1 10 291 https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/006c61bf59952308bc66fd63cfd39736.pdf d54539c390c258bcdd1c266e900194c5 PDF Text Text STRUGGLE TO SAVE DROP INN CENTER INTENSIFIES by Susan Knight, Drop Inn Center Staff The struggle for the right to self-determina­ tion escalates as plans to relocate the Drop Inn Center continue amidst a new push by Councilmember Charles Winburn to "revitalize" Over-the-Rhine. The Arts and Education board who is leading the push to create a new School of the Creative and Performing Arts surrounding Music Hall, met Tuesday, March 2nd at Memo­ rial Hall. The discussion was heated as Pat Clifford, General Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center and Arts and Education board member, demanded to know why he was not informed of the decision to relocate. The plan bypassed the facility committee in which Pat sits and went directly to the media. Bonnie Neumeier also expressed concern, "The community is upset that we have let this happen. I feel as if we are just tokens on this board, when what we were told is that we were here to represent our communi_ty. Well, we have not been treated like that. No one has asked us how to incorporate this huge arts center into the community. No one has listened to our concerns." The discus­ sion moved to anxiety over funding as the City has expressed worry over whether the Nannie Hinkston house and the other transitional housing, which has already been awarded Federal funding, but is located across the street from the Drop Inn Center, will be there in the next couple of years. Although, it is important to note, these buildings are not part of any of the proposals for the new School of Creative and Performing Arts. The board agreed that some of the actions taken, regarding releasing the proposals to the media prior to informing Pat Clifford, were inappropriate. It was agreed and voted on that the next meeting would be held at the Drop Inn Center and that all 5 proposals, one of which does not include the Drop Inn Center, would be seen. The board has since wavered on this decision to hold the May 4th meeting at the Drop Inn Center and it is unclear as to whether such a meeting will take place earlier in April or Music Hall, located in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. photo by Jimmy Heath whether the board will meet as usual at Memo­ rial Hall on May 4th. The Drop Inn Center expresses the importance of community pres­ ence wherever the meeting is held and should have more information closer to the date. The hearing to discuss what to do with Over-the-Rhine's abandoned buildings is putting added pressure on the Drop Inn Center. Chris Frutkin, a for-profit speculator, testified that the Drop Inn Center and ReSTOC owned 34 of the abandoned buildings in Over-the-Rhine and that we were a major problem to positive community development. Mary Burke, director of the Over­ the-Rhine Housing Network countered, saying that although development might not be as fast as for-profit it was certainly happening and was constant, and that maintenance funds were in dire need to maintain the buildings, once rehabilitated. Moreover, non-profit development was about development for the existing commu­ nity, that community development was not about pushing out the old community and bringing in a new one. Winburn voiced support for the non-profits, saying that low-income housing needs to be protected. However, fast-track development, such as what has occurred in Columbus and historically throughout the country and what was being discussed at the hearing held, has re­ sulted in mass displacement of low-income residents. Winburn's voice of support did little to ease concern community leaders have for the future of their neighborhood and low-income housing. This hearing has subsequently created incentive for for-profit developers to support the forced relocation of the Drop Inn Center now, as the Center has been a long-time anchor and supporter for low-income housing and not-for­ profit development. The Drop Inn Center will continue to claim its right to maintain its facility and exist on its land. In the meantime, if they are any questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact the Drop Inn Center at 721-0643. African American Youth: A Preferred Tobacco Industry Customer "The horrible effects of tobacco use among children in our communities has got to be stopped at its tracks. Our role as parents is to do what we can to make sure our children grow up smoke-free." Quote from African American mo(her. These stories, and many others, are being heard during Minority Health Month, in April as designated by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health to increase understanding among African Americans living in Ohio about · the serious health risks associated with tobacco use. African Americans continue to suffer disproportionately from chronic and preventable disease compared to white ·Americans. This includes the nation's most serious public health problem - the use of and addiction to tobacco. Of the three leading causes of death in African Americans, heart disease, cancer and stroke - tobacco use, particularly smoking is a major contributor to these illnesses. Each year more African Americans die from diseases caused by smoking than from car crashes, AIDS, homicide, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs combined. The most startling trend is the increas­ ing rate of smoking among African American kids. According to the 1998 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups, the number of African American high school seniors who smoked increased from 1992 to 1997 while declining between 1977 and 1992. In addition, the African American eighth grade students smoking prevalence increased by 106% from 1992 to 1997. 'YOUTH' cont. on page 13... The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation. The Streetvibes VendorPtogratn gives ou·r vendors·an oppbrtunitY to get back on their feet. All vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. 'A file is developed·on each vendor so that we may track and help facillitate thier move from poverty to self­ sufficiency. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless ·is a group of shelters, agencies and indivlduals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Planning Commit­ tee meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in helping or have a comment, story or editorial that you would like published please call 421 -7803. Staff Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Ron Carter, Vendor Support Gina Miller, Rapid Exit Program Photographer Jimmy Heath Writers Mary Ann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew Sheila Crowley Dorcy Mathew Hagerty Jimmy Heath Mike Henson Cliff Jones Susan Knight Carolyn Meszaros Gina Miller Gregory Payton Eunice limoney Ravenna E>r. Tom Somani A. Tyehimba Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Editorial Policy: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal @primax.net web page: http://cinci.com/gcch by Donald Whitehead ' - observations and relations I make in my travels. This trip was filled with personal revelations. On the second night of our trip we gathered in a huge circle over a hun­ dred strong. We were given the task of explaining who we were? How we got here? And why we came? For some this was an easy task, because we had asked ourselves this question many times. For others this task was very complicated and took a great deal of introspection. I was thoroughly impressed by the diversity in the room. There were Lawyers, ex-lawyers, future lawyers, ex-legislators, ex-hippies, baby boomers, generation Xers, ex­ panthers, communists, socialists, demo­ crats, republicans, Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Christians, atheists, formerly home­ less, ex-Realtors and ex-bankers all in the same room. There were many different answers to the questions, llJOSt had the same theme. It occurred to me that this was America as it should be. Many differ­ ent people from many different back­ grounds joined together for a common positive goal. So often we get sidetracked by our own personal goals and we forget our fellow man. The more people that explained their reason for doing what they do, the more heartfelt and sincere the responses. I'm sure not all the people in the room were totally true to there re­ sponses but that mattered little because I was mesmerized by the moment. As my turn approached I wanted to think of something profound. I wanted to give them something that would help them feel the inspiration this moment had given to me. In the end I simply shared that I was trying to give back that was so freely given to me. In my travels I've learned that honesty is the most effective means of defining ones true motives. It is moments like these that revitalize a weary traveler and helps him remember exactly why travel is important. This trip once again helps me realize that regardless of your destination every trip is worth taking if you bring your heart along as a travel companion. March is a month that the traveler usually earns his wings. This March was no different from usual. The month of March began with the State Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, (COHHIO), annual statewide conference. This years conference was held March 8, 9, and 10. The conference was very informative. Workshops covered a variety of issues that are of concern to homeless advo­ cates. Workshops on welfare reform, public housing, and how to start a Street newspaper were well attended. Speakers like Sheila Crowley, President of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition informed us about upcoming legislation threatening the scarce resources that are available to the homeless population. The highlight of the conference was the legisla­ tive visits. Three groups of advocates from Cincinnati visit every legislator representing our respective areas . While its very important to visit regularly with state representatives in addition to state and federal representatives there is nothing more powerful than the collec­ tive efforts of advocates from all over Ohio visiting with representatives in force. I com­ mend COHHIO for their efforts along these lines. The only way to effectively sway political opinions in todays environment is a strong show of force or a strong show of currency. The trip for me was made even more interest­ ing by my need to be back in Cincinnati to host this months addition of Streetvibes TV. I beat the snowstorm on the way back to Cincinnati , however the trip back to Columbus was the scariest I've ever taken with between 5 to 12 inches of snow on the expressway all the way to Columbus. My next trip was a bit easier, I flew the friendly skies heading to Portland. Many of you The Traveler probably read about my last trip to Portland Homeless Disease and some of the uneasiness surrounding it. Police Predators This trip to Portland was a supervisor training FICA Rip-off workshop for the Corporation for National The Broken City Service. The Corporation for National Service is the domestic version of the Peace Corps. Arts & Poetry The Americorp Vista Programs are directed by Nationwide News the Corporation. The particular project, one of Point of View hundreds that the corporation offers is orga­ Prison News nized by the National Association of HUD HUD Funding Tenants. The project involves Vista Volunteers organizing tenants in at-risk Section-8 Housing. Welfare News Walking the Streets The program has been very successful nation­ ally, a ·pattern we hope to continue in Cincin­ Streetvibes Etcetera nati. The training was very valuable in identify­ Scramble ing new concerns about the future of affordable Letters & Editorials housing. The PSO or Pre-Service Orientation Cleveland News also helps Supervisors and Vista Volunteers Comedy Corner learn about their mission, responsibilities and CD Corner , benefits. I personally found the training very Classified Ads informative and satisfying. The training con­ sisted of position meetings on NAHT and Streetvibes Radio valuable sessions on Diversity and Equal TV Schedule Opportunity in the workplace. I personally am always more influenced by the personal • Contents Page2 Page3 Page4 Page4 Page5 Page6 Page7 Page7 Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 15 Page 16 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine WHY AM I HERE? Why in the hell am I here in the Drop Inn Center Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program? Good question. Here's a good short answer. As the old cliche states, "I was sick and tired of being sick and tired." I [George) was physically, mentally and spiritually drained. I must admit that the initial process leading to me signing on the dotted line was one of "Attraction and not promotion." My prior living arrangements and life-style were totally chaotic and unhealthy. In the world of "crack" I was on a downhill path of self-destruction. I believe that my God lead me to "this" program for a reason, for some special purpose that is unknown to me right now. I am in recovery to regain things that I lost and perhaps to gain some things that I never had. I entered Detox on Jan. 7, 1999 with one day clean, realizing that I was totally powerless alone and that my life was definitely unmanage­ able. Since being here, I've been amazed at how far a little "open-mindedness" and "willingness" can go. Through the help of D.l.C. staff, reading, meetings and the other fellow live-in residents, I am learning quite a bit about myself. I am gradually gaining knowledge in the area of "Acceptance." That is to say that I am powerless over people, places, things, situations and even over my thoughts and feelings. But I am not powerless over how I react to these things. Some of my stress and problems are manifested by my own "self-obsession" which I have found to be the core of my addiction. God definitely works through other people. He is working on me. For these things I am truly grateful. HOME­ LESSNESS A DISEASE? by Terrine Homelessness is a mental disease, it is a state of mind. Each individual that is homeless is not able to maintain everyday living because of their mental state and/or their alcoholism. These two things feed off each other. Do you have any idea how overwhelming being home­ less is? You become paralyzed. It doesn't matter how smart you are, how hard working you are. I woke up every day nauseous and waiting for the moment when I would have enough courage to kill myself. And people walk past us. People hate us. People fear us. People tell us to go get a job. Sometimes I feel sorry for those people. They have forgotten what it is to be human. Even if I was a horrible person, lazy and didn't care about anything but myself I don't think it should matter. That is why I came to the Drop Inn Center. Because there, it didn't matter. And now I am certified and working. And I care about people. I care about people because people cared about me. Funny how people that throw money everywhere don't understand this. Plus, if you think about it, a look showing me that I am alive is free, it doesn't cost one penny, but those people in suits do not want to give that up. I know now that treating people like they are all human beings makes me feel more like one too. This is what homelessness has taught me. -- buy a brick forbudd lace b uddy's place is a community effort to h elp alleviate the tragedy of homelessness. We invite you to take p art in this community effort and provide housing to our sisters and brothers who are homeless. Thank you for your on-going support. RESTOC ;( ye5 114. W. 14th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 • 513-381-0954 J we would Hke to buy _ brick(s) to support t he construction of buddy's place nam e ................................ .........phone·················................................ ...........................si:hoai·c;r·or9iiiiiziiiion············· ...................... amount enclosed ($50 per brick) .................. please m ake checks payable to RESTOC. In t he space below, please indicate name you would like painted on brick Page 3 The Father's Eyes This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relation­ ship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd.get to . play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice _ and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excite­ ment and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play-off game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent... Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday." Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close play-off game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His team­ mates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you've never heard! Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach.noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alorie. The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?" He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!" �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine POLICE OR PREDATORS? YOU DECIDE by Somani A. Tyehimba How is it that you find yourself being stopped for an alleged traffic violation and then have a gun pointed at your head? Well, just be a black man in America.. Oh, and just one more thing, make sure you're stopped by two wild­ eyed, adrenaline pumped, blood thirsty, mouth foaming predators, disguised as Cincinnati police officers. When I noticed the flashing lights behind me I pulled into the driveway at my son's school. I stepped out of my van, only to see two angry white men pointing their guns at me and shouting, "get back into the vehicle! get back into the vehicle!" I immediately returned to my van, shut the door, and placed my hands on the steering wheel. One officer advanced forward as I returned to the van and stood five to six feet outside my door with his gun aimed directly at my head. He shouted to his partner, "Go ahead, I've got him covered on this side." The other officer ap­ peared on the passenger side of the van and shined a light into the side window. Why he needed a flashlight in the daytime is beyond my comprehension. This same officer instructed me to roll down the window. I told him the window was broken and did not roll down. He then instructed me to open the door and slowly get out of the van. I slowly exited the van, with my hands in plain view. I stood perfectly still with my hands in front of me, palms up, showing the only things in my hands were the van keys. Yet the officer who held the gun t~rgeted at my head kept shouting in a very hostile voice, as he moved closer to position himself in front of me, "don't move your hands, don't move your hands." Mind you my hands were not moving: Also h·e is continually advancing toward me. I can hear incredibly well. I answered to him each time, in a very calm and nonthreatening voice, "My hands are not moving." As this exchange took place, it became apparent he was looking for a reason to shoot. My best defense was to remain calm. While Rambo still targeted the gun at my head, he leaned forward and snatched the keys from my hands. ;He asked me if I ha~ anything else on me as if the keys he snatched from my bands were some sort of weapon. I calmly replied no. By this time the other officer had come to the drivers side of the van. He ordered me to step away from the vehicle and turn around. I was handcuffed while at the same time being told, "just be calm, you're not under arrest." At no time did I exhibit any behavior other than calm. After being handcuffed, Rambo's partner patted me down while Rambo finally holstered his gun. After feeling the Money in my pocket, the officer said, "that feels like a lot of money. How much money do you have?" I replied I wasn't sure maybe $180. I asked myself what difference does it make how much money I have in my pocket? I then realized these officers must have that stereotypical view of me as a drug selling, gun toting, hostile and danger­ ous black man. And it's open season on me. Rambo asked me why I didn't stop. I replied I did stop. He then snatched my right arm and forced me across the street to the police car. Once in handcuffs to Rambo I was just another criminal. He could treat me and talk to me in any manner he pleased. I asked Rambo why they stopped me. He said I was weaving in and out of traffic and went left of center. That was a lie. When we got on the sidewalk, Rambo spun me around facing the police car. He kicked my feet apart without instructing me to do anything. Again I was searched. This time Rambo pulled money and everything out of my pockets and asking me question after question. "Do you have any weapons?" "No." "Do you have anything sharp in your pockets that would stick me?" "No." "What about a box cutter?" "No." "Do you have a job?" "I work for myself. I own a retail store in Swifton Commons Mall." "What do you do?" "I said, I own a retail store in Swifton Commons Mall, Black World Products Interna­ tional." "Well, what do you sell?" "We sell books, art... " "Get inside the car!" I asked him why he had to cuff me in the first place if I wasn't under arrest. ''This was embarrassing," I told him, "being handcuffed in front of my son's school and searched." Since he didn't have the pleasure in killing me, having an innocent black man caged in the back of his police car feeling embarrassed was his consola­ tion prize. Rambo's partner had moved my van out of the driveway to unblock someone and parked it down the street. Rambo drove me down the street by my van and his partner got into the car. They began asking another series of questions. "What's your name?" "Somani Tyehimba" "Is that your real name or did you change it?" The FICA Ripoff Page 4 "Yes it is my real name, and yes I did legally have it changed." "Where do you live? What's your phone? What's your work number?" After about fifteen minutes of sitting in the car waiting for them to complete their work I was released and cited for Improper Change of Course and Left of Center. It wasn't until later that evening I realized the magnitude of what happened. All during the ordeal I was quite calm. Being calm I know saved my life. The fact that this officer had a gun targeted at my head caused me to shudder. At the same time he was warning me not to do something that I was not doing. Was he really talking to me or setting up his alibi to the surrounding onlookers had he blown out my brains? If I had moved my hands, would my family be planning my funeral? Would my son have to grow up without his father in his life? Would I have become another statistic where an officer "thought he saw something' and had no choice but to shoot? I have to answer yes because that blood thirsty predator seemed eager to bag his kill for the day. I have always instructed my son to respect authority. Whether the authority is a teacher, another adult, his parents, or even police officers. I feel a need to modify this directive now. I will still inform him to respect authority. However, when it comes to police officers here is what I will tell him. Respect the authority that is represented by the badge. However, take the one eye opened, one eye closed approach to the person wearing the badge. He just might be a predator, looking for an excuse to kill an innocent black man. COHHIO rallies hundreds I by Gina Miller by Dr. Tom Everyone in Washington is busy trying to decide what to do with the budget surplus. No one seems anxious to admit that the alleged surplus is actually the result of embezzlem.ent from the Social Security Trust fund ... a crime aimed at the pocketbooks of America's poorest workers. · FICA contributions are figured ·on a workers gross pay up to $72,600. Income taxes are progressive, i.e. they give a break to the lowest income workers. FICA contributions are based on gross income and are the largest deduction from a low-income worker's check. They are regressive. It is criminal to even discuss using sur­ plus~s in the American workers pension funds for tax breaks for upper income taxpayers. Especially considering that by law The Social Security Trust Fund is a pension fund which is supposed to be kept separate from the general fund used to finance the government budget. In private industry and in unions pension managers who divert funds from pensions are put in prison. I was granted an opportunity to attend the annual Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio conference. It was held in Columbus, Ohio. The dates were March 8-10, 1999. The prestigious Hyatt hotel was the "stage". The State House was the "backdrop". Semi-casual to formal was the apparel. "Housing Ohio: Challenges & Opportunities" was the theme. The format appeared to be just as diverse as the people who attended the conference. Panel discussions, speakers, individual appoint­ ments as well as question-and-answer sessions provided avenues for collaboration in efforts toward ending homelessness. People traveled many miles (regardless of the weather) in order to take part in this important event. ­ I gained some valuable insi§hfs, from attending several workshops. Topics ranged from Public Housing Reform to "Organize Ohio!". The agenda included information on Welfare Reform, employment opportunities, the Fair Housing Act, and starting/maintaining a "street" newspaper. I left the conference feeling inspired to continue assisting people with obtaining permanent housing. Here are the facts about the supposed budget surplus. The Make Believe Surplus YEAR 1999 2000 2001 2002 FICA FUND OVERPAYMENTS FEDERAL DEFICIT Th1AGINARY +$113 BIL +$123 BIL +$130BIL +$139BIL -$104 BIL -$114 BIL -$102 BIL -$ 49BIL + $9BIL + $9BIL + $ 28 BIL + $ 90BIL SURPLUS - - =' ­ �STRE IBES ·The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The Broken City... Page 5 Funeral March for b uddy g ray by Mike Henson A day of bright and bitter cold Silent, we march the stony blocks and hear only the tread of feet on the pavement thousands of feet on the stony pavement, only the banners that billow, snap, and bellow out again. Only these and the snap of the drum. We enter the park Watched by bullet-colored crows silent and alert. We pass the stone gates; the drum stops. Song overlaps the silence. Singing, we fill this small place with our small hundreds. The ground we tread was once a Potters Field. The earth beneath us is riddled with bones. ·From thei r dark porches, the dead observe us through a screen of glass. Memorial procession through the streets of Over-the-Rhine honoring the late buddy gray, neighborhood activist and founder of the Drop Inn Center. November, 1996. LIFE EVERY DAV IS BETTER by Mary Ann Bravo by Dorcy A CHANGED This story is about my stepfather 14 years ago. My stepfather was a drunk. Day and night he would hang in the bar. I just prayed to the Higher Power to help this man change his life. Well before I left town in 1990 he went into a program. I have not seen my stepfather for ten years. When I went home and saw my stepfa· ther I was so proud of him. He had stopped drinking and don't hang in bars any more. Keep up the good work no matter what happens. I will always love you. Today my father is sweet and good hearted. If you need anything he will try to do it. He feels so good about himself. He feels so different. He can see the differences that he made in his life. ROCK BOTTOM I got here because I left Cleveland and came to Cincinnati, to start over. I tried to find a place to stay, first with the Volunteers of America, where I stayed for a month. But, then I found myself living on the streets. It was hard. Lots of empty buildings, lots of drugs and lots of alcohol, everywhere. I heard people talking about the Drop Inn Center and came. The people were nice. I have stayed here for the last three months, every night. I think, however, I am leaving next month. I am moving to a place that rents rooms to disabled people. I feel good about having my own place in the next week. The homeless are people too and they shouldn't be looked down upon just because they are having a hard time. Some people are responsible for being homeless and some are homeless because of their circumstances-­ domestic disputes, loss of jobs, poor self esteem. I am an independent person and these last months have been scary but the situation is improving and all I can do is take it one day at a time. by Anonymous One of the things that has caused my homelessness is my drug addiction and myself. The people that I have chosen to be around are no good for me but as long as my money held out I was cool and life seemed to be a party. I have to, however, put the blame where the blame belongs and that is with me, not being able to hold on to a penny no matter what job came along. My house was my drug and it was all I cared about. I didn't care about myself, I lost my self-respect, my dignity. I was home· less. I was homeless not because I didn't have a home or a bed to sleep in, it was because I didn't care about the things that were good. But you know what, there is always hope at the end of the tunnel. I had to hit rock bottom before I could put this hope to use. I don't know where this hope is going to take me but today I have it and one day I am going to make it out Subscribe·to Streetvibes-:: 11 Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Great er Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless- Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. From the band shell there are speeches, more song. Around the band shell, handshakes and embraces. My small son and I sit close and listen. I ask him, are you cold? he denies it. But he shivers, so I lend him my coat. His arms are lost within the sleeves; the hem devours his knees. He is a little, shivering thimble, a haystack nipped at the ears. But he does not complain. He has march each cold and stony step. Now, he follows each word of the speeches. He sing each song, chants each chant. We are watched, in our small hundreds under the bright, over-shouldering cloak of the sky, by the cy<?loptic eye of television, by the shivering homeless at the edges of the park, by the cold, curious crows in their balcony seats among the trees, by the investors in carrion, sniffing the air (or a hint of decay, and by the dead, standing at attention in their dark ranks. And so, we are not alone. 1:1 1 1:: •t: I • 11·1111; lI I ' l I I I i·i,·i:. l " '" .11·: ,I ; i'' I I ' More poetry on page 6 ... I IH �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri-State s Homeless Grapevin'e DICI WORD ON THE TOGETHER STREET WE CAN Arts & Poetry SPIRIT OF OVER THE RHINE by Sonny Williams, 1998 Black, Latino, White 12th Street, Drop Inn Center is the peoples right Eric Kunzels' plan tried to shut it down, but the Homeless rebelled in Cincy-town. Letters of support from N. Y. C., Cleveland. Spirit of Soweto is the national call, It's right to Rebel Down With Displacement, Kunzel -Sour note of the Poor! Maria Martinez by Francisco Perez Estrada translation by Patrick Harmon She was a sister of the trees, Child, she slept by the sun in the field she cried out when birds took flight. One day the sap rose and a woman emerged. Hers steps smelled of madrono trees her blossoms filled the boundaries. Of her sex it was heard on all the roads when the Indians spoke: esta buena, esta buena. The dry branches revealed green shoots, the day that spring arrived. . J ' J ' white-faced monkeys threw branches as I brought water from the spring. by Denise Crew Our friendship is a silly one You know we are subject to fall out about anything at any time for no reason Together we can reach out and help the needy all people, man, woman and child. That we can eliminate the line of poverty and the feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, pennylessness and the condition of homelessness. Together we can stand for those who can't, we can speak for those can't say and read for those who do not know how. You say things because you can I do things because I can we lock horns because we can Our friendship is a silly one you know we are subject to fall out about anything at anytime for no reason You don't like my work I don't like your work today we fuss about who worked the hardest of course I did We are here to eliminate the pain of suffering. We are here to do the will which is not ours, but of God's we will continue to do goodwill while going uphill. We will stay focus day or night we will continue to struggle and fight. We have a plan to stand though training, treatment, and education. Our friendship is so silly You know we are subject to fall out about anything at any time for no reason Why do you page me and put H E L L 0 in when I told you I had a meeting it was cute only the first three times sometimes I think you need help We will do this together. We will do this by reaching and holding on to the flower which has not bloomed, to the Condition which has not changed. To the right which has not been given. Our friendship is silly you know we are subject to fall out about anything at any time for no good reason you want the top down I want the top up I want to get out you refuse to stop Service to others is an Action of Need Anyway is not to say but to survive one more day Volunteers, contributions, donation is the way at the Drop Inn Center Our friendship is silly but I'm glad we can fall out about anything at anytime for no good reason Gregory Song of Shelter Caesar and the Meat by ~rnesto Mejia Sanchttz (Nicaragua) , 1 translation by Patrick Harmon Her foliage did not last long ripened in nine moons of earth and wood. Her womb was large. Her children grew strong in Coajtepe, La Fuente, El Guapinol. · Now, ancient, she is only a question of stone, of silence, of shadow. Page 6 Caesar created another tax for the prosperity of his people. The butchers raise the meat to pay: the ranchers raise the cattle to pay: only the people have to kneel down to pay, because all the cattle and the meat, the ranchers and the butch­ ers are of Caesar, not the people. by Mike Henson Evening, on a day of bitter cold The wind stirs great flocks of crows above the hillside. Flecks of ash whirling in a basin. They swim in air like fish in a pond. Curb-bound, I feel the bite of the wind. I flinch. I shiver in my shoes. I fear for any unhoused creature in the teeth of such a wind. The uncountable crows breast the wind with grace and command. They soar upon it masterfully. They settle, one by one, into the black branches of the trees. Black leaves. Ornaments of ash. They call and call · and call. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Nationwide Senator Gramm Attempting to Dismantle Support for CRA Senators who support the Community Reinvestment Act are the current target of Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) in his battle to deflate and discard the Community Reinvest­ ment Act. During the week of March 8, Senator Gramm met with bank and insurance industry representatives to encourage them to put pressure on Senators to pass his version of the financial modernization bill. According to The Washington Post, one of Senator Gramm's main targets is Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). Senator Schumer just won his seat after a long, expensive campaign in New York where Wall Street interests gave him much financial sup­ port. The Senate version of the bill, which passed the Senate Banking Committee on March 4, deals several blows to the Community Reinvestment Act. If Senators who support CRA buckle to banking and insurance industry pressure, passing the bill in the Senate will be that much easier for Senator Gramm. President Clinton has repeatedly said he would veto any bill which weakens the Community Reinvest­ ment Act. We are hearing that Senators who usually support the community Reinvestment Act need to hear much more from their constituents on this important legislation in order to shore up their resolve to protect the CRA. Specifically, calls and letters need to be made immediately on the following points: *in the Senate bill, banks that are not in compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act could affiliate with other entities and engage in new powers. *the Senate bill gives a sate harbor for institutions with a "satisfactory" or better CRA rating on its most recent CAA reviews. These institutions would be automatically deemed in compliance with CRA unless "substantial verifiable information" arises. Public comment on CAA performance would be effectively eliminated; 97% of institutions 11~amined in . . . · 1997-98 received "satisfactoryJ or"t~ehJr\~ttngs~ ~ *the Senate bill has a small bani< ~ke<m~-' : tion. Banks with less than $100 million in assets would be exempted from CRA - 63% of all banks! This provision would have a devastating effect on rural communities because small banks are often the only source of credit in rural areas. You can call both of your Senators through the Capitol Switchboard at 202/224-3121. For more information, call Linda Couch, 2021662-1530 ext. 242 or email linda@nlihc.org. Point of View by Sheila Crowley, President, NLIHC . I had the pleasure this week of participat­ ing in the training of the second class of HUD Community Builder Fellows. Some 300 people from across the country are in Washington preparing to become HUDs outreach arm into communities. They represent diverse disci­ plines and are all experienced problem solvers. They bring many years of accumulated practice wisdom to strengthening the role HUD plays in improving the lives of people in poor communi­ ties. There is some criticism of HUDs plan to add new staff recruited from the outside to take on new roles at a time when the department is downsizing and the existing staff has to take on more tasks. I, for one, applaud the move. Probably more than any other federal agency, HUD has direct contact with people working on serious social problems in urban neighborhoods. Deploying HUD staff to be purposely engaged in achieving the HUD goals at the local level is a bold and positive step. I hope that the citizens in poor communities, local housing advocates, and the Community Builder Fellows form close partnerships. My interest in the translation of federal intent into local program implementation led me to engage in research in 1995 about the inter­ pretation of federal housing policy in three entitlement jurisdictions. Using qualitative research methods, I examined the manner in which these jurisdictions responded to the concept of the Consolidated Plan. In interviews with local officials, nol')profit providers, people who receive federal housing assistance, neigh­ borhood activists, and civic leaders, a fascinat­ ing and paradoxical portrait of HUD, and by inference the Federal government, emerged. On one hand, HUD looms as an onerous force to make localities conform or risk the loss of funds. On the other hand, the Federal government is the protector of minority groups and vulnerable people, and HUD, as the hous­ ing arm of the Federal government, is supposed to assure equality and social justice in the housing system. A third view is that, in many ways, HUD is irrelevant at the local level and in the context I was studying, this view was the most accurate one. There was scant local sense of being part of a national strategy to solve serious urban problems, nor was there a local commitment to national housing goals. I would like _t~e 90f!ln;1Unity Builder Fellows to alter that dynahiiblaM:frepre§eM the ~ederal·., government as a powerful force in lmpro"img·ttle \ social and economic well-being of poor people. Secretary Cuomo speaks eloquently about the quest for social, racial, and economic justice. The Community Builders Fellows should be the ambassadors who bring tangible results of that message. There are three very concrete ways that the Fellows can quickly become engaged in addressing serious housing issues in local communities. First, identify good assisted properties in danger of prepayment or opt-outs and work with residents and other local partners to preserve their long term use as affordable p age 7 housing for very low income people. Bill Faith in Ohio reports that one of their Community Builder Fellows has done just that. Two, create effective linkages between the two local plans that are required for receipt of federal housing funds, the ConPlan and the new Public Housing Plan. This is essential to assuring a holistic understanding of the housing needs of the poor and to maximizing the use of federal housing resources on their behalf. This seems like a natural role for Community Builder Fellows to undertake. Finally, I want the Community Builders to use all. the ~ed era~ tools they have, including the analysis to 1mped1ments to fair housing, to assist voucher holders in achieving true housing choice. As the eyes and ears of HUD at the local level, Community Builder Fellows should be identifying, articulating, and calling for actions to assure that all voucher holders are successful in the housing market. I encourage our partners at the state and local level to be actively engaged with your Community Builder Fellows and to share your experiences with them with us at NLIHC. Capitol Hill Budget Resolutions: Spending Caps )l / ..,.~~9J / ~1rmi.inm}11 '·mTrtTY"'fi'T'1 ······ U.U.1.1.1.LU..U.llJ On March 17 and 18, the House and Senate Budget Committees, respectively, passed Y2000 budget resolutions. Both Com­ mittees' budget resolutions keep domestic discretionary spending caps put in place by the 1997 budget agreement. It is not too late to call Senators and Representatives and ask them to oppose keeping the caps on domestic discre­ tionary spending. Partisan and highly charged debate continues as both chambers prepare to bring their budget resolutions to their floors the week of March 22. The Budget Committees budget resolutions include a $15 billion tax cuts for FY2000 and $778 billion in tax cuts over the next 1O years. The pressure on domestic discretionary funds is further tightened by sought-after large increases for military and education spending. Democrats have stated that, with the caps in place along with tax cuts and increases for the military and education, domestic programs could see and across-the-board cut of 12%. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) is quoted by the Associated Press, saying "If it (the budget resolution) were an over-the-counter drug, it would have to say, 'Warning: Could be h~rmful to elderly, children and working fami­ lies.'" The White House has also spoken out against the resolutions. However, the budget resolution is not something the President signs or vetoes. It is, however, the omnipotent guide­ path for the work of the appropriations commit: tees. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has just issued a series of papers analyzing the Republican budget proposal. In brief, these analyses show that the proposal would require severe cuts in nondefense discretionary pro­ grams. As the Center states, the problem 'goes , ' beyond t~~ y~rr,,1arge:cui~ ~de~titiek:f iff t~e\ EI, i 1; · budget propos'al i\se~.'' By :cdnsuming· mo~r of i ~ '· the projected non-Social Security budget surplus through tax cuts and utilizing a "lockbox" measure that requires a supermajority to incur a deficit in the non-Social Security part of the budget, the Republican budget proposal likely would require further cuts in discretionary spending after 2009, and sooner if the economy 'NATION' cont. on page 14... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Prisoner's News INJURIOUS PRISON CONDITIONS Dear Shirley Pope: I have filed a number of grievances with appeals to Columbus, spanning prior to the year 1997 and now in 1999 as well. My grievances dealing with the injurious prison conditions pertaining to denial of proper and adequate medical treatment by hospital staff. Hospital staff put the blame on Mr. Wilkinson and the funding cuts. But it is not just medical, but over all treatment towards myself, a death row inmate and others on death row. 1. have addressed this issue a number of times on different levels and the Department of Rehabilitation & Correction for which you work along side of Mr. Wilkinson. When asking for the intervention of the Chief Inspector or agen­ cies with the state of Ohio, the most famous quote is: "Your letter concerning conditions of your confinement has been forwarded to the inspec­ tor of institutional services at your institution. I am confident that your concerns will be ad­ dressed." I follow the grievance procedure and when I appeal it to Central Office, instead of them launching their/your investigation, they defeat the purpose of an appeal and send it right back to the prison institution it came from. Thus, creating more "Red Tape" and long delays in obtaining resolution. On 11/20/97 disposition of grievance for which I appealed to this office and the Chief Inspector concerning harsh physical and psy­ chological conditions on death row prisoners, No. 11-97-25, which never got a response. In this particular example, like many others. You ask the prisoner to follow the procedures under 5120-9-31, but what about prison staff's failure to follow them. I always wait in excess of the five working days before filing a Notice Of Grievance with the inspector. Most importantly, the four pages of infor­ mal complaint, I give up my record of ever filing the grievance when I submit the "PINK" copy to the llS. Numerous times I have filed kites to these persons and they don't reply. I file the Notice Of Grievance and after three weeks, a month or longer the person back-dates the grievance as if they responded within the time period and for some reason it got lost until that time. . July 13, 1998, Grievance against the Institutional Inspector Services designated by No. Cl-99-17, by Inmate Post #A183-812, the office of the Chief Inspector asked for additional time to give a fair and proper resolution, a resolution that I have no record of. Dated 8-21­ 98, Grievance No. 05-98-67, the Chief Inspector's Office affirmed the actions and investigations of the llS here at Man. C.I ..... My complaint dealing with again, the conditions of confinement for death row inmates, not provid­ ing medical care, dental care, charging for services that were not performed. Medications and treatments issued by Dr. L. Juan whom also treated me at S.O.C.F. while I was there. On August the 11th or 13th, during a shakedown, guards confiscated typing ribbons, typing paper, r made me send all my legal work out, confis­ cated medical journals, confiscated my tennis shoes that were bought by the Medical Depart­ ment, but the shakedown team stated that the prison did not issue the tennis shoes. Special boots were issued to me back in "1997" through C.M.C., these boots were taken in August and a new pair was to be issued, NOT AS OF THIS DATE. On the same date above, my typewriter was destroyed by prison staff, I have been punished repeatedly, from taking my desk and cabinet away to curb my typing, for which at this time I must sit on the cold floor. I addressed the issue that due to my large size at 453 lb .. and after a number of hunger strikes lost (100) lb.. , but still could not sit at the desk bolted to the wall. Medical staff issued me a chair to sit in (Brian Cain), but that was taken away by the new Hospital Administrator and Death Row Staff, and only certain inmates are allowed chairs. Because of the injuries I have sustained through the Department of Corrections and its agents, I have addressed my concerns to Mr. Reginald Wilkinson and to the Governor, of course they don't respond. I have tried going through the Federal Courts, but of course with taxpayers money and the unlimited access the State of Ohio and the Attorney General's Office have, I am no match for you people. Even through the Governor and agents deny me access to the law library and law books which I have also addressed with no beneficial resolu­ tion to me, with the exception of the continued harassment, continued retaliation, continued destroying of my personal property and legal work, and for the last (10) months the depart­ ment of corrections and their agents have kept me isolated in solitary confinement with no interactions with any pri~oners, only prison staff. I have been without proper clothing, no boots, no tennis shoes as supported by my medical file in over five (5) months. I have been forced to walk around in socks or put plastics bags on my feet to walk some place for medical care and outside in the freezing tem­ peratures. Dr. Juan issued medication for me that he said I would probably have to take the rest of my life. He also gave me warning signs of things to look out for as I am (PARTIALLY DISABLED) due to injuries I have sustained spanning over the past five years. The Depart­ ment of Correction and agencies cover up the injurious negligence of its doctors. I have been on "Sick Call" over two months, I have had a serious cold due to other inhumane conditions imposed on myself and others just because we are stereotyped death row or would 'scum' be more suitable? On December 9th or 10th, I turned in my medication bags for the pills I take to curb the swelling in my left leg and foot. The second shift guard said he gave the bags to the nurse, the nurse said she never got them, but would check my medical file to see if the pills or refill was issued. I have got the runaround all month telling me to see the doctor, telling me I must see the Podiatrist first. Three weeks go by and emergency intervention of a guard, I get over to the hospital. I see !he foot doctor, he sjts in the I chair and asked ''What can I do for you?" I explained about how the increased swelling in my left leg is causing veins to protrude the surface of the skin. The veins continue to rupture and expel blood. The foot doctor would not even examine me, he would not even look at my feet and legs. I asked about a pair of orthopedic boots in size 12 EEEE, or EEEEE, he said there was no money to give death row inmates special boots or shoes. He would not even examine my right foot, swotren and black and blue as it is. As I stated, it has been close to a month since I have had the proper medication. On December 30th, I awoke to a wet feeling and to Page 8 find that my bedding was soaked with blood and clear fluid. I reported it to the nurse at the morning pill call, and I reported it to the guards and stated that I needed to be seen by a doctor. I have been told that there is no doctor to see me, that only in emergencies can a doctor be called in. Profuse bleeding, clear fluid oozing out of my open wounds, stained sheets of blood and fluid; I guess that is not an emergency. Dr. Juan told me to watch out for something like this, that I could bleed to death, form- gangrene or loose my leg. I have to keep reminding myself, this is Mansfield, I am on death row and I am supposed to be treated Q..umanely. The Governor doesn't care, Mr. Wilkinson doesn't care, medical staff doesn't care, who do I turn to now, I guess nobody cares. An interview and intervention would be a welcome sight, if you can spare the time. Respectfully, Ronald R. Post A-183-812 WILFORD BERRY KILLED CRIME-211911999, 9:31PM ACCUSED - THE STATE OF OHIO By: Eunice Timoney Ravenna, lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center On Friday, February 19, mourners gath­ ered at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Evanston to mourn the ex~cution of Wilford Berry. In the words of Sutiith Wickrema, director of Justice Watch, many participated in the vigil, "to show that we are not a part of the collective decision to kill B~rry as punishment." Many people w: 10 are anti-death penalty believe the penalty does not serve: as a deterrent to violent crime. Still others were concerned that this execution is rather a sfate assisted suicide for a mentally ill man and should not be the case to resume the death penalty in Ohio. Some chose to be pr'esent at the execution and went to Lucasville that Friday ·evening. Carpools of Cincinnatians made their way from Peaslee Neighborhood Center to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility - the location of Ohio's death house. The caravan hoped to be a public witness in opposition to execution and to offer prayers for the deatH of Wilford Berry. People from throughout th'e state began to gather in Lucasville at 4prn and held vigil until the 9pm expected ~xecution. Approximately 200 Ohioans were in attendance. Due to complications in the "death house" Berry was not pronounced dead until 9:31 pm. With strained lines of communication between the prison guards and both media and mourners, those present were unaware of the difficulty officials had finding Berry's veins which delayed the lethal injection for twehty minutes. The mood of the evening was reflective, somber, and defeated for those who stood in opposition to the ex~cution. Others who favored execution (approx. 40 present) were excited about the prospect of Ohio's resuming the use of the death penalty and hoped to find peace and closure to their own loss. Such a stance is > �STREElVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine perpetuated by our criminal justice system. Many families truly feel that the execution of the man convicted in a family members death will bring about an end to their pain. This is a violation of those families imposed by our penal system. After witnessing the execution that was to bring about miraculous healing, many family members remain hurt, empty and searching. The state needs to do something different for these families - but such potential seems distant. In the clemency denial from Governor Taft, he ends with these words, "I pray this decision will allow them (The Mitroff Family) to find peace of mind and closure in the face of their loss." And we wonder how anyone can support the death penalty? And we wonder why people cheered at 9pm? Hearing a few cheers at the announced death of Wilford Berry moved me fram a saddened silent state to one of disbelief. Am I really hearing cheers? Could this get more morbid? And, I mourn all the more - for the men on death row; for the families of prisoners; for the families of victims; for the barbaric penal system; for those who cheer at death; for those who see all of this and feel helpless; and lastly for the life and death of Wilford Berry. Wilford Berry suffered greatly during his childhood years and continued to suffer during his years in the state's custody as a prisoner. Many who mourn realize that all of Ohio are responsible for the tragic life and death of this man. For those interested in getting involved in the opposition of the death penalty, the next committee meeting will be held Wednesday March 24, 7pm at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center. For more information call 579-8547. Plan to do your part. PROPOSAL TO BLOCK GRANT HUD MCKINNEY FUNDS Representative Lazio (A-NY) is planning to once again introduce legislation which would block grant HUD McKinney Homeless Assis­ tance Funds. Representative Lazio intends to skirt the customary legislative authorization process under what is called suspension of the rules. This means the proposed legislation would bypass the Housing subcommittee process, and instead would simply be intro­ duced, a hearing would be held, and it would go straight to the House floor for a vote, allowing no amendments. They want to fast track this bill by introducing it the week of March 15th, and passing it before their March break. This makes the timeliness of your contact with your repre­ sentatives in the House urgent. Under the proposed legislation, McKinney funds would be distributed on a formula basis to states and localities, based not on the merit of what they would do with the money to prevent and end homelessness, but as an entitlement, based simply on the formula adopted, except for a possible housing set aside that would be distributed at the federal level through a competitive process. Currently, there is limited, but critical, federal oversight of how McKinney funds are used, through the Con­ tinuum of Care process implemented by HUD that both insures a collaborative, comprehen­ sive process, and local decision-making in the planning and implementation of homeless housing and service programs. Block granting McKinney funds will mean that many states will lose millions of dollars they now highly effec­ tively use to address homelessness in their communities, because they will only be allowed their formula share. After extensive conversation with homeless advocates, housing and service providers from across the country, NCH believes that block granting McKinney at this time would not be in the best interest of those who are homeless because: * a recent GAO study identified 34 federal programs that serve low-income per­ sons, and could include those that are home­ less. 20% of the funding for these programs comes through block grants that states and localities have the authority to target to those most vulnerable in their communities - home­ less men, women and children. If they don't do it now, why do we think they will do it later? Even if this new block grant has the so called 'protection' of being targeted to those who are homeless, shouldn't the current federal block grants, intended for the most vulnerable, have been used to spare both individuals and families from suffering homelessness, and we as a nation from being shamed by it? Because they have not been, the 'systems' funded by these current block grants too often serve to either stimulate or prolong homelessness. Taking an increasingly effective Continuum of Care approach and adding it to this list of block grants, that may not effectively serve those who are homeless, seems too risky. * Two issues should be addressed by Congress before they consider block granting McKinney funds: (1) the large number of McKinney permanent housing programs that need 'renewal funding has grown to be a signifi­ cant problem. The individuals and families who live in this housing can now be considered permanently housed, and therefore, should not continue to depend on funding from the McKinney program. Instead, mainstream housing programs for low-income persons should be funding this housing; (2) the support­ ive services needs of those who become homeless require effective response as much as their housing needs do. To address the one without addressing the other, makes the im­ pacted homeless persons vulnerable to homelessness again. The Housing subcommit­ tee continues to want to dedicate more McKinney funds to permanent housing, without any plan for where the supportive services funding will come from. * the current Continuum of Care pro­ cess, initiated at the federal level, stimulates integration, collaboration and effective out­ comes. It gives state and local entities (non­ profits, governments, businesses, homeless persons) working collaboratively, full decision­ making authority over how federal funds for the homeless will be spent. These local collabora­ tions successfully plan, implement and evaluate the homeless housing and service programs for their communities, which would be the primary motivation for block granting the funds. If it is already happening, and also insuring limited federal oversight, why change it? * the goal of the federal government should be to bring an end to homelessness in America, not find ways to further institutionalize it, by giving money to states and localities to 'manage' homelessness in their communities. * we fear that some local communities may use homeless block grant funds to further their anti-homeless regulatory and NIMBY intentions. * the principle thrust of the original HR217 legislation was to enhance the amount of HUD McKinney funds that were used to provide Page 9 permanent housing. That stipulation was already included as a requirement in the HUD appropriations bill, it has already been done. * if decisions about how to use McKinney funds are already made locally, if 30% of McKinney. funds already have to be used for permanent housing, then what is the point of this bill? If Congress really wants to end homelessness, they need to be authorizing policies and funding programs that can ad­ equately provide (a) permanent housing for those households with the lowest incomes (instead of removing access to such housing as they did in the public housing reform bill, without any plan for where these households will live), (b) supportive services that are needed, for temporary or long-term periods of time, by some members of our society who are challenged by chronic disabilities or limitations, (c) livable incomes (both fixed and earned) so that families and individuals can afford the basic necessities, including housing, and will therefore not have to be rendered homeless. Let's get on with what we really have to do as a nation, to prevent and end homelessness. Let's fix what is really broken. Too many lives, too many futures are at stake. Please call your members in the House and let them know that block granting McKinney funds is not in the best interest of those who are homeless, and they should not do it. r-'i l IF)1 ~-lJ LFTI I i ~~( I ~$11 !Lii '-·'·-··· ·····' i I! i:i :..•........ i i : u l L.r.~~'.~~~:lJ..--···--·- - ·- -- - - --- - · · · · · · ·l FUNDING ANNOUNCE­ MENT The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced the avail­ ability of approximately $2.4 billion in HUD program funds covering 32 grant categories. The housing component of this SuperNOFA encompasses many of HUD's housing pro­ grams, including targeted housing and homeless assistance. Targeted housing programs include Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOWPA) ($22.2 million), Section 202 Support­ ive Housing for the Elderly ($434.8 million) and Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities ($87.2 million). The SuperNOFA also includes funding announce­ ments for community development technical assistance for the Supportive Housing, HOPWA, and other programs. $750 million is available for Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance through the Support­ ive Housing, Shelter Plus Care and Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single-Room Occu­ pancy programs. The application deadline for the Continuum of Care programs is June 2, 1999. The closing date for receipt of applica­ tions under other programs in the SuperNOFA varies. For additional information, see the Federal Register of February 26, 1999 (54 FR 9618), call the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1­ 800-HUD-8929 or visit HUD's lntemat Website at http://www.HUD.gov. • t �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 10 STREETVIBES Commentary on Wisconsin's Welfare News Welfare Plan, (W-2) (What Ohio should NOT Do) MYTHS by Lynn Williams VERSUS FACTS ("Women and Welfare : Popular Conceptions vs. Facts", from Back to Basics: Women 's Poverty and Welfare Reform by Dorothy K. Seavey, Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, published in Glass Ceilings and Bottomless Pits by Randy Albelda and Chris Tilly, South End Press) Myth: Cash welfare benefits constitute an adequate income for welfare recipients, giving them little incentive to work. Fact: In 1996, the maximum monthly TANF grant for a 3-person family in the median TANF state was $389, or 36% of the 1996 federal poverty level. Myth: Welfare benefits have been increas­ ing. Fac t: Over the period from 1970 to 1994, the median decline in real AFDC (now TANF) benefit levels was 47% . Myt h: Welfare benefits may be declining, but together with in-kind benefits they constitute a generous package. Fact: In 1996, the combined maximum TANF and Food Stamp grant for a family of 3 in the median TANF state was $699 per month, or $8,388 per year, an amount that was 35% below the federal poverty line of $13,267. Fact: Food Stamps and Medicaid aside, other forms of assistance are either consider­ ably smaller or received by only a minority of TANF recipients, or both. For instance, in 1995, less than one-fourth (23%) of all public assis­ tance families received any type of federal housing subsidy. Myth: Welfare recipients freeload on government programs while everyone else works hard to earn a living. Fact: Over half of U.S. families receive government transfer payments of different kinds. Myth: Welfare spending is out of control, and means-tested entitlement programs in general are burdening taxpayers and enlarging the federal deficit. Fact: AFDC (now TANF), as a share of federal spending, declined from 1.5% in 1975 to 1% in 1994. Myth: Families receiving welfare are very large. Fact: In 1995, about tfiree1.tt5ur;tkls>{'i!3%)' ~f / ~ all ,fMJil ~Eii M f\F.~.<t .~~9 1qn~ 1 or 2 children, 11 1 1 1 111 and almost 90% had 3 or fewer (;'t{irdr'e'rf. •' Myth: Most welfare recipients are able­ bodied adults who have fallen into dependency and do not want to work. Fact: Many adult welfare recipients are active in the labor market and are often part of the working poor. Research indicates that during the mid-1980's, 40% of adult recipients worked at paid jobs, either simultaneously combining work and welfare or cycling between the two. Nearly three-quarters (71 %) of recipi­ ·ents had recent work histories. Fact: Welfare is primarily a children's program: in 1995, 69% of AFDC recipients were children, and 82% of those children were under the age of 12. Fully 100% of adult Wisconsin's welfare system (W-2) has been touted by public officials across the nation as the best state welfare plan in America. This is according to what one bases their judgment on. If based on caseload reduction, it ranks extremely high. Ranked according to number of forcible, physical evictions of families with children from their homes, it also ranks very high. Since W-2 began, evictions and homelessness have skyrocketed. Before W-2 began, Milwaukee County had an average of 700 physical evictions. After welfare "reform" began, 2,389 households were physically evicted by the county Sheriff's Department in 1998 alone. These were households that had their belongings literally set out on the sidewalk. According to a report from the Workers World, "In the past, people receiving eviction notices simply moved to another apartment. Now an increasing number have no resources at all and just stay put until they, their children and their possessions are forced out onto the street." At the same time, in 1998, Wisconsin changed its law to allow children to be removed from their family's home simply because the family is poor. Before this policy took affect last summer, the law required neglect to be established. Now if the family is poor, the state welfare recipients care for children, nearly always without a spouse's assistance. Myt h: Welfare encourages women to have children outside of wedlock. Fact: The growth in never-married women who are mothers has been greater among women who are not welfare recipients. The proportion of these mothers in the general population tripled between 1976 and 1992, increasing from 12% to 36%. Myth: There is an epidemic of teen childbearing in the United States. Fact: Teen births have been declining over the last thirty years. Few welfare recipi­ ents are teen mothers : in 1995, only 6% of. adult female AFDC recipients were age 19 or younger. Myth: Most people on welfare get trapped in the system and stay on for years as welfare becomes a way of life. Fact: Monthly data indicate that, of all people entering the AFDC program, 56% left within one year and 70% left within 2 years. Fact: About half of those who exited left for employment. The majority of these, however, ended up returning (most within 2 years), ott1n .b,.~c~~sr of a lack of stable employment and ina9~~uat~:.or !Jrtd~o~qab~e •. child car~,qr j'\ealt~ jn~ur~6ce~ 1 ) , ' 1 ) • £ • r _~ r 1= 1 >! Myth: Paid employment is the solution to welfare dependency. Jobs are available and chances are good that families on AFDC can move out of poverty if they would just work more. Fact: An increasing number of jobs pay low earnings. Over the period from 1973 to 1995, the share of workers with annual earnings lower than the poverty level for a 4­ person family increased from 24% to 30%. Furthermore, women are much more likely than men to earn poverty-level wages. Fact: In recent years, the minimum wage has dropped to a near 40-year low when adjusted for inflation. At the current minimum can legally take children away from their fami­ lies! Anyone receiving welfare, anyone working small below-livable wage jobs, and especially anyone who is terminated or sanctioned on welfare is in immediate danger of having the state take their children. With this happening, will workhouses and orphanages be far behind? Instead of providing a safety net to support mothers with children to be able to raise their children adequately, the government is blaming the victim and punishing mothers & children. In Wisconsin , W-2 denies cash assistance to any welfare applicant that a caseworker judges is job ready. The cash assistance is denied even though the parent does not have a job at the time or any means to support her children. Furthermore, Milwaukee has privatized its welfare system. Companies who have contracts with the welfare department make financial profits by decreasing the caseload size. This is a monetary incentive to get people off the rolls regardless of how much hardship these families will face. It is policy like this that is leading to the high eviction rates and children being taken from their parents as families lose any means of support. (Information Resources: " Workers World") wage of $5.15 per hour, by 2000 the minimum wage will be 26.7% below its 1979 level. Fact: Other characteristics of many low­ wage jobs that create obstacles tq relying on paid employment for economic self-sufficiency include the short duration and high turnover of many of these jobs; deteriorating job mobility prospects within and across firms; the increas­ ing incidence of part·time and temporary work; inadequate or nonexistent nonwage compensa­ tion (e.g. health insurance), and ineligibility for unemployment insurance coverage. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Etcetera... SHAKE ITOFF AND STEP UP from Cliff Jones A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule "braying" - or ­ whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well were worth the trouble of saving. Instead he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened ... and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shovel­ ling and the dirt hit his back ...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that everytime a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP! It was not long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUM­ PHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL What seemed like would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity... THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US! Remember: FORGIVENESS, FAITH, PRAYER, PRAISE, and HOPE .... all are excel­ lent ways to "SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves! WALKING THE STREETS by Matthew Hagerty Out on the streets of Clifton and Over-the­ Rhine, there is a voice that cries out across the sidewalks and alleyways "Chocolate, cranber­ ries, Berta, bird, bat, read your 'Streetvibes.' That's where it's at." It is the call of Berta Lambert as he waves a newspaper over his head in front of the Esquire Theater. Lambert is 56 years-old and lives in a homeless shelter on Elm Street. He buys the 'Streetvibes' newspaper for 20 cents and then paces through the street in an attempt to sell them for a dollar. "I make enough money for pocket change," said Lambert. "If I can make five dollars I'm happy. That's all it takes for me to live on. I Berta Lambert hawks his papers near the Esquire Theater on Clifton Avenue spend 60 cents on the bus ride up and back and then the rest on living supplies and newspa­ pers." Lambert enjoys reading the news and keeping informed. He said that he buys the New York Ticnes every day, but has trouble finding the time to finish reading it. "To me, it's like getting a big piece of chocolate candy and not being able to eat it all," said Lambert. Some of Lamberts time is occupied by keeping the streets clean. As he walks down the street, he crushes cans that sit in the street gutters and along the walkways. "I can't stand to leave them there," said Lambert as he picks them up one by one and carries them. He then walks back to a gate that latches between the drug rehabilitation center and unlocks it with a key. Inside the gate are hundreds of bags filled with cans that sit organized neatly against the alley walls. "I'm an elected member of the Over-the ­ Rhine Board of Trustees," he said. "I'm the chairperson for the local cleanup campaign." Lambert also participates in many protest walks. He walked in "The Great Peace March for Nuclear Disarmament' in 1996. It was a walk that carried him from Los Angeles to New York and then to Washington D.C. He also partici­ pated in "The Walk for a Peaceful Future in the Middle East," and later even helped organize "The Poor Peoples Walk" that went from Cincin­ nati to Columbus, Ohio. "After you do a walk like that it builds self­ confidence," said Lambert. "You meet new people and exert yourself. We walked in extreme heat and a lot of cold." Lambert said that one of the greatest moments of his life was when he carried the Olympic Torch in the summer of 1996. "I was selected to be one of the people to carry the Olympic Torch," he said. "I wrote a paper about myself and sent it off. I was the only person from Over-the­ Rhine to do this. They gave us the option to buy the torches we carried, but I didn't have the money to but my torch from them. But that experience is going to be one of those things that's going on my obituary." Lambert says the worst days of his life are to come. "I'm getting older and don't have a family," he said. "If you look at my Page 11 life in terms of economics, I'm poor. Poverty limits you a lot. It doesn't let me do all that I want to. It makes it hard for us to keep up our health, and you don't have money to buy CD players or VCR's. We get left out." One of the things that stands out about Lambert is the pink hat that he wears. It reads "Be Kind." He said that the letters stand for ,6oost Everyone's Knowledge, Integrity, and .Qignity. Theses qualities mean a lot to Lambert who takes pride in his commu­ nity. As he walks down the streets of his neighborhood, he tells the stories behind all the buildings that sit abandoned and unkempt. "See that building," he said. "It's going- to be named after my friend Buddy Gray who was shot a while back. It's going to be a shelter for the homeless. You see that ball park over there. It used to be just a parking lot, but look at it now." Many of the buildings in Lamberts community are abandoned. Boards barricade the windows, paint chips are flaking off the brick, and trash clutters the street below. Lambert sees these places as potential homes and shelters for the poor and homeless who sleep in the muck of alleyways. Lambert is one of the lucky one's who found his way into the protection of the shelters. He writes articles for Streetvibes and sometimes takes pictures of the streets he used to call home. He takes pride in his neighborhood, and he wishes other people would too. "I think people should be peaceful planet people," he said just before he grabbed a stack of papers and walked into the street in front of the Esquire movie theater - where he would stand through the night crying out "Chocolate, cranberries, Berta, bird, bat, read your Streetvibes, that's where it's at.• .. Scramble by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these related words: ETERTSBEVSI SI NO HET SREI EESPLS LPHE SU KAET Tl EHGHRI Answers on page 15. tc.., ~'s~ ANOTHER CLASS PRODUCTION Oise.Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761 · 34&4 (513) 230-6353 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 STREETVIBES Mr. Whitehead, Dear Mr. Editorials & Kunzel, Letters I heard about your organization through Dan Cahill. He told me to write and ask to be put on your mailing list. I was born and raised in Reading, Ohio and the downtown city area. My mom died in July, 1998 and because of a few outstanding bills I had to sell the house. If I live long enough to get out of jail I'm going to need to get a roof over my head. Without it, I'll have to find a place under a bridge somewhere. I'm 61 years old and expect to be in my late ?O's when, and if, I get out. Well, see what you can do and I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. DEAR EDITOR I hope all the vengeful proponents of the death penalty feel better now that Wilford Berry has served as a sacrificial lamb for the lynch mob. In previous times, Mr. Berry would have been the witch burned at the stake in the town square to atone for all the evil in town that month. His murder by the state will not deter future killings, heal the broken hearts of those who grieve or rage at their powerlessness over life, nor will it keep us safe from crime. But like any placebo, it might make some feel better until another lamb is needed to calm the mob. His execution will save us some money, but we could have saved a lot more had we provided proper medical treatment for him thirty years ago. Those who have led the charge for this state murder; Betty Montgomery, State Senator Richard Finan, The Cincinnati Enquirer, etc., will have the blood (and souls) of innocent men on their hands because the system sucks, and mistakes (as well as railroad jobs) happen. Just think of your brother stepping into that death chamber as an innocent man! I still have a couple of questions that nobody has yet answered for me: 1. Why is Mr. Berry's accomplice not on death row too? 2. W hy is i~ that of the 20,000 homicides each year, only 250 get a death sentence? (And half of those are later overturned} 3. How come the homicides continue (and actually increase} in Texas and Virginia where they get to enjoy one execution after another? Execution is not the solution. There are no such easy answers for complex life situations, but we sure keep trying to find one as long as it is at someone else's expense. God forgive us fools. Wayne Hoevenaar, #168-223, Lebanon, Ohio Sincerely, Mary Louise Neumeier Elmer F. Neumeier Jimmy, Hi. I subscribe to Streetvibes. Very interesting paper. Especially the news from prisoners. I have a broth.er..on deatn row: Enclosed is an article on my brother. Want to know if you can put it in the next issue of Streetvibes? Thank you. Sincerely, Jackie Bowers Mr. Donald Whitehead, Mike Shryock Subject: Re: Drop Inn Center''••d'':_ --" . . I •!•112i111t11·1••111:1nt • l' . ' d .. Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless P. 0. Box 1232 Cheyenne, WY 82003-1232 (307) 634-8499 PHONE email: wch@vcn.com Subscribe to STREETV/BES! For only $12 per year you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and Local Stories on Issues regarding . homelessness and the Yo-el here ...Thanks for publishing my article in Streetvibes. I was brought aware of this by my comrade, Dan Cahill in Orient [Correctional Facility] . I was there over a month ago, but was transfered to Chilicothe, and my new location is on the outside. If at all possible could/would you forward me a copy of the-issue with the article I speak of. Plus, I seek ideas concerning subject matters that you feel peopte need/should know about. I have no problem whatsoever in'helping Where I'm needed. Your : ~~elP, r~Uified. fl'l'Jl from <?incinna,ti. myself, t born and !a~~ed, s~ a reply 1s requ,f:\~ted, at ~he , , earliest date possible. I'm out ort thlal rttte. I , ' I 1I Saying that I will remain strong, as I have no choice in the matter. !S I: Letters sent to all the papers [in Cincinnati protesting the closing and/or relocation of the Drop Inn Center.] If nothing else it makes them aware that what they do there is noticed in places other than Cincinnati, so maybe they'd think more?????? Virginia Sellner We are writing this letter to appeal to you and your Art and Business supporters to recon­ sider your efforts in trying to relocate the Drop Inn Center. We cannot imagine this center being any other place other than where it is. It has been a haven of rest, peace and home to so many desolate people over the years. We have visited the Center on many occasions and saw for ourselves all the wonderful things being done for the homeless, all the compassion and dedication of the volunteers and those who work there. If you and your supporters are familiar with Lenten Devotions and the Stations of the Cross, you will recall the 1Oth station, "Jesus is Stripped of His Garments" and you will immedi­ ately know that it is wrong to· 'strip' anyone of their dignity, and it is only right and just to reach out to those who cry for help, and not disrupt their lives needlessly. We appeal to you to please reconsider your plan to have the Drop Inn Center relocated. We sincerely pray that this campaign will come to a peaceful and just end, and not one that will disrupt the lives of so many homeless citizens, who are, indeed, all God's faithful tenants. . I Yo-el. Editors reply: Thank you Yo-el, for your interest and contribution to Streetvibes. We have found that prisoners are prolific writers but because of limited space we can't always print everything that we recieve from incarcerated persons. However, we are always interested in stories of hope and freedom. Also, keeping the number of words to a minimum will allow room for more writers. Peace. llqqr-,:. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons ... Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Streetvibes C/O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 4521 O �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'YOUTH' cont. from front page Even though tobacco use is less among African American youth compared to other ethnic groups, African American teens are more likely to start smoking after they leave high school. It should be noted that some kids are able to illegally purchase their own cigarettes. However most kids get their nicotine supply from their parents or other adults. The increased health problems to African American youth are also brought about by a parent's use of tobacco. The Surgeon General's Report highlighted the increased health danger of exposure to kids of second­ hand smoke at home, in cars and in public places like restaurants. Exposure of second­ hand smoke has resulted in a higher number of African American children who have asthma attacks compared to other ethnic groups. They are seen in the emergency room for asthma more than any other group and the asthma also seems to be more severe. Smoking while pregnant among African Americans can lead to serious health problems for their unborn children. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies with weights too low. If all women quit smoking during pregnancy, about 4,000 babies would not die each year. To ensure that it has customers for years to come, the tobacco industry is now focusing much of its advertisement efforts towards African Americans. The Surgeon General's 1998 Report mentions how studies have found a higher density of tobacco bill­ boards in racial/ethnic communities. Three major African American publications - Ebony, Jet, and Essence- had 12% more cigarette advertisements than widespread publications such as Newsweek, Time, and People. Accord­ ing to the report, the tobacco industry has attempted to maintain a positive image and public support among African Americans by supporting cultural events and by funding minority higher education institutions, elected officials, civic and community organizations, and scholarship programs. During Minority Health Month, a variety of activities such as fairs, and workshops are being offered to address health concerns among Ohio minority members. A calendar of events describing these activities is available through the Commission on Minority Health by calling (614) 466-4000. For a copy of the U.S. Surgeon General's Report, go to http://www.cdc.gov/ tobacco/sgr-min-fs-afr.htm IS FIFTH/ THIRD BANK RUNNING OUT OF MONEY? Carolyn Meszaros On Saturday, February 13, I got a long awaited refund check (not paycheck or the like, refund check). I could have gotten it shortly after January 1 if the sender had been the least bit efficient. It was drawn on Fifth/Third Bank. Since it was around 2:00 p. m. when I got the check, it wasn't possible to cash it at my favorite check-cashing place as that was closed, and, of course, the banks, too, were closed. I needed the money but not desperately enough to go out to kingdom come (there are places open Saturday afternoon and Sunday), so I decided to wait until Tuesday (Monday was Presidents' Day, so everything was closed Monday, too), and just take it to Fifth!Third (it had my name spelled very badly, anyway). Fairly early Tuesday, February 16, I went to the Fifth!Third main office since that hap­ pened to be convenient. I handed the check to the teller and she informed me there would be a $5 charge for cashing the check if I didn't have an account there or I could open an account (and of course incur any subsequent bank charges). Supposedly the policy was in effect as of February 16; they only cashed checks for their customers. I didn't go there to open an account or to pay $5 out of a belated refund; so, I pointed out the obvious, the check was drawn on Fifth/Third. That the depositor was their customer was irrelevant. The withdrawer also had to be their customer. I could talk to a manager if I liked. I sat for the manager. While I sat, maybe ten m'inutes, a couple of other people opted to sit, but I can't say for sure it was the same type situation. Same song and dance from the manager; and, we got a bit sticky in the matter, me pointing out things like they were essentially acting as cashier for said company. Made no difference, I was not one of their customers. Both the teller and the manager wanted to know where I banked, which I don't think happened to be any of their business, but I told them BenchMark Federal and I liked them. They never heard of BenchMark (this was a manager at the main branch of Fifth/Third, you under­ Page 13 stand). Well, they've been around for 150 years (I think it's really 120) and that struck me as pretty stable; and, furthermore, if Fifth/Third hadn't been closed Presidents' Day I would have been over before their rule went into effect since I got the check Saturday. According to the manager I could have cashed the check at Kroger's the day before to which I said why should I have to go to Kroger's .... Now, I, personally, had no real problem. simply went up to BenchMark, had the teller call Fifth!Third to make sure there were funds in that account, and cashed it. I can, however, see that if all the banks start charging $5 to cash a "non­ customer" check, this could be a severe hard­ ship to people working the "work today get paid today" temporary services. If such people work every other day, get four checks as a result, the net pay after taxes might be $35-$40 per day ($160) and if it's a "non-customer" situation they'd be handing over $20 just to get their money on a weekly basis-$80 or more a month out of money needed for rent or whatever. After I took care of my immediate busi­ ness, I called the federal information number and subsequently talked with someone in Texas who informed me the $5 charge was perfectly legal. They also gave me information on a deputy whatever they are in Sharonville; but, I didn't call there. I did, however, call the state legislative offices (Senator Finan's office) to report a possible hardship (I honestly don't think the girl got what I was talking about, though) and the governor's constituency office to say the same thing. Since one might conclude that neither Fifth/Third Bank nor Kroger's is in dire need of customers, I, personally, can think of only two reasons why such a policy would be adamantly enforced: 1. Cut-throat competition to knock out even large banks if possible, and 2. Fifth/ Third has so many poor-risk depositors that they hope to regain some of the money lost on bad checks issued (if company "x" w rites checks with no money to cover them in the account, and the person getting the check runs to the bank immediately-a sensible thing to do if you don't trust the thing-and it takes 2-3 days to run it through to the depositor's account, then the money given to the person cashing the check is being put up by the bank; the person is long gone, so an account there from which the bank could retrieve the money makes sense from the bank's point of view). Anyhow, considering the number of people working at places like MinuteMan, QuickStaff, Labor Ready, etc., even though their accounts may be at banks that presently don't charge, that doesn't mean such can't turn up especially if competition demands it. " H1TTHE BULL'S EVE WITH OUSING IN A HURRY! If you're in the market for a new apartment, call Cincinnati's affordable alternative ... CMHA communities are budget-fri endly, are located in neighbor­ hoods across Hamilton County, and are near the places important to you ... jobs, churches, hospitals and stores! With CMHA's Housing In A H urry Program, you can be made eligible to be housed in 5 days or less. Don't miss this opportunity! Location: 163 5 Western A venue Call CMHA at 421-8190. Comedy Corner by Ron Carter CMHA ! Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. • There once was a guy named Will Who lived on Capitol Hill He went out to have some fun with Wanda. Who drove a little blue Honda This took place a few years ago Their were witnesses who told me so He lied to his wife named Lil Now he's about to become a done deal. Just like the old TV show, Dragnet The names have been changed to protect the innocent. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'Nation• from page 7 ... performs less well than predicted. Add to this the plan of many in Congress to create an expensive new entitlement - individual retire­ ment accounts - and the cuts in the nonde­ fense portion of the discretionary budget grow still deeper. Capitol Hill New Census Legislation The House Committee on Government Reform approved seven bills affecting census operations the week of March 15, mostly along party lines and despite strong opposition from Commerce Secretary William Daley. The Committee markup highlighted the ongoing disagreement between Republicans and Demo­ crats on how best to address the chronic undercount of racial minorities, children, immi­ grants and the urban and rural poor. Some of the bills require a post-census local review, printing census forms in 33 languages and Braille and mailing a second questionnaire to all households. Democrats accused Republicans of trying to burden the census process in order to prevent the Bureau from tabulating corrected numbers by the legal deadline for transmitting redistrict­ ing data to the states. Ranking Democrat Carolyn Maloney (0 -NY) called the package of bills a ''wolf in sheep's clothing." The full House is likely to consider at least one of the bills next week before Congress breaks for Spring recess. Homeless Programs Hearing On March 16, The House Banking and Financial Services Committee's Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 1073. This bill was introduced on March 11 by Subcommittee Chair Rick Lazio (A-NY) and Representative Barney Frank ( D~ MA). In general, the witnesses called to testify supported the bill. Concerns addressed in remarks by some of the hearing witnesses and some members of the Subcommittee included: block granting homeless assistance funds to states and local governments; Shelter Plus Care funds being used to fund housing renewals; the amount of local flexibility in using the funds. It is unclear when the Subcommittee will mark-up the bill. Public Housing Agencies Sue HUD Organizations representing the nation's public housing agencies have filed suit .ag~inst HUD in Federal District Court for the D1stnct of Columbia. The suit charges that HUD violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to provide an adequate comment period and information during the rulemaking process on the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS), the new version of the old Public Housing Management Assessment Program (PH MAP). PHAS scores the performance of public housing authorities in four areas: physical quality, financial capacity, management ~erfor­ mance and resident satisfaction. HUD will use PHAS scoring results to determine the amount of federal funding housing authorities receive and the extent of federal regulation and over­ sight to which housing authorities must submit. According to the housing authorities, the crux of the suit is HUD's refusal to fully describe how housing authorities will be assessed and scored. The housing authorities assert that the standards must be public for the program to function, while HUD, the housing authorities say, fears they will "game" the system if they kno~ the rules. According to a fact sheet the housing authorities have distributed, HUD has likened providing the information to allowing students to grade their own papers. For more information: National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, 202/ 289-3500; Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, 202/638-1300; Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, 202/546-5445; National Organization of African Americans in Housing, 202/588-0866. · Success Stories A Measure of Success Eight years ago, Joan, a Columbus, Ohio native, found herself, her kids and her husband homeless and living out of a car. After floating for some time among abandoned buildings, relatives and parking lots, she left her husband and entered the Catholic Social Services' Holy Rosary Family Shelter. Funded by federal Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG), the Holy Rosary program not only provided her family shelter, but also assisted her in setting goals, taught her how to budget her money and to keep a clean house. For the past two years Joan has been successfully employed and is currently respon­ sible for helping adolescents who are not capable of helping themselves. In addition, with the assistance of the Lutheran Social Services' Supportive Housing program, a Continuum of Care program, her hard work and perseverance have given her family the opportunity to recently move into a new apartment so that she can bring up her kids in the way she really wants. Terri Weisbrode Green with the Commu­ nity Shelter Board in Columbus believes that the comprehensive approaches to ending homelessness encouraged by the ESG and Continuum of Care programs were the key to Joan's success. Contact: Terri Weisbrode Green at the Community Shelter Board (614)221-9195. Minneapolis Private Funding The McKnight Foundation has awarded a $23 million grant to the Family Housing Fund in Minneapolis to build and preserve 5,000 units of affordable housing over the next four years in that city. Page 14 and the statewide investment/resource priorities process. You can contact your local primary care association via the web at http:// www.bphc.hrsa.dhhs.gov/bphc/stintel/st.htm or call the NHCHC at 615/226-2292. NAEHAwards The National Alliance to End Homelessness held its Tenth Annual Awards Ceremony on March 18. The multimedia program, including readings by Lee Stringer, author of Grand Central Winter, and perfor­ mances by the Washington Performing Arts Society's Children of the Gospel Choir, honors representatives from the private, nonprofit and public sectors. This year's private sector awardee was H. Wayne Huizenga of Republic Industries in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The nonprofit award was given to Lakefront SRO in Chicago and was accepted by Jean Butzen, President. The public sector award went to former Portland, Oregon City Commissioner Gretchen Miller Kafoury (Ms. Kafoury introduced Portland's enacted and under-attack preserva­ tion ordinance last fall). , Department of Housing and Urban Devel­ opment Secretary Andrew Cuomo received the John W. Macy Award. In his remarks, Secretary Cuomo stated, 'We need more affordable housing .... The economy is so strong .. . now is the time to do these things .. . it's a matter of political will." Scholarship Fund NLIHC is committed to assuring that the perspective of low income people is directly represented in the deliberations and actions of the coalition. That requires providing the support necessary fgr low income people to come to Washington. NLIHC is establishing a Scholarship Fund for contributions designated to underwrite travel and accommodation expenses of low income people, who serve on our Board _-/' of Directors, who represent state coalitions, an~-----­ who participate in our conferences. e.tease-sena a donation to the NLIHC SChOtarship Fund, 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 610, Washington, DC 20005. Thank you for your help. Texas Public Funding According to the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service, an agreement by Texas housing advocates and the new Director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Daisy Stiner, the Depart­ ment has committed to doubling its spending on the state's lowest income families - an increase of $15 million a year. In the Dallas Morning News, John Henneberger, of the Texas·Low Income Housing Information Services, stated "It is unprecedented." For more in-depth Texas housing information visit Texas Low Income Housing at their web site http:// www.texashousing.org. Resources The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council is encouraging all local healthcare for the homeless (HCH) projects to participate actively in their local primary care associations and primary care offices. According to ~HCHC, the Bureau of Primary Health Care provides funding to primary care associations and primary care offices. These are increasingly important agents in the devolution of health care 0 spending. They are charged to ensure "10~ /o access to preventive and primary care serv~ces and 0% health disparities in every community across the country". Being involved with the associations and the offices will help ensure your community's dollars are being effectively used. NHCHC strongly encourages health care for the homeless projects to form relationships with their primary care associations and to participate in association and office activitie~ , including the statewide market place analysis C. D. CORNER by Gregory Payton We would like for our patrons to be aware about chemical dependency. We would like to inform, educate and let you know just what maybe going on in your community, work place, or even household. Some people do drugs because, their friends do, they think it's cool, they have low self-esteem, they want to belong, want to have fun, or they're just curious. Re­ gardless of the reason, we know they were misinformed. This issue we will discuss: Huffing According to Dr. Neil Rosenberg (Medical Director, International Institute of Inhalant Abuse) huffing is when the indivdual inhal~s household products we use to fuel our engines, freshen our air, and paint our projects. When inhaled or huffed, these inhalant's provide a quick, cheap and accessible way to get high, but their effect can be deadly. This is more dangerous than Marijuana, Cocaine. The long term effects are loss of memory and brain damage. Remember that when the label says "this is dangerous" it really is to what we treasure the most~ (Freeman http://www.cbn.org./news/stories/huffing.asp) �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Announcements Live Studio Audience Wanted STUDIOS OF CINCINNATI COMMUNITY VIDEO, 2 114 READING ROAD, FROM 7 TO 8PM. STREETVIBES TV COVERS NEWS ON POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND RELATED ISSUES. CALL US AT THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION - 421-7803 National Protest to Stop STREETVIBES TV SHOW­ the Execution of Mumia WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE? Abu Jamal SHOW IS TAPED LIVE ON THE April 24th, 1999 Philadelphia, PA SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH For More Information Call Justice AND IS BROADCAST FROM THE Watch (513) 241-0490 STREETVIBES Classified Ads Streetvibes is now accepting Classi­ fied Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately ten words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be re­ ceived before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it t o 421-781 3 music Band Looking for Wor k Streetvibes (the band). We like to party. R&B, Oldies, Blues/ Jazz, Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803. position wanted Dwight Wise HVAC Technician for hire. 24 Service! • Call 751-3182. Thank You! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $1 per line. Ca/1421-7803 for info. Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Page 15 In Memory of "Mac" Who Believed In Hu­ man Rights For Every­ one & Who Founded Jus­ tice Watch ... Because 'Every­ one' includes Prison­ ers and Former Pris­ oners. Scramble Answers from page 11 ... Streetvibes Is On The Rise Please Help Us Take It Higher Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper. and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, May 8th, 1999, noon to 1 pm Streetvibes! Advertise in Streetvibes! StreetvibeS Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to b e able to sell the paper. 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or m~ke someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes ~o persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self-supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to over 5,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 1/2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine OUR DEEPEST FEAR "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. You are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within you. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we uncon­ sciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence auto­ matically liberates others." Attributed to Nelson Mandella Page 16 Streetvi bes TV The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video, 2114 Reading Road. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 for more information. Streetvibes TV MAY Schedule May's Live TV show will begin at 7PM, Monday, May 1Oth, and will be broadcast from the Reading Road Studio. The new show format includes a studio audience along with a guest panel discussion. Channel 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. MONDAY. MAY 1Qth at 7PM. Rebroadcast Dates for Show on Chan­ nel 24: Saturday, May 1, 1999, 4 PM Friday, May 14, 1999, 11 am Friday, May 21, 1999, 11 AM Monday, May 24, 1999, 1 PM Saturday, May 22, 1999, 4 PM o Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our viewing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homelessness and poverty in our city. We are always interested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call. .. Streetvi bes Wish List Streetvibes newspaper is published monthly on a shoe-string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >35 MM Film for Streetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper >Good used or new Xerox machine . >Office Supplies >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, etc.) >Computer for Streetvibes layout and writing ender: 80 cents >Subscribers a in-:ror Call the Greater Cincinnati Coal' ·c the Homeless at 421 -780 if you can help! 0 Printing and Production: 20 cents e r If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feet free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children 241-2757 Alice Paul House (Abuse) 281-5770 YWCA Transitional living Prog. 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431-8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (Veterans) Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241 -5525 241-0490 241-2965 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both 761-1480 Caracole (AIDS} 821-5100 Chabad House 721-0643 Drop Inn Center (Singles) 381 -5432 Friars Club 863-8866 Haven House (Hamilton) 244-7226 Interfaith Hospitality Network lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collect­ ing for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. e St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House St. Francis- St. Joseph House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center Beech Acres ?• 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 639-7056 961-4555 241-7343 921-7324 784-1853 921-1613 381-4941 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 421-2437 621-5991 231-6630 Center for Independent living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center 241 -2563 Emanuel Community Center 241-1 064 Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries 771-4800 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 Oral Health Council 621-0248 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless Program 559-6656 Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1999 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource April 1999 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Struggle to Save Drop Inn Center Intensifies African American Youth: A Preferred Tobacco Industry Customer Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 3: Homeless Disease Pg 4: Police Predators FICA Rip-off Pg 5: The Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Point of View Pg 8: Prison News Pg 9: HUD Funding Pg 10: Welfare News Pg 11: Walking the Streets Streetvibes Etcetera Pg 13: Cleveland News Comedy Corner Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Photographer: Jimmy Heath Writers: Mary Ann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew Sheila Crowley Dorcy Mathew Hagerty Jimmy Heath Mike Henson Cliff Jones Susan Knight Carolyn Meszaros Gina Miller Gregory Payton Eunice Timoney Ravenna Dr. Tom Bomani A. Tyehimba Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Bomani A. Tyehimba Carolyn Meszaros Cliff Jones Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Dorcy Dr. Tom Drop Inn Center Eunice Timoney Ravenna Gina Miller Gregory Payton Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams Mary Ann Bravo Mathew Hagerty Mike Henson police brutality prisoner Ron Carter Sheila Crowley Susan Knight the broken city The Traveler welfare https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/eecc210e5522f466d79ac4f9e3eae8ca.pdf 16e123c6381ff9e47cd194d0391eafa4 PDF Text Text NEW ARTS CENTER PROPOSAL PITS THE RICH by Susan Knight, Drop Inn Center Staff. Photos by AGAINST TH.E POOR Jimmy Heath "We will not move. Period." This is the statement Pat Clifford, the General Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center, Ohio's largest homeless shelter, issued to the media, the community, and to Erich Kunzel, the conductor of the Cincinnat i Pops Orchestra. Kunzel and his select commit­ tee are facilitating the creation of a new SCPA (School forthe Creative and Performing Arts), currently located on the corner of Sycamore and 15th Street. The lines have been drawn; from the residents at t he Drop Inn Center to the executives at various foundations and local corporations (who have agreed to support the project), people are taking sides. The clash could potentially come to a climax in City Hall's chamber in a simple majority vote for or against the City exercising their right to imminent domain. For the Drop Inn Center the issue is an old one-upper income individuals have a dream and they want to realize this dream; at the expense of the low-income. Bonnie Neumeier, a longtime resident and community activist of Over-the-Rhine spoke at a forum held recently by Christ Church. She commented, "We live in system that p its the affluent against the poor. And this is about power. Who has the power to have their dreams real­ ized." Erich Kunzel sees it differently, however. Initially, Kunzel said there would be no displace­ ment of residents. However, in the final weeks of a two year long study Erich Kunzel changed his tune. He believed that the Drop Inn Center and Music Hall were incompatible. The loss of supporters for Cincinnati Pops was due largely he said, to Music Hall's location. "We're in a location where we're being hurt in terms of ticket sales because of the nature of the neighborhood . .. Two Cincinnati musicians," he continued, "were robbed outside Music Hall and the Pops had 500 less subscribers last year than in the previous · year." "We live in a system that pits the rich against the poor. And this is about power. Who has the power to have their dreams realized... " Bonnie Neumeier So now, in the hard-working world of non­ profits, two have been pitted against each other­ the arts and a homeless shelter. Two institutions that have thousands of dedicated people working to enrich lives and make Cincinnati and maybe even the world a better place to live. One says, "build around us." The other asks why can't the Drop Inn Center just take the mon~y and go find another location since it is more feasible for the Center to move than for Music Hall to move. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The Drop Inn Center in its 26 year grass-roots history of controversy, speaking out and taking stands for the low-income, knows this. Erich Kunzel, who The Drop Inn Center at Elm and 12th Street, Over-the-Rhine. entered this controversy simply wanting to offer his love of the arts to more people, and most importantly, more children, is learning. There are the basic (but important) argu­ ments for not moving. David Logan of Prospect House, a men's treatment facility says, "The idea that only one thing is permitted per area is like introducing obsessive-compulsive disorder as a principle of city planning ...Real urban life in real cities is characterized by vitality and variety." Bonnie Neumeier reflects on this, saying, ''They know if the Drop Inn Center doesn't move, they'll have their economic mix!" Also important to note, is the clientele the Drop Inn Center serves. Dorothy Gary, Day Advocate for the Drop Inn Center says, "We serve the people that everyone else has thrown away. When nothing else comes to the mind of a mentally ill man, the Drop Inn Center does." The location is known by its residents and when they are in their most desperate moments, they know where to go. This will not be the case if the Center moves. The Center's proximity to day labor, to the Police Station and bus lines are all part of the equation. The location of the Drop Inn Center (12'h and Elm in Over-the- Rhine) is also key to the con­ tinuum of care the Drop Inn Center utilizes in working with their residents. Jennifer Summers, the Coordinator of ReSTOC, a low-income housing cooperative in Over-the-Rhine, empha­ sized this importance at the Christ Church forum, ''The Drop Inn Center," she says, "is a life line for a lot of organizations . . . it was not an accident that ReSTOC is around the corner, Emmanuel Center is right there, Tender Mercies is down the street. It is an intentional web." The sentimental discussion of the impor­ tance of being rooted in a piece of land also came to the forefront for supporters at the Christ Church forum. J ennifer Summers said, "It [the Drop Inn Center] is a public investment, it's a private investment and most importantly a personal investment. That cannot be negotiated away, that cannot be replaced. " Stories came forth of volunteer crews, of building a center bit by bit, dollar by dollar. Bonnie Neumeier, who helped to found the center 26 years ago, reminisced , "We didn't know then [26 years ago) that we would be here fighting this fight. But we knew at that moment we were doing the just and right thing... The Drop Inn Center is our own community's grass-roots effort to deal with the problem that our neighbors.and friends faced. It is something you cannot just transplant." No money can replace the blood, the sweat, the work and the emotion that has gone into the corner of 12th and Elm ... These issues are sincere and true to life. However, they are not the bigger picture. The Drop Inn Center knows all-to-well the bigger picture. Gregory Payton, formerly homeless and now working on his bachelors in chemical addiction at the University of Cincinnati alluded to the bigger picture, "Move 'em or we' ll take it. Makes me feel like Rosa Parks felt. 50 years ago people didn't like people. Today people don't like homeless people." "Save the people," Jennifer Summers pleaded, "not just the facades." Forcing the Drop Inn Center to move is upholding a precedent set since the industrial revolution 'Arts' cont. on page 3 ... The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES A Trip That Will The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Not be Taken by Donald Whitehead Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation. The Streetvibes Vendor Program gives our vendors an opportunity to get back on their feet. All vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. A file is developed on each vendor so that we may track and help facillitate thier move from poverty to self­ sufficiency. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Planning Commit­ tee meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in ~el~ing or have a comment , story or ed1tonal that you would like published please call 421-7803. Staff Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Ron Carter, Vendor Support Photographer Jimmy Heath Writers Belquees Ali Ron Carter Pat Cliiford Brian Davis Richard Hague Jimmy Heath Susan Knight Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Eunice Ravena Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Editorial Policy: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 o (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421 -781 3 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net web page: http://cinci.com/gcch I originally wanted this months traveler to talk about two of my recent trips. The first trip w.as to Washington DC, our nations capitol. This tnp was a very busy trip and there's much that could be shared with you. The trip consisted of ~everal very important meetings, the first meet­ ing was the Executive Committee of The Na­ tional Coalition for the Homeless and was followed by a meeting with the GAO (Govern­ ment Accounting Office) concerning a recent study ~f h~meless programs. Our next meeting was with high ranking government officials including Deputy Assistant Fred Kamas, F~ther Joe Hakala, and HUD Secretary Cuomo. Our next meeting was a lunch meeting with the new staff person for the Senate Banking Committee and finally we met with Deputy Assistant HHS (Health and Human Services) Secretary Ham­ burg. Each one of the meetings could be a Traveler Column itself. I also made a trip to Columbus to meet with statewide representatives ~eg~rd~ng fair lending by Ohio's largest financial 1nst1tut1ons, again an issue that will be an entire Traveler Column in the future. . This mo~ths issue is not on these very important National and Statewide issue's: it will focus on an extremely important local issue. Some of our reader surveys told us that most ~tre~tvibes readers were of above average intelligence and up-to-date on current affairs. Most of you have no doubt heard about the newest threat to the Drop Inn Center. [ed. note: The Drop Inn Center is Ohio's largest, most comprehensive homeless shelter, located in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. See story beginning on front page.] The Drop Inn Center has been under attack for most of its existence, so being under attack again is nothing new. The source of the current attack is not new either. Over the last twenty-five years conflicts have arisen between groups wanting to rid the community of the homeless. Many people over the last twenty years have confused homelessness, an economic situation, with a moral deficiency. Blaming the poor for being poor is very common in today's America. Cincinnati is no different. In Cincin­ nati , the homeless population continues to grow and this statement is substantiated by the fact that the Drop Inn Center has been at or near capacity since the beginning of November. While more affordable housing and not more shelters are the solution for homelessness we can hardly afford to lose any shelter, especially the biggest and only 24 hour access shelter the City of Cincinnati currently has. The Drop Inn Center was threatened by a study a few years ago by a team of researchers from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) . The ULI final report called the Drop Inn Center along with Tender Mercies inappropriate at their present locations and suggested they be moved to the "Warehouse District". On January 29, a group of consultants doing a feasibility study for a proposed arts and education facility in the Washington Park area of Over-The-Rhine also concluded that the Drop­ Inn-Center was inappropriate in its present location. A spokesman for the group made reference to the inappropriate location of t he Drop-Inn-Center and a possible figure of six million dollars to relocate both the Drop Inn Center and the Pipefitters Union Building on Central Parkway. Many of you will undoubtedly hear state­ ments like "Why don't they just take the money and get a better place" or "You could probably get a wonderful shelter for six million dollars." What those people do not understand is that - p age 2 history leaves low income advocates with little faith in promises In tact, no promises have actually even been made, and contrary to popular belief, there is no real offer on the table. The 6 million dollar offer would be split with every other building that needs to be relocated. And the fact is, any offer made would never be accepted. Many people have given blood sweat and tears and even their lives to build and maintain the Drop Inn Center. You can put a dollar value on property but what value can you place on a human life. Shelters in other cities have had a hard time finding a home because of zo~ing laws and NIMBY (Not In·My Back Yard) att1tudes._Another very important factor ignored by many 1s the Drop Inn Centers importance to the neighborhood as a whole . The Drop Inn Center p~ovides employment to many neighbor­ hood residents. The Drop-Inn-Center is also the ~nchor f~r several other social service agencies in the neighborhood. The Drop Inn Center is the site of many important events such as Stand Down, meetings of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, and many others. The Drop Inn Center is also easily accessible to law enforcement agencies who regularly use the shelter to house individuals who might otherwise be ja~l~d and/or harmed because of their physical cond1t1on. I could go on and on about the many reasons why moving the Drop-Inn-Center is an unthinkable option , but we only have sixteen pages in Streetvibes. I will share one more reason, an~ this one is personal. Four years ago I st.u_mbled into the Drop Inn Center an obituary wa1trng to happen. Life to me had become nothing more than an unending list of broken promises and lost dreams. The Drop Inn Center was a lifeboat in the sea of hopelessness. I crawled in looking for a warm place to sleep and a hot meal. What I received was a reason to live. I still remember this short bespectacled long-haired guy, with a bandanna and overalls walking up to me and saying "I'm glad your here.• That man gave his life for the Drop Inn Center: h~ became my buddy. I'm proud of the couple of things that I ve been able to accomplish over the past few years and I know that they are all due to my buddy and those words. There are plenty of su~es s stories from the Drop Inn Center. They all, hke me, would without a doubt echo what I feel: "Drop Inn Center, I'm glad your here." 1 The Traveler Drop Inn Center Letter The Broken City Arts & Poetry Nationwide News Prison News Rights of Homeless Welfare News Streetvibes Etcetera Scramble Letters & Editorials Cleveland News Book Review Classified Ads TV Schedule Page2 Page4 Pages Page6 Page 7 Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 "The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power." -Daniel Webster �STREElVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'Arts' from front page. when groups of people lived in small defined areas. The rich live next to the rich and the "poor" live next to the "poor." This makes it easy for wealthy citizens to buy and/or manipulate land owned or lived on by the low-income. The low-income were no longer intermingled with a rich overseer as occurs in agrarian societies. Instead the land, the homes on the land, the people's ·lives this land sheltered, were all of one class and this made it easier for the upper class individuals to control the lower classes. In other words, power became consolidated in territory not just by race. Effectively the poor's right to a home became equal to that of the black man or immigrant who did not have equal rights under society. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's Bonnie Neumeier addresses gathering at Christ Church Forum. Dear Friends and · Suppc;>rters of the Drop Inn Center Bonnie Nuemeier, Board Chairperson and Pat Clifford, General Coordinator - Drop Inn Center We are reaching out for your help as we have throughout our history. Recently, a group of arts and business supporters lead by Erich Kunzel declared that the Drop Inn Center must relocate to make way for a new $99.2 million arts complex connected to music hall. We need your support and immediate response to protect our very existence. We cannot move and this is why. The Drop Inn Center lias been serving the homeless for 26 years. It is a grassroots re­ sponse to the crisis of homelessness in our community. We provide food, clothing, shelter, chemical addiction treatment, counseling, medical and mental health care and transitional housing to over 16,000 people each year. It was buddy gray's dream and vision that we create a center so that people would not have to live and die on the streets. The corner of Twelfth and Elm has been our home for 21 years. We have rehabilitated our Page 3 recognized this. Malcolm X was struck at the similarities between the black man's plight and the plight of the Third World. Martin Luther King, Jr., at his death, was planning a poor man's march on Washington. This is the bigger picture. Cincinnati is upholding precedent held by our country since before the existence of the Drop Inn Center and one that the Drop Inn Center has been fighting against since its inception. No money can replace the blood, the sweat, the work and the emotion that has gone into the corner of 121h and Elm. But more importantly, even if the Drop Inn Center was offered millions (currently the figure being heard in the media is a share of 6 million) to build a grandi­ ose new facility, it could not replace a community that has worked (and fought) for generations to rebuild ~self. Over-the-Rhine is a community that is already being attacked by developers from every direction, a community that already faces growing numbers of homeless due to the displacement that has already occurred, a community that looks to do more than just exist, that continues to push itself to protect the safety of their residents and schools and a community that at its most moti­ vated, most vocal most active moments, when people stand up and want a say in their lives and their children's lives, is rarely respected inside of City Hall or downtown. People often ask why there is so much crime, trash, addiction in our inner-cities, why people should try to help people that do not help themselves. But upon examina­ tion of low-income communities one could find that before crime, before trash, is the struggle to be heard and to take control. Low-income people must fight for the right to help themselves. For many, such negative stereotypes are a rationaliza­ tion to so say it is OK that an arts center is more important than a homeless shelter. Besides, many would contend, it would bring in more tax revenue to the area. Tax revenue is something needed if you want to fund these social service agencies. However, maybe if a community was allowed to prosper on its own terms the Drop Inn Center would not be so desperately needed. That self­ determination, stable homes, and a sense of ownership and control are a recipe for positive community. After all, that is what the Drop Inn Center has been working for for the last 26 years. "Our City doesn't understand that its soul is at stake here," says David Logan. "It's (the Kunzel Dream) a wonderful dream. But it must find its place, not the Drop Inn Center's place," remarks Canon Steven Solle. And so the Drop Inn Center is gearing up for the fight of its life (one of many) as Kunzel and his committee begin figuring out how to fundraise the estimated 99 .3 million dollars for this project. Fortunately, this conflict is not about the arts and the low-income-there is no real conflict there.· It is an age old battle between the classes and in this battle the Drop Inn Center will not be bought. Erich Kunzel just wants to make beautiful music. Hopefully, he and others will come to realize the Drop Inn Center and the community the Center came from are part of making this happen . dormitories and treatment areas bit by bit, grant by grant so that we would have a secure home designed to provide quality services . We also have five transitional buildings close by to help people in their transition to permanent housing. It has taken us many years of blood, sweat and tears to get this far. We feel it is wrong to displace and jeopardize the home of the most vulnerable in our society. Development in our neighborhood should benefit current low-income residents, not dis­ place us. It is unfair to force us to defend our right to stay in our home because others have negative stereotypes of the homeless . We feel that it is an injustice to pit one public service against another. Debating whether helping the arts or the homeless is more impor­ tant seems pointless. Unfortunately, fighting this forced relocation will drain our energy from where it needs to be-helping people survive on the streets. The Drop Inn Center is an anchor in our neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine and is critically linked with many other programs and services. Disruption of the shelter would impact the web that exists to shelter and protect the rights of the homeless and low-income people who live in Over-the-Rhine. Relocation is not a solution. The same prejudice which is trying to move us out of our own neighborhood would prevent us from enter­ ing other neighborhoods. We would become a homeless homeless shelter. We need you, our community supporters, to join with us to defend our hqme. Our supporters are many and broad based. They include homeless residents and volunteers; civic, reli­ gious and community leaders; churches and synagogues; schools and teachers; unions, businesses and social service agencies. We will survive by standing together. You can expect that the arts and business group will be unrelenting in their campaign. We have already seen negative articles and editori­ als and can expect many more. We can expect that they will prey upon the public's prejudice against the homeless and that they will attack our shelter efforts. We need your help to counter with the truth of our positive work and reasons why relocation is wrong. We will keep you updated on develop­ ments and our ongoing strategies in an upcom­ ing flyer and newsletter within the month. Please support our cause by helping with the action steps below. Pat Clifford, Genera! Coordinator of the Drop Inn Center - " We will not move. Period. " ACTION STEPS 1. Contact Erich Kunzel and urge him to let us keep our home. 1241 Elm Street, Cincin­ nati, Ohio 45210. Fax: (513) 651-2262 2. Contact the Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent and School Board Members and tell them that you do not support removal of the Drop Inn Center or any community residents to make way for the proposed Arts and Education Center. P. 0. Box 5381 , Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-5381. Fax: (513) 475-4935 3. Write letters to the editor of the Cincin­ nati Enquirer,.Post, Herald and your community newspapers and church bulletins. 4. Volunteer with our services or our defense campaign by calling Susan Knight at (5 13) 721-0643. Please send a copy of your letter to the Drop Inn Center or fax it to us at (513) 721­ 8937. We would like to thank all of our many supporters who have already called or written to express their outrage. �- - - - --- ----------------------~-~----~----------------- STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 STAFF AND RESIDENTS OF DROP INN CENTER RESPOND TO THREATS BY ARTS COMMUNITY If it wasn't for the Drop Inn Center, I wouldn't know who I am and I would still be on drugs. I hear that someone is trying to tear the Drop Inn down; for what reason, I don't know. Also, I hear that they want to take the park and a few schools that are landmarks, you know, t hings that can be restored. The Drop Inn saves lives and it has restored men and women to sanity. This is a place where people can come for help when they are homeless, burntout and when no one else doesn't want them, the Drop Inn gives them a home to live in and helps people get back on their feet. The Full Circle Program is for women who have no place to go. It also has a program to help with kids as well as finding homes for them outside of the shelter. The place that the Drop Inn Center is now, is the right place. God put it in a person's heart to see that the homeless had a place to go. Now tbat we've stuck together and made it, they want to take it away from us or move us outside the community, we are somebody. I will do what I have to do to protect my home. Moses brought the slaves from Egypt, God gave us the home called the Drop Inn Center. It is a home for the homeless. Warren Cook WHAT THE DROP INN CENTER MEANS TO THE OVER-THE­ RHINE COMMUNITY The Drop Inn Center is temporary shelter for homeless people who've fallen short, for more reasons than alcohol and drugs. Hus­ bands, wives and children who've lost their homes and found that they couldn't make ends meet together anymore. Families that have fallen because of welfare reform and its sanc­ tions. The Drop Inn Center is tempor~ry shelter for the mentally ill who've been thrown away by society. The Drop Inn shelter is temporary shelter for the homeless who were sleeping under the railroad tracks, in alleys and on the streets . It is a place for those who are not received any­ where else because they don't have identifica­ tion , because they don't look right, talk right or smell right, because they don't have the right personality, or they have drug and alcohol problems, or other diseases and don't know where to go. For the mentally ill person, going to the Drop Inn Center means getting a case manager, a payee and finding out about group homes. People at the Drop Inn Center can receive medical attention . The D.l.C. means birth certificate, social security card, i.d. and police check so that people can get jobs. The D.l.C. has a 50/50 plan which helps people save money so we can help end homelessness. The Drop Inn Center means getting a G.E.D. or going to college. It also means clinical for colleges students. The Drop Inn center saves lives!!! There is no price that can be on t he D.l.C. Why should we have to move? People are just realizing where the D.l.C. is and all it has to offer. We are the solution to a lot of problems. would think that before fighting to move the problems somewhere else, people would like to help us end homelessness here. Help us by coming together. We want what you want but not at the expense of the poor, mentally ill or persons trying to find a new way of life. Buddy gray died for the homeless and this building and we should not be moved. Dorothy Gary Daytime Advocate MY WORK HAS JUST BEGUN Until I applied for a job at the Drop Inn Center and found out all the services they offer to the people in need, I have to admit my view of the Drop Inn Center was very narrow. But after I became a part of the cause and stopped sitting with my hands folded, I realized my work has just begun. I now see how I can give and not take and know that all I give would be appreciated. In just the few months that I've been here I've seen several success stories walk out the door. I've also seen several men, women and children come in with tears in their eyes, glad they found somewhere to go. Seeing is believing and now I see there is much to be done and a lot of it starts with you and me . .. Janice My name is Douglas Webb. I am 26 years old. I have been in the recovery program for three month and six days. I have been homeless. I had been in the Drop Inn Center a couple of times before entering the program because of my addiction. I want to ask a question. Why people treat other people different? Because they are homeless and they are having bad luck or they are suffering from addiction. If they move the shelter people will still be homeless and the workers might be out of a job. I am going through the program to get a second chance at life. What happens if somebody needs help for their addiction? Let someone else have a chance at this program. It will help them when they go out there in the world . I am·getting my G.E.D. now; then later I-­ am going to try going tp college when I get done with my GED. I might be dead if this program wasn't here. I want to give thanks to everyone for helping me to get a second chance at life. Douglas Webb DROP INN CENTER IS AN INTERNATIONAL MODEL We are established and known world wide-from Canada to Mexico. We are known to be here, in Over-the-Rhine. People in England receive our newsletter, we have had guests from Ireland visit and tour our facility. We are a model enigma for the sheltered homeless. There is not another shelter in our nation that operates or provides a wide range of extensive life saving services. Our doors are open 24 hours. It is a beginning point for many people who seek and receive: hot meals recovery transitional housing permanent housing Moving the shelter would be a great disservice to the homeless of the Greater Tri­ state area. It would hinder, greatly, the continuum and quality of medical, health, outreach services we currently provide on a daily basis . Especially for those who cannot receive services through regul.ar avenues, due to life's instabilities, lack of funds, addictions, and or direction. Our goal is to service any and all people, who walk through our doors. The only requirement to receive our services is to simply get here. A vis Nichols Staff Worker FOOD FOR THE SOUL When I first arrived at 121h and Elm Street one week night, I was planning on working at the Drop Inn Center soup kitchen. I had images of filing bodies in one by one, handing them a bowl of soup, and quickly sending them on their way. This alone is a welcoming gesture offered at very few places. But as I walked through the doors, I experienced something completely different. I could feel the compassion and love with the first hand I shook. Each person here puts so much heart and soul into his or her job. They always give 100% effort because they are doing something t hey love and believe in. Junior was the person who affected me the most. He gives tours to the newcomers at the Drop Inn Center. He does not just give tours, though. He tells stories, he laughs, he cries , he affects people, because the Drop Inn Center affected him. The people here took him in, and helped him restart his life when he needed it most. This is what the Drop Inn Center continues to do for each person who arrives at their door. When· we began serving dinner, I realized we were not just serving to a crowd of people, but we were serving to individuals with names, faces , personalities and stories. That is who they are and that is how they are treated here. We were not simply offering them soup, bread, and shelter, we were offering them a helping hand-a chance to regain the hope and integrity they once had. The Drop Inn Center does not just wanno give people a break from their trying times, they actually want to break those times, and help them regain their lives. Everyone•wants tO help themselves, they simply· -· need to kriow they can. This is what the Drop Inn Cenler·does. This is why I choose to come here and work at the soup kitchen . There is enough hope and i:>romise to uplift anyone. To be a part of it is a gift. After all. . . It is in giving that we receive. Rae Roberston Volunteer THE MAN BEHIND THE MIRROR On January 291h of this year, a Mr. Cliff Radel from the Enquirer wrote an article about the Drop Inn Center and our late founder and friend "buddy gray." When I read his article, my mind wondered back to an article that I had written entitled, "On the Outside Looking In." This man, Cliff Radel is a prime example of what I wrote about. First, he mentioned that this location is not safe nor suitable for anyone that has money, nor is it safe for children, he along with others pay lots of money to send their children to school and be taught but yet and still even though they are paying money for their children to get an education, the teachers in the school are abusing them, and might I add that these teacher's are supposed to be professional (no, if we can't send our kids to what we believe is a safe place then how is this man gonna judge the homeless population?) He went on to say that the man that gunned down our friend and founder was a resident here at the center and that buddy was trying to help him, which was a lie. I dare him to use the name and death to corrupt the minds of those who believed in what buddy stood for, I dare him to tell lies in order to get people to look down on the home- Continued on next page. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The BrQken City... by Jimmy Heath TV Lounge area of the Drop Inn Center on a typically busy evening. The Drop Inn Center in Over-the-Rhine provides shelter, food, clothing, treatment services, counseling and referrals for thousands of persons every year. less, placing evil seeds in minds of others that the Drop Inn Center is a dangerous place, placing thoughts of fear within the hearts and minds of men, women and children that when­ ever they see a homeless person that they will get hurt. I dare him to try and take away our residents home without a struggle. I dare him! Even if buddy had lived, would have forgiven the man that took his life. that was the kind of person he was. If the shelter has to be moved, there will be no other shelter, because the word "homeless" to some means the same as the work "jail" and nobody wants neither of these places in their neighborhood. The residents we serve are no animals, but human beings like Cliff Radel and I and they should be treated as such and not placed in a warehouse as though they were waiting to be shipped out. We the Drop Inn Center staff has come along way since our founder and friend was gunned down and it took a lot for us to try to hold things together, starting over for us made us feel like a rose bulb just starting to bloom and to try and tear down what we and a lot of our friends helped us build would be like Mr. Kunzel pulling a gun on us. There has been no record of any homeless person bringing any harm to any of those rich folks that attend Music Hall. If Music Hall feels that they are losing clientele because of the homeless people, then maybe they ought to be the ones to relocate. In 1 Corinthian, 15m Chapter it says, "Therefore, my beloved breth­ ren be ye steadfast. unmovable always abound­ ing in the lord for the lord as much as ye know your labor 1s not in vain in the lord." and we at the Center will continue to steadfast and be unmovable and our labor 1s not in vain because we are doing exactly what the Lord wants us to do and that is offering and giving food, shelter, love, support, understanding and most of all a place which someone can call home. So I leave Mr. Cliff Radel along with Mr. Erich Kunzel with these encouraging words: Whatsoever things are true Whatsoever things are honest Whatsoever things are just Whatsoever things are pure Whatsoever things are of good report, If there be an virtue of praise, let us remember. Gail Frazier-Holley HERE WE GO AGAIN This time the plan is not to bluntly say, the Drop Inn Center is this and that and needs to be closed. Instead the plan is to kill us with kindness. The offer is a share of 6 million dollars. This is to draw public support from those who involved themselves with the Center and have no idea of how, directed right, the money could be used to help with finding solutions to ending homelessness. The idea that people are saying the Drop Inn Center is stopping progress both in business and being attractive enough to want people to live and send their children here and wanting a diverse neighborhood, just doesn't ring t rue. In fact, it is the community which welcomes diversity and has the ability to coexist with people of every make-up and it is the community who comes up with the plans to beautify and not tear down­ displacing the poor. In fact, if the Drop Inn Center is forced to move, then whomever, whatever, becomes an eye soar to contain people is forced to move. The notion of a diverse community then becomes totally false. Let us not be blinded by the figure of 6 million dollars. Remember, this will be your money, your tax money, this is yours and our chance to say to those whose only concern is for them­ selves that what we want counts and we support the Drop inn Center in its effort in its right not to be moved. Tom Lee WOMEN'S PROGRAM The Full Circle Program is currently on the 2nd floor of the Drop Inn Center. The Drop Inn Center is located in the center of most local agencies designed to help the homeless get on their feet and off the street. Health Care, Phyciatric help, soup kitchens, transitional housing , human services are all located within walking distance. If the shelter is moved the choice for many will be to avail themselves of shelter or of these needed services. A shelter removed from the resources needed to solve the prob­ lems that cause homelessness effectively lock the door to these resources. Page s It makes no difference where you put the shelter you will still have the same problem. The neighborhood needs to be cleaned up. Moving to another place, the problems will move tob. Many other institutions and agencies regularly or sporadically extend assistance to homeless men and women. Yet, in perhaps no other field of social work is there more overlap­ ping and duplication of effort or so low standards of service. For example, the missions and some of the churches working independently of one another boast that they feed and clothe the needy but they make little or no effort to distin­ guish between those who do and those who do not deserve assistance. SELECTED RIGHTS OF HOMELESS PERSONS Homeless children have the right to attend public school. Homeless children are entitled to the same public school education, including a public preschool education, as is provided to all children. Homeless children do not need a permanent address to enroll in school, nor can they be denied enrollment if school records are not immediately available. Children may choose to remain at the same school attended before becoming homeless, or enroll at the school serving the attendance area where they are temporarily housed, determined by the best interest of the child. School districts are re­ quired to remove barriers preventing the enroll­ ment and attendance of homeless students. Each state that participates in the McKinney Act Education Program has a coordinator for the education of homeless children and youth who can assist in resolving enrollment and atten­ dance problems. Homeless children have the right to participat e in mainstream federal, state, and local p ro grams . Homeless children and youth are entitled to participate in all extracurricular activities and all federal, state, or local programs for which they are otherwise eligible, including food stamp programs; before- and after-school care pro­ grams; vocational education; Title 1 programs; Head Start; and programs for gifted and talented students. Ho meless people have the right to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Homeless people may be entitled to the Earned Income tax Credit (EITC) , if they worked and earned at least $1. The EITC may go toward taxes owed, or if they don't owe any .taxes they may receive cash back from the IRS. Homeless persons do not need a permanent address to receive the EITC. Homeless people have the right to vote. Homeless people should not be denied the opportunity to vote, or to register to vote be­ cause they do not have a house, apartment or other traditional residential address. If an address can be provided,. such as a shelter address, homeless people should not be pre­ vented from voting. In almost all states, home­ 'rights' cont i n~ed on back page ... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine~ WORD ON THE NOT FOR LOVE OR STREET Arts & Poetry MONEY Yes, I too... by Gina Miller Yes, I too have been homeless. Yes, I too have been hungry. Yes, too have been without money. Yes, too have been unemployed. Yes, too have been ridiculed. Yes, too have felt alone. Yes, too have felt afraid. Yes, too have thought of suicide. Yes, too have struggled. Yes, too have become cou rageous. Yes, too have reached out for help. Yes, too have become employed. Yes, too have returned to school. Yes, too have a permanent place to live TODAY. Yes, I too am willing to help other people. Yes, I too am grateful!" CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE STOP TELLING ME HOW LONELY YOU ARE FEELING NO ONE CALLS YOU, NO ONE VISITS YOU AT HOME YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT MAKING THE QUOTA AND -BRINGING IN THE MONEY (YOU WORSHIP) YOU DO NOT FEAR ME YOU SELDOM LET ANYTHING GET PAST YOU YOU ARE A SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE SO SAD, YOU HAVE NO SOCIAL CLUE BECAUSE I LOVE YOU YOU WORSHIP A GOD THAT GUIDES A EXTRAVAGANT LIFESTYLE DINNER ON THE DINERS CARD..... .. JACKET ON THE GOLD CARD ..... .. OFF TO THE MOVIES TWO DAYS PER WEEK FOR TWO AT SEVEN DOLLARS A POP I MUST TAKE MY LEAVE FROM YOU AND YOUR NEW SPORTS CAR NEVER TO LOUNGE AGAIN IN YOUR HOME WHERE EVERYTHING IS QUOTED BY ITS PRICE IT WAS A DISTURBING PLACE TO VISIT AND, I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THERE I firmly believe that mother universe will provide all that I am 'in need of to sustain this life of mine. Please understand my fear I'm the only one standing here When I woke up.. · I didn't know what to do I do remember I prayed to you .This time and place is new to me There's no instruction for me to see Please God can I hold your hand At least I won't be lonely as I stand My feelings and goals are hard to do But God, deep in my heart, there really for you Ther paths you make and choices you give Are those that I cnose to. liye You are my master, I am your servant I seek you. I submit to you Even wothput you in my view With your grace and mercy everyday I can face fear and doubt in every way As everyday goes past My faith in you, I know will last Thank you God in every way Thank you God just for today Gregory Payton OVER-THE-RHINE COMMUNITY COUNCIL T-SHIRTS FOR SALE!!! Each of us can harness the talents and energies to accomplish everything we set for ourselves as a goal. We are each in the space and place we belong in. Where we are and where we are headed is already pre-destined. Page 6 Be Proud to be a Member of the Over-the­ Rhine Community Council. T-shirts are in Large Size; Colors Available Purple or Burgundy Cost: ORCC Member $4 Resident, non-ORCC Member $5 Others $10 It has been determined by the seeds we have sewn in this life and by those of the past. Its success depends on how well we attend to the crop we have planted within us. when in doubt we must speak truthfully....... in all matters love every one with a open hand ......even when it is painful to do so ...... look into tomorrow and do what is for the good of all. ...... including you Call 381-2956 or 381-4242 for information on where T-shirts are sold. You can also purchase them at the monthly ORCC meeting. Great care should be taken of what you manifest. '·:\ Do not speak or act anything negative into existence ... Knowingly refrain from these activities. ~ )f y _.-· -~ IF YOU WRITE POETRY AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK IN STREETVIBES, CALL 421-7803 OR FAX US AT 421-7813 .., ­ OVER-THE-RtllNE . . . COMMUNITY COUNCIL The creative design is by Jimmy Heath �---~---- --- - - - . STREEOll.B.ES.,. :~.I~tl~-~t.rJ::~.~~!.~k§~?~l:JgfJl/!JJ.i~~~4~JJ~-Yt'J~_. ~ -~:.:_~;:. ~~;,_,t,~:..:;!:r;~.f!~Qr~.- ~Ci~ Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United, strongly urges the House Committee on Business and Consumer Affairs to oppose the passage of HB 2401, HB 2402, HB 2403 and HB 2405 . "The living and working conditions farmworkers currently have to endure in the State of Oregon are horrible." Farmworkers today continue to live in sub-standard housing and work in piece rate crops , while violations of state minimum wage laws continue ram·pantly, field sanitation is non·existent in many farms, children continue to work in the fields, and the health and well-being of farmworkers in Oregon continue to decline. A study done several years ago by the GAO, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, concluded the following: 1) 300,000 farmworkers suffer acute illness or injury each year; 2) 31 % of farmworkers work without drinking water or toilets; 3) over 100,000 childnm under the age ANOTH ER CLASS PRODCCT I O~ of fourteen work in the fields; 4) health care facilities only serve 15% Disc-Jockey Service of the farmworkers; CLIFFORD JONES 5) growers are three times more likely (513) 230-6353 (513) 761-3464 to omit or under-report workers' earnings which qualify them for Social Security · benefits; and 6) currently housing is only av.ailable to George E. Ferguson 30% of the farmworker workforce. Alex Typing Service Pulaski, a r~porter with the Oregonian, recently completed a series of articles which By Appointment Only examined these conditions in Or~gon , confirming many of the GAO conclusions. 7 East University Ave. ­ "Agricultural work is one of most Cincinnati, Ohio 452 l9 hazardous occupations in this state. The (513) 559-9908 Legislature must recognize the importance of having safeguards to protect workers from injuries and conditions which may lead to long term health problems. We feel adoption of HB 2405 would significanW hurt t he enforcement of health and safety protection Social Services/Chemical Dependency for farmworkers. "We feel that given the Program conditions facing farmworkers in agriculture, Weekend Monitor (Part Time, all shifts) enforcement laws and resources need to be strengthened, not gutted. HB 2405 sends the needed at residential program for chemical wrong message to the agricultural commu­ dependent women. Begin a career in social nity. To the growers, it removes an incentive services or make extra $. Must be for them to comply with state health and supportive and motivated with High School safety regulations . To the farmworkers , the Diploma or equiv., min. one year relevant message is that we don't care about you. "Farmworkers have made Oregon agriculture experience & driver license with auto ins. into a strong, productive industry nationally Fax resume & letter ASAP to Liz Hughes at and internationally. It's about time that we 921 -2375 or mail to FSH, 21 18 St. Michael recognize this contribution and start trea1ing St., Cinti, OH 45204. EOE. farmwQrkers \A{ith respect and work towards ending the Apartheid conditions in our state." FARM­ WORKERS UNDER ATTACK Conditions faced by farmworkers in Oregon are in many ways typical of those in agribusiness throughout the U.S. Not satisfied with the present level of exploitation , gr~wers are using their considerable lobbying power in an attempt to roll back - even further! - the weak protections currently available to those who put the food on our tables. In Oregon and else- . where, farmworkers are fighting back. The Oregon farmworker union PCUN is organizing_ statewide resistanc·e to this latest anti-worker effort by growers. The 1999 Oregon Legislature started off with four bills trying to gut farmworker rights. At the request of the Oregon Farm·Bureauy Rep Jeff Kruse (a grower from Roseburg, Oregon) introduced the following bills: • HB 2401 exempts agricultural employ­ ers with 10 or fewer employees from require­ ments to have workplace safety committees. • HS. 2402 exempts corporate fc;irm officers and members from occupational safety and heath requirements. • HB 2403 excludes seasonal farmworkers when determining need for work­ place safety committees. • HB 2405 prohibits Oregon-OHSA from issuing citation and notice of civil penalty to • employers for non-serious violations discovered during first inspection or investigation during a calender year. At a legislative hearing a week after these bills were introduced, Ramon Ramirez, Presi­ dent of Oregon:s farmworker union , PCUN, t testified: "Or.t behalf of our m~mbership, composed of 4,500. Willamette Valley farmworkers, ' treeplanters and nursery workers, PCUN ~ COMEDY CORNER . by Ron Carter A man was given a ticket for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. So he went to court to plead his case to the judge. He replied, "Your Honor, I had to be going the right way." The judge replied , "How do you figure?" He said, "because it got me where I wanted to go." "Are you happy about that?" the judge asked. "Yes sir," the man replied. The judge said, "Good, now we can both be happy." The man said, "why are you happy, your Honor?" The judge replied, "I am happy because you got to where you were going driving on a one-way street. I am also happy because you are now going where I want you to go for driving the wrong way on a one-way street." "Where is that?" the man asked . "The Justice Center," the judge replied in a loud voice. "Ninety days!" Help Wanted ~ Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority ... Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o· of your income ... Many bu(ldings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks • Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/F~lrmount West End Winton Place . R• For more information, call 421-8190 today. �I STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine JOINING STREETVIBES FORCES TO Prisoner's News SAVE A LIFE STREETVIBES PRISONERS NEWS IS THE WRITINGS OF PERSONS INCARCERATED IN OUR NATIONS JAILS AND PRISONS. SEND YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS TO: >STREETVIBES@JUNO.COM or mail to: >STREETVIBES 1506 ELM STREET CINCINNATI, OHIO 45210 or fax to: >(513) 421-7813 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: My name is Yo-el Brown and at present I'm incarcerated in Orient, Ohio. This hell-hole is known as the Orient Correctional Institute. I write article's for papers and magazines. My subject matter varies depending on what IO'm dealing with. I'm hoping with this short letter that you will find it in your heart to publish some of my writings.not so much as to get praise or to give it, it's simply not about that. It's about getting the message out, whatever that message may be. Enclosed you will find an article I wrote for the news letter titled Impact. If you like or are i•rested in what you read , please publish it. Should you have any subject matter that you wish me to write on, by all means, let me know in a follow-up letter. Also, I write this letter seeking to get on your mailing list for STREETVIBES. If a fee is attached to me being on your mailing list, let me know that too. Before I close out this letter, let me thank you first, for taking the time to read my letter, and thank you also for the work you are doing to aid and help the homeless. I'm a native of Cincinnati, and I just want to help, if I can. Mr. Yo-el Brown Here is Mr. Brown's Article... There are presently more than 1 .7 million men, women, and children impris­ oned in the U. S., with over 49,000 of those right here in Ohio State Prisons . The vast majority of us are trapped in the cycle of poverty, imprisonment, and exploitation ... In the community we will be/are the working poor, or wage slaves, and in the prison system we are the slaves of the state. Prison laqor is once again being marketed to private industries, just as it was over a hundred years ago.... The entire prison system is dependent upon the labor of prisoners. Our labor is by Eunice Timoney Ravena Ohio plans to execute the first death row inmate since 1963. The scheduled execution of Wilford Berry is Friday, February 19th at 9PM. Mr. Berry has refused the appeal process therefore moving his case to the forefront. Berry is mentally ill and suicidal; activists fear the State is carrying out this man's suicide wish. On Wednesday, February 3rd, over 100 concerned Cincinnati citizens rallied at the Hamilton County Court House. Participants heard from Maria Hines, a family member of a murder victim. She spoke of the need for healing that comes from forgiveness, not revenge. She was able to truly come to a sense of forgiveness for the man who killed her brother, and found comfort and closure. Ms. Hines is active working against the death penalty in her home state of Kentucky. On Saturday, February 13th over 75 citizens of Cincinnati joined with others to demonstrate on the grounds of the Governors Mansion. This rally was attended by a _diverse crowd including representation from activists, mental health professionals, religious leaders, politicians, academics, and penal system professionals. All were calling on newly elected Governor Taft to commute Wilford Berry's sentence. Music was lead by Paulette Meier and Brian Crum. Local speakers included Tom Luken, Tom Choquette and Berta Lambert. Page a Active students from XU , UC, Antioch, and Dennison were also in attendance. While traveling to Columbus, the Cincin­ nati group shared reasons for attending the rally and supporting the clemency of Wilford Berry. Many were able to point to Mac Mccrackin as a leader in this fight and a presence on the bus. We all joined in the spirit and sang our way to Columbus keeping Mac's memory alive. During the week prior to the scheduled execution many prayer services are scheduled throughout t he city at various denominations. Many thanks to St. Gertrudes, St. Paul's United Methodist Our Lady of Victory, Faith United Church of Christ, and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church for sponsoring these services. We should all be proud of our local legisla­ tors who have lead a lobby in Columbus. State Senator Mark Mallor}' along with fourteen other state legislators (including Catherine Barrett and Sam Britton) met with Governor Taft on Tues­ day, February 16. Mallory's concern involves the competency of Mr, Berry and, "If this execu­ tion is allowed to stand, it will set the course for many others to follow." Mallory's concerns are well founded, since the US reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the United States has executed more than 500 citizens. On Friday, February 19th, many people will attend a prayer vigil in Lucasville to mourn the scheduled execution of Wilford Berry and to show a strong opposition to the death penalty in Ohio. For those seeking information regarding the death penalty in Ohio call toll-free 888-565­ 4410, or visit the Ohioans to Stop Execution web site at www.otse.org. For those interested in working against the death penalty and joining our local committee please call Eunice at the lntercommunity Justice and Peace Center at (513) 579-8547. Jen Manning reads Wilford Berry's story to gathering at Hamilton County Court House. Photo by Eunice Timoney Ravena the key to the solution. Without our labor the entire prison system would have to be shut down. If the majority of prisoners participate in a prolonged work stoppage, prison administrators would be forced to shut down the entire prison for security reasons. Simple mathematics tells us that prison officials can't ship us all to a maxi­ mum or super-maximum security prison. They don't have enough control units to hold us all. With solidarity among prison­ ers, it's clearly possible to paralyze this oppressive beast known as the criminal in­ justice system . Non-violent protest will garner more outsic;le support for our cause. We must not only protest the actions of the Ohio Parole Board , but all the inhuman living conditions that exists within the prison syst~m. We must include the interests of all prisoners to generate the unity needed for the action I speak of. It has become all to obvious that prison officials and guards have been trying 'Brown• cont. on page 9 ... �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'Brown' continued from page 8... to provoke us to violence, to further demori­ ize us in the eyes of the public, all to justify financing the construction of still more prisons. · This is a struggle against racism and classism, and all the injustices that are inherent in this corrupt system. Non-violent protest is also necessary to show our sons and daughters that we are human beings, and that we can bring about change in this system without vio­ lence on our part. Violence has been prevalent among the under-class and the casualties have been limited exclusively to our own people. It's time to end the vio­ lence and unite in this struggle, and show our oppressors that we have the power and the force to bring about the justice and equality that all human beings deserve. Inside these concentration camps there is only one race, the huma11 race. Our Brothers at Lucasville showed us that strength is possible through unity. This is not a struggle for justice within the prison system, this is an effort to break the cycle of poverty, exploitation, and imprisonment in society at large. Through our example, it may be possible to rally our brothers and sisters from the working class to the larger struggle in society. We desperately need outside support in the movement to make the public aware of the true nature of the problem within these prisons, not only in Ohio, but throughout the nation. THANKS, STREETVIBES by Eric I want to thank you for responding to my letter regarding an unusual incident I was involved in on 12/4/98. I am in a little better health since being maced by Lt. Carter and pushed down a half flight of stairs at Ohio State Penitentiary. So far, I've had a 'use-of-force' hearing on 12/23/98 about what happened. I haven't received a copy of the committees determina­ tion yet. But I imagine that I will hear something in good time. And I've recently sent in my appeal to the Chief Inspector's Office on 1/1/0/ 99 to make sure that I get the complaint and issue all the way down to the grievance court. But right now, I am just waiting for a response to my appeal. And I guess that's the latest update con­ cerning the issue. But while I am writing this letter to you, I might as well fill you in on a few of the things that Lt. Carter has done since I wrote my complaint about his assault. He has come by my cell and threatened me with revenge if I didn't stop making noise about the 12/4/98 assault. These two times happened on 1/ 15/99 and 1/22/99. It doesn't seem like he is a fast learner, but I am confident that in the end I will see him disciplined for his actions contrary to prison rules. The black Lieutenants are constantly doing things contrary to established prison rules here at OSP, and are rarely held accountable. However, I hope you find a place to publish this letter in your upcoming issue. Much thanks again. Page 9 Poverty as a Commodity Do Temporary Labor Agencies Profit From the Struggles of the Poor? Temporary agencies can be really hard on people, the people they rely on to staff their workforce. We are not talking about the white- collar temp agencies here, but the kind that serve the low-income neigh­ borhoods. Folks are w·orked hard for minimal pay. And the jobs are sometimes . dangerous or repetitive. These are jobs that don't require any skills or training and are the kind that no one wants anyway. Most of the jobs pay between $5 or $6. Some pay $7.50 an hour. You go to the temp agency and wait to be selected. Sometimes if the agency knows you they will pass you over and give the higher paying work to someone who "just walked in" and hasn 't waited at all. This keeps you hanging if THEY need you, and treats the newcomer right so that he will continue to come back. If you don't have a car, the agency will take you to the job site in their van. And this service will cost you: it's taken off the top of your days earnings. This will usually cost around $3. You may wait an hour and the transpo rt time can be another half hou r to an hour depending on where the work is. You work 7.5 hours. When you finish you must wait another hour for the van back to the agency. They may deduct money for advances for lunch money. Or, they may charge you for hard hat rental or steel toed shoes. So, you might spend 11 -1 2 hours in total (transportation time anq work time) and only get paid $27 (after taxes, deduc­ tions , etc.). The agency is not required to provide you with a retirement plan, or insurance or any other kind of incentive. Basically, you are a TOOL at their disposal. There is no incentive to promote you , to train you , or help you find any kind of permanent position. They are not there to help you get back on your feet. It is to their advantage that you remain poor, and stuck. _Preparing . fo~ Most of the folks who work temp agencies consider the work demeaning and difficult. It certainly is not motivational to be working as a temp and getting paid $5.00 an hour when you might be standing· next to someone (who is a permanent worker) making $15 or $16 an hour. It seems obvious that for people who want to work, there should be better oppo rtunities made available to them. Temp agencies should be made accountable for how they do business and they should be providing their workers with at least a livable wage. These agencies should not be allowed to profit from the struggle of poor folks caught in this cycle of poverty. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you every month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Ho meless-Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421­ 7803. economic downturns Is my Golden Parachute packed? t> Do we take reservations? �PROTECT OHIO'S CHILDREN Shanna Owens was sanctioned from Ohio Works First in December of 1997. When she went in for her recertification appointment , the caseworker told her to get a job. Shanna has no problem with the idea of working (she's now employed), but at the time she was five and a half months pregnant and had a six month old baby. Shanna was unable to find chi ld care for her baby so she was not able to work at the time. Shanna was verbally told that she was sanctioned, but never received a formal letter stating this. Hence she found herself and her baby completely cut off of cash assistance. The caseworker also elimi­ nated their food stamps, including the baby's, and cut off Medicaid for both of them. Shanna was pregnant with health problems of diabetes and high pressure. After she was cut off of Medicaid, she received no prenatal care. Ohio Assembly that would stop Full-Family sanctions. Full-Family sanctions punish the entire family. In effect, they sanction children along with the adults. Studies in other states are showing that Full-Family sanctions do not help families find work. Instead, families are being driven further . into hardship. Ohio is only one of fourteen· states that completely cuts the cash assis­ tance for a first offense. The majority of states reserve this most severe sanction for the third sanction. When Ohio public officials gloat that welfare caseloads are down, making welfare reform a "success" in their eyes, they are also speaking of the families with children who have unwillingly been thrown off the roles. Sarfctioned households are counted in caseload reduction numbers. Stories of families like Shanna's are hap­ pening all across Ohio. A recent sanction survey by the Ohio Empowerment Coalition shows similar stories happening in other counties. Counties more families have . been terminated oe·cause they and their caseworkers could not keep up with the maelstrom of paperwork required quarterly­ or more frequently. • ., .Jr - Stopping Ful~amily sanctrons would be one positive step forward that Ohio legislators could support to assist families in leaving poverty. Punishing them se­ verely only drives them dee~er into destitu­ tion. • stop the Full-Family sanction wherein the entire family loses their cash assistance . restore food stamps to the sanc­ tioned household . keep the recipient eligible for other support services, as child are subsidies, from local welfare departments . end the sanction as soon as the recipient "complied" Full-Family sanctions punish the entire family. In effect, they sanction chil­ dren along with the adults. Studies in other states are showing that Full-Family sanc­ tions do not help families fine work. In­ stead, families are begin driven further into hardship by having to borrow money, doing without, and ending up in homeless shel­ ters. "When I was sanctioned, I was five and a half months pregnant with a six month old baby. The caseworker said I had .to do the work requirement, but I didn't have chilq care for my baby. I ended up .losing my apartment," stated Shann~ Owens. Opportunities to interview sanctioned recipients during February are also available. If you are interested, call CYnn Willams at 1­ 513-381-4242. Call your Ohio Assembly legislators now and urge that they support stopping . the Full-Family sanctions in Ohio. Because she was completely cut off of cash assistance she lost her apartment. Because welfare payments are so low, $ 296 for a family of two, she had no savings accumulated to tide them over. The sanc­ tion left her and her six month old com­ pletely destitute. Shanna was unaware that she could not legally be sanctioned if she was unable to locate child care for a child under six. The caseworker never informed her of this "good cause" reason for not doing a work requirement. Shanna automatically as­ sumed that the caseworker knew the rules. She was never called back in for a recertification appointment because she did not "comply" with the work requirement. When she went back in to tr-Y to apply for assistance in May 1998, the caseworker immediately asked her if she was working. Shanna said she was taking care of both babies. The caseworker refused to even let her apply for assistance. Evidently the sanction was still in effect because techni­ cally she had not "complied." When Shanna asked the caseworker for help with transportation money to look for work and look for a child care provider for her chil­ dren, she was denied this also. Being sanctioned threw Shanna and her two babies in a very precarious situa­ tion and it will take time to undo the dam­ age to these human lives. The Ohio Empowerment Coalitio~·is working hard to get a bill introduced by the Submitted by the Contact Center and Lynn Williams For more.information, call the Contact Center at (513) 381-4242. BILL TO PROTECT OFllO'S CHILDREN Ohio has one of 'the harshest welfare sanction laws in the United States. This· may be about to change. Senator C.J. Prentiss of Cleveland and Representative Tom Roberts of Dayton plan to introduce legislation in February that would soften welfare sanction policies. A press confer­ ence will be held locally on February 17th, Wednesday, 12:30 a.m. at the Contact Center, 1441 Vine St., to release the results of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition's statewide sanction survey report and our local monitoring study report by the Con­ tact Center and Applied Information Re­ sources (AIR,lnc.). The Ohio Empowerment Coalition, a statewide welfare rights coalition of which the Contact Center is a member, advo­ cates that the following changes be made: Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street. Cincinnati, OH 4521 O Please make checks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, ~a!I 421-7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVl-BES Etcetera ... ·that this be done. Residents, Businesses and Institutions in Over-the-Rhine want their Coalition back. They want whatever ransom is owed to Kirkland to be paid so she can go back to wherever she fled from to come to Cincinnati. The Coalition cannot survive under its current state and Directorship unless Kirkland realizes the uniqueness of the Over-the-Rhine community and its demand that it be resp ected and appreciated for its diversity and character. Whose Coalition is this anyway, Ms. Kirkland's, the City of Cincinnati and its inves­ tors or the Over-the-Rhine Community? WHOSE COALITION IS. ·ARTIST THIS­ CAPTURES ANYWAY? COLD by Belquees Ali REALITIES OF HOME­ LESSNESS In June of 1996 the Urban Land Institute visited the community of Over-the-Rhine. They completed an assessment of the community, its residents businesses & institutions, which included several face-to-face interviews with those outside the community as well. The result of this assessment was the Urban Land Institute recommendations for OTR. They included the relocation of several social service institutions an increase in residential development for families of higher income than the current OTR residents and the recommen­ dation that a coalition of Residents , businesses and institutions be formed so that the develop­ ment process and the Master Plan recom­ mended would have input from all facets of the community. The Coalition building process took over a year and a half to complete. Those involved with its conception and actualization faced and still face various reproductions for being sup­ portive of this process and its concept that it would help to facilitate the Master Plan process as well as act as a clearinghouse for plans and projects. The OTR Coalition completed several tasks, such as the creation of Bylaws, Tax exempt Status as a 501© 3 Organization and several subcommittees were formed to address community issues. In April of 1998, this newly formed Coali­ tion hired its first official Director, Linda S. Kirkland. Ms. Kirkland was chosen after a 7 month search. An OTA Coalition Committee chose Ms. Kirkland from over 63 responses. Initially, the Coalition and its members were supportive of Ms. Kirkland and her abilities and credentials. This soon faded after board members began to resign and the accountability to the community decreased. There was no attempts to continue the community outreach started by the Outreach Committee formed prior to Kirklands hiring. All communication and openness was shut down. The Coalition was under seize by its new director and still remains that way. Membership at the time of Kirklands hiring was 200 and growing. Over the last 9 months Membership has fallen over 75%. There is no accountability from the current Coalition to the Over-the-Rhine community. Kirkland's failure to realize that various members of the Coalition risked everything they had to see it become a reality is blatant disre­ gard and disrespect for community building. The community of Over-the-Rhine was supposed to be well into its Master Plan process by now. Ms. Kirkland has alienated so many community people that no one knows where this process is or what the Coalition is planning to do. For over one year now no financial state­ ments have been given to the general member­ ship, although various members have requested Page 11 feel a pulse of corporate emotion as we experi­ ence our lives together." She continued, "In these paintings, one sees not only the images of people who are homeless, their faces and body structure, but the cold realities of what a society creates when the gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" widens without concern." Michael Stoops of the Washington, D. C. ­ based National Coalition for the Homeless, a national homeless advocacy organization, says that "the Images of Homelessness exhibit will make people realize the many different types of people who become homeless in this country." This largest-ever oil painting exhibit about homelessness will tour the country, beginning in May with a showing. in Wheeling, West Virginia. Other exhibit cities include: Louisville, Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Huntington, WV and Washington D.C. After the tour, the exhibit is to be donated to the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D. C. Scramble ·. by Ron Carter The "Images of Homelessness" exhibit, a collection of 20 oil paintings of homeless people nationwide, goes on a nationwide tour beginning in May of 1999. The portraits are from photo­ graphs taken of homeless people in both urban and rural locations. Painted by National Artist, Tammy deGruchy, the exhibit introduces you to the many different faces of homelessness. It seeks to educate the general public about the growing homelessness crisis in both urban and rural areas. "Art is not only a reflection of ourselves," deGruchy says, "But it affords an opportunity for a society to see itself as a living body politic. We may not see our exact image, but we can Try to unscramble these related words: NOTNSWAHGI NOLIN LC NDENYKE TCRRAE HSUB TNLINCO NGAERA UNTAMR TOVLESROE HNOJNOS Answers on page 15. .J ·­ Rapid Exit assists families and individuals In moving from homelessness 10 permanent housing 18Pid/y ror more lnlormauoo contact The Greater Clnclnnatt Coanuon For The Homeless at 421-1803 and ask ror Gina Miller �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Dear Sir or Editorials & Madam, Letters STREETVIBES I want to thank you for responding to my letter regarding an unusual incident I was involved in on 12/4/98. I am in a little better health since being maced by Lt. Carter and pushed down a half flight of stairs at Ohio State Penitentiary. So far, I've had a 'use-of-force' hearing on 12/23/98 about what happened. I haven't received a copy of the committees determination yet. But I imagine that I will hear something in good time. And I've recently sent in my appeal to the Chief Inspector's Office on 1/1/0/99 to make sure that I get the complaint and issue all the way down to the grievance court. But right now, I am just waiting tor a response to my appeal. And I guess that's the latest update concerning the issue. But while I am writing this letter to you, I might as well fill you in on a few of the things that LT. Carter has done since I wrote my complaint about his assault. He has come by my cell and threatened me with revenge if I didn't stop making noise about the 12/4/98 assault. · These two times happened on 1/ 15/99 and 1/22/99. It doesn't seem like he is a fast learner, but I am confident that in the end I will see him disciplined for his actions contrary to prison rules. ~he black Lieuten­ ants are constantly doing things contrary to established prison rules here at OSP, and are rarely held accountable. . However, I hope you find a place to publish this letter in your upcoming issue. Much thanks again. Eric. To Whom it May Concern: I write you for help! Will you please, please, help me. I need help with my enemy. My enemy he walks with me, he talks with me! God, this guy even sleeps with me!! God, everybody knows Him. His name is "Cocaine." His last name is "Alcohol." God, I don't want this guy in my life no more. So can you please help me. You say in Your word what ever I ask in you name it shall be given. So Gpd, I ask that you will please kill my enemy. Cocaine and Alcohol. From Gerald McMillan Better knowed as Detroit!!! I would like to explain the small story behind this subscription. On Th ursday, February 18th, I was coming out of CVS [pharmacy] on the corner of Walnut and 7th Street at approxi­ mately 2:45 or 3:00 PM. As I exited the store with full bags in each hand I noticed a young lady holding up newspapers and asking passerby's if they would be inter­ ested in Streetvibes. Normally, I would have walked on by as I have enough to read. As I waited .for the 'walk' sign, I noticed how gentle she was as she contin­ ued to smile and speak with people. I turned around and asked her what the paper was. about. She enthusiastically explained the paper and its reason tor . being, she gently explained a little about herself. I bought the paper, mainly be­ cause of her industrious and gentleness. I After reading the paper I am ordering a subscription as I am familiar with many of its issues having worked at the Free Store (social work) for 7 and a half years. I'm no longer there but live downtown and have friends in soup kitchens, shelters, etc. I wish I had gotten this young ladies name, she does very good work and I commend her. Please thank her for me. Thank you. Sue A. Murray Page 12 PLEASE, DON'T INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE By now you've heara of the plan to move the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse. Why? We have to ask this question. No. First before we answer that , Who? The Drop ln.n Center is located at 217 West 121h Street. Prime property, I said, prime property. Someone said, "Let's build an art center so that people from all over the w9rld can come to Cincinnati, and enjoy the arts ." Then someone said, " Lets be the Arts Capital of the World." All the Powers that be said , "DO IT . .Well let's see, first we have to have some things in order, MONEY, we have make this look like steak, we need money. They won't know until it is too late. We can get a lot out of this, especially revenue. WE can make promises we don't have to keep. The Airport can grow, the Convention Center can grow. We can be like Nashville, only we can be the classical music hall of fame. They won't under­ stand, we are already getting away with two new 1 1 INTELLIGENCE continued on page 14... buddy's place is a community effort to help alleviate the tragedy of homelessness. We invite you to take part in this community effort and provide housing to our sisters and brothers who are homeless. Thank you for your on-going support. RESTOC f \/E;.5-') 114. W. 14th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 • 513-381 -0954 we would like to buy_ brick(s) to support the construction of buddy's place name .........................................iifiane................................................ . ...........................sa:ii:iai·a·r·arsaiilZ-iitfon·········.......................... amount enclosed ($50 per brick) .................. please make checks payable to RESTOC. In the space below, please indicate name you would like painted on brick �STREETVIBES I The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 News From Cleveland's Grapevine I What Needs To Be Done To Significantly Reduce The Homeless P.opulation? These are a compilation of solutions developed from discussions with homeless people, homeless service providers, and community forums around the issues of homelessness over the last two and one half years by the staff of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Create a better emergency shelter system for men . This could involve the Salvation Army proposal or the creation of two or three smaller emergency shelters with at least 50 additional beds for men, tnis would allow better entry into the sys­ tem. This system should accommodate those who work second and third shift. There also should be a "wet" shelter for those who have not made the commitment to undergo treatment. There is a success­ ful model in Minnesota. Get the Mental Health Board to get into the Emergency shelter business or to take additional responsibility for those with a mental illness in providing them additional safe places. This means the lobbying fhe state for additional funds. Get the Alcohol and Drug system to make housing their clients a priority. Right now they do treatment and then they send the client into the world . _ Address the hospital dumping issue by getting a protocol for HMOs to deal with homeless people, and providing funds to create a respite care center. Bring Cleve­ land Health Care for the Homeless back to the table to address the needs of thosft without medical coverage. With $30 million dollars in Federal funds under the direction _o f the-Office of Homeless Services, they need additional staff to do oversight and planning in col­ laboration with the City Health Department and NEOCH. They also need to be in­ volved in the decisions that are made by private foundations that have supported .. HOMELESS SHELTER SQ~~'l Wi'I\~ '~g~;.Q FiLLED UP projects that have little impact on the community. Get the County Commissioner more involved in affordable housing locally. The Commissioners should have a seat on the CMHA Board, and should be working with HUD on a regular basis to develop housing for poor people. There needs to be a priority with Federal Funds for creating additional Transitional, permanent housing, Single Room Occupancy housing opportu­ nities for homeless people especially those with a disability. There is a great example of a Single Room Housing apartment in Youngstown which is an old n,yrsing home for recovering addicts with so7'a1workers on staff. There needs to be an expansion of programs that help people with security deposits. There needs to be some attention given to the most difficult to serve popula­ tion cu rrently in the system-homeless young people under 20 years of age. These are people who are either emanci­ pated foster children or runaways who have very little hope of getting out of the home­ less system. They cannot get a place because they are too young and have a difficult time with getting a job. This may involve the expenditure of additional local funds. Using Federal Funding or State Funds establish a non-profit temporary service for those coming out of jail or homeless people that will pay a livable wage. For profit temporary services exploit homeless people and pay below minimum wage. [editors note! also see Poverty as a Com- · modity on page 9] Establish a one stop referral center using the First Call for Help Database augmented with other on-line databases to provide one place downtown homeless people can go to get accurate up to date information. This would be a place with storage for homeless people, and comput­ ers and a message center for homeless people. Encourage· all local educational institu­ tions to do some outreach to homeless people to make GED and other higher education opportunities readily available. We should have a goal of getting everyone over 20 years of age without a job a GED by 2002. There needs to be a safety net for those who live in Cuyahoga County to prevent homelessness with a local human services entitlement fund . The most critical need in the community is for comprehen­ sive services to children who are infant to three years old. If nurses, teachers and social workers regularly visited high risk children in this critical developmental period many problems that develop later in life could be avoided. Create a local Housing Trust Fund that would set aside money from the sale of all houses to fund the creation of affordable housing locally. There is a successful model in Dayton/Montgomery County. Expand existing early warning systems and examine policies and procedures that needlessly cause or prolong homelessness. Place social workers at the Housing Court to work with those who_will lose their hous­ ing to place them in accommodations other than the overcrowded shelters. A better method of prevention will save millions each year. Expand the local protected classes to include poor people to prevent discrimina­ tion in all areas including housing, employ­ ment, and contacts with governmental employees. Prepared by the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. For more information call 216/241-1104 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Book Review A POEM OF STRUGGLE AND RENEWAL: MIKE HENSON'S RANSA.C K by Richard Hague The namesake of the central character in Mike Henson's novel Ransack is the son of Adam named Seth. As father of Enosh, Seth was an ancestor of Noah, of whom Genesis tells us, "Out of the very ground that the Lord has put under a curse, this one shall bring us relief from our work and the toil of our hands." Throughout the novel, Mike Henson invites us to witness a difficult life in which relief and new growth are earned. Seth is a homeless youth, late teens maybe, trying to recover from the effects of displacement from the hills of Appalachia, and from the broken relationships, drug addiction, and hopelessness caused by that displacement. He finds temporary work as a demolition worker in downtown Cincinnati, and in the course of wrecking old buildings slowly works his way toward rebuilding something good from the wreck­ age of his life. The book is filled with superbly ob­ served descriptions of manual labor, of city life, of street people, of the threatening presence of cops in the lives of the poor and oppressed. In what might be Over-the-. Rhine's Washington Park, Seth sits down a moment to rest. "Around him, the fat pigeons lobbied over their bread, their necks glowing, their soft voices stewing and cooing. He watched, and the pigeons lifted, as one, off the floor of the park, checkering the air with the black and white of their wings." Later, armed with a wrecking bar, Seth is given a job of work to do in a condemned building. "When he cracked the mantel shelf off the wall he saw, like foxfire, caught on the lath-plaster, a silver dollar, bright as mint: Liberty's head placid with all her ribbons, the only brightness in the room, and behind her, a stain even darke·r than the rest, and the lath-piece rotted to char­ coal. A dollar like that's worth some money, he thought. Old money's always worth something. But when he tried to pick it up, it broke in,to foil and black dust and the foil dropped to the floor and the dust capped his fingertips ..." · Another time, after having been turned out of an employment office, hungry, his only prospect two days off in the future, he passes a restaurant while garbagemen work in the distance. "The engines and hydraulics ground upward: Stern stern stern stern: and gulleted the mash and groaned the lip around again and Seth looked from the streaked smears of paper and spoil along the foul throat of the dump to the restaurant's window where he saw a huge horse-eyed woman with cheeks like toma­ toes in a yellow wig waving a fork at him and soundlessly laughing at him from behind the glass." This is the recurrent character called the "Princess Pocahontas," who fun ctions in the novel as the personification of gross abundance and consumption, and of the spurious worth of misused American wealth and political power. "Her elbows were buried in plates and the plates were piled with columns of hotcakes, rafts of eggs, and splinter piles of bacon. She laughed again, winked, then mannered at he food, shoveling it at her mouth with a millwheel motion and swallow­ ing bolts and spools each time." Aside from the remarkable writing in each of these passages, we see something else, something of Henson's intentions throughout the novel, which are realized time and time again through such descrip­ tions; he wants to remind us of the political nature of inner-city poverty and suffering, of the class roots of pain. Looking back to the first example, of Seth in the park, we see this insistence of the political even in the verb describing the pigeon's ruckus over food; they "lobbied." In the description of the silver dollar behind the mantel, we cannot overlook the irony of Seth's obser­ vation that "Old money's always worth something" and the subsequent emptiness of this classist platitude when the dollar turns to dust in Seth's hand. Nor can we fail to realize the connection between the Princess Pocahontas's lewd, selfish appe­ tite and the garbage trucks to which she is implicitly linked in the last passage's de­ scription. But this is not to say that Ransack in any way reads like a political tract. It is more like a poem in its style and in its consistency and reiteration of image and symbolic motif, and in its spare ballad-like story line. And all the while, Seth's inner struggle to release that which is healthful and life-giving inside him-represented by the imagery of a seed about to burst into a seedling and by Seth's work crew's informal adoption of a former girl friend's baby at the end of the novel-is contrasted· with his literal work of demolition. But much is made of the .notion that even the demolition of a house is a rebirth of sorts, since to the crew, salvage like copper pipes, nails, even good boards, is a source of income. In a sense, such salvage is the only "trickle­ down" of profit the people on the street enjoy. Still, the ~ovenant is clear; Seth 's adopted child may be the one who is "brought relief from work and the toll of hands" through Seth's hard work, through his overcoming of his addictipn and his anger, through his faithfulness and commit­ ment. That new life is promised out of old suffering is one of the hopes of Ransack, and one of the strengths of th e tough, struggling people who populate it. Photo by Jimmy Heath Mike Henson, author of Ransack 'INTELLIGENCE' from page 12..~ stadiums. We can use their children. Give them some money to close three schools, then we'll tell them, we'll open one special school which their children can go to. They won't know they can't afford it. We have the ULI (the Urban Land Institute) in place and don't forget we have DCI (Downtown Cincinnati Inc.) The Queen well be done soon. Just make promises. Don't forget the Linn Street Job. Remember, buddy, he's out of the way, we can move them through imminent domain. And its on to Liberty. Don't Page 14 worry we'll treat them like the Native Americans. We'll move them and take it. Just like old times , fifty years ago. Those low-income, and the homeless, they're the new minority and we'll win. We don't want them down here with the blacks, anybody that doesn't make 35 thousand is not allowed. Remember, if we build it, they will come. The tax payer is going to take care of it. If we get resistance YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO. If that doesn't work, talk about the Olympics. · Part two soon. Gregory Payton �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Announcements Live Studio Audience Wanted STREETVIBES TV SHOW­ WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE?. 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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ,C ALL 421-7803 Irr===--=--= -l:1 j 1 I i -=--=-~~ I . .IJ.. ~/ Page 1s In Memory of "Mac" Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ... Because 'Everyone' includes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. L~ music Band Looking for Work Streetv1bes (the band). We like to party. R&B, Oldies. Blues/ Jazz. Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421·7803. position wanted DwjgbtWjse HVAC Technician for hire. 24 Service! Call 751·3182. Thank You! ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $1 per line. Ca/1421-7803 for info. Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvibes! Scramble Answers from page 11 ... Washington Lincoln Kennedy Carter Bush Clinton Reagan Truman Roosevelt Johnson Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, April 10th, 1999, noon to 1 pm Advertise in Streetvibes ! Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to s ign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $ 1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. 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I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to over 5,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4 11 x 3 1/2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads , call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES _-T he Tri-State's , '- . 'rights' continued from page 5 ... less people should be able to vote if they can identify any location they consider a horn~ base to which they return regularly. Homeless people may have the right to sleep in public if there is nowhere else to sleep. Homeless persons may have the right to sleep in certain public areas at night if there are no other available places, such as shelters, for them to sleep. Homeless people have the right to apply for basic public assistance, e. g. Food Stamps, Medicaid, and Supplemental Secu­ rity Income ~nd may also qualify for other benefits. Homeless persons do not need a perma­ nent address to apply for government benefits. Federal law requires that Public Assistance offices provide a method of enrollment to otherwise eligible persons that do not have a permanent address. The offices must also devise a protedure to allow eligible persons without a mailing address to obtain benefits for which they are entitled. For example, Food Stamp and Social Security offices may allow homeless persons to pick up their benefits at the agency's offices or to any address they desig­ nate as their home base (e. g. shelter, soup kitchen, religious organization etc.). - Homeless Grapevine Page ..t6 . ·: . . STREETVIBES Streetvibes TV TV Schedule The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video, 2114 Reading Road. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421 -7803 for more information. Streetvibes TV APRIL Schedule April's Live TV show will begin at ?PM, Monday, April 12th, and will be broadcast from the Reading Road Studio. The new show format includes a studio audience along with a guest panel discussion. Channel 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. MONDAY. APRIL 12th at 7PM. Rebroadcast Oates for Show on Chan­ nel 10: Saturday, April 3, 1999, 4 PM Friday, April 9, 1999, 11 am Friday, April 16, 1999, 11 AM Monday, Apri 26,1999, 10 PM Saturday, Apri 24, 1999, 4 PM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. ' endor: 80 cents · Printing and Production: 20 cents If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our viewing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homelessness and poverty in our city. We are always interested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call. .. Streetvi bes Wish List Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call. .. >35 MM Film for Streetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper >Good used or new Xerox machine >Office Supplies Where >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, etc.) Your >Computer for Streetvibes layout and writing Dollar Goes Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421­ 7803. Thanksforyoursupport . >Subscribers Call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 if you can h elp! ••• !!!!!!!!Pi!~ - • l!I • !!II !II !I Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 281-5770 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241 -2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244-7226 Center for Independent Living Options Lighthouse Youth Center 961-4080 St. John's Temporary Housing 651-6446 HOUSING 721-4580 CMHA Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 369-0004 OTR Housing Network 381-0954 ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental 111)721-8666 961-4555 Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women 241-7343 O.D.A.A.T 921-7324 First Step Home TREATMENT: Men 784-1853 Charlie's 3/4 House 921-1613 Prospect House 751-3260 Starting Over TREATMENT: Both 820-2947 N.A. Hopeline 861 -9966 A.A. Hotline 381-6660 C.C.A.T. 684-7956 Talbert House 491 -4435 Transitions, Inc. 559-5011 VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421 -2437 621-5991 Appalachian Identity Center 231-6630 Beech Acres Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network Community Action Agency Contact Center Emanuel Community Center Freestc>re/Foodbank Goodwill Industries Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. Mary Magdalen House Oral Heal!h Council Our Daily Bread Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid United Way VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 241-2600 591-2246 961-0600 569-1840 381-4242 241-2563 241-1064 771-4800 621-7149 632-7186 357-4602 352-2902 221-3679 241 -9400 271-5501 721-4811 621 -0248 621-6364 621 -5514 721-7660 721-7900 559-6656 491-3335 . � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1999 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 1999 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: New Arts Center Proposal Pits the Rich Against the Poor Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 4: Drop Inn Center Letter Pg 5: The Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Pg 8: Prison News Pg 9: Rights of Homeless Pg 10: Welfare News Pg 11: Streetvibes Etcetera Pg 12: Letters & Editorials Pg 13: Cleveland News Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Belquees Ali Ron Carter Pat Clifford Brian Davis Richard Hague Jimmy Heath Susan Knight Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Bonnie Neumeier Gregory Payton Eunice Ravena Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF arts Belquees Ali Bonnie Neumeier Brian Davis Donald Whitehead Drop Inn Center Eunice Ravena Gerald McMillan Gina Miller Gregory Payton homeless rights homeless shelter Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams Pat Clifford Richard Hague Ron Carter Susan Knight the broken city The Traveler https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/d83d3c88e8f0d6983c6372be19ac38ff.pdf f1dd8b225c16a47423bbfee344a59eec PDF Text Text MORE DEMOLITION PROPOSED IN THE WEST END Photo by Jimmy Heath by Tyrone Smith Last year Cincinnati's homeless advocates agonized at the loss of 800 units of housing slated for demolition in the Hope VI application for the tincoln Courts Housing Project. Little did they kn.ow it was just the tip of the iceberg. This St;eetvibes reporter has learned that a proposed plan to renovate the laurel Homes project, a so­ called Master Plan put together by Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and a few member.s of the Laurel Homes community, was conceived back in 1996. The plan would actually · eliminate 500 units of public housing located in Laurel Homes in Cincinnati's West End. The plan .. . . was signed off and endorsed by Laurel Homes resident Ms . Shirley A. Colbert and the Director of CMHA, Mr. Donald Troendle. The Hope VI plan for Lincoln Courts, a·lso in the West End, and the plan for Laurel Homes would bring the total loss of housing in the neigtlborhood to over 1300 units. If this sounds bad to you, then guess what? The numbers have just gone up. On January 26th, 1999, Donald Troendle, Director of CMHA, asked the City for $9 million 1o demolish Laurel Homes. As many Streetvibes readers know, in 1987, the Laurel Hornes Community was placed on the Federal Historic Register, as the first public housing community built in the country. Who knew that Donald Troendle would show up some day with a plan to displace more of the people in the West End? Where is this going, and what is being done about it? Since last year community leaders and organizations have had the opportunity to discuss this displacement and the consequences of the Master Plan with the Assistant Secretary of HUD, Eleanor Bacon. When she came to our city Ms. Bacon met with and discussed the Hope VI Plan with the Lincoln Courts residents and community leaders . The Baptist Ministers Conference, CMHA, representa­ tives of the local Catholic Parish Church, Donald Whitehead of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, and myself, were just a few of the community leaders involved in these discussions. At the end of the discussion Ms. Bacon said, '~hat the project is not a done deal, that there is a level of distrust between the community and CMHA and I recommend that the community, their leaders, and CMHA continue to meet and discuss their differences." Additionally, Ms. Bacon added that she would be back for another visit in a couple months. If you are wondering why you did not read or hear about this prominent government officials' visit to the Laurel Hornes community, it is because she wanted to be here without a lot of publicity. After all, she is the one who granted the infamous Hope VI proposal - the plan that would eliminate homes for 800 families in our community. A community which is neither 'DEMO' cont. on page 1.4 Marchers Celebrate the Life and Work of Martin Luther King Jr. January 18th - Cincinnati's Fountain Square was the focal point for today's celebration in . remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr.. Dignitaries from around the city spoke from the Fountain Square stage honoring the work and life of Dr. King. Afterwards, hundreds of the Fountain Square program particippnts took to the streets to march from Fountain Square to Music Hall. The line of marchers at times stretched for more than six city blocks. Police escorts led the marchers through the blocked-off streets to their final destination at Music Hall in Over-the-Rhine. In Music Hall , parade participants were treated to music, by the Martin Luther King Choral, and speeches presented to celebrate the work of Martin Luther King Jr. The gathering at Music Hall and Fountain Square was only one of several events held in the city. Many churches and civic groups honored the memory of King including the annual King Day Breakfast at downtowns' Hyatt Regency Hotel. King is remem­ bered as the voice of justice for the rights of African­ Americans and all oppressed people during the 1960's. But his work and his words still ring true today. On January 17th, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. would have celebrated his 70th Birthday. Thousands of marchers gathered for a parade from Cincinnati's Fountain Square to Music Hall. Photo by Jimmy Heath The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Home­ less Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless, social justice and poverty related issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation. The Streetvibes Vendor Program gives our vendors an opportunity to get back on their feet. All vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. A file is developed on each vendor so that we may track and help facillitate thier move from poverty to self­ sufficiency. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. The Streetvibes Planning Commit­ tee meets monthly to plan our issues and increase circulation. If you are interested in helping or have a comment, story or editorial that you would like published please call 421 -7803. Staff Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Ron Carter, Vendor Support Photographer Jimmy Heath Writers Tom Billman Ron Carter Denise Crew Brian Davis Dave Dietz Jimmy Heath Cliiford Jones Farshid Kamali Susan Knight Mary Ann Lederer Vikki Lynn James Pryor Rodney Sutton Daniel Thompson Vampire Donald Whitehead Lyn n Williams Editorial Policy: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 4521 O (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421 -7813 e-mail: homecoal@prim ax.net web. page: http://cinci.com/gcch Page 2 longer resent them but I wholeheartedly resent what they do. On this night I have pity for them. What drives a person to stand on a street corner night-in and night-out peddling destruction one rock, one pill, or one bag at a time? What kind of society do we live in? Could any amount of money make a person stand on a corner all night when its too cold to cry because your tears freeze. I realize that they have fallen through the cracks too. There destiny may have been shaped by inadequate education, single parent homes and exploitation. These young. men have a future that is all to predictable; prisons or cemetery's. Again, I ask what if? What if their hero's wore lab coats instead of $180 dollar gym shoes? What if MTV and BET and Country Music TV gave way to the Discovery Channel? From one traveler to another I just hope that since so many have fallen through the cracks that the cracks don't get so wide that we all fall through. The Traveler by Donald Whitehead This months traveler is once again not a very long trip. it is a trip of both mental and physical nature. This trip begins with a trip that all of us take at one time or another in our lives. This trip can be effected by rewards as well as punishment to ourselves and to others. This trip is commonly known as a 'guilt trip'. . As I travel slowly through the streets of downtown Cincinnati I can still hear my wife's words "You can't save the world, Donald''. I know this to be true but I still am driven to try and save just a few of its occupants and attempt to give back what was freely given to me. Every night for the past three days I have driven the snow covered streets of Cincinnati hoping not to find anyone. A few days ago a man froze to death less than a mile from our office. Intellectually, I know there's probably nothing I could have done. Spiritually I feel personally responsible . It may be incredibly egotistical to think I or any other human being can somehow prevent what is inevitable, but I can't help but agonize for this human being who must have suffered tremendously. There's a lot of people that do not realize that there are some people that are possessed by evil forces they we cannot attempt to understand. One such man is a man I will call Isaac. I have tried on several occasions over the last three days to convince Isaac that his shelter, a heat grate in the central business district is not adequate for his physical well being, especially on this night when temperatures have dipped below zero. Isaac is oblivious to the temperature because his mission, as he tells me, is to fight Satin. I offered Isaac some hot coffee which he gladly except because he needed to stay up all night to fight Satin. On my second visit to the grate, Isaac had a companion who was fast asleep. Isaac and his friend had somehow fallen through the cracks; I do not remember ever seeing either of these men throughout my time working with the homeless population. For some reason outreach had not reached these two. Isaac was not the only person I encountered out in these terrible conditions. Other people I would encounter on this night also had fallen through the cracks somewhere along the way. Two gentleman getting their last drink before the 10:00 P M curfew at the Drop-Inn-Center Shelter walked down 12th Street unaware that the overflow shelter was in operation. Gratefully, they rode with me to the Center, happy that their judgment hadn't cost them more than a few minutes more than usual. These two gentleman were also unaware that the Drop-Inn-Center has a very flexible curfew in the winter time. There were ·several others I approached on this frigid night who had braved the bitter cold for other reasons. Because of the slow speed at which I traveled to make sure.there wasn't people who had stopped moving in the many doorways and alleys I passed I was often mistaken·tor a customer. Several young women approached me to offer company for the night. Their plight to me was just as sad as Isaac's. The demons they battled can be defeated with a little intervention. Those that think addiction is not a disease need only see the men and women who stroll the streets on a night that no human being should be out. One can only wonder what might they be able to accomplish if we built more treatment centers and fewer stadiums; would these men and women be compelled to risk life and limb for that next high? Others are possessed by demons of a different nature. I am the last person to defend drug dealers - I have grown in my spirituality to a point were I no Cin'cinnati Chose.n as a Federal Empowerment Zone. Submittedby the. Over-the-Rhine Community Council Cincinnati is one of 15 cities nationwide to be chosen as a Federal Empowerment Zone, receiv­ ing $3 million in funding. Over-the-Rhine was chosen as one of nine neighborhoods in the city to receive this funding for neighborhood improve­ ments. The Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation will oversee how the money is spent for each neighborhood. This agency has a 33 member board consisting of 11 representatives of govern­ ment and nonprofit agencies, 11 business repre­ sentatives , and 11 community representatives. The University of Cincinnati Institute for Commu­ nity Partnerships and the Evaluation Services Center will serve as watchdogs over decision­ making. It is important that members of the Over-the­ Rhine Community Council get their voices heard about what the funding should be used for in Over­ the-Rhine. When the $3 million is split up be­ tween the nine city neighborhoods, the funding will not be enough to fund all the improvements necessary. However, Congress may fund addi­ tional millions in the future for the Federal Empow­ erment Zone program. Responses from 20 members of the Over­ the-Rhine Community Council and residents of the neighborhood comprised a wish list of the follow­ ing: "more affordable housing," "fix up the vacant buildings so poor people can live in them," and "use money to keep our neighborhood schools open." Other responses included money for small business start-up and job training programs . Also, a majority of residents were critical of t~e decision­ making process . One person stated that "the powers that be will make the decisions over who gets the money. It won't be made by the people of Over-the-Rhine." It is up to the citizens to partici- ·· pate and make their voices heard and to make our opinions count! For more information call 381­ 2956 or 381-4242 �~------------------------------ ~-~----- STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine National Coalition for the Homeless Releases Report: Lack of Resources for The Chemically Dependent The National Coalition for the Homeless recently released a comprehensive report entitled " No Open Door: Breaking The Lock On Addic­ tion Recovery for Homeless People". The report reissues the call for serious action regarding addictive services and recovery supports for homeless persons, launched by the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) and others as early as the 1980's. The publication is arranged in · four parts . Part one: Addictive Disorders and Homelessness highlights the difficulties in obtain­ ing an accurate national estimate of the percent­ age of the homeless population with addictive dis.orders. Part Two; Community Profiles is a comparison of the addictive disorder treatment and recovery continuums for homeless people and gaps therein in thirteen communities across the nation. The Community Profile provides an opportunity to make observations about the current state of ~ffairs of homeless persons with addictive disqrders in those locations and by extension, the nation. Part three of this well researched study: Environmental Assessment explores both program-level obstacles within the existing treat­ ment and recovery continuum and more vexing system level hurdles that deny's the homeless and other individuals from access to addictive disorder treatment opportunities . The fourth and final part of the study: Policy Recommendations lists a number of recommendations by the National Coalition for the Homeless that call on the federal government to take several concrete actions to end perpetual homelessness for persons with addictive disorders. Open Door: Breaking the Lock On Addiction Recovery For Homeless People is available for $10.00 (plus $1.50 for shipping and handling.) To purc hase copies , contact NCH at 202/737-6444 (Phone); 202/737-6445 (fax); nch @ari.net (E-Mail), or NCH, 101214th St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C 20005-3406. Contact Bob Reeg, Health Policy Analyst. Contents The Traveler Welfare News The Broken City Arts & Poetry Nationwide News Jail Facts Prisoners News School of Americas Letters & Editorials Streetvibes Etcetera Scramble buddy's place Cleveland News Martha's Woodshop Announcements & Classified TV Schedule Page2 Page4 Pages Page6 Page 7 Pages Page B· Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 ------- Page 3 COLD DRIVES HOMELESS TO MISSION sweatpants, adidas running pants, a T-shirt, a flannel shirt, a sweater, another flannel shirt, a gray hooded sweatshirt and finally, a black stocking cap. "I'm a pretty hardy individual," said Alan, 29, who moved to Eugene from Portland four years ago. "And it's good practice. We may all have to b e out Copyright © 1998 The Register­ here sometime." Alan shares the enclosure with his black lab Guard mix , Digger, and three to five other men at any given By ANNE WILLIAMS The time. A couple of those men, he said, had decided to move indoors until things warm up. While tarps, Register-Guard blankets and sheets keep out much of the wind and rain, they have no heat source, other than a small As the temperature on Monday plunged to a cookstove and candles. But Alan, an unemployed frigid 12 degrees, Tammi Hilliard counted her screen printer who used to follow the Grateful Dead blessings to be indoors in the cozy, Christmassy on tour, said he'd take chilly temperatures over rain mothers-with-children shelter of the Eugene any day. When the rains come, the ground -rock­ Mission. Meanwhile, her friend, "Alan ," put on a hard on Monday - turns to muck and the carpeted few more layers and hunkered down for another floor turns soggy. "There's no way to keep things night outside. dry," he said. "But you can always put on another Hilliard, 35, had been living out in the brush layer." with Alan and other friends in what she calls "The Should Alan or others like him ever decide Tarp Palace" -an elaborate warren on the outskirts they've had too much , they'll be welcome at the of Eugene filled with rug scraps and furniture Mission, Simmons said. "No one is turned away," he recovered from trash bins. But three weeks ago, said. Even if all 400 beds were full, he said, they'd Hilliard took the pelting rain and a windstorm that haul mattresses out to the floor of the common blew away her tarp as a message from God to get room. The nonprofit mission serves 650 meals a inside. For others , it took the weekend's subfreez­ day, more during cold snaps, he said, and - unlike ing temperatures to persuade them to seek many other missions - offers all-day access to a shelter. The mission saw one of its biggest crowds common room. of the year Monday, as more than 30Q men, St. Vincent de Paul Society also houses the women and children sought refuge from the cold homeless, through its car camping program with the and the possibility of snow. "There's definitely city of Eugene and its Interfaith Shelter Program, more people here than would be on a normal, 40­ which hosts homeless families in churches through degree Oregon day," said John Simmons, mission fall and winter. At its First Place Family Center and spokesman. Eugene Service Station, men, women and children But even under extreme conditions, when the can find donated items and a range of social possibility of hypothermia or even death becomes services. very real, more than a few independent types such Both St. Vincent and the Mission said dona­ as Alan opt to stay where they're most comfort­ tions of blankets, boots , socks, mittens, gloves, able - under bridges, by the river, in the woods. "I haven't set foot in the mission since I came coats and hats are especially welcome in the winter months . "It's always this time of year that people here," said Alan, who asked that his real name not rememberthe homeless," said Jake DuDell, St. be printed. He also asked that the location of his Vincent de Paul's emergency service director. "But encampment not be disclosed - such camping is it's a year-round problem, and it doesn't go away illegal in Eugene, and he already has been ousted after Christmas. It doesn't go away after the cold from a previous camp. weather." John "Mac" McFadden of St. Vincent, who "I've heard good things about it, but I don't is coordinating the program to place vehicle camp­ know - I've got friends in town and my own situa­ ers in city-sanctioned sites, said propane is also tion here." badly needed. "People are freezing their butts off On Monday afternoon, Alan emerged from out there" in school buses, vans and trailers, he one of several individual tents in the tarp-covered said. enclosure to greet Hilliard, who's now working at the mission as a night floor supervisor. He wore sneakers, two pairs of socks, lon·g johns , MORE MINORITIES TO HELP BUllLD CINCINNATI'S STADIUM By Andrea Y Carter, Cincinnati Herald Staff Reporter Hamilton County commissioners released new figures Tuesday [ 1/19/99} regarding the increased participation of minority workers in helping to build the new Bengals stadium. Approximately 25 percent of the labor on the public works project are minority while 7 percent or $16.4 million of $219 million in awarded contracts go to women or minority firms , according to the commissioners. 'We are very pleased with the workforce participation numbers," Hamilton County Commis­ sioner Bob Bedinghaus said. "Quite honestly, we continue to struggle to get much beyond the 7 or 8 percent minority contracting." Bedinghaus believes the limited number of contracts awarded is due to a limited number of minority companies in the construction industry. "We are working with some people in town to see what we can do to address this issue," he said. Bedinghaus noted even if the problem is addressed and new companies come forward they may not be able to participate in building the Reds stadium. Hamilton County's figures so far exceed the goals established in the 1995 agreement with the city, officials said. The agreement established a 15 percent participation of minority and women­ owned companies and a number of minority work hours with the stadium project. 'We have been confident in the approach we 'STADIUM' cont. on Pg. 16 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Third Annual STREETVIBES Empowerment Welfare News Coalition Conference Set For April In "The Cincinnati Enquirer" (Dec. 29, 1998) editorial, the editor paints a picture of how well "welfare reform" is working. The mea­ sure of the s uccess appears to be the caseload reduction numbers and how much money Ohio has saved by not spending it on Ohio'. s poorest families. The editor goes on to report that the success is nationwide, not just for Ohio. He then urges people to pay no attention to advocate­ types who portray a different picture. However, for citizens who have a sense of community responsibility, we should be paying attention to reports from advocate groups. Recently, the National Coalition forthe Homeless and the National Children's Defense Fund re­ leased a preliminary report on their national monitoring project, Welfare to What?. While the report shows that some states are creating innovative programs to assist recipients to find good jobs (and not just any job), the picture the preliminary report shows is dismal. The report states some of the following findings: "Only a small fraction of welfare recipients' new jobs pay above-poverty wages; most of the new jobs pay far below the poverty line." "Extreme poverty is growing more common for children, especially those in female-headed and working families. The number of children living below one-half of the poverty line (or less than $6,401 for a three-person family in 1997) grew by 400,000 between 1995 and 1997. Although this increase was small, it is startling at a time of strong economic growth ... when extreme poverty should have been declining. Extreme child poverty is a more appropriate indicator of welfare impacts than is overall child poverty because most children on welfare are already poor." *"Ma ny families leaving welfare report struggling to get food, shelter, or needed medical care; many are suffering even more hardships than before." "Many families are not getting basic help (such as child care, medical coverage, food, or transportation) that might enable them to sustain work and care for their children on very low wages." "Many families a re denied cash assistance through little or no fault of their own; states often penalize families without assessing their ability to complete required activities." Caseloads have fallen by 64 percent in Ohio since 1992. However, this is a very simplis­ tic way to depict a success if we genuinely care about the lives of human beings, including children. Sanctioned (punished) households are also included in caseload reduction numbers . These families with children are thrown off unwillingly, losing all their cash assistance. Monitoring studies, including the report cited above and a more local monitoring project in Montgomery County, show that oftentimes these sanctions are imposed having nothing to do with whether or not a recipient is willing to work. Until we know that the majority of families are moving into jobs that not only get them off of w elfare but out of pove rty will we truly.be able to say that "welfare reform" is a success. Submitted by Lynn Williams, Over-the-. Rhine The Ohio Empowerment Coalition's third annual statewide welfare conference promises to be the best OEC conference yet. Mark your calendars now to attend April 14th & 15th at the Lenox Inn, Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Day One will be Lobby Day with meetings with our state legislators, and Keynqte speakers & Reception in the evening. Day Two will offer a variety of educational workshops to select from, including Ohio Works First, Recipients' Rights, Sanctions/ Terminations, Child Care, Medicaid, Disability issues, and Education & Job Training. Trainings will include Coalition & Organization Building, Alternative Media, and other informative presentations on leadership/ organizing skills. Cost to attend the Conference is free to low-income individuals; hotel rooms are $55 with potential scholarships. One to four people may share a room. Cost is $25 for non-low-income to attend the Conference plus $55/hotel room. For more information on the Conference and/or to register, call the Contact Center (Katy Heins or Lynn Williams) at {513) 381-4242. MEDICAID: A Necessity For Welfare Transition Ann, who left welfare (including Medicaid coverage) for a job, shared her thoughts about her job versus being on welfare. "I don't know what I'll do if I get really sick and need hospital care. Or how I'll afford even routine screenings. It's so expensive. Fortunately, I've been in good health so far but now I'm getting older. It worries m e what I'll do if a health emergency hits. My job doesn't cover health insurance and I can't afford to pay for it out of my low salary." Approx imately 50% of the low-income working poor !ack health insurance. These numbers could be reduced if Ohio would make changes in conjunction with the Medicaid rule changes brought about by the 1996 federal welfare law. The federal law now permits states to allow low-income individuals to be eligible for Medicaid. The 1996 federal law separated the. link between Medicaid and welfare. States can now allow individuals to apply for Medicaid even if they are not applying for welfare cash assistance . However, in Ohio, this federal policy has not been implemented. We ask, why not? Page 4 In Ohio, Ohio Works First (welfare recipients) are automatically eligible for Medicaid. After they leave welfare for a paid job, they are eligible for one year of Transitional Medicaid, depending on their income level. For the first six months on Transitional Medicaid they are eligible regardless of income level. After six months on, they can remain eligible for another six months of Transitional Medicaid if their income is below 150% of the poverty level. Federal law allows up to 185% of poverty level. After twelve months of transitional Medicaid, former recipients are no longer eligible for Medicaid in Ohio. Considering the three year time limit in Ohio, almost all recipients will lose their Medicaid eligibility. This does not need to happen. Other states are extending the Transitional Medicaid period and allowing low-income working people, both welfare and non-welfare recipients, to be eligible for .Medicaid . Ohio needs to change current policies and seize this golden opportunity to allow more poor & low-income adults to have health insurance. Because federal law has separated eligibility requirements for welfare and Medicaid, it should be easier to get Medicaid . This is one good thing that came out of the 1996 federal law. Also, within the last year, the d iscriminatory policies against two-parent families to get Medicaid were ended. This is another victory at the federal level for welfare & health care advocates & recipients. Because of the federal Medicaid changes, children of low-income parents can now receive health care under CHIPS. In Ohio children can be eligible in households with incomes up to 150% of the poverty line or approximately $20,000 per year for a family of three. Pregnant women are also eligible for Medicaid up to 133% of poverty. Federal Medicaid changes now allow both children and pregnant women to be covered at even higher income levels. However, it's up to the states to accept these changes. It makes more sense to assist people with preventative health care than having them later show up at emergency room doors because they couldn't afford early-stage treatment. Health care should be a basic right for all people, not just the affluent. It is basically an issue of valuing human lives. Information Sources: Families USA Foundation and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each Month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cin cinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t he Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421 ­ 7803. �- . - --··- ----- --- STREETVIBES --~----------~---- -------.._- -------------~ The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine The Broken City... by Jimmy Heath Page s automatic, "Not important." His next question was, "You got a man?" I kept my cool with "You ask too many questions." After t hat he offers his phone number. My retort was, "I'm not interested." Then I turned my head to look him straight in the eyes to make sure he got the message. Finally he got in line to play his number(s) and mumbled something under his breath. Often too many men come at women the wrong way and then wonder why we walk · away or look at you like you're aliens. If she doesn't smile when you approach her, please consider that it might not be her day. Everyone likes a comment or lite flirts but don't wear it out with what, why, where, and how many? Take note when you are told to take a hike. She obviously has good sense enough to know you are not the one, and be on your way, or you may end up licking your wounds later down the road. Thank you. Tony's Story by Susan Knight BLIZZARD OF '99 by Clifford Jones I drove with my Mother, sister, nieces and nephew to Chicago on the 1st of January. The snow fell and kept on coming. With prayer we finally made it to our destination. Once there, we rejoiced and visited with my brother. As time grew late and the snow continued to fall we felt it necessary to return home. 21.6 inches of snow and we're driving around in it. Well as fate would have it the van got stuck. Looked like there was no way out the stress and frustration compounded. But then all of a sudden a homeless man came by and ask if he could help. How did I know he was homeless? During the process of asking about and providing assistance all he said was help the homeless. With his boots and hands he cleared a path for the van to travel, we broke free. Telling this story to some friends they say that was an angel. In a community were no one knew me it was a miracle. This brought to mind, several years ago in my'community on a cold winter day my car would not start. A neighbor noticed my distress came to my rescue so I thought. Once he gave me a jump to start my car he said that would be ten dollars. Well of course I was dumbfounded. That just goes to show you don't need a home to have a heart nor does being homeless diminish yqur care and concern for mankind .. Thank you who ever you are. tearing of fabric. Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked. Should I get involved? I was frightened for my own ·safety, and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn't I just run to the nearest phone and call the police? Although it seemed an eternity,- the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the girl's cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. How could I walk away from this? No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman, even if it meant risking my own life. I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don't know where I found the moral courage and physical strength-but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed. I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman. Grappling , we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped. Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl , who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing. In the darkness, I could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock. Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance. "It's OK," I said soothingly. "The man ran away. You're safe now." There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement. "Dad, is that you?" And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Katherine. TESTING THE Courage Pays THEORY by Pat Box by Vikki Lynn God has a way of allowing us to be in the right place at the right time. I was walking down a dimly lit street late one evening when I heard muffled screams coming from behind a clump of bushes. Alarmed, I slowed down to listen, and panicked when I realized that what I was hearing were the unmistakable sounds of a struggle: heavy grunting, frantic scuffling, and I would to write to you guys who don't really know how to talk to women properly. What ever happened to the one liners? Like, "It's a lovely day?" Or "Where's that bus at?" Something polite and not personal. The olher day I was in a hair shop getting hair supplies and this guy walks in and starts his rap, "Hey baby, what's your name?" My response was Amidst the noisy urgency of the Drop Inn Center exists, often times between the lines, personalities. Tony Brown sits quietly on the edge, absorbing much of his new surroundings but always apart from the somewhat ·chaotic bustle that overwhelms the Drop Inn Center in the evenings. Originally Tony was confined to a chair because of his bad foot. Now, however, he sits, able to move, but not without pain. So instead, Tony chooses to absorb his surroundings, growing and reflecting upon his new title of homeless and all that now means to him. Tony grew up in Avondale. Like many, Tony did not know what he wanted in life. His mother died when he was 2 and his grandmother, off of a social security check, raised 10 children. Tony never had the opportunity to "know what he wanted from life" because his grandmother became very ill and Tony was not able to stay in school. The state intervened, and Tony was sent to live in Forest Park as a foster child. This was his first taste of the middle class. Tony grew up like many of us. He met his wife through a mutual friend, had a good steady construction job, moved to College Hill, and the next thing he knew, found himself middle class and celebrating 15 years of marriage. Then the work stopped. Tony severely injured his foot in an accident and found himself out of work and physically unable to look for another job. The tensions between him and his wife mounted as Tony began to deal with the realities of the situation and the impending financial crisis. Unable to provide for his wife and her children and unable to work through growing tensions and stresses, Tony and his wife sepqrated. Ashamed, feeling as if he failed, Tony refused to look to family for help. Instead, he has come to Over-the-Rhine and the Drop Inn Center. Until, however, the human spirit dies, a person continues to grow and to learn. And although Tony does not know why fate has left him here, he is still trying to heal his foot and his pride, and is still alive, learning and growing from this experience. He observes a world of addic­ tion, pain ridden and angry, but he is also seeing many men and women who need special atten­ 'Tonys Story• cont. on page 14 �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine . THE LIFE WE WORD ON THE LIVE ... STREET Farshid Kamali Arts & Poetry BACK-ALLEY BEGGAR Living in a North Side Chicago hotel ­ $40 a week, lobby TV by the quarter. Social Security Income is a chain tying me to an empty room- to wait - for death, insanity or the first of the month, whichever comes first. So I cram a change of clothes into a pack, sling my $15 guitar over my shoulder and heaq for - some place, where some thing - anything, is moving. I build a tent out of packing plastic on top of the remains of an ancient river wharf..... watch the fresh Lake Michigan tide displace the dirty sludge-muddy Chicago River water. Watch moss grow on the river bank. Make pets out of mud-dauber wasps that come to gather mortar. Summer is fever, for a recluse, a tramp hiding from the tenuous trap of social insecurity. I am too weak to say "howd'ya do" to the lily­ white daytime Loop walkers, 40-hour-a-weekers. They are slaves to dubious corporate occupations. I am a slave to the remnants of respectability that keep me from scrounging food in broad daylight. So I starve in the light, and indulge to excess in evening's shadows. And fever keeps me running ........ ...... t. bi/Iman SOLIDARITY by Denise Crew Speak quietly to our hearts With thoughtful acts and deeds Listen as we sing to you our song Want no more from us than we give Give to us freely without condition that which we are w illing to accept Join in, sing our song of freedom, struggle and woe Stand with us, to d efend the ground where we stand, we do stand strong. Band together, h and in hand to protect this our land. Share with us our labors, in your leisure Come break community bread at the peoples table. ~ We wear this mission upon our brow, but never lightly is its touch The raging waters of struggle, makes for different wading. though the deadly undercurrents threaten our existence We take the leap of faith for love, for tomorrow, for our lives We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts , but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbo~. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes; but lower morals; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, 'but have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of fast foods and slow · digestion; tall men and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. · These are the days of two incomes , but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one­ night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stockroom. Indeed it's all true. Think about it...read it again. JUDGMENT DAY Page 6 . NAKED HEARTS by Daniel Thompson When my mother Sunbathed on the roof Planes would sometimes Buzz the house On an afternoon At home after her operation She was proud Vacuuming the rug Naked Of her lone breast And her scar Out of her mind In a time of violence (0 forgive me, Mother My brutality) She ran from the trailer Out of the camp Without a stitch on In time To wrestle home The angel of death A tree Or a whole forest May have fallen The night no human woke To hear her dying breath After that My life in pain­ Wounded, aggrieved - Oejavued by love again A breakup Leading to a breakdown To my endless Manic panic· pacing In the empty apartment Suddenly I found my mother In the dark Cave of sorrow And spoke to her Naked heart To naked heart Help Wanted Social Services/Cheinical ependency Program Weekend Monitor (Part Time, II shifts.) needed at by Vampire esidential program for hemical dependent women. Race, sex, and religion; or be it my personal favorite; 'the handicapped.' egin a career in social Let me give you a prime example, ervices or make extra $. a man or woman who has been called to ust be supportive and war, their butt on the line! otivated with High School Some come back, or some just die. Those that have made it back, iploma or equiv., min. one may not look the same, ear relevant experience & an arm, a leg lost to war. river license with auto ins. You look at them and it is all you see. IF YOU WRITE POETRY AND ax resume & letter ASAP to They are the same men and women, and this is how you repay them , WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR iz Hughes at 921-2375 or making them handicapped! WORK IN STREETVIBES, CALL ail to FSH, 2118 St. Michael That is just like you. 421-7803 OR FAX US AT 421­ t., Cinti, OH 45204. EOE. I'm sick of all the pointing and taunting. 7813 What a shame, a pity. It is coming, your day of judgment! �- : STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Nationwide PANHANDLER ­ RIGHTS ADVOCATE DIES Copyright <C> 1998 The Register-Guard By JANET FILIPS The Register-Guard A homeless Eugene man who in 1996 won the constitutional right to panhandle along roadways died Saturday in his pickup camper. Rick Aquizap, 46, died while living in a city-sanctioned parking spot at Alton Baker Park. The medical examiner performed an autopsy and ran toxicology tests Monday, said Don Major of Major/Fredericksen Springfield Funeral Home, which is handling the arrangements . The cause of death was not yet known. Aquizap told friends he suffered from leukemia and had been in remission until a few months ago when he began undergoing chemotherapy. He smoked and drank heavily, friends said, and for the past few months often stood at the intersection of Coburg and Belt Line roads to beg. "I think he probably just wanted life to be OK, and it never really was for him," said Tom Musselwhite of Eugene's Homeless Action Coalition. "His life was very much a tragedy." Aquizap will be cremated and his ashes sent to his family in Hampton, N.H. Despite the difficulties of his own life, Aquizap made a lasting mark on homeless rights. He had been in Eugene since at least 1992, and often was at the center of public issues related to Lane County homelessness. His most visible battle began in 1994 over the right to solicit for work and contributions while on roadways - at the time, a violation of an Oregon statute. In 1996, the Oregon Court of Appeals agreed with Aquizap -represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and attorney Edmund Spinney - that a state law forbidding the solicitation of work or money while on a highway violated freedom of speech as guaranteed in the Oregon Constitution. Spinney, a Eugene criminal defense lawyer who volunteered to represent Aquizap, remembers him well for "his commitment to persevere and do what he felt was right and what he felt was going to help other people in similar situations." Aquizap had been cited in January 1994 at Pioneer Parkway and Q Street in Springfield, where he regularly held a sign that read: "homeless, willing to work for food, gas, money." In November of that year, an Oregon State Police trooper -responding to a complaint about a panhandler - cited Aquizap for displaying a similar sign in the window of his motor home while parked at a rest stop on Interstate 5 in Linn County. Lower courts found him guilty of both violations . The appeals court overturned those convictions. His angry views about society's mistreatment of homeless people were regularly reported in issues of a one-time street newspaper, Houseless Journal, written and produced by a former partner, Bridget Reilly. When news crews covered homeless camping controversies, Aquizap "was the one who was always right there in front of the · camera, quick to let you know if you were homeless, by golly, you'd have a different attitude," Musselwhite said. "And by golly, you probably would." Aquizap, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era, was among the first in Lane County to be registered to vote as a homeless person, said homeless advocate John "Mac" McFadden. McFadden met Aquizap in 1992, during the conflict over homeless people camping on the McKenzie River across from Armitage State Park. "The first time I ever saw Rick, he was standing on a corner holding a sign saying, 'Where are we supposed to go?' I guess he got his answer." Aquizap was born in Kittery, Maine, on Sept. 1, 1952. He told various reporters, friends and his lawyer that he previously lived in Massachusetts and Portland, worked in the shoe industry, had a degree in history and an associate's degree in oceanography and was last employed at Harvard University, where he grossed $1 ,200 a month. He is survived by his parents, Bruce and Patricia Aquizap of Hampton, N.H.; sister Victoria , also of Hampton; and partner Daisy Putnam, of Eugene. A memorial service will be held in New Hampshire. Copyright CO 1998 The Register­ Guard Page 1 Please Support Our Advertisers ANOTHER C L ASS PRODC'CTIO=" Oise-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761·3464 (513) 230"°353 George E. Ferguson Typin2 Service By Appo intme nt Only 7 East University Ave. Cincinna ti, Ohio 45219 (513) 559-9908 Cfjnj cal Trja] ·{' Schizophrenia / Schizoaffective Disorder The Psychotic Disorders Research Program is currently conducting outpatient clinical trials with an investigational atypical antipsychotic. Persons who have been outpatient for at least two months and have been on a stable dose of an oral antipsychotic for one month or longer may be eligible lo participate. Those who are en­ rolled in the study will receive medication and follow-up at no cost. Please contact Monique at (5 13) 558-6195 for more information. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Subscribe to Streetvi bes Subscripti ons to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check t o the below address and the paper wi ll be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnat i, OH 4521 O Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority ... Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income ... Many bu!ldings . equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Prisoner's News TO STREETVIBES from D. Hi bro! I just went up in front of the Parole Board again yesterday, and my records were still screwed up! So, the Parole Board gave me another 60 flops to get the records straight. This is the second 60 day flop I've gotten over my records being messed up. I should have been released this week! If my records hadn't been falsified back in November of last year. Now the earliest I can get out is the first week of May - if I'm lucky! I already have more than twice the maximum amount of time called for under my guideline - but they won't let me go. This is just one form of retaliation. Mess up a prisoners records so I can't make parole. Raymond Capots of the Parole Board called the administrative assistant, Ms. Stasha Doty, before I left the building, and determined that my records were wrong! But, instead of correcting my records right there and then and giving me a parole - I have to wait another 60 days! These new parole guidelines don't mean anything - because they aren't going by them. Being a prison activist, I expect retaliation from prison officials and the parole board. But the general public doesn't believe, or doesn't care, that reprisals take place frequently in here. We got the Ohio EPA reports on our drinking water here and discovered that our drinking water has actionable levels of lead and copper in it. Even worse than that, they've been exceeding the maximum contamination levels for coliform for years. Coliform indicates fecal pollution in our drinking water. No wonder none of the guards or staff drink the water here. But, we have .no choice but to drink it. Then when we get sick and go to the hospital we're charged $3.00 for medical treatment. But, since it's the drinking water that's causing the problems t here's very little the medical staff can, or will, do for us. In Struggle. WHAT TYPE OF CORRECTIONAL STAFF DOES DORC EMPLOY? The Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (DORC) is a branch of the state criminal justice system designed to house Ohio prisoners. Yet, one must question what type of correctional staff DORC employs to maintain security at its numerous prisons. The reason I ask this question is because of the continuous abuses and neglects of duties I've witnessed in my time incarcerated at Orient Correctional Institution (OCI), one of the most mismanaged correctional institutions in the State of Ohio. I was recently witness to incidents by correctional staff in the dining hall, behavior that was sexual in nature and in clear violation of the rules forbidding obscene gestures or comments toward another employee. These behaviors and others are a regular occurrence here at OCI. I reported this incident to the Deputy Warden of Operations here at OCI. His response, nearly a month ago, was that he would contact the investigator of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. However, like other ignored incidents of abuse and neglect of duty, an investigation never materialized. So, the Deputy Warden himself, has failed to carry out his duty. Sexual misconduct, though one of the main abuses carried out by correctional staff - others include bringing in drugs, sleeping on the job and allowing security issues to be ignored. Just as recently as October 26th, 1998, a nurse at Frazier Health Care Center located at OCI was charged in the Pickaway County Court with smuggling marijuana into the prison. A similar incident occurred on October 8th , 1998 when a correctional cook was arrested at London Correctional Institution after accepting 20 grams of marijuana and advance payment to smuggle drugs into the prison. These are surely not isolated incidents, and are prevalent within the prisons throughout Ohio, mainly OCI. Since my incarceration here, I've witnessed so much neglect of duty by correctional staff, that it would take forever to write about. The sad part is that it goes unchecked by the DORC's administration. Not only do these incidents of abuse and neglect threaten security at the institution, but it threatens society also. Society entrusts the DORC with maintenance of its correctional institutions, and puts forth billions of dollars in taxes for a system that is in trouble. In struggle, James W. Pryor DEAR STREETVIBES My name is #####. I am currently housed at the fairly new supermax prison in Youngstown (Ohio). And I want to describe an incident that occurred to me last night. Around 9:00 PM, I began to complain about getting the shower that I was told I would receive earlier. Shortly after I had complained to the officers upstairs in the control booth, a 2nd shift Lt. Carter came storming into B-3 pod to go into B-5 pod for me to take a shower (this is not normal procedure). And when I.got over there with Lt. Carter and 5 other guards, instead of being given a shower, he (Carter) began to spray me with his mace container for no reason at all. Furthermore, he then had my two escorts walk me upstairs towards the upper range shower in 8-5 pod, and halfway up the stairs, he then pushed me down the stairs so that I fell on the bottom landing and sustained a cut to the back of my head. (There should be a medical report to indicate this injury). Again , on the floor, I was maced for the second time. And afterwards was taken to the unit strip cell and was made to stand in there with mace in my eyes for around an hour. Then I was taken back to my cell in B-3. I must explain how this incident was not a usual use. of force occurrence. Firstly, the use of mace may be used to subdue a prisoner but truthfully, I offered no resistance to my escorts at no point between walking from 8-3 pod to 8-5 pod . So, in this,case, Lt. Carter spraying me with mace was unjustifiable. Secondly, I know for a fact that under no circumstances whatsoever is an inmate to be pushed down a half-flight of stairs in handcuffs. Lt. Carter did Page a push me and I did fall with an injury. Therefore, his actions constitute making the incident last night very unusual. I've just written a formal complaint to Major Ishee here, and it is pending. I have in mind Jo start a civil action against Lt. Carter for violating my rights. Would you please advise me about the issue after you review this letter? Will my federal complaint stand up in District Court? STREETVIBES PRISONERS NEWS JS THE WRITINGS OF PERSONS INCARCERATED IN OUR NATIONS JAILS AND PRISONS. SEND YOUR COMMEN TS OR QUES TIONS TO STREETVIBES @JUNO.COM Facts What Role does Jail Play in Present Day America? Jails are becoming America's new mental hospitals. Increasing numbers of seriously and chronically mentally ill persons are detained in jail each year. Alarmingly high numbers of severely mentally ill persons are steadily causing our nation's jails to replace public mental hospitals as primary mental health service providers. * Approximately 670,000 mentally ill people· are ad".'itted to US jails each year. * As many as 13% of the individuals arrested each year suffer from severe mental illness, compared to less than 2% in the general population. • In Seattle's King County jail, approximately 8% of the inmate population is severely ·mentally ill, making this correctional facility King County's largest institution for the mentally ill. * Miami's Dade County jails house more mentally ill persons than any single institution or hospital in the county. • Suicide is the leading cause of death in jails. * Over 50% of suicides are committed within the first 24 hours of incarceration; 29% are committed within the first three hours. * Over 95% of those who commit suicide in correctional facilities have a treatable mental illness, 75% communicate their intent in advance, and 30% have made previous attempts. • The rate of suicide among those inmates who have made previous attempts is more than 100 times the rate in the general population . Compliled from Research Brief, The Center on Crimes, Communities and Culture �1 STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS: The ultimate union buster. Why should unions work to close the SOA? The U. S. Army School of the Americas (SOA) , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers. In its 50 year history, the SOA has trained 60,000 Latin American troops in commando tactics , military intelligence, psychological operations, and sniper fire. These soldiers are taught to make war against their own people. They have massacred entire villages of women, men, and children. SOA graduates target grassroots leaders for assassination, torture, rape and intimidation - especially religious workers, student organizers, and local union leaders. The School's unstated mission is to silence leaders who organize for the rights of working people and the poor. Our tax dollars train Latin American union busters at the SOA. Union members in the U. S. know that an attack on workers anywhere is an attack on the rights of workers everywhere. U.S. workers must speak out and join in solidarity with those trying to close this ~nti-uni on, anti-Ameri~an institution. SOA "Muscle" enforces NAFTA in Mexico Workers on both sides of the border know that NAFTA is anti-labor. NAFTA puts U. S. jobs in jeopardy and guts the bargaining power of both Latin American and U.S. workers. When transnational companies can hire Latin American workers for shamefully low wages and get away with inhuman shop conditions, U.S. plants close to chase higher profits in the South. Workers in the U.S. and Latin America suffer. Hours after NAFTA went into effect, Mexican indigenous workers rise up to say "NO!" and they have paid a dear price for their opposition. The Mexican military moved in immediately with troops, !ielicopters, and artillery. At least 13 of the high level officers who planned the repression campaign trained at the School of the Americas. The elite few in the Mexico and the U. S. who benefit from NAFTA acted quickly to bolster the military "muscle" to silence the opposition. Shortly after the initial uprising, Mexican soldiers began to pour into the School of the Americas for training. Mexico now sends more soldiers to the SOA than any other country. Page 9 SOA Training Manuals Advocated Targeting Those Who ... Report: "Nunca Mas" ("Never Again'') • "do union organizing or recruiting" • pass out "propaganda in favor of the interests of the workers" • "sympathize with demonstrations or strikes" • "make accusations that the government has failed ...to meet the basic needs of the people" This 1998 report from the Archdiocese of Guatemala chronicles the violence during the 36 years of civil war. Numerous military officials cited in the report were SOA graduates. For example: * 3 directors of the notorious 0 -2 intelligence agency • 2 of 3 cited for the murder of, Myrna Mack • 3 officers cited for cover-up of Michael Devine murder Columbia: A Case Study of SOA Terror Tactics against Unions Consistently, the countries in Latin America with the worst human rights violations against labor leaders and others have received the most SOA training. Columbia, for example, has sent over 10,000 military personnel to train at the School of the Americas - more than any other single country. Tragically, the training has worked. Colombian SOA grads have left a trail of blood and suffering in their home country, and union members have been a prime target. In the early 1990's, one Colombian trade unionist was killed every other day. 180 a year. By 1996, the number increased to 253. Of every 10 trade unionists killed in the world in recent years, 4 were from Columbia. SOA grads are trained to help lead the campaign of terror intimidation against union members. SOA Graduates Cited in United Nations Truth Commission Report The UN Truth Commission Report on El Salvador, released March 15, 1993, cited over . 60 Salvadoran officers for the worst atrocities during that countries brutal civil war. Over two thirds of those named were alumni of the U. S. School of the Americas. For example: • 3 of 3 cited for the murder of union leaders • 2 of 3 cited for the assassination of Archbishop Romero • 10 of 12 cited for the El Mozote massacre of 900 villagers • 19 of 26 cited for the massacre of 6 Jesuit priests 'T his institution costs millions of dollars a year 2nd identifies us with tyranny and oppression." -Rep. Joseph Kennedy (MA) According to recent Pentagon figures, the SOA costs U. S. taxpayers almost $20 million a year. "The money spent on the SOA could be put to much better use in programs that support working people." -Basil "Buzz" Hargrove, President, Canadian Auto Workers "For 50 years the school has participated in the training of foreign despots and mercenaries operating well outside the bounds of freedom, democracy and decency." -Veterans for Peace, National Convention Resolution "...the SOA n,ms contrary to the very principles of humari rights and democracy for which our nation's veterans have sacrificed ..." -Veterans of Foreign Wars, Santa Cruz chapter, Resolution to Close the SOA "Be it resolved that the 40th Constitutional Convention of the Minnesota AFL-CIO go on record to join with others to call the close of the U. S. Army School of the Americas ." -submitted by UAW MN State CAP Council, passed 1997 'The School of the Americas is a cold war dinosaur and should be closed." -Maj. Joseph Blair, U. S. Army, Ret., former SOA instructor Unions are· "Enemy" targets In 1996, the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the SOA up until 1991. These manuals advocated interrogation techniques such as torture, execution, blackmail , and arresting the relatives of those being questioned. Lab9r organizers were one of the groups singled out in these groups. ''!need you to look depressed Imagin e you \rorked in the sweatshop that 1\!!ADE those clot/res." �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 11 STREETVIBES •Kudos to the Editorials & Coalition Letters Oonald, Dear STREETVIBES "Unacceptable Racism " My name is Shana Owens and I was compelled to write you all. You see, the article on page 10, "Unacceptable Racism" really hit home deep in my heart. You would think in 1998-99 th e world would. now be over that racism bullcrap, but as we all see, hatred seems to have a way of rearing its ugly face over and over again. As a human it really hurts to think someone could be so cruel as to attack another human, I will never understand. We sometimes forget that on Judgment Day the Good Lord will see no color, only our earthly deeds. I pray that he will see me as one of his children and not judge me by my color, but by my deeds. If we all live as Christ and learned to love one another by our ways and deeds, not by our color, then we would all be much happier. Sincerely, Shanna Owens I just read Bill's copy of Homefront newsletter (I snatched it from the trash). Just wanted you to know how much I admire and appreciate the work that you are doing. I was amazed to see all that GCCH is doing! Of course, I was most moved that you continued to have a critical, authentic voice about economic and social justice. On those dark days, please know that I send out my spirit and warm wishes to you to uplift and comfort. Keep keeping on! Mac and buddy look down and smile (I know that some days they smile on me, too). Page 10 At that time, my undocumented Mexican migrant worker siblings brought to my home our Black brothers and sisters they found in the streets in Dayton, Ohio, to celebrate the holiday of Our Lady of Guadalupe, our common mother. And walking back to Africa this year, our every step was a prayer for our own liberation that will only come when Leonard Peltier, the Puerto Rican prisoners of conscience and Mumia Abu Jamal are set free. Please read Peltier's statement, and send it to all your friends. Let the world know that both of them , Peltier and Jamal, as all the prisoners of conscience in the jails this empire and its allies have, are at the center and the very reason for our own small struggles, no matter how dissimilar or contradictory the causes may appear. Hasta la victoria! Pio. Celestino In awe, Barb STREETVIBES Dear FRIENDS 'Opens Eyes• Talking with some of you we concluded that we can not say we stand for justic~ if we do not join our cry and our actions to actively protest and refuse to accept the fact that the best of our people are either in jail for crimes they did not commit, or, worse yet, they are set to be killed for simply refusing to be mockeries of themselves. It is with a great sense of responsibility that I ask you to read the following statement that Leonard Peltier, the unjustly jailed son of our lands, writes on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Black poet who is to die for refusing to be the ideal "little N@#$&*#" this system expects all of us to be. Praying in front of the Marion, Illinois prison, where this government had Leonard Peltier, many years ago, I met some of you. I just finished reading the January 1999 edition of Streetvibes. Thank you for such thorough and high quality writing in each and every edition. Streetvibes makes an effort to cover many of the issues that have an effect on, and in turn, are effected by homelessness. There are no easy answ~rs to resolving any of the issues covered by Streetvibes, but by writing about and hopefully opening peoples eyes to issues that are often hidden, such as prison labor, more people will ·have the information they need to remove the blinders we all wear to the injustice around us. Thank you, Michael Flood t> Months ~ . . later: ,.. ·­· . \ Lost ff'i"( Job~ ,I I �STREElVIBES, The Tri-State's - . l.. 4.r - }; ">' '. ,~'.. STREETVIBES~" Etcetera ... DOES SPEAKING O.U TEVER WORK? by Mary Ann Lederer On Monday, January 4, 1998, Sonny Williams was watching the Channel 5 evening news. A man, Isaac Miller, had frozen to death in the hallway of an apartment building on Race Street. The Channel 5 News team was broadcasting f rom the Over-the-Rhine Community Center, a heat center which provides shelter in freezing weather to people whose furnaces are broken or where power lines are down or for those just needing shelter and warmth . Sonny noticed, from the broadcast , that people in the Over-the-Rhine Center were sleeping on the floor. Appalled by these conditions, Sonny began his own campaign to obtain cots for the heat centers. The following morning, Tuesday, Sonny called WCIN radio, Lincoln Ware's show, and put out a plea for citizens to call the city council representatives and request cots for the heat centers. On Wednesday morning Sonny went to council person Minette Cooper's office and spoke with her aide , Andrea Johnson. She said she would see what she could do. Sonny continued lobbying on WCIN WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST... ACJmet~ss Grapevine throughout the week. On Thursday morning Sonny visited council member Paul Booth's office and spoke with his aide, Diana ·Fry. According to Diana Fry, she made a number of phone calls to try to get cots for the centers. Then Sonny went to Tyrone Yates' office and spoke with his aide, Samantha Herd. On Friday, he visited Charles Winburn's office and spoke with his aide about the matter. Sonny Williams also called the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and the Cincinnati Health Department. On Monday morning Sonny phoned the new heat center at the McKie Recreation Center in Northside. Sometime between Friday and Monday morning 50 cots had been delivered. Then Sonny called the Over-the Rhine Community Center. Again, 50 cots ha~ been delivered there also. Now people seeking warmth and shelter no longer have to sleep on the floor.. Thanks Sonny for making a difference. Page 11 Scramble by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these related words: (Names of GCCH Members) NKTONISH FILDFROC EITHWEDAH EBRUK SIENH NOJSE TEHAH ERNIUMEE RAMWCIKE SN HJ ONO Answers o n page 15. Notice $300 in Gift Certificates will be paid to mothers with children, ages 6 to 8, to participate in a National Study. -Mothers must be currently in Treatment for Substance abuse or have completed treatment within the past 12 months. Sonny Williams And I, Pastor/Evangelist Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. will close on February 3, 1999 at 7:00PM. This will be an event you will not want to miss, because·God is doing great work and He has a special blessing for all who will attend this Winter Revival; which will be held in South Cumminsville at 1810 Powers Street. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED . It is now the year of our Lord 1999 and _ _ _ _Yo11 will have the opportunity to hear the who knows, but our Lord when He shall return. life changing word of God from several anointed Yet we are exhorted to watch and be ready ones, and praise and worship from the Whole (Matt. 24:42). Lite Choir and some special selections from In the 24th Chapter of the Gospel of Jane Woods of the House of Joy, and other Matthew we are given answers by Christ musical guests; plus you will have the Himself about the signs of the end of the age opportunity to learn more about Helping Hands and tlie sign of His coming. Outreach Mission Ministries social service I bring this to your attention because there programs. So come on out and fellowship. is a spiritual awakening taking place in HHOMM is sponsoring a Sweetheart Cincinnati and throughout the whole world. If Bowling event on February 6, 1999 at 3:00PM. you are a child of Go I'm sure you have noticed This event will be held at Delfair Lanes at a cost this spiritual awakening among the Brothers and of $7.00 per person. If you are interested in Sisters in your church body. coming out and fellowshipping, call Elder It is because of this spiritual awakening Leonard Williams, Jr. (542-6837) for details. that Helping Hands Outreach Ministries is HHOMM is still receiving donations for our hosting a "Winter Revival" titled "Preparing for food pantry and other outreach ministries the Millennium." The revival will begin on (clothing, furnishings, etc.) Please mail Sunday, January 31 , 1999 at 4:00PM with monetary contributions to 1810 Powers Street, Brother Jim Nune, and his wife Prophetess Cincinnati, 45233, and call 681-2400 for delivery Sandy Nune from Bowling Green, Kentucky. or pick-up of other donations. On Monday, February 1, 1999 at 7:00PM I look forward to seeing you at the Winter we will have Evangelist Cordelia Nowell of Revival. In His Service, Rodney L. Sutton, Whole Life Church of Christ. Sr. '-----~---- · CALL GLAD HOUSE FOR MORE INFORMATION 641­ 5530 or 636-591 7 Subscribe to STREETVIBES! For only $12 per year you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and Local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons... Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Streetvibes C/O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 4521 O ------ �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 BUDDY'S PLACE: A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS IN CINCINNATI ... Submitted by ReSTOC, a low­ income housing co-op in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine community It is one of the first of its kind, if not the first. buddy's place - 20 units of permanent housing for homeless individuals is serving as a national model in the effort to address the causes of homelessness and not just its ramifications. buddy gray was always known for his innovation and for his tireless commitment to ending homelessness. He was one of the founders of ReSTOC and the Drop Inn Center and was nationally recognized as a voice for low-income and the homeless. Now, over two years after his death, 1300 Vine Street, in Cincinnati's Over-the­ Rhine neighborhood, is being given new life. buddy's place was slated for demolition in the late 80's, having been vacant and ne­ glected for over a decade. With city shelters already at capacity and low-income housing in Over-the-Rhine being destroyed at alarm­ ing rates, buddy realized the potential of this "old building''. Amidst the decay, the burnt walls and missing floors, he saw housing that was safe, decent and affordable. The principle of ReSTOC is that housing is a human right, not a privilege. Many people work at day labor jobs at minimum wage or less. They cannot afford market rate hous­ ing. And so buddy's place, 1300 Vine Street, will stand as an opportunity for men and women to take control over their lives and experience a sense of freedom and self that life on the streets strips you of. It has taken many donors - individuals, public and private - and hours upon hours of volunteer labor, but buddy's place is nearing completion. It will be 20 furnished single room occupancy apartments. There will be an elevator, community room, tenant court­ yard, parking and a roof deck. The first 1O apartments are completed and applicants are being interviewed. The final 10 will be completed this month. Exterior improve­ ments will be completed in the spring. In order to complete these final improvements, we still need to raise $10,000. The "Buy a Brick for buddy's place" campaign will help us reach this goal. A brick can be pur­ chased for $50. Individuals or groups who "Buy a Brick" will have their names painted on a brick in a permanent mural on the side of the building at buddy's place. The obstacles seem insurmountable at times, the numbers of homeless grow every year and housing is continually being lost to demolition and gentrification. Life, however in Over-the-Rhine continues to thrive and continues to build community. buddy's spirit and outspoken voice lay in the completion of the buddy's place project as it represents, like virtually no other community in this country can offer, a solution to ending homelessness. *Individuals interested in applying for housing at buddy's place may contact ReSTOC at 381-0954. buddy's place, at 1300 Vine Street nears completion Photo by Jimmy Heath res t oe buy a brick ·~ tor budd 's lace ,:. b uddy's place is a community effort to help alleviate the tragedy of homelessness. We invite you to take part in this community effort and provide housing to our sisters and brothers who are homeless. Thank you for your on-going support. RESTOC 114. W. 14th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 • 513-381-0954 -··- - - - -•-•u.•-••-.-••-•••••--•••o•H-•-·--·-•••••••••-••••••••••••-·•••--••••---""'-·-·•••.--...-0...0...•••·•••••••••-•-•••-••••••oo•••..••••--•.o••-•••,.••••••••-•••-••••----•-••-•·•-•-••••-•-•---•-•­ - \ yeS \ .J 7 I \ we would like to buy_ brick(s) to support the construction of buddy's place gr' .......................................................................................... name ·········································i>f-ian·e················································· ···························sc'fioo1·c;·;·c;;·9aiiii"iiili:iii··································· amount enclosed ($50 per brick) .................. please m ake checks payable to RESTOC. In the space below. please Indicate name you would like painted on brick �STREETVIBES I The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine News From. Cleveland's Grapevine Cleveland Vendor Profile: Marguerite Perdue By Staff of Grape vine, Cleveland's Street Newspaper - Page 13 Homeless Grapevine vendor Marguerite Perdue has a message for Cleveland. She wants you to know that there is an urgent need to increase the housing options specifically for single women who are struggling to make the transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Growing up in Cleveland, Marguerite had "a pretty good child life." She was adopted into a loving family when she was five months old, and has younger brother. Marguerite went to area schools, went to community college for three years , and became a Certified Nurses Assistant and a Home Health Aide. She has two grown sons and a grandson. Although, her father was killed in an accident at the PepsiCola Bottling Company when she was eight, Marguerite is proud that her family was never on Welfare. She has never lived in low-income housing, has always had her own house, own apartment, own car. About ten years ago, Marguerite lost her Nurses Assistant license, and began attending school and working at factory jobs through some of the area temporary employment agencies, while waiting to become eligible for recertification in 2000. She was self-sufficient, living at the Jay Hotel where she was renting her own room which she obtained with the help of a social worker at the Salvation Army and either AEA or CEOGC . And then everything fell apart. Marguerite became homeless about a year and a half ago. On a day that her rent was due, she called the landlord to let him know that she was at work and that she would pay him at the end of the day when she got home from work. But when she arrived back at the hotel, she found a lock placed on her door. Paying $35 rent for the day (because the room could have been rented that day) , a $15 fee for packing up her possessions, and a $1.50/day storage fee was more than she cou ld manage, so she left and the landlord kept her possessions. "I don't understand how [the landlord] took all my stuff like that. The Jay is really not a bad place. It's the best place there is, but I had just got everything together. He knew I was working." Marguerit e moved back in with her mother until her mother got sick and was unable to walk, which made it necessary to let a cousin buy the family's house. Marguerite's mother went into a nursing home, her brother moved to Detroit, and Marguerite moved to Akron, where she stayed at the Haven of Rest Center shelter. She was able to make arrangements to move into an apartment for single women next door to the Haven of Rest, but shortly before she was to move in, her mother went into respiratory failure. Marguerite immediately came back to Cleveland to be with her mother. "Since my cousin got the house, ever since I came back here from Akron, I've been homeless. I mean, I called all the shelters. There's nothing for a single woman. No where. nothing, ever. No rooms. No nothing. and that's basically the way it is" Marguerite has explored most of the . housing options avaihl:>le to her. She has b"'en ui · der to get shP 11 to three Oh1c now 11 is imperative 1or Marguerite to sta} , 1 Cleveland; she needs to be near her mother at the nursing home. Marguerite is afraid that away unless she is living close enough to the nursing home to stop in every day, she won't be contacted immediately if her mother passes. Because she committed a felony some years ago, CMHA housing is not an option. An outreach worker found Marguerite a room at a three-quarter-way house run by the Community Reentry program (prison reform) but, although the rent was only $125/month, she didn't feel that it was appropriate for her to have to follow the mandatory regulations and programs designed for the rest of the residents who were recently released from prison, on parole or on probation. Marguerite also tried getting a room at a hotel on Detroit and West 65th street. She went to the hotel one Thursday with $85 for rent in hand only to learn that the weekly rental cycle went from Saturday to Saturday, and she would have lo pay $35/day for the two extra days. After having walked all the way carrying all her bags she was discouraged and left, realizing too late that she could have paid for the week and then spent Thursday and Friday nights in the womens' shelter. It is difficult to get into the hotel, and having the money at the right time is hard for Marguerite. Finding trustworthy roommates to share housing expenses in rented situations has been difficult, also. Twice Marguerite has lost apartments because roommates didn't work out and the expense was more than Marguerite could manage on her own. Last summer, Marguerite went through a 30-day program for drug rehabilitation at the Hitchcock Center for Women. A week before coming out, Marguerite was promised housing at Transitional Housing, Inc., but two days before she was released, she was told there was no space available. She made an arrangement to room with another woman who had been in the treatment program with her, but that didn't work out either. At that point, Marguerite began staying at Project HEAT site C, the womens' emergency shelter at the First Methodist Church, (East 30th at Euclid) . When she has the money, she also has paid a couple of friends $10 or $15 dollars to sleep at their places for a night. Marguerite believes that if she had dependent children, finding housing would be possible. "Women with children , they've got it made," she says. "But I'm not going to have kids just to get someplace to live.". She also observes that too many people are no longer able to cope with societal pressures. "Half the population is taking psyche meds because they can't cope with life. You just have to cope. That's all." Marguerite refuses to let that happen to her, even though she admits that she has considered giving up and signing herself into a psych ward just to have a place to live and convenient meals. Lately, Marguerite has been selling the Homeless Grapevine, and working for $6.50/hr as a machine operator at a factory in Strongsville-a job that she got through MinuteMan. Work there has been slow, however, because of the holidays and the recent bout of inclement weather. Although her training is for the health care industry, Marguerite can do any kind of factory work. She can drive a tow motor and weld, or do any kind of assembly work. But what she likes to do is the nursing. 'Without a permanent residence," she points out, "how can you find a permanent position? I can get a job, but I need a place where I can take a shower. You can't, being homeless, deal with all that and be expected to get up and go to work everyday." Marguerite hopes to find her way out of this Catch-22 by landing a live-in position as a e close recently, but home health aide. She c lost the opportunity bee, 1se she didn't have I enough money for the required uniforms, shoes and a stethoscope. "If I could just find a room for myself­ an efficiency- I do not make enough money. Mostly, the landlords want first month's rent and a deposit. I can't come up with that. I have to eat every day to survive. Wash my clothes. There's no way I could do it." "They should open up something, a rooming house for women just like they do for men, you know what I mean? Because it's really hard. A single woman can't get a place to live." Marguerite would like to see someone open up a house , rooming house or boarding house for women. Even a three-quarter way house like the Community Re-entry ones would be of help, but one without the mandatory rules and restrictions that are necessary for the residents in those situations who are making the transition from prison to lite in the community. "The housing-that's the main thing," Marguerite insists. "Somebody needs to-not needs to, but it would be appreciated if somebody could try to come up with some kind of solution that would help single women. The single men have everything. They've got VOA, they've got St. Herman's ... there is no place that is suitable for single females." 'Community Voice Mail' Awarded Murphy Family Foundation Grant By Todd Neumann at NEOCH, (Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, Cleveland) (216)241­ 1104. Cleveland Community Voice Mail was awarded a grant by The Murphy Family Founda­ tion to support the introduction of a Community Voice Mail System in Cleveland. Community Voice Mail(CVM) is an innova­ tive concept designed to assist the homeless, jobless, domestically abused, and other at risk clients in facilitat ing improvements in their lives. The premise is simple. People can not find housing or jobs without a number where they can be reached. Community Voice Mail gives them that. CVM contributes to the self-esteem of its users by taking away the stigma of their homelessness or phonelessness. Community Voice Mail empowers people by giving clients control over retrieving messages, allowing them to stay on top of their job or apartment hunt. Community Voice Mail (CVM) was pio· neered by the national non-profit, Community Technology Institute (CTI) . The organization was founded in 1991 when it set up its first CVM system in Seattle, WA. Since then the non-profit has been honored with the "Innovations in State and Local Government Award' by Harvard's Kennedy School of Govt. & The Ford Foundation. The Coalition through the work of AmeriCorps"VISTA's organized 19 local social service agencies to participate in Cleveland's Community Voice Mail System. The goal is to be operational by the end of summer 1999. �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 Martha's Woodshop Provides Income and Pride for CTR Community By Dave Die tz Combining the ideals of environmental sustainability and social justice is a challenging task. The Buckeye Forest Council is working toward this goal through our 100% recycled wood craftshop. If someone asked me, "What are the most important things Over-The-Rhine needs?" high on my list, along with housing and shelter, would be a dignified source of income for current residents in the community. Martha's Woodshop is accomplishing this goal we employ a technical director and two apprentices. Even the small amount of money our shop provides has an impact on the lives of people who are meeting the basic needs of a roof over their heads and food on the table. Martha'.s Woodshop is in this way a homeless prevention program. The job helps maintain a sense of dignity and a source of income. We have been blessed with a technical director who is an artistic genius. Victor Siffel learned wood carving from his father while growing up in the Over-The-Rhine 'Tony·'s S~ory• from page 5 ... tion, who are mentally and physically challenged. His stereotypes about the label of homelessness that he now bears the burden of, are being broken. But still, he worries about what people will think of him. What if somebody recognizes him, standing in a soup line, or worse still, will people think differently of him, when he does finally leave here and they know of his past. Tony struggles with such thoughts on a daily basis, as the day he can work comes closer and closer. He says, however, he will not forget the Drop Inn Center or its residents although you can see he has difficulty reconciling this time in his life. Tony is not alone. .....•·· Working in Martha's Wood Shop... and West End area. Mr. Siffel currently works as a free-lance artist doing sculpture and historic restoration work for many individuals and busi­ nesses including The Wooden Nickel. Victor is involved with our program because he sees the urgent need for forest protection when he thinks of his children and their future. He also sees the · shop as an opportunity to pass along his skills as a wood carver to future generations. Martha's Woodshop is at an exciting phase of development. Our apprentices have been learning carving skills for a few months and we have been selling our crafts since August. Christmas was a busy time and we all worked extra hours to get the orders out. Now we are in the process of reaching out to the greater Cincin­ nati community with our line of 100% recycled Photo by Dave Dietz wood crafts. If you enjoy beautifully carved wooden crafts and jewelry or are part of a busi­ ness that would be interested in carrying our line don't hesitate to contact us. We have a flyer with photos and prices of our craft line. We can also custom create any type of wooden object that you describe. Contact us by mail or telephone and we will send you a flyer and any other inforn:iation you need. Thanks for you support! Buckeye Fo rest Council 1542 Elm St. Cin. Oh. 45210 Attn: Wood Crafts Ph. # (513) 665-4900 Steve or Dave OVER-THE-RHINE COMMUNITY ---­ COUNCIL T-SHIRTS FOR SALE!!! Be Proud to be a Member of the Over-the­ Rhine Community Council. T-shirts are in Large Size; Colors Available P urple or Burgundy Cost: ORCC Member $4 Resident, non-ORCC Member $5 Others $10 Call 381-2956 or 381-4242 for information 'Demo' from page 1 ... run-down or dismal - the major impetus for the awarding pf the Hope VI Grant. This is why we must be ready as a commu­ nity. Ms. Bacon needs to be reminded that homelessness in our community is unacceptable. We know that the Hope VI Plan would add to the homeless problem in our city. And to add to the irony, with the loss of 1300 units of low-income housing, where is the so-called economic mix? So pleasP keep your ear to the street ahd be ready to stand for the p eople in this city when Ms. Bacon returns. on where T-shirts are sold. You can also purchase them at the monthly ORCC meeting. OVER-THE-RHINE COMMUNITY COUNCIL The creative design is by Jimmy Heath �STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Announcements Live Studio Audience Wanted STREETVIBES TV SHOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF OUR LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE? SHOW IS LIVE ON STREETVIBES Classified Ads Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apartments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approxi.mately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. ­ People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six m_onths to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati , OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813 THE SECOND MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AND IS BROADCAST FROM THE STUDIOS OF CINCINNATI COMMUNITY VIDEO, 2114 READING ROAD, FROM 7 TO BPM. STREETVIBES TV COVERS NEWS ON POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND RELATED ISSUES. CALL US AT THE GREATER CINCINNATI COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS FOR MORE INFORMATION-421-7803 music Band Looking for Work Streetvibes (the band). We like to party. R&B. O ldies, Blues/ Jazz, Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421·7803. Dwight Wise 1. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. - jI Scramble Answers from page 11 ... • Jones Heath Neumeier Wickrema Johnson HVAC Technician for hire. 24 Service! Call 751-3182. Thank You! ••••••••••••••••••••••••• • • STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $ 1 per line. Call 421-7803 for info. Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at -noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Satutday, March 13th, 1~99, noon to 1 pm Streetvibes! Advertise in Streetvibes! Streetvibes Vendor Code. of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. 1s In Memory of "Mac" Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ... Because 'Everyone' includes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. Hinkston Clifford Whitehead Burke Heins position wanted Page 5. I agree that I will not supply oopies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity dr that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. ' . Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to over 5,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2 11 x 3 1/2 11 $1 O per month ***Two Business Card Size 4 11 x 3 1/2 11 $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati , OH 45210 .. �f_ f STREETVIBES The Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine 'STADIUM' cont. from page 3 ... .... had taken from the beginning," Bedinghaus said. The commissioners' approach incurred the wrath of ,many city and community leaders when they decided not to meet the 25 percent goal because of a court ruling that struck down minority set-aside programs. Bedinghaus said the commissioners' strategy included meeting with people who would work constructively toward a better situation. He explained that he continu­ ally meets with Or. Milton Hinton, president of the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP, and Jonathan Holified, first vice president of the NAACP, to discuss the stadium issue. The commissioners' also created a new position to assist minority and women-owned business participation on the stadium projects. Jonathan Railey, on loan from Cinergy, who served in that capacity, left the position last week. Reprinted by permission by the Cincin­ nati Herald. STREETVIBES, Streetvibes TV TV Schedule The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video, 21 14 Reading Road. If you would like to be a part of our live studio audience please call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421 -7803 for more information. Streetvibes TV MARCH Schedule March's Live TV show will begin at 7PM, Monday, March 8th, and will be broadcast from the Reading Road Studio. The new show format includes a studio audience along with a guest panel discussion. Channel 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. March 8th at 7PM. Rebroadcast Dates for Show on Channel 10: Saturday, March 6, 1999, 4 PM Friday, March 12, 1999, 11 am Friday, March 19, 1999, 11 AM Monday, March 22,1999, 10 PM Saturday, March 27, 1999, 4 PM Broadcast schedules are subject to change - consult your local TV directory. l Page 16 Vendor: SQ cents Printing and Production: 20 cents Where Your Dollar Goes Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds.as possible. · If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421­ 7803. Thanks for your support. If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our viewing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homelessness and poverty in our city. We are always interested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... Streetvibes Wish List Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call. .. >35 MM Film for Streetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper > Good used or new Photo Copier >Office Supplies >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, etc.) ;:-Computer for Streetvibes layout and writing >·Subscribers Call the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at 421-7803 if you can help! • Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children 241-2757 Alice Paul House (abuse) 281-5770 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431~8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381 -4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER : Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) Interfaith Hospitality Network 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 244·7226 Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTA Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Wom en O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center Beech Acres 961-4080 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 921-7324 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 421-2437 621-5991 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241 ·2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381·4242 Contact Center 241-2563 Emanuel Community Center 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241 -9400 Legal Aid Society Madis.onville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1999 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource February 1999 Vol. 3, issue 26 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: More Demolition Proposed in the West End Marchers Celebrate the Life and Work of Martin Luther King Jr. Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: The Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Pg 8: Prisoners News Jail Facts Pg 9: School of Americas Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 11: Streetvibes Etcetera Pg 12: buddy's place Pg 13: Cleveland News Pg 14: Martha's Woodshop Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 1997 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Tom Billman Ron Carter Denise Crew Brian Davis Dave Dietz Jimmy Heath Cliiford Jones Farshid Kamali Susan Knight Mary Ann Lederer Vikki Lynn James Pryor Rodney Sutton Daniel Thompson Vampire Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Brian Davis buddy gray buddy's place civil rights Clifford Jones Daniel Thompson Dave Dietz Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Farshid Kamali James Pryor Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams Mary Ann Lederer panhandling prisoner ReSTOC Rodney Sutton Ron Carter Susan Knight the broken city The Traveler Tom Billman Vampire Vikki Lynn welfare West End https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/14daa7fa1f9cf8e722ba1fc054132747.pdf 5a911cbb287dc5105077583726b6aa11 PDF Text Text HOMELESS MEMORIAL HELD AT WASHINGTON PARK Homeless Advocates Remember Those Who Have Died by Jimmy Heath On December 21st, 1998, friends , family, shelter workers and advocates for the poor gathered together in Cincinnati to remem­ ber the homeless or formerly homeless who have died during 1998. A candlelight procession began at the Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse and proceeded to Over-the­ Rhine's Washington Park where a barrel fire burned in memory of those who have died. About 40 persons, braving, the rain and the cold, participated in Cincinnati's memorial After participants moved to the park ga­ zebo, Donald Whitehead, Director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ ~ less remarked, "that while we are able to ~ get out of the rain and seek comfort in our E' own homes, lets don't forget about the E :.:; ~ Continued a. Participants of the Homeless Memorial gather to remember those who have died. The event was sponsored ·1oca//y by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and was observed nationwide. on page 2... URSULINE ACADEMY VOLUNTEERISM by Stephy Wang, 10th grade As I take my first glimpses of Over the Rhine from the window of a truck, I imbibe the scenery and surroundings with startled sincerity. This is a world beyond my clean quiet suburbia. Here, litter rules the ground, shady alleys stare insidiously between crum­ bling dilapidated buildings. and large assortments of glass bottles lay everywhe re the eye can see. I ask myself: how can anyone live here? The truck halts to a stop in the parking lot and I realize my jaw has been slack since I set my eyes on OTR. Closing it quickly. I step outside the door onto the asphalt parking lot. I take a deep breath in the morning chill and I'm mildly shocked to find that the air smells and tastes the same as the air in my neighborhood. Mr. Forman, the Student Activities Director, gathers up t he rest of the Ursuline volunteers and steers us to a tiny building that looks like a motley of wood boards, brick, and glass. It's not until we go across the street and get close enough to the building that I discover it's t he ReSTOC office building. Strike my mental picture of a small, but nea t and tidy build­ ing. proudly boasting a sign t ha t says: Re­ STOC. My view of the world is getting a good dose of r e ality here . All of us push our way into a crowded office an d after signing in, we wait for the jobs to get distributed . Most of the Ursuline girls turn around to talk to the person behind them except me, so I keep myself busy investigating the room. It's cluttered, but organized, and filled with newsletters, magazines and infor­ mation on homelessness , evic­ tions, politics, and other subjects. Pictures dot the walls, and many are of Buddy Gray. You can tell the reverence the people in the office hold for him , the ma-n who _ founded Re-STOC. A striking pencil picture of Buddy hangs above the entrance adjoining ·chis r oom; t he image rem inds me of a guardian angel w atching over t he office. At the appropriate time, I spy a Bible on the magazine rack, and I sit down on the floor to r e ad it. Almost imme d iately, a woman comes out and exp lains w hat is going on and what jobs need to be done. She asks for volunteers for each task, and I raise my hand high when sh e mentions scaffolding. It turns out I have vo lunteered to pull Ursuline volunteers working on ReSTOC bldg. nails out of a ceiling on the scaffolding. My group walks about half a block to Buddy's Place, w here the nail pulling needs t o be done. On this walk I supplement my educa­ tion about the life here around me by gazing at the buildings, people a nd str eets. Continued on page 12... �- - - - -- - - - - -- ---- - - - - STREETVIBES - - -- -- - - - - - - 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES THE TRAVELER The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a do llar 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 organiz­ ing. The Streetvibes Committee meets monthly to plan o ur issues and increase circulation. If yo u are interest ed in helping o r have a comment, please call 421 -7803. Staff D onald W hi tehead , D irector Jimmy H eath , Coo r dinator Brett Zwo lins ki , Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support Photoir aph e r Ji mm y H eath Writers D a n Cahill Ron C a r ter Denise Crew Bria n Davis D wigh t G ive n Iola Green Barry G rossh eim Patr ic k H armon Henry H a rtsock J im m y H eath M u ldoon Gr e g Payton Aaro n Pitchfo rd Ja mes W. Pryor Valerie Tayl,o r Stephy Wa ng Don a ld Wh ite h e a d Lynn W ill iams Ro b e rt Woo dman Brett Z w olinski Editorial Streetvibes accepts all le tters, poems, comments or editorials. We will print everything we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send a ll mate ri a l t o the follow ing addres s: STREETVIBES I 506 Elm Street The newest version of Cincinnati City Council is increasingly conservative in its decisions. If the current trend continues " The H ei m l ic h Zon e" scenario, while perhaps a stretch, is not totally improbable with the pull yourself up by your boot straps era we are now facing. On the front-line in the City' s unequal treatment is Councilman Phi l Heimlich. Councilman Heimlich who co ns iste ntly outspends most candidates in the race for council sea ts champions the cause of wea lthy cam paign contributo rs eve ry time he votes. While Mr. He imlich is a r ing leader he has pl e nty o f company. C ouncilwoman Jeanette C iss e ll and un-electe d ap pointed council member Jim Tarbell. 45 2 I 0 (5 13) 421 -7803 fax (5 13) 421 -78 13 e-mail: ho me coal@ primax.n et ht t p :// c in c i.com/g cch FACT OF THE MONTH: * 40% of shelter residents work full-time. Sub mit ted fo r your approva l; Ci ncin nati 2015, a city out of control. Streets are littered with peop le wandering a imlessly, cold, tired and hungry. They are moved along with angry shouts by the city's two million man police force. Many citizens head for shelter in the long aband c:>ned s ubway tu nnels, a good hiding place. In fact, the only hiding p lace w here one can ' t be dete cted by t he I OOO' s of surveillance camera' s o n every corner in t he city. Since there a re no shelters or soup kitchens o r food pantry' s many people ar e heading for t he river banks to fish . Tumorous fish are the catch of t he day. Those that are lucky can work at one of the two beautiful new stadiums fo r minimum wage which has now risen to a- w hopping s ix dollars . T hose people can afford a lmost t hree meals a week after taxes! If only they w ere CEO's, they w ould be exem pt from taxes. Sounds like some thing from George O r well's 1984 but all of th is could happen soon, because a ll these citizens have stumbled into Th e Heimlich Zon e. Most of the Trave ler st ories have been . filled with pleasant journey's and exper i­ ences. One of the most unpleasant journeys that I am forced to take _on a q~gu lar -basis is a journey down t o Cincinnati di:y Hall. Each trip is met with a growing sense of disappointment with city government. Cincinnati City Council has constantly voted against minorit/s, children, poo'r neighbor­ hoods a nd t he middle ~lass. In ' the same breath the city can complain about subsi dy for low-income residents an d in the next fo rgive taxes on st o ck options t o CEO's of majo r co rporations. T he City Government can o n one han d complain a bout subsidi z­ ing low-income housing and at the same t ime pour millions and millions of dol lars into upscale housing in the central business district. I have witnessed the City cut fund­ ing for innovative and much needed job programs like the Over-the-Rhine Housing Netw o rk Job Program and in the same breath complain about the loss o f city tax dollars. Polley: Cincinnati, O H by Donald Whitehead Th ere have been some good proposals at City Ha ll recently; Councilwoman Minnett e Coope r introduced legislat ion to do uble th e C ity' s stag nant human ser vices budget. Councilwo man C oope r's prop osa l was met w ith the same cynicism as most proposals t hat would benefit low- incom'e or disadvantaged individuals . Usually I give travel advice in this column , my advice for this month is simple; GET INVOLVED. Cincinnati's strange e lectoral process is r ipe for manipulation by the well to do. D ecis io ns Page 2 are constantly made that negatively effect the majority of citizens who are not t he affluent in our city. If we are t o avoid the scenario at the beginning of this story w e must fight back. T he He im lich's, Tarbel l's and Cissell's of this City will co ntinue t he war on average c itize ns until t hey a r e made ac­ countabl e. If you did n't like t he cond it io ns described in my vers ion of " Th e H eimlich Zone" please help us to change t hem . Unti l we start to fight back the year 20 15 scenario, conditi.ons are closer than you th ink. HOMELESS cont. from front pg... perils of living outdoo rs in this kind of weather, tha t some people in C incinnati don ' t have a home to go t o ." A poem , w ritten by the late homeles s advocate buddy gray was r e ad by Ma ry Burke, o f the Housing Network. Sister Mary Grafe, of Peas lee N eighborhood Center, lead the grou p in pr ayer. Dr. Bob Donovan, Hea lthcare for the Homeless physician, read the list of names of tho se who had passed away. The list was compiled fr om health care workers and the various shelters located in the Greater Cincinnati area : Warren Cook, of the Drop Inn Center, sang a gospel tribute to the memory of those who have died homeless. Before concluding, the group was lead in song by homeless advocate Bonnie N eume ier of Peaslee N eigh bo rhood Center. Held every year on the winter solstice, homel ess advocate s gat hered in unity in c i't ie s nationw ide in a n attempt to bring ay.tareness to the hazards of living outdoors on the streets, without shelter, without protectio n fro m t he el em ents . This year, em phas is was placed on bringing awareness to the lack of affordable substance abuse treatment centers for poor and homeless persons. Lack of affordable substance abuse treatment is one of the leading causes of homelessness in this country. O the r reasons includ e lack of living w age jobs, lack of affordable housing, welfare reform and domestic violence. Shelter w orkers and advocates are keen ly aware of these defi­ ciencies in our local and national goverr­ mental systems. In the shelters, workers ' deal with these challenges on a daily basis. ~n an attem pt to put a human face on this cri.sis , t he Homeless Memorial serves as a reminder of the countless who die needlessly every year in this country. The following is the list of names read at Cincinnati's Hom.eless Memorial: Martiniqu e Kemp Cha rlene Meyers M ichlene Wi lliam s Linda We r o n Ron To r ch C hicken Ge o rge Ra ymo nd C l endenon Addie Swa i n Cocrel Ha rold Watkins M ada ly nn Br ambl e Al Cl ay L o u is Col ston M ike Lofinnig Skeet er K amitz John Starr Paul Hill er Rodney D err Mary. Edmondso n Ron Brady Naomi Ma ssing Tracy Harris Tom Be ringer �STREETVIBES ' The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 COHHIO AMERICORPS* CLOSING CEREMONY by Brett Zwolinski and Emmanuel Green George Niles and Emmanuel G r een from ReSTOC with Brett Zwolinski from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless attended the COHHIO (Coalition on Hous ing and Homelessness in Ohio) AmeriCorps* Closing Ceremony on Decem­ ber I 0th. The event was held at the Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, about 40 m iles northeast of Columbus. Local AmeriCorps* members Cindy Fowler and Mindee Hedr ick were instrumen­ tal in the coordination of events for the COHHIO AmeriCorps* Closing Ceremony. Accompanied by small tokens of apprecia­ tion , staff members and leaders were lauded for their great efforts and volunteerism that went beyond the call of duty. CO HHI O AmeriCorps* staff members Cathy Johnston (Directo1r), Angela Lariviere (AmeriCorps* Leader), and Mary Scott (Ad­ ministrative Assistant) were honored for their diligence and unique contributions to the eradication of homelessness in the State of Ohio . Emmanuel Green and Valarie Evans received awards for their demonstration of outstanding leadership in the New York Service Project held earl ier in the year. In her appreciation for COHHIO AmeriCorps* member volunteerism, Cathy Johnston administered Certificates of Na­ tional Service to each member present. The Certificate reads... "ln recognition of your service to our communities and our country Writing to STREETVIBES Send your letters and comments to STREETVIBES LErrERS AND EDITORIALS: c/o GCCH, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Or send your emall's to: streetvlbes@/uno.com We reserve the right to edit stories or letters for clarity and content. Contents Welfare News Broken City Arts & Poetry Nationwide Prisoners' .News Cleveland News N. Kentucky News Letters & Editorials STREETVIBES Etcetera El Salvador Remembers AVOC Announcements Classifieds Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page7 Pages Page 9 Page9 Page10 Page11 Page13 Page14 Page15 Page15 Left to right: Robert Freklng (ReStoc), Cathy Johnston (Director COOHIO Amer/Corps*}, and Emmanuel Green (Amer/corps * ReStoc) as a member of AmeriCorps," signed, Harris Wofford (Chief · Executive Officer, Corporation for National Service) and Peter Heinaru (Director, AmeriCorps* State/National). Robert Freking of ReSTOC left a day early with his host Emmanuel Green. After checking in a~ the Universal Hotel, local AmeriCorps* members Cindy Fowler and Mindee Hedrick showed Emmanuel and · Robert around the town. Mr. Freking had the opportunity to meet and network with COHHIO AmeriCorps* members and staff at the event (see photo). "The food was gooood ," seemed to be the unanimous response to the delectable cuisine of the Cherry Valley Lodge ... the type of food us AmeriCorps* members rarely embrace. Reflecting upon the 1998 year of Na­ tional Service, Emmanuel Green stated that, "The Laughter of AmeriCorps* as a whole really emphasiz.ed the unity of AmeriCorps* and what we stand for... Helping the H ome­ less in the State of Ohio." HOMELESS VErERAN WITH PJSD'FINDS HELP Introduction by Iola Green, HCHV Program Coordinator About one-third of the adult homeless population has served their country in the armed services . On any given day, as many as 250,000 veterans are living on the streets or in shelters, and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year. Many other veterans are cons idered near homelessness or at risk because of poverty, lack of support from fam ily and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in over­ crowded or substandard housing. Homeless veterans are eligible for a variety of benefits, health care, and other supportive services from VA programs. VA offers an array of programs and initiatives specifically designed to assist homeless veterans . One of these programs is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Program. This program is designed to help veterans live with the events of war. David Snow is in the PTSD Program and is learning how to live sober. The following is one veteran's story of his experience in dealing with PTSD. was a medic at that time and became exposed to the death of many of my com­ rades and that was something I never could get out of my mind. After the war I found myself drinking heavily to forget the past, disregarding help for a normal future. Soon my s ituation overwhelmed me. Homeless, suicidal, and frustrated with my life, I turned to treatment at the VA hospital in Cincinnati where I was diagnosed with PTSD because of my experience in the war. Since my diagno­ sis, I realized w ith treatment my life might become manageable again with the right help. I'm currently in treatment at the Droege House in Dayton, KY and learning to deal with the battle in my mind. I know this may never go away altogether, but with help I know I have a chance to learn how to deal with this problem and learn to lead a normal life again . I encourage any veterans who are having problems in dealing with experiences from the war or who are home­ less to contact the VA Hospital to try to get help. DAVID SNOW I was in Army EVAC in 1966 in the Viet­ nam War and that changed my life forever. To talk with a member of th e Health Care from Homeless Veterans Team please call 572-6226! �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 4 STREETVIBES OFF OF WELFARE BUT NOT Welfare News OUT OF POVERTY by Lynn WI/I/ams STATES UNITING TO FIGHT TIME LIMITS by Lynn Williams At the NWMAP Conference in Ft. Worth, Texas Nove(Tlber 20-22, organized by the National Coalition for the Homeless and National Children's Defense Fund, a woman spoke with urgency in her vo ice. "We don 't have time to sit around and debate whether or not we want to design a na­ tional welfare policy fo r this country. People have already been cut off because of time limits and they and their children are hurting. We need to take action now! " At the NWMAP Conference, (National Welfare Monitoring & Advocacy Par tnership), welfare advocates and recipients agreed that the major battle we face in the short­ term is time limits for receiving TANF ( Temporary Assistance to Needy Families o r welfare assistance to families with ch ildren .) Current ly t here is a five year federal limit to receive TANF, with states having the option to shorten the time limit. Many states have rest rict ed it to less than five years. An advocat e rep resenting re cipi ents in Massa­ chusetts spoke on how recipients in her state face the time limit cut-off in Decem­ ber of t his year. Children and families in Massachusetts face a very cheerless Christ­ mas season . She stated, "Thousands wi ll be left destitute in my state, including infants! America's welfare policies wi ll t ake a deep toll." High points o f the conference includ ed agree ing to focus ou r efforts o n combating t ime limits, ge.t ting t he states t o spen d their TANF money, and pus hing fo r e ducation to be counted as the work requ irement. The conferen ce participants agreed to a reso lu­ t ion calling for a moratorium on time limits across the United States, including restoring welfare ass istance to families who have already been cut-off due to time limits. Actions that a re being planned to stop time limits include: *Holding a "Stop the Clock" Cam ­ paign with actions in cities across the U.S. at New Years' Eve events , inc luding Watch Night Vigils in chu rches. *Holding a National Call-In Day or Week to get people, including recipients, to call their U.S. Congress legislators *Mailing smashed watches to U.S. Congress legislators as part of the "Stop the Clock" campaign. 1998 by the National Priorities Project and Jobs With Justice, shows just how hard it is for welfare recipients to escape poverty after leaving the welfare roles. The report reveals an alarming reality about what kind of jobs are out there for recipients without a college degree, not to even mention those without a high school degree or G.E.D. The majority of jobs, including those with the fastest job growth, are retail salespersons , waiters & waitresses, nurse aides, orderlies-, attendants, and cashiers. None of these jobs pay more than $15, 496 a year, and few provide health care or pensions. One member of the Welfare Rights Coalition who transitioned off of welfare through a nurse aid training program told us that even though she works in a health care setting, around doctors & hospital patients all day, she cannot even go to a doctor because she doesn't have health insurance! Her . health care job does not provide hea lth care! ' In Ohio, a living wage is defined as a salary of $30,038 a year for a family of four. The report states that the majority of welfare recipients are getting jobs that pay only $5 .50 and $Z,.OO an .hour, averagjng $1 1,410 and $14,560 a year. Only 28.8% earn above $14,500 for a family of three. • •,I' The majprity of livable wage jobs require a co llege edu cation . W elfare reform laws have cut- fa r back . on .the- .q,J lo wance of time recip ie nts can count college classes as a work activity. However, if recipien ts are going to get liva ble wage jobs ~nd pu ll their famili es out of poverty, they wi ll need college degrees . According to research done at the CUNY (City University of New York) Graduate Ce nter, the li kelihood t hat a person with a college degree will be po o r is less than a I in 50 chance. W ithout a coll ege degree, the like.lihood inc reases to I in 5. If legislators are serio us about getting recipients off of welfare fQr life , they shou ld be promoting higher education as a work activity & reward recipients for taking this initiative to study! The report states that at the same time that the most job growth is in belowJlivab le wage jobs, CEOs are reaping in record salaries! Incredibly, in 1995, CEOs made 115 times the salary of the lowest paid worker. For example, the CEO of Provident Financial Group, Allen L. Davis, earned as much in two hours as the lowest wage worker did in a whole yea r. Mr. Davis makes an above­ livable wage of $123 per minute or $15,366,000.00 annually. It would take a low­ wage worker 1,023 years to make that much money! It took CEO John B. McCoy of Banc One only three hou rs to earn what his lowest paid worker made in a whole year. Mr. McCoy enjoys a salary of $85 per minute and $I 0,569,000.00 annually. His lowest paid worker would have to toil 704 years to earn McCoy's annual salary. At a press conference held on Dec. 8th, a spokesperson for the Ohio Empowerment Coalition said they are committed to fighting for livable wage jobs for recipients. Anyone who works full-time should auto­ matically be able to provide adequately for their children . Welfare recipients who attend college, job training or G.E.D. classes should be rewarded, not punished by the welfare system. In addition, along with advocating for livable wage jobs and more ­ allowance for education, the OEC is part of a growing national movement to fight for a safety net for people who are unemployed and those who have no way to provide for their fam ilies and themselves without gov­ ernment help. · (For more information about the report " Working Hard, Earning Less:, call Jobs With Justice at (202) 434-1106 or the National Priorities Project at (413) 584-9556.) OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION MEET~ JANUARY13th WEDNESDSAY 10:30AM at Sullivant Gardens 955 Remick St. Columbus, OH ELECTRONIC FOOD STAMPS? by Brian Davis The Cuyahoga County Office of Health and Nutrition reports that by the middle of February 1999 all recipients of Food Stamps will need to convert to the Electron ic Benefits card or they will no longer receive the stamps. The electronic benefits card is sim ilar to a bank debit card and can be used in many grocery stores t hroughout the city. Cuyahoga County has begun the process of changing from paper based system to an electronic system. Many homeless people have not made the switch and are in danger of losing their benefits next year. Cuyahoga County officials are try,ing to urge homeless peop le to sign up before the deadline so t~at they do not go hungry after February of 1999. Homeless people interviewed said that the food stamp benefits are so small that it is not worth the t ime and aggravation of switching. One homeless man who wished not to be identified said, "What am I going to do with food stamps if I don't have a kitchen to cook the food!" Many homeless people traded or sold their paper stamps for cash to buy fast food or other items that they deemed necessary in their life. �STREETVI BES 1 The Tri Stote s Hom eless Grap evin e The Broken City... by ll••T He•tb -- . While the building falls apart, the owner guards his property with a gun .•. KINGS' STRUGGLE SURVIVES TODAY by Jimmy Heath 1999 will mark 30 years since the assassi­ nation of Martin Luther King Jr. at his hotel room in Tennessee. Many people realize that the struggle that eventually took King's life still goes on today and the challenges facing human rights advocates today are even greater than ever. Even as we move into a new millennium, racism and bigotry is alive and well in this country. We war with countries against people who are not like "us." The fight for fair and livable wages, affordable housing, and the rise of hate crimes against citizens of our country; those who are d ifferent, pose new moral and philosophical challenges every day. These are the battles of in justice that King would be fighting if he was still alive today. King is remembered as the voice of justice for the rights of African-American people during the 60's. But we know that poverty and justice is not an all-black issue. Even 30 years after his death, King is consid­ ered by many to be a hero for the rights of a ll poor people - people that are left in the wake of so-called present day economic vitality, stuck in low wage jobs and poverty and homelessness. The goods and services that allow products to be affordable to the beneficiaries of todays economic blessings rely on the cheap labor of ill-paid wage earners . Then there is the quiet hate - the bigotry and racism that goes on behind the closed doors of corporate boardrooms and in our living rooms. The simple and insidious kind of racism that grovels in the dark because we all know that it is wrong and cowardly. A malice that seeks to blame som eone less fortunate and removed. As a "baby boomer" I feel the yearning to succeed and feel the pull of selfishness that drives my generation. We know how to take care of ourselves and we close our eyes to the pain of others. And we blame. Kings' powerful character taught us things about the sp irit and the inherent goodness of human nature. During the holidays and the winter months most people recognize the struggles of the homeless and the poor and the spirit of giving is found. But the struggles continue long after the holidays. Somet imes hope can not be found during the warm and friendly summer months. The battle for human justice needs to be fought everyday through the generos­ ity of our spirits, our hands and our hearts. It takes a commitment and patience to realize this calling of the human spirit. As the holidays pass, will the spirit of giving fade away? Will we forget about the suffering beyond our own walls? Will we learn to honestly confront our own intoler­ ance! In 1963, King said at the March o n Washington for Jobs and Freedom; "Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." 35 years later, the struggle continues. Pages drinking, or using drugs, and had no major mental problems. They were broken and beaten down spiritually. They were young mothers with little children. They were men who had skills in plumbing, carpentry, etc., hard-working men who had become displaced workers for one reason or the other. All of these people had known abuse of the physical and emotional type in past relationships. They all spoke of the sadness of the breakup of their families. I discovered that being in this environ­ ment, and being an active participant and not a casual observer, has given me some valuable insights into the realities of rural homelessness. Some of the experts have concluded there are no rural homeless people. That is a sad untruth. The folks met at Blue Creek shared w ith me their life stories. They have dreams and aspirations of good jobs and security. They spoke of well-rounded relationships. Their human dignity spoke of spiritual fulfillment and of their desire to share their lives' experiences with others. " When you're on the bottom there's nowhere to go but up," one lady related to me. Yes, being there with my new friends at Blue Creek, sharing the household cheer chores, telling our stories to each other; that was deeply spiritually rewarding. As life would have it, I now am a community organizer here in Brown County, in addition to teaching and performing my music part-time. One of our grassr oots · priority issues now is building a homeless shelter here in Brown County, Ohio. Some­ times we blindly stumble into the arms of . grace ... FIRST NIGHT AT THE SHELTER by Greg Payton DO RURAL AREAS HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE? by Wiii Henry Hartsock When we think of a homeless person, we often see in our mind's eye a person pushing a shopping cart with all their earthly possessions, along a city street. Also, we view this person as being dependent upon alcohol, drugs. or being in need of mental health care, or a combination of all three. don't know the statistics, but only speak from my own personal experience. In January of 1998, I abruptly became homeless, due to my wife forcing me to leave our home. In respecting her wishes, found myself watching the snow fly all around my head, as I left our house, with $20 dollars in my pocket ... then the real shock. Brown County Ohio has no homeless shelter. I called the local social services director. I explained that I worked part-time as an ethnomusicologist at a local rural college, but had not started the spring semester yet. I told him I had no money nor did I have a place to sleep, except in my old car. His reply was, "I do not consider you homeless . . ." These words stung in my ears as I politely stammered, "Well, thank you sir,'' and hung up the phone. After exhausting all my leads, I found a shelter out in Blue Creek, Ohio, near Ports­ mouth. A rather long way to drive just to sleep in a warm place. After having stayed there for a month, I came to a gentle realization; these folks with me were not Now that I'm here I ask myself, "What can I do? Who can I trust? And who can I talk to?" The sun went down, and I was out of the weather, thank God . First, I listened when they told me th e rules. Then, I got a chance to eat, and I w as thankful too. I asked someone for a smoke who was just like me . I looked around and asked for one of those lockers I cou ld see while I relaxed and watched big TV. Then someone said, "Showers," and I stood in line. They said, "You need an l.D. for a towel." And I said, " I lost mine." So they said, "See the advocate in the morning." I said, "I don't have any money." They said, " Follow instructions and it might be free, sonny." I laughed, something I haven't done in awhile. I got soap , toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo with that towel. When I finished , I gave them their towel. They gave me deodorant and a comb for my style. I went back to the bench to watch TV and smelled food again, coming from the kitchen I couldn't see. They said, "We have snacks this evening." And I smiled, remem­ bering and thanking God because I walked so many miles. I thanked them for having something to eat. They smiled and said, "Thank you, but please have a seat." I looked around an figured I was one of many they had to meet. I was back in line, but for a mat this time. I was clean , and I was full , and I was thankful most of all. The door, yes the door, was open for the poor. In my prayer tonight, I must recite... Thank you God for another day. Thank you D rop Inn Center for a new way. �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri Stote s Homeless Grapevine WORD ON THE STREET Arts & Poetry THE SHADOW CHANGES HIS NAME TO "THE TRUTH" Making His Book, The Odd Cookie, A Collector's Item! by Dwight Givan The author changed his name from The Shadow t o T he T ruth because he was un­ aware of the old radio show, The Shadow Knows, when he first selected his pen name. Because he is a dee p complex writer who writes from the heart and always the truth, it was only fitting to call himself The Truth. Mary Sibler of Wentworth Gallery in Kenwood Tow ne Centre Mall; Mr. Shane of The Next Generation in Cleveland, TN, and Ms. Karen Wilson of Authentic Autographs in Pigeon Forge, TN are in the business of buying and selling collectibles. They have all agreed that The Odd Cookie is a collector's item. When the author, known as The Shadow, changed his name on Octo ber 19, 1998 to The Truth, any book bear ing the name The Shadow became a collector's item. There will be no more books printed with t he pen name The Shadow. only be availa ble for purchase during Kawanza and Black History Month. At all other times, the book is only available when the author is hosting a book signing. All books will be autographed in gold lettering. Mark Pastor, co-owner of BWPI (formerly Artistic Appa r el) and co-founder of the Cincinnati Black Book Fair thought so highly of the book that he promoted it on BET during Black History Mo nth. The Truth has remain e d a headl ine r at the C incinn at i Black Book Fair for t he last three years. He's a lso appea red a the Los Angeles Black Expo as a guest of Dr. Ros ie Milligan with Black W riter's On Tour. Ar t galleri es are wa iting for the release of prints from pictures in the book. There has been so much t hat has emerged fo r m th is bo ok and I expect th at we have not se en the last of much more to come. The r eviews were grea t and it so ld o ut both Saturda y and S.unday nights. Channe l I 9's Fox News in the Morn ing did a segment o n the play. Donn ie McFinley, who wo r ked o n ·t he sm ash hit mo vie, Sha ws hank Rede m ption , d ire c ted the play. There was a cast of 17 child r en and teens. Furthe rmore, Mr. Bond, a t ea cher at Bond Hill Elementary School, co llabQr a ted with The Truth to create The Odd Cookie Awards . The awards recognize children who e xcel in the arts. the 2nd Annual Odd Cooki e Awards will be held at Hoffman Elementary School on February 6, 1999. The children will r.eceive awards and prizes in the areas of reading, writing, and acting. There will be a chance for the children afterwards. the Truth's vision is to see The Odd Cookie Awards on national television hosted by children celebrities. When you support The Odd Cookie book, you support The Odd Cookie Awards. To purchase The Odd Cookie Book, contact the publisher, Children 's Clas sics at (513) 221-5114 NOT FOR LOVE OR MONEY by Denise Crew The Odd Cookie book is a survival. Mr. Jerry Moore, a White principal at Anderson Place Elementary School , on Channe l 9 news stated that The Odd Cookie teaches blacks not to listen to white folks . The Truth, formerly known as The Shadow, in the same interview stated that his book_ is about peer pressure and that it has no color. the controversy created an Odd Cookie mania in Cincinnati causing sales to skyrocket. This is the last year during the holidays that the book will be sold. After 1998, it will You keep telling me how lonely you are feeling . No one calls you, no one visits you at hom e . You only care about making t he quo ta and b ringing in the money. You aren't fearful of me, you don't let a thing get by you. Finally my spiritual equal a challenge to work on. Too bad you don't have a social clue as to what the hell is going on. You worshi p a G o d, that controls your e x travagant life styl e. Dinner on the Diners' C lub- no prob lem Ja cket on the Gold Car d- no problem P r oblem? It was a disturbing place to visit and I wouldn't want to live there . ~ Page 6 WHEN THE FINGERS POINT . ATME by Rick AKA Vampire Wben the fingers point at me Because I dare to dream To be what I am . When the finge r s point at me , A smile gently caresses my face , And I know they can n e ve r Hurt, t ouch , bend o r br ea k me To their rules. There are others o ut there like me, Who choos e to ru n, to hide , to flee But I say to you now Rise, rise, rise up Into glory, an d stat e what you are, And wh o you are, Beca use it is people like myself, An d man y othe rs That give them t he aut hority of exist­ ence, Because without us, who or what would they have to taunt, O r point at? If I would rather to be anything, It would be; not to be like them VENDOR: AARON PITCHFORD N ot this message, that message. I decided to write because I can't talk. I wanted you to know I'm Chicago's old best street ve ndor. I sold big red and peppe r mints to prepare myself in the future. I'm like the old street vendor Charles Deve raux on Race Street who had licenses here, Cleveland, and Chicago. Now he is driving a yellow cab as opposed to Aaron who had licenses here, Milwaukee, Chicago and Dayton [and uh], A comment from the peanut gallery or Ron Carter's comedy corner. What's the best way to keep milk from getting sour. The correct answer is not this message. Ron, that ain't it. Well how you expect me to get up there to leave it in the cow[do dat doom]. COMEDY CORNER ~ by Ron Carter WAS I ~RUEL? As I awoke this morning a brigh t new day was born A Robin perched upon my window sill To signal the coming, the dawn The bird was gracefu l young and gay And sweetly did it sing T houghts of joy and happiness within my heart did ring I smiled at his cheery song Then it paused for a moments lull So ·1 gently closed the window And accidentally crushed his little skull �STREETVI BES ' STREETVIBES Nationwide ANOTHER TOUGH YEARI by Brian Davis, Cleveland's Grapevine On a local and national level, we have seen another tough year for those without a home. From an alarming number of com­ munities we have seen legislation making it illegal to be homeless to a local church that set up barriers for homeless people to keep them away from the door. For every step forward (an increase in the Department of Housing and Urban Development budget) we have taken two steps backward (in­ creased welfare sanctions, and continued losses in housing). Three years ago before welfare reform and before we started seeing large scale reductions in housing, I had hope that with better coordination of services we could begin to reunite large numbers of people with a stable lifestyle. Now we are at a point that it will take a large scale commu­ nity effort just to maintain the status quo. In late 1997, the City of Cleveland won the right to license our vendors when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of the Grapevine vendors. The City of Cleveland has as yet chosen not to enforce their licensing privileges. However, in other cities we have :seen Pandora's Box thrown wide open. The city of Miami has a new paper, Street Views, which is facing litigation by the City of Miami to force their vendors to get a license. We have heard rumblings of Los Angeles, a Chicago suburb, and Cincinnati debating the issue. We do not know how many cities without a street paper will not see a newspaper spring to life because of the threat of licensing. On the positive side, we did see an increase in the HUD budget, which is no where near the need, but one has to ac­ cept the victories no matter how small. What we have seen across the country is a con t inuing decline in affordable housing. In many communities huge public housing by Brett Zwolinski An Unrhymed Japanese verse fo rm of three l i nes containing usually 5,7,5 (or 7 , 5 , 7) syllables r e spectively. Please submit your suggestions for mon t hly Haiku to Brett Zwolinsk i at STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street , Cincinnati , Ohio 45210 Massood Rahimi' s Homeless Grapevine projects are being destroyed. On its face this is an attempt to de-concentrate poverty in the inn er city, which is a worthy goal. But the underlying result is a destruction of ex is t ing communities and a reduction in affordable housing. There will not be a one to one replacement of the properties that are being taken down . HUD has reported a huge gap in the amount of affordable housing and yet we are reducing the opportunities for stable living arrangements for poor people at the same time. Haiku: i rea11y don't know this crap too damn exhausted shh... the neighbor is s1eeping Page 7 Please Support Our Advertisers WILLIAM R. WALLACE, D.D.S. 5258 MONTGOM ERY RO. NORWOOD, OH 452 12 1999 Actlrlty: The National Coalition is looking for another increase in the HUD budget and the Health and Human Services budget. Advocates at the state level are looking to find a stable source of funding for the Housing Trust Fund, a program to build affordable housing and services to place people in housing. Locally, advocates are working on three initiatives to strengthen oversight locally, improve homeless people's access to affordable housing, and build stronger links with the health care community. The most important work will be to continue to amplify the voice of the homeless. THE OLD WHITE GUY Submitted by Brian Davis, Cleve/ands Grapevine A published report in the St. Petersburg T imes details the marketing campaign of the network of rescue missions throughout the country and how "The Old White Guy" tugs on the heart strings of readers to donate to the missions . During the holidays, missions throughout the country (City Mission in Cleveland and Rescue Mission in Young­ stown) put advertisements in the local daily newspapers to raise funds for their ~helter and meal programs. These advertisements are based on years of focus group studies and marketing analysis according to the St. Petersburg Times. One advertising executive told the paper that "the Old Guy" sells. While minor­ ity people or mothers or children do not have the same appeal. Officials of the Missions in Florida claim that the stereotypi­ cal vision of a homeless person works best in fundraising because people think that homeless people are older alcoholic men. The paper also reported discrepancies in the price of a Thanksgiving meal. The Subscribe to Streetvlbes HAIKU Now, 1 The Tri State s Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and t he paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home less--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Telephone 1513) 531· 2338 ~~ ~ PRII\'IERICA Financial Senices Clifford Jones R1p11sentatlvt 8075 Reading Rd.• Suite 1 • Cincinnati. OH 45237 Res. (513) 761·3464 • Bus. (513) 821·3332 Voice Mail: (513) 230-6353 A MemberofTravelersGroup All llMltPtndut rtprtulltllln of Prlmerlo FIHnclll Strmes Rtpresenting: Primerica Ute Insurance Company/£xeculJVe Ottices: Duluth, Georg.a ~ ~, $si A N OTHER CLASS PROD U ' TIO~ Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761·3464 (5 13) 230-6353 advertising agency used in St. Petersbu rg and Tampa said that meals cost $1.57 which is repeated throughout the United States while a local hunger organization reported that a meal costs $1 . 79 for one Thanksgiving dinner. 79% OF NEW JOBS IN OHIO PAY LESS THAN A LIVABLE WAGE . . . *3 9% of these jobs pay below ha l f t he l i vable wage . *I n a dd i tion , many of t hese l ow wage j o bs are part time or temporary and f ew provide health insurance o r oth e r benef its . *Most j obs held by former Wel f a re rec ip ients pay between $5 . 50 and $7 . 00 a n hour : Only 28 . 8% earn above the $14 , 500 poverty level for a family of three . *A living wage for a family of four in Ohio is $30,038 per year . *In 1995, CEO's made 115 times the salary of the l owe st paid worker . �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Prisoner News THEACA ACCREDITATION FRAUD by Dan Cahlll, Muldoon, James Pryor, and Robert Woodman Orient Correctional Institution For more than five years prisoners in Oh io and throughout the nation have been condemning the American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation program as a sham and a fraud. In 1933, prisoners at the Madison prison in London, Ohio, issued the Ohio Prisoners' Rights Union (OPRU) position paper on the accreditation pro­ gram. It stated: · *ACA accreditation lends credibility to fraudulent claims by prison officials, and is used as a defense aga inst lawsuits through fa lse documentation. Prison offic ials claim that accreditation demonstrates a "good fa it h" effort to improve prison conditions. In reality it's an attempt to mis lead the public into thinking pri sons have better living co nditions than t hey really have. *Prisoners don' t have access to the ACA acc reditation stan da rds and aren ' t involved in the accr ed itation p roces s, and have no way to com pel priso n official s t o com ply with those standa rds . *Until prisoners are actively involved in the ACA accre ditat ion process and ha ve access to the ACA sta ndards - the accredi­ tation program m ust be recognized for the sham that it is. Prisons and their outside support groups must fight the ACA accredi­ tation program." The OPRU position paper was distrib­ uted to all of CURE's (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Erra,nts} state chapters by Eunice McAllister of South Carolina - CURE (Now the Prisoner Advocacy Network- PAN). Mrs. McAllist er also sent evidence and reports from prisoners across the nation to National CURE exposing the accreditation program as a fraud. The evidence compiled was presented at a workshop at CU RE's national convention . In the Journal of Pr isoners o n Prisons, Vol. 6, No. 2 ( 1995), "Little Rock" Reed and Ivan Demsovich condemned the ACA accreditation program as a fraud in their article, "The American Correctional Assoc: A Conspiracy Of Silence." However, in National CURE's Fall 1998 newsletter, CURE clearly supports and promotes the accreditation program ... CURE's continued support of the ACA lends credibility to the entire fraud prisoners have been attempting to expose for years... Prisoners who litigate on prison issues know first-hand how detrimental fraudulent ACA accreditation can be. W hen a prisoner sues an accredited institution, they are faced with a mountain of documentation as counter-evidence in the court. To win, the prisoner must prove that the documenta­ tion and accreditation is false or irre levant. If he/she fails to win, the prisoner loses the case , and the conditions wh ich led to the lawsu it remain unrepaired. In Reception Perceptions Uuly/ August 1998) a newsletter for the Correctional Recept ion C e nte r, t he r e was an article titled "W hat Is ACA?". The article sa id accred it a­ ti o n is " .. . a defense against law su its t hrough the documen t ation of a ' go od faith' effort to improve condit ions of con­ finement, ... and enhanced public credibility fo r administration and line staff ... " It doesn't seem to matter that the en tire process is a sham, or that t he documenta­ tion is false. The current president of the ACA is also the Director of the Department of Rehabili­ tation and Correction (DORC) , Reginald A. Wilkinson. Considering how much of tax­ payers ' money DORC spends with the ACA each year through the accreditation pro­ gram and the purchase of ACA literature, this appears to be a serious conflict of interest. The ACA is a special-interest group which represents those whose livelihoods depend on federal , state , and county prisons and jails. Is it any wonder that they lobby for larger prison budgets to c.ontinue expanding the prison systems? On October 5-7, 1998, the Orient Cor­ rectional Institution (OCI) underwent an ACA audit for accreditation. Prior to the ACA inspection, prison officials had more than 60 dump-truck loads of what they called " junk and clutter" taken to the dump and thrown away. This "junk" consisted of hundreds of chairs , couches, filing cabinets, wooden a nd steel desks, unused office supplies and cleaning supplies, computers, keyboards, tape players, TV's, unused medi­ cal supp lies, etc... Now prison officials are in the process of purchasing s.u pplies and equipment to replace what was just re­ cently thrown out! The audit team consisted of 3 individu­ als, who spent 2 1/2 days at this prison. Most of their time here was spent reviewing pol icies and procedures to ensure compli­ a nce wit h ACA standards. No effort w as made t o verify tha t polici es a nd procedures were actually carried o ut! They ignored broke n w indows which were covere d in plastic, and made no effort to dete r mine if showers, toilets, sink fixtures, fire alarms, or lights really wo rked. T hey ignored sew age dripping fro m pipes in a dorm se t aside fo r disabled prisone rs ...and extreme overcrowd­ ing. They ignored t he condemned dorms with their crumbling foundations. cracking and buckling floors, and leaking roofs... It was predetermined months before this audit the OCI would be accredited. For months guards and pri son staff spoke openly in front of prisoners saying, "The fix is in; we'll pass the ACA inspection." This wasn't hard to figure out since the DORC director is also the ACA president... The purpose of this audit was to ensure t hat necessa ry documentat ion is in order. The ACA was not concerned about the fact that OCI doesn ' t actually comply wit h the ACA standards, so long as there's plenty of documentation which SAYS they ar.e in compliance... Did someone cook the books? Or were the auditors just not look­ ing? THIS is the documentation prisoners must disprove in court if they attempt to bring about any improvements th rough litigation. Legislators won't force any reforms on a prison system that is ACA accredited; that's the enhanced public credibility the DORC refers to! A prisoner who once possessed a copy of the OPRU position paper on the ACA accreditation program was charged with possession of contraband and gang activ­ ity, placed in isolation for almost two months in 1993, and has suffered many forms of reprisals over the past 5 years. Exposing this fraud is necessary if we ever hope to see any positive changes made in the prison system. We know that by writing this article we may be subjected to reprisals. That fear Page B keeps most prisoners fro m spea ki ng out. O ur efforts to expo se t his fraud, and to educate the publ ic about intole rable living conditions are crippled so long as CURE, and people like them , buy into the ACA's lies and cooperate in perpetuat ing t he accreditatio n dece it. Can we eve r hope to convince t he publ ic? CURE is the nation 's largest prison reform organization , and part of their mission is educating the ge neral public and legislators about t he inhumane conditions and corruptio n wh ich is in herent in the prison system . In supporting and promoting the ACA accreditation program CURE participates in the oppression of more than 1.7 million people. CURE is out of touch with the prison reform movement, and should give some serious thought to the concept of "solidarity." CURE needs to condemn the ACA accreditation program for the fraud it is, help expose such activities , and stop working against prisoners . OCI will be accredited, along with all Ohio prisons. We stand by what we've written and challenge the ACA to prove otherwise! We also ask all thoughtful people on the outside of the fences to contact their legislators and ask them to stop accepting the accreditation lies from the ACA cover up serious problems with a bl izzard of fraudulent paperwork? PRISON SLAVES FOR SALE By Dan Cahill In Big Brother's continuing effort to ex pl o it prison slave labor, it has deve loped the C omputer Aided Drafti ng (CAD) Pr o­ gram here at the Orient Correctional (OCI) (at Orient, Ohio, near Columbus). CAD is part of t he O hio Penal Industries (OPI), which is supposed t o sell services and products directly only to th e gove rnm e nt agencies. However, this CAD program has done work for t he American Ele ct ric and Power, Kroger (supermarke ts), Muns el Inc., Key Blue Prints Inc., Pro Repro (now Franklin Imaging) and Trans Map Inc. CAD charges t hese companies $8.00 per hour per man on most jobs -approxi­ mately half of what outside CAD companies would charge. Prisoners receive 21 cents to 47 cents per hour, with an average pay of 35 cents pe r hour. Outs ide companies cannot compete because the government has an unfair advantage: slave labor. CAD has t urn ed out t o be such a profitable enterprise t hat t he State o f O hio has allowed a private contractor to open an OSSI (Ohio Offshore Services and Indus­ tries) CAD program at the Marion Correc­ tional Institution - in direct competition with outside companies. . Computer skills necessary in CAD require a lot of training and cold provide prisoners with valuable, marketable skills which would be helpful in finding meaning­ ful employment upon their release. How­ e ver, the demand for this type of work on the outside is diminishing as CAD programs inside prisons continue to expand. On May 5, 1998, the U.S. Department of Justice convened the first National Prison Industries Forum. Moderator Warren Cikins stated that 70,000 prisoners (out of a total of almost two million) produce $1.4 billion in Continued on page 12... �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine Page 9 News From Cleveland's Grapevine ANOTHER TOUGH YEAR Ohio: In Ohio, we have sadly marked the one year anniversary of welfare reform with one­ fourth of the total population no longer receiving benefits. Again, not a bad thing if these families were living in a more stable lifestyle, but we actually have no idea. Studies have shown that only 25-50 percent of those moving off the welfare roles move to employment and even fewer move to meaningful employment. It will take a crisis before our elected "leaders" realize that we need to mobilize every resource to make the first three years of our children's lives the most nurturing and free of stress of their life. We have seen a growing gap in service to homeless people as a result of changes in the medical service delivery sysc.em. With managed care the homeless do not fit in a health organization's bottom line, and the state has done nothing to protect the health of those who stay on the streets. It is increasing difficult for a single homeless person to gain access to health care through Med icaid and even more difficult to gain access to care that treats an individual back to good health. We have managed care r ules based on saving money and are set in stone. They make no special protocol or rules for those who ca.n not recuperate in a stable environment. That is the opposite message we deliver when we sanction a Mom un der welfare reform. A surprising level of anger came out of this State and manifested itself in the No­ vember election. The governor of Ohio refused to accept money from the federal government to put people in jobs. He refused to allow people who cannot find a job a waiver from the Food Stamps rules as is allowed by the Federal government. Then in the November election, Governor Voinovich boasted of the number of people who are no longer receiving welfare assis­ tance. He did not mention the number of people working who were on welfare last year, because no one knows how many people are working. As has been said many times in these pages there is an increasing level of anger toward poor people. From championing the death penalty to support of the end of the social safety net in the political campaign was alarming. Cleveland: In Cleveland, we have seen a larger number of people who are having a difficult time finding access to health care. We have featured detailed stories in the Home­ less Grapevine which show how people on the streets have a difficult time accessing health care with the new Health Mainte­ nance Organization's rules which are di­ rected at people with homes. Recently, we saw the organization that was entrusted with assisting those who are medically indigent expand their focus at a time when we need a health care for the homeless people most. We have seen a net decrease in afford­ able housing, but because of ,Jhe vigilance of a number of organizations like the Cleve­ land Tenants Organization and the Alliance of Cleveland HUD Tenants who have drawn a line in the sand we have seen a temporary stay in future reductions. With the appoint­ ment of former Community Development Director Terri Hamilton to the position of Executive Director of the Cuyahoga Metro­ politan Housing Authority we look for a brighter futur·e and closer communication with the homeless community. We see some of the problems with the Section 8 vo ucher program beginning to be ad­ dressed, and we look for continued im­ provement for 1999. On a political front, the citizens of Downtown Cleveland voted in a former outreach worker in the homeless commu­ nity, Joe Cimperman, to Cleveland City Council. He in turn sponsored legislation that would require homeless service provid­ ers to be appointed to local homeless service provider's Boards. We have gone another year and still have not been ·able to close Project Heat, the overflow shelter system. The Heat shelters are mats on the floor in the evening and are a beneath the dignity of a human being. They are worse than the conditions at the jail, and yet people enter them voluntarily every night. It is no wonder that there is a lot of anger and distrust of the system. Then we have the unfortunate situation of a Catholic church putting up barriers to prevent homeless people from sleeping outside the church's door without the permission of the city. The City of Cleveland has as of December taken no action on this act of hatred. Two other positive developments in 1998 were the forum with City Council member Frank Jackson which allowed over I00 people ·who stay on the streets to express themselves and have their thoughts recorded and acted upon by an elected official. And we held a unifying event called the Homeless Stand Down which featured services and workshops for homeless people, but most importantly two days of respite for over 1,000 people on the streets. Northern Kentucky Housing and Homelessness Coalltlon (NKHHC) HOMELESS DAY CENTER by Barry Grossheim The Nort hern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition (NKHH C) has long been concerned about the lack of facilities to assist homeless individuals in meeting their basic needs. For several years the NKH HC has researched ways to fund a day center for the homeless. This seems likely to be the year to make this center a reality. W ith Transitions Inc. acting as the lead agency, the NKH HC is hopeful that Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will approve the initial funding before the end of December. If so, it will be the culmina­ tion of efforts by the Coalition and several of its member agencies over the last five years. The proposal calls for a drop-in day center and transitional housing units. The day center w ill house outreach workers from a variety of Northe rn Kentucky mental health, substance abuse, job training and placement, and social service providers. The center will offer homeless individuals a place to spend time during the day, to escape from bad weather, and to Informally interact with volunteers and professionals from the community. The center will include showers, locker space, telephones, mail and a message center. Outreach workers will be available to assist individuals as they identify their specific needs in accessing available shelter, housing and services. Even with HUD funding the center is a long way from being a certainty. More than $400,000 will need to be raised locally to match HUD funds. Plans are being made to bring togeth e r all interested agencies to address the additional funding needs for this project. All concerned are hopeful t hat HUD will agree with the need for this facil ity and will present Northern Kentucky's homeless population w ith a very real Christmas present this holiday season. / �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Editorials & Letters WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST•.. by Rodney L. Sutton, Sr. As I sit at my desk, this warm, yet wet, December day, I reflect on this year of our Lord 1998. January began for me w ith uncertainty, because although I was gain­ fully employed I was once again moving to a new residence; and t his brought to my r emembrance the feeling of homelessness. February came , a nd with it the dread of income tax time. March brought the possibility of war m weather, but also a time of decision mak­ ing. April came and went so fas ~ I hardly knew what hit me. With May came a revelation from God that for a certainty I was to quit my job and return to full t ime ministry. As Ju ne tu rned into July, I pushed faithfully onward. Sometimes hungry and on the brink of homeless ness once again . Then came August, and while some scoffed, others prayed and gave words of encourage m ent . But when September came, and the guiding hand of the Lord was revealed many were amazed , because I met Rever­ end Leonard W ill iams , Sr.• Pastor of the W hole Life Church o f Jesus C hrist , and founder of He lping Ha nds O utrea ch Mis sion Ministries. By October, w hat had been A W ay O f Life (AWO L) Ministries had emerged u nde r t he umbrella of HHOMM , because the L.:ord had brought togeth e r t wo men of God whom He had give n a si milar vision. A vision t o help t he less fortunate and disad- · van t ag ed , who me ver and however t hey might be found. Th e n the Lord p rovided me with a job which would not inte rfer e with His work. So when November cam e it was no surprise to me that the Women of Vision Program, under the W hole Life Church of Jesus Christ, had sponsored its first Gospel Skate Night at the Fun Factory, and with the ' planning to assistance of HHOMM was sponsor its .first Bowling for Jesus Night at D~l-Fair Lanes. Both youth and adul t s had a joyful and blessed time of fellowship and fun at these events. November and D ecember were a time when · the. outreach of HHOMM was very effective in reaching out to families and individuals who were less fortunate or disadvantaged . Thanks to grou ps such as Buskens Bakery, City Cur e (Christmas Store), Toys For Tots, T he Findley Market, and too many individuals to name, HHO MM was able to bless over 2 00 individuals and families with food and gifts for the ho liday season. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! The children of the Whole Life Church of Jesus Christ planned and performed their first Chr istmas play, 'T he W ish," unde r the direct orship of Evangelist C ord elia Nowe ll. De ce mber also saw for the first time a uniting o f r e lig ious bod ie s and ind ividuals in So uth C umminsville to hold a candl e light vig il an d C h r ist mas caroling in t he co mmu­ nity. On December 3 I st, at 9:00p.m. myself, Evangelist Rodney L. Sutton , was ordained as a minister of Whole Life Church of Jesus Christ. For a year that began w ith such uncer­ tainty it has ended with my faith being rewarded by the one who said, "Lo, I am with you always. even unto the end of the world (Matt.28: 20) The year of our Lord 1999 is a time for fresh beginn ings, and He has given me one; for on January 3, 1999, I shall be installed as Pastor of Helping Hands Outreach Mission Ministries. The ceremony will take place at The Whole Life Church of Jesus Christ at ' 4:00p.m. This date, unbeknownst to Pastor Williams (when given to him by God), is my natural birth date. It shall also now be a spiritual rebirth. The Lor d has also blessed us to begin a transportation ministry, so if you do not have a church home or just wish to come a nd fellowship please call the church at 681-5537 no later than 6:00p.m. on Saturday evening and we will make arrangements to pick you up Sunday morning. May God keep you and sm ile upon you this new year. UNAACEPTABLE RACISM by Dan James Today, Monday, I w as confro nted by a punk w ith a Michelin Tire jacket. I was wal ki ng t o t he heal t h department: for trea tment for my panic d isor der. Puffy- boy confro nt ed me with , " Whatcha got for me? Muthaf@#!?" Strik­ in g hi s mos t macho po se he con t in ue d, "G ive me your money !" " Hey look, b ud , I' m hom e less and p r obably have le s s cash t han you. It ' s t im e for you t o bac k o ff. See this American fl ag on my coat. It says that as a citizen, I have a right to go whe re and when I desire. You want to f#@! with a Marine, and I'm ready!" As he appr oached me. sprouting gang signs, I became prepared for a fight that I probabl y co ul d n't win -(I've had three cervical fusions and suffer from chronic pain). But I wasn't ·going down without a fight. Moving closer, he flashed his lower­ educated gang signs and challenged . It was time for action, otherw ise I'd get my a@# kicked for sure. As he moved closer, I kicked him hard in his measily gonads, but it was wit hout effect. He came back swinging: not like a trained boxer, but more like a rab bid, crack­ infected streetfighter. We traded punches and t hreats , too. I ad vised him, "You may be able t o hurt me, b ut 'it's not before I do some very permanent damage upon yo u r f@#!in' ass !" He retreated, shouting that, "If you come back to my street, N !@#@!, I'll kick your f#@!in' ass!" I let it slide, not wanting to get into another further hassle. He walked and strutted away, thinking, 'Tm all that, and probably more!" Page Io I left thinking t hat the world is fu ll of fools . Good rid dence , Miche lin Punk. T he next time I meet you my blade is going for your thro at. Please people, le t's let pe o ple alone who mind t heir own bu siness. No one has a nything ove r an other. We 're all peop le ; we have problems , and to use a famous phrase from one of the all -time greatest losers, " Can't we just all get along?" He had a point... DEAR STREETVIBES: As a former homeless person, I have been very lucky ... Mansfield, Lebanon, Ohio Penitentiary, London Prison Farm , and County Jail were my homes for I0 years or so. Seeing the mis-treatment of inmates all those years and going through both p rison riots in 1968 w ith a parole in my pocket was tough times. I ended up having to travel to Columbus, Oh io to court because of the prison riots. Still not through w ith the law, I shot someone in 1972. I wa s ordered to leave Cincinnati, Oh io ... to not drag the story out, ended up in Knoxville, Tenn. Five years of homelessness was enough, though at times found it hard to cope with society. In prison , I was placed on psychiatric medica­ tion throughout the duration. I stayed at a mission in Knoxville. I worked there and got an opportunity to attend Temple Baptist College in C hattanooga, Ten n. I r etu r ne d to that mission as director. buddy gray and Maurice Mc Crac kin were very clos e fr iends of mine. I have gone on to other things ... now I'm a business man, but still haunt cit y officials. The hardest peo ple I have ever dealt w ith are Bigot C ity Offi cials. I am mo r e at ease at Over t he Rhine where I grew up than at t he court house or city hall. I rea lly sti ll enjoy talking to Sonny Williams , Gordon , and Berta my lo ng t ime fr iends. I will continue to help fight for the rights of humanity unt il I m eet bud dy and Mau r ice at " T he Other Place." Frie nd of the homeless, Charlie Mattingly 1958 State Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45204 phone: 921-1231 P.S. If yo u need a fri e nd to t alk to cal l me from 9:00am-3:00pm Monday- Friday. DEAR STREETVIBES: Drugs and alcohol is the biggest reason for homelessness. Mental illness, and just wanting to live on the street, is another problem . No problem, no bi lls, don't have to cook, don't do nothing but be homeless. There is no way in this world, would I waste my t im e - either way. If the streets has ca lled th e se people, and this is what they chose then so be it. Let it go, force all homeless people to work, just like the welfare is forcing us to w ork. And by the way. we don't have a choice, or we could just be homeless . Whatev e r, Vickie Will iam 1529 Vine Street Box 15 0 Cincinnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s STREETVIBES Etcetera••• Press Conference Emphasizes Living Wages On Dece mber 8, the Great er C incinnati Coalition for the Homeless along wi t h the Welfare Rights Coalition held a joint press conference to publicize " Working Hard, Earning Less". The report was a joint venture between Jobs with Justice and The National Priorities Project. The report focused on the lack of livable wage jobs being produced in the United States. The press conference used inform ation pertaining to Ohio specifically. In Ohio, 79% of new jobs pay less than half the livable wage. Welfare recipients who must find jobs are especially impacted . Studies by both the National Governor's Association and the Census Bureau find that most jobs held by former recipients pay between $5.50 an~ $ 7.00 an hour, averaging $1 1,41 0 .an d $14,560 a year. Only 28.8% earn above the $14 ,500 poverty level for a family of three. Studies have also fou nd that 40% of those in homeless shelters wo r k eve ry day. The panel also included a homeless man that works full-time and is still not able to find hous ing. According to a study by the National Coalition for the Homeless in 1997 titled Un abate d and Increasi ng, the cost for a one bedroom apartment is $7.63 an hour and the cost of a two bedroom is $9.37 an hour on average. Many cities across .the country have started. successful living wage campaigns. It was the hope of organizers of the press conference that there would be renewed interest in a livable wage campaign in­ dexed to the cost of housing. Subscribe to Streetvl bes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purcha sed for $ 12 pe r year. Ple ase send a che ck t o the below address and the pape r will be m aile d t o you e ach iss ue. Streetvibe s 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Ple ase make checks pay­ able to the Greate r Cincinnati Coalition for the Home le ss-­ Stre etvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Homeless Grapevine HUD Announces Continuum of Care Grant Awards The department of Housing and Urba n De velopment recently a nnounced its fisca l Year 1998 Continuu m of Care Home less Assista nce Awa rd Recip ients. The C ity o f C incinn ati an d Hamil ton Coun ty recently learned from HUD t hat $5 ,277,384 dollars will be allocated to the area to provide mu ch need e d s ervi ces t o th e hom e less po pulatio n. The Greater Cin cinnati a rea received fundi ng fo r nine in novative proje cts t hat will help expedite move m ent fro m homeless ness to perma­ nent housing. The G ra nts covered a ll facets of the continuum fr o m ho melessness to permane nt ho usi ng. Greater Ci ncinnati pr ograms inclu ded an expansion of the Shelte r Plus Care pro­ gram that provide dollars for much needed permanent housing. Included in the program was also new jobs programs at the YWCA and, th·rough a collabora­ tion betwee n the Greate r Cincinnat i Coalition for the Homeless, the money will also help expand dental services, services for the disabled, mentally ill and people suffering from HIV/AIDS. This highly com­ petitive process has now helped to pro­ vide ove r $ 13 million dollars in fu nding fo r muc h needed housing an d services for the homeless in the past three years. In re­ lated news, t he City of Cincinnati a lso received $591 ,000 for ESG (Emergency Shelter Grant) funds for FY99 this figure repre~ents $1 41,000 more t han the City's Economic D epartm e nt anticipated. HOMELESSASSISTANCEAWARDS: ($) 385, 000 First Step Home Independent Living Op's 124,687 2,098,020 City of Cincinnati Drop Inn Center 297,000 349,125 Chabad House (GCCH) Caracole 591,240 682,651 Oral Health Council YWCA 460,911 Tender Mercies 288, 750 Community . Celebration. Live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721-7339 Page 11 ScrambI e by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these related words: EKAM SIHT RAEY HTE TBSE NOE FO MEHT LA L ANSWERS ON PABE 1 S. WORKSHOP SERIES: RETURNING TO WORK by Valerie Taylor, LSN On Wednesday, January 6, AIDS Volun­ teers of Cincinnati (AVOC) is very pleased to be starting a ser ies o f presentations about re turning to work. The ser ies will be held e very W ednesday evening form 1/6 / 99 through 2/3/99 at Clifton United Methodist Church. It w ill be held from 6:00 until 8:30 and r efreshmen t s w ill be provide d. Present­ ers will include Ken Skahan, MD speaking about managing medication while work­ ing, and attorney Al Gerhardstein who will add r ess discrimination in employment and related issues. Concerns about how Social Security eligibility would be affected by earned income will be addressed by Scott Knox, an attorney and huge supp~rter of AVOC programs. This program was developed in re­ sponse to concerns about returning to work. New medications and treatments have resulted in many people living longer with a better quality of life overall. There is an 'eagern ess to return to work but also enor­ mous fears about giving up the relative safety of disability. What it if I take a job and then find after four months that I'm getting too tired to work full time? What do I tell a prospective employer about what I have be en doing the last three years? Should I tell them I am HIV+ ? Can I get in surance? W ill I be able t o afford my medi cations ? Infor matio n abo ut ed uca­ tional and trai ning opportunit ies will also be ava ilable. Case managers Mike Angeline and Megan O'Day have done a tremen­ dous job of planning topics and speakers to address these and many other issues . y./e are also very interested in hearing from employers who might be willing to work wit h AVOC and/or a local train ing program on assisting those who are HIV+ in re-enter­ ing the work fo r ce. For more information, call either Mike or Megan at 421-243 7 or your case manager if you have one. �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine 'URSULINE' Continued from front page... Most of the buildings are abandoned and give me the impression of jails; their win­ dows are covered with metal bars, and occasionally wooden boards. Covering the streets, and most of the ground, are candy wrappers, paper, glass bottles and other debris. Loud music and the shouts of people echo from the apartment floors above. People stroll down the sidewalk, apparently not noticing the trash and filth around them as I do. We reach the door of Buddy's Place and enter into a dark gloomy room. Light filters through the cracks in the boarded windows and we are able to discern the dust rising from our shuffling. We are ush­ ered to an inner room. My eyes have ad­ justed well enough to note the old, cracking blue and green floral wallpaper that peel from the walls. We are told to try to · remove all the nails from the ceiling. I stare at the expanse of ceiling above me for a second and feel a -little faint. The scaffolding scrapes across the floor as we drag it to a good position to pull nails from. Three of us finally clamber up the metal bars and begin to swing our hammers and tug at the rusted nails. Problem: Old wooden ceiling, nails, dust and hammers. Each time a hammer missed its target, a shower of fine wood dust flies into our face, nose, eyes, and mouth. I am in a very bad situation; I am allergic to dust and today I have my con­ tacts in. My e yes are getting dried out and rubbing t hem threatens to make fall out. Afte r half an hour of sneezing and getting blinded, we each take turns pulling nails as the rest of us cower from the dust. We quickly perceive this isn't going to help finish removing the ceiling's nails. We explained the problem to our volunteer coordinator. We're promptly given eye protection and the job is finished about three hours later. After we have put everything away I pull off a couple patches of the wallpaper to keep as souvenirs, and we trudge back to office. Mr. Forman greets us as we all dropped onto a nearby couch from exhaus­ tion and wait for the others so we could get lunch at the Drop Inn Center. The rest of the Ursu,l ine volunteers appear and we leave the ReSTOC office building to saunter off in the "This Is a world beyond my clean . quiet suburbla... My view of the world is getting a good dose of reality here. ,, direction of the Drop Inn Center. On the way we pass the park, it seems like a tiny patch of land to me compared to the fields and woods the park near mx house is comprised of. In the green grass, the chil­ dren laugh and carouse while the homeless nap on benches or on the grass. It seems so n.atural, no one thinks it's odd that the children and homeless are intermixed together on the park lawn. Even more, the homeless appear peaceful and natural as they nap, but I know that there is much more going on in their minds than a leisurely nap. At the Drop Inn Center, benches are .· filled with people waiting for a meal. One particular old man in an overcoat catches my eye. He is bent over and his shoulders are hunched forward at an alarming angle, what really gets to me is that he is wearing swim shoes. His whole outfit is mismatched and patched, and is almost ludic: ous, except I can 't laugh, or even smile about it. I am saddened by his appearance and disgusted at my inability at this moment to help him, or at least give him socks. I felt a nudge from behind me and get pushed into the food line. I pick out some of the food they dole out to us, mostly vegetables . I pick at my food for a while ~nd begin to slowly chew it, while I muse deeply a~out all I have seen. A group begins forming its way to the back of the cafeteria door for a tour of the Drop Inn Center, and I follow. Dorothy, our tour guide, leads us to an inner room and explains the significance of the Drop Inn Center for her. We follow her to the women's room where we see almost two dozen neatly made beds for helping homel~ss women in the process of rehabili­ tation. Many of us are surprised to see mother and children rooms and some sigh "aww ... " over the rooms with special baby items in them. In the kitchen, the sea of sunflowers that serve as decoration amazes us. (More aww .. .'s can be heard from within the group.) Here in the kitchen, "It seems so natural, no one thinks It's odd that the children and homeless ~are Intermixed together on the park.lawn.,, Dorothy tells us her story as an ex-homeless women and drug addict. We are drawn into her narrative of how she got to where she is now. Tears begin to fall from her eyes and many of us become emotional. After Dorothy's last sentence, we reach over and give her a hug. I am affected by her words and deeply touched by the bravery she has to tell us about her past. After we say our goodbyes to her, we are shuttled off to tour the men's quarters. Our guide shows us up a stairway and shouts at the top floor through a door, "Women on the floor! Women on the floor!" We are then led through the corridors and shown the enter­ tainment room and exercise room, which consists mai nly of a row machine. Having little time left, our guide hurries us down the stairs to a huge echoing room lined with many plastic covered pallets. The homeless can sleep on them at night and in the wintertime when it is especially cold, · he explained. Even though the room is enor­ mous and filled with these pallets, I still can imagine the lack of space they must have when the temperature gets to freezing level. At the end of the tour, as we stream out the door of the Drop Inn Center, I notice that I feel different. It is a strange feeling, the sense of having to go back to a place where there is no litter on the ground, no bars on the windows and a no glass bottles. I almost feel like a hypocrite, mingling and helping for a while for the less fortunate and then going home to a place where I have everything a person needs. It's as though I am abandoning all the people I have seen and met who need help more than I do. While boarding the truck, I know I never expected to see anything like this before in my life. My parents would have tried to prevent me from seeing all of this and would have kept me sheltered if they had the chance . But I'm glad I finally know about life outside 'my' world, including the litter, glass bottles and barred wi ndows, because now that I do know .. . I can help. .· . ·. , _. :. Page 12 Prison Slaves from page 8... goods annually. The potential for increasing their profits is staggering, and the potential abuse and corruption concerning the use of the prison slave labor is just as great. Prisoners have no protection from unsafe working conditions, and in one documented case, prisoners were knowingly exposed to deadly toxic waste with abso­ lutely no regard for their health . (See Pris­ oner Legal News, "Worked ~o Death-Ohio's Work Release Program," October 1995) There was never any follow-up by the government to render medical assistance to former prisoners who were exposed to toxic waste. Prisoners are the perfect expendable, transient workers. In the past several years the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correc­ tions (DORC) has been loaning prisoners to "Community Services," and one such project is renovating asbestos without any protective clothing. Prisoners here at OCI are also gutting dormitories in preparation for renovation, and part of their job assign­ ment includes removing .asbestos - again, without any protective clothing. Commu­ nity Service work crews have only one or two supervisors, and no safety inspection to ensure such abuses don't occur. Any pris­ oner who complains is removed from the job site and may be subjected to disciplinary action for failure to perform his job assign­ ment. There are no safeguards to protect prisoners from this sort of tragedy and no independent monitoring agency to ensure their safety. Over a hundred years ago, the exploitation of prison labor was discontin­ ued in Ohio because the same type of corruption and abuse which resulted from marketing prisoners as slaves. Now history is being repeated. In promoting the use of prison labor in 1990, Chief Justice Burger stated, "This isn't for the benefit of the criminal community [prisoners]. This is for the benefit of you and me [status quo]." Prison labor is being regarded as a national economic asset, to the detriment of the U.S. Labor Movement and prisoners. Representafr"es from National CURE (Citizens for the Rehabilitation of Errants) attended the National Prison Industries Forum . In CURE's national newspaper, they briefly mentioned putting together some position papers, and one of the issues will be prison labor. It gives me reason for concern that CURE never mentioned attending this forum and did not pass on any of the materials and reports generated by the forum to the prisoners. It would almost appear as if CURE may be "representing" prisoners without notifying them of what exactly is taking place - and with little or no input from prisoners. To my knowledge, no Ohio prisoners were contacted by CURE requesting infor­ mation specifically on labor issues. Surely CURE wouldn't attempt to represent prison­ ers on the issue without contacting prison­ ers ... or would they? CURE often claims to represent the interests of the friends and families of prisoners, and not the interest of prisoners themselves. It is our labor which the forum discussed; so who was CURE representing? It is time for prisoners across the nation to establish a dialogue among ourselves on prison labor to determine what our position will be. It is our labor, our futur~. and our lives at stake: �STREETVIBES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine EL SALVADOR REMEMBERS by Patrick Har!f1on in El Salvador today, with few jobs and little hope for positive change; the youth often turn to gangs for support. The two largest gangs (maras) which are at war with each other are the 13th street gang and the Salva trucha ( 18th street} gang. Both of these gangs originated in Los Angeles and came back to El Salvador through deportation of illegal immigrants. The gangs are attractive to street youth chat perhaps didn't under­ stand the civil war in political terms, but rather in terms of the violence they grew up with. Children's parents were sometimes raped and murdered in front of them, bodies often strewn in the street at dawn, and the government bombed poor and working class communities that sided with the guerillas. Citizens of the United States, much like the Salvadoran people, were divided during the war. Under the Reagan administratio~'s "war against communism." Up to two million dollars a day was given to the El Salvadoran military during the worst parts of the war. This provided arms, training, state of the art technical assistance, and advisors from both the armed forces and the C IA. US foreign policy was not affected by reports of Page /3 concerns, to surrender to too many de­ mands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in every­ thing is to succumb to violence . More than that, it is cooperation in violence. The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his or her work, because it kills the root and inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." - Thomas Merton He handed It to me not long after got back from an extensive stay in Central America. It seems fitting t hat another friend , · Matthew Eisen, saw it two years ago before he left for El Salvador and still refers to it today. The following story is as much about Matthew as it is about El Salvador, Over the Rhine, and life as an activist... El Salvador, a mountainous country of roughly 9 million people is the smallest and most densely populated natio n in Central America. El Salvador (T~e Savior) is · a land of sharp contrasts between heaven and hell. Its small size and large population push the violence of sustained social inequalities and sharp divisions between classes to­ gether in a dangerous way. During the Cold War, the right wing governments of El Matthew grew up in Delhi Townsh ip, Salvador had their genesis in " Las Catorce," right down the street from where his mother, the famous 14 family oligarchy which con­ Eisen worked at the College of Mt. St. Betty trolled over 60 percent of the land holdings Joseph. Matt attended Elder and Oak Hills in the country. The majority of the popula­ high schools, where he first got involved with tion. who are peasants, were forced to the human rights organization "Amnesty work for slave wages on huge plantations Though his interests in human International." of coffee, sugar cane or cotton, or migrate rights have lead him to many places in this to inner city ghettoes to find whatever work will tell you that Over-the-Rhine world, he they could . Attempts at organizing for remains in his heart. Matthew presently works change through peaceful means was with at-risk youth and gang members in El repeatedly met with repression by the Salvador. He works at a center called the landowners, government and military, and XX/ Youth Movement." I in­ "Generation through this civil war erupted. tended to write a feature story about the The civil war in El Salvador lasted 12 speaking tour which Matt and his two friends years, roughly from 1980 to 1992 when the Tara had come to give. Juan Carlos and government and the guerillas (FMLN} down is simply a What I wrote signed peace accords. The war cost Photo by Jimmy Heath conversation we had at two in the 80.000 lives and created hundreds of morning at a friend's apartment on thousands of refugees. Though both Elm Street... sides committed abuses of human ''The spring of 1990 was a time rights, the vase majority of abuses of major transition for me. I got to were committed by the Salvadoran know a woman through Amnesty military. Soldiers were known to gun named Veronica de Negre. She was down entire villages in the moun­ from Chile but she fled to the US tains, and in the cities pull people after the coup in 1973. She had a out of their homes at night never to son named Rodrigo who was born be seen again by there family and while she was in the States, and in friends. he decided to go visit Chile in 1990 Right wing Death Squads w ith order to see his country w ith his own names such as the "White Warriors" eyes. He was taking pictures of would target progressive church some protest in Santiago when the workers, unionists, teachers, critics of police grabbed him, dumped the government and their families gasoline all over him and set him on for torture rape and execution. fire. He died a few days later in the Many public schools in the capital hosp ital. lost almost their entire student body, In 1992 I went to Europe for 6 and each day, mutilated corpses months to discover my roots. As a would show up, on the roadside or white male from the States I feel as in garbage dumps. Left to right: Juan Carlos Hernandez, Tara Mathur, Matthew Elsen though I have no roots, but I need During the war, many thousand to overcome that. All of us in the US Salvadoran refugees fled co the United have history, for good or bad, and we need States. Some received political asylum , human rights violations, "death squads," or to recognize it, we need to honor it. Maybe most did not and were subject at any time even US Church Workers and Human Rights all those thoughts about roots lead me to to be picked up off the streets of Los Ange­ Workers who were put to death at the think about my own city of Cincinnati. Here les or Chicago and sent back by the Immi­ hands of Salvadoran Mil itary. I was studying all these big important gration and Naturalization Service (INS). Contrary to US foreign policy, a grow­ international issues about Human Rights, Upon arrival in the States, many young ing number of US citizens who began to and I wasn't even in tune to what was refugees with no papers found that jobs hear about El Salvador felt called to action happening inside my own country. So in the were hard to come by. In cities such as Los to oppose their own government and help fall of 1993 I moved down to Over-the-Rhine Angeles, many Salvadoran youth adopted the Salvadoran people who were being and became an intern for ReSTOC (Race the gang lifestyle as a means of survival. In persecuted; Church groups, doctors, human Street Tenant Organization Cooperative). recent years, as the US government has rights workers and people from many walks lived there till the summer of 1994 when I been getting tougher on illegal immigra­ of life devoted much time and effort to went out to San Francisco to work with tion, INS officers are now a more frequent spreading the word about El Salvador, Survivors International, an organization that sight in Latin barrios, constantly checking for pressuring congress to vote against aid, works with survivors of torture from all over documents. The result is that along with providing funding for refugee communities, the world. In the fall of that year I was deporting undocumented immigrants, the and risking prison sentences to smuggle again in Over-the- Rhine, then in the spring of US is now exporting gangs. refugees to safe communities in the United 1995 I finished my senior year of college in States. Many Salvadorans today say that their Nicaragua through a program at Xavier country is worse now than it was before the A few years ago a friend of mine gave University. In the summer I was back in war. There is no organized group fighting me this quote and I stuck it up on my Over-the-Rhine, living on Pleasant Street in the armed forces, but the daily murder rate refrigerator... an apartment I was fixing up for ReSTOC. is higher now than it was during the war "There is a pervasive form of contem­ years ( 18 persons murdered each day during porary violence to which the idealist fighting the war compared to 23 today). The peace for peace by nonviolent methods most accords signed with the guerillas have easily succumbs - activism and overwork. shown very little progress and the intellec­ The rush and pressure of modern life are a tual authors behind institutions such as the form , perhaps the most common form, of its "death squads" have yet to be prosecuted. innate violence. To allow oneself to be The situation for today's youth is a hard one carried away by a multitude of conflicting 'El Salvador' next page... �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine 'El Salvador' from page 13... That fall I went off to DC to work for a year as membership coordinator for the Mid-West Regional office ofAmnesty International. I knew that after that year I was going to follow the dream of mine to go back to Central America, but I still didn't know where I was gonna go. After Buddy's murder I came back to Over-the-Rhine in December of 1996, then went to El Salvador with CRISPAZ (Christians for "/think that now, more than ever we should be lending a hand to El Salvador to help them to build peace." peace in El Salvador). I chose to go to El Salvador because I wanted to honor the commitment that so many people in the States had toward the people of El Salvador during the war. I think that now, more than ever w~ should be lending a hand to El Salvador to help them to build peace. Even though there is not a war going on the same conditions that brought about the war exist, and some say that it is even worse now than how it was before the war started. The history of the youth movement I am involved with is this... Back in 1987 there was an earthquake that destroyed a large part of San Salvador. Because the school in my neighborhood was damaged, the government built two little garages where students would go to classes till repairs on the old school could be completed. A few years ago the same youth who now form part of the movement got together and wanted to start something that would be an alternative to the gangs, they wanted to get together and talk and do activities but they didn't have any place to do it in. They went to the school board and asked if they could have one of the small "He was taking pictures of some protest In S~ntlago when the police grabbed him, dumped gasoline all over him and set him on fire." buildings that the government built for the school to have classes in after the earthquake, and the board said they didn't know anything about it and that it was all under the municipality. So they went down to the municipality and nobody down there knew anything about it, so the youth just took it over. Now it's a meeting place, complete with a big mural on the inside that the youth painted. We have guitar classes there. and folk dance classes, all kinds of stuff... And the youth did it, it was their idea and they did it all on their own initiative. We have a public library. the only public library in a community of 260,000 people. It started off when some of the youth at the movement decided to have a party. and instead of charging admission they told everyone to bring a book. We also have a scholarship program that helps youth go back to school. in some cases to finish high school; and in others to go to college. We fund it through donations from delegations. churches. and even people in Over-the-Rhine. There are former gang members from the two riyal gangs. the 13th street gang and the 18th street gang (Mara Salva Trucha). who are looking for something more to do than tag walls. Some of the movement's youth from these two gangs were hired out to paint a mural and they called it the "Meeting ofTwo Worlds". It was about the conquest of the Americas and it had an indigenous poem painted on it. I completely believe that the only way out of the crime, delinquency and violence in El Salvador that exists today is not through English and math classes. The problem was born in the US, first by shipping down guns for war. We created the refugees to come up here, their children pick up gang activities in the US, then we deport them back. Then (we) as good hearted Christians or leftists or whatever, and I include myself in this too, become arrogant enough to think that O.K. we created the problem, we can solve it, so we send gringos like myself down to teach English or bring down comput­ ers. We send down our culture, and youth are walking around in Jordan jerseys with Nikes and • Hillfiger shirts, and we think we can introduce them into this economic -system that we have, but just like the youth in OTR. they can consume but they will never be incorporated. They see everything on TV or in magazines and they get resentmen~. In inner city US or urban Salvador, there is no room for them ... So the whole idea is that classes and cultural exchange can help, but their path out has to be indigenous, from their culture and their language. whether in OTR or in Mejicanos, El Salvador... Their liberation, their path out of violence comes from them, their spirit to respect their roots and culture. One of my favorite quotes was from Steve Biko from South Africa went something like ... "Western culture in the 19th and 20th century gave the world the industrial revolution, but the great gift still has to "You don't have to go all over the world to see poverty. You can be In solidarity with the poor and the oppressed in your own communities." come from Africa, which is to give the world a more human face." I think that you can say the same thing about Latin America. In western culture we rely so much on gadgets and technology, but we are so disconnected from the earth as a spirit. There is noting good about poverty or oppression, but whether in Africa, Latin America or Over-the- Rhine, there still exists community and solidarity from one neighbor to another. That's where-the human face of the earth exists, that's where love exists ... Even my conservative republican brother-in-law who builds decks for rich homes that are heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer is saddened because there is no community. People don't know their neighbors ... They have cell phones, cars, and big wooden fences for privacy. Even though we disagree in our politics. there is some commonality. we are both human and we all want friends, family Page 14 and community. You don't have to go all over the world to see poverty. You can be in solidarity with the poor and the oppressed in your own communities. And I would recommend that you not go into these communities with the arrogance of problem solving. but with the attitude of being ruined. We always talk about the activists that come down to El Salvador. or the activists that come down to Over-the-Rhine and get ruined, we remember back to the universities and all those ideas and plans we had, and we got ruined. You need to have the art and the skill of listening and accompaniment. .. And we can come in with computers and pump in money, but these people need to be heard and respected. This is not some­ thing you can fix and forget about. These people have an experience to teach us, and it has to be told and taught." STREETVIBES Sweats & T-Shirts! Only $5 for T's, $10 for Sweats. T~!Rfri Elt~'~sES Homeless Grupc.. 11e 100% White Cotton Shirts and Long Sleeve Sweat Shirts XL Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at .1506 Elm Street. Please stop by and see us. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income .. . Many buildings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �' STREETVI BES 1 The Tri State s Homeless Grapevine Page 15 CONGRADULATIONS CLIFFORD STREETVIBES JONES of The Greater Cinc innati Oral Heal t h Council Announcements Program Coordinator FREEPOLlnCAL PRISONERS of The re are seve ral political priso ner s in O hio's prisons. If you are interest ed to w rite t o t hem, like Jame s Pr yor o r Da n Cahi ll, please c ontact: lNICN' of Coord.inatingCommittee "LITTLE ROCK" REED of The Executive arrl · JESSICA DIANE 'WALLACE Board DENTAL HYGIENISTS' I ASSOC. Band For Hire Band L ook i n& fo r Wo r k Streetvibes (the band). We like to pa rty. R&B. Oldies, Blues/)aJ:z, Reggae. Helpi ng the homeless to help themselves th rough free e nt e rprize. Ca ll 42 1-7803 . Writing to STREETVIBES Send your letters and comments to HVAC Service OWllJHT WIS E HVAC SERVICETtt::HNIOAN n:JR HIRE. 24 HOUR SER\llc:E!ll STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low-income job seek­ ers. Others may place ads fo'r only $1 per line. Call 421-7803 for info . In Memory of "Mac" Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch...Because 'Everyone' Includes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. Scramble Answers from page 11.•. OF THEM All . .. . Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct I. Streetvibes will be dist ributed for a $ 1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $ I. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never dist ribute Streetvibes while under the influence of d rugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat othe rs with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donat ion. I will not give a "hard sell" or make so meone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copie.s of 01 DB:EMBER 23 1998 of OHIO Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. ct BREIT ADAM ZW)LINSKI HAS BEEN ELECTED TREASURER THE BEST ONE PRXlAIMThG GCCH Member ON HIS FREEDOM AND PAROLE THANKSFORALLTHESUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY TO FREE HIM MAKE THIS YEAR OUR LORD JESUS GffiISI' tl:e !CONGRATULATIONS! Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is o nly $1 per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 42 1-7813 aE The Homeless Dental Program Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 STREETVIBES Classified Ads BY THE GRACE Streetvibes to pe rsons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. · I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effo rt, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply Y<ith any of the above statements will r esult in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. STREETVIBES LETTERSAND EDITORIALS: c/ o GCCH, 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 We reserve the right to edit stories or letters for clarity and content. Streetvlbes Radio Hour 1· On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Sat., Jan. 9th, 1999, Noon to I pm Advertise In Streetvlbes I Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 5,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 I /2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 112" $20 per month A check or money o rder must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will rece ive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad o r have any other questions, call the Home less Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 I .t �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 16 Streetvlbes TV The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cable changes programming and channels. Streetvibes TV January Schedule Cha nne l 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. Mond a y. !a nuary 11th. 199 9 a t 7PM . Re broadcast Dates for S how o n Cha n­ ~ nel 10: I Saturday, January 2, 1999, 4 PM Friday, January 8, 1999, 11 AM Friday, January 15, 1999. 11 AM Saturday, January 23, 1999, 4 PM Monday, January 18, 1999, I 0 PM r. Donald Whi tehead, as Santa Claus, leaves t he Coalition office on his way to visit Cincinnati shelters for children. Broadcast schedules are subject to change - con sult your local TV d irectory. If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... Streetvlbes Wish List STREEV/BES is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wis~ list please give us a call. .. >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs >Adobe Illustrator Software for IBM > Adobe Pagemaker Software for STREETVIBES layout >35 MM Film for STREETVIBES photo's >Laser Printer Vendor: 80 cents Where Your >Good used photocopier >Office Supplies >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee , cups , donuts , etc.) >Computer for STREETVIBES layout and wr i-t~A--ga--- Printing and Production: 20 cents n 0 If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 281-5770 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660· Salvation Army Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 24 1-5525 241-0490 241-2965 38 1-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5 100 721-0643 38 1-5432 863-8866 CALL THE STREETVIBES DFTIC E A T 421 • Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. 7 803 IF' Y O U CAN HELP! e Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center St. john's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental 111) Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: W o m en 0.0.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Me n Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline AA. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 244-7226 961-4080 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 921-7324 784-1853 921- 16 13 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-501 1 42 1-2437 62 1-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for lndep_endent Living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Ne ighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program 49 1-3335 Women's Crisis Center � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1999 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Janurary 1999 Vol 3, issue 24 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Homeless Memorial Held at Washington Park Ursuline Academy Volunteerism Pg 2: The Traveler Pg 3: COHHIO* Corps Closing Ceremony Homeless Veteran with PTSD Finds Help Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: Cleveland News N. Kentucky News Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 11: Streetvibes Etcetera Pg 13: El Salvador Remembers Pg 14: AVOC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 1999 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dan Cahill Ron Carter Denise Crew Brian Davis Dwight Given Iola Green Barry Grossheim Patrick Harmon Henry Hartsock Jimmy Heath Muldoon Greg Payton Aaron Pitchford James W. Pryor Valerie Taylor Stephy Wang Donald White head Lynn Williams Robert Woodman Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <span>This work is licensed under a</span><span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a><span>.</span> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford Barry Grossheim Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Dan Cahill Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Dwight Given Greg Payton Henry Hartsock Iola Green James W. Pryor Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams memorial Muldoon Patrick Harmon prisoner Robert Woodman Ron Carter Stephy Wang the broken city The Traveler Valerie Taylor veterans welfare welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/159c520a8287b55d4dc88ee013255c04.pdf 740d7ca3ee3da8dc791bf9c5781aea5d PDF Text Text 11 1 11 STANDDOWN 98 A BIG SUCCESS Hundreds of Homeless Persons Served During Cincinnati's _,_ Two Day Event -··. Over 1,200 homeless persons and veterans attended this years Standown on October 15th and 16th, hosted by the Drop Inn Center and organized by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and the VA. Dozens of volunteers including military personnel pitched in to bring the cities homeless a temporary respite from the rigors of homelessness. "Standown" is a term used by the military during times of war to bring troops in from the front lines to rest and recuperate. The analogy is made between war and the battle of survival while experi­ encing homelessness. The' two day event afforded participants the opportunity to speak with represen­ tatives from service agencies, seek the services of medical personnel and receive clothing and food. There was also a Standown Court. presided over by a Hamilton County judge. Community service hours were given out to persons who had outstanding warrants o r pending court cases for minor offenses. The Stan down was topped off by a community cookout in Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine sponsored the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. This years' Standown event was consid­ ered by all to be a great success. Hundreds of people attended the Standown at the Drop Inn Center. Photo by Jimmy Heath • IN MEMORY OF BUDDY GRAY •~ WE REMEMBER • FEBRUARY 19TH, 1950 - NOVEMBER 15TH, 1996... : by Bonnie Neumeier, : From the Pleasant Street Garden, Over-The­ Rhine I sit here on this wooden bench surrounded by your favorite colors the browns, yellows, oranges and reds wishing you were still here instead The sunflowers now bending far over stood tall, proud, bright and yellow dried up and drooping the seeds they fall feeding the birds that follow What a short life like yours, Buddy But we know the warmth and the wonder of the Sunflower is You still with us. We will always remember you season after season for YOUR seeds have fallen deep nourishing our peoples' movement giving us feet. buddy gray leads protest marchers in Over-the-Rhine 4 Photo by Jimmy Heath This day won't go by unnoticed 'cause the fruits of your labor are planted all over Yes, you are still here with us in your colors of brown. yellow, orange and red Friend we.miss you and love you. ­ �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 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 d)e Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Hom.e­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homeles.sness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organiz­ ing. 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Hobbs , Vendor Support Photo1:r.whe r Jimmy Heath Writers Ron Carter Denise Crew Brian Davis Julia Fischer Lolonta Foster Barry Grosheim Patrick Harmon jimmy Heath James Hobbs Vikki Lynn Bonnie Neumeier Theresa Nye James W . Pryor William Stone Do nald Whitehead Lynn Williams Diane Young Brett Zwolinski Editorial Policy: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: STREETVIBES I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, O H 45210 (513) 421-7803 fax (5 13) 421-78 13 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Fact of the Month, from the ·National Low-Income Housing Coalition (N LIH C): Number of deaths associated with problems in housing, annually: 5.000 Nurr;t:Jer of r:- • 1.4 million Donald Whitehead (far right) in Portland, Oregon. THE TRAVELER Not Just Another Trip by Donald Whitehead I've really enjoyed this column - traveling is sometimes a little lonely and it has been great to have you guys along. Each trip I've taken has opened my mind to new experiences I never imagined just a short time ago. For the most part my travels have been pleasure filled learning experiences. Sometimes though, learning is not a pleasant experience. I started out on this trip on the morning of Thursday, October I st. On this morning as is stated in the ad for the United States Army, I did more before six than most people did all day, that day. I actually prefer traveling early morning rather than late night. On the first leg of my journey I traveled with longtime activist Bev Merrill who works at the Welcome House in Northern Kentucky along with her very handsome son Shawn. We traveled to the Louisville Airport where we were joined by Kat Clark, National Coalition Board Member from West Virginia. Our final destination for this trip is Portland, Oregon. Our first stop is St. Louis where we were joined by several other National Homeless Coalition Board Members: Bill Faith President of the Board and Director of the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio, Roosevelt Darby from Philadelphia and Don Jean from Maine. Most of my travels are a little lonely but this one was not. The flight to Portland is uneventful, a fact that is increased by my sleeping three of the four hours. The period I am awake I experience the works of the best artist that man will ever know. Mountain ranges perfectly sculptured in ways that boggle the mind, body's of water carving beautiful landscapes, never to by matched by the hand of any mortal artist. The purpose for this meeting is the National Coalition Board Meeting. I have found these meetings to be very useful in learning new strategy's for fighting homelessness. We meet twice yearly, once in Washington and once.in another City. Oregon has been chosen as this years' location so that we can explore rural homelessness. We were treated as special guests, part of our rooms were paid for by the City of Portland. We are part of a press conference addressing Civil rights violations against the homeless population in Portland. Another focus of our meeting is an opportunity to discuss the year 2000 Census. The Census bureau has not done a good job of Photo by Donald Whitehead counting homeless, poor or people of color in the past - our hope is that this will not be the case in 2000. We also present the Ma Curtis Award to individuals who have done outstanding work in Oregon. The award is even more symbolic this year because Beverly Ma Curtis did most of her wonderful work in Portland. My custom on trips is to interact with local homeless people. I do this for many reasons. some personal, some professional. I understand that the easy way to learn about conditions are to speak to those involved in that condition. I walked along a river bank close to my hotel were there were several people camping: I tried to strike up a conversation but there was no desire to talk, there seemed to be an edge to this group. I walked around the corner to the Gospel Mission - it was closed. All the while I passed people on the street. I do not scare easily but I did feel uncomfortable here. I finally did get a chance to talk to a young lady who reluctantly offered conversation in exchange for some change. Even this was unlike the warm conversation I have experienced in the rougher homeless populations back east. I felt uneasy because people kept looking down at my shoes with a look that said you must be a cop or something. In the midst of the incredible beauty that is Portland I am surrounded by uneasiness. anger and despair. I learn that there are no family shelter here during the summer, probably a large contributor to despair. I go back to my hotel a bit puzzled - its seems that for the first time I was not excepted by the population from which I came. Am I so far removed that.I can't relate or make contact anymore! Maybe I'm making a mole hill into a mountain, maybe I just didn't meet the right people. Ireflect back on the despair I felt on the streets of Cincinnati. I wasn't always friendly or open or nice. Sometimes I just wanted to be left alone. No matter how good intentioned or respectful the person approaching me, sometimes I just simply didn't want to be bothered. Homelessness is the most extreme form of poverty. It's a reality too harsh for most to imagine, sometimes the darkness is so dark that not even a shred of light can get through. These are the times when those that are homeless want and have the r ight to simply be left alone. A good traveler will always remember this. Good Tidings. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 OTR LOSES VINE STREET BATTLE by Jimmy Heath Over-The-Rhine residents, business and community leaders lost the hard fought battle over keeping Vine Street one-way between 5 Points Corner and 12th Street. In October. Cincinnati City Council voted 5 to 4 for the conversion to two-way despite community protests and declarations from community leaders, schools and Vine Street businesses. Over one hundred persons who attended the public hearing at City Hall carried signs and spoke out against the conversion to two-way. The debate centered around the safety of the residents and school children who frequent this OTR thoroughfare. Vine Street in Over­ The-Rhine was made one-way nearly 25 years ago because of the accident prone and dangerous nature of this formerly two-way street. The recent debate over the conversion began over two years ago when a private consulting team visited the neighborhood of Over-The-Rhine and recommended the recvnversion to two-way as part of an overall urban revitalization plan for the community. Community protests centered around this plan and subsequent report because of how it disregarded the concerns and well- Protestors gather at Cincinnati's City Hall to demonstrate against Vine Street conversion to Two-Way. Photo by Jimmy Heath being of the neighborhood residents, especially the disabled, the elderly and the children. The plan to convert one-way Vine Street to two-ways is supported by a minority of business interests who have pitted themselves against residents of this predominately low-income community. The community of Over-the­ Rhine lost this battle because of the power of money and politics over reason. The conversion to two-way will begin during the 1999 construction season. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• You are invited to the fourth annual OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION MEETING: l 998 HOMELESS COALITION HOUDA'/DENNER, NOV. 11, Wednesday 10:30 AM Sullivant Gardens . 955 Remick St. Columbus, Ohio The Ohio Empowerment Coalition is the statewide welfare rights coalition. We welcome new members. Come and·learn what recipients and other low-income, grassroots groups from different areas of the state are doing to change welfare laws. Join us in the effort to change Ohio's punitive welfar~ policies. For a ride from Cincinnati, please call the Contact Center at (513) 381-4242 at least ·by No­ vember 9th. Contents Welfare News Broken City Arts & Poetry Haiku Nationwide Prisoners' News Letters & Editorials Mexican Border News Homeless Veterans Cleveland News N. Kentucky News Movie Review Announcements Classifieds Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 12 13 13 14 15 15 . Tuesday, November 17, 1998 7-9PM St. F rancis Seraph Soup Kitchen 14 E. Liberty Street at Vine $15 per person at the door Parking In Rear MUSIC, DOOR PRIZES, Al'JD RAFfl.E. DINNER SERVED BY POWER INSPIRES PROGRESS VEG£TARIAN E.NTREES AVAILABLE. ·PRE.5£.NTATION Of JIMMY RENDER AWARD The Homeless Coalition Holiday Dinner gives us a chance each year to focus on this year's positive accomplishments and share hopeful stories of the future. Anyone in the community is invited to participate. The Jimmy Render Award is given each year by the Homeless Coalition to honor a homeless or formerly homeless person who has struggled to help those still on the street. Power lnspires Progress is a non-profit job training organization designed to empower low income communities through job development. Greoter Cincinnati Coalttion For ","' The Homeless ; If you would like to sponsor a homeless. person for the dinner, please send $15 per person to: Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, ~ 506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Call 421-7803 for more i¢'o. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News WELFARE SANCTIONS IN HANCOCK COUNTY by Theresa Nye, Intern at Hope.House Inc. These are real situations that happened to welfare recipients in Hancock County, which includes Findlay, Ohio. The first family has three children 6, 7, and I 0. They were applying for emergency assistance (PRC) because they were being evicted from their home. The family was sanctioned due to being given the wrong voice mail number for the caseworker. This has happened more than once because she is constantly being seen by different caseworkers. This caus~s messages and gocumenta­ tion to get all mixed up on her case. It's a nightmare of missed communications! The second case was a women who·applied for a medical card. She was hospitalized so she left messages with caseworkers and never srot a reply < <j l ' . back. She sent her husband to finish the paperwork, but the case worker claims he did not fill out all the paperwork. Because of this, they now have a $10,000 medical bilrinstead 'Of a me<ilc'al card. ~ ..--" In 'tht!1hird liou'sehold's situatien, a gentleman found work the day before his-appointment with the caseworker. He catted and told-the caseworker that 'He 'cduld nb~a~e the meeti1;ig~:l:fe was•sanctioned anyway. This caused his whole family t0 lose 'their assistance. The last case I·am listing here, although ·there are more sanctioned households out there, is a single mother with children, aged 2 and I year old. She is facing being sanctioned. She does hot have a car. She was told that she has to put in 60 hours of work before the welfare department would help her with transportation. The caseworker.told her she had to work first, then after 60 hours, she could get help with transportation. This is like putting the cart before the horse. In a rural county such as ours, a car is nearly a basic necessity for getting to work. OHIO SANCTIONS VIE FOR HARSHEST by Lynn Williams, Ohio Empowerment Coalition Ohio is notoriously known for being one of the fourteen states with the harshest sanction (punish­ ment) policies in America. These fourteen states impose a complete cut-off of cash assistance for households under sanction. This includes even on a first sanction. Thirty-six states reserve the full cut-off punishment for the last level of sanction. Ohio cuts families off immediately for a first time offense. When the entire cash assistance is cut-off, this sanctions the children right along with the adults. Thirty-eight states are only cu tting off the "adult" portion of the check or less for a first sanction. Surely this is a more humane policy. Why should the children's portion be cut? Any reduction is going to hurt them as well. In addition, it should be remembered that families receiving welfare cash assistance are receiv­ ing checks putting them at 35% of the Federal poverty level. With food stamps added, it is 75% or less of Federal poverty level. How many families of three can survive monthly paying rent, utilities, heat and diapers on a $361 check? This is Ohio's benefit check for a family of three to live on monthly. How may legislators have spent a month living on that kind of money? If a family is sanctioned, the house­ hold most likely does not have savings to fall back on. How do you save money on $361 a month? Ohio also requires recipients to wait out the entire length of sanction or until compliance, "which ever is longer" before lifting the sanction. This is not true for twenty three states. These states lift the sanction as S?on as the recipient complies. This also is a far more humane approach. In addition, individual caseworkers and county welfare departments vary in h"ow they apply the "letter of the law." Here in Ohio, in Athens County, caseworkers are being trained to work with the recipient to avoid issuing a sanction and to use "commonsense." Is a recipient trying in good faith to meet the requirements? They also give th~ recipient a warning letter 15 days in advance of a sanction, warning that a sanction will ·be enforc~q unless they meet the requirement. r1 From what our OEC members across t\ie state are telli(lg usi this policy is a rarity. In SanduJ ky county, a woman was sanctioned for not calling to notify.a cas.Py.-orl<er: wtiy sh~ missed· h~er app9J_nt­ .. T 1 .; j ment. The reason: layino in the hosoital giving birth! \ r. i• ~ ' • (), ~ 'ti~ . 0 She ended ·u'p:sanctioned fo r not thfcu.<i'ng to make ' •. . . • . ti\i 11. this .ca~I afieac;l 'Of time~ ·' / .. , ~ In Montgomery County, sanctioned households can~o~ g~t r~~nction.tff~~d \J.ntil they;~~" I~days of complianc'e." This means a reci~i~n:~/\1~.~t {~ ten ~· fr; ,: , q~r.~pJJ'!~Or (6 ~.'? ~.~o\Jrs. d~~fY,) 11.n a. CO..QSeCU­ tiv;.~rper. ,J~ey are '!?t workmg of(~tieir b~nefit checks" because the.y're·under sanction & don't have a benefit ch~ck to work off. If the reb~ient rflfsses f ' :;· even on.~ day, the I 0 days starts all ov~,r aga1~! This happened to Carla Pitsinger of Montgomery County, who could not do the I0 days in a row because of two disabled family members needing her care. Incredulously, Carla ended up working 60 days of free labor before she got her sanction lifted! Where are the unions and labor activis·.:s to take outrage at this? We are hearing dismal accounts across the country about how sanctions are being applied. the sanctions are being used as whips and threats to subdue the poor into compliance. House Bill 793 will soften the welfare sanction policy here in Ohio. It would allow for a $50 cut in cash assistance for each sanction instead of cutting off the entire check. It would restore the adult portion of food stamps. It would restore the child care subsidy to families under sanction. It would restore a sanctioned household's eligibility for other support services from the welfare department, such as PRC (what use to be called emergency assis­ tance." The sanction would also end upon compli­ ance, instead of requiring the recipient to wait out a progressively longer sanction time. Current law requires a sanction period for a I st sanction to last one month or until compliance, whichever is longer; for a 2nd sanction to last three months or until compliance, whichever is longer; and for a 3rd sanction to last six months or until compliance, whichever is longer. Currently recipients who are sanctioned are counted in "caseload reduction numbers." They are counted in the official numbers of recipients who have left the roles. They left the roles·unwillingly if I '\ ' "1 1 ' ' i 4 - Page 4 they were sanctioned! According to the Ohio Department of Human Services September 16, 1998 Progress Report, 22% of the total caseload was sanctioned at some point since October I, 1997 when the law took effect. This is over one in five households! These families with children lost all their cash assistance! [For more information on how to endorse this bill and to get involved in working for its passage, call the Ohio Empowerment Coalition (Cincinnati contact) at 513-381-4242.] REAL STORIES by Diane Young It is one thing to hear about welfare reform and quite another to look at it in the faces of real live human beings. These people are not numbers on a page, but living, breathing people caught between the cracks. One of these real people is a 47 year old woman names Susan . Just laying eyes on this woman, it was obvious to see that she was very ill. Susan relayed to me that she was sanctioned because of her refusal to work. The reason for her non-compliance was her congestive heart failure and the effects of having surgery to have a lung removed. Because she refused to work at a recycling center, Litter Landing, sorting through trash and lifting heavy bundles which required health and strength, she was sanctioned. Susan applied for SSI, but because her husband is on disability for numerous health problems. she was turned down. Another situation involves a termination. Sam is a 3.~ year old ,kind hearted gentleman who w~s recendy diagnosed with diabetes and had suffered a s~r."c;ke thit left him wea~';;n his le.ft side. He was ­ waitipg for his SS!'to be p.rocessed. At this t\Te· th7 only assistance ne was receiving was a smiifl amount 1 of food stamp~ ·~nd a ~edlcal 2a~d: How~ver. both the fo'i?fstaf!'ps and hi~ Medicaid we~e, taken away becaus~ he rr)fssed 1~ ap,POintment Wit~ liis tase­ WQrker. The ~e'ason that he didn't make his appoint­ ment was th~t he d'id n't have access to'a car. With Findlay being a rural comrhunity there is no public transportation· available; with Health and Human Services being way out in the country where it is too far to walk, especially for a stroke victim, Sam couldn't go to his scheduled appointment. Waiting for his SSI to be processed was taking too long and this gentleman gave up. In spite of his health problems, he started working at a fast food restau­ rant. This restaurant hardly meets his basic ex­ penses, and furthermore, provides no medical benefits. Therefore. because of his medical card . being removed, Sam h~s no idea of how he can get his life sustaining insulin and other medications. 0 �- STREETVIBES _.,..~---.--~----""'-------- The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine The Broken Citv. • • .. Mourners march through the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine to commemorate the life and work of buddy gray. FU GAZI by Vikki Lynn I'm writing this article as a public awareness. In September of 97, I was recovering from my third nervous breakdo.¥n that year.When I became Mrs. Gregory George Neumeister. my life had changed k>r the worse. My husband had taken a job as a night manager at a tri-county Skyline. He worked there for three months before deciding to go to the west. My daughter had left home shortly after we were ma rried,so I left with him. On our Waof he told me he had stolen eight hundred to one thousand dollars from that company. I listened as he bragged about how he did it. Here we were out in the desert when he wants to tell me his indiscretions only to begin to see him for what he really is. On December 6, '97, it was late and raining terribly when I was being forced off the road by two semi tractor trailers. I avoided a collision due to having defensive driving experience. He took CNer the wheel at that point and we stayed in FlagstaffArizona for the night. That was the beginning of a series of things that I had went thro ugh while married to this individual. Upon our arrival. we both looked for employment. He was rehired at a Jewelry Store he had worked at before . I got a job at a deli. I was hired to become a night manager while in training. O n Decembe r 26, '97, when I was leaving work two vehicles attempted to run me over in the parki ng lot of the place I worke d .A little later in that same even ing as I was nearing the parking area of the apartments I lived in, again two different cars tried . I quit that job because of the night.There was only the people I worked with and my husband who k new I was working that day. Luckily another place I put in an applicatio n at called me. I worked there t hrough t he holidays until I was laid off. From time to tim e I did te mporary work.W e started argu ing a lot CNe r money more and more. He wouldn't buy the necessary things needed .W hen I got paid, I'd buy food and what was important. One day he phoned me from his job, request­ ing that I mCNe out because we weren 't getting along. I followed up on whether he could do that and no he couldn't . I stayed anyway. January rent was three weeks late and we had to move into a rundown motel. I fixed it up the best I could with limited resources.Two weeks into February, I threw him o ut of the roo m. He moved into another motel roo m n ext doo r: I had started doing o dd jobs like painting the vacant rooms where I lived. He paid difference in rent. Later into that month, again he was complain­ ing about the money saying he wouldn't Pao/ two rents. I moved into his room because of more amen ities.The next daoj after mCNing in,I was ch'lnging the room around to have more space when I found women clothes under his bed. It took him tv.Q daots to tell the truth about them. He skipped work to make for it but to no avail. Earlier that same week a woman knocked on the door looking for him. On the Saturd aoJ follo.¥ing February 27, '98 she called his room. I answered the phone knowing by her voice who it was. I invited her over but she declined. Before he got off of work, I checked into an emergency shelter: I stayed there for remainder of our trip. March the tenth, I was leaving work from the same place I had worked before where that incident had occurred. I was expecting him to be waiting for me because he had came by my job to tell me he got fired for unprofessional behavior: I noticed he had parked at the back of the parking lot where it was somewhat darker. I walked along the sidewalk towards his car.As I approached him ,a car drove throwing a bottle at me and as I was ducking I felt fast heat going past my right ear. I stayed dOY>1n.near the ground besides a parked car while I heard shattered glass from a windOY>I break.When I looked at him, he just watched my expression on my face. I countered by yelling" so meones shooting" pointing past h im.but he v.Quldn't look around. My adrena­ line kicked in but I remained neutral. He told me then that he was going back to C incinnati. He let me drive myself to the shelter. My reply was good-bye. The next day I called in to talk to my boss abo ut working daot ho urs because of the circum-' stances but he was peeved and that kind of made up my mind about staying out west any longer.We hooked up that day and got drunk and were packed to leave when once again his girlfriend from Ken­ tucky shows up and he called security on her. Two days later we we re back in C incinnati.We got into a fight immediately upon arrival. I was e sco rted by Cheviot police to the Drop Inn Center. T hats ho.¥ I became homeless in Cincinnati for two weeks. In that time he searched everywhere loo king for me. He called my two closest friends and my aunt feverishly trying to apologize for all the wrong he had done. He finally caught up with me one morning walking to.vards the center. He started a mass campaign to win me CNe r. Even the employees there were sick of him. I agreed ~o talk to him so he would stop aggravat ing every­ o ne. He had bought an apartm ent o n Vine Street. I hung o ut t he re until my apartment was available through Metro po litan. I mCNed in o nApril the 16th of '98~wo days before that, I was at H&R Block Page 5 finding out he had went downtown to Social Security verifying information p ertaining to my daughters nu mber. I was crimson. I neve r did tell him w here I cnoved to. I wo rked through a temporary agency here while trying to get on my feet again. He sh<:M'ed up there lurking around until I wasn't being given any assignments. So I joined a workshop to better myself. I sought employment in Kentucky. I was hired and was paid better than any job I ever had.The sixth day of my employment,he shCM'ed up on my job filthy drunk and acted foolishly.That night, I paid him a visit. I never wo re my wedding ring again after t hat night. He called my employer trying t o get me fired .T hey just laughed at him to me. His doing that caused me to lose the profes­ sional respect that I had when I first started there. After two months of constant teasing and taunt ing, I quit.T he death threats had st opped whe n I returned to Cincinnati because he didn't have anyone to help him manipulate me. I decided not to work while being married to him any longer. He kept promising me heo give me a di'r'Orce but those are lies to get me to come over his apartment. On September 23rd '98, he admitted to the three attempts on my life and to t rying vigorously to have me fi red on all my jobs.When I first met him, I told him I didn't want to be bothered w ith a relat io n­ ship. I had my own problems to wo rk out. He promised me he would be good for me and help me through whatever because we had been treated so poorly by other people.This is what I get for being polite and giving someone a warm place to stay. TESTING THE THEORY by Vikki Lynn. I want to write about when I was homeless. It isn't the most comfortable situation to be in, but the opportunities are endless. Once I was in a new town and I didn't have any friends and I was broke. I went to an emergency shelter and slept on the floor when I stayed there until a bed was issued to me. I got a job working in a submarine sandwich store. They start you minimum wage and after I was there a week or two, I got a raise. I also worked through temporary services. The state I ventured in, you had to have union cards, and sheriff cards. That way you make more money by the hour. I also was due to start working at a trucking company, but it didn't come before I decided to return to Cincinnati. When I came back, I was temporarily homeless at the Drop Inn Center for two weeks until I got an apartment through Metropo litan Housing. Then I worked here in temporary employment until I applied for another job as a professional driver. So my point is, just because you are homeless, doesn't mean being hope less. I d idn't like some of t he rules but to stay in a warm place out of the cold was reasonable. I didn't have any clothes, shoes, or money. My options seemed limit ed. I never gave up and now I have all the amenit ies necessary in my apartment and plenty of clothes and shoes. My secret is I believe in God and I pray frequently. I know I couldn't have made it without him in my life. Foundation is everything. Then you can build yourself up. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine ~ Page 6 WORD ON THE MY PRAYER FOR I AM A YOU PRISONER STREET by Rick Ashcroft by James W Pryor Arts & Poetry LIFE LESSONS by John Chetuck Sometimes things aren't what they seem, F.or we all have free will and do as we please. Papa's hands are the ones that guide Only his words can you trust for. all others lie. One must often question what one can believe For words and deeds too often deceive. Friends are those we choose to hold close to heart. Times like these pull them apart. A teacher or mentor is one from whom we learn, But even t hat must be tempered or one might get burned. A lesson learned is one that cannot be erased. So choose your lessons well, and learn them, but fall not victim to fate. Because one must trust; not follow by blind faith. Because even the words of a mentor or friend can be faded, And the wounds left behind can remain for a time, As can the scars on ones heart and mind. So take these words to heart and heed them well, That what is reality and truth only time will tell. DIVERSITY by Wanda (OTR resident) The money people are attacking my home. On the west, their tearing down homes and the symphony wants Washington Park, in the name of cultural diversity On the east, the businessmen and the rich landlords push for a ballpark and intervine district, in the name of economic diversity On the north, a new coalition is rehabing apartments for the wealthy and taking over a historic market, in the name of economic diversity On the south, the downtown council wants to expand north and change all the streets to two-way, in the name of diversity In the center is my home and yours, the poor, working poor, handicaps, homeless, all live & survive, day to day The powers want diversity. We all ready have it. They should help, not attack. I will stand up for the right to live where I want, I won't be in the Middle of Diversity. May you always stop and think Before you relapse, and start to drink May you find your "higher power" And let him be with you each passing hour May your road to happiness be lined with gold And may all your dreams, somehow unfold May each of you find success along the way And may your road to recovery, start each day For tomorrow is not promised, it is said May relapse never, enter your head Always stop ~nd think, from where you came May your troubles, never remain the same May you find peace of mind at heart God has given each of us a new start So my prayer for each of you is the best He has showed us the way, we just have to do the rest. So good luck, in everything you do I say goodbye, the best of luck to each of you. I am a prisoner confined behind the razor wire of Orient Correctional Institution; I am a pr,i soner of the corruption of a system that is to terrifying to mention; I am a prisoner to judicial bias created by my ex-wife's greeds; I am a prisoner of the pain of my love for my four year old son, which makes up my hearts needs; I am a prisoner to a life without family, because my family are prisoners of their own lives; I am a prisoner to all of my wrong choices, and m yown mistakes; I am a prisoner to love, because it escapes me everyday; UNTITLED. I am a prisoner who longs to live and be free. by James Curry The Beast is indisputable Because it is immutable. It uses reason in its quest, So simple recognition's best. It knows not time, but looks ahead For any time it may be fed. A day, a year, a century, Is fine in its eternity. You know your Beast is treatment-wise; You'd now be better, otherwise. "Treatment" means, "When you fee l well, Then tell your Beast to go to hell. " The Beast knows well you'll not feel well Enough for long enough to tell Just when it's finally time to yell, "It's time for you to go to hell." And when you do feel well enough, The reason's lost; you'll want your stuff. But "Never!" sets the Beast aflame. That word alone can win the game. Say "Never!" now, and feel the view Of freedom-joy, with hope anew. Say "Never!" now, and step ahead To sober living. Treatment's dead THE QUESTION by John Chetuck The !onliness inside feeding my pain The constant rejection feuling my rage, T his feeling I know, sadness is its name. A heart with no wings that wants so b~dly to fly; Eyes that wish to lend tears, But cannot for they've run dry. A prayer to the heavens as the dreams slowly fade, I have nothing left John Doe is my name. Searching through life, Hoping to find the answers to the riddles that puzzle my rriind. A soul that is lost searching for peace; A body full of desire wanting release And the heart of the dreamer wanting eternal sleep, Why is it that faith is so hard to keep. INADEQUATE by Lisa Webster It smells like something has just died. Down on hands and knees, I search the rug. My fingers rake the plush. Under these nails there is some dirt and blood, but no hope. Digital and vacant, a voice reaches me. Solace to silence. It reminds me how close I am to becoming a simple whore. I want to tear that need from my skin, to expose what lies beneath. It just gets muted by a desperate quiet that scares even me. I bring my knees to the floor, come eye to eye. Rolling and rolling, covering myself with something, more pure. Something perhaps, human. �-- - - - - --- ---.. STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Nationwide STREETSMARTS October 9, 1998 Dear Fellow Member ----~- of NASNA, Here in Miami.we 're about to publish our first issue of StreetSmartsWe need your help in~ areas: I .The city and county governments here in South Florida have told us that they plan to ban t he sale of StreetSmarts any way they can.They do not want our paper drawing attention to the 15,000 homeless here.Tourists might be offended.The ACLU.of course, will help us. But they've asked me to ask you if you've had similar problems in your a re a.And if so, can you send me a copy of the complaint as well as a copy of the decision on the complaint. Please share with us any experience you've had with government agencies arresting·or; harassing vendors, req uiring vendor licenses, etc. And their outcomes. 2. Part of our vendor strategy here is to work with clients of agencies such as the Rescue Mission, the SalvationA r my.and other homeless-helping organizations. Most demand to knCM' if there 's a precedent of street papers in other cities working with agencies like theirs. Just this morning l".tiami's SalvationA r my Captain told us that he would need specific information about other cities Salvation Armies selling street papers before he would commit t o working w ith us.T his is a conserva t ive and often fearful place; no o ne wants to be first. If you can help w ith any of the above, please write the address below (enclosing any supporting documents). fax 305.757.2448 (again, with support­ ing documents), email streetsmarts@kaisercom.com (attaching supporting documents) or call 305.754.8833 . We need answers as s~on as possible. In return, once we get through this first push, if I get a body of legal decisions, I'll compile everything and distribute it to the NAS NA membership. Thank you for your help in this matter. Cordially. Frank Kaiser THE 1999 HUD BUDGET Submitted by Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, the 1999 Budget is the best in I0 years for HUD. In a video conference in early October, Cuomo and Assistant Secretary Harold Lucas said we are "back in the housing business." There were increases in the Section 8 program, the homeless assistance McKinney programs, and there was a public housing bill. Cuomo said that HUD has spent years reforming itself and was viewed as an "obstacle to housing policies." He credited reform begun under ­ previous Secretary Henry Cisnaro and the progr ess made by the C linton administration in obtaining such a healthy budget. He also thanked advocacy and housing groups for making housing a prior ity. The HUD appropriation} bill also contained a new Public Housing bill, which was touted as . making public housing better. "fhe bill will at cord:.' ing to HUD officials help reduce crime by tearing down "failed projects" and replace them with mixed income communities. They were able to rebuff Republican attempts to make tenants volunteer for the housing authorities in exchange for living in subsidized units. There are new caP;i1;QI funds to build scattered site housing. In the Section 8 program, there will be an additional 90,000 vouchers nationwide with 50,000 going for welfare to wo r k programs. T his is the first increase in more than two years. The troubled Cleveland program which is currently under oversight of an outside consulting firm will receive an additional 150-200 vouchers. Cordell Cooper, Community Development Director, said the 1999 budget will raise the FHA loan limits. The FHA insurance program insures loans made by private banks to lower income families. The new increases will allow more families to enter the world of home ownership. Cooper also reported an 18.5% increase in funds for homeless programs. Cooper said, "We would hope that we can deliver a quality year in serving the public. The Fair Housing Department o f HUD will also receive an increase to do more investigations of minority discrimination in housing. STREETSMARTS COALITION INC. 780 NE 69 STREET/ SUITE I 709 MIAMI, FL 33138 Subscribe to Streetvibes HAIKU by Brett Zwolinski An Un.rhymed Japanese v erse f o rm of three li n es containing usually 5 , 7 , 5 (or 7,5,7) syllables respectiv ely. Please submit your suggestions for monthly Haiku to Brett Zwolinski at STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Now, Matt Mitchell ' s Haiku: jumping note to note laughing above city ligh ts; steps in harmony Page 7 Subscriptions t o Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 pe r ye ar. Plea se se nd a check t o the be low address and the pa p er will be maile d to you e ach issue. Streetvibes I506 Elm St reet C incinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Great er Cincinnati Coa lition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If yo u have any questio ns, call '421-7803 . WILLIAM R . WALLACE, D.D .S. 5258 MONTGOMERY AO. NORWOOD. OH 45212 Telephone (513) 531· 2338 payroll and human resource management TRANSCON EMPLOYMENT COMPANY Angle E. St r unk, CEO 1-888-841-7900 (513) 841-5550 Fax: (513) 841-5545. P.O. Box 12545 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 angie_strunkOmsn.com · Phone: 921-1231 STATE AVENUE SALVAGE HISTO RI CAL BLDG. MATERIALS ' EARL (CHARLIE) MATIINGLY A~OTHER C L.\ S S 1958 S~ate Aye. Cinti., OH 45204 P~ O O CCTIO=" Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 (513) 230-6353 FACTS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : * In Cuy ahoga County, Ohio alone 20,000 people go homeless each year. *The Ohio Coalition for the Homeless es t ima tes t h at 1 4 0 , 000 people f ind t h e mselves ho meless each year through ou t the states *A recent study by the National Coalition for the Homeless showed that 13.5 million people across the country lived in shelters or on the street at some time in their lives . *The U.S . Census Bureau made a poor attempt at estimating homelessness that even the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development won't use. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine TURN THE PAGE by 0. Moneyhon ALLOW YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD by James Pryor, In Struggle Being a prisoner in the State of Ohio, I have learned many valuable lessons. One is that, to the system and society, I do not mean anything, because I've committed a crime. It wasn't a violent crime, just one committed by an eighteen year old boy, twenty years ago, who car:ne from a lower class family. Now I am a product of a corrupt capitalistic system that profits off of my misfortune. Due to my peril, I can offer empathy to the homeless, because I've been without, I receive no medical care, and society has turned its back on me and others like me. It really hurts to be isolated from a world in which you once belonged. One that you long to be a part of, and one you held tight to in your dreams. However, that world has cut me off, and now I am a prisoner of an enemy, from whom I receive constant maltreatment and harassment. The food is minimal and poor, medical care is next to no nexistent and the living conditions are deplorable, not much unlike being homeless. Society has ostracized the homeless and prisoners as though they are diseases they want no part of. They fail to see that we are human beings, just as they. These thoughts are created by a media dictated to by the upperclass, who are self-centered and uncaring. Th is is a social illness in itself, created by ignorance and power. We must create defenses against these entities. This can be done by our voting power, creating agendas and asking ou r legislators to enact laws or pass bills to heal the illness. The majority of local elections are won by a slim margin of votes. Organization of the agencies and networks that support prisoners and rights of the homeless, needs to occur. There is a voice in unity. and it must be spoken before this illness gets further out of control. Politicians running for office have overlooked an important constituency that can be influenced by felons. For every man and woman in prison, there are 3.4 husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, grandfa­ thers, sons, lovers, friends, and others who care about the welfare and safety of the prisoner. This is the same for the homeless of Ohio. There are agencies, some churches, family, citizens and others who care greatly about the welfare and safety of the homeless. All of these folks must be convinced to vote for the candidate who stands for social change, rehabilitation, redemption, restorative justice, and human compassion. I would like to bring this together, and hope for your support. As is very evident, I have plenty of time to work on it. I would like all churches, agencies, organizations, and individuals of compas­ sion to write me. In your letter, inform me of your concerns and views. From these I will take the majority of similar issues and concerns, and thus, create an a·g enda to present to our legislators. Also, I will inform them of the number of votes they can receive by acting on our behalf. There can be no justice in today's social ills until we take a stand. It is important to realize the power we have to influence elections and we should study the record of candi­ dates and advise our families and friends accordingly. Please contact me, James W . Pryor R# I09988, P.O. Box 51 I. Columbus, Ohio _43216. Please send a self-addressed embossed envelope for a reply! It was yard day. A black man wearing state issued powder blue pajamas was sitting alone near the inmate band in the prison hospital's courtyard. The rest of the crowd - infirmed prisoners, healthy prison workers, and staff - were scurrying about for more fresh grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, and fo r blobs of baked beans and potato salad served ·on Styrofoam plates. Many of the inmates were in wheel chairs. One had an l.Y. tree with one clear bag overhead and one bag of blood which matched the ketchup on the condiment table. The people who were finished eating were talking and smoking cigarettes as the band played another country song. The old man was positioned on an elevated patio which was like his own little stage just a bit lower than the band. The bass player walked deep notes around the scratchy, whining, gentle moaning of guitars. The drummer thumped predictably to the simple melodies. The old patient had a distin­ guished lo9king curly gray beard and hair. He was leaning back in a turquoise molded fiberglass seat. His eyes were closed, head tilted slightly to one side, as though drifting to the music. In the background, the blue-gray smoke from the grills drifted lazily but steadily upward. The charcoal smell mingled with the cigarette smoke in the not-so-large circular courtyard surrounded by tall brick walls. The old inmate seemed to be waltzing inwardly like the dancing smoke. After awhile, the band acquiesced to a requested side trip from country songs. Several people had asked the band to play Bob Seger tunes. Just then, !'Turn the Page" seemed to perfectly fit the scene of the meditating prisoner. For a moment that seemed rich enough and reverent enough for an eternity, the soulful words " O n the road again, up on the stage. H.ere I go again. Turn the page," seemed to move the man far from the confines of his low place in prison and far from his chronic, possibly terminal, illness. For the first time all afternoon, no one clapped at the end of the song. The peaceful old man's eyes remained closed as he drifted in silence. EDUCATION AS CRIME PREVENTION: .Providing Education To Prisoners by James Pryor, In Struggle There is a strong link between low levels of education and high rates of criminal activity, and one of the best predictors of adult criminal behavior is involvement with the criminal justice system as a juvenile. With so few resources devoted to the education of juvenile offenders, it is not surprising that so many remain involved in the criminal justice system well into their adult lives. Like their juvenile counterparts, adults involved in the criminal justice system are severely undereducated. Nineteen percent of adult inmates are completely illiterate, and 40% are "functionally illiterate," which means, for example, that: th.ey would be unable to write a letter explaining a billing error. Comparatively, the national illiteracy rates for adult Americans standards at 4% with 21 % function­ ally illiterate. The rate of learning disabilities in adult correctional facilities runs high, at I I%, compared to 3% in the general population. Low literacy levels and high rates of learning disabilities within this population have contr ibuted to high dropout rates. Page B Nationwide. over 70% of all people entering state correctional facilities have not completed high school, with 46% having had some high school education and 16.4% having had no high scho o l education at all. Nationally, reported rates of recidivism for adult o ffenders in the United States are extrao rdinar­ ily high, ranging from 4 1% to 60%. The difficulty in pinpointing specific rates of recidivism is often due to a confusion of terms. The national re-arrest rate, around 63%, is different from the re-imprisonment rate, which averages around 41 %. Programmatic efforts to reduce recidivism have ranges from boot camps and shock incarceration fac ilities to prison­ based education efforts. The effectiveness of these programs varies, but research shows that prison­ based education and literacy programs are much more effective at lowering recidivism rates than either boot camps or shock incarceration. For example, in a recent report on crime prevention programs conducted at the request of the U.S. Justice Department researchers at the University of Mary.land found that teaching reading skills to juveniles worked significantly better to reduce crime that boot camp programs. "Correctional Education Appears To Be The Number One Factor In Reducing Recidivism Rates Nationwide." - Alabama State Board of Education. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, there is ari inverse relationship between recidivism rates and education. The more education received, the less likely an individual is to be re-arrested o r re­ imprisoned. A report issued by the Congressional Subcom­ mittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency estimates that the national recidivism rate for juvenile offend­ ers is between 60% and 84%. For juveniles involved in quality reading instruction programs, the recid i­ vism rate can be reduced by 20% or more. A five-year follow-up study conducted by the Arizona Department of Adult Probation concluded that probationers who received literacy training had a significantly lower re-arrest (35%) than the control group (46%). and those who received GED educa­ tion had a re-arrest rate of 24%, compared to the control group's r:ate of 46%. Inmates with at least two years of college education have a I0% re-arrest rate, compared to a national re-arrest rate of approximately 60%. Research studies conducted in Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and other states have all reported significantly low recidivism rates for inmate participants in correctional higher-education programs, ranging from I% to 15.5%. As with all research on prisons and jails, data on correctional education tends to focus on specific localities or states. Texas is on jurisdiction which has done extensive research on the success of correctional higher education. The overall recidivism rate for degree holders leaving the Texas Department of Criminal Justice between September 1990 and August 1991 was I5%, four times lower than the general recidivism rate of 60%. A two-year follow-up report found that the higher level of degree awarded was inversely related to the level of recidivism - individuals with associate's degrees had a recidivism rate of 13.7%, those with bachelor's degrees had a rate of 5.6%, and those with master's degrees had a rate of zero. One must wonder as to the reluctance, nationwide, to implement educational programs into the United States prisons. It is evident by statistics and the rate of recidivism, that such practices greatly reduce the reoccurrence of crime by ex-offenders, greatly reducing the need for new prison construc­ tion. Yet, our legislators sign laws into existence which have opposite effects. Again, one must question their objective in filling prisons and returning prisoners to society who will recommit . . Taxpayers, especially here in Ohio, suffer financ ially due to such mismanagement. It's no longer a silent entity to be ignored, it is evident everywher e! [Source: Center on Crime, Communities & Culture. (1997, September). Education as Crime Prevention Providing Education To Prisoners. New York: NY: OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTEJ �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine 11 BORDER AWARENESS IN MEXICO .. . 11 From the Journal of Patrick Harmon 9/17/98 The college of Mt St Joseph is now in its third year Qf sending students down to the U.S./Mexico border. This "Border Awareness" trip is hosted by the "Women's lnterculturo/ Center" in Anthony, New Mexico. Students visit Anthony, El Paso, Texos and Juarez, Mexico. On the trip in Moy of 1998, the group visited cooperatives, unions, parishes, devel­ opment projects, and border patrol agents. We each spent time with families on both sides of the border. The following is a journal entry about a fomily I stayed with on the other side of the fence. Chabela's father Hector has very bad hearing, when she introduced me to him it was hard for us to understand each other. His shiny eyes would squint and his weather beaten cheeks would scrunch up as he cupped his hand around his right ear. I had to get in his face and speak very loud and clear, and through he could understand, it always looked as if he were trying a little too hard. He would return my questions and talk about his life in a very loud voice. almost as though he was yelling. exaggerating the expressions on his face to make up for his lack of hearing-sending all the children who had gathered around into fits of laughter. We were sitting down at the kitchen table drinking instant coffee and eating deep fried tortillas covered in sugar as.the sunset began to fade off the mountains in the desert of northern Mexico. Outside the cinder block house, I could hear mothers calling their children home from the dirt streets and tr.ails that snake through the community of Centro Santa Catarina. Through the kitchen window I saw electricity being turned on in the houses and shanties up the ravine, light streams out into the night through open windows and gaps in walls. A light breeze drifted in and out of curtains, everything smells of burning garbage and dust. Chabela kept an eye on her 5 children while she cooked on the propane stove and smiled, listening to Hector and I yell : teach other. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail and fell over her broad shoulders down as she fried up rice. beans and potatoes. Hector, tired of yelling. gets up and announces that he was going to get "the apparatus." He returns frqm the other room with a large, old school hearing aid that he swears hurts him to wear. He tells me that he lost his hearing working on a job at a filling station in Texas some years ago, and that he has been to "curas" all throughout northern Mexico to no avail. "At one point," he tells me, " I was eating 40 pills a day." He shrugs his shoulders with a disgusted look on his face , "40 pills" he repeats, "Que Va?" While Chabela cooks, she tells me that she was born in Juarez. and although s)le has traveled to other towns and cities in the Mexican deserts, she has come back here to raise her children. Her husband works at an auto parts plant in Chicago and sends home small amounts of money. " He comes home when he can, if God will it he will return home in August for a visit," she says. looking away from me. " He has to get his papers together." The way she tells me this betrays deeper feel ings within her, as though she talks about him coming home only for the sake of her young children. She says her husband wants to gather enough funds together and send for the whole family-to pay for their passports to come live with him-"but this is a dream, it is not secure enough." Till that time they decided to buy this small plot of land here, at the old dump, so they have something to fall back on. She smiles and mentions that she built this kitchen room all by herself. It is an impressive project, w ith the materials she could afford. There is a small piece of land in the back that is level before the hillside tumbles over into a trash ravine-she wishes to build another addition on that. "When the summer months come, the kitchen is too hot for her children to sleep in, with the sun coming in through the window-a place in the back would provide much more space. and be a lot cooler." When dinner is ready everyone crowds around the table to chow down. Chabela serves Hector and I first, then the children. She fixes a small plate for herself but there are not enough seats at the table for her to eat. I hate machismo culture, but I remain silent and practice eating by tearing off pieces of a tortilla and scooping up the food by hand. I eat more than I should to show respect. Chabela explains to me that the women's group at church has given her so much. Before she joined, she was isolated, most of the time she stayed at home with her children or by herself, introverted or sad. Now that she has a group to meet with, she has been learning how to express herself, sharing with other women of the neighborhood. She went into the other room and returned with a book of poetry, written in both English and in Spanish, by a woman who was a refugee from Guatemala. " I used to think that I was poor," she said with a d istant look in her eyes, "that I was the only one who suffered. Now I see that we are not alone, and that there are so many people who suffer more than us." She talked of a passage in the book that told of a village being burned by the army, of a mother shot down with her baby in her arms. "What about Chiapas?" I ask. "How do you, as Mexicans feel about what is going on here in your own country?" It seems as though I keep asking this quest ion of the people here. One woman I had talked with earlier told me that everyone feels the pain. Her husband swore that if he had the money, he would assist them. If he had arms he would send them, and if he had no.family he would go and fight. Chabela tells me that she doesn't understand why the military is there, why they have to go into the indigenous villages and kill people. She says that most people here feel a profound sadness about the whole thing. There have been demonstrations in Juarez, all the way at the other end of this large country, for peace in Chiapas. But Chiapas is not the only region in which there is suffering-perhaps in all parts of Mexico people live life as a daily struggle to put food on the plates of their families. Juarez and the whole border area are a perfect example. If you were to go look around both Juarez and El Paso you would see that the only resource that this area has to offer, is cheap labor-labor at exploitative wages. The workers might migrate here to the "maquiladoras" or sweatshops, to feed their families-yet they are not so stupid as to fail to see that the reasons the maquilas are here is to exploit. As for a factory in the U.S.. it is a question of paying an average of $25,000 a year in salary, benefits and security; or three or four dollars a day in northern Mexico. With the passage on NAFTA in 1994, the market has been flooded with cheap corn from U.S. agribusiness. Small-scale farmers can't compete against the productivity of industrial farming. All throughout Mexico, families have been steadily losing their jobs and their land; many are forced to migrate to the sweatshops or attempt crossing the border to find work. When the dishes are taken from the table, Hector lights a cigarette and begins to sing ranchero songs for the whole family. He prides himself, telling me that he knows a song for every person's name. I walk outside to the faucet to wash up, listening to his deep, lonesome cowboy voice, singing a song about Patricio, who got cheated on some job and left without enough money to even get drunk. After returning I ask him to sing a song about Hector, but he tells me that the only ones he knows are sad. I ask him if he knows any of the legendary "Ojo de Vidrio" songs. They are about the Mexican man who was wrongly accused of stealing horses and murdering an U.S. Marshall. Ojo de Vidrio see out alone on a horse for months riding in circles around gringo posses who had been sent into the desert to get him. Only when the burden of missing his family became too great did he return as a hero to be captured. A man who swore that Vidrio's only Page 9 crime was that of being an excellent horseman defended him in court. Hector smiled and tried to remember one of the ranchero songs about this, then laughed, explaining that the singer who sung those songs had a worse voice than his. It's getting late. I take a break from the conversation and relax on the small bed that they have offered me beside the window in the kitchen. One of the children with a look of wonder struck across his face shows me the two-week old kitten that he holds in his hands. Chabela asks me if I need anything before she goes into the other room with the rest of the children to watch late night soap operas on the TV. As I try and reflect over the last few days, I watch hector unfold an old spring bed and prop it up on some concrete blocks. " For my back," he explains, as he rolls out his bed roll. I bum a smoke and try to relax: images rise up like sand dunes blown across the desert. I think of droughts and fires, of migrating peoples, of a river and a thin line. The boarder through El Paso is the Rio Grande, channeled to control its tendency to carve out and erode its banks. On the U.S. side there are double fences with razor wire, motion detectors, cameras, boarder patrol trucks within sight of each other and a chopper in the air at all times. On the Mexican side I saw a mural of Che Guevarra as I walked across a bridge. A few months ago the b.oarder patrol pulled over a large moving truck out in the desert with a 14-year-old kid driving. When the officers were approaching they heard screaming and banging coming from the back. When they cut off a padlock and opened the door, over 70 people spilled out dehydrated, gasping for air. They had used boots and belt buckles to bust holes in the sides of the truck so they could breathe. Mothers often are exposed to hazardous substances while working in the maquiladoras. Children are being born with birth defects, others never mature; some mothers have lead in their milk. I walked up to the fence and stared at the shacks and the children, who stared at me, a train rolled by full of goods going north. 150 years ago people risked their lives against the system to ~muggle slaves to freedom . I sit in the kitchen while the blue desert morning grows outside the window. The bare light bulb casts a circle of light over the space where I write. Flies dance on the edge of coffee cups, looking for grains of sugar. I hear roosters up and down the hillside, calling out to each other, some­ where in the distance a dog barks as a car engine starts up. Hector, my grandfather companion has left, he finished his tall cup of coffee, put his tortillas and beans in a sack, shared a cigarette w ith me and headed out toward the bus route. He works as a laborer, manually loading construction trucks with concrete, sand and stone. He told me that they were poor, but their door was always open. I follow him outside and watch him leave, walking up the dirt road over a little rise, then disappearing. I look down the ravine toward Juarez at all the lights scattered out like a bag of stars busted in the sand. remember waking up, as if in a dream, the Chihua­ hua Desert wind ripping down from the mountains, in through the open window where I slept. There is something in the desert, slow, unmoving, suddenly breaking into a storm. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Hom eless Grap evine STREETVIBES Editorials & Letters HOMELESSNESS IS REAL .. . by Julia Fischer, Ursaline Academy 12th grade While clutching my mother's hand and trying to fight back tears, I closed my eyes to avoid the scene before me. A homeless man sat on the street corner. His clothes were ragged, his face dirtx. and his eyes were heavy with sadness. In front of him sat a.can with a few coins,.but all these im'a&es escaP,~d my eyes. This five-y.ear old couldn't stand the-tragic scene. When I closed my eyes, I believed what I couldn't see, didn't exist. At that moment, for me~ homelessness didn't extst. It was not until my sehior year that I again had a head-on collision with the homeless, but my attitude hadn't changed. The images in the newspa­ per or TV could have been scenes from a foreign country- they weren't real to me. Homelessness was not present in the suburbs; I never went into the city to find it. Poverty wasn't my problem. As a new project of my school's Mission Club, the members were expected to work beside, eat with, and talk to people who didn't have a place to go home at night. I wasn't sure if I could handle the challenging situations ahead: poverty, illiteracy, illicit drugs. and abuse. I had no experience with such topics and felt very uneasy. After my day was done, I could return home to a full table and a loving family. I worried that I would be resented, a well-off "do-gooder", in downtown Cincinnati for a few hours only to return to my flawless life in the suburbs. As I continue to work downtown, my concerns are slowly easing. Forgetting my anxieties, I focus instead on the people I encounter and the insights I have gained. One such person that has left a definite impression on me is a young boy living in downtown Cincinnati named Damion. One afternoon, Damion crept into the Children's Community Center. He looked longingly at the food on the table, but did not say a word. "Would you like anything to eat?" I asked. "A bagel? Apple? Coke?" " No, no thank you." "Are you sure? Would you like any Starbursts?" A smile. Bingo. I know what Damion likes. " Have as many as you like. We don't need them," I said with a smile. Three handfuls of Starbursts later Damion was feasting on apples, bagels, and Coke. Food was the bridge between Damion and me. The bond grew stronger as we played games on the computer. "What does that say?" he asked. "Um, Funny Faces. You wanna play that?" "Nah, that one?" "Wheel of Fortune..." "Yah, that one." A few minutes after playing Wheel of Fortune on the computer, I realized Damion couldn't read. "You know what that says?" he asked. "Um, I don't know. What do you want to guess?" I replied. "I don't know." R_VER,1:he computer screen read. Why doesn't he say "I?" Isn't it obvious what the answer is, I thought to myself. He's ten years old. It's not like he can't read... Oh no, he can't. For a moment I forgot where I was. In some ways. I was playing a game with a toddler for whom I Page 10 baby-sit. Tears filled my eyes. Never before had I met a fourth grader who couldn't read. "Why don't you try an ''l'T' I said . "Great job! We won the round!" For the rest of the day Damion clung to me. Each time I looked at him, I felt sad, but his enthusi­ asm warmed my heart. At such a young age, he has endured more hardships then I will probably ever face. Yet Damion helped me understand the impor­ tance of education. love, and service. Education will teach him to read, write. add. subtract, and take. charge of his life. Love will shield him from negative influences that hinder his life. Service will provide the foundation for building self-worth and confidence not only in Damion, but in myself. Dear Friend: I 0/10/98 I received the STREETVIBES and my request was printed in it. It was my hope and prayer that someone would hear my cry and distress through my request. However. there was no P.O. Box SI I. Columbus. Ohio 43216 Where I can be rea'c;hed. Make no mistake. your great concern is more than appreciated. Would you please re-print my ad or run my address in the paper- or however you see it! May God keep blessing you in your struggle. In Solidarity, lee Crum WARNING! Job Seekers I 0/22/98 Dear Friend: Should it be possible, prease place my address with my ad, so I can receive letters or pen pals. I also wish to thank you for printing my ad. Also, I mailed you-a.letter and it rewrned to ~ me- stating 45210. Incorrect- 45202/ I0 ac.ceptable. by Vikki Lynn l always read through-the want adS w~en­ looking-for a.job or just seeing what's available: What I've noticed on the last company I applle.q ~ ! was badly treated by a few oi the employees. "fhe second day on the job, I was calleda "bitch'1 and ' ! "nigger" by one of the workers. I don't know what I could have done while working th.ere tp that 1 individual, but nevertheless I suffered what is called . ''restraint of trade." I did resign to avoid a very badcf scene. The supervisor that I spoke to·said that that>, J person is difficult and try to work beside them anyway. I don't think so! At another j9b Iwas .) employed at, I was sexually accosted by an employe~ and my superiors did nothing about it.· I quit and they offered me my job back saying they were givini. me a second chance. Behavior like that wouldn't be tolerated because it was bad for the company as if it was my fault. How ironic! In 97', I got a job as a school bus driver for 'I special children. On the last day I worked there someone pulled up besides me and tried to run_me -> off the road. Get this, the training instructor was on the bus at the time and didn't do one thing about it. She didn't radio for help, she just sat there with a stupid look on her face. Iwrote down the license number, called the police, and contacted the director of transportation. I called an attorney I knew who suggested several avenues of defense, but to no avail. I was fired three weeks short ofbeing eligible for unemployment which you get if you don't work over the summer. So I say to you,"lf you are looking for a job or want to better yourself circumstances, Isuggest watch the company you choose closely before cosidering working there. It may not be worth your while. Read how often their company is seeking help. It may be something wrong with their picture."Photo by jimmy Heath - Thank you and Ma.y God' Continue bressing you ·alf.! In Solidarity, > A lee Crum 239-589 P.O. Box 511 (OCI) - - Columbus, OH 43216/0511 .' Dear Mr. Crum: Regretobly, we here at STREETVIBES were unable to locate your ad. However, it is our hope that the inclusion of your address here will render you solace in your endeavor to maintain contact with those on the outside. furthermore, your address .exists in the announcements section of REEETVIBES on page I5. If you hove any concerns please write to us again here at STREETVIBES. sf RESPECTING YOUR PEOPLE by Lolonta Foster Today I want to talk about respect.. Today in this world people have been disrespecting people by using words and actions in ways we people don't like. See people. when you disrespect other people, you know someone will disrespect you back. I know a lot of you out there know about respect, so you can just stop reading this. So, the people that don't know about respect you need to listen up. So for those of you that don't know about respect, there isn't nothing to it. Well, respect is when you go tell someone you love them or how beautiful they are, not by going up to them and trying to go mess up their face because you're jealous. Now, those of you that are on the streets and you know you disrespected your parent, I feel sorry for you because I would never disrespect my parent so that I would be where you are. So, one day you will look back and say, "Well, I think I disrespected my mom or dad!" Then you get on your feet and go find your family that you are sorry and please and beg them for forgiveness. Well. I was giving you all that are out a little something to think about. Good luck to you all!! �- - - - -- - - - - --- -------- - - STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page II Scramble byRancarter T ry to unscramble t hese related ~ COME ONE COME ALL TO THE -"MEETING ON THE OLD CAMP GROUND" SATURDAY r..- NOVEMBER 7, 1998 r..- 6:30 P.M. words: LEW EONLAH MPUPIKN SAMTIRCHS OWSN WNEAREYS ARTPY AVEENINLTS AYD DYCNA GHANKSTGIVIN KUTEYR at FIRST NEW SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH 710 SOUTH CRESCENT AVENUE CINCINNATI, OHIO 45229 MICHAEL K. CASH, PASTOR Answers on page I 5. ANONYMOUS GUESTS AT THE MEETING: UNITED PRAISE VOICES OF HOPE FIRST NEW SHILOH MASS CHOIR TRIBE GOSPEL CHOIR THE VOICES FROM HEAVEN ·M s. BURNETTA PRICE, SOLOIST OLIVET ANGELIC YOUTH CHOIR MS. TASHIA HANKERSON, SOLOIST ELDER & MRS. CLARENCE PRINGLE NORTHERN KENTUCKY BROTHERHO.O D-SINGERS Sister & Bro ther, put do wn your d rugs. So o ur children can put down the irs. You old drug use r, is getting our young ones into the drug game. You are creating new drug users, w ife beate rs, fatherless children, mothers who... Leave their children It's time to stop. You are and w ill be held accountable. AS.KING ALL THAT WILL TO WEAR DEN IM OR BLUEJEAN A1TIRE MRS. ANNIEBELL RILEY, COORDINATOR Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptio ns to Stre etvibes ca n be purchased for $12 per ye ar. Please se nd a check to the below addre ss and the paper will b e mailed to you each issue. Stre etvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnat i, OH 45210 Ple ase make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421 -7803. r.J 272-0 90 3 Community Celebration. Live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721- 7339 Subscribe to Streetvibes COMEDY CORNER by Ron Carter There once was a cop named Smife, who carried a gun and knife. His gun was all dusted and his knife was all rusted, becuase he never caught a crook in his life. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Hom.eless Grapevine Page 12 FORMERLY HOMELESS: VETERANS ARE D.OING WELL by William Stone Submitted by Iola S. Green, HCHV Coordinator My name isW illiam Sto ne and I have been a compulsive gambler fo r ove r 30 years. In October 1996, I ent ered and completed the PTSD Program at theVAMC in Cincinnati, Ohio and began to deal w ith my problems from Vietnam. I was also attending GamblersAnonymous (GA) ,which I had off and on since 1976 when I got out of prison the first time. In January 1997, my life finally began to turn arou nd. Homeless and no where to go from the halfway house I had been sent to from prison, I was placed into the 6 month ResidentialTreatment Program at Joseph House by theVA HCHV Program With the help of Iola Green placing me into Joseph and the dedication and devotion from Sister Kateri M. Koverman.Clinical Director of Joseph House and Dr. James Ryan, the consulting psychologist, I started to hear and listen about my addiction, its strange hold on me, and how to work a successful reco.'ery. But I'm a slow learner and it didn't come right w:Nay. For the first three months of the Program. I continued to gamble,but didn't tell anyone at Joseph House.Then, guilt ridden and shamed of how I was and what I was doing. I told the staff at Joseph House. Iwas immedi- William Stone ately put on a Behavioral Contract, but felt relieved t hat everything was now in the open. Although I still have temptations often and have to deal with casino ads, lottery billboards, and the constant advertisements throughout the entire media, I no longer want to gamble.Through the Joseph House Program, my Ga mblersAnonymous fellowship, and my new relationship with my Higher Power, God, I am happy with who I am and with what I'm doing. I've gone from resident at Joseph House to Resident Manager at Moses House, a transitional housing program run by Joseph House, Inc.,to theAdm in istrativeAssistant at Joseph House. I am also on the Board ofTrustees as the first former­ graduate on the Board to represent the resident view in the decision making processes so vital to the homeless veterans Joseph House serves. I'm proud of who I am and as I help other recovering addicts at Joseph House, I continue to help myself. I consider \Jou Y\now +hose~ h.0Mons core about·as :f'\uch ~or euc:h . oth~~a~the~~ · -~~:~~~ do USo ..... -1·~- myse lf to be successful now but realize that wit h the illness of co mpulsive gambling, I must continue t o attend my GA meetings, keep totally surrendered to my Higher Fbwe r; Go d.and keep total honesty with my communities both at Joseph House and in the GA fellowship. I understand that I have a life lo ng mission to continue and am willing to do whatever is necessary to abstain from gambling. I'm also proud to say that I am beginning to recO'/er the relation­ ships with my five ch ildren and nine grandchil~ren which I almost destroyed during my addiction days. That will require life long humility and work too, but that which is worthwhile takes time and patience, both of which I have plenty to give. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 -News From Cleveland s Grapevine 1 LIFE AFTER WELFARE REFORM by Brian Davis After one year bf reform of welfare in the state of Ohio, there have been dramatic changes, but activists wonder if at the end of the day the commu­ nity is better-served .The Department of Human Services has split into two separate fields. One is known as Health and Nutrition which coordinates Medicaid, child care, and the food stamps program. The other is theWork andTraining Department which administers the cash program and works with the participants to assist in self sufficiency skills including finding a job. The Department has decentralized its services by setting up seven satellite offices in the community with four more in the works.They have reassigned · almost every case manager and provided training to almost fNery worker in the department.The case workers are in the community in an attempt to be more convenient to their clients. In the past two months, the department has started to convert · ' individuals from pape; fo~~d s~mps to electronic stamps that work in much the same way as a bank card. In Cuyahoga county. the welfare caseloads receiving cash assistance has dropped to 16,000 families down from 27,000. Cuyahoga County is actually behind other counties in reducing the welfare caseload with some counties cutting as much as 80% of those who were previously receiving assistance. CaseWorkers Reserve University Center for Urban Poverty studied those who left the welfare roles between 1996and 1997.Theyfound that46% were not making any money one year after leaving welfare, and another I I% were making less that $4,000 per year.They found that only about one third of the population was making $12,000 or more a year after they had left the welfare roles. With the number of worker in training, the new phone systems, and the confusion over the changes.both the Welfare Department and the County Ombudsman, and independent mediator and arbiter; report dramatic increases in complaints from recipients. Joe Gauntner. Director of Health and Nutrition, feels that those problems are in the past. He said," We feel we are on the downward curve (of complaints)'.' Rosalinda Denore, Special Projects Coordina­ tor of the Empowerment Center of Cleveland, is·not so sure that the worst of the problems are in the past. "There certainly is a lot of confusion:' Denore said. "They have set it up to make it easier, but they . have still not put in the i:ieces in place.They need training about being respectful and empathetic to the clients:· Denore said,"There are some who are really trying hard. Overall there is a lot of confusion and missing information and they cannot take time to help their clients:· 1 S ~eteWerheim,the County Ombudsman.said tl;iat they are finding it difficult to refer a women to the department·to sign up for assistance."f,hey are finding tha< they have to send~ social worker-with 1£. the client to be able to ask the right questions and know the direction a women must take to get the correct benefits.This is creating an additional hardship on the shelters who have to expand staff time to get women with children the benefits that they are entitled to receive. Gauntner defended the program changes saying that its natural to expect some confusion when a new system is iniroduced. Gauntner said that the training was almost complete."I think that things are starting to settle down. I would say that we try to be responsive to our customers'.' Werheim said," ( don't have a problem with having patience with the system. Basically, the people who are paying are those in the program . They tell us to'have patience: We need to hold them to the same standard that they are holding the community and their customers to:· The people receiving cash assistance are being sanctioned and dropped from the program at an alarming pace while their time clock continues to tick.The County will not accept" have patience" when a client shows up having voluntarily quit from their job because they had to quit to care for a sick child.They are given a three month sanction. Cleveland News Continued PaUe "14. v hr ..p n<.: > No-rth errr·-IE·Etn-tncky ~Hou·s ing~amr=· ·-· Homelessness Coa,lition (NKHHC) CITY OF NEWPORT DETERMINED TO DEMOLISH 202 UNITS OF ·PUBLIC HOUSING by Barry Grosheim Publi'c housing on Newports riverfront faces the wrecking ball if a still determined City of New­ port has its way. Using a combination of funding sources including Federal grants, HOME funds, l ow­ Income and HistoricTax Credits and private financ­ ing the City wants to clear the riverfront property for future development. In a letter to MayorTom Guidugli onAugust 27, 1998 the Steering Committee of the Northern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Coalition once again outlined its position on the proposed demoli­ tion.The letter; in part, stated: The NKHHC Steering Committee has ex­ pressed its concerns about plans to demolish 202 units of public housing on several occasions, both in writing and verbally at public meetings.The con­ cerns which needed to be addressed before the NKHHC Steering Committee could support any plan that calls for the demolition of existing units of public housing have been outlined, also in writing. This is to reiterate those issues and to raise specific obj.ections to the announced plan. In the past the NKHHC Steering Committee has stated that it could support the proposed demolition only if: · New units of housing are produced, on line and ready for occupancy before any demolition occurs. · One new unit of housing is built for each unit to be demolished. · Replacement units have affordability guaran­ teed for the life of the building. ·Any new units achieved through the ren(7(a­ t ion of existing buildings does not cause displace­ ment of current low-income tenants. Renovation of abandoned houses and of buildings not currently used for housing is acceptable, renovation of houses that are currently occupied is not. ·Any use of Section 8 subsidies is by new certificates, not part of the current allotment. The plan announced last month brings up two additional issues of great concern.The NKHHC Steering Committee opposes any residency require­ ments that differ from the guidelines for existing public housing units. Specifically, these new units of housing must be available to households with incomes below 30% of the median income for Northern Kentucky.Also, the plan calls for the use of Low-Income Tax Credits as part of the financing. package. Low-IncomeTax Credits were established by Congress to foster the development of much needed low-income rental housing.The intent of Congress did not include their use to replace existing affordable housing and certainly not for a project which would actually reduce the number of units of affordable housing available in Northern Kentucky.The. NKHHC Steering Committee opposes the use of Low-IncomeTax Credits in this project. The Mayor has not responded to the letter or the concerns expressed. Subsc.ribe to Streetvi bes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchase d for $12 pe r year. Please se nd a che ck to the be low address and the paper will be m ailed to you each m o nth. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street C incinnati, OH 452 10 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coali­ tion for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 42 1-78 03. �I STREETVIBES The Tri State's Hom.e/ess Grapevine Cleveland News My Early Life In Continued The West End by James Hobbs From Page 13... A number of different activists raised the concern that at the same time the County is making huge cuts in the number of people being served, they a re expanding their CNerhead by opening neighbor­ hood centers. Denore raised the question that if the roles keep decreasing, will the neighborhood centers be open and the staff trained and there will not be anyone left receiving assistance. Is the money that was going to families being used to pay rent,addi­ tional staff, and security for the new centers? Gauntner said the Department still has not reached the estimated number of staff budgeted in January of 1998. He said that in comparison to years such as 1990 when there was a large welfare caseload, the department has hundreds of fewer employees. Gauntner said this was a legitimate concern,but cautioned that the task of theWork and Training office is to support people who have left cash assistance and support them so that they don't have to come back to cash assistance. The changes that will have the impact on the largest number of people is the conversion of food stamps from paper to an electronic benefit card. In the next 6 months, 40,000 people will need to begin to use the benefit card in Cuyahoga County. Gauntner said that most of the stores have con­ verted to the electronic benefits, and 5,000 people have started using the system.The problem with the new system noted by both the Ombudsman's Office and the Empowerment Center was the delay in getting the benefits when a problem arises. It takes sometimes as much as 48 hours to correct a problem when a card does not work.This is 48 hours the family goes without food or must make other arrangements. I remember moving in the Lincoln Courts shortly after they were built. I attended Washburn Elementary School. During the summer, my brothers and sister would swim and play basketball at Lincoln Center. One Christmas Santa brought me a new bike. On this same Christmas, one of my brothers caused the Christmas Tree to burn. The next summer Iwent on long bike trips. for example, Mt. Airy Park. Mt. Echo, the Cincinnati Zoo, and Lunken Airport. I remember picking apples up in Clifton Heights and taking them home where my mom prepared cooked cobblers. They were delicious. To me at that time, the Lincoln Courts were a wonderful place to live and play. 11 le:J IAlX)N MOVIEREVIEW ­ Page 14 apparent reason it ju,st couldn't deliver: It was a flop. LarenzTate,one of my favorite actors and who I IOYed in" LCNe Jones",carried the mCNie in his portrayal of Frankie Lymon. Halle Berry played a classy and glamourous lady who saw the talent in Frankie. She loved him but she tried desperately not to. Like so many sisters she believed she could do better but she was blinded by Frankies charisma. VivicaA. Fox known in the smash hit;' Soul Food", did an outstanding job. Her character made me weak. Her life was filled with pain, poverty and dominated by the blues. Like many young Black women who give their hearts to their men, she wound up being victimized in the name of ICNe.Th e gentleman that had been locked inside Frankie came out when he met Lela Rochan,who played the naive good girl.With no one to turn to and no one to love, Frankie Lymon took a journey into a dark world of self destruction that developed into a drug habit. Like a writer who loves to write, his passion for music which was no longer at the core of his life led him deeper into drugs. Music was what he lived for: It was his pass ion.his world.When Frankie was no longer appreciated by the public, he could no longer sang; he died even though he was alive.A very important element in the movie was exposure of the record company.They made four million dollars off the hitWhy Do Fools Fall In Love, while Frankie and his wives were cheated out of royalties. If this movie does nothing else, it enforces whatThe Shadow believes in .That self-publishing is the future. The movie was about his relationships but what I got most out of the movie is that Blacks need to self­ publish or produce their own works. People will probably get many different messages from the m CNie, butThe Shadows message to my beautiful Black sisters is when somebody ICNes you.its no good unless they ICNe all the way. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE by The Shadow CMHA PROJECTS It was a story that was almost too sad to be told.The movie was based on a triangle involving three women who all claimed to be married to Frankie Lymon . He was a rock star in the SO's and was known for his classic hit that he wrote"Why Do Fools Fall In Love". It was one of those movies that built you up only to let you down. For unknown by Vikki Lynn I would like to enlighted people on the living in the Metropolitan Housing Devlopments. I was homeless when I applied for housing through the shelter I stayed at. I've been living there since mid April. I didn't have anything but as time went by. I accumulated what I needed. Since my stay, I have observed the environment I live in. The apartme.nt is a one bedroom. I don't pay utilities and they go by your income. Which can be helpful when you are not employed. Or between jobs. The downside of the projects is the noise. They play basketball at all hours of the night. Drinking acohol right outside the main door. Standing in the way when you are trying to get in or out of the building. Hollering for people. I feel that it's not where you live, but how you live. I go to the store, I keep my house clean, I take out the garbage when necessary. Basically, I stay. to myself. I'm polite to my neighbors and speak when i'have to. I don't visit or socialize. The other day. my neighbor was riding me to the store and she asked why I don't visit, my response was simple, I perfer to keep that way. Everywhere I have lived in this city, I stay to myself. I don't think it's proper for me carry on with folks because everyone does. There are pluses and minuses no matter where you go but, if you don't know the lifestyle that you're entering, it can pull you under or suck you dry. I have no idea how long I'll be there, but I sure am glad I have a place to lay my head and call my own home. I like it. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income ... Many buildings equipped with security systems .. . Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 15 · ' TRIBE GOSPEL CHOIR PRESENTS "GOSPEL FROM THE HOOD" A YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 12, 13 , & 14, 1998 FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny Williams There·are several political prisoners in Ohio's prisons. If you are interested-to write to them. like James Pryor or Dan Cahill, please contact: ' UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ELDER TIMOTHY PRICt of CHARLOTTE, NC & IVA DURAND of CINCINNATI, OH AT In Memory of 11 Mac 11 Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ••• Because Every­ 0ne1 includes Prison­ ers and Former Prisone rs. 1 Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P .O . Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201 ­ 1746 FIRST NEW BAPTIST CHURCH 710 SOUTH CRESCENT AVENUE CINCINNATI, OH 45229 MICHAEL K. CASH, PASTOR Write to prisoner Lee Crum at:: OCI #329-589 PO BOX Sii Columbus, OH 43216 For more information, please contact: MRS, ANNIEBELL RILEY at 2 72-0903 or 2 72-0911 Band Lookin& for Work Streetvibes (the band). We like to party. R&B. Oldies, Blues/ Jazz. Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803 . Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale. Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $I per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is .an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813 for sale Native American·cookies; orders being accepted: R. C. Janus, (Fax) 891-8663. position wanted Office worker seeks 20­ 30 hour sit down job on bus line, within 2 miles of the river in either Kentucky or Ohio; non-medical terminology, non-filing cabinet office work; social services, sales, public information, crafts, and other background, some computer experience; contact Box 2. Streetvibes, I506 Elm St., Cincinnati, 45210. Laborer Looking for a labored Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center, 721­ 0643. Elderly or Children Looking for a community oriented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteach worke-r/ counselor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience includin.& Windows, Lotus, Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop Inn Center, 721-0643. Degreed, successful grants administrator/writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same; ten percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus, Jr. (Fax) 891-8663. Native American-Hispan ic female seeks sit down, slow­ paced industrial FACTORY position; physically challenged. (Fax) 891-8663. Scramble A·nswers from page 11... HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN CHRISTMAS SNOW NEW YEARS PARTY VALENTINES DAY CANDY THANKSGIVING TURKEY STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $I per line. Call 421-7803 for info. Stre·etvibes -Vendor Code of Conlluct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. I. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $I voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $I. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. . 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell'' or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" if! general. I will be honest irr stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who ar'e homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Sales Representative Looking for position as sales representative or management. Has good bookkeeping, typing and supervisory skills. Has experience _in retail management, customer service and sales. Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at 552-935 I. Restaurant Work Responsible older man able to work any shift. Would prefer work as a busser at a resta~rant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is very dependable and available immediately. Please contact Wiley Powell at 831-8404. Baby Sitter Need a babysitter? Former child-care worker with day­ care experience. Call Mary Ann at 665·4375 or pager at 610-8527 help wanted I Contineency f ee ~ Not afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on letterhead paper to I I I I Elm Street. No. 432, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday. Nov. 14th, 1998, Noon to I pm ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Advertise in Streetvibes! Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1./2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 I /2" $20 per month A check or money order'must accompa,ny the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes TV STREETVIBES Sweat and T-Shirts! Only $5 for T's, $1 O for Sweats. The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cable changes programming and channels. STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes TV November Schedule This month's show will feature a round table discussion with homeless pe rsons, forme rly homeless perso ns and service provide rs. Homeless issues will be discussed by pane l m e mber s in an ope n forum.. Channe l 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. Mo nday. Novembe r 16th at 7PM. 100% White Cotton Shirts and Long Sleeve Sweat Shirts XL Purple logo Re broadcast Dates for Show o n Chan· ne l 10: T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at I506 Elm Street. Please stop by and see us. Satl•rday. November 7, 1998, 4 PM Friday. November 13. 1998, 11 AM Friday, November 20. 1998, 11 AM Saturday, November 28, 1998, 4 PM Monday, November 23, 1998, I0 PM Broadcast schedules are s ubject to change - consult your local TV directory. Where Your Dollar Goes Vendor: 80 cents Printing and Production : 20 cents Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanksforyour support. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELTERS: W o men and Children Alice Faul House (abuse) YWCA Transitional Living Prog. Bethany House Salvation Army Welcome House 24 1-2757 281-5770 557-2873 762-5660 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) C habad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 38 1-5432 863-8866 Page 16 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing 244-7226 961-4080 651-6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReST OC Tender Mercies (Mental 111) Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 TREATMENT: W o m e n O.D.A.A.T First Step Home 241-7343 921-7324 TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Bo th N.A. Hopeline A.A Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 38~-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 421-2437 62 1-5991 If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas. so please give us a call... Streetvibes Wish List STR££VIB£S is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donor s. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs >Adobe Illustrator Software for IBM > Adobe Pagemaker Software for STREETVIBES layout >35 MM Film for STREETVIBES photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper >Office Supplies >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups. donuts , etc.) >Computer for STREETVIBES layout and writing C a ll t h e STREETVIBES o ffi ce at Al 1­ 7803 if you c a n help! 231-6630 Beech Acres Center for Independent living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961 -0600 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center 241-2563 Emanuel Community Center 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 72 1-4811 Mary Magdalen House 62 1-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 T ravelers Aid 721-7900 United W ay 559-6656 VA Homele ss Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource November 1998 Vol 2, issue 21 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: 'Standown '98' a Big Success: Hundreds of Homeless Persons Served During Cincinnati's Two Day Event In Memory of Buddy Gray: February 19th, 1950-November 15th, 1996 We Remember Pg 2: The Traveler: Not Just Another Trip Pg 3: OTR Loses Vine Street Battle Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: Broken City Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: Letters & Editorials Pg 10: Mexican Border News Pg 12: Homeless Veterans Pg 13: Cleveland News N. Kentucky News Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ron Carter Denise Crew Brian Davis Julia Fischer Lolonta Foster Barry Grosheim Patrick Harmon Jimmy Heath James Hobbs Vikki Lynn Bonnie Neumeier Theresa Nye James W . Pryor William Stone Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Diane Young Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <span>This work is licensed under a</span><span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a><span>.</span> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Barry Grosheim Bonnie Neumeier Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis buddy gray Denise Crew Diane Young Donald Whitehead immigration James Hobbs James W . Pryor Jimmy Heath Julia Fischer Lolonta Foster Lynn Williams Patrick Harmon prisoner Ron Carter Theresa Nye veterans Vikki Lynn welfare welfare reform William Stone https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/0c2a653943f01157719c7b088828b44f.pdf bb48d2aeed32a732fc988ea473100998 PDF Text Text JESSE JACKSON VISITS CINCINNATI: Forging Along the Appalachian Trail by Motorcade by Brett Zwolinski The Reverend Jesse Jackson has joined hands with the Appalachian community as his Rainbow/ PUSH Coalition forges its most recent friendship in the struggle for justice and equality for "red, yellow, brown, black, and white" of all social statuses. He said, "The real issue for us is to build coalitions and pull down walls. This is not about black and white! This is about wrong and right!" The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is collaborating with the Appalachian community to incite organized labor and bureaucrats to improve the conditions and finance of Appalachians in areas such as health care, education, housing. and work environment. Reverend Jackson ardently proclaimed, "Lets talk about health care, in YOUR house! Let's talk about poverty, in YOUR house! Let's talk about unions and a right to organize, in YOUR house!" Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition are in the midst of a bus tour rally for the Appalachian movement spanning Ghio, Kentucky. West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition led by Reverend Jesse Jackson rallied at the University of Cincinnati last week. Looming over an ebullient crowd from the .steps of McMicken Hall, he was accompanied by numerous community leaders- pastors, unionists, and politicians among them. United M ine Workers Cecil Roberts, President of the United Mine Workers, addressed the crowd bewailing the wretched conditions of former mine workers. He and the Reverend Jackson recently visited Pikeville, KY where they encountered ailing coal miners who are dying of black lung disease. Referred to by Reverend Jackson a~ his "soul mate," Cecil Roberts said definitively. "Jesse Jackson cares about mine workers." M ayor Roxanne Qualls Mayor Qualls accompanied Reverend Jackson throughout the Cincinnati portion of the bus tour rally for Appalachians. In the midst of her struggle for a congressional seat in the House of Representa­ t ives, Mayor Qualls seized the opportunity to rally for her campaign against incumbent Steve Chabot. After his fierce and choleric speech, JUE (Interna­ tional Union of Electric Electrical Salaried Machinist and Furniwre Workers) President Ed Fire beseeched God, " Make Qualls our next congresswoman." Mayor Qualls began by declaring, "Jesse Jackson is the conscience of America! He speaks out for those who can't speak out." She said, "Coal miners have been forgotten by a right wing congress (not to mention the left and the middle), but not by Jesse Jackson. Continuing her diatribe on the misgivings of coal miners, she conjured up images in o~r minds by way of her Titanic analogy. Chastising a profligate American culture, obsessed with quixotic notions of death and grieving, she chided mordantly, "There is a Titanic sinking every year in Appala­ chia!" 'Jackson• Cont. on Page Two... F~ed Shuttlesworth (left} and the Rev. Jesse Jackson address attendees at UCrally. Photo by Jimmy Heath Rally Held at Chiquita Headquarters Concerned Citizens Vocalize Plight of Banana Workers by Odi Goodman · On Friday, September I Ith at 12 noon, different groups concerned with labor, human r ights, and the environment gathered to protest in front of the Chiquita Center at Sth anc;I Sycamore in down­ town Cincinnati. The Action was coordinated by the Justice for Banana Workers Coalition of Cincin­ nati, and launched a series of similar non-violent demonstrations across the globe. Unified workers, activists and concerned citizens from d!fferent parts of Latin America, the United States and Europe publicly requested that Chiquita begin dialogue with their workers. COLSIBA (Latin American Coordination of Banana Worker Unions), which encompasses roughly 22,000 workers, has been requesting since early August to rryeet with Chiquita in order to address "serious concerns" over work and living conditions on their plantations. Many who live in Cincinnati are aware of the articles published by the Enquirer in early May of this year, as well as the papers withdrawal, payment and public apology to Chiquita. The Justice for Banana Workers Coalition has n~thing to do with the Enquirer or its present or former employees. We consist of a broad range of concerned citizens, many of whom have visited or lived in Central or South America. We are in contact with the people at the grassroots level, the banana workers and their families, and we keep our commitment to them. As a result of the Friday 11th protest, two of our group met with Steven Warshaw, president and chief operating officer of Chiquita Brands Interna­ tional. Warshaw declined to meet with COLSIBA. on a technicality arguing that COLSIBA does not represent the workers, and that the company would rather meet with unions on a country to country basis. SITRAT ERCO. a Honduran union whom the company agreed to meet with this summer, has since sent a letter to Chiquita that acknowledges COLSIBA as the union that represents the united international concerns of all Latin American banana workers. The following is a speech given by one of the protesters at the September I Ith protest. "I would like to thank you all for coming out on this Friday on behalf of the banana workers of Latin America. I send this message out to all those who can hear, whether you are protesting, walking down the street, or especially if you are working inside the Chiquita Center. I think that I can speak. for everyone here when I say that we do not · represent the newspapers, neither their staff, nor do we represent any big business. We are not fanatics who get our kicks out of protesting and being in the limelight. We come here because we are concerned citizens. Many are here. because we understand that sometimes you have to be a voice for those who 'Chiquita• Cont. on Page Three... �STREETVIBES The Tn State 's Homeless Grapevine Page 2 STREETVIBES •Jackson• Cont. On The Road The Tri State's From Page Again Homeless Grapevine Donald Whitehead One••. by Streetvibes, the T~i-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for ·and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back o n 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 organiz­ ing. 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James 'Hobbs, Vendor Support Photoirapher Jimmy Heath Writers , Maryann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew Lee Crum Brian Davis Lalonta Foster Robert Freking Odi Goodman Jimmy Heath l eni Hochman Michael Nelson Jam es W. Pryor Aaron Pitchford Rodney Sutton Jessica Wallace. Gloria Wiggins D o nald Whitehead Lynn Williams Brett Zwolinski E'ltorlal Pa/11:1: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the fo llowing address: STREETVIBES 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 452 10 (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421 -7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Quote of the Month (by Lora Joi/is, Hamilton County Dept. of Human Services regarding her staff}: "I hope they love their jobs here too much to want to go. This is the best laboratory you could ever work in." Evidently, Roxanne Qualls is a tutor in our Cincinnati community. She advertently stated, 'The kids I tutor are not concerned about Sex, Lies, and Videotapes, but their education, health, and future." Questionm Then why is it that our culture is saturated with the sale of Sex, Lies, and Videotapes. fronically, only moments later, Jesse Jackson urged that we are too concerned with the- Sex, Lies, and Videotapes as evidenced by our coverage of Bill Clinton's infidelity in the mediam Indeed, it seems our youth are imbued and preoccupied with Sex, Lies, and Videotapes as evidenced by escalating crimes of sexual harassment and assailment, as well as increased teen birth control and pregnancy. And the problem is much more profoundly embedded in our culture than our community leaders comprehension. It seems they are more concerned with treating the symptoms of the "war on the poor," rather than struggling with the inherent problems within our media saturated culture that breed greed and avarice: the quick fix. "There is a Titanic sinking every year in Appalachia." -Mayor Roxanne Qualls Diffused throughout.his speech, Reverend Jackson dropped parables and quotes from Jesus Christ's teachings, conjuring up analogues of moder­ nity. As he spoke, cries of affirmation came pouring from his flanks where several outstanding ministers girded the Reverend- Shuttlesworth, Dwight Wilkins, Damon Lynch Jr.. among them. At a particularly climactic point in Jesse Jackson's speech, in the words ofJesus, he urged, "You measure character by how you treat the least of these." His biblical analogues culminated in the classical parable of the Good Samaritan in which he spurred the crowd on towards love and good deeds. LEAVE NO AMERICAN BEHIND! This is the motto of the Rainbow/PUSH Coali­ tion, enunciated incessantly by Reverend Jackson throughout his speech. Sunday September 27, 1998 from 12:00 noon to 6:00pm, amidst the Wayne National Forest in Nelsonville, Ohio Reverend Jackson led a March For Appalachia. From wh~re was the phraseology, "Leave no American behind," culled? And what exactly is the March for Appalachia all about? ''This is not about black and white! This is about wrong and right!" -Jesse Jackson Revere nd Jesse Jackso n's Statment:: "Let us march and say to the nation that the children born here are just as precious in God's sight as the children who are born to the wealthiest of households. There is no gap between Appalachia and the rest of the nation when it comes to willing­ ness to work, when it comes to patriotism, or creativity, or love and respect for one's family. Let us march, then, to close the gaps that still persist-gaps in decent health care, quality education, housing, transportation, and financing for business growth­ gaps that prevent.too many people of this region from fully realizing their God-given potential. Let us march in the finest American tradition with a message taught to us by the Marines in time of war: Leave no Ameri­ can behind!" The best thing about traveling is the learning experience gained from exposure to different meth­ ods in different regions of the country. My most recent trip was a great source of valuable information that I can hopefully use in the effort to end homelessness here in Cincinnati. I will get to that a little later. First let me tell about my first trip, this trip was a journey to almost every city in the U.S in less than three hours. This trip was impossible before our route was invented- it now happens on a regular basis. I was accompanied on this trip by some of Cincinnati's most well known residents. My compan­ ions came from all walks of life. There were; clergy­ men, politicians, radio and television personalities, advocates, students, families and business leaders. Our trip was made possible by The National Broad­ casting Company(NBC). Our mode of travel was the nations airwaves. We were guests on a Town Hall Meeting The topic of this mee~ing was leadership in America. I was poised to talk about important issues such as homelessness, welfare reform, poverty, healthcare and all the other burning issues facing America at this time. The true focus of the meeting became clear at the beginning when panel members were steered into a conversation about the ongoing saga of the affair involving the President. I was almost embarrassed to be a part of the feeding frenzy around this issue. When finally given the opportunity to speak 1·was able to try to shift the focus back to real issues, my comments were quickly interrupted by one of what seemed like a million commercial breaks. That's the last' I will talk about this trip because I refuse to use the pages of Streetvibes to promote this issue consuming so many pages and so much airtime in so many other Media sources. W ednesday Se ptember 23, 1998 Once again I am at 30,000 feet gazing at the clouds-things are so peaceful here, far from the day to day struggles I encounter on the ground. My destina­ tion on this trip is Brooklyn Park Minnesota. I am in Minnesota to present at the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless's State Conference. It is my second opportunity to present at this conference. It always make you feel special when someone asks you back a second time. My presentation entitled "Helping Homeless People Advocate For Themselves" is very fulfilling for me personally. The audience consisted of former and currently homeless residents. I have done this workshop in several places; Washington D.C, Cincinnati, and Minnesota. It is always fulfilling to see homeless people reclaiming their lives. I am joined in this workshop by my co-presentors Mary Ann Gleason, Executive Director of the National Coalition for The Homeless, and Greg Horan, President of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless. The Work­ shop is a series of role play exercises, discussions and dialogue that thoroughly engages its participants. The second day of the conference provides me with an opportunity to learn. This unique opportunity allows me to observe different methods of addressing the many needs of the population we serve. I attend one workshop called "Living On The Edge" which focuses on people who do not utilize the shelter system. The title alone sends chills up my spine considering what I know about the harshness of weather ~nditions in Minnesota. I also learn from Mary Ann Gleason's keynote that it is very likely that HR.2, the very damaging public housing legislatiori attached to HUD Appropriations is likely to go through. This legislation is likely to cause the loss os subsidy's for 270,000 low-income people. This coupled with Welfare Reform, Hope VI demolitions 'Road' Cont. on Page 7••. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 3 'Chiquita• Cont. From Pg. One... cannot be heard. This is what we are doing today, as different groups concerned with labor, human righ.ts .and the environment gather acro ss the globe. W ithin the next three days t here will be non-violent demonstra­ tions similar to this from different parts of Lat in America, the United St.ates and Europe. We ask that Chiquita begin Dialogue with the union CO LSIBA.· We believe that as a multinatio nal corporat ion, Chiquita needs to meet with their w.o rke rs who are also united across many nations. Many peo ple who work at Chiquita might say that the co mpany treats its workers better than any other company that operates in Latin America. I think that it in o rder to understand the present you have to look into the history of the countries in which United Fruit o perat ed and in which Chiquita now operates. Brutal civil wars have wrecked many of these countries, from Colombia to Guatemala. Those who have historically run Chiquita's plantations abroad play a part in a power structure, an oligarchy, that sustains savage inequalities between the minority rich and the majority poor. In Latin America, the governments, land owners and military are the oligarchy. These are synonymous with secret police, death squads, private armies, massacres, disappeared persons, torture, rape, illegal detention, and other forms of intimidation and abuse. Guatemala, one of the most violent countries in Latin America, had their democratically elected government overthrown in 1954 by the CIA in part on behalf of United Fruit. This kicked off a decades long civil war leaving some 140,000 to 200,000 dead. This was a war waged against civilians. Some would call it genocidal in the magnitude of which indigenous peoples were targeted and slaughtered. I ask you, do you think that by . changing headquarters, changing cities and changing names you can change the past? You have not convinced me, nor have you convinced the people of Latin America. Not when organizers such as Medardo Varela are gunned down for filing suits on behalf of workers who have gone sterile from pesticides used on plantations that are banned in the U.S., not :-'hen private company secur ity guards carry assault rifles and intimidate workers, not when families are evicted from their communities for taking part in a strike. Maybe Chiquita should put more effort int~ changing the conditions of their workers and their families than changing names and silencing newspa­ pers. I would prefer it if you would invest your profits into improving lives, not building public works in a foreign country. I t hink that you need to talk with your workers, as one big union, united interna­ tionally as you are international. In this age of global economics, we need global corporate responsibility. It would be a beautiful thing if C incinnati could be instrumental in sett ing a global standard of better conduct for wo rkers abroad". Contents Welfare News Livable Wage Update Visible Homeless Arts &Poetry Haiku · Prisoners' News Tactics Letters &Editorials Findlay Market Update Homeless Veterans Cleveland News Movie Review Announcements Classifieds Vendor Profile Page 4 Page4 Pages Page6 Page7 Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 15 Page 16 ••••••••••••••••••••••••• Protestersgatherin front of Chiquita Building in downtown Cincinnati. OUR YOUTH byGloria Wiggins Are the youth responsible for their attitudes, and trouble they get in? The answer is, No, No, No! We the adults of our neighborhood are. We are the role models that they copy. Because they are young, they think their new fashions , or should I say todays fashions, are for young folk. Fact of the matter, nothing in the world is new, especially not fashion. The is a pony keg that I used to live very close to that would sell just to be selling. The youth in the neighborhood ask adults to buy their beer, cigarett~s, or Black and Mild cigars. The adult would say yes 1f the child bought him or her a beer, or cigarette, or gave them a dollar or two. I was approached by one of the youth, who asked if I would buy him a beer as I was entering the pony keg. I said no. I wanted to ask ~he kid ~here he lived and talk to.his parents. I decided against my quest.ion since I knew the child would not tell me. Behind half, more or less, of every youth's trouble is an adult not taking a good look in the mirror. If you don't like what you see in a child its only because they watch these grown folks that are supposed to be responsible. They are not. I blame TV for the violence of children. Also, daddies beat mommies. Little boys grow up thinking this is the way to treat women who cook, clean, and bring their children into this wor ld. And little girls think that its okay that the father of their children beat the crap out of them. If a man beat a woman like me he can never expect to sleep in bed with me and make love o r anything else. Even though I'd be 150% behin~ my man. I cannot and will not take verbal or physical abuse from my lover. Of co urse we all have lovers quarrels from time to time. Basically only 20% of men are even 50% behind women. They belittle our hard work, taking for granted that she makes it look so easy and it is not. I est imate 2% of men can take care of a new­ born. It takes being maternal in a way that a man will never understand unless someone like me write a book about it. Wake up ladies, smell the coffee that you have been brewing that he too drinks. There is a lot of cream and no sugar. Use the mind GOD gave you a little more. Maybe then you will see the fear you put in your child's eyes. If mom can't trust da~, ~r vice versa, not to hurt each other with domestte violence, who can that child trust. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing. The hoodlums come from adults, who's parent are not always on the job or at work while their child screams and mess up because they are unsupervised. What happened to the GOOD O LD DAYS when children were taught and 1.earnt good deeds from the community of adults. To respect any adult even if they are wrong. And parents communicate to teach an understanding. When I was growing up, disrespecting an adult would get your butt spanked or grounded. I'd also have to apologize and say yes mam and no mam or sir. I will never disrespect any adult. One time I boarded a bus, paid my fare. At the front of the bus sat a young girl of about 15 years old with her legs stretched out and crossed, slumped in her seat blocking the aisle. The bus pulled off as I . , politely asked her to move her legs. She looked at me as if I were crazy and d1dn t move. One false move by the bus driver as I stepped over her legs and I'd be floored, I tho ught to myself. And there was no room to walk around. I again asked her to move her legs. She gave me a dirty look , then moved her legs. The young lady did not realize I knew her mother. One day I saw her mother shopping in the same neighborhood we both lived, Peeble Corner. . The little girl was with her. I told the mother of the incident on the bus. Her mom said to me, "KIDS WILL BE KIDS." When I was 15 my mom would never st.and for that, disrespecting an adult the slightest bit. She'd correct me in such a way that I knew she meant business. She did not be abusive verbally or physi­ cally. So see, there is more than one way to skin a cat. For Mothers Day 1998, I bought my mom a Mothers Day card that read, "Thanks mom for making me clean my room. And teaching me how to cook. And making me eat my lima beans." Todays mom generally don't make a child do much that they don't want to do for fear that child may call 241 ­ KIDS. Then there are parents who say screw 241­ KIDS and chastise a child when needed, not brutally however. "Spare the ro d and spoil the child." Schoo ls are talking about corporal punishing kids once again. W hat about 241-KIDS. Mothers yo u ho ld a nation in the palms of your hand. Don't you want your child to be safe. And dead beat dads, I feel so sorry for you, 'cause nothing good will come to you 'til you take responsibility for your seed. Of course, child support is unfair. Sure men should pay for making a baby just like women do. But come on. Men need food to eat and a roof over their head too. There should be a limit to all the madness. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip can you? Men should pay what can be affordable and reasonable. That's why we have as many dead beat dads going to jail. What can he do in there? Pay child support. •our Youth' Cont. on Page 14•.. �STREETVIBES The Tn State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News YEAR 2 OF 3 YEAR COUNTDOWN by Lynn Williams October Ist marks the start of Year 2 of the three year countdown of time limits for welfare recipients in Ohio. The pressure is on Ohio's unem­ ployed to find a job that is going to provide for one's family, have stability, provide health care, and get one's family out of poverty. With the time limits in effect, there won't be any cycling on and off welfare as jobs come and go. Welfare will no longer be able to be used as 'employment compensation' for the many people ineligible for the real unemployment compensa­ tion. The pressure to find jobs intensifies for recipients who have extra barriers, such as disabilities, children with disabilities, domestic violence victims, poorly educated in Ohio's public schools with low reading and math skill levels, and middle aged persons. (employers state that they prefer young workers over middle-aged ones). The prospect looks really bleak for recipients with borderline IQ's or with an undiagnosed mental illness. A lot of people with children are going to be left out in the cold, literally, when the final month's check is a memory. •••business 'leaders' are praising welfare reform, because it is creatingareadysupply ofcheap, disposable workers who will work under almostany working conditions. With the pressure of time limits on recipients, businesses are having a field day with the labor market for entry-level, low-skill positions. Facing the time limits, recipients are forced into any job that comes along, regardless of labor violations, inadequate pay, inadequate safety and health standards. As the three year limit comes even nearer, recipients will be willing to accept any job that they can get for survival, regardless of pay rate and working conditions. Wel­ fare reform is creating a whole new underclass of workers, people frantic for any job to survive. Busi­ nesses know that if they let entry-level workers go, that there will be a ready supply to replace them. This is why business 'leaders' are praising welfare reform, because it is creating a ready supply of cheap, dispos­ able workers who will work under almost an working conditions. Does this sound like a Third World Country? An overseas country? In Ohio, starting October Ist, recipients will be allowed to use even fewer hours for education. The 20/ I0 ratio of work/developmental activities is reduced to 25/5. This allows recipients a grand total of one hour a day to get an education! The rug is also being pulled out from under recipients who want to get a solid college education first. Currently the federal law limits recipients to one year for counting college classes as the total work requirement. Only 20% of the caseload is allowed this option, and teenagers trying to get their high school degree or GED are included in the 20%. Before federal law went into effect, recipients could survive (or try to survive on welfare) while they made it through college. With a degree they were far more likely to obtain a livable wage job to escape the welfare roles forever. Currently there is a bill in Congress, the Higher Education Act, otherwise known as the Wellstone Amendment, that would permit recipients two full years of college to coun·t as the work requirement. Many legislators staunchly oppose this bill. They don't view it as an opportu­ nity for welfare moms to get a degree and then get off of welfare for good. Instead, they view it as depriving Big Business of entry-level workers with low skills who will accept any job that comes along. A college degree might make them 'uppity' about accepting low-skill positions. As one business owner put it, "Why should they get a degree? They don't even need a high school degree to work in my business." Yes, they just have to be willing to do mindless, grunt work for 40 hours per week, 160 hours per month, one thousand and twenty hours per year, not counting overtime, be willing to have a two hour commute, rarely see their children, and get an inadequate wage. One woman who left welfare for work, lacking a college or high school degree, shared with me her life's work. "What I do now is stand on an assembly line for eight hours a day, zapping a laser at a bolt. I'm a little afraid of the electric volts. In case I do it wrong, it might hurt me pretty bad." This is what she has to look forward to at the start of the work week, 4 am on Monday mornings when she rises to take the children to the sitter and a long commute to work in the suburbs. Welfare reform with its time limits has been depicted as the Titanic, with women and children being thrown overboard. Welfare reform also resembles another ship, the Slave Ships coming to America. Human beings are still being forced and coerced to work the jobs on America's 'planta­ tions' that no other workers will do. Page 4 studies done by WOW (Wider Opportunities for Women) and ACORN. Utilities are included in rent, clothing and laundry are included in Miscellaneous. There is no longer a "with or without car" distinc­ tion. Instead, there is one averaged modest figure. Federal, state, and payroll taxes are included, so the figure is Gross Wages. Some see it as a moral issue;1it is only fair that someone who works all day and all week should be paid enough to support themselves. To determine the livable wage, such essentials as rent, food, transportation, and health care were considered, plus a few quality of life "extras," such as, recreation and savings. $ 16,500 was determined to be the cost of living in Tompkins County for an individual. A person with dependents would need to earn more. Childcare costs vary depending on age of the child. Family day care costs average $4432 per year, or $4678 for an infant. At a child care center the range is $4680 for a child to $7800 for an infant. Other expenses, such as, food and health care would almost double, while rent would go up to $678/month. There are many variations in family structure and life-style choices, leaving the livable wage insufficient for some employees and generous for a few. Nonetheless, the livable wage figure is a useful benchmark for employees and employers. • •••••••••••••••••••••••••• NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS STREETVIBES Nationwide LIVABLE WAGE UPDATE byL11nlHochman, Alternative Currents, Ithaca, NY Alternatives Federal Credit Union took a new look at how much money it takes for an individual to live in Tompkins County. The bottom line? $16,500. In 1994, the Alternatives Credit Union did its first Livable Wage Study to address the question: What does it take to live decently, but frugally in Tompkins County? Different than minimum, competitive, or comparable wage, the goal of livable wage is to pay all full-time workers a high enough wage that they are able to support themselves without living in poverty. When the Alternatives Credit Union introduced a "livable wage" in 1994 it was a unique idea. Since then, many in this community have taken up the call for livable wages. Some see it as a moral issue; it is only fair that someone who works all day and all week should be paid enough to support themselves. We also see it as a good policy. A livable wage fosters good morale and less employee turnover. Data for our study were collected in January 1998 by Yat-Che Shum, an intern from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. The latest swdy has been simplified, with fewer categories, more closely matching NCH is leading an initiative to establish a federally-funded targeted homeless addiction disorder treatment program. As part of t his e ffort, N CH is seeking information about the substance abuse t reatment needs o f hom e­ less p eople in states and communities across the country. Homeless people, advocates, housing and health service providers, researchers. and others are requested to provide NCH staff any information that you can obtain. Thank you for strengthening our case for a targeted substance abuse treatment program for people experiencing homelessness! · ACTION ALERT Ask the Clinton Administration to Request Full Funding for Homeless Assistance Programs in Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) FY 2000 Budget. STATUS: Senior HHS staff and the budget and domestic policy advisors to the President are currently reviewing budget requests that have been submitted by HHS's component agencies. These officials will decide the funding levels that the President will include in the Fiscal year (FY) 2000 budget in the Fall. ACTION: Write the President's HHS, Office of Management and Budget, and Domestic Poticy Council leadership and request that they ensure that the Administration's FY 2000 budget request includes fun~ing for the HHS homeless assistance programs at the levels recommended below. It is c r itical that' yo u w r ite letters immediat e ly because the w indow of opportunity for the public t o impact the FY 2000 budget is closing. For more information please contact Bob Reeg. Please send any written information to Bob Reeg at NCH, I012 14th St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005-3406; FAX: 2021737-6445; E-Mail: nch@ari.net. Call Bob at 2021737-6#4 :x.31 '4 if you have information to share by telephone. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine The Visible Homeless... .. .. •..,. ,,,., , ,, , by Rev. Douglas May Everyone in substance abuse counseling has at one time or another pointed to the "skid row bum" and said, "you don't have to be like him to be an addict or alcoholic." While this type of person may represent only 5% of all addicts, Christians who are in recovery have a lot more in common with him than they may think! A drive through the streets of any major city reminds us that the·"skid row bum" has not disappeared. Alarmingly, he has been joined by hundreds of th~usands of people now called "the homeless." Who are they? 18-53 year old men and women who are 16-30 years of age, and single parents with children now represent the bulk of the homeless population. Most are minorities and local people, not transients, who have been homeless for one year or less. On today's "skid row" we find 1 people who are dependent on a variety of drugs, emotionally dysfunctional, mentally ill, and medically at-risk, especially for HIV/AIDS. A high percentage of them have been sexually and physically abused. Addiction and Ho m e lessness Besides not having a home to call their own, most of the 500,000 to 3 million people identified as homeless have something else in common-addiction and mental illness. According to one study, up to two-thirds of homeless adults suffer from alcoholism and at least half suffer from drug disorders. In their book, A Nation In Denial, Alice Bum and Donald Burns shatter many of the myths surrounding the root causes of homelessness, which have little to do with the economy, governmental social policies, lack of affordable housing, and ·so forth. According to t heir research at least 65-85% of all homeless adults suffer from chronic alcoholism, drug addition, mental illness, o r some combination of the three, often complicated by serious medical problems. At least s dent on spotty AOL and e-mail from you all, it appears that the environment in Washington is increasingly disinterested in the important issues o f community and place. No netheless, I thought a different frame of reference might be of value. In the past week I have been participating in a tour of community lending activities in Romania, Russia and the Caucasus. While not directly related to work in housing domestically, I have learned from the struggles, strategies and problem solving approaches. Before I came on this trip a couple of friends asked me why I thought it was relevant for any community developer and houser in the United States to spend any time building capacity in other parts of the world given the conditions at home. My initial response was that we live in a global economy and the economic condition in Russia or Costa Rica or Romania has a real impact on America. I remain convinced that this is true and I would now both expand the answer and understand thequestion'scomplexity. Many of the challenges surrounding generating private capital investment, finding ways to maintain housing stock, the influences of race and class issues and costs of government regulations and policies are similar. Manwith shopping carton Vine Street. HOMELESSNESS ADDICTION RECOVERY: A LASTING SOLUTION Page I/3 of the homeless suffer from severe and persistent chronic psychiatric disorders. Forty to fifty percent of these individuals are "dually diagnosed"-suffering from addiction to alcohol and/or drugs, as well. Ultimately, the condition labeled "homelessness" is best described as a state of "disaffiliation" or complete alienation from meaning­ ful human relationships and the social support systems most people have working for them. Most homeless people are either addicts themselves or are the products of dysfunctional families and broken homes that were significantly impacted by addiction. These are root problems and unless they are adequately addressed, any other help we provide will not be effective. While millions of dollars may be spent on education, housing, and employment for the homeless, these efforts do little to improve their lots if they are unable to stay sober by working through the very same recovery issues that many of us are dealing with in our own lives. Sadly enough, while these problems are on the rise, the resources that are available are usually priced beyond what those who need help the most can afford! Between 1978 and 1984 there was a 17% de'Crease in treatment beds for the indigent (those without insurance or funds to pay for care). According to recent congressional figures, only 12.5% of the nations 6.5 million drug users have access to publicity funded treatment. Christian Recovery and Hom elessness Is it possible that what we've called the "Christian Recovery Movement" could be helpful in solving this problem? Recovery in the Christian community is still largely a phenomenon of the middle-class. Most Christian support groups meet in predominantly white suburban churches, usually outside of the reach of inner city people who could greatly benefit from them. Additionally. almost all of the Christian self-help literature is written with a cultural and educational bias aimed at this social status. There are, however, some encouraging signs. POINT OF VIEW by Helen Dunlap It seems slightly out of context to take this space to share some observations and reflections from a week in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, especially while housing advocates in Washington are attempting to. make sure that the 1999 Budget is sufficient. From half way around the world, depen- To be more specific, I have spent the week visiting USAID and IFC (International Finance Corporation) development$ where the United States and the World Bank are investing resources to build local capacity to do small business lending. The objective is not just to make loans but to build the infrastructure to do so. This is ironic at a time when the entire infrastructure in Russia disappeared almost overnight in the past month. Imagine an environment with ATM machines and credit cards that all broke down at once. Imagine a place where traveler's checks can't be cashed. If you are in Russia right now that is the environment. Sounds like some neighborhoods in America dependent oR check cashing outfits. While relevant observations are endless here are a few which I hope are of interest. I have been fascinated with what is happening with the privatization of the publicly owned stock. As you are aware, housing was typically publicly owned until the disillusion of the Soviet Union and the democratization of Eastern Europe. Much of the stock is or has been made available to current occupants for a nominal price. T his is not to say that there isn't then value. Resale has real market value. Of course, one needs a place to live so the value is not liquid but it is collateral for business and not having a mortgage payment is interesting. On the other hand, since most of the buildings are multiunit buildings and there are few cooperat.ive arrange­ ments, when the roof leaks there is no association to repair it. When the elevator breaks down, repair happens only when someone takes the initiative to collect from their neighbors and get it fixed . In discussing the various lending programs I have found repeated illustrations of something which is called the taX police. Few folks pay taXes unless they get involved in the organized system. Tax collection is irregular and often corrupt. When someone uses a bank or other organized lending program they find themselves in the system and subject to taxation. This does not necessarily mean that they just pay their taXes however. Since the system could well not be consistent some end up paying more than they owe with the consequence that the business they just started or tried to build goes bankrupt because of taXation. l oan repayment is at risk of the "taX police". I leave it to you to think about the similari­ ties between this situation and the growing second economy in the United States, one which if fo lks had 'VIEW' Cont. on Page Nine... �., STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine GIVE IT UP LIFE IS by Denise Crew by Lee Crum, 239·589 Orient CorrectionalInstitution Y9u are a clinging vine, digging in deep becoming a part of all that has been created LONESOME ME by Denise Crew I couldn't wait until I had time to myself no little ones outside the bathroom door doing a battle royal about a pair of socks No book fairs to scrounge up money for so that my little ones could be privileged to a book or two of their choosing no lunches to pack for school and complaints about what was in them or discovering them uneaten the following day Worrying who will do child care next week because the new baby-sitter just isn't working out now my mind is on other things · how are the children are the grandchildren doing all right Why don't they call why don't they visit some things never change one it was just poor me ,now its just poor lonesome me ARITHMETICIAN byAaron Pitchford If you have a potato and divide into halves, then into quarters, then eighths, then into sixteenths, what would be the correct answer? Potato salad! STREETVIBES Sweat and T-Shirts! Only $5 for T's, $1Ofor Sweats. You want to be a earth woman, protect all things that live, as well as all things are precious to you Kind woman of spirit you can live gently on this earth, at one with all that's good an right Soothing words come form your heart. But YO';! do not know their impact on my being. As forceful a blow that could be deadly if connected with fatal violence You keep only that which you are in need if to survive. When it comes time for you. Without hesitation or reservation, you give it up MOTHER THORITOI by Denise Crew Surely you are the matriarch of the family putting all you have into yours is what you do being all to those who are, and bringing each one through It must be a thankless task sometimes I dare say, but you are the woman who made the tireless way I know you must get tired with all you have to do the care, the love and a stern talk or two You've always been a mother now your grands are true because they see, and they will keep your legacy come true Press for education, is focus for the day This you do encourage in every single way so proud you are, I know it Because you are the Matriarch STREETVIBES The Tn State's Homeless Grapevine God knows you do your best so He brings you peace at night when you lay down to rest you wake early in the morning and do your daily thing do people know or even care that you are crowned a queen 100% White Cotton Shirts and Long Sleeve Sweat Shirts XL Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at 1506 Elm Street. Please stop by and see us. Page 6 What is life, a meaningful thing More precious than money; I do mean! A Prisoner Of War That still have dreams, No chance for parole Is how its seems Incarcerated! No help from the outside, Behind the walls of a prison Is where I lye_. In need of friendship thats no lie, For many of reasons and this says why? Confined with envelopes, pens, and paper But no o ne to write, It seems as though a long last fight! ''HE DON'T WAIT TO SEE YOU'' Aaoa1111oa1 She visited as often as possible. Sometimes with her husband john, sometimes alone, as today. She sent postcards, stamped envelopes, cards and letters. She bought him an electric typewriter for school. A good friend to a prisoner, to an old friend. Now the man at the check-in window said she could not visit. Her name and her husband's was scratched off the visiting list. "Yes, my husband's name was taken off so my mother could visit since you only allow 2 friends at a time. She was to put on in my husband's place for now. She's been to ill to come. My nam~ was not to be removed." "Well, it's off the list and he don't want to see you anyway so you can't go in." "There must be some mistake. I've been here before and there was no problem. Please check to see if my mother is on the list." "How would I even know if she was your mother? You're just a liar and you might as well leave now!" "Her name is Bessy Stevens. Is she on the list? Why would they remove her name?" "That name is here but I have no way of knowing if that is your mother. I wouldn't make any difference anyway. You were only on as the wife of a visitor. When your husband is off, you are off." 'This just is not right! I've visited before on my own, without my husband." "No you haven't, you're lying, you're not even on the list!" The officer at the other window stepped over and verified that she had visited before, quite often. said he'd seen her and she had been signed in. "Don't matter, she's not on the list now. With her attitude she shouldn't even bother trying to get on the list again. She won't make it, so forget it." Shaken by the threat, and feeling the anger rise in her throat after being called a liar twice, she hesitated. Then she answered, "You may be allowed to talk to the prisoners like that, but I am not locked up, so you don't have the right to treat me so!" "Get on out of here and don't bother to come back!" She turned quickly, her face flushed. She saw the faces of other waiting visitors, now apprehensive and threatened also. As she pushed the door open she said, not too softly, 'This really sucks!" The desk sergeant grinned at her, before he called the next visitor number. ' �SJREEJVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 7 • Phone: 921· 1231 STATE AVENUE SALVAGE HISTORICAL BLDG. MATERIALS EARL (CHARLIE) MATIINGLY 1958 State Ave. Cinti., OH 45204 (:C~ $1i HAND UP .\~OTHER C LASS PRODvCT I O~ Disc-Jockey Service NOT a CLIFFORD JONES {513) 761-3464 (513) 230-6353 payroll and human resource management HAND OUT TRANSCON EMPLOYMENT COMPANY Angle E. St runk , CEO 1-888-841·7900 P.O. Box 12545 (513) 841-5550 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 Fax: (513) 841·5545 angie_strunkOmsn.com WILLIAM R . WALi.ACE, D.D.S. 5258 MONTGOMERY RO. NORWOOD. OH 452 12 OCTOBER 15-16, 1998 DROP INN CENTER 217 W. 12TH STREET Telephone (513) 531 ·2338 CINCINNATI, OHIO ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Subscribe to Streetvibes HAIKU by Brett Zwolinski An Unrhymed Japanese verse form of three lines containing usually 5,7,5 (or 7,5 ,7) syllables respectively . Please submit your suggestions for monthly Haiku to Brett Zwolinski at STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Now, Jessica Wal lac e' s Haiku: such an endless glass you drink such an image kept such sour endings you swallow Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 per year. Ple'ase send a check to the below address and the paper will be m ailed to you each issue. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home less--Streetvibes. If you have a ny questions, call 421-7803. 'Road' Cont. From Page Two.... and a stagnant minimum wage make for a very bleak next few years for poor people. The next speaker offered a ray of hope. Brooklyn Park was chosen as a sight for very good reason. Residents there had saved over I000 units of housing from demolition. The housing was in very-good condition, similar to Newport Publi~ Housing. Just like Newport, Lincoln Courts and just about anywhere else in the U.S., the land had suddenly become valuable for developers. My host Sue Watlov Phillips is A-1 as far as hosts go, took me on a very extensive tour of Minnesota that focused on social services. Minne­ sota has a slightly different emphasis than we do here in Ohio. With a lot of state-wide support, legislators have been able to produce a substantial amount of scattered sight transitional and permanent housing. Conversely they have less emergency services. It a shame in the richest country in the world that providers have to make difficult choices about who to serve. If you read this NBC, how about that for a Town Hall Meeting. Happy Trails. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page B • EDUCATION AS CRIME PREVENTION:~ PROVIDING EDUCATION TO PRISONERS by James Pryor, In Struggle Ohio's prison population is rapidly increasing. and current statistics place the number of people incarcerated in Ohio to be over fifty thousand. This -estimate is over thirty three thousand more people incarcerated today than there was fifteen years ago in 1980. The United States has a higher proportion of its population behind bars than any other nation. Yet, proportion-wise, Ohio ranks among one of the highest (states). and still its public schools are faltering. I would like to demonstrate the history of education in prison. and the changes in crime rates contributed to it; a measure that Ohio needs to consider at a fraction of the cost that it takes to build only one new prison. However, the taxpayers money is spent ludicrously. as thought it flows from a never ending fountain. In 1965, Congress passed Title IV of the Higher Education Act, which explicitly permitted prisoner's to apply for financial aid in the form of Pell Grants to attend college. The passage of Title IV allowed for the expansion of what had been a smattering of higher education programs in correc­ tional facilities. The number of programs peaked in 1982 at over 350 available in 90% of states. Ohio's prison population is rapidly increasing, and current statistics place the number of people incarcerated in Ohio to be over fifty thousand. In the 1970's, studies were conducted to determine the achievements of correctional higher education. Success was measured by the rate of rearrest and the offenders ability to obtain and maintain employment upon release. The results were overwhelmingly positive, indicating that higher education was responsible for reducing an individu­ als chances of returning to crime. In turn. this resulted in savings by reducing the costs of incar­ ceration and victimization, and by providing skilled workers to the economy. In the early I990's, elected officials began introducing legislation to prohibit federal tuition assistance to prisoners. A counter-effort started by educators, correctional officials, prison advocates, and prisoners themselves managed to stave off the legislation until 1994, when the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act effectively dismantled correctional higher education. Since 1994, the crime rate in ·Ohio has d'rastically increased according to law enforcement officials. The prison population alone has increased from around forty one thousand in 1994 to over fifty thousand prisoners currently. These types of increases reflect a downfall in the rehabilitative measures incorporated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. We could theoreti­ cally predict that by the year 2002, more than seventy thousand individuals in Ohio alone will be incarcerated. The United States has to seriously reconsider its approach to criminal justice, and incorporate legislation to bring about change. especially in states like Ohio. Ohio truly warehouses its prisoners, with no rehabilitative goals in mind. It has merely eliminated any form of quality educational programs. They are currently employing vocational programs which are based on outdated curriculum that is so outdated, that it serves no fundamental purpose. One could not use it upon return to society. They have a landscaping and tree care program which is insti­ tuted by an outsider college. They go through instructors regularly. In these programs, there are courses that prisoners will receive full credit for, but attending only two or three courses a semester. This is because the college has no instructors to teach the program. Yet, this does the prisoner no good, as he will still be unqualified to obtain the job, because he is still undereducated and doesn't have the skills required to perform the job. This is one of the many ways in which the Ohio prisoner is exploited to show the paperwork to generate funds. I had, through diligence and maintaining an institutional record of adjustment, been allowed to be lowered to minimum security and placed in an honor status dormitory. About a month ago, I went before the unit manager and case manager of this honor status dormitory to be asked to consider a voluntary job. I did not accept it because I wanted to remain in a vocational program. Approximately two weeks later, I was transferred out of the dormi­ tory for refusing to give up my educational opportu­ nity to push a broom and do menial labor! These are the rehabilitative strategies of the Ohio Depart­ ment of Rehabilitation and Correction. What is their goal? [Statistical Source: The Center on Crime, Communities & Culture; (Se ptember I 99 7). Educa­ tion A Crime Preve.ntion: New York, NY, Open Society Institute.] THE ONGOING CONCERN OF PRIVATIZATION ethics! We must consider the capitalistic drive of the Ohio bureaucrats to build more prisons. They legitimize this need by building up the public with get tough on crime tactics. They down play the Ohio prisoner as scum for their own political gain. The Ohio state system, systematically abuses their prisoners who are harsh and bitter for return into society. What form of rehabilitative initiatives would private prisons employ? It's time for questions and answers as a people, instead of as an unheard voice! The state system should be fully scrutinized before you so eagerly downgrade privatization. This is the t.ime to seek prison reform of Ohio State Prisons, because they affect you in a lot of ways and society as a whole. What form of rehabilitative initiatives would private prisons employ? It's time for questions and answers as a people, instead of as an unheard voice! The Ohio bureaucrats hide behind a barrage of media tactics. This allows them to keep hidden the abuses that exist within the Ohio prisons. With their strategies they have the public believing they are running a tight ship, when in actuality it's sinking. Myself, I've suffered enough, and am ready for some positive change. What changes can be guaranteed us by private firms ; education. proper diet, proper medical care, and adequate security? We need to know the answers to these questions. There seems to be a lot of abuses by private prison corporations nationwide. How much more existent are these abuses than the ones suffered regularly by state prisoners in a state prison? The main issue should be prison reform, not who operates them. When we compare and contrast private or state run Prisons, who comes out ahead? What exposure have the state prisons received on their abuses as compared to private prisons? There exists a lot of hidden applicable factors that must be considered before we are swayed by the media into accepting what a biased individual wants you to believe. We as a people, society included, need to take back our voice, and not let capitol hungry bureaucrats dictate what affects us. I would like my State Representative and the representatives of the private firms to give me answers and assure results towards reform. ••••••••••••• • •• • •••••••••• by James Pryor Does the public have an ongoing concern of privatization of Ohio prisons, or is it a concern played up by the media? The Youngstown incident, or recent incidents, have been the focus in opposing privatization. Yet, one must consider the numerous incidents taking place regularly in the Ohio state prisons that do not receive media coverage. During my brief stint here at Orient Correctional Institution (OCI), there have been numerous incidents of violence that were not publicly reported, nor were they checked by the prison administration. Ohio prisoners' concerns are focused on the standards in security and care privatization can offer. They can consider that your legal resources would be more readily available, because a private firm is not exempt from certain liabilities as is a state prison. Therefore, private prisons would have to provide you a higher standard of medical care, something nonexistent in a state prison. What other ar~as would one worry about with privatization/ Do Ohio State Prisons offer any positive form of rehabilitation in educational programs, do they offer you standard food .or adequate living conditions? These are decisions you are going to have to decide o n yourself based on yo ur own set of values and Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 pe r year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. . Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for t he Home less--Streetvibe s. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine OLDER ADULTS DEVE·LOP LEGISLATIVE ACTION PLAN basis. Men can join Genesis or other similar groups that help to find you work and provide a place to "let it all out," if you feel the need. Remember, we are not responsible for our disease, but we are responsible for our recovery. Don't take your recovery lightly, but don't try to work it alone. Don't be too proud to share your inner-feelings, or.they may lead you to relapse. "Just for today," don't pick-up. Trust in the Lord, He too is a great help in troubled times. Submittedby Greater Cincinnati Joint Council On Geriatric Care CHILDREN'S DAY Recommendations made by older adults during the follow-up to the White House Conference on Aging on April 29 include keeping choice of doctors for Medicare, maintaining Social Security at current levels, and reauthorizing the Older Americans Act with suffiCient funding. The Older Americans Act is three years overdue of reauthorization. Without reauthoriza­ tion, no increases can be made in programs funded by the Act. These programs include home delivered meals, transportation, and many other services ne~ded to help older adults stay in their own homes. In spite of the dramatic rise in this population as more people live longer, the increasing needs of frail older adults, and the growing costs of providing services, federal funding for these programs has remained the same since 1992, resulting in long waiting lists for essential services. Work-group sessions during the conference identi·fied several other recommendations including stricter sentences for crimes against older adults, nationwide recognition of advance directives, better communication and funding for adult protective services, more police involvement with older adults, and greater collaboration for transportation services. Conference participants, including more than 130 older adults, developed an action plan to address their major areas of concern as well as other strategies to spread the word about the needs and issues facing older adults. Those interested in volunteering to get involved with this advocacy effort are asked to call the Hyde Park Center for Older Adults, 321-6816, or Senior Services of Northern Kentucky, 292-7968. Sponsored by the Kentucky Association for Gerontology and Greater Cincinnati Joint Council on Geriatric Care, the conference was based on the results of a survey completed by more than 600 individuals over 65. LIFE AFTER REHAB? by MichaelNelson Six months rehab at the Drop Inn Center Live­ In Program and seven months at the Recovery Hotel. What happens after this? I guess it's up to the individual. There are many books to read: Living Sober, Life Without Liquor, and Be Happy. Also, the Big Book and Twenty-four Hours A Day. Go to meetings, call your sponsor, get phone numbers, and call these new acquaintances. But, is this enough for us? Does all this keep us clean and sober? I think not. What to do with all of those idle hours in­ between meetings and reading? I'm beginning to understand why so many in rehab return again and again to one program or another. I think they find a sense of security there they don't seem to find living o n their own. "Living Life on Life's Terms," is easier said than done. Now, I can't seem to find enough to do with myself many times. "One Day at A Time, 'Live and Let Live."' These all make sense when we read them, but how to live them is another story! We all have the same disease, but some of us are sicker than others. This is true, I'm sure of it. Find someone you can talk honestly to on a regular No one proclaimed it. No one said it was a day for children in the Prison Visit Room. It just happened. Many more than usual were visiting that day. One, across form us, I titled, "Boy with Bangs." Neatly cut in an old-fashioned style, his dark bangs were straight and silky. The collar on his stylish gray and white striped shirt was open. Its tail tucked snugly into stone-washed jeans. Snappy brown eyes darted here and there with curiosity. He ran over to check out the vending machines. He gazed through narrow window panes at chain fence and razor wire. Abruptly he turned, flashed a grin that lit up his face, then da~hed back to burrow his head in father's arms. Jest then a wee, pudgy girl came hopping down the aisle hugging a candy bar to her yellow shirt. Rumpled jeans hung low. Her tummy pooched out a bit. Floppy scuffed sandals plopped as she bounced along, swinging one lone pigtail and humming a tune. Nearby sat three girl children all surely under five years old. Littlest girl baby had chubby choco­ late cheeks. Perky pink bows nipped tiny hair tufts. Middle girl wore deep purple with matching beads on each braided corn row. Big sister's gold slacks and blue jacket, sporting red sleeve emblems, looked very military. Gold barrettes clasped her long plaits. Soft words and gentle smiles flitted throughout the murmurs I heard. These young ones sat politely on hard plastic chairs, watching their grandpa. At a far table a three year old wiggled on her Daddy's lap. Reaching up to caress his face, she gave his neck a quick poke, then giggled. After seeing him kiss her mother she grabbed his chin, pulled it down, and planted a fat kiss right smack on his lips! Embarrassed, she ducked her head, then peeked out. He smiled and winked down at her. She snuggled close, content. A boy, maybe eight years old, wore a long sleeved, silky shirt. Vertical lines of turquoise, purple and mauve ran down the sleeves. His legs. not long enough to touch the floor, dangled and kicked impatiently. Opening his popcorn bag he crunched the last kernel before leaning his head against his father's blue uniform. Visiting hours ended. Visitors lined up, waiting to be released to freedom. A slender young woman cradled her flaxen-hair daughter in one arm. By her side huddled a young son, trying to hide his sobs in her skirt. Great tear drops popped from his sister's eyes, and rolled down rosy cheeks. Over mother's shoulder she stretched out stubby hands to reach across the room. Their Daddy stood there help­ lessly, waiting in lin~ to be returned to his cell. She called to him with a whine, then raised it to a plaintive chant. Brother added his plea. "Dad-dy, Dad-dy, Daddy," they mourned. Other children heard their cries. Recognizing those sounds, sounds of their own anguish , they joined the chor us. The room pulsed with their hurting hearts. "Daddy come with us! Daddy come on! Daddy, Daddy, Please Daddy! Please, come home!" Tears filled our eyes as our heavy door banged open. Children's Day was over for us. As fathers waited to be stripped and body searched, fists rubbed grown-up eyes, sobs were muffled. People in prison aren't thought to be human. Everyone there is supposed to be a brutal, hardened criminal. On a Children's Day that doesn't seem to ring so t rue. Page 9 TACTICS by.Robert Freking This is my final column on tactics. I don't have much more to add to the first two columns. What I've been discussing in my last columns is that we have to 'get in. their faces'. We have to make them uncomfortable. We have to make them think: "Oh no, we don't want to mess with them!" I'm not advocating doing anything illegal. I'm saying what we are doing now is not working. We need to change the offensive play book. I'm not criticizing. All I'm saying is please, sit back and take a fresh look. Hannibal crossed the Alps with an invincible force. Fabius met Hannibal on the battlefield but quickly withdrew. Time after time Fabius withdrew until when he finally attacked, Hannibal was demor­ alized and suffered defeat. A new tactic prevented Rome from being destroyed. Can we prevent the slow and steady removal of low-income housing and poor people from Over­ the-Rhine? Are those who care willing to come together, open the process, and work out a winning strategy that the neighborhood can get behind? Can we come up with new ideas that will shatter the forces who want to convert the neighborhood to luxury homes and BMW parking lots? 'View• Cont. From Page Five.. to pay taxes would result in them being unable to support their family, thus increasing the government's welfare burden. My favorite observation was the relationship between having electricity and paying for it. When I arrived in Tblisi I was told that the electricity was off much of the time including in offices there because folks don't pay their bill. After learning more however I found out that people don't pay their bill because they don't have electricity much of the time and they have no way to influence the quality or quantity of the service. Alternative systems are of course developing and the sale of generators is a great business. They have been experimenting in some places with privatizing the utilities, offering electricity 24 hoUf's a day and cutting it off specifi­ cally to the folks that don't pay. Guess what, people pay and they are involved in those situations. As I reflect on this visit my overwhelming observation is how much emerging markets, rural and very vrban America have similar challenges and similar problems in other parts of the world. Comparisons are valuable not to create choice between limited resources but to build knowledge and a recognition that when we discuss the value of healthy communities to each of us that we think as broadly as we can. �STREETVIBES The Tn State's Homeless Grapevine POINTLESS POINT LIVABLE WAGE Dear STREETVIBES: I read your recent article on a livable wage with some interest, as I belong to a credit union in Ithaca, New York which is concerned with facilitating opportunities for low-income members of the community. Interestingly enough, many members of Ithaca and staff are affiliated with Cornell university, and elite private university that co sts about $20,000/ year (minimum) to attend. Yet, Ithaca has pioneered concern for wage equity and developed an " Ithaca Hours" barter system (copied by groups in Athens, Ohio and elsewhere) which values all labor at a minimum of $1 O/hr - whether restaurant service or legal work, consulting or housecleaning. In addition, the Women's Rights National Historic Site in Seneca Falls, New York, which is within the National Park Service, was visited by Hillary Rodham Clinton in July, and which celebrates the efforts of early suffragettes and anti-slavery activists including Frederick Douglass, ha.s an exhibit dealing with the efforts in the state o f Minnesota to develop equitable wages for undervalued work* (which is often done by women and/or minorities), rather than allowing the extremes of income inequality typical of most of the U.S. (we are the WORST industrialized nation in this regard, if you didn't already know - Canada has much less severe inequality) and of our own city of Cincinnati. Best wishes on following up on these ideas! I wish somebody besides the articulate secretaries organizing at UC (UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI) would deal with this issue. Where's some socially responsible business/leadership in this community? *Interestingly, Minnesota raised the waies of some so-called low-skilled jobs and valued them for their necessity to be done instead of for how much private profit they earn for particular individuals as we do as a society. As only one example - I have OFTEN wondered why selling real-estate for example , is so grotesquely QYIB paid. What does sales - of any kind - do to better our world? Sincerely, C indy De nton A Subscribe r (and member, Alte rnatives Fe d eral C redit Union) ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• DEAR DONALD: Thank you for coming Monday to speak about the Coalition for the homeless. Your story touched the hearts of many. I'm sure the subscription to STREETVIBES will continue to be a reminder to the TACKLERS. Wishing you blessings as you continue your work for the poor and homeless. Thank you. Sincerely, Joanie Schaffer and The TACKLE STAFF Well you people, So, now I've been to a conference, and I've' emailed you guys. I believe the concept was to learn from each other and unify the voice of the homeless and their advocates. YAKITY YAKITY YAK. Creating my own paper, be it ever so limited, did help me get off the street. From it I learned to socialize and to open my mind to a continual search of understanding. I saved my ass fro the streets. As was mine, your papers ·a re vehicles for self-serving indulgences. They help only to create beer money for bums. Whoops, am I wrong? Then why the lack of true communal spirit among the papers? As I am off the street I no longer need the paper. Oh, I continue to write. Perhaps someday I'll have my own column somewhere. Still, the only one I can thank for getting off the streets is myself. Kevin Barb ieux (N orth American Street Newspaper Confere n ce participant) • •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Page 10 A PLACE FOR EXPRESSION Dear Readers: I would like to take time to thank you for your dedicated contribution to STREETVIBES. ram merely a reader myself, because of the variety of material printed by STREETVIBES. Yet, I can be assured that your character is compassionate. That's why I encourage you to pay heed to the issues brought forth by STREETVIBES, which create a sincere conscience of our social injustices. Being a prisoner myself, I can truly say that the opportunities to express the injustices of Ohio's prison system shows that we can have a voice through those who care at STREETVIBES. It would be inhuman to ignore the sufferings of our fellow man. Please continue to read STREETVIBES and allow your heart to guide you towards whatever actions you may take towards the pains of those portrayed on the pages of STREETVIBES. Furthermore, encourage your friends and associates to read this paper and subscribe if it be their choice. Healing our society is a step by step process, so please take a step and may God bless you in so doing! In struggle, Jam es W . Pryor •••• • • • •••••••••••••••••••• WORDS FROM THE EVANGELIST..• LEVONNE FAMILY by Mary Ann Bravo I have met this family last year, December of lames 2:1 4- 17 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful for the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Last month I told you about the merger which has become Helping Hands Community Services/ A.W.O.L. Outreach Ministries, and I introduced to you Pastor Leonard Williams, Sr. Pastor Williams is a man of God who believes in putting his faith to work, and because of thi$ he is a blessing to all who come to know him. Presently we are offering a multitude of referral services and programs such as: "W omen of Vision," w hich is held on Saturdays in South Cummingsville and facilitated by Evangelist Cordelia Nowell. And there program assistance to the Fay Community Center's Afterschool Program. The Whole Life Church of Jesus Christ will be dedicating the month of October to the women of the church, November to the men, and December to the family. If you do not have a church home, come fellowship with us at 1814 Powers Street in South Cummingsville. We will have a blessed time in the Lord. If you would like to contribute in some way, or if you would like to learn more about our ministries and services call 681-5537. We are a growing ministry, but we challenge the man who says, "Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works Oames 2: 18)." In His Service, Evangelist Rodney Sutton, Sr. 1997, by the grace of God. I could not have met a nicer family than this. This is a wonderful family to be around. She has grown around the crime. She is now living in Lincoln Heights. She has four beautiful children. They are very smart and well behaved. She has three girls and one boy. She is a single parent and she is working very hard for her children. She is a grandmother. One of her oldest daughters has a beautiful child named Sky. You can notice this family anywhere because of their smiles, and the way they carry themselves. One of her daughters looks just like her, they look like twin sisters, them, mother and daughter. I am glad I have met this family. This is a warm, caring family. God bless them all. • •••••••••••••••••••••••••• COMEDY CORIER by Ron Carter The Steak: There were three guys rooming together and their food was all gone except for one steak in the refrigerator. Everyone wanted the steak and didn't want to share it. Lets say their names were Brett, Jimmy, and Don. They decided that they would go to sleep and who ever had the best dream would get the steak. So they all went to sleep and woke up when their alarm clock went off. Brett said, "I dreamed that I go t the job that I applied for that pays well and has very good benefits." So, they all agreed that was a good dream. Jim said, " I dreamed that I hit the lottery real big and I donated a lot of the money to the Home less C oalition." Brett and Don agreed that was an excellent dream. Jim asked, ''What was your dream about Don?" Don replied, "I dreamed that you two guys had left town and wasn't coming back, so I woke up before you two did and ate the steak." �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 11 Scramble The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless presents the 3rd Annual a gospel music performance, featuring some of Cincinnati's finest talent. Please help us help those less fortunate. Saturday, October 17, 1998 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Mt. Auburn Presbyterian C·hurch Auburn & E. McMillan Ave efeaturin§Sdm& efcrindmtatis c:finesl c2J11spcl rc'alml Joel Davis Saint Anthony Catholic Church Choir, Gail Ho.lley Burnetta Price David Mizell Angie Pepper Denise Wilburn 'The Voices Of Hope" "Tribe Gospel Choir" and more !!!! otr<? Donald Whitehead & c:f;uest Ant1dllt1eetr or send a check made out to "Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless", 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210. ••• • •• •••• ••• •• •••• • • ••••••• •••••• •••• •• • ••••••••••• •••• Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per ye ar. Please send a check to ·the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street C incinnati, OH 45~ I 0 Please make che cks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Try to unscramble these related words: TROCOD REYWAL EILOPCMNA RANMFEI REHCAST EGJED GSNSNCRMAEO ROTASNE LICONUCAMN RENIGENO STSNATMPO Answers on page IS. FINDLAY MARKET UPDATE byRon Carter For tickets contact Donald Whitehead at 421-7803 Subscribe to. Streetvibes byRancarter Community Celebration. The Findlay Market is as always the place to go on Saturday for whatever you need. Not only will you find good meats, fruits, and vegetables, there are a lot of other stands with numerous items of interest to you. Findlay Market is expanding and getting better all the time. Come and check it out if you haven't lately and see for your self. You too can sell items you think the people would like. Just come down and discuss it with the Fin!:llay Market Manager and you too .can be part of it all. I have been doing outreach work at Findlay Market since February for the Over-the-Rhine Community. Mainly getting petitions signed for the One-Way Vine Street situation. I have collected around 1400 to I500 signatures in favor of One­ Way Vine. I enjoy talking to the people and explaining why Vine Street should remain a one-way street. I think a lot of the shoppers get a big kick out of me talking them into signing my petition. Some of the shoppers, both young and old, that I talked to never knew that Vine was formerly all two-way and can't believe anyone would want it that way again. We are very much c;;oncerned about everyone's safety on Vine and that's why we're fighting so hard to keep in that way. And from the response that I have gotten from the Findlay Market shoppers, the majority of them feel the same as we do at the Over­ The-Rhine Community Council (OTRCC). Hopefully by the time this story gets to the press, a decision will have been made in our favor. Let's keep our fingers crossed. And remember, We Are Doing Fine With One-Way Vine. Thank you all who signed petitions. We really appreciate your support. Live Music! Friends and Neighbors Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge ot Over·the·Rhlne Nast-Trinity .United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721-7339 An Organization Seeking Justice for People in Cincinnati's .Most Endangered Community �STREETVIBES The T1-i State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 HOMELESS VETERANS FIND HELP by Iola Green Since 1987, the Department of Veterans Affairs 01 A) has addressed the problems of homelessness among veterans through a wide range of specialized programs. These pr~grams are known as the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV). The core of the HCHV program is to reduce homelessness among veterans by conducting outreach in the community to those veterans who are not currently receiving services and engaging them in treatment programs. The Cincinnati VA HCHV team consists of a Master Level Social Worker, a Nurse Practitio­ ner, a Program Specialist and administrative support from two part-time clerks. The HCHV outreach activities include identify­ ing veterans in shelters, soup kitchens, parks and other community locations. Once a veteran enters into the program; the veteran is placed in one of three community-based contracted residential treatment facilities. They are the Prospect House, Droege Transitions for men and WRAP for women, and Joseph House. Through the outreach efforts of the Cincinnati VA HCHV team, there are veter.ans who have found their way off the streets and into jobs, careers, school and housing. Howard Turner is one of those veterans. Here is Howard's' story in his own words: I first became homeless in June of 1993 after being released from prison for drug trafficking. It was my third time doing time in prison, 't he other two times for drug abuse, and the one for trafficking in drugs. Well, the only reason that I wasn't homeless before my last imprisonment was because Howard-Turner my dad had passed away a couple of years prior, and left me a nice three family home, to be shared with my brother. Needless to say, when I got out, or just before my release, we sold the house and I proceeded to spend all the money on drugs and treating my so-called friends. Staying here and there, and before I knew it, all my money was gone and so were my so-called friends. So I tried working out of tempora,.Y labor services to get back on my feet, but I could never make it. I was caught up in the drug scene. I found myself not knowing what to do. I knew that there was a 28 day p~ogram at the VA Hospital, and being a vet it would be free of charge, and I would have a place to stay. Well I did that and went from there to a long term treatment program at the 'Dom.' I stayed clean for a while but I didn't work the program like they suggested. I thought that I could do it by myself, that's stay sober. I went back out and again I was homeless, once again I returned to treatment. It took me another long term treatment program and I still 'went back out'. But I remembered two things; the Photo byJimmy Heath lady at the furlough board saying "we're going to release you and give you a chance to save your life", and the members of AA telling me to keep coming back. From 1993 until November 3rd, 1997, which is my sobriety date with the exceptions of when I was in treatment, I slept in parks, abandoned buildings and shelters. I walked in the Prospect House on November 3rd, 1997 and I thank Mrs. Iola Green from the bottom of my heart for believing in me. Also my counselors and the staff at the Pros­ pect House, and above all, I thank God for allowing me to be a productive citizen. I work for a company where I started nine months ago through a tempo­ rary service and worked hard. I was hired on full time with the company. I am presently living in transitional housing paying $255 per month for rent. My job pays $8 an hour with good benefits. Today I am up in the morning at 4:30 AM getting ready to leave for work at 5:25. I thank God for the VA Homeless Program and Mrs. Green, the Prospect House, and of course AA. ,I­ ,{ .r.1 ~·-·- ­ . . .. .. - •M -·­ I~-':-~ =-~-~\ r-- . __ ·­ : L J- .. ­ \ ~-:- ~--- i : I -·--­ -·-· . i : I ·1 \ - ­ l lI I .. . ·-l­ . . \ • .,....-..;;..;;;;;....,.........-~1" I . I.. ._____.. I - r­ j 10: .. �STREETVIBES The T1-i State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 News From Cleveland's llraperine ARefugee of the New Health Care System by Brian Davis On September 24, a young man 21 years old showed up at the shelter doors with burns over three fourths of his body. He was dropped off at the men's shelter by the only public hospital lett in Cleveland. The hospital social worker did not check with the shelter ahead of time, but just dropped "Ray" off. There was no room at the shelter as is the case every night of the year in Cleveland. Ray had to spend the night on the floor. Only 24 hours earlier Ray had tried to commit suicide by lighting himself on fire. He had second and third degree burns. He spent 24 hours in the Psychiatric Ward, and was discharged to the streets. He was given four paper prescriptions for pain and antidepressants and dumped at the Volunteers of America shelter. The staff at the VOA were out­ raged. Officials from MetroHealth hospital could not be reached for·comment. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Homeless Man Lost But Not Forgotten There are a group of people in our society who always seern to be in the way. Those people who find solace in a bott le. Society calls them "drunks" and "bums." They are arre sted by the police on a regular basis, and swept away. Pedestri­ ans see them sleeping in a doorway and forget about them as soon as they pass. But in a memorial service for Charles "Boogie" Akers those who remembered Charlie repeatedly mentioned "God's way", and this is "what God wanted for Boogie." As Ron Reinhart, Director of Salvation Army's PASS program said, "As a provider, even being an alcoholic myself, what we may think is best for someone, like sobriety, may not be what God. meant for this person." There was a great deal of mythology associated with Charles Akers. Some said that he was a college graduate who lost everything. Others claimed he was a former well paid business executive who had lost everything. In reality what was known about Charlie was that he had a great sense of humor, and was a kind and feisty individual. He loved to dance and he loved Hank Williams. He would go to dances and ask everyone to dance until he found someone who WJ.S willing. Akers was born in 1933. He was educated through the sixth grade. He used to say the only Subscribe to Streetvibes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coali­ tion for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call '421-7803. BP thing that'kept him out of high school was 8th grade. He was just learning to read in the past few years. He loved to sing, and he was fond of Mad Dog 20/20 alcohol because of its cheap price and intoxicating effect. He did have a mental illness, ar:id had received funds from his father's railroad pension fund. He had interaction with the Cleveland Police over 400 times in the last 30 years: most were calls that involved Charlie's public drunkenness. He was struck by a drunk driver on Saturday August 22 and died early on Sunday morning. Police records indicate that the driver was tharged with vehicular homicide for striking and killing Charlie near W. S2nd and Lorain. In 1997 and 1998, he had some success in his lifelong battle with alcoholism. He had obtained 43 consecutive days of sobriety while in the PASS program. Reinhart believes that given the opportu­ nity and the time, he "absolutely" would have made progress with his drinking problem. 'The only way to reach him was through patience and tolerance," Reinhart said. "He was like a kid in a toy store when he was sober," according to Reinhart. There were many new experiences that he discovered at PASS, ii:icluding going to Bob Evans Restaurant. He found the joy of sitting down at a meal and being served. He also was so proud to be able to buy thi!'gs, even food, for people with his own money. Reinhart said, "We were fortunate to be a part of that. He went to Bob Evans regularly while sober." David Simmons, a friend of Charlie and social service provider, described how proud Charlie was of his clean suit that he got while at PASS. He would show off his clean clothing and his new life-style. This is a life foreign to most people, but he lived o n the streets for thirty years from one bottle to the next. He reportedly said, "Live life to the fullest, because no one else is going to live it for you." In fact, he got his nickname from a song that he use to sing about bogeying all night with the ladies. He would pan handle or scrape together money to buy alcohol to cover up some childhood trauma or abuse, and then sleep it off. He lett no family or history that can be verified. His parents did buy him a cemetery plot years ago, which local homeless service providers were able to find in Akron where he was buried. The Cleveland Fire Department who had to come to his assistance on many occasions came to pay their respects. Members of the Second District Police unit also visited Charlie's memorial. Homeless service providers from both the East and West Side who had helped Charlie and had been touched by Charlie came together for his memorial service on August 28 on the near West Side. His friends from the streets were well represented. His drinking buddies remembered him. One gendeman said that he was going to drink a bottle of Mad Dog for Charlie, and then he was never going to drink that kind of alcohol again because it made him sick. Another man said that no one again would pan handle on the corner of W . 40th and Lorain. Eric Wolf, a hard core homeless man who never came in for services, said before he was homeless when he first got to Cleveland he met Boogie. He said that he allowed Charlie to baby sit for his kid. When Eric got home he said, "the kid • came running out saying that Charlie was going to sell him for a bottle of wine. He was a hell of good man." Charlie wasn't much of a baby-sitter. Mark Budzar, Outreach Director of Volun­ teers of America said, "He was one of funniest people you could know. He was a good guy. Like a member of the family." Budzar said you could look past his faults and take care of him when he was in need. Budzar will miss Charlie saying, "My name is Jimmy. I'll take whatever you give me." (Boogie's rap that he used while pan handling.) Reinhart said, "He didn't lie about who he was. He knew who he was and what he wanted." Simmons said, "He kept getting back up. He is a testament to man's ability to pick themselves up and continue." Simmons, a recovering alcoholic, said he met Charlie in the drunk tank at the Justice Center. "He wa.s so annoying. He was singing and telling jokes, and you just wanted to kill him." David grew to enjoy Charlie, and tried to help him when he could. "He was a rare individual, a truly honest human being. The only people who could communi­ cate with him was those he was drinking with," David said. The death of Charlie is fraught with irony. He was struck by a drunk driver while he had spent his life drinking and staggering along the Cleveland streets. He had never stepped out in traffic in all those years of drinking. His service was held across from where he spent many years pan handling. In fact, he wa.s known to cause some disruption for the funeral home in the past because of his irreverent behavior. For social workers, Charlie is the person that they wake up nights in a cold sweat worrying about. Service providers extend every effort to get an individual to a point of self reliance as dictated by societal ne>rms. There was a great deal of anguish by many providers over Charlie Akers, but Charlie ' survived and woke up everyday. He never gave up . the struggle. As Reinhart said, "He opened my eyes to not try to run things in neat squares when you are working with human beings. He changed my outlook on how to deal with people." Budzar said he agreed w ith the sentiment expressed at the Memorial Service that, "Charlie taught us how to take care of each other." ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Dealing With Welfare byCrystal W. Speaking as someone who really knows just what it is like dealing with the welfare department, I'm here to say that they are so far off base and poorly trained to deal with human beings period. The entire system is going through some sort of massive change over in the computer software or something of that nature, until the phone system isn't letting any phone calls reach workers and supervisors. People who have appointments and have a legal reason for needing to reschedule are quickly whisked onto the sanction list because their phone calls aren't reaching their caseworker. I've overheard a worker say, "well too bad" they should have made their first appointment. The workers take personally the power that they hold over a client and their way of living (or should I say way of surviving.) It is to the point that they think nothing about how much they hurt people. I was sanctioned by my caseworker in May and June. When July rolled around, I didn't receive my health card, my food stamps weren't listed in the system and when I tried to talk to my worker, of course the phones were out of service. I traveled down to the building on Payne Ave., and was taken through a thousand changes until I was finally understood. By then they told me that my case­ worker was gone on vacation and there wasn't anyone covering her caseload. My worker, I believe, on purpose did not update my file, she neglected me and my case, leaving me in the wind so to speak. They don't care if you suffer or not! Nothing is ever their fault, nor will they bother to look into situations that obviously don't seem right even to them. It is like they are afraid that they might have to do some extra work, or actually help someone! They need some help badly. �STREETVIBES The Tt~i State's Homeless Grapevine •••·our Youth• Cont. from Page Three The solutions are right under everyone's nose no one will look. Men cut off their face to spite their nose when they don't work...when simply they can set up a back payment plan if child support laws were fair. Women reading this probably are saying who is she, she must not have children. Yes, I do. And believe me the law is not helping to get child support for them. Believe it, we women should work for a solution. And of course there are men who say, I'm not giving my money to that women, she'll spend it on herself. You are darn right she should because after all sooner or later she will have to come out of her pocket to buy those $200 Reeboks or Nikes. Let us not forget Air Jordans. Men your money is only allowing her to put food and a roof over your child's head. Believe me when I say, your child benefits more than· that women. On to a crucial topic. Mommies who curse their children calling little girls little B's and little boys Little MF's. Get real. When they grow up they will curse you. If you want respect you have to give respect. Every adult lives long enough to know right and wrong. So for Christmas I wish Santa Claus would let me see adults be more responsible in how they raise their child. Rap music is cool, but what is not so cool is the profanity. Women are not hoes or B's. If you ask me some men act mor e like a "B" than I ever will. Come on! Capitalist society that we are, should think more on morals than dqllars. All that slang in rap is raising our children to be little ghetto te rrorists of the ir own neighborhood. I could go on and on about adults teaching children to be or do abusive things that are harmful to themselves as well as society. Whether you believe me or not, it is easier to do right than wrong. Wrong begets more wrong. It is easier to love than hate. Hate torments the soul. Kindness should be more asse rted. When I was a kid dad used to say, "If you can walk away from a fight do so." When I grew up I learnt the hard way that what he meant was use my mind instead of my fists. We as parents should learn to teach our children that. I mean that just as it is written. Parents should learn to teach our children. I repeat. Don't we as parents want the best for our children? Therefore watch what is said or done to our children. And remember adults, we are all role models for. our youth one way or another. Be moral. God doesn't like ugly. Ugly is racism, drugs, domestic violence to name a few. It is time to teach our gun toting children to respect themselves first ~o that they will learn to respect others. It is also time for the law to let the parents whoop some behind. And only take parents who brutalize children to jail. Kids need more restric­ tions today. And the belt is a good place to start. "Peace out," they say. I say PEACE IS IN. If the law is going to stop parents from spanking their children then maybe the law should raise the children. I'm not saying beat the child. I'm saying when necessary spank them. I find that talking to a child and what you say is most important. And ask or make the child repeat what you say to make sure they heard you. And you have to reinforce everything you say 'cause even if they hear what you say, they will forget in the next 5 minutes. So check again and again. Make sure what you say sticks. I love all kids. If you love your children, show them and teach them. They need you. Children are like balls of clay. If you mold them properly they will make great sculptures. It's up to parents. I know even when you t each them the best you can they still won't be good. So remember different tactics are necessary. And as Malcolm X use d to say, "BY ANY MEANS NECES­ SARY." But raise your child to be a good man or good woman. ~nd THE SHADOW REVIEWS: ''HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK'' by The Shadow Terry McMillan, playwright and author of this bestselling novel, admitted she was involved with a younger man and that relationship inspired her to write this romantic but controversial book. Movie Review Angela Bassett portrays Stella Payne, a successful San Francisco stockbroker. Although she is 40, she displays a hardrock body that makes men weak in the knees. Bored with her life, she decides to take a trip to Jamaica, where she discovers romance in the name of Winston Shakespeare who is portrayed by T aye Diggs. He is the perfect gentlemen-supportive, caring, and romantic. Plus he's a hunk. But there's one problem. He's twenty years younger than her. Diggs, who graduated from Syracuse University starred in the hit Broadway musical, Rent. When he discovered that he got the role as Winston, he got so excited that he took off all his clothes, and streaked around the theater screaming at the top of his lungs, "I got the part! I got the part!" Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis co-wrote and _ produced the album for their Flyte Tyme Produc­ tions for Flyte Tyme Records. It also features a host Page 14 of artists who include Boyz II Men featuring Chante Moore, Shaggy featuring Janet Jackson, K-Ci and Jojo, Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler, and Jazzie B. Also, Stevie Wonder and Wyclef Jean. It also had a funky reggae flavor that was perfect for the movie with its two settings, America and Jamaica. Terry McMillan wanted to make the movie as close to the novel as possible, so she features artists that were included in the book like Mary J. Blige, Diana King, Maxi Priest, and Beenie Man. Regina King who starred in the NBC·sitcom "227" kept me laughing as Stella's sister, Vanessa, but it was Whoopi Goldberg (Stella's best friend in the movie) who not only 11dded humor, but drama. Suzzanne Douglas played Stella's bourgeois sister, Angela, who didn't believe or support her relation­ ship with a younger man. Most men cannot relate with this movie. Some. even feel intimidated. It's all right for older men to date younger women, but they feel threatened when older women date younger men. But men who have been in this situation know that love has no color or age, and it doesn't matter what position one holds. I feel good to review a movie that instills hope, and faith in love, romance, and relationships. This powerful movie subtly encourages Black men to stand by and support the Black women who has suffered heartache and pain like a beautiful flower in the frozen rain. I know that the greatest war is not the war among men who fight with guns, atomic bombs, and jet bombers. Yes, my brothers and sisters, the greatest war is the war among the sexes. --Contributed by The Shadow, author of "The Odd Cookie." Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place .to call home? ·Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income ... Many buildings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �STREETVIBES The Tt-i State's Homeless Grapevine ANNOUNCING A new Group at AVOC••. For Heterosexuals Living With Aids FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny Williams There are several political prisoners in Ohio's prisons. If you are interested to write to them, like James Pryor or Dan Cahill, please contact: Areyou looking for a broader knowledge ofthe challenge ofliving with HIV/AIDS? Would you like to meetpeople who haresimUarexperiencesandheartheir copingstrategies? Are you looking forpeers with whom ou can discuss andplan for the future? Page 15 In Memory of 11 Mac 11 Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ••• Because Every­ one includes Prison­ ers and Former Prisone rs. 1 Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 Phone: (513) 241-8014 COME MEET WITH US••• 1 Where: AVOC ''Gray Room" When: 1st and3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to B:PM More information: Susan or Judy 421-2437 Band Lookinz for Work Streetvibes (the band). We like to party. R&B, Oldies, Blues/ Jazz, Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803 . Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for .six months to 'advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 42 1-7813 for sale Native A mer ican cookies; orders being accepted~ R. C. Janus, (Fax) 891-8663. Office worker seeks 20­ 30 hour sit down job on bus line, within 2 miles of the river in either Kentucky or Ohio; non-medical terminology, non-filing cabinet office work; social services, sales, public information, crafts, and other background, some computer experience; contact Box 2, Streetvibes, I506 Elm St., Cincinnati, 45210. Laborer Looking for a laborer! Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center, 721­ 0643. Elderly or Children Looking for a community oriented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteach worker/ counselor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience including Windows, Lotus, Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop Inn Center, 721-0643. Degreed, successful grants administrator/writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same; ten percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus, Jr. (Fax) 891-8663. Native American-Hispanic female seeks sit down, slow­ paced industrial FACTORY position; physically challenged. (Fax) 891-8663. Scramble Answers from page 11••• DOCTOR LAWYER POLICEMAN FIREMAN TEACHER JUDGE CONGRESSMAN SENA TOR COUNCILMAN . ENGINEER SPORTSMAN STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $1 per line.· Call 421-7803 for info. Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the foll0wing code to be able to sell the paper. I . Streetvibes will be distributed for a $I voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1 . I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the " homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Sales Re presentative Looking for position as sales representative or management. Has good bookkeeping, typing and supervisory skills. Has experience in retail management, customer service and sales. Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at 552-935 I. Restay rant Work Responsible older man able to work any shift. Would prefer work as a busser at a restaurant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is very dependable and available immediately. Please contact Wiley Powell at 831-8404. Baby Sitter Need a babysitter? Former child-care worker with day­ care experience. Call Mary Ann at 665-4375 or pager at 610-8527 Contlnzency Fee Lmui: Not afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on letterhead paper to 11 11 Elm Street. No. 432, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Streetvlbes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition ha.s a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, Oct. I0th, 1998, noon to I pm Advertise in Streetvlbes! . Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned peopfe each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 1/2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions. call the Homeless Coali­ tion ·at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cindnnati, OH 45210 �STREETVIBES- The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine Page 16 VENDOR PROFILE: James Hobbs Streetvlbes TV The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as W arner Cable changes programming and channels. I spent my early days growing up in the West End. As a kid, I remember playing army in the cement squares when Lincoln Courts was being built. I was living with my aunt and uncle on 14th street up from the burlesque bar called the Pink Pussycat and around the corner from the State Theater. Later, I moved to West Eighth St., where I sold the Cincinnati Herald and Cincinnati Post, where I froze my fingers off. I was robbed by some thugs. My pride was hurt, but with time I healed. I built and operated my own shoe-shine stand. All this time I never missed a day of school, played sports and belonged to the Cub Scouts Pack 64. Nowadays, I'm the fella who was homeless and lived at the Drop-Inn Center. I'm selling STREETVIBES which covers issues concerning the homeless and poor community. I'm glad to be part of the Homeless Coalition. Streetvibes TV October Schedule This month's LIVE SHOW, on October 19th at 7PM, will discuss the many issues surrounding Breast Cancer. Teresa Adair from the YWCA is scheduled to appear along with other guests. If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803: We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... Streetvlbes Wish List Channe l 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. Monday. O ctober 19th at 7PM. STREEVIBES is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... Rebroadcast Dates for Show on Chan­ nel 10: >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs Saturday, October 3, 1998, 4 PM Friday, October 9, 1998. I I AM Friday, October 16, 1998 , 11 AM Saturday, October 24, 1998, 4 PM Monday, October 25, 1998, I0 PM Broadcast schedules a re subject to change - consult your local TV directory. > Adobe Pagemaker Software for STREETVIBES layout > 35 MM Film for STREETVIBES photo's >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper Where Your Dollar Goes Vendor: 80 cents Printing and Production: 20 cents SHELTERS: W omen and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) YWCA Transitional Living Prog. Bethany House Salvation Army Welcome House 241-2757 281-5770 557-2873 762-5660 431-8717 ..JHELTER: Men -ity Gospel Mission Street House seph House (veterans) . Francis- St. Joseph House :. Airy Center ,lunteers of America ·~ arden 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 i ELTER: Both racole (AIDS) abad H:;·..ise :>p Inn Center (singles) i rs Club ven House ti-; 1. :. :i~on) 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 86J ·8866 >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, donuts, etc.) >Computer for STREETVIBES layout and writing Call the STREETVIBES office at 421­ 7803 if you can h e lp! Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so t hat the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421 -7803. Thanks for your support. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalit ion at 421 -7803. >Office Supplies Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing 244-7226 961-4080 651 -6446 HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental 111) Tom Geiger House 721-4580 632-7149 24 1-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 TREATMENT: W o.m e n O.D.A.A.T First Step Home 241-7343 921-7324 TREATMENT: Me n Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Oyer 784- 1853 921-1613 751-3260 TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 Beech Acres 23 1-6630 Center for Independent living Options 241 -2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center 24 1-2563 Emanuel Community Center 24 1- 1064 Freestore/Foodbank 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB C~ntrol 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program 491-3335 Women's Crisis Center OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 421-2437 621 -5991 ( --- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource October 1998 Vol. 2, issue 21 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Jesse Jackson Visits Cincinnati: Forging Along the Appalachian Trail by Motorcade Rally Held at Chiquita Headquarters Pg 3: Our Youth Pg 4: Welfare News Livable Wage Update Pg 5: Visible Homeless Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: Tactics Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 11: Findlay Market update Pg 12: Homeless Veterans Pg 13: Cleveland News Pg 16: Vendor Profile Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew Lee Crum Brian Davis Lalonta Foster Robert Freking Odi Goodman Jimmy Heath Leni Hochman Michael Nelson James W. Pryor Aaron Pitchford Rodney Sutton Jessica Wallace Gloria Wiggins Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <span>This work is licensed under a</span><span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a><span>.</span> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Gloria Wiggins James W. Pryor Jessica Wallace Jimmy Heath labor rights Lalonta Foster Lee Crum Leni Hochman Lynn Williams Maryann Bravo Michael Nelson Odi Goodman prisoner Robert Freking Rodney Sutton Ron Carter vendor profile veterans visible homeless welfare welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/f65acb53e066df7709cdc958210c314d.pdf 64735cf4423334b8e8ab35d054fca3a4 PDF Text Text RESIDENTS RALLY FOR SAFE ONE-WAY VINE Sto17 and Photo /Jy Jimmy Ht1ath On August 20th, Over-The-Rhine community leaders, activists and neighborhood residents gathered on Vine Street to rally and march for support of Vine Street remaining one-way. The march of solidarity began at Vine and Central Parkway and ended at Five Points Corner (Vine, McMicken and Clifton Avenue) in OTR. The issue of Vine Street direction became important in 1974 when community leaders worked to change two-way Vine Street to one-way in order to address serious traffic and pedes.trian concerns, especially at the Five Points Corner. Residents ·and Community leaders were successful in lobbying for the change to a one-way Vine Street for reasons of safety. The question was revisited again about 20 years later (in 1995) when the Urban land Institute (ULI) recommended, as part of an overall urban renewal scheme, that one-way Vine Street be converted back to two-way. On this recommenda­ tion a study (at taxpayers' expense) was undertaken by the City of Cincinnati in cooperation with the consulting firm of Pflum, Klausmeier, & Gehrum (PKG). The final PKG report to the City of Cincin­ nati recommended against the two-way conversion of Vine Street. This recommendation was not accepted by City Council. City Council directed the City Traffic Engineering Department to find a way to convert Vine Street to a two-way operation despite the PKG report. In 1997, the City Traffic Engineer created the Vine Street Task Force comprised of neighborhood residents, representatives of the police. fire, and Metro Bus Service, and neighbor­ hood business representatives. The Task Force, including myself, met ten times over many months to discuss and debate this issue. It seemed clear, even from the first meeting, that this was a battle of business interests over resident rights. Business forces were not looking at alternatives or compro­ mise. The business interests involved in the Task Force meetings painted a lovely picture of life on a two-way Vine Street, while neighborhood residents on the Task Force· expressed serious concern about pedestrian and traffic safety. Business interests on Vine Street who support this project are somehow convincl'.d that two-way traffic will be good for their business. Ironically, there is no evidence that business owners would in any way benefit from a t:No-way Vine Street. If anything, it seems logical that this conversion might impact business in a negative way. Low-income folk on the Task Force began to wonder if this was another way of getting rid of poor persons in o ur neighborhood! Lets face it, the conversion of Vine Street is one part of a lo ng range plan to displace poor folk from what is perceived by many as valuable downtown land. The real value of this land is in the richness and diversity of our neighborhood, its history and its residents. And that is why we fight so hard to protect the residents and our homes. Development as an investment equals highe r rents and highe.r property values much to the delight of land/business owners which in turn results in the reduction of housing stock for low-income people. Main Street in Over-The-Rhine is a good example of the results of this type of "urban re- Continued on page 9 Nannie Hinkston {left), President of The Over-The-Rhine Community Council and Bonnie Neumeier, Vice-President, address demonstrators at One-Way Vine Street rally. LINCOLN COURTS TO BE DEMOLISHED by Stree!Ylbes Staff last month, our cover story told you about the proposed demolition of Lincoln Courts, the City's largest public housing project. Andrew Cuomo Secretary of HUD made the announce­ ment via teleconference call from Washington. The total project cost of the "HOPE VI" project will be $6 1 million dollars. HUD commitment was announced at $35 million. The City of Cincinnati has made a commitment of $6 million. Additional funding for the project will come through tax credits and bonds. The proposed project calls for"the demoli­ tion of all 856 units in the Lincoln Courts Housing complex. Those units will be replaced with 250 units of public housing and 250 units for moderate to upper-income renters. The project has the support of the Lincoln Court Resident Council. "I Know that the Hope VI program is a bright future for our children," said Marquita Jones, who doubles as Lincoln Co urt resident and CMHA (Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority} employee. The Ceremony was also attended by many who are adamantly o pposed to the Hope VI Project. George Lee, also a Lincoln Court resident. and others were not allowed into the ceremony. Many leaders in the West End believe that the proposal is._part otan ongoing plan to systematically remove all minority and low-income residents from the West End. The recent history of Hope VI projects makes these fears ever more real. Earlier Hope VI projects have seen predomi­ nately low-income African-American neighbor­ hoods totally transformed into mixed communities. The mix seems totally slanted towards upper­ income residents. Statistics show that Hope VI Projects in other communities such as Chicago and St. Louis have gone from 90% or higher low­ income residents to 27% low-income residents, further increasing the lack of affordable housing in those communities. The Hope VI grant was a real disappointment to homeless advocate s, especially Homeless Coalition Director Donald Whitehead, who recently met with Secretary Cuomo on this issue. "I am deeply disap­ pointed. I personally handed residents signatures opposing this project to Secretary Cuomo," said Mr. Whitehead. "This project alone is devastating to the stock of affordable housing in Cincinnati. Coupled with other attacks in the war on' the poor, it's like a dagger in the heart of every homeless person in Cincinnati." Contents The Traveler Returns Cleveland News Tactics Welfare News Visible Homeless Arts & Poetry Nationwide News Prisoners News Amer/corps Letters & Editorials Crossword & Games Madwomyn NASNA Conference Classifieds Vendor Profile. Page2 Page3 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page6 Pagel Pages Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 'Page 13 Page 15 Page 16 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, theTri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by d1e 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 organiz­ ing. 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Hobbs, Vendor Support Photo~rapher Jimmy Heath Writers Maryann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew Jame s Curry Brian Davis Ellen Robert Freking Jimmy Heath Vicki Lynn Michael Nelson James W. Pryor Aaron Pitchford Malaka Sanders Michael Strawder Euguene Sung Rodney Sutton Angela Whithead Donald Whitehead Gloria Wiggins Lynn Williams Bruce Wilmer Brett Zwolinski Editor/al Pollcj: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: STREETVIBES 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (5 13) 421 -7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Quote ofthe Month (by Deanna Henry of Cincinnati Works, regarding the poor): "They need to get betterjobs, and they need to move up the food chain... " Page 2 THE TRAVELER RETURNS by Donald Whlt11h11ad With the sincerest of apologies to Gregory Payton, who's column entitled "The Traveler" ran in earlier editions of STREETYIBES, we have decided to use the name for a series of articles based on the recent travels of the staff of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Please fasten your seat belt, move all tray tables to the upright position. and put your mind on cruise control. Remember your imagination can be used as a flotation device. 8:30 AM August I, 1998 It's 8:30 AM and my travels begin. I am off to Kenwood accompanied by members of the Drop-Inn­ Center rehabilitation program and my wife who have volunteered to assist me on this year's Bengals' Fund raising bus trip. From Kenwood we travel to Georgetown Kentucky where we are greeted by Cincinnati Bengals' Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau, a very friendly and animated man, who thoroughly delights those who made the trip with quick wit and honesty. We witness a very exciting scrimmage that is highlighted by touchdown drives by all three contestants in the 1998 version of"Who will be the Bengals Quarterback." I am very happy at the end of the day because the scrimmage ends in plenty of time for me to make the next leg of my travels. There's something written somewhere about the best laid plans, there's also that Murphy's Law thing that pops up from time to time. Since it was 4 o'clock and an hour and one half travel time from Georgetown "to Kenwood, I was feeling proud about my exceJlent time management skills ... at least that was the case for awhile. When I talked about the Bengals' scrimmage I didn't talk much about defense, that's because there didn't seem to be much hittin' going on. Perhaps dle best hit of the day came complements of our bus driver, who hit a car that already occupied the lane he decided to change into . Aner waiting over an hour for the police and the report that followed, those time management skills that I talked about earlier took a serious blow. I sat on dle edge of my seat until we arrived at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Parking lot at 6 PM. 6:30 PM I frantically arrive at dle Drop-Inn-Center to drop off left over lunches and my wonderful volun­ teers. My only chance to make my 6:59 flight is to find someone to drop me off... long term parking is not an option. I already have my ticket. my only pr.o blem is getting to the terminal going through dle metal detector, and receiving a boarding in 19 minutes. By doing a full sprint through the airport and becoming one of those people I usually find amusing (dlose that are habitually late), I become one of those annoying people who are the very last person to board the plane, beating passengers with my luggage as I make my way to my seat. 8:30 PM I arrive in Washington D.C. where I find my way to the hotel, where I join a high level discussion by the Executive Committee of the National Coalition for the Homeless. I also discover the culinary skills of Mary Ann Gleason,The National Coalition's Executive Director. This is my first official meeting as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Coalition for the Homeless and it takes awhile for me to get involved in the dialogue. The minds around dle table are so knowledgeable and the hearts so passionate that I am awed... I even question my presence. I am awakened from my daze by a request for my opinion. As I articulate my answer, I realize that, just maybe while I have much to learn, I do belong at the table. The discussion continues far into the evening as we strategize on Monday's meeting with HUD (Housing and Urban Development) Secretary.Andrew Cuomo, and upcoming advocacy strategies. Donald Whitehead Photo: Jimmy Heath I :30 PM August 2, 1998 Aner continuing our strategy session in the morning, we have made our way to the South side of Washington or "The District" as most residents call it. We are the guest of the restaurants owner, Marsha Martin, who doubles as the assistant to Donna Shalalah, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Along with our lunch, we engage in discussion about a proposed National Coalition Conference in 1999. Business over lunch...I feel strangely like a politician. The rest of the day is spent on various upcoming issues affecting the Coalition and America's homeless population. I 0:00 AM August 3, 1998 This morning we (The National Coalition Executive Committee) meet with Secretary Cuomo. ·am a little taken by the meetings climate. My experi­ ence with other high level politicians has been tense, formal, and somewhat uncomfortable. This meeting is laid back, cordial, and extremely productive. The Secretary agreed with most of-our proposals and even offered insight on their implementation. Mr. Cuomo even listened to local issues like the Lincoln Courts HopeVI proposal that I shared with him. He prom­ ised to look into the proposal and referred me to the Deputy Secretary in charge of HopeVI applications. As I presented my concerns about the project and dle demolition of public housing, I couldn't help feeling that for once the peoples' voice was being heard. While I have no guarantees of the outcome, at least I know that the voices were heard by the decision makers. I :00 PM August 3, 1998 After spending much of the morning with dle staff at the National Coalition office, I decided to step out for lunch. It is my custom to interact w ith dle homeless population in any city I visit. Normal!y I will visit a shelter, transitional housing facility, or some other homeless provider. As I leave the Coalition office, I pass Bill Faith, National C.oalition Board President and my roommate on this trip. Bill is involved in a conversation with a woman who appears to be a street person. I pass Bill, wave, and Traveler continued on page 14 ... �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevin e Page 3 INews From Cleveland's GraPevinel.TACTICS by Robert Freklng REFORM by Brian Davis Let me first clear up a few misconceptions about welfare. First, welfare reform has nothing to do with men since cash assistance ended for men years ago. It has nothing to do with able bodied adults without children. It certainly does not solve the problem of people who cheat the system. It has nothing to do with free loaders. and it is not about self-reliance. Then what exactly is the purpose of welfare reform? I contend that welfare reform was a quick method to reign in the federal and state budgets, and I can prove it. If welfare reform was about making people work for their benefit checks, then there should be a job that pays a livable wage available to those coming o ff the system. This significant increase in the number of people entering the work force would drive up wages, drive down profits and the stock market, and there would be general chaos in our financial systems. This would be absolutely unacceptable to the welfare reform crusaders. So what we got was a budget cut that will actually drives down wages. It is an opportunity to have some future assurance that the Federal budget does not spiral out o f control. There is no longer an entitlement to cash assistance and therefore each state has the opportunity to control the welfare caseload. When there is a downturn in the economy, the states will not have the opportunity to seek unlimited funds from the federal government to satisfy the need. This is the type of budgetary control that Republican administrations have dreamed of for fifty years. Only a Democrat, who grew up without a father, who paints himself as a man of compassion, but who would do anything to remain in power could have passed welfare reform. We cry about the changes in the welfare system, and protest the unnecessary harm that it has imposed on o ur friends' children. But what do we want? What would real welfare reform look like? There are many obstacles that we have to overcome as a society that handicap any effort to reform welfare. The most critical is that a full time job does not pay a livable wage. How many families have dissolved because a man without any skills cannot find a job that pays enough to support one person let alone three people? We, as a society, have forgotten the concept that quality.universal health care is a right that needs to be extended to every person no matter their ability to pay. Finally, we have a pathetic system of educating our children both in the classroom and at home. We now have an education system that is both separate and unequal with poor kids offered baby-sitting and r ich kids receiving opportunit.ies. Because welfare reform was going to happen no matter what the cost to our society, our task was to come up with a system that was based on the current reality, but did not harm the children. After all, the reason Aid to Dependent Children was established was to prevent hunger and homelessness among our youngest citizens. There was one national debate that needed to take place before we entered in the welfare reform waters, and that was, " Is our society going to punish or nurture families that only had one parent?" While we may not like it, single parent households exist. It would have been a lot easier to just come right out and say, "Women without a spouse have no business being parents. They are doing harm to their children, and should be punished for life for the one night of indiscretion or the mistake that led to a child." It would be a lot more honest to just o utright condemn and criminalize this anti-family life-style. Instead we set up a covert attack on single mothers. Just think how refreshing it would be to hear the overt hatred from the authors of welfare reform saying things like. "Any baby conceived out of wedlock will become the ward of the state." We could remove children from the household to prevent child abuse, poor upbringing or the possibility of creating future welfare recipients. Then stick these kids in camps to be educated by the state to be the future cheap labor, making fat free chili dogs. Hell, we could then force women who conceive a child without a spouse to walk around with a big red letter " A ." So we set up this huge bureaucracy that basically has the same outcome, but it just takes a lot longer. A slow painful three to five year bloodletting is a lot more civilized than a one day cut off from the system, and it does not attract the media attention. We must set up a system that nurtures children and protects them from homelessness and hunger. We should have nurses, social workers, teachers and others in the community visiting at-risk households to make sure that the children are progressing properly. Public sector jobs that pay a livable wage should be established for those who do want to enter the work force. Cash assistance should be increased to provide a higher level of support to mothers that choose to stay home. W hile a family makes a low wage they should be allowed to maintain benefits including child care, cash assistance, and Medicaid for as long it takes to make their family self sufficient. There also needs to be a reevaluation of how much money it takes to raise a family. Finally. we need to assure that all families with children are engaged in the system, and no families have to live on the streets. The welfare system must be in the neighborhoods to protect families from hunger and homelessness. The welfare caseworker should be assigned to a neighborhood and get to know every family in that area. At the end of the day, will our children be better prepared for self reliance? Will our children of the welfare reform generation be better citizens with more education and more independence? Will our kids be able to maintain our democracy or will we let more of our rights slip away? We never had these discussions when welfare reform was passed. We rushed forward with this plan to force people to work for their benefits, and we will lament the lack of forethought with regard to reforming the welfare system. (Editors note: Brian Davis is the Director of the Northeast Coalition for the Homeless and is editor of Cleveland's Homeless Grapevine) In 1978, I received a phone call from Jim Rogers at Northern Kentucky Legal Aid. "Say, Robert, me and Deb Rothstein are going to Lexington to hear Shel Trapp from Chicago. He is going to talk about banks and redlining.'' Well I was interested in redlining, but I was equally interested in Deb who, besides being an excellent attorney. was a cross between Julia Robe rts and Anna Nicole Smith. How could I refuse? I walked in the meeting room. It was me and this guy with a totally bald head. This was 1978, it wasn't the fashion then. I was scared. He had a white T-shirt, muscular arms, and he was smoking. I thought I was with a serial killer. The only other time I have felt that way was when I met Andy Hutzel. I was mesmerized for five hours. listening to the bald man tell his tales and advise us. Shel Trapp was not only a great organizer, but his physical appear­ ance projected, "Don't mess with me." The year is 1980. My girlfriend Suzette and I go to Chicago for her sisters wedding. I am sitting in a chair, being ignored as usual, when I look up and Shel Trapp is at the wedding reception. I ran over to Suzette. "Suzette, Suzette, do you know who that is?" Before I could say he was one of the greatest organiz­ ers in America, she said, "Yea, big deal, it's Shelly Trap." Shelly? Say what? The next minute she was shouting, "Shelly. Shelly." My mind was blown. Shelly came over. Don't expect to ever hear me call him Shelly. But anyway, I was introduced as her fiancee. (that was the first time I heard that word vis a vis me and her). Shelly then told me what a wonderful baby-sitter Suzette was, how well she did with his kids. I couldn't believe 1t, I was dating Shel Trap's baby-sitter. My hero. Did I die and go to heaven? I sat all night a the reception watching Shel dance with his wife, hold her tight, laugh with her, kiss her. I watched him play with his children. Socialize with the guests. He even waved to me once. So, that cold hearted, ruthless organizer had a soft tender side. Once again, he blew me away. The year is 1982. I again went to Chicago to attend an Organizer Training Session for a week at The National Training and Information Center. By then me and Shel were tight. He asked, "W eren't you the guy that was engaged to Suzette?" I told him we were married and had a son with another child on the way. Shel said, "What was your name again?" I replied, "Robert." When we went around the table for introductions, he made the point to tell everyone that I married his baby-sitter. I was the top dog, at least till I got home. I was having lunch with Shel the last day of the week long seminar. Boldly. I asked, "Would you mind telling your favorite organizing story?" He replied, "No Bob, I wouldn't. We had this slumlord. We had tried for months to get him to fix up his properties. He had a few thousand units. Bob, we used very trick in our bag of tricks: picketing, flyers, phone harassment, picketing his country club. You name it, we tried it...City Hall, housing inspectors. We couldn't touch this guy. I couldn't sleep. Nei­ ther could anyone else. We had become obsessed by this slumlord. Everyone came to work in a bad mood. The obsession got so bad that we were fighting with each other. Bob, that 's when we made the decision. We split the staff up on shifts and we TACTICS continued on .page 13 ... �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News YEAR TWO OF DISMANTLING AMERICA'S SAFm NET: WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? by Lynn Wiii/ams August 22, 1998 marks the second anniversary of President Clinton signing the Federal Welfare Law, The Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act (PRA) of 1996. This is the Federal Welfare Law 1:hat demolished America's safety net for poor families by ending the federal guarantee to welfare and allowing states to write the rules on w ho gets help. The PRA also ended the federal guarantee to child care for welfare recipients and for recipients transitioning off of assistance, while at the same time requiring parents to go to work outside the home. The PRA requires all parents to work regardless of the age of their children, yet does not require states to provide child care. The only exception is that single mo thers with children under the age o(one may or may not be exempted from working by states. Ohio has left this decision for counties to decide. The PRA brought other harsh welfare rules, too many to be mentioned in this short article, but a few of them include: five year time limits with states having the option to make shorter limits, requiring states to sanction recipients if they don't fu lfill self-sufficiency contracts, placing strict limits on single adults without children being able to get food stamps. strict tightening I. t\lWCl~ \nca.r·, -\hiS 1 St orF a .Dou+ \-·,_o, nc.__,\ L.€55 p eop\e...1but l. ne\Je.r 5 e~ Qf\~:- of SSI rules for children. strictly limiting food stamps, Medicaid, welfare and SSI for legal immi­ grants and allowing private companies to contract with the government to profit off of Work.fare participants' free labor. The PRA also sets limits on the welfare dollars available per state. Once the money is used, the federal government will not increase the funds, regardless of whether or not the country hits a recession. The PRA strictly limits the time that a recipient can attend college, job-training or get a GED even though education is the best route to getting permanently off of welfare and into a livable wage job. Wisconsin State Senator Gwen Moore stated the reality at a recent welfare organizing conference in Milwaukee: "If you want to look taller, cut someone else's legs off. The challenge is educating our work force. Instead. we have fallen into promoting class warfare." She went on to add, "Part-time, no benefits jobs. · These are the jobs the government is preparing for welfare recipients. This way they won't need an education." Because of the harshness of these laws against welfare recipients, The Ohio Empower­ ment Coalition (OEC) has joined up with like­ minded groups across the country to bring public awareness to the harshness of the law and fight for a positive safety net to replace it. Contrary to what mainstream newspapers are reporting. and contrary to President Clinton's statement that welfare reform is excelling wonderfully because of caseload reduction numbers, we know this is not a true picture of the effects of the PRA. When Governor Voinovich makes public statements that ''there is something spiritual" about welfare reform, we wonder what brand of spirituality he practic~s. Peter Edelman, who resigned from a high­ paying job w hen President Clinton signed the PRA, recently spoke at a conference that OEC members attended. He said, "We've sunk really low in America. We have a war on poor children, a war on disabled children. a war o n immigrants, a war on the poor . C linton has called welfare reform a great success. In reality, five million people ~ave been pushed off the roles so far. Pushing people off of welfare is what is happening. Welfare reform destroyed the safety net. We need to get Congress to restore the safety net." At this statement, he received a standing ovation from 1,000 conference attendees. 38% of caseload reduction in American is due to sanctions according to The Institute of G lobal Communications. In Ohio, a study in Page 4 Cuyahoga County found that of 18,570 adults who left (or were cut off) welfare, half of these people did not have jobs. Of the 50% who found employment in the study. 42% of those employed found jobs that paid poverty level wages or below poverty. Montgomery County officials brag (similar to other Ohio counties) that their welfare roll~ have dropped 70% since 1992. When questioned about what happened to these people, the welfare officials do not know. Social service agencies in Montgomery County, including SCOPE (Supporting Council of Preventive Effort) , interviewed 737 recipients about the effects of welfare reform. Of these families, 32% say life is worse now for them than six months ago. Three out of every ten families reported they had gone a day without food for the last 30 days. Of these families who were sanctioned, 76% say they were sanctioned for reasons that had nothing to do with their work requirements. Instead, they were sanctioned for missing an appointment or not having documentation turned in on time. The idea that they refused to "go out and get a job" was a myth. When legislators demand that recipients get jobs, they should realize that few jops out there are going to provide livable incomes or even help families rise I% above the poverty level. A study by The Preamble Center for Public Policy of Washing­ ton, DC has concluded that in the Midwestern sates of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. the ratio is 97 to I that a welfare recipient will land a livable wage job. The study states that in Ohio between 1997 and 1998, 59,000 welfare recipients are looking for jobs, but only 25,000 jobs are available. The National Priorities Pro ject reached a conclusion that between 1994 and 2005, 47% of the job openings in America will pay less than $16,800 annually. At this income level, a family of four will still be at poverty level. Current federal poverty levels do not take into consideration that famil ies must also pay child care and health care expenses. During the Week of Action, August 16-22, groups who are part of The People's Network for Safety net, including member groups of The O hio Empowerment Coalition, are holding rallies, press conferences and town meting to bring public awareness to these realities. We want the Week of Action to be just a beginning in bringing more people into the movement to build a positive safety net in America. For more information on how you can get involved, call the Ohio Empowerment Coalition contact in your area. In Cincin­ nati, call the Welfare Rights Coalition at (513) 381-4242 . �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page s WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? by James Curry - A homeless man sleeps on the sidewalk, ignored by people walking by... THE HOMELESS MAN by Mlcha11/ Strawd11r Saw a man walking down the street in torn clothing. He appeared homeless to me. He paused before he walked further. To the left to the right, then he shrugged his shoulders and proceeded straight ahead. It seemed like the direct way to the hell he was facing today. Then he saw me. You see I was observing him. Perhaps I must pay a cost for my curiosity. For this was no circus performer. This was a human being you see, just like me. The conversation was brisk. He needed money. For his fix or his breakfast; I don't know which? I allotted two dollars even before he came to me. You see, I was feeling special. I had money in my pocket and love in my heart. Charity dose begin with ones self. He thanked me for my offering. I observed he was quite polite. Must have been raised. Might have been someone once. As I stated the conversation was brisk. You see I was dressed nice and he was in torn clothing. Again he paused to the left and to the right and then walked straight ahead. 1· proceeded but paused momentarily. To the left, to the right, before proceeding straight ahead for home. Along the way I gave thanks. That man I saw could have been me. How fortunate I was to have a few friends. To have a home to go to. Then proceeded to curse the day. You see I want everything to go my way. Charity does begin with you. MAKING CHANGES by Jam11s Curty I came to the Domicilary to continue my recovery and work on personal issues that affect my recovery. From my perspective, something has caused me to medicate, to abandon my d~urch and church associates and to be in a state of constant procrastination. I also came to the domicilary to resolve medical, homelessness, education and employment issues and to attempt to save money to reenter the community and start living again. I have worked to resolve many of the grief and abandon­ ment issues thro ugh my groups and counselors. Both have helped by listening and giving me sugges­ tions. I have taken their suggestions to heart and talked about how I feel. It has helped me through the groups and individual discussions co understand my feelings, the cause of those feelings, and my reactions to them. Most importantly, I learned I could change the way I feel and relate to the many different situations that I encounter. Change is what I had in mind when I asked to come to the domiciliary. I know that I have made mafli' important changes. I need to work harder in some areas. but I know that I am willing to go to any lengths co make those changes a reality. I know I have to follow the instructions given me by staff. I have set goals that are reasonable and have achieved many of them. The goals I wish to complete are employment, financial savings, and enrollment in school. I have continually stayed active in the domicilary community while participating in many events. I sometimes get involved in more than I should, spreading myself too thin and falling back to the "old James." But, I do not see this as being negative because I recognize it and ask myself if it is in my long-term best interest. I now realize that I cannot sacrifice myself for short-term success and gratifications. I have to continually be willing to constantly want to make changes, in order to grow and stay in recovery. Recovery for me has been the change that I truly needed. SPIRITUALITY I typically enter a program having been driven more by emotion than by intellect. I leave being driven more by intellect than emotion. In between, I struggle with setting boundaries and changing old habits. This invariably leads to an identity crisis and leaves the questions: Who am I? What do I do? My knowledge of life has been eminent from basic sources: parents, teachers, the church, and my peers. There have been situations, aside from the inevitable "life situations:" grieving, loss of morals and values, and most importantly social relation­ ships. Experiencing grief and loss leaves me feeling like an empty shell. In building or rebuilding these relationships, trust and acceptance play an integral role in recovering from a loss of this nature. By not learning, this contributes to a series of other problems (low self-esteem and self-worth as well as self-pity). Spirituality plays a major role in my life, contributing to my thought process and then an action. Reconnecting with my spiriwality after having not come first for awhile, will be an important part of my recovery. I can learn to achieve a balance that has been missing concerning my thought process which leads to an action. The bottom line is that I am allowed to search for the ways in which I can change my views, attitudes, and feelings in order to have a healthy recovery. We Americans have always valued our independence. In recent decades. however, personal independence threatens another beloved American value with changes in our economic and social environment: family life. Family members have found reason co live increasingly separate lives. Today, both Mom and Dad are busy with their careers, and the kids are absorbed in school activities, sports, and MlV. How and why have we changed and what seeps can we take to reclaim our sense of family? There are three parts of our lives that have changed. (I) The way we work. (2) The way we eat. (3) And the way we entertain ourselves. A genera­ tion ago, most households could get by on one paycheck (DAD'S), while Mom stayed home, at least until the children started school. Today, half the mothers with young children go to work. A greater percentage of the mothers of older children are in the work force. A number of single-parent homes have mushroo!lled in the last thirty years. These changes in work have affected children as well as parents. I remember when Dad went to work, we came home from school to Mom, and the fresh smells of something good in the oven. Today, you find the children at an after school program, a neighbor's house, or they may come home too who? No one at all! In several communities, children are caring for themselves until their parents return from work. I ask, aren't these children missing out on an impor­ tant part of childhood? Are they developing a healthy sense of self-reliance? More than not, Moms and Dads come and are gone longer then ever from the home. Not too long ago men worked close to home. Most offices or factories were just in the downtown areas. They walked or hitched a ride with a neigh­ bor. Today's working men and women are commut­ ers of forty-five minutes to an hour. Most com­ monly, they ride buses, subways, and crowded highways. Many leave their homes at dawn and don't return until dark, no longer running home for lunch. Lunch, that's the second change in the American family life when both parents are not home for long hours. Who's whipping up those delicious meals in the kitchens? Today few people have time to shop for and prepare home-style cooked meals. People can't spend hours in the kitchen if they get home after five thirty in the evening. What are we eating? We choose meals that are easy to prepare or are already prepared; fast-foods/takeouts, or heat-n-serve make up so much of the American diet. And more and more people rely on microwaves to thaw frozen foods in minutes. The problem with these quick prepared meals is that families spend less time ·eating together. Today, the 90's family no longer shares the evening, breakfast, or lunch meals and as a result, it no longer shares the day's news or feelings of togetherness. Then what about after dinned We don't even have to look outside the home to see the changes. Modern Americans entertain themselves in ways their grandparents would never dream of. Thirty years ago families gathered around a radio each evening. Then television took over and families had PICTURE continued on page 11 ... �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine WORD ON THE CALAMITY STREET Arts & Poetry THE BOTTOM LINE by Michael Nelson Sin on our streets, Death in our city, The bottom line is, Life shows us no pity, Women cheat o n husbands, Men cheating on wives, The bottom line is, More pain in their lives. Kids killing kids, Cops shot every day, The bottom line is, We all need to pray. People watch violence, See ladies qu!te nude, The bottom line is, Our morals are crude. Our leaders are weaklings, Our court systems fail, T he bottom line is, Does truth ever prevail? The bottom line is, The end may be near. The bottom line is, Mankind shall know fear! I WONDER WHY? by Denise Crew Things are understated Trembling people seek shelter Hungry children are sanctioned Work Fair is unfair The employment rights bill of '44 Oh Where! Oh Where are the Goals of the wise and old? Things are truly understated Page 6 BE YOURSELF by James Curry by Bruce B. Wiimer I once sat upon a shelf, all dusty and alone. No one cared to call my name, no place could I call home. I once sat lonely and neglected, sitting there all alone. No one stopped, no one looked, no one my pretty hair would comb. My hair once pretty, my clothes once Oh so delicate, so fine. Had become all dusty, and dirty now, and hard to believe were mine. My face once porcelain white, and rosey pretty plus. Now became all dirty, and my nose a cake of dust. But then one day, someone stopped and looked. They noticed me high upon that shelf. Then had me taken down from there, to see for myself. "Some little girl once loved me close, a little girl once held me dear." If I could cry, I'd shed a tear, for bent am I and forgotten. If I could smile, I'd smile for her, for even through my tears I'd gotten. And so these tears I can afford, for sharing so much with me. Her life and my departure, were a disaster, as anyone can see. So that is why I'm called .... YOU SEE, they call me: "CALAMITY....... " The world would like to change you; There are pressures all around. You must decide just who you are. Then firmly hold your ground. BE REAL I'd like some day to end it all, But I don't want to die alone. When I was hurt, I got no help. And when I tried, they kicked me out. by Angela Denise Whitehead "There's a time to laugh There's a time to cry, There's a time for joy And there's time for little pain No matter what it is just keep it real." "There's time for love There's time for honesty, 'It is the best policy.' There's time for willingness There's a time to be open minded Whatever and however you do it 'Just keep it real."' "Just for today Keep in mind That everything happens for a reason No matter what it is, it's not your Doing, it's your higher power showing You the good things and the bad ones, But when ever it happens do yourself A favor Just keep it real!" MY LOVE by Sonny WI/I/ams Lynn Marie, Who, when I met Was a mystery. I loved her then, And love her still. A sister in struggle, My rose of life. · You have an image of yourself. An ideal sense of you. Ahd to this vision you must always Struggle to be true. You · know what you are good at, And YO!J know where your talents lie; But if you are ruled by others, Your uniqueness could pass by. Remember, there is much to learn; But all new things aren't good. Wisdom lies in what you've learned, And what you have withstood. So, be yourself and don't allow The world to take control. Preserving your identity Is life's most precious goal. UNTITLED by Earl (Charlie) Mattingly I'm alone, does no one care, I have so much love to share. I have no home, but these big streets. No food, no hope, no place to sleep. That's not the way that things should be, But where's the love and harmony. I found some others just like myself, And now we help each other out. The world for me has really changed, I have some hope, I'm not ashamed. I have some work, and we all share, In love and deeds we show we care. EASY by Gloria Wfllfns What is easy? Is it up or down? Is it straight or crooked? ls it loving or hating? I've never known the meaning of easy. Everything has always been hard. What is hard? Well, hard is the ground I'm down on. Hard is loneliness, non-satisfaction. Hard is the hearts of many men and women Who have broken my heart. Hard is holding back my tears. Hard is the cement wall I find myself leaning on when I need support. Hard is not being able to trust. Especially when that is all you'd like to do. Hard is living. You take chances just being alive. Now I know w hat is easy. Easy is it to cry. Easy is it to die, even lie. �STREETVIBES The Tri St.ate's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Nationwide encourage them to fund the $50,000 vouchers targeted to families moving from welfare to work. Since these vouchers represent the only commitment to permanent housing for those with the lowest incomes, please work to convince your Congres­ sional Representatives of how important these · vouchers are. There have been no new housing vouchers for four years, and the cost of housing without subsidies has become prohibitive for those with the lowest incomes. Currently, the Senate is recom­ mending 7,000 vouchers targeted to only seven communities; the House is recommending only 17,000 for families moving from welfare to work. PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING BILL ACTION REQUESTED: Pl.EASE CIRCULATE WIDELY Submitted by National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) HEALTH ISSUES: Contact Bob RtJtJI, Medical Polley DlrtJt:lor FY 1999 HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS APPROPRIATIONS The Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program ensures homeless people's access to pr imary health care, including mental health and substance abuse services through integrated systems of care. HCH pro jects also co nduct intensive outreach, case management, and housing. income, and transportation linking activities. HCH is meeting the health care and supportive service needs of the homeless at a higher level than any other health care system. It is critical to increase funding for the HCH program which is included in the national appropria­ tion for the consolidated health centers program. Please contact membe r s of your Congres· sional delegation a nd ask them to communi­ cate their support for a $926 million appro· priation in FY 99 for h ealth centers to leaders and membe rs of the Appropriation committees. HUD MCKINNEY APPROPRIATIONS While they are at home during the current recess, encourage your Senators ahd Representatives to fund HUD McKinney at lest at the President's recommended level of $1.15 billion, which includes the 34,000 vouchers targeted to homeless persons who have the most difficulty finding housing. Also by Brett Zwolinski An Unrhymed Japanese v e rse form of three lines con t aining u s ually 5,7.~ (or 7 , 5 ,7) syl l ab}es respe ct i vely. Please submi t your suggestions for monthly Haiku to Brett Zwolinski at STREETVIBES, 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 this month's OTHER SIGNIFICANT Haiku: kindled memorie s stoked with endearing warm friendly spirits laughter payroll and human resource management TRANSCON EMPLOYMENT COMPANY Angie E. Strunk, CEO 1·888-841·7900 P.O. Box 12545 (513) 841-5550 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 Fax: (513) 841·5545 angie_strunk@msn.com ;\::--:<>TI I ER ('Ll1. SS l >J~< >D l : CT I<>:--; Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 (513) 230-6353 WILLIAM R. WALLACE, D.O.S. 5258 MONTGOMERY RO. NORWOOD. OH 45212 LEGISLATION: (Editor's note: The following legislation has been rendered victorious (or homeless. and low­ income individuals as a result of efficacious lobbying.) SENATOR WEllSTONE'S AMENDMENT Telephone (513) 531 -2338 EDUCATION Senator Wellstone's amendment to allow T ANF recipients to receive post-secondary educa­ tion or vocational training for up to 24 months (currently 12) and have it count as work passed, along with the bill - S 1882 - in which it was placed: Amendments to the Higher Education Act. The House has a similar bill, but without the amendment, so please encourage your Repres-entatives to support this important addition. EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN & YOUTH Good news finally! $30 million has been proposed, which represents a $1.2 million increase in funding for this program. Authorization for this program will occur next year. Greater detail on the above proposed legisla­ tion is available on NCH's web site at www:nch.ari.net or by calling Pat C/eman at 2021 137-6414. Subscribe to Streetvlbes HAIKU Now, There has been some conversation among legislators, although it has lessened recently, about attaching the public and assisted housing bill to the appropriations bill. Doing so represents both a bad way to provide legislative authority and a bill that will further lessen access by the lowest income households to subsidized housing. The compro- · mise proposal reached by The House and Senate requires only 35% of public hosing units and 55% of Section 8 tenant based vouchers to be targeted to households whose incomes are 30% or less of area median income (on average $13,590). Cur­ rently. the average income of public housing residents is, on average, less than $6500, and is $8,000, on average, for those households with Section 8 vouchers. And 84% of residents of public housing have incomes less than $13,590. Page 7 Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Friends and Neighbors of Over-the-Rhine An Organization Seeking Justice for People in Cincinnati's Most Endangered Community Subscribe to STREETVIBESI For only $12 peryear you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons•.. Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Streetvibes C/O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Prison News EDUCATION AS CRIME PREVENTION: PROVIDING EDUCATION TO PRISONERS by James Pryor Ohio has an estimated 50,000 individuals incarcerated as compared to 1.6 million individuals nationwide. Of those 50,000 individuals, the majority are functionally illiterate and from low­ income families. Ohio's objective is not to rehabili­ tate these individuals to become productive mem­ bers of society upon release, but.to eliminate educational programs and build more prisons to warehouse more individuals. This objective is not only non-productive, but places a heavy and unnecessary burden upon soci~ty. Being locked away in prison, and deliberately denied access to educational opportunities, only increases the -recidivism rate ten-fold. The nation has unfortunately been swept by law and order legislation to treat prisoners more harshly. It's disguised in such campaign issues as "get tough on crime," which is just a legitimate means to capitalize off of the individuals they incarcerate. Ohio's legislative move was to enact Am. Sub. S.B.2, which called for mandatory flat time with no opportunities for early release and further sanctions upon release, in which they can return you to prison for a minor infraction. This accomplishes the legislative objective of overflowing the prisons in Ohio and legitimizing the need to build more prison warehouses. Could the prison industry be Ohio's number one economic resource, while other social institutions and schools suffer? "We must accept the reality that to confine offenders behind walls without trying to change them is an expensive folly with short-term benefits-winning battles while losing the war," said former US Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger. Punishment has replaced rehabilitation as the sole goal of imprisonment. Academic, vocational, and therapeutic programs that have consistently proven effective in transforming prisoners have been cut and/or eliminated. People who violate our laws should be punished, however, it is in our interest that they be reformed. All of these men and women will eventually be released. While people are incarcerated they need to be given the opportunity to change through program incentives. Prisoners need to believe that there is hope for a better tomorrow which will motivate tliem to change. If we merely continue to punish and do not provide the opportunity for change, then we will release .un­ treated offenders into society. Research shows that quality education is one of the most effective forms of crime prevention. Educational skills can help deter young people from committing criminal acts and can greatly decrease the likelihood that people will return to crime after release from prison (recidivism). Despite this evidence, educational programs in correctional facilities, where they have proven to be extraordinar­ ily effective, have in many cases been completely e liminated. Again, over 1.6 million individuals are housed in adult correctional facilities in the United States, and at least 99,682 juveniles are in custody. The majority of these individuals will be released into the community unskilled, undereducated, and highly likely to become reinvolved in criminal activity (recidivism). With the re-arrest rates averaging around 60%, it is clear that incarceration alone is not working. In fact, the drive to incarcerat-e, punish, and limit the activities of prisoners has often resulted in the elimination of strategies and programs that seek to prevent or reduce crime. We need to .promote policies and procedures that are successful. Education. particularly at college level. can afford individuals with the opportunities to achieve and maintain productive and crimefree lives, and help to create safer communities for all. .[Quotes from: Sources: Cent on Crime, Communities & Culture ( 199 7 September). Education as Crime Prevention New York, NY, Open Society Institute.) ' Page 8 DEAR STREETVIBES... (Editor's note: The following letter was submitted to STREETVIBES and has been edited to uphold confidentiality for the sake of the prisoner's salubrity) (I am writing a} ...letter to you about what's going on here at The Ohio Penitentiary. Still as of this date 6-20-98 there's no ~ot water in the cells. We haven't recieved any T-shirts or socks. The medical department supervisor's name is Miss Sanduer. I don't know her address. She's having her staff all charge inmates $3 over and over for anything that a nurse might do for us. She denied me getting my orthopedic shoes as I have copy's of the podiatrist doctor's order and hospital supervisor from Mansfield Prison Order. There's also a copy in my file. The mail office is denying all newspapers and magazines and religious publications from coming in here...also Cure Publications. I've written a lady at Prisoner Support Group in W ellston, Ohio about all the issues I am telHng you about. The situation and attitude from the second shift officiers is real bad. They want to jump on some prisoners real bad, as their stopping all publications they read in the AR's 5 120-9-19-(B). That we're allowed publications such as newspapers, magazines, and religious books...we don't have any outside help, that's why things are this way. I've talked to the department warden, Odal Woods, on 5/20/98 about all this and still we don't have no hot water, T-shirts, or socks. Me and some others have filed informal complaints and grievances. The institutional inspector's reply was, "The water was fixed wrong." Still at this time there is no hot water in the ce lls. I've been in the joint for over 20 years now and I never seen things get so bad. You have spoken with my sister a few times about the Death Row situation. Now they have fifteen of us here from Death Row and our status is what they call here, (General Population) Level I. So if this is the case, how can they stop newspapers, magazines, and religious materials as in AC , LC, and SC status we .still get the publications... You know as well as I know that because of all the write ups in the newspapers about that the bad of the bad will only be coming to this supermax, then that's why they have this sadist attitude ...most of all the second shift officiers. There's about a 125 guys here ·now in B-Block. The other blocks I'm told are not even finished ...in the Rec rooms there's no pull up bar or dip bar. Nothing. T he floor hasn't even been sealed in the cells also. Well, I'm hoping you get this...! Take care ...and God bless you. WHERE IS HOME by James Pryor To find home, do we click our heels together three times and say, "I wish I were home, I wish I were home, I wish I were home?'' This only works in Hollywood, not in today's society for those who face homelessness. Dorothy wanted to get back to Kansas, but our homeless just seek an opportunity, a chance to be. There are a lot of contributing factors to homelessness. Things such as alcoholism, drug abuse, psychological illnesses and much more. However, these social problems cannot be blamed on the individuals· themselves, but on our ever corrupt and changing system. Our governmental system hides realities behind such ~ames as the war on drugs, get tough on crime and much more wh.ile America's social ills grow ever more prevalent. Meaning. they proclaim a need to wage a war on crime, but in reality drug abuse and our crime rate is instituted by the government. While they spend billions of dollars on a nonexistent war, our social institutions suffer and those such as the homeless suffer due to lack of funding for local agencies. However, this is just our capitalist system well at work, making the rich even richer and widening the gap between the classes. By waging a war on drugs and crime, it allows our government to make legitimate their spending of billions on cleaning up society. Had they not allowed the small countries to import the drug or narcotic into the United States in the first place, then there would be no need for the false wars. There would be no high-rate of drug abuse or crime. However, those small countries need the economy of drugs to survive. To convince yourself, just look at the United States relations with such poverty stricken countries as Colombia and Mexico. If these relationships did not exist and drugs were not allowed into the United States, how bad would it affect our economical system? It would drastically change all of our social/governmental institutions because of a no need status. My point is, where is home. Is it here in America living the false American dream? Or is it all a figment of our imagination created by a powerful entity such as .the government? We all are in some way a product of that system. If our own economi­ cal status were to shift due to unemployment, trauma, bad investments, illness, or whatever may change us, we would become as vulnerable as the homeless to being homeless ourselves. So please do not blame them for their social status because you could be there tomorrow without a home. Realize that they are a product of a very strong government that is set on capi~listic gain at the detriment of the lower-class. We should help them by lending a hand because that is where home is. It's not in ignoring the pains, misfortunes and sufferings of your fellow man, but acceptance Qf their status in that we don't blame them, but help them to their feet! Always. with Love and Respect, Big John Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $ 12 per year. Please se nd a check to the be low address and the paper will be mailed to you e ach issue. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati , OH 45210 Please m ake checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Stre etvibes. If you have any questio ns, call 421 -7803 . �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine One-Way · Vine continued from front page... newal" strategy: Main Street landlords could not wait to get rid of low-income renters so that they could cash in on the Main Street gold rush. The question remains as to whether or not Main Street in OTR is a success story even after millions of dollars of private and city investments. By the way, Main Street is currently one-way and there are no plans for a two-way conversion. And why does this conversion not include Vine Street to the south of Central Parkway? The few businesses and owners on Vine Street who support the two-way conversion pl~n are greedily eyeing this strategy even though it flies in the face of reason. There is no evidence that a two­ way Vine Street will be good for business. Unless, of course, you equate congestion. increased traffic accidents, and inaccessibility with good business practice. In its final conclusion, the PKG report states that "...the consultants are unaware of any specific evidence that, given the overall traffic conditions in the area, the one-way operation on Vine Street has been a major cause of a decline in business activity." The City of Cincinnati has already wasted taxpayer money on a study by feasibility professionals (PKG), yet the City continues to contest the report by dismissing its findings . The PKG report states that, "A significant increase in reported accidents, both vehicle only and vehicle/ pedestrian types, must be expected if Vine Street is made two-way." The issue of safety is of serious concern to OTR residents and the OTR Community Council given the proximity of schools (St. Francis Seraph and Washington Park schools) and the many senior citizens and disabled persons who live in our neighborhood. Many business owners are not supportive of the two-way Vine conversion despite what the "business" representatives on the Vine Street Task Force led other members to believe. In fact, nearly 40 businesses on or in the vicinity of Vine Street are for keeping Vine Street as it is: One­ Way. Someone may also want to ask the many thousands of commuters who use Vine Street as their way home from downtown to northern locations on Vine Street during afternoon rush hour. Double parked trucks, accidents, and the resulting congestion will certainly be the cause of rush hour delays and dangerous conditions for Vine Street pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Many city depart­ ments, in private conversations, support keeping Vine Street one-way but are afraid to openly state their position because of possible political repercus­ sions. This is strictly a battle of money and power over the voice of poor people. Safety and the well­ being of the poor folk and the businesses that serve them in Over-The-Rhine are in a battle for their lives. The beginnings of a project to widen and straighten River Road to the west of Downtown Cincil'}nati is currently being undertaken by the City of Cincinnati under the direction of City Council. Millions of dollars are going to be spent on this major capitol improvement project. The major reason for this project is to increase SAFETY on River Road! However, when the voice of Over-The­ Rhine residents resonates through the Halls of our city government, our cries for SAFETY falls on deaf ears! Makes you kind of wonder doesn't it? Cincinnati City Council will conduct a public h·earing tentatively scheduled for sometime in late September to discuss the final Task Force report and determine public opinion on this issue. Alternative measures for making improvements to Vine Street in OTR other than a two way conversion ore included in the report from the Task Force. These recom­ mendations include street improvements to the excisting one-way Vine Street that will increase safety for the residents and improve aesthetics. Brett Zwolinski AM ERi CORPS National Service in the 21st Century: What do·you think? by Brett Zwolinski I was motivated to Americorps service as a result of my struggle to come to terms with the inherent contradictions within our educational systems (traditional public schools and media). Americorps offered me a reality check not afforded by the confines of our educational systems. And it is because of this struggle that I am enticed and am serving America through the grassroots organization, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, in a realistic and experienced based setting. Now, addressing the inherent contradictions within our educational systems which to some extent binds all of us, limiting our knowledge, understand­ ing, and growth respectively: Knowledge is the substance of our experi­ ences. The "knowledge" we acquire from our educational systems is only recycled information, reciprocally regurgitated from source to learner/ from learner to newly acquired source. This is a travesty! Essentially, we are being cheated and deprived of unde r standing, made to think that "knowledge" is our goal. The "knowledge" we are receiving is an impostor. This is the inherent contradiction within our educational systems: that knowledge is something we can vie for, rather than merely being the substance of our experiences. This is not education at all, it is capitalism under the guise of educat.ion where our aim is the false pretense of "knowledge." Education has everything to do with understanding through our experiences (kn o wl· e dge) and nothing to do with competition. We come to an understanding of things by means of the knowledge we gain from our experiences. We have not truly gained understanding unless we have objectively encountered a happening (free of other people's bias), coincidentally making it our own subjective experience. With this authentic knowledge and self understanding we set ourselves up to grow, in turn enabling others to learn by the same token of growth. Growth. My experiences have taught me the "education" I receive from our educational systems is a hollow shell of "knowledge." Authentic educ~­ tion comes from our experiences which in turn leads to understanding... the breeding grounds for Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About STREETVIBESI Page 9 g rowth. Thus, our educational systems leave the "learner" with an empty feeling, a void of "knowl­ edge," with no basis for unde rstanding and growth. Ultimately this leads us to a lack of self­ worth, which I believe is the reason for a lack of involvement with National Service. Thus, we ask ourselves: What inspires young people to become invo lve d in National Service? S e lf-Worth. An incision to the heartS of America's youth will not come about directly by any solicited means or request from the folks behind or involved with National Service. It will indeed take nothing less than a fulfilling of the heart. For it is after one has learned to care for themselves and be satiated with themselves that a change of heart, from the inward to the outward, will take place. Our goal in National Service is to fill the lives of our low­ income and homeless fellows with this satiated feeling of self-worth. If we have not experienced a sense of self-worth ourselves, how can we expect to share this with others efficaciously? Referring to the above mentioned deficiency in our educational system, I would like to present the following rem­ edy... After one has learned how to empower themselves by making experiences their own, they will gain a sense of self-worth. Concomitantly, they will be enabled to care for others, allowing them to be empowered (gr owth) through their unique experience based learning (instilling knowle dge and unde r standing). Meaning a nd Purpose. In conclusion, there exists a lack of meaning and purpose within · America's youth today. If we can provide meaning and purpose, ineluctably self-respect and self­ worth will follow. Only then will our youth be aroused to National Service. Desperately, there needs to be a change in how are youth are being educated at home, in the classroom, and generally in the framework of our media sacurated culture. We are losing our identity as individuals. If we are to be a nation that cares for each other, we must be a nation of individuals with self-worth. Finally, if we are to incite the hearts of America's youth to service, the deconstruction of our educational systems in the minds of our youth is of quintessential importance. JIMMY HEATH EXHIBIT: THE BROKEN CITY by BrettZwolinski Jimmy Heath has been a photographer for STREETVIBES since its inception and has played a central role in the development and stabalization of the paper. Jimmy has endured the trying times and circumstances that ineluctably surround a non-profit organization backed street newspaper. Accolades and approbations for Jimmy Heath. Don't miss the Jimmy H eath Ex hibit, The Broken City, at Xavier University's annual Shantytown Event where his photographic artwork will be on display. The exhibit will take place in the University Center on Xavier's main campus from September 20th through the 26th. This will be his opportunity to share with you, through his photo's, what he has been doing to bring about awareness of homelessness and poverty in the Greater Cincinnati Area and beyond. Jimmy's work has been featured in numerous local mainstream publications as well as many national and worldwide publications. He endeavors to create awareness of homelessness and engages in activism by means of his unaffected photography which has a voice of its own. DON'T MISSTHE JIMMY HEATH EXHIBIT: THE BROKEN CITY!!! �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES WORDS FROM Editorials & THE · EVANGELIST Letters STATE AVENUE SALVAGE- CITY GOVERNMENT WATCHDOGS A Way Of Life Ministr ies (AWOL) is merging with Helping Hand Ministries, which was founded by Pastor Leonard Williams, Sr. of Whole Life Church of Jesus Christ. I shall be working from the Helping Hands Ministries office in South Cummingsville, but , can s.till be reached at 210-4181 for contributions, donations. volunteer information, and referral services. . God has brought together Pastor Williams and myself, and look to future articles about God's blessings upon this ministry. In his service, Rodne y Sutton, S r ., Evangelist Page 10 STREET NEWSPAPERS Hello again. Come here to the STREETVJBES. Get close to the STREETVIBES. Make a deal with the STREETVIBES. And on and on. This is your friendly STREETVIBES vendor known as A aron Pitchford. Now I'd like to share something with you. Do you know people that it's 40 streeet newspapers in the United States! As follows: The Cleveland Homeless Grapevine, STREETVIBES of Cincinnati, The Streetwise of Chicago, The Streetvoice of Baltimore, The Street News of New York, The Street Sheet of San Francisco, The Street Spirit of San Francisco and Berkeley. Real Change of Seattle, Streetviews of Wyoming and many, many more. Then there's one in Montreal ljournal L'ltineraire) and The Big Issue in London and Los Angeles. This message will self-destruct right about now. See, one to grow on. Bye! (Dear STREETVIBES...) Here is a check for STREETVIBES. I have started a group called "City Government W atch­ dogs." The City Government needs to be monitored all of the time. Too many closed door deals are being made between City Government Officials. causing hundreds of low-income families, both black and white, to lose their homes, land, and apartments. Investors are making deals and buying up "key" properties, vital to their projects and doing major damage to Appalachian and Afro-Americans, in order to make millions of dollars for themselves. In Sedamsville, the widening of River Rd. has resulted in seven homes being blighted. Then, it turned into 27 homes and the count is now 37 properties. A crippled old lady named Sylvia and her husband will soon have no place to call home. This madness must be stopped now; secret deals between Carthage Mills owner and the City of Cincinnati, the moving of Queen City Barrel maybe to Carthage Mills. "Yes,"_our City Government needs to be observed and reports of their activity needs to be reported to Cincinnati citizens .. Ea r l (Cha rl ie) Mattingly. City Government Watchdog Team ~~~~~------ (Editors Note: A check was NOT recieved at this office. This story was sent to STREETVIBES by fax. It is STREETVIBES' policy to publish all material as space permits ..) · ENCOURAGING OTHERS by James Curry First, many of us simply don't realize how our words affect others. We may not intend to hurt others, but that's still the effect. Fortunately, anyone can learn to be emotion­ ally supportive. Just as physical exercise benefits the body, certain mental exercises improve our attitude towards others. Last weekend, I developed the habit of being supportive. First, I had to look for posit.ive qualities in others. I've always had many chances to offer sincere compliments everyday, but I had to get in the habit of telling co-workers when they do good work or tell a neighbor, "Your beautiful garden is a highlight of my morning walk." I had to stop giving out emotional support that has "strings attached". Finally, I took time to notice when someone needed support. So, ~work on encouraging ­ others, I also help improve my own self-image. I've started a cycle of going that will strengthen my own self-esteem as well... GUNS ARE NOT TOYS MISSING CHILDREN by Maryann Braro by Maryann Braro Today all we hear on TV or read in the paper is someone was shot or killed by someone who just don't care. You just can't go around and shoot people for fun. That's not right. When someone does this, they need help, the kind of help we can't give them. Most of the shootings are in public places where there are a lot of people around. Why would anybody go to a public place and start shooting? That person is crazy! The shooting in our capitol claimed two lives, the lives of two officers and injured three others. What was this man thinking of? We don't know, but the higher power knows. It's lucky he didn't injure or kill anyone else. The officers he killed both had families . Just think of the children who have to grow up without their fathers because this man didn't care who he shot. Whom­ ever was in his way was going to be shot. He was out to have fun. As a result, now two families are without their loved ones. When you lose someone you love, it hurts. I know those children will never be the same because of a crazy person who decided to take their father's lives. I pray that the higher power will help those people. Today in this world there are thousands of children missing. You would never know that they were missing if you didn't read in the paper or see it on TV. Children are not safe anywhere, not even sitting on the steps of their homes. Children are our future. We should be able to parent them, but the higher power knows we can't protect all of them. The last victim was named Mary. I didn't know her or her family, but my prayers are with them. I wish the best for her family. Mary's life was cut short by someone who had nothing else better to do. This person just didn't care. When I turn on the TV and se e pictures of her, I see a sweet little girl who a lot of people will miss and loved. I know a lot of people with children are taking extra precautions for their children. People who do ugly things just don't believe in the Lord, but maybe they just do in their own way? Why do people do ugly things? That is one question we will never know, but our higher power knows when someone takes a child, that person just don't know what or how hurt the child's family is.. My prayers are with all of you. HAVE I STOPPED TRYING TO RUN MY OWN LIFE? by James Curry Lord, we thank thee for the great gift of peace, that peace which passeth all understanding, that peace which the world can neither give nor take away. that is the peace that only God can give in the mist of a__restless world and surrounded by trouble and difficulty. To know that peace is to have received the stamp of the kingdom of God. When you have earned that peace, you are fit to judge between tru.e and false values, between the values of the kingdom of God and the values of all the world has to offer. I pray that today I may have inner peace. I pray that today I will be at peace with myself. PUBLIC NOTICE Dear Friends: If you have tried to get medical services at University Hospital and have not gotten the medical help you needed, we want to talk to you about the problem. Call the Hotline today at 797-4344. You should know each year University Hospital receives 30 million in tax dollars from Hamilton County to provide medical services for people if they are Hamilton County residents. Love and Peace, Peter E. Rit chy, Volunteer CEO Homeless Hotline of Greater Cincinnati Over-·rhe-Rhlne Steel Drum Band t 0th Annlrsl'Saty Concerts••• Help the Stssl Dmm Band Csls/Jrats to ysal'S of Music Makinil Ssptsillbsr 26 and 2T at The School for tbs Psdormlnl Arts For tlt:ksts and mors Information pleass call 621-5514 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Crossword 5 6 7 8 9 10 Page 11 scram bI e 11 13 14 37 40 Answers on page I 5. 26 27 30 32 43 Carter T ry to unscramble these related words: ELTL OYRU lNDSEFR OTUBA ETSTER EVSBI ROU ODNERVS EDNE RUOY PLHE KAHTN OYU 17 by Ron 44 46 April 1 ,1995 Across 1. Listen carefully 5. Fell heavily 12. Toward shelter 13. Divulged 15. Ascent 16. Re birds 17. Music syllable 18. Ebenezer Scrooge, for example 20. Score at Le Mans 21 . Fowl 22. Liturgy 23. Sharp flavor 24. Minute 25. Lauren Hutton or Twiggy 26. Word of honor 29. Shade of red 30. Coral isle 31. _au Prince, Haiti's capital 32. Detachable button 33. Canine tooth 34. Lose tautness 37. Egyptian king, for short 38. All generations to come 40. Forward 41 . blanche 42. Upon 43. Feels happy and delighted 45. Without: French 46. Earliest 47. Weigh heavily (on) 5. Pecan candy 6. Frivolity 7. Sheeplike 8. Bog fuel 9. Hermes' son 10. Cid 11. Determines the boundary of 14. Hang loosely 19. Extra thing added for show 20. African gully 23. Legal injury 24. Recounted 25. Unite; combine 26. Leader of the flock 27. Puts into harmony 28. Put to disorderly flight 29. Dispute 31 . Flour-water mixtures 33. Coerce 34. Ravi Shankar's instrument 35. In accord: 2 words 36. Romany 38. Annoyance: slang 39. Speak hoarsely 41 . Cote sound 44. Alcott heroine Down 1. Grating 2. What twins are 3. Varnish ingredient 4. Acute Answers to Crossword on Page 13 Subscribe to Streetvl bes Subscr iptions to Streetvibes can be purchased · for $ 12 per year. Please send a check to the below add ress and t he pa pe r will be m a iled to you e ach issue . · Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make che cks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. •• Ii RI Ii ~ ~ .. Community Celebration. ••• PICTURE continued from page 5 one set which they watched together. Today there exists televisions, computers, VCR's, and cable programs which all make the viewers part of the action and also provide excitement. With all the above choices it makes sense to own·more than one television set. then each family member can enjoy himself or herself in peace. What's wrong with this picture of today's family? We spend evenings in front of our separate TV screens and then we go to bed. The next morning, we run off to our separate jobs (work or school). come home at separate times, and eat separately. Finally, we return to our separate TV screens for another evening's entertainment. During all of these times, when do we talk to each other or see each other? When do we come together as a family? " Some certain realities of today's living cannot change. But one thing is truly needed in most families; both parents to bring home a paycheck. Another is the distance many of us must travel to work or to school. But must everything change? And should we lose our family structure in the process? I'm not suggesting that we go back to the I 9SO's. We don't have to live in a fantasy, but we could borrow some important lessons from our grandparents way of living during the SO's. It is that family life is just as important as work or play,. If we agree, you'll find ways of spending more time­ together, you'll find things to share, and then there will be something right with this picture ........ COMEDY CORN ER by Ron Carter live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721-7339 T HE BIG SPENDER Alter winning the lottery a man walked into a bar. He said, "Gathe~ around. Drinks for every­ body." So everyone gathered around the bar. He . then said: "When I order, everybody order. When I pick up my glass, everybody pick up their glass. When I take a drink, ever:ybody take a drink. When I put my glass down, everyone put their glass down. When I pay, I want everybody to pay." ­ �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 12 MY LEGACY RAVINGS OF A MAD WOMYN: by Ellen It has been a long time since someone asked me to write about myself. At first, I was skeptical of revealing myself to another individual let alone to the whole world. My .name is Ellen. I'm a middle aged woman of forty-three years with an abundance of An Occasional Attempt to Chip Away at the Rule of the Establishment c0 u·LD YO u sEE knowledge and insight. The legacy I have to offer is I'm a recovering addict with war stories that would make a person blush with envy. My life hasn't been by Ma/aka Sanders ME? THE POLITICS OF A JOINT a total waste. I allowed people to come into my life and consequently destroy my world, with my help of • This piece about the illegal substance mari­ course. Being a minister's daughter isn't exactly a juana does not address the more p.opular concerns life that most people would tend to shy away from. by Eugene Sung, Street Sheet-San Francisco surrounding it. Not the "legal or not" question in In a way it has also been a very helpful and enjoythe mainstream or the speculations on a U.S. "hemp I know and understand that the rus h of your industry" (with products like blue jean~ made from able life. Meeting people from all walks of life helps me to beli"!ve that I'm not such a bad person after forty hour week doesn't allow you to stop and t~e cannabis plant on the political left). Even an admire the scenery. But does the toll of the rat race update on the ongoing debate around the health all. I just wanted to be in the wild life and continue to dwell in it un til my addiction brought me to my remove your humanity as well? concerns associated with marijuana usage are left for knees. · Crack was my disease which totally deI understand that in this world we have to be other writers to explore because, of course, these stroyed myself, !TlY family, and friends. It's the most primarily concerned with number one'. But have you have all been duly noted. devastating drug to hit any home and bring families a ever stopped to consider that if others are lucky, But the "politics" of marijuana, that is. the. sense of insercurity, mistrust, and a loss of selftonight's banquet will be coming from a trash can? laws concerning this plant and their affects on those worth. My family consisted of my parents and two I appreciate that fact that your roots are firmly so criminalized, are rarely discussed, even in sons. Children who didn't deserve to be brought up planted in a world that has given you an all access "progressive" circles. That's in part because many in someone esle's home. The many nights I cried membership. But does that mean just because we're people would like to stay away from what they myself to sleep only to wake up to this drug which not in the same club we can't have a quiet conversaconsider to be conversations about "weed." I bring tion? it up here because- it really ain't about the weed. can kill. Because it doesn't "love" me. The torture and pain I had put countles.s supporters through I know that at the end of the day you will have The "War on Drugs" in general, and "reefer only to let them down. Most of all, my faith in our a place to hang your hat and rest your head. But madness" in particular, are simply battlegrounds in Heavenly Father who has been with me and others can you appreciate your blessings without looki,ng the never-ending (but recently escalated) war on the through this terrible ordeal. One can only imagine with contempt on those who have to roll their beds poor- which means that this article really ain't about the terror which lays in their eyes only to find grief up in the morning? a joint after al_I, but about one type of the many and pain. Tears of husbands, wives, and children I understand that you carry a background that policies that economically exclude low-income still hearing their pleas, "Please stop, I can't take it is as wide and diverse as the next person. But does individuals; and I'd hope that this would be of anymore." That's what I heard when I was alone in it make sense that I too come from a place that holds interest to anyone concerned about economic my thoughts. After all of this, my Heavenly Father just as many treasures as yours? exclusion. Some particularly glaring examples of still loves and has forgiven me. Maturity which I see I realize that you are half way down the block exclusionary policies include anti-panhandling and in myself has allowed me to grow and become by the time I finish this thought. But when you anti-loitering laws, which target homeless people. responsible once again. This second chance of living passed by just a moment ago, could you see me? · and "welfare reform" laws which target low-income and having to be loved and trusted with open honest mothers. However. the near pyramid shape of our feelings. Before I became aware of what myf~e~e~li~ ng:;s;..mi_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, class structure is evidence that were about, I had to get help. I checked into a rehabilitation program. I looked like the children from Ethiopia: tired, lifel m, hungry, ,.d, •nd pi<fful. Even -- l ' 1, when I looked in the m irro'r, I looked like the walking dead. In fact, my own -son didn't re<;ggnize.-EFem-tha"tpoint forward, my life took a hundred and eighty degree turn. I had met unsavory people during my addiction with an unsavory past. I then realized I was one of them. Unable to find solace in crack, I only found turmoil. There was nothing I could do right in filth and darkness with despair and becoming increasingly more despondent. Promises I made only to go back on them to my family and friends. That's when I sought the help I needed and got back on track of my life. The feelings are w_hat I haven't felt in such a long time. Being numb and lethargic was my forte in the past. Now when being given a challenge or trying to complete a goal, I would stop myself from acheiving it because I was scared of what others might think of me. " No more," I cried. "Please God help me. I can't fight against you anymore. Please help me." Early on a rainy morning (Wednesday), I walked into a treatment program for veterans and haven't looked back since coming back into recovery. I truly have myself and my family who I found, realizing I am not alone in this constant struggle. Most of all, my love for the Heavenly Father. I love you. This is one of my legacies I leave you with. Maybe somewhere in I your life you too may have a egacy to expound upon and leave it for others to read and continue to grow from. May Our Heavenly Father keep and bless you. Love your friend , Ellen. capitalism is inherently exclusionary. That is, one particular group of people, a very tiny segment of the ~ ~E:r-,, .~ _a· - popul•tion, h" <on<col of mo" of the '<.:~ ~ J: cJ'l s-1< TAND DOWN* l * 9 *9*8 A HAND up NoT a HAND ouT _ ',./_ :..- #t,e .;./omde,u dl-r~ to dle/p </~ OCTOBER 15-16. 1998 DROP INN CENTER ll7 W. llTH STREET CINCINNAJI• OHIO (}C10~t\\ Wl: . 'l\'oeriai\a'o\e. ~\so. admission 1ser11tesV11 ·ii'oeisSued. Social a11d \tqa . distil'o\l\ion 'lj\ ut'l.e1Sl"llla1euals nr~nor.n ui.. 1uoLn \\):. . 114 ~'o\ot'oa""..,. \\el1es\\111t11\S a ~atetia\\disuill:~~:~\ en\e\\ai\111\tll\~ resources while most of us are somehow " left out"- which is the definition of exclusion. This fact is not generally spoke of as evidence of exclusion because most continue to believe, however unconsciously, that poor people are poor because we want to be. I contend that people are raised in poor fam ilies because of past exclusion (of their parents, ancestors, etc.) and are then kept poor through an entire system of exclusionary circumstances (crumbling public schools, "ghettos", etc.) and tactics. including the criminalization of our class through a number of ridiculous, irrelevant laws. So what are the affects of these laws? Well, non-violent drugoffenders are now the fastest growing population in our already o.ver­ crowded prison system. Also, it's been·predicted that most Black men (2/3rd} will be b~hind bars by the year 20 I0, mostly because of these laws. Most drug statistics refer to all drug offenses and are not limited to marijuana; I cite these because the societal affect of these laws, again, the further exclusion of low-income people, is still the same. Then the private sector comes I in. It's been my observation that on Y low-wage workers seem to have to worry about being d rug teste d- t h'is despite the fact that studies show that marijuana usage seems to know no �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page . /3 class boundaries, and that cocaine usage is higher among the upper classes. Another interesting class dynamic here: while the work that low-income people do is being more and more delegitimized by politicians (like ·poor moms raising kids having their assistance taken away because they're not "work­ ing"), the disgusting "work" of the upper-class, in this case "examining" urine, is never questioned. Finally, putting us behind bars or keeping us out of work still isn't enough- drug offenses are cited in particular as a reason to withhold public assis­ tance from someone. And of course, who applies for public assistance? Not Kurt Cobain, that's for sure. So, regardless as to your feelings about drug usage in this country, ·the affects of drug laws are clear: Poor people are disproportionately targeted for the harassment, criminalization and economic exclusion entailed in their enforcement. And, keeping in mind that these laws do little to curb drug addiction, it's easy to see that this is just another thinly veiled form of repression at the hands of the police-state. And I t~ink that we owe it to our brothers and sisters to participate in this madness as little as possible. NASNA Conference attendees discuss street newspaper strategies. ...TACTICS continued from page 3 followed the slumlord 24 hours a day. This went on for a couple of weeks. One day I got a phone call, 'Shel, I think we got him.' My heart soared like and eagle. 'Shel I been watching Mr. Slumlord. Every Tuesday at I Iam he goes to an apartment, rings the security bell, and goes up. He's out exactly at noon and he looks real happy." We got him. Bob, on the next Tuesday we had one of our people dressed in a delivery uniform. He rang. The door opened. The doors to our five vans opened and 60 people from our organization stormed the stairs. We banged on the door, asked for Mr. Slumlord. I don't know who he was with, but it was obviously forbidden fruit. Mr. Slum lord looked at the 60 people, broke down and cried as he said, 'you pe0ple will stop at nothing.' We said sign this agreement to fix all your properties to code. Mr. Slumlord signed the agreement. All the properties were up to code in 19 months." And the next time you hear Shel Trap's name mentioned, remember my x-wife baby-sat his kids. Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each month. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coali­ tion for the Homeless-­ Streetvibes. . If you have a.ny questions, call 421-7803. CONFERENCE ·BUILDS. UNITY AMONG STREET NEWSPAPERS Stoty and photo by Jimmy Heath sometimes the only forum where their views can be heard. The success of the street newspaper move­ ment was evident in the enthusiasm displayed by the conference attendees. During the working groups sessions, the editors and other representatives at the conference discussed ways to continue to improve our papers so the vendors, homeless, and poor can continue to benefit from these projects. Many of the representatives at the conference, including STREETVIBES' staffers, were formerly homeless and are now staunch advocates for the people that we serve through our programs. Many vendors are homeless advocates themselves because they are familiar with the issues in the papers they are selling. Time and again, during the conference emphasis was placed on how to create improved street newspapers so that our concerns are heard as legitimate voices. Everyone agreed that quality newspapers were the key to the prosperity of our projects. We don't want folks on the street buying papers from the vendors out of pity; we want the papers to be of good quality. The 1998 North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) Conference was held this year in Montreal, Canada from August 6th-9th, and was hosted by Journal L'ltineraire, Montreal's street newspaper. Over 40 North American street newspapers were represented at the conference, including Cincinnati's own ST REETVIBES newspaper. Also attending the conference were representatives from Halifax. Nova Scotia and London, England. Cincinnati's STREETVIBES newspaper began The conference was held at the University of nearly two years ago as a supplement to Cleveland's Quebec at Montreal, which is located right in the GRAPEVINE. STREETVIBES is prod~ced monthly heart of the downtown business district. The out of the office of the Greater Cincinnati <;oalition conference attracted a lot of media coverage (or the Homeless. Many volunteers and vendors are involved in the layout, design and writing of the especially from Canada's national press. In addition to conference working groups and a series of paper every month. Vendors purchase the paper workshops, NASNA members had the opportunity from the Coalition (or 20 cents each to help cover to vote in the Executive Committee election. production costs. They sell the paper on the street Donald Whitehead of STREETVIBES was elected to a (or a one dollar donation. one year term as NASNA's Vice-president and Tim Harris of Seattle's REAL CHANGE newspaper was reelected President of the organization. Several new start-up papers were also voted in as new NASNA members. "I hope to see the vision of NASNA become a reality and I'm really optimistic about that happening. Things like a street newspaper in every city, a homeless news service. 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 3 5 2 and technical assistance for new newspa­ p p E D p L 0 H A R pers with the ultimate goal of eliminating 14 13 12 homelessness," said Donald Whitehead, E R E v E A L E D A L 17 16 Director of the Greater Cincinnati 15 F A s A v R Coalition for the Homeless and NASNA's 18 new Vice-President. N L S K This was the third annual meeting A N G of NASNA member newspapers whose goals are to solidify and unify the street D E L newspaper movement in North America, 26 27 28 creating for homeless vendors a means p A R o· s E R toward self-sufficiency and a voice on 3-0 0 A T 0 issues of homelessness. Thousands of 32 homeless and forme rly homeless persons A N S T in North America have found success 37 with the newspaper vendor program. By 0 s T T U selling the street newspaper, they gain 40 E 0 N A R T financial freedom as well as renewed self­ 43 44 esteem. For some vendors who see their c E s R E J 0 ~ 4~ 6 _..~-i-~.+-~l----+~-1--writings in print for the first time, it is the first step in gett ing back their lives. For s 0 0 N E s T issues concerning the poor and die homeless, the stre et newspaper ls Answers to Streetvlbes Crossword from Page 11... ( I �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine ...Traveler continued from page 2 1 I I I l Amer ican Street Newspaper Asso ciation (NASNA) C onference. O ur arrival in Montreal is a preview to the rest o f our stay there. We are greeted at the airport by several other conference attendees and volunteers w ho will trans port us to the offices of Journal L'ltineraire, o ur host for the 1998 NASNA Confere nce. The office of Journal L'ltineraire is a little larger than our own office and much better equipped. We spend the first few hours touring the office followed by a recepti~n. Before leaving fo r our housing for the conference at the University of Q uebec (Montreal) we hold an executive co mmittee meeting. After checking into our housing we are faced with the always tough decision of deciding what to eat. We soon discover the area around the Univer­ sity of Montreal contains a variety of different ethnic food selections further complicating our decision. W e finally settle on a quiet outdoor cafe with an Italian menu. After our meal, we continue tb tour the neighborhood w hich has a variety of interesting happenings. we· notice a large gathering of what seems to be runaway kids in an area directly across from the University. Th·e kids are armed and make no effort to hide the weapon of choice: the dreaded squeegees. Squeegees are used to wash windows, something that is common in some cities in the U.S. It is so common here that the people using t hem are called "squeegees." It's fu nny how people become bag ladies. bums, or squeegees, instead of just Regina, Mike, Torn. or whatever their given name is. The area also has many other more positive attractions. We are very near Old Montreal and its wonderful architectural masterpieces. We are actually given a tour of the entire city like no other tour I've ever been on before. We spend our interaction time at a needle exchange that also dis penses condoms. We are given quite a bit of information from our rour guide w ho is extremely pleased with the harm red uctio n his establishment offers. We also visit a gym that offers midnight basketball for the runaway youth population. continue dow n the st reet. As I make my way down the street, I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder. and it's the same women- who I'll call Regina. Regina asks me for spare change. As a trained panhandling investi­ gator, I immediately give her my sincerity test. "Instead of Change why don't you join me for lunch," I state with the utmost sincerity. "I don't mind if I do," says Regina in an animated voice. Regina's story was like many stories. She was in an abusive relationship in New York and she moved to "The District" to get away. She worked service jobs until she just couldn't make ends meet. Regina tried welfare for awhile, talked about getting start ed again, finding an apartment, and feeling like a member of society. Regina told me she wasn't comfortable on assistance...she just couldn't make ends meet. "I actually was ashamed. Nobo dy else ...my mother, my grandmother, or my great grandmother was on welfare," she said. Then came welfare reform!!! Regina's demeanor took a downward turn when she began talking about welfare refo rm. "I lost my benefits, I lost my apartment, I lost my way, and it got worse after that ," she sadly declared. Regina talked about losing her ID. a terrible blow for a homeless person. "Is that why you are living on the Streets instead of a shelter." I asked. "It's a little bit more complicated than that," said Regina. "I got in a Jot of trouble after I got to C CNV (The Center for Creative Non-Violence). I am banned from most of the shelte rs in the city." Curious, I asked her to explain. "I spent a year in Jail for attempted murder," she says. I intuitively know that the re's a lot more to her story. Many people would probably move on at t his point. My years as a homeless advocate and as a August 7, 1998 homeless person have taught me that what's on the Our second day in Montreal is the beginning of surface is just the beginning of the story, so I our conference. Our first conference meal is rather continue to probe. Before,I go on though, I must tell memorable. We enjoy the local tradition of pork-n­ you, I am beginning to notice the many stares we are beans, crepes, and fried bologna for breakfast. For receiving, Many people seem to be uncom~ortable the next two days we didn't rush to breakfast. While with our presence. I guess it is an unusual sight...a we enjoyed the hospitality and the tradition we just woman in somewhat tattered clothing and a man in didn't rush. The conference itself was by far the best his one and only business suit. Oblivj ous to the NASl\JA 'Co nference yet. The spirit of camaraderie ...--­ stares that-have no<!Oubt become all too common, exceeded the expectations of even the most optimis­ as they are for most homeless people, she continues tic members of the NASNA Movement. Perhaps the her story. "I was awakened one night by a woman trying to sexually assault me. At that moment, all the rage, all the disappointments, and all the pain had finally found an outlet. It took three people to pull me off of her, but what would you do," she said. "I don't know," I said. What would I do? Regina asked me to buy her some pants. I gave her ten dollars, wished her the best, and left her to slowly finish her meal. I returned to the National Coalition Office where I spend some time with some ofAmerica's real heroes. They fight the day to day battles here in America to end homelessness. I spend most of the rest of the day with Michael Stoops, the General Affordable rent that Schwartzkopf of the homeless fight. Michael has been one of the pion eers of homeless advocacy. We never exceeds 30°/o discuss at length the upcoming North American of your income Street Newspaper Conference. At about 4 o'clock.I head for National Airport for my flight home. ... Many buildings Page 14 highlight of the conference was the panel ent itled "Vision o f the St reet Newspaper Movement." Somehow, each previous co nfe rence had a similar panel. However, this year's "visions" seemed so much more realistic. The highlight of the entire trip was the previously mentioned tou r. What made this to ur so unique was its fo cus on homeless services, providers, and more importantly, homeless people. What was extremely impressive about this country was the quality of services available. W~ile there was poverty, it d id not seem to.be nearly as harsh as the poverty I've experienced in most of my travels within · the United States. The homeless population seemed a lot younger than that of th e United States. I'm sure there are parts of Mont real I didn't see that I probably wouldn't want to see, but not on this trip. have to say, this trip was just what the doctor ordered; that is, the social justice doctor. Every so often I need a trip that heightens the spirit...that re­ lights the candle of the heart...that reinvigorates the soul. This was that trip. I do have one complaint however. Leaving Canada proved to be quite a task. One of our party, Jimmy Heath, was stopped by customs...I guess he fit the profile. To add insult to injury, we were all surprised by the "Airport Im­ provement Tax:" a thirty dollar charge when you leave Canada. Most people o n the plane could not stop talking about the "Airport Improvement Tax." I was more concerned with the paint that somehow mysteriously ap peared on my pants I guess. Wet paint signs weren't part of t he improvements we paid for. Oh well. a good traveler always expects the unexpected. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to ·call home? ·Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority l ­ 7:30 PM August 3, 1998 I finally land in Cincinnati. My first stop is the office to catch up on anything I might have missed because my next trip is just two days away. A t raveler's work is never done. Tbs Tr11vslsr Goss lntsrn11t/on11/ 4:00 PM August 6, 1998 On this trip I have company: James Heath and Dallas Cash are my companions. As we ride the elevator to the ticketing information, we pause to reflect on the collective gratitude we share. Our destination is Montreal, Canada for the North equipp~d with security systems :.. Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. ' �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page IS I STREETVIBES Announcements FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny Williams There are several political prisoners in Ohio's prisons. If you are interested to write to them, like James Pryor or Dan Cahill, please contact: Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio· 45201-1746 · ANNOUNCING A new Group at AVOC... For Heterosexuals living With Aids Are you looking for a broader knowledge of the challenge of living with HIV/AIDS? Would you like to meet people who share similar experiences and hear their coping strategies? Are you looking for peers with whom 'OU can discuss and plan for the future? COME MEET WITH US•.. Where: AVOC "Gray Room " When: 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to 8:PM More Information: Susan or Judy 421-243.7 1 Phone: (513) 241-8014 STREETVIBES Classified Ads Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $I per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise-their skills ­ or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813 Band (ookin& for Work Streetvibes (the band). We like to party. R&S, Oldies, Slues/ jazz, Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803. for sale Nat ive American cookies: orders being accepted: R. C. Janus. (Fax) 891-8663. position wanted Office worker seeks 20· 30 hour sit down job on bus line, within 2 miles of the river in either Kentucky or Ohio; non-medical terminology, non-filing cabinet office work; social services, sales, public information, crafts, and other background, some computer experience: contact Sox 2. Streetvibes, 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati. '45210. Laborer Looking for a laborer? Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center, 721­ 0643. Elderlx or Children Looking for a community o riented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteach worker/ counselor aide at YMCA 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience including Windows. Lotus, Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop Inn Center, 721-0643. Degreed, s uccessful grants administrator/writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same: ten percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus, Jr. (Fax) 891 -8663. Native American-Hispanic female see!<s sit down. slow· paced industrial FACTORY position: physically challenged. (Fax) 891-8663. Scramble Answers from page 11••• TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT STREET VIBES OUR VENDORS NEED YOUR HELP THANK YOU STREETVIBES .provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may .place ads for only $I .per line. Call 421-7803 for info. Streetvlbes Vendor Code· of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. · I. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. In Memory of "Mac" Who Bel.ieved In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ... Because 'Everyone' in­ cludes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. Sales Represe n tatjye Looking for position as sales representative or management. Has good bookkeeping. typing and supervisory skills. Has experience in retail management, customer service and sales. . Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at 552-935 I . Restaurant Work Responsible older man able to work any shift. Would prefer work as a busser at a restaurant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is very dependable and available immediately. Please contact W iley Powell at 83 ~-840'4. Baby Sitter Need a babysitter? Former child-care worker with day· care experience. Call Mary Ann at 665-4375 or pager at 610-8527 Continiency fee ~ Not afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on letterhead paper to I I I I Elm Street. No. 432, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Streetvlbes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 Im The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stol"ies in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, Sept. 12th, 1998, noon to I pm Advertise In StreetvlbesI Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 112" $I 0 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 I /2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad o r have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: . Streetvibes I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 _.f­ �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine VENDOR PROFILE: Streetvibes TV September Schedule Clarence is 39 years-old. He came out of the US Army in 1979 and became homeless in the 80's. Fortunately, the opportunity to change his position came through local support, good people, services, and hard work. Acquiring housing, job skills, and employment assistance, he plans to go to college in the future. Clarence believes STREETVIBES is a good program and enjoys· being a vendor. He has encountered some wonderful people since becoming invqlved and would like to thank Mr. Carter and Mr. Whitehead. Clarence says, "Sometimes people you meet understand the plight of the poor and home­ less. The only way to put an end to homelessness and poverty is people helping people and willingness to work." Clarence encourages Cincinnati to get involved with STREETIYIBES by writing, donating, or volunteering for its good cause. J6 STREETVIBE·s TV The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilit ies of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cable changes programming and channels. Clarence Montgomery Page This month's LIVE SHOW will invlove a discussion about the Homeless STANDDOWN which will take place in October at The Drop Inn Center. Guests will include key players in the event Cha nne l 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. Mo nday. Sept ember 21 st at 7PM. Rebroad cast Dates for Sho w o n Cha n­ nel 10: Saturday, September 5, 1998, 4 PM Friday, September 11, 1998, I I AM Friday, September 18, 1998, I I AM Saturday, September 26, 1998, 4 PM Monday, September 28, 1998, I0 PM Br_oadcast schedules are subject t o change - consult your local .T V d irect ory. If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 42,1-7803. We always. enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... STREETVIBES WISH LIST STREEVIBES is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs > Adobe Pagemaker Software for STREETVIBES layout >35 MM Film for STREETYIBES photo's --· ~ >Laser Printer >Advertisers to help support the paper Vendor: 80 cents Printing and Production: 20 cents Where Your Dollar >Com puter for STREETVIBES layout and writing Goes 7803 If you can help! >Office Supplies >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee, cups, donuts, etc.) Call the STREETVIBES o ffice at 421· Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so ·that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. 1 I I: ,' I ----­ ••• ii it ii .,.. -· i f i i: - - - Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803. SHELT ERS: Women and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 281-5770 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-8717 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracol~ (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Hav.en House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTQC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: W o m e n O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREAT MENT: Me n Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline A.A. Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 244-7226 961-4080 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 92 1-7324 784- 1853 921 - 16 13 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 421-2437 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Act ive in Northside Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1 840 Contact Center 381-4242 24 1-2563 Emanuel Community Center Freestore/Foodbank 24 1-1064 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 62 1-71 49 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-71 86 Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Yan 352-2902 22 1-3679 House of Refuge Mission 24 1-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271 -550 I 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 , Peaslee Neighborhood Center Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless Program 559-6656 Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 1998 Vol. 2, issue 20 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Residents Rally for Safe One-Way Vine Lincoln Courts to Be Demolished Pg 2: The Traveler Returns Pg 3: Cleveland News Tactics Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: Visible Homeless Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: Americorps Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 12: Mad Womyn Pg 13: NASNA Conference Pg 15: Classifieds Pg 16: Vendor Profile Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource September 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Maryann Bravo Ron Carter Denise Crew James Curry Brian Davis Ellen Robert Freking Jimmy Heath Vicki Lynn Michael Nelson James W. Pryor Aaron Pitchford Malaka Sanders Michael Strawder Euguene Sung Rodney Sutton Angela Whithead Donald Whitehead Gloria Wiggins Lynn Williams Bruce Wilmer Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <span>This work is licensed under a</span><span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a><span>.</span> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford Americorps Angela Whitehead Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Bruce Wilmer Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Ellen Eugene Sung Gloria Wiggins James Curry James W. Pryor Jimmy Heath Lynn Williams Mad Womyn Malaka Sanders Maryann Bravo Michael Nelson Michael Strawder NASNA Robert Freking Rodney Sutton Ron Carter The Traveler vendor profile Vicki Lynn visible homeless welfare welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/46dfb2aafa3521911388ffa6df93677e.pdf 8adf6ecc1406db7266561dd8a76e97ee PDF Text Text ---­ Study Finds A Major Affordable Housing Gap in Ohio; Nationwide Shortage Of Affordable Housing At Record Level Submitted by Coalition on Homelessness and Housingin Ohio Ohio faces a serious lack of affordable housing, according to a study released by the W ashington DC-based Center on Budget and Policy Pr iorities. The study found that the shortage of low-cost housing versus low-income renters in Ohio's major cities has reached an enormous disparity. In Cincinnati, there are approximately 59,000 low­ income renters and only 52,000 low-rent housing units, resulting in 19,000, or 48 percent, of Cincinnati's poor renters spending more than half of their income on shelter. In Cleveland, there are 84,000 low-income renters for 50,000 units, resulting in 31,000 or 66 percent of low-inc~me renters spending more than half of their income on shelter. In Columbus, 53,000 low-income renters are competing for 33,000 low-income units. This results in I 5,000 or SO percent of Columbus' poor renters paying more than half of their income for shelter. Throughout the United States the number of low-cost apartments was 4.4 million fewer than the number of low-income renters needing affordable housing, resulting in the widest housing affordability gap on record. The report on affordable housing conditions nationally and in 45 metropolitan areas is based on data for the Census Bureau's American Housing Survey. The study found the stock of low-rent units in the private market dropped 43 percent between 1973 and 1995, from 4.9 million units to 2.8 million. During the same period, the number of low-income renters rose, as poverty rates have remained at relatively high levels even in periods of economic Continued on page 12 Submitted by The Contact Center The Ohio Empowerment Coalition, our statewide welfare rights organization, has successfully influenced Ohio House legislators to introduce a bill, The Welfare Corrections Bill, that will soften Ohio Works First sanction policy. (Ohio Works First is Ohio's welfare law which took effect on October l, I 997.) We are requesting your endorsement of The Welfare Corrections Bill. It also includes the following sanction policy changes: * A $50 cut in cash assistance instead of harshly cutting the full cash be nefit. Contents Cleveland News Portman Plan Welfare News Visible Homeless Hope VI Arts & Poetry Nationwide News Housing Conference Prisoners News San Diego Sleep-In Teen Role Model letters & Editorials Crossword & Games Azerbaf/an Update TB Information Vendor Profile ACTION ALERT Page2 Page3 Page4 Pages Pages Page6 Page 7 Page 7 Page Page9 Page9 Page10 Page11 Page 12 Page 13 Page16 a Current law eliminates the entire cash assistance of a family under sanction. This punishment will not help families.become "self-sufficient" when they lose their entire benefit cash assistance to pay for basic necessities of rent & utilities. * When a family is sanctioned, food stamps should not be reduced (which is aJlowable under Federal law.) Current law cuts the "adult portion".of food stamps. * Child care subsidies should not be include d as part of the sanction. Current law makes the sanctioned household ineligible for a child care subsidy. This is counter productive to helping recipients retain employment and fulfill the OWF work requirement. * A sanction should e nd as soon as a recipient complies. Federal law does not dictate length of sanction. Recipients should not continue to be punished after they comply. * Due to the harshness of sanctions and the high rate of caseworker errors, we call for a moratorium on all sanctions being issued in Ohio until legislators reconvene to revise sanction policy. In addition to the sanction policy changes, the bill also included the following amendments: * Allow Ohio to request the food stamp waiver for single adults without children. This waiver would exempt this population from being denied food stamps in a high unemployment area. Currently the federal law allows these adults food stamps for only 3 months out of every 36 months unless they are working. Authorize Ohio to request the Federal money available for work training programs for this population. * Require a wage match between the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services and the Ohio Department of Human Services. This requirement will provide data on whether or riot recipients are employed after leaving welfare, and provide informa­ tion on the salaries provided by these jobs. * Allot $40 million fqr the following: $20 millibn for non-profit organizations to do outreach to recipients and for training of Department of Human Services caseworkers . . The other $20 million will go to substance abuse programs. Please contact The Contact Center at l 64 l Vine Street, Cin~innati, Ohio or call The Contact Center at (5 l 3) 38 l -4242. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES HAYESTRY The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The 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 organiz­ ing. 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Hobbs, Vendor Support Photo2rapher Jimmy Heath Writers Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Ho~bs Lynn Ki lbane Paul Linden Judith Mendriski Steven Michael Aaron Pitchford James W. Pryor Steven M. Rutherford Mark Salter Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Editorial Polley: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 421 -7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Quote of the Month: "Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. " Mark Twain by Thomas Hayes My first contact with The Homeless Grapevine newspaper was of secondary, even tertiary impor­ tance to what I was doing at the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) at the time. In 1995, I was an Americorps*VISTA (Volun­ teers in Service to America) sponsored by the Corporation for National Service, .a nd was being tran_sferred from a backwater outpost in Chillicothe, O H, to Cleveland. The transition, I knew, would be startling- from Appalachian poverty to inner city poverty: the conditions, surroundings, and finally, the actual people--one must admit to having different images of a poor rural Southern Ohioan and a poor urban Northern Ohioan. However, one thing remained constant at least: poverty. Poverty is poverty wherever rou go. and the intangible, soulful feel of it-and the facial expressions of those squashed under its weight are uniquely alike. Being one who likes to be prepared for a situation, I took time in reading various materials on homelessness-an oversized photographic work from Los Angeles, ·v-,:hich sought to capture the homel~ss in some Diana Arbusian style; as well, I had some essay by Andrew Cuomo, then deeply immersed in New York City's homeless problems. But strangely, the objective photographic viewpoints and the raw statistics shoveled at me by Cuomo gave me, as a reader, no real sense of any personal element-that is, what it feels like to be homeless. In Chillicothe, I had worked with an adult li~eracy program. Through various writing experi­ ments, as well as the close, proximate experience tutoring provides, I was able to get a feeling for and understanding of the Appalachian experience of poverty-but it was not homelessness. In C:.:hillicothe, one got the mother who was paid by the state to get her GEO, who went home e.very night to an out-of­ work husband who called her "stupid" or "useless.'' This, in order to keep her self-esteem low, out of the belief that she would leave him as soon as she was educated-a not unwise assumption, no doubt. In Cleveland, I read for the first time about the usband hwo called his wife "stupid': and "useless" and then beat her senseless, until finally she fled home. I learned that there were colonies of women in this situation, huddled together in shelters for the pur­ pose-a communal society built on fear and anxiety. For me, The Homeless Grapevine newspaper was my first intimate experience with homelessness­ far more so than any of the booRs-pictures or not­ 1 had seen previously. And this, I guess, is the first realization I have made-the singular opportunity that the Grapevine provides ~o its reC\ders: the view of life on and from the streets. As I settled in to work at the Coalition, I noted that beyond all other duties I would have, one set was recurrent; dealing with the Grapevine's vendors-and I do mean dealing. For anyone who has had any extensive interaction with the homeless, one learns quickly that, in general, these people are far from stupid. That may seem a rather dull way of putting it, but the homeless men and women I worked with knew the position they were in keenly, knew what they needed to get along, how to get it, and what they were up against daily. Let me put it this way, a person in the shelter once talked with me about the homeless gathered in the meal sites and shelter systems. They were described to me, largely as a group which had given up. In the "system" they languished. They knew where their meals were and when, where the shelters were, their staying rotation (that is, a homeless person may only stay a given amount of time-a week, say-and then must move on) and that this was all the majority cared about. He said they had given up any hope for a better life, these homeless men and women, and were content As some contrast, the vendors of The Homeless Grapevine were filled with energy; and more than anything else, took an active role in their own lives­ the first step of which was going out on the streets everyday and earning money on which to live. Even more, the nature of the business required skills of Page 2 which society approved: budgeting, planning, looking toward future goals, and affective manners that showed a respect for the customer. To be a success­ ful vendor required participation in the community; to make money, one had to sell- to me, and to all of you who are reading this. So my second realization was, in an idealistic sense, that the Grapevine serves as a bridge between two very different communities occupying the same city- the paper, in essence, forces a dialog between people, a conversation. Eventually. I began working on the paper myself. I had in the past some rudimentary experi­ ence with journalistic writing, and had an under graduate degree in writing and English. At Chillicothe, I had improv~d on a newsletter that the· literacy program issued using a desktop publishing program and some simple graphics. Here, however, the process increased in complexity, not just in the software used, but in the layout and design, as well as the generation of copy. The articles in the Grapevine were, at once, more serious and elevated. Beyond the recipes and insipid biographies that were gener-. ated for the newsletter consistently in a predictable order and format, the Grapevine included autobio­ graphical stories, displaying the subjective lives of its homeless associates; it examined local funding issues and priorities-how federal moneys were allocated, distributed, and spent; the Grapevine studied how people in need of housing gained entrance to metro­ politan housing, and how the law regards metropoli­ tan housing tenants differently than it does housed persons; the newspaper challenged local organiza­ tions, such as We Share, and how their administra­ tors abused aid to the poor for personal profit; in some of its toughest battles, the Grapevine took issue with local shelter providers in their policies-such as distribution of homeless money whether a certain location for a shelter was in the best interests of the homeless people who would have to travel there. From the location of check cashing operations next to bars and liquor stores, to the profit gouging tactics of Helth Maintenance Organizations (HMO's), The Homeless Grapevine has balked at produdng the cliche story and angle and ignored the repetition inherent in today's media. And so my third re,alization is the integrity of The. Grapevine its dedication under the editorship of Brian Davis to pulling out realities and jolting the willing reader out of the grey journalism clouding all of our heads today. Finally, it is best to mention the obvious and by far the most important gap filled by the Grapevine: its providing a voice to the thousands of homeless men and women who, out of fear or torpor or lack of access to a system they did not create and which doesn't represent them, cannot be heard. This is one of the key reasons for the existence of The Homeless Gra~evine, and a reason it needs to keep on existing. The Grapevine has cctme a long way since its· birth in 1913 as a photocopy paper. Its distribution has grow to over 11.000 readers. but its commitment to its mission of providing a voice to the voiceless and an income to the incomeless has not changed. With a bit of luck, support, and with the continuation of the strong guidance it has right now, in ten years or more these most important of goals still will be a constant. FACTS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: *A recent study by the National Coalition for the Homeless showed that 13.5 million people across the count!}' lived in shelters or on the street at some time in their lives. *The United States Census Bureau made a poor atf!Jmpt at estimating homelessness that even the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development won 't use. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine BANC ONE TO LEAVE OHIO WITH NO COMMITMENTS FOR THE FUTURE Submitted by COALITION on HOMELESSNESS and HOUSING in Ohio Banc One, who is in the process of merging with First Chicago/NBD Bank, has refused to commit to future community development projects for Ohio's low and moderate income consumers. In addition, while Banc One prepares for the largest Midwest bank merger in history. their existing practices hurt low-and moderate income and minority Ohioans, according to the Ohio Community Reinvestment Project (OCRP). . OCRP made an official protest with the Federal Reserve Bank yesterday to oppose the merger and called on the Federal Reserve to delay the merger and to hold a public hearing in Ohio to assess the potential impact this merger could have on Ohio consumers This proposed merger could have dramatic consequences for financial services consumers throughout the State of Ohio since the corporate headquarters of Banc One (currently based in Columbus) will move to Chicago. This merger could result in substantial disinvestment in Ohio communi­ ties," said Bill Faith. executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio and a OCRP steering committee member. The Ohio Community Reinvestment Project (OCRP) is made up of organizations representing hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the state who are concerned with fair lending, community development, affordable housing development, community reinvestment and economic development issues to build healthy, strong communities. Members from OCRP began meeting with representatives from Banc One Corporation several months ago to address their concerns over the impact the merger would have for low-and moderate income Ohioans, as well as minorities. The primary concerns were focused on securing commitments from the bank to continue and build upon some of the positive community development initiatives Banc One has provided in Ohio in the past. OCRP also sought commitments from the bank to offer products to meet the credit needs of low and moderate-income Ohioans that they currently have failed to offer. Although Banc One is one of the largest banks in the state, it provides almost no home purchase loans to assist first time home buyers. The bank has sold their mortgage servicing operations, which further indicates their intent to disengage in the home purchase business. OCRP has concerns that this disinvestment in Ohio will only continue to grow once the merger occurs as the Banc One headquarters move to Chicago. After several meetings with Banc One, the bank recently ceased discussing the possibility of making any specific commitment for Ohio. "This is simply unfair to Ohio's consumers" said Bill Faith. "Banc One has committed to honoring agreements in Chicago and Detroit, but refuses to be accountable to the community it has called home for years." Not only does Banc One refuse to make commitments to Ohio, it also has several aspects o f its banking that hurts minorities and low and moder­ ate-income citizens. According to OCRP, there is Page 3 . LOANS ORIGINATED BY OHIO MAJOR MARKET AREAS Banc One Mortgage Company Banc One Financial Ser-rices While Blacks fili1e Black Akron 164 7 14D 27 Cincinna ti 196 21 190 46 Clevela nd 367 40 273 133 Colu mbus 6 18 47 \w~ J<o Dayton 328 33 151 4-1 This chart clearly demonstrates that the predatory lending practices of Banc One Financial Services h as a negative Impact on African American borrowers. As you can see, Banc Ohio Mortgage Company denies African Americans at a higher rate than Banc One Financial Services which disproportionately targets African Americans for higher Interest rate credit. In some Ohio markets, Banc One Financial Services almost exclusively targets African Americans while Banc One Mortagage Company disproportionately targets whites. disparate treatment of African Americans in accessing credit for mortgage loans from Banc One, low and moderate-income consumers are denied access to mortgage loans more frequently than by other major lenders, and Banc One lacks aggressive marketing efforts to African American and low and moderate­ income applicants particularly by the bank affiliates and Banc One Mortgage Company. While Banc One Mortgage Company does not have an aggressive lending record to minorities and low and moderate-income applicants, Banc One Financial Services (a B and C lender), which charges customers with higher interest rate loans compared to rates offered by Banc One Mortgage Company, is engaged in extremely aggressive marking practices throughout direct mail and phone solicitation which targets low and moderate-income and minority census tracts. A chart is attached that details the number of loans originated by the Banc One Mort­ gage Company and Banc One Financial Services by minority status. Other areas where Banc One may be shirking their responsibility include community development efforts which are likely to see a dramatic decrease in funding following the merger and the abandonment of branches in many communities. Within the last two years, Banc One has closed or sold over I00 branches hitting hard in rural communities and low and moderate-income areas. OCRP believes Banc One works to discourage the participation of low-income customers in engaging in a relationship with the Bank. Banc One's policy around casing government checks certainly causes concern. The bank normally charges up to $8.00 for both customers and non-customers to cash govern­ ment checks. OCRP arguers that this is a policy which hurts low-income customers disproportion­ ately. In addition, the Basic One chei:king account from Banc One disproportionately impacts elderly and disabled consumers who often require assistance by a teller by charging a financial penalty anytime a customer is assisted by a teller to do a transaction that could be completed at the ATM. According to OCRP, Banc One is already neglecting some of Ohio's lending and se.rvice needs, particularly for low and moderate-income consumers. The proposed merger could make this neglect mor:e pronounced. "There are no safeguards in place to prevent potential disinvestment from Banc One," said Bill Faith, COHHIO director. "W e asked the Bank to make some basic commitments to minimize the potential negative impacts and after dragging us along for several months, they refused despite the fact that they are planning to honor similar commitments to the communities of Chicago and Detroit where they are expanding their presence. This is simply unfair to Ohio's consumers" Faith said. OCRP works on issues covered by the commu­ nity Reinvestment Act which requires financial service institutions to provide lending, services and invest­ ments particularly for low and moderate-income consumers within the bank's areas. OCRP's concern is focused on the service area of Ohio. Members of the OCRP steering committee included representa­ tives of numerous organizations including: The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Columbus Housing Partnership, Columbus Urban League, Community Action Agency of Scioto County, Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, Metropolitan Strategy Group-Cleveland, Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, Ohio CDC Association, Ohio Fair Housing Congress, Ohio NAACP State Confe rence, Ohio Regional Develop-· ment Corporation, Ohio State Legal Services Associa­ tion, Rural Opportunities, and the Toledo Fair Housing Center. Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes ~an be pur­ chased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the be low address and the pa pe r will be maile d to you each issue. Streetvibes I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make che cks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News SAVE THE SAFETY NET! STOP WELFARE ·REFORM! ACTION WEEK AUGUST 16-22, 1998. By Logan Martln11z and Tim Burc111 Miami Valley Full Employment Councll In St. Louis, Welfare Rights groups have compared welfare reform to being on the USA Titanic with the women and children being thrown overboard without a lifeboat. On August 22, 1996, Bill Clinton put his signature on the new Welfare Reform Bill, in his memorable words "ending welfare as we know it." This is indeed th'e most signficant change affecting low income families in 30 years. Over 4 million people have left or have been off welfare. A small percentage have found good jobs with a real future, but all the indications are that most people affected by Clinton's women-children­ first- into-the-sea-policy are faring badly. Welfare rights groups are planning activities in cities across the country the Week of August 16-22 with the aim to bring to the public attention t he true impact of welfare reform and the need for a new safety net. The People's Network For A New Safety Net is made up of local groups fighting welfare reform and grew out of a conference call among these groups. We have agreed to organize a week of events August 16-22. The network is calling on groups to I) sponsor news conferences with local organizations demanding an end to welfare reform, 2) have a town meeting and panel discussions on the impact of welfare reform, and 3) to stage a public.demonstra­ tion/rally to protest its impact on low income families on August 22. The network is also asking for input from other groups into an outline for a national bill to be introduced in Congress; a new improved welfare safety net that will help raise people out of proverty. We feel it is very important that all groups work towards a unified bill. The impact is being felt coast to coast from Ohio where 18,000 families have been sanctioned by being cut off, to a. few counties of Wisconsin and Florida where time limits are in effect. This month, July 1998, time limits come into effect in all of North Carolina. In all, 19 states will have time limits kicking in over the next 2 years. Three myths have been fostered in the public's p_e rception to gain support for this reactionary reform. I) There are jobs for everyone. 2) The U.S. economy is recession proof. 3) The States can be trusted with the care for their poor, uninsured, unemployed, and indigent. Even at a time of comparative boom there are large portions of our population who are unem­ ployed in inner cities and in rural counties all across America. It is simply not probable that the economy will grow enough to provide jobs for all the 3.7 million jobless adults on welfare and the 6.4 million "officially" unemployed. (Only during the first two years of World War I I did that happen.) The safety net, with benefits at its core is a pillar o f and a major legacy from the FDR's New Deal response to the Great Depression.· The Ne..; Deal has been a social contract between the American people and the government. W elfare reform is ~ key plank of the "Replubican Contract With America," a new social contract replacing New Deal with the support of Bill Clinton and the majority of Democrats. The New Democrats and Old Republicans have formed an unholy alliance on the decks above, while below welfare recipients are being forced to work as indentured servants at union displacing jobs as thousands are being thrown overboard. Groups involved so far: The Welfare Reform Network, New York; Mon Valley Unemployed Committee, Pittsburgh; Welfare Warriors/Welfare Mothers Voice, Milwaukee; Hospitality House. Hinckley, Maine; South Side Welfare Rights Organi­ zation, St. Louis; Welfare Rights Coalition/Contact Center, Cincinnati; Miami Valley Full Employment Council, Dayton; Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland; Coalition of California Welfare Rights; San Diego Welfare Warriors; Independent Progres­ sive Politis Network; Jobs for All Coalition, USA. For more information, call Logan Martinez at 937-274­ 7003. PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS By Lynn Williams The young mother rushed her small child to the emergency room_ He was bleeding heavily from a gash near his eye. It looked like his eye had been cut out! There was no time to stop, make a call and get a referral from the doctor. She ended up being socked with an emergency room bill, punished because she had done the right thing. Another mother took her 2 year old to the doctor. The 2 year old had a prolonged high fever of I04 degrees. The doctor looked the child over briefly, did no throat culture tests, and sent the child home without even an antibiotic! Furious at the lack of treatment or a referral, the concerned parent took the listless child to the emergency room for treat­ ment. (Diagnosis: strep throat). She promptly received the $300 bill in the mail. These situations actually happened, along with many, many other similar ones in Hamilton County alone! Now there is a bill in Congress that offers some hope for fair treatment. It's about time! The Patient Bill of Rights legislation was introduced in Congress this last March. Now both the Democrats and Republicans are wo rking out a compromise. Both parties agree that the bill should: * give women direct access to an obstetrician and gynecologist * not penalize consumers if they need emergency room services and don't have a referral from their doctor * keep health records confidential * allow doct?rs to discuss the full range of treatment options without "gagging" them * provide the right to appeal a managed-care decision by going to an outsider In addition, the Democrats' plan would: * allow st.ates to let patients sue health plans for improperly denying coverage * give patients access to specialists * assure that patients will be treated even if their doctor leaves the plan * mandate that coverage be provided for reconstruc­ tive breast surgery after a mastectomy The Republican Plan includes: * capping the amount that doctors can be sued for medical malpractice * expands medical savings accounts, tax-deductible savings plans to encourage people to save for their ow n coverage * encourages the growth of health care supermarkets, "HealthMarts," for people to shop for their insurance If you have been denied health care in any way, now is the time to get your story to the U.S. Representatives and Senators who represent you. A spokesperson for Rep. Chabot stated that his office did not think a Pat.ient Bill of Rights was an impor­ tant issue because they had received few letters or calls about health care abuses. · Even though many in the U.S. Congress appear to be supportive of a Bill. all of us who are con­ cerned should encourage people to get their stories in the public eye. We do n't want this issue to just be a ploy to get votes, only to fade away after the elections without any real commitment to a Patients Page 4 Bill of Rights. If you or family members hav!? ever been denied care, socked with an emergency room bill, etc.. ., now is the time to share your story! DISABLED OWF .RECIPIENTS FIGHTING BACK By Carla Plts/ng11r Dear Newsletter Readers & Members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition, I have realized that welfare reform sanctions can have damaging effects even months later, not only to myself and others but agencies and organizations. I was finally put on Alternatives Work in late May. However, I am being required to pay back my assistance money for Jan uary and February. If you lose a state hearing you have to pay back the amount they gave you until your hearing decision. I am still being punished for not doing my "ten days of compliance" (Montgomery County's welfare policy) because the ten days were,not in a row. The welfare department is not consistent to recipients with this rule. Sometimes caseworkers will honor missed hours or days with verification, and other times they won't. In my case, my caseworker, when my daughter was sick, said I could make up that day by working on another day. Likewise, with a day when my husband was sick. So I feel misled and lied to by my caseworker and the Department and the State Hearing officer! I felt that I had burdened my family enough with trying to do compliance. I had bent over backwards (the Department had not!) I cannot do compliance on my worker's terms or the Department's terms. I had worked over 60 hours doing compliance, only to be told I had to start over again and not get credit for those hours. This has affected my family's health (stress related mental and physital well being) and my children's education (school attendance and perfor­ mance levels.) An employer does not take away your entire paycheck for missing a day with justified verifi.cation, but the Department of Human Services can and does take away your whole month's benefits for missing a day, even with justifiable verification. Sincerely, Carla Pitsinger MISTER WEL FARE By Beverly A. Kidd Welfare was formed out of the Depression o f 1920. World War II proceeded this New Deal Act. 0r idea, to help survivors get back on their feet, Many families were devastated or throw n into poverty, struggling to make the best out of a bad situation; pulling ¢emselves up by thier own bootstraps was the given solution, of the ones that owned boots, never counting the ones who were bootless. Seventy-eight years later , the problem still exists. The name has changed, it is now called "Welfare Reform," the notion remains the same , the helpless or have-nots have only themselve s to blame in America,"the land of the free, the home of the brave." �STREE.TVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine The Vlslble Homeless... Page s the same effort to find minority people for higher­ level jobs. "There ought to be a basic assumption that black people, Latinos, Asians, native Americans and women, for that matter, can do something other than carry bags, make beds and wash dishes," Mfume said. The NAACP said Cendant Corp. included Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Super 8 Motel, Travel Lodge, Villager Lodge and Wingate Inn hotels. Promus Corp. included Doubletree, Guest Suites & Resorts, Embassy Suites. Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites, and Club Hotels by Doubletree. "If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favour freedom and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without ploughing up the ground; they want rain w ithout thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the awful roar of its mighty waters. Power concedes nothing without a demand!" -Frederick Douglass Tactics· By Robsrl Fl'tlklnl Closi~g The Wage Gap by Winton Pitcoff Though there is talk in Congress of raising the federal minimum wage again, for many low-income families and individuals even a two-dollar an hour increase would not be enough to meet all their basic needs. Where minimum wage workers in 1968 earned 11 I percent of the federal poverty level, in 1998 chose earnings measure up to only 78 percent of the amount the government says a family of three needs merely to survive-$13,650. Today's federal minimum wage of- $5.15 per hour - has 20 percent less purchasing power than the minimum wage of $1 .60 did in 1968. It would have to be $7.21 today to keep pace with inflation. To address this gap. coalitions of community groups. labor unions, and some local government officials in cities around the country are campaigning together to pass living--wage ordinances requiring companies that do business with or recieve subsidies from the city to fix a higher minimum wage for their employees. often one tied to an annual salary equal to the federal poverty line. The 1996 campaign led by BUILD in Baltimore is one of many campaigns either underway or that have already had sucess. More than 20 municipalities and counties have such laws on the books. And coalitions in at least another 35 locations are working toward such measures. Countering the Critics Chambers of Commerce and other business associations have opposed measures and argued that they stifle competition and cause businesses to relocate to cities w ithout such requirements. Advocates maintain that the investment living wage laws create within the city actually strengthens the economic base, and makes the climate better for businesses to thrive. Based upon the example of Baltimore, where the law has been on the books since 1995, there's no evidence to support any such concerns. Portions of this article were reprinted by the permission of the editer of Shelterforce Magazine. A subsciption can be purchased at a cost of $18. NAACP ANNOUNCES BOYCOII OE~~ THREE HOTEL GROUP.S Submitted By John C. Lindsay WASHINGTON (Reuters)- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) said Monday it would boycott three hotel chains that had failed to provide enough business opportunities to blacks. NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said at a news conference that Omni Hotels, Adam's Mark and Best Western chains had received D grades for their performance. Omni is privately held, Adam's Mark is subsidiary of HBE Corp. and Best Western Hotels are operated by several lodging companies. "We will take every opportunity to inform consumers of our decision and urge them to make similar decisions to boycott those hotels who take their money but refuse to provide them economic opportunities," Mfume said. To be sure, the second d NAACP annual report on the lodging industry showed some chains had improved their scores. Cendant Corp. and Promus Hotel Corp. were the best of I 4 companies reviewed with B grades, and both showed progress on their 1997 scores ­ up from C and D grades, respectively. Marriott International Inc.. Still at a C grade, but rated last year's best chain was also cited by Mfume as making a credible effort co offer advance­ ment to blacks. Asians, Latinos, and women. .The report rates hotel companies on how closely black participation in management, franchis­ ing, and supply of materials matches the 13 percent that African-America11s represent of the total population. "We believe, quite frankly. that our corporate friends ought to be rewarded with our business," Mfume said of NAACP's conference and convention planning. He also said the hotel industry should make We are getting squeezed. Those with money. power. and friends in high places want our land, our building, our neighborhood. and our dignity. It is time to take the gloves off. It is time to get personal. It is time to let the displacers. the develop­ ers, the demolition men and those who dream of palaces at the expense of the poor to pay a price. I say: move the battle to their turf. We must attack with pamphlets, mass demonstrations , and pickets where they live, where they work, where they go to church, where they eat, where they golf. We must investigate. Its not against the law to find out what kind of car someone drives. Likewise, it is not against the law if I spot one of our enemies driving if I decide to change my plans and go where he or she is going. I find out, make a note, and file it. We must investigate. Let our enemies know that every time they walk out of their church, we might be there. We will be vocal. We will be passing out fliers that detail what a scum bag attends their church. We will strip away their squeaky clean reputation. Their family will be ashamed. Our. enemy will be off balance. The enemy will no longer have his safe suburban life. Our enemy will never know what to expect. Eventually, our enemy might tire of the battle and decide to leave. Even if our enemy wins, we must vow to never let them rest. We don't have their money, power, or influnce, but we have the People Power and the time to make them miserable. Take the battle to where they live, eat, drink, play, worship. If they want to take from us, they must pay a very personal price. They don't want us to live in their neighborhood. Yet, they want to push us out of ours. Put away the softbaUs-its time to play HARDBALL!!! �\ STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 6 COMMUNITYSHARES AN ECLECTIC AM ERi CORPS POEM MESSAGE FROM A BLACK MAN 3RDANNUAL Change creates the opportunity For serendipitous events. While the fluctuation of events Passes us passers-by, We, ourselves can know Only one thought... featuring: D«UMS FOR PEACE. MUSE by Sir Charles Bailey AND SISfER FIUENDS Who am I presently? To all my brothers and sisters Who use drugs & crack & shit How can you get what you want When you won't quit using it You blame the white man for all the Things he did and did not do But you put the drugs in your body And it is making a fool out of you I'm a black man And my life is filled with nothing but hope I might be able to achieve whatever I want Because my body is not filled with dope But you want to sell this dope to the Brothers and Sisters Because you say you have no shame You let them put it in their systems And now you are destroying your Brothers and Sisters brain So...Please Quit It!!!!!!! MT. AUBURN PRESBYTERIA.'l, 103 W'~t HO\l/A:RD TAFT RD. time: 8:00P,\t date: SAT. AUGUST 29TH Then, the next thought... Who am I about to become? TICKET L'ffO: CALL THE DROP L'i~ CE.;VTER AT 721 ·0643 I sit.and turn into a stone And eventually the stone splits And a flower grows from the crevice, The flower of my incipient being. The evanescence of our existence Becomes the bane of our present reality When once we resolve to stop listening And follow the mercurial nature of the wind. "MARY" FORGOTTEN, YOU ARE NOT! by Sir Charles Bailey 4 DAYS TO MISSISSIPPI The Devil sent one of his followers and Took you Mary awayBut you will never be forgotten In the hearts of millions Each day. by Denise Crew COMEDY CORNER Though Mary your life Here on Earth was cut so very Short- and it put Tears in so many eyes­ But you are really Protected now that you are standing By Jesus' side Tossing and turning Waiting and yearning Popping aspirin like pez calms the pain in my head The only pleasure to seek In the food I eat I can't wait for the day When pain goes away I feel so weird, so strange A little deranged Almost insane I don't understand why My heart's in my hand After all, he's just a man And from all of us who love you little Mary­ Spread your Wings and take to The sky- You may be gone But we who love you will Never say Goodbye.......... . STREETVIBES Sweatand T-Shirts! The Judge And Mr. Jones By Ron Carter Mr. Jones went to court. The Judge asked him, why did you do what you did Mr. Jones? He replied, because of this and that. The Judge: Where do you live? Mr. Jones: Here and there. The Judge: Do you work? Mr. Jones: Some­ times I do and sometimes I don't. The Judge: How old are you? Mr. Jones: 45 or 46. The Judge: How do you plead? Guilty or not guilty? Mr. Jones: One or the other. The Judge: Well Mr. Jones I find you guilty as charged. Mr. Jones: But why Judge? The Judge: Because of this and that and the other, I sentence you to time in jail. Mr. Jones: Your honor, how much time in jail? The Judge: Ohhhhh, I don't know. Mr. Jones: Can you give me a hint? The Judge: Maybe or maybe not. Mr. Jones: Please Your Honor? The Judge: Probably in a few months or so. Mr. Jones: But Your Honor when will I get out? The Judge: Sooner or later. Only $5 for T's, $10 for Sweats. HAIKU by Brett Zwolinski STREETVIBES The Tri State's An unrhymed Japane se verse form of Homeless Grapevine three l ines cont aining usually 5,7,5 (or 7,5,7) ~yll abl es res pectively . Please submit y our suggestions for monthly Ha iku to Brett Zwolinski at STREETVIBES . Now, Matt 'Mitchell's Haiku: when you are not here only the walls look at me they do not smile back 100% White Cotton Shirts and long Sleeve Sweat Shirts Xl Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at 1506 Elm Street. Please stop by and see us. �- STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine News From Seattle by Anitra Freeman Ted Shirley, the last of the people arrested Monday at the Seattle homeless encampment known as Tent City 2. was released tonight with all charges dismissed. Judge Judith M. Hightower said (as quoted by SHARE/WHEEL members who were there). "The City of Seattle can start prosecuting people for being homeless when it starts providing shelter for all of them." Yeeee-hah! age further development of the encampment idea or encourage Mayor Schell to lock us all up and throw away the key so we won't come back to Beacon Hill. We of SHARE/WHEEL went prepared to answer a number of hostile questions that had been emailed to us ahead of time, questions like, " Isn't it true that your strategy was to annoy the neighbors so much that they would pester the Mayor to give you more shelters and get you out of our hair?" Instead, most of the pointed questions were directed at the representative of the Mayor's office from neighborhood residents who are incensed that the Mayor's office is dragging its feet when a low­ cost solution to the dangerous encampments in the Jungle has been handed to the City by people who are highly motivated to make it work. Several residents extended open invitations to SHARE/ WHEEL to move back to the Reservoir. Several took up our arguments for us, saying that develop­ ing new shelters takes time and that emergency exists with people outside and at risk tonight. They exclaimed, something must be done now! Even Roger Pence, the person who had been our most vocal opponent - because we violated process which is the worst thing you can do in Seattle ­ was arguing several points in our favor. When another Council member brought up a recent battle to "prevent" farmers from housing migrant workers in tent cities, Roger pointed out that in this case it is the homeless themselves who are organiz­ ing their own Tent City, not the Man. (Yes, he said The Man.) Tuesday night is the nex.t regular meeting of the Community Council. They already have other urgent items on their agenda - we will be men­ tioned but there won't be much time for discussion that night. However, the Community Council plans to schedule a special meeting within a week (or at most two) to move forward on getting together a proposal from the Beacon Hill Community to the Mayor and City Council, stating Beacon Hill's stand on organized encampments and proposing action. · Exactly what that stand and that action will be is still iffy. There is strong feeling for an encamp­ ment, but there is also strong feeling out there against it that may become more active as a move toward a sanctioned encampment becomes more organized. But we definitely took a big jump forward tonight. I'll keep you .posted... North American Street Newspaper Association: Light at the End Advertise In StreetvlbesI ·of the Tunnel byAnltraFreeman, 7/ 13/98 The North Beacon Hill Neighborhood council held a special forum tonight on the homeless encampment recently put up by SHARE/WHEEL and basically, on whether the community should encour- Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the belo w addr e ss ~nd the pa pe r will be m a ile d t o you each jssue. Streetvibe s . I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Plea se m a ke checks paya ble to the Great e r Cincinnati C oali­ tion for the H o m e le ss-­ Streetvib<.5. If you have a ny questio ns, call 421-7803. Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 I /2" $10 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 I /2" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the r ight to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each .month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Home­ less Coalition at 421-7803 . Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 452 10 , . -; Page 7 WILLIAM R. WA.L~CE, D.O.S. 5258 MONTGOMERY RO. NORWOOD. OH 45212 Telephone 1513) 531 -2338 ANOTHER CLASS PRODCCTJOX Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761·3464 (513) 230·6353 payroll and human resource management TRANSCON EMPLOYMENT COMPANY Angle E . Strunk, CEO 1-888·841-7900 P.O. Box 12545 (513) 841-5550 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 Fax: (513) 841-5545 angie_strunk@msn.com Friends and Neighbors of Over-the-Rhine An Organization See king Justice for People in Cincinnati's Most Endangered Community Subscribe to STREETVIBESI For only $12 per year you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal _ S tories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless· persons••. Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Streetvlbes C/ O Greater Cincinnati Coalltlon for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine INFORMAL COMPLAINT RESOLUTION Dear... I am writing this letter in regards to the poor conditions at the New State Super Max here in Youngstown, Ohio. I am one of the 12 inmates who has been transferred here to The Ohio State Penitentiary from Mansfield's Death Row. My name is Bi&!ohn Stojetz, one of the first 12 inmates who has opened the doors here at the New Super Max since may the 7th. Myself and others have been denied access to our legal work and our property such as law books, case laws and religious materials. Also, the Hospital Administrator named Miss Sandoor has denied me medical treatment. As my medical file has written inside by a podiatrist doctor that I have my gym shoes because of medical problems that I have with my foot, I filed an informal complaint to the hospital administrator Miss Sandoor. She answered and said, well, try some insoles when she should have hon­ ored my medical file as the order from Mansfield's podiatrist doctor is only? months old and she should know that any doctor's order from prison to prison is known as a pre-existing condition in a medical file. Still at this date and time I still have a problem with this medical administrator. I also spoke to the Dept. Warden Mr. Ode\ Woods on this date 5-20-98 . about the conditions here at The Ohio State Penitentiary such as not issuing state issue T-shirts, socks, tooth brushes, they have 3 battery operated razors for the whole B-Block which is 8 cell blocks with 3 Razors. I spoke to him about getting my legal books out of my property. I spoke with him about the medical problems that I am having with my foot and some of the same problems of other inmates. There is also no hot water in the cells. I've asked the staff about it and they said they ·couldn't do anything about this. And the food trays the food portions are so small that a 5 year-old boy couldn't get full . I also filed an informal complaint on the food portions also, and all the other issues. And still at this date 5-26-98 we don't have any T-shirts, socks. or our legal books form are property, as I am trying to assist my appeal lawyers in my death penalty case. Also, I still have this medical problem with my foot. This is cruel and unusual punishment. I am hoping and praying that some o ne will print this letter in the newspaper and get in contact with a Mr. Peter Davis, Executive Director of the General Assembly Committee in Columbus, Ohio. Phone N umber: ((>14) 466-1 990. fa><: (61 4) 466­ 201 4. Also, I have no problems with this being printed. I pray that it does get put in the newspaper. Thank you for any and all help, take care Respectfully. Big John Stojetz A255365 Ohio State Penitentiary 878 Coitsville-Hubbard Rd Youngstown, OH 44505-4635 Jimmy Heath Photography Cincinnati - (SU) S64-98S6 E-Mail - jimmy_heath @juno .com By John Perotti Submitted to: Cheryl Jorgenson-Martinex, Chieflnspector, 5/ 19/ 98 I have been charged $3.00 for a medical co­ payment in violation of Administrative law in that AR 5120-5-13 dealing with this does not specify the amount of the payment to be taken from prisoners, nor has it been filed with, or approved by the Joint Committee On Agency Rule Review QCARR) as required by Ohio Administrative Law thus this administrative regulation (5120-5-13) is n.ot yet law and confiscation of my funds in violation of state and federal law confiscated from my account must be reinstated with interest. this covers medical , dental and psychiatric care. This has been ve rified by counsel, and the director of JCARR that the Administrative Regulation must be filed and approved by them before it can be enforced, thus I request my money be reimbursed with interest immediately. cd Atty Lynds Alphonse A Gerhardstein, Atty JCARR Dayton AFSC, Criminal Justice Program CllC Page 8 Dan Cahill #251-641 . P.O. Box511 Columbus, Ohio ·43216 July I0, 1998 Sonny, Hey Bro! Received your letter and it's good to hear from you. Also, Received the issue of STREETVIBES. Thanks, Bro! I appreciate it. Well. they raised my security status from Minimum II to Medium II this week. My Unit Manager, Richardson, has been dogging me out, and having me shook-down every chance he gets. But, I'm trying to ride it out. I'm use to being dogged out and harassed. I saw Martha Zanetis of the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee yesterday, and talked to her about the failure of the grievance procedure, not being able to get a decision from the warden on an RIB appeal which I filed in November of last year. I told her about my security status being raised without any explanation, and the lack o f meaningful programs here... Take care and keep in touch. In the Struggle, D. LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE I CINCINNATI'S HOTTEST COMEDIANS FOLLOWED BY A DANCE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 1998 8: 00 PM TO1 :00 PM CHABAD HO USE BINGO HALL 1750 SEYMOUR AVE: $10.00 AT THE DOOR FOOD, LAUGHTER , DANCING All proceeds benefit The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless �--STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Federal Government Pays Associates to Teach Reading Skills forHomeless Children in Cincinnati Submittedby Genevieve Sanzi, Project Connect On an average, homeless children are two to t hree years behind in school; often they have become the innocent victims of difficult situa­ tions. It's a sad reality, but true. Genevieve Sanzi and Shelley Rothenbusch are two young teachers working with Project Connect in order to make a difference in the lives of these innocent victims. They are dedicating a year of their lives to serve asAmeriCorps*VISTA members. Currently. Project Connect has ·seven America Reads summer asso ciates. They work throughout a nine week program at local homeless shelters and at community centers. Five of the asso ciates are AmeriCorps*YISTA's. They are as follows; Kristin McNa[Tlara. LaToshia Pratt, Jeffrey Sanders, Kristine Schellhous, and Blake W illiams. In addition, we are also grateful to have two interns from Miami Ur:iiversity: Co lleen Phillips and Elisabeth Wilson. They are participating in the "Urban Leadership Intern­ ship Program." All of our associates are giving nine weeks of their summer to work with Cincinnati's homeless children. AmeriCor ps*VISTA is a federally run program that is similar to the Peace Corps and stands for Volunteers In Service ToAmerica. AmeriCorps*VISTA members have a long tradition of providing services to thousands of low-income communities across the nation. Each member is given the goal to help their community by planting a seed. This means they are to bring about awareness and encourage the public to voluntarily participate in and carry on community development long after the year of service has ended. Project Connect is Cincinnati's only program that addresses and strives to eliminate the educational barriers for homeless children and youth. This is accomplished by providing transportation, food service, enrollment and tutoring opportunities for these children. The direct and supportive services offered are essential to reduce the traumas experienced by homeless children. Project Connect provides equal access to educational opportunities to the faceless victims who fall through the cracks of the traditional educational system. · The team ofAmeriCorps*VISTA's and interns agree that having this experience with Project Connect is a once in a lifetime opportu­ nity. Many of the team members wanted to work with "at risk" children in an urban setting. They found this to be a very rewarding chal­ lenge.. LaToshia expressed that, "Reading is fundamental to ones survival in an informational society such as this." That is why the AmeriCorps*YISTA's and interns work so hard to teach young individuals to read. Several of the summer associated and the Children Jeamabout frogs, enjoyanoutlngatlnwoodPark. year long AmeriCorps*VISTA's are in the field of educa­ tion. Actually, Shelley Rothenbush will complete her one year as an AmeriCorps*YISTA in August and she will pursue an elementary education position. She is certified to teach from grades one through eight. This experience has helped all of the future educators. Some of tlie summer programs highlights have been the recent picnic that Project Connect had at Inwood Park. Donatos was very kind to donate pizza for every­ one that attended. The children-were excited to see and touch the live animals that Erin brought. She is a naturalist from Cincinnati Parks and Recreation. Other highlights include the trips to the water park and pools. Beth find s it rewarding, "knowing that the children really look forward to seeing me each day and that our program is often the best par~ of their day." On the other hand, Blake is excited by watching the children's interest in reading grow. If you o r so meone you know wo uld like to volun­ teer to tutor some of Cincinnati's 3,053 (survey taken in 1994) Homeless children or donate some supplies, please call Genevieve Sanzi at Project Connect, (513)357-5720. Stop to take the time to make a difference in a child's life, give a homeless child a chance to see a brighter future. THIRD ANNUAL AMER.ICORPS ALL MEMBER GATHERING ATHENS, OHIO1998 ByBrettZwolinski . From July I5-17, 1998 there was an Ohio AllMemeber Americorps Gathering. In attendance from Over The Rhine were Americorps members Emmanuel Green, George Niles,Tammy Nettles, and Brett Zwolinski. The gathering was held on the campus of Ohio Univer­ sity where lodging was also provided. Members interactivly engaged in ecclectic workshops throughout the gathering's endeavors. In addition, there existed two service projects in which Americorps volunteers worked to turn limited resources into unlimited success for Page 9 PhotobyJimmyHeath Athen's surrounding community. The service projects entailed a playground refurbishing as well as a creek sweep clean-up. All Ohio Americorps members received a certificate from Governor George.V.Voinovich honoring our time and service to The State Of Ohio. NA"ONAl SERVICEIN THE21st CENTURY: What do you think? During the Third Annual Amcricorps All Member Gathering last month in Athens, Ohio an important discussion was broached concerning the progeny of America. The topic was entitled National Service in the 21st Century: What do you think? Ensuing, a soliloquy was spawned within my own mind that said to me, "Hold on!" This soliloquy represented itself as a dichotomy between the messages we.America, are sending our youth. Hello America, we are sending out mixed messages! On one hand, we are educating our youth in a competitive manner which tells them to only look out for "number one." And then, we go on to incorporate them into a capitalistic society which further strengthens the message to be a self-seeking competitor: According to Webster, capitalism is "an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods and by prices, production, and' distribution of goods that are ~etermined mainly by competition in a free market." This is competition in a free market where the determination of the market is anything but free to the masses. Greed and avarice are deeply engrained into our lives, so deep it essentially keeps our economy growing. Without competition we are taught that the production, distribution, and quality of goods would not improve. Indeed it is competi­ tion that drives people to crank out better quality goods. We are encouraged from our childhood that it is favorable to have more and better goods than our peers. And our eductaional system can be seen as a reflection of our American capitalistic system. Throughout elementary, high school, and college we "are taught to achieve the highest grades by compet­ ing for superiority with our classmates. The ones who advance and receive scholarships, grants, and jobs are those who have out competed the rest. We are being taught from our inception to indulge in ourselves at the expense of others. The focus has become the competition, rather than education itself for the betterment of humanity. Competition is engrained in our culture, in fact, dishonest competit.ion coupled with greed and Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvibes! Continued on Page14 �-STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine the first immigrants of this country. I read this quote the other day - "Today, if there is a dominant culture, it is border culture. And those who still haven't crossed a border will do it very soon. All Americans (from the vast Continent America) were, are, or will be border crossers ... " (GuiUermoGomez-Pena) Ialso Mexican read that for the last month, iIleual . . b 1mm1grants have died about one a day from the heat, trying to cross the border. But that number isn't included in the national death toll. Their deaths don'tcount to the United States. They don't count as people... (Excerpts of a letter from a UP!. .. from the friend In Texas streets: The to a Streetvl/Jes Voice of the staffer) -Colleen Melange Stanton Today I received a copy of Streetvibes and Citybeat sent by my father. The image on the cover of Citybeat looked quite familiar...[Ed. Note: Recent Citybeat cover story on the repeal of the anti­ panhandling law, a pair of cupped hands.] I wonder if it was influenced by anything in particular. Their implied meaning of the hands in that position seems to contaminate the purity of the act of giving and receiving, (something that should come naturally to human beings, don't you think?) Cincinnati now associates such an image with begging? and with the typical attitudes of the upper class elite all worried about their own damn self-interests, of course the theme of the article is that panhandling is a hin­ drance to their schedule. that they rarely give money because it is not their problem, and -a warning to be careful of panhandlers because 'you never know, they might be dangerous'. I find such conversation to be superficial, not getting at the root of the problem, instead perpetuating fee lings of animosity or worry. "How do you deal with those people?" Well s#@&, why's the problem there in the first place? Why don't we ever deal with issues of poverty? There is a staggering unequal distribution of wealth in this country, in the whole world. Wealth and resources are finite, so long as ce,rtain individuals horde unnecessary amounts of money, property, etc., others will go without. It's about balance and this country hasn't figured that out yet. And I'm scared to think what it will take to wake everybody up: I feel like writing that stupid newspa­ per a letter. What was the reaction in OTR, in Streetvibes? Streetvibes directly contradicts the main underlying points of that article. 1feel clear here: Strong in what I believe. Inspired to act, to.educat~, to be ed~cated, to work for change. It 1s alarming to realtze the extent that this country not on ly perpetuates slavery not only throughout the Third World but in its own fields its ow~ c?rporations. I~ does this by keeping ' the maJonty ofthe workmg class "illegal," easy to exploit. Not even considered to be human beings but rather"''aliens." Laws are changing, the border is tightening so that less and less immigrants can become legal and those that are already citizens are permanently deported if they are even accused of a crime. It is a racist systematic approach to maintain a specific ' percentage of the population which is al ways desperate for work, but willing, no matter what t~e conditions or how low the pay, because it is either that or starve. As is typical of our si lent history, our silent present - no one even thinks about the serious abuses that continue to plague the workers in this country - rarely do they even r~cogni.ze who the workers are, that they have nghts. The descendants of the native peoples of this continent are forbidden to move freely across this land, this continent. And the people who mandate that power are all descendants of Homeless of Santa Barbara County Hello Donald; My name is John Gibbs and I am starting a new homeless newspaper in Santa Barbara, CA I previously edited a homeless newspaper in Eugene, Oregon, called "Oikos." I also attended last year's NASNA convention in Seattle, Washington. I am presently preparing for some upcoming fund-raising presentations and have an urgent need for samples of homeless newspapers in other cities. If it is at all possible. could you please send me some back issues of "STREETVIBES'?" Our first issue will hit the streets of Santa Barbara the first week of August. I would like to initiate a monthly "swap" with your newspaper, so I can keep up on the latest issues in your city. I will send an issue of "UP!...from the streets" when it is printed. Thanks to your example, I feel confident that our newspaper will succeed here, where the home­ less have had little voice in the past. I look forward to a constructive relationship with you and your staff. Thank you, John Gibbs, Editor "Up!...form the streets" ONE DREAM CAME TRUE Page 10 OVER-THE­ RH INE STEEL DRUM BAND · GEARS UP FOR SUMMER FUN And Buckles Down For 10th Anniversary Celebration Submitted By Peaslee Neighborhood Center The Over-The-Rhine (OTR) Steel Drum Band gears up for summer fun with their unique blend of Caribbean, pop, jazz, and classical music. Saturday, August I, there is a performance at the Over-The­ Rhine Community Festival in Washington Park. Come to the festival for a family fun-filled day of games, entertainment, food and-newly added this year-the arts! Ther'll be art displays by neighbor­ hood artists, art activities for the kids. drama and music. All activities are low-cost. and many are free. The festivities begin at 12 noon and culminate with a high-energy performance by the steel drum band beginning at 5 p.m. The band has a special finale planned that will have audience members dancing and adding their own musical talents. This is a new work entitled Can You Picture Yourself, written by local composer David Kisor, arid will be a collabora­ tion with Drums For Peace, The Bucket Boyz, and Bi­ Okoto African Drum and Dance Ensemble. The arts portion of the festival is made possible with a donation form the Sisters of Charity Ministry. Wednesday, August 12, The OTR Steel Drum band goes to Greenhills to perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. as part of their summer concert series and then to Bellefontaine, Ohio on Sunday, August 16 to play at 7:00 p.m. for their Concerts in the Park series. After their busy summer fun concert schedule. the Band buckles down for s0me intense practicing as they prepare for their I0th Anniversary concerts Saturday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 27 at 3:00 p.m. at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Both concerts will be re­ corded, and CD's and cassettes will be available by the holidays! Tickets for the concerts may be purchased for$ I0 at Peaslee Neighborhood Center. 215 E. 14th Street in Over-The-Rhine, Monday­ Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 621-5514 for further information. The music programs of Peaslee Neighborhood Center are supported in part by The Ohio Arts Council; The Community Arts Fund; Cincinnati Bell; The Cinergy Foundation; The Dater Foundation; The Martha McGee Charitable Trust, Fifth Third Bank Trustee; The Jack J. Smith, Jr. Charitable T ru~t. PNC Bank and James S. Wachs. Co-Trustees; and The Keyboard Club. Help Wanted by Maryann Bravo I had so many dreams in the past couple of years. I was so busy doing for others and not doing for myself. But I have changed all of that. I started doing more for myself and that's why one of my dreams came true and that's going back to school and getting my GED. Once I get my GED, I will go from there. My Higher Power is telling me I can. I can do it. I am going to work hard and do the best I can. I have a very good friend. His name is Ron. I could not ask for a better friend than Ron. He is so sweet and kind. Somew here down the line the rest of my dreams will come true. I will just take it one day at a time. The first thing I am going to do is finish school. Now Hiring Floor Staff and Maintenance Drop by or Call Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse 217 West 12th Street Over-The-Rhine 721-0843 �- STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine st·reetvlbes Crossword by Paul Linden Page 11 Scram bI e by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these related words: TRMAK EANELSWGR REKOGR WYHTIRFTA VREOC SASER N NYPES SESYPLA MWTARAL MSSA Answers on page 15. Across 1. in the crowd 6. capital Is Port-au-Prince 11 . animal doctor 14. Brazilian city 15. in baseball, a pitchers quality rating 16. Beanlown 19. Spanish response 20. mental picture 21 . phone device for the Deaf 23. desert illusion 24. crime stoppers(abbr) 26. western college, the Huskies(abbr) 27. bathroom 2&. domolitlon 33. writer cumming<l 34. adequate amount 35. satisfactory 39. capital of Poland 41 . national newswire(abbr) 42. what they call you 44 . car for hire 45. farm vehicle 46.appendage 48. positive response 50. harvest product 53. equal 54. froglike amphibians 57. shelled reptile 58.weare 60. type of street(abbr) 61 . second planet from lhe Sun 62 . really wide shoe 63. filled pasta 66. Canadian territory(abbr) 67. group of workers 69. to slowly take from 71 . hospital department 72 . pledge 75. ripped 76. sauce for fish 78. lecture stand 80. college in Berlln(abbr) 81. tree cutter 82. famous clow 84.season 86. list 90. spring formal 91 . two in cards 93. negative answer 94. African country 95. 2000 lbs is a short one of these 31 . fearful person 32. 'heart of it all' 35. seperate 36. i think therefore 37. major car company(abbr) 38. paradise 40. honesl name 43. freedom 47. to show again 49. scattered 50. to desire 51. 1ype ol margarine 52 . gym class(abbf) 53. female sheep 55. present age 56. male Ct:1N 57. _ _ isfairplay 59. speak to a class 60. woodland animal 61 . type bridge(pl) 64. Iridium (symbol) 65. unattached 68. mechanical person 69. candle material 70. Aslatine(symbol) 73. progression or events 74. low murmur 76. large Atlantic fish 77. unchangeable computer memory 79. males 83.smell 85. spoiled 87. tear severely 88. formal clothing item(men) 89. a long, long time 90. 'city oflighf 92. fathefs brother to you 95.speak 97. Chromium (symbol) 102. to accompli.s h 103. either_ 96. affection(abbr) 9$. city in Nevada 99. snitch 100. a spark or bolt electricity 101 . respectful term 102. female deer 104. southern state{abbr) 105. give a command 106. not Mrs. but 107.joint nearfoot-­ 108. paradise or or Down 1. method of being cooked 2. to direct 3. warm clothing(pl) 4. to look 5. prosecutor 6. type of fever 7. computer company 8. to labor, work hard 9. Jewish nation 10. robe of ancient Rome 12. spirit 13. clean and orderly 17. restaurant or pub 18. a trap or snare 21. ballet dancer garb 22. small branch 25. of the moon 29. Bronco leader 30. to stop working Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to yo u each issue. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make che cks pay­ able to the ·Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home less-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421 -7803. Community Celebration. !I live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721-7339 Advertise In Streetvlbesl Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses co help a good cause while promoting themselves co 4,000 concerned people each month. The races are shown below. • I 111c.rdsa. rx1112"' Sl8pa11w•1 ......... ,,.. . . 5 . . . . . . . . . 4""xl 112"' A check or money order muse accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially chose which promote alcohol or tobacco produces. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion ac 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Screecvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 LOST & FOUND By James Hobbs Several years ago, after I retired, I was lost. After twenty years of marriage; I was lost after having raised six children. I became depressed and started drinking and chasing women. At one time, I was living in the Drop-Inn Center which is a place for the homeless. At this point, I had reached the bottom of the pit. Then I started going to AA meetings regularly and began reading the Bible and good literature. I started going to church and met my present wife. Being homeless is really a terrible situation co be in after living at home for twenty years. It's a bad situation. But you want to know something...this is when I found out about the different places that feed individuals. Thank God for people like Buddy Gray and the ocher people that run the Drop-Inn Center! �~- ......--..-----------~----~~~-----------------------.........._._________________ ~~ ~- ------~~--~~--~~~-------- STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine "Study..." from page 1 growth. As a result, subsidized housing has .become a vital source of affordable housing, however, families seeking housing assistance often wait two years or more before a subsidy becomes available. "It is unfortunate that at a time when the economy is booming, the need for affordable housing is greater than ever," said Bill Faith of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). "It is clear that economic growth will not solve our nation's affordable housing problems." In light of these findings, COHHIO expressed hope that Congress would enact proposals to fund new housing subsidies for families making the transition from welfare to work and for homeless families. President Clinton proposed in his budget to Congress for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive money that would be earmarked for new resources for housing assistance to low-income working families. COHHIO also expressed concern about legislation now moving through Congress that would move in the other direction and limit access to housing assistance for working families with severe housing problems. Social Service Worker. Help wanted. Only people who want to help others need to apply. Applicant needs to be able to work flexible hours, some weekends. Must be a team player. Honest, hard-working, and fair. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills needed. Fair wages. High school diploma/GED required. Send resume to: Bethany House Services/ 1841 Fairmount Ave./ Cincinnati, OH 45214/ Attn: Darlene. FRIENDS FEST '98 Submltt11d by Community Shat'lls It is that time of year again. Saturday night, August 29th, Community Shares is sponsoring the 3rd annual Friends Fest and this year it is the biggest than ever. Starting at 8:00pm Mt. Auburn Presbyte­ rian, 103 William Howard Taft. Community shares will kick off the full campaign with musical groups MUSE. Sister Friends and Drums for Peace. Inspired by a chance meeting at a percussion instrument making workshop, the idea of an interactive concert between the three groups came into being. The concert, innovative in itself, promotes the Commu­ nity Shares focus on diversity and cooperation. All 17 organizations will be represented Saturday night and information and opportunities will be as readily available as the great music! Dr. Catherine Roma and Lois Shagag. director and assistant director of MUSE, are coordinating the program. Mary McCoy. Community Shares director, is coordinating the event. The years of dedication to social change and rights for all found within the careers of these women is seen clearly in the interactive program and its progressive music. Community Shares volunteers a~d supporters have doubled at this event in the last two years, and 300 people are expected this year. Food and door prizes will be coupled with the music to create an environ­ ment that is relaxing and fun. This is so important because Friends Fest is a unique opportunity to foster relationships and further understanding of each other and of our service organizations. MUSE, Sister Friends and Drums for Peace attract a broad spectrum <?f people, from all walks of life. Friends Fest continues to reflect Community Shares growth and outreach as the member organization move forward in their individual efforts to create ground breaking solutions to difficult problems. Our Community is for the vision we share for a better future. Come and join us August 29th, for good music, food and good people! For ticket information please call MUSE @ 221-1118 Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income ... Many bulldlngs equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Page 12 Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. Jimmy Heath Photo by Brett Zwolinski JIMMY HEATH EXHIBIT: THE BROKEN CITY By BrettZwolinski STREETVIBES photographer Jimmy Heath has humbly remained out of the spotlight for some time. He has been working to uncover the "mystery" of homelessness through his refined photographic techniques ... he's a behind the scenes type of guy. However, his ethereal existence is now going to be materializing only to grace our presence at upcoming North Americ.an.Su:e~ spaper Association (NASNA) Conference. The conference will be held in Montreal from August 6th through the 9th, 1998, where Jimmy Heath will conduct a workshop on the utilization of photographic tech­ nique and style within the context of street newspa­ pers. . Jimmy Heath has been a photographer for STREETVIBES since its inception and has played a central role in the development and stabalization of the paper. Jimmy has endured the trying times and circumstances that ineluctably surround a non-profit organization backed street newspaper. Accolades and approbations for Jimmy Heath. And don't miss the Jimmy Heath Ex hibit The Broken City, at Xavier University's annual Shantytown Eve nt where his photographic artwork will be on display. The exhibit will take place in the University Center on Xavier's main carrpus from September 20th through the 26th. This will be his opportunity to share with you, through his photo's, what he has been doing to bring about awareness of homelessness and poverty in the Greater Cincinnati Area and beyond. Jimmy's work has been featured in numerous local mainstream publications as well as many national and worldwide publications. He endeavors to create aw~reness of homelessness and engages in activism by means of his unaffected photography which has a voice of its own. DON' T MISS THE JIMMY HEATH EXHIBIT: THE BROKEN CITY!1! �STREETVIBES I The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 13 News From Cleveland's Grapevine "WORK FARE" Submitted By Northeastern Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) I thought you might be interested in how Work Fare implementation is going out here in the trenches. I spoke with the man in charge of impos­ ing sanctions at our local Human Services Depart­ ment again today. After mentioning the words "state hearing" and implying that I probably wouldn't to be jumping to come in and sign their compliance form stating that any "further infringements" would result in more sanctions. he said that there might be an "alternative." He spoke with his supervisor and they agreed that if I was to get statem~nts from all my instructors verifying my attendance and that they saw and signed my time sheet that they would be willing to take those statements into consideration for good cause. He also told me that he had checked with their financial person and verified that I had indeed sent her a check for which she had written me a receipt for 4/3/98 which means that chances are I did send in my time sheet in on the same day and on time. It looks like my sanction should be dropped after I turn in my instructors statement. I am a welfare recipient who recently went up against the Ohio Department of Human Services in an attempt to get them to. comply with Minimum Wage Laws and the Fair Labor Standards Act. When it was all said and done the state did decide to comply before we got to the point of class action. Unfortunately for me they weren't very happy with me for making them look bad. W ell they finally found a way to get even! I got a sanction letter in the mail today out of the blue saying that I am going to be sanctioned from cash assistance for the month of May three days before I am supposed to get a check! I should have known better but I mailed my time sheets to them this month instead of dropping them off in person and getting a receipt so that I had proof I turned them in. I complied with every Work Fare hour and school hour I was required to do but because my time sheet for school was conveniently lost in the mail and they supposedly didn't receive it by the 7th we lose over $400. I called the jobs supervisor to ask him what was going on and told him that I had mailed it to my caseworker. He hadn't even checked with her to see if she had seen it. He just looked in my case and it wasn't there, so even though I have never had a time sheet even late in 24 months, I lose 2/3 of our income for now ,he says, the month f June. They can't even get their dates r ight on their own paper­ work, but I have to make sure I get every piece of paper to them on time. W ho is going to sanction all of them for the mistake on my paperwork making me think that in three days we won't be getting a check. These people should at least have to call you to see why they don't have your time sheet when this has never happened before! Some democracy. I suppose I'll have to file for another state hearing. I can't just let this go without a fight. IT ISN'T FAIR!! Are they so perfett? I could see if I had missed hours, but I didn't. So much for. a case by case basis!!!!! Good news, bad news. I finally received a letter from the Sandusky County Department of Human Services on Saturday voiding my sanction. guess they just wanted to let me sweat a little since my reap was today. The bad news is they were able to assign me to an additional 39 hours per month when I s·igned my new contract today. Since my daughter's father isn't keeping up on his child support, the new minimum wage calculation we got them to comply with came out to 9 hours more per week t han I was doing. Just when I was trying to get ahead some in schoolwork because my daughter is going to need another ear surgery. I think it's pretty bad t hat when we as mothers don't "do what we're supposed to," we get nailed, but when the father don't do what THEIR supposed to, we get nailed as well. I got a thought... why not make the fathers do the extra Work Fare hours when they don't pay instead of us. · It's something to think about. MANAGED CARE by Brian Davis Managed care gets bad reviews from customers for placing a dollar figure on health care and warring about the bottom line before the life line, but how does managed care impact the homeless? Imagine havine a breast removed, and told to change the bandages in a sh~lter. Imagine walking around with AIDS looking for a shelter that will allow for all day bed rest. Imagine being turned away from a stay in the hospital with only a one day prescription because your condition was not serious enough for admittance and then being turned away from the shelters because your condition was too serious to risk infection the other customers. This is managed care for homeless people. Those who exist on the steets and the shelters cannot recuperate in their homes. They do not have the luxury of bed rest, and cannot expect help from shelter staff to change dredding or assit with other bodily functions for those barely able to walk. Officals at Harbor Light shelter in Cleveland said"They (hospitals) just want people out." They use shelters as a dumping ground. They are releasing a lot of people too early without a lot of medication. A Harbor Light staff preson r eported that one client fell down the stairs and had to go to the hospital. Instead of putting in a rod in his elbow and attempting to reconstruct the bone, the doctors decided that it would be cheaper to remove the bone so the individual had only half the strenght in his arm. Another person at Harbor Light w.as burnt. He received a minimum level of care at the hospital and was released with some Tylenol aspirin. And before the law was changed a women delivered cesareanand was released within twenty four hours. This staff member who did not want to give his name said,"Homeless people are not treated the same. It is not like it is on TV." A Harbor Light officals reported that social Worker oft.en lie about a patients condition to g~t­ them out of the hospital. He said, "We don't even deal with St. Luke's. They aren't straight with you. Officials from St. Luke's said,"Harbor Light is accepting referrals from us. In February, we placed someone in Harbor Light for Detox and we put someone in there in the last two weeks. They may question us more, but it would not be accurate to say that they are not accepting our referrals. West Side Catholic in Cleveland, a women's shelter, said that they arw usually full so have a hard time accepting customers from area hospitals. Thay recently had a women who had brest cancer and needed a room to recover. They allowed the women to stay two weeks and she got to know shelter staff and residents as her only family. Aggie Hoskins, Director of West Side Catholic, said,"lt is a real dilemma for sheltres and services on the whole." We are not extend the hospital stay for homeless people who cannot take care of them­ selves." Both St. Vincent Hospital and St. Luke"s co nfirmed that there are no special rules with regard to admitting or keepinng homeless people fo r extened stays. A spokespreson from St. Vincent emphasized that each preson is treated I individually, but there are no special rules for homeless people. "Our mission is to take care of peaple no matter their ability to pay. We do not extend the hospital stay for homeless people," St. Luke's said we do not differentiate between someone who is homeless and someone who is not homeless. A St. Luke's offical said homeless people can be referred to residential care or a skilled nursing facility, but they cannot stay at St. Lukes. They confirmed that there are stringent guidelines for being admitted to the hospital at the emergency room, and housing does not play a role. Because there are no special protocols for homeless people, organizations like Cleveland Health care for the Homeless get people with full blown AIDS who are discharged and told to medicate and take care of themselves through CHCH. They saw that managed care is a serious problem that is forcing shelters to provide health care to people with serious illnesses. He characterized the problem as a increasing othe the past year. He says that without the proper recovery time people have a relapse and are back in the hospital or at the clinics operated by CHCH. There is also the possiblity of developing an infection, which could lead to losing a body part or death. In Cleveland, there is one hospital left, MetroHealth Medical Facility. Despite their pubilc mission they do not offer any longer stays or better care for homeless poeple. Hilinski said,"they don't operate any different than the other hospitals." After one week of trying, no one from Metro Health returned repeated requests for comment. Hilinski did not fault the doctors who he said were as "frustrated as the rest of us," He laid the blame squarely on the managed care system. He said, "I think it would be optimun to allow homeless . peopole to be exempt from the rules. Ti is my opinion that manages care drove this process. Let people providing health care do their job." There was a proposal on the table to pro vide care to homeless people who are discharged from a hospital and who need some health care. The Sisters of Charity decided to put together a program called Joseph's Home to serve homeless refugees of Continued on next Page Answers to Streetvlbes Crossword from Page 11... �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page /4 "Managed Care" IMPORTANT CANCER INFORMATION FOR MEN from Page 13 the Managed Care system. They surveyed homeless service providers in the area with twenty five organizations responding. All twenty five said that a shelter for homeless people to recover was neces­ sary. The services reported between two and sixty people needing an augmented health care shelter each month. Sister Joan Gallagher of the Sisters of Charity said that they found that a lot of homeless people were not admitted to the hospital, but were given medication ana told to come back later. She said, "The shelters could not handle these people especially those with respiratory problems because they were contagious." When asked how this situation developed, Gallagher laid the blame squarely on the changes in the managed care system. Gallagher said, "In the past, the hosp_itals would admit these individuals. They had more funds to cover it. They cannot handle these situations (with homeless people). Hospitals these days really have no plans for people without homes." The project sought fereral funds, but was turned down due to the regulations regarding the use of Hosing Funde. The Sisters intend to put the project on hold for one year, and refocus the program to be more of a transitional facility to accommodate Federal requirements. Hilinski summed it up by saying, "It is my belief that we qre not saving aany money (under managed care). We are paying twice, three times because thet didn't fix the condition correctly in the first place." "Third Annual Americorps... from Page 9 11 avarice is what America was founded upon. When once our forefathers took it upon themselves to claim these lands from the native peoples by insidious means, the formation of our capitalistic society was conceived. Competition for the land and all the byproducts thereof has been the source of our wealth and our present superpower status. And upon this foundation our present existance rests with all of its concomitant problems. A house built upon an unsturdy foundaton will not stand. In effect, we have established a society of competitors who are vying to gain superiority with each other, rather than working together for the betterment of all. Finally, the brunt of this self-seeking competitveness is experienced by the majority of people who have low-incomes and who are increas­ ingly becoming homeless. On the other hand, our government is sending out the message to become involved in national service which raises the question: What inspires individuals to devote themselves to national service? When we dig deep for the answer to this question we cannot help but stumble upon the cornerstone and foundation which our country was built upon. Logic tells us that a demolition and reconstruction of our societal framework is in order if we are to synchronize America's dichotomous messages. To care for others is to first care for yourself. If we are not caring for others, then we must not be caring for ourselves because our future depends upon the care of everyone. The future of our lives.upon the earth is a result of all people playing their unique roles to insure the collective growth and survival of human­ ity. SubmittedBy Mike Shryock, Health Counselor Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in America today. Every three minutes, a new prostate cancer is diagnosed. Every 13 minutes, another American man dies of prostate cancer. In fact, this second-leading cause of cancer death in men has already singled out and attacked more than 334,000. And it has caused an estimated 40,000 deaths annually. As with any type of cancer, the origins and causes still remain a mystery. However, researchers continue to narrow the possibilities every day. We do know that age, race and genetics play a part in contracting prostate cancer, but little scientific research can explain why. As you grow older, the chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer increases. About 80 percent of all prostate cancer patients are over the age of 6S. In addition to age, the race of an individual significantly increases the chances of prostate cancer. African-American men have the highest prostate cancer incidence rates in the world. An individual's genetic makeup or family history also increases the chance of prostate cancer. There is a great deal of circumstantial evidence that supports the idea that diet and environmental conditions are key to avoiding prostate cancer. However, nothing has been scientifically proven. What this does mean is that African­ American men, those over the age of 40 and those with a fami ly history of prostate cancer should make a point to have regular checkups. Every man over the age of 40 should have a digital rectal exam as part of his regular annual physical. In addition, the American Cancer Society recommends that men age· SO and over have an annual prostate-specific antigen blood test (PSA). The PSA tells the doctor the level of prostate­ specific antigen in the blood, just like a cholesterol test can tell how much cholesterol is in the blood. An average SO year-old male is generally believed to have four nanograms per milliliter, one of which is prostate cancer. The good news is that S8 percent of all prostate cancers are discovered while they are still localized, and the five-year survival rate for patients with tumors diagnosed a this stage is 99 percent. Over the past 30 years, the survival rate for all stages has increased from SO percent to 87 percent. There are no clear symptoms of prostate cancer which an individual can easily assess- such as with breast self-examinations for cancer. These include: frequent urination (especially at night), inability to urinate, trouble starting to urinate or holding back urination, pain during ejaculation, a weak or interrupted urine flow, pain or burning during urination, blood in the semen or in the urine, and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs. If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. Only a physician can accurately tell you whether these symptoms are, in fact, associated with the possibility of prostate cancer. Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscariptions to Streetvib es ca n b;purc~ for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and t he p a pe r will be m ailed to you each issue. Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street _Cincinnat•' Please make che cks payable to the Greater Cin­ cinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questio ns, call 421­ 7803. "Don't worry. It won't get far." �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine ANNOUNCING A new Group at A VOC ..• For Heterosexuals living With Aids FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny WI/I/ams Early this year 27th, hundreds marched in front of the White House to demand the freedom of political prisoners in the United States. We have two political prisoner's in the Ohio Prison System that should be supported: Dan Cahill at Orient 'Prison and John Perotti at Lucasville Prison, If you are interested in writing these prisoners, write to: Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 Are you looking for a broader knowledge of the challenge ofliving with HIV/AIDS? Would you like to meet people who share similar experiences and hear their coping strategies? Are you /ooklngfor peers with whom 'OU can discuss and plan for the future? Where: AVOC "Gray Room" When: 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to B:PM More information: Susan or Judy 421-2437 for sale N ative A merican cookies: orders being accepted: R. C. Janus, (Fax) 891-8663. position wanted Office worker seeks 20­ 30 hour sit down job on bus line, within 2 miles of the river in either Kentucky or Ohio: non-medical terminology, non-filing cabinet office work social services, sales, public information. crafts. and other background, some computer experience: contact Box 2, Streecvibes, 1506 Elm St., Cincinnati. 45210. Laborer Looking for a laborer? Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center, 721­ 0643. Elderly or Children Looking for a community oriented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteach worker/ counselor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience including Windows, Lotus, Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop Inn Center. 721 -0643. Degreed, successful grants administrator/writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same; ten percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus, Jr. (Fax) 891-8663. N ative American-Hispanic female seeks sit down. slow­ paced industrial FACTORY position; physically challenged. (Fax) 891 -8663. Scramble Answers from page 11. .. K-Mart Walgreens Kroger Thrlftway Revco Sears Pennys Payless Walmart Sams STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $I per line. Ca/1421-7803 for info. Streetvlbes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. I. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1 . I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of In Memory of 11 Mac 11 Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch ••• Because 'Everyone' includes Prisoners and Former Prisoners. COME MEET WITH US STARTING ON2/5/98 Band Lookjne for Work Streetvibes (the band). We like co party. R&B. Oldies, Blues/Jazz Reggae. Helping the homeless to help themselves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803. Streecvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items . .The rate is only $1 per line, approximately four words per line. Classified· ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to adv!rtJs.~ their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 421-7813 Page 15 Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or . that ,...am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the if'!dividual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest-territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Sales· Representatjye Looking for position as sales representative or management. Has good bookkeeping, typing and supervisory skills. Has experience in retail management, customer service and sales. Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at S52-935 I. Restaura n t Work Responsible older man able to work any shi~ Would prefer work as a busser at a restaurant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is very dependable and available immediately. Please contact Wiley Powell at 831-8404. Baby Sitter Need a babysit.ter? Former child-care worker with day­ care experience. Call Mary Ann at 665-4375 or pager at 610-8527 · Contineency Fee ~ Not afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on letterhead paper to I 11 I Elm Street. No. 432, Cincinnati, OH 45210. Streetvlbes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, July 11th, 1998, noon to I pm Advertise In Streetvlbes I Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per month ***Two Business C ard Size 4" x 3 I /2" $20 per month A check or money order 111ust accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 �' STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine VENDOR PROFILE: Streetvlbes TV The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right • channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cable changes programming and channels. Streetvibes TVJuly Schedule Rodney Sutton Sr. He came to Cincinnati in March of 1993, and was homeless because he was paroled. Having no place to go, the Arrington House gave him a chance to get back on his feet. He soon had an apartment of his own and was able to attend Cincinnati Bible College and graduated with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Bible in May 1996. Furthermore, he was one of the first graduates of the Build Your Own Business (BYOB) program sponsored by the Over­ The-Rhine Cooperative Fiscal Services. He was given many chances by the grace of God and because of these chances he is now developing A.W.O.L. Ministries to help others have a chance to overcome homelessness, chemical dependency, domestic violence, etc. which bind us and keep us captive. Page 16 This month's LIVE SHOW will feature a panel discussion on tenants rights. Guests will include long time tenant organizers, reps from legal aid, and tenants. Tune in to learn about your rights as a tenant. Channe l 7 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW. Auiust 17th at 7PM. Rebroadcast Dates for Show on Channel 10: Saturday, August I, 1998. 4 PM Friday, August 4, 1998, I I am Friday, August 21 , 1998, I I AM Monday, August 24, 1998, I 0 PM Saturday, August 22, 1998, 4 PM Broadcast sche dules a re subject to change - consult your local TV directo r y. If you have any ideas for f~ture STREETVIBES TV shows please contact o ur office at 421 -7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to ho meless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... Streetvlbes Wish List Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs > 35 MM Film fo r Streetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >VCR to Show Streetvibes TV Show Episodes to Groups and Vendo rs >Advertise rs to help support the paper Where Your , Vendor: 80 cents Dollar~ > Fax Machine ----- >Office Supp ies >Supplies for Vendors e tc.) Goes Printing and Production: 20 cents ' -­ Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your support. - - - -!!!!! !!!!! !!!J !!!!! !!!J !! !! !! !!!!! - I!!! I!! !!!! Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421 -7803. SHELTERS: Women and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 YWCA Transitional Living Prog. 281-5770 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvati.o n Army Welcome House 431-8717 ....__ SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100 72 1-0643 381-5432 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Network Lighthouse Youth Center St. John's Temporary Housing HOUSING CMHA Excel Development Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women O.D.AA.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Men Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over TREATMENT: Both NA Hopeline A.A Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc. VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center 244-7226 961-4080 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381 -0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 921 -7324 784-1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 421-2437 621-5991 Beech Acres 23 1-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 24 1-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569-1840 Community Action Agency Contact Center 381-4242 241-2563 Emanuel Community Center 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 621-7149 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center 352-2902 Homeless Mobile Health Van House of Refuge Mission 22 1-3679 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271-550 I 721-4.811 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 621-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-5514 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource August 1998 Vol 2, issue 19 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg. 1: Study Finds A Major Affordable Housing Gap in Ohio; Nationwide Shortage Of Affordable Housing At Record Level Pg 2: Cleveland News Pg 3: Portman Plan Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: Visible Homeless Hope VI Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Housing Conference Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: San Diego Sleep-In Teen Role Model Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 12: Azerbaijan Update Pg 13: TB Information Pg 16: Vendor Profile Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Hobs Lynn Kilbane Paul Linden Judith Mendriski Steven Michael Aaron Pitchford James W. Pryor Steven M. Rutherford Mark Salter Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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>. Aaron Pitchford affordable housing Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Dan Cahill Dan Gibbons Denise Crew disability Donald Whitehead James Hobs James W. Pryor Jimmy Heath Judith Mendriski labor rights Lynn Kilbane Lynn Williams Mark Salter Maryann Bravo Pat Clifford Paul Linden Ron Carter Sonny Williams Steven M. Rutherford Steven Michael Te' Tro Amaru vendor profile visible homeless welfare welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/dea0e4ff67cb51640222986f247d5816.pdf 1c040bfd54ba4a20ef7133583163d3c5 PDF Text Text Lincoln Court residents get 'HUD' -winked View of Lincoln Court complex 'Stigma' of poverty at core of redevelopment By Ma/aka Sanders The Lincoln Courts Resident Council (LC RC), t he official representative of the residents of Lincoln Courts, has finally signed off on Cincinnati Metro­ politan Housing Authority's (CMHA) application for a HO PE VI Grant, a federal grant that would provide funds to "redevelop" that area, with some particular goals in mind. And what goals are those? Well. as with any agreement, that depends on who ·you ask. C MHA states its "Overall Objectives of HOPE VI" for the Lincoln Courts area in it's "Redevelop­ ment Application Summary." In it they say that they would like to, among other things: Reintegrate public housing physically, socially, and economically into "our" neighborhoods, lessen "concentration of poverty" and increase income Contents CleYeland News Portman Plan Welfare News Visible Homeless Hope VI Arts & Poet!}' Nationwide News Housing Conference Prisoners News San Diego Sleep-in Teen Role Model letters & Editorials Crossword & Games Azerbajian Update TB Information Vendor Profile Page2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Pages Page6 Page 7 Page 7 Page B Page9 Page9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 16 mixing throughout the neighbor hood, and stimulate "neighborhood redevelopment'' and overall eco­ nomic development opportunities for all residents. And why is this needed now? Well, in the summary. after making reference to the current Lincoln Court stairways. " ...that have become breeding grounds for drugs. vandalism. prostitution and other illegal activities," it's con­ cluded that, "The redevelopment will afford public housing residents the best opportunity to shed their stigma, blend directly into the broader community and actively pursue self-sufficiency." And how do the residents feel about being "reintegrated?" Their attorney. John Schrider Jr. of Legal Aid. said that· it "remains to be seen" whether or not the socioeconomic background of most residents of the area will be changed much after development. "CMHA is governed by the Uniform Relocation Act and HOPE VI regulations. I think that they (the residents) are satisfied with the agreement and will be very satisfied once the project is completed." To find out how the residents felt, the LCRC surveyed 450 of the 700 families that currently reside in Lincoln Courts. Schrider says that about half of those surveyed want to move (to other units with only year-long Section 8 vouchers that won't necessarily be renewed) and that half want to stay-­ but can they? Currently there are 886 p ublic housing units. HOPE VI calls for: I00 partially subsidized apartments, 50 market rate apartments, SO partially subsidized houses, SO ma_rket rate houses, 250 public housing units. Elementary math shows that the loss can be counted two ways: I) the plan only calls for SOO total units of housing, a net loss of almost 400 units 2) the plan only calls for 250 units of affordable housing units (the only type of housing, by the way, where there is a severe shortage), a net loss of 536 a ffordable h o u sing units as all of the units, remember, are affordable right now. Such a loss is staggering to the 4.000 households who are on the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers now (according to HUD 5/98) because of the already severe deficit. But is this a loss for current Lincoln Courts resi­ dents? When asked, Schrider refers to the Memoran­ dum of Understanding signed recently which stat es, "No resident living in Lincoln Courts at the time of the HOPE VI applicat ion or thereafter will be required to permanently relocate off site unless he or she desires to do so." Schrider said that "400 rental units will be made available to current residents for as long as they want to stay. This is a binding agreement. We don't know how serious C MHA is about it's goals for mixed income housing." It seems the LCRC. headed up by Marquicia Jones. herself a C MHA employee, is going along with the plan because they think the new housing w ill be for them. Though CMHA's stated plan is to remove the " stigma" of poverty in that area by removing the poor people there (though their tone is openly hostile). Lincoln Courts' residents remain hopeful C MHA and the government will do the right thing. So, we have another situation where the government wants a piece of oc.cupied land where the occupants don't mind sharing. So. the governmet promises to do so fairly. And well, we've heard that before. Cincinnati Coalltlon partners with NCRC In Treasury Program By Mal}' Ann Gleason, Director of NCH As you may know, Electronic Funds Transfer is an initiative of the federal government to convert the process of sending recipients of federal cash pro­ grams (Social Security, SSI, SSDI) funds in the form of a check, to making electronic transfers to financial institutions (banks, credit unions, etc.) in the recipients' names. The Treasury Department is concerned that some vulnerable populations may have difficulty understanding, accepting. or effectively utilizing the electronic transfer process since they are so used to receiving a check in the mail. One of the vulnerable populations is those who are or have been homeless. The Treasury Department has awarded grants to four groups nationally to assist in making this change to e lectronic transfer work effectively for targeted populations. The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) is a subcontractor with one of those groups - the National Community Reinvest­ ment Coalition (NCRC). !'NCH will identify local partners who have the capability and desi re to 'Treasury' continued on page 5 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes. the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper w ritten by. for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The 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 organiz­ ing. 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Hobbs, Vendor Support . PhotoeraJ>her Jimmy Heath Writers Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Hobbs Lynn Kilbane · Paul Linden Judith Mendriski Steven Michael Aaron Pitchford James W. Pryor Steven M. Rutherford Mark Salter Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Ed/tonal Pol/1:y: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes c/o Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 421-7803 fax (513) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Quote of the Month: 11 Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. 11 Mark Twain Page 2 News From Cleveland's Grapevine The (Cleveland) Homeless Grapevine Celebrates 5th Anniversary cians in 1995. The paper provided in-depth reports about the death of General Assistance in Issue I0 (May/June 1995) by analyzing the GA program and fi ndings fro m research studies. In additio n, all State Senators and Representatives from Northeast Ohio were surveyed about their role in the elimination of GA. A copy of Dennis Kucinich's speech to the state House of Representatives was also included. The Adult Emergency Assistance voucher program was uncovered as a bad alternative to GA. Issue 14 (March/April 1996) exposed the program as experimental, haphazard, and arbitrary. The article explained how the program was seriously lacking in planning and fraud controls. One-time grants were awarded without standard criteria. Clients were not By Jean E. Taddie told what the eligibility requirements were and they felt the system showed favoritism to people who were Five years ago. the first Homeless Grapevine liked by the agencies distributing the money. Issue 11 issue was created in partnership with the Northeast (August/September 1996) reported that in spite of the Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH). Since fact that distributing agencies fai led to distribute all of then, The Homeless Grapevine has focused on giving the money, a new pool of money totaling $625,382 a public voice to homeless and formerly homeless · was given o ut in September, 1996 with minimal citizens. It has also provided a forum for activists, improvements to the program. concerned citizens, politicians, and service providers. The Homeless Grapevine has reported stories Volume I, which was named The NEW of fraud by agencies trying to make money off Homeless Grapevine, premiered Spring 1993. The homelessness. Issue 13 Oanuary/February 1996) idea of The Grapevine, however, began two years uncovered WeShare, a telemarketing scam that put before. The newspaper was first created in 1991 by homelessness and low-incon:ie people on telephones the residents of Project HEAT Shelter "Site E." which soliciting more than $I million a year. The donations at the. time was located in a temporary Classroom were supposed to go for job training and other building of Cleveland State University. The shelter programs to help homeless people. Instead, roughly residents received guidance and production assis­ 90% of.the donations went to administration costs, tance from a Kent State University student who was which included paying workers less than minimum working on his thesis research. Unfortunately, the wage. WeShare v.:as investigated by FBI and fledgling newspaper did not survive. Channel 3's Paul Orlowski. One of the founders has After about a year-long suspension, The since been jailed for harassment. Grapevine re-started production with the financial Another agency, Project Homeless, was uncov­ and technical support of NEOCH. Throughout this ered in Issue 16 Oune/July 1996). The agency five-year, 28-issue partnership, The Homeless Grape­ solicited donations by telephone, mail, and promo­ vine has focused on homeless involvement and public tional events and claimed to provide a wide variety of education. Brian Davis, Editor of The Grapevine and services to alcoholic and destitute clients. The director of NEOCH has been with the paper since Grapevine investigation found only limited food Issue 7. He explains,."We are a journal about local distribution, no shelter, transportation or rehabilita· poverty issues. We provide a unique product that tion services that were claimed. The organization was you can't find anywhere else in town." investigated further by the Ohio Attorney General. Each Grapevine issue focused around a central Throughout t'.he past issues, The Grapevine theme. Early issues were written and produced include.d the perspectives of many homeless and mainly by homeless and formerly homeless people. formerly homeless people. Issue 26 (April 1'998) and They shared their opinions, experiences, and poetry. 27 (May/June 1998) focused on shelter lift:, as told by These issues told the stories of individuals such as the people who live it. Shelter residents doled out homeless children, displaced workers, and shelter praise and criticism for different shelters and service residents. As time went on, The Grapevine contin­ providers. The organizations were also provided an ued to feature stories, poems and artwork by home­ opportunity to respond. "We received a big and less men. women, and children. The paper also consistent response from readers who told us they added more stories about important local poverty really liked these articles," Davis explains. issues. Over the past five years, The Grapevine has "Vendor licensing has been a big issue that has used a wide variety of writers to express their gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court," explains knowledge and opinions of local poverty issues. Davis. The story. which was first covered in Grape­ Grapevine staff, volunteers, and vendors want to vine Issue 7 (September/December 1994). revolves continue and expand this tradition. Stories and input around the City of Cleveland's policy for vendor's from the homeless community will continue to be permits. After several Grapevine vendors were emphasized. "In the future, we want to feature more ticketed for not having a $50 vendor's permit, the stories from runaway children and kids who are living American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit in shelters," explains Davis. "Ideally, we would like to against the City of Cleveland claiming this policy create a newslette.r that covers stories specifically for violated the First Amendment right to Freedom of homeless readers." If The Grapevine could consis­ Speech. tently cover the costs of t his newsletter, shelters and The ACLU won in district court on May 3, other sites could distribute it to clients for free. 1995 (Issue I0). Unfortunately, the U.S. Federal Appeals Court reversed the decision on February 3, 1997, the Court refused without comment to hear Facts About Homelessness in Ohio and the appeal, thereby upholding the City of Cleveland's licensing policy. The Grapevine reported the Cleveland: Supreme Court's ruling and the local response in Issue 24 Oanuary, 1998). Even though the City of *locally we find that in Cuyahoga County Cleveland had not officially worked out a policy for alone 20,000 people go homeless each Grapevine vendors, some were ticketed by police. year. Grapevine readers respondect enthusiastically to this issue. Davis noted that The Grapevine received cash donations from around 40 people and organizations, * The Ohio Coalition for the Homeless a figure he says is four times more than average. estimates that 140,000 people find The Grapevine has focused reports on welfare themselves homeless each year throughout reform since the issue became popular with politi­ the the state. �I 1 STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Portman plan treats Inmates for addiction by Biii Straub, Post Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, one of the leading anti-drug voices in Congress, has unveiled legislation intended to enhance treatment programs in the nations' jails and prisons. "Our prisons should be places where drug problems are solved not created," said Portman. R­ Ohio, of Terrace Park, co-chairman of the Task Force for a Drug~Free America created by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga. "This legislation combines national leadership with innovation by state and local authorities to get prison inmates into treatment programs rather than sending their drug problems back to our streets." Portman said 70 to 80 percent of inmates wind up behind bars because of drugs or alcohol. "More than half of the parole violations are directly related to drug or alcohol .abuse," he said. "We're never going to get out of this revolving door unless we treat people who are incarcerated." , The legislation would create a model program within the criminal justice system. The idea, Portman said, is to reduce drug abuse. drug-related crime and costs associated with incarcerating those involved with drugs. It must be formulated so it can be easily replicated by state and IC?cal govei:nments. Grants will establish!five local and five ·state ~ Page 3 treatment programs with the funds going to court supervised treatments and treatment alternatives to jail for non-violent offenders, in-jail treatment pro­ grams and supervised early release programs. A recent Federal Bureau of Prisons study, he said, shows that inmates who receive treatment are 73 percent less likely to be rearrested as opposed to untreated inmates. Portman introduced the proposal during the annual meeting of the National Association of Drug Cou rt Professionals, which brought 2,000 experts, including Hamilton County Drug Court Judge Deidra Hair, to Washington. Citing Hamilton County's success, Portman said, "Now it's time to take the underlying principles of the drug court concept and apply it to the rest of our criminal justice system." Homeless Fundraiser Bus Trip •t ~ •. This year's Scrimmage on August 1, 1998, promises to be e~citing. Tbis.,is the ~econd scrimmage to be held at the new training camp 1'1 ·Ge_o~get9wn, KY. We have a package which will let you enjoy the event'if! style . . 0 ., r ' Each ticket includes: • .Bus Trip from Dick Clark's American Bandstahd Gri1l :Parking_ lot to the· Bengals New Training Camp in Georget9wn, i¥ritucky ' Leaves at 10 am. ~u· : Box Lunch provided by the Kroger Company '"" ~ Meeting with Coach Bruce Coslet including a pre-game analysis and question and answers ·t Preferred seating in the new training stadium ·.: Return Trip to Dick Clark's American Bandst~d Return around 5 or 6 pm. J ' • ) l 'l. H , ,­ We will arrange the trip so you can j~st sit back and have fun! Tickets for the entire day cost $50 each. Proceeds go to:the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homel.ess a 68 member agency dedicated to ending homelessness in Cincinnati. Call our Hotline Number: 659-6887 to pay with your credit card. Tickets will be mailed to your home. If you wish to pay by check, send a check payable to ~he "Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless" to: Bengals Scrimmage Bus Trip 1506 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please include your phone number and the number of tickets you are ordering. Co-sponsored by the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cincinnati Enquirer, Kroger's, Airtouch Cellular and WBOB Radio 1160 AM. Grea1e:I Cincinnati Coalition For ', The Homeless 1 I ' �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News OHIO EMPOWERMENT COALITION'S BILL INTRODUCED educating the public and legislators on the effects of sanctic1ns. Please contact us if you yourself have been sanctioned or terminated. Your story will be kept confidential unless you give us permission to share your story with the public. Contact the following OEC member coalition in your area: Contact Cen~er/Cincinnati Welfare Rights Coalition: 513-381-4242 Miami Valley Full Employment Council, Logan Martinez: 937-274-7003 Empowerment center of Greater Cleveland, Showa Omabegho: 216-241-5926 Columbus Organizing Project, Mark Stansberry: 614-231-9654 State Org. of Client Advocates, Shirley Peoples: 614-252-2160 Summit County Welfare Rights Organization, Theola Anderson, Mary Stephens: 330-438-8954 Hancock County, Sharon Weis of Hope House: 419-425-4673 Trumbull County Welfare Rights Organization, Geneva Reid: 330-392-7678 Highland County Welfare Rights Organization. Terry Kessinger: 513-875-23 17 By Lynn Williams On June 23rd, the Ohio Empowerment Coalition's Emergency Repeal of Sanctions policy was introduced as a bill at the Ohio House. The bill has been renamed the "Welfare Corrections Bill." Rep. Tom Roberts of Dayton and Rep. C.J. Prentiss of Cleveland are the sponsors. Co-sponsors include the following Representatives: Sam Britton of Cincinnati, Mark Mallory of Cincinnati, Vernon Sykes of Akron, Dale Miller of Cleveland, Charleta Tavares of Columbus, John Bender of Elyria, Dale Allen of Dayton, Darrell Opfer of Oak Harbor, and Vermel Whalen of Cleveland. At the June 23rd press conference which Rep. Roberts and Rep. Prentiss held, members of the Ohio Empowerment Coalition spoke out fervently for the need to change the harsh sanction policy. Some of our members were sanctioned themselves and spoke about the painful ordeal they went through under sanction, scraping by to pay bills. Carla and Jay Pitzinger spoke about what their family went through under sanction. Carla stated. "At no time did a sanction help us become more self­ sufficient. It only drove us further into debt. I was punished because I made a decision to miss work a couple days to take care of my disabled husband and my "Special Needs Child." Her husband has a spinal cord injury and is confined to a wheelchair. Rosalind of Hamilton County spoke about how she has completely given up on trying to get any help from 'The Department" because of frustration with all the endless paperwork requirements. Her sanction first began with not being able to _provide a birth certificate for one of her children. The endless round of red tap frustrated her so much that she gave up trying. She is now scraping by on small jobs and living below poverty level. She and her children receive no supports such as food stamps or Medic­ aid, and frequently go without necessities of food or medical care. She is fed up with how she was treated by caseworkers. She may be one of the statistics of recipients who leave the welfare rolls for a job (although temporary, unstable jobs that pay below poverty level wages), but nonetheless her life and her children's lives have not improved because. of it. A sanction did not move her towards ··self­ sufficiency." Rep. Prentiss stated, "The current system of sanctions is unforgiving...We need to remember that the goal of welfare reform is not simply to drive down the number of people on the welfare rolls...The goal of welfare reform is to lift families out of poverty and into self-sufficiency. Taking assistance group's benefits and potentially undermining the quality of life of children whose mothers lose their cash assistance, food stamps, childcare, and job training will not accomplish this goal. The only impact will be to further qepress recipients and children's standards of living and undermine our long term goal of success." The Ohio Empowerment Coalition urges our members and other concerned citizens to continue IMPACT OF WELFARE . REFORM: An Advocate for Poor Women By James Ramage, The Chronicle of Higher Education The world of poor. single mothers can be bleak: a house with no power and no heat, and children who are sick or malnourished and have only one caregiver to rely on. Those are images that Gwendolyn Mink fears are lost in the current debate over welfare reform, ·with policy makers sparring over what percentage of welfare recipients must have a job by next year, and after that, and the year after that. Ms. Mink, a professor of politics at the Univer­ sity of California at Santa Cruz, argues in her new book, Welfare's End (Cornell University Press), that the continuing movement to overhaul federal and state welfare programs is stealing important civil rights from poor women. Meanwhile, she singles out traditional women's-rights organizations, along with white, middle-class feminists and some Democrats, as having not fought hard enough for economic and social justice for those on welfare. " I want to awaken people to the adverse consequences of the new laws," she says. "and to shift the emphasis of the discussion over to those who are burdened most by them." 'WORKING' CAREGIVERS Considering the current political climate-in which a Republican Congress and a Democratic President agreed in 1996 to restrict welfare benefits and have shown no signs of returning to welfare as we knew it-Ms. Mink makes some arguments in Welfare's End that may be hard to swallow for the politicians and voters whose attitudes she hopes to change. She writes that women who have children are "working" caregivers, and should be paid as such by federal or state agencies. Those paychecks would allow women to pay for day-care costs, so that they could choose to work outside of the home. Ms. Page 4 Mink also suggests overhauling federal Survivors' Insurance, which distributes the Social Security benefits of deceased workers to their spouses and young children. She argue.s that such insurance should be expanded to include all single parents, allowing them to focus on raising children. Ms. Mink believes that welfare is the guarantor of poor women's equality, and she is skeptical of attempts to change the system. "Why we end welfare dictates how we end it,"· she writes. Many politicians want to reform welfare not to improve the economic status of women, she argues, but because they see recipients as wastrels who ought to be employed. By Ms. 'Mink's lights, the primary obstacle to such progress for single mothers and poor women is the sweeping federal welfare overhaul of 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (known as P.R.A.). It put time limits, employment requirements, and other condi­ tions on those who receive welfare benefits. One criterion that angers Ms Mink is that single mothers who want benefits must establish contact with the biological father of their children. Lawmakers believe that fathers should help raise the children, providing financial and paternal support. But that requirement, Ms. ~ink says, forces welfare mothers to deal with-and perhaps become depen­ dent on-men who may have been physically or emotionally abusive to them and their children The law also demands that most women work outside of the home in order to receive benefits. That stipulation. the professor says. values "wage earning over caregiving" and also serves to push women into financial dependence on the children's fathers . As both a political scientist and a political activist, Ms. Mink is especially disappointed with what she sees as the failure of white, middle-class feminists and members of th~ Democratic Party to unite as advocates for economic and social justice for poor. single mothers. She argues that such issues as abortion rights and domestic violence bear on the minds of middle-class people more than does welfare reform. What's more, she sees many women's rights groups supporting solutions, such as child care and access to jobs; that she says won't solve the financial problems of the poor. single mothers who may have few job skills. Ms. Mink was attracted to political movements in the early I970's as a student at the University of Chicago and then at the University of California at Berkeley. She was drawn to civil-rights groups and their opposition to restrictions on welfare entitle­ ments, limits that she saw as depriving poor women and mothers of what she calls their "individual rights." She spent years working with poor single mothers, learning from them as they grappled with one welfare reform after another, one day to the next. Subscribe to Streetvibes S ubscriptions to Streetvibes can be p ur ­ c hased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the b elow address and t he paper will be mailed to you each issue. Str eetvib es I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to t he G reater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless--Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421- 780 3. �5TREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page s ------ now and then is when a bulk of the outreach work will need to occur to "get the word out" to those who currently get checks about what this means, what their options are and why electronic transfer may work more effectively for them than receiving a check. We will use homeless service and housing providers as principle conduits to reach the individu­ als who a~e the current, actual recipients of the checks. The Vlslble The following is a list of responsibilities required of local partners: .. Folks sleeping on park benches and on the street during the summer Is on the Increase In Cincinnati. Welfare reform measures and the scarcity of affordable housing continues to push people Into the street. This bench in Washington Park faces the entrance to Music Hall, an enclave for the city's privileged. Hope VI Scam (Lesson In Deception?) By Steven Michael Recently, Lincoln Courts gave a function in the parking lot behind the Public Relations Building on Cutter. The event was supposed to update the residents on the " Hope VI Project for Renovations" that is projected for the Lincoln Courts Projects. There were games for the children, prizes. free food ... hot dogs, hamburgers. and soda there also. There was Bingo, where prizes were awarded in a drawing. Residents went around and got a card they gave you to fill out with stars and dots. You put the cards in a box they held for the drawings at the end of the event. Prizes were VCR's, 19" televisions, fans, a glass set, bicycles, etc. This is where the deception began. Lets start with Bingo. You were only supposedly allowed two cards. Some people had four to six cards. The lady issuing the cards must have previously checked the Bingo balls and cards because she knew exactly what cards to give to who ever she wanted to win. The same people kept winning. The Bingo game was fixed from the beginning; she held the winning cards and gave them to a selected few. You could see right through the scam. The prizes for the drawing for the other prizes . was the next big scam. The box for the drawing held cards that were supposedly selected at random. Selected at random means to take 3 to ~ cards at a time, put them down on the table, and read the names of the people you are familiar with? You still didn't know who the other cards' names were that she held up under the box. This was very disgusting seeing this going on right in front of your face. "Hope VI" is supposed to place residents in a selected apartment until the renovation process is finished. Well, I hope and pray they don't select the residents the way the parking lot function was run or a lot of people are in for a rude awakening. I "hope" this doesn't happen. MEETING WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN A STRANGE TOWN By Maryann Bravo I came to Cincinnati six months ago. I did not know anybody. I wondered how I was going to meet people. Well. I have met some wonderful people. As the days went on. I got a chance to know them better day-by-day. I have met Donald at the offiice, where I went to get some STREEVIBES papers. He is a good man... he is warm, kind, and good-hearted. I have met Lisa at the Drop-Inn Center where I stayed. Lisa is like my big sister I never had. Betty is a wonderful person. Jimmy is wonderful and kind. Jennifer...she has helped me find a place to live. You never know where you will go, but wherever it is you might just meet wonderful people like I did. My higher power has helped me meet this kind of people. 'Treasury' from page 1... I. Assign specific staff to work on the EFTITP and designate one person who will serve as the contact person for the lead partner - the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). 2. Disseminate EFT 99 information to ind i­ viduals and at public locations throughout your community. 3. Identify. contact, and encourage other homeless organizations to participate in the in-touch ­ program and provide them with EFT 99 materials (which will be sent to you by NCRC and/or the Treasury Department). 4. Contact public officials, media, and other highly visible spokespersons in your community to request their assistance in announcing/advertising public education events about the ITP. 5. Design and implement .in-touch activities in your communities. This means making presentation /sending information to local homeless providers and coalitions. shelters, public housing ~omplexes, transitional/permanent housing facilities, day centers, health centers and other service sites that directly reach individuals who are/have been homeless or are very low income. 6. Encourage support for the EFT '99 initiative and promote full awareness by beneficiaries of their options with regard to how they receive their funds, by asking homeless shelter/housing/service providers and local/state coalitions to inform benefidaries of the pending changes. Use your own newsletters, fliers, posters, public service announcements (radio/ TV), in addition to direct contact with beneficiaries to "get the word out." 7. Provide a written monthly progress rei::iort to NCRC outlining your outreach activiti~s. num.ber of organizations publishing fliers/posting notices so that beneficiaries can see them/learn about their options (including approximating total circulation) 8. Attend two regional meetings (first one is July 20th) in either Birmingham or Chicago, ex­ penses for which will be paid for by the Treasury Department. and identify others form your state who should be invited to attend this meeting which will focus on how to effectively implement outreach programs. 9. As possible and desirable, work with local financial institutions to have them part icipate in creating successful outcomes for the EFT initiative, and preferably at no cost to the individual receiving the federal funds. Each local partner will be compensated a total of $5,000 to be paid out on a monthly basis after the monthly reports have been received and as long as you meet your designated responsibilities. We look forward to working with you to implement an effective outreach/information program that will benefit those who are recipients of federal cash programs. Please call with any questions you may have. Thank you. participate in this EFTITP in a way that insures solid outcomes for currently/formerly homeless recipients of federal cash programs. To determine your capability and desire to become a local partner, please find below a list of responsibilities required of local partners. As you may know, October 14th has been designated as the day on which individuals who currently receive checks form the federal government will be asked to sign up to receive their funds via elec­ tronic transfer. starting in January, 1999. Between �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Missing You Denise Crew Mother's Honor By Denise Crew Don't cry little one I am here to protect you These children can't hurt me With mean words, I am sorry they hurt you How you must love me To cry so hard And look sad so long Filled with tears I draw you near And hold you, Until your pain is gone Tell me all about it Then sleep, for tomorrow will come Hopefully you will have forgotten All the mean things The hard words, that punch you around But remember, when you grow to be a man My. touch, my ~~rds ' ' And how warm The moment was here With your mom Anonymous i feel like running wild in a pasture, feeling the wind against my skin, pretending that i'm the child of the wind­ hence just as wise, just as knowing. just as silent, but expressive­ and just as free make believe but it's only a paper moon. Sometimes I don't understand what I'm to do. I wrote a letter yesterday, And I mailed it off to you. Inside the letter went my heart which is aching Almost to the point of breaking. You called while I did shower. I tried to reach you for an hour But there was no answer there. You told me you had to go. I told you I had to stay. We vowed in love we would remain. Could it be, I'm now insane. I'm glad I have you for my friend. I worry that our love will end. Will the distance take its toll On this poor and battered soul. To me you say there is no other. You want and need me as a lover. So I sit and pine away Waiting for the very day When the pain will go away And I can stop missing All the things I _count as blessings. Summertime By Denise Crew My Sons First Line Party ,Reading One day I'll know summertime To rest in his book crate I see in my mind again and again (unforgettably) How I saw into his soul Through the wonder in his · eyes A small peaceful face Set in a blind trance As the poetress read her verse She touched him, made him go With her, to a far off place Where he could wander and dream How wonderful it must be To veiw the world so innocently Listening, and living · Through the prose of the poetress . By Denise Crew By Brett Zwolinski An unrhymed Japanese verse form of three lines containing usually 5, 7, 5, (or 7, 5, 7) syllables respectively. Please Submit your suggestions for monthly Haiku to Brett Zwolinski at STREETVIBES. Now, this month's Haiku: . beneath silent fears weeping willows lean and loom the moon cries...madness Things of Cincinnati By Steven Michael The seven hills that surround a valley There are factories and mills and clumped alleys It has a southern atmosphere from long ago That has touched my past with fun and soul A steadfast dream Came true at last We all knew that It would be a task A river flows along The edge of the city That people come there to view The busy night lights And its solid hues Caught between a Mason Dixon line The thing that made her shine With Buckeye trees That stand so proudly These are the things of Cincinnati Tilted houses run along slanted slopes Vivid occurrences of new hopes. A square that pours gleaming lights Towering above all to see a queen who has become More refined That we all knew it was time. Round arenas where spectators can gather To hear and see its special matters The zoo that's been rated Above so many The people pour there In so plenty A vine that stretches north and south A Washington park on Race too see The things of Cincinnati. 1 Jason HAIKU Page 6 There is one more mouth to feed Put another potato in the stew Add an extra carrot or two After dinner call your house Let them know you are fine Safe right here with me and I I more of mine. I know you cannot go home The air is too thick to breathe now Let it air and Figure out What the mess was all about When mother calls you Do not shout She too has lots Figure out · A mother's love will never die Believe me, I would never lie STREETVIBES Sweatand T-Shirts! Only $5 for T's, $10 tor Sweats. STREETVIBES TheTri State's H omeless Grapevine 100% White Cotton Shirts and long Sleeve Sweat Shirts Xl Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at 1506 Elm Street. Please stop by -and see us. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Poor people to spotllght human rights vlolatlons In .the Capltol Washington, DC - On Monday. June 29 at 12:00 PM, poor and homeless DC residents joined by local union members, students and anti-poverty activists w ill hold a tribunal in front of the White House to highlight human rights violations in the nations capitol. Demonstrators will testify about the impact of welfare reform and other cuts affecting poor and working people, calling attention' to how ~' the resulting hunger, homelessness, and poverty constitute violations of the United Nations' U niversal declaration of Human Rights. T he rally is part of a national campaign spearheaded by the Philadelphia-based Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) to reaffirm the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' guarantee of basic economic human rights like food, housing, health care, education, and a job at a living wage. T he Declaration was ratified 50 years ago by the United States. "This campaign forces us to take a good hard look at the human rights abuses in our own commu­ nities and to o rganize to stop them," said Jessica Alvarez, a rally organizer with the Latino Leadership Institute. " It's unacceptable that here in one of the richest cit ies in the richest country on the planet. people can't meet basic needs." The White House rally comes near the end of a month-long·tour of the U. S. by the Freedom Bus, whose poor and homeless passengers are carrying the message of KWRU's Economic Human Rights Campaign '98 to thirty cities nationwide. Freedom Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptio ns t o Streetvibes ca n b e purchased for $ 12 pe r year. Please send a check t o the b e low a dd ress a nd the pap e r will b e m a iled t o yo u each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinna ti, OH 45210 Please m a ke che cks paya ble t o the Greater Cincinnati Coali­ t ion for the Ho m e less-­ Streetvibes. If yo u have any que stio n s, <..&II 421 -7803. Bus riders have documented thousands of violations of the Universal Declaration of Human rights. Local campaign organizers have spent recent months collecting documentation of economic human rights violations to present to the Freedom Bus riders upon their June 29th arrival. At the rally, participants will place the documentation into a coffin in reminder of the toll violations have taken. The Freedom Bus riders will carry this documenta­ tion to ?New York City. where on July I. KWRU and its supporters will present the collected documentation to the UN. "We're throwing into sharp focus the ugly picture of what is happening in out city and country-deepening poverty amidst extreme wealth." said Clark McKnight. a local campaign organizer and child counselor at Community of Hope. "The documentation helps show the world what is happening to poor people in our communities, and we as poor people are doing this documentation ourselves. We are learning to be our own leaders and representatives." emphasized McKnight. Speakers at the rally w ill discuss the damage to their lives and communities caused by the recent confluence of budget cuts, welfare and immigration reform, and educational failure in Washington, DC. Testimony will be presented by McKnight; Je~ica Alvarez. a grassroots organizer;· a mother on public assistance; a Vietnamese refugee and DC Public ' School student; a formerly homeless poet; a Nicaraguan immigrant and school teacher; and Michelle Tingling-Clemmens. a founding mem ber of the W elfare Rights Union and a board member of DC Hunger Action. Also featured will be Cheri Honkala, KRWU Director> and the only welfare recipient to testify b~te ~opg~s~ iu"ri~gh"earings for the 1996 welfare 'eform bill. • • "The message is clear: poor people are staking a claim to a ~etter life," said Doria'ti Bell, a • campaign organizer J.,iMi the Dt' Elonom1c Human Rights Committee. Housln·g Counsellng Conference ­ September 14­ 15, 1998 (, COHHIO (Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio) will be sponsoring a statewide Housing Counseling conference on September 14 and I 5, 1998 at the Crowne Plaza in Columbus. The conference will explore standards that make sense for housing counseling organizations, best practices. developing methods to increase funding, and pre- and post purchase counseling. Participants will include housing counseling organizations, lenders, banks, Fannie Mae, and state and federal governmental agencies. Invited speakers for the conference will include representatives from Fannie Mae, Karen Hill of the American Home Ownership Education and Counsel­ ing Institute from W ashington, DC, local and out of state counseling organizations and representatives from major Ohio banks. Registration will begin approximately at 9:30 am on Monday. September 14, and will conclude around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15. Registration fees will be $60, which includes lunch both days, a reception Monday evening, a continen­ tal breakfast on Tuesday and the materials. Rooms at the Crowne Plcua have been reserved at the special rat of $60. Registration materials will be available in late July or early August. If you have any questions or want to make sure you receive registra­ tion materials, please call COHHIO at 614/280­ 1984. Page 7 WILLIAM R. WALIACE, D.D.S. 5258 MONTGOMERY RD. NORWOOD, OH 45212 Telephone 1513) 531 ·2338 AKOT ITE R <'LASS J•RODUC T I ON Disc-Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761-3464 (513) 230:6353 ... i i i payroll and human rcsource'managementJ • 'Ii~ TRANSCON EMPLOYMENT COMPANY' 3qr. • A ng Ie E . S t r u n k , C E O i.1 h I :;-, 1·888-841-7900 P.O. Box 12545 (513) 841-5~50 Cincinnati, Ohio 45212 Fax: (513) 84lll-5545 angie_strunk 0 msn.com Friends and Neighbors of Over-the-Rhine An Organization Seekin Justice for People in II Cincinnati's Most Endangered Community Subscribe to STREETVIBESI For only $12 per year you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and Local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons... Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: Street vibes C/ O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine TO THOSE IN THE STRUGGLE In Struggle, By James W. Pryor I've been a prisoner off and on in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (O.D.R.C.) since 1979, all resulting from parole violations, no new crime committed. However, I am just now becoming fully aware of the severe oppres­ sion existing within it's system. There are many areas in which this oppression is expressed, or carried out by the O.D.R.C. First, we can look at the inadequate medical care that is provided for prisoners. An example would be the u:iqualified medical personnel that treat the prisoners. We as prisoners have no other choice but to be at the mercy of these individuals and the treatment they offer. ft has been statistically proven that prisoners utilize prison medical facilities more frequently than individuals on the outside utilize public medical facilities. The quality of the care prisoners receive indicates that it is grossly inadequate, and yet the legislat~re wants to charge him for this same type of medical treatment. The type of medical treatment received coupled with the deplorable conditions that the prisoners are forced to live in are the major cause factors for the poor health of the prisoner. Yet. it is played up politically as a ploy to obtain further funding by the O.D.R.C. when these expen­ ditures could be eliminated by offering adequate medical care in the first instance. Secondly, another area in which the prisoner is oppressed and forced to be passive is through the adult parole authority and the fear of retaliation. The fear of retaliation keeps the majority of today's prisoners from fifing complaints. grievances. or civil complaints concerning the mistreatment they receive. I've seen prisoners attacked and sexually assaulted by their fellow prisoner and even mal­ treated by the correctional staff. Yet, the prisoner will ~ay nothing because of the fear of retaliation. This form of abuse creates today's passive and submissive prisoner on the outward appearance, but is actually a volatile situation waiting to explode. We must consider the hope the prisoner has placed in expecting to see an uncallus parole board, possibly receiving a parole, and returning home to his family and friends . A parole would take him away from the deplorable conditions and.situations he is forced to face on a daily basis. One example of this form of passive oppression comes in the false hopes created by the possible legislative enactment of Senate Bill 182 which augments no real changes or creates no form of commitment by the adult parole authority. The crucial moment in the prisoner's life is his hearing before the adult parole authority which will determine whether or not to se t his sentence and whether or not to grant a parole date. The adult parole authority is under no legal o b ligation to set the time and in practice it does not do so until it is ready to grant parole. By keeping the prisoners in perpetual sus­ pense, never knowing from year to year what portion of his sentence he will serve, the adult parole authority maintains maximum control over the prisoner for the entire period of his incarceration. Do you think that an executive branc~ of the Government (the same government who incarcer­ ated you in the first place) is going to change policies, guidelines, or anything else that would relinquish the maximum control they have now by keeping you in constant suspense? Lastly. another way the O.D.R.C. keeps adequate control over the prisoner is through mismanagement. This is evidenced by their failure to follow their own policies and procedures. They maintain no set of policies or procedures in which they adhere to. What may apply to one prisoner does not apply to the next. This also helps them create a balance of strife and tension between the . prisoners. just as they do with a limited number of phones. televisions, recreation equipment, or any other product used to keep the prisoner passive. This allows them to control you when they threaten to take away these little luxuries, just as it does when you fight among yourselves over them. This keeps you too busy to challenge the inadequacies of the administration. The answer I believe. is to change where necessary the ways in which these institutions are organized and managed. Poor prison conditions are produced by poor prison management. Cruel and unusual conditions are the product of failed management.. And the reverse is also true: prisons where prisoners can "do time" without fearing for their lives or being pressured by their peers for sex, money or drugs; without fear of retaliation by the AP.A. and where there exist standard policies that are adhered to; without fear of being abused physically or emotion­ ally by their officers and abandoned to their educational (or other basic life skills) deficiencies, these are the products of sound prison management. An example is the severe lack of educational programs and security that exists within the Ohio prison system. The administration and correctional staff are improperly trained and cushioned in their jobs. No group of prisoners is unmanageable and no combination of political, social, budgetary, architec­ tural, or other factors makes good management impossible. Difficult, yes; fatiguing, always; thankless. mostly; impossible, never. Even overcrowded maximum security facilities can be improved simply by changing the ways in which they are organized and managed. However. the O.D.R.C.'s AP.A, psychologists, case managers, and unit managers seem. to be unmotivated individuals who muhge their con­ sciences or "weak egos" by patronizing what they would call us prisoners, such as disadvantaged people or human waste, as they portray in their actions. And whom they solicit for their own personal gain. The mind-boggling arrogance of these individuals is utterly beyond my belief. but it truly exists within the State of Ohio and it's prison "industrial system.'' MEDICAL CO­ PAYMENT Submitted by Sonny Williams for the Ohio Prisoners' Rig hts Union In Senate Bill 11I of the I22nd General Assembly at lines 8,097 to 8,099 is a very broad sentence in which to implement the Medical Co­ payment for medical services in all the State Correc­ tional Institutions under the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. This very broad sentence will effect every inmates health and well being, and life in all the State of Ohio, especially those with health problems. Inmates only receive an average of $16.00 to $18.00 state pay per month to purchase Hygiene and necessities, which the state fails to provide. The majority of inmates come from the lower incom~ class, therefore receiving what little money their families can provide. Now every inmates family is being forced an additional burden on them in order for their loved ones to receive adequate health care by paying once through their hard earned tax dollars and now again by money which they will send their loved ones through the mail. DRC was crying to the legislatures to pass the Page a Medical Co-payment law, and the law makers allowed it to be amended to Senate Bill I I I along with 4 other issues, when the Ohio Constitution Article fl. section IS(D) specifically states that all Bills are to be of one subject. See State ex rel. Dix vs. Celeste ( 1984). I I Ohio St. 3d 141. The Medical Co-payment did NOT pass by itself two years ago for these same reasons and issues. Senate Bill I I I passed because of the other issues contained within the Bill. not Medical Co-payment. Therefore. Senate Bill I I is in complete violation of the Ohio Constitution Article II, section IS(D), One subject rule. Due to the very broad language in Senate Bill I I I, line 8,097 stating, "Any user fee or co-payment for services at a detention facility, including, but not limited to, fee or co­ payment for sick call visits." DRC is charging for anything and everything they can, when they know very well that our income is so limited. DRC is charging for dental (even each tooth). medications, foot doctor, X-rays. which is creating worse health problems for us inmates. If someone is sick or has the flu and cannot afford the Medical Co-payment, that inmate will not seek medial attention, thus spreading it to the rest of the inmate population. Or if I go and get treated for the flu, as I can afford it, then I will again catch the flu by someone who refuses to seek medical attention, thus wasting my $3 .00 for nothing. Mental Health is charging $3 .00 for Stress Management Classes. and Anger Management, which in turn will effect society, because no inmate will pay $3 .00 for stress management, when we only have so little in which to buy our hygiene, coffee, and smokes, which are addictive. This takes away rehabilitation that the tax paying citizens are paying for and want to see be done. The same amount of people in Mental Health are still employed regardless of Medical Co-payment. Senate Bill 11 I, effective March I I. 1998. Since then a lot of inmates are refusing to go to the inmate hospital due to this $3.00 co-payment to receive adequate treatment, or paying and being refused to see the physician by orders of the nurse abusing their authority and refusing to listen to the patient violating standard code of ethics. Now. due to this new law to save a little bit of money. it has created a severe problem. THE WEEK AFTER THE CO-PAYMENT STARTED. A WHOPPING 27 INMATES DIED THROUGHOUT THE STATE. Is this the legislative intent of Medical Co-payment? DRC and the medical staff are stating that we have to pay for anything that is not life threatening, or that they do not have a chronic clinic for. If our symptoms are not chronic, then we have to pay for it. But they are refusing to use anything prior in our medical fifes which shows that our symptoms are persistent. other than blood pressure, epilepsy. and diabetes. The definition of Chronic in the Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary 1994 is: ::.L...Qf long duration: 2. Subject co a habit or disease for a lengthy period. syn: continuing. lingering. persistent, prolonged. protracted." Therefore, DRC is misconstruing lines 8,097 of Senate Bill 111 and charging for almost everything. when they should only be charging for one time only "SICK CALL VISITS." The doctors that we are provided with, who receive excessive salaries of hard earned tax payers dollars, seem to have a chronic (persistent. continu­ ing) habit of failing to listen to the patient as re­ quired by the Ohio State Medical Board's code of ethics. Therefore, we are forced to pay for someone who will not even listen to us, thus creating unethi­ cal and more severe medical problems for inmates throughout Ohio's prisons who are required by law to provide adequate medical care, and adequate living standards. Inmates can not obtain nor purchase products such as Band-Aids, Hydrogen Peroxide, Disinfectants to help kill the germs in here, thus spreading germs everywhere. Our showers are cleaned with soap and water, not Limeaway.or C.LR. cl~aners. The soft scrub cleaner was taken away because it was messing the locks up by getting in the �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 9 . 'Medlcal' continued from previous page keyholes. . I ask for an investigation by your office and the State Inspector Generals Office. If you would contact them as well to look into the health violations occurring within DRC regarding medical co-payment, thus creating worse health conditions a we are required to even serve more time under the Truth-and­ Sentencing of 85% of our sentence, and bringing DRC below adequate living standards within Ohio's prisons. I ask that you share this letter with other law makers to show them what Senate Bill 111 , O.R.C. section 5120.56 is causing. I request that you will consider repealing the Ohio Revised Code. section 5 120.56, or make it a more precise and accurate definition of the Medical Co-payment standard's here in Ohio's prisons. The language of the statute is too vague and broad. Thank you for your time and consider­ ation of this request. and I appreciate anything and everything that you do to help us here with this huge problem affecting all the inmates regarding our health care. It should be about saving live~. not money. SAN DIEGO CONCOURSE SLEEP-IN ENTERS 3RD MONTH Noith American Street Newspaper Associati on San Diego- The People's Establishment, a San . Diego City Hall concourse encampment that has drawn more than I00 people each night, has entered its third month of protest for year-round shelter. The self-managed encampn:ient began on march I 5th when three emergency winter overflow shelters in that city closed down. Protest organizers estimate that approximately_2,000 people are sleeping on the street because the shelters are full. According to a recent US Conference of Mayors report, 78% of requests for shelter in San Diego are unmet. Protest organizers say local shelters are referring turnaways to th~ir encampment. Roger Scott, an organizer of_ the protest, says the encampment is demanding year-round transi­ tional housing and the establishment of-a safe area for people to sleep. "There are a lot of handicapped and mentally ill people staying in the encampment right now," said Scott, "and a lot of people have earned back their self-respect and dignity." The encampment is entirely self-managed, and has formed it's own Board of Directors along with several committees that keep the camp running. Scott estimates that more than 2,000 people have stayed at the camp. "The City is very concerned," said Scott. "and they're getting to the point where they're so mad they're going to try to get a court order to get rid of us. I refuse to give up hope though, because I think the Good Lord is going to get us transitional housing." TEEN A ROLE MO.DEL AT CLUB by Edward de la Fuente, The Cincinnati Enquirer Just past'the top of the stairs inside the entrance to the LeBlond Boys and Girls Club in Over-the-Rhine is a wave of children, of all ages and heights. ready to overwhelm anybody who has just made their way up. This is Donnell Kelly's world. This, outside of school. is the T_OSt important part of this 16-year­ old's life. Everyone at the club knows it and respects him for it. "What's up, Dante?" Donnell s:iys to a small . boy standing iJ"!;'i hallway as Donnell pa...sses by. The two high-five the child unable to suppress a smile. Now that school is out, this is Donn-ell's day job. A member of the club since age 7, he spends the entire afternoon there. As a junior·scaff member, he watches over·'the younger members. As a participant in the club's .Big Buddy cpn2gram. he serves as a mentor to one of the club's children ... As one of six youths randomly se.lected in a nationwide cont~st, Donnell will participate as a ball boy during the World Cup soccer match between Chile and Cameroon on June 23 in Nantes, France ... 'The experjence of going to France, that's what's exciting to me," he said. "it's a once-in-a­ lifetime dream." Donnell, who just finished his freshman year at St. Xavier High School, was nominated for the Coca­ Cola sponsored contest by the Boys and Gir~s Club Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvibes! after earning the chapter's "Yo.uth of the Year" award for the second straight year. The determination that earned him that distinction also prevails at his Over-the-Rhine home, where he lives with his grandmother, Ellen Varner... "He's seen both the good and the bad of this area," Mrs. Varner said. " He chooses the good route. He's never out late. He goes to school, he goes to the club, and then he comes home." 'There are a lot of kids here who want to be just like him," said Sharon Montgomery, unit director at the LeBlond club. "T hey see that Donnell's going to a private school and they ask me how tJ:iey can do that" ...Donnell passed the sc;hool's entrance exam with ease. Meanwhile, Miss Leroux found that asking people to help pay Donnell's tuition was surprisingly . easy. "I hardly had to ask." said Miss Lerou-x, the primary donor. "It was a neat thing to be a, par t of. People really want to help children in the i ~ner city. They were so excited to be a part of it" ­ ., ' Free legal help .... suffers by Richard Carel/I, The Associated Press WASHINGTON - The Supreme Cour t, by the narrowest margins, endangered multi-state programs that for two decades have provided the nations poor with up to $ 100 million worth of fr.ee legal help each year. Voting 5-4 in a Texas case, the justices ruled Monday that the interest earned from short-term trust accounts lawyers hold for their clients are the private property of those clients. While a big victory for the protectors of priv·ate property. rn?st such clients likely won't see a dime of enrichment. And the decision could be a huge setback for providing legal servkes for the poor. "We're probably 90 percent home," said Richard Samp, the lawyer for the conservative Washington Legal Foundation that challenged the programs' constitutionality and sued to end them. �' STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine . ·· . Page 10 Vying For Rights WORDS FROM With Animals? THE iEVANGELIST... Dangers Of Blood Banks ~.· I think someone should know about the dangers of going to blood banks. Frorn seeing my roommate's arms, I can bearwitness that after going to blood banks over five times, there would be dark spots made on both arms. After approximately five months there would be indentations made in the arms that never go away. My advice after five times is to use emery boards and soap...(in a later letter)... Hello. My name is Aaron Pitchford. I've got something to share with you. I'm signing in to you because I1told you that people know blood banks for life as the'at;lvertisements·go on T.V. But they are deeper tltciW.that! I would prescribe a few times as long as it d~esn 't start to make holes. What I am relating to .you is that blood banks could be very addictive. I went a few times and I saw other people...they have C1ark marks. When it be like this, use an emery board, rub on soap, and it will replenish the skin to its natural skin color, not Ambi! So, Aaron is signing off now and God bless you. ~lie Dear Streetribes: c. I have previously sent you articles asking that you consider printing them. There have been j rumors that you may have printed one. Would you kindly send me a copy of the paper in which the article was printed? Furthermore, I have done bits of research on education and rehabilitation. There is a criminal justice program that does extensive research on it, who· has given the right to me to have anything of theirs reprirted. Therefore, after I compile this, would you please consider printing it? It's a great benefit to be able to create awareness of some of the social ills. Also, I would like to thank you for whatever considerations you give my submissions. Ypur time . and cooperation has been greatly appreciated! Sincerely. James W. Pryor (Editors Response: Dear James, yes we have received your letters and yes we have published one story in June's edition of STREETVIBES. We are· happy to receive any suggestions you have for upcoming editions of STREETVIBES. In fact, we encourage this activity and opportunity for those whose voices go unheard to be heard via our media. As you said, "It's a great benefit to be able to create awareness of some of the social ills." And look for this quote along with your recent letter to us in the Editorial Section of the July issue of STREETVIBES: we have added you to our mailing list and you should expect to commence receiving STREETVIBES on a monthly basis. Consider your submissions a blessing to those whose voices goes unheard.) Hello. My name is Aaron Pitchford and I am writing a story similar to the story about the article entitled "Dog Shelter Welcomes Homeless People?" (STREETVIBES April '98). ,Let.me share with you how I was thrown out of a shelter because of kicking a cat. First. I never kicked the ~at. I raised my foot in a playful manner to maybe make him bite my shoe or paw it. I have been written up in the shelter resident manager's log for inciting a riot for turning over a picture and knocking over some paneling purposely. Nobody knocked over a picture or pan~ling. Quoting the statement, befo!'e I sig11 off,_ on page ten in May's STREETVIBES "Editorials and Letters," "Dogs and animals tend to get more love and care than humans ..." I am not no stupid liver!!! Slave La.bor i . .i Conti n.ued ...J t : Editors Note: In the Jur!e' 98' issue of STREETVIBES, there was an article written by Dan Cahill. Dan wrote, "The· Governor re~~ntly signed into law Senate Bill Ill. This is an opp~~sive piece of legislation that will have a":. negative fmRitct on many aspects of the criminal (in)justice syst~..." . ')S The June 98' iSsue of SfEETVIBEtS was mailed I I G to Dan Cahill at the Orient Correction~ Institution (OCI) in Columbus, OH. Da'r?_·has be~~ receiving STREHVIBES for about two yea'rs no'w at tbe OCI unde-r the exact same conditions. On June 26th, 1998 we received an env~lope acco,mpanied only by th~ June 98' issue of STREETVIB~S. 'Sonny Williams said that OC/'s explanation_'or such • -~1 behavior was a result of the senders qgdress (GCCH). Sonny was '/nfo~inea" _the ad<!Jess need be from the publisher, "ST~EETV/BES:" ~~$n though Dan Cahill has been receiving the palf'¥. from GCCH now for about two years. It Is interesting to note that this questionable scree'!ing by th~pc1 has only occurred with Dan Cahill since his arqc,Je appeared in June 98' STREETVIBES. There existed no accom­ panying letter of explanation, Such an approach · towards communication seems awkward and evasive. Wliat is going on behind the confines of "our" prison system here in America. Gradually, the prjson systems in America are being turned over to the private industry where the government grants money to be used at their discretion. What does the privatization of this system entail...what does it mean? The public, "we the people." have somehow indirectly played o role in imprisoning ·convicts through the "balances of power." It therefore follows that the public, not the private sector, . should play a role insuring the proper maintenance of our prison systems. Prisons are set up to serve the purpose of protecting the general public's freedoms. So, why is the prison system being transferred into the private sector's hands? justice is the servant of truth and fairness and as such should work to elucidate rather than veil the activities lurking behind the bars of "our prisons." .... Free Dyslexia screenings for children The Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati will conduct free screenings for dyslexia from July 20 to July 31. The screenings are for children who have reading problems and will be entering grades 2-4 in the fall. After-school classes for those students who qualify will begin in September. For more information, call the Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati at 621-7323. "Open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to the poor, and the needy, .in thy land." Deut. 15:11 By Rodney Sutton, Sr. Many are wondering what services will be provided by A Way of Life Ministries, and when th'ese services will be available. Well. A.W. 0 . L. Ministries plans to provide services for youth who are at-risk because of economic status, geographical location, and ethnic background. There will also be lim ited services for the homeless a~d families. Services for youth will be such programs as summer camp through the YMCA and .other Christian oriented programs as they are developed and sponsors become available. The YMCA Camp Felicity Program has already' • begun and I will be working with representatives from the Ca"mmunity Councils in Low;~ Price Hill, the West End. Over-The-Rhine, and the · Fa~ ·Apartments to send the maximum .:n umber of kids ages 11-14 to camp this summer. ~ · There is a plan to begin a Kids 'Bibi'~ Club in August in conjunction with the State ~venue Church of Christ. More jnformation wilL~e 1 forthcofn ing. • - ~ . ") Services for the homeless and famil1es will primarily be consulting and referral-servi.ces to assist those individuals and families :,.;~o~~ve spiritual needs. However, we do plal"! to nold Alcoholic Victorious Meetings and Bible Studies for individuals and groups. and some par.e'Oting and chemical dependency seminars. Nevertheless, A.W.O.L. Ministries and the services which it will provide to our community can not exist without the help of those who are financially able to support us. We are a, small ministry. but without your support the needs of the at-risk youth. the homeless, and dysfunc­ tional families will go unmet; therefore, V(e ask that you bless us according to the measure which God has blessed you. We are still in need of folding chairs, tables, a podium. and miscellaneous items which can be used in our ministry. • · - - .,,_ ••f A.W.O.L. Ministries c/o Evangelist Rodney Sutton. Sr. 2305 W. 8th Street. Cincinnati. OH 45204. And if you have any questions or would like to volunteer your services. please call 251­ 4101 or 210-4181. Help Wanted Now Hiring Floor Staff and Maintenance Drop by or Call Drop Inn Center Shelterhouse 217 West 12th Street Over-The-Rhine 721-0643 �____,_ -- := :::::: ,,.. STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvlbes Crossword 8 by Paul linden 9 10 11 14 . ·:· ~~~:.:!·. · ·.·_·.··· Page Sera mble 11 . by Ron Carter Try to unscramble these related wo rds: TRMAK EANELSWGR REKOGR WYHTIRFTA VREOC SASER NNYPES SESYPLA MWTARAL MSSA 17 Answers on page 15. 38 39 40 'A~erbaijan' 42 page 12 48 51 April 1, 1995 Across 1. Cold and damp 4. lnfonnal talk 8. Autos 12. Tunnoil 13. Sharpen, as a razor 14. Upon 15. By means of 16. Colorful agate 17. Scotia 18. Gloomy 20. London river 22. Biblical fruit 24. Medicine bottle 25. Taurus' symbol 26. Cash drawer 27. What person? 30. Memorable age 31. Mannequin 32. Concealed 33. Endeavor 34. Lyric poems 35.Heed 36. Foolish prank 37. _in , interferes 38. Emotional 'rush' from 41 . Wise one 42. Garden tools 43. Black 45. Food fish 48. Heroic 49. Highway · 50. Exist 51 . Longs (for) 52. Nimble 53.. Signer's tool _ Down 1. Knock sharply ,2. Fruit beverage 3. Repartee, puns, etc. 4. Routine task 5. Goose call 6. Some 7. Woven fabrics 8. Artifical waterway 9. Tiny particle 10. Wander about 11. Health resorts 19. Totality 21. Corridor 22. Help in crime 23. Feline murmur 24. TV picture 26. Small fry 27. Foamy wave 28. Clue 29. Chances, as in a bet 31. Drudge j s _Tankard 36. Phonograph records 37. Toss back and forth, as words or Jdeas 38. Those people 39. Wish 40. Harness strap 41. Fly high 44. Punch: slang 46. Native metal 47. Lair Answers to Crossword on Page 13 Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a check to the below address and the paper will be mailed to you each issue. Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, ~H 45210 Please make checks pay­ able to the Greater Cincinn~ti Coalition for the Homele ss-­ Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421-7803. Community Celebration. live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721·1339 also fears she may have tuberculosis, which is intensified by the measles- she fears it will result in pneumonia. The Mom is also sick. It is a pathetic situation. One half of the families income.is Ayten's begging. So. now, as if they did not already hav too little. their income is cut in half. The reason. of course, Ayten is malnour­ ished. is because they did not have enough money to buy them food . Now they have half of that. Yesterday, Jill and I went shopping for them and bought a bunch of food for them. We spent clo se to $90.00 at the doctor-visit plus anitbiotic. Ayten and Elshan are probably as likely to be exposed to Hepatitis and whatever else is out there as anyone. and their little imn:iune systems are probably not able to withstand much-especially without a decent diet, you should see how skinny they are. W e are going to get them as many immunizations as possible-but all this costs money and you know that the amount we have is pretty limited. If you two think of it. pray. I will keep you updated on everything. I love both of you. Chad Update: Ayten and Elshan's health is begin­ ning to stabilize. Chad took Ayten to the doctor and bought her antibiotics. He continues to bring salubrious food to those who are ill or in danger of becoming ill. The doctor said that Ayten is fortunate Chad brought her on the day he did. Chad and his American friends continue in their benevolence, making visits to the doctor to acquire vaccinat~ons and medications for their refugee friends. COMEDY CORNER "Seen Us" Trouble by Ron Carter A Man died and went to hell... The Devil asked, "what happened to you?" The man replied, "I had seen us trouble." The Devil said, "what did you say?" T he man repeated, "I had seen us trouble ­ I was coming out of a Hotel with a woman and her husband seen us." (Do you want to know how the · husband found out? Yes, I knew you would, well, it was like this: A Pig Squealed!?) �-- AMARU'S FA.REWELL ADDRESS By T11'IT0 Amam, The Xavier Newswire After three years of writing for Perspectives, the reviews are finally in. First the good: "His articles always allow me co take time and think ." "I like them." "He makes me understand concepts never imagined." And now the bad: "Why does he spell America with three K's ?" He's immature." "Doesn't he hate all white people?" "He's very hostile and violent; what's this 'Peace or Rest in Peace' crap anyway ?" "Is the 'Hit Squad' a black thing?" "Is he the black guy with the funny hair?" Throughout my quest of writing I've always sought to enlighten and/or educate people while denouncing ignorance (the lack of knowledge). Unfortunately, I have long since discovered that there is not a middle ground when pleasing the audience. You can either write to please everyone or write about what you feel is real" (much respect to the editor) . Since I cannot please everyone, I've always chosen to write about what's real- what affects our "Xavier family" and the world around us. When­ ever I submit an article and impose on a reader's time, my goal is to make that person think and, if capable, take some positive action to resolve the problem or give credit where it's due. Provoking positive thoughts and problem-solving actions is always at the top of my priorities. The comedy is best left in the capable hands of Jeff Davis. (Business tip: Philadelphia sewer water nationally rated #I.) With so many positive attributes. why am I viewed as such a radical writer? Is it because I speak up instead of shutting up when discussing controver­ sial issues? Is it because I provide the readers with the uncut truth? Well, if at any time the truth has caused some discomfort. have a period pill (Motrin) and deal with it. Why should I be termed a menace to society because I ask "Why is that" like Chris Parker (KRS-1 of Boogie Down Productions F Should I ignore being harassed by safety and security and mistaken for a bum (now there's a reason to always carry Xavier identification )? And should I over look how Jeffery Dahmer brutally killed and digested minorities only to receive lifetime sentences, while Gregory Resenover (a black male) of Indiana murdered a white police officer to receive the death penalty? Or should I be overjoyed that the prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Susan Smith of North Carolina for the murder of her four month and eleven year old sons, and forget how the townspeople were ready to lynch the allegedly black car jacker? Furthermore, am I supposed to believe that the federal government who so dislikes black activists now appears unconcerned whether the most influential black man alive, Minister louis Farrakhan, lives or dies after the government 's involvement in the murders of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X. and Martin L. King? But don't get me wrong; everything is not always in black and white. My mind transcends the specific to comprehend the injustices of everyone. For instance, why is it that people of all races and religions are leaving AT&T because they support homosexual rights? Better yet, why did the city of Cleveland, Ohio deny Farrakhan a forum solely due to his political and religious beliefs, while allowing Reverend Billy Grahai:n a similar forum months . before? And why is it that women acquire the same occupations as men, but are paid less? Also, if you truly believe that Christopher Columbus discovered America, allow me to enter your home and discover some items. Why is' it that from our births to our deaths we taught that Jesus Christ was of pale skin (white), blond or brown hair (depending on the ... • artist) and blue eyes? In fact: the Bible states Jesus had "skin of bronze" and "hair of wool." but when confronted with the truth, our pastors, popes, priests, fathers, and nuns maintain it doesn't ma(ter. Is it my writing of the truth or is it T e'tro, the black person, you have a problem with? We were all sent to college to gain useful knowledge. Xavier presented us with the opportunity to form a basis of communication between various cultures, which can only result in a much needed understanding of all races. religions, and people of different backgrounds. In doing so. we are expelling the massively negative stereotypes that place shackles over our minds. Should I be viewed negatively because of my skin color, because of my background, and because I've brought valuable understanding and diversity to the "white picketed fences"? Besides, doesn't our beloved institution preach and practice diversity, or is that conducted in the same manner in which Amerikkka practices democracy ? My solution is to stop writing for Perspectives. I hope my man Soren and John McHale will continue to enlighten and educate those whom I couldn't. As a black person, my goal to put some heat under the melting pot can never be accomplished as long as people know who I am and discredit my writing by stating. "He's just another angry black person." Am I angry? Yes. I'm angry that ignorant stereotypes, prejudices, and racism exist. And just because a person's parents are closed minded doesn't mean that he or she has to follow in stride. There are good people of all races and back grounds who've proved that two racists (negatives) can make a non-racist (positive)-ask "Cleaver"; she can verify this. In addition. when attempting to figure me out .you more than likely miss the content of the article. Thus, for the analyzers, my mind is more laced than shoelaces and more complex than a j!gsaw puzzle with no pieces. Peace, farewell and may the next person to denounce ignorance be white. A LETTER FROM AZERBAIJAN CONT... Tuesday, June 9th, 1998 The following letter is actually a follow-up letter from last month's issue of STREETVIBES. Mom and Brett. Hey, I have some not so good news about Ayten and Elshan. Earlier in the week we were talking to Ayten and Elshan's M9m and she told us that Ayten is really sick. They thought it was "guzulja," what we call rubella. We went to visit her and-she is terrible. She is BURNING UP with a fever and her Mom doesn't know what to do. and so when we got there, she'd not eaten or DRANK ANY­ THING in 2 WHOLE DAYS. Her Mom and older sisters have no idea what they are doing. they think that cold water is bad for her as well as putting a cold rag on her head-so she just sits there and dehydrates and burns up. You can see how serious this is. We got her to drink a little bit-keep in mind she is already malnourished and has absolutely NO access to medicine. etc.. and lives in this tiny, little, always dirty house (as seen in June edition of STREETVIBES). One Year Ago Today Jesse Passed Away (6-22-97) By Maryann Bravo When Jesse passsed last year I struggled hard to try to build a n.e w life. It was not easy, but I took it one day at a time. I left Lousville, Kentucky and went to Trenton, New Jersey and left there and came to Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati, Ohio is where I was gong to stay and get my life back together. When you have some one close to you and you are sharing life with that person and that person passes, it's so hard to have life without that person. but you get a life of your own. I prayed to God to help me through the tough times that I had in my life. I have made a good life for myself here in·Cincinnati. All I did was take it one day at a time and my life is full again because I had patience and I knew one day that all my hopes and dreams that I had with Jesse will never come true. But after all, my hopes and dreams are coming true one day at a time: I. I believe in my higher power 2. I trust my higher power. IF YOU WRITE POETRY AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK IN STREETVIBES, CALL 421-7803 OR FAX US AT 421-7813 Ayten and Elshan {right) with Chad Zwolinski. Photo by Brett Zwolinski We went back the next morning and con­ vinced her Mom to let us take her to a western doctor here. So. Ayten, Elshan, their Mom, Jill, Nicole (Chad's college friends) and myself all went early yesterday (Friday) to the doctor. The doctor was very worried about her. She believes it to be measles, which can result in death- how much !110re so in a child w°ithout medical care, malnutrition, etc. She said if she'd known how sick Ayten was, she (the doctor) would not have had any children in her office for atleast 2-3 hours after Ayten left. As if this is not sad enough in itself, consider how contagious measles are. Elshan will likely get it, if he doesn't already ·have it. He also is malnour­ ished and will need to go to the doctor. From listenting to Ayten's chest and what not, the doctor 'Azerbaijan' cont. on page 11 �- - - - -- good health. TUBERCULOSIS How would I feel if the T B germs grew without stopping and became TB d isease in the lungs? By Lynn Kilbane, RN, BSN; Clinical Coordinator HCTBC You would feel very sick. tired all the time, and generally run down. Most often a person has a cough that lasts more than three weeks and will often cough up blood. A person with active TB may also experience night sweats, weight loss. fever, and shortness of breath. An unexplained weight loss of twenty pounds o r more in a sho rt time is a major concern. You may have seen recent news articles about TB. It is an old disease that continues to rear its ugly head. The purpose of this article is to answer the questions most frequently asked about TB. What is Tuberculosis? Mycobacte ri,µm Tuberculosis is the name of the germ which can cause TB infection and disease. T uberculosis can grow anywhere on or in a person's body. How does the doctor know it is TB and not just a ·"bad cold?" A positive skin test is prese nt in most persons who have active TB. in addition to the symptoms mentioned above. The chest X-ray will show the growth of TB in the lungs. The nurse will ask you to cough up phlegm into a jar so that the lab person can look at it under a microscope to make sure that the problem is indeed TB. How do you get TB? 'Mac' at Homeless Memorial Remembrance, Washington Park, December '9 7. Photo by Jimmy Heath McCRACKIN'S W·ITNESS By Kyle Childress (Nacagdoches, Texas Newspaper) I read in the recent issue of the ·d eath of Maurice ("Mac") McCrackin. Your words and memories sparked my own ("Hea rts & Minds.'' by Jim Wallis, March-April 1998). He was an amazing man who in my brief enco unter with him made an important impression upon me. I remember the Peace Pentecost of which Wallis wrote-Mac's quiet refusal to cooperate with the authorities and how they quickly separated him form the rest of us. When we were in the holding cells in the basement of the courthouse. a couple of marshals dragged Mac into the cell, twisting his fingers and thumbs backward trying to force him to cooperate and punishing him at the same time. Mac was crying and telling them to stop but never giving in. We were all loaded on buses and taken to the D.C. jail under the intimidating care of the U.S Marshal Service and then crowded into more holding cells just inside the jail. waiting to be officially fingerprinted and processed. Just down from me were several guys shooting up last-minute drugs. We waited and waited. Finally. the front door opened with che two mar shals dragging in Mac. Still they were bending his fingers and thumbs. Still he was crying for them to stop. st ill he would not cooperate. They dragged him to the fingerpr int cable and w hen he would not voluntarily put his fingers on the ink stamp-pad. they fo rced his fingers into the pad by fu rther twisting and bending them. At the same time. the holding cells had erupted with cries and sho uts from the other prisoners. The guys near me, who had been so inte nse o n their drugs, were jumping up and down screaming ac the marshals and yelling for Mac not to give in to them. One fellow climbed up o n the bars shouting "Hey man! Do n't give in! Don't let them break yo u!" He jumped back down onto the floor near me and said, "Hey man, w ho is that old guy. anyway? He's something." I told him that he was arrested fo r protesting the U.S. support of terrorists in Central America and that he was a preacher who had spent his life fighting for peace and justice. The fellow looked back th ro ugh the bars at Mac and said, "He's a real man." I will never forget w hat he said about Mac and what it means for the church. There I was. a middle-class white preacher having a conversation with a young African-American from a very different kind of life on the streets of D.C. W hat could I say to him? What could the Amer ican middle-class church say to him? Nothing. But Mac could say plenty. In fact, he had alr eady said plenty. The germ can only be spread by someone who has it growing in their lungs. When a person with T uberculosis disease in their lungs coughs, sneezes. or laughs, the germs float in the air. If you are nearby and share the same air space. you w ill breathe in the TB germs. A healthy person's body will fight the infection. The germs are able to grow easily if yo u have an illness such as Diabetes, Cancer, or o ther chronic disease or conditions which would put your body in a run down state. Even a healthy person can get the disease if a large number of germs are inhaled. You cannot get TB from sharing a cup o r food with someone (you may get a "strep th roat" o r another infection - but not TB). · How is TB disease treated? Can it be cured? Yes, TB can· be treated and cured. It requires that you take 3-4 kinds of anti- TB medications for 6­ 12 months! This is a long t ime! W e t ry to stop the spread of TB as soon as possible because people often have difficulty remembering to take their medication for such a long time. The clinic's job is to make sure that persons with TB are on the correct medicine and taking it as prescr ibed by the doctor. Sometimes. the nurses will take medicine to a person every day until they complete treatment ­ just to make sure they receive the ir medication correctly. How common is TB? The number of persons with TB in the United States is decreasin.g. TB ra tes co ntinue to be high if you are a homeless person. immigrant. drug or alcohol abuser, living in a prison, if you are HIV positive, or have a disease such as AIDS which would cause you r body co be "run dow n." These groups of people have two things in common. They often stay crowded in group living situations with "shared air" space. The other factor is that these persons' bodies are very stressed due to disease, running their body down with drug use. or living witpout proper nourishment and comfort. What happens w hen a person has active TB disease and do·es not take their medication correctly? A person will not get better as fast, or at all, when medicatio n is take n incorrectly. That means the person is still contagious and can infect many more people. Not taking all of your medication at the right time may actually help the germ to become "stronger." When this happens, the first drugs given may not work at all. This is called drug resistance. Other medicines may have to be used. This means If I have some of che germs in my body. does that mean I have TB disease? 'Tuberculosis' cont. on-page 14 NO! A person can have some of the germs living in their body (TB infection) and not have it in their lungs (TB disease). When the body is strong. it can fight off the TB germs and not lee them grow into disease. A TB skin test shows that the germs are present in che body. Because your body has "walled off' the infection you will not fee l ill and cannot spread the germs to anyone else, but will have positive skin test. A chest X-ray is done at this time to make sure you do not have active TB of the lungs. O nce it is determined that you have· o nly TB infection and not disease, it is often - -- -- - - - -- - - -­ - - - - - - -- -- - - , r ecommended that you take TB medica­ 5 6 9 10 11 1 2 H A A R S R A tion once a day for six months to kill the 12 remaining germs. You and a clinic docto r A D 0 N T 0 P will make that decision together. Remem­ ber- once your skin test is positive, it is 0 V A always positive; even after you take the medication! Answers to Streetvlbes Crossv1ord from Page 11 ... W hy should I take medication w hen I am not sick? 25 B U 30 The germs can, and often do become active if yo ur bo dy becomes stressed and weakened. Yo u can prevent the remaining germs from becoming active by taking anti- TB medication (most often you would be given the medication called INH). Taking the medication keeps 90% of people completing their medica­ tion from ever developing the disease. The medication must be taken as directed by the physician. Monthly visits are recommended to monitor o ur continued E R 42 H 48 E 0 D E p N D 0 0 A R E R R E N 51 y E N l \ -T I �Klotter Street Steps deteriorate, closlng continues to outrage OTR Residents Update and photo by Jimmy Heath Despite protests from community leaders and local activists, the City of Cincinnati used taxpayer money to install a chain link fence across the Klotter Street steps, closing the steps to public access. Residents along this r ight-of-way on Klotter Street cited crime and easy access for criminal activity as reasons for demanding the closing of these steps. Many residents. that are now denied access to the steps, and community leade rs feel that some Klotter Street residents were motivated by racism and · elitism. While Klotter Street residents continue to seal off their community from 'those people' in the neighborhood below them, crime statistics in Over­ The-Rhine continue to be the wors t in the city. Should Over-The-Rhine close and deny access to its public streets, alleyways and right-of-way's as a crime fighting measure? Believe it or not. some say yes! Plans and discussions are being made to close a number of alleys in OTR. Walking is a comf'!'l<:>n mode of transpo rtation for many residents of OTR. Closing public walkways and other means of access is not the answer to crime. When .looking closely at viable alternatives to closing the Klotter Street seeps (such as crime awareness and Block Watch. im­ proved lighting, and increased police pre-sence) the choice to close the steps altogether. and at taxpayer expense, seems a poor one. The City. by this action, has effectively endorsed isolationism for its more privileged residents. City Council has promised to look at this issue, and revigw the crime statistics again after one-year. Howevg r:. the steps are already beginning to deterio­ rate jusm few weeks after being closed. 'Tuberculosls' cont. from page 13 . 01:: ., () the persen !s ill longer. This is why the TB clinic tries -so1very hard co make sure people are taking their me.lilicine every day as ordered. . Hpw can we protect ourselves from TB? F,irst and foremost, w e can try to take good care of ourselves by eating healthy meals and trying to decrease our stress as much as possible. This is a very difficult task for homeless people and that is why the homeless are vulnerable to this rotten disease. If the TB clinic knows you have been exposed to someone with active pulmonary (lung) Tuberculo­ sis w e ~ill do everything we can to notify you. Meanwhile, a yearly skin test can tell you from year to year whether or not you have been exposed to someone with active TB. If your skin test becomes positive- take the medicine if it is offered to you! A yearly X-ray for those persons who have positive skin tests is a good idea if you are homeless and staying in a shelter. Turn your head when you cough and use tissues to catch sneezes and coughs! Encourage others to do the same! Watch yourself and others closely. If you or someone you meet develops signs and symptoms of TB. tell them to come on down to the TB clinic. We are here to help! What is the role of the Tuberculosis clinic in Cincinnati? The clinic does skin testing to identify TB infection, chest X-rays, laboratory tests, provides medications. physicians, and follow-up services for the prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis. We are a resource center for inforf!lation and teaching regarding Tuberculosis-. We are here to serve you' Let us know how we can help' • AT THERE ARE FRIENDLY FACES I() EVERY TURN IN OUR CLINIC! WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE CLINIC! IT IS SIMPLE AND EASY AND WE TRY REAL HARD TO BE QUICK! Questions or concerns? Please call if you have any questions or concerns- 632­ 7 196 3 Clinic hours - Monday througb Friday: 8:00am - 4:00pm , NO APPOINTMENT NEED~IO FOR SKIN TESTING TB skin tests are free to those persons unable to pay: .all treatment for positive skin tests and for active TB disease is free . Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Looking for a place to call home.?"' Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30o/o of your income ... Many buildings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's H_Ometess:c;riipevine ANNOUNCING A new Group at AVOC... For Heterosexuals living With Aids FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny Williams Early this year 27th, hundreds marched in front of the White House to demand the freedom of political prisoners in the United Scates. We have two political prisoner's in the Ohio Prison System that should be supported: Dan Cahill at Orient Prison and John Perotti at Lucasville Prison, If you are interested in writing these prisoners, write to: Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P.O. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 Are you looking for a broader knowledge of the challenge of living with HIV/ AIDS? Would you like to meet people who share similar experiences and hear their coping strategies? Are you looking for peers with whom ou can discuss and plan for the future? Where: AVOC "Gray Room" When: 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to 8:PM More information: Susan or Judy 421-2437 Band Lookin~ for Work Streecvibes (the band). We like to party. R&B. Oldies, Blues/ Jan, Reggae. Helping chc homeless to help themselves through free enterpriie. Ca.II 421-7803. for.sale ~~·· Native Am erican cookies: orders being accepted: R. C. Janus. (Fax) 891 -8663. Office work~r seeks 20 · 30 hour sit down job on bus line, within 2 miles of the river in ·either Kentucky or Ohio: non-medical terminology. non-filing cabinet office work: social services. sales. public information. crafts. and other background. some computer experience: contact Box 2. Streetvibes. IS06 Elm St., Cincinnati. 4S2 I 0. Laborer Looking for a laborer? Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center. 721 ­ 0643. Eld e rly or Children Looking for a community oriented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ourteach worker/ counselor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience including Windows. Lotus. Any Word Processor. Call Anjail Madyun at the Drop Inn Center. 721-0643. Degreed, su ccessful grants administrator/writer seeks commissioned, free lance position as same: ten percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus, Jr. (Fax) 891 -8663. N ative American-Hispanic female seeks sit down, slow­ paced industrial FACTORY position: physically challenged. (Fax) 891-8663. Scramble Answers from page 11. .. K-Mart Walgreens Kroger Thrlftway Revco Sears Pennys Payless Wa/mart Sams STRE.E.TVIBE.S provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only $I p er line. Call 421-7803 for info. Streetvlbes ·Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. I. Streetvibes will be distributed for a $1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $I. I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvib~s while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for donations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone to give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone fee l threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of In Memory of 11 Mac 11 Who Believed ·In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founde d Justi ce Watch •.. Because 'Everyone' include s Prisoners and Former Prisoners . COME MEET WITH US STARTING Olf2/5/98 ::r Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted. Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The rate is only $1 per line, approximately four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment must be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, riotify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 o r fax it to 421 -7813 - ~~·~~ 1s Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the ··homeless" in general.. I will be honest in seating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Sale s Re presentat ive Looking for position as sales representative or rn:rnagcment. Has good bookkeeping. typing and supervisory skills. Ha s experience in retail management. customer ser.Yice and sales. Is available to work immedia tely. Call Dea Ha rris at S52-93S I. Restaurant Worl< Responsible o lder man able to work any shift. Would prefer worl< as a busser at a rescaurant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is vl!ry dependable and available immediately. Please contact Wiley Powell at 831-8404. Baby S itte r Need a babysitter! Former child-care worker with day­ care experience. Call Mary Ann at 665-4375 or pager at 610-8527 Contineency Fee Lawyer Not afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on let.terhead paper to 11 I I Elm Street. No. 432. Cincinnati, OH 452 10. Streetvibes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 fm The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on.the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusing on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates; WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday. July 11th. 1998, noon to I pm Streetvibes ! Advertising in Streetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. ***Business Card Size 2" x 3 I /2" $I 0 per month ***Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 112" $20 per month A check o r money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which p.-omote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads. call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call th e Homeless Coali­ tion at 421-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 .~ �-~· .,. . r VENDO R PROFILE: Streetvibes TV If you have any ideas for future STREETVIBES TV shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call ... The Streetvibes TV Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as W arner Cable changes programming and channels. Streetvibes Wish l ist Streetvibes TV July Schedule Maryann Bravo Maryann, STREETVIBES Vendor of the Month, talks about her experience here in Cincinnati.' I came to Cincinnati six months ago. I didn't know anybody. I ~ondered how I was going to meet people. Well, I have met some wonderful people. As the days went on. I got a chance to know them better. I have met Donald at the offiice, where I went to ge~ some STREEVIBES papers. He is a good man... he is warm. kind, and good-hearted. I have met Lisa at the Drop-I nn Center where I stayed. Lisa is like my big sister I never had. Betty is a wonderful person. Jimmy is wonde rful and kind. Jennifer...she has helped me find a place to live. You never know where you'll go. but wherever it is you might just meet wonderful people like I did. My higher power has helped me meet theses kinds of people. This month's LIVE SHOW w ill feature a review of various job training and life skills programs aimed at assisting homeless persons in shelters gain self­ sufficiency. Scheduled.guests will include shelter personnel and directors of these successful pro­ grams. Cha nne l 1 LIVE CALL-IN SHOW, July 20th at 7PM. Re broa d cast D a t es fo r Show on Cha n­ n e l 10: Saturday, July 4. 19..9 8, 4 PM Friday, July I 0, 1998, I I am Friday. July 17. 1998, 11 AM Monday. July 27.1998. I 0 PM Saturday, July 25, 1998, 4 PM Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string bu dg~t. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs >35 MM Film for Sueetvibes photo's >Laser Printer >VCR to Show Streclvibes TV Show Episode s to Groups and Vendors B r o adcast sch e dul es are s ubject to c h a n ge - c ons ult your loc al TV dire ctory. >Advertisers to help support the paper > Fax Machine ~nJhere >Office Supplies Your - Vendor: 80 cents Dollar Printing and Production: 20 cents - SHELTERS: Wome n and Children Alice Paul House (abuse) 241-2757 YWCA T ransitional living Prog. 281-5770 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome House 431-87 17 SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Jo'seph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt. Airy Center Volunteers of America 241-5525 241-0490 241 -2965 381-494 1 661 -4620 381-1954 SH ELTER: Both C<1racole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381-5432 863-8866 >Compute r fo r- Streetvibes layout and writ ing ~ Goes Call 421-7Z03 if you ca n h e lp! Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 421-7803. Thanks for your suppor t. Need Help or Want to Help? If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatm ent. Housing or Services. If you have any questions. feel free to c:ali the Homeless Coalition at 42 1-7803. >Supplies for Vendors Lounge (coffee , cups, etc.) · h H osp1ta · 11ty • N etwor k 1nte rfa1t L'1ght house y outh C enter St. Jo h n,s T emporary H ousing · HOUSING CMHA Excel D evelopment Miami Purchase OTR Housing Network ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental 111) Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Wome n O.D.A.A.T First Step Home TREATMENT: Me n Charlie's 3/4 House Prospect House Starting Over T REATM ENT: Both NA Hopeline A.A Hotline C.C.A.T. Talbert House Transitions, Inc, YA Domiciliary O THER SERVICES AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati Appalachian Identity Center ~ .,_.... ... . -~"""'...... . 244-7226 961-4080 651-6446 721-4580 632-7149 241-0504 369-0004 381-0954 721-8666 961-4555 241-7343 921-7324 784- 1853 921-1613 751-3260 820-2947 861-9966 381-6660 684-7956 491-4435 559-5011 421-2437 621-5991 ..... - .. ~-- - ··----·....----.. ---- - .. -... ' .-·· -·~ ---- · Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independen t living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 59 1-2246 96 1-0600 C incinnati Henlth Network Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381 -4242 Emanuel Community Center 24 1-2563 241-1064 Freestore/Foodbank Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Hamilton Co.Ment:i l He;:i lth Bd. 62 1-7149 632-7186 Hamilton Co. TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 22 1-3679 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 271 -5501 721-4811 Mary Magdalen House 621 -0248 Oral Health Council Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee N e ighborhood Center 621-55 14 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United W ay 721 -7900 YA Homeless Program 559-6656 Women's Crisis Center 49 1-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource July 1998 Vol 2, issue 19 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg 1: Lincoln Court residents get 'HUD'-winked Cincinnati Coalition partners with NCRC in Treasury Program Pg 2: Cleveland News Pg 3: Portman Plan Pg 4: Welfare News Pg 5: Visible Homeless Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg 7: Nationwide News Housing Conference Pg 8: Prisoners News Pg 9: San Diego Sleep-In Teen Role Model Pg 10: Letters & Editorials Pg 12: Azerbaijan Update Pg 13: TB Information Pg 16: Vendor Profile Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Hobbs Lynn Kilbane Paul Linden Judith Mendriski Steven Michael Aaron Pitchford James W. Pryor Steven M. Rutherford Mark Salter Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="results-preview"> <div><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a<span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>.</div> </div> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" style="border-width:0;"></a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Aaron Pitchford addiction Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Dan Gibbons Dan Cahill Denise Crew Donald Whitehead HUD immigration James Hobbs James W. Pryor Jimmy Heath Judith Mendriski Lynn Kilbane Lynn Williams Mark Salter Maryann Bravo Pat Clifford Paul Linden poverty protest redevelopment refugees Ron Carter Sonny Williams Steven M. Rutherford Steven Michael Te' Tro Amaru the visible homeless vendor profile welfare welfare reform https://streetvibesarchive.net/files/original/8536aa31fa44b645a1bc1bd03d40a847.pdf d1d7f4ffc5ee18e50ea4244ca86911b4 PDF Text Text Panhandling Ordinance Ruled Unconstitutional by Judge Sherman by Donald Whitehead Since 1995 homeless advocates, homeless individuals and lawyers from the ACLU have argued that measures to strengthen a 1992 aggressive panhandling ordinance were unconstitutional. The two ordinances restrict where and when panhan­ dlers can ask for money and ban people from sitting or lying on business-district sidewalks between 7 a.m and I I p.m. While advocates for the homeless understand the need for restrictions against those that are aggressive in demands for money. it is common knowledge that most panhandlers are not of the aggressive variety. In addition, while we don't advocate panhandling in any form, we understand that because of economic conditions along with the lack of affordable housing and many other factors, people are forced into this behavior. Our resources should be used in providing safe, sanitary, affordable housing and not to prosecute individuals forced into panhandling. Steve Stuhlbarg. who with Scott Greenwood represented the panhandlers said, "We're delighted. We think this is a rigorous and proper applkation of the First Amendment prin­ ciple. These laws were designed to target peaceful, non-coercive and non-disruptive panhandling. These ordinances were targeted at people who are peaceful. The City doesn't have the power to intervene in what people say on a public sidewalk," Jesse Johnson exercising'his F!1St Amendment right to Free Speech he said in a Pose interview. "People have a right to peacefully ask for money. The seated purpose of these laws was to make panhandling disappear," Greenwood added. "The ordinances, in flat and total violation of the First Amendment, ban an entire type of speech based on·its content from the most sacred area for public speech: the public sidewalk. The Court recognized that the poor and homeless have the same First Amendment rights as business people and corporations." 'Panhandling' continued on Page 5... New University Hospital Policy Threatens Health of Poor by Dr. Bob Donoran, Health Care for the Homeless Program On May 17th, the Cincinnati Health Care for the Homeless Program was alerted to a gentleman who was living at the Denison Hotel. He was recently discharged from University Hospital and had a handful of prescriptions with no insurance to cover the cost. Usually when this happens. the problem is that the person didn't stop at the University Phar­ macy to get the prescriptions filled . However, when we spoke with him we found out he had gone there Cleveland News Students Perspective Welfare News Visible Homeless Drop Inn Center Arts & Poetty Nationwide News Azerbaijan Refugees Needle Exchange letters & Editorials Prisoners News Crossword & Games MadWomyn Recovery Hotel Vendor Profile Page2 Page3 Page4 Page5 Page5 Page6 Pagel Pages Page9 PagetO PagetO Pagett Paget3 Paget4 Paget6 and was told he couldn't get prescriptions there unless he could pay for them o r had insurance coverage. After several other calls, I found out that on May 18, a new policy went into effect at University Hospital; Patients would not be given medications on discharge, but only prescriptions to be filled elsewhere. This policy seriously jeopardizes the health of poor and indigent people who are hospitalized at University Hospital. This gentleman had a heart procedure, which cost several thousand dollars, and then could not get the medications which would help make sure it would continue to function for him. This policy is certainly short-sighted and cost­ ineffective, as well as being thoughtless and heartless about poor people. Fortunately, because someone at the Denison Hotel was able to reach us, we were able to get this man his medications. I'm certain that there will be many, many folks who will simply do without their much-needed medications because of this policy. At the time of the privatization of University Hospital, the citizens of the city were assured that the care given to the city's poor would not suffer because of it. This is yet another indication that we were not being told the whole truth of the effects of privatization. Privatization at UC Hospital... by a concemed citizen Remember back about two years ago when UC Hospital was a public hospital? Anyone could go there for medical care even if you did not have a job or insurance coverage. Then came privatization of the hospital. People fought against this, concerned that folks without jobs or insurance would be turned away for medical care. The hospital went private anyway. The hospital administrators promised people WOl.fld not be turned away; Well guess what? They lied. The ugly effects of this privatization are about to appear. The Alliance who runs UC Hospital is targeting Holmes Pharmacy to begin this process. As of May 18th, people will have 30 days to sign up for programs to cover their prescript ions or else be refused medications. Holmes Hospital has people available to sign folks up for the Hamilton County Discounted Care and Medicaid. These workers are very considerate in signing people up for programs and attempt to make the paperwork easy. The true 'UC Hosp.' continued on Page 5... �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvibes, the Tri-State's Homeless Grapevine, is a newspaper written by, for and about the homeless. It is compiled by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home­ less. Vendors buy the paper for 20 cents and then sell it for a dollar donation to get back on their feet. All vendors sign a code of conduct before being given a badge. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed co ending home­ lessness 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 Donald Whitehead, Director Jimmy Heath, Coordinator Brett Zwolinski, Vendor Support Ron Carter, Vendor Support James Hobbs, Vendor Support Photo iraphe r Jimmy Heath Writers Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Robert Brown Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dr. Bob Donovan Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Hobbs Paul Linden Bobby Lyles Judith Mendriski Mark Salter Malaka Sanders Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Editorial Polley: Streetvibes accepts all letters, poems, com­ ments or editorials. We will print every­ thing we have room for, giving preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Please send all material to the following address: Streetvibes clo Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 (513) 42 1-7803 fax (5 13) 421-7813 e-mail: homecoal@primax.net http://cinci.com/gcch Quote of the Month: "I don 't mind the non-aggressive panhandlers•••they don't bother Downtr1wn business-person me" Page 2 News From Cleveland's Grapevine Gaps in Services: by Brian Davis There are many shelter beds in Cleveland, but some facilities are not appropriate and a family has no where to turn. One hard to serve population in Cleveland is the man who has custody of his children. There is only one space available for a man and his children. The women's shelters cannot accommodate a man, because some of the female residents are struggling with domest.ic violence issues. There are a couple of units available for intact families in which the rules say that one parent must go out and work. In April, Chris (not his real name). had struggled to work and keep his three children, but was not making it. Finally, he decided to quit his job and give up his apartment and come back to Cleveland to be with his parents. When he got to Cleveland, he found that his parents were in jail and so he had no where to tum. He went to the Department of Human Services to sign up for cash assistance. They told him that if he signed up he would have his children taken by the County. Unlike a women who could go to a shelter, he could not take his children into the men's shelters or the women's shelters. The County said that he had no effective way to shelter his children, and so they would have to be placed in foster care until he could get on his feet. He decided not to sign up for welfare. The one space for a man with his child was full. The other shelters were not an option. By working in the system, he was going to loose his children. He took his children to the streets and stayed under a bridge to keep his family together. After a short period of time, one of the neighbor­ hood centers was able to help him find an apart­ ment. He is now looking for a job, and trying to get his life back together. The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Waiting List: by Alex Grabtree Editor's Note: The most frequent and vocal complaint that we at the Grapevine (Cleveland) hear is with regard to housing, and one of the last options especially for homeless people is to apply for public housing. Setting aside the stigma associated with living in "the projects", applying for a public housing apartment is one of the most frustrating and difficult bureaucracies to overcome. What follows is one individual's story, William Russell. This is not an isolated story: This is typical of the process for a single homeless individual. William Russell lives under a bridge in Cleveland. He works at least 30 hours a week, but has no credit background and has a felony drug conviction in his past. In Chicago, he was caught at the wrong place at the wrong time and was the only person 18 years old. The police decided that it would be a waste of time to bust the juveniles in the group so they laid everything on Russell. Actually, growing up in a drug infested neighborhood. Russell was the exception, never having served time as a juvenile. He spent six months in jail at 18 and left Chicago for Cleveland. He was too "independent" to get a traditional job. He could never follow directions. and dreamed of setting up his own business. For a few years, he worked in a temporary service driving a tow motor. He found that after two years. he still was making minimum wage and he never had enough money to get a place. He did smoke some dope in his spare time for enjoyment, and he had an expensive cigarette habit. Russell did not drink or take hard drugs, so was not qualified for traditional shelter programs that catered to drug addicted individuals. He spent his money on two good meals a day in an attempt to remain "independent." He did not go in for social services or meals for homeless people because he was too proud. Russell made half-hearted attempts to sell street papers, flowers , and anything else he could find . At 28, he looked back and saw chat this independence was taking a toll and he wasn't really going anywhere. Russell came to the conclusion that he needed a house or a base of operation to set up his business. He knew he could never get a tradi­ tional paycheck so therefore no landlord would rent to him. Russell was making around $600 a month and could afford a $200 apartment. In late 1997 (before I I/ 1/97), Russell applied (or an apartment with Cuyahoga (Cleveland) Metropolitan Housing Authority. He went back and applied a couple of times because he did not hear anything. He stayed in a shelter for a period of time and got a shelter referral letter. Russell found a place that would be willing to accept his mail, and he secured the necessary identification. He got a letter verifying his income, and a letter verifying that he was staying under a bridge. After six months, he was notified that he needed to attend an orientation class for low income housing. Russell cook the day off and went to the seven hour class. The CMHA employees went over the rules and regulations of living in a public housing unit. They talked about what CMHA expected from those that live in a unit. There was the basics of cleaning and some good housekeeping tips offered. But what Russell came away with was the discussion of preferences. He dearly remembered the talk about three preferences for public housing: the homeless. the involuntarily displaced and those that were trying to unify their family. Russell said, "It is my understanding they gave me reason to believe that homeless people had priority over everyone else as long as they can prove that they live on the streets or in a shelter. I provided that information and It is true. I felt that I had a good shot." Russell took a certificate of completion away from the class. As described in Grapevine issue 24. CMHA abolished its policy giving priority to homeless people for available public housing. Russell did apply for public housing before this policy went into effect, and so he felt he had a good shot. He was contacted again to sign paperwork and sign release of information forms. He interpreted this as another good sign. T hey were reviewing his application and it was moving through the system. He left a letter with the staff person at CMHA that he wanted to live in one of the high rises because he felt the townhouses were drug houses. After a few more weeks, Russell received a letter "telling me that I have no priority." The letter reflected the new preferences that the CMHA Board 'Russell' cont. next Page... �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine A Student's Perspective on Working With Homeless People Budding Teen Photographers To Exhibit New Work at Images Center for Photography By Wendie Morgan (Social Work Intern} Homelessness effects a large number of people in our society. One is considered homeless when they do not have a place to stay and have no means of getting their own place. I have been working with the homeless population in the Cincinnati area for approximately six months, as part of my social work internship for graduate school. Within that time, I have gained a lot of knowledge about the roles of a social worker. However, I have also learned about the real world. The most important thing that I have learned is how fast and easily one's life can change. Since January, I have had the opportunity to talk to many homeless Veterans with various needs. When I interview people and inquire about how they became homeless. they have responded with various reasons. Some of those reasons include: unemploy­ ment, divorce/separation from spouse. overdue child support. lack of education, mental health issues, substance abuse. and alcoholism. Many of the people that I talked to had a combination of chose problems that resulted in their homeless situation. From a student's perspective. I respect how some people utilize the resources available to them in the community. I also admire those who have gone co treatment programs to work on their issues in efforts to change their situation. When I started working in January at my internship, I was worried that people would not cake me seriously because I was a Social Work student. However. I was wrong. I thank the people who I talked to, worked with. and who patiendy sat through all of my questions, for giving me the opportunity to learn from their life experiences. Without hands-on experience. I would have only been exposed to book knowledge about theories of how everything is supposed to work. When talking to one Veteran about their treatment program, he informed me that he was kind of like my 'Russell'... had adopted in November 1997. It was absolutely contradictory from what he had been told in the orientation. "I thought that I was going to get an apartment," until he was briefed on the meaning of this letter from his contact at CMHA "Now I am never going to get into one of these houses," Russell said. After eight months and an all day class, he received a letter that said that his application was complete and he was on the waiting list. CMHA officials say that the active waiting list is around 5.000 people. W ith an "X" through the box next to "no priority," Russell may be right chat he has no shot at a C MHA unit. Russell was angry when talking about his frustration in trying to get into a place. He said that he has no chance of getting a place if "they are talking thats#@& that homeless people don't have no priority. What the f$#@ does that mean? Homeless people don't have priority? Thats@#$ is f@#$ed up!" He claimed it was discrimination for single men to not have the same preference as homeless families. He asked, "Is this leading single women into getting pregnant just to get some of the services and to get their own apartment? That is why a lot of their lives get messed up." Russell did have suggestions for improving the program. He felt that "public housing" should be for homeless people, un-doubling people, and getting people out of substandard housing. Russell Page 3 Two budding new photographers, Malaka Sanders and Brian Taylor, from Peaslee Neighbor­ hood Center's Teen Photography Club will exhibit recent works at Images Center for Photography, May 29- June 20. There will be an opening reception, Friday evening, May 29, from 6- I 0 PM. Images is located on the sixth floor. Suite 610 in the Pendleton Arts Center at 1310 Pendleton Street in Over-The­ Rhine. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. Wendy Morgan science project. I would like to change the myths of social work students wanting science projects. We are just here to learn and assist our clients in their various needs. Trust me. my experience as a student working in the field and my experience as a student with knowledge from a book are totally different. When you read books, articles, and research studies on why homelessness occurs, you think it will not happen to you. If everyone had the opportunity to sit down and work with a homeless individual, one could realize how easily it can happen. After all, the majority of people I have talked to thought that it could not happen to them. Editors Note: Wendie Morgon is o graduate student at the University o( Louisville's Kent School of Social Work. She hos been working under the direction of Iola Green, Program Coordinator of Health Core for Homeless Programs ot the Cincinnati Veterans Medico/ Center. Wendie plans to graduate witlt her Master's degree in Socio/ Work in July. All the best to her and her endeavors. also suggested that one person on staff should be available to answer questions or respond to con­ cerns about applications. This Is a suggestion mentioned by many on the waiting list who were willing to talk. What came out was a fundamental lack of communication between those seeking housing and the staff at CMHA and an unwillingness on the part of CMHA to bridge this gap. Russell is at a crossroads. He has resolved himself to the realization that he will never get a public housing unit, and is worn down from spend­ ing the winters under bridges. He will either breakdown and slowly and quietly die in a traditional labor job or he will move co another city with the hope of starting a new life. He said, '"If homeless people have no preference, and I am homeless what can I say?" Malaka Sanders is a 19 year-old graduate of Walnut Hills High School. She is a regular columnist for Streetvibes, a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless. Malaka became involved in Peaslee's Teen Photography Club after doing a story on the program in the Streetvibes paper. She plans on pursuing a degree in photojournalism this Fall. Brian Taylor is a 15 year-old freshman at Hughes Center High School where he is a "B" Honor Roll student. His hobbies are photography and music, particularly singing. Brian hopes to study voice at San Diego University and become a singer after graduation. He also hopes to do a lot of traveling. The Teen Photography Club at Peaslee is led by Dawna Mayerson, a downtown Cincinnati portrait and people photographer specializing in black and white work. She's been volunteering at Peaslee since this past Fall, offering a weekly photog­ raphy class for teens in the neighborhood. The class focuses on the basic workings of a 35mm camera, such as shutter speed and depth of field. as well as instruction in light, composition and expression in photography. The photography club originated a few years ago with a grant from the Greater Cincin· nati Foundation, and had been discontinued until chis Fall when Dawna reinstated it. Participation in the club is free and is open to any teenage residents in Over-The-Rhine or West End. Anyone interested in further information on the Teen Photography Club or the exhibit should contact Brenda Zechmeister at Peaslee Neighbor­ hood Center, 621-5514. Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions to Streetvibes can be pur­ chased for $12 per year. Please send a che ck to the below address a nd the paper will be mailed to you e ach issue. Streetvibe s 1506 Elm Stree t Cincinnati, OH 4521 0 Please make checks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Home le ss--Stre etvibes. If you have a ny questions, call 421 - 7803. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine STREETVIBES Welfare News OEC Statewide Conference by Lynn Will/ams The Empowerment Coalition's Second Annual Grassroots Empowerment Conference was held May 15th and 16th in Columbus. It was very successful with participants from across the state, including Athens, Findlay, Dayton and Cincinnati. 179 people attended. Highlights of the Conference were our keynote speakers: Pat Gowan of the Welfare Warriors, Ann Withorn of the University of Boston, Barbara Leyser, EBT consultant. and Donald Whitehead of the National Coalition for the Home­ less. The speakers were both informative and inspiring. Pat Gowan gave an especially moving talk when she spoke on the welfare deform of Wisconsin, W-2. People in the audience were very moved when she talked about how small children have died in Wisconsin because of inadequate child care. The mothers were forced to leave their small children or be sanctioned or cut off by the welfare department. Children died screaming in a house fire because they were not being supervised while their mother worked. She was forced to work by the Wisconsin authorities even though she lacked adequate child care. In a similar story. one baby suffocated inside a car while his mother worked. She had nowhere to leave him. The mothers were prosecuted, but isn't the real criminal the Society that allows W-2 and other states' harsh welfare rules to be accepted as the law? Aren't the real criminals the legislators who pass these draconian laws? President Clinton & the U.S. Congress are equally guilty of those children's deaths because they approved the federal safety net being destroyed. All citizens who refuse to speak up about what ls happening to the poorest families in America share in the guilt. If a baby dies in Wiscon­ sin because of welfare deform, all these people share the guilt of a crime. One baby dying affects all of us. We have a community responsibility to speak out! Sadly. it is not just one baby's suffering. but how many babies across America to be made hungry, homeless, permanently scarred for life and even killed because of the slashing of America's safety net for the poor? Ann Withorn, author of For Crying Out Loud. shared how she and co-writer, Diane Dujon. came to write their book, published by South End Press. This book is about the lives of welfare recipients and how far the realities are from the blasphemous myths propagated by the mainstream media. She spoke on the organizing work recipients, together with advocates (and recipients are included as advocates too). are doing in Massachusetts, espe­ cially fighting against the Massachusetts two-year time limit. The cut-off they are facing is December 1998, so it is very near. She spoke of the immense pressure recipients are facing to somehow support their families after the ax falls. She spoke of the very important need to get out the stories of the real people affected by these draconian laws, so that state legislators, the U. S. Congress and yes, even Presi­ dent Clinton, will hear at least part of the truth and not just the propaganda garbage published by the corporate-owned media. There was a strong feeling at tbis conference that we must unite and build on the momentum of this conference. We must fight together to get our "Emergency Repeal of Sanctions Bill" passed. We must join up with the Welfare Warriors of Wiscon­ sin and Welfare Rights of Massachusetts, and many others across the country, to fight for a repeal of the 1996 welfare law. We must replace bad law with a positive welfare plan for America where all will be treated fairly and equitably regardless of which state they happen to live in. Locally. we must continue to speak out so all will hear whenever a person is cut off erroneously by the local departments. We must spe~k out loud and clear so all can hear when we know the anguish a family is going through because of the harsh Ohio sanctions! The powers that be are not going to like us, so don't think you will win friends in high places by speaking out! The truth hurts those in high places because they don't like being held accountable for the evil laws they have written. Some of the themes that came out of the conference were that "motherwork" (parentworl<, because fathers are important, too) must be recog­ nized as socially valuable work, and the real struggle recognized as ending poverty. Every parent forced by the state to leave her/his small children to work outside the home must be guaranteed safe, super­ vised and quality child care. Every person who works should get a livable wage that will pull her/his family out of poverty. As the saying goes, we must " Fight the war on poverty and stop the war against the poor." For more information on how you can get involved in the Ohio Empowerment Coalition, call the Contact Center at (513) 381-4242. Welfare and Work: let's Stop Buying Into the Violent Attack on Government Child Support- and Start Challenging It by Pat Gowens, Welfare Warriors Milwaukee Wisconsin (note: Ms. Gowens was one of the keynote speakers at the Ohio Empowerment Coalition's Statewide Conference, organized in part by the Contact Center/Welfare Rights Coalition at 1641 Vine St. For info on local welfare rights organizing, call 38 1-4242) Corporate America, with the help of their political lackeys, has succeeded in creating, once again, a forced no-wage and low-wage workforce right here in the USA When Clinton and the Democrats joined Republicans on August 22. 1996 to eliminate that part of the 1935 Social Security Act that provided support to "deprived" children, replacing it with a forced work program for the children's caregiver parent. they in effect legalized slavery... again. It is impossible to discuss workfare or welfare by "putting aside the questions of whether women in need of welfare should be required to work." That is how we have arrived at this shameful period in our country's history. During nine years of very controlled welfare "debate" (actually superficial propaganda), we heard that welfare was a broken system that needed to be fixed with an effective work program. The welfare P.R. experts, whether working for politicians, corporate media, feminist profession­ als, or union activists aggressively silenced a crucial truth: the welfare that they all spoke of is simply a very punitive, meager child support program (or children "deprived" of a dad's support Was this child support system as defective as the private system where only 20% of dads support their children three years after leaving them? Absolutely not. Was this child support system as effective as that other child support program created by the 1935 Social Security Act, the plan that guarantees government support to children until the : Page 4 age of 18 if they are "deprived" of a dad through death or disability, whether mom stays home or works for pay? Hardly. We were never allowed fo compare AFDC child support to these other two child support systems in an effort to improve it. On the contrary, we were led to believe that child support plays absolutely no role in this debate or program! Child support became so invisible, it was never even included in the routine list of "solutions" proposed by the right, the left, the middle, the feminists and the socialists: job training, jobs, child care, health care- for the caregiver mothers. If the U.S. American people could be con­ vinced to forget about child support (and never acknowledge motherwork). then our policorp (politicians working for corporations) "leaders" would be free to replace a child support program with a forced work program- for the mothers who cared for the "deprived" children, not the fathers who had abandoned them. But why require mothers to work off the (other's debt to society? Why spend millions of dollars and hours outlining petty details of barbaric methods to force mothers to work off a puny $370 child support check each month while limiting that support to 2-5 years of the child's 18 dependent years? Why insist that the caregiving mothers are "dependent," when it is the fathers who depend on the government to pay their child support and depend on the mothers to raise their children? Why create a forced work program for highly responsible, single. overworked mothers instead of the irrespon­ sible, abandoning debtor dads? A simple answer is: we live in a patriarchy i.e. a father-run society. But even many of our anti­ patriarchy feminist-run institutions have been willing to "put aside the question" of forcing women to work for welfare child support. (They would no doubt feel differently about a law co force the 20% of women who receive private child support to work it off.) And too many of our leftist friends accept the concept of women forced to work for welfare child support- as long as they can organize the victims into unions. So maybe misogyny isn't the only answer. The five million moms who in any given year are desperate enough to go through the degrading contortions necessary to secure some puny, govern­ ment child support are vulnerable to nearly any blackmail scheme created by the policorps who need slaves to increase their profits. And our country became wealthy on the backs of forced no-wage. African American workers. (Didn't the P.R. policorps experts argue in those days that the slaves were merely working off the shack and food slop given them by their owner-bosses?) Single mothers are vulnerable in ways that few non-mothers can fathom . Socially, legally. emotionally assaulted (and yes. often physically assaulted as well because cowards prefer the vulnerable), single mothers quickly discover that we are at the mercy of anyone who wants use us. We watched in horror politicians used single mothers to get elected, to avoid dealing with real problems, and to receive money from corporations. We trembled when corporations learned they could use single moms as low-wage workers by having politicians threaten us with no-wage work, and as no-wage workers when we could not find or continue paid work. We cried out in dismay and despair when professionals and non-profits (including feminists) discovered that they, too, could use single moms to easily maintain their secure, suburban life-styles, by providing mandatory "job training," "job search," ''parenting classes," "job orientation," "therapy," and unpaid "work experience." Finally we grieved and raged while watching the legal social work professionals earn huge salaries by separating and removing our children from us while alleging that we were child abusers. When we fought back with words and actions, we were silenced by friend and foe who told us that "work will set you free." (A sign over Auschwitz' gate) In Milwaukee one of our most oppressive "JOBS" programs. run by Goodwill �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Pages 'UC Hospital' cont. from Page 1... problem is going to be getting folks signed up. When you are living on the streets or do not have the mental capability to comprehend things well, you probably will not follow through with signing up for programs. The folks who will be hit the hardest are the chronic homeless and the mentally ill. As concerned citizens we need to address this issue now. Do not wait until it affects large numbers of people. Holmes Pharmacy is just the beginning. Their next target is certainly the main hospital pharmacy. This will affect a large number of people in the Cincinnati area. What will be next? Don't we all have a right to medical care? The city still has a lawsuit going on this issue. So, call your city council members and express your concern! The homeless use Downtown 's Washington Park as a place to rest during the day. Industries, advertises on the side of our buses, "Believe in the power of work." Anonymous callers to the Welfare Warriors Mothers Organizing Center curse us and sing "Get a Job." Poor mothers are the targets for this new slavery because our children make us susceptible to vile blackmail while most absent fathers' indifference to their children makes them immune to it. What's more, mothers world-wide make better slaves than fathers because we have so many responsibilities at home that we rarely find time to organize for better working conditions. (And this is an international phenomena. In our multi-policorp world of NAFTA, GATT and SAP, women are the majority of workers in all low-wage, dirty, dangerous jobs.) Finally, by forcing poor fathers out of the workforce and thereby out of the home, there are few male allies/ obstacles to stop the policorps from forcing poor mothers into slavery. The class attacks cause most of our profes­ sional feminist sisters to "set aside the question of whether" caregiver moms should be forced to work for child support. And the class attack allows professional African Americans to agree that "work will set (poor, black women) free." The race attack (aren't most moms on welfar e black?) allows the misinformed whites of all classes (except the welfare class) to join together with the ruling Euro-policorps to attack single (black) moms. The sexist attack allows the union fellows to believe the solution is not to eliminate slavery, but to organize the slaves. And of course the mother-hatred allows everyone to indulge in the age old habit of blaming the mother. Such a lethal combo of hatreds can only b combated by NOT setting aside the question of whether single mothers should b forced to work for government child support. We will only begin to stop the ruthless unity of our policorps when we challenge the lies and omissions that pretend that "work" is the god that will set poor, single mothers free- any work but motherwork: forced work, unpaid work, low-wage work or slave work. Money, not work, is what sets the rich free. Money, not work, is what provides the professionals with security and leisure time. Money, not work, is what a child needs to be assured of a childhood and loving one-on-one care. Money, not forced work, is what a single mother needs to effectively do the motherwork alone and the father's work when she can. Whether we call it "Mothers' Pension" (the name for welfare from 1920-1935), or "Family Allowance' (as in European countries), or simply "government child support," the solution is guaran­ teed child support for all dependent minors- not forced work "programs" for their caregiving moth­ ers. 'Panhandling' continued from Page One... Deputy Solicitor Robert Johnstone and Councilmember Phil Heimlich, who sponsored the ordinances said the city will likely appeal the ruling to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Heimlich said that the decision goes against decisions in other cities. However, as usual, Mr. Heimlich has not done his homework. Recently, judges in Atlanta and Miami have also ruled against ordinances that violate the civil rights of homeless individuals. The National Coalition For the Homeless continues to monitor these discriminatory laws through the Civil Rights Monitoring Project. Mr. Heimlich's statement claiming that this ordinance was originated because of safety has no validity. In an unscientific poll done by Streecvibes r eporters on 4th street, most people that agreed to talk had little or nothing bad to say about panhandlers except that they were annoying at times; not one person even mentioned safety. Judge Sherman sighted five reasons why the ordinances fail the constitutionality test: the City did not have a significant interest in enacting the ordinances: even if the city did have significant interest the two ordinances are not tailored to serve that interest: the ordinances are not content neutral; The city restrictions on speech are unreasonable; The ordinances do not leave open alternative means for panhandlers to communicate. We hope this ruling finally puts an end to attempts to criminalize those that already suffer the day to day horrors of being poor in this city. We hope that this also puts to rest concerns about this nonexistent safety issue so that more attention can be placed on real safety issue's, such as crumbling school buildings, and open air drug trafficking. Finally if our city leaders pay a little more attention to the poor and push for a livable wage instead of giving wealthy tax breaks, (Just last week the city voted to stop caxing stock options), there wouldn't be a need to panhandle. "Drop Inn Center" Opens New Program June 26 by Pat Clifford, Director The Drop Inn Center is celebrating its twenty­ fifth anniversary by opening up a new program for homeless women. On Friday, June 26th, an Open House will be held for the Women's "Full Circle" Program at the Center. Between eight and sixteen women will participate in this intensive program of personal growth. Once a woman completes all the phases in six to eight months, they will be eligible for our new Transitional House at I 126 Elm Street. This newly rehabbed building will house six women who are working to maintain social and financial stability. The name "Full Circle" is meant to symbolize the wholistic approach being used in the program. Annie Coleman, the Coordinator of the Women's Program said, "The program will reflect a continuous effort to provide an enriching and educational experience. W e intend to work together to see that people do not continue to be displaced, that jobs are created and that all opportunities become accessible and possible." The Open House falls on another significant date for the Drop Inn Center: the twenty fifth anniversary of opening the one room storefront Drop Inn on Vine Street. At that time, the Drop Inn was only open part of the day and provided limited services to 20-50 males. The current Drop Inn Center serves 250 people each day with not only food and shelter but men's and women's programs and transitional housing. To commemorate the day, the Drop Inn Center will host tours of the new facilities starting at 2:30 PM. They will then have a dedication cer­ emony at 3:30 PM in the McCracken Room on the third floor of the women's section. The room is handicapped accessible with an elevator for all who wish to attend. The ceremony will include songs, talks and an award ceremony. If you have any questions about the Drop Inn Center Women's Full Circle Program or would like to volunteer or donate anything. call Annie Coleman at 721-0643. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine WORD ON THE "Fly By's by STREET Others a·nd Arts & Poetry Hale-Bopp" WASHINGTON PARK by Steven Michael Rutherford T he Sounds of Children Bring a Joy o f Laughter The re in Summers Sweet Magic World Pool of Fun. Children Echo Cries That Cover Subtle Whispers of Life Moments of Reality That Rest Inhabitants Therein. Pillars of Buckeye Trees Stand As Tall Monuments to a Hidden World Shaded by Nature's Blend of Men. Birds Huddle and Disperse On a Secret Command. Chasing Seeds. Granted. Especially For. Them. End of the Road for Some A New Beginning for Others All in One Place Page 6 Compassion For The Poor by James Hobbs (thinking on Hale-Bopp and shooting stars in general) As we have therefore the oppotunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them "':'ho are of t he household of faith: Gal.vi. I 0. by Dan Gibbons Aw ake, my charity, and feed The hungry soul, and clothe the poor; In heaven are found no sons of need, T here all these duties are no more. Neon red a comet lasered across my sight, A Promethean arrow incising a velvet black night. "Are you here lost, tracing fire across our endless ebony sky?" "How, and in what millennia were you born, and W hy?" "Are you whiter hot magma or methane­ chromed ice?" No matter, I think not from here will I see you twice. "Do galaxian travelers like you numbly suc­ cumb in flight?" Or as Dylan said do you "Rage at the dying of your light!" At the end, "Will we fly by a glimpse of fire in a sky?" Musing mankind's flirt with immolation makes me cry. Or when the end comes, "Will we float alone and cold?" It seems legions of red-hot meteors 0 knew once flashed old. Maurice I've never met anyone like you I'm not sure what to do When I speak, you cannot listen But I'm sure you want to You try to do what's right Somehow it all goes wrong You do t he strangest things And try to get along Others have no patience that I can understand It's hard to be a little boy When you feel like such a man Still all in all I love you and I won't turn away I'll just keep on praying for the things to do and say I've never met anyone like you I'm not sure what to do So I'll just keep on reaching out till you start reaching too Washington Park. IF YOU WRITE POETRY AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK IN STREETVIBES, CALL 421-7803 OR FAX US AT 421-7813 RACHAEL by Denise Crew Little Ballerina Poised and sure As graceful as a feather Gently blown on a soft wind A more beautiful sight I shall never see God has given a gift to you That I must take from thee How will I tell you Will you understand The problem I face is No cash on hand I see the other children Will be in class next week I will keep on hoping A reduced or classes free Keep dancing, I will find a way Keep your dream alive And if not... I shall remember how you danced Until the day I die. Our Apo logies.... Last Month, long-time Streetvibes writers Denise Crew and Judi Mendriski were not given credit for the poems they submitted. Please forgive this error. Guidance I have to pull myself together or decide to be with you forever I know your needs were for your two but now your children are mine too T hey've told everyone their mama is coming to meet your family. I want so much for you and me to make a happy family. But not deep down in Mississippi What to do I have no clue I can't see being without you You want to take me as your wife Make a commitment to you for life You don't understand the strife All this has brought into my life I have my work, my fri ends, my goals but I want your hand to hold. I don't want to live alo ne I want my ho use to be a home My children- will they understand leaving home to love a man So I'll just sit and pray to see what is in God's plan for me STREETVIBES Sweat and T-Shirt:s! Only $5 for T's, $10 for Sweats. STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine 100% White Cotton Shirts and long Sleeve Sweat Shirts XL, Purple logo T-shirts and Sweat Shirts are available at our office at I 506 Elm Street. Please stop by and see us. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine grant for "support services." The bill also tries to "eliminate duplication" by requiring federal depart­ ments to coordinate their efforts to assist the homeless. Sponsored by Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY) and backed by several housing groups, the measure also authorizes Congress to spend up to $1 billion year on homeless assistance through the year 2002, which is an increase from the current level of $823 million. Lazio was quoted as saying that homelessness and hunger have gotten worse even though federal funding for homeless programs have more than doubled during the 1990's. Spare Change Newspaper, April 8 - April 22, 1998 Report Documents Rise In Homelessness Bums/de Cadillac, vol.3 no.4, Aprll 1998 The Washington Post Company Welfare-to-Work Since January of 1995, the number of people on welfare rolls in Maryland has dropped by 39 percent, apparently because of a "Work. not Welfare" cax-incentive program. The program offers a financial incentive for Maryland businesses if they hire welfare recipients- two tax credits: one for a portion of the amount paid out in wages and the other for child care expenses. Employers who hire a person who has been on welfare at least three months can claim a tax credit of a maximum of $1 ,800 during the person's first year of employment, $1 ,200 during the second, and $600 during the third. Additionally. employers who pay for or provide child care to the employees can receive a taX credit of as much as $600 in the first year of employment. $500 in the second, and $400 in the third. Credits are not available for an employee hired to replace an employee who is on strike or has been laid off. Maryland says taxpayers are also benefrting, since the state is realizing a savings of roughly $2 in welfare payments for every $1 in tax credits taken under the program. The program, however. will end July I, unless legislators and the governor extend it for another three years. 1998 Associated Press Streamllnlng Housing and Urban Development (HUD} Seven programs that aid the homeless may be consolidated into a block grant for states and local governments, according to legislation the House approved March 3, 1998. The bill is part of the Republican-controlled Congress' effort to "stream­ line" HUD. The Clinton administration, however, has "concerns." It objects to provisions that would preserve approximately one-third of the funds for developing permanent housing, and discourages states and local officials and others who serve the homeless from using more than 35 percent of any Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscriptions t o Street vibes can be purcha se d for $ 12 pe r ye ar. Please send a check to the be low address and the pape r will be maile d to yo u each issue. Streetv ib e s I 506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please make checks payable to the Great e r C incinnati Co ali­ tion for the Home less-­ Streetvibe s. If you have any que stions, call 421 -7803. 1997 marked the I0th anniversary of the signing of the first comprehensive piece of Federal homelessness legislat.ion, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. In an effort to examine how this nation has fared in its efforts to address homelessness over the past decade, the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) completed detailed research on homelessness in IS geographic locations - 11 urban, rural, and suburban commu­ nities in 4 states. The results of this research, as well as interviews with local, state, and national service providers and advocates, are contained in NCH's new report, Homelessness in America: Unabated ­ A Ten Year Perspective. The report documents a dramatic increase in homelessness over the past ten to fifteen years. Most of the communities studied doubled or tripled their shelter capacity in order to respond to increasing homelessness.. A second finding from the report is that despite the tremendous expansion of the shelter system, demand for emergency shelter far exceeds supply. The report also documents significant increases in the number of children who are homeless. Other findings from the report include increases in the number of employed persons who are homeless and the increasing prevalence of policies restricting access to shelter. Real Change Newspaper, Seattle Congress Slashes legal Aid In 1996, Congress slashed funding for Legal Aid to two-thirds of its previous budget, leaving many low-income citizens without the legal services they need. For fiscal year 1998, only $238 million is being distributed to 275 programs across the U.S. Lawyers for Legal Aid have found themselves able to assist in only the most desperate cases, forcing many low-income citizens to attempt to navigate the legal system on their own. {Studies have shown that those who attempt to represent themselves in court usually do so poorly.) Over one-third of the cases brought to legal Aid clinics are of a domestic nature, from divorce to obtaining restraining orders against abusive spouses. Housing and battles over public benefits make up the bulk of the rest. Without help. the poor are receiving less than equal justice in our nation's courts. Handsnet U.S. Economic Divide Widens A report called "The Millennium Breach" says the economic and radical divide in the United States not only has materialized. it's getting wider. "While leaders and pundits talk of full employ­ ment, inner-city unemployment is at crisis levels," said the Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation, "The rich are getting richer. the poor are getting poorer, and minorities are suffering disproportionately." "People need to become aware that things are getting worse again," said the new report's co­ Page 7 .-'1..'XOTllER C'L .\ SS PRODt:CTIO~ Oise.Jockey Service CLIFFORD JONES (513) 761 ·3464 (513) 230-6353 Community Celebration. Live Music! Every Sunday -6PM Free of Charge Nast-Trinity United Methodist Church 1320 Race St. Cincinnati 721-7339 In Memory of 11 Mac 11 Who Believed In Human Rights For Everyone & Who Founded Justice Watch .•• Because 'Everyone' included Prisoners and Former Prisonors. Jimmy Heath Photography Cincinnati - (SU) S64-98S6 E-Mail - jimmy_ huth @juno . com Friends and Neighbors of Over-the-Rhine An Organization Seeking Justice for People in Cincinnati's Most Endangered Community Subscribe to STREETVIBESI For only $12 per year you can have STREETVIBES delivered to your home every month. National and local Stories on Issues regarding homelessness and the poor. News, Information, Personal Stories and more, written every month by homeless and formerly homeless persons... Send Check or Money Order for $12 to: 'National News' continued on Page 9 Streetvlbes C/ O Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine Page B REFUGEES IN AZERBAIJAN: An Internal Displacement byBrettZwollnskl Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991 , Azerbaijan became an independent country. It is situated on the west coast of the Caspian Sea between Russia. Georgia.Armenia. and Iran. Comparable in size to the state of Maine. Azerbaijan has a population of approximately 7.5 million. Last month I had the chance to visit my brother, Chad Zwolinski, in the capital city of Baku. It is located on a peninsula which juts out from the west coast of the Caspian Sea. Chad is a student at Baku State University who has maintained friendships with several Azerbaijani (Azari) students. Particularly, he has befriended refugee children who spend much of their time at the campus requesting alms from passersby. As a result o f a week long visit, I was able to share in Chad's experiences with the refugees and even interview o ne refugee studying at the University. For personal reasons, the interviewee's name has been changed to Alshan Rahimi. Alshan is a 19 year-old male majoring in International Relations and is Vice President of the Student Union at Baku State University. Being a refugee himself, I found Alshan helpful in providing insight to the problems surrounding the refugee crisis. For purposes of simplifying an actual complex problem, he at­ tempted to explain the crisis in Azerbaijan by grouping it into three problem areas: Territorial Integrity, Refugees, and International Relations. Foremost, there is the problem ofTerritorial Integrity. Armenia, a neighboring country on the western border, now occupies 20% of Azerbaijan's western region known as Karabakh. Their ominous presence poses a threat to Azerbaijan's integrity and security in what was once a peaceful region. Comparable in size to the state of Mary­ land. the po pulation of Armenia is o nly about 3 million. It has been suggested that Armenia's interest could be highly motivated by the fertile land as well as mineral wealth in gold located in the Karabakh region and not from the lack of living space. Since 1989 the two nations have been at war over the Armenian Occupation. Alshan said that since 1994 there has been a cease-fire between the two countries and negotia­ tions for a peace settlement have been moving slowly. Armenia's appropriation and occupation of the Karabakh region has been the cause for the vast majority of refugees in Azerbaijan. Despite Azerbaijan's unequaled refugee problem, the world knows almost nothing about it. The President, Heydar Aliyev, stated that "The world should know that of all the countries on earth.Azerbaijan has the highest ratio of refugees per capita. No other country in the world has such a great proportion of refugees." About one of every seven people living in Azerbaijan are refugees (about 1.3 million today). There are two categories of refugees in Azerbaijan. First, there are the refugees from Armenia who were living in there native homes as Armenian Citizens up until 1988. Despite their vehement opposition.Armenian and Soviet troops forcefully deported them from Armenia because of their Azari ethnicity. There are approximately 300,000 people fitting this category. Alshan was one of these 300,000 and this is his personal account from our interview: Alshan Rahimi was living in Armenia in 1988 at the age of 8 years-old, whereupon the deporta­ tion of Azaris commenced. He was living in a large village near the border ofAzerbaijan, when the Armenian Government announced that all Azaris must leave the country. Alshan said that, "Upon seizing the people of the village, the troops didn't say anything." Armenian and Soviet troops took up arms against the defenseless villagers in November 1998. Alshan said, the troops "...came to the village in one night shooting and five were killed. We were forced to agree to leave, losing all property behind just saving ourselves." Alshan and the people of his village walked about 3 miles to the border where they were received by the Chad wi th 'stacked-up ' Azar/ refugee family. Azari government. The second category consists of refugees who are citizens ofAzerbaijan. Approximately I million of Azerbaijan's 7.5 million people are refugees that have been internally displaced as a result of the Armenian appropriation and occupation of the Karabakh region. The internal displacement Azari people have known is unthinkably tragic. These refugees have known great sorrow: they have been forced to abandon their native homeland, watch their lives and homes destroyed, and lose many relatives during Armenia's ethnic cleansing. (Nearly 50.000 innocentAzari civilians were killed during this ethnic cleansing.) The fate of many Azaris in the last I 0 years has been similar. However, the situation for refugees has been exacerbated due to the lack of resources and international support. As a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Azerbaijan lost the little support it was receiving to absorb and provide for the needs of refugees. Most refugees are forced to live in refugee camps. stacked up, or in the streets with no shelter o r food. Ultimately, there is the perpetual problem of International Relations as Azerbaijan's economic potential is disputed by members of the international arena. Baku is home to a burgeoning petroleum industry largely exploited by western warlords of the oil industry. Considering our heavy reliance upon petroleum for life in the modern age.Azerbaijan has great potential for continued energy e.xploitation in the future. Already.Azerbaijan has entered into contrac­ tual agreements with several transnational American and European oil companies estimated at $30 billion! Paradoxically, Baku is the most densely refugee populated city in a country holding claim to the highest ratio of refugees per capita. Approximately 250,000 take refuge in the city of Baku. Now, the myriads of refugees who are displaced throughout the land can only sit back and hope for the economy to "trickle down" to them. Furthermore, during the process of Westerniza­ tion, Azerbaijan has encountered much opposition with neighboring countries. For example, the regional power houses of Iran and Russia are traditionally and at most times vehemently opposed to western influ­ ences. Particularly, Iran's past relations with Western petroleum industry have seen unparalleled opposition. As a result of its West centered policies.Azerbaijan is experiencing a strong amount of pressure to meet varying expectations. Support from theWest has not been tantamount in stature to the extent which Azerbaijan has sacrificed its relations with neighboring countries. For example, The United States has been particularly lacking in its support, even relinquishing support by means of solicited sanctions. Alshan was explaining .to m e the U.S. Government's Freedom Support Act with which many Americans are unfamiliar. Alshan said that the Freedom Support Act is a U.S. Government program to provide aid to the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. However,Alshan stated that. Photo by Brett Zwollnskl "The 907th Amendment prohibits Amer ican aid to Azerbaijan. This Amendment was adopted in the U.S. Congress in 1992 under pressures of the Armenian Lobby." The pretext for the 907th Amendment is that Azerbaijan is keeping Armenia in a blockade and therefore prohibiting trade and transportation through Azerbaijan. Alshan was outraged that such impudence would be allowed to prevail in the United States. Even though economic sanctions aimed at Azerbaijan have been frowned upon by several U.S. Officials including "President Clinton, President Bush, Madeline Albright," Alshan believes that injustice has run its course through the U.S. Congress. The irony is thick. Ambassador Hafiz M. Pashayev o f Azerbaijan shed light on this irony in The Washington Post on March 12, 1997 stating: I) "Armenia receives the second-largest per capita aid from the United States. while at the same time Armenia's ethnic lobby groups in Washington are responsible fo r a ban on any direct U.S. assis­ tance [to the Azerbaijan government] to about I million refugees in Azerbaijan." 2) "Armenian forces now occupy 20 percent of Azerbaijan, which has no territorial claims against Armenia or any other country. But because the U.S. Congress favors the Armenian aggressor, that created a million refugees and punishes the victims of aggression." 3) " Despite Armenia's flawed election and drift toward autocratic rule, the administration and Congress-atArmenia's behest-.-prevented U.S. Officials from assisting in Azerbaijan's init.ial presiden­ tial and parliamentary elections and from promoting democratic institutions." 4) "America responded in World Wars I and II to Korea and Iraq to prevent territorial expansion through force. At a recent Lisbon Summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).Armenia was the only country out of 54 that opposed a statement affirming Azerbaijan's territorial sovereignty. America's response: contin­ ued aid for Armenia. Foreign policy experts say countries always act in the ir own best interest. In this case, I wonder." Alshan asked me the question, "What if a neighboring country of the u.s: w: re to declare war on the states and occupy it (leaving one of every seven U.S. Citizens a refugee)!" He said that in such a state of war, "it becomes necessary to blockade the aggressor in order to maintain security." To impose such sanctions as the U.S. has upon Azerbaijan "...even a child can understand this is not just," exclaims Alshan. A Letter From Azerbaijan: The following letter was sent by my brother, Chad Zwolinski, from Azerbaijan. Soon ofter receiving this letter, I was on my woy to visit him in this country of burgeoning refuge. I had the fortunate opportunity to share in my brother's experiences by visiting some of the �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine refugees In Baku. I found them to be warm and congenial people who shared ofthemselves well beyond their means. I consider it an honor and a gift to have been enlightened by their meek and charitable spirits. The word for refugee in the Azari language is "gachgin," meaning "one who runs." It is my earnest hope that one day providence will allow them refuge and security from their long suffering pain: Brett. Every other Thursday, the American Embassy shows a movie in the evening and anyone holding an American passport is able to attend. Thursday is otherwise one of our basketball nights, but we skip it if the movie is worth watching. Last Thursday the movie was not so good- G.I. Jane-but we were feeling lazy and decided to go anyway. The place we play basketball is near the Embassy, and so we take the same route to both the Embassy and to play basketball. Often, on the way to basketball, we will see our refugee friends from the Un iversity in the streets, between cars, asking for money (while the light is red of course). I've said for weeks that if I see them again, I will get out and play with them instead of playing basketball-but we've not seen them since saying this. So. we're on our way to the Embassy. and I'm not even thinking of this possibility, and suddenly we see one of the older girls, Gunay (Goo-nigh). I did not want to stop if it was just her, but then we also see Ramin (Rahmeen). And a few seconds later, we see Ayten (Eye-ten), and her brother Alshan. So Jill and I became terribly excited and had the taxi pull over. We told the others to go on and that we'd meet up with them at the movie. As usual, their faces lit up when they saw us, they came running to us, hugging us, etc. And, as usual, they asked us to buy them a Coke or Fanta or Sprite, and we did. I was trying to talk to Ayten, which is difficult when you don't really know the same language, when she said that we were near her house. So, here we are. walking down this street, and then more down an alley. then behind buildings, etc.- Ayten and Gunay holding Jill's hands. Ramin and Alshan holding on to my hands (Alshan holding his 1.5 litre Coke in his other hand, hardly able to keep up with me, and hardly able to hold on to his Coke. We get to their house (see photo, page 8), if it can be called a house, and it is just one little room (which we later discovered that Ayten,Afshan, and their FOUR other sisters live with their Mom, their Dad is in prison). They sat us down on the bed, there was only one for all six people that live there (there was no room for another bed), while they either sat on the floor or stood. They served us tea and cookie/pastry things and bread (and more tea, and more tea, and more tea). Evenc:ually more of the kids we know from the university showed up. and when they would come in and see us there, they just couldn't believe it. It was one thing for us to befriend them on campus. but I suppose they were surprised to see us at their house. We just sat there on the bed-all of the kids wanted to hold our hands and hug us. Alshan, normally shy, was talking up a storm and hugging me the entire time. There are perhaps 5 or 6 families represented in the kids we know at the university-and most of their mothers were also there when we arrived, along with other kids we didn't know, and more eventually showed up. At one point, there had to be close to 20 people in this one little room. I have not enjoyed myself more since I've been here. These little kids, with no dads, and moms not doing so great a job of showing them love. It is about the saddest thing I've seen in my life. No money, always wearing the same clothes, 6+ people living in one house (one room!). made by their parents to beg for money, nearly everyone treating them like second class people (make that people without class). It is painful to look at their pictures. it hurts just to think about them. Anyway, I have been praying for a chance to get to know their mothers so that either they could visit our house or we theirs. And this was better than anything I could have prayed for. When we left, they walked us to the street and Alshan asked me to pick him up and carry him. He put his little head on my shoulder and hugged me, as if holding on for dear fife, all the way to the street (about two blocks away). They were all hugging us and kissing us good­ bye. It was such a fun time. I am honored that they would invite me to their home, and the moms invited us to come back whenever we want to (and of course the kids asked us on Friday if we were coming over again that night). Chad Page _9 NEEDLE ­ EXCHANGE ADVOCATES GET TO THE POINT Capital CoWJrage: Media In the Pub/le Interest 'National News...' from Page 7 cont. author, Fred Harris, a former Democratic senator from Oklahoma and member of the Kerner Commis­ sion. "They need to see their own self-interest in this - That it doesn't make sense to have these underutilized regions in the country and these underutilized people whose lives are being wasted." The report says an estimated $56 billion would be needed to carry out its recommendations: Expand funding for successful programs like Head Start. reduce investments for ineffective programs and cut corporate welfare and military spending. The report cites mountains of statistics: while the national jobless rate is below 5 percent, unem­ ployment rates for young in places like south-central Los Angeles have topped 30 percent; the child poverty rate in America is 4 times the average of Western European countries; the incarceration rate of black men in the U.S. is 4 times higher than the same rate in South Africa under apartheid; and 43 percent of minority children attend urban schools, usually where more than half the students are poor and more than two-thirds fail to reach even basic levels of national tests. The Homeless Grapevine Issue 26 United Nations Accused of Violating UN Charter Patricia Ireland, President of the National Organization for Women (NOW), was granted a hearing with the United Nations Human Rights Committee and the International Labor Organization. Frustrated by the repressive stance taken by fede ral, local, and state governments regarding the problems of the poor and homeless people, activists across the United States are beginning to demand that their human rights, under international law, be respected and protected. This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" which states: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well­ being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing. housing. and medical care." (Article 25). When the United States signed the United Nations Charter, the terms of that Charter became the supreme law of the land. Therefore, it is the duty of the federal, state, and local governments to protect any and all rights granted its citizens under the U N Charter. Support Your Local Vendor... Tell A Friend About Streetvi bes! Greater Cincinnati health activists and officials are in a full court press to air the importance of local needle exchange programs to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C virus, and other blood-borne illnesses. In the wake of recent media attention on the Clinton Administration's endorsement of exchange programs, but failure to fund the controversial medical protocol, three substantive forums are scheduled here to air the issues. Ken Vail, founder of C leveland's Xchange Point and an internationally recognized expert on AIDS prevention and harm reduction, will hold a work­ shop on his efforts at the POZ Life Expo on Friday (May I) at 2.:30 p.m. in Room 4 12 o f the University of Cincinnati's Tangeman University Center in Clifton. Participants will critically examine their own personal philosophies of drug use, treatment, needle exchange, and their interconnections, says Vail, w ho has masters degrees in arts and public health and co-founded a California needle-exchange program in 1989. In all, I0 workshops ranging from spirituality to stress reduction will round o ut the May I POZ event co-sponsored by Everybody's News and AIDS, Medicine. and Miracles. A second session is sched­ uled at Covington's Riverview Hotel May 2. Call AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky (483-5757) for details. T he following Friday, May 8, the Cincinnati Health Department and Council memberTyrone Yates will convene a roundtable of local health leaders and a viewing of a satellite broadcast from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on HIV surveillance and prevention. Cleveland Needle Exchanger Arrested last year, DRCN et members wrote to officials and media outlets in the city of Cleveland on behalf ofThe Xchange Point, a privately funded needle exchange program which had shut down under threat of prosecution by the city government. The city had issued an emergency order permitting needle exchanges to operate, but then revised it so as to specifically prohibit The Xchange Point, despite efforts by the program to work out mut ually accept­ able ·conditions (http://drcnet.org/rapid/ 199711- 19­ 1.html). In May '97,The Xchange Point resumed operations, thanks in part to the many letters from DRC Net m embers and other supporters (http:// www.drcnte.org/rapid/1997/5-2- I.html}. We have more than four times as many readers now as we did 'Needle Exchanger' cont. on Page 13 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Hom eless Grapevine I hope our participation was what you were shooting for. I look forward to the next workshop. hope to hear from you soon. Thanks, Eugene M. (Prospect House) UNFULFILLED AS A WOMAN By Lisa Baker I think that as a woman I need a child to feel motivated and that that need is unfulfilled. And I think the need to have kept my child would have been a means for the man who forced me co access me. I felt the pull of him, because if I had a man to protect me and my child, then I wouldn't have been so vulnerable to having people move in on me... to convince me I wasn't going to be able to keep my bond with my baby so alone like that. People like him abuse the necessity of their role and people are there to rob me of the notion that I can make it without a man. I'm not sure, but I think women still have some very serious rights issues to address. I have to motivate myself without a child and I'm not convinced its natural. My admitting I experienced depression and receiving assistance for it lead me to being open prey for the adoption agency I'd looked into. But. I decided not to follow through with it, to persist. Children Services whom I asked for two weeks of foster care from potentially would never return my child. My therapist fore­ warned me that Children Services might never return my child and evenwally adopt him out themselves with no consent from me and my case manager. I strategically gave my baby up for adoption. It was the best choice given the circumstances, but my question is if circumstances like that should be allowed to continue to people like me? People who just asked for a little help. who care about their baby, and who wouldn't have asked for help if they didn't love their baby and showed it by asking for help. I wasn't told when I received assistance, due to my depression, that I was in a roundabout way forfeiting my right to mother the baby I nurtured in my womb and gave birth to. So, if you would need even a little help, especially in the initial care for your baby, then make sure your family can help you before having a baby. Or, come to terms with adoption or abortion and consider a method of contraception that would protect you form becom­ ing pregnant under the circumstances of rape, incestual molestation, or domestic abuse. This is an issue to be addressed by all women once they menstruate and any woman or man who may need in any amount some form of help regard­ ing childcare. Keep your bases covered because no one can help you clear your conscience if you don't and there will easily be someone to advantage form your mistake. Continuum of Care Mr. Donald Whitehead, I want to thank you for letting us participate in che Homeless Coalition Workshop. It allowed me to be of service in my community. This is a very big part of my recovery. That is getting out of myself and helping another person. {Ed. Note: Eugene was one of the participants in the Continuum of Care Workshop held at Peaslee Neighborhood Center, April 27th, and sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. This workshop allowed participants, which included homeless and formerly homeless individuals and service providers, an opportunity to discuss and strategize funding programs and priorities for HUD {Housing and Urban Development} allocations. By listening to client needs and priorities, service providers can then structure programs that meet those needs. HUD and the Homeless Coalition encourages client participation in these discussions with the belief that know one knows the needs better than the poor and homeless that these programs will serve. Lost year, successful participation in these discussions by clients brought millions of dollars to the dty in program development funding.) Page 10 individuals pay their state employees sixteen to twenty plus dollars an hour to help further corrupt the prisoner so that he returns to the syttem once he is released. They are actually taught the art of dehumanization in classrooms. I would love to be sitting behind a desk waiting for the returns on my investments, but not at the detriment of society or its children. I have seen a lot of things take place on the inside, and it's all manipulated by the administra­ tion at the cost of the prisoner and society. I am currently and adequately stressing that their is an extreme abuse and waste of millions of dollars of taxpayers money by a defunct system. They bleed you for taX dollars to currently invest in a penal system that is not only nonproductive in its goal, but does not receive all of these tax dollars. However, the real conditions existing within the prisons are hidden form society by smooth talking and manipulative bureaucrats. It is bleeding the laborer, small businessman. and the elderly, instead of building a solid tomorrow through your children! These wastes of resources need to stop, but I, as a prisoner. can do nothing. It must be you, the one who the system is really hurting. A prisoner who speaks out is threatened, abused, or retaliated against and sometimes even stopped by a system that is corrupt. This same system is supposed to change the cognitive process of the prisoner from the idea of criminal activities and work to change them into being productive citizens. Think about your children and the future of society. And cake a stand against a corrupt system. It doesn't accom­ plish anything by pretending chat it does not exist. Instead you must contact your state officials and voice your concern. Or change your voting issues the nexc time you visit the polls. You can contact your district representative or senator. WHAT'S OHIO'S CONCEPT OF REHABILITATION? SLAVE LABOR by Dan Cahill In Struggle, James W. Pryor Does the State of Ohio have a concept of the word Rehabilitation and it's fundamental purpose? Ohio has developed a billion dollars a year business that is steadily growing, while educational opportuni­ ties for your children greatly dissipate. We must ask. why has the penal system become a system full of revolving door prisons while today's kids are shooting and killing their classmates? The right to rehabilitation is defined as the right to an opportunity to return to society with a better chance of being a useful citizen and staying out of prison. This right requires not only education and therapy. but also a nondestructive prison environment, and when possible, less restrictive alternatives to incarceration. However, in Ohio, the prisoner is warehoused in a corrupt and dehumanizing system. Education and counseling are virtually nonexistent. Yet drugs, homosexuality, overcrowding, maltreatment, and many other forms of abuse exist within today's prisons. Society is kept in the dark about these abuses and the form of prisoner it creates for return into society. They are kept in the dark so that the bureaucrats can capitalize off of the misfortune of the prisoner by receiving federal grants. Yet schools within society are not receiving appropriate funding to properly educate your children. I advise that you watch the news and see what society's children are being turned into by the individuals who run the system and why they are implementing tougher laws for juveniles. They are being made the future prisoners of Ohio because its become a billion dollars a year industry that's growing even larger. Tell me of any businessman that doesn't want a large rewrn on his investments. Ohio mass produces prisoners who leave a system angry and wanton for vengeance upon a system that has abused them during their entire incarceration. These same The Governor recently signed into law Senate Bill 111. This is an oppressive piece of legislation that will have a negative impact on many aspects of the criminal (ln)justice system. Part of this bill will enable prison officials to charge prisoners a fee for medical services. The fee will automatically be deducted from prisoners' "state pay." State pay is the amount of money the prison system gives prisoners each month to purchase necessary hygiene articles that the state does not supply prisoners with. State pay ranges from $3.00 to $22.00 depending on a prisoners status. What this means is that prisoners will literally have to choose between buying tooth paste or paying for medical care. A severely ill prisoner will have to pay all his/her state pay for medical care and will have nothing left for hygiene articles. · Another part of the bill will allow the state to charge prisoners for their cost of imprisonment. and will virtually ensure that prisoners will never be able to break out of the cycle of poverty and imprison­ ment. This debt will follow prisoners out into the free world once they're released and will result in indentured servitude for many years, if not for the remainder of their lives. The bill further encourages prison officials to establish "work programs" and aggressively market the slave labor of prisoners to private industries, and severely limits the safety requirements that prisoners must work under. This new law also requires the state prison system to establish an involuntary testing of prison­ ers for HIV/AIDS, and also enables the state to test people outside the prison system involuntarily for contagious diseases. It's ironic that this piece of oppressive legislation was supported by Senator Eugene Watts, who was recently convicted himself of pancaking honorarium fees to avoid reporting this · source of income. The real criminals never make it to prison, and they're the ones governing our lives and freedoms . Slavery is alive and flourishing in America! �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Streetvlbes Crossword by Paul linden Page 11 Findlay Market Outreach by Ron Carter Across 1. Christian Sabbath Day 5. Month of Ground Hog Day 11 . Tire Nuts 13. At Any Time 14. Double Stuffed Cookies 15. Island of Immigration 16. Seller of Streetvibes* 18. Cherishes 20. Recovery Group 21 . Flightless Bird 24. Keystone State{abbr.} 25. School Group Fighting Drunk Driving 26 . Longhorn State 28. An Equal 30. A Command or Request 32. Having Uttle Money 33. Path for Vehicles 34. Type of Tree 35. Writing Fluid 36. Smallest State 38. Colorfull Season 40. 24 Hours 41 . A Beverage 42. A Stone 44. Season for Blooming 45. Buckeye State Capital 49. Calif. City 50. Coldest Season 52. Mardi Gras Day of Week 56. Beware of the Ides or 59. 1st State to Ratify the Constitution 62. Season of Schoollessness 64. Roc.ky Mountain State{abbr.} 65. Dairy State of the East 67. AMa.rsh 69. Japanese Currency 70. Charged Particle 71 . State with Columbia as Capital{abbr} 72. Sewing Material 73. Carries Blood Away From Heart 74. Buckeye State 75. ... 76. To Splice n . A lie 78. FormerSuperPower .••upon this rock I will build my church••• Matt.16:18 by Evangelist Rodney Sutton, Sr. Answers.Jo Crossword on Page 13 HAIKU Scramble 1. Half a School Year 2. Sun's Rays 3. Carson City is the Capital or_ _ _ __ 4. Intense Fear 5. To Predict 6. Hospital Department 7. Gentlemen Callers 8. Spare the_; Spoil the Child 9. Entertained Military 10. Beatles' Song 11. Mouth Part 12. You and Me Subs criptions to Streetvibe s can be purchased for $12 per year. Please send a che ck to the be low address and the pape r will b e m aile d to you each issue . Streetvibes I506 Elm St reet C incinnat i, OH 452 10 Please m a ke ch ecks pay­ a ble t o t he G reater Cincinnati C oalitio n for t he Hom e less-· Streetvibes. If you have any questions, call 421 -7803. Words From The Evangelist I want to begin by thanking you all for your prayers and calls of support. Because of your prayers God has blessed AWOL Ministries with a building at 2305 West 8th Street. It is on the corner of West 8th and State Avenue. I have spent the last part of May cleaning the building, and with your continued prayers, support, and pledges. I hope to spend the month of June meeting with community leaders and ordinary people to assess the co mmunity needs and how AWOL Ministries can meet those needs. However, I am in need of folding chairs, religious pictures, a po dium and other miscellaneous church items. Please call 2 10-4181 for information and to help. · Down Subscribe to Streetvlbes 17. Entrance 19. Two of Clubs eg. 22. Mythical Sea Creature 23. Rainy Month 24. Summit 27. Secret Agent 29. A Very Long Time 30. Northwestern Coast State 31 . Office Table 37. A Round Object 38. Very Well Known 39. Heartland State 40. Winter Month 41. Holds Water 43. Hawaiian Dance 44. Weekend Day 46. Mother's Day Month 47. Fish Fry Day{abbr} 48. Summer Month 51 . Not Here 53. Recent Olympic City 54. Settlements of a Dispute 55. Fake 56. I, Myself 57. Military Branch 58. Little Jack_ _ 60. To Avoid 61 . A Great Lake 63. Great lake State{abbr} 66. Additional 68. Cereal Grains 71 . To Weep Uncontrolably Since the last issue o f Streetvibes was printed I have still been collecting signatures for my O ne-Way Vine Street petition. It has been going really well, I must say. I have been able to talk a lot of people into signing the petitio n after they had told me t hat they had no interest in doing so. A lot of the shoppers never knew that Vine St. was fo rmerly two­ way in O ver-the-Rhine. After I explain to them how much of a problem it was with all the accidents and congestion, they really can't understand why anyone would want to change it back. So me of the shoppers said they remember how it was or heard stories of how it was on two-way Vine. And they think it would be a disaster to change it back. As far as anyone losing business on Vine because of O ne­ Way as it is, in my o pinio n, is a bunch o f bull. Because if I wasn't doing well if I owned a business because the direction of the street that my business was located on was changed then I think I would have to find me a new location. On the other hand, if you are selling a product that I want in your store I would still come to your store no matter how the street had been changed if you have been fa ir with me as far as prices are concerned, etc. I know I am not the only one who feels that way. So let's think hard about what is more important; two-way or O N E-WAY VINE. l'll leave you with this thought. Until next time please try to Keep One-Way Vine On Your Mind. T hank you. by Brett Zwollnskl by Ron An unrhymed Japanese verse form of three lines containing usually 5, 7, 5, (or 7, 5, and 7) syllables respectively. Please submit your suggestions for monthly Haiku to Brett Zwo linski, at STREETVIBES. Now, Anna Mitchell's Haiku: a defiant child white knuckled for redemption searching for a self Carter Try to unscramble these related wo rds: LUQLAS PORCOE SLECSLI MIHLCHIE TONUREP ENTESR LRYIRTL TEYSA N BIRNUW NEO YWA NEIV TERSET Answers on page 15. �STREETVIBES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Homelessness: handouts not the answer by Te 'tro Amaru Have you ever thought about homeless people, other than wishing they would bathe and stop damaging your nostril tissues? Better yet, do you even truly care about homeless people? Come on, be honest with yourself. It's just you and me here and I can't even hear you. Well, I'm going to keep it real. I'm not losing any sleep over America's homeless situation. And depending upon my mood on any given day, I'm likely to walk on or over a homeless person lying in my way. I don't give to charities because there's no telling whose pockets are being filled and I don't believe that Jerry even has any kids. Also, Sally Struthers has gained at least 300 pounds since she initially asked people to send money to help feed little Juju and other starving children. So I'm sure you can conclude for yourself whose been eating the children's meals and why they're still starving. I don't give hand-outs or spare change because it really doesn't get a person anywhere. It's the same concept as the Black Republicans: tokens only take you for a ride and then you're quickly back to where you started. Don't get me wrong, I love all my peoples with a passion from the down and outs to the sell-outs. And although the homeless dilemma transcends all racial and cultural barriers, the question is, how do we find a meaningful and effective solution to the problem? Is developing soup kitchens, temporary shelters and passing out gifts of spare change du ring the holiday seasons the answer? Or is the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996, the answer? Is having college students sleep outside decorated cardboard boxes at Shantytown and promoting homeless awareness for a week, the answer? Have you ever contemplated how and why it is that homeless people have come to find themselves at such a low position in life? Not every homeless person is lazy or lacks the motivation to seek and secure a job. The reason could be as simple as having some slumlord not accept your rent when it's five days late and evict you as a result. With family twelve hours away, limited friends who you don't wish to intrude upon, and an independent nature and will to succeed- becoming homeless arrives very easily. Other factors for the cause of homelessness may occur through the shortage of affordable rental housing, mental illness, domestic violence and chemical dependency among others. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty used a projected annual rate of increase of 5 percent to produce a 1996 estimate of 760,000 people homeless on any given night and 1.2 to 2 million people who have experienced homelessness during one year. For the last seven to eight weeks I was one of the homeless, camping out on the Herald train tracks and under the Victory Parkway bridge. or sleeping in the study lounges of various dormitories I could get into. I used to joke about being homeless and maintain that I would rob and steal before ever living on the streets. I suppose a lot of white people are fortunate for my changed state of mind, since I refuse to rob and steal from my own people (call it a "black thang.") Being virtually jobless and with limited funds. affordable housing became a major issue and a problem. Sure I could always rent a house on Winding Way and return to the infamous entrepreneurialship to pay the enormous and outrageous rent. But with so many prep kids acting like cool kids, constantly wanting to get high on credit, get busted and then wanting to narc on you. I'm not with it. I'm too close to fulfilling my dreams and in three to four years, I'll hopefully be racking in the dough anyway. Hard times make you distinguish and realize who your true friends are from the every day hi-bye rumor spreaders. The public could learn a lesson from my family for their undying love and uncondi­ tional support (you'll have your BMW before you know it, Mommy), or from Sherwin Anderson (who I love like family) who was always there for me. The public could also take a few cues from all the cool kids who let me duck the cruel weather by periodically crashing out at their places (when I'm knocking heads professionally, I'll remember who all helped finance my education over the years). And I thank open-minded people like Pudgy and DMK who took down the "No Niggers Al­ lowed" signs and gave me a place to sleep for about two weeks. So as I continue to journey on a mission for success while not allowing anyone nor anything to block my dreams (even if it means working at McDonalds, cha-ching). I'm left clueless as to the answer to the homeless situation in America. The research I've gathered shows there are more or less hand-outs and financial assistance given on the federal level. But it's time someone, somewhere stopped providing governmental dependency programs for the homeless and begin guiding and teaching homeless individuals how to provide for themselves. There is an old saying that if you give a man a fish he'll eat for a day, but if you show him how to fish , he'll eat for life. I'm just one person with a lot of questions and few answers to a problem that affects all of us (humanity) whether we acknowledge it or not.. Editors Note: Mr. Amoru is a former colum­ nist (or the Xavier Newswire. Some of the views represented in this article could be interpreted by some as separatist, even racial. In no way are the views set forth in this article meant to be representa­ tive of those working or serving here at Streetvibes. Our intent is merely to publish articles to be read at each individuals discretion. Finally, we here at Streetvibes encourage your responses and input regarding articles published in Streetvibes. Finally, upon receiving your comments, we will toke into consideration publishing them as well. Mark Salter Celebrates Recovery Nine months ago I could not even imagine living and enjoying life drug free . Today I "cel­ ebrated" 9 months clean, thanks to God, the fellowships, and the desire to stay clean and sober. graduated from the Drop-Inn Center live-in drug rehabilitation program. I imagine for some the word "graduated" may seem kind of paradoxical because one doesn't quite graduate in "recovery." So let me clarify: To graduate from a substance abuse program means to me that one has followed the rules and suggestions related to learning to live life on life's terms without the use of drugs. It means to me, after developing a foundation rooted in honesty. open mindedness and the willingness, one has become prepared to face life one day at a time. For me that was the hard part. I used drugs to boost my self esteem, to medicate self-pity and sadness. It didn't stop there. I used drugs always to celebrate something, anything, and everything. However, using drugs robbed me of my true Page 12 happiness. When I graduated, I graduated from an atmosphere of recovery, perhaps to some a safe­ haven. To an independent life, where I am respon­ sible and held responsible for the life I have now to live. In a sense, I've finally grown up. But oh! Don't get me wrong. The process doesn't stop. Living in a program helped me to develop a habit of being aware of my thoughts, feelings, actions, and reactions while giving me some tools to discern from the positive and negative ones. Then putting to use those tools. My life is still a life, just like many others. But for me it is truly a blessing never having to worry and wonder how am I going to get high Today. And truly some days being clean is "as good as it gets" (to quote another). For me, the greatest gift is being clean. Everything after that is a blessing. For me, the day I stopped using was relatively easy. the hard part was not picking up again... from habit or conditioning, barding the compulsion. I remember an addict saying this: There are 3 things co remem­ ber that will help in recovery: I) Don'-t use. 2) Don't use. 3) Don't use. I accept this, because I'm finding as long as I don't use. I've got a chance. Now I'm discovering that life has more to offer than just having a job, a relationship, and a little money. But I choose not to disclose that. Because that is some­ thing that is between you and your higher power. Besides. I can't explain it. Life has a lot to offer. I know some days when its the "Same ?#?!, different day" syndrome. But it's our perspective that makes it so. The closedness of our minds that makes life seem so monotonous. Make a change! Cut back on the coffee, cut back on the meat. Read a book. go to a play or concert. Do something different! Join a gym, learn a new language or a new skill. Stop building yourself a prison wall around your life! Give yourself a break, cry something new. One day at a time. There is a passion that dwells within, which is ignited by love, honesty, and God. Make your tomorrow by planting seeds of kindness, patience. and understanding. Simply because it doesn't hurt anyone when you say it's OK, I understand. A Relationship With an Addict by Maryann Bravo Living with addicts is not easy because you never know when the person is going to change on you. last year I met a recovering addict. We became friends lacer on down the line. I fell in love with him. I fell in love with him for so many reasons. I) He has changed his life for the better. 2) He is trying so hard to stay clean. After a few months being with him, I didn't understand why he was going to these meetings. I find thatALANON meeting groups help me better my life and understand the man I love and going through our relationship. It's going so good. When I got into this relationship I knew this was not going to be easy. After being with him for a few months, I can see the difference in his life. If you get into a relationship with a recovering addict, you have to go to your own meetings to understand the person you love. And going through, I thank God for giving me a chance with this man. Being a part of his life makes me happy and joyful. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Ravings of a Mad Womyn a monthly attempt to chip away at the rule of the Establishment .• by Ma/aka "the personal is political'' is a theory that Black people definitely know (though feminists were the first to put it that way). I chink that we know that better than anybody. My grandmother (like many Black grandmothers) expressed this to me early when she·d talk about "racism" by talkin about growing up poor and Black in the South in the '30s. In face. it was these experiences- of being called "nigger", of having to go to segregated schools, of not getting certain jobs- that fueled the Civil Rights Movement of the '60s. The masses then were empowered. because the idea was, "my first-hand knowledge makes me an expert." But is that the truth? ls personal experience and political consciousness the same thing? Black feminist scholar bell hooks addressed this point in her book, Ain't I a Woman (notice she spelled womyn wrong) when she wrote,"to experi­ ence the pain of race hatred or to witness that pain is not to understand it's origin, evolution, or impact on world history." Oh, so that would.be the difference between the militant activist and the wino who blames "da white man": consciousness comes from the examination of the structures of domination (no. I didn't steal that from Jesse Jackson). Which means that seeing how oppression plays out in our own lives is an important step in the process toward "politicization"- but it shouldn't end there. When it does end there, that is when we think of racism as only what we "see" and what "affects" me, we don't even begin co realize the magnitude of the problem or the magnitude of our strength. And, of course, by denying two key facts , that there is a problem and that power, even to the point of revolution, lies within the hands of the masses, things continue to go. ya know, "business as usual"; so I'd like to comment on where I see that certain knowledge has been "sanitized". We know the history of this country right? As related to theyAfrican-American experience, basically we were slaves until the Civil W ar. However, two things that aren't often discussed related to this are I) the economic system that thrived o n exploitation then is the same one that we are under now (capitalism) 2) slavery did not happen peacefully. That's actually an understatement. Slaves were known to burn fields and even kill their masters (Angela Davis discusses this in Women, Race & Class). Knowing this history would be to understand the "origin" that hooks speaks of. And to have knowledge of the history of anything is to gain perspective about it and to get a glimpse of it (racism in this case) at it's most basic level. So how has racism evolved? Oh, where to begin... the Blacks who were slaves then are "wage slaves" today, making much less than Whites on average, and that's if you can even get a permanent job. Many permanent jobs have moved out of the country where others, people of color elsewhere, do the work for much less than even their standard of living, because capitalism still rewards the exploita­ tion of the masses. Also. for profit prisons combined with for sell politicians are making a killing ware­ housing the poor. And of course. it's still very easy to make something look bad by attaching a dark face to it (welfare must be abolished! we need cameras on every corner! keep out those immigrants!) The greatest lesson of slavery, though is that overt repression does not work. So. co-optation, rewarding individuals instead of conceding to the demands of the masses. is now the preferred method. That's why there are prominent Blacks everywhere­ in politics, sports. on the police force, on your T.V.­ but little improvement of the Black condition. And those who won't put personal gain over collective relief, (Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier,Assata i 1 ·;.· Shakur, etc.) put 'em in jail and hope that the masses forget about them - which is real easy to do when it doesn't get in the paper somehow. The economic plans that will help bring about the "new world order" (NAFTA, GATT & MAI), are overtly racist and will serve to keep the "third world" far behind for quite a long time. But of course, this isn't newswor­ thy either. So, in keeping with it's history. America continues to tell us that: I) there is no problem (by denying that the growing number of prisons, growing resentment of non-white immigrants, and the "world economy" that's only working for a small minority is connected to race-based oppression) and that 2) we have no power (that our, "da man is just screwing us" attitude is just a hallucination, and that most people are doing fine). But of course, that I, a 19 year old African­ American womyn is writing this is proof, in my mind, that the resistance movement is still alive and kickin'. That you have to hunt down a homeless person sellin a paper in order to get these ideas is proof that we still have a long ways to go. Alright so now that you realize that racism still exists and it still has a real impact on people's lives (you can find other specific examples yourself by just reading between the lines) what do you do? Well, I say go out and make some noise, but I have faith that the noise will be made eventually- it's too hard to believe that humanity could continue along it's present course for much longer. 'Needle Exchanger' cont. from Page 9 then and The Xchange Point needs our help again. This morning (4/28), Ken Vail, founder and Executive Director ofThe Exchange Point. Cleveland's second needle exchange program, was arrested, only two days after returning from the North American Syringe Exchange convention, where attendees were warmly welcomed by Baltimore's mayor and commissioner of public health. Ken has been charged with an "unclassified misde­ meanor," a pretty minor charge, but is being held in jail with ball set at $ I 0,000. His lawyer is working to get him released. Ken was arrested for violating the City's health emergency order on syringe exchange that was revised earlier this year. The revised regulations had asked programs to desist from syringe exchange until they had demonstrated widespread community support through a variety of mechanisms such as community forums. Ken has been working on increasing the community support. but has been vocal in criticizing the desist component of the order. A warrant was issued for his arrest. and he turned himself In this morning. The city's accion threatens to increase the spread of drug-related HIV/ AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases. The timing of the arrest, and the unusually high bond for an offense that would typically carry no bond, raises the suspicion that the arrest was politically motivated - not only, perhaps. as individual retaliation against Ken Vail, but as a backlash against the headway that needle exchange has made during the last several days: Eight days ago the Secretary of Health & Human Services endorsed needle exchange in principle for the first time. and three days ago several members Page 13 of the Congressional Black Caucus called for drug czar Barry McCaffrey's resignation because of his covert maneuvering to undermine other members of the Clinton administration who support needle exchange (more about this in the next Week Online). CAL L THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC OFFICIALS: Mayor Michael R. White: (216) 664-2000 (switchboard open from 8:30am-4:30pm EST) via fax: (216) 664 28 15 via mall: City of Cleveland City Hall 60 I Lakeside Avenue Cleveland, O H 441 14 Public Health Director Robert 0 . Staib: (216) 664-4370 via fax: (216) 664-2197 via mail: City of Cleveland 1925 St. Clair Avenue Cleveland, OH 441 14 City AIDS Czar Bob Bucklew: (2 16) 420-8504 Subscribe to Streetvlbes Subscr iptions to Streetvibes can be p u r­ chase d for $ 12 pe r ye ar. Please se nd a che ck t o the be low address a nd the pape r will be m aile d to you each issue. Streetvibes I506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 Please m a ke che cks payable to the Greater Cincinnati Coa litio n for the Home le ss--Streetvibes. If you have any que stio ns, call 421 -7803 . Answers to Streetvlbes Crossword from Page 11... �' STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine Page 14 The RECOVERY HOTEL makes a difference in lives and the community The Recovery Hotel is a 20 unit SRO (Single Room Occupancy) apartment building for individuals seeking a sober living arrangement in a secure building. Most of the Recovery Hotel residents hove completed some kind of treatment program and ore looking for the kind of continued support offered by living in a drug and alcohol-free building, while taking steps to get their lives back in order. Located at 1225 Vine Street in Over-The-Rhine, the building is a formerly abandoned tenement that required a lot of hard work by volunteers and community activists. Thousands of hours of volunteer labor were needed to completely gut the old structure and make it ready (or rehab. Community activists fought long and hard (or funds and city approval of the project. The struggle to complete the project took nearly a decade. Finally completed in December of 1995, the Recovery Hotel stands as a notional model (or programs of its type. Living in the Hotel allows residents to adjust to independent living after leaving a structured recovery program. The Recovery Hotel by Robert Brown The Recovery Hotel provides the atmosphere of recovery. It is just about in the heart the Over The Rhine niehborhood of Downtown Cincinnati. At the Recovery Hotel you have access to a lot of places within walking distance. Like churches. 12 step meeting places, stores, the library. Community Centers, and o ther services. We are located at 1225 Vine Street. Across from us is a bus swp that can connect you to UC (University of Cincinnati) College, UC Hospital, and other hospitals in that area. The Recovery Hotel is secure. We have desk managers on duty day and night just in case you need to speak to someone about anything. W e have 20 units for men only. They are furnished w ith refrigerators, stoves, and bedroom furniture. The electric. bills are reasonable, if you like them like that. We have a nice large lobby with a recreation room which we are in the process of improving. You will have access to a washer and dryer in a large basement where you can work out if you like. The only requirement is 6 months clean and an honest desire to stay that way. If this is your idea of a place you can work your program, call us today at 421­ 0227. The Recovety Hotel, at 1225 Vine Street in Over-The-Rhine To live at the Recovery Hotel... by Bobby Lyles The Recovery Hotel, located at 1225 Vine Street in Over The Rhine, is a recovery facility for housing twenty adult men in recovery from sub­ stance abuse. The hotel is a shelter plus care program and is SRO (Single Room Occupancy). It was opened in 1996 by the Drop Inn-Center and ReSTOC. It is staffed by three house managers and coordinated by Bobby Lyles. The basic requirement is recent completion of a treatment program of a 5 to 6 month period of time. We are currently accepting applications that can be obtained at the hotel. The hotel is Section 8, meaning that for those who qualify, CMHA (Cincin­ nati Metropolitan Housing Authority) will pay the part of their rent above thirty percent of their gross income. There is a refundable security deposit of $297. After completing the application process, Recovery Hotel staff will guide you through the interview and Section 8 procedure. While in the program, residents have daily rap sessions with a house manager and attend both in­ house and outside AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meetings as well as weekly house meetings. Any additional information can be obtained by calling 421-0227 or the Drop-Inn-Center (721-0643) located at 217 West 12th Street. Cincinnati, Ohio 45210. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Help Wanted Catholic Worker House 1437 .Walnut Street, OTR Shelter for 15 homel ess men needs house staff member. Should be able to Interact with formerly homeless men and be willing to work flexible hours. For more Information, call Patrick at 381-4941 or send resume. Looking for a place to call home? Call the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority Affordable rent that never exceeds 30°/o of your income ... Many buildings equipped with security systems ... Units located on buslines and near stores, schools, hospitals, banks Rental units are available in these family and senior communities: Avondale Hopple Street/Fairmount West End Winton Place For more information, call 421-8190 today. �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine ANNOUNCING A new Gro up at A VOC... For Heterosexuals l iving With Aids Are you looking for a broader knowledge of the challenge of llv/ng with HIV/ AIDS? Would you /Ike to meet people who share slmllar experiences and hear their coping strategies? Are you looking for peers wi th who ou can discuss and plan for the future? FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS by Sonny Wiiiiams On March 27th, hundreds marched in front of the White House to demand the freedom of political prisoners in the United States. We have two political prisoner's In the Ohio Prison System that should be supported: Dan Cahill at Orient Prison and John Perotti at Lucasville Prison, If you are interested to write these prisoners, write to: COME MEET WITH US STARTING ON2/5/ 98 Where: AVOC " Gray Room" When: 1st and 3rd Thursdays 6:30 PM to B:PM More Information: Susan or Judy 421-2437 Ohio Prisoner's Rights Union P. 0. Box 1746 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201-1746 Lalwn Band Look!pc Cor Work Street,•ibes (the band). We lik to pally. R&B. Oldies. Blues/ Jazz. Reggae. Helping 1h.: horneless t.ll help 1hen1selves through free enterprize. Call 421-7803. Streetvibes is now accepting Classified Ads for items such as Help Wanted, Items for Sale, Apart­ ments for Rent and other non-personal items. The race is only $ 1 per line. approxrmacely four words per line. Classified ads are due by the 20th of the month. People below the poverty level will be allowed five free lines for six months to advertise their skills or products to our readers. Otherwise, payment muse be received before the ad will run. No refunds will be made. Also, if there is an error, notify us after the first printing. You will be given an extra month of ad time. Mail the ad copy to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, OH 45210 or fax it to 42 1-78 13 Scramble Answers from page 11. .. Qualls Cooper Cissell He/ml/ch Portune Sterne Tiiiery Yates Winburn One Way Vine Street 1 forsale Native American cookies: orders being accepted; R. C. Janus, (Fax) 891-8663 Looking for a laborer? Has worked at Riverfront. Is willing to do any kind of work. Call Sonia Craig at the Drop Inn Center. 721­ 0643 . Elderly or Children Looking for a community oriented job dealing with elderly or children. 3 year ouriench worker/ counse lor aide at YMCA. 13 years typing. Computer and cashier experience inc luding Windows, Lo1us. Any Word Processor. Call Anj:iil Madyun nt the Drop Inn Center. 721-0643. o m ce worker aeeks 20-30 hour s it down job on bus line. wiLhin 2 miles of the river in either Kentucky or Ohio: no n-rnedical terminology, non-filing cabinet office work: social services. sales. public information. c rafts, and other background. some computer experience: contact Box 2, Streetvibes. 1506 Elm St., Cincinnali. 45210. Degreed, succesaful grants administrator/writer seeks commissio ned. free lance posi1ion as same: lcn percent commission per award. Contact J. Janus. Jr. (Fax) 891-8663. Native American-Hispanic female seeks sit down. slow­ paced industrial FACTORY position: physically challenged. (Fax) 89 1­ 866'.I. I . Streetvibes will be distributed for a $ 1 voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for donations more than $1 . I also understand that I will be able to keep 80 cents of each dollar collected. Future issues of Streetvibes will be purchased from the Homeless Coalition for 20 cents. 2. I agree that I will never distribute Streetvibes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 3. I agree that I will not ask for do nations after 12 midnight. 4. I agree to treat others with respect. I will not use abusive language or force someone co give a donation. I will not give a "hard sell" or make someone feel threatened. 5. I agree that I will not supply copies of Maurice Mccrackin Day Saturday, June 27th. Come and Celebrate Mac 's l ife and Work · at The Commons, Ezzard Charles Drive. Picnic and Potluck 1 to 6 P. M. Speakers 1:30 P. M. Open Microphone Story Hour Starts at 3:30 (Anyone Who Cares to Share a Mac Story) Throughout The Afternoon Music Mac Memory Book Other Events Bring a blanket, some food for your family and the potluck••• SaJq .Repn;acptative Looking for pos ition as snles representative or management. Has good bookkeeping, typing and supervisory skills. Hns e xperience in retail management, c usto mer service nnd sales. Is available to work immediately. Call Dea Harris at 552-9351 very dependable and available immediaLely. Please contact Wiley Powell ill 831-8404. ~cpcy Restaurapt Work Responsible older man nble to work any shift. Has had experience as a cook :ind as a janitor. Would prefer work as a busser at a restaurant as well as work as a dishwasher or cook. Is Fee Lawyer N ol afraid of Catholic Church or PUCO. Send office hours and name of law school on letterhead paper to 1111 Elm S1reet. No . 432. Cincinnati, OH 45210. Streetvlbes Radio Hour On WAIF 88.3 Im The Homeless Coalition has a live radio program which can be heard on WAIF radio on the second Saturday of each month at noon. The show is co-hosted by Mary Burke, Donald Whitehead and other monthly guest hosts. The show mixes talk focusi ng on the stories in this paper and eclectic musical selections. Here are the next show dates. WAIF 88.3 fm Saturday, May 9th, 1998, noon to I pm STREETVIBES provides Classified Ads free to low income job seekers. Others may place ads for only$ I p er line. Call 421-7803 for info. Streetvlbes Vendor Code of Conduct Each vendor has to sign the following code to be able to sell the paper. Page 15 Streetvibes to persons who are not registered distributors. 6. I agree not to deceive the public by saying that I am collecting for a not-for-profit charity or that I am collecting for the "homeless" in general. I will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes will go to the individual vendor. 7. I agree that I will not contest territories with other distributors. 8. I understand that Streetvibes strives to be a self supporting paper created by people who are homeless or formerly homeless. To help in this effort, I will try to spread the word and write stories if possible. 9. I understand that the failure to comply with any of the above statements will result in me no longer being able to distribute Streetvibes. Advertise In Streetvl bes I Advertising in Str eetvibes is a chance for businesses to help a good cause while promoting themselves to 4,000 concerned people each month. The rates are shown below. Business Card Size 2" x 3 1/2" $10 per m onth Two Business Card Size 4" x 3 l /l" $20 per month A check or money order must accompany the ad copy. We reserve the right to deny any ad, especially those which promote alcohol or tobacco products. You will receive a full refund should your ad be denied. For larger ads, call the number below. Ads are due by the 20th of each month. If you need assistance in preparing your ad or have any other questions, call the Homeless Coali­ tion at 42 1-7803. Mail ads with payment to: Streetvibes 1506 Elm Street Cincinnati, O H 4521 0 �STREETVI BES The Tri State's Homeless Grapevine VENDOR PROFILE: Streetvlbes TV The Streetvibes TY Show is produced at the facilities of Cincinnati Community Video. Some viewers might not see the show appear at the right channel or time during the next couple months as Warner Cable changes programming and channels. Streetvlbes TV June Schedule Earlene Moreland This month's LIVE SHOW will feature the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. Guests will feature activists and residents from this vital downtown Cincinnati community. Earlene is a 48 year-old young woman and Graduate of Hughes High School. She has one son and four grandchildren. She was raised in Corryville. Earlene has been a vendor since March and has become our most successful lady vendor. She enjoys selling the paper and talking to her customers about the paper. She has hopes of being able to travel all over the world some day, A dream she has had for a long time and keeps holding on to. Keep holding o n Earlene, dreams do come true. Earlene was a little shy about doing this profile, but I managed to get it out of her. Continue to spread the word, Earlene, and we wish you all the best. ...by Ron Carter Page 16 Saturday June 13, 1998, 4 PM Friday, June 12, 1998, 11 am Friday, June 19, 1998, 11 AM Monday, June 22. 1998, 10 PM Saturday, June 27, 1998, 4 PM Channel 7 Check your local TY listines for our LIVE Broadcast next month. Broadcast schedules a re subject to change - consult your local TV directory. If you have any ideas for future STREETYIBES TY shows please contact our office at 421-7803. We always enjoy hearing from our veiwing audience. Ideas should address subjects related to homeless­ ness and poverty in our city. We are always inter­ ested in viewer ideas, so please give us a call... Streetvlbes Wish List Streetvibes is published monthly on a shoe­ string budget. We depend heavily on the goodwill of many volunteers and donors. If you can help out with some of the items on our wish list please give us a call... >Adobe Photoshop Software for IBM to save scanning costs >Computer Monitor >Computer Printer >VCR to Show Streetvibes TV Show Episodes to Groups >Volunteer Copy Editors and Stories >Advertisers to help support the paper Vendor: 80 cents > Fax Machine r >Office Supplies >Computer for Streetvibes layout and writing Printing and Production: C all 421 -7803 if you can he lp! Streetvibes has a minimal overhead cost so that the vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. If anyone selling Streetvibes claims to be collecting for a private charity, please call our office at 42 1-7803. Thanks for your support. t If for some reason you find yourself homeless, contact a Coalition Member Agency for Shelter, Treatment, Housing or Services. If you have any questions, feel free to call the Homeless Coalition at 421-7803 . SHELTERS: Women and Children 241-2757 Alice Paul House (abuse) 281-5770 YWCA Transitional living Prog. 557-2873 Bethany House 762-5660 Salvation Army 431 -8717 Welcome House SHELTER: Me n City Gospel Mission Garden Street House Joseph House (veterans) St. Francis- St. Joseph House Mt.Airy Center Volunteers of America 241 -5525 241 -0490 24 1-2965 381-4941 661-4620 381-1954 SHELTER: Both Caracole (AIDS) Chabad House Drop Inn Center (singles) Friars Club Haven House (Hamilton) 761-1480 821-5100 721-0643 381 -5432 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality Network 244-7226 961 -4080 Lighthouse Youth Center St.john's Temporary Housing 651 -6446 HOUSING 721-4580 CMHA 632-7149 Excel Development 241-0504 Miami Purchase 369-0004 OTR Housing Network 381-0954 ReSTOC Tender Mercies (Mental Ill) 721-8666 961-4555 Tom Geiger House TREATMENT: Women 241-7343 O .D.AA.T 921-7324 First Step Home TREATMENT: Me n 784-1853 Charlie's 3/4 House 921 -16 13 Prospect House 751-3260 Starting Over TREATMENT: Both 820-2947 NAHopeline 861-9966 A.AHodine 381-6660 C.CAT. 684-7956 Talbert House 491-4435 Transitions, Inc. 559-501 I VA Domiciliary OTHER SERVICES 421 -2437 AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 621 -5991 Appalachian Identity Center 231-6630 Beech Acres Center for Independent living Options 241-2600 591-2246 Churches Active in Northside 961-0600 Cincinnati Health Network 569- 1840 Community Action Agency 381-4242 Contact Center Emanuel Community Center 241-2563 Freestore/Foodbank 24 1- 1064 771-4800 Goodwill Industries 621-7149 Hamilton Co.Mental Health Bd. 632-7186 Hamilton Co.TB Control 357-4602 Health Resource Center Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 221-3679 House of Refuge Mission 241-9400 Legal Aid Society Madisonville Ed. & Assistance Ctr. 27 1-5501 72 1-481 1 Mary Magdalen House 621-0248 Oral Health Council 62 1-6364 Our Daily Bread 621-551 4 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 721-7660 Travelers Aid 721-7900 United Way 559-6656 VA Homeless Program Women's Crisis Center 491-3335 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1998 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource June 1998 Vol 2, issue 18 Subject The topic of the resource Homelessness Description An account of the resource Pg. 1: Panhandling Ordinance Ruled Unconstitutional by Judge Sherman New University Hospital Policy Threatens Health of Poor Privatization at UC Hospital Pg 2: Cleveland News Pg. 3: Students Perspective Pg 4: Welfare News Pg. 5: Visible Homeless Drop Inn Center Pg 6: Arts & Poetry Pg. 7: Nationwide News Pg 8: Azerbaijan Refugees Pg. 9: Needle Exchange Pg. 10: Letters & Editorials Prisoners News Pg 13: Mad Womyn Pg 14: Recovery Hotel Pg 16: Vendor Profile Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Streetvibes Archive Project (curated by Katelyn Lusher) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Streetvibes Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 1998 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Te' Tro Amaru Maryann Bravo Robert Brown Dan Cahill Ron Carter Pat Clifford Denise Crew Brian Davis Dr. Bob Donovan Dan Gibbons Jimmy Heath James Hobbs Paul Linden Bobby Lyles Judith Mendriski Mark Salter Malaka Sanders Donald Whitehead Lynn Williams Sonny Williams Brett Zwolinski Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a<span> </span><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF addiction Bobby Lyles Brett Zwolinski Brian Davis Dan Cahill Dan Gibbons Denise Crew Donald Whitehead Dr. Bob Donovan Drop Inn Center health care HIV immigration James Hobbs Jimmy Heath Judith Mendriski Lynn Williams Mad Womyn Malaka Sanders Mark Salter Maryann Bravo panhandling Pat Clifford Paul Linden recovery refugees Robert Brown Ron Carter Sonny Williams Te' Tro Amaru The Recovery Hotel the visible homeless vendor profile welfare