together, we are naturally inclined to view those from another “tribe” as “threats.” We are good at finding evidence to support the things we already believe, and when anyone tries to prove us wrong, we become more convinced how we are right. What are we possibly supposed to do, given these realities? The more globally connected our world becomes, and the more democratized ac- cess to media becomes through technology, the more we find ourselves surrounded by too much information. When trying to make sense of everything, we do so in a way that convinces us that we are right, that others are a threat - and if someone tries to argue with us that fact proves our point. I predict the Trump-ification of American politics is only the beginning. The modern media circus we all love to hate is just the beginning of a brave new world. My fear, however, is not that our mindlessness ushers this into existence. Mindlessness can be remedied through education. My fear is that our minds are what does this to us. How do we possibly win a fight against the way the brain is structured? Some of you reading this like to believe we have the ability to impact the world in meaningful ways. We absolutely do. I’m not saying we are incapable of doing things in the world. But I am saying this trajectory in our public life, as demonstrated by the 2016 presidential race, might be inevitable - a natural conclusion of the Triumvirate of Anti-Thought. Many of you, by now, are disagreeing with my conclusion. That’s probably just your confirmation bias. The backfire effect makes it difficult for you to stomach information that contradicts what you already believe. And your bias towards negativity makes it easy to classify what I’m saying as “crazy.” Of course, you may be tempted to turn that thinking right back onto me. That would be unfair, however, since I am the one who is right and you are the one who is wrong. 3. Access to navigating the health care maze: The creation of the patient navigator role by Harold Freeman, M.D., surgeon and former president of the American Cancer Society, recognized that true access to necessary cancer treatment may require a trained and trusted person who will accompany a person through the barriers that too often block action. (6) Navigators understand the transportation system to the screening and hospitals. Navigators understand how easily a person can be slowed or stopped by confusing communication between doctors and patients, especially when fears about cancer are present. Navigators can also help with financial and family logistical issues. In sum, the navigator is a vital part of the bridge to survival as a trusted companion on the journey. 4. Creating a caring bridge: Moving through phases of uncertainty in the discovery process for cancer requires great resilience on the part of the person with cancer and their loved ones. Too often the experience shatters self-confidence as the fears of failure overwhelm the experience. One family member described this crisis: “I wish that some, anyone-any of these people who are paid to do this-would actually tell me what to do...I have not yet opened my mouth and I am defeated...I need tactics: a manager, coach, a trainer who knows about the death stuff...about the understanding of young children, about the deep fatigue generated by stress, about what the illness does to concentration, financial support, about anger...and all the skeins involved in the [un]raveling out of the whole.” (7) The navigator will assist in working with realistic needs of the patient and their family and assist in encouraging the patient to find some degree of peace within the experience of doubt and fear. 5. Navigation with the Cancer Justice Network is the bridge: Social service agencies provide important, indeed, critical provisions for people in need. Whether it be food, help with housing assistance, emergency funds for transportation and bill paying, occupational training, and/or clothing, social service agencies are major sources of relief, strength, and compassion for many people in our community. The Cancer Justice Network builds on these strengths, unites the community desire to decrease cancer mortalities, and provides direct links to people who may likely fall through the cancer cracks. By providing cancer education and individuals trained to navigate the cancer maze through agencies in the Cancer Justice Network in Cincinnati, a bridge to survival from cancer emerges. In the coming year, our education and navigation option will be offered at the FreeStore Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul, Madisonville Education and Assistance Center, Caracole House, Churches Active in Northside, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Francis Seraph and the Homeless Coalition. We expect navigators to come from the community as well as the University of Cincinnati school of social work, the UC Cincinnati Project, and the UC Peace Village. The American Cancer Society will provide printed cancer information, assistance with transportation to and from centers and hospitals, and critical 800 numbers that may be used 24/7 for people to access information. The Cincinnati Health Department will coordinate their health centers’ schedules to assist in screening processes. A team of volunteer physicians, led by Nemat Moussaivian, MD, will provide information on how cancer can be overcome with early screening and treatment. Support for these activities is provided, in part, by grants from the Cincinnati Academy of Medicine and Molina Insurance. 6. A Bridge to Improving Survival from Cancer: Research on navigation programs in other cities and states shows success in reducing mortality and improving screening due to assistance in overcoming obstacles. (8) Cincinnati could be a national leader in the transformation of social service agencies into new organizations that prevent the expansion of cancer stages and assist in successful treatment options. Changing the mortality epidemic in Cincinnati requires a new and bold approach that reaches outside the hospital and to the community, especially to those agencies that have a foundation of compassion. The message for the 21st Century is that this new approach of navigation following cancer education can make a major difference in the survival of low income people and minorities. The bridge to caring treatment is being built with the hands of strong partners. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ------------------------ References: (1) K. Wailoo (2011). How cancer crossed the color line. Oxford. p. 137; (2) R. Reich (2012). Beyond outrage. Vintage. p. 13; (3) S. Gubar (3/10/16). Living with cancer: Being erased. NY Times; (4) J. Groopman (3/10/2016). Cancer: A time for skeptics. The New York Review of Books; (5) National Cancer Institute, Center for Disease Control (2008-2012). State Cancer Profiles; (6) H. Freeman (2015). History of patient navigation. Peace Village Cancer Project, Cincinnati; (7) M. Coutts (2014). The iceberg. Black Cat. pp. 45-6; (8) E. Paskett (2/3-4/16). Multilevel approaches to addressing cancer disparities. American Association for Cancer Research Prevention Summit: Shaping the future of cancer prevention. Leesburg, VA. * Steve Sunderland is director of the Peace Village Cancer Project (steve.c.sunderland@icloud.com) and Sharon Doering is the secretary of the board of the Peace Village Cancer Project. ------------------------ �12 H. LEE BOWEN (Continued from page 11) she needs additional family support and this is best option and Nadia lives the closest of her daughters. I don’t know about anyone else, but I fought back a few tears. I have refused to think about her leaving and the effect that it will have on my life. Joyce is my best friend and has been a constant source of support and love that I cannot measure, nor replace. I know no one who laughs as much, takes my jokes as well and has a 1,000-watt smile. I cannot claim to have met her in her prime, but she was an amazingly dynamic and tireless worker when I first came to dinner at Grace Place Catholic Worker House many years ago. “Bubba A” (I am “Bubba B”) created a model for a transitional living facility that few ministries could or have matched. Joyce gave of herself in the true catholic tradition by sharing her time, her talent and quite a bit of her treasure. She did so quietly and without fanfare. I believe without a doubt that Grace Place was the best kept secret in the city as far as ministries and agencies go. Joyce operated Grace Place in the Catholic Worker tradition. While GP was a non-profit, it was not, during her tenure a 5O1© (3). In short, it neither sought government funding, foundation grants nor offered tax write offs to its generous donors. Donors gave because it was the right thing to do. So did Joyce. Joyce was and is a woman who marches to the beat of her own drum. She has the unique ability to be very STREET VOICE generous and frugal (a nice word for cheap) at the same time. I love her. What amazes me is that she loves me. Joyce sees the best in me when everyone else sees the worst. I have spent so much time with her over these years, and I have watched the changes caused by age and that damn disease. I talk to her usually twice a day. She is a creature of habit, but struggles staying on point as the disease progresses. When I call her in the evening, I always ask what she had for dinner. Frequently she doesn’t remember, and simply states that it must have been good because she ate it all. Joyce does not believe in wasting food. At Grace Place she would fix herself a lunch of the oldest leftovers, and I would fix myself a lunch of the best leftovers. She was happy and so was I. She would see that every after- dinner cleaning task was done, even if she had to do it herself. Personally, I wanted those spoiled females to get up and do it themselves. She was an indulgent “surrogate mother or grandmother”. Joyce was an operational genius. I am still amazed by my memory of all the little internal systems that she created for the day to day operation of GP. Her attention to detail was almost anal retentive. It was an amazing example of planning and execution. Everything had a place and every tool or gadget needed was there and accessible. From time to time a guest or family would try to take advantage of her or flaunt the rules. When enough got to be enough, Joyce could flip the switch. Joyce hated putting out the children and there were guests who took advantage of that fact. I remem- Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 Lee Bowen with Joyce Asfour Photo: Grace Place Catholic Worker ber guest who if they had not had those BAKs, (bad ass kids) would have been out on their butts. She loved kids. The Christmas production (a miniplay, gift giving and French toast) was a joy that no one loved more than she, and she wasn’t getting the gifts. Personally, I appreciated my annual gift of a new pair of long johns. She gave all the staff a new set. Joyce is still a very practical person. Joyce was a member of three parishes. Simultaneously. St. Francis-St. George the 45-year relationship, with St. Clare probably a 15 year or more relationship, where she and I would attend mass primarily during the week. Then there was the small inner city predominantly black parish Mother of Christ. She loved the singing and spirit. Before you start measuring Joyce for her Angel’s wings, I should mention her few foibles. She has a quick temper and occasionally a sharp tongue. She does remember a few of the words her mother taught her not to use, and she occasionally uses them. She is quick to forgive and forget. She made me a better person though frequently you can’t tell. It has been said, that saints are people who make others believe there is a God. Joyce is a Saint. Saint Bubba A. Goodbye Joyce. I will visit. So will Cincinnati but it really doesn’t know it. ------------------------ For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �STREET VOICE No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 Starting Over AFTER BEING HOMELESS AND LIVING ON THE STREET FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER THE LOSS OF ALL I HAD, I OWE A LOT OF MY RECOVERY TO MY PEERS AFTER THE TALBERT HOUSE, BETHANY HOUSE AND THE DROP INN CENTER I FOUND THE OFF THE STREET PROGRAM ONLY THEN DID MY LIFE REMOVE THE BENDER THEY TAUGHT ME HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND SPEAK WITHOUT DOUBT, FEAR OR SHAME THEY GAVE ME ALL THE INSIGHT NEEDED AND IF I FAILED ONLY I WOULD BE TO BLAME I FELT REBORN AND STARTED SINGING AINT NO STOPPING ME NOW AND I STOPPED LOOKING BACK I FOUND A PLACE OF MY OWN WHERE I COULD BE ALONE AND GET MY LIFE BACK ON TRACK NEXT I FOUND CINCINNCTI HOMELESS COALTION WHO LIKED AND APPRECIATED MY POETRY LET ME KNOW THAT I WAS NOT HOMELESS ALONE AND FOR THEM CARING I HAVE LOYALTY THEY INTRODUCED ME TO THE STREETVIBES PAPER FOR THE CINCINNATI HOMELESS COALITION SAYING MY BEING HOMELESS MY POETRY NEEDED TO BE SHARED SOUNDS LIKE A MISSION FINALLY, I FOUND MYSELF ON FINDLAY MARKET WHERE MY LIFE FOUND A NEW DIRECTION THE DAY THE COALITION TOLD ME THAT FINDLAY MARKET AGREED TO GIVE ME A SECTION SO MANY NEW FRIENDS, MR. POTTERY MAN, MR. POPCORN MAN AN THE SEASONING LADY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ALL MUST PAY BILLS, SAVE MONEY AND BE HAPPY NOW NOT MAYBE I’VE LEARNED STARTING OVER IS THE WILL WITHIN YOURSELF WHERE THERE IS POWER WITH THE BELIEF AND FAITH THAT YOU HAVE IN YOURSELF YOU WILL CHANGE HOUR BY HOUR WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer The Campaign Mother Goose JEB PROVES MONEY ISN’T EVERYTHING Jeb, Jeb, Prez George’s son, Formed a PAC and began to run. To his Fat Cat donors’ great dismay, Jeb never figured out what to say. DEBATES MAKE COLE UNMERRY Plain citizen Cole Was a merry old soul Until all the debates on TV. He said: “They rant and they huff, And I’ve heard quit enough. They surely don’t speak for me!” LOOKING FOR MIDDLE GROUND Hey diddle, diddle, The voters in the middle Look for someone to support. They best check the views Of Trump, Sanders, and Cruz, Who are hardly the middling sort. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 13 �14 PUZZLES Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 96 Across 1. Percussion instrument 5. Mariner 8. Retail outlet 12. Approximately 14. In the past 15. Ambit 16. Measuring instrument 17. Guided 18. Jury 19. Something very ugly and offensive 21. Distinguished 23. Digit 24. Bellow 25. Part of a circle 28. Heap 30. Violent denunciation 35. Reflect deeply on a subject 37. A small cut 39. Claw 40. Supplication 41. Creep 43. Not any 44. Depart 46. Furnace 47. Disasterous destiny 48. Short trip to perform a task 50. Ring recurrently 52. Cook on a surface using fat 53. Caprine animal 55. Large tub 57. Specific kind of something 61. Frighten greatly 65. Broaden 66. Secret agent 68. Stringed instrument 69. Slant 70. Make a mistake 71. Part of a church 72. Rind 73. Also 74. Area of cultivated grass Down 1. Amusement or pastime 2. Comply 3. Short letter 4. Invitee 5. Story 6. Mature 7. Exhibition of cowboy skills 8. Make a wide sweeping search 9. Make perfect or complete 10. Overt 11. Animal hide 13. Cavalry unit 15. Supernatural being 20. Used to control a horse 22. Floor covering 24. Acknowledgement of payment 25. Copious 26. Measuring stick 27. Accurately stated or described 29. Part of a chain 31. South African currency 32. Distant in manner 33. Benefactor 34. Foe 36. Molten volcanic rock 38. Hardy cabbage 42. Jack in a deck of cards 45. Machine 49. Female deer 51. Immature form before metamorphosis 54. Useful or valuable quality 56. Warble 57. Exchange 58. Languish 59. Slight competitive advantage 60. Cubicle 61. Novice 62. 9th letter of the Greek alphabet 63. Defect 64. Thread 67. In favor of SODOKU PUZZLE NO 226 - MEDIUM PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 326 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 95 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 225 - MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 327 | Apr 8 - A pr 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Bethany House 381-SAFE 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road, Cinti, OH 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Salvation Army 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter Shelter: Men City Gospel Mission 1805 Dalton Avenue, Cinti, OH 45214 Shelterhouse Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 872-9259 St. Vincent de Paul Charlie’s 3/4 House 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 2401-, 2411 Reading Rd, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry Mercy Franciscan at St. John 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 661-4620 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 Starting Over 961-2256 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline CCAT 351-0422 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 221-HELP 721-8666 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 768-6907 2401 Reading Road, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Food/Clothing 562-8841 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Interfaith Hospitality Network 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave Cincinnati, OH 45220 961-4080 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 271-5501 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men 721-0643 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Talbert House Tender Mercies 621-6364 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 241-5525 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS 421-0065 Health Center for Respite Care 621-5300 981-5800 721-4700 421-7803 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 $100 for 26 issues 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 762-5660 961-1983 535-2719 591-2246 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 Lighthouse on Highland (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave Cincinnati, OH 45219 569-9500 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing Our Daily Bread FreeStore/FoodBank 981-5800 Shelter: Both Housing: OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Parkway Center OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 411 Gest St. Cinti, Ohio 45203 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti 352-6363 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 351-3500 977-4489 Other Resources Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 241-2600 241-2563 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 215 E. 14th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 381-0111 Goodwill industries Healing Connections Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place Talbert House United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless for 26 issues and a $50 donation 771-4800 751-0600 579-8547 721-4811 351-7921 631-1114 751-7747 211 977-5541 421-5211 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 �16 S Apr 8 - Apr 21, 2016 | No. 327 treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALMA SIMS SINCE 5/2014 ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BELINDA CHERRY SINCE 8/2015 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DEBORAH POINDEXTER SINCE 9/2012 DONALD YOUNG ELMORE MORRIS SINCE 5/2014 GINA MARTIN GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 GREGORY RAY SINCE 4/2015 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JONATHAN SLATER SINCE 5/2014 JOHN GAINES SINCE 12/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 W. KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 LARRY FILES SINCE 6/2012 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MAXINE GRANT SINCE 4/2015 MEACO WAITE MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MICHAEL BEHYMER QUEENACELESTINE LEVY RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 2001 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 TARA HILL SINCE 4/2014 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 TINA SINCE 4/2015 TODD HANLEY SINCE 5/2014 TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 VICTOR MUMPHRY LOTTIE MANNER MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRAIG SMITH SINCE 5/2014 GLENDA CANTRELL GREGORY WILSON SINCE 1/2012 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHNNY KERNS SINCE 9/2012 KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010 KRISTINE HOFSKY SINCE 3/2015 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2016 MAURICE GOLSBY MYRA WILSON NEBRASKA SINCE 3/2015 PERVIS MENTON SINCE 8/2015 WILLIAM SIMMS SINCE 4/2014 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2015 WILLIAM BURDINE SINCE 8/2009 � 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 2016 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 8-April 21, 2016 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Pg 3: Who’s Afraid of Richard Wolff? Pg 4: Good White People Short Film Screening A Triumvirate of Anti-Thought Pg 5: Reducing Cincinnati’s Child Poverty Rate by 22-Percent by 2020 Pg 6: The Game of a Lifetime or It’s Only a Game Pg 7: Making Metro More Accessible Bridges to Access and Cancer Justice Pg 8: Keeping Up with the Coalition Pg 9: Photo Essay Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: Meet the Former Director of Grace Place Catholic Worker Pg 12: H. Lee Bowen Continued Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 8-April 21, 2016 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Griffin Ritze Erick Stoll Jason Haap Bill Woods Jim Luken Michael Earl Patton Steve Sunderland Sharon Doering Leslie Moorhead H. Lee Bowen Willa Denise Jones Justin Jeffre Dr. Mark Mussman Grace Place Catholic Worker Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Woods Cancer Justice Child Poverty Cincinnati Dr. Mark Mussman Erick Stoll GCHC Grace Place Catholic Grace Place Catholic Worker Griffin Ritze H. Lee Bowem H. Lee Bowen Jason Haap Jim Luken Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Leslie Moorhead Metro Michael Earl Patton Photography Richard Wolff Sharon Doering Steve Sunderland Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/2ad596bc0bc4c8839b4224a6e4adb28c.pdf 98cab100c716a187357b786daea4d626 PDF Text Text Barbara Gamboa’s Life-Canvas Page 16 CUE Page 6 ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNITY Aug. 1-14, 2010 • Issue 182 • One Dollar A Joyous Hammer Strikes Again Clowns and courage against nukes By Janice Sevre-Duszynska Contributing Writer Oak Ridge, Tenn. – “For those of you on Serious clowning. General Mayhem (right) and a companion clown submit to arrest. Tom Bottolene/CircleVision.org. probation, turn off your ankle bracelets,” said folk singer/songwriter Steve Jacobs, a member of the St. Francis Catholic Worker in Columbia, Mo. About 250 activists began the July 3-5 gathering for Resistance for a Nuclear-Free Future at Maryville College. The purpose of the weekend was to increase awareness about nuclear issues and to promote direct action. Thirty-seven activists were arrested. “The timing – two months after the 2010 NonProliferation Treaty Review Conference and before the mid-term congressional elections – provided an opportunity to focus attention on nuclear disarmament and the need for nuclear-free and carbon-free energy,” the Nuclear Resister reported. Participants celebrated the 30th anniversary of Nukewatch, the Plowshares movement and The Nuclear Resister. The conference received a message from the Rev. Louis Vitale, written from the federal prison in Lompoc, Calif., where he was held until the end of July for trespassing during a protest at Ft. Benning, Ga. Participants also wrote messages of support for other anti-nuclear and anti-war prisoners. ‘Imperial darkness’ Ralph Hutchison, coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA), related the history of the protests at the Y-12 nuclearweapons complex in Oak Ridge. “On Aug. 6, 1988, the 43rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, the blue line at Oak Ridge was crossed, and the first nuclear resistance there began,” he said Ralph Hutchinson. “It has been maintained ever since. In 1998 six actions launched modern-day resistance. After 9/11, the Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Complex was renamed the Y-12 National Security Complex." Y-12 was the code name for the site that enriched the uranium for the atomic bomb that the United States used to destroy Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. The plant produces essential components for all U.S. thermonuclear warheads, according to See CLOWNS P. 4 ‘Streetvibes’ Boycotts Own Award Vendors aren’t allowed to work there Staff Report T he Cincinnati Human Relations Commission announced it would present an award to Streetvibes on July 26 for giving job opportunities to people who have disabilities. But Streetvibes declined to attend the award presentation because it was on Fountain Square, where vendors are prohibited from distributing the newspaper. “If our vendors aren't welcome on Fountain Square, the staff and volunteers don’t want to be there either,” said Gregory Flannery, editor of Streetvibes. The Human Relations Commission held a fourhour celebration July 26 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The federal law forbids discrimination in hiring practices and requires public facilities to be accessible to people who have disabilities. Speakers included U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) and City Manager Milton Dohoney. Streetvibes is an employment system for homeless and other low-income people. Vendors, some with physical or emotional disabilities, purchase copies of the paper for 25 cents each and offer them for a donation of $1. The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) manages Fountain Square under a contract with the city. A city ordinance and 3CDC rules effectively forbid Streetvibes vendors from distributing the paper on Fountain Square, according to Kelly Leon, spokeswoman for 3CDC. Flannery says he questions the constitutionality of any ban on distributing a newspaper on public property. He also points to a 2002 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court throwing out an ordinance that banned religious displays on Fountain Square. Justice Paul Stevens cited “the square's historic character as a public forum.” “I doubt that 3CDC’s rules trump a Supreme Court ruling or the First Amendment,” Flannery says. “Fountain Square is a public forum. How can the city of Cincinnati ban a newspaper from a public forum?” Flannery says efforts to get 3CDC and the city to allow Streetvibes vendors to work on the square have so far been fruitless. Leon directed him to call the city solicitor’s office, which didn’t answer phone calls or an e-mail, he said. Last week, on the paper’s behalf, attorney William Gallagher wrote to the city solicitor. "I write this to you hoping you will take steps to remove a practice that strikes me as unfair and many as unconstitutional. … 3CDC permits corporations to make money on the square on a regular basis by selling food, drinks and products,” Gallagher wrote. “It permits CityBeat to distribute daily its newspaper on the square. The Enquirer is immediately accessible to someone on the square. However, members of our community who are struggling to find shelter, food and stability are denied an opportunity to sell a newspaper on public property by a private corporation allegedly working in the city’s interests.” Flannery says he hopes the matter can be resolved without the need for further litigation against the city. Streetvibes is published by the Streetvibes can’t be distributed on Fountain Square. Anne Skove. Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, which filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the city last month. At issue in that case is a city regulation that requires homeless shelters to take action against residents who panhandle. If the Human Relations Commission presents the award to Streetvibes anywhere besides Fountain Square, the paper will be glad to receive it, according to Flannery. “The 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is an occasion worthy of celebration,” he says. “But to offer an award for our work with vendors at a location where they are unwelcome – prohibited by law – is insensitive at best and hypocritical at worst.” �2 The Business of Journalism By The Numbers 23,000 The profit, in taka, that a Bangladeshi woman made on the sale of a cow (see page 8). All The number of Streetvibes vendors prohibited by 3CDC from distributing the paper on Fountain Square (see page 1). 2001 The year Joy Friedman broke free from prostitution (see page 3). 25 The number of years Barbara Gamboa taught disabled and emotionally impaired children (see page 16). 80 The age, in years, of a linden tree that 3CDC will destroy in Washing ton Park (see page 4). 50 The amount, in dollars, for third place in the Streetvibes essay contest (see page 5). 30 The number, in millions, of copies of To Kill a Mockingbird that have been sold (see page 13). 3 The age of a child who cooked make-believe chicken at Interfaith Hospitality Network (see page 5). 1989 The year the fictional Arjuna became supervisor at the Pauline Warfield Lewis Center (see page 7). STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Editorial By Gregory Flannery Editor Newspapers have a role, if they will fill it I n the mid-1990s I worked for a small daily newspaper that decided to put a feature story on the front page everyday on the theme, “Everybody Has a Story.” The theory was that people want “good news,” and we were going to give it to them. The statement is true so far is it goes. Every human being has a unique story about how she became who she is. But as a matter of journalistic principle, the statement is absurd. Not everyone has a story that merits attention in a newspaper, let alone on the front page. I protested the rule to no avail. Then, when it was my turn to write the front-page feature, I wrote about a dog that ate bees, wondering if – no, hoping – it would be too stupid to be published, thereby breaking the hold that this notion (“Everybody has a story”) had on the newspaper’s management. Sure enough, the editor put my story about the bee-eating dog on the front page. In fact, a clipping of the article was posted on the newsroom bulletin board, with a note saying, “An excellent use of the genre.” It seems that every dog has a story, too. I think about that editor when I see CNN anchors reading messages that viewers send on Twitter and when I see meaningless videos posted on local news shows: female cats nursing puppies. I think my former newspaper editor was onto something – and it’s not healthy for journalism or for civic dialogue. What we’re increasingly seeing on news broadcasts is the popularization of narcissism. Everybody has a story, everybody has an opinion and now, thanks to “social media,” everyone can publish it. If it’s outrageous enough or cute enough, it will get on the news. Equal access to the means to express oneself is certainly democratic. But journalism isn’t supposed to treat all views and all stories as equal. Central to the role of journalism is the act of discrimination: This story is more important than that one. This fact is essential; that one is not. This opinion has more merit because it’s informed, whereas that opinion is merely inflammatory. Have you ever read the comments about news stories posted online by readers of the Cincinnati Enquirer? Some are funny, many are vicious and most are irrelevant. The impulse to treat all opinions, all views, all perspectives as valuable has resulted in a lowering – rather than an elevation – of public discourse. All this comes at a time when the current wisdom holds, “Print journalism is dead.” Don’t believe it. We had been told that television was destroying newspapers. Now we’re told that the Internet is destroying newspapers. It’s no secret that newspapers in the United States are in trouble. Many have gone out of business in recent years, including the Cincinnati Post. Many more have dumbed down their content in a misguided bid to attract readers. This is true of daily newspapers as well as some that once considered themselves “alternative newsweeklies.” Analysis, investigation and enterprise reporting have lost ground to entertainment. As I write this, I’m preparing to attend the annual conference of the North American Street Newspaper Association. Streetvibes is part of a worldwide phenomenon: the growth and expansion of street newspapers. In the past year, new street newspapers have begun publishing in Toledo, Philadelphia, New York City, Seoul and other places. Many street papers, including Streetvibes, have seen their circulation grow. We received a letter last week from someone who said she has long bought Streetvibes in order to support the homeless people who distribute it but who, having read the content, now buys it in order to keep reading. If you look at street papers around the world, what you notice is a concentration on serious content – stories about human suffering, injustice, the victories of poor and oppressed people. Street papers have limited resources, an abundance of earnestness and a growing readership. There’s a story there: Write something worth reading, and they will come. I often meet with students from colleges and high schools and tell them that Streetvibes is the oddest newspaper in Cincinnati: written and photographed almost entirely by volunteers, our circulation is growing, while for-profit newspapers seem to be struggling. Throw in the fact that our paper is distributed by homeless and other low-income people trying to make a small living, and readers understand that we (and other street papers around the world) have a sense of mission that larger mainstream newspapers and broadcast news stations seem to lack. Print journalism isn’t dead. And everybody doesn’t have a story worth publishing on the front page of a newspaper. Readers want meaningful content. In the next edition, I’ll let you know what happens at the annual conference of the North American Street Newspaper Association. These things are important, just as it’s important to know that the city of Cincinnati bans the distribution of Streetvibes on Fountain Square (see “Streetvibes Boycotts its own Award,” page 1). 2 The number of clowns recently arrested at a nuclear-weapons plant (see page 1). www.facebook.com/ streetvibescincinnati twitter.com/ streetvibesnews streetvibes. wordpress.com Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Email: streetvibes2@yahoo. com Website: www. cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress. com Streetvibes Staff Editor Gregory Flannery Art Director Lynne Ausman Graphics/Layout Nick Swartsell Veronica Glass Vendor Coordinator Jeni Jenkins Contributing Writers Michelle Dillingham, Samantha Groark, Margo Pierce, Paul Kopp, Jeremy Flannery, Michael Henson, David Heitfield, Corey Gibson, Jeni Jenkins, Saad Ghosn, Lew Moores, Larry Gross, Eli Braun, Steven Paul Lansky, B. Clifton Burke, Michael Fanning Photography/Artwork Aimie Willhoite, Lynne Ausman, Anne Skove, Vinit Murthy, Jon Hughes Proofreaders Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes. We are proud members of: �STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 3 Beyond the Bootstraps Free at Last, Now Freeing Others Joy Friedman. Chris A.P. Bedell Breaking free means a safe place and people who care By Margo Pierce Contributing Writer I am a survivor from the life, of the life of prostitution. Everything that we represent here I am a survivor of—domestic violence, prostitution, drug addiction, criminal justice system, homelessness, rape, all of that. I came here as a client and was a participant in the program in the beginning in 2001. I came straight out of incarceration into treatment and treatment introduced me to Breaking Free. Joy Friedman, women's program manager at Breaking Free in St. Paul, MN, makes direct eye contact as she speaks. There is no edge in her tone of voice and no hesitation in her manner. She is an advocate in a house of advocates helping women leave prostitution. When the door is closed to her office, what was once a bedroom in a converted house at 770 University Avenue West, her presence fills the space between boxes, piles of papers on a cluttered desk and the two guest chairs that leave only a skinny floor space for navigation. We educate the girls on what they [get] caught up in, cuz a lot of times we, as victims, blame ourselves and society helps us with that, saying, “You should do something else. You should have never gotten in this. It’s your fault. You cause this to happen to you. You chose this.” In these groups we actually talk about what led up to it. Little girls don’t daydream about being involved in prostitution. I didn’t ask to get raped at 15 by a pimp and have three of his guys torture me and be held captive for 24 hours. Yeah, I survived it and got out of it, but the trauma that was done to me is with me the rest of my life. That’s a big piece people don’t really look at or seem to forget, is that in prostitution it’s not just the sex piece. It’s not just, “OK, stop having sex, get you a regular job.” If you’ve had sex with one guy or 1,000 guys that impact of how you had it—the fact that we’re bought, you compromised your morals, your values if you had them in the first place—and here a stranger is doing things to you that’s supposed to be done in an intimate, loving, caring, respectful, agreedupon relationship. That stuff sticks with you. You feel less, you feel dirty, you feel, “Oh my God, what have I done?” and that itself can be torture. And then you get that soiled feeling of, “Who’s going to want me after that? Am I ever going to be able to get the husband, the white picket fence, the dog, the family? Who’s gonna want a prostitute for a wife?” And there’s a lot of people who will help you with that as, “Once a ho, always a ho.” Tricks help you with that. Pimps help you with that to confirm, “Don’t go anywhere else because nobody’s going to accept you. Who in society is going to have a prostitute as their day care provider, or their receptionist? You’re never going to be anything. And once they find out about your life, they’re going to get rid of you. So stay with me, I love you for who you are and what you do. Don’t worry. It’s safe, we don’t judge you here.” Breaking Free is one of only a few dozen organizations in the United States that is available to assist an estimated 100,000 prostitutes leave “the life.” Breaking Free offers those currently caught in the life of prostitution as well as survivors of prostitution a lifetime of support through peer counseling, support groups, temporary and permanent housing, case management and access to essential services such as health care, mental health support, addiction programs and more all in one place. By providing a safe place, the house in the heart of an urban center becomes a haven. The first step is a 14-week program called Sisters of Survival. The dynamics of prostitution is what we talk about in there, such as boundaries, recruitment, self-esteem, do you want this job? We compare the job versus a career, or a real 9-to-5 versus prostitution, escort services or dancing. Is that a job? Then we look at the differences in jobs, like workman’s comp protection, 401k plans, taxes. You look at all that. That’s the thing about prostitution people don’t understand, you have low self-esteem and somebody in that lifestyle opens their arms to you, it’ll come down to “I need someone to appreciate who I am. I need someone to make me feel important.” So, a lot of girls get trapped through dancing. When you go into dancing, you’re actually the center of attention. Men come to see you. They give you money, they’ll buy you drinks. We know there’s an ulterior motive, but that feeds that missing piece. This is a process for every girl. It’s a process for me and I’ve been out 10 years. I still have problems of my own, where I have to deal with issues—like I don’t have a relationship. Why? Cuz I don’t know how to have one. Even though I’m up here working with women and I’m helping them understand where we’ve come from and where we can go, that piece of relationship—mmmm. Can’t do that yet. Sex, it has no meaning to me. If that’s what a relationship’s about I guess I won’t have one because I’ve had enough sex to last me a lifetime. If that’s what he wants and that’s what it’s all about then I’m ok with being by myself. A woman knocks and opens Friedman’s door. I’ve got a girl on the phone who’s in desperate, desperate measures. I don’t know exactly how to handle this. Friedman picks up a pencil at the same time she picks up the phone and begins to talk. Where ya at? It’s OK, honey. Are you OK at the moment? Are you safe? You remember me? Where did I see you? Good for you! You don’t want to do it anymore. You need to see your probation officer. Do you have an addiction? Keep it real with me. Last time you used? What’s your drug of choice? Have you ever been to treatment, honey? It’s OK You’re tryin’ to fix a problem by admitting to it. That’s not a bad thing. You can let ‘em know you been sober. It’s not like you’re tellin’ on yourself negative, you’re tellin’ them you need help. It’s not your fault—someone’s using your situation. Whatever we’re askin’ of you ain’t nothin’ compared to where you been. We want to get you someplace safe to stay. Have your probation officer call me. Getting Free The following organizations provide services to women and men either in the criminal justice system or trapped in the sex trade. The Empowerment Program Provides education, employment assistance, health, housing referrals and support services to women who are in disadvantaged positions due to incarceration, poverty, homelessness, HIV/AIDS infection or involvement in the criminal justice system 303.320.1989 1-800-659-2656 TTY http://www.empowermentprogram.org/ Sex Industry Survivors' Anonymous Mission: Support groups for women and men who are currently in the sex industry and are trying to get out or who have already gotten out but are trying to find recovery. Membership requirement is a desire to leave the sex industry. Services: Peer support meetings of survivors talking to one another. Meeting formats may be downloaded at no cost to all who want to set up local meetings. 888-702-7273 (toll-free) http://www.sexindustrysurvivors.com Polaris Project Polaris Project is a national organization working to end human trafficking and slavery. They conduct direct outreach and victim identification, provide social services and transitional housing to victims and operate the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) serving as the central national hotline on human trafficking. National Hotline: NHTRC@polarisproject.org 1-888-3737-888 http://www.polarisproject.org I can advocate on your behalf. You don’t have to be with those men. You don’t have to do this. You deserve better than that. You can do this. It’s going to be hard because it’s going to be change but you can do this. You got bigger and better things waiting on you out there. It’s OK where we are right now. Friedman hangs up the phone, makes some notes and then looks up. The girls are real willing and open to hearing me because I talk our language, so they know I’ve been there. There are certain things about that lifestyle that, if you’ve been in it, there’s just certain language and certain things you know that you can’t just read that and learn it. See FREE P. 10 �4 Local News STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 A Joyous Hammer Strikes Again CONTINUED FROM P.AGE 1 OREPA. Jay Coghlan of Nuclear Watch New Mexico talked about President Obama's Nuclear Posture Review, which includes the new Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12; the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Project at Los Alamos, N.M,; and the first new nuclear weapons plant in 32 years, in Kansas City. A protest is planned there for Aug. 14-16. Recommendations at the conference included focusing on abolition – treating nuclear weapons as something as evil as slavery – and revitalizing public opposition to nuclear power. The issues are linked, according to Hattie Nestel, a member of the Shut It Down Affinity Group, active against the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vermont. “No nuclear weapons and no nuclear power,” she said. Kathy Kelly of Voices for Creative Nonviolence recently returned from a month-long visit to Pakistan. She spoke about people trapped during night raids and U.S. drone attacks in connection with the so-called War on Terror. Kelly said she met an Afghani man who is one of 7,000 people who drive cars for the U.S. Army. A roadside bomb, an “improvised explosive device,” shattered his arm and leg. Soldiers took the man to an Italian hospital, and he never heard from them again. He whispered that he had seen U.S. forces kill people without any reason, Kelly said. Workshops covered a wide range of peace and justice issues, from “Nonviolent Blockading” to Protesters block the road at the Y-12 nuclear-weapons facility. Tom Bottolene/CircleVision.org. “The Second Part of the Action: Representing Yourself in Court.” Liz McAlister of Jonah House, widow of Plowshares Eight member Phil Berrigan, discussed a quilt draped in back of the stage, quoting the Hebrew Prophet Isaiah: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares. Nations shall learn war no more.” “Isaiah announced the impossible,” she said. “And we must, too, in times like now of imperial darkness, of duplicity and conniving in high places. They dust off their tomes to ‘just wars,' but the words of Isaiah must come to pass. These words surpass the human even while they demand conversion of hearts. We are not objects of fate. Despair is to our shame. Come forth. Come forth … They dent the weapon in seeking to transform the object, and the transformers are transformed themselves.” Hammer time The Rev. Carl Kabat, a Catholic priest for 51 years, has spent 18 years in prison. He sometimes dresses as a clown – “a fool for Christ”– during protests. He reminded activists not to be too serious. He also reminded Catholics that the hierarchy has condemned nuclear weapons. “Working for justice is a constitutive element of the Gospels,” Kabat said. “It can be legal or illegal. Then we celebrate.” Kabat quoted Rosa Parks, famous for refusing to yield to racial segregation on a bus in the southern United States in the 1950s: “You mothers know. You do it because it needs to be done. We have a part in heavenly decisions.” Kabat is one of the Plowshares Eight, who entered a General Electric weapons factory in King of Prussia, Penn., in 1980 and used household hammers to start destroying warhead cones on missiles. Molly Rush, another of the Plowshares Eight, talked recalled her skepticism about the late Phil Berrigan, a former Catholic priest who was a legend in the anti-war movement. Rush said she and Berrigan were brainstorming. “We talked about how we would get inside the GE plant,” she said. “When Phil Berrigan said, ‘Perhaps we could drive up in a floral truck, bringing flowers’ … I thought it was a crazy idea.” She quoted Berrigan: “Human beings made these (bombs), and human beings can unmake them.” The lesson of the first Plowshares action? “It takes vulnerability,” Rush said. “When I hammered down on the warhead, a piece of it chipped away and cut me under my chin. I was not invulnerable." Thirty-seven people were arrested in protests at the Y-12 plant – 23 for blocking the road with a banner and 14 on federal trespassing charges. (Disclosure: The writer was among those arrested. So was Jon Blickenstaff of Cincinnati.) Neighborhood Rejects Takeover Killing trees, pushing out the poor Bonnie Neumeier, director of the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, reinforced the point. “African-American children drown at a rate three times higher than others,” she said. By Gregory Flannery Neumeier also pointed to the larger issue, the Editor use of 3CDC to make Over-the-Rhine more attractive to people with high incomes, displacing nstead of welcoming plans to “improve” many of the poor people who have lived in the Washington Park, residents of Over-theneighborhood. The park takeover, for example, is Rhine gathered July 24 to mourn what intended to appeal to patrons of concerts at Music they’re about to lose. Hall and residents of condominiums that 3CDC The city of Cincinnati has is developing in formerly low-cost given control over yet another apartments. public space to the Cincinnati “Do not spend our money “(Vice mayor) Roxanne Qualls Center City Development Corp. herself literally suggested the on something we do not (3CDC), which plans to close people who live around this park want.” Washington Park for 18 months could be charged to maintain it,” -Vermel Perkins while it destroys the swimming Neumeier said. pool, basketball court and 59 She then listed some of those trees. An underground parking garage, dog park neighbors: the Drop Inn Center, shelter for homeand water-play area are part of the estimated $47 less people, which the city is trying to force out; million renovation. Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, which proVermel Perkins, a longtime resident of Overvides affordable housing for low-income people; the-Rhine told the gathering that the changes are and churches that have long served the neighborunwelcome and dangerous. hood. All this comes as city council pursues zoning “What I don’t want to see in this park is the sochanges that would restrict non-profit agencies in Over-the-Rhine. called sprinkler system,” she said. “I am in favor “We don’t want a manicured, fancy, expensive of saving lives and teaching children to swim. You cannot learn how to swim in a sprinkler. Do not spend our money on something we do not want.” See TAKEOVER P. 12 I Avtar Gill likes Washington Park. Vinit Murthy. �STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 5 Local News The Games Homeless Kids Play Real rice and imaginary snakes By Angela Pancella Contributing Writer “ Are you a volunteer?” a 4-year-old wants to know. Another small boy, 5 years old at most, is careening through the yard zapping imaginary spider silk from his imaginary web shooters. I help him up when he lands flat on his back at the bottom of the slide. “Thanks, Spidergirl,” he tells me. I’m at the Interfaith Hospitality Network’s Day Center. Yes, to answer the 4-year-old’s question, I am here to volunteer. The task of all us volunteers is simple/complex/humbling/utterly gratifying: We help children play. I’ve been at this twice a week for a couple weeks now; while the experience is still new, I’d like to share a bit about what I’ve learned so far. The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) matches religious congregations with families experiencing homelessness. In the evenings, families stay at places provided by a variety of local churches and synagogues, eat dinner and spend time with volunteers from congregations. In the mornings, all the families go to the IHN Day Center in the old St. Michael Church complex in Price Hill to work on getting into a more stable housing situation. Several case managers are on staff. Most of the day, the children remain under their parents’ supervision. Four days a week there are morning classes in budgeting, parenting and life skills that the adults attend, and then in the afternoons the adults do chores around the center. It is during these times that volunteers and staff help most with the children. I went to IHN after taking classes in early childhood education through the College of Mount St. Joseph and after working at Our Daily Bread in Over-the-Rhine. Through my classes, I’d learned much about the resiliency of children even in times of great hardship. Through Our Daily Bread, I knew people experiencing homelessness might be going through hardships I can’t begin to understand. It made me wonder: What would the children at IHN be like? The first morning I volunteered, Will Leever, IHN’s child-care coordinator, brought out uncooked rice in a large tray along with measuring cups, spoons, funnels and plates. A small group, infants to 5-year-olds, clustered round to check At play at the Interfaith Hospitality Network Day Center. Courtesy of IHN. out these treasures. Older children were attending a summer camp, thanks to Cincinnati Public Schools’ Project Connect. Soon little chefs were presenting home-cooked pretend meals for us to taste. “What’s this?” I asked a girl who offered a plate of rice. “Scrambled eggs!” I acted like I was gobbling it all up. A 3-year-old boy gave me his plate of rice next. That was chicken. Another plate was cake. So what are the children at IHN like? They are children. They love pretending, they love attention, they love exploring. Love of pretending means play that mimics adult tasks such as cooking, because play is the means by which children rehearse their later lives. It also means that when I am turning a jump rope for a small boy, he suddenly decides the rope is a snake that must be run from, and then a snake that must be caught. In class, we talked about how make-believe provides a space where children can feel in control in a world where so much is out of their control. When my snake-hunting friend triumphantly grabs the rope, this no longer feels theoretical. “I won!” The children’s love for attention means that if I help push a child in a Little Tikes car around the play yard, I must be prepared to give a turn to every other child, too – and I must keep careful track of how many turns everyone has had. There is no finer-tuned sense of justice than that possessed by 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. I give turns as best I can; there will be other opportunities for them to learn how life can be unfair. Love of exploring means all volunteer eyes have to be sharp. All parents know the lament, “I just turned my back for one second.” Our job is to make sure no one gets hurt, no matter where they run, climb or crawl. I love watching the determination of very small children climbing the ladder on the playhouse – just as long as there’s another volunteer to catch them going down the slide. I’ve loved my time at Interfaith Hospitality Network. I encourage anyone who has an interest in children’s development, who wants to provide support for families experiencing homelessness and who values play to call IHN at 513-471-1100 or write info@ihncincinnati.org. The more volunteers who are there regularly, the more individual attention each child can receive – and children thrive on this. How to Improve Our Country ‘Streetvibes’ essay contest L ots of people move to the United States, but a lot fewer ever decide to leave. For example, in 2002, 27,299 Canadians immigrated to the United States, but only 5,299 Americans permanently moved to Canada. Last year more than 1.1 million immigrants became legal, permanent residents of the United States. That speaks volumes about how great a place America is, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t make it even better. Whenever we have a federal election, millions of citizens go to the polls and vote for the candidates they believe will work hard to improve things, yet millions of others – at least 40 percent of eligible voters since 1970 – do not even bother to vote for a president. By not voting, they waste a very important freedom. If you think voter apathy is a problem, you’re on the right track. Now just tell us what you’d do to correct it. Or even if you’re one of the more than 2 million Americans in a state or federal prison, let us know if you think crime in America is a significant problem and tell us how to reduce it. It’s no secret that in 2008 more than one in every 100 adults in the United States was behind bars, the highest documented incarceration rate on earth. Of course, other countries have lots of people who do bad things, such as the drug barons who force us to try heroin and cocaine. Is that the way it is, or do Americans voluntarily hand them tens of billions of dollars every year for highly addictive chemicals that ruin our lives? What if only 10 percent of that money would be used instead to help homeless people or to train Americans for better paying jobs? Do you think we have any problems worth mentioning? Poverty? Racism? Homelessness? Domestic violence? If so, tell us what they are and what we should do to solve them. You could win up to $100 and help to make our nation an even better place to live. Explain what you know about one problem in the United States and describe in detail your plan to help solve it. The importance of the problem you mention will be considered, but more weight will be given to how insightful and practical your solution is and to the quality of the writing. The prizes will be $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place. Send your essay of up to 1,000 words to streetvibes2@yahoo.com or Streetvibes Essay Contest, 117 E. 12th St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Entries must be received by Sept. 1. Include your full name, age, mailing address, phone number or an email address where we can reach you. If you are a student, tell us where you go to school. Judging will be by the volunteers who contributed the prize money and by Streetvibes staff. Donors for the prize money include Robert Pohowsky. Are you interested in helping with Streetvibes? Are you a proofreader, writer, poet, artist or photographer? If so, contact Greg Flannery 513.421.7803 x 12 or email streetvibes2@yahoo.com �6 Local News STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Homeless and Hopeless No More Gregory Flint and the power to change By Gregory Flannery Editor bitter at me for not being in his life. He’s scarred. The whole family has to heal.” Flint says his life changed this year. Jan. 7 was his last day of drinking, he says. On Jan. 11 he started a program at the Salvation Army intended to help end his addiction. He graduated July 4. G regory Flint is on his way. It’s been a long journey out of homelessness, addiction and prison. After growing up in Avondale, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18, serving from 1984 to 1992. “I became homeless after getting discharged out of the Navy,” he says. “That’s when my drug addiction and alcoholism started. I stayed with a couple of women, having children. Then I was sleeping in front of the courthouse, in abandoned buildings. I’ve been to the penitentiary twice on drug charges.” Flint’s familiarity with inebriation came very early in life and set his course for decades. “I started drinking at the age of 5,” he says. “My Dad would give me beer to help me sleep. I started liking the way it mad me feel. I didn’t really know myself because, growing up, I was always using. I was basically a loner. I had two brothers beneath me but I never felt like I fit in. I was the black sheep of the family.” That sense of isolation, fueled by addiction, affected the next generation as well. “Being homeless doesn’t just affect me,” Flint says. “It affects my family, too – the lack of sleep, the lack of rest for my mother worrying about me. I took from my Mom. I stole from her. My son is still Gregory Flint has been sober six months. Jeni Jenkins. “God delivered me,” Flint says. “I have a little over six months sober.” He wears a lapel pin marking him as a member of the Salvation Army’s “Redeemed team.” “You only get this when you graduate,” he says. “I wear it proudly.” The changes in Flint’s life have been dramatic. He attends Constellation Baptist Church in College Hill, where he is a member of the men’s chorus. He goes to daily Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Now living in the Salvation Army’s transitional housing, where he’ll stay two months, Flint plans to move onto long-term transitional housing. “It’s been suggested by my sponsor that I stay in structure for two years because I was a chronic user,” he says. A little more than a month ago Flint was hired as a prep cook and dishwasher at Via Vite. His employer knows about Flint’s background – and therein lies the moral of Flint’s story, he says. “My employer was very pleased with the way I’ve changed my life,” Flint says. “He knows my background. If a person just looks at the things you’ve done, they’re not looking at you. Society will try to label you. I have two felony convictions but I’m not a felon. Spiritually, a person can look at you and see if you’re a good person. Then they’ll see that you made some mistakes but that’s not who you are.” Flint says he knows his struggle isn’t over, but he is proud of the progress he has made this year. “I have to do a lot of self-talk: ‘You’re a good guy, Gregory. You’re doing a good job.’ Meditation is very important to me,” he says. “I journal: How did I feel when things didn’t go my way? Was I close to relapse?’ Being vigilant is very important.” As for the future, Flint knows exactly what he wants. “My goal is to further my education in culinary arts,” he says. “My dream is to be an executive chef and own my own restaurant.” Learning by Serving Poor People Cincinnati Urban Experience By Brian O’Donnell Contributing Writer F or many students, summer is a time for pool parties and beach vacations; but for a group of 36 high-school students from Green Bay, Wis., summer is the season of volunteering and extra-curricular education. Since 2007 the Cincinnati Urban Experience has coordinated with parishes, non-profit groups and universities nationwide to bring students of a variety of ages to Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. This is the same neighborhood that a year ago WLWT (Channel 5) reported was the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States. The program and the neighborhood offer an opportunity for students to gain awareness and become active within the community, according to Jeni Jenkins, education director for the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Most of the students who come for Cincinnati Urban Experience trips are completely unaware of the neighborhood’s condition and its perceived problems, she says. “It’s considered a dangerous neighborhood, but I don’t focus on the negative stuff,” she says. Kendra Burbach is a 17-year-old student from Green Bay who didn’t know much about the neighborhood except for its name and location. Burbach, along with her peers, expected a large city like Chicago, unlike Green Bay, which she described as small by comparison. But instead the students found themselves surrounded by Overthe-Rhine’s striking architecture. The students volunteered at local non-profit agencies such as Tender Mercies, which assists homeless individuals who suffer from mental or Jenkins says. Many of those who speak to the emotional disabilities. students during the education sessions are activ“I always wanted to do something like this,” ists or are formerly homeless. Jenkins also includes Burbach says. speakers of differing viewpoints, such as CincinVolunteering at the Peaslee Neighborhood Cennati Police officers. ter, distributing food at the FreeStore FoodBank The students glean much from the experience, and other agencies has an impact, the students and the non-profit agencies appreciate the help. say. “They appreciate “Everyone the fact we bring has been them steady volunthankful,” says teers,” Jenkins says. Carly Ripp, 15. One of the most Cincinnati important aspects Urban Experiof Cincinnati ence, however, Urban Experience is not simply is how the trip can volunteer change the particiwork. Without pants, Jenkins says. context, the Students are someessence of times surprised volunteerism by the notion that is lost, Jenkins homeless people says. The idea deserve dignity is to combine Students from Green Bay, Wis., volunteer in Over-the-Rhine. and respect, she service with Jeni Jenkins. says. Participants education, begin to think including time to reflect and talk about the work more critically about homelessness and have their being done. eyes opened to things they didn’t know about, “If I reach at least one of them who come on the Jenkins says. She hopes these ideas will stay in trip, I’ve made a difference,” Jenkins says. the students’ minds when they start their careers, She wants the students not only to interact with improving understanding of poverty and breaking the community, but to understand the issues that stereotypes. affect the area, such as gentrification and the idea “I learned to be thankful for everything we do of a living wage and how minimum wage often have,” Ripp says. “I wanted to help people. I look fails to meet that standard. at the world from a different viewpoint. … People “One of the things Jeni is informing us a lot with all the money and power are taking over with about is what the city is doing against poorer no regard.” people,” Burbach says. In the end, Jenkins encourages students to ask, Education on these issues is not without bias, “Where do we go from here?” �STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 7 Short Story Seeking the Wild Cleanliness Starting with mangled care By Steven Paul Lansky Contributing Writer 1989 A gray slop sink with four old frayed mops, knots hooked in clumps of filth, orange plastic handles lying at odd angles in a state of utilitarian neglect. The white tile halls of the Pauline Warfield Lewis Center looked neglected, too, barely cleaner than the maintenance closets, rags scattered, paper towels strewn, stacked with supplies. Begging, stuttering patients in ill-fitting clothes lurked with nicotine-deprived and psychotropic drug-induced tremors behind nearly every locked door. “Got a cigarette?” was their halting mantra. Green walls, wooden doors with small, square wired windows swung into areas between the wards keyed only by staff or supervisor. In the odoriferous custodial closets the new supervisor, Arjuna, driven to work by need for income, found brass and rubber squeegees without extension handles, empty and busted spray bottles, spent orange aerosol cans in need of disposal, food wrappers stuck to the yellow tile floor, orange and black vacuums clogged with dust, rubber belts broken, black cloth bags with damaged fasteners and no new replacement green liners. Stacked among boxes of toilet tissue and paper towels were half-empty five-gallon buckets of red, yellow and blue floor solutions, each with a specific use. At the hallways’ ends were brown steel doors without windows that, when keyed, swung into corners with external doors, also locked and windowless. This was a dark place to be walking with a cleaning crew of former patients pushing housekeeping carts of heavy brown plastic and bright yellow vinyl. Churchill was the best of all janitors Arjuna ever supervised. Church trained Arjuna to run a fourman cleaning crew at Lewis Center, a dirty, neglected state mental institution. Tile floors became endless corridors, a maze of doorways keyed by a fistful of master keys turning sometimes clockwise and other times counter clockwise. Scratched in the paint or plain wood above each knob was an arrow to indicate key direction to the uninitiated. Each supervisor carried keys; workers could only borrow them. The patients waited by the locked doors begging for a soda or a cigarette. Arjuna shared with the crew but not with the patients. One of the originals had been fired; and when Arjuna saw him at the central office and supply center, the worker stuttered that he wanted to be friends. “Could I have your number? Will you call me?” And Arjuna was cold and distant, had his own priorities. The worker knew trouble like the supervisor never could. Arjuna heard the man leapt to his death from a freeway overpass. The poet turned supervisor could not face his former employee’s funeral. Hoist a pint for him – someone (Arjuna had given up booze and weed). Now a college graduate, he’d had to beg for a job – no name please … one of the lost janitors of the ’80s. He never hurt anyone but by embarrassment of his pitiful nature. Ashamed to be pitied. Churchill was patient with Arjuna until Church was the last of the original four-man crew Arjuna had inherited. Church and Arjuna had had one night when they disagreed. Churchill had fight in him though mostly was gentle as a lamb. Arjuna had to call Captain Star, the neatly uniformed tough talker of the campus police. Everyone referred to them as “security” but Star fumed if it wasn’t “Officer Star” or “Captain Star.” A flash of eye and tooth and flaring tempers were quenched in a thirsty cool soda while Star stood by, his arrogant mustache bristled with calm. “A disagreement between two good men, two good workers.” Lisa, the other supervisor, had been a problem. Now that she’d been fired, Arjuna had responsibility for the whole crew, the whole building. Church had difficulty adjusting to the supervisory change, his job was no longer set; he had to face a team approach with Arjuna making more decisions. As many as 14 workers might turn up on a given night, or as few as five. Arjuna’s task was to settle things down and to clean the building. In training, Arjuna, Churchill and the freaky suicidal toilet man had cleaned half the building. Lisa and her crew cleaned the other half. Over a period of months the job had expanded and it became increasingly more difficult to finish in the allotted time. Arjuna had asked Nate, a thin white manager who moved with the frantic energy of a speed freak, to talk to Lisa about helping at the end of the night. At least, Arjuna asked, she could send some fellows over when they were through. Thin Chuckie was set in his ways, though, and Lisa didn’t want to disrupt his routine, she claimed. Once Arjuna was under the stars, smoking a glowing Camel, giving himself a break alone, when he saw Lisa driving around the parking lot in the company van. It wasn’t even that late. Arjuna had mentioned it to Nate. “If she has time to drive around … couldn’t she drive over to the far end with some crew members and help us knock out the kitchen and the kitchen hallway? It’s not fair, Nate. She’s finished and I’m still milking my cunt.” scared, but had a sense that he was on the other side now. No more joints with Riley, the welfare artist, Arjuna had hung with before he got the job. No more fighting Lisa. He told Nate he’d take the job. Nate agreed to bring him back to his car after he took the crew home. It was a clean sweep. Now he turned his back on Riley and the drugs; he headed for responsibility. Soon Arjuna would be a non-smoker. Trains pass at switches in the night— head beams cut gleaming paths like two janitors methodically backing mops— one out of a room, arms in locomotion, legs, patterns of moving oaks steady over damp rag heads, the room butts against a hall, where the other works easily, pausing to clear doorways. I stand in the twinight of my struggle, where they intersect – a rock, between them and a hard place. At Ronald’s Bar “Are you serious?” “Yup,” Ned answered. “Quit your job?” “Spent the day in the park drinking wine.” “No painting? No writing?” “No. It’s OK till next month and the bills come due.” A homeless man sweeps the floor at a shelter. REUTERS/Brian Snyder. Arjuna had heard the phrase from a Scottish folk singer. Nate had been stunned. He had talked to Lisa. Then she started sending her crew over to help for awhile. A week and a half passed that were better. Tommy, her floor man, was cheerful, a laconic talker. “Arjuna, we understand one another,” he said, as he noticed Arjuna growing out his hair, wearing a headband and a short ponytail. Tommy did this handshake thing, with the fists and the thumb. Arjuna had the sense they were dopers. “I caught Lisa smoking dope with Tommy and Thin Chuckie in the van while you were in the kitchen.” Nate was waiting for Arjuna in the lobby late. “Could you drive the van home and drop them off? You’ll have an extra five hours a week.” Arjuna had cracked his hardest habit. He was So I sidle over to the counter after thinking, “Good luck. Wouldn’t want to be unemployed without support in this slush.” Major slush raining from the sky. First time ever the plow driver lifted the blade so he wouldn’t coat me in icy spray. Coffee … The dishwasher, a toast of a chick, says she quit her day job today, too. “Finish the shift?” “Yep.” She had worked at the movie theater. Go figure. The bartender, Ned, he’ll land on his feet, 14 years on the job without incident. Ronald’s Bar & Grill changed owners. Regulars beware. Things will be changing. Yep … change is in the wind. The first time I heard the song, “Man in the Long See CLEANLINESS P. 10 �8 STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Issues I’m So Far West that I’m East Life and lending in Bangladesh By Lynne Ausman Staff Writer L ynne Ausman, who is art director for Streetvibes and administrative coordinator for the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, is in Bangladesh for a five-week internship. Ausman is studying the Grameen Bank, founded by Muhammad Yunus, co-recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Grameen bank pioneered the concept of microlending – making small loans, without requiring collateral, to help people in Third World countries to help them establish businesses. While in Bangladesh, Ausman has been blogging about her experiences. Following are some excerpts. To follow Ausman’s adventures, visit “So West I’m East” at sowestimeast.wordpress.com. The Drive July 8 Driving in Bangladesh is a life-changing experience. Even native Bangladeshis typically do not drive. If they have the means, they will purchase a car and then hire a driver by the day to drive the car. In short, travel by vehicle in Bangladesh is mostly a guessing game governed by horns, luck and close calls. At 70-plus kilometers per hour, vehicles come up on bicycle-powered rickshaws very quickly and changing into a lane that already has a massive bus or extravagantly decorated truck is tricky. It’s a lot of stop-and-start and speed-and-swerve. When we arrived at the village of Dhambhamari, we walked to the bank branch. The countryside is lush and green – beautiful scenery; and we weren’t even that far out of the city. It’s quiet in the village, with few horns blaring and smogfree air. After about a five-minute walk through we boarded a rickety water taxi to take us across the flooded plain. Followed by another five-minute walk, we arrived at a small tin hut with 40-plus women packed inside, all chatting and preparing to pay their loans to the center manager and discuss various business-related issues. After the meeting and speaking with some of the women, we were invited by several to go to their homes and see how they make their products. Muhammad Yunus and Lynne Ausman. Brandi List. One woman used the money from the loan to purchase a cow for 17,000 taka beautiful and well-maintained. However, it was and grain for 10,000 taka. She fattened the cow not the memorial that kept our attention. Upon and used the milk from the cow for six months. entering the grounds, we were immediately being She then sold the cow for 50,000 taka, making a followed by a large group of teenage boys. This 23,000 taka profit. (1 U.S. dollar equals 70 taka). In following and staring happens to white foreigners addition to paying off loans, women are also able all the time, but rarely is the group aggressive. This to put money into a savings account and into a group of boys were polite but insistent on havlife-insurance pension plan. ing their picture taken with me. So somewhere in We visited the National Martyrs Memorial, Bangladesh there is a group of boys with a picture dedicated to the men who lost their lives in the of me and them. A little later, we were posing for Bangladeshi fight for freedom from Pakistan in a group picture and there were Bang;adeshi men 1971. The memorial is large, and the grounds are See BANGLADESH P. 12 “Feed Me, Seymour, Feed Me All Night Long…” Re-Done Potato Broccoli Scramble Serving Size: 3-4 bellies 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons butter (or substitute for vegans) 1 cup chopped red onion 3 cloves fresh garlic 4 leftover baked potatoes, cubed 3 cups pre-cooked broccoli florets 1 tablespoon curry powder Salt and pepper Optional for vegans: 1 cup chopped or sliced American cheese 4 eggs, scrambled Re-Done Potato Broccoli Scramble. Jeni Jenkins. By Jeni Jenkins Staff Writer L ast week I hosted an amazing group of 35 students from Green Bay, Wis., for the Cincinnati Urban Experience (see “Learning by Serving Poor People,” page 6). Cincinnati Urban Experience is an alternative break program designed to provide participants with an experience of meaningful service and social-justice education that will motivate them to become active in the fight to end poverty and homelessness. On one of the students’ nights here, they kindly • Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. • Add onions and garlic and sauté 1 minute. • Turn heat slightly down to medium and add potatoes. Mix evenly with onions and garlic. • Add broccoli to the top of the potatoes, and continue cooking the potatoes for 1 minute, then mix broccoli and potatoes together and continue to cook an additional 3-4 minutes until potatoes are crisp and brown. • Sprinkle evenly with curry powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. • For non-vegans, push veggie mixture aside in skillet and pour in eggs. Scramble until cooked to your liking and then mix eggs and veggies together. Turn off heat. • Sprinkle with American cheese and cover for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. • Serve with toast or English muffin and fruit. • Voila, feed! • invited me to partake in a baked-potato dinner. As an Idahoan with a fondness for the glorious root, I graciously accepted. We feasted on baked taters loaded with broccoli, red onions and cheese, and it was fabulous. A couple days later as they were packing for home, they informed me that they had bagged up these leftovers for me to take home. After they left, I took them home to a nearly empty fridge. I was famished, so I decided to quickly whip up this recipe using the leftovers. This was so tasty that I feasted on it every meal for two days. It works for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My suggestion is to reserve one night for baked potatoes, save the leftovers and then throw together this scramble for a lovely brunch the next day. Enjoy! Interested in volunteering with Streetvibes? Contact Greg Flannery at 513-421-7803 x 12 or by e-mail at streetvibes2@yahoo.com �9 Vendor Voice STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Prisoners Help Save City Pools Meanwhile 3CDC plans to eliminate one By Lee McCoy Streetvibes Vendor T Lee McCoy distributing Streetvibes. Eamon Queeney. he men at London Correctional Institution (LCI), I want to give you a note of praise. I understand the hard work that you had taken upon yourself to raise $1,000 to help the kids in Cincinnati so they can get out of the heat. You had to sell a lot of veggie pies and other items. Being an ex-guest myself of LCI, my state pay was $18 a month. Your $1,000 could have brought a lot of commissary items. I want you to know I see a lot of kids splashing around having a good time. It was nice seeing them there instead of hanging on a corner, getting in trouble. My hat goes off to you guys. Good luck. God bless each and every one of you. Stan Chesley, the Cincinnati lawyer, led the fundraiser to keep the city pools began this spring knowing after the Cincinnati Recreation Department announced it would close four pools because of the budget. The fundraising effort gathered donations enough to keep the pools open in Mount Auburn, College Hill, Fairview Heights and the East End, and the donations are enough to keep some of the pools open two weeks after most are scheduled to close by. Just keep on swimming. But now let’s get to the nitty gritty. The World Choir Games will be here in 2012. It is our mayor’s pet project. If you don’t know where the festival will be, let me enlighten you: It will be in Washington Park (see “TAKEOVER, page 4). I mean a renovated Washington Park – minus a swimming pool. Was I supposed to say that? Oh, well. Sink or swim. About 200,000 spectators and 20,000 participants are expected from 70 countries. I can imagine the revenue the city will generate. No wonder the swimming pool was not open. Back in 1978 I was a Navy SEAL officer on a submarine called U.S. Enterprise. We were 4,000 fathoms under the sea and the sub exploded. Fighting my way to the surface, I grabbed an air bubble. It busted, so I did what comes natural – I passed gas and grabbed that. I fought all kinds of creatures. I even had sex with a mermaid. She got pregnant and had twins. Out came Charlie Tuna and Bumble Bee. If you believe this, maybe you believe next summer all pools will be open. Art by Anne Skove Art by Anothony Williams Say ! ? t a h W It may well be that our means are fairly limited and our possibilities restricted when it comes to applying pressure on our government. But is this a reason to do nothing? Despair is nor an answer. Neither is resignation. Resignation only leads to indifference, which is not merely a sin but a punishment. – Elie Wiesel �10 STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Beyond the Bootstraps Free at Last, Now Freeing Others CONTINUED FROM P.AGE 3 Word has traveled so a lot of people know me or know of me. And they know me from the streets and they know me from this side. The women are real receptive to it because they want out. A lot of girls are falsely convinced that there is no way out and they’re terrorized or tortured into believing that if they try to get out this individual will find them, hurt them or hurt their families— that instilled fear is real to us. It may not be real to everybody else, but it’s real to us and that’s all that matters. “I believe he’s going to go hurt my kids or my mother or my family members because I’ve watched him do it to other girls.” So you’re scared to even try to attempt it, you feel trapped mentally, not to mention physically, so that you don’t go nowhere. You don’t try to escape because you’re scared of the consequences, ‘What if?’ Right now I have a lady that needs to move into transitional housing. I have two of them actually— one of them is coming from the criminal justice system, one is coming from treatment. Now both these young ladies both these girls have extensive criminal backgrounds and they want to get out. But once again, those barriers of, “If I get out, what kind of job am I going to be able to have?” I’m a role model for both of them right now because they’ve seen me come up out of the dirt, literally, out of jail with nothing and advance up the ladder as I have and get that respect and bring back things that I never thought I’d have and getting positions that we never would have thought women like us could be in. Vednita [Carter, Breaking Free founder] believes in hiring survivors, regardless of the backgrounds. We believe in second chance opportunities and empowering them. But with these women I show them that we can do this despite our records, despite everything in that. All they have to do is want it. If they want it, Breaking Free and myself are willing to walk, Vednita is willing to walk not in front of them but side by side with them, hold their hand the whole journey, not halfway through it. This program offers a lifetime of support. So it’s not like after 14 weeks you’re done with our program or the funding ran out so your stuff is over. This is ongoing so if you leave us today and go back to the life, we’re not going to feel any different about you. We’ll pray for you and try to hope that God protects you while you’re out there. And that you come back to us alive. We’ve got many women that haven’t made it back and that we ended up attending their funerals. So what I do is just let them know, “If you fall, it’s OK. Call me.” We have an emergency cell phone, they can call any time. I’m out in the streets doing outreach, so when I see them I treat them no differently from the first day that I met them, which means a lot to them. We want people to know that we’re human— don’t have that sympathy and pity for us—poor her, poor her. No, it’s just a situation happening. I need help and support to get out of it. We’re women like you. We are somebody’s child. How would you want your child to be treated if this happened to her? No one’s exempt from this. The women involved in this didn’t cause this. The facts here are a woman’s caught up in a very violent situation and as a community we need to come together and embrace her, otherwise why should she get out of it? The American myth of individualism tells people who are struggling with addiction, abuse, mental illness or poverty to simply pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. In reality, specially designed services and other kinds of support are essential to the process of transformation. This column is the second in an occasional series that will explore what it takes to Forget the Bootstraps in order to live a better life. Seeking the Wild Cleanliness CONTINUED FROM P.AGE 7 Black Coat,” I was coasting down Reading Road into Over-the-Rhine in my ’73 yellow Plymouth Valiant in the rain. As the song vibrated my frayed speakers, Kent Wright asked, “Who sings this?” Kent was 10 years older than me. He was a temporary worker and my assistant supervisor. We were on our way home from the Pauline Warfield Lewis Center at 11 at night. Rainwater splashed around my balding tires. I supervised a crew of 13 janitors, all mentally ill client-workers, part of a mangled recovery program. (We were in the habit of calling managed care “mangled care.”) Kent smelled of sweat and alcohol in the damp smoky car. I puffed on a strong filter-less cigarette, braking for the light at the corner of Liberty and Reading. “It sounds like Bob Dylan,” I said, “but I’ve never heard it before.” I had given up drinking nine months earlier, and the tangy alcohol smell on Kent was frustrating. He wasn’t considered one of the clients because he was a temp worker. His black skin glistened in the wet light of Cincinnati’s deep struggling night. “Where do you want me to drop you?” I asked. “It don’t matter,” he said. “Anywhere along here.” I wondered where he was going, what his home was like right now … but I had to take care of myself first. That meant getting home, up the three flights into the big high-ceilinged rooms where I must get to sleep to wake early to go tutor English at the university tomorrow. The cigarette smoke tickled my nose as Bob Dylan’s nasal voice rattled. Earlier Kent and I had played basketball oneon-one in the hospital gymnasium as the crew finished putting away the orange and black vacuums, yellow and orange buckets and long-handled mops. By now they knew the routine. The new workers followed the example of the old-timers. Kent kept me puzzled with this amazing scoop move under the hoop. He switched his dribble in the lane from left to right, then made a figure in the air as his right hand swept the ball away from my reach. Neither of us had an outside game. Kent was bigger, heavier, but quicker. I had the reach and height advantage, though. We both smoked and wheezed with fatigue as we approached 11 points one by one. I felt I had to establish some kind of dominance over this man so that he wouldn’t undermine my authority with the rest of the crew. Kent knew floor product, stripping and waxing and the scrubbing machine better than I did. And he knew he knew. It was best to let him work alone. But, then I might find him on a phone in an office, not working, or smoking in a non-designated area. If I could beat sted in Adv erti Intere sin gi Affordable Rates tvibes? tree nS Kent in one-on-one it would mean a lot. Bob came into the gym just as I scored, rising gracefully over Kent with a right-handed finger roll. Bob had been a welder. He had a pocked gray face from when an acetylene regulator blew up in his face. Two days earlier I had come up behind him in an office as he was eating fried chicken out of a wastebasket. “Bob,” I said, “You had lunch with the crew. You don’t need that.” “Oh, man, it’s habit.” He looked at the floor, kicking at the carpet. “I was homeless back in ’82 and I just got into the habit. Now when I see food, I just can’t help …” “It’s OK. There’s no shame in having been homeless. I’ve been there, too.” “Yeah. You won’t tell Nate.” “No,” I said. Kent stood and waited, his hands on his hips. His shirt was soaked through, rings of sweat around his eyes beaded. “Man, that was a move. Do it again.” I dribbled with my right hand, turned with my back to him, crossed the dribble, spun into a reverse pivot and swept past him to the basket. “That’s 11!” I said. “You can’t win,” he said. Many sizes (full page, 1/2 page, 1/4 page, 1/8 page) Black & White and Color available Contact Lynne at 513-421-7803 ext. 11 or lynneausman@cincihomeless.org Call 513-421-7803 x11 to learn about Streetvibes subscriptions �STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 11 Housing Issues Granny Flats & Backyard Cottages Accessory dwelling units could be the fix By Michelle Dillingham Contributing Writer I have always suspected that the problem of homelessness was in some way related to the lack of affordable housing. My suspicion was confirmed when I read what Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, has written: “The solution to homelessness is housing.” It’s interesting how so many people try to make it about something else. Seeking policy solutions to our local affordablehousing crisis, I again ventured in search of best practices and found Seattle’s Affordable Housing Report supporting the idea of “accessible dwelling units.” Whenever I research a best practice being used to help alleviate the lack of affordable housing, I inevitably find myself reading zoning codes, alas. This adventure was no different as I delved into the fascinating world of accessible dwelling units or “ADUs.” The ADU has been defined a few different ways, but the simplest definition I found is: “An accessory dwelling unit is a habitable living unit that provides the basic requirements of shelter, heating, cooking and sanitation.” Homes with detached garages, daylight basements, two-story homes, larger homes and alley access apparently lend themselves to ADUs. Simply put, an ADU is any dwelling that is secondary to the main dwelling but that can provide adequate facilities to be an independent living unit. In 2008 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a report, “Accessory Dwelling Units: Case Study,” that explains how the rise in popularity of the ADU can be attributed to the need for smaller housing despite a large stock of large houses with surplus space and a growing elderly population that hopes to “age in place.” HUD’s report looks favorably upon this housing option and notes other positives: ADUs can assist homeowners to bring in additional revenue by having tenants pay rent. Companionship or services are other benefits. ADUs add affordable units to existing housing, which is as an efficient use of existing housing stock and infrastructure. ADUs offer units in single-family neighborhoods for people at various stages of their life cycle or for people with disabilities who want to live independently but still can be close to needed support. Opposition comes in its usual form: concern about increases in parking and traffic, decreases in property values, the threat to the “single-family character” of a neighborhood. However, these concerns have not been borne out in cities that have allowed ADUs with zoning regulations that provide controls. In a quick on-line search of the city of Cincinnati’s zoning code, I saw no reference of ADUs or cottages. Supporters like the fact that there would be a decreased need for government subsidies, presumably because there would be more affordable “market rate” ADU units available. Also, new housing units are created while the look of a single-dwelling development is maintained. ADUs provide a means for senior citizens, single parents or families with grown children to remain in their homes and neighborhoods and obtain extra income. Most compelling to me is that the ADU can provide a broader range of accessible and more affordable housing. I encourage affordable-housing advocates to explore these creative ways to identify more affordable housing – affordably. There are a seemingly endless number of resources online to help communities codify zoning to support ADUs. For example, Vermont has a great brochure online that provides a wonderful synopsis of ADUs, “Adding an Apartment to Your House: New Opportunities for Homeowners: Accessory Dwelling Units.” At a Bar Near You: Guns R Us Ohio prepares to let firearms in saloons By Nicholas Hoesl Contributing Writer I n the Gulf of Mexico, we know that oil and water don’t mix. What about guns and alcohol? Ohio permit holders cannot yet carry loaded handguns into bars, restaurants and sports stadiums, but Senate Bill 239 breezed to passage. Some say it was “ram-rodded.” It passed without any meetings to hash out compromises on both sides of the aisle. Who said bipartisanship is dead? Earlier this year the National Rifle Association (NRA) helped passengers to tote guns on Amtrak, hardly as an effort to boost ridership. Then an amendment allowing concealed weapons in national parks was snuck into the popular creditcard reform bill. Now you’re safe from people and bears. There’s more. Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have agreed to a special exemption from new finance-disclosure laws for the NRA. They’re on a roll. What next? How about opening up the Cincinnati Zoo to those packing heat? Get a gun lobby to sponsor “Gun Day” – great practice before going to the big parks. Of course, endangered species would be off-limits. Now that we have casino-style gambling at church festivals, introducing a few loose cannons into the crowd would liven things up. If this sounds far-fetched, last year 200 people showed up for “Take Your Gun to Church Day” in Kentucky. I don’t know if “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” was the favorite hymn. Not to be outdone, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal recently signed yet another “Bring Your Gun to Church” bill. The city of Kennesaw, Ga., went beyond the right to bear arms. By law, every home in that city must have a gun. Do you remember the incident in Watford City, North Dakota, when a rancher gunned down three men at an American Legion club after he was served two glasses of what he called “unsatisfactory beer?” In my neighborhood, a bar went out of business after a murder took place there. On the door of my library is a sign, “No Concealed Weapons.” Just keep it all up front. If you’re in a long line, does a gun get you better service? Do saloonkeepers believe that guns in bars will boost sales or bring back the smokers, or do they long for the blazing saddles of the Wild West? Can time-honored gentlemen’s duels be far behind? I’m all for honoring a long tradition. Every American should be allowed one single-shot, muzzle-loading flintlock musket. Today’s guns should be at least as hard to get as a fishing or driver’s license. There are well-meaning folks who believe that, if we gave a gun to everyone who entered a plane, it would be a real deterrent to terrorists. I first heard that one from Archie Bunker. Our recent gun-slinging culture has evolved from the Saturday Night Special to the Sunday Street Sweeper. Buy a sweeper and you can skip target practice. It’s as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. Another tip: Pass over the licensed gun dealers and go to the gun shows, where few questions are asked and there’s no IQ test. Pick up a few hotpotato grenades. The NRA endorsed Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland after he said he would sign the bars-restaurant bill if it passes in the Ohio House of Representatives. It wasn’t long ago that U.S. Sen. George Voinovich commented on Ohio’s proposed concealed-weapons law: “If guns made us safer, we’d be the safest country on Earth.” Keep in mind that our governor hails from the south end of the state, where people still talk of the feuding Hatfields and McCoys. Never mind that the Fraternal Order of Police, county sheriffs, police chiefs and state associations representing county prosecutors all called this bill a dangerous idea. The politicians seem to be saying, “What do they know?” and “They don’t have the gun lobbies on their backs.” In the past election, Democrats got $1.2 million from the NRA. This could be more than a shotgun wedding. Nicholas Hoesl is a retired pharmacist and author from Westwood. Want more Streetvibes? Check out the Streetvibes blog http://streetvibes.wordpress.com �12 STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Issues I’m So Far West that I’m East CONTINUED FROM P.AGE 8 surrounding our translator, who was taking the picture, to watch the photograph be taken. Rolling Blackouts July 11 Bangladesh is still considered a Third World country. However, the country’s economy and world presence is growing quickly, especially in the garment industry. As a result, there are rolling blackouts constantly. At first, all of us would stop and wait for the generators to kick on before continuing what we were doing. However, we all noticed that no one else seems to notice the blackouts. Last night solidified in all of our minds how much we have adapted to the blackouts in such a short time. There were six of us hanging out in my hotel room at the end of the day when the lights went out and the dull hum of electricity went out, and we all kept talking and carrying on like nothing had even happened. By far the safest and possibly easiest way to get around, other than walking, is by hiring a car and driver for the day. It’s pretty cheap – usually between 200 and 500 taka per person for the day. Yesterday 10 of us decided to go to Bashundhara City, the largest shopping mall in Southeast Asia. We had the hotel hire us a van. We all piled in and three blocks later we were sitting on the side of a road with an over-heated vehicle in 100-degree heat and 100 percent humidity. However, in order to get to a safe place to pull over, we had to do a U-turn into oncoming traffic – and I’m serious about the oncoming traffic, large buses, rickshaws and other cars coming straight for us as we go the wrong way on the wrong side of the road. The driver called another driver, and off we went to the mall. This gigantic mall has eight floors of shops of all kinds. I purchased a pair of Gucci sunglasses, priced at 2,000 taka. I paid 1,500 taka after some haggling – for a total of about $25. I also purchased some scarves and gifts. We had the opportunity to meet Muhammad Yunus yesterday. “Each of us have the capacity to change the world,” he said. Sirajgonj July 18 In the village we spent most of our time visiting Grameen loan recipients and learning about how Grameen has changed their lives. We spoke with a new borrower, an experienced borrower, a student loan recipient, a struggling member and Grameen Bank staff. We also spent a good amount of time just hanging out outside the bank, where villagers would stop by because they heard foreigners were in town. We stayed at the bank branch in two rooms – no air conditioning (mosquito nets a must), giant roaches, spiders, geckos and squat toilets. We were lucky. One of the other groups didn’t have showers and had to use a bucket on the roof. Oftentimes we would be hanging out in our room after dinner, playing a card game and several children would sneak upstairs and get us to come outside. When we went outside, 20 or more people would be in the yard waiting to see us and teach us some Bangla phrases. The children would A micro-loan helped this woman make a large profit on her purchase of a cow. Lynne Ausman. beg to have their pictures taken – mostly so that they could see themselves on the camera screen. We also visited a local primary school where the children sang songs and showed off their English skills. Neighborhood Rejects Takeover CONTINUED FROM P.AGE 4 park,” Neumeier said. “Who’s going to be living in Over-the-Rhine?” The planned destruction of the trees was especially galling to participants in the rally, held when the temperature was in the mid-90s. A linden tree estimated to be 80 years old is among those scheduled to be destroyed. Johnny Ridley first talked about swim meets he participated in at the Washington Park Pool when he was a child. Then he pleaded for the trees to be saved. “I don’t want to see the trees cut,” he said. “If it weren’t for the trees, we’d be burning up right now.” Theater director Michael Burnham talked about the way other cultures regard old trees, including England and Germany. He mentioned the German immigrants who settled in Over-the-Rhine in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving the neighborhood its name. “You are sitting in the living room of the city of Cincinnati, the one place where you can go when it’s hot and there is shade,” Burnham said. “Linden trees grow here. They also grow in Germany, where they are considered sacred. We had some German folks here. Ever wonder how that tree got here 80 years ago? If we lose that tree, what does it say about who we are?” Burnham led a ritual in which he twirled with a watering can, watering the condemned trees and inviting the crowd to join him in dedicating the trees to the people who run 3CDC, their ancestors and descendants. “We dedicate you in the name of those who would cut you down,” Burnham said. “In their name, we dedicate you to their ancestors, who may have known better. And we dedicate you in their name to their children’s children for as long as it takes to grow a tree, so that they may know better.” Become a fan of Streetvibes on Facebook! Streetvibes vendors keep 75% of sales. Consider helping Streetvibes with our publication costs by Streetvibes is the activist newspaper, advocating justice, building community. Your gift is tax-deductible and will go to producing the paper every two weeks. Started in 1997, Streetvibes is distributed by homeless and formerly homeless vendors who Make checks payable to “Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless” $25 Please return your contribution to: GCCH 117 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Name: Address: $50 $100 $150 Other $ _______ �STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 13 Poetry The Mockingbird that Never Died Celebrating a classic novel’s anniversary By Lew Moores Contributing Writer J ean Louise “Scout” Finch is a tomboy. She is 6 years old as the story begins, has taught herself to read even before the first grade, yet hates the idea of going to school, addresses her father by his first name and refuses to back away from – indeed, even initiates - a good physical fight with boys. She lives in fictional Maycomb, Alabama. The Great Depression began a couple of years earlier and FDR is president. Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. … There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people: Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself. The story is told through Scout’s eyes. She lives with her brother, Jem, and father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer. At the outset, she and Jem befriend a boy named Dill, who is spending the summer with his aunt, who lives next door; and they spend much of their time early in this classic novel figuring out how to flush out a neighborhood recluse named Boo Radley. It was Dill, Scout points out, who “first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out.” But while this coming-of-age novel starts off as an evolving story of a child’s awe of the mysterious and a child-like excitement over a pending sense of adventure, it quickly becomes a more profound exploration and examination of race and class and poverty, of the evil and the noble, in the Deep South of Depression-era America. A quick summary: Atticus Finch is asked to defend an AfricanAmerican man accused of raping and beating a white woman at a time when rape was a capital offense and black men could be extra-legally lynched just for whistling at a white woman. Part of the canon This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1960 publication of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a book that won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961, was made into an award-winning film in 1962, has sold, by media accounts, more than 30 million copies over the years, and is widely taught in high schools across the country. One media account noted that in 1988 the novel was being taught in 74 percent of the country’s public schools. The 50th anniversary is being marked across the country with readings, panel discussions, music and performances at libraries, bookstores and other public forums. The New York Times noted in late May that at least 50 events had been planned. The National Endowment for the Arts has issued a list of discussion questions for those studying the novel – “How does Atticus quietly protest Jim Crow laws even before Tom Robinson’s trial?” – as well as the historical context of civil rights in the United States. The New York Times also noted that recent sales of the book have been “robust,” especially in the South and in the Midwest in states like Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. HarperCollins, the novel’s publisher, notes on its Web site that most events took place last month, with another handful this month and more in September, from Mobile, Ala., to Boston to Des Moines, Iowa. In Cincinnati, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center marked the anniversary by showing the film July 11. More than 30 school-age children from Dayton attended. Andrea Faulkner is the manager for English/ Language Arts curriculum for Cincinnati Public Schools. While the novel is not required reading at CPS, many teachers have taught the novel. “It’s being taught at different grade levels, mostly at the high-school level,” she says. “We supply a district-adopted textbook. Many teachers supplement that textbook with novels that are part of the English canon.” Faulkner taught the novel for eight school years while she was an English teacher in Brown County and at Northwest Local School District in Colerain Township. She chose to teach the novel. She says she always prepped her class for what they were about to read, the history of Jim Crow, of the Depression, about Harper Lee and how this would become her only work (she is now 84 years old), an introduction to some of the characters her students would meet in the novel and also the language. The phrase “nigger-lover” is quite common in the text, and the alleged crime is rape. How did she deal with the language in the book? “I pre-warned every group of students I had,” Faulkner says. “But I’m going to teach the book as written. I tell the students, ‘When it’s your turn to read, if you choose to leave that out, I respect that, but I don’t want you to replace it with anything.’ I asked my African American students, ‘Am I offending you by doing this?’ I asked my white students the same. It’s also part of our standards to teach how language changes, is affected by events and time. “As you teach it, you take the children and have them go back and look at how they would respond to this injustice. Now this is the 1930s and you’re white, so how do you respond? You’re African American, how do you respond? Female, how do you respond?” Faulkner asks her students to transport themselves back close to 80 years to and step into the shoes of a character from the 1930s, much as Atticus asks Scout to “climb into his skin and walk around in it,” referring to anyone whose motives are hard to fathom. Were Faulkner’s students able to appreciate the events that took place during the Depression, with a pre-civil rights-era America? “It depended on the group of kids and on how much detail I would need to go into,” she says. “Depression, they got – especially Brown County, where there is quite a bit of poverty. A lot of students could understand poverty. The Depression was not the big issue. It was trying to understand the racial issues.” Could they wrap themselves around the racial issues? “They can,” Faulkner says. “It just takes a little more exposure. They have very limited exposure.” ‘Moral Ritalin’? Mockingbird is more often taught at the highschool level, rather than college, according to Jennifer Glaser, assistant professor of English and comparative literature at the University of Cincinnati. “That’s primarily because of the age of the main characters and the fact that it has become a classic adolescent fiction,” Glaser writes in an e-mail. “Coming-of-age novels are often absent from American lit curricula. Sometimes, for better or worse, the popularity of a novel keeps it out of the college classroom as well. “However, I think there’s definitely room for (Mockingbird) in the college English department. The novel brings up a lot of important issues about the history of American attitudes toward race, the use of pejorative language for African Americans and the like. I think it would invigorate discussion for many college students and would let them compare how their own attitudes toward race have changed from the first time they’ve read the novel until now.” Glaser has never taught the novel at the college level. “Although I think it could be a great book to teach in a class that focused on American attitudes toward race, Southern literature,” Glaser writes. “What’s interesting about Lee’s novel is the way in which it provides a particular snapshot of the Jim Crow South of Harper Lee’s childhood. If I were teaching the novel, I would definitely talk about how important Lee’s exploration of racism in the South was, but I’d also allow my students the room to be critical of the work and some of its pieties. The writer Malcolm Gladwell recently published a great critique of the novel/film in the New Yorker that I’d have my students read alongside all the glowing criticism the novel has inspired.” The piece Glaser refers to appeared in an August issue of the New Yorker last year. The piece is provocative. Gladwell calls the fictional Atticus a “Jim Crow liberal” and compares him to some Southern politicians of the 1950s, such as Gov. Jim Folsom of Alabama, who believed that African Americans should be accommodated, treated well, with a sense of noblesse oblige. They should be treated with a sense of neighborliness. But that didn’t mean legally ending segregation or opening polling places. Atticus Finch was one of them. He didn’t rail against injustice, was in no way a political or civil-rights activist. He accepts with stoicism – we’ll appeal – Tom Robinson’s guilty verdict. “If Finch were a civil-rights hero, he would be brimming with rage at the unjust verdict,” Gladwell writes. “But he isn’t. He’s not Thurgood Marshall looking for racial salvation through the law. He’s Jim Folsom, looking for racial salvation through hearts and minds. “Here is where the criticism of Finch begins, because the hearts-and-minds approach is about accommodation, not reform.” Others have chipped away. Thomas Mallon, writing in the New Yorker in 2006, on the publication of a biography of Harper Lee, called Atticus a “plaster saint,” and said that if the novel were widely read in public schools, “it is less because the novel was likely to stimulate students toward protest than because it acted as a kind of moral Ritalin.” The syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker, writing last month on the 50th anniversary, took issue with Gladwell’s assessment. “Lee’s famous and only novel has earned scorn as critics opine about the way things should have been, not only in real life but also in the artistic treatment of the era,” Parker wrote. She is suggesting the setting is 1930s Alabama. What would you expect of Atticus Finch? William Kunstler? The late Allen Brown of Cincinnati? It would be close to another 30 years before we get to Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, civil rights and voting rights bills. ‘Stand up’ Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passin’. It is a moving passage. Tom Robinson has just been convicted, but the African Americans in the balcony at the courthouse , from where Scout and her brother have watched the proceedings, pay homage to the man who tried to defend Robinson. One of them, the Rev. Sykes, asks Scout to stand. “The Depression era setting of the novel may seem foreign to 21st-century students, but I think Lee still makes the novel infinitely relatable by focusing on young characters who are being introduced to the pain of the adult world for the first time,” Glaser writes. “The work endures because it spoke to truths about race that still resonate in the present day. “ What did Faulkner want her students to take away from the work? “I think the major points they took away were injustice and to be intolerant of injustice,” she says. “The story appeals to today’s students. If the kids didn’t quite understand being treated poorly or persecuted because of the color of their skin, they did understand injustice. So when Tom is found guilty, the kids, just like Scout, are mad. “What excites me is just the desire of our young people to read.” �14 Have something on your mind? Want to comment on an article or vendor? STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Let us know: 117 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvibes2@yahoo.com 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. �15 Resources STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Need Help or Want to Help? Shelter: Women and Children 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 FreeStore/FoodBank Central Access Point Bethany House 381-SAFE 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 St. Vincent de Paul 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 762-5660 241-1064 562-8841 872-9259 357-4602 352-2902 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John 558-8888 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van McMicken Dental Clinic 458-6670 977-4489 Treatment: Men Other Resources Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 921-1613 Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 961-2256 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Prospect House Justice Watch 241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Starting Over 1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment: Both 761-1480 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 471-1100 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 621-5300 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 241-2965 Hamilton County ADAS Board Recovery Health Access Center Sober Living Talbert House 946-4888 281-7422 681-0324 641-4300 People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets 351-7921 631-1114 211 977-5541 768-6924 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 Advocacy Northern Kentucky Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 859-491-8303 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 621-1868 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS Brighton Center ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 Health Center for Respite Care 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 535-2719 591-2246 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 Hamilton/Middletown 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 421-5211 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 351-0422 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) AA Hotline CCAT Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 381-0111 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 First Step Home 961-4080 621-5514 214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 661-4620 Shelter: Both Anthony House (Youth) 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Treatment: Women 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter 241-2600 241-2563 Crossroad Health Center 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 381-2247 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 �16 Artists as Activists STREETVIBES August 1-14, 2010 Barbara Gamboa’s Life-Canvas Barbara Gamboa in front of her painting, Guerlain, the Song of Haiti. Bill Howes. Freedom fighter wages art A s a teenager, Barbara Gamboa was known as “the freedom rider.” The youngest person in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), she would spend her free time designing signs and posters to be used in marches and demonstrations. This was in the mid-1960s, when segregation was prominent and the civil rights movement expanding. Gamboa, of African American origin, was born A rtists ctivists as By Saad Ghosn Contributing Writer in Selma, Ala., a city the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. put on the activists’ map. At age 4 she came to Cincinnati to join her parents, who had preceded her, leaving their fields in the deep South for a new and free life, working in the kitchen of downtown’s Mills Restaurant. In Cincinnati, she lived in many places, and as a child, art would always busy her hands. “Art came to me very early,” Gamboa says. “I would draw pictures in the sand, paint with nail polish and charcoal pieces, make dolls and clothes from paper bags, create designs from chewinggum foil …” High-school art teacher and well-known Cincinnati artist Jack Mueller recognized Gamboa’s talent and encouraged her to attend the Art Academy. Tuition was high, though, and not knowing what to do, Gamboa, 17, joined the army to become a surgical nurse. She worked mostly in the operating room, in an orthopedic treatment center in Fort Gordon, Ga., witnessing many limb amputations due to the Vietnam War. The violence she encountered then has stayed with her ever since. After three years in the army and an interlude living in California, Gamboa returned to Cincinnati, now married with children. She decided to pursue her education, earning a master’s degree in education, focusing on developmental disability, at the University of Cincinnati. For more than 25 years she taught disabled and emotionally or behaviorally impaired children in the Cincinnati Public Schools. Whether in high school, in the army, unemployed or teaching children, Gamboa always used art as a means for self-expression and as a tool to achieve her social and educational objectives. In high school, she used her art for justice and equality. In the army, her paintings addressed problems of poverty and malnutrition in Biafra and the colonialist wars in Africa at the time. While teaching, she used art to engage her students, introduce important concepts, address timely issues and illustrate history. To help her students learn to read, she drew images, connecting them to words. Teaching black history, she used collages from old newspapers creating artistically attractive bulletin boards to capture kids’ interest and attention. For each subject taught she would organize her art to coincide with the topic, art becoming itself part of the learning. During that period Gamboa received four teacher art grants from the “Keep Cincinnati Beautiful” program. The grants funded her use of photography to teach kids about the environment, recycling and community values. She and her students traveled the city, taking photographs about environmental issues. The grant also helped start school gardens, teaching children about foods, their origins, their role in a healthful diet and a green environment. Five years ago Gamboa retired from teaching. The violence she had experienced both in the army and dealing with kids’ problems resurfaced as post-traumatic stress disorder, causing her heart arrhythmia. Having more free time, she started making art daily; it helped her recovery. Gambo’s art addresses race, slavery and other issues. “All issues are whole, interconnected, generalized,” she says. “Their causes stem from the same well. It is not only black and white; it is most often good and evil, right and wrong.” Good Ship Fidelity, a mixed media sculpture, represents a small boat in which she positioned, naked, hair cut and chained, Barbie dolls she painted silver. It reconstituted, based on historic diagrams, the physical reality of a slave boat. “While making this piece, I was always in tears,” she says. “It made me relate directly and emotionally to the fate of thousands of my distant relatives; (it) also put me in touch with the bigotry and injustice still prevailing in our society.” Gamboa features dolls and baby figures in other installations. She uses them as innocent, vulnerable indicators and victims of neglect and violence. “When I was young, I thought more in terms of race,” she says. “Now I realize that, in our maledominated society gender … control and domination of women is often the real issue.” Her painting, Guerlain, the Song of Haiti, is about poor indigenous living conditions of Haiti, perceived as a tropical paradise by insensitive tourists. Upstream is about Katrina and the wiping away of family structure as a result of the physical ravage. In The Greeting, a woman in the background, a hummingbird and lush vegetation depict her longing for a welcoming garden. When not doing her own art, Gamboa curates shows, bringing together artists of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds, connecting them by ideas and themes. The shows concretize her views of a reconciled, tolerant, happy world. I See Africa: Perceptions, Reality and Imagining, a show she recently curated at the Kennedy Heights Arts Center, allowed a group of diverse artists to bring forward their concepts of Africa, contributing to a multifaceted reality not only of the continent but also of life in general. “I am an activist through my own art,” Gamboa says, “also through my use of art to empower others. There are things I won’t bear, and I respond to them. For me, life is what counts, and kindness and good human qualities are the essence. There is no separation between my life and my art. My canvas becomes my life; both blend together.” Composite image of Good Ship Fidelity, mixed-media sculpture by Barbara Gamboa. Bill Howes. Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be contacted at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2010 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 1-14, 2010 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: A Joyous Hammer Strikes Again ‘Streetvibes’ Boycotts Own Award Pg 2: The Business of Journalism Pg 3: Free at Last, Now Freeing Others Pg 4: A Joyous Hammer Strikes Again Continued Pg 5: The Games Homeless Kids Play Pg 6: Homeless and Hopeless No More Learning by Serving Poor People Pg 7: Seeking the Wild Cleanliness Pg 8: I’m So far West That I’m East Pg 9: Prisoners Help Save City Pools Pg 10: Free at Last, Now Freeing Others Continued Seeking the Wild Cleanliness Continued Pg 11: Granny Flats & Backyard Cottages At a Bar Near You: Guns R Us Pg 12: I’m So Far West That I’m East Continued Pg 13: The Mockingbird that Never Died Pg 14: Information is Power Pg 15: Resources Pg 16: Barbara Gamboa’s Life-Canvas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 1-14, 2010 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Lynne Ausman Veronica Glass Jeni Jenkins Michelle Dillingham Samantha Groark Margo Pierce Paul Kopp Jeremy Flannery Michael Henson David Heitfield Corey Gibson Saad Ghosn Lew Moores Larry Gross Eli Braun Steven Paul Lansky B. Clifton Burke Michael Fanning Aimie Willhoite Anne Skove Vinit Murthy Jon Hughes Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF 3CDC Aimie Willhoite Anne Skove B. Clifton Burke Bangladesh Barbara Gamboa Boycotts Cincinnati Corey Gibson David Heitfield Eli Braun Gregory Flannery Gregory Flint Jeni Jenkins Jeremy Flannery Jon Hughes Journalism Larry Gross Lew Moores Lynn Baker Lynne Ausman Margo Pierce Michael Fanning Michael Henson Michelle Dillingham Ohio Paul Kopp Prisoners Protests Saad Ghosn Samantha Groark Steven Paul Lansky Streetvibes To Kill a Mockingbird Veronica Glass Vinit Murthy https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/89ca41f70292dce45fcb08d9f9f6c8fa.pdf 721abd9f3750c73273cc99fdd3251821 PDF Text Text Vendor Profile Page 13 Cheap Caskets Page 8 Film Review Page 9 STREETVIBES $1 August 1 - 14, 2009 • Advocating Justice, Building Community • Issue 158 Insane Budgeting Decisions Budget cuts imperil community mental health By Eli Braun Contributing Writer H undreds of advocates ral­ lied June 24 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus to protest proposed budget cuts to community mental health and substance abuse services. “Treatment works, people recover,” said their placards. “Behavioral health care IS health care.” But when Ohio lawmakers passed the 2010-2011 budget July 13 after weeks of negoti­ ations, funding for communi­ ty mental-health and addiction services took a substantial hit. For fiscal year 2010, the Ohio Department of Mental Health lost nearly $78.5 mil­ lion compared to 2009 funding levels. The Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addic­ tion Services lost approxi­ mately $10 million. Funding levels for fiscal year 2011 are similar. The cuts will primarily af­ fect community-based men- See Budget, p. 4 Advocates and clients rallied at the Ohio Statehouse for mental-health funding. Photo courtesy of Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities. Art for Hard Times No New Deal but a reawakened solidarity By Pat Clifford Contributing Writer political art. Hazelwood is the curator of an exhibit called “Hobos to Street People: Artrowing unemployment, ists’ Responses to Homelesstent cities and foreclo- ness from the New Deal to sures ... One starts to wonder the Present,” on display at the if it is 1929, California not 2009. Historical “It’s an ironic Is it enough Society in image to use, to make San Francissince what the you hum a co through shopping cart few bars of August 15. initially stood for “Brother, Can This exhibit was the basket of You Spare brings toplenty, of American a Dime?” gether the abundance, even Some powork of visuper-abundance.” litically ensual artists - Art Hazelwood gaged artists dealing with believe it’s poverty and time to do a homelesswhole lot more. ness in the hopes of encouragCalifornia-based artist and ing this type of work now and printmaker Art Hazelwood in the future. thinks that the conditions deThis past year has seen a mand a resurgence of relevant, presidential administration G that professes a new era of federal responsibil­ ity. Major programs to stimulate the economy and shore up the financial industry are being rolled out. Is this a new New Deal? Not quite. Re­ member, the Third Street Corridor, 1998 by Christine Hanlon. New Deal Photo courtesy of M. Lee Stone Fine Prints, San Jose, CA. not only inFair Labor Standards Act, and The new shopping cart cluded public works projects the National Labor Relations such as the Work Projects Ad- Act, which molded the busiThe old New Deal also cul­ ministration and the Civilian ness environment for years to tivated a cadre of significant Conservation Corps, but also come. artists. Starting in 1933 artists a host of legislation such as the Social Security Act, the See Art, p. 5 �2 The Vibe By The Numbers Streetwise By GrEGory flannEry editor 4 the number of Florida cities that made the “Ten Meanest Cities” list (see page 8.) Panhandling Discouraged, Pandering OK TV stations need ratings, and politicians need votes. This explains the flurry of attacks on poor and homeless people in various forums in Cincinnati in recent weeks. It started the number of dollars with a July 9 report on WKRC-TV (Channel 12) highlighting the fact that homeless per month it would cost people sleep outside the Hamilton County Courthouse and that, because the building is to establish the Bill closed at night, they urinate and defecate on the courthouse grounds. By the tone of the Cunningham Memorial coverage, you’d have thought some godless communist had strategically squatted Outhouse over Old Glory and taken a dump. (see page 12.) News media are social animals, usually traveling in packs, and so five days later the Cincinnati Enquirer picked up on the theme set by Channel 12, saying, “Streams of urine runs from the walls down the cracks of the sidewalk.” Oh, the horror! That same day Bill Cunningham of WLW (700 AM), never one to miss an opportunity to stir an ugly mob, described the behavior of the homeless campers at the courthouse as “peeing on the sym­ the percentage drop in bol of justice.” (See “Justice, Toilets and Bill Cunningham,” page 12.) federal funding for low- Even County Commissioner David Pepper, often a source of reason in matters of com­ income housing between plex social policy, couldn’t help himself, telling the Enquirer, “It’s clearly unacceptable 1976 and 2007 for (the courthouse area) to be used this way. The building needs to be clean and safe and (see page 3.) perceived that way.” Never mind that safety was never an issue. Never mind that the building isn’t involved; it’s locked at night. What is worth noting is the fact that Pepper is positioning himself for election to statewide office next year. the cost, in dollars, of a Josh Spring, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, plain burial box criticized Channel 12’s report and the ugly response it generated. Media reports casting (see page 8.) courthouse employees and visitors as the victims of the publicly expressed bodily needs of the approximately three dozen people forced to sleep outside the courthouse utterly missed the point, he said. “It is shameful that Channel 12 reported this story in this manner,” Spring said. “The victims in this situation are the 35 people who are forced to be homeless. The system has the Metacritic score for failed them, and they no longer have a place to call home.” Brüno (see page 9.) 85 56 500 54 Why Not Work Together? But one mustn’t generalize about politicians any more than any other group. It seems they can learn. Consider the case of Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding, who made the year Leonard a splash July 15 with the noxious suggestion that panhandlers be forced to register with Jackson started selling the city, pay earnings tax on their gleanings and carry signs advertising how much (as if Streetvibes it were a lot) that the city spends to help homeless people. (see page 13.) Berding was apparently ignorant of the fact that city council has already tried requiring panhandlers to carry city licenses, which it abandoned in 2007 in order to settle a lawsuit in federal court. (See “The Crime of Being Poor,” page 8.) His proposal brought a swift response the next day from Gary Daniels, associate direc­ tor of the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. the code number that “The city simply cannot randomly force a person to display a sign of their choosing or made Dmitri’s fellow prevent them from carrying their own sign,” he said. “In addition, charging a fee and re­ Soviets think he’d been quiring registration to panhandle will limit those who are unable to pay the fee or secure drinking one of the limited number of available permits. The effect of this legislation would likely (see page 6.) only exacerbate the plight of the homeless and silence this community further.” Spring, executive director of the Homeless Coalition, convinced Berding to drop the proposal. They’ve agreed to cooperate to find ways to actually do something to elimi­ nate the need for panhandling. million, the daily “I let Mr. Berding know that the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless will amount, in dollars, spent fight such a license to the end but is more than willing and is in fact eager to collaborate by the health industry to on real, lasting and homeless-ending solutions,” Spring said. “We discussed the need for lobby Congress more outreach workers to duplicate and multiply the success we have been experienc­ (see page 11.) ing, we discussed the placement of donation boxes with attached literature about what homelessness is, how we can solve it and make available resources for people who are homeless to pick up and use to get connected to solutions. The only way panhandling can end is if people no longer have a need to panhandle. We are making this happen for many and we can, through collaboration, make this happen for more and more people. In the the year the federal end, GCCH will pull together a small team of people who do outreach and GCCH will Public Works of Art lead a collaborative effort including both the outreach group and Mr. Berding to create Project began lasting and positive change relative to panhandling for all involved in our city.” (see page 1.) 1997 41 1.3 1933 STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Email: streetvibes2@ yahoo.com Website: www. cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes. wordpress.com Streetvibes Staff Editor Gregory Flannery Art Director Lynne Ausman Contributing Writers Lew Moores, Margo Pierce, Paul Kopp, Jeremy Flannery, Michael Henson, David Heitfield, Alecia Lott, Larry Gross, Stephanie Dunlap, Georgine Getty, Angela Pancella, Paul Miller, Will Kirschner Photography/Artwork Andrew Anderson, Aimie Willhoite, Lynne Ausman Proofreaders Jennifer Blalock Ranjit Rege The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes. We are members of: �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Column Eight Minutes with a 3 Many people work hard to make a difference for the less privileged in the Queen City. “Eight Minutes” is an opportunity to learn who those people are and what motivates them to be a positive influence. ‘Nest Filler’ How one woman helps young adults pushed out of the nest too soon By MarGo PiErCE Contributing Writer How many 18-year-olds do you know who, having graduated from high school, find an apartment, land a full-time job, get to work on time every day, pay their rent, keep their refrigerator stocked and have aspirations of going to college? How many stay off drugs and out of jail and do all of that alone, with no parent or guardian to help? Lea Drury knows quite a few young adults who accomplish all of this but they start out homeless before they accomplish all the rest. A case manager for Lighthouse Youth Services, Drury works with homeless people aged 24 and younger. “I’ve had a lot of clients that I have given resources and they have followed through … and managed to get themselves into an apartment,” she says. “I’m just really there to guide them, give them resources. Survival skills are also helpful … just knowing how to live from day-to-day, like knowing where the soup kitchens are … living in an abandoned building without any electricity, where are they going to go to get a flashlight?” Referring to the determination, follow-through and timeliness as the “assets” that help young adults leave homelessness, Drury says the desire to succeed is what inspires them to accept assistance. “By the time they come to me, they’re pretty determined to do it, to help themselves,” she says. Drury meets a lot of her clients where they live - on the streets. “We provide case management for anybody 18-24 that’s homeless and whatever falls into that category – people with mental health, chemical dependency, displaced or pushed out of the nest on their 18th birthday. Half of my week I spend on the streets doing outreach for the entire community, walking around handing out condoms, sandwiches, socks – just basic survival gear.” After several casual conversations and building up some trust, Drury is able to learn which kids are ready and able to move beyond merely sur­ viving. There are many who need that assistance. The 2008 Homeless Management Infor­ mation System Annual Data Report notes that 1,317 of the 8,372 registered homeless people in Cincinnati are 18-30 years old. Many young adults who are homeless are former foster children, left without help after turning 18. “There are lots of people that are homeless (aged) 18­ 24, absolutely,” Drury says. “What I come across most fre­ quently are people who were in state custody. People in state custody when they turn 18 or 19 … (are) released or termi­ nated – they’re just kind of pushed out. The problem with that is young people have not learned self-sufficiency skills and don’t really know how to live independently. They’re released from state custody and end up in a shelter in a very short period of time.” One key reason is a lack of available and affordable hous­ ing. “One of the biggest prob­ lems that I have found is that it’s hard to get into housing,” Drury says. “It’s hard to get an 18- or 19-year-old into an apartment because a lot of landlords have had bad ex­ periences with young people. And low-income housing is challenging because a lot of the low-income people won’t even take anybody un­ til they’re 21. There’s a very small amount of low-income housing that will take people under the age of 21 … (and) the waiting lists are so long. “Because housing resources are so limited, and that’s usually the number one objective for the group that I work with, I say upfront, ‘Your options are I can put you on this wait­ ing list and we can just sit and wait and hope that your name gets called eventually or you can be proactive about this and … if you’re willing to work, you can do this job-training program.’ This is very chal­ lenging when you don’t have a place to lay your head.” The lack of housing isn’t surprising when taking into account how thoroughly the federal government has gutted housing assistance to those Lea Drury, case manager at Lighthouse Youth Services. Photo by Lynne Ausman. trapped in poverty. Federal funding for low-income housing fell 56 percent from 1976 to 2007, according to “Changing Laws, Changing Lives,” the 2007 Annual Report on Homelessness and Poverty by the National Law Center. “In 1976, federal housing funding was $87 billion, and 435,362 new affordable units were built,” the report says. “In 2007, funding had fallen to $38 billion, and zero new housing units were built.” Drury lists the kinds of difficulties most people don’t consider when handing out the dismissive “get a job” advice so frequently dispensed by those who have no experience with homelessness: no alarm clock to make sure you get up on time; no place to take a shower; no place to safely store clean clothes; no phone number with voicemail for potential employers to call to schedule an interview or a permanent address to use when filling out a W-2 once a job is offered. A lack of resources is one of the biggest hurdles she faces. “We need more shelter beds,” she says. “We need to be able to more quickly access mental-health services and chemical dependency services. The city could use another medical de-tox center other than Cathouse (the Center for Chemical Addictions Treatment).” The Mental Health Access Point has a two- to three-week wait time for appointments. “I have clients that need a lot more help,” Drury says. “Clients that have mentalhealth issues and maybe need to be in a group home or need to be in some sort of quick access program – I’m literally going everywhere with them until they’re stabilized.” Those with less severe mental health concerns are referred to Centerpoint Health for therapy appointments, but those take two to three months to get. Every person age 18-24 has challenges to overcome, and the systems in place to help them are also dealing with hurdles, but that’s not going to stop Drury. “We need more, just more,” Drury says. “But I think it’s always going to be that way.” �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Community News 4 Insane Budgeting (continued from page 1) tal-health services, as state psychiatric hospitals operate on a fixed budget. The community mental-health system covers supportive housing, medications, illness self-management, case management, counseling, diagnostic assessments, crisis intervention and crisis residential services. It provides treatment in less restrictive settings and at lower costs than psychiatric hospitals and emergency rooms. The budget leaves just $183.7 million for community mental-health services after state hospitals take their cut. That’s $23.3 million less than the $207 million in fiscal year 2009. The budget totaled $50.5 billion, about $2 billion less than the previous biennial budget. ‘Brink of collapse’ Advocates, providers and people with mental illness emphasize that Ohioans with mental illness have a right to community-based mentalhealth treatment. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 10 years ago in Olmstead v. L.C. that mental illness is a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In this historic pronouncement for civil rights, the court held that the unnecessary segregation and institutionalization of the mentally ill constitutes unlaw- ful discrimination. It directed about human beings and famistates to develop strong com- lies that can have productive munity-based lives with mental-health the right services to health care. Significant cuts to complement These are community-based institutional our family mental-health placements members, services undermine for the menneighbors Ohio’s obligation to tally ill. and friends support community In the who need days before help – integration, as the budget they are mandated by the passed, the the most Supreme Court. Center for vulnerable Community citizens.” Solutions, an People Ohio advocacy and research who do not receive sufficient group, warned that cuts to the care in the community often community mental-health sys- show up in other systems. tem would leave many Ohio- Many land in jails, prisons, ans without access to treat- homeless shelters or other setment, with potentially dire tings less conducive to recovconsequences. Their report ery. was titled, “Proposed Funding The criminal justice system Levels Push Community Men- has become the new asylum. tal Health System to Brink of A 2009 study in the journal Collapse.” Psychiatric Services found Significant cuts to commu- that 14.5 percent of men and nity-based mental-health ser- 31 percent of women in lovices undermine Ohio’s obli- cal jails suffered from serious gation to support community mental illness. Those rates are integration, as mandated by three to six times higher than the Supreme Court. rates in the general populaHealth-care advocates tion. In Hamilton County in warned that cuts would come 2008, 40.1 percent of the adult at a heavy price. homeless population were “Behavioral health care mentally ill, according to the has been historically under- Partnership Center. funded in Ohio, but these pro“If we expect people to reposed cuts would put lives in cover, we have to put in them danger,” said Cheri L. Walter, in a recovery environment,” CEO of the Ohio Association said Gloria Walker, chair of County Behavioral Health and acting director of Urban Authorities. “We are talking Greater Cincinnati Network on Mental Illness, a chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If communitybased services aren’t funded, she said, people will get sicker, and some will die. Pay now or pay later Inadequate community funding will result in increased use of emergency rooms and hospitalization, both of which carry large price-tags. Ohio’s Coalition for Healthy Communities sent an open letter to Gov. Ted Strickland two weeks before the budget passed. “Reducing funding to behavioral health services does not save taxpayer dollars,” the letter said. “In fact, the opposite is true. The choice is simple. Ohio can invest an average $7,400 per person on treatment for mental illness and $1,600 for addiction treatment at the community level. Or we can spend $25,000 per adult and $79,000 per juvenile in our state correctional facilities, $1,600 per day on avoidable emergency room visits or $18,000 a year for every child in foster care. Or we can add to the list of avoidable deaths.” Does the 2010-2011 budget meet our legal and societal obligations? Fewer people will receive community-based mentalhealth care in the next two years. Without treatment, more people will end up homeless or in jail, marginalized for lit- tering, trespassing, loitering or other petty offenses that begin as symptoms of untreated mental illness. In an essay – “Why Are So Many Americans in Prison?” – economist and social critic Glenn Loury wrote, “When we hold a person responsible for his or her conduct – by establishing laws, investing in their enforcement, and consigning some persons to pris­ ons – we need also to think about whether we have done our share in ensuring that each person faces a decent set of opportunities for a good life. We need to ask whether we as a society have fulfilled our collective responsibility to ensure fair conditions for each person.” Budget allocations regarding community mental-health services have real-world im­ pact in the lives of Ohioans. Advocates like Susan, an Ohioan and parent of a mentally ill child (who asked that her last name be withheld) ar­ gue that neither homelessness nor criminal activity is inevi­ table. “There is so much commu­ nity outrage when a severely mentally ill person commits a crime,” she says, “but few resources to help them dayto-day so a crime doesn’t get committed.” Healing a Nation How much is universal health care worth? By Will KirsChnEr Contributing Writer Forty-six million people in the United States lacked health insurance as of 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2008 Ohio Fam­ ily Health Survey counted 1.3 million uninsured in this state. The numbers will have certainly risen with the cur­ rent economic crisis and the increase in unemployment. Almost everyone believes that there is a problem with the in­ surance system, and proposed solutions are myriad. President Obama has brought the issue to the fore­ front with his plan to reform health care. His proposal in­ cludes an option for all people to get health care while allow­ ing those who already have it to keep what they choose. The plan wouldn’t tax people making less than $350,000 a year. Families making over $1 million a year would pay a surcharge based on adjusted gross income, including capi­ tal gains and dividends. Some businesses would face ad­ ditional taxes. A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office said Obama’s plan would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years and re­ duce the number of uninsured by nearly 37 million. Eight years ago six people met in a union office in Cleve­ land and formed the Single Payer Universal Health Care Organizing Committee, later changed to the Single Payer Action Network Ohio (SPAN Ohio). The group’s objective is to have the state guarantee health care for all Ohioans, regard­ less of income. Unlike other plans, this system would get rid of all private health insur­ ance and put the government in charge – the “single payer.” This system is more common­ ly known as universal health care. ‘Waited too long’ SPAN Ohio wants passage of the Health Care for All Ohioans Act, which would create a single payer system in Ohio, seeing it as a precedent for other states to follow. His­ torically, issues such as wom­ en’s suffrage and child labor laws began at the state level. Carolyn Park, a member of the Cincinnati chapter of SPAN Ohio, believes this change should be immediate rather than gradual. But she says Obama’s plan is a step in the right direction. Park says her experience in the health-care industry moti­ vated her to join SPAN Ohio. She worked as a pharmacy technician in Detroit. She is now a paraprofessional in the one,” Rucknagel says. Cincinnati Public Schools. One of the biggest problems “I just saw the need that with the current system is that people have,” uninsured peo­ Park says. “I ple can’t get saw the prob­ health care and SPAN Ohio lems they had they end up in believes with paying for the emergency switching their prescrip­ room, he says. to a single tions and all “By the time health-care the problems many people bureaucracy that go along go to the emer­ will lower the with health gency room money spent care, the high or see about a on the complex prices.” situation, they bureaucracy of Retired Dr. have waited health care. Don Ruckna­ too long,” he gel has been says. “When it in the medical is caught at an field since 1952. An emeritus earlier stage, there could have professor of pediatrics and in­ been a much better outcome at ternal medicine at Children’s a much better price, and that’s Hospital of Cincinnati, he is a what preventative medicine is member of SPAN Ohio’s ex­ all about.” ecutive board. Rucknagel has a good ex­ “It has always incensed me ample of how having so many that the richest nation cannot uninsured harms the system. pay for health care for every- See Healing, p. 7 �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Art Review Art for Hard Times 5 (continued from page 1) Breadline, 1935 by Iver Rose. Photo courtesy of M. Lee Stone Fine Prints, San Jose, Calf. were employed by the Public Works of Art Project. This effort was eventually subsumed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to engage artists in printmaking, public murals and documentary photography. Many artists rose to prominence in this era, including Dorthea Lange and Walker Evans. Unfor­ tunately for the Tri-State, 80 percent of WPA art commissions in Ohio went to the Cleveland area. The most prominent in Cincinnati are the murals in Lunken Airport by William Harry Gothard. But the WPA was not just about employing artists, of course. It was also about molding public opinion in support of the New Deal. “Roosevelt and those running the WPA were trying to get public support be­ hind the New Deal to justify all they were building,” says Paul Boden, director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project. Political art is increasingly important, according to Hazelwood. “It brings a message and speaks to people who are in the struggle,” he says. “An image can be powerful in giving support to those people. That is no small thing in itself.” Many of the works included in the exhibit are posters meant to be used in organizing campaigns. These are important tools, Boden says. “That’s what people put on their wall,” he says. Even so, artists sometimes lapse into caricature or stereotype when they are trying to represent a class of people. When it comes to homeless people, that often means tragic or “pathetic” images meant to pull on the viewer’s heart­ strings. “I think this partly is due to lack of a political framework for the artists to work in,” Hazelwood says. “They don’t really know the issues. In many cases, homelessness is an issue that has not been connected to the mainstream left movements. Artists don’t know how to think about it, so they go for the easy pathos, which is what people see thrown at them from the aid agencies. Empow­ erment is a difficult image to portray unless you know the issues.” This becomes problematic for Boden. “You’re not going to hire bums and yokels to build your public school or pay them prevailing wage,” he says. “It’s hard to do that if you’re defining everyone who’s homeless as chronically dysfunctional.” Hazelwood notes that one recurring image in the exhibit is that of a shopping cart. “It’s an ironic image to use, since what the shopping cart initially stood for was the basket of plenty, of American abundance, even super-abundance,” he says. This image of abundance is turned on its head, providing a critique to the type of society that leaves large numbers of its citizens living on the street. al government nowadays. “Government has got­ ten out of the business “Artists today are more altogether,” Hazelwood likely to take an activist role says. “The artists emagainst the government’s ployed by different fedlack of action. Artists who eral agencies in the Dedo get involved are often pression served different connected through homeless functions but they were rights organizations.” - Art employed, and that did Hazelwood two things. It gave them solidarity, and it allowed them to look to the gov­ ernment programs in a positive light.” This solidarity must be formed in other ways. “Now artists are divided from each other by competition, from solidarity with issues of poverty, in many cases by wealth, and from any sense that the govern­ ment is helping by the reality of the lack of government action,” Hazelwood says. “As a result, artists today are more likely to take an activist role against the government’s lack of action. Artists who do get involved are often connected through homeless rights organizations.” Despite these difficulties, Boden feels an urgent need to connect serious art­ ists to the struggle for economic equality. “We need to start identifying issues and give those messages to serious artists,” he says. “When the artwork is serious, it’s amazing how much it resonates.” Although more related to street art than to the legacy of the New Deal, Shep­ ard Fairey’s iconic poster of Barack Obama effectively joined contemporary art to a political program at the highest levels. However, those who are being portrayed must be the ones to frame the debate. One might wonder, with all the baggage the term “homeless” implies, is it time to reconsider the term itself? Just as the term “hobo” has become antiquated, in the future will the term “homeless” mark the poverty of a particular historic moment? “I believe that terms of identification have to come from the people they refer to,” Hazelwood says. “If people who are homeless feel the need to choose a name that describes them in a more empowering way, that is great. Taking own­ ership of your name is important.” The new Okies Though the spending associated with World War II is widely credited with lifting the country out of the Great Depression, the New Deal programs provided a safety net for the poor. This safety net was gradually dismantled throughout the past two decades. Boden has fought this roll back, committing over 20 years of his life to activism on behalf of the poor and homeless. “A couple of years ago we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the New Deal,” he says. “Back then the issue was with the aggressive anti-Okie laws. You know: ‘If you’re looking for a job, don’t stop here.’ Now we would call them ‘anti­ homeless’ laws.” Is there a current generation of new New Deal artists working hard to docu­ ment inequality and promote systemic change? One shouldn’t look to the feder­ Brother Can You Spare A Dime, 1933/36 by Albert Potter. Photo courtesy of M. Lee Stone Fine Prints, San Jose, Calif. �Issues 6 Warm Beer and Cold War STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 In South Korea, exploitation was a way of life for U.S. military By david hEitfiEld Contributing Writer “LBJ,” after our 36th presi- shoes shined and uniforms dent: “One toke, and you go pressed and hung – six days on welfare state.” One of my a week. My houseboy would [Editor's note: This is the favorite idioms expressed a maybe once a month ask me second part of a series in which long passage for a favor – the author recalls his experi- of time as milk or ciga­ Clinton is a ences as a Korean linguist in “when the tirettes usually. “funny lady” who the U.S. Navy 30 years ago, ger smoked Otherwise, is “by no means in an attempt to address the cigarettes.” he was a pro, intelligent,” conservative White Guilt that W h e n as reliable as according to a results in the need to cease- drinking with mallard rape. North Korean lessly Support Our Troops, a group of The bars spokesperson last even though they mostly have Koreans, we were segre­ week. “Sometimes no idea who these troops are would order gated by race she looks like a or what they are doing.] several botand were filled primary schoolgirl I never thought I'd say this, tles of beer with “busi­ and sometimes a but Secretary of State Hillary at a time for ness women” pensioner going Clinton and I share something each person. – they would shopping.” in common: We've both been When I menget really mad called names by the North Ko- tioned that if you called reans. said custom them prostiClinton is a “funny lady” resulted in drinking a lot of tutes – who were not just trywho is “by no means intel- warm beer, I was told, “Yes, it ing to sell nightly fun, but most ligent,” according to a North is a stupid custom, but it is our were hoping to land a “yobo.” Korean spokesperson last custom, and do you know of A yobo would live with you at week. “Sometimes she looks any customs that are not stu- rack rates starting around $200 like a primary schoolgirl and pid?” You could call someone monthly and upwards. Many sometimes a pensioner going a sonovabitch, a number 10 marriages started with yobo shopping.” sonovabitch, or a number 18 relationships. The bar segreNow, before you reach an sonofabitch, but if you called gation assisted the business epiphany that the North Ko- someone, say, a number 15 woman who wanted to make rean News Agency works in sonovabitch, you'd be laughed a little extra money when her concert with Rush Limbaugh at for being illiterate. The yobo went on a deployment: and the Republican National ultimate bar-fighting insult If she found her yobo in a Committee, you should know roughly translated to “your white bar, she'd hit the black that the People’s Republic of mother has 100 pubic hairs.” bars; and vice versa. Since the Korea likes to insult all Amersegregation extended to most icans, not just the liberals. social relationships as well as Love and other American values the bar, there was little chance Some of my recent favorites: President George Bush was of the yobo getting caught. “a hooligan bereft of any perWhen I think of my time in The business women were sonality of a human being” and the country, I often think of memorable not just because of “a half-baked man in terms of how we were often awakened the pathetic situation in which morality” who looks like “a in the morning by a ringing we were of course complicit chicken soaked in the rain.” bell, which meant there was – heck, they could be thrown Vice President Dick Cheney animal fornication going on. in jail if they were found to be was “a mentally deranged “Duck fuck! Duck fuck!” Mr. skipping out on their weekly person” who was “hated as the Han would scream, laugh- required checks for venereal most cruel monster and blood- ing and getting his little bar disease – but because of their thirsty beast as he drenched area ready for the day if any- hard sell. At least, that's what various parts of the world in one wanted to start eating or I'll never forget. “American blood.” Secwomen are all retary of Deselfish and only A college woman I befriended from fense Donald think of themYonsei University (who would never Rumsfeld selves. Korean dare date an American) told me it’s a was “a powoman will take good idea to marry a Korean business litical dwarf, good care of you; woman, because even if she’s a human scum American wom­ drug-addled alcoholic who slept with or hysteric” an will cheat on thousands of men, that’s still better and a “huyou and cry and than what any self-absorbed American man butcher scream and take female has to offer. and fascist all your money.” tyrant who This was a line puts an ogre you heard from to shame.” drinking or playing cards. Mr. every Korean business wom­ While stationed at Camp Han had one of the better jobs an, even the ones who were Humphreys in a small base on base – I think we paid him not directly involved in the sex town about an hour south of around $50 a week, plus gen- trade. Even a college woman I Seoul called Anjong-ni, just erous tips. befriended from Yonsei Uni­ outside Pyongtaek, I soon beBy contrast, my houseboy versity (who would never dare came impressed that Korean worked for $20 a month and date an American) told me it's people were hard-working, a little black market action. a good idea to marry a Korekind, and had a rather wick- (Of course, he had several an business woman, because ed sense of humor, which I clients, so he did make more even if she's a drug-addled presumed was built through than $100 a month for his la- alcoholic who slept with thou5,000 years of mostly being bor.) What did you get for $20 sands of men, that's still better conquered by other nations. a month? Your living quarters than what any self-absorbed When one Korean described were cleaned, your laundry American female has to offer. some good pot, he called it done and folded away, your A group of construction workers walk away after paying their respects to a statue of Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang. Photo by REUTERS/Reinhard Kraus. The big ROK candy mountain how Americans had broken up families during the war and continued to keep them apart. I spent a month on the DMZ Just learning about North Korea was itself a lesson on a “goodwill mission” with in the Cold War. The Great the Republic of Korea (ROK) Leader Kim Il-Sung, father of Army when one of the loud­ identi­ speakers the current dying fied me, and it Dear Leader Kim Five-yearwas damn scary. Jong-Il, was heold children There have been a roically revered were armed number of people to an extent simand learned killed on the DMZ ply unimaginable to recite since the end of the to most people. the antiwar in 1953, perStories of his exAmerican haps the most griz­ ploits during the catechism. zly being the “Axe Korean War were Murder Incident” fantastical, and in 1976, when two museums were Americans were axed to death dedicated to the atrocities of Americans during the war. after trying to chop down a Five-year-old children were poplar tree that was obstruct­ armed and learned to recite the ing a checkpoint. The complexities of the anti-American catechism. The newspapers had front-page relationship between Ameri­ news only about the Great can servicemen and Koreans Leader getting congratulations is too deep to adequately de­ from one world leader or an- scribe in this article. For inother. If the newspaper carried stance, the Kwangju Incident, a picture of the Great Leader, in which a 2007 movie, May it was against the law to throw 18, recounts, took place in the paper away – you had to 1980. Initially, students protesting the closing of Chon­ burn it, like a tattered flag. In a country of limited food nam University were attacked and transportation, the first by the military using bayo­ two cars of each commuter nets, and over the next several train would be filled daily with days some 100,000 Koreans fresh flowers adorning a large came out to protest. The army portrait of the Great Leader. used paratroopers, machine There were loudspeakers guns and, as some witnesses on the demilitarized zone said, tanks to quell the unrest, (DMZ), continually broad- and civilians formed militias casting propaganda messages and got their own machine to South Korean troops about See Beer, p. 7 �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Local News Healing a Nation “Say a person has a strep throat and they start worry­ ing,” he says. “Well, they don’t have a doctor to go to, so they go to the emergency room. Just checking yourself in an emergency room can cost $500 before a doctor or nurse even lays an eyeball on you.” The U.S. Chamber of Com­ merce opposes any steps to­ ward more government in­ volvement in health care. It argues, as do most groups, that the insurance system needs to be restructured to elimi­ nate unnecessary spending. The American Medical As­ sociation estimates that waste due to inefficient health-care claims processing, payment and reconciliation could be anywhere from $21 billion to $210 billion. SPAN Ohio believes switch­ ing to a single health-care bureaucracy will lower the money spent on the complex bureaucracy of health care. Although retired, Ruck­ nagel still spends one day a week working at the Adult Sickle Cell Center at Univer­ sity Hospital. He often has to spend upwards of an hour (continued from page 4) on the phone with insurance companies explaining the ne­ cessity of a more expensive medication compared to a cheaper, less effective alterna­ tive, he says. ‘Take your pick’ The biggest question in health-care reform is where the money will come from. SPAN Ohio’s plan includes an income-tax increase of 6.2 percent for people making over $94,200 a year. People making over $200,000 would pay an additional five percent of their gross income. A tax on business would cost 3 percent of gross receipts and up to 3.85 percent on payrolls. Opponents of various pro­ posals object to the way the taxation is set up. “We believe that marketdriven health reforms are the best approach to reducing costs, promoting efficiency, wellness, and quality of care,” says a U.S. Chamber of Com­ merce statement on the health care plan pending in the U.S. Senate. “Using convoluted subsidies, employer mandates and legal structures to force Warm Beer and Cold War (continued from page 6) guns to fight the army. The “official” casualty toll was 144 civilians, four police and 22 army troops. The movie put the casualty toll at 207 deaths, almost 2,400 wounded and nearly 1,000 missing, al­ though it says those numbers are also in dispute and could be higher. The popular theory was that the South Korean govern­ ment had an agreement with U.S. forces that they could not move nor fire upon anyone without the express consent of the U.S. Command. Hence, we Americans were ultimately to blame for the massacre. It was later confirmed that the United States had authorized the retaking of Kwangju by the South Korean Army to restore order, but who authorized the first order to fire on and beat civilians is still unanswered. Anyway, a fellow sailor and I were going to spend a month on this mountain with the ROK Army to help them with their English, while we worked on our conversation­ al Korean. (Needless to say, their English was far better 7 than our Korean.) When we first arrived, a young officer started kicking the shit out of everything in a show of force, demanding our unquestioned obedience in all things. My partner freaked out over this; I was pretty confident the of­ ficer was smart enough to know that laying a finger on an American meant the end of his career. Still, I recall mak­ ing radio contact with some people in Seoul that night, and the next day the lieutenant was our bestest buddy, and stayed that way for the next month, although he made no secret of the fact he hated us. For a month we slept in an open barracks with no privacy, ate our daily ration of fish head soup (it is just what you think it is), kimchee and rice; and then the North Koreans, having ob­ viously spotted at least one of the Americans, started calling us names over the loudspeak­ ers at night: “You have an American bastard among you! He rapes your sister! Kill him in his sleep!” So you see, Hillary got off easy. Carolyn Park, member of Cincinnati chapter of SPAN Ohio. Photo by Andrew Anderson. people into a connector and then into a public governmentrun plan fails to tackle the un­ derlying challenge of control­ ling costs, improving care and expanding coverage.” Some people are afraid of more government involve­ ment in something as personal as health care, but Rucknagel sees it as a clear choice. “So there are two institu­ tions you can trust: insurance agencies or the government,” he says. “Take your pick.” A press release by U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) calls for a middle path. “In addition to expanding access and reducing costs for families, I believe any mean­ ingful reform must ensure that patients cannot be denied cov­ erage because of pre-existing conditions and that individu­ als won’t have to worry about losing coverage if they change jobs,” the statement says. “At the same time we need to en­ sure that protections are put in place so that small businesses are not unduly burdened by the costs of reform efforts.” Almost everyone agrees that the system in place now is ineffective. “What we have now is not working,” Park says. “People are hurting, people are suffer­ ing and people are dying.” �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Local News 8 Death on the Cheap Burial doesn’t have to cost so much By larry Gross Contributing Writer where an old lady in Costco has a casket in her cart and she’s pushing it through the When you walk by 722 store. They made a funny out Main St. downtown and look of it, but it stuck in my head.” in the show­ Lusain room win­ went online, dow, you’re r esearched An Internet going to see Costco and search turned up something saw that it a casket store in you don’t sells caskets, Indianapolis that see every but they have day: caskets to be shipped. had the same for sale. He didn’t casket he wanted, “Initially, want to pay and it was $1,300 I was go­ without see­ cheaper than ing to have ing the casket buying from the a wall here first. An In­ funeral home. in front and ternet search have a show­ turned up a room in the casket store back where people could see in Indianapolis that had the them,” says Eric Lusain, own­ same casket he wanted, and it er of Main St. Casket Co., “but was $1,300 cheaper than buy­ someone said, ‘No, you need ing from the funeral home. to put them in the window so Lusain started researching when people see them, they’ll the Federal Trade Commis­ remember.’ ” sion’s regulations on the sale Lusain also wants you to of caskets, which led him to remember the price of his dis­ open his store in Cincinnati. counted caskets. You can save “The FTC had to start regu­ up to 80 percent off the prices lating the business because at most funeral homes. funeral homes were price“Nowadays with things be­ fixing them along with the ing as tight as they are, people casket companies,” he says. are thinking twice,” he says. “People can buy their caskets Lusain discovered the high somewhere else, the register cost of burial last year in In­ book somewhere else and also dianapolis. the flowers. People think you “Back in September, we have to get them from the fu­ had a loved one who passed,” neral home. You don’t.” he says. “We were respon­ The FTC regulation, issued sible for the burial, and we in 1982, has become known as had to pay out-of-pocket. I the “Funeral Rule.” Most fu­ never buried anybody before, neral directors don’t educate and we got sticker shock. I their customers on the subject, had no idea that it would cost but some consumers are catch­ that much. I tried to figure out ing on, according to Lusain. ways to shave the price down. “I’ve had one funeral home I remembered some movie call me and say, ‘Why are you Eric Lusain, owner of Main St. Casket Co. in downtown Cincinnati. Photo by Andrew Anderson. taking money out of my pock­ et?’ ” he says. His store has been open for more than six months, but Lu­ sain had to wait for one of his tenants, a clothing retailer, to move. “Before the store opened, we were warehousing (cas­ kets) in the back,” he says. “People would pull up in the alley and take a look at them. We were selling them back there. It just didn’t feel right.” Lusain says business is good. His most popular cas­ ket is the Neapolitan Blue. It has a navy blue finish with light blue velvet interior in a French fold design. This cas­ ket, which also features an ad­ justable bed, goes for $999. At a funeral home, you’ll pay at least $3,050. Another popular casket is the Going Home Blue, which has a light blue crepe interior. At a funeral home, you’ll pay an average $2,635. At Main Street Casket Co., it’s yours for $799. Most of Lusain’s caskets are imported. “What a lot of people don’t know is some big casket com­ panies that are domestic are now made in Mexico,” he says. “There’s not a lot that’s truly domestic these days.” Most of Lusain’s caskets start at $999, including deliv­ ery to a funeral home. If you need to go cheaper, he’s also got boxes for $500 or even less. “Funeral homes carry them,” Lusain says, “but they won’t tell you unless you ask.” He also sells vaults that start at $499 and also offers pet caskets that start at $199. If cremation is your thing, you can pick up an urn for $135. Lusain says he doesn’t “store” caskets until the time of need, but does offer a pre­ plan set-up with a contract. He says he’s never had a custom­ er who wanted to try one on for size, but you don’t need a dead body to buy a casket. “It’s merchandise,” Lusain says. “It’s not against the law. A guy had cash, his own truck, came in, got the casket and we’re wheeling it down the street, sticking it in his truck. The guy actually had a 1961 hearse he was restoring, and he wanted to put a casket in it.” Most of Lusain’s custom­ ers have lost loved ones but he says he doesn’t see a lot of tears in his store. “When families come in here, they’re not grieving,” he says. “They’re excited. They’re saving at least two grand.” The Crime of Being Poor Discrimination against homeless people is the American way By GrEGory flannEry editor Laws that punish people for being Mormon, lesbian, African-American or deaf would never stand in the United States. But laws that punish people for being poor proliferate. “Homes Not Handcuffs” is the ninth report on the criminalization of homelessness by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. The report documents ordinances in cities across the country that make it a crime to do things that people do precisely because they are poor: panhandling, sleeping on benches and under bridges, ! ? t a h W y a relieving themselves in public. Based on research in 273 cities, the report decries the use of jail cells as housing for the poor. “Even though most cities do not provide enough affordable housing, shelter space and food to meet the need, many cities use the criminal justice system to punish people living on the street for doing things that they need to do to survive,” the report says. “Such measures often prohibit activities such as sleeping/ camping, eating, sitting and/or begging in public spaces and include criminal penalties for violation of these laws. Some cities have even enacted foodsharing restrictions that punish groups and individuals for serving homeless people. Many of these measures ap­ pear to have the purpose of moving homeless people out of sight or even out of a given city.” The Cincinnati Park Board, for example, restricts the distribution of food to poor people in Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine. Churches and groups such as Food Not Bombs sometimes flout the rule and sometimes sidestep it by setting up food stations on sidewalks near the park. A few years ago the crimi­ nalization report named Cin­ cinnati the Sixth Meanest City to Homeless People. Cincin­ nati didn’t make the cut this year. These days sunny climes seem to be especially mean to See Crime, p. 9 Words sing. They hurt. They teach. They sanctify. They were man’s first immeasurable feat of magic. They liberated us from ignorance and our barbarous past. ~ Leo Rosten S _____________________ �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Movie Review Getting Famoüs 9 We have met ‘Brüno,’ and he is us By david hEitfiEld Contributing Writer mistake to be made in Bruno: We have met the enemy, and it is us. The scene from Brüno that There's nothing subtle lingers with me – and how about it. Early in the movie, “staged” it was is irrelevant Brüno sets out on his quest – is not the talking penis, nor to “be famous” by setting up the swingers' club a focus group meeting where to view his new The amazing thing about the movie show idea on D­ Brüno is repeatedly slashed by list celebrities. is that, given the focus group and a female domiYou see what the the reaction of other people in natrix, nor the focus group sees the film, Cohen and Charles had near-riot caused – hell, you are to know this movie was probably by caged manthe focus group gonna bomb, and yet they made it on-man action in – and Cohen, anyway, and the distributors spent a front of a crowd quite literally, is shaking his dick that loves its hethuge amount of money promoting it. erosex. No, it's in your face. the scene of Paula Just as the focus Abdul mindlessly sitting on a spirator. group responds with disgust Mexican laborer as he is on all I've talked to people who – and they're only watch­ fours to provide her a “chair” refuse to even watch Borat ing it on a small television, in the absence of furniture. because “it just makes fun whereas you are watching it As she sits atop this poor of rednecks,” (pity the poor on a large movie screen – so man's back, Abdul earnestly Republican, who must look has been the reaction of many talks about how she “eats and to Ann Coulter and Larry the audience members and crit­ breathes” to help and be of Cable Guy for his humor) and ics. I was fully one-fourth of service to others. it turns out many people who the audience for the screening In one respect, Brüno is a like the movie agree with that I watched, and the Metacritic corrective to Sacha Baron Co­ sentiment, as if Cohen and di­ score for Brüno is a dismal 54, hen's 2006 Borat: the earlier rector Larry Charles decided compared to Borat's score of movie allowed the audience to make fun of the racism and 89. to keep some distance, watch­ bigotry of the South. I saw While I agree Borat is the ing Borat make his documen­ the satire as much more broad better movie, nothing in Borat tary while chasing his dream than that, but there's no such really surprised me, mostly girl to California. Brüno takes the same mockumentary style, without the making-a­ documentary conceit, and the result is disorienting. At the very least, you are a voyeur; more likely, you are a co-con­ because being a white male, I've seen and heard much of the overt racism and bigotry that movie took to its core (and no, it's not just in the South). Watching Brüno evoked far See Famous, p. 11 The Crime of Being Poor (continued from page 8) homeless people, with Florida and California dominating this year’s 10 Meanest Cities: Los Angeles, Calif.; St. Pe­ tersburg, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; Gainesville, Fla.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; San Francisco, Calif.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Bradenton, Fla.; and Berkeley, Calif. Cincinnati did, however, earn mention for the settle­ ment of a four-year legal bat­ tle over an ordinance requiring panhandlers to obtain licenses and for a legal challenge to state laws that prohibited a homeless sex offender from staying at the Drop Inn Center because of its proximity to a school. The case was eventu­ ally dropped because the man left the area, the report says. Because of state law, the Drop Inn Center still cannot give shelter to sex offenders, no matter how cold it is outside or how hungry they are. Thirteen cities have installed meters that resemble parking meters to accept money that people would otherwise give panhandlers. The proceeds go to agencies that help homeless people. While better than laws restricting panhandling, the meters are still a prob­ try, the response by city officials has been re­ lem, the report says. “If meter programs pression. are combined with “Since early 2007, St. campaigns telling peo­ Petersburg has passed ple not to give to people six new ordinances that asking for money, they target homeless people,” can have a detrimen­ the report says. “These tal impact on people include ordinances that outlaw panhan­ who are in dire need of assistance and can dling throughout most discourage the human of downtown, prohibit connection that occurs the storage of personal when one person gives belongings on public to another person in property and make it need,” the report says. unlawful to sleep out­ “Finally, the amount side at various loca­ of money raised by tions. In January 2007, the meters may not be the Pinellas-Pasco Pub­ significant enough to lic Defender announced make an actual impact that he would no longer on the larger issue of represent indigent peo­ poverty in any given ple arrested for violating community. municipal ordinances to The report details the protest what he called Some cities repurpose old parking increase in homeless­ excessive arrests of ness across the country meters so that potential givers can give to homeless individuals services instead of panhandlers. by the city of St. Peters­ as a result of the Bush burg.” Recession: ing in shelters rose by • Some 311,000 tenants • 33 percent in the past year. The report also highlights nationwide were evicted • Cities surveyed for the re­ constructive responses by a from rental properties in port experienced an aver­ handful of cities in the United the past year after lenders age 12 percent increase in States. foreclosed. • The city of Daytona Beach, homelessness. • Massachusetts reports that Fla., worked with service In many parts of the coun­ the number of families livproviders and business groups to set up a program that provides homeless people with jobs and hous­ ing. Participants are hired to clean up downtown and receive shelter. • The city of Cleveland con­ tracted with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless to provide an indoor food-sharing site to groups that wish to use it. • The city of Portland, Ore., began “A Key Not a Card,” with outreach workers able to immediately offer people living on the street permanent housing. That kind of response points to the report’s chief recom­ mendation: “Instead of crimi­ nalizing homelessness, local governments, business groups and law-enforcement officials should work with homeless people, providers and advo­ cates for solutions to prevent and end homelessness,” the report says. “When cities work with homeless persons and advocate for solutions to homelessness, instead of pun­ ishing those who are homeless or poor, everyone benefits.” �Poetry 10 Only the Deaf Want to Listen STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 The poetry of Daniel Thompson By MiChaEl hEnson Contributing Writer It’s hard to imagine Cincinnati – or any other city I know of – honoring a poet like Daniel Thompson. It’s hard to imagine a city honoring a poet at all. But in Cleveland, there is a downtown street renamed for a poet who spent his life as an advocate for the homeless and the poor. It’s a short street. It’s not like they’re going to give up the naming rights to an interstate highway to a mere poet. But it’s a street, a real paved street: Daniel’s Way. And they even have a plaque installed on a wall to explain who Daniel was. In Cincinnati, the people who get to give names to streets would just as soon have the poets go away. Say what you want about Cleveland, but they have at least some of their priorities right. I first encountered the poetry of Daniel Thompson this year in May. The poet and singer Bree Zlee and the poet/publisher/bookseller Charles Potts had put together a weekend of poetry events, and I was along for the ride. This particular part of the ride took us downtown to the spot where the plaque had been installed on the street known as Daniel’s Way. May in Cleveland is not the same as May in Cincinnati, and I did not go dressed for the cold. So I shivered in a small circle of about a dozen as we read the poems of – and poems dedicated to – Daniel. Then and there I became a fan of the poetry of Daniel Thompson. Daniel was an activist for the homeless and the poor in the city of Cleveland who eventually became poet laureate of Cuyahoga County. He never published a book, but several collections of his work are floating around, including a special edition of The Homeless Grapevine, the Cleveland version of Streetvibes. Daniel seems incapable of writing a bad poem. He hits on old themes (there are, after all, no new themes), but in his work, everything is fresh, everything is sharp and clear, everything reflects in sharp detail the cruel ironies of poverty in a land of wealth. At no time does he resort to stereotype or cliché. There is no ranting, no flat ideological droning. There is only clarity of language and relentless compassion. Here are a few samples: Again A New Beatitude Walking to starlight in a dark season, I hear a new beatitude, America. Listen, Blessed are the homeless, for they shall inherit the street, the sidewalk, the bushes, the cold, cold ground, whatever falls from heaven, pennies of rain, of snow, any spare change of weather, day-old manna, the donut and the hole in the donut, the hole in the sock, in the sole of the shoe, and in the cold, cold ground, and, O, I almost forgot, America, this, too, from you, the cold eye of the stranger… you’re returning to the haunts of the lonely, the broken, on the childhood side of town. Read the signs: IGNORE ALIEN ORDERS ROAD NARROWS Till another deserves one good turn, forgetting nothing, exit on the off chance you may leap from your car in ecstasy, hunger after light, divine for water, turning over the heart’s new leaf to the dark music inside, night coming on quickly. Listen: If you were homeless you’d be home now. News From Home The dogs have turned wild… since you’ve gone, the moon, blue; and my heart in Hell has fro­ zen over…It’s Heaven. Your work is cut out for you when you return… All your calls have stopped…save the mimes; and they’re good. You can’t hear them breathe. Otherwise every­ thing’s business as usual. Only the blind want to read your poems; Only the deaf want to listen. Many thanks to Christopher Franke, a friend and poetic colleague of Daniel who shared these poems with me. 1128 Walnut St Pizza by the Slice Tues and Thurs Buffet($7.00)-11AM-2PM Wed-Thur-Fri-Sat 9PM-3AM Only purchase Streetvibes from BADGED vendors. Vendors wear their WHITE badges while they sell the paper. �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Editorial 11 The Struggle for National Health care – and Steve Driehaus We must act while we have the momentum By Martha stEPhEns Contributing Writer ter, for government help on the premiums – to private insurance – of people losing their jobs. No mention, though, of Driehaus’s positions on President Obama’s health plan, with its public option. And this is exactly the point, it seems – the ad’s lack of reference to the bills being debated in Congress and the public option. It is made to look like a campaign ad from himself, perhaps: “Hey! We’re telling people that everybody admires your work on healthHomeless people need nacare! We admire you and will tional health care – that's for stick by you. You don’t need sure. Sick and disabled people to back a controversial bill need it. Low-income people with a public option that atneed it. In reality, we all need tacks our industry.” it – birth to grave care, that is, A recent report has calcu­ from doctors and hospitals of lated that $1.3 million a day our choosing, government to is spent on lobbying Congress pay the bills, those who can to by the health industry. pay a premium or a health tax, For the first time in our hisas in other countries, tory, Ameri­ but according to incans are seecome. No connecing a vital and We might be on the verge of getting vociferous tion to employment. genuine reform through a strong We might be on grassroots public option in health care, where the verge of getstruggle for everyone could choose between a ting genuine reform a national Medicare-like public program and through a strong health service. private insurance. A recent poll public option in health care, where by the New everyone could York Times choose between a Medicare- Driehaus, but if you turn it and CBS found that 72 percent like public program and pri- over, the fine print on the back of Americans now believe that vate insurance. page says this: “Paid for by everyone who wants it should In the meantime the battle Pharmaceutical Research and have government insurance of with private insurance goes Manufacturers of America.” the Medicare type. We hear on. In mid-July a strange Driehaus’s offices in Cin- less and less about the dangers four-page ad on health care cinnati and Washington say of “socialized medicine.” appeared in Cincinnati mail- he had nothing to do with this But we must watch with boxes. This glossy, fold-up flier and did not know it was fierce concentration the votes brochure, full of the happy appearing. of our representatives on the faces of kids and families, Is it a dirty trick, then, bills in Congress, including mostly African-Americans, by the pharmaceutical asso- Driehaus’s votes. It was an featured Cincinnatian Steve ciation? So it seems, and we intrepid Driehaus, of course, Driehaus. hope Driehaus will publicly who slew the dragon on the “Congressman Steve Drie- renounce this ad. Deceiving west side of town last year – haus,” the ad says, “wants fliers such as this one have Steve Chabot, a Republican every Ohio child to grow up gone out, we assume, in select in the U. S. House who had healthy and happy.” It de- districts across the country, voted over 90 percent of the scribes Driehaus’s support for wherever it is felt that politi- time with George W. Bush. the expanded kids’ care pro- cians can be pressed into ser- Driehaus received a lot of gram, for Children's Hospital vice for private insurance. The help from progressive and and the Veterans Affairs Cen- real message is for Driehaus disaffected people in his dis- Getting Famoüs more personal reactions. For instance, in one scene where Brüno talks to his agent while getting an anal bleaching, I found my rube mind thinking to itself, “Really? They have stores in LA that specialize in anal bleaching? My God, we've gone to hell.” The amazing thing about the movie is that, given the fo­ cus group and the reaction of other people in the film, Co­ hen and Charles had to know this movie was probably gon­ na bomb, and yet they made it anyway, and the distributors spent a huge amount of money promoting it. That takes some guts, just as it took some guts to insult a terrorist, or to go on a stroll in the Middle East in some gay Hasidic garb until offended people start chasing him. Many of the scenes seem better a few days after view­ ing. The swingers' meeting, where Brüno was trying to turn heterosexual, seemed a little pointless as I watched it, but, given time, now strikes me as brilliant: Married peo­ ple trying to find some mean­ ing in their lives by swapping partners, demonstrating such sexual positions as “pile-driv­ er,” and yet they judge Brüno as a pervert. The mimed fel­ latio that Cohen brilliantly performs before a psychic who communicates with the dead is another scene that gets better with age. You recall the psychic looking almost embarrassed as Brüno, who All who care about this issue should call Driehaus at 513-6842723, as well as the local office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) at 513-684-1021. Ask them to support a bill with a public option open to all, affordable to all and without private insurance. trict, including many African Americans. People sent mon­ ey, put up signs, staffed tables, got voters to the polls. Now we can ask that these favors be returned. In a meeting in Norwood in May, Driehaus was confronted by many citizens asking him to support universal care. He told them that he supported a strong public option. “We’re going to get that bill through,” he said. But at the July 4 parade in Northside, he seemed some­ what less confident that the public option would make its way. Five hundred and fifty-two unions have come on board for what is called “single-pay­ er healthcare,” in which gov­ ernment is the single payer of medical bills as in Medicare, and which many think would ensue if we win a bona fide public option. Many nurses and physicians are at the fore­ front of this struggle. Three Cincinnati physicians are among the activists in the local Single Payer Action Network; they walked with this group in the July 4 Parade and helped to give out nearly 1,000 fliers. In June, the Contact Cen­ ter held a public forum at St. Monica Church in Clifton, where people with chronic ill­ ness spoke out about their need for government insurance. Pat Clifford, executive director of the Drop Inn Center, told the group that the center insures its employees, but that when two of the staff became ill this past year, the private insurer raised the center’s premiums by 55 percent. “We don’t know what we're going to do,” Clifford said. Lynn Williams, the action leader of the Contact Cen­ ter, asked everyone present that night to get out their cell phones right then and there and call Driehaus, and people did. Will the bills in the House and Senate provide a way out of the abyss of pain the health industry has driven us into? Can we grow up and join the rest of the sentient world in providing public care for all? “The struggle for universal healthcare is the great civil rights struggle of our time,” said Senator Bernie Sand­ ers (I-Vermont) on a C-Span show in July. (continued from page 9) asks if he can give the spirit a hug, instead gives the air a great BJ, and you think, dude, you sell people on the idea that you can channel a dead person's thoughts and charge them money for it! Really, who's behavior is more em­ barrassing? Ultimately, I'm thankful that I was able to go to a theater in suburban Cincinnati and watch this film. I recall grow­ ing up here when The Exorcist came out, showing at the same theater where I watched Brü­ no, and it was slapped with an X rating here, so no one under 18 was allowed to be corrupted by a girl vomiting pea soup. We’ve come a long way to watching a grown man show his pee-pee. The best American humor has a sense of anarchy – the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Mae West, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and so on. It’s a reminder that our brains are there to make sense of the world, and in doing so it fools us as much as it enlightens us, and that our institutions are woefully inadequate social constructs that never deliver what they promise. The disturbing lesson is that we are far more alike than we are different. You can’t just look at a frat boy from the South and laugh about his stupid worldview, because his view isn't all that removed from your own. We are the world. It’s an idea Paula Ab­ dul would heartily endorse. Are you interested in helping with Streetvibes? Are you a proofreader, writer, poet, artist or photographer? If so, contact Greg Flannery 513.421.7803 x 12 or email streetvibes2@ yahoo.com �12 STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Issues Justice, Toilets and Bill Cunningham By lynnE ausMan Staff Writer Today, I tuned into WLW via its online podcasts. I never thought the day would come I think it’s safe to say that when I willingly sat down I grew up listening to Bill to listen to Cunningham, but Cunningham. alas that day He has been has come. I a household was joining So the issue of name in the my parents for answering nahome I grew dinner; and ture’s call after up in since when I walked dark is more before I was in the door, my born. mom quickly than a probI distinctly told me that lem of respect. remember the neighbor People do not family vacahad heard want to take tions – listenCunningham care of that sort ing to WLW talking about of business in (700 AM) the the Homeless entire way. Coalition on public. WLW has one the radio. It’s of the strongest happened bebroadcasts: At fore, but today night when many regional sta- I felt the need to tune in. tions go off air, WLW would To my surprise I was mencome in clear all the way to tioned by a caller who apFlorida. This was before iP- parently wrote me a letter. I ods, so I always made sure I haven’t received this letter had enough batteries to keep yet, but I look forward to it. my personal CD player run- The caller suggested that the ning for the entire trip. Lucki- coalition put port-a-potties at ly, my dad was not completely the Hamilton County Courtwithout mercy. By the time we house for the people sleeping hit Tennessee, my brother and outside there. She stated that I could usually talk him into the portable toilets are free. listening to the Beatles, Elton Frustrated with the lack of John or Billy Joel. To this day public restrooms for homethey are three of my favorite less people, the coalition has singers/songwriters: After all, looked at purchasing a port-athey saved me from AM Talk potty. They aren’t free, by the Radio on more than one occa- way. They cost about $85 per sion. month. I plan to tell her that and the following: The only available public restrooms downtown close at 7 p.m. The bathrooms at Washington Park are closed during the winter and they close at dusk in the warmer months. Restrooms at homeless shelters are only open to shelter residents most of the time – and shelters are at capacity. So the issue of answering nature’s call after dark is more than a problem of respect. People do not want to take care of that sort of business in public. Who would? Taking a crap in an ally is potentially the most degrading and humiliating thing someone would have to go through. Have you ever used a bedpan? That’s as close as I ever want to come to shitting in the street. Some homeless people urinate outside the courthouse at night. Cunningham calls it “peeing on the symbol of justice.” What justice? Is it just that my neighbor’s dog shits in my yard everyday and my neighbor doesn’t pick it up because he assumes that, because I have dogs, I won’t mind? Is it just that businesses slam their doors in the face of people looking for an appropriate place to pee? Is it just that we turn the very activities that one must Crossword engage in to survive (sleeping, peeing, eating) into crimes? Is it just that we no longer open our doors to strangers looking for a meal? Is it just that we treat people who are sick and in need of care with disgust and disdain? Is it just that we outsource our jobs overseas and stand idle when people have no work and no money? Is it just that we are willing to allow people to pay their employees less than minimum wage? Is it just that we would rather see someone on the streets than swallow our “pull yourself up by your bootstrap” mentality and give him/her/ them a home? Is it just that we as a society stand idle as people are forced from their homes and into the streets? Frankly, we have bigger problems to worry about than people peeing and pooping near the courthouse. When we have enough affordable housing and permanent supportive housing to meet the need. When we have enough living wage employment available so no one is unwillingly unemployed. When we have the ability to prevent homelessness. When all of the children in our community have enough nutritionally balanced food to eat. When schools have adequate funding and resources to educate their students. When all students finish high school. When everyone has access to higher education. When all couples (gay or straight) are free to be together without ridicule or judgment. When there are no dogs or cats living without a loving family and home. When the neighbor’s yard is mowed. When my neighbor’s dog stops shitting in my yard. When the mosquitoes no longer bite me as I’m enjoying the great outdoors. I think you get my point. When these bigger injustic­ es are solved, I’ll worry about the fecal matter at the courthouse. I know this probably isn’t the answer you were hoping for or expecting, but I hope it answers some questions. But I’ll take this one step further. If you make a taxdeductible donation to the Homeless Coalition of $85 per month, we’ll find a place to put a porta-potty. And by the way, my name is pronounced “Lynn” – you know, like Lynne Cheney. That’s a name you recognize, right? Sudoku Across 2. In the greatest number 5. Beat up 7. Two times 8. The right-hand side 11. Navy 13. Woody plant 14. Permanent army post 15. Capital of Greece 16. Open -----­ 19. People in general 22. Scheme 23. Self-respect 24. Traditionalists 25. Tugs 26. Furnace 27. Fast aircraft 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. Down 1. Employees 2. Skinflint 3. Eight singers 4. Chair 5. Thin soup 6. Conceals 9. Part of verb to be 10. Leased 12. British astronomer 15. Chopping tool 16. Ghost 17. Sorrowful 18. Male name 19. Freshwater fish 20. Small mountains 21. Something that causes fermentation 23. Bishop of Rome 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. Solutions on Page 15 �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Community News Nurse, Nun and Advocate 13 Sister Phyllis Kemper takes healing to where it’s needed By Paul MillEr Contributing Writer She wanted to be a nurse or a teacher, but Sister Phyllis Kemper, R.N. couldn’t stand the sight of blood while growing up. Soon after joining the Ursulines of Brown County, however, she helped out with the health care of the older sisters of her community. She found her calling and made the decision to become a nurse. The people of Over-the-Rhine and surrounding areas are cer­ tainly glad she did. Kemper is part of the Parish Nurse Program of TriHealth, a community partnership of Bethesda North and Good Sa­ maritan hospitals. She is one of 10 nurses and three com- munity health workers and a social worker employed in the program, which is based out of churches in nine low-income neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Kemper’s home base is St. Francis Seraph Church at Liberty and Vine Streets. At 10 a.m. every Monday you’ll find her in a small office at Our Daily Bread on Race Street, taking care of the health needs of people in Over-the-Rhine. When doing an initial assessment of health-care needs in Over-the-Rhine, Kemper found that Our Daily Bread had a space where people could see a nurse. “I was always interested in community health nursing,” she says. “I realized people were falling through the Our Daily Bread is a food and hospitality ministry at 1730 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, serving a mid-day meal for more than 500 people every weekday. To volunteer or contribute, call Joan or Kathy at 513-621-6364. Giant Leaps ‘Streetvibes’ vendor now has stable housing By JErEMy flannEry Contributing Writer Getting off the streets and into stable housing is an enormous step for a homeless person to rebound from rock bottom. Streetvibes vendor Leonard Jackson now lives in Section 8 housing in Winton Terrace after being homeless for three years, he says. “I’m not trying to brag about it,” he says. “I’m just really thankful to have it.” Jackson expressed gratitude to organizations in Cincinnati such as the Salvation Army and the Drop Inn Center that provide the homeless and disadvantaged with food, housing assistance and bus fare to seek employment. The city of Cincinnati should do more to help, he says. “The city should pay for homeless people’s rent for a year and pay for their gas and electric, too,” Jackson says. “That would give people a real chance to get themselves back together. I know some people might try to take advantage of that, maybe turn it into a dope house or something, but not everyone. If someone gives me a chance, you bet I’ll try to help myself and do what’s right.” Jackson has been a Streetvibes vendor since 1997, when the Greater Cincinnati Coali­ tion for the Homeless, which publishes the newspaper, had its office on Elm Street, he says. His route spans from Walnut and Race streets in Over-the-Rhine to Knowlton’s Corner and Chase Avenue in Northside, he says. “(Streetvibes) helps pay the bills and keeps bus fare in your pocket,” he says. “It lets people know what’s going on with the homeless, it tells the truth and it reports better than the other newspapers like the Enquirer or before with the Post, because they don’t report on these types of issues much.” Jackson says he is one of the few Streetvibes vendors who venture across the Ohio River to sell the newspaper in Cov­ ington and Newport. Patrons have told Jackson that both Kentucky cities need more vendors like him, he says. “This one lady in Cov­ ington came up to me and she gave me $25,” Jackson cracks, and I wanted to find a way to help.” For a few hours on Monday mornings since 2001, Kemper sees anywhere from four to 14 people at Our Daily Bread. She provides health education and identifies health issues. When necessary, she refers patients to health facilities for treatment, whether a hospital, a clinic or the Medical Van for the Homeless, which parks outside Our Daily Bread ev­ ery Tuesday afternoon. “The emergency room is still used as a source of prima­ ry care,” she says. “Transpor­ tation is a challenge for people to get health care outside of the neighborhood.” High blood pressure and diabetes are common ailments among the population she ministers to. “People don’t feel bad with high blood pressure,” Kem­ per says. “Unless they get it checked, it isn’t identified, and they are at high risk of a heart attack or stroke. And people can’t get or afford the medicine.” Kemper refers people to the Cincinnati Health Department or the Saint Vincent De Paul Charitable Pharmacy so they can have access to the medication they require. She also teaches them how to take their medication. “People get care and realize that they don’t have to feel bad all of the time” she says. “Some don’t remem­ Sister Phyllis Kemper. Photo by Paul Miller. ber what feeling “It’s a blessing to be here” good is like.” Kemper says. “People know Kemper visits people at I am a nurse and watch out home who can’t get out. She will go to the doctor with pa- for me. Once I was walk­ tients who can’t advocate for ing down Vine Street and a crowd had gathered around themselves. “(Many times) it’s just mak­ someone who was in medical ing the doctors instructions distress. A couple of the guys yelled, ‘Clear out of the way! understandable” she says. Kemper also collaborates Here comes the nurse.’ I am with Joyce Cue, the social blessed.” Because of her, so are the worker at Our Daily Bread, people of Over-the-Rhine. when someone needs a referral for social-service needs. Leonard Jackson, uses the money he earns from selling ‘Streetvibes’ to help pay bills and bus fare. Photo by Jeni Jenkins. says. “I asked her what that’s for and she said, ‘That’s from God.’ Then she gave me $2 for newspapers. I thanked her very much for that. That is a bless­ ing from God. Some people say they don’t care about the homeless when I’m selling. I try to tell them, ‘You might be there one day – homeless and with a fishing pole by the river struggling to survive.’ I hope not, but you never know what might happen in the future.” Jackson says Streetvibes could also do more to help its vendors by providing T-shirts so people are more aware of their presence. Vendors would also be able to replenish their stock of papers during the weekend if the office would be open for a half day on Sat­ urdays, he says. Both suggestions are under consideration, according to Lynne Ausman, administra­ tive coordinator for the Home­ less Coalition. “We are working on get­ ting T-shirts, bags, hats or something,” she says. “We’re working on the pricing or rais­ ing funds to do that, or seeing if they can be donated so it can provide them with more legit­ imacy so people don’t have to wonder, ‘Hey, who is this guy?’ The paper is about the vendors and providing for them with something, and to provide a service to the community. But it’s mostly about the ven­ dors.” Opening the office on Sat­ urdays might require resched­ uling staff hours and seeking volunteers, she says. “We only have four staff members and we all work 40 hours per week or more,” Ausman says. “We’ve thought about using volunteers, but we still need staff here. As Streetvibes and our staff grows, maybe we will be able to be open on Saturdays in the fu­ ture.” �Vendor Voice 14 Suicide STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Cleo’s Joke Corner By MaCK l. russEll Vendor Suicide, I hate you. You take away and never give back. You make promises of false dreams, convincing those who follow you that death is better. Suicide, where did you come from? I don’t know, but I’m sure there’s a place of sheer coldness and darkness that will welcome you. Did you hear about the crime that happened to the house that was being remodeled? The showers were stalled, the curtains were held up, the doors were hung – and the windows were framed for it. Suicide, you take from people, never reaping the consequences. You kill without a cause. If pain is all you have to give, pass over, keep on keeping on. There’s no room at this hotel, no vacancies. Your kind is not welcome. Go back where you come from. Please go back. Suicide, I hate you. For my friend Ed, departed March 2007. What’s Happenin’ August Events BEnEfits: Northside Community Yard Sale. Benefits Churches Active In Northside. August 8. 9am-2pm. http://northside.net/sale for more info. MusiC: Grammy-Award Winning Charles Ford Singers. August 23. 4pm. at St. Mark Christian Fellowship 820 Ezzard Charles Dr. aCtivitiEs: Health Care Reform Informational Forum. August 3. 7pm. First Unitarian Church in Avondale. Hosted by Women’s City Club. US Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) will speak. Homegrown Permaculture: Water Use Workshop. “Water: Natural Resource or Commodity?” August 8. 9:30am-4pm. Reservations required. Contact 513/683-2340 or www.grailville. org. Healing Emotions: Briding East and West. August 21. 7pm. Gaden Samdrupling Buddhist Monastery hosts a conversation between a Buddhist monk and a western psychiatrist to explor the integration of East and West in emotional healing. 3046 Pavlova Drive, Colerain Township. More information at 513/385-7116. $10 donation suggested. Read the Streetvibes blog for stories between issues at streetvibes.wordpress.com Ongoing Events 2nd tuEsdays Cincinnati-Ohioans to Stop Execution Meeting. IJPC Peaslee Center (215 E. 14th Street, OTR). 7-8pm. 3rd WEdnEsdays IJPC General Peace Committee. Peaslee Neighborhood Center. 7-9pm. 1st thursdays Benefits Rights Advocacy Group. Contact Center (1212 Vine St. OTR). Noon-1:30pm. Northern Kentucky Peace and Justice Group. Mother of God Church (119 W. 6th St. Covington). 7pm. 2nd thursdays CeaseFire Cincinnati. Church of the Living God (430 Forest Ave). 9:30am. Become a Fan of Streetvibes on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/streetvibescincinnati �STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Resources 15 Need Help or Want to Help? Our Daily Bread Shelter: Women and Children 621-6364 Health 535-2719 591-2246 Center for Respite Care 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Central Access Point Cincinnati Union Bethel 381-SAFE 768-6907 St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 557-2873 FreeStore/FoodBank 681-2365 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 762-5660 St. Vincent de Paul 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 3600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 562-8841 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter Crossroad Health Center 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 872-9259 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Justice Watch 241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Treatment: Men Mt. Airy Shelter 661-4620 784-1853 721-0643 921-1613 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 961-2256 Treatment: Women First Step Home 961-4080 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 Treatment: Both 721-0643 AA Hotline CCAT 471-1100 221-3350 Joseph House (Veterans) 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 351-0422 381-6672 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 241-2965 Hamilton County ADAS Board Recovery Health Access Center Sober Living Talbert House 946-4888 281-7422 681-0324 641-4300 Advocacy 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 721-4700 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 621-5300 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 558-8888 981-5800 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 458-6670 977-4489 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS Other Resources Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center Peaslee Neighborhood Center Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place United Way Women Helping Women 241-2600 241-2563 621-5514 381-0111 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 351-7921 631-1114 211 977-5541 Hamilton/Middletown 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 357-4602 352-2902 352-6363 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Shelter: Both Anthony House (Youth) Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van McMicken Dental Clinic 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 DIC Live In Program Prospect House Starting Over 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 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. Puzzle Solutions �16 Vendors’ Artwork Artwork by Anthony Williams STREETVIBES August 1 - 14, 2009 Berta’s Art Corner “Oasis,” Federal Reserve Bank, 150 East Fourth St., Cincinnati, Ohio Double Take “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” - John Lennon Aimie Willhoite captured the dignity and gifts of individuals in Over-the-Rhine. � 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 August 1–14, 2009 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Insane Budgeting Decisions Art for Hard Times Pg 2: The Vibe Pg 3: Eight Minutes with a ‘Nest Filler’ Pg 4: Insane Budgeting Healing a Nation Pg 5: Arts & Poetry Pg 6: Warm Beer and Cold War Pg 7: Healing a Nation Pg 8: Death on the Cheap Pg 9: Arts & Poetry Pg 10: Arts & Poetry Pg 11: The Struggle for National Health Care Pg 12: Justice, Toilets and Bill Cunningham Pg 13: Nurse, Nun and Advocate Giant Leaps Pg 14: Suicide Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 1 – 14, 2009 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Lynne Ausman Lew Moores Margo Pierce Paul Kopp Jeremy Flannery Michael Henson David Heitfield Alecia Lott Larry Gross Stephanie Dunlap Georgine Getty Angela Pancella Paul Miller Will Kirschner Andrew Anderson Aimie Willhoite Jennifer Blalock Ranjit Rege Advocate Aimie Willhoite Alecia Lott Andrew Anderson Angela Pancella Arts & Poetry Bill Cunningham Budget Cuts Cold War David Heitfield Discrimination Georgine Getty Gregory Flannery Hate Crime health care Jennifer Blalock Jeremy Flannery Justice Larry Gross Lew Moores Lynne Ausman Margo Pierce mental health Michael Henson National Health Care Nun Nurse Paul Kopp Paul Miller Ranjit Rege Sister Phyllis Kemper South Korea Stephanie Dunlap Steve Driehaus U.S. Military Will Kirschner https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/f680708ee72cfeda00a704a7244a04ca.pdf 10ae348eac9d27a47b6336101aec7ad1 PDF Text Text August 10th - August 23rd 2018 | Vol. 21 Issue 14 (No. 387) advocating justice | building community For Tala Ali, a Muslim, Spirituality Cannot Be Separated from Her Social Justice Work | 8 This Issue is sponsored by Christ Church Cathedral INSIDE THIS ISSUE The city continues to evict homeless camps | 3 Introducing the Enright Ridge Eco-village in East Price Hill | 4 How We Eradicate Homelessness | 5 The Birds have landed in Cincinnati| 12 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 streetvoice | 13 �2 LOCAL From The Director: To the People of Cincinnati, From The People Living on 3rd Street I n the midst of an affordable housing shortage at crisis level and as the number of people experiencing homelessness is the highest it has ever been in Cincinnati; the City has decided to put their time and energy into further marginalizing people and forcing people from seeking even the smallest amount of respite on public land. Below is the response of the people who are living on the sidewalk along our 3rd Street: Hello Neighbor, You may have heard about those of us who live outside along 3rd Street.  We want to take a moment to communicate directly. Without this publicly-owned space to lay our heads and protect one-another, we would not have a consistent place to be. It’s not that any of us want to be without a home, but like millions of other people in this country, we are. In Hamilton County we have a shortage of more than 40,000 affordable homes. About 56,000 people are trying to fit into 16,000 affordable homes. Big problems like this one require big solutions. We know that forcing us from the support of the community we have built, and this public land is not a solution. Living outside is already very difficult without the hammer of being forced from even a public sidewalk hanging over our heads. We already have to deal with the weather, lack of privacy, constant noise from traffic, lack of bathroom access, inability to store healthy food and never being able to really relax and have moment to ourselves. We know we are a part of a large and growing number of women, men and children facing homelessness in Cincinnati. We implore the City of Cincinnati and City Council to act toward us in good faith, not only in terms of immediate needs, but to focus on long-term solutions that will create desperately needed access to an adequate quantity of affordable housing. With this said, as Cincinnatians, we release the following list of actions we call for the City of Cincinnati to take with us. (Please visit our Facebook page: The Colony Cincinnati. To get involved contact our partner, the Homeless Coalition: www. cincihomeless.org.) 1. The City of Cincinnati will not engage in the actions of warning, citing, noticing or otherwise telling, forcing or intimidating persons to JOSH SPRING Executive Director vacate public land. 2. In order to sustain a healthy environment for the residents of Third Street, the City will supply and maintain at least three public restrooms with showers, which could A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 into a permanent housing option that is suitable to them.  The City will partner with local housing-focused organization and the City will follow the basic assistant tenants provided in the Uniform Relocation Act as a minimum standard. 5. The City will provide the necessary funding for a no-barrier Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Josh Spring Credit: Homeless Coalition be in the form of port-o-lets that are accessible to people with handicaps and are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  These facilities will be regularly cleaned, and supplied with adequate quantities of toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  The city will provide such restrooms in other areas as deemed necessary for health safety.  All people will have the right to access all restroom sin city-owned facilities with an indoor entrance during the regular business hours of that facility and all restroom in cityowned structures with an outdoor entrance at all times.  3. The City will furnish garbage and recycle vestibules on each block of Third Street in such a quantity necessary to contain all garbage items produced along these blocks (at least four city garbage cans per block) with an adequate rate of pickup; at least weekly.  The city will provide such vestibules in other areas as deemed necessary for health safety and sanitation. 4. Any person residing on public land will have access to reasonable opportunity to relocate Reception: Larry Johnson, Anne Evans Maintenance: Pete Roper shelter that is open and available all year-round. 6. The City will increase the Human Services budget to ensure that social service agencies can adequately provide the following services which are necessary for some people: a. Access to IDs b. Reduce barriers to employment c. Mental healthcare/ addiction recovery d. Transportation assistance 7. The city will approve a motion necessary to re-start the Afford able Housing Working Group staffed by the Department of Community and Economic Development, with the task of bringing forth legislation for City Council to pass in order to establish and adequately fund an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. 8. City Council will begin discussion of proposed legislative protections for people who rent and legislation in the form of a Homeless Bill of Rights. Sincerely with Hope, Residents of The Colony on Third Street THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED ----------------------------------------------CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, People living on 3rd Street, Bill Woods, Jake Dingler, Dick Croy, Dr. Mark Mussman, Trenton Davis, Michael Earl Patton, Saad Ghosn, Laura Domet, Steve Sunderland, Justin Jeffre, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones ----------------------------------------------Photography/ Artwork: Homeless Coalition, Justin Jeffre, Dick Croy, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Saad Ghosn, Laura Domet --------------------------------------------------Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �LOCAL Homelessness Then and Now - 1986-2018 3 No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 T BILL WOODS he plight of the people on Third Street jolted me to question how much or how little things have changed since homelessness emerged as a major issue in Cincinnati and other cities across the U.S. in the 1980s. When Applied Information Resources was hired by the City in 1986 to conduct a homeless study, activists and social service providers were still organizing new and already existing shelters and services to assist the greater number of individuals and families who found themselves without resources or places to live. Although shelters and services in 2018 have become more professional and better able to assist their clients, homeless numbers remain tragically high today. One common factor causing homelessness both then and now that has actually worsened today is the lack of affordable housing. The City Administrators that asked AIR to assess homelessness in 1986 doubted the big numbers cited by buddy gray, the leading advocate for the homeless in that era, and they hoped that our study would debunk this crisis. The recent commentary by the Acting City Manager and the Mayor about the Third Street encampment seem to imply that the people involved are a nuisance and a health hazard who need to be quickly swept out of sight. This rather callous one-dimensional approach to Third Street once again shows local government's failure to understand the systemic and long term nature of homelessness and the need to take more responsibility for assisting the many residents who are homeless. Our study findings completed in early 1987 confirmed rather than E Contributing Writer refuted buddy gray's high numbers. In fact, the study's estimated yearly figure of people experiencing homelessness in Greater Cincinnati (9,526-11,454) probably topped gray's figures. The new revelation that gained the headlines was the number of families with children that were experiencing homelessness. Families comprised 37.5-percent of the region's homeless, and of the were named as the two primary causes by homeless clients. The lack of suitable, affordable housing was emerging as a crisis in 1986, and it has simply grown over time. Since the 1930s, one of the keys to having affordable housing has been federal funding. As an outgrowth of the Great Depression and the New Deal, Public Housing and housing assistance programs grew up as responses to the economic crisis that confronted so many Bill Woods accepting buddy gray Lifetime Achievement Award Credit: Homeless Coalition 1,800 people counted in the onemonth shelter survey, 320 were children and 130 were single parent women. The study shattered the stereotype of the aging wino or the bag lady, and although alcohol and drugs were certainly given as one of the reasons for homelessness, housing and income related factors Americans. Over the years, Congress and various Administrations accepted housing assistance as an ongoing responsibility that needed to continue. This mandate began to diminish by the 1980s, and the Reagan Administration took the position that the poor were primarily to blame for their plight. Federal The City Continues to Evict Homeless Camps arly in the morning of August 3rd, Attorney Bennett Allen filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Cincinnati, as well as a request for a temporary restraining order. Who, you may ask, was Allen seeking protection for? Individuals without homes who have taken up residence in tents along Third Street who refer to themselves as The Colony. On Tuesday, July 31, signs appeared along the Third Street camp informing the residents they had 72 hours to vacate the area “indefinitely” in order to allow city workers to clean the area. These signs looked like something anyone could make on a basic laptop, displayed no official seal or insignia, and cited no city statute. Anyone could've put up these funding for housing began to decline during this period. It is no coincidence that the rise of homelessness in Cincinnati and other cities occurred during this initial phase of major cuts in federal housing assistance. In 1981, the federal outlay for various housing programs was $24.9-billion. By the 1987 budget, federal housing funds were reduced to $7.8-billion, and money for any new construction was miniscule. Waiting lists for Public Housing in Cincinnati, especially for family units, grew both in numbers and in long waits for any openings. This trend of shrinking federal resources for affordable housing and other safety net programs has continued from the 1980s to today. Consequently, the long-term chances for reducing homelessness and poverty seem quite small if we continue to wait for a major change in the funding priorities of Congress or the White House. The recent LISC study that showed us to be in need of 40,000 units to address the local affordable housing need is a stark reminder of a crisis that has evolved over the last thirty-eight years. What this really means is that Cincinnati City Government and Hamilton County need to step up to the plate and provide more funding for affordable housing initiatives. Initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is being negotiated between the City and housing advocates, must be adequately funded in order to make a difference. Further, the need to change local government priorities may require activists to promote raising taxes. The mantra of no new taxes must be questioned if an adequate response to reducing poverty is ever to be mounted. Meanwhile, a first step for activists should be to tell the City that sweeping people off of Third Street fails to meet the test of a humane response to homelessness. remove. And now, to top it all off, the (Continued on page 9) JAKE DINGLER Contributing Writer signs- hateful people that demonize the poor, ill-behaved children that enjoy the suffering of others, devilish miscreants with complete disregard for their fellow human beings; turns out it was all three. The City of Cincinnati ushered in their goons (CPD) to intimidate the residents of this camp, hoping they would leave before their arbitrary deadline, and in fact, some did. But those who stayed decided to fight. A coalition was formed between The Colony, the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, Mass Action for Black Liberation, The Ohio Poor People's Campaign, United We Stand, Tiiibe, Peaslee Neighborhood Center, Democratic Socialists of America, Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center, and Cincinnati Socialist Alternative. With the help of Bennett Allen, a lawsuit was filed, and it was requested that a restraining order be put on the city in order to stop the evacuation until the lawsuit was settled. In court Friday morning, it was decided that, while the restraining order would not be granted, the camp would only have to move for 2 hours to allow cleaning crews access; The tents would be removed for cleaning at 2pm and returned no later than 4pm. As there was no mess to clean up, save a few cigarette butts, the whole ordeal took just over an hour. City workers wore protective coveralls and masks, an obvious attempt at theater on the part of the city, as there was no actual mess to THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Bennett Allen speaking to press Credit: Justin Jeffre �4 LOCAL Introducing the Enright Ridge Ecovillage in East Price Hill W hile a lot of fuss has been made over its new professional soccer team, Cincinnati boasts something much rarer for a city of any size: an eco-village within its borders. Eco-villages, whose inhabitants seek to live according to ecological principles with as little impact on the environment as possible, have been springing up around the world but there are only a handful within a metropolitan area. Cincinnati’s is the Enright Ridge Urban Eco-village in East Price Hill. Beginning in 2004 on Enright Avenue and expanding to include Terry Street, McPherson Avenue and more recently Wells St., this “intentional community” is now home to more than a hundred families. But cofounder Jim Schenk numbers its residents in the thousands, only 250 of whom are human. “We really are connected with this earth,” he emphasizes, “and we’ve got to change the way we’re thinking about things. So Enright Eco-village is more than just the people living here. That’s really critical for me.” Schenk favors eco-villages within city limits for two reasons. For one thing, instead of “starting from scratch and building from the ground up,” which is one of the main reasons only about 10% of intentional communities succeed, he and his wife Eileen began Enright Ridge in an existing residential neighborhood. More importantly, he sees these ecological communities as an essential evolutionary step in helping to save our cities. “Our whole idea was we have to rejuvenate our cities and remain in our cities. If we don’t, we spread out and we destroy our planet’s ability to support us and other species.” As the Enquirer reported several years ago, Enright Ridge “is kind of a cooperative and sort of a farm project. There are members, a board and elected representatives, but it is really just a string of old houses connected by a sense of belonging and a desire to eat well. This blend of an urban environment with access to jobs, technology and transportation with classic agrarian principles of simplicity and sustainability looks to be an interesting part of the city's future “ Enright resident Jeffrey Stec put it this way: "This is New Urbanism. We are just leveraging a different set of assets than they are in Over-theRhine. Bars, restaurants, living in close proximity, that's what they have in OTR. This is different. We never have a house that stays for sale. Ever. It’s gone." “I think in our culture the whole concept of individualism is just a crazy notion, said Schenk. “We’re a tribal animal. Living in community A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 DICK CROY Contributing Writer is part of who we are. You’ve got to have a community of people who are supporting you. We share potluck dinners once a week and work together on many projects.” So how did Enright Ridge come about? Jim and Eileen met (we actually met at Catholic Social Service Bureau in Covington in 1968. (when) From 1974 to 1977, he was Director of the (County) Covington Community Center and she was teaching at Northern Kentucky University.) “One of the things that dawned on us was that most people in this culture aren’t happy, and we started asking why. Our conclusion is there is a real dichotomy between the values of this culture, which says if you have lots of money and stuff you’ll be happy; and and spirituality from 1978 to 2008,” Schenk said. Their first attempt at starting an eco-village didn’t succeed. “We didn’t have a support system there, and it was the most depressed area in Price Hill. But one morning in 2004 I woke up and said, ‘hmm, Enright Avenue (where the Schenks still live). We’re not too big; we have a support system and we don’t have a depressed area. Why don’t we start an eco-village here? So in June we invited 25 people who lived on Enright and 17 showed up. We asked some questions, did some brainstorming and it started that night.” How have residents converted their existing neighborhoods into sustainable places to live? “Right now, about a third of the people are involved, a third are open to the idea and a third are indifferent. Jim Shenk, Enright Ridge Urban Eco-village co-founder Credit: Dick Croy our reality, which is once you get the basic necessities of life, what really counts is relationship. We became aware of the fact that people aren’t just disconnected from each other but from this whole amazing planet. So we started looking for a model of how we would live if we were to help the earth and her people, with people being sacred and our most important priority.” The Schenks’ first model was Imago, an ecological educational organization with the mission to foster a deeper harmony with Earth by providing educational experiences, creating opportunities for discussion and community building, and conserving natural areas. “We did a lot of education programs and held eight conferences around ecology We don’t have any strong opposition because it has significantly improved the neighborhood. There are about 90 households on Enright, five or six on Terry St. and about 14 on McPherson. We just recently moved onto Wells and now have our own pub, Common Roots, and a Zen center. We have a lot of new young families here now. “In 2009 we started a CSA: community supported agriculture. We have a lot of big back yards with really rich soil, goats and chickens. When a local greenhouse came up for sale, we got a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to purchase it and fix it up. That’s where we start most of our plants now. We also have several acres of woods with walking trails, where people spend time. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Some have started forest gardens for both humans and animals. “After we started the eco-village we purchased some 25 houses in the neighborhood that we renovated and put on the market. For the first house we borrowed money from Imago’s members, back in about 1978. We raised about $62,000 and rehabbed it and when we sold it we paid everyone back at whatever interest they wanted. Half of them chose no interest and the rest chose somewhere between 2-7%. So that was our first house and then we came across the Hubert Foundation. Ed Hubert was really into preserving housing so he started granting us money. He asked us to return the money when we sold the house along with 3% interest. We had a really good relationship. There were times we didn’t end up in the black or really close and he wouldn’t expect any interest.” What happens to Enright if the grid goes down? “It depends on what part of the grid. We’ve done some talking about it; it’s really not so much what are we are going to do exactly, but the fact that we are a community. The people involved would work together to figure out what we’re going to do. We need to be aware of who has access to, let’s say, wood burning stoves, or what homes could provide heat if we need it. Eileen and I have a little gas stove in the living room so if just the electric went down, the gas would keep us warm. We have 20 photovoltaic cells and an inverter, which if the sun is out will run our furnace and our refrigerator. We don’t have batteries yet but I’m waiting for the batteries to improve. It’s interesting; we put in 10 photovoltaic cells and they provided 1/3 of our electricity. I waited like 4 years, put in 10 more and (now) they provided 100%. It’s a great time to do solar.” “Water can’t be pumped if the grid goes down. We have people with a lot of water tanks which they use for gardening so we do have some water around. I want to put in a cistern with a hand pump on top so if something happens, water can be shared.” What do Enright Ridge residents have to say? This is what “Erinjo” has to say about living in Enright Village on the community’s website: “Living in our eco-village means being part of a community and having an immediate, daily connection to people that are working to live more sustainably and with more awareness of the earth. It means working together to plant gardens or rehab housing and having fun together at community dinners and seasonal parties. It means living on a ridge surrounded by acres of woods and yet just a short walk from a major bus line. It means something different to each resident who lives in the Village. Meet Suellyn, one of our residents:” “I moved to Enright Ridge in (Continued on page 11) �LOCAL How We Eradicate Homelessness 5 No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 DR. MARK MUSSMAN Sometimes people ask really loaded questions like “Well, if the Homeless Coalition has been around for 35 years, why is there still homelessness?” I usually have a good response about how things have changed over 35 years, the face of homelessness has gotten much younger, and how families are more likely to experience homelessness now, than ever before. If I was more astute, I might say something like: “How long as the American Cancer society been around? Is cancer still a problem?” Obviously, it is, and so is homelessness. The real answer falls into the category of “I told you so!” where the city, county, state, and country, have been getting warnings about the growth of homelessness, yet fail to act in accordance with the many solutions that we have provided over the years. There has been a major shift over the past few decades, where people actually recognize that homelessness is a real thing, and that affects more people than just those our society deems worthless. Unfortunately, however, there is still much educating to be done, from person-first language, to breaking down stereotypes, to responding to panhandling, to structural violence. First and foremost, the issue is a lack of affordable housing. We know that we are more than 40,000 units short of affordable housing in Hamilton County, just for people at the lowest end of the economic measure. (I chose to not call it the “economic ladder” because upward mobility doesn’t exist for most of Cincinnati.) Affordable housing is simply a guarantee that no one pay more than 30% of their income on housing, including utilities. With utility prices going up $250/year for each customer in Ohio (thanks to Ohio Legislature), these costs are really difficult to get under control. To put the need in perspective, Staff Writer one great affordable housing organization, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing has about 420 units of affordable housing in the neighborhood. We would need allow people who have no reason to be evicted to fight for their home. Other protections, including helping elderly neighbors stay in their homes amidst rising energy costs and property taxes, will go a long way to How We Eradicate Homelessness Housing Protections Tenant Organizing Policy Development and Oversight Know Your Rights Affordable Housing Affordable Housing Trust Fund Coordinate Services Education and Training Livable Wages Employment Pipeline Entrepreneurship Opportunities Legal Protection To join us or to learn more about any of our programs, including our Homeless Experience Speaker’s Bureau, Tenant and Community Organizing, Streetvibes, or Operations, please visit us at www.cincihomeless.org two such organizations in each of Cincinnati’s 52 neighborhoods, just to make up the gap at the lowest end of the measure. Secondly, we need better laws to protect people who already have housing. It could be a “changing neighborhood” or slumlord who pushes someone out of their home. Or it could simply be a matter of personality conflicts. There are many reasons people are removed from their homes, but having something called “Just Cause Eviction” would ensure that people who have made their home over the past decades, would be able to age in place. Finally, we must develop a better minimum wage. When the minimum wage was conceived after the Great Depression, with the idea that it would be enough for someone to purchase their own home. This is not possible today. Even fighting for $15 minimum wage may not be enough. Most Americans make under $20/ hour, and some states like Kentucky, use the federal minimum wage of Opportunity Zones: Battleground America TRENTON DAVIS From new, trendy bars in Over-theRhine to the FC Cincinnati stadium deal, economic development has spurred painful political conflict in our city. The issue of “gentrification” is far more well-known than in the past. Even with our recognition of unjust eviction rates among minorities, overburdened renting families, and the sky-rocketing population of people experiencing homelessness, our public debate continues to fall short of the needed progress. The Recession of 2009 altered the real estate landscape, and now, many of our neighbors are struggling to find one of the most fundamental $7.25/hour. At roughly $15,000 each year (before taxes) most minimum wage earners are women in their mid30’s, not high school students, like many believe. This is exploitation, pure and simple. It’s important that we focus on each of these aspects in order to eradicate homelessness. You may have noticed that I didn’t mention shelters, because they are not a Contributing Writer requisites of life, an affordable place to live. A home provides a structure of security and safety for children and families to prosper. As part of the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by Congress earlier this year, a bipartisan tool was added to the repertoire of “community development” advocates. The idea is to encourage private investment in struggling neighborhoods by designating specific census tracts as “Opportunity Zones”. Basically, the program offers investors the chance to receive either lower taxes or no taxes on gains from funds that are primarily invested in these Opportunity Zones. In fact, to keep the money local, the longer the money stays in that census tract, the less tax the investor must pay. After 10 years, an investor does not have to pay any capital gains tax on their investment. For our struggling communities, this could provide relief. On the West Coast, there are organizing groups that push for lower regulations and increased tax incentives for investments in housing to help make homes more affordable. Logically, the more homes we have, the cheaper the overall price will be. So, are THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED solution, but rather a temporary stage of homelessness. Also, I didn’t mention drug recovery, because again, this is a symptom of homelessness, very rarely a cause. I didn’t mention mental health treatment, because while everyone could use some mental health treatment, it is rarely a cause, but often a result of homelessness. If we could structurally end homelessness, these issues may disappear, but until then, we’ll keep organizing, educating and advocating to end homelessness. opportunity zones the long-awaited savior for our distressed families that pay upwards of 50% of their monthly income to rent? This is a bit more nuanced than the traditional market myth can explain. As we’ve seen in OTR, when capital can gain significant advantage through tax incentives, people are more willing to invest it. Therefore, we’ve witnessed incredible development of the business district. Property values have risen by double digits in some parts. One could argue that OTR is far more vibrant because of the deployment of private and public capital. But in who’s interest? The residents? Investors? The city? The suburbs? The West End was recently named an Opportunity Zone after their (Continued on page 11) �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 �LOCAL Lots of Gas, But Not Enough No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 T MICHAEL EARL PATTON here is a lot of natural gas in this country, more than enough is being produced to meet our needs – at least as of President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union when he said that there was enough to last almost a hundred years. The reason for his optimism was the improvement in techniques for producing “tight” gas, that is, natural gas that is tightly trapped in shale rock formations. Because it is relatively clean-burning, inexpensive, and produces far less carbon dioxide when burned compared to coal, it started to replace coal for the generation of electricity. There seemed to be so much that the United States now even allows it to be liquefied and shipped overseas. But the amount of gas left over from these uses and put into storage, which is then burned during the following winter, is hurting. The amount in storage is extremely low for this time of year, especially taking into account the increased use for electrical generation. As I wrote in my article Natural Gas Shortage Coming in the March 24 – April 6, 2017 issue of Streetvibes, there may not be enough to get us through this coming winter. This chart shows the changes in sources of energy for the U.S. from 1776 through 2017. It comes from the Energy Information Agency (www. eia.gov), as do the other graphs in this article. Note the rapid decline in the use of coal in the past few years, mostly offset by the rise in use of natural gas. There is also some increase in renewables, including biomass (mostly wood), and some increase in petroleum, but the largest increase is with natural gas. The EIA reports that in 2014, 39% of the electricity generated in this country came from burning coal and 30% from natural gas; for 2018 they estimate almost the reverse – just 30% will come from coal and 37% from natural gas. Gas Production in the United States has been up somewhat, but still not by enough. It is the next graph that concerns me. Every week the EIA reports on the amount of natural gas in storage. Supplies need to build up during the summer so they can be drawn down during the winter. Neither Contributing Writer production nor pipeline capacity are large enough to supply the amount of gas that is needed during the winter heating season. The shaded area shows the 5-year It has also been a hot summer, especially in the Southwest where 100+ degrees are common. This means more electricity is needed for air conditioning (and more burning Gas Production 2018 May Credit: US Energy Information Administration Natural Gas Stores 20180727 Credit: US Energy Information Administration range. Some years there is more, some less. Note the draw downs during winter. The lowest level in the 5-year range was reached at the end of the 2013/14 winter, which was colder than average. The next three winters were warmer than normal. Last winter, which was somewhat normal overall, we did not quite reach that low of a level and for a while it looked as if we would build up stocks nicely. But now we are below the 5-year range. Take into account the increased use of natural gas for electrical generation and we are in new territory. A cold winter and the prices will skyrocket, certainly double or more. Energy Consumption in US 1776-2017 Credit: US Energy Information Administration of natural gas). That is the main reason the supplies have not been building up. When the U.S. burned mostly coal for generation a hot summer did not affect the build-up of supplies nearly this much. As for exports, the U.S. is now a net exporter of natural gas and our government has a goal of supplying enough to Europe so that they do not have to depend on Russia for supplies. So far the amounts involved have not made a major difference but I would be opposed to exporting more as that THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 7 would make our supply situation worse. I understand the concern about Russia. NATO has tanks, planes, arms, and soldiers (so does Russia), but if Russia were to cut the supply of natural gas, Europe would be seriously hurting – and without the use of any armed force. Russia has the upper hand here and the U.S. and NATO have to rethink their strategy. A cynic might conclude that the shutdown of coal plants was planned with the knowledge that a shortage would develop and drive up the price of natural gas and profits for the producers. I can’t argue against this. Near Cincinnati the J.M. Stuart and Killen coal-fired power plants in Adams County closed this summer. I know President Trump has spoken against the “War on Coal” but I do not know if this is politically driven or how much effort he made to keep the plants open. More pipelines are under construction but from what I can find out they are primarily intended to increase supplies for export. In any event they probably will not be ready until 2020. Myself, I am in favor of radical energy conservation and a greatly increased pace for transitioning to renewable sources of energy, but that is not going to happen in time. Even a normal winter might mean trouble at this rate. Since I wrote the article last year there have been a couple others who have sounded notes of concern but there has been amazingly little in the mainstream media. I do not know why this is. I would have thought that if there was no need for concern then at least there would be a brief explanation as to why the last chart looks so troubling – not just the same assertions on how innovative and great our industry is. As for what to do, I admit substantial energy conservation takes time and money. I have been working on my house for years and there is still much more that I want to do. But I do not see another way forward for us 99 percenters. The U.S. Department of Energy (www.energy.gov) has lots of good information. Go to their home page and click on “Save Energy, Save Money.” Best to do what you can and if you haven’t started yet, get going. --------------------------------------- �8 RELIGIOUS PEACEMAKERS For Tala Ali, a Muslim, Spirituality Cannot Be Separated from Her Social Justice Work A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 SAAD GHOSN Growing up in the US, Tala Ali, Muslim Chaplain at the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, experienced what many immigrants currently face in the country. She and her family, undocumented for a few years, lived in fear and need, trying to survive day by day, and her mother was once arrested by an immigration raid at her work place but luckily not deported. This increased Ali's sensitivity to the suffering of others and forged her determination to fight for everyone’s rights. Ali was born in the United Arab Emirates to a Jordanian father and a Palestinian mother and came to the US at the age of 2, initially to Tennessee for her father's master's degree, then to Cincinnati for his PhD in American Literature at UC. After her father's graduation, the family remained in the States with no legal documents, until he was sponsored for a work visa which, eventually, led to permanent residency and naturalization. Ali's family was not religious. Her father almost never spoke of religion to her, but rather of political activism, especially of the Palestinian Liberation struggle in which he was involved on campus. As a kid she would accompany him to demonstrations and protests, she idealized him and his friends that were activists, and wanted to be like Contributing Writer them. Her mother was culturally a Muslim, but not a practicing one, and would occasionally tell her children stories about Islam. Ali attended the Academy of World Languages, part of CPS, where she learned Arabic; then Walnut Hills High School (HS) from which she graduated in 2000. It is in HS that she became curious about Islam and started learning about its faith and its practices. "I would pick up books relating to it from the school's library," she says. "I also started visiting the Clifton Mosque and the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in West Chester, participating in their classes and services and learning how to pray." Thus, Ali became familiar with the bases of Islam, discovered its traditions and its feasts, and joined in its Ramadan Fasting. While growing up she had already repeatedly questioned her parents about why, as Muslims, they were celebrating Christmas and not Ramadan, and she had assumed that it was in order to blend and not feel different. "But I was on the contrary increasingly asking myself: Who am I? What is my identity? Where do I belong?" she says. Discovering and affirming her religious background was, in addition, an issue of identity for Ali. In HS and following the influence of her father, Quotes from the Quran and Hadith (Prophet's saying) about Peace and Justice “Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice...” (Quran 15:90) “In the wealth of a rich person, there is a portion which belongs to the poor…” (Quran 51:19) “Have you thought of him that denies the Last Judgment? It is he who turns away the orphan and has no urge to feed the destitute.” (Quran 107:1) “Worship Allah..., and be good to the parents and to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the neighbor who is your relative, the neighbor who is not your relative, the fellow traveler, the wayfarer and the slave.” (Quran 4:36) “Oh you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness." (Quran 5:8) “On the Day of Judgment, God will ask a person, ‘Oh my servant, I was hungry, but you did not give me food.’ The servant will say, ‘Oh my Lord, how can I feed You, you are the One who feeds the whole of mankind’. God will say, ‘Didn’t you know such a servant of mine in your neighborhood was hungry. If you had served him food, you would have found me there.’ Then God will ask, ‘Oh my servant, I had no clothes, but you did not clothe me.’ The servant will answer, ‘Oh my Lord, how can I clothe you, you provide clothes to everyone.’ God will say, ‘Didn’t you know my such and such servant needed clothes? If you had provided his clothing, you would have found me there…” (Hadith) “Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, God will remove from him one of the grieves on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever alleviates the need of a needy person; God will alleviate his needs in this world and the in Hereafter... And God will aid His slave so long as he aids his brother." (Hadith) she also pursued her activism for the Palestinian cause, reading books and writing papers about it, attending conferences relating to it, also being active in Al Awda (i.e. The Return), the student Palestinian activist group of her school. In the fall of 2000 Ali registered at UC to study International Relations. A couple of months later, inspired by other women on campus wearing the hijab (the head-covering scarf worn by certain Muslim women), she decided to also wear it as a sign Tala Ali of intimate relationship with God and of servitude to Him. She has been donning it ever since. At UC Ali joined the Muslim Student Association but was disappointed, finding the Association mostly political and judgmental, foreign to the Islam that she got to know, the Islam that focuses on bettering oneself, on fighting one's ego, on serving God and taking care of other people. Less than a year later, following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and due to her looks, Ali was exposed to repeated physical and verbal attacks. "I was waiting once at a bus stop, downtown Cincinnati, and a passerby threw scalding coffee at me," she says. "I was also verbally abused by many customers at the Goldstar Chili where I was working at the time." By then she had joined the UC antiwar group actively protesting Bush's new policies regarding the War on Terrorism, also his preparation for the invasion of Iraq. In 2003 Ali's application for a permanent visa was denied twice, for no clear reasons, and in 2004 she found a tracking device hidden in her car. She was also bullied by one of her UC Professors who repeatedly refused to acknowledge her and her questions in class and who bluntly admitted it to her when she confronted him. By then disillusioned and disheartened Ali dropped her studies and took a few months break to visit her father's relatives in Jordan and backpack through Syria. Upon her return to the US, she spent more time at the mosque and decided to resume her college studies but this time at Cincinnati State for an Associate degree in Liberal Arts and International Relations, then at Credit: Saad Ghosn Xavier University for a BA in Postcolonial International Studies and Political Science (2011). Ali's years spent at Xavier University (XU) were life changing to her. She resonated very well with the holistic spiritual approach the school espoused, its focus on the entire person, its high moral values and the support it provided its students. She also discovered right away the on-campus Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice (CFJ) which helped her grow in her faith and strengthen its link to social justice. While in her Junior year, she served on XU Interfaith Executive Cabinet. The following year she chaired the Lecture series for the University, helping identify and invite significant individuals to come and speak on campus. She was thus able to feature Franklin McCain, the American civil rights activist and member of the Greensboro Four who staged a sit-in protest at the Woolworth lunch counters in Greensboro, NC; also, to show Howard Zinn's documentary "The People Speak" that gives voice to (Continued on page 11) Religious Peacemakers is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati individuals who use their faith and religious beliefs for peace and justice. Saad.Ghosn@uc.edu is the founder of SOS (Save Our Souls) Art, an organization that promotes arts as vehicles for peace and justice and for a change. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �9 LOCAL Review: The Cincinnati Opera’s Another Brick in the Wall No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 Symphony Orchestra. This exciting performance reminded me of when the Cincinnati Ballet teamed up with rock legend Peter Frampton several years ago in the way it incorporated popular rock music with a more classical art form, drawing new fans into the ballet. LAURA DOMET Contributing Writer A s someone who enjoys music and the arts, I had never been to the opera. Quite frankly, although I was curious, I always feared that I would find myself bored. Images of an insufferably long, stuffy, tiresome performance of high pitched trilling that I wouldn’t understand is how I pictured the opera in my mind. Watching the Cincinnati Opera’s As a fan of Pink Floyd, I consider them one of my essential musical influences. I listened to them often in my formative years, and have many of their albums on tape, cd, and vinyl. When I had the opportunity to see Another Brick in the Wall—The Opera, I figured it’s now or never. If I was ever going to enjoy and appreciate the opera, this was my chance. If I saw this performance, U.S. premiere of Another Brick in the Wall was like watching two classics colliding into something new and refreshing. Another Brick in The Wall—The Opera, is based on Pink Floyd’s iconic 1979 album The Wall. The music was done in an operatic style using the lyrics and story - which was also turned into a must-see movie for classic rock aficionados. A friend growing up once described The Wall as the most anti-establishment classic rock album of all times. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see it adapted into an operatic version at Music Hall. and still didn’t like the opera, I would never ever like the opera. From the very first scene of a rock concert attended by many adoring fans gushing about the stage to see their idol Pink perform, I knew I was in for a real treat. The set was very high tech, it was similar at times to being at an actual rock concert, yet still maintained the grandness one might expect at an Opera. The cacophony of voices singing beautifully paired with a psychedelic backdrop which served to help weave a story of a rock star who continues to rise and fall as he spirals out of control while facing his JAKE DINGLER (Continued from page 3) Diminutive Mayor Cranley has publicly threatened to target yet another camp for removal and threatened to file suit against the residents of the Third Street camp. A tent community in the gateway to Cincinnati's business district should serve as a daily gob smack to those that control this city. Every day, a walk down Third Street should be a reminder that there is a housing biggest fears and the inner demons of his past. The words and lyrics by Roger Waters were wonderfully and hauntingly interpreted in a new way that simultaneously preserved the originality and brilliance of the album. The opera featured an international cast of soloists, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the renowned Cincinnati crisis in this city- that conservative estimates say we are 40,000 units short of affordable housing, and more disappear constantly due to gentrification. It's sad to see the fervor in which these communities in greatest need of help are scornfully As the average age of Opera goer is likely getting older, it's nice to see the Cincinnati Opera trying bold new things to expand upon their fan base and draw more people into the opera. As a newly converted opera fan, I'm excited to see what's next for the Cincinnati Opera. This was a night to remember. pushed into the shadows by politicians on both sides of the isle. Politicians that smile and offer you your own disenfranchisement as a solution to this brutal, institutional issue. Cleaners clean up encampment Heavy machinery was brought out to assist the workers Credit: Justin Jeffre Credit: Justin Jeffre THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �10 LOCAL Why is Cancer Mortality So High in Cincinnati Minorities and People of Low Income: Part 10: Imagining a Welcoming Health Care Story For All 1 . Introduction. Consider this Tale of Three Cincinnati’s. The people are real, like you and me. Their names have been changed but no less like yours and mine. Rachel Freeman, a 64-year-old African American woman, with no job and without health insurance, was bothered by recurrent back aches. She had no long-time physician to consult with, so she was puzzled, frightened, and confused about where to go for health care. Living on little income, she attended a dinner at a church where she met Felecia, a Navigator from the Cancer Justice Network. Rachel had never heard about Navigators. Over dinner she shared with Felecia about her pain. Felecia listened and suggested that Rachel visit a health center and get a screening to see what was happening. Felecia offered to accompany Rachel, arrange transportation, help with signing up for Medicaid, and stay with her throughout the process. Rachel agreed and set a time for the screening. The results were early detection of kidney cancer. Within a month, Rachel and Felecia had A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 STEVE SUNDERLAND Contributing Writer found a cancer surgeon, had a second opinion, and decided on an operation. The surgery was successful, and Rachel was grateful to have met a Navigator. Robert Jackson is a 76-yearold African American who began to notice blood repeatedly appearing in his stool. Without a regular physician or health insurance, he did not know what to do except try to ignore the blood. After several months, pain accompanied the blood. Robert felt he had no choice but to go to the emergency room at the hospital closest to where he lived. That hospital said they didn’t take people without insurance and urged him to go to the emergency room at the University Hospital. Discouraged and confused, Robert returned home and waited another three weeks before he went to the University Hospital emergency room. Upon examination, he was told that the cancer had invaded his colon and liver and that he was “too far along” to expect a positive result from any treatment. In prior articles we have described the loss of life from cancer in minorities and people of low income. Both Rachel and Robert are part of this high-risk population. They live with reduced access to healthcare and little knowledge of the warning signs of cancer. Robert’s cancer will likely reduce his life by twenty years in comparison to people with health insurance and in neighborhoods that have hospitals that accept patients with insurance. Death from cancer thrives in places where people live in poverty. Rachel and Robert are Cincinnati citizens with limited chances of detecting cancer soon enough to give them hope. Their experience of hospitals is not welcoming. Their stories conflict with the story hospitals tell themselves of who they are as healers of suffering and beacons of hope ‑‑ a story they indeed make happen for countless numbers of people who fortunately can presume professional medical care is available for them. For Rachel and Robert, that same THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED hospital is there, but they presume it’s not for them. It’s one of the lessons systemic poverty teaches: To die from cancer is part of who Rachel and Robert are. It’s part of their story. And it becomes the story we all tell about “the way things are” and “who we are” in our society. How do we change that public narrative we keep telling over and over? Where might we start? What if the story each hospital told were reinvented, retold to be intentional, to presume our kinship, welcoming of all? Imagine a hospital with representatives who visit churches, schools, and community centers to listen and respond to the questions and concerns of people for whom poor health goes with the territory and medical care is a last resort. Imagine the people who represent the hospital being a team, a Navigator, Felecia, and a nurse, Patricia, or physician, Dr. Nancy. They dine at a church dinner and talk about the warning signs of cancer and why early detection is so important. Imagine that team returning for a (Continued on page 12) �No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 DICK CROY (Continued from page 4) 2008, purchasing my little house when I reached ‘retirement’ age. I was looking for a community where I could own my own place, know my neighbors and reduce my ecological footprint after a number of years living in the suburbs. I love my 1300 sq. ft. almost 100 year old house where the land offers me a challenging opportunity to practice permaculture. “My 5-year-old grandson enjoys TRENTON DAVIS (Continued from page 5) CBA with FC Cincinnati. If similar development occurs in the West End as in OTR, will the people that live in the West End be better off? Will the residents retain possession of their neighborhood, their roots, their childhood? The answer is uncertain. In contrast, surely as a private investor, I want to get in on the development. If I invest my money in the West End, not only will I receive gains of- if all goes like OTR- double digit percentages, I will also be able to do it tax free. I know that as a private investor I will be better off. If capital comes flooding into these SAAD GHOSN (Continued from page 8) everyday Americans who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout US history. Ali was also all along involved with the Holy Land club facilitating films and teachings for justice in Palestine. In 2011 and in her last student year at XU, Ali founded, along with other women and men friends converts to Islam she had met at the Mosque, Salaam (i.e. Peace) Community, a safe third space for Muslims who had felt rejected, for converts who had had a traumatic experience, a spiritually enriching space, also a cultural one. "The Mosque was intimidating to some," says Ali. "In many instances the leadership had kept the mentality of Islam vs the West, and for many of us who were American we did not feel at ease." The space, based on a model the STEVE SUNDERLAND (Continued from page 4) series of visits and really getting to know the Rachels and Roberts gathering there and, where possible, leaving their contact numbers with a church representative. The church community soon begins to know and trust in Felecia, Patricia, and Dr. Nancy as people who care. Soon the hospital team can feel the pulse of poverty’s effect on people’s health and attitude toward healthcare, and provide otherwise reluctant people with an experience of the hospital’s story of hopeful healthcare service. 2, The Importance of a Positive LOCAL 11 visiting and playing with the many children who live on the block. He also attends the Imago day camps up the street in the summer and hikes with me on the surrounding trails maintained by Imago. “The permaculture design I’m developing includes a small amount of water catchment, fruiting shrubs, an apple tree, shitake mushroom logs, and many plants that enhance the land by attracting wildlife, reducing erosion, and improving soil fertility.  “A great difference I’ve found from living in the suburbs is that so many of my needs for service can be met very close to home. Within walking distance I’ve found a supermarket, bakery, post office, local bank, hardware store and auto mechanic. The public library and a good barber shop/salon are only slightly farther. I’ve also found a medical practice that fits my needs in Price Hill. “The first year, I took advantage of community garden beds at Imago to grow some of my own veggies, and now there is a CSA program that supplies fresh veggies all summer. I walk to the Cincinnati Zen Center weekly to sit in meditation with that community. My social life is rich with community activities and casual arrangements with friends and neighbors, and this is a warm welcoming place to invite friends and family. It’s great that several recent newcomers to the village are young married couples and young singles who bring new energy to the place.” neighborhoods, the fact is, property values are going to rise. With many renters already struggling to pay rent, rising property values will make it even harder for struggling families to continue to pay. The market will tell them to leave. However, there are ways for advocates of the common good to utilize Opportunity Zones to benefit all. Remember how property values are going to rise? This presents opportunities to investors that are willing to take some profit, say 3%, and use their excess dividends to keep their housing units affordable. Models like land banking, dividend housing, or homesteading can help us design communities that are inclusive and affordable. If we come together and think like inclusive capitalists, we can design agreements that make social and economic return. This can only take place, however, with concerted and intentional efforts. We must confront the market myth so that we can repurpose the market to serve the common good. These new Opportunity Zones could help lock down neighborhoods as affordable, inclusive, mixed-income communities. Or, capital could come in, make its profit, and leave in ten years with added tax benefit. We must raise awareness of the humanity of capital, and purpose it to serve humanity- not the other way around. Millennials holding public student loan debt, the elderly on fixedincome, and low-income, minority Americans are going to be the groups that are most affected by this aftermath of the Great Recession. We must find innovations that encourage community and affordable ways of living. Otherwise, we will continue to find it difficult to find shelter and safety, and our economy and democracy will continue to suffer. If anyone has any innovative knowledge of how to purpose this new tool towards the common good, feel free to reach out to me at trentondavis2@ gmail.com. Ta'leef Collective from the Bay area had established, is located in the Starfire locale in Oakley. It welcomes everyone and has been functioning like a support center for Muslims, also like a cultural center with monthly meetings learning from a book, a movie night, a gay night, a social meeting place. Ali also attended and graduated from a mentorship program offered by the Ta'leef Collective in Fremont, CA, which qualified her to become a chaplain. When in 2016 XU decided to hire a Muslim chaplain to tend to its increasing number of Muslim students, also to do social justice coaching work, they invited her to join their team. She has been since affiliated to the CFJ, providing spiritual support and guidance to students, taking them on immersion and discovery trips to rough areas, such as for instance South Chicago, opening their eyes and increasing their sensitivity to various social problems. In the summer she also leads an internship program connecting the students with local, mostly nonprofit, Cincinnati agencies, exposing them to the social work these agencies do, teaching them how to identify systemic forms of oppression, how to become aware of privileges, how to give voices to the people without monopolizing their space... When the Dakota Access Pipeline protests started at Standing Rock in the summer of 2016, Ali decided on the spot to go there and provide her solidarity and support. She spent 7 months there on and off, a transformative experience for her, one that merged social justice with her spirituality. "At Standing Rock, we were defending the sacred," she says. "We were asked to leave our "isms" behind, and to not judge the Natives by our western colonial standards, rather support them in their spiritual and justice quest. This resonated very much with me as a Muslim living in the West." Standing Rock actually strengthened Ali's faith, connecting her with the Great Spirit, with God, and giving a spiritual sense to her social justice activism. Ali remains an active member of the Clifton Mosque and participates in its many services and social justice activities. She is a supporter and collaborator of Black Lives Matter and of the Palestine Solidarity Coalition that she would like to see become a sustainable organization. "I always ask God to be gentle with me," says Ali, "to guide me, to help me do the right thing and not get short of my responsibility for others." Ali does not know where she will go from there, but she knows that her faith will show her the way and that her spirituality will always be an intrinsic part of her social justice work against oppression. Health Message. When an individual and community come to expect outstanding health outcomes from a hospital, they are supporting an institution that encourages health for all citizens, both in its neighborhood and city-wide. Health for all communicates the importance of a partnership between citizens and healthcare in which each partner brings strengths and concerns to examine and acknowledge. A positive health message signals that difficult health issues are not being ignored or trivialized. Rachel felt this positive message of health being her right and, having a Navigator, she took steps that likely saved her life. She expected a positive outcome from visiting a doctor and other relevant specialists because she was convinced that the Navigator knew the significance of linking the health center with the hospital. She had experienced being treated with respect, having her symptoms taken seriously, and being seen in a timely way. Robert, a person with few economic resources had both a different set of expectations and a very different result. Not confident of the signals of cancer, he waited until the pain was greatest. Seeking help without a physician, Navigator or a knowledge of hospitals raised his fears and frustration. When he did go to his neighborhood hospital, he was sent to another hospital. He had expected the hospital, of all places, to show interest in his condition, reduce his fears, invite him for diagnosis and treatment. Robert naturally felt rejected. How different would have been the outcome if the hospital related to the neighborhood as a partner in health development for both Rachel and Robert? Cancer care especially needs this approach, as the hospital learns about what it can do to strengthen the neighborhood’s awareness of the danger signals in THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED (Continued on page 12) �12 STREET VOICE The Birds have landed in Cincinnati R ecently an unknown number of electric scooters landed on the sidewalks of Cincinnati. It seemed as if City Hall was completely unaware of their arrival. The startup company, Bird electric scooters, probably kept the news quiet because the reaction to their electric scooters has been different in cities across the country. How does it work? It’s kind of similar to Uber only you have to find them with your app. You download the app, enter your credit card number, scan the bar code on your scooter and on your driver’s license. You have to agree to the company’s terms which say you must wear a helmet, you won’t ride on the sidewalk, only one person can ride it at a time and that you are 18 or older etc. Then you can unlock the scooter. You push it three times with your foot STEVE SUNDERLAND (Continued from page 4) both the insured and uninsured patients. Such a positive message can help connect Robert to a Navigator and hospital at a time when he is in a state of mind to learn more about his health. A compassionate attitude raises the possibility that Robert, like Rachel, will stop the cancer in its earliest stage. 3. The Importance of a Welcoming Health Story. Feeling welcomed into a partnership with a hospital sends a message that all people, whatever the illness, can work for a positive outcome. Preventing cancer requires people to know its early signs and to move quickly for timely treatment. When people who already feel hopeless also feel less than welcome by a hospital, they hesitate to get the help they need. Robert felt like he was in the wrong place, asking the wrong questions, until, finally, he felt rejected. His experience at the hospital contributed to a dangerous delay in seeking treatment. This experience is part of a collective story told by many minorities, people of low income, seniors, and people with disabilities. Cancer finds a breeding ground in people whose lives are A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 JUSTIN JEFFRE Contributing Writer as if it wasn’t a motorized scooter and push the thumb throttle down, then the electric engine kicks in. There’s a handbrake, a kickstand and a bell (that doesn’t work very well). It costs $1 to start your ride and 15 cents each additional minute. First hour is about $10 and the second hour would be around $9. I’ve worn a helmet while riding it before, but most people I’ve seen riding them weren’t. I’ve heard reports of some serious head trauma from accidents involving them. It’s not the cheapest way to get around downtown and OTR, but it is fun and convenient to hop on them and leave them at your destination. If you’re going to try them I recommend your wear a helmet, obey traffic laws and be very careful out there. already filled with uncertainties. Rachel was welcomed by a Navigator, rapidly involved in testing, and had a timely set of treatments. Why not this approach for all? 4. The Navigator Role in a Hopeful Health Care Story. In the past four years, the Cancer Justice Network has sent Navigators into the community to visit at churches, senior centers, schools, and community centers to welcome everyone to learn about cancer and ways to control it. We tell a story of how people, Rachel and Robert, have overcome their cancer by going for screening as soon as possible and, if necessary, accompanied to treatment. Again, and again, we hear how grateful people are when we take time to listen to their stories of cancer and hospital care. Regrettably, few are hopeful. Variations of Robert’s story dominate our conversations. We listen to horror stories of waiting and waiting to see a physician, inadequate time to share physical and emotional stress with physicians, and with outright rudeness in how some physicians communicate. We want to create a hopeful future, a new story. We want to see that no one need face cancer alone and without an ally. The Navigator Bird Scooters are dockless electric scooter Credit: Justin Jeffre is trained to accompany a person through the person’s entire process of finding out about having cancer and being treated. We welcome everyone to participate, to share their stories of fear and hope, and work with us to develop trust in our companionship. People who live in a culture suspicious of healthcare services, tend not to believe we are committed to walk with them through the entire process. Many people, after building trust with us, remain suspicious about how they will be treated by healthcare staff during screening and treatments. Thankfully, growing numbers of physicians, nurses, and social workers are deeply committed to making a new story of welcome and compassion spread across the community. 5. How Hospitals are Making a Welcoming Story Happen to Control and Defeat Cancer. Hospitals around the country are changing their approach to cancer and high mortality for minorities and people with low incomes, seniors, and people with disabilities. A key player in each story is a Navigator guiding people through rapid and reliable cancer care. Methodist Hospital in Memphis, TN has made dramatic reductions in mortality. Hospitals in Columbus, OH, Philadelphia, PA, New York City, Denver, CO, Houston, TX, Detroit, MI, and many others have lowered mortality for the highest risk populations by creating a story of compassionate navigation. These hospitals have realized the power of listening to the stories people tell about who they are and about their experience with health care providers and institutions. These hospitals have seen how the health care story they tell about themselves has not been welcoming to people who live in poverty. And they have seen the need to reshape the story in which they live so that it includes those who feel left out. Navigators play a key role in making these hospitals new story happen, just as Navigators help change the stories of helpless people to bring them hope. Robert’s story can offer hope with a Navigator who helps to access the hospitals and find the right treatments. His story is one of many unheard cries for help. Cincinnati’s hospitals can help shape a new public narrative that turns a “Tale of Three Cincinnatis” into a caring community for all. But it will take all of us to make it happen. Will we? --------------------------------------- Streetvibes Writing Circle THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 STREET VOICE BILLS Here comes another one, Just like the other one, Bills Work hard today Pay a bill tomorrow It’s tiresome, and you still have to borrow Can’t save anything for tomorrow Bills, everyone has them Some, live on the streets, to do without them The rich, the poor Everyone, needs a little bit more Rent, phone, electric bills, and miscellaneous, It’s all so strenuous Bill collectors call and say, Are you gonna make a payment today? Don’t you wish your bills would go away? Then we could all have a happier day 13 A WITCH HUNT UPDATE "End 'the witch hunt,'" snarls Prez Trump, Both in his tweets and out on the stump. Trump declares he has bigger fish to fry, Like making immigrant children cry. BILL WOODS Contributing Writer A THEFT IN THE ECONOMY It takes a thief to steal the people of the country’s belief KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer It takes a thief to have the people have to change their lives, now that’s deep It takes a thief to double the price of football stadiums and fields It takes a thief to convince the county the police deserve a Las Vegas deal It takes a thief to steal channels from our children, scanning for the T.V. Whether it be for the Converter Box, Cable Box or Direct T.V. Do you understand me? For me to steal anything or to be classified as a political thief Would for me never to have believed in the Constitution and damn Democracy So now where do we go as a people in order to regain the stability we so freely lost In the future we must read every dotted line, keep the faith and let God alone be the boss! WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �PUZZLES 14 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 155 Across Down 1. Conifer 1. Endure 6. Dull pain 2. A great distance 10. Possess 3. Rend 14. Aflame 4. Harvest 15. Literary composition 16. Translucent mineral 17. Relish 18. Snare 19. Jamboree 20. Surgical instrument 22. Run or flow slowly 24. Monotonous routine 25. Hawaiian garland 27. Legal guardian 29. Vociferous 34. Australian flightless bird 35. Starch resembling sago 36. Lifeless 38. Perform without preparation 42. Hobble 43. Divide or separate 45. Information 46. Subject matter 48. Worn in ancient Rome 49. Level 50. Darn 52. Sobriquet 54. Part of the inner ear 58. Metallic element 59. Lyric poem 60. Transparent optical device 62. Leotards 67. Small stream 69. Small mouselike rodent 71. Several members considered as a unit 72. Whimper 73. Object of worship 74. Reddish brown dye 75. Air pollution 76. Bulbous plant related to onions 77. Chirping sound A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 5. Harbinger 6. Pertinent 7. Line made from twisted fibers or threads 8. The courage to carry on 9. Eating apple 10. Domestic swine 11. Separated 12. Relative duration of a musical note 13. Uplift 21. Requirements 23. Large American feline 26. Feckless 28. Happening without warning 29. Sodium chloride 30. Group of three SODOKU PUZZLE NO 285 - MEDIUM 31. Cut of beef 32. Mischievous 33. Claw 37. Dactyl 39. Molten rock 40. Detail 41. Nemesis 44. Implied or silent 47. Cubicle 51. Beetle 53. Chess piece 54. Army unit 55. Abhorrence 56. Stringed instrument 57. Positively charged electrode 61. Wild plum 63. Developed 64. Sharpen 65. Melody 66. Tiff 68. Section of a journey 70. Moose PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 386 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 154 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 284- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �RESOURCES No. 38 7 | A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 557-2873 St. George Food Pantry 2554 Dennis St. 45219 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 751-8771 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 Other Resources Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 562-8841 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Salvation Army 762-5660 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 St. Vincent de Paul 721-0643 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men 131 E. 12th Street 45202 Shelter: Men Shelterhouse 411 Gest St. 45203 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 1125 Bank Street 45214 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Parkway Center 661-4620 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Housing: 471-1100 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Food/Clothing First Lutheran Church 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 421-0065 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 1730 Race Street 45202 Hamilton/Middletown AA Hotline CCAT 351-0422 381-6672 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center Franciscan JPIC Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 721-4700 421-7803 Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center UpSpring 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 977-6800 859-572-6226 799 Ann St. Newport, KY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 961-0600 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513-421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio for 26 issues 859-491-8303 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Medical Van 386-7899 $100 981-4200 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Cincinnati Health Network 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY Health 621-5300 961-1983 381-0111 771-4800 579-8547 721-4811 St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry 1522 Republic Street 45202 961-4555 381-1954 421-5211 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart Goodwill Industries Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Mary Magdalen House 1223 Main St. 45202 961-4663 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Tom Geiger House Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn VA VA Homeless 961-2256 241-2600 621-5514 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both 221-HELP 721-8666 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 Starting Over 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Talbert House Tender Mercies 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 921-1613 First Step Home 761-1480 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Prospect House Center Independent Living Options Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 E. 14th St. 45202 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Caracole (HIV/AIDS) CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 114 W. 14th Street 45202 784-1853 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Interfaith Hospitality Network Charlie’s 3/4 House 2121 Vine Street 45202 Shelter: Youth Shelter: Family 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A u g 10 - A u g 2 3, 2 0 18 | N o . 38 7 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BETTIE BAILEY SINCE 10/2017 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2011 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2018 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 10-August 23, 2018 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Pg 2: From the Director Pg 3: Homelessness Then and Now Pg 4: Introducing the Enright Ridge Ecovillage in East Price Hill Pg 5: How We Eradicate Homelessness Pg 6: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 7: Lots of Gas, but Not Enough Pg 8: Religious Peacemakers Pg 9: Review Pg 10: Why is Cancer Mortality so high in Cincinnati Minorities and People of Low Income Pg 11: Dick Croy Continued Trenton Davis Continued Saad Ghosn Continued Steve Sunderland Continued Pg 12: The Birds Have Landed in Cincinnati Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 10-August 23, 2018 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring People living on 3rd Street Bill Woods Jake Dingler Dick Croy Dr. Mark Mussman Trenton Davis Michael Earl Patton Saad Ghosn Laura Domet Steve Sunderland Justin Jeffre Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Homeless Coalition Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Bill Woods Birds Cancer Cincinnati Dick Croy Dr. Mark Mussman Ecovillage Homeless Coalition Jake Dingler Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kim Green Laura Domet Michael Earl Patton People living on 3rd Street Price Hill Religion Saad Ghosn Steve Sunderland The Cincinnati Opera Trenton Davis Willa Denise Jones https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/54dae20c383f8ff8267b35ecbc384a5a.pdf 43eba449843ac0a5b22c512d8356ca20 PDF Text Text A u g 11 t h - A u g 2 4 t h 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 2 0 I s s u e 4 3 ( N o . 3 6 2 ) a d v o c at i n g j u s t i c e | B u i l d i n g c o m m u n i t y Photo by Dr. Mark Mussman A Donation Stations’ Solution Conflation week in, and there’s still no information to be found on their website. From that, we can only make the assumption that they were woefully unprepared for the project as they tried to rush it out as quickly as possible. But, as we all know, haste makes waste, and now people are confused as to the where this money is going to end up.... (Continued on page 3) This issue sponsored by (Former) Judge Mark P. Painter Inside this issue: Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 113 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Local: An Update on Redistricting Reform | 2 $2.00 donation Religious Peacemakers: A Minister to the Poor | 9 Local : The Good, Bad, and Strange of Recent Sanctions | 5 Photo Essay: Art by Dionna Flowers | 9 Find previous issues of Streetvibes online at: cincistreetvibes.org �2 LOCAL From The Director: Take Action H A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 JOSH SPRING ow many times do people stand or sit around talking about what is wrong in our community and what we should or should not do about it? Talk is important, but really only if it leads to strategy and action. It is hard to honestly say one believes in something that one does not put action in to. At the Homeless Coalition we try Executive Director to spend most of our time putting our convictions into action and empowering other people to join us. If there are situations you see around you that make you angry, don’t say to yourself, “Well, what can I do”. You can do something. And you can do even more if you gather people to join you. In fact, we would love it if you joined with us. If you have access to the internet you can go to our website, www. cincihomeless.org and sign up to receive updates from us. You can also attend our monthly meetings on the third Thursday of every month at 1:30. Also, feel free to call us at 4217803 or stop by 117 E. 12th Street. --------------------------------------- An Update On Redistricting Reform A BILL WOODS real grassroots initiative is underway in Ohio. A campaign to establish a new process for drawing Congressional district lines every ten years has attracted the support of citizen activists throughout the state. Veteran reformers are amazed by the number of volunteers involved and the number of signatures already collected to get the reform proposal on the ballot. After working behind the scenes for more than a year, the reform groups that comprise the Fair Districts Equal Fair Elections Coalition decided this spring to go public with their proposal. They had already produced a plan for Congressional redistricting reform, and after determining the Ohio General Assembly would not put it on the ballot, they drafted a citizen initiative to amend the State's Constitution. Faced with revising the summary of the proposal this May for Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Coalition was ready to begin collecting signatures by June. Between June and early July, the initiative campaign really took Contributing Writer off. Utilizing only unpaid citizen volunteers, over 100,000 valid signatures were collected. This total amounts to approximately one-third of the 305,591 signatures needed to qualify the proposed amendment for the ballot (ten percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election). It also includes signature gathering in all eighty-eight Ohio counties, and the involvement of over 2,400 volunteers. "This is incredible," declared Carie Davis of the Ohio League of Women Voters. "Historically, Ohio initiatives have gathered from 5 to 20 percent of their signatures using volunteers, having to rely on paid circulatory to collect the rest." Since the goal is to place the proposal on the November 2018 ballot, the Coalition has more than ten months to collect the rest of the signatures from the pool of registered Ohio voters. What has stimulated this impressive volunteer participation by citizens throughout Ohio? When asked this question, Catherine Turcer of Common Cause/Ohio pointed to two factors. "The extreme gerrymandering carried out by the Republicans in 2011," noted Turcer, "made average people much more aware of this unfair process. When given the chance to fix the boundaries for state legislators, 71 percent of the voters favored the reform amendment in 2015." Turcer's second reason focused on the current political climate. "Many citizen activists are quite unsettled by what is now going on in Washington, D.C. They are looking for something positive to do," she said, "and working to bring about a process that will provide Ohioans with fair Congressional districts fills that bill." Collecting signatures and educating the public about the need for redistricting reform will continue in the coming months. In Cincinnati, to pick up or drop off a petition, call the League of Women Voters (513281-8683) or Applied Information Resources (513-381-4994). To get an overview of how the campaign is going, go to fairdistricts.org. Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by individuals experiencing homelessness or on the edge of homelessness, in exchange for a $2.00 Donation. Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati. 113 East 12th St. Cincinnati OH, 45202 Ph: 513.421.7803 FAX: 513.421.7813 WEB: www.cincihomeless.org BLOG: streetvibes.wordpress.com EMAIL: streetvibes@cincihomeless.org Editor: Justin Jeffre Executive Director: Josh Spring Director of Development: Mona Jenkins Director of Education: Dr. Mark Mussman Distributor Program Manager: Justin Jeffre Layout: Key Beck Reception: Larry Johnson, Anne Evans Maintenance: Pete Roper CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE Writers: Josh Spring, Bill Woods, Dr. Mark Mussman, Michael Earl Patton, Steve Sunderland, Saad Ghosn, Justin Jeffre, Margaret Singer, Maria Orrosco, Fredi Martinez Morales, Nick Shellenberger, Kim Green, Willa Denise Jones Photography/ Artwork: Michael Earl Patton, Miami University Center for Community Engagement Archive, Dr. Mark Mussman, Woman's City Club, A. J. Newberry Thank You For Reading Streetvibes And Supporting Our Mission To Build Community And Advocate Justice. Community Issues Forum featuring Catherine Turcer Credit: Alice Schneider THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED Streetvibes and The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless do not endorse candidates for public office. �No. 36 2 LOCAL Donation Stations’ Solution Conflation | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 3 DR. MARK MUSSMAN Staff Writer (Continued from cover) It wouldn’t be so bad except that we are seeing a double standard unfold right in front of our eyes, again. If we were to hold them truly accountable for their work, we would be shocked at how far their intent falls from the reality. Whether it be the loss of public space, the loss of affordable housing, the loss of SRO’s (single room occupancy buildings), the loss of black-owned small businesses, the loss of our identity, 3CDC and its cohorts have demonstrated time and again that they only have one priority, and that’s themselves and the wealthy. I could be talking about a number of their initiatives, but the one I’m fuming about this week (well, one of them, because the sale of the library’s North Building is certainly enough to make my blood boil) is the parking meters. WAIT! Before you think I’m complaining about parking, you know, participating in Cincinnati’s most active sport, I’m actually talking about the “Donation Station” meters that 3CDC, Downtown Cincinnati Incorporated, and the City of Cincinnati have placed in various places in the city. These meters stick out from the meters you typically see – they are larger and painted yellow. They don’t take credit cards or dollar bills, but they will take your coins. The meters are accompanied by a sign: Donation Station. Funds deposited here go directly to agencies that help our neighbors in need. By using this donation station, you will… • Provide food, shelter, and outreach services to our neighbors in need. • Fund service providers that help those experiencing unfortunate circumstances like homelessness, addiction, and poverty. • Be certain that your money is being used for something positive. The sign is emboldened with the City’s, 3CDC, and DCI’s logos as well – using the branding styles of the City and original streetcar design. Finally, a website is given to learn more. You might be wondering what is wrong with this setup, and you may think that this is a good thing. What I know, is that this is an intentional step to: • Help people feel good about their decisions to ignore people who panhandle. • Continue to vilify people who panhandle, by claiming they will use the money for something other than what you would consider “positive.” • Jumpstart the next round of attempts to further stigmatize and criminalize panhandling. • Dehumanize the issues related to poverty and homelessness by mechanizing the point of contact. There is absolutely no information on the 3CDC website regarding the program. We don’t know which organizations will benefit from the parking meters – I mean, Donation Stations. We are seeing a real-life double standard evolve directly in front of our eyes. Each year, almost like clockwork, leaders from the corporate side (Strategies to End Homelessness, Downtown Cincinnati Inc., etc.) write op-eds in the Enquirer or get on the news to say that giving to people who are panhandling is actually bad for the people who are receiving the money. They argue that the money is used a million dollars a year and know that on my watch people are losing their homes, that I had a hand in confirming stereotypes and creating a permanent untouchable class. Just for full disclosure, the Homeless Coalition’s entire operating budget is far less than half of the salary of one A Donation Station Meter on 3CDC's 12th and Vine Surface Lot Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman for drugs, and not for food or shelter. They argue that it would be better to give it to an organization, but specifically to the organization they represent. They demonize people who are struggling in a very difficult time while clearly saying that we don’t know where the money will go, just know that it’s for bad purposes. 3CDC’s website gives us no information as to where this money will go. It doesn’t show us that it will go to direct services or to programs. We don’t know if it will go to pay for these organizations’ half-million dollar per year salaries or if it will actually reduce homelessness. I personally, could not take home half employee at these other organizations – yet none of them are fighting for an affordable housing trust fund, or no fault eviction policies, or laws that protect people from abuse, or even for a restoration of the human services fund. They convene meetings and talk to stakeholders, yet they never directly address the issue – a lack of affordable housing. In all the work that 3CDC has done, they have not independently created a single unit of affordable housing. The meters do exactly what is intended – to distract you from the solution while stigmatizing the behaviors of those who seek your help. Sign Attached to Donation Station with Empty Website Link 3CDC's Donation Station Website Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman Credit: Dr. Mark Mussman THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �4 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 �LOCAL The Good, Bad, and Strange of Recent Sanctions No. 36 2 | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 5 MICHAEL EARL PATTON T he sanctions bill recently passed by Congress represents a toughening of sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea, or so we are told. The vote in favor was overwhelming – only 5 voted against it in both houses. President Trump – suspected of bias towards Russia if not outright collusion in the recent election -- called it “significantly flawed” but signed it anyways. Having done some research into the use of sanctions by the United States for a recent Streetvibes article (“Bankrupting the Enemy”), I was curious and looked into this bill to see what exactly it does. What I found surprised and puzzles me since the bill is not what the reporting led me to believe. I will explain, but first a little historical background is needed. For a hundred years, the authority to impose sanctions has rested with the president. During World War I in 1917 Congress passed the Trading with the Enemy Act, which gave the president broad powers to regulate trade and financial transactions during a declared war. When Franklin Roosevelt came to office in 1933 in the middle of the Great Depression, he asked Congress to amend the Act so that he would have the authority to also regulate financial transactions during a national emergency. The intent was to bring order to the economic chaos, including regulating banks and banning the private ownership of gold. Congress amended the Act, Roosevelt promptly declared a national emergency, and began to use his new powers. Before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United Contributing Writer his “fireside chats” on May 27, 1941. Because of this declaration and the 1933 amendment to the Trading with the Enemy Act, Roosevelt now had the authority to embargo virtually all trade and financial transactions with Japan, which he did. The stated intent was to hurt the Japanese economy so much that they would stop their invasion of China and withdraw their forces. Because of the war in Europe which consumed all available resources there, the United States had been by far Japan’s biggest trading partner. The embargo even extended to fertilizer, needed by Japan to grow enough food for their population. Whatever the real intent of the sanctions, Roosevelt’s action strengthened those in the Japanese government and military who rejected diplomacy and who wanted to broaden the conflict. On December 7 the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, which was then governed by the United States. This portion of the Trading with the Enemy Act, which allowed the president to impose economic sanctions without approval from Congress, was finally changed in 1976 following the Watergate scandal. Much of that power lives on in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), passed in 1977. President Carter had pleaded for its survival so that the president could act quickly and sweepingly in case of an emergency. These powers under the IEEPA have been used over 50 times. Existing sanctions, such as those against Iran, Russia, and North Korea, had been declared by the president. Workers installing solar panels. The solar panel market is blooming and Cincinnati looks to take a lead. Credit: Michael Earl Patton States was officially neutral in the conflicts involving Europe, Russia, China, and Japan. On his own, without any direction from Congress, Roosevelt declared an unlimited national emergency. He described this to the public in one of Contrary to press reports, the sanctions bill recently signed by President Trump still keeps that basic pattern with respect to Russia and, for the most part, Iran. The bill, called the “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act,” is 70 pages and covers sanctions against those two countries, North Korea, and against terrorism in general. Half of the bill (35 pp) deals with Russia. Although press reports give the impression that it increases sanctions on Russia, any increase depends on the approval of President Trump’s administration. Here is one such example, taken from section 231, titled “Imposition of Sanctions with Respect to Persons Engaging in Transactions with the Intelligence or Defense Sectors of the Russian Federation:” “(a) On and after the date that is 180 days after the date of this Act, the President shall impose five or more of the sanctions described ... with respect to a person the President determines knowingly … engages ….. (b) The President may waive the initial application of sanctions … only if the President submits to the appropriate congressional committees – (1) a written determination that the waver – (A) is in the vital national security interests of the United States; or …” This is very strange. The man who is being investigated for possible collusion with the Russians is in charge of determining whether others are helping the Russians! And further, he can prevent any applicable sanctions from being imposed! It is almost as if the bill were written with a different President in mind. The bill makes several accusations against Russia, such as that it is United States policy “to never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Government of the Russian Federation” (section 257) and that “[i]t is the sense of Congress that – the Government of the Russian Federation bears responsibility for the continuing violence in Eastern Ukraine, including the death on April 24, 2017 of Joseph Stone, a citizen of the United States working as a monitor for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe” (a landmine destroyed his vehicle). Is this the purpose of the bill – to reinforce the perception that Russia is our implacable adversary? The bill makes clear that the United States is concerned about European dependence on Russian natural gas and that the United States should export its energy to aid its allies. To which I reply, export what energy? True, facilities are being built to liquefy natural gas to export, the only problem being that there is not enough natural gas to do so. Currently the production and consumption of natural gas in the United States is roughly in balance. But as I wrote about in my article “Natural Gas Shortage Coming,” production is slowly going down and the number of drilling rigs in operation is not enough to maintain current production levels, let alone reverse it. As for oil, the United States THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED is a net importer of oil. There is some oil exported, but it is much less than the amount imported. The trends I wrote about in the March 24 – April 6, 2017 issue of Streetvibes continue today. The threat of sanctions here has worried our European allies, especially Germany. Their economic minister has even warned us that Europe might impose its own sanctions on the United States if we try to interfere with the construction of a new gas pipeline from Russia. The section dealing with Iran is much shorter – only about 10 pages. Sanctions are expanded against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, but the bill gives the president an “out” when it comes to other sanctions. The section dealing with North Korea is about 15 pages and concentrates on tying sanctions to United Nations resolutions. Interestingly, these have already been passed by the U.N. Security Council since the bill was signed. Russia and China went along with them, which implies that the preparation work had been completed by the time the bill was passed by Congress. There are a couple good things about the bill. One is that it makes clear that nothing shall be construed to authorize any sanctions relating to the use by NASA of Russian products or services, which is good because we depend on them to get our astronauts up into space (section 237). Another is that food, medicine, medical devices, or humanitarian assistance to Iran are exempt from sanctions (section 111). The worst thing about the bill is that there was no national debate about the bill, or even good information about what is in it. Only 5 voted no. Locally, only Senator Paul and Representative Massie, both from Kentucky, voted against it. No one apparently asked the European governments what they thought of the bill, especially when it came to the natural gas pipeline they want. This is ironic because section 109 mentions the importance of coordinating sanctions between the European Union and the United States. How many of us even heard about possible European retaliations? Sanctions, even the threat of sanctions, increase tension between countries. Keep alert to what may happen next. [Footnote: I find it noteworthy that the only two senators who voted against the recent sanctions bill were Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rand Paul of Kentucky. I don't think there are any two other senators who are farther apart on the ideological spectrum than these two. One is very liberal/socialist, the other is very conservative/libertarian. But they both have a reputation for following their own convictions on major issues. Congratulations to them both for not following the herd.] �6 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 �LOCAL A letter to our County Commissioners No. 36 2 | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 D STEVE SUNDERLAND ear Commissioners: Congratulations on the steps you have taken to implement the Indigent Care Levy's monies in Hamilton County. We applaud the creation of an able commission to review the Levy's history, and to review proposals for improving healthcare for the indigent in Hamilton County in the coming years. As a participant in the process, we have enjoyed talking with members of the Commission about the Cancer Justice Network's programs and our plans to reduce mortality from cancer in the indigent population. And, we believe that their recommendations to the Commissioners reflect their study of the past uses of funds and the opportunities for future funding. Our organization was not included in the final list of recommendations despite the fact that we have served only thousands of indigent people. Based on the report of the Commission, it appears that there will be little funding available for new programs. The lion's share of the funding will go to those organizations that received funding the last time. It is important to note that all of our organization's work is with the indigent as we try and reduce cancer mortality. We write to suggest that the questions raised by the Commission sidestep some important Contributing Writer considerations facing the indigent in Hamilton County. Prior funding decisions were made based on a world that didn't include the Affordable Care Act's impact on Ohio Medicaid. Hospitals, presumably, did need the monies to help pay for the costs of unpaid bills for treating the indigent. With the ACA in full operation in Ohio, the Commission's report indicates that neither hospital needs the monies for these concerns. In fact, again according to the report, the levy monies represent a tiny portion of very successful budget operations. Because of this infusion of monies, and the likelihood of continuation of ACA, the funding of the hospitals for the unpaid services is unnecessary. Moreover, it was not clear from the consultant's report how much of the Levy actually touched the indigent's needs. The changed situation facing the indigent's bills mean that these monies can be directed to programs that will directly improve the lives of individuals and families. Such a new focus can make a major difference in life expectancy, disease management, and disease prevention. For example, the Cancer Justice Network (25 health and human service organizations) has seen over 4,000 low income adults in the past 6 months in cancer prevention dinners at Christ Church, Churches Active in Northside and other agencies working with the poor. We are making a difference in our outreach to indigent people and to navigating them to timely cancer screening and treatment; indeed, we are the only educational outreach on healthcare in Hamilton County. We believe we could represent a fine use of Levy monies, indeed, a life and death use of monies for the indigent. We suggest that the Commissioners apply new questions to agencies seeking the funds to assist the indigent. These questions open up the discussion for transparency about the connection between funding decisions and positive outcomes for healthcare for the indigent. At present, there are assumptions that funding will help but there is an absence of clarity about the direct correspondence between agency goals and outcomes. The questions we would urge you use are the following: 1. What programs to be funded have explicit goals for helping the indigent with improving life expectancy from the diseases of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes? 2. What outcomes in terms of these diseases are expected from any healthcare agency in each of the three years? 3. Who is accountable for Climate Change and Cincinnati’s Efforts to Combat the Issue I 7 NICK SHELLENBERGER n June, President Trump decisively withdrew from the Paris Agreement. This agreement, within the United Nations Framework, outlines a comprehensive plan that addresses climate change worldwide. The plan is supposed to take effect in the year 2020. The United States joins Nicaragua and Syria as the only nations to oppose this historic deal. Many leaders throughout the U.S. oppose the President’s decision; including Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. “I strongly opposed (the withdrawal),” said Cranley in a June 28 press conference. “We had a press conference at City Hall immediately about joining the mayors’ alliance to keep the Paris Contributing Writer Agreement going. We will stand up for a clean city and environment, regardless of what President Trump does.” The announcement by President Trump put into action the Compact of Mayors; a global coalition of city leaders promising to tackle the climate crisis. The coalition was launched in 2014 by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Their goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions substantially and prepare for future issues of climate change. In 2008, Cincinnati City Council passed the Climate Protection Action Plan that is now known as the Green Cincinnati Plan. Its goal is to reduce “Breakdown Stereotypes” the city’s gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. The plan listed roughly 80 recommendations of ways the city could address the issue. One of the main focuses of the plan was reducing gas emissions and the dependency on non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels while supporting job creation and the local economy. Additions in 2013 added to the framework of the original plan; incorporating new chapters on outdoor recreation and water. The plan had a goal of reducing emissions by 40% within 20 years. That seemed like a reasonable goal at the time but new numbers show that city leaders might have underestimated our great city. According to recent reports city reaching these goals within the healthcare systems? 4. How does Levy monies work with the hospital community benefit programs?  5. What kind of accountability for the process of implementation exists within the Commissioner's office? The answers to these questions will reassure the voting public that the Levy will continue to be vital for health needs of indigent people in Hamilton County.  The public is confused about healthcare funding in general, the different ways the hospitals receive funds, and the ways these funds wind up helping the poor. Very little is transparent about doctor's fees, hospital and drug costs, and whether insurance will truly assist people in need. Providing clarity about the Levy's funding goals and your method of accountability will offer citizens a clear picture about why the renewal of the Levy is so critical for all of Hamilton County's poor. We will call your offices for an appointment to elaborate on these ideas.  We want you to know that we in the Cancer Justice Network believe that Hamilton County can be a national leader in healthcare for the poor and we will work with you for the passage of this critical levy. In peace, Steve Steve Sunderland, PhD, Director Peace Village Cancer Project/Cancer Justice Network government reports, greenhouse emissions have shown a 36% reduction since 2008. As global climate statistics increase, Cincinnati is making strides to become the greenest city in the Midwest. Last year the City of Cincinnati teamed up with the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA), to launch Solarize Cincinnati; a program to bring affordable solar energy solutions to our city. “Solar has the potential to transform our communities by creating family sustaining jobs, reducing homeowner expenses, and conserving the environment,” said Flequer Vera, CEO of Sustainergy. Renewable energy is the future but investment into that field needs to happen in order for it to become a reality. The GCEA does just that. They partner with local governments and foundations to reduce the barriers of investment in renewable energy. “It’s good for the environment (Continued on page 12) “Eradicate Misinformation” The Coalition for the Homeless provides Education and Service Programs that help to portray a more accurate and holistic picture of homelessness in Cincinnati. We believe an educated public can be a more compassionate public, willing to dedicate time and effort towards creating solutions to homelessness. The “Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau” program is made up of individuals currently experiencing homelessness or who have experienced homelessness, who share their experiences. The program is designed to put a face on homelessness and raise awareness about those struggling in our community. To schedule a speaker, contact Dr. Mark Mussman at MarkMussman@cincihomeless.org. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �8 RELIGIOUS PEACEMAKERS A Minister to the Poor: Father Thomas Bokenkotter Is an Academician Turned Activist “G A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 SAAD GHOSN rowing up I couldn’t help being religious,” says Reverend Thomas Bokenkotter. “My parents were deeply religious and greatly influenced me, as did the general climate of our household. For me a big part of religion is how we respectfully relate to each other, accept each other… and this I was taught from a very young age”. Bokenkotter was raised Catholic, one of 7 children. As a child he served as an altar boy, showing up to mass early every morning, learning liturgical Latin, in constant contact with priests. “I grew up with religion; it was part of my genes…,” he says. When he graduated from his Catholic High School, he decided to become a priest and entered the seminary. “It was an easy decision for what seemed a natural path. I had no questioning about my vocation and enjoyed the studious, spiritual and pious atmosphere of my new setting.” Bokenkotter’s religious education took him to Rome and to the prestigious University of Louvain in Belgium where he earned a doctorate degree in history; it deepened his understanding of Catholicism and of other religions. Back to the States, he taught for many years at the seminary, then at Xavier University, and spent most of his time writing religion-based books among them the bestselling “A Concise History of the Catholic Church”. At the beginning Bokenkotter’s orientation and activities were purely academic. His writings owed him the label of “liberal”, a term of reprobation by some, due to his critical views of the conservative Church. His studies and research, however, quickly proved to him that, even if conservative in many ways, the Catholic Church, thanks to the teachings of Christ and the gospels, remained at the forefront of social Contributing Writer justice. He found that throughout centuries and various revolutions, many Catholics played an important role in the struggle for democracy and social justice and thus indirectly shaped the Church’s social doctrine. In his book “Church and Revolution”, he traced the steps of fifteen of them from the last two centuries. He started with Lammenais, the French priest who during the French Revolution, countered the position of the Church, siding with the people against the monarchy, and included portraits and stories of other determining figures, such as Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero; Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement; Emmanuel Mounier, leader of the Personalism movement; Konrad Adenauer, the German Christian Democrat statesman. When the 60s arrived and with them the Vietnam war and the widespread civil turmoil in the country, Bokenkotter left his academic ivory tower. One of his students, Father John Bank, introduced him to the United Farm Workers movement, and to the injustice the migrant workers in California were facing. Bokenkotter studied their condition and convinced of their cause started picketing at Kroger stores across the city, urging buyers not to purchase California grapes. This passive resistance action soon succeeded in forcing negotiations for better working conditions of the farmers and ultimately led him to participate, through the mid 70s, in various anti war and anti racial demonstrations, including, among others, protests against the shooting at Kent State University, and against Nixon’s visit to Wright Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio. “I spent the late 60s and 70s working as an activist for various peace and justice causes,” says Bokenkotter. “But when the war ended, the climate in the country What is Roman Catholicism Roman Catholicism is a Christian religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and his disciples. Its members and churches, spread all over the world, comprise the Roman Catholic Church, led by the Pope considered the “infallible” successor of the apostle Peter; it is the largest Christian church with over a billion adherents, half of all Christians worldwide. Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the inspiration of the Bible. Their worship is centered on the sacrament of the Eucharist, whereas the blessed bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ. Important teachings of Catholicism are love, forgiveness, charity, peace and justice, as instructed by Jesus in the gospels: “I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34); “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:6-9) changed and it became difficult to get young people to demonstrate. I thought I needed to serve in a different way.” Visiting a Dorothy Day House in NYC and experiencing the soup kitchen it was offering the homeless and the poor, Bokenkotter returned to Cincinnati where he assessed a big need for such a service: “I found out that in Over-The-Rhine (OTR), downtown Cincinnati, 80% of the people lived in poverty, often malnourished; this was 1976.” The Over-The-Rhine Kitchen, the oldest Soup Kitchen in Cincinnati, was then established with the help of few volunteers and just $700 in the bank. Located in the heart of OTR, it serves currently over 77,000 free hot Father Thomas Bokenkotter meals per year and has received, not too long ago, a several million dollars bequest from a supporter woman. In 1980, appointed pastor of the Assumption church on Gilbert avenue in Walnut Hills, Bokenkotter converted the then empty old catholic school across the street into a transitional living facility for homeless women and children in crisis; it also had a food pantry and a soup kitchen in its basement for the residents of the facility and individuals and families of the neighborhood. Renamed The Tom Geiger Guest House in1984 after a student of Bokenkotter who was instrumental in the operation of the first kitchen and who died suddenly at age 33, it now includes 42 apartments. The Walnut Hills Kitchen serves in excess of 65 000 free hot meals a year and the pantry provides grocery and food for more than 5000 individuals and families. Throughout the years, Bokenkotter has also been involved, with his racially diverse parish, in numerous community activities. “I am on the side of anyone who wants to make things better,” he says, “and that’s what I encourage in my parishioners.” He always wanted to create a support Center for black youth to gather, exchange, learn, find needed help; unfortunately he has not been able to realize his dream project due to a debilitating health and an advanced age. All along Bokenkotter maintained as well his writing and other academic endeavors. For several years and until 2 years ago, he held regular monthly educational meetings with a small group of faithful individuals discussing theology, church history and contemporary issues. One of their topic was the crisis of authority facing the church due to a fast changing world. “The church has to adjust to the 21st century,” he says. “It has to Credit: Saad Ghosn listen to its members, be less rigid and more accepting when it comes to issues of sexuality, role of women, other religions… Opposing opinions from revisionist theologians should be given due consideration and not just silenced and censored.” Bokenkotter must have been thinking of the condemnation of his own book “Dynamic Catholicism” by the previous Pope because it listed divergent viewpoints on some controversial matters. He is, however, ecstatic at the progressive position and open attitude of the current Pope Francis on many of these contemporary issues. Bokenkotter's life has always been permeated by the gospels’ teachings and examples of the saints; they dictated all along his actions for Social justice and peace and led him to dedicate his ministry to the needs of the poor. Now ninety two years old he is no longer in charge of a parish, also less socially active. He remains, however, strongly committed to a better, equal and just world. --------------------------------------- Religious Peacemakers is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati individuals who use their faith and religious beliefs for peace and justice. Saad.Ghosn@uc.edu is the founder of SOS (Save Our Souls) Art, an organization that promotes arts as vehicles for peace and justice and for a change. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 2 | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 PHOTO ESSAY Art By Dionna Flowers THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 9 �10 LOCAL A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 September 8 - 30, 2017 For tickets please call (513) 381-2273 Purchase tickets online at www.cincyshakes.com AD Donated by Mark and Sue Ann Painter season sponsored by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 2 | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 LOCAL THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED 11 �12 LOCAL What does it mean that Cincinnati is a Sanctuary City? A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 JUSTIN JEFFRE W hat does it mean that Cincinnati is a sanctuary city? Wikipedia defines a sanctuary city as one “that limits its cooperation with the national government effort to enforce immigration law. Supporters of sanctuary cities argue that enforcement of federal law is not the duty of localities.” Defenders of this type of resistance are motivated by stories like the ones Editor & Staff Writer you’ll read in this special Streetvibes series of children and adults fleeing horrifying circumstances in their native lands. These true stories have been provided by Margaret Singer of the Su Casa Hispanic Center. Founded in 1997, Su Casa is a program of Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio which serves Hispanic/Latino immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families. “During 2014 and 2015 I was working with Su Casa Hispanic Center and specifically with unaccompanied minors from Mexico and Central America. Most of these children had not seen their mother or father for about 10 years or more. Imagine being a mother, and one day, late in the afternoon, you receive a call from an immigration official on the border. He says, ‘Do you know a child by this name? Is this your child? When is Margaret's Picks his/her birthday?’, etc. “A few hours later the child calls. On hearing the voice of a child she hasn’t seen for so many years a mother’s heart drops and she cries and tries to talk. She tries to say, ‘Yes, I’ll pay for the ticket so you can come home to Cincinnati! I…I’ll have the money for the plane ticket in a month.’ By now both the child and mother are crying and they cannot believe what is happening. ‘Que solo Dios es tan grande!’ proclaims MaMa. “Why do unaccompanied minors leave their grandparents or other relatives to make this very dangerous trip through Guatemala or the country they are from to reunite with their parents?” following my niece. They once offered her a ride, which she refused. She took the bus, and then was stalked and was forced to call the police to escort her from a supermarket. The police questioned her about the men, and she described them as tattooed members of the Salvatrucha. Where we lived, the Salvatrucha dominated. That was June 8th. She was taken to our house by the police. We left on June 11th at 4 a.m. to get our passports from San Salvador. We never returned to the house. We learned that it was surrounded by the police. The Mara had been shooting at the house, and the neighbors had called 911. We decided to leave El Salvador. There had been a number of attacks against the police, not just where we lived but all over the country. It is common knowledge in El Salvador that most of the policemen are corrupt and that the honest ones and their families are targeted. Many, if not most, of the honest policemen are leaving if they haven’t already left. Maria Orrosco My daughter and I left El Salvador to immigrate to the United States because we were being threatened in Soyapango by the Salvatrucha (gang). They threatened me because my husband was a policeman and they didn’t want police in the community. They said they would keep pressuring us until we left and that if we did not leave, they would kill us. My daughter, niece, and I were in danger. I had a little store where I sold food supplies and items people used at home. Before we decided to move, a boy would threaten me by telling me his boss wanted to talk with me on his phone. I would ignore him, but he began to regularly arrive and the threats became louder and louder. He would say I needed to talk with his boss and I needed to pay him what he wanted or they would do something that we would not like. My husband worked four days and would have four days off. Sometimes when he was working, men would get on our roof and shout insults, threatening to kill my daughter, niece, and I. Different men would watch us on our roof too. One time when my husband was home (he wasn’t supposed to leave until 3 o’clock), three men tried to get into the house, using some keys. We deadbolted the door so, luckily, they couldn’t come in. As my husband left for work, my dog ran out of the house and chased them off into the garden. We called the police, and the suspicious men left our yard, but when the police left the property, the men returned fifteen minutes later. I put the deadbolt back on the door and hid in the back room until it was light. This all happened in April 2011. The next day, some Salvatrucha took up residence in the houses next to and behind us. One could smell the marijuana day and night, and they were loud and insulted us. They kept digging in their backyard. I was not sure if it was to bury a body or to build a tunnel into my house. This was when my husband and I decided to leave. We transferred to Usulutan, and my husband continued working in the delegation of Soyapango located in Ilopango. I opened a store in the new town. Once again, a boy about eight years old came into my new shop with a telephone. He told me his boss wanted to speak with me. I told him no, I had no boss, and I refused to talk to him. He left and came back about half an hour later and told me in vulgar language that his boss had said I would suffer the consequences. He said I would pay with what I valued most. I understood him to mean my daughter. And he said that they knew my husband was a “jura” (policeman). This is when they started Fredi Martinez Morales I am Fredi and I am 15 years old. I was born in Cruz de las Barrancas, a village of the city Tacana, Department of San Marcos, Guatemala. When I was almost 13 years old I traveled to Tapachula, Mexico, so I could work and earn some money. I worked there as an assistant to a cook in a restaurant for two years. Then I went back to Guatemala, stayed there for a month, then decided I wanted to leave Guatemala and immigrate to the United States despite the fact that my parents did not want me to go. I arrived earlier this year. I have two younger sisters, 7 years old and 10 years old. I had been able to study through the 6th grade, but not any further because my family is very poor. Also school was only in the mornings because of the potential dangers as the day progressed. I needed to help my parents. When I was born we had a house and there were three rooms and it had been built on a slope. Approximately one year ago it rained really hard and one of the rooms was carried away by the heavy rains and another room was full of mud and debris. We were able to more or less restore the two rooms after the heavy rains but the third room was gone. We cultivate potatoes and corn at our home in San Marcos. Unfortunately, here in Guatemala it is cheaper for our people to buy potatoes and corn from the United States than to buy it from our own farmers. Because of things like this we will never get ahead. Another reason I decided to immigrate even though my parents did not want me to, was because of the violence that exists in Guatemala. In San Marcos several neighbors have had their houses broken into. The closest neighbors to our family were gone one evening and when they returned a window was broken out and thieves had entered their house. Also one evening I was with my father in our truck and we saw another vehicle shine its lights on a couple of men who were attacking a friend of mine as he walked down the road by himself, going home. The two thieves quickly left and my friend was OK. He realized that he should not walk alone late in the evening. No one does any more, but of course some of us take chances. In Tapachula when I lived there I would be approached by young men involved in drugs. They wanted me to work with them. I never wanted to do that. Finally I decided to catch a bus through Mexico to Agua Prieta on the border of the United States and Mexico. Because I am taller than many Guatemalans I told Mexican officials I was from Mexico and they never questioned anything. They did not ask me for papers nor did they ask me any questions about Mexico. I was scared the whole time when the bus stopped in Agua Prieta but I got to stay on the bus and it went on into the United States. There the bus was stopped by US officials and I was taken to a place where there were children. It was not a very nice place. It was like the structure was made out of nets, and rooms were divided by nets. In two weeks I was able to contact my brother-in-law in Cincinnati. He did the paper work and in two more weeks I was in Cincinnati. I am happy to be here with my sister and brother-in-law. Pulling out of the Paris Agreement was clearly a bad idea but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Local governments and communities across the country are now taking matters into their own hands. The climate crisis is one of the major threats we face today and must be dealt with immediately. If our President doesn’t see it that way, at least it is comforting to know many of our other leaders do. NICK SHELLENBERGER (Continued from page 7) and it’s good for our pocketbook…this is a win-win.” said Mayor Cranley. THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED --------------------------------------- �No. 36 2 13 STREET VOICE | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 BILLS THE VERY BRIEF WEST WING Here comes another one, Just like the other one, Bills Work hard today Pay a bill tomorrow It’s tiresome, and you still have to borrow Can’t save anything for tomorrow Bills, everyone has them Some, live on the streets, to do without them The rich, the poor CAREER OF THE MOOCH The expletive deleted, the expletive deleted! The Mooch loves to use the expletive deleted. He called Reince Priebus an "expletive deleted." He said Steve Bannon likes to "expletive deleted." Will Trump's foes and critics now feel cheated, If they aren't Tweeted with an expletive deleted? Everyone, needs a little bit more Rent, phone, electric bills, and miscellaneous, BILL WOODS Contributing Writer It’s all so strenuous Bill collectors call and say, Are you gonna make a payment today? Don’t you wish your bills would go away? Then we could all have a happier day. KIM GREEN Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer STARTING OVER AFTER BEING HOMELESS AND LIVING ON THE STREET FOR FIVE YEARS AFTER THE LOSS OF ALL I HAD I OWE A LOT OF MY RECOVERY TO MY PEERS AFTER THE TALBERT HOUSE, BETHANY HOUSE AND THE DROP INN CENTER I FOUND THE OFF THE STREET PROGRAM ONLY THEN DID MY LIFE REMOVE THE BENDER THEY TAUGHT ME HOW TO COMMUNICATE AND SPEAK WITHOUT DOUBT, FEAR OR SHAME THEY GAVE ME ALL THE INSIGHT NEEDED AND IF I FAILED ONLY I WOULD BE TO BLAME I FELT REBORN AND STARTED SINGING AINT NO STOPPING ME NOW AND I STOPPED LOOKING BACK I FOUND A PLACE OF MY OWN WHERE I COULD BE ALONE AND GET MY LIFE BACK ON TRACK NEXT, I FOUND CINCINNATI HOMELESS COALTION WHO LIKED AND APPRECIATED MY POETRY LET ME KNOW THAT I WAS NOT HOMELESS ALONE AND FOR THEM CARING I HAVE LOYALTY THEY INTRODUCE ME TO THE STREETVIBES PAPER FOR THE CINCINNATI HOMELESS COALITION SAYING MY BEING HOMELESS MY POETRY NEEDED TO BE SHARED SOUNDS LIKE A MISSION FINALLY, I FOUND MYSELF AT FINDLAY MARKET WHERE MY LIFE FOUND A NEW DIRECTION THE DAY THE COALTION TOLD ME THAT FINDLAY MARKET AGREED TO GIVE ME A SECTION SO MANY NEW FRIENDS, MR. POTTERY MAN, MR. POPCORN MAN AN THE SEASONING LADY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ALL MUST PAY BILLS, SAVE MONEY AND BE HAPPY NOW NOT MAYBE I'VE LEARNED STARTING OVER IS THE WILL WITHIN YOURSELF WHERE THERE IS POWER WITH THE BELIEF AND FAITH THAT YOU HAVE IN YOURSELF YOU WILL CHANGE HOUR BY HOUR WILLA DENISE JONES Streetvibes Distributor & Contributing Writer THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �14 PUZZLES CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 131 Down Across 1. Sleigh 1. Angle 2. Green acidic fruit 6. Plaza 3. At another time 10. Military signal 14. Large commercial ship 4. Gauze 5. Stride 15. Chills and fever 6. Chart 16. Adjoin 7. Matured 17. Give expression to 8. Relating to the moon 18. Writing implements 9. Unit of instruction 19. Tree trunk 10. Restaurant bill 20. Relating to the teeth 11. Approximately 22. A quick run 12. Throb 24. Employ 13. Direct the course 25. Parts of the Roman 21. Let for money calendar 23. Something intended 27. Adult male chicken to deceive 29. Complete duration of 26. Fragrance something 28. Secret agent 32. Perform 29. Decelerate 34. A short sleep 30. Rain heavily 35. Yearn 31. Not in favor of 36. Appear 33. Singing voice 38. Woody plant tissue 37. Wall painting 42. Baseball term 39. Decorative fabric 43. Boredom 40. Flair 45. Beer 41. Repair 46. Correspond 44. Block of metal 49. Ripped 50. Make a wide sweeping 47. Metallic element 48. Give out search of 50. Relating to stars 51. Mischievous fairy 52. Ship's officer 53. Tatter 55. Computer failure 54. Look after 56. Quantitative relation 55. Part of the skull 57. Circular coral island 59. Misplace surrounding a lagoon 61. Rodent 58. Large imposing 62. Snare house 64. Rudder lever 60. One of the senses 68. At the peak 70. A small secluded room 63. Insect stage between larva and adult 72. Gauntlet 65. Strong positive 73. Part of a window emotion 74. Catch sight of 66. Level or straight 75. Sheltered port 67. Rive 76. Associated with a 69. Travel a route divine regularly power 71. Swindle 77. Harvest 78. Tendency PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ISSUE 350 CROSSWORD PUZZLE NO. 130 A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 SODOKU PUZZLE NO 261 - MEDIUM SODOKU PUZZLE NO 260- MEDIUM PUZZLES from puzzlechoice.com and puzzles.ca THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED �No. 36 2 RESOURCES | A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 Central Access Point 381-SAFE Shelter: Women and Children Bethany House 557-2873 1841 Fairmount Ave. 45214 The Esther Marie Hatton Center for Women 2499 Reading Road 562-1980 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 1730 Race Street 45202 St. Francis Soup Kitchen 535-2719 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 621-7265 1528 Race St. 45202 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 Other Resources St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841 215 E. 14th St. 45202 4600 Erie Ave. 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 131 E. 12th Street 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 1125 Bank Street 45214 Shelter: Men Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Men Shelterhouse 721-0643 Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 411 Gest St. 45203 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 2121 Vine Street 45202 1437 Walnut Street 45202 Prospect House 921-1613 1805 Dalton Ave. 45214 Starting Over 961-2256 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 682 Hawthorne Ave. 45205 Parkway Center 661-4620 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Women Shelter: Youth Sheakley Center for Youth (18-24 y/o) 2522 Highland Ave. 45219 569-9500 Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center (10-17 y/o) 3330 Jefferson Ave 45220 961-4080 Interfaith Hospitality Network First Step Home 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment or Supportive Recovery: Both AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672 471-1100 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) Housing: 241-2965 1522 Republic Street 45202 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street 45202 Talbert House 221-HELP Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street 45202 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 2401-2411 Reading Rd. 45202 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board 946-8000 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 221-HELP Advocacy Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 VA 977-6800 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 UpSpring 363-3300 Food/Clothing Health 2401 Reading Rd. 45202 First Lutheran Church 421-0065 1208 Race St. Food - Last Monday 12-1 Clothing - second Monday 12-1 Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 2825 Burnet Ave. 45219 961-0600 Center for Respite Care 621-1868 3550 Washington Ave. 45229 Crossroad Health Center 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. 45202 Health Resource Center 357-4602 McMicken Integrated Care Clinic and Mobile Our Daily Bread 621-6364 $100 for 26 issues Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 1223 Main St. 45202 People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 Talbert House 751-7747 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211 Hamilton County Office of Reentry 946-4304 138 E. Court Street Room # 101 First Floor Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 981-4200 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 Northern Kentucky Brighton Center 799 Ann St. Newport, KY ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 859-491-8303 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-572-6202 Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky 634 Scott St. 41011 859-291-4555 Want to advertise in Streetvibes? Cincinnati Health Network OTR: 1620 Vine Street 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert Ave. 45206 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street 45202 Salvation Army 762-5660 Medical Van 352-6364 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 NAMI of Hamilton County 351-3500 PATH Outreach 977-4489 4230 Hamilton Ave. 45223 6037 Cary Ave. 45224 Shelter: Family 15 $150 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED You can support our mission and spread the word about your business. For more information contact Justin Jeffre at 513421-70803 x 12 or email streetvibes@cincihomeless.org for 26 issues and a $50 donation �16 A u g 11 - A u g 2 4 , 2 0 17 | N o . 36 2 S treetvibes is distributed by individuals who purchase the paper for 75 cents per copy and sell it for a $2.00 donation, keeping the profit they have earned. Becoming a Distributor is a great way for individuals who are financially poor to get back on (or stay on) their feet. This program provides supplemental income for those unable to secure other employment. Money earned helps meet basic housing, food and health care needs. The program is a hand up for people who are often in a place of getting only a hand out, or even no hand at all. All Distributors wear a badge and usually a vest and can be found selling the paper in Downtown Cincinnati, Clifton, Northside, Northern Kentucky and at area churches. ALFRED WOOLFOLK SINCE 10/2003 ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012 BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997 BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008 BRIAN ADAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHARLES WILLIAMS SINCE 7/2017 CHRISTOPHER KAIHATSU SINCE 7/2017 CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003 CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004 DARREL ROZIER SINCE 7/2017 DAVID MCCANE SINCE 2017 ERIC VALDEZ SINCE 2/2017 GERALD FRANKLIN SINCE 7/2017 GRADY COOK SINCE 1997 GREGORY RAY SINCE 4/2015 HENRY BRELAND SINCE 7/2017 JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009 JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2000 JENNY BURTON SINCE 7/2017 JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001 JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006 JOHN HORN JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008 J’TORI TYMAN SINCE 5/2014 KIM NGUYEN SINCE 7/2017 KENNY BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009 KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008 KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011 LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007 LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009 LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005 MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005 MARK SHEARS SINCE 4/2012 MAURICE GOLSBY MELISSA MOSBY SINCE 9/2014 MIKE CARANO SINCE 4/2016 RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009 RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008 RICKY WOODS SINCE 4/2015 RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 1999 RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009 SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006 STACIA HOLLANDER SINCE 2017 STEPHANIE EAKES SINCE 7/2017 SYLVESTER WALKER SINCE 7/2017 TALINA HILL SINCE 2/2015 TIA CASS SINCE 11/2007 TONY THOMAS SINCE 3/2005 VIOLET COLLINS SINCE 2017 VICTOR MUMPHRY WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010 WINNIE RICE SINCE 7/2017 THE VOICE OF THE STREET...UNSILENCED QUEENACELASTINE SINCE 7/2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2017 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 11-August 24, 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Cover Page Donation Stations’ Solution Conflation Pg 2: From the Director An Update on Redistricting Reform Pg 3: Donation Stations’ Solution Conflation Pg 4: GCHC Pg 5: The Good, Bad, and Strange of Recent Sanctions Pg 6: GCHC Pg 7: A Letter to Our County Commissioners Climate Change and Cincinnati’s Efforts to Combat the Issue Pg 8: A Minister to the Poor Pg 9: Photo Essay Pg 10: GCHC Pg 11: How to Respond to Panhandling Pg 12: What Does it Mean that Cincinnati is a Sanctuary City? Pg 13: Street Voice Pg 14: Puzzles Pg 15: Resources Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11-August 24, 2017 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Josh Spring Bill Woods Dr. Mark Mussman Michael Earl Patton Steve Sunderland Saad Ghosn Justin Jeffre Margaret Singer Maria Orrosco Fredi Martinez Morales Nick Shellenberger Kim Green Willa Denise Jones Miami University Center for Community Engagement Archive Woman's City Club A. J. Newberry Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF A. J. Newberry Bill Woods Climate Change Donation Stations Dr. Mark Mussman Fredi Martinez Morales Josh Spring Justin Jeffre Kim Green Margaret Singer Maria Orrosco Miami University Center for Community Engagement Archive Michael Earl Patton Nick Shellenberger reform Saad Ghosn Steve Sunderland Willa Denise Jones Woman's City Club https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/4959cd661b1c08e30445d756a4ad7e9c.pdf a88ffe7d9511531bfdbe4696eb74d24e PDF Text Text Interview with Artists as John Mellencamp Activists Page 7 Page 16 Aug. 15-30, 2010 • Issue 183 • One Dollar ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNITY No Fence Sitting in This Match The art of fencing and overcoming By Corey Gibson Contributing Writer C Edward Wright, an Olympic fencer, teaches children the sport. Vinit Murthy. A Quarter-Century Cause IJPC still working for peace and justice By Brian O’Donnell Contributing Writer A ug. 6 marked the 65th anniversary of the day the United States killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima, Japan, with an atomic bomb. In a quiet park along the Ohio River near downtown Cincinnati, the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center remembered the event with a candlelit walk at dusk through paper sunflowers representing renewed hope and life. The mood was visibly somber as guests were invited to read the messages on the sunflowers, inscribed with quotations of peace and forgiveness from the likes of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and poet Maya Angelou. (L to R) Eunice Timoney Ravenna, Sr. Alice Gerdeman, and Kristen Among those in attendance was Sister Janet Barker of Intercommunity Justice and Policy Center. IJPC. Schneider of the Sisters of Divine Providence. Born four years after the end of World War II, she remembers recognition of Hiroshima’s destruction. learning in school of the atomic bomb as necessary to end “Partly, we haven’t learned from it, but it’s more of a the War, that it was OK. Her understanding of the event now sorrow,” he said. “Especially since it’s likely it could happen sees it as “a horrible devastation that 140,000 people were again.” killed by a bomb the United States dropped.” Mark Burwinkel said his attendance at the park was in See Cause, p. ontending for an Olympic medal is itself an accomplishment. But some athletes, such as Edward Wright, had to contend with more than just the rigors of sport and competition to get there. Wright had to struggle as a child to even be allowed to get into the game. 1963 was a momentous time for the civil rights movement in the United States. President John F. Kennedy promised a civil rights bill. James Meredith became the first AfricanAmerican student to graduate from the University of Mississippi. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech and issued his letters from Birmingham Jail after being arrested during protests against racial segregation – protests sometimes broken up by police with fire hoses and attack dogs. 1963 was also the year Edward Wright would join Brooklyn High School’s fencing team. Thirteen years later he would fence in the Olympics. On a Saturday in late July, Wright walks into the Corryville Recreation Center wearing a worn yellow T-shirt that says, “A Champion Maker” in bold, black lettering across the front. He is hardly what someone would picture when they think about an Olympic fencer who is just past his prime. He is stocky, about six feet tall, with long dreads that dip just past his shoulder. A few wiry gray hairs stick out in all different directions. He is wearing black sweats and Timberland boots. Little beads of sweat trickle down his forehead as he arrives at the gymnasium, as if he were warming up before the class had even started. Wright tells his See Fence, p. 3 �2 The Vibe By The Numbers 24 The deadline, in number of hours, for a city council committee to post its agenda prior to a meeting (see page 11). 50,000 The number of West End residents displaced by the construction of Interstate 75 (see page 12). 1492 The year American Indians began fighting terrorism (see page 16). 12 The number of years Pat Clifford served as executive director of the Drop Inn Center (see page 12). 1996 The year Edward Wright won a national fencing championship (see page 1). 11 The hour of the morning by which Rose was blissfully drunk (see page 6). 140,000 The death toll from the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima (see page 1). 13,000 The amount, in dollars, needed to keep the executive director’s position at the North American Street Newspaper Association through the end of the year (see page 6). 5 Andrew Martin’s age when his mother left his family (see page 13). 48 Joann Burton’s age when she died in Washington Park (see page 9). StreetWise By Gregory Flannery Editor “A Result of the Work’ The Drop Inn Center is under pressure from the city of Cincinnati, from its satrap – the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) – and from Downtown Cincinnati Inc. – so its decision to fire Pat Clifford, executive director, must be seen in that context. That’s why no one is talking: It’s too hot to handle. Clifford, who has worked at the Drop Inn Center for 20 years – the past 12 as executive director – learned Aug. 9 that he was no longer needed. The board fired him without giving a reason, Clifford says. “I was called to a meeting, where I was told,” he says. “Some board members were present, and they informed me. The staff members were informed the next day. It’s basically a decision to part ways. The board hires and fires the director. I work by their leave: ‘Your services are no longer required. A decision has been reached, and that’s that.’ That was basically the tone: ‘We wish you the best.’ ” Clifford says he didn’t see it coming. “Yeah, I was surprised,” he says. “It wasn’t like anything had happened to lead me to think this was going to happen, I don’t want to speculate as to why.” Clifford is a consummate professional, but the context for his dismissal is no mystery to outsiders. He cares about homeless people. He believes in the mission of the Drop Inn Center. These mark him as the enemy of the forces that forced him out. Cincinnati wants the Drop Inn Center’s property for other purposes. It’s in the way. He’s in the way. “It’s an internal restructuring, a result of the work that’s been done, without any political pressure,” says Elissa Pogue, president of the board of the Drop Inn Center. Sure. “The work that drives all of this is to do what’s best for homeless people,” Pogue says. The board of the Drop Inn center has named Arlene Miller, the center’s chief financial officer, its interim director. Clifford’s successor isn’t yet known. “Right now we don’t have anybody in mind,” Pogue says. Nor does Clifford know where he’ll go next. “I don’t know,” he says. “I want to be of service somewhere. That’s who I am. I’m concerned about basic human necessities, making sure people have those.” The poor kind fool. That is so not in sync with Cincinnati. It’s Just a Coincidence Similarly, the death of Joann Burton – run over by a police car as she lay in the grass in Washington Park – can be seen as a freak accident. Or it can be seen as an illustration of the forces that mark Cincinnati as a place hostile to homeless people. Washington Park, across the street from the Drop Inn Center, is about to be closed off from the neighborhood, with 59 of its trees destroyed, the dead who lie beneath it disinterred to make way for an underground parking garage, its swimming pool and basketball court destroyed, in order to make the park more appealing to the upper-income people whom 3CDC and city council want to inhabit Over-the-Rhine. These things are all coincidences. Don’t bother yourself with the deeper meaning. Naughty Language Streetvibes recently declined to participate in a ceremony honoring its work on behalf of people who have disabilities (see ‘Streetvibes’ Boycotts Own Award,” issue of Aug. 1-14). The Cincinnati Human Relations Commission wanted to present the award on Fountain Square, where a city ordinance and 3CDC’s regulations forbid our vendors to distribute the newspaper. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported our position, which prompted a conservative Catholic blog (richleonardi.blogspot.com) to weigh in. The blog called Streetvibes “the profanity-filled newspaper published by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless.” We think this refers to words such as “cocksucker,” used by rocker John Mellencamp in an interview in this edition. For the record, we believe that any organization, such as 3CDC, that forces poor people out of Over-the-Rhine or closes its park qualifies for the term “cocksucker.” Progress Comes to City Hall But let us not be glum. Progress happens – slowly, slowly. Thus Cincinnati City Council has grudgingly decided that the city will no loner automatically bar all persons everywhere who have ever been convicted of a felony of any kind anywhere under any circumstances from being hired for a city job. The city will no longer require job applicants to answer a question on its application form about criminal records. Rather, applicants can make their case in the interview process. Granted, this is a small change, but an important first step. The Ohio Justice and Policy Center labored long and hard to get this far, arguing that a person convicted of a crime and imprisoned for it has already paid her debt to society and now deserves a second chance. Otherwise, what’s a person who made a mistake to do? Sleep in Washington Park? That can get you killed. Work at a homeless shelter? That can get you fired without warning. It’s a cruel cocksucker of a city we live in. STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax: 513.421.7813 Email: streetvibes2@yahoo. com Website: www. cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress. com Streetvibes Staff Editor Gregory Flannery Art Director Lynne Ausman Vendor Coordinator Jeni Jenkins Contributing Writers Michelle Dillingham, Samantha Groark, Margo Pierce, Paul Kopp, Jeremy Flannery, Michael Henson, David Heitfield, Corey Gibson, Jeni Jenkins, Saad Ghosn, Lew Moores, Larry Gross, Eli Braun, Jesse Call, Michael Fanning Photography/Artwork Aimie Willhoite, Lynne Ausman, Anne Skove, Vinit Murthy, Jon Hughes Proofreaders Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes. We are proud members of: �STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 3 Local News No Fence Sitting in This Match Edward Wright, left, teaches students the art of fencing. Vinit Murthy. “I even stopped going to church,” Wright says. “I wanted to make the team.” students to start preparing for the The practicing paid off and Wright hour-long class. His voice is grizzly made the team and worn, the in 1963. And he voice of someone has been at it who continually “Because he stresses ever since. Wright shouts. Yet Wright, form … and execution, placed fifth in a soft-spoken the movement is done the team-fencing individual, correctly. That translates event in the 1976 never yells at the into the kids not just Olympics, was students and tries stabbing or swinging a U.S. National to help them not or move backwards or Championship only understand forwards – they are having Fencing finalist fencing, but to have the discipline to do and most understand where the movements correctly.” recently, in 1996, fencing can take - David Jacobs won the U.S. them in their National Veteran futures. Championship. Reaching that level of competition ‘Not just stabbing’ was a struggle for Wright because of the color of his skin. Wright’s fencing career started in “Most of the clubs kept black the form of soccer. He played soccer for three years on his Brooklyn junior people from joining,” he says. The New York Fencing Club, at high-school team in the late 1950s, the time, had only one or two black before dreaming of making the highmembers when Wright tried to join in school football team. At the time, the late ’60s. Wright didn’t agree with Wright was a lot smaller than he is the stipulations the club set for him today and he couldn’t make the cut and decided not to join. for the high school football team. So “They were racist,” he says. he went back to playing soccer, even Luckily, the man revered as “the though the coach would never put father of American fencing” Georgio him in. Santelli, was seeking out Wright. At “I’d tell the coach to put me in,” first Wright was a bit timid to study Wright says. “I’d say, ‘Coach there’s under Santelli because of the intense five minutes left and we’re winning workouts; Wright says he could 10 to nothing.’ He never put me in. hardly last 10 minutes. But after a That’s how bad I was.” few years he began studying under Wright’s soccer coach suggested Santelli. he try out for the fencing team. “He made champions out of Although fencing was a foreign idea bunch of us,” Wright says. “And by a to Wright at the time, he found a bunch of us, I mean a bunch of black place that taught fencing, gave it a shot and practiced seven days a week people.” Wright wants to do the same thing for an entire summer, sometimes for his students. He wants them to practicing three to four hours a day. Continued from page 1 learn discipline, he wants them to become the best fencers they can possibly become and he wants to get scholarships for his students. Watching one of his classes, it is easy to tell that Wright pushes his students to perfect every aspect of their fencing. “Because he stresses form … and execution, the movement is done correctly,” says David Jacobs, Wright’s assistant fencing instructor. “That translates into the kids not just stabbing or swinging or move backwards or forwards – they are having to have the discipline to do the movements correctly.” The class is more of a workout than one might expect from a sport that has bouts as short as three minutes long. Although the air was humid and sweat droplets were forming on the forehead of Wright and most of his students, the grueling workout continues. The students, who range in ages from pre-teens to much older men and women, receive flurries of instructions from Wright. “En-guard” Wright yells, clapping his hands to a beat he wants the students to follow as they lunge forward, ending with a thrust of the sword at an imaginary opponent. The students keep attacking forward until they reach the other side of the room. Wright then makes the students practice their retreat back to the side of the gymnasium they were previously on. The attack and retreat exercise continues for a short while as Wright dodges in and out of the seven students, correcting the stances of each and every person until they are all in unison, lunging across the gymnasium. The right of way After a few more times back and forth across the gymnasium, Wright stops the students in place and tells them to hold out their swords, called “foils,” for upwards of 60 seconds. Although a foil only weighs slightly more than one pound, the students counted off the 60 seconds in less than 30 seconds, just to get the exercise over with quicker. Wright continues to make the students hold out their foils and count at lower increments, from 60 to 30 to 20 to 10 and finally 5, until the students are visibly tired. After another short break, the students, who all have their own bags of fencing equipment, put on their fencing masks and all-white fencing uniforms in preparation for the final phase of the class. Nearing the end of the class, Wright takes each student aside for some one-on-one teaching while the rest of the students have their own bouts, in which two students fence and the others act as the referees. Scoring a point in fencing seems difficult, but refereeing a bout might be even more so. To score a point in fencing, and ultimately get to the five touches needed to win a bout, the fencer has to have “the right of way.” That is, the fencer has to initiate the attack or execute a block of his opponent’s attack, called a “parry,” before he can score. The tip of the foil is the second fastest moving object in sports, after a marksman’s bullet, so refereeing a bout seems impossible. Each referee calls on the others to assist one another in making the correct calls during the impromptu See Fence, p. 4 �4 Local News STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 No Fence Sitting in This Match from the student he is fencing with. After a one-on-one session, bouts. Wright gives tips to the student and Even though the students’ bouts calls the next over, only to repeat the are impressive, the highlight of process again. the class is Wright’s one-on-one DeAndre Cruse, a newcomer, says interaction with them. As a student’s he enjoyed the class. He spent much and Wright’s foils clash together of his time with Jacobs, Wright’s in combat, assistant, who also called a taught Cruse The attack and retreat “conversation,” the proper way exercise continues for a short it is as if Wright to hold his foil, knows exactly the form he while as Wright dodges in and where the needed to use out of the seven students, student is when making correcting the stances of going to strike. lunges and other each and every person until He stops the requirements. they are all in unison, lunging bout and takes Cruse’s mother, across the gymnasium. the tip of the Jerri Williams, student’s foil, says she enjoys points it to his chest and thrusts it watching it. into his dark black uniform, telling “And I think he enjoyed doing it,” the student to hit him there. The Williams says. conversation between the swords She also says the workout and continues again as the student tries the discipline her son was going to to hit the spot – succeeding only receive were an added bonus. when Wright lets him. With his eyes Wright moved from New York to half closed, Wright retreats, fending Cincinnati nearly 15 years ago to off thrusts from the foil, and then teach fencing. He says he still enjoys lunges forward for a halfhearted it, even after teaching thousands of attack that catches the student off students in his 35-year career. guard. Wright casually looks around “I want to make champions,” the room and observes his other Wright says. “I just want to make students as they fence each other, champions.” all the while still defending strikes Continued from page 3 Edward Wright. Vinit Murthy. A Quarter-Century in the Cause have small successes along the way but there’s tries to limit the influence of military recruiters in always the next step.” public high schools and offers students alternative The vigil in Theodore Berry International Working alongside other groups locally and ways to serve the country. Her other programs Friendship Park was not only for remembrance of nationwide, IJPC continues to advocate a growing relate back to IJPC’s origins in education and the dead, but also a call to activism. list of causes, including the use of the death understanding. “One of the biggest reasons I came is it creates penalty in Ohio. “It’s about broadening your mind,” Barker says. energy, energy for a “We get very disappointed “We just want people to be informed.” difference,” Burwinkel every time there is an execution,” IJPC’s Day of Dialogue program brings said. “We will not be a part of any Gerdeman says. together people with opposing viewpoints to Sister Alice Ohio has executed a total of 382 discuss controversial topics and slow down the activity that has violence Gerdeman, IJPC’s prisoners in its history, according conversation. as one of its strategies. The coordinator, spoke to the Ohio Department of “This offers a chance for transformation and power of non-violence and of the upcoming Rehabilitation and Correction. learning,” Barker says. good is greater than any evil.” U.S. Senate vote on Despite holding political views In a continuation of its commitment to - Sister Alice Gerdeman ratification of the that can polarize people, Gerdeman education, IJPC offers “Peace Team/Nonviolence” new Strategic Arms says God provides and gives IJPC training. This offers people skills for successfully Reduction (START) Treaty, which calls for nuclear what it needs. intervening in potentially arms reductions by the United States and Russia “We’ve always managed to violent situations without “We need a new start,” she said. scrape by,” she says. In the 1980s, IJPC escalating them. Barker says Gerdeman has been with IJPC for 19 years. From donations by advocated for justice in there is no shortage of people She says IJPC acts as an advocate for issues individuals and grants, IJPC wanting to train, and she has Latin America, in particular ranging from immigrant rights to racism to the has managed to continue its a waiting list for upcoming for refugees who fled the environment. Now celebrating its 25th year, advocacy for 25 years, always training sessions. civil war from El Salvador. Gerdeman recalls how the organization has through non-violence. With its 25th anniversary This led IJPC to a courtroom changed since 1985. “We will not be a part of celebration on the way, IJPC victory against the U.S. The group was very educational in its infancy. any activity that has violence provides more than 20 services State Department, allowing It “built on education to advocate,” she says. as one of its strategies,” and activities in the name of the refugees to enter the In the 1980s, IJPC advocated for justice in Gerdeman says. “The power social justice. United States. More recently, Latin America, in particular for refugees who “In order to confront of non-violence and good is the focus on Latin American fled the civil war from El Salvador. This led IJPC violence and war, we need to greater than any evil.” rights has shifted to human to a courtroom victory against the U.S. State Kristen Barker heads up be the opposite of it in the way rights in general. Department, allowing the refugees to enter the IJPC’s peace and non-violence we speak and act,” Gerdeman United States. More recently, the focus on Latin program. Her program has says. American rights has shifted to human rights in two goals: uproot war and tear down unjust IJPC’s 25th anniversary celebration will be Sept. general. structures. She works toward these goals through 25 at Purcell Marion High School. Call 513-579“Justice work never stops,” Gerdeman says. “You various programs such as Before You Enlist, which 8547 for ticket information. Continued from page 1 Follow Streetvibes www.facebook.com/streetvibescincinnati twitter.com/streetvibesnews streetvibes.wordpress.com �STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 5 Issues Street Papers Revolt at Meeting Layoff of staff prompts uproar By Gregory Flannery Editor C hicago, Ill. – Members of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) reacted angrily to news that the board of the organization planned to lay off Executive Director Andy Freeze. The July 30 annual meeting of NASNA turned into a rump parliament, with delegates from street newspapers across the United States and Canada forcing the board to reconfigure the conference schedule in order to debate the layoff. The board said it’s out of money due to unexpected rent expenses at its office in Washington, D.C., and the loss of a grant that had paid for the executive director’s position. The layoff is necessary in order to avert bankruptcy, according to Serge Laureault, a NASNA board member and executive director of L’Itineraire in Montréal, Canada. Freeze, who is the former education coordinator for the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, is NASNA’s first and only paid staff. Israel Bayer, president of the board, said NASNA had no paid staff for its first 12 years and will now continue as an all-volunteer organization. Bayer is executive director of Street Roots in Portland, Ore. Representatives of street papers criticized the board for not informing them of the fiscal crisis earlier. Bruce Gimbel, who recently started a street paper in Tampa, Fla., said he would have gladly raised money to help keep Freeze as executive director. Several new street papers said Freeze was instrumental in helping them. The heated debate led to several last-minute nominations for vacancies on the board (see “Differences as Strengths,” page 5). The NASNA annual meeting re-convened July 31. The board said it needed $13,000 to keep Freeze on the job through the end of 2010. Freeze then announced that, for the good of the organization, he would not continue in the executive director’s position. Freeze said his strength has been in member services, not in fundraising. Board members Rick Barnes, publisher of the Denver VOICE, and Ben Siew, a psychologist affiliated with Barnes’s for-profit and non-profit work, were absent from the session. The meeting at DePaul University was in a room containing a blackboard. The board listed as one of its future priorities “better communication with members.” Laureault, who has been a NASNA board member for six years, announced that he would not seek election to another two-year term. Andy Freeze, North American Street Newspaper Association executive director. Lynne Ausman. Laureault is president of the board of the International Network of Street Newspapers. With no executive director, NASNA reverts to an all- volunteer organization, with the board responsible for the tasks that Freeze had performed. Differences Build NASNA’s Strength NASNA builds a new board of volunteer leadership By Margo Pierce Contributing Writer board. They come from cities of varying sizes and geographic location and hicago, Ill. – Street bring essential skills to the papers have two things in tasks of fundraising and common: a commitment to developing journalistic serving economically disadvantaged excellence. The new board individuals and a passion for members are Gregory supporting those people. The list of Flannery, editor of differences is significantly longer Streetvibes; David Jefferson, and ranges from opposing views editor of Spare Change News on editorial content and political in Boston, Mass.; Kathleen activism to handling vendor training Porch, development and the importance of paid staff. manager for Real Change Bringing these varied perspectives in Seattle, Wash; and Eddie together is the reason for the annual Young, executive director of conference of the North American The Amplifier in Knoxville, Street Newspaper Association Tenn. (NASNA). In an organization Approximately 75 people from utilizing journalism to street papers all across the United make a positive impact, States and Canada gathered July 30 Flannery says he hopes -Aug. 1 to learn from each other and Streetvibes Editor Gregory Flannery pitches in. to use his experience to participate in the annual meeting. improve the credibility of This year’s conference included a the street-paper movement. dramatic change in the makeup of A biography on NASNA’s NASNA’s board Web site of directors. (nasna.org) says “I learned a long time ago that the board must do all this while After a heated “I learned a long time ago Flannery “made a small newspaper can make a big trying to maintain services in the debate about his mark by difference,” Flannery says. “If you face of a budget shortfall resulting in that a small newspaper can the loss of exposing illegal put a whole lot of small newspapers the layoff of Executive Director Andy make a big difference. If funding for the wiretapping by the together, they can make a huge Freeze, NASNA’s only paid staffer. you put a whole lot of small organization Cincinnati Police difference. That’s what NASNA is.” “The board has to do a better newspapers together, they (see “Street Department” With each paper representing a job of communicating with the can make a huge difference. Papers Revolt at and “later wrote different community, culture and membership,” Flannery says. “At That’s what NASNA is.” Meeting,” page articles that led local priorities, it’s going to be a the general meeting, we saw what -Gregory Flannery 5), members to the successful challenge to keep this volunteerhappens when the membership wanted prosecution of driven governing body focused learns there is a problem. The more from their board: more three Catholic priests who had on broader and commonly shared members set aside their differences communication, more input, more sexually abused children.” Also challenges – the criminalization of and became engaged and tried to accessibility. noted is the 2009 “Best Feature homelessness (see “Being Homeless help. If we can channel that energy To make that happen, four people Story” award he received from the is Against the Law,” issue of March and commitment on our shared offered their time to fill vacant International Network of Street 14), panhandling restrictions, objectives, the board can help move positions on the nine-member Papers. inadequate shelter space, etc. And the street-paper movement forward.” C �6 STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Column Parsing Poverty and Community Rose celebrates her birthday, and mourns R ose’s birthday started early, and it started out happy. Rose is not but she seems glad to see them. her real name, but Rose is what we’ll call her. She hangs out nearly It’s not much of a life and it’s not that many dollars. every day on the steps of a building near the place where I work, and But she does have her friends. we have become friendly. She is a small, damaged woman with a random collection of teeth, a history of grief and a fondness for Steel Reserve malt * * * * * liquor. She’s damaged, I say, in all the ways that alcohol and living can cause, but you can see that she might have been a lovely woman at one time. She’s At various times in my life, I have worked as a community organizer. slim – probably too slim – and has a ready smile, and she manages to bring a For part of that time, I had a mentor in the field who told me that what we certain stylishness to her clothing, in spite of it all. were doing was not necessarily winning victories for a community. In doing For her birthday, she and her friends had gathered in the morning in front community organizing, we were organizing community, he said, and the of the apartment building right next to the office where I work and where creation of community was a victory all by itself. some of them lived. At 8:30, as I was scrambling to get in to work on time, she Think about what we build when we build community. We create bonds stopped me and asked, did I have a safety pin? among a group of people who share some common interest and common “It’s for my first dollar,” she explained. She reminded me it was her need and, in the process of addressing that interest and need come also to birthday. share an identity and a sense of fellow-feeling and an ethos of I didn’t have a safety pin, but somebody did, mutual support. This is worth having even if we don’t win the for when I saw her a couple hours later, she new playground or stop the power plant (though I won’t deny waved to me and pointed to a pair of dollar that winning is nice). bills pinned to her blouse. They fluttered there By Michael Henson all day. She must have collected many more * * * * * dollars; by 11, when I stepped out again, she was blissfully drunk and her eyes were glazed. Even the best of birthday drinking cannot always She had an open can of Steel Reserve in her hand and her friends, equally outmaneuver pain. By mid-afternoon, when I come back from an errand, drunk, were all around her, laughing loudly and singing snatches of song. Rose is in tears. She has moved from the steps to the shade of a tree and How could a birthday be better than that? she sits at the foot of the tree, sighing and cursing and lamenting in words too obscure and unprintable for me to repeat here. She has a lot to lament: * * * * * husband, children, false sisters, her health, her teeth – all gone. But – this is the miracle of poverty as a gift: Her friends are all around her, right on the One of the paradoxical effects of poverty is that it drives people apart, but ground with her. What they said was as obscure and unprintable as Rose’s it also brings them together. People in poverty are pushed to the fringes of curses and lamentations, but it seemed to be a comfort to her to have them society, but they are also pushed into the arms of one another. If we study lamenting and cursing right along with her. communities in poverty, we see a great deal of horizontal violence, in which Rose lamented, and her friends comforted. people who are pressed down attack each other instead of the oppressors. And so the day wound down. Her friends did what friends do – they stayed But we also see heroic acts of mutual support. Rose and her friends have at her side and they comforted her in her hour of need, just as they shared her no steady income, but they have an “abandominium” they have developed joy hours earlier. out of a nearby abandoned building where they share space, food and other resources, just like a commune, minus the bean sprouts and fortified by malt * * * * * liquor. This is an aspect of poverty rarely noted or commented on: the bonds of To break with poverty is to break with the mutually sustaining community mutual support, usually manifested in family, but also extending to others. of the poor. And such a beak can be painful and dramatic. There is a whole This is not something very often measured or praised. Any night we can turn literature dedicated to the pain of that break (as in Great Expectations by on the news and see reports of violence in poor communities. If we read the Dickens or Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence). “Don’t get above your raisin’” reports, we can know how many reported acts of violence happen each year, warns an old country saying (and an even better bluegrass song). To break city by city, neighborhood by neighborhood, and we know these numbers are with this community is to mark oneself as proud, arrogant, self-centered, only a fragment of what actually occurs. But for the acts of kindness, sacrifice, puffed-up, better than others. And the person who leaves poverty might solidarity, we have no measure at all. We may not know of all the abuse that experience a great deal of alienation, isolation, guilt, prejudice, disorientation occurs, but we have statistics. But we have no statistics for the frequency of and loneliness. nurturance, care, or support. Crime? We can tell you. But what is the opposite And yet, for addicts in poverty, such a break with the community might be of crime? We don’t even have a word for what happens when a person has crucial to recovery. Old people, old places, old things is a formula for relapse. every reason to commit crime but doesn’t. The recovering person must find new community quickly, before the terrible sense of isolation, coupled with the cravings of addiction, bring the addict * * * * * right back to the corner. Hence, the urgency of the 12-step programs, which build a new community Who paid for Rose’s party? It had to be the people around her, her for the addict, as well as after-care planning and other systems of support. neighbors and friends. Pensioners gave up a little of what they had. The metal scrappers came back from Garden Street with a little of what they made * * * * * turning car fenders and abandoned refrigerators into cash. Somebody went downtown and flew a sign on Court Street for a few hours, so people were When I left for home, the sun had shifted again, and Rose’s party had able to eat and, more important, drink through the day. moved across the street. She had drunk herself nearly numb, and her eyes What does Rose have left to celebrate? Most of her teeth and most of her were distant and abstracted. She was weeping more quietly now, and only self-respect are gone, as are her husband to cancer and her children to foster two of the friends remained. They were drunk and subdued as well. Perhaps care. they were thinking of their own losses. Perhaps they had drunk enough Steel I think there is a certain purity to her celebration, like that of a saint or a Reserve that they did not need to think at all. Bodhisattva, for she has nothing left to celebrate but another day of living. The dollars still fluttered from Rose’s blouse. She waved again, and I You or I might not call it living, but it’s her life to decide what she’s living. crossed to wish her happy birthday one last time. If it’s too far a stretch to compare a sloppy drunk in Over-the-Rhine to a She wiped back the latest tears from her cheeks and she thanked me and saint or a Bodhisattva, then let’s leave her to celebrate the generous dollars she smiled. that have come her way. You can be sure they will be gone before morning, Her friends smiled with her. ammered H Michael Henson is author of Ransack, A Small Room with Trouble on My Mind, The Tao of Longing and Crow Call. www.facebook.com/ streetvibescincinnati twitter.com/ streetvibesnews streetvibes. wordpress.com �STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 7 Music Interview When the Walls Come Tumbling John Mellencamp on poverty and music T oledo, Ohio – Editor’s note: John Mellencamp met last month with Ken Leslie of the Toledo Streets. They discussed Mellencamp’s long career in music and his commitment to social justice. Reprinted with permission of the Toledo Streets. Ken Leslie: On behalf of 1Matters, Toledo Streets and the street paper movement and everyone who has lost domestic or financial autonomy in our country, thank you for your time today. We first met two years ago or so when you made an un-promoted stop at the annual Tent City, Project Homeless Connect, in Toledo. You just wanted them to know they matter. Bob Merlis (Mellencamp’s publicist) told me you were touched by the experience. How so? John Mellencamp: When you see what progress can produce, and also what progress can discard, it makes a feller wonder if some of the progress, let me put it this way, calling it progress does not make it right. In this country right now there is no middle class, no place for middle class. You are either really rich or you are really down and out. It’s hard times in this country right now. KL: You brought your wife, Elaine, and son, Speck, with you to Tent City. When you had your private talk with some of the unhoused, at first Speck stood back, but by the end of your conversation he was in the circle listening to every word. Compassion is a pretty cool thing for a father to pass on to a son. Did he share his thoughts on the experience before and after? JM: I don’t remember exactly, but I will tell you he is a very activist type of kid. I found that out when he was pretty young. He did some research at school on some chocolate company and he wrote them a letter and it said, “You cheapskates, why don’t you hire and why don’t you pay fair, ya so-and-so.” And he almost got me into trouble last year, too. KL: How so? JM: He had a petition on Facebook to try to get me to stop smoking. He had, I think, about a half a million people sign up and he had to get a million. The whole conversation was just at Thanksgiving last year. We had completed our Thanksgiving dinner and I lit up a cigarette at the table. He looked at me and he went like, “Really, Dad?” And I said, “What do you mean, ‘Really Dad’, I smoke all the time?” And he said, “Yeah, but it’s Thanksgiving, I’m not done eating.” I said, “OK, I’ll go somewhere else; it’s a big house.” So I went into another room. A couple hours later he walks up and said, “Hey Dad, if I get a million people to sign up on Facebook, would you stop smoking?” And I said, “Yeah, go ahead.” That was the end of the conversation. By the time the thing had started, ya know, a couple weeks into it, Larry King wanted him to come on, Good Morning America asked him, and of course I wouldn’t let him go on anywhere. First of all, I don’t want him talking about my bad habits; and second of all, ya know, I knew he’d reach his mark. KL: And then what? JM: And then I’d have to stop smoking. KL: Would ya? Have you tried? How many times have you tried? JM: Listen, I have no desire to stop, so there’s no reason to even have that conversation. If I would have wanted to stop smoking, I would have years go. KL: Took me like 32 times of quittin’ to finally do it. JM: Yeah, well, you wanted to stop. I’m confirmed. KL: And your other son, Hud? JM: He’s 16 years old and he fights tomorrow night. KL: Boxer or Extreme? JM: Boxer. He holds five state championships John Mellencamp says an early band mate was shunned for being black. Toledo Streets. right now. He just got back from Annapolis. They want him to be a boxer for them and he went up and trained for two weeks. KL: Was that nerve-wracking to see him box? JM: No, I know how much Hud trains. He’s ready to fight. His record is 20-2. He’s a bad-ass, I can tell ya that. KL: Did you ever box? JM: No, I could fight in the street, but this is a sport to him. He’s very good at it. I’m proud of them both. KL: When you were on stage at Tent City, you spontaneously decided to invite everybody there to your concert, all of the unhoused people. JM: Right. KL: Sixty to 70 people went, and I understand you talked to them from the stage about hope. As you know, one of the guests came back from the show and said “Ken, John talked to us from the stage – I guess I really do matter.” That was the founding moment of 1Matters and actually that’s why we’re here today. Your whole career, you’ve had the compassion for and worked for those with little or no voice. What is the root of that compassion in John Mellencamp? Where does it come from? Was there something in your childhood maybe that started this feeling of compassion? JM: Well, for me, it started with race. I was in a band when I was 13-14 years old and it was the mid-’60s and it was a racially mixed band. I was the lead singer, and this black kid was a singer. He was a couple years older than me, really good. We’d play every weekend at fraternities and in hotels and stuff like that. It was a soul band. And I saw the way people treated him. Ya know, it was like wow, really? Wait a minute, you loved him on stage, but now he’s gotta go wait outside? And so I think that made quite an impression on me as a young guy. KL: How’d you respond? JM: Well, there were times that there were fistfights. I remember in a little town in Indiana there was a fistfight in between one of our breaks because of his race. So, ya know. KL: And since then you’ve carried on standing up for farmers, for the people. I remember Jena. You stuck up for people there and actually put a lot of your work and effort into that. JM: Well I’m Sisyphus myself; I’m always the guy who’s rolling the rock up the hill. Ya know, and every time I get too close to the top, I either let it roll back down on purpose or it just rolls back, catches on fire and rolls down at someone. So I know what it’s like to have to work at something. My struggle is obviously different than some folks’ struggle, but nevertheless we all have our problems. KL: How would you define your struggle? JM: Um, well I’ll answer it like this: A man writes to what he strives to be, not what he is. KL: The crucible that caused me to get involved in this movement in 1990 was a result of performing in comedy clubs all across the country in the late ’80s and seeing more and more people on the streets. It was the statistic that 60 percent of them were families with children that forced me to act and do something. For you, with Farm Aid, tell me about that one moment that caused you to be a part 25 years ago and to maintain it even today. JM: I had written a song with a friend of mine called “Rain on the Scarecrow,” and I had just made an album about what I had seen – ya know, what prosperity had done to the small towns, how they had leveled them out and devastated small-town America. So we made this record called Scarecrow; and then when Willie (Nelson) called, there was like, it took me about a second to decide I wanted to be a part of Farm Aid. When Willie called up, he had like a vague notion of what Farm Aid was gonna be. It was no more than just a vague notion, and we really had no idea it was gonna last. We have our 25th anniversary coming up October 2. KL: What was Willie’s notion? JM: Ah, he didn’t really have much of a notion, it was a bunch of maybes and guesses and “I don’t knows,” ya know. KL: Did that start because of Bob Dylan’s comment at Live Aid? JM: Ah, that’s what he said, you know, that Bob had said something about, you know, that we should try to take care of our own people. I think that inspired Willie. KL: One of the things that I’ve always admired about you is your courage in social justice. You take a huge pile of truth, dump it in front of them and say, “Smell this.” Based on your lifetime of fighting for the truth, has your position changed in the sense See Wall, p. 10 �8 Food and Art STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 “Feed Me, Seymour, Feed Me All Night Long…” Grilled Cheese w/ Tomato on Sourdough Serving Size: 1 belly ½ tablespoon unsalted butter (or substitute for vegans) ¼ tablespoon fresh minced garlic 2 slices sourdough bread 4 slices fresh tomato 2-4 slices aged white cheddar cheese (or substitute for vegans) Tired of plain ol' grilled cheese sandwiches? Try this one on for size. Jeni Jenkins. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Place cheese and tomatoes on sourdough and saute each side for approximately 1 minute or until each side is toasty brown, making sure garlic coats each side. Voila, feed! Cartoon by Anne Skove ! ? t ha W y Sa ___________________ We’ve got to take back the ideal of justice. We’ve got to take back this principle of human dignity. We’ve got to take it back from vengeance, from hatred. We’ve got to say, “Look, we’re all in this together. We are human beings.” – David Kaczynski �9 Local News STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Officer Runs Over Woman in Park Crushed to death while lying in grass By Gregory Flannery Editor J oann Burton’s death in Washington Park remains under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. She died July 27 of injuries sustained after being run over by a police cruiser as she lay on the grass. Burton, who was homeless, was 48. The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office will decide whether to file criminal charges against Cincinnati Police Officer Marty Polk, who was in the park on a routine patrol. Polk drove off a service road and into the grass, according to the police department. Officers at the park initially told Streetvibes that Burton had only sustained a foot injury. County Coroner O’dell Owens ruled the death accidental, caused by blunt-force injuries. Burton suffered a lacerated liver and pelvic and rib fractures, according to Owens. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless organized a vigil in Burton’s memory in Washington Park the night of the fatal accident. Josh Spring, executive director of the Homeless Coalition, also called for a change in police procedures. “The Burton family and the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless anxiously await the results of the state investigation,” Spring says. “The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless demands a change in policy. Other than in extreme situations, such as a shooting, police must not be allowed to drive through the grassy, pedestrian areas in parks. This practice is simply too dangerous. Together we can prevent such a tragedy.” Cleo’s Joke Corner What do you call a detective who takes bubble baths? Sherlock Foam. Thomas J. “Cornbread” Oats (center) listens to a hymn sung by an unidentified woman (right) July 27, while friends and acquaintances of his wife, Joann Burton, construct a makeshift candle-lit memorial during a vigil. Burton, 48, a homeless woman, was killed late that morning when a Cincinnati Police cruiser ran her over while she was lying on the grass in the park. Jon Hughes/Photopresse. Poetry Corner Four Haiku Poem Cancer Treatment: B D S. P The Unknown Story y avid ointer *** Needle exchange site where night shift teens mainline towards love *** Blue reef surfers rumble and ride a dream *** Three strikes out of trouble at the bowling alley *** Elder’s rag box off rez homeless shelter now arson ash Woman By Elisa Hill God gave her that title that you just can’t tuck away. God gave her that throne that you just can’t dismiss today. God gave her that voice in which to call out his name. God gave that torch to light up the lands. God gave her that rib to show she has purpose. God gave her that husband to show she is worth it. God gave her that child through so much adversity and pain. God gave her that glory to survive all the rains. God gave her that peace in which her eternity is heaven sent. God gave her that receipt that she paid her dues well spent. See, God gave her his blessing to be whatever she chose to be. She chose to be a great woman, now all life chooses to envy. Thank God! Rock on to all great women! By David S. Pointe Need based assistance Was met with greed Based resistance as Dr. Royal Rife’s new Microscope and cure For cancers’ stemming From viruses and bacteria Were suppressed by an Earlier cunning congress Seated in service to the Medical and pharmaceutical Fortunes to be made then Multiplied when more Unsuspecting people Became patients seen By strategically silent Doctors providing a Certain brand of Quality Care like mortuary assistants Specializing in an untold Spectrum of dark The Men By David S. Pointer It wasn’t a box car supper social They weren’t exchanging job leads A badger-haired hooligan rammed The yard bull into a cattle horned Hat rack for ruining the fish soup The men trampled egg wire baskets And pumpkin goulash trying for a train �10 Music Interview STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 When the Walls Come Tumbling music, as opposed to building a record or constructing a record. KL: How did you choose the locations? that does authority always win? JM: By the way the tour was routed. I knew that I was gonna be close to JM: Oh, I’m a hypocrite, there’s no question about it. Don’t you know a Memphis, and I knew I was gonna start in Savannah and I have a house hypocrite when ya see one? You’re looking right at him. Ah yeah, I’m in the in right outside of Savannah on an island, so it gave me an opportunity to wind all the time because ya have to be in the wind all the time. If you’re stay there and work a couple days, and then we went to Memphis. Then we steadfast on your commitments … I have a new song. It’s called, “Save Some tried to go to Texas to the building where Johnson also recorded, but it was Time to Dream,” and I address that and it says, “Always keep your mind open condemned and they wouldn’t let us in. So we ended up having to go to San and always question your faith.” You can’t just say that this is my position and Antonio, which was kind of out of the way, but we were only there two days. this is my position for life because, ya know, you discover new information, KL: We absolutely love “Right Behind Me” – the sound, the feel. From the very you see, you grow up. You see things through different eyes. So, you know, I start with Miriam Sterm’s attacking strings. suppose that in the world’s eyes, I’m a hypocrite because I’ll say one thing JM: It’s that corner, that’s the same corner that Robert Johnson recorded and do another, but I said one thing 25 years ago and being judged for an “Hell Hound’s on My Trail” in San Antonio, Texas, Gunter Hotel. And like action that I did today. So, ya know, things change, man. T-Bone (Burnett) said, that’s the best-sounding corner I ever heard. KL: How so? I hear more respect for you and your work in fighting authority KL: Right, that is such a great song. And the hook, the hook is incredible – and I see you winning over time in the things you’re taking on. Is that an you know, “You know the devil, he thinks he got me, he ain’t got me.” illusion? Last question, I can tell you that from when I was unhoused and living in JM: I guess that’s an illusion, ’cause I don’t feel that way. my car, you nailed the feeling of hopelessness in “Graceful Fall.” KL: How do you feel? Since 2007, foreclosures and job losses increased the number of families in JM: I feel like you’re damned if ya do and damned if you don’t – so to hell shelters nearly 30%. Each night there are 640,000 unhoused Americans who with it. That’s what I feel about it. have lost domestic autonomy and are living on the streets and in shelters; 15 KL: Just go with your spirit then. percent are veterans. Some of those will be selling the very street papers which JM: Yeah. are carrying your words right now. As you did from the stage in Toledo, what KL: In the past few years there have been people talking about drafting you are your words of hope to all of our brothers and sisters who are living on the to become an authority, to get you involved with politics. I see you as too honest streets of our country? for that. JM: Wow, that’s a big question, that’s an awfully big question. I wish I had JM: Oh, I couldn’t do that at all. My “cocksuckers” and “motherfuckers” something that I could say that seemed to address that question, but I’m not would probably not fly very well in conversation in the Congress, ya know. sure I really do at this point in our country. So, I don’t know, you know. KL: I could see you on the floor: “Your honorable son of a bitch …” KL: You’ve always been a fighter, you’ve always had hope. JM: “Ya’ lying ccksucker.” Yeah, I don’t think it would go very good. JM: Well, I’ve always, ah, I’ve always had a bunch of dumb cliché things KL: Which is a real good that my family taught me segue to… that I always passed on to JM: Besides, why was my kids. My grandfather that job open? Cause passed them on to me and the guy that was doing it they’ve always provided couldn’t stand it anymore. some sort of hope in my He wanted to quit because life. the hypocrisy was too great They’re not very for him, so he said, “I can’t eloquent, but the greatest do this anymore.” Not me. advice I ever got in my life KL: You’ve always fought and, it’s not very eloquent, convention in your work, but “If you’re gonna hit your life and your music. a cocksucker, kill him.” And No Better Than This And what my grandfather is the perfect example meant when he said that of busting convention was, if you’re actually to shreds. It’s so not the going to do something, McMusic they play on the don’t talk about it, don’t McRadio today. This is a brag about it, just go do it tasty CD. What was your and do it to the best that inspiration for the whole you can possibly do. And premise? that’s what he was saying, JM: Well, I knew I was don’t be threatening, gonna go on tour. Bob don’t be talking, don’t be (Dylan) and I did a tour bragging. I think that, as un-eloquently as it was last summer, and I knew said, it was probably one of I was gonna come close the most important things to all these places. It was said to me in my life. kind of a leisurely tour, so KL: Which is a perfect I thought, well hell, at the thing to say to the people time, let’s make the most on the streets, because if out of this – we’re gonna be Mellencamp's music has long featured political themes. Toledo Streets. you’re gonna get off the in these places, and that streets, you can. was just how it started. JM: You can, you need to! See, the problem is most people give up too early And then I wrote the songs and I wrote all those songs in about in about 10-15 and I’m not talking about just the people on the street, I’m just talking about days, I don’t’ know. It was just I’d get up every morning and I’d write. I’d write two or three songs in a day and I let the songs write themselves, as opposed to people in general. They give up on relationships too early, they give up on themselves too early, they give up on life too early. I mean I’ve been writing sometimes when you write songs you try to steer them a way that you would that since I was a kid. In the song called, “Jack and Diane,” you know they like them to go. But these songs, I just, they kind of wrote themselves really, I were only 16 and already giving up. People just give up too early, they just just let them go wherever they wanted to go and that’s how they ended up. quit, you know: “This is too hard” or “I don’t wanna do this anymore.” KL: What about the idea of the recording process, recorded in mono? I think that’s a problem, and I think that’s a problem our country has. JM: Well, of course, it was a rebellious act of, ya know. There is a song on Over the decades it was allowed to happen by the work ethic and through the record called, “The West End,” and it says “It’s worse now, look what capitalism. A lot of things that affect this country that allow people to think progress did.” So I decided that, you know, to go just as far away from the that way, that the world owes them a living. And as soon as you start thinking popular culture of music as I possibly could and just go back to where it that somebody owes you something, forget it, man; you’re done. And as soon began. The whole record was recorded on one channel and, ya know, one as you start thinking you’re right and everybody else is wrong … It’s like the tape machine (a 1955 Ampex), and the whole band played it once and there guy who was married six or seven times, hell, I think it might be me – I think was one microphone. this could be me, I’m starting to think this is my problem. KL: It is such a pure sound. Ken Leslie has been throwing starfish back in the ocean since 1990 and can JM: There are no over-dubs, no echo, there’s no anything. It’s just what the be contacted at 1Matters.org. room sounded like and it was fun because it was musicians actually playing Continued from page 7 Want more Streetvibes? Check out the Streetvibes blog http://streetvibes.wordpress.com �STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Vendor Voice 11 Four Subjects: A Scenario Things aren’t always as they seem L ife on the street can take many turns or, if you will, present many different scenarios. A day can have circumstances and situations that can be baffling, unwarranted or dangerous. In all conclusion, it’s just another day in the life – that familiar way of doing things, if you haven't heard, then sit a spell and hear the way it goes. Street life, disaster and triumph all rolled into one, each episode an integral part of the life – or, if you will, perhaps we'll call it “the game.” Changes and adjustments all included, we begin the games that constitute the life. Applying my minor skills with the language, we'll use four different subjects. “Be not naive, get it straight.” Every player actual exists. Let us start with the Profound Dude. True to the game, he lives his name. Profound! This dude comes up with everything he needs. A professional finder. A place to sleep, something to eat, a dollar or two for his pocket. A way to get to his next stop, these are his objectives in life. A life where sadness and joy are equal. Never to be one without, he has questions for all the answers; seek, and you will find. Always endured with an air of contentment, prowling the neighborhood for his next find, he lives life without concern. Never seeking change, his pleasure in life is to find that one big score, that find that will allow him to retire his cart. Meanwhile he will keep searching for his next find. Profound! Next on our list of characters is the Con Man. He is an investor. Oh, does he have something for you! A line that can't be true, full of promises that you’re sure to believe. A small investment will get you nothing, perhaps an attitude because he has hoodwinked you for a dollar or two. Down the block he strolls looking for his next mark. A seller of dreams and hopes that, for the sake of your common sense, you want to believe. Yet that is his game! Hey, want to buy a bridge (Brooklyn’s)? Or perhaps a wall (China’s)? Ah! The Trickster. Now this is a dude that you have to watch, because he is out for what he can get at your expense. His game is based on pure lies. Though you think you might have heard this before (the con man), there is a difference. Unlike his closest of kin, the Trickster is asking for small change – that is, until you go into your pocket to spare him the change so that he can get something to eat. The moment he sees your wad, he remembers he has to ride the Metro, so now it’s, “Can you spare more?” The dissimilarities don’t end there. The Trickster can be an illusionist. He might have a month-old hospital band on his arm to convince you that he just left the hospital for some terminal injury. So do you have a little more for a prescription he can’t afford? Listen to his spiel and you’re sure to be tricked. Now we come to the last but not the least of the players. Mr. Pitiful. Think you’ve heard every story that’s ever been told? Well, he has a new one for you. The day his wife left and his children ran away from home, and his poor dog died from starvation. Then there’s the one about how he’s new to the area, just got off the Greyhound. Can you direct him to the nearest shelter or perhaps tell him where to get a meal? Better yet, “I’m starved. Can you spare $5? Please, please, I need pity on me. Can’t you see that I can’t do anything on my own?” Of course, not all street players have some deception in mind when you encounter them. However, the reality is that those who are out to deceive you are on the prowl. It is my belief that, if you have at least some indication of who you encounter, then you will have a better judgment of the people who have that life of the street, thus allowing you to better judge the needs you perceive. Ah, such a familiar term: “Perception.” The golden rule: Things are not always what they seem. Nor can we react in that pre-determined way of our beliefs or ideas. We all tend to do what we know and know what we do. Suzy Cincinnatian Finds Her Voice How to advocate for affordable housing By Michelle Dillingham Contributing Writer H er name is Suzy Cincinnatian. She believes everyone should have the opportunity to live in housing whose appliances work, free of roaches, free of chipping leadpoisoned paint; that families should not have to decide between paying the rent, and paying for medications or food. Sometimes Suzy Cincinnatian hears about a developer getting a tax break from the city for a redevelopment project yet there is no plan to include affordable units, and the developer plans to move out the people of lower incomes who live there now. Sometimes she hears that some city politicians are delaying a much-needed transitional-living apartment project, or they want to displace a homeless shelter. She is angered: This isn’t right and wishes there was a way she could share her opinion. She wonders, “Isn’t anyone going to do anything about this?” The first thing Suzy needs to know is that much of what happens that impacts affordable housing, such as subsidies and projects, is centered in the legislative process at City Hall and the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. This is why Affordable Housing Advocates AHA, as an advocacy organization, encourages monitoring and weighing in on decisions made by officials elected to those bodies. An effective way to engage with Cincinnati city leadership is to review council’s calendar and write an e-mail or call to let them know your opinion. Anyone can review the city’s committee agenda to see what is on deck for discussion and action. Sometimes the agenda does not come out on the city’s Web site until right before the deadline, which is 24 hours before the meeting. Something Suzy Cincinnatian might not know is that anyone can call the council member who is chair of the committee and simply ask her staff what, if anything, is on the calendar related to housing. They will refer to something on the agenda as an “item,” which can be in the form of a motion, an ordinance, a resolution or communication: Motion: A motion is a formal proposal by a member of council, in a meeting, that the council take certain action. Ordinance: An ordinance has the effect of local law in the City of Cincinnati. Ordinances are codified in the Municipal Code of the City of Cincinnati. Resolution: A resolution is an action by the Council that generally does not have the effect of law. A resolution generally expresses council's will, intent or policy on a particular matter. Also, the council generally appoints individuals to serve on authorities, boards and commissions by the adoption of a resolution. Communication: A communication can be a letter, an e-mail, or any written form of communication from anyone that a council member can add to the agenda so it can be a permanent part of the city’s record. An Internet search strategy to monitor housing issues in Cincinnati is to check “Council On-Line” linked to the city’s Web site. Here you can put in the word “housing” for a search and it will provide you with any and all items that have come through City Hall related to housing. Having a vocal, visible presence from those who advocate for affordable housing is important to help set a pattern of response and awareness of the affordable housing agenda by council and commissioners. Opponents to affordable housing testify, write and meet with city and county administration, employees and elected officials to dissuade them from supporting affordable housing. We must do the same to provide a balance as they contemplate decisions that have a great impact on all of us. There are a great number of issues that Suzy Cincinnatian can get involved in: the development of Over-the-Rhine, which includes significant changes to Washington Park and its surrounding housing stock; participating in “PLAN Cincinnati,” our city’s planning document for the future; and a plethora of state and federal legislation that affects affordable housing locally, to name a few. Of course, another way to get involved is to come to AHA’s monthly member meeting and get informed on all the most upto-date events and happenings related to affordable housing in Cincinnati. AHA members are effective advocates collectively and we can always use more voices: We attend meetings of the board of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Board and city council and in the near future will be meeting with political candidates to educate them on the affordable housing community’s concerns. If you are like Suzy Cincinnatian, she now knows that AHA is here to help find her voice for affordable-housing advocacy. For more information on how to get involved with AHA, call Michelle Dillingham, AHA project coordinator, at 513-602-4260. �12 Guest Column STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 ‘Streetvibes’: An Appreciation And a hope for things to come By Martha Stephens Contributing Writer I ’m retired, and I spend the winters with my daughter in a progressive town in New Mexico. The first thing I look for at home are my back issues of Streetvibes – I want to see what’s really happening. Coming back this spring, I saw that Cincinnati life seemed to be going from bad to worse, that progressive people are not organized, that big money is in the saddle sitting taller than ever, moving to take over every foot of downtown space, for instance, for its own profiteering, buying its own Republican City Council, hoping to ride the rest of us into the abyss. We are to have the city they want us to have, like it or not. To me it feels like an occupied country here. Street papers are wonderful, though. I love them, and I was happy to read about street papers around the world in the June reports by Greg Flannery (see “Do You Want to Hold Me?,” issue of June 1-14). It’s wonderful that Greg was able to go to Australia and compare notes with other editors and tell us how they do things and how we compare in Cincinnati. And we do well! We have a heckuva good paper here and good numbers, selling 8,000 papers a month through the work of no less than 50 vendors and a great many talented writers, individuals willing to work hard just for conscience and no pay. Street papers, Greg tells us, all provide income for vendors; but for me, at least, their value goes way beyond that, for the best of these papers tell us not just about poverty and homelessness but the root causes of poverty and homelessness and help us map out the struggles we have to wage to provide every citizen a place to live and a job and health care and all the rest – in short, to change our whole rapacious economic system. ‘We need to know’ Business values are not human values, and money machines are quite ready to throw people out of their spaces if they can’t make money off them. Tom Dutton knows this better than anyone, I’m sure, and I was glad to see his comprehensive piece called “Over-the-Rhine: A context for the city’s attack on the Drop Inn Center” (See “District 9: Over-the-Rhine,” issue of June 1530). The brutal displacement of people who get in the way of commerce is an old story in Cincinnati, and I appreciated Dutton’s careful outline of the displacements of recent years – from the Milner to the Metropole; from the ordinance in 2001 to control low-income housing in “impacted” areas, to the attempt to zone out service agencies from Over-the-Rhine. What was in it for the refugees? Nothing but promises – never kept. For the hundred units lost at the Milner Hotel in 1994, where low-income individuals had found a home for many years, not one exists today, Dutton writes. I had wondered about that. If people don’t want homeless faces staring at them from the streets and doorways of downtown, gazing at the responsible citizens strolling down the sidewalks to Music Hall, shouldn’t we provide, as Dutton says, more decent-paying, lower-skilled jobs? Some affordable housing, some treatment for addiction, some health care, some child care, some education? Aren’t those the ways to reduce homelessness? Seems all too obvious, yet apparently it can’t be done. “The crisis of affordable housing” is the subject of Michele Dillingham’s report in the same June issue, and the data on Section 8 availability seems truly amazing – 24,000 subsidized units for the 121,000 families who need them. Dutton’s piece, and Dillingham’s, moved me to go back to a certain book I possess on the blood-smeared history of the West End, a book called Contested Ground by John Emmeus Davis (Cornell University Press, 1991). It tells quite a story. Over 50,000 residents, mostly black and some of them householders, became refugees from the West End during the so-called urban renewal cataclysms of the 1940s, ’50s an ’60s – throwing out citizens from their homes for the sake of industrial takeovers, for “improved” housing and for the clear cutting of hundreds of acres to build Interstate 75. In those years a whole vibrant way of life was lost. The black churches were lost, the black settlement houses, the black schools and libraries, the nightclubs, the rich musical New York-style entertainments. Author Davis came down from the east during the ’80s to research and write this story. He studied a lot of documents and interviewed a lot of citizens, some of whom still remembered all that had taken place. He interviewed Maurice McCracken. Beginning in the 1960s, West Enders had gotten organized and fought back. They won back some of their rights, and Davis was particularly interested in this fightback in Cincinnati against the power elite of the city/business coalition of the time, the same one we struggle against today. In Greg Flannery’s report, “Beggars Must Now Be Choosers,” we learn that this alliance is now trying to take away the long-standing right of the Coalition for the Homeless to set minimum standards for its members, which have allowed for the sheltering of people who also panhandle (see issue of July 1-14). One must watch to see what happens to the coalition’s lawsuit to block the city’s new panhandling rule. It is a suit that also tries to restore the coalition’s prerogatives, and the loss of the role traditionally played by the coalition seems like a very serious matter. We should all be contacting the city, perhaps, about this ugly denial of free speech for the poor and about the attack on the coalition. “Brother, can you spare a dime” is a plea not to be spoken in Cincinnati? The physical violence against the homeless around the country is well documented in the July report by Margo Pierce (see “Hate Wave,” issue of July 1-14). It makes painful reading. Anger against people who are in need or simply different is rising in these hard times, and we read in “Sheriff Wants to Follow Arizona” about a local sheriff who flies off to Arizona to study the anti-emigrant law he hopes to emulate in Butler County (see issue of June 1-14). What next for poor old Cincinnati? Haven’t we seen it all? On emigrants, I was glad to read Jeremy Flannery’s report on the International Socialist Organization’s (ISO) forum at the University of Cincinnati. I’d have looked in on this meeting, had I known about it. An ISO activist from Chicago came down to participate, and another speaker was Dan La Botz, who’s running for the U. S. Senate and knows a great deal about the lives of Latinos. He is the author of the book, Democracy in Mexico: Peasant Rebellion and Political Reform. We need to know the bad and the ugly in his town and all that the power elite is up to – but also that people of conscience are still among us. I liked hearing about the doctors and other workers at the McMicken Dental Clinic, about the defeat of a strange new sex-offender law, about the Avondale Youth Council, about the “New Marijuana Majority” (see issue of July 15-31). I enjoyed the reports by Saad Ghosn on engaged artists and Bonnie Neumeier’s poem “If Only” about her dreams for Overthe-Rhine. ‘We must organize’ It was good to read about the presence in Northside of four individuals speaking out around the country for nuclear abolition, in the report “Sad Anniversary for the A-Bomb” (see issue of June 15-30). I wondered if this group knew about Carol Rainey’s book, A Hundred Miles from Home, on the long-hidden nuclear waste in our own area. Their work report made me think about a favorite little verse of mine by John Hall Wheelock, called “Earth”: “A planet doesn’t explode of itself,” said drily The Martian astronomer, gazing off into the air -“That they were able to do it is proof that highly Intelligent brings must have been living there.” I appreciated the column by Michael Henson, “A Message to Social Workers” (see issue of July 1-14). Helping is wonderful, he writes, and many of our social workers are very good at it, but workers can help only “too late and too small,” and so should also work to change the system that is creating such massive need. “We are bound,” he writes, “to operate on good, evidence-based practices. But it is not enough. We have to be political.” I was glad to see this view expressed. During my long years at U.C, I ran into officials and faculty who felt that teachers should not express their own views about society in the classroom. I felt we had a perfect right to do just that, whenever it was relevant to what we were teaching, and as long as we gave students a chance to speak up, too. I tried to design courses that would lead to vivid exchanges and change students’ minds about society, and I hope we did change some minds. Also in July was the splendid frontpage picture of solidarity people marching through the Arizona desert to simulate the desperate journey of the migrants, whose bones are so often found in that scorched Sonoran earth (see “Trail of Tears, Trail of Death,” issue of July 15-31). Churches are in the forefront of struggle these days, and it was good to read about the work for jobs of the Amos Project, their support for Senator Brown’s Local Jobs for America Act and their delivery of 1,000 job applications to the offices of U.S. Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) and U.S. Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio). Certainly workers are in a cruel position these days. Paul Kopp makes this clear in his July report, “Championing the Workers’ Rights” about the attack on union supporters at Champion Windows and Doors (see issue of July 15). Most people can hardly find out about struggles like this any more – they aren’t considered news by our morning newspaper or on TV, but maybe it’s just as well. I recall that, in the first issue of a magazine I once edited, The Cincinnati Review, a piece was sent us by a young journalist who was being placed on probation for union-organizing at Cincinnati Suburban Press (CSP). His name was Greg Flannery, and after wild and almost comical performances by CSP officials at a National Labor Relations Board hearing, he wrote up that story, too: “On the Union Battlements: More Dirty Tricks.” Here was the Streetvibes mode before there was a Streetvibes. I think street papers are the souls of cities. I wish we could print 10 times, 20 times, more papers than we do. All of us readers should perhaps get up from our desks and computers and figure out how to help circulate our street paper, help it reach out to all the citizens who could engage with it and who might become as disturbed as we are by the crimes against humanity we see around us every day. We must organize –somehow – against the ruination of life on our small, inconspicuous planet. Should we all go out and stand in the street and say, “We won’t move until …?” I don’t know, but we must do something – together. We like to remember that there’s more of Us and than there is of Them. If there’s power in numbers, we have the numbers. Why then are we so abjectly shy and silent so much of the time? ß Does anyone have the answer? Martha Stephens is the author of The Treatment: The Story of Those Who Died in the Cincinnati Radiation Tests. �STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 13 Book Review From the Streets to the Sanctuary I met God while I was homeless better life and a more normal American life. The American dream was all I wanted but I was in jail because nobody seemed to believe that I needed By Andrew Martin a good night’s sleep. The judge understood me and freed me without any Contributing Writer criminal record, and he even flew me back to Cincinnati. I missed most of all just having a bed to sleep in at night, a nice shower and a place to eat three ll the first 21 years of my life I traveled and lived with the homeless, meals a day. This judge was the first of many times that God began to help me whether it was in my father’s house or on a beach in Tampa, Fla. and show me that He cared for my life. When I was 5 years old, my mother left my father with seven In 1984, God answered my prayer by sending a youth pastor of an children. Life became difficult with her departure, and I learned to live international student ministry to call me. With this youth pastor, I began to without many of the bare essentials of life. My Dad housed many homeless seek God for his answers through the study of the book of Genesis. I came to people in our house as we were growing up, and I got to hear their stories realize that God created us all and he had a wonderful purpose for our lives. and understand the amazing Though I was now 21 years of age, never finished high school, was variety of lives that they lived a sorrowful single father and never held down a real job, I decided to until they fell on hard times. As the years went by, I saw my own life trust God to make a new start and go to college. It was his love that I grew up in Mount Auburn fall apart from the poor decisions I made. motivated me and gave me courage to face the “Red Sea” that was in with my Dad and my six other front of me. It was His love that changed this shy boy into a man with I was taken from my family and put into siblings. Since we were very great confidence and hope for a bright future. In the past, all I knew an orphanage. Later I became a teenaged poor, most of my friends were was hardship and failure. God’s love motivated me to reach out to single father and a high-school dropout. those whom my Dad invited to my brothers and sisters who lived on the streets and were homeless. I began to lose all hope in life, and began stay in our house. Amazingly, it I used to spend every day witnessing on the streets God’s love to to turn to alcohol and drugs. Many nights was these street people, many those who walked by. I discovered that God has a great purpose for I found myself sleeping on the streets homeless, who watched us as everyone and that even failures or being homeless does not mean when I was just in my late teens. Deep children while my Dad was at defeat or hopelessness. In fact, in God, they are places or stations in despair crept into my soul, and I really work and we got to know them your life where you can grow in faith and love. felt that there was no way out. like family. I began to write and speak out every chance I could get – even My father was a roofer and writing a few articles in the past in Streetvibes and other newspapers. painter who worked in Cincinnati. I learned early in life that every person After graduating from five colleges and becoming a registered nurse, in 2005, has a story. I learned that many homeless people were once very successful I wrote my first book, Crossing the Red Sea, named “inspirational book of the in the world's eyes. Due to poor choices, addictions or tragedies, they lost year” by Christianstoryteller.com. God helped me to write this book because everything. One homeless man I knew was once a millionaire who built I wanted to share my story with others, including those who lived on the customized homes but fell in the trap of alcoholism and lost everything. streets and the homeless. In many ways, living on the streets or becoming homeless can happen to I had an interview with Barbara Cain on 93.3 FM radio station, and stories any one of us. Yes, there are some who could get a job and better their lives have been written about the work of God in my life in some of the local but others are just victims of life’s challenges or choices that went bad. In newspapers. Those who live on the streets or who are homeless represent all my teen years I became homeless for a while and understand the everyday of us. They all have stories and it is great to have a newspaper like Streetvibes hardships just to find a shower or to get a meal without being looked down on that enables the homeless to have a voice so that they can be heard. by the rest of society. Homeless people are not looking so much for handouts Last year I wrote a second book, His Vision, His Beauty, and His Glory: Our but for support and help so that they can get back on their feet and work out life and purpose on planet earth. I recently finished my third book, To Be things that went bad in their lives. There are always going to be people who With God. My books are read all over the world, but at one time I lived on the are unemployed in our society. streets. A few years ago my supervisor at work went to Rome and gave Pope As the years went by, I saw my own life fall apart from the poor decisions I Benedict XVI a signed copy of Crossing the Red Sea. made. I was taken from my family and put into an orphanage. Later I became I find much of what I learned on the streets and from the homeless people a teenaged single father and a high-school dropout. I began to lose all hope who lived with us over the years is the wisdom of God. God’s truth is seen in life, and began to turn to alcohol and drugs. Many nights I found myself so clearly through their struggles of life. Jesus teaches us in the gospel to sleeping on the streets when I was just in my late teens. Deep despair crept embrace all people and that the good news must be preached to the poor into my soul, and I really felt that there was no way out. (Matthew 11:5). Everyone deserves the right to be heard and the dignity of life At the age of 16, I left home and found myself wandering on the streets in which has been given to all of us by our creator. We must lift up the fallen with Tampa. I was eventually arrested and put in jail. The day that I was arrested prayer and let them know that there is always hope in God. There is no shame I was sleeping in an abandoned truck in a gas station in Tampa. Though the in living on the streets or being homeless; even Jesus was homeless. Instead, truck had no tires, I was falsely accused of trying to steal the truck, but only may God’s good purpose be carried out in all of our brothers and sisters, no slept in the truck to get a good night’s sleep. In jail, I thought long and hard matter where you are in life. You are not alone; God is with you. about the meaninglessness of my life and I got on my knees and prayed Andrew Martin is pastor of University Bible Fellowship Church in Highland sincerely to God for the first time, “Dear Lord, Help me. Amen.” Heights, Ky. Like many who live on the streets or who are homeless, I just wanted a A There’s A Gleam in the Bengals And no holdouts as the season begins By B. Clifton Burke Contributing Writer I t was January 11, 1986, at Cleveland's old Municipal Stadium where Marty Schottenheimer gathered his troops on the sideline and told them that there existed a part of football beyond that of our physical senses. He called it “the gleam.” He didn't go into detail; he simply told them it existed and to go get it. I used to think he was the only one who ever knew anything about the gleam and that perhaps he was a mystic, but reading about the Bengals lately, I think I can sense the gleam, too. I'm an emotionally cautious person these days when it comes to the Bengals. I used to get all fired up when training camp would roll around and pronounce them serious contenders … every year. Then the 2008 season came along and crushed my spirit. Obviously, last year soothed some of that trauma, yet nonetheless, I've tried to remain guarded about my favorite team – it just isn't working. They have a gleam to them. Even when I try to think analytically about the whole thing, it still equates to the Bengals having a great season. I don't detect a clear weakness in this team, and they were damn good last year with what seems like half of this year's roster. They're deep at nearly every position, they have a platoon of healthy players returning and now they have real star power. The coaches can feel it, the players can feel and I can, too. Something is certainly shining in Georgetown, Ky. right now. I know what you're thinking: It's TO that's getting me so excited. Well, you're mostly right. What I am dying to find out is how the Bengals will attack the New England Patriots in Week 1. Even if Antonio Bryant still isn't healthy, suddenly Cincinnati has one of the deepest receiving corps in the league and can throw to a plethora of targets. Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network said that what he hears from scouts is that Owens is best when teams put him in motion and move him around to seek out match-ups that favor the offense. Buffalo wasn't able to use TO like that last year, but our offense can put him all over the field and still not draw double teams. With Chad Ochocinco and Jermaine Gresham on the field, too, defenses will have to pick their poison against these guys. That's even if we pass all that much. Bob Bratkowski has been steady with his remarks that this remains a power-run team, and that, he says, won't change. Who can blame him? Now that Cedric Benson is officially off the hook with the commissioner's office, might as well use him up – considering he becomes a free agent after this season. The line is built for the run, especially if that fat ass Andre Smith can get it going, and the stable of running backs complements one another nicely. I don't think anyone has a problem with the Bengals racking up the rushing yards, but it's when they need to pass that needs improved, and after a vigorous campaign to improve just that, I think they will be. Not one player held out because they didn't like their current contract, despite the upcoming labor skirmish swirling around the new collective bargaining agreement and despite its being the cool thing to do. No one (of importance) hurt himself in the off-season. No one got suspended. Fans are flocking to Georgetown in record numbers to scream support to their team. National pundits now like the Bengals. Mike Brown just pulled off one of the most successful off-seasons in recent memory. Crazy things are happening. It's the gleam! Mojokong—bubbling over. �14 STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Guest Column Likes and Dislikes in My Life Why is one so often connected with the other? By Larry Gross Contributing Writer Feel free to let me know if I’m full of it, but it seems in everyday life – at least in mine – there are things I like that are so often connected with things I don’t like, or vice versa. Sometimes you have to put up with some of life’s discomforts and nuisances to get to the pleasures. Sometimes it’s the other way around. I’ll give you some personal examples of what I’m getting at. I dislike the whole process of showering in the morning, getting the hot water right, using the soap and washing my hair while getting shampoo in my eyes; but afterward, I like the idea that I’m clean. Shaving is something I never look forward to, but I like applying after-shave to my face when the task is done. I’ve been using this Arctic Blue stuff for years and like the way it stings when it touches my shaved face. I’m sad and don’t like it when family and friends pass away, but cheer up when I remember how lucky I was to have had the chance to know them. I like talking to strangers while riding on the bus but I don’t like it when I start to suspect that the person I’m talking to is crazy. I hate having to record all those ATM receipts I have stuffed in my wallet but I love the fact I always know exactly how much money I have in my checking account. Having President Obama in office is something I like, but I dislike the fact that he’s turned out to be a conservative. Even an old fart of my age still enjoys having sex, but even old farts like me don’t necessarily enjoy a lot of small talk after the sex is over. We can talk later. Not that I sleep around that much, but when I do get a “date,” I like touching real breasts on feel when I’ve had too much of it. women. Those breasts can be of any size or color; I I believe in and like taking public transportation don’t care. What I hate discovering are fake breasts but dislike it when that public transportation of any size or color. I know doesn’t show up on time. immediately if they’re not I enjoy lending books to When I go grocery shopping at real. It’s a turnoff. friends that I think they might I dislike having arguments like but I become annoyed Kroger, I really dislike it when or disagreements with and dislike it when months I hold up the line and have friends, but like the fact that or even years go by and they to tell the cashier that I need I know them well enough to don’t bother to return the cigarettes and she or he has simply say what I think. book. to go to the service desk to When I go grocery Getting back to the old fart get the key to go and unlock shopping at Kroger, I really business, I like the fact that the cigarette case to get the dislike it when I hold up I still look at pretty young cigarettes; and I especially the line and have to tell the girls but dislike the fact that dislike it when he or she gets cashier that I need cigarettes sometimes I feel like a dirty the wrong brand and has to and she or he has to go to old man. repeat the whole process, but the service desk to get the I like listening and I like it when the ordeal is over key to go and unlock the watching thunderstorms for both of us. cigarette case to get the or heavy rain but dislike it cigarettes; and I especially when I’m caught out in those dislike it when he or she gets the wrong brand and thunderstorms or heavy rain. has to repeat the whole process, but I like it when I like snow but don’t like it when it starts to melt. the ordeal is over for both of us. While I don’t like the fact that I’m getting older – While on the subject of cigarettes, there’s I wish time would slow down – but it’s better than nothing I like better in the morning than a the alternative, which is being dead. I like the fact cigarette with a cup of coffee, but I dislike the fact that I’m smarter than I was 20 years ago. I wish I that probably both coffee and cigarettes are killing knew then what I know now. me. All right, I’m done. Those are my examples I like the alternative press like Streetvibes of likes associated with dislikes or vice versa. but dislike the fact that so many newspapers, Actually, writing this has given me a bit of a including those I don’t like, are struggling. headache. While I dislike taking aspirins to get rid Cooking fancy meals for guests or even for of headaches, I like the fact that the aspirins get rid myself is something I enjoy, but I dislike having to of the headache and in this case have enabled me do the dishes afterwards. to finish this column on a somewhat intelligent I like looking at Jessica Simpson but can’t stand note. to hear her sing. The same goes for Faith Hill. Or maybe not. Vodka is my drink of choice and I like it very much, but dislike how I Affordable Rates etvibes? tre nS rested in Advert Inte isin gi Many sizes (full page, 1/2 page, 1/4 page, 1/8 page) Black & White and Color available Discounts for Nonprofits Become a Fan of Streetvibes on Facebook Contact Lynne at 513-421-7803 ext. 11 http://www.facebook.com/streetvibescincinnati or lynneausman@cincihomeless.org for more information. Streetvibes vendors keep 75% of sales. Consider helping Streetvibes with our publication costs by making a tax-deductible donation or by purchasing a subscription. Streetvibes is the activist newspaper, advocating justice, building community. Your gift is tax-deductible and will go to producing the paper every two weeks. Started in 1997, Streetvibes is distributed by homeless and formerly homeless vendors who purchase the paper for 25 cents and sell it for $1, keeping the 75 cent profit. Make checks payable to “Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless” I want to support Streetvibes and the vendors. $25 Please return your contribution to: GCCH 117 E. 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Name: Address: E-mail: $50 $100 $150 Other $ _______ �15 Resources STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Need Help or Want to Help? Shelter: Women and Children Central Access Point Cincinnati Union Bethel St. Francis Soup Kitchen Churches Active in Northside 381-SAFE 768-6907 FreeStore/FoodBank 557-2873 Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Bethany House 4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223 241-1064 112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214 Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209 St. Vincent de Paul 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224 Salvation Army 535-2719 591-2246 762-5660 562-8841 872-9259 381-2247 5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van McMicken Dental Clinic 357-4602 352-2902 352-6363 40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mental Health Access Point Mercy Franciscan at St. John 558-8888 981-5800 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 NAMI of Hamilton County PATH Outreach 1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter Crossroad Health Center 458-6670 977-4489 Treatment: Men Other Resources Shelter: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 921-1613 Center Independent Living Options Emmanuel Community Center 961-2256 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Prospect House Justice Watch 241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 Starting Over 1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205 Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 961-4663 2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Treatment: Both 761-1480 1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 471-1100 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220 Housing: CMHA Excel Development OTR Community Housing 721-4580 632-7149 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Tom Geiger House Dana Transitional Bridge Services Volunteers of America Anna Louise Inn 961-4555 751-0643 381-1954 421-5211 621-5300 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206 Our Daily Bread 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 621-6364 771-4800 751-0600 721-4811 241-2965 People Working Cooperatively The Caring Place United Way Women Helping Women Off The Streets 351-7921 631-1114 211 977-5541 421-5211 1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Hamilton County ADAS Board Recovery Health Access Center Sober Living Talbert House 946-4888 281-7422 681-0324 641-4300 Hamilton/Middletown 421-3131 569-1840 381-4242 Northern Kentucky Advocacy Catholic Social Action Community Action Agency Contact Center 1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Food/Clothing Lord’s Pantry OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 351-0422 381-6672 830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214 Joseph House (Veterans) 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) AA Hotline CCAT Goodwill industries Healing Connections Mary Magdalen House 1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209 Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 381-0111 1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 First Step Home 961-4080 621-5514 214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 661-4620 Shelter: Both Anthony House (Youth) 1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202 Treatment: Women 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Mt. Airy Shelter 241-2600 241-2563 117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 579-8547 241-9400 421-1108 363-3300 421-2437 Health Center for Respite Care 3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229 Brighton Center 863-3184 863-1445 422-8555 868-3276 859-491-8303 799 Ann St. Newport, KY Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. Legal Aid Society Ohio Justice & Policy Center Faces Without Places Stop AIDS St. Raephaels Salvation Army Serenity House Day Center Open Door Pantry ECHO/Hosea House Fairhaven Resuce Mission Homeward Bound Youth Mathews House Homeless & Housing Coalition Parish Kitchen Pike St. Clinic Transitions, Inc Welcome House of NKY 859-261-5857 859-491-1027 859-581-1111 859-261-8009 859-727-0926 859-581-7745 859-291-9321 859-491-4435 859-431-8717 205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011 621-1868 Women’s Crisis Center VA Domiciliary VA Homeless 859-491-3335 859-559-5011 859-572-6226 �16 Artists as Activists STREETVIBES August 15 - 31, 2010 Found Objects and a Found Voice Thomas Phelps speaks through his art “I am a tinkerer,” Thomas Phelps says. “All my life I have collected stuff – found and discarded objects I have used to make things out of my imagination. I give them a new life and a voice. They end up speaking for me.” Phelps, a mixed media/installation artist, was born in 1939 in Cincinnati, where he currently resides. He is of African-American origin, the son of parents who relocated from the South. Until the age of 21 he grew up in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati, in the Lincoln Courts housing project for low-income families. In elementary school he was introduced to art, and his creative ability was recognized and encouraged by his art teachers all along. He won several art contests, including a citywide contest in ninth grade, sponsored by Shillito’s; it earned him a one-year scholarship to attend the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Phelps’s social awareness was practically lacking while growing up. The housing project where he lived and spent most of his time was his world; it kept him isolated and protected, disconnected from the rest of society. There and at school he mostly encountered fellow African Americans, with no direct reasons for racial questioning or confrontation. His parents, who had experienced the oppressive South, did not want him to deal with such issues. “My social awakening to racial and ethnic discrimination came only at the age of 17,” Phelps says. “It was, however, in relation to the Native Americans’ plight. I read by chance an article describing the slaughter by thousands of buffalos to starve the Indians who relied on their meat; also how at one point the Indians were given blankets infested with smallpox in order to decimate them. I was appalled and revolted, and these injustices stayed with me.” Phelps’s artwork, until as then with no specific statement, started addressing the American By Saad Ghosn Indian situation. Mr. and Contributing Writer Ms. Red is a painting that depicts an isolated and powerless Native American couple, separated from their community. They Slaughtered Me to Kill Us, a mixed-media piece, superimposed the image of an American Indian and that of a buffalo, a reflection on the history of the U.S. government as it pertains to Native Americans. Who Are the Founding Fathers?, a mixed-media hanging quilt incorporating found objects, shows a picture of four American Indian men positioned in front of the four U.S. presidents on Mount Rushmore. In the center of the piece is a T-shirt depicting American Indians on horseback and in war apparel; it says, “Fighting terrorism since 1492,” ironically questioning who are the terrorists when it comes to Native A rtists ctivists Thomas Phelps in his basement studio. Saad Ghosn. American history. In the 1960s, thanks to the civil rights movement, Phelps became more aware of the issue. His black identity, its culture and its ancestral roots became very important to him. Through the Cincinnati Art Museum and traveling traders, he discovered African art and artifacts; he was taken by the fetishes, their imagery, their meaning. He also came across yard art brought from the South that connected him to the spirit of African ancestors. “Society was trying to de-Africanize and demonize us,” he says. “They associated our culture with voodoos, devils, sorcery. For me, these artifacts spoke loud through their rawness and sense of mystery; they grew on me, impacted me strongly even when not fully understanding them.” Phelps’s work shifted then to mixed-media installations influenced by the African art he was experiencing; they became his identity statement, a cultural connection to his background and origin. “I did not use my art to make statements about the civil rights movement going on at the time,” he says. “I used it instead to assert who I was, to connect to the history of blacks in this country and elsewhere. Once I found the link to my roots, I kept speaking to it, and nobody could take it away from me.” In the 1980s, with Jimi Jones and Ken Leslie, two African-American artists from Cincinnati who felt like him, Phelps co-founded the Neo Ancestral artists’ collective movement. Their goal was to make artistic visual statements related to African-American identity, legacy, community and culture. On his own or as part of the group, Phelps continued creating his statement in mixed-media installations. He would exhibit them in public or private venues, outdoors or indoors, such as at Third World Gallery, which featured African-American art, and at the Arts Consortium, the Contemporary Arts Center, the Weston Art Gallery and the Cincinnati Art Museum. Imprisonment, created for the Weston show, consisted of fences, posts, bars, a hanging body, a target image and weapons. It alluded to institutional prisons, but also to the isolated and confined condition of many minorities, the vulnerability and violent victimization of the poor and weak in our society. Watermelon Mama and the Melon Chilluns Fetish, recently exhibited at the Cincinnati Art Museum, was part of a series of installations Phelps created based on postcards that debased and degraded the black race, associating it with watermelons, cotton and animals. It shows on one side a black baby in a cradle with a watermelon and a cross, the baby in his innocence and nakedness reminiscent of Jesus Christ, also a victim to this world; and the cross symbolizing the hypocrisy of hateful acts in the name of Christianity. The other side displays an African lady, two babies, watermelons, cotton and crosses. “I meant my piece in defense of all human beings, plants, animals, objects and subjects of unjust, vulgarized characterization, by civilized, God-avowed human beings in the USA,” he says. Phelps also used his art to make statements about wars, their casualties and the military-industrial complex. His installation, Weapon of War Fetish, created for an SOS Art show, reflects on how military efforts support and produce aggressive weapons, propaganda and monetary gain. “I will always be a pacific activist,” Phelps says. “My art advocates my ideas, my beliefs, my history. It is my outlet and my voice. It empowers me and possibly others who want to hear; I do not use it, however, to convince or impose my views.” Watermelon Mama and the Melon Chilluns Fetish, front and back, mixed media installation by Thomas Phelps. Thomas Phelps. Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be contacted at saad.ghosn@uc.edu. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2010 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 15-30, 2010 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: No Fence Sitting in This Match A Quarter-Century Cause Pg 2: Street Wise Pg 3: No Fence Sitting in This Match Continued Pg 4: No Fence Sitting in This March Continued A Quarter-Century in the Cause Continued Pg 5: Street Papers Revolt at Meeting Differences Build NASNA’s Strength Pg 6: Parsing Poverty and Community Pg 7: When the Walls Come Tumbling Pg 8: “Feed Me, Seymour, Feed Me All Night Long…” Pg 9: Officer Runs Over Woman in Park Pg 10: When the Walls Come Tumbling Continued Pg 11: Four Subjects: A Scenario Suzy Cincinnatian Finds Her Voice Pg 12: ‘Streetvibes’: An Appreciation Pg 13: From the Streets to the Sanctuary Pg 14: Likes and Dislikes in My Life Pg 15: Resources Pg 16: Found Objects and a Found Voice Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 15-30, 2010 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Gregory Flannery Lynne Ausman Jeni Jenkins Michelle Dillingham Samantha Groark Margo Pierce Paul Kopp Jeremy Flannery Michael Henson David Heitfield Corey Gibson Saad Ghosn Lew Moores Larry Gross Eli Braun Jesse Call Michael Fanning Aimie Willhoite Anne Skove Vinit Murthy Jon Hughes Lynn Baker Jeremy Flannery Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Advocates Aimie Willhoite Anne Skove Bengals Cincinnati Corey Gibson David Heitfield Eli Braun Gregory Flannery IJPC Jeni Jenkins Jeremy Flannery Jesse Call John Mellencamp Jon Hughes Larry Gross Layoffs Lew Moores Lynn Baker Lynne Ausman Margo Pierce Michael Fanning Michael Henson Michelle Dillingham Music NASNA Paul Kopp police brutality Saad Ghosn Samantha Groark Thomas Phelps Vinit Murthy