30 10 291 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/d5e7518c9f8174c8245a22ce8fa8e64b.pdf c28c8bd2e957c3e2d1cd5224d39ab4b6 PDF Text Text Remembering buddy gray by Bonnie Neumeier buddy gray made a commitment very young to dedicate his life energies to the cause of freedom, justice and peace for all humanity. He never wavered on that commitment. To buddy, every person had a face, a name. He was a man with great passion and soul. A man who was motivated by his inclusive love and just anger so that we all could live free with basic human rights. buddy used all that he was in the service of his vision. He give endless hours of dedication/determination because he believed we must be about building a healthier neighborhood and world community for all of us. buddy's life as a revolutionary, a public servant, a poet, a carpenter, a friend, an organizer, an advocate, a prophet, a brother, a keen strategist, a preserver of life, a justice-seeker, a consistent challenger, a planter of trees and flowers, a lover of people, and an enthusiast for the simple joys of life challenged many to take an active part in something so much greaterto be a part of the historic movement for ~ Cincinnati Homeless Grapevine is Now STREETVIBES be planted well, planted deep, for our hope lies in the coming together of all of us creating a new world with compassion for all earth's creatures. Some of the ways in which he carried out his commitment: by hi Clillod 11 11 If you are reading this article you know that there's something a little different. The paper you are now reading is called "Streetvibes." We were formerly known as the Cincinnati Homeless Grapevine. We thought the name change necessary for our Cincinnati street newspaper to have its own identity since this is the first issue we are laying out and. printing locally. We are eternally grateful to Brian Davis and the staff of the Homeless Grapevine in Cleveland for their tireless support and extremely valuable technical assistance in the birth of "Streetvibes." The name "Streetvibes" was an idea that was introduced by the vendors who write for and sell the paper. We thank everyone involved in producing the paper. W e promise to continue to work with the North East Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) in our joint efforts to end homelessness and regularly share stories in our papers. This past December and January saw the wind chill index dip below 0 degrees nine night~ . . As a result, shelters saw their already crowded conditions become worse, and potentially life threatening. When shelters are full, the City of Cincinnati Winter Shelter Emergency policy goes into effect, A Winter Shelter emergency is called by · the-Director of the Health Department, currently Dr. Malcolm Adcock. In order to be called, two criteria have to be met: the wind chill index must be at 0 degrees or below and the shelters have to be full. When the criteria are met, the Mayor of the City of Cincinnati, by executive authority, opens up the Over-theRhine Recreation Center from I0 pm to 8 am as a temporary shelter. Shelters who are overcrowded can transport people to the Center or people can just walk in from the T 'I ' See Remembering buddy gray on page3 Cold Weather Packs Shelters. 11 11 FREEDOM. He knew that this serious task was not without its difficulty and pain, but he helped many feel the joy in being part of the freedom train. buddy's strong, life-giving spirit was felt and impacted many people and places, but his soul lived specially deep in the people and soil of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. He walked side by side with us, his neighbors, with little or no resources using all we had in us to claim the right to stay in this land for IT IS OUR HOME that deserves and needs to be respected by the power forces grabbing our land for their profit interests. He had a deep care and compassion for people who are homeless and with little or no incomes. He believed in peoples ability to overcome addictions and hopelessness. He was an advocate of the people to whom he gave hope by what he said and what he did, he never brushed people off. buddy worked hard at developing and sharing leadership for he believed in the power of the people. What he thought was just and right, he took action with others to carry tt out. He knew seeds had to surrounding community. The Winter Shelter Emergency was triggered nine times: December 18, 19 and January 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18 and 25. Each night, the OTR Recreation Center hosted between 25 and 42 people. Shelter workers feel that the need for overflow shelters during the winter is becoming more extreme. Denise Crew, senior worker at the Drop Inn Center Shelter, said, "One night our numbers went up to 320 when our capacity is only 250. People are packed in like sardines." As-a result of the need, City Officials and shelter leaders are meeting to come up with ways to expand the program. Possible aspects of an increased plan include: assistance to the Recreation Department to provide a decent sleeping environment, improved communications and an automatic temperature trigger and partnerships with existing shelters to share overflow. 1. i' r - The Drop Inn Center faced severe overcrowding during the January cold snaps. Photo by Susan Knight / �. ------------------------------::-------=-~----,-------- STREETVIBES -_--- -- -r . The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the _paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Committee meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in helping or have a comment, please call 421-7803. Staff Pat Clifford, Coordinator Donald Whitehead, Outreach Coordinator Photographers James Heath Susan Knight Berta Lambert Writers Penny Caudle Pat Clifford Denise Crew David Dietz Mary Ann Gleason Jude' Haley James Heath Leslie Horner Tom Mulroy Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Shadd on Melissa Tuckey Kate Uhlir Spencer Wells Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Refer all stories or inquiries to: Streetvibes clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes cam be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the above address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Your subscription helps keep our paper alive. Page2 I Chose Honest by Gregory Payton My name is Gregory and I'm homeless. When I became Homeless I wasn't ashamed, I was confused. I knew I needed a job and a place to live. I really didn't know what to work on first. I needed something to eat so that's all I could think about. I wanted help but not pity. I wanted guidance and direction, not laughter and insults. I wanted constructive criticism not destructive criticism. So I searched. I learned early in life that there's only two kinds of people that share with you. So I had to take a chance. I asked a guy if he knew where I could get something to eat. He replied," at the store." I said , "oh" and walked away. I knew then I had to decide. Honest or dishonest. That was easy (honest). So I walked a little and thought a little. And tried again. I asked again rather quickly because of the _ need to eat. This time I asked a woman. She paused and asked me, "are you homeless." I paused and, being somewhat embarrassed, said yes. She asked "are you from Cincinnati." I paused again wondering where this conversation was leading and said," yes, but haven:t been here in a while." She said it showed. I asked how while looking at my appearance. She said, "don't be ashamed to say you're homeless." I said I was gathering information, being thankful she wanted to share. "First do you know-where the Drop Inn Center is located." said, " no, what is it." She said it's a center that help homeless people downtown. "You might be able to eat and sleep." I perked up asking where downtown. She said, "do you have any money." I said I don't. She looked in her purse and handed me a dollar bill and a pack of crackers, and said catch a bus downtown, ask the driver where the center is exactly located and eat one cracker every seven blocks I passed on the way. I thanked her and the main man upstairs (GOD), happy that I met someone that was ~illing to share, instead of laugh. On the bus doing what I told made that pack crackers feel like a meal. When I got to the center and knocked on the door a lady opened it and asked " what do you want sir". said "if possible something to eat". She said "step into that line" before. I left she said thank God. I quickly did while moving closer to food. Before I got to the stack of trays a man asked me my name and age. Wondering why after I gave it to him. I didn't think about it long because I was given a drink and then a plate of food. I thanked the ladies while moving toward some dessert. When I got to the end I gave thanks and said I will enjoy this. When I sat down I started eating fast for some reason maybe thinking that they might come back and get what they just gave me. Then it hit me, stop and thank God for I'm already eating. I did that fast too. Once I finish eating, I decided I should say some grace just in case he didn't hear me the first time. After that they told me to go to the front and sit down. A few minutes later, a man came up front and welcomed us and gave a speech on the policy of the center, then turned on the television, I asked the man next to me was he homeless and he replied, "everyone in here is buddy." I looked around and then asked him where are all the people going to go when this place closes. He said is this your first time, I said yes, he the_n told me they gave shelter when you're homeless also. I looked up and thanked God again. While I was standing in line receiving a number for a place to sleep, I asked the guy behind me, do they give jobs here. He laughed and said they do everything here. I turned around after I got back to the bench. I said at least I made another day. And I thank God. It was a few minutes before I went into the other room when I decided to ask around about jobs. I talked again with a man, and he told me to sell the Grapevine newspaper. I asked him about it some more and he said when you're homeless, they help you get a vendors license and you help the homeless by spreading the word of homelessness. And then I asked him how I get paid and he said that's the part. I told him, that's what I want to do. He gave me some information and who to talk to about it. He then said he had to leave. I said, while not trying to get in his business, that it's night and late, why do you have to sleep on the street. He stopped came back and said when you sell enough papers, you'll make enough to get an apartment and a down payment of deposit. Then he turned and left. I looked down to make sure I still had my information. Then I looked up and Thanked the main man (GOD). Honest Greg. Future vendor of the Homeless Grapevine. Urban -Land Institute Update by Leslie Horner The Cincinnati neighborhood of Overthe-Rhine, like almost anywhere else in the world, has had groups struggling with differing ideas of development, different ideas of what is best for people for years. Those groups are each active and vocal .with their opinions, sometimes making it seem as if there is never any consensus. However, Over-die-Rhine also has a strong history of groups who have consistently worked together, even in the hardest of times. In the I970's, organizations like the Over-the-Rhine Community Council, Race Street Tenants Organization C9operative (ReSTOC), and the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse began to fonn, in order to vocalize concerns, to protect the rights of lowincome residents, and to provide shelter for the homeless residents of the neighborhood. The founding of these organizations, and others which soon followed, was evidence of the strength of the residents and their ability to work together. The Over-the-Rhine Community Council says that they will negotiate with the OTR Coalition members only when these four points have been agreed upon: I) Protect the 5,520 "No Net Loss" policy for low~income housing in Overthe-Rhine, discussed in the comprehensive plan of the I980's 2) End the City Economic Development Department's effort to eliminate Peaslee Neighborhood with a parking lot for Main Street bars 3) Stop the effort (simply end the discussion) to move the Drop Inn Center UL/ Continued on page 7 �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page J How Did It Happen? by buddy gray i don't know it happened ... many events, witnesses, years .. but more important-it has ... rampant in this place of advanced technology, toxic waste ravages this once beautiful country i don't desire to be happy unless happiness is a unive rsal right i don't plan to be non-disruptive of the "order" around us i don't care to be at peace when teenage rs of the third world must learn to sho ot ant i-airc raft guns at American invadi ng planes i do n't yet choose to be a carpenter, if nuclear bombs production still st eals the housing construction budget i don't want to be acceptable as long as rape, racism/sexism multinational profit, Cl.A. destabilization of governments, joblessness, homelessness are acceptable i don't intend to be calm, pleasant and likable if the stink of injustice must be raised i don't expect to be patient until there is "Housing Now"for everyone i don't know how to be quiet when our voices may be the only counter to the rich's media controls, limits, inversions of the truth. i don't think about being respectful hunger exist in the land of plenty poverty exist in this nation of wealth uneducation and ill health ru n . ·~ hese ·Bones will Rise Aga in by Melissa Tuckey (inspired by traditional 'them bones will rise again') Over the Rhine is under attack by the rich who neglected her and now want her back and everywhere i look i see the signs of war led by bankers and bulldozers and greed to consume more buddy gray was a friend of mine he was under attack for feeding the hungry and teaching them to fight back for loving the children of Over the Rhine for standing in the way while others just stood by You can kill buddy gray but not Over the Rhine the spirit that lives here cont inues to rise these bones will rise again these bones wi ll rise again these ho mes will rise again these ho mes will rise again the sun will shine again in Over the Rhine again you can kill buddy gray but not Over the Rhine the spirit that lives here has been around a long time · these bones will these bones will until we all have until we all have rise again rise again homes again homes again. \ I \ As long as churches and synagogues and temples do reverent, rituals for rights and speak in pious platitudes of peace and take no angry action that stops American Business as usual to end homelessness, imperialism As long as business lunches still happen in the glass condos looking out over the homeless and hungry on the cold streets I0 stories below As long as the City Fathers can work 8 hours a week for $35,000 and do little to learn of the peoples problems over whom they rule i fully intend to dream of happiness-and peace when i sleep--food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, equality, green space and peace for all - And meanwhile awake to live as unacceptably, non-calmly, unpleasantly, dislikably, impatiently, loudly, disrespectfully, and disruptively, and as contagiously collectively as i am able, as long as is necessary ·- · Remembering buddy from page 1 * refused to participate in the Vietnam War and actively organized against it. * consistently did individual service work: tutoring children, organizing recreation trips for children t o area parks; individual advocacy against Welfare Bureaucracy and absentee landlords; assisted with many moving jobs when folks suffered evictions; offered help in fixing space heaters, apartment repairs; advocated for people getting Public Assistance; advocated in court for treatment rather than prison. * Supported the founding of the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse for the Homeless and led the effort to stop its close down. Organized the ShelterHouse Volunteer Group to own and operate the shelter as a peoples program. * Active in tenant organizing work; advocate for individual tenants' rights; organized tenant strikes; active in creating Tenant/ Landlord legislation both in the State of Ohio and th e City of Cincinnati. * One of three original t enants that fou nded ReSTOC (Race Street Tenant Organization Cooperative), formed as a nonprofit, racially-integrated, low-income housing cooperative in o rder to fix up old buildings long neglected by absentee landlords so that housing for low income people could be preserved and maintained. * Helped found the Over-the-Rhine Housing Network, coalition of non-profit low income housing development corporations in Over-the-Rhine, united to save housing under community control. * Helped develop and pass the Housing Retention Ordinance in Over-the-Rhine, model legislation that requires public hearings Please send donations lo: buddy gray memorial fund Drop Inn Center Sheller 217 W. 12/h SI. Cincinnati~ OH 45210 before an apartment building can be demolished. *Worked as one of 13 members to develop the Over-the-Rhine Comprehensive Plan which fought to establish a minimum base of 5,520 low income housing units in Over-the-Rhine. * Trustee since 1978 of the Over-theRhine Community Council; chair of its Housing Task Force. * Board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless; one of the original founders at the founding convention in Chicago, 1983. * Board member of the Coalition for Housing and Homelessness in Ohio; one of the founders in Columbus, OH, March 1984. * One of the founders of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition fo r the Homeless, May 1984. Active in political action for the rights of homeless people. On January 20, 1997, buddy received the Martin Luther King Lifetime Achievement Award in Cincinnati. buddy had many accomplishments to his credit, just as Martin Luther King did. But neither man is remembered most for the things he accomplished, but rather the vision, hope and DREAM they shared with others. Both dreamed of a world where all women and men could live and respect each other as equals. Our greatest tribute to buddy gray and Martin Luther King is to continue the vision they worked so hard to carry out. �STREETVIBES . The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine From. /This Corner of the Reflecting Pool · by Mary Ann Gleason~ Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless Page4 A Cleveland Tribute to buddy by Kale Uhlir On the morning of November 15th, a taking us to that place of honor.;. where we very special friend, mentor, founding and truly belong. As Trinity Cathedral's evening bell tolled current Board member of NCH, and a truly Blessed is Buddy who worked tirelessly November 20, its upper room, full of prayerful selfless, persistent advocate for those homeless for justice, without counting the cost or homeless supporters, recalled their friend, and poor among us, died of a gun shot wound. surrendering to the consequences, for stanley buddy gray, 46, who was shot and killed His name was Buddy Gray; he was 46 years old. now he shall know peace. in Cincinnati's Drop Inn Center, an Over-theBlessed is he who cried out for a rightful The gun never should have been made, let Rhine shelter he founded 23 years ago. All place in the sun for everyone, for the aloneI allowed on the streets. The anger that Cleveland shelters turned off all lights for a pulled the trigger should never have been warmth of God's love shall be his. minute of silent prayer that evening - their incited against a man who simply wanted to Blessed is he whose tongue,spoke the 1 · small memorial for a giant idol. distrib ute the collective resources more equitapassion of his spul, without retreat, for · Gray, known as, "buddy gray," spelled his bly am\,ng all of us. the seeds of his message will flower our name with lower case letters and was considFb r greater than 25 years, Buddy Uved, earth with the scent of t_ruth. ered the strongest and most articulate voice for and the~ died, among the poor that he served Blessed is he who planted a tre.e whose the homeless in the United States. The Plain · faithfullt1 with tireless commitment and pershade he will never lie in, but which Dealer quoted Lemuel Israel, 42, a Cincinnati sonal de~otiori. There are few people in history brings relieffro.m ·the heat of oppression Grapevine vendor, "My first thought was that · who have~nt~grated an~ t~en ac~ed on, with to the thousands who do.· . , ifs over now. We don't have a chance.'' Blessed is he who comforted the :lost.and constancy; ,their humanitarian behefs as Buddy At Trinity, Cleveland shelter leader, Sister ·did; few willing to make the personal·sacrifices brought them home, for ~e was the · . Donna Hawk, C.S.J., asked, "Is this.the end of his life represented; few with the integrity.of carrier of hope and the ·bearer of dreams an era?" She lowered her head and wiped her . purpose that guided and motivated ·him .always. long sought. . ., . . eyes and recalled gray's ardent, relentless and His absence from us leaves ·a deep and :pen.Saddened are we 'wllo wa!ked .by his side, intimidating advocacy. "He was passionate, with connected to one another by the Jong etrating abyss, ·which no ·1onger able to be filled · a deep love for the .homeless; a strong sense of by a single man, must now be filled by us as a stretch of his ariTis oflove. · .· · · the rights of the poor. Who can speak for the · collective, if we are to do· honor to his 1ife and Mournful are we who knew _lived, . poor. like buddy spoke? [He] didn't make memory. l"he following is my -reflection on his simply, so that others might.live-:. .friends of politicians." . . life and his words: more fully, more safely, more q1refuily: .• Sister Mary Frances Harrington, C.S.j., · Weeping are w~ made whole by him •. who He said we had·to remain discontent, Executive Director of Cleveland's Family · · vigilant. He said we couldn't be seduced by . he accompanied from the dep~hs of. · Transitional Housing Inc. recalled, "Somehow · · mercy, if justiee would never come. He said he isolation and despair into :the light of · buddy always got,homeless people 'to the didn't care to be .a t peace as long as racism, day. . . ... . . Coalition [Coalition for theHomeless ·and· '· sexism, homelessness; excess r ealth, multina- . Touched are we by him,..irrevbcably.~. .Ho.using in Ohio] _meetings·every month. H~'.d ·; tional profits are all acceptable displacements of thank you, d~r friend . . . . '· : come through.~he dQ()r ·with his,hair 'in ·ii "long_ ., . . · true communiey.. He 5aid. he didn't know how ', ·t· .•· ·· ' , pony _tail and a 'couple of 'homeless peop1e on · · •· to be quiet whe~ . 6°ur voices maybe ~e 0nly The· Dropl~n Ceilteran~l:R,est~care :. .. . ··. . . .each arm. · ·. . ·· . . . . ·. . counter.to thos_e :who deny thetruth and pain ... . < ··programs founded and admil'liste!-"ed .J;>Y ·Buddy , .... · friends .:provided additionalinsight into · ~of poverty, exclusion, disregard. From deep ·. .· that ;provi'de emergency and transitjonal h~us- ·. · .g rats .sentiments. '/lf'you have two·pair of inside! his soul, this mari believed in the equa~ity . ing, treatment.and recovery programs, and ' . ·shoes, that's too ·many·when there are :homeand ulideniable 'w orth of each'.of us, in the . many hundreds of units of ;pemianent, ·afford- . . less:;• "He was always giving 200% to the · urgency of justice as the redemptive force for · able housing to faniiltes and individuals who poor." both those without and those with enough · have become homeless in the downtown area "He never let you down." He believed in resources. He called us al.I brothers and sisters of Cincinnati called Over The Rhine. There are justice and diversity," stated fellow COHHIO because the human family was his own. He led housing complexes in this still compromised Board member, Sharon Parries, Associate us to a place of honor - where all human beings neighborhoo·d that they have bought inexpenDirector of.Transitional Housing. are treated equally. He called each of us to sively because they are in very poor condition. Sister Donna continued her prayer, "let never be content with less than our own They have rehabilitated hundreds of units as nothing in buddy's life be lost. He was passionhighest virtue, to be the best of ourselves ... for they got the money to do so, making very ate. Buddy wasn't afraid of anything. He always significant contributions to the stability and others, until together we share collective called a spade a spade. Was his death a waste? resources in a manner that insures stability and quality of the neighborhood. The community of Or a wake-up call?" quality of life for all members of the human dedicated people of which Buddy was a part is community. He could settle for nothing less, trying to start an Endowment Fund in his name simply because he sought out, integrated, the to continue the incredibly meaningful work that unmasked truth of human life and the holy he, with them, did. privilege of the human soul. He knew we could pass through this life, taking more than we give, running the race to nowhere, being enticed by the sirens of excess, and yet more, of control and domination, or even of simply being content with what we have without noticing what others don't have, but need ... a home, love, honor, hope. He knew, as too few of us push ourselves to know, how unjust it is that some get so much more than they need, while others are left to seek out food in dumpsters, to live in At his doorways - often ill or confused or deeply sad, memorial, and most often not because of anything they did buddy gray's or didn't do. He knew that the relentless bike was pu rsuit of private wealt h, the blinded misuse of decorated with power, the dominance of the individual over the symbolic items common good had ravaged the sou l of America, and escorted throug h the had stripped it of the very community it was streets of Overmeant to create. It is time now to listen to his the-Rhine. call; to hear and heed his word, to seek out his Photo by truth that we may be as faith fu l to what is good Brewster and right as he was Thank you, Buddy, for ,, .~ Rhoads. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Granevine r P.-age5 Chain of Moments by Jude' Haley She's a woman without a face. At least she thinks she has no face and that alone makes it true. "I want me back!", she yelled out before . leaving to go to work. Her eyes spoke even ... louder. She'd crumbled inside and her soul· · ached at the loss of herself., .It .was as if .she · .. :.:;; were viewing he.rself at her own funeral ::: .:':: .::_~ ''!-:Worked hard for.twenty-five years to· · ... ·· build a home, raise a:family1 ~ad to ;bave:some,,,,, •<. one .tO.gtow .old "w~t~ . I'm clini€ally-depressed, on meqicatiQD fQf ;t he fir.st .time. io.:. my.:life;,and .h .. don't knowwhen :or how this- napp,ened. _rm::.:: the Sj!,ffie'. a~s :garbage . ~et . out: 6n..the,,curb..-· No -- · ·~ one pa)'?·atte1Jticm 't~ gitrpage..~: LleeLdead ."":,, ,, :-: inside.': . . .: .1 ·1 ·,.,~_, ~ ,.,. -. ~ ..... ,*;....1 ..... ~~. . ..-. . . , --- n· ........... ~, , I told~h~r.~be\t j( gets .b,¢tt~)f:. Howr~~;h"'.~;::. momer;it . gf1\Q~ :hoJ<l~ tO> qnc:itber;. . H9-.w::hop.e-, turn-sj ntc;>-str¢ngtb qver.and.over until ·she'5- n ,.,, · it · She ~,·dn!t 1 b- 1 1·e• 1 e' .J 1.~-- .~L b .. ·healed.:of . - . • - - i '' · ~ · """ ~ L'-' , JI;;,!, !', l)le.., i 4.•:1.e n•$ ·e Ii •J Tbe:se~women ,sr;T-he,$e·,wo:r·~~.hov,.er. in.,,tbe:air :fr~~ .·;";2 beca_4$~tf!T1e..Q'J.~i~_s} c;>/ h~~ past{le'.f,t,;t;e_r,,~impn-:i She stepped off the pormw.itlk~d;throiJgb ; 11 t_h e ch~~!f-lin~·.g.at~1 ilfl~ f Yelted-,t~i ·At ,lea~t !it\S ,a nice day! '-';1;(',l;f~ ~ · gr&~,t,,d..,.a.yJ'1 --1 y.~jledi tia~i t;;y,:,-::1 Maybi:tsh~rl~d . d~ !lk>'l f.<liny~ d~si u L pre.t!!OP~ £·ff to like th~IJl ....~oS! ~ d s~~ d~~pente_,;fQ ~elp.;~rb ud find sort.1.eti..iBgtgeoA . !j "·-• ,.,~··• • ..~~;J.... -) , ., • · ~ ~ ....- ..,,". . . ~. Wl' ... _.1, 1v : 11vL., ,... 1 rH.h:thso....,, b' ;)f $tQ,OJ;l.l8fi\tq_~~ h!li • a5.c"fib.ei:~:ed• ~~ ..-.}-J won~ei:ing (wh~e<.She~d Jost, berself. d!tw.ait.edJtGP:· pinpoioteit~c.tak,e.:. h:Em ·hacl< :la:efcb.~e~hat :.mo~nt"oo rl:);:;~ S:be : sw~m Jrt:sadnesstthalJ pulle~ .it ,her) body J:pan--·\ -:~:; icked =.at 1my·hil~ ~attempts t,o .pulhhen·autb But ;;. I tried. Becau.s.e Jn: ber::J sa\'fmyseJf.~..:.I saw'." ·.:·:I: everyone who has come into my life and dared" "l to love me: -Ever,yone,fve dai;:ed1to_.lon.::--;·· "Look::WheteTmdiY.ing!.::l'-bere:'S :ncr'place··for::!:' .. me to go.· .How-can there be-no -pla<!e •for ,me?"• ..:; She felt misplate..dtbmmuning with •. 1., ~ ; : womel) who were· beaten er-.:raped and ·stripped of their dignity. They were vktims of abuse and she didn't Identify herself as.a .v.ictim, but she was. She was embarrassed. She had-no energy ·-~ to fight for her self. - : . . . . . ~·· : When I went back to see her she was gone. She wouldn't be back. I wondered if she really liked dark, rainy days or if it was all she was able to take notice of. I wondered how she would make it through another day; another moment without me ·- or someone like me who would care enough "I'm dead. They just haven't buried me yet." Her state of mind was a classic representation of many women living in abusive environments. In every age, ethnic, and economic group there are women confusing love with something that hurts, and they are chained to that-pain in various degrees. Some are held hostage, locked up like caged animals. They don't establish friendships. They don't engage in conversations. They aren't allowed money, clothes, transportation. Some are bound by religion and other practices that are justified with intent to control and camouflage cycles of abuse. Some are ' shattered into tiny pieces by words that explode within them. Some are jailed for defending themselves. Some use drugs as .a defense. Some die! · spirit like· qu~s-and'.'p.uffs iat· ~fl~ 1 ..... :;,. - :",. ,;._ - ~..... : :tzambied?:, of.their•greatness;."J;iTtley don't know thatJ_q~e cloesn't show, itselfin a slap or a ki~k ... ·Gigarette : burns, :clio.~~· holdS"., broken bone.s :-.. denial of food, medicitie;4ind cloth!og~~r:~ -n9t.:_a~ts, of .lov.eL ,. . , . 1· ~ ; ,~, P o(i,-"'flC:t:Wbat-.about ·the czhjl.dren? . A.t·verry' young ag~s .-th~y.,,call .her:: /:bitc;h ,~~J n stead oft mom. !¥.'l,~n they~d,e.n:t..get. :t tieir_w.a.y.tth:ey will hit, kick, scratch, spit and scream at her!r Gl°hese little p~~:.wat.ch; l~ten~t.o.,and-imitate~abU'se. Then the. y grow up '· ·· '· ·,J.,._ · •·' ...~....,; · u:· ....... To the women trying to stay a step ahead of the one Gbsesied-with·hurting her;ifi'eprff chilq_'s ibell~v.ior: is. not;her major cbn~ehi.011..,~cnq ·.>Sb:e{~ ;had the· barrel qf a·gµn push'ech<!J.; i£th her templ.e because she didn't Want -tC>Shal/e; !' . -;P) · sex. ·She';s ·dodged·iron skillets ·becaasetshe.1 'r · ;~ ~­ made meatloaf.il'lstead of chicken.• ·Whd 'is slie? itShe's~or,wittrno. hope otg~tting . oot" - She's ·.• · weaithyiwith a-·sta'ttts to keep: She's in the f'I .... i( middle·class. trying to hold :on·to. "diings":and a- ·". certain. lifestyle'tbat:she's:wor.ked hard-to build. · -· , She's the -unsuspecting·- Ol,lt for the ,., , , evening charmed by a handsome,man she just· '" met one moment - and hiding bruise-s .for the ·.. _ first time in -her life the next She's you she's ' · , me. Who's hurting -them? ... .. A .husband, a boyfriend; a lesbian~ lover. Her father, her brother, an acquaintance, a· . stranger and so-called ex-associates. Some of these women choose to live the abuse their whole lives. Some repeatedly leave - to return to their abusers. For some, running and hiding is the way they stay alive. As discouraging as it is, there are some who become able to change their minds about _ themselves and their place in the world. They notice a moment of truth, latch on, and begin the journey of realizing the truth ·about themselves, and love, with the help of someone who cares enough to lead them by way of chaining the moments. Remembering these women means remembering the needless pain experienced for entire lifetimes, or half lifetimes, or even a day. Remembering the pain means remembering brutal deaths experienced by our grandm~thers, mothers, sisters and daughters. And coming together ih remembrance of these women means knowing that we as · women must continue to grow in truth about ourselves and our place in the world. · Dar~ to care! • "a.I .I ; 'j. J i • /• • •. .....<(.· :.;.;/'" ,_;.:; ,.:--.. •;ii.. I -V ,-:t "1 .1-";_~; l ··d'.··" ,'. viomen· ~-sft&Y,e,·r., ~., b so.. . d. ;,r.:;;1., .. r 6 \0) . : t.~·rE:-. r i.'':/ ·i ~ - .... .> ·; .... ~ i I,,,,;"'; ......1h :-9'·i · '.; :"·'.·· ....,.,., ... ;.·.: qs!;ib z-s··./4:~1 ,.:i. •. f'l..:- ~1 ,.;,4'·f•.... .• "":- • '.. ~ -i.l:~ G -. (fltLr 'tf')~ lT•r")~ :)r" ,' .. ,-; .•.· ;i:; .. ·dJI .: ' .. 1 · ~:;';~ t;~;o~ . i; :'.:.c ;;a~:1 -~;- f-,')!'C.:'.-'ci ~~;,, J •• :.,,,. v: 11' ~-: •.·~;; . . :. :,,· ,, c:(1arH'bil f~ a·})ri!>k~ri <i6$n :~ n~lf.p r, -~ '" 1::S<'k•• ~ 1 :Mycb8dy;Pa1P&atter~ci; 'a:riai r.ao~ l fe~rnS','." .2i':.~c··l1· ;.:.,q i:'nh ~1•·~:. well. 1·~~. gd~·~·l eif o'WWWhfi~d-:r~rY.6lt1l~t ~m heal in 'tltrt~~ ..·ub'.l;: 9C! J n!:11w:u 9 L'!S\l sr-: :i11th::;:; ~<l 1rtifi"tisho~rn~t -1~v::;:-t'.r,ic..,.,.,, s "H '"u ~ 1~. ·• ' ·~~rn ... ·~ . . •... ,, ~m~ ions tney re a:1 . . \; .... locked i li~ld[' ~b snot c.r. ~.;tsq JS: !jrJ f) ] ;;;·:.w .l ;ib:o ,·1·~~}~st, h1t~~1~.:~este'en{~~;: ~~t m~pr,ide~ 0 e p.. J~tReJf~~fi';~,,iiit ~~... .r~2r2~ - -·. r:/,l.o . ,-'!.•,.~wjJx . ti""",.., . ,, h I ~-·~·--~- 1 1 .J Sg ~hitilJ'it' ~JtmJ~\3{. ri-:-'~e"'a\6~ ~\.~j'it{P ....!"Y ~jct> or.--~ '1 1~ ~ , ~·r {'- r" myseJt W: . . . u, 0 ;f,..rL 1,'k~ea !J~~~ alo~e'. ;.-;'1 ,1·~:3·-,; f" 5 ..;, ...... -°'!•"'. •"' .... _,,. it~)~~i.1 ".-u V <"'o ·.:io'i . , . , · ~,( · c::- h!-~i' ~a6~ 1 l'l'i'~~, d~ t~~'~' ' 0 · : 1 l°'"'~ '1S:i' '.-1 !.J'. }i· ,_,.,.- ' ,it_.• l'\ ':-~ °' '1 :. . ,·~ ..,. .,~: ~-? '.'-1>' ,:: - ~ .. ,; ~"! .-,,; p'm~' sta'.ri: afi~~e~r t6i~cii:~lcif1' r~~~ Hef strong. "!.~~·· ,..J.i! . .1 .... :-!·,· ~ , -- .: bt' · · · " .. , · · · · .. " "' · 1 • ...... ; ·.~ ..~-, ..... --~ .•...• - ;~ ' -. "· • ':. 1 •. ' ~ .• ", !;:!~ar[t)x ~~~r: ~'1 1 )/e~qn pa_in:, :·~ ,: , ,:•.· . '. ·1 ... • .. "· . He~l1 mt~.'~~,~~t~ all C?f:~~is Jtrain,.;, . , _ 1 .~ave}o m~riY qu~stions I don't .know were to '-start. " I •-,' • >' • '• The answers ar~ hid.den deep .~ithip my, ~~ . So carry me God help me get on my feet Show me the way. Oon't l~t ~e give in to defeat. Amen Need Help for Domestic Violence? 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431-8717 Welcome House 751-6900 Catherine Boothe (pregnant teens) 961-2604 Alice Paul House (abused women) Second Mile Ministry 684-9354 (women, couples, kids) Lighthouse 961-4080 (youth's shelter) ..... _..;; -~· . - A;- .e·. .a·.1 _1. e·.·r·:e · ft wc;>m~n miS:.siQn,,;1 'm,.gl~. ,she~had;a fq,~ ~f, ~u~jf)ed ,b · "' .r.,·1~ and cut, deep;-.and :then deeper until they feel-compJet_ely:-aloee': Vivid m~!J\Qri~: harden .them.. Sod0t they··learn :to survive _by lylng,:..(:he.ating, :stealing;;dri9king, dr;uggingi and, lashing out.~ -t'~bat -could be worse than thisr'' '• ,- ·. rbi ...-5he .wa,s . riJJ,r;n.b, put~sdmel;\Qw.able. ttb < tre4lf;b :1 ; 1-v.. sh"'·;c~v,,;~ . I.. fo p i he · ·:· L t, '1-j"'"".., ,., " . " . - .kind .. .•..of n·· 'IY .. .,,, , ..,.."" · ""' "" ""' ~ ;) • .., '(VaS.,r1e and remind her of her brilliance. werthless,~helpless, asb~~~k .:iT be:~e~{eeliAgs. wou:ldn't~ b1.1~A ha~ ,tp-5_ay;: W~a~~t.:::;::n b:1;; .<:Ji,) her are ... . �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 STREETVIBES Editorial Page Just·Say No to Child Care Cuts by Lynn Williams On December 17th, the Welfare Rights Coalition led a demonstration against cuts in child care subsidies when Governor Voinovich came to Cincinnati. We protested to let the Governor know he should "do the right thing" and restore the $5 million needed in child care funds for working parents up to 185% of the poverty line. In Hamilton County, women who have left welfare to go to work have already saved the state government $20 million by leaving the welfare rolls. Now the Governor refuses to fund child care to keep these women from going back on welfare. Money is NOT the issue! There is $1 BILLION in the State Rainy Day Fund to be used for emergencies. This is a matter of policy! Governor Voinovich does not perceive poor working women as having any political clout. He even bragged at his Cincinnati meeting that he has had 13 requests for emergency aid, and has never yet relinquished any $$$(our tax dollars!!!) from the Rainy Day Fund. We can only wonder if those 13 requests came from poor people for poor people's survival assistance. So far, Voinovich has shown very little concern ~or poor people's survival in his administration. We notoriously remember him for cutting off IOOO's of single people from General' Assistance, their only means of survival, and Medicaid. Now he has made public statements that he considers child care subsidies will become the "new" welfare!! This is an insult to the hardworking, underpaid low-income women struggling to survive and pay his $100,000 plus salary from taxes. Not to mention the $1 OOO's of dollars spent to fancify the State Capital and hand-out "welfare" for new stadiums! Thanks to the people who braved the cold to rally in unity for the Governor to restore the $5 miilion. Our work is far from over - we need to keep the pressure on Voinovich and other public officials. We will not be silenced on this issue or any other issue that will cut out the poor from getting a "piece of the pie", not the leftover crumbs. We urge you to continue calling and writing Governor Voinovich for an accounting of where our $20 million went, and why $5 million is not coming out of that pot of money. Mandating that women work without providing for adequate child care is not welfare reform; it's a welfare massacre. As we chanted at the protest: "One, two, three, four Stoi:f the war on the poor! Four, three, two, one We won't quit until we've won!" Call Governor Voinovich at 614-466-3555. You can call free from the Contact Center. Write him at: 77 S. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43266-060 I. Text Changed With Author's Permission Ebonics is Not the Answer by Donald Whitehead While advocates like myself are called "bleeding heart liberals" every time we talk about spending funds to solve problems in this country. I don't mind. I've been called worse. I feel I must lend my "bleeding heart" to another issue. This issue is one of the most controversial to reach the African-American community in some time. The issue is Ebonics. I applaud the members of the Oakland school board for their efforts to find an answer to halt the increase of a startling illiteracy rate. I definitely recognize the language barriers that exist between races in this country. However, I believe that the teaching of ebonies may be more harmful than helpful. Ebonics may set a dangerous precedent for African-American students. Although language barriers do exist, African-American students have as much ability to learn English as any other student. Having come from an innercity neighborhood, I am as comfortable talking to people in my neighborhood as I am talking.to corporate heads or elected officials. I believe that children must be taught that they can achieve regardless of where they come from. We as a people must not be distracted from the real issue. The real issue we must focus on is the inequality of resources available for inner-city schools as opposed to those resources available at suburban schools. We need to somehow make a few less bombs, subsidize fewer super corporations and put a little more money into educating our children. Even if E_bonics was the answer to the language barrier, we would still have overcrowded classrooms, underpaid teachers, and crumbling puildings in most cities. Ebonics won't keep community schools from closing or gang recruiters away. What will do those things, however, are legislators made to be more accountable for insuring that education is a priority in the United States. Americorps Houses the Homeless in Cincinnati by David Dietz I spent the year of 1996 replacing floors, fixing pipes, finishing banisters, and becoming better acquainted with d!J~pst.ers. All these jobs and many less glamorous ones were part of my year as an Americorps "Houses the Homeless" member. The Ohio program is administered by the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio, and funded by the Governors Community Service Commission. My jop of housing Rehab work"took place at an organization at which I had previously volunteered called ReSTOC (Race Street Tenant Organization Cooperative). In 1993 I became semi-regular Saturday ReSTOCer. In 1995, I became in intern and moved down to Over-the-Rhine. One of the great aspects of the "Americorps Houses the Homeless" program is that the site receiving an Americorps position interviews and selects their member. Setting up the program in this way allows the sight to choose someone who has previous involvement with the organization and the community. If I had been from another city or state, at the end of one year, I would just be getting acquainted with my job and my community. Since I was already living and working in Over-the-Rhine, my year was much more effective and personal. In the past year, I learned how strong theses old buildings are and how they were put together that way inside and out. I learned about the history of the neighborhood from senior construction staff members and tenants who have been in the community since they were children (Some tenants have lived in the same apartment for 30 +years). I also learned more about the everyday people struggling with homelessness and/or addictions. I learned the truth that people deserve the chance to begin See Americorps page 7 �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Dear Homeless ... our city stronger. Because there's one less homeless person. So I sal!Jte you with the highest level of respect Because we are meeting our goals by Myron Thank You, Myron Dear Myron, Dear Myron, I bought your paper from a vendor last week. I enjoyed it and now have a few questions. Your vendor said he happened to be homeless at the time and that the .funds he received from me would help support his way of living. Explain this please: If he was homeless, how did he get a vendors license without a home address. I'm homeless and I would like to know how I can clean up myself and my clothes some. I would like to be able to walk around without getting unpleasant looks. I'm tired' of getting that from people who don't even know me. I figured this might be what's keeping people from talking to me. What do you think? . Anonymous Signed, Confused Dear Brother in life, Dear Confused, Let me say this first, thank -you for buying that paper from our vendor. He was telling the truth, our goal is to help, the vendor, the reader, the city. When we give a vendor a license, doors open up. He sells the paper to the reader. From that he gets a portion, and earns a living honestly. You the reader get the paper and the valuable information inside. With this you get an opportunity to learn more about the homeless problem in our area. From there' you may make a choice of helping in more ways; meaning through contributions of clothes old or new, time (volunteering your time) or giving or passing information to a friend or someone homeless that just doesn't know. We thru partnership, become stronger, which makes Continued from Americorps page 6 their lives again. A lot of folks aren't familiar with Americorps. At our orientation, we were told that one way of explaining the program to others is to say, "It's like the Peace Corps, but it's a national service corps, not an international one." I feel that statement is a good way to generally describe the program, but it's far from complete. I believe Americorps is the humbler of the two programs. Like Jimmy Stewart, in "It's a Wonderful Life" most Americorps members stay in their communities working on problems they have known their entire life; while their sisters and brothers in the peace corps co.n~ front new challenges and different cultures. Americorps members aren't globe trotters but they've usually got good roots. Americorps could signify a big change in the way our country goes about solving their own problems. I hope it does·. When President Clinton signed the program into law, he touted it as a community driven way of revitalizing our crumbling social and material infrastructure and healing our environment. Unfortunately, since taking office, our President has been under siege and has backtracked or spun 180 degrees on every issue that is close to his heart. For most of 1996, it was unclear whether the program would be funded in the future period. So far, Americorps has survived the budget process. I believe this is due to the program's strengths. The program gives people a start and gets them back on their feet. Americorps members get a small living stipend and an educational award. After a year of service, members j:rave a few thousand dollars I feel warm when I read your story, because I feel you coming back together. Before I answer your question I want to say thank you for sharing and trusting me. Together we could do this step by step. Please continue to write I will be with you all the way. Now if you have the Streetvibes paper turn to the section called Need to Help Want to Help. You will see a listing for the Mary Magdalen House 721-481 I . Now brother call that number and ask to be entered into the computer, this will enable you to use the telephone, receive toiletries, take a shower and will even fix you up with a fresh change of clothes. And the best thing is the clothes you left will be clean for you when you go back. Thank you, Myron to apply toward outstanding student loans or higher educational or vocational training. For many people who have a difficult time saving money for school, the voucher is a great relief. The education award can't be spent for anything besides education so it will be there at the end of the year. Many Colleges and Universities are matching education awards this means after two years of service one could have two to four years of tuition paid. For people who are struggling (or being forced) to get off the welfare rolls or people who have had an experience of homelessness this award can greatly broaden ones opportunities. Americorps slogan is "Getting things done for America". Cheesy or not, it describes the program fairly well. Much of the conservative leadership in our country has a hard time admitting things aren't getting done. important problems aren't being successfully addressed. Drugs and violence are choking our youth. Our cities are crumbling. Addicts and the homeless are misunderstood and shoved to the side. Our environment is being deplorably degraded. When I heard of a national service program that would offer Americannhe opportunity to give of their talent, sweat and hard work in an attempt to solve these problems, I got excited. The politicians who attempted to cut Americorps were trying to deny that America has profound needs that are linked to basic problems. I believe the program is here today because it offers common sense community based solutions, to national problems. The need for this program is undeniable. Was I "Getting things done ... " in 1996? I took part in the completion of a 20 unit project that provides long-term transitional housing for recovering addicts and alcoholics. led stu~ent volunteer crews every Saturday and ; Page 7 UL/ Continued from page 7 and Tender Mercies in order to make way for gentrification projects . 4) Recognize the Over-theRhine Community Council as the legitimate representative of OTR residents and to halt the expensive attempts by ULI to set up a puppet government Only when the threat of gentrification has been quelled and when low-income and homelessness issues are given the attention they deserve by City officials and by members of the business community will it be possible to establish a real medium for consensus-making. The sooner this happens, the sooner there will be real growth in the neighborhood-a balance of rewarding economic growth and attentj,on to the needs of a low-income community. Dear Homeless ... accepts letters. Please send your questions to: Myron c/o Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 We will attempt to answer all letters in a timely manner. helped fill 30 plus dumpsters. A lot Qf !=rud comes out of buildings left vacant by neglectful landlords. I helped with I00 plus tenant repairs cm tenants apartments from replacing broken floor tiles to fixing busted pipes. I helped rehab more than 20 apartments and hauled countless modern stoves and refrigerators up and down narrow turn of the century stairways. I got some things done, but I feel our work as a nation has just begun. I and the 36 other 1996 Americorps Houses members worked full time to help Ohio's homeless to get back on their feet. In many cases, we offered people the chance to live or start their lives anew. What Americorps has meant for me is I have been supported, trained and encouraged while doing the work I love. If you have any questions about the Americorps program or think the program might be right for you call the National office at 1-800-942-2677 or if you are interested in working for the homeless in Ohio call COHHIO at (614) 280-1984. Words of Wisdom by Denise Crew Welcome. While visiting this houseold, please follow our rules -Greet tenderly -Touch gently -Speak softly -Listen lovingly -Share honestly · -Live freely -Love unconditionally We are a gentle, peace filled people, We thank you. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Ho.me/ess Grapevjne_ , PageB The Homeless Are People Too W(\RD ON THE · That's Just a Littl·e Rude ,STREET by Penny Caudle by Donald Whitehead They seem so dreary the problems of today They're taking all the poor people rights , away They've ended welfare,. they've cut SSI, low -income housing programs are in disarray There-are no treatment centers, shelters · ' -are 'shuttin down WE can't even' sleep on park benches even , ,. ' . . , )• ' ·'there ihey push us around · In Atlanta It's really gettirig_a~rk, you might.~ " ' just go. tcr pri_s6n t~~-~le~pi~g'iri the p~r~ , As poor people struggle fro111 town to .. . , . . Leah Danielle (Daughter) Heaven must surely wonder where you have gone By my son's side to keep hini strong · Your·woman sense helps keep him strong Loving wife, mother you reign suprem~ . .town -· . "'...;c: ~ • .. , Short. nights ~f r~~t ~P.~~ ~9 yo,u . 5!~eamf . Th~x.'~~~ -n~~,~t.a~iµ,ms. P.P'ening, ~.r)·d;~:·,, ... ,. i~ In ~y ~re~rt;lS, (di.-;ea!)'l f~r, you ~~!it, :. , , scb,oQ!s. ~no. ~hJ.,lrc.h~s pl9~i.ng. dpwf! · ·· ,"'ff' :..t ~11 .th,e ~re;lf!"!S you ·~~~~m Come true · c':T .If~ ~1 l~rg~..: respc>rJsibility, ..caliing for. your.'· . While they use a poor man tax dollars tG <;·-r~· ' ?'t'"'!: -,,,..-!&! / ·r .;. ~ bailout~~b.~S .._i • .; i; ~· f'C. 1 ; ..,,Lr fa.mi~X ,t ,,,, : .· · - · b i... , f ' '"' ·' . ·:' ,, n·-.., •,;;i·, Doing-all 'to keep .things"rightl.:·i!,) J .~ · I"-: H".. There- not-"buildi'rig hlm-hol!Jse.s there·onlf~' ·:, _:~· ~~~:tJ.:"~ i-"·buirding:.1 j3.il~ ::r'*~'~· -~~ 1 -~ ~ ··j;,_\v ~· 1:, From eady morn·to ~ate, at · nighb-' ), .- Lii~c· ' i , ,l , 1.: fl " 1·; ·< w ~ .. -' r·,l- ' 'J""'l l • Whire'tne" helj:l'payfcirbattl~ship~ '('.' ~~' ca:n-. rt:a y: ~no ··' ·.~---· , ,. " . N o one· 0 1 1 .. bf'wa'.r"-" i;v '' How' de~p' yotfr 1ove can;'r6C:St i ntf gra'w·,;..,.• t.l.,., ...... w t fiav'€ an"it:i-eat' ·_;_, · ,,,~ · c · •• ,, :, - ·· .. .. The~~'t!o1a M8ii~f1:b''heip"illeffi's'e1ve~ isn't ,, ·,: ' ·, • ' ·~ .- I t • 1 • '-L-t "" • , • ., f -·· - ·"·'i(•hJt, ~ ~ "/ ;~ fiJ ••• {_f' ~ ~ ~~ _:'>., • ~., t ·~·r f1 ·~[""{ ('~~\' :)t°1 $. '- ' :-~ ~(it b:·;'t i .,~nJl~..l?le .~nymore,, ., ~· .. q·'"~v ,. · w~H~;,w~· ~~s~~g PO<?r; ~~!P ~ar, 4.r;pi~J~_,,.fa ,rn T ' ,,._, , •· ::#tl£:.:.J<.1' . n_ O'row a11v. food.. ..' , ,.- -. -• ,.,;., · .;, -o • • t to,1CJ ~ ... / .;.., '~ •. .,_ Thr9yg~.. ¥-~4r ..sN11!.ng §.m i.L~J:~,.e~.1s ·"iifb ,:~ri - Th~}(fr~ \he A..l\~~s .who a~e .starvir.ig a,~dJioiv · rt1 ... .........Cl •. st a· l'1ttle rude'''· . . ..· --.' "' <:5ff10fl 1rf.tCl;.. ·,.·f4 .. ·. ' ... . ·~·- .,,,·~ ,..,_ . .,., ,.. ~·<'i.. The daughter my son cb,,~~e-J.Qfi m0e,::i11s:H0~ ~}. r~t\J1 5;~i~~' ~W~ 1~f;..n~i~fk1'3Sd ,9qr.:n ·wn k· ~t, ··-~i ,~\.... ; ""v~·•.ri?- ....,; r;- r·rr~('\N ~~ .,..... ,.. .,· f-t;t:7 ~- wrOrjg~ ~.: ~ ; ,.~ ·~ -N ~ •• ~ ~ ~> :- ·".:rbelieve what we ne·ed to' do is help them. We think we do~ b..ut..the~ti:uth, ~~ ,~hat we just .~... m~ke it worse. W:e'7is1aB dojng\hai"'by b¢1ieving " in them. If you keep telling a person that they are stupid after so long they staFt\l;ieli~f~[ng•. t'1.~t · We _have ,d9wn_ed ,o~ thes~ pe°"_p_le_ fo~ so l?ng they ha\lt{no-f.Htlf irnh-enj selves: · 1f you have no f.ti'th~then::rou"wilr ~o~'.be _able to .'gi:!J,any-' thin a8ne~ S6''tli~ fi'rs't 'tliing ,;;e·<:1o"is'pelp·· g ,~...,, ·~.) ~Y" r·:• them to:-get ' th~ir · f.ci·ith'!>;tck., _help 'them ~a· ··. · ~ ,: belie~~ again~" 'o f' Co~rse t'n'i t will riot g~t ih~m -' . a b~tte"rl l\fe' righiawa~; l:>tJi~it 'will g~(the.;,"I; :·' ":-' j h " r>""""I ·'f"'-' • f.0:-c. - - -'• . - . - , '.. started.::;~--~::::rc:-1 ~;::.c;, ''·_':: 4q \ •H 'Jf" ")' ,,. , • '·:: ·;• ' ) . ~u1 '. . .J '·" A lot of thepedpib 'that 'are1'J'ior1i'~less' haYe.:..i .. .,.... ' .. a ·' : ... _-, that ihe'fneE!ia1 'cJofiol-~io'1lJi~~ttiehf.1 ·Y {fii'nk'':":ri ;:: pr~ -:.•c't:- t-.- ... r J "'~~ 1~ J"'"l 1": '-')di'){' n~·(;r..,;~1~ U the governrneHc~hcSUld gr(e sqme rponey to .1 have these1 p'eoP,fe .s~il'~'t9~ pili1e t'b'-lh'~lpJii"'t;f1):' 0 ~' I am no!-iali<ilfg!1nHfl:it}~r1;; ~Lt ~a::fi6spital?;' t-'1:1.t:~ ~' '"3.t.Q I' t 'f'~ ';; ci1 ~ ·:uJl .'N "''1~'HW 1Hh ,•;ch . ·111, ~·~.-~ " 1~1ust t> tne peop eon t e. str~ets av~ . ""' , 1 had soffi'el<rn!:i~t mi:k'lh'iirmt'~R~nll l:l\J'il~~n un: They could have l~st a jop pr had a jo~ thai f.d'!~ would ncft ~ly tH~lffi8~f R~~ci¢~ft6¥-:rt~ bills. \tiies~·peopf&H~~~PS"c:ri'J9f i~~6_1 r1~1f ')m 9 .,1x"" a.· ,o ~ j11 1·~w-rl, ~irJ~ r,f.,t~(! OJ U~.? U't~t ~ ~)n.6~9 ""!1[) )~ training: • - - , ·"' <,, i. --~--; - ~;-· t "'- t ..... ~ ... ;.!-~ ~t ... ~,..fAr.-•"t- ., • roblerfu' ~ittfdtin ki'ri'g"6t ',Cl rugt' :T'h'en'th_e · • ~ ~eed fittll!~ n1b"re'.'lierp':':VVi\~f'r?iffi'·i~riifg".fs 1 An d t at s 1or rea ."clnivi; ;·, ;·i 0 - 1 ~r'""' Because wit~ yQ,u W.' P ,all ca~,. fe_~J .... ~ ·-1 ~f'} -- ~') ~I i.f J~, i!.:..;2 1.6..~ i~ ' ~.-:.< :·; CJ v j~· ~-s.~ . ' .... l. ,. : \ • .. obrcan ~ r·· -, ,&~o~~~wea-pon; • . If there is a homeless person on the street you are walking on what do you do? If you are walking. past a homeless person and they drop a bag, that they are having trouble picking up, what do you? If you said you would cross the street or walk ·away from the homeless pe.rson, just, because_ they,.. are .hom, eless you. .,. , are so.. ·' ..,. "'*"' ... ., ." . - ,.. . I;,_;!.• 11. in-:ef '1~~( . e -fn~~a 't,i~<Ypt~th1{t·: lla\te' 'ti~d: tij~ tRLid ir.m ho<:»cr~lri7J''~m1fJt ~ilA 1d~11&g_'\Y,tlfihal ' ~ 'w8u1d:: h'e ~d,a·;~4ici!1Y&~ttt>F?;i!ricf nf~~-b~-- )~ This · c1asses·tfo1t wiltfietp' illt!il; Ciea(wif1f~l1efr'pafr1,' :·· , their th"bllgfiis," and"(~~lin'M ~)·n {})~,.,,_,,. ,;,:-, :--,,,, "1 by Tom Mulioy· · • . . • - ~ •• \j ,._. s.,,( r ~ .,,,_r_ .. ':~ l!::n; ·,·,:; • "Jt"i .t•('' .·;. ''.J ,_ ,:_,{ ~ ·,J;..' I c~n;t c~uni the num.b~r· oftimes fve -· y1 heard _low income, peopJ~)~~in~i~n~~i s;~y ;t hat there's no way to ~in in ,cou,g ~gai.ns.t pe9ple .. With money. lt'~hey W,a nt you Ol;Jt you ~ett~~ "Start packing. Don't even think about winning in Tenant Landlord Court. Now I grew up in Washington D.C. In D.C. nobody even knows who the big money people are. Big money isn't what makes things happen. The people who have schwang are the ones who know how to work the system. Most of these people don't have a hell of a lot of money... some of them are downright poor. What makes them powerful is that they know how to work the system. They know ~ow to get out the troops .. .lean on city council...push stuff through the courts until their cases get to a high enough court that the judges make decision based on law and fairness, not on who 'they play golf with. Buddy Gray was a D.C. style activist. He was aggressive ... abrasive ... his enemies hated his guts. But he got the job done. His people ...the poor...the homeless ... had a champion who never let them down. But Buddy is gone now. People like Buddy are awfully scarce in Cincinnati. The people he helped are going to have to learn to start helping themselves. With rich developers trying to throw all the low-income renters 0ut of places like Over the Rhine it's time to get active or get packing. For what it's worth here are some suggestions. The first thing to remember is not to be afraid or pessimistic if your faced ~i~h a la~d~ 1 .' ~ • " • ~; ); . ,t.:, ~fC·~ ,j'°{'t.\~"1 - ~"I•/ .. '·" ·c, )-"'-·.' ~ -:1,,; I I ~ ,, ..-:{ lord whe,would ,ljke t~' p~t.yotJ'~on the bricks. A ) lot of land.lords-.co1.mt on ·the fact ,tha·t ·low- ' · "'· iv incor.ne renters will be ignorant' of their, rights ·, 1' .,. and afraid to go to court. This allows a·iot· o.f. ~· .. •;: unfair -actions -against low income renters. .. ,, .... ..,.,..., A perfect example of people being frightened out oftheir homes occurred during ''Big money isn't what makes things happen. The people who have schwang are the ones who know how lo work the system." the emptying of the El Rancho Rankin. The word was spread among the tenants, probably originating with the employees, that people who weren't out of their apartments by midnight would be handcuffed and taken to jail. Their belongings would be set on the curb. I know enough about the law to realize that the rumor was ridiculous. No eviction papers had been served on me. The only court action was directed against the management of · the facility. If I were arrested and jailed and my belongings put on the street I would have had a really colossal false arrest and illegal eviction lawsuit. I hoped that I would be dragged to jail. · But, just to be sure, I asked one of the Hamilton County Deputies who was stationed in the El Rancho parking lot. He explained that the _deputies were only there to mai_!'tain o~der. : · "ffi~::ma:in<1:h'irig tAii~e· ri~~i:l ·~~'db~iJii~v~:-"~ faith. we-:a11 i. need ' t:o.,do'olinllar~'tcf fi'el~ ,,)"'.") -~ these·p«fo~le• .( ..,,;4;11. . the~'n~~d i~l ~ 'lihl~~iai~h· ii'!.~=-~~ . µJ· · .... ...., ..... _ ..... ,_ :.., ~ -,.~ -~ ~ them selves; and' 1teople·that wi11-be there for them. "They neecl' ia(riendly"pla~e to turn 'just likethe 'r est'ofus>'·, ,._,,, ·~-.. '- c: · c They were 'af~id that the· t~n~~ts ·.~ight be so angry that they might lynch the staff or burn the place. _As it occurred'! was one of the only tenants to,ask the_ClepiJties wily they were there. Maybe a lot of the tenants were afraid that they would be cuffed on the spot or have their ID- run turning up some old capias for traffic violations or parking tickets. I was careful to be polite with the Deputies when I spoke with them. I wasn't jumping up and down and screaming accusations. The Deputies, in turn, showed no desire to run my ID for warrants ... they didn't even ask my name. They were helpful. They don't make a lot of money. They were sympathetic with bunch of low income people being forced out of their homes. I'm not saying that all law enforcement people are your good buddies. God knows there are plenty of racist, sexist, violence prone pigs. But the vast majority of cops and deputies in a nonviolent situation involving something like a tenant landlord dispute will respond to a polite question with a polite and truthful El Rancho Continued on page 10 �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine CLEVELAND HOMELESS GRAPEVINE Homeless Set for Trial Against City of Cleveland by Max Johnson On October 4, 1994, members of the homeless community with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union as well as the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless filed a law.suit against the City of Cleveland to seek protection from the cou11s for a policy by the City of Cleveland of dumping homeless people. on the outskirts ofthe city. Four homeless individuals were wtlling to risk possible police retaliation and put their names on this lawsuit to reverse this unconstitutional policy of picking up and dumping homeless people. This dumping was not confined to these four individuals, but they were the four that were W;illi.ng tO stand up for their rights to freely r;nove in the downtown . area·. After: two years of depositions arid an e~tremely~ difficulJ: _di$.cov.ecy. process, tbe City of Cleveland .refused to settle this .lawsuit, and a tri~l -~ate ha~ been set for ' February I8, 1997. ·· . ·. T he ,homeless ~Jld _tbe ACLU contend that , to combat a perceived panhandling prob1em in the Downtown area and the flats they set .a police van aside to pick up. homeless people against their will, and transport them to distant locations (usually off the bus route). Brian Davis, Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless said, "This was not confined to a few rouge police officers, but a broad policy to deliver the message that panhandling is unacceptable in Cleveland. This was an attempt to use extra legal measures to slam the door on panhandling because of its impact on downtown businesses." One of the plaintiffs has said that not every homeless person was dumped during this time period. He claims that the city set up "sacred ground" in which panhandlers and homeless people were not welcome. These off limit sites include Gateway stadiums, the Tower City Center side of Public Square, and the Flats entertainment district. The City said in its memo to police announcing th is policy that it was an attempt to deliver the "less fortu nate" to needed services. This despite the fact that the van was "delivering" homeless people to services at 4:30 p.m. when very few homeless services are open. Some of t he police officers did not li ke t he policy, but were told t hat City Hall demanded that t hey "remove" homeless people fro m these high t raffic areas, according to one of the plaintiffs. A deposition of former Third District Commander Martin Flask was recently completed. The ACLU is planning to subpoena Cleveland Mayor Michael White. They are asking for a jury trial, and will seek damages for the four named plaintiffs as well as a commitment from the city that dumping will never be policy again in Cleveland. Page 9 Domestic Violence Solutions in Cleveland by Melissa W. very jealous. If a guy looked at me he would get mad and start calling me derogatory names. It Domestic violence has proven to be a major was mostly verbal abuse at the beginning." cause of homelessness both in Cleveland and "Then it got worse. I learned to cope with nationally. Every year, literally thousands of the different abuses as each one was dealt, and at battered women fleeing violence to protect t_be same time I was becoming isolated from my themselves and their children are forced to live in friends and family. While the battering was shelters or on the streets. happening I felt too embarrassed to tell my Statistics show that in America 1500 women parents and friends about it. His parents wita year are killed by an abusive male partner. nessed the violence but chose to ignore it." Equally disturbing is the fact that domestic In desperation Dawn looked in the televiolence is the greatest cause of serious injury to phone directory and found a hodine number for domestic violence victims, which put her in touch American women, and that roughly 21,000 domestic crimes against women are reported with Templum House. every week. There are more than one million . "I was terrified of going to a shelter. I assaults, murders and rapes in a year. It is estithought it would be like living in a gym with lots of mated that, including unreported crimes, there cots everywhere and with all sorts of strange are an estimated 1.8 to 4 million incidents of people in them, but it's not like that at all," Dawn domestic violence a year. Sources vary.on the remembered.· ''The staff at the shelter.was really · estimates. · kind and the residents were very nice.·· I think my There are many complex issues surrounding children, who [were] aged three and four years at ·domestic violence, such as: Why do women stay the time, thought it was like a vacation . .They in a violent relationshipl Why do men batter? .would ask when we were going home." Why does the court system seem to 1et abusers "I couldn't stay with any of my friends or:off lighdy? And should domestic violence become re@tives, or even tell them where I ~ going a crimin~I act against the State, like Child molest~ · because there was a chance my husband would ing? ' find me. He calls my mom to try and·find out When a woman is faced with a life threatenwhere l'rnliving." ing abuser, she may only have the option of living DaWll wanted to press charges at the time in a shelter or on the streets in order to escape of her escape, but later, after fearing for her and the violence. As a safety precaution, they often her children's safety, she thought it would be have to leave behind their siblings, friends, homes ·better to ,b~ .left alone. , and jobs in order to start fresh in a new part of She said, ''The woman is always in a difficult tovin. -Moving out oh.violent household and ·.· position. tfshe presses charges $he runs the risk staying with a friend or.relative doesn't always ofbeing atticked by her abu~e,r.. If sorne0ne else, .... 'tead :to successful n~w ~rt. · The batte~r usually . ;such ·as thiState, were allow~ to bring charges .· . · krlows Where to ,find his victim and WiA ~Uy do · "· agaii)st:tier'abuser, even if she refuses, then again . ' whatever it takes-to convinc:e her to come~back ·the abuser ~I blame her. II'.' ·the eyes'. ofthe~ ·. to him. .When she does, he continues to abuse . ·batterer it~~, always his partner's'fauit.". .. her ~ physically, verbally, sexually or em.otion~lly. Oawrf stayed at the shelter for two months · Michelle Clay, Domestic Violenc;:e coordinaand then sh~ spent a year in Family Transitional tor for the East Side Emergency Shelter in housing. Dtiring this time she has gained help Cleveland, explained how difficult it is to help from one qf,Templum's many counseling provictims who have jobs: ~'If a woman wants to grams. Tert'Plum House saw the need to provide make a clean break from an abusive partner, then a good sup.port network for women after they unfortunately, she may have to give up her job made the initial escape from an abusive partner. because her abuser will follow her from her work The additional support has been instrumental in to her new home so that he can harass her again." helping women live independently from a vi01ent There are seven shelters in Cleveland which partner. 'We realized more had to be done t~ just cater to homeless women and their children. Two of these shelters have comprehensive providing beds in the shelter, because once the support programs to help victims of domestic women and children left the shelter they wer,e violence. returning to their homes and their violent partTemplum House is one such shelter and its ners because they had nowhere else to go," said Executive Director, Diana Cyganovich, said that Cyganovich. "We aim to keep women and children together. We encourage women, during her ten years with the agency she has seen a rise in the number of victims seeking refuge at through our support network, to help them the shelter. "When I started here we were not become independent. A staff member will go full for weeks at time, but now we don't have with the victim's children to make sure they are empty beds for more than a day or two. When enrolled in their new school." ' they are empty it's because a family has just left," It has been some time since Dawn escaped she said. her violent husband. She has, with the help from Every year, T emplum receives over 17,000 T em plum, successfully started a new life for :'"· crisis calls from women in the local area. The herself and her children in a new home, w.hiCh she shelter's legal help program serves over 1,500 is renting to own. Furthermore, she has ret urned women, and helps around 500 women to take to college and is proving to be an excellent their batterers to court. student. Dawn, who is 24-year-old mother of two, Unlike many cases, Dawn's had a positive had been physically battered and verbally abused ending. But it seems that if a victim wants to lead by her husband for six years. In 1994, she finally a non-violent life she has to give up everything ,to found the strength to say enough is enough when stand a chance of gaining it. her husband turned his abusive attention to their And if a woman stands up and fights her , two young c~ildren. case, not only does she run the risk of log~-;r Dawn·~~elationship with her husband life, but sl:Jt1las to struggle with a court · ... ' started off o~: s~emingly normal terms. "If I'd that is ·i~ ~king up to the issue and known what signs to look for, then I could have society'-$ att'ltude towards violence within prevented the relationship. At first he was just home. · ./ '1 ./ ,: �STREETVIBES I "I- f I The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine , Page 10 Memorial March Pays Tribute to Gray by Spencer Wells There were probably more people in the room at the Drop Inn Center than would comfo rtably fit un de r no rmal ci rcumstances, but today people wanted to be close and share their memo ries and their grief. Friends of buddy's passed along narrow paths between knots of folks talking quiet ly, shaking hand s, hugging, crying, comforting. One woman came up to me and said, "You gave me shock. From the back, I thought you was buddy. The last time I saw him [he] was laying there, not moving." Staff of the Drop Inn Center were slipping into new T-shirts bearing buddy's likeness and the message: WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED. The march stepped off promptly at Noon from 12th and Elm with the words "Buddy would have loved this" and a thousand people set forth to walk the streets lined with hand painted posters, escorted by police who stopped traffic and followed respectfully by the media. The pace of the march varied, speeding up when the street was wide and slowing to a crawl when folks bunched up on narrow side streets, lined with buildings that ReStoc and other community organizations had strived to save. O ve r one thousand people marched through the streets of Over-theRhine in tribute t o buddy gray. Photo by Brewster Rhoads. The crowd of black, white, poor and middle-class folks walked largely in silence, often with heads bowed, joyless ... but determined. "Jobs" said one sign on a building. "JUSTICE" cried out another sign. "Housing NOW" proclaimed a second floor banner. We passed a community garden and a number of small and large churches as we wound our way to Washington Park, where buddy's friends gathered to remember his life and their struggles. At a gazebo in the park, speaker after speaker called upon the crowd to take up the fight that buddy had put down so suddenly and so involuntarily. The choir sang "We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest." Buddy's El Rancho Continued from page 8 answer. If a law officer is being really disrespectful don't get agitated. Make a mental note of his car number or name or badge number. (If a cop is being hostile it's best not to demand his name and badge number. This will most likely make things worse.) Politely excuse yourself for bothering him and then report him. If all you do is get mad and walk off bitching about the "system" nothing is going to change. The next thing you need to do is ask questions. Some landlords who want you out will try to bluff you with bogus eviction actions. Other landlords might let your building get so run down that it's uninhabitable and try to get you out that way. Some might just tell you that you have to be out of the building tomorrow or they'll put you out. None of these tactics are legal. So, if something looks fishy, call legal aid, or t he U.C. Law school Tenant Project, or the Coalition for the Homeless. Call right away. Time is really impo rtant. Be persistent. Burn up the phone. If legal aid is overloaded, as it often is, they will at least tell you who else you can call. Another crucial point is to be sure t o go to court. Even if you don 't think you have a defense. Give it a shot. You 'll at least be allowed to explain your side of the situation on t he record. Some people are scared to death to go in front of an eviction judge. The best example I can think of comes, once again, from the El Rancho. One of the tenants told me that in a pervious case of his the judge sentenced him to two months but suspended the sentence since he had moved out and paid his back rent. I never could figure out where that guy had been but it wasn't Hamilton county Landlord-Tenant court. In the first place the landlord-tenant court is a civil court run by a referee ... not technically even a full fledged judge. T & L court doesn't "You can bet that once they throw out your neighbors they will be coming for you." send people to jail. The worst they can do if you appear is evict you which is what they would do if you didn't appear. If you went berserk in Tenant-Landlord court you probably be found guilty of contempt and jailed. But if you went berserk on the sidewalk in front of th e court house you'd probably get t hrown in jail. Some people worry t hat they might be arrested for some traffic or parking tickets if they appear in Tenant-Landlord court. All I can say is I've never seen anybody collared there ... and I've been th ere pretty often. Civil courts like T & L don 't have the time o r money or mandate to pull the police records of all the peo ple who come t hrough. I doubt I'd appear if I was wanted for bank robbe ry but otherwise you 're prett y safe. A lot of people in t his town t hink that if you don't have money you don't stand any chance in court. So why go? Hamilton County T & L court is pretty pro-landlord. But if you have a valid case you will more than likely be scheduled for a trial in aggrieved brother compared buddy's life to the life of Jesus. In a moving speech, the director of the Drop Inn Center which buddy founded in 1974, told the crowd a story about a media personality who told her cameraman, "Oh, that's nobody" referring to a Drop Inn Center employee. The director went onto say that no one makes sure that the hungry are fed, that the light bills are paid and that the homeless are brought in from the cold. "We are all no one." Buddy's life was seized and destroyed by a neighbor and former client of the Drop Inn Center who came into buddy's office and shot him-ostensibly to stop the voices in his head that told him to kill buddy front ah-ioealjudge. If the referee bends~ law to rule in favor or the Janc:ttorct;afleast your side is on the record and you can appeal. The important thing is that you should attend their hearings. Especially now when big money developers are trying to evict masses of low income renters out of areas like Over-theRhine. A referee might hand down a bogus ruling or two to help out the big money boys. But the same referee will think twice about handing down ten or twenty bad rulings in a short span of time. He will look bad. He will get reversed on appeal. He might get a bad rating when he runs for judge. And believe it or not some referees want to do the right thing. I've seen referees ask questions to clarify the tenant's case so that they can rule for the tenant. In the end, even if you get a bad deal...get screwed real good in court ... wind up evicted, at least you've added to the numbers. Big numbers of bad cases are a lot more likely to co me to t he attention of a higher court or the state legislature. You neve r know. Five years down t he line that big batch of rotten cases might get reexam ined. You might be compensated for what happened. There are some really good civil liberties lawyers who make it t heir business to end legal abuses and get compensation for the victims. It's a long shot but the lottery is a long shot and people play that eve ry day. Finally, get active in your community... especially if t he developers are making a move. There's strength in numbers so join your community council. If you find the developers are trying to evict a building full of your neighbors, get active. Picket, write letters, raise a fuss, get some media attention. You can �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine · Page 11 Is It A Crime to Be Homeless: Part Two by Leslie Horner C inci nnat i Police O fficer questions ho m e less people in Washington Park. On the home front, the United States is in the midst of a crisis. Just before elections last year, President Clinton signed a bill which states-among other blows to the nation's poor and homeless population-that no new government subsidies for housing will be issued this year, and there is no reason to believe that will change in the future. This comes at a time when we are already faced with a scarcity of affordable housing. In Cincinnati, there are 1,800 men and women without homes, 635 emergency shelter beds to accommodate them, and 323 transitional housing units. Other cities around the country are challenged by similar or even greater gaps in affordable housing. Oakland, California has between 4,000 to 8,300 without homes, with an astounding 290 emergency shelter beds(+ 60 in the winter) and 430 transitional housing units to address the problem of homelessness. Since there is this gap between the number of affordable homes available and the number of people in need of homes, it is common sense that those who fall through the cracks and do not find assistance will have no other choice but to make their home on a sidewalk, or in a park, or in an alley, or anywhere else they can feel relatively secure. It also seems obvious that we as citizens and public policy-makers need to work towards creating long-term practical solutions to the number of homeless people we encounter on our streets. Instead, there has been a national trend towards making homelessness a crime, with the adoption of anti-homeless policies and selectively enforcing_existing criminal laws and ordinances. In. December of 1996, The National Law Center of Homelessness and Poverty published a study called Mean Sweeps-A Report on Anti-Homeless Laws, Litigation, and ·Alternatives in 50 United Sta~es Cities. The study looks at civil rights violations against homeless individuals, and case studies in fifty major cities, including four major cities in Ohio: Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. After interviewing homelessness and housing advo~ cates in each of the 50 target cities, the study verified that there is a national trend of creating new anti-homeless ordinances against actions such as sleeping in public places, loitering, and panhandling. For example, Cincinnati has passed ordinances making it illegal to "obstruct" sidewalks and other public ways (i.e. sitting in doorways, resting against a building). Begging in certain areas of the city and "aggressive" . panhandling [to be defined by whom?] have also become criminalized. Yet actions which are trying to prevent the need for begging, such as selling items on public transportation-formerly a major sale area for Streetwise, another homeless newspaper_:have also been prohibited in cities like Chicago. The specific areas in which these ordinances are most strongly enforced are areas of high people-traffic, and especially business areas. Mean Sweeps, in examining ordinances and civil rights violations in Alabama, stated that "the business community . ... believes that the sight of homeless people adversely affects commerce, and is a motivating force behind the recent 1 ordinances." This sentiment seems to be expressed by city officials and wealthy businessowners nationwide, as the general effect of each anti-homeless ordinance is to drive homeless individuals out of sight of the general public. Out of sight, out of Mind?! The actions that are targeted in this national law-making trend are actions that result from very basic human needs. Without a home, and when shelters are filled , where else can a person sleep, but in public places? Battling physical illness, mental confusion, or fatigue, what can a person do but loiter? Experiencing the day-to-day reality of federal, state, and local cutbacks in funding for social service programs, what can a person do but ask another person for spare_change? Let's pretend, just for fun, that these ordinances-and the selective enforcement of laws such as public intoxication-are not blatant infringements on every American's (homeless or with a home) constitutional right. Then, what is the point? What are they accomplishing? They certainly are not cost-effective, considering the costs of police time and resources. The average cost, in 1993, of "housing" someone in jail (not including processing costs) was slightly higher than the cost of providing transitional housing (including food , transportation, and counseling services). [Information from U.S. Dept. of Justice and U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development] The court costs of civil rights challenges to the ordinances alone will reach phenomenal levels. - I . Secondly, the ordinances only provide shortterm answers for the problem of homelessness, and actually create barriers to self-sufficiency. I Ottaway Washington Death Still Under Investigation I by Donald Whitehead :; /' Though death is a reality for all that are born in the world, sometimes it seems that by some act of kindness, it c;ould have just possibly been prevented. The nightmare of day to day existence for homeless individuals in this country are even scarier in the winter. The winter brings new demons to deal with and new dangers to avoid. Sometimes those demons catch up and the dangers are unavoidable. On an evening in December, Mr. Ottaway Washington was discovered unconscious and bleeding in an alley by a security guard at Tender Mercies a transitional housing facility for hom·eless individuals suffering from mental illness. The security guard flagged down a police car and informed an officer of Mr. Wash ington's situation. The officer preceded on his way promising to check out the situation. Several hours later the security guard, making his rounds again, was shocked to find Mr. -Washington lying in the exact same place in the exact same position, there was one difference however. This time Mr. Washington was dead. Mr. Washington's death seems to have been to say the least preventable. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless has asked I the Cincinnati City Council and the Safety Director for a full scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Washington's I death and the conduct of the offic~r that received the report on his conditfon. Our office received a response from Mayor Roxanne Qualls promising t tlat our request for a full scale investigatio~ would be honored. At press time calls to the Safety Director's office were answered with informat ion stating that the investigation was being handled by the Internal Investigations Unit. ·/ I �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 Catch the Streetvibes Cable Show and Radio Hour Vendor Profile: Berta-lambert by James Heath "-._ Berta Lambert is our STREETVIBES vendor of the month for February. Berta has strong ties to the Over-The-Rhine community where he is a current resident and so-cial _ activist. In addition to being a top STREETVIBES vendor, Berta remains active in many social causes that bring attention to the plight of the poor and the disenfranchised in his community. Some of Berta's notable past accomplishments include walking in the Great Peace March across America, the Poor Peoples March to Columbus, ana carrying the Olympic . Torch this past year. Selling STREETVIBES gives him the freedom to be vital as a community activist and make a living at the same time ... Thanks to Those Who .Helped We would like to thank all those who helped make th is-first issue of Streetvibes a . success. Jerry Galvin and Amy Dwyer of Galvin Kemper Advertising helped with the new design for the paper an d gave helpful hints on layout. Bob Bullock of RJ Bullock Consulting helped us with the computer end of the layout and helped us out of a tough spot when our computer broke down. Dan Weitzel of Press Community News is our contact at the printers and has given us good advice on printing the paper. Tom Choquette and Kristi Schulenberg of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Campaign for Human Development gave us a generous grant to subsidize the paper in its early stages. Most importantly, the paper is a result of the dedicated vendors on the Street Newspaper Committee_and the Homeless Coalition Staff who have provided the energy and ideas to make this dream a reality. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is proud to announce "Street Vibes," a talk show dealing with issues related to homelessness has began airing in the Greater Cincinnati area. The show is hosted by Donald Whitehead and features people who experience homelessness first hand, either through their work, or through actually being homeless. The show is filmed live every second Monday of the month. The staff at Cincinnati Community Video have given rave reviews on the shows' first three episodes. The Coalition also has started a live radio program that can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. This show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Pat Clifford, and Donald Whitehead. Both of these projects along with "Street Vibes the newspaper are the Coalition's continued effort to bring issues causing and effec~ing homelessness to the public's awareness. If you would like to help with show ideas, be a guest, or write a story please contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 4 21-7803. The following is a list of viewing dates for the cable show in February. Channel 7 Live February I0: 7:00 p.m. _ Channel I0 Taped February 3: 6:30 p.m. February 6: 9:00 a.m February 9: 4:00 p.m. February 16: 4:00 p.m. February 27: · 9:00 a.m. Streetvibes Radio, WAIF 88.3 fm February 8: 12 noon ' Homeless Memorial a Chilling Reminder by Leslie Horner Homeless Memorial Day is a time set aside for people who are with or without homes to recognize the fact that many Americans suffer living on our streets. In an age which seems to be increasingly dictated by comfort, we Americans usually find no shortage of things to complain about-not finding a parking space close to the mall; having to wait fifteen minutes in the check-out lane at the grocery;' etc. On December 19, a night with temperatures close to zero, about thirty people gathered in Washington Park, trying to squeeze into the circle to feel the warmth of the shanty-style fire, squinting half in pain at the wind and half in pain at the glaring light of a television camera. · Not one person spoke of his/ her discomfort. Dr. Robert Donovan, from the Homeless Health Van, read a list of nineteen names of people who either died on the streets or died as advocates for Cincinnati's poor. He spoke slowly, pausing for peoples remembrances-silent or spoken. These men and women died without homes , or died struggling to ensure the basic right of homes for all. Richard Bachelor James Murphy Owen Byrnes Ernie Mynatt Susan Byrnes Grace Raines ---- ester Clark RaySh~e~pra arrcr-~~-=-~~~~- Ricky Cobble James Smith William Cooper TC Stewart Frank Espy William Tapp buddy gray Ottoway Washington Kenneth Joiner EE Williams Ricardo Lopez Some of the names were easily recognized by all; others were known to just a few. All names were greeted with humility, because each one of these people never had the luxury of worrying of the things that trouble the rest of us. Still Needed We are still in need of several items to make our operation run 'more smoothly: Stories and Letters, on IBM disk if possible Volunteer Typists and Copy Editors, people with access to IBM computers Copier Mini Van to Transport Vendors Funds to Buy Aprons and Badges for the Vendors, aprons cost $6 each and badges cost $1 each Advocates gather before a warming fire for Homeless Memorial Day 1996. Photo by Berta Lambert. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1997 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Language A language of the resource English Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper Text Any textual data included in the document - Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource February 1997 Vol 1, issue 1 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 1997 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Issue covering: commemorating buddy gray, homeless shelter issues, homeless narratives Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Penny Caudle Pat Clifford Denise Crew David Dietz Mary Ann Gleason Jude' Haley Leslie Horner Tom Mulroy Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Shaddon Melissa Tuckey Kate Uhlir Spencer Wells Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"></a><br />This work is licensed under a<span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Relation A related resource - Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper Type The nature or genre of the resource PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context - Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant - Bonnie Neumeier buddy gray David Dietz Denise Crew domestic violence Donald Whitehead Gregory Payton homeless Jude' Haley Kate Uhlir Leslie Horner Lynn Williams Mary Ann Gleason Melissa Tuckey Pat Clifford Penny Caudle Shaddon shelter Spencer Wells Tom Mulroy