Food, Second Chances Served at My Brother’s Place pg 4
In this issue: [DECember 2009]
The Black Cherry pg 3 City farming, part 2: Food as medicine pg 3 Vendor Spotlight: James Perrine pg 5 A new LifeLine for Toledo pg 7 The Bonfiles: Light up the darknesss pg 7 Poetry: Shunned Exhibitions pg 8 Pineapples on porches pg 9 Hoboscopes pg 11
toledostreets.org or. d n e . e vdors h t fitesd ven e n e g ly b bad t c e m diury fro n atinoly b n o r dease o u o Y Pl suggested donation
$1
A ‘simple’ twist of fate When we thought about the best time to launch Toledo Streets, just before Tent City (October 30 – November 1) seemed to be perfect. We could provide Tent City with in-depth coverage and help engage Toledo to participate in an event that truly celebrates community. How naïve were we? Instead of Toledo Streets helping Tent City, Tent City provided for Toledo Streets in many ways. Not only did our brand new street paper make connections with volunteers concerned about caring for their neighbors, but we were able to sign up eight new vendors and reach out to more potential ones. Some of those who signed up that weekend got a huge boost selling their papers to volunteers right at Tent City. One of those vendors who grabbed with both hands his opportunity to help improve his own life was Jimmy. (You can find Jimmy’s story and the poem he read at Tent City’s Sunday worship service on page 5.) Running a street paper – a bit of a
different animal than running any other kind of newspaper – is as new to me as Toledo Streets is to our city. I tried to prepare myself for the rollercoaster ride that is any endeavor which aims to help people; however, knowing you will meet obstacles is not the same as experiencing the obstacles. The same rings true for the flip side: hoping what you’re doing will help someone help themselves is not the same as witnessing the transformation from poverty of self to self-empowerment. And there are no words to describe it. When Jimmy came for the vendor orientation Friday night, he had just had a “talk” with Ken Leslie, Tent City’s founder, about taking charge of his own life. Jimmy was stand-offish at first. Skeptical. By the time he signed the Vendor Code of Conduct and received his badge, he was more open and interested, willing to give this a shot. After all, we were giving new vendors 20 free copies of the inaugural issue to help launch the paper – what did he have to lose?
Elizabeth is the other side Within just a couple of Hoping you will of the coin: a local business hours, Jimmy was flying owner with a heart for high simply on the thrill help someone is using her resources to of doing something for not the same as provide employment, himself. He was selling witnessing the job training, and space papers left and right, transformation from for community for the and before the night and those was over had bought poverty of self to self- unhoused experiencing poverty. another round of 20 empowerment. papers from me with I hope what you read in the money he’d already this issue – not just Jimmy’s story and earned. Better yet, the paper was opening Elizabeth’s vision, but all of it – inspires doors for him, giving him a chance to you with hope and excites you about the talk to anyone who’d listen about what possibilities for Toledo. he was doing and his hopes for his future. Basically, networking. Oh, one last thing – Jimmy almost didn’t come down to Tent City. One As I write this, Tent City was two weeks “inconsequential” shift in his plans for the ago. Jimmy has now sold over 100 copies night propelled him down this road. Just of the paper, been asked to speak at goes to show… area churches, made a connection with someone at the National Coalition for the THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS Homeless, and is continuing to look for SMALL CHANGE. steady employment. He is working hard to regain his footing in our community. Amanda Faith Moore Director/Managing Editor Also as I write this, new restaurant owner Elizabeth Sorge is preparing for the grand Cover Photo: Robin Charney opening of My Brother’s Place (page 4).
Vendor code of conduct
We’d like to thank you for purchasing this copy of Toledo Streets. We hope you’re enjoying it and discovering a new facet of your community. Please continue to support our vendors when you get the chance. For other ways to support them and the paper, contact us or visit our website for more details. Our mission is to empower individuals struggling with extreme poverty to participate on a new level in the community through self-employment, job training, and contributorship.
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While Toledo Streets is a non-profit, and paper vendors are considered contracted self-employers, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following list is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads through and signs before receiving a badge and papers. This Code is also printed on the back of each badge. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenents of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting the city. All vendors must agree to the following code of conduct: • Toledo Streets will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $1. I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for
Toledo Streets by any other means. • I will only purchase the paper from Toledo Streets staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers). • I agree to treat all others— customers, staff, other vendors— respectfully, and I will not “hard sell,” threaten or pressure customers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Toledo Streets. • I understand I am not a legal employee of Toledo Streets but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper.
• I will not sell Toledo Streets under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • There are no territories among vendors. I will respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer. • I understand my badge is the property of Toledo Streets and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge when selling papers. • I understand Toledo Streets strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word.
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The Black Cherry: Coffeehouse and Farming in the city, part 2: Food as collection of initiatives medicine NIC BOTEK WILLIAM JAMES O’FAHEY “Let your medicine be your food, and your food be your medicine.” This saying is attributed to the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates. He’s the guy who, along with another guy named Galen, are remembered as the forefathers of “Western” (including American) medical practice.
Just inside The Black Cherry. Photo: Julie Davis
Three years ago, a group of Toledoans never would have dreamed possible what their idea would spark downtown. What was initially conceived as a small information center has blossomed into a vital community resource. Collaborations with community members, organizations and activists from all different causes had found a common ground in creating a space that would host a variety of social service-based programs and events. Through a laborious search of dilapidated buildings and houses in Toledo, the space at 1420 Cherry Street seemed to be a perfect fit and the right price for the shoestring budget. The building was purchased in January and was in a considerably decayed state with piles of debris, untended roof leaks and layers of unusable interiors. Clean up was no easy task and took months before renovation could begin in March. The renovations, which continue today, are made possible by the help of many volunteers. Despite loads of trash, they were able to salvage many things and even recycle some into the new layout. Toledo Community Assets was the organization developed by the group who initially began the project, and the center was able to begin limited service to the Toledo community in May. The building exists with four main goals in mind: Social and Economic Justice Through the many organizations operating out of the space we create steps toward social justice. One of those
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organizations is Food Not Bombs, a programs offering free vegetarian food to anyone who wants it every Friday at 4:00pm at the TARTA Station located at Erie and Adams. Food Not Bombs has been in Toledo for 13 years and is an international organization which focuses on stopping war and ending hunger. Another group is the Toledo Foreclosure Defense League, which was established to prevent foreclosures and fight homelessness in Lucas County. Lastly the Cherry Street Free Market is a food pantry and free store operating at a minimal level currently with plans for expansion. Canned and non-perishable goods are available on a limited basis as well as breads and some pastries donated by local bakeries weekly. All of these programs work towards achieving various degrees of social and economic justice in conjunction with other supported protests and direct actions.
Of course, in the thousands of years since Hippocrates, “Western” medicine has built up a system of high-tech hospitals, medicines made in laboratories, nuclear therapies, and armies of health care professionals and medical bureaucrats. This is what a French guy named Foucault called “the birth of the clinic” (1963, Presses Universitaires de France). Currently, there is an acrimonious debate in the United States Congress over American health care. The question is not only, “does this giant American health care system heal folks as well as it should,” but also, “do many of us even have enough money to see a medical doctor – outside of the emergency room – at all?” So sometimes we just do not have the money for the American way of medicine, and this fact may never change. But are there other ways of thinking about medicine? Of course, the answer is yes! Some folks might observe that there is, for example, “Eastern” medicine (from India, China, and points East), “African” medicine, and even “Biblical” medicine (from Israel, Palestine, and points Middle East). And
all of these other ideas about medicine – philosophies of medicine, let’s say – belong to the category of what is called “folk medicine”.
Even the modern “Western” medicine, including American, began with folk medicine, but over the centuries, the Western system of hospitals, laboratorycreated medicines, and high-tech physicians gradually emerged. So what exactly is folk medicine? The short answer is folk medicine is summed up in one sentence: Let your medicine be your food, and let your food be your medicine.” Remember that Hippocrates said this? I’m not saying, “do not go to the doctor’s office,” or, worse, “do not go to the emergency room,” but we all know of certain foods that are rich in vitamins and such… and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The hard fact is many of us may never get access to preventative and general care, that is, the doctor advice that will keep us from getting sick to begin with, and we may never get it because we cannot afford it. Our pursuit of folk medicine begins with city gardening and ends with good healthy eating – good tasting, also. In the introduction to the book Home Remedies from Amish Country (2002, Abana Books), the editors remark about folk medicine that, “The remedies do not “City farms” continued on page 10
Arts & Information We host Poets, Bands, Artists, Filmmakers, Theater Troupes and a variety of different presentations. Music is a weekly event at the Black Cherry, where no alcohol is served and bands vary from folk to electronic.With a focus on local talent and less mainstream information we hope to broaden horizons and promote local culture. The Building also features many books and magazines in our lending library ranging from Bike Repair to Historic Social Struggles. Alternative Economies In a world of rampant poverty and economic devastation, we strive to find “Black Cherry” continued on page 10
A sign declares plans to expand the Glenwood Garden. Photo: Robin Charney
Food, second chances served at My Brother’s Place
AMANDA FAITH MOORE
There is no shortage in Toledo of great local restaurants with historic ties, but very few – if any – can offer the same claims as the newly renovated and reopened My Brother’s Place: partitions made from the backs of 200 years-old church pews, counters made from choir lockers, and plant shelves made of old hardwood flooring. Why is this repurposing of church fixtures so appropriate for the space? Because My Brother’s Place is located on the second floor of Trinity Episcopal Church.
“We are recycling in a different way,” says Elizabeth Sorge, a veteran of the catering business for over 20 years and the new proprietor of My Brother’s Place. “We’re reusing [part of] a building, we reused the pews. The congregation redid their entire sanctuary in 2002 and had saved some pews, so we reused all of the wood from them. We were able to reuse that value from them.” Reclaiming value extends far past church pews for Sorge, and this vision is what makes My Brother’s Place truly unique: Run a for-profit business that makes a priority of providing employment and job training for unhoused and lowincome individuals who are fighting to overcome a past that may be preventing them from getting a job any other way. My Brother’s Place will be more than a lunch location; the broader mission
is to serve the non-profits that serve others. One way will be opening the restaurant up once a month in the evening so mentors can dine out with their mentorees and have actual choices – Sorge is big on choices so people feel valued and respected – on what to eat. The hope is that donations will provide the food, and volunteers will serve it.
Sorge is also partnering with Food For Thought and Cherry Street Mission Ministries to create a Christmas Store event, allowing families in need to choose clothes and a few toys for their children. While parents shop, children will be entertained. Even gift wrapping will be provided. Before this happens, however, My Brother’s Place will hold Thanksgiving dinners by reservation only on the holiday itself. Families will have a choice of the size of their meal at various prices, and will not have to worry about all the preparation, cooking and cleaning. (More details on page 12.) Sorge says it was when her husband, Tim, a professional in the CAD industry for 26 years, 16 of which were in management, lost his job due to downsizing that she became aware of obstacles in employment. At the time, the couple figured his extensive experience would ensure his quickly getting back to work; however, after 18 months of discovering he was either overqualified or lacked a specific degree to regain employment,
New owner Elizabeth Sorge prepares to hang a photo from Trinity’s long history. Photo: Robin Charney
they started to wonder how much more difficult it was for those who may not be as educated or who had made bad choices.
Reclaiming value extends far past church pews for Sorge, and this vision is what makes My Brother’s Place truly unique: Run a for-profit business that makes a priority of providing employment and job training for unhoused and lowincome individuals who are fighting to overcome a past that may be preventing them from getting a job any other way.
While Sorge turned to doing catering full-time, and her husband returned to school to achieve the degree he needs, they both continued to pray for a clear opportunity that might allow Sorge to combine her catering skills with ministry and also provide for their family. Along came a youth event at her church, Westgate Chapel, geared toward raising awareness about homelessness through speakers and hands-on experiences. One of those speakers was Don Schiewer, then the Executive Director of a local movement called Food For Thought and one of its founders. Schiewer mentioned he was working on an idea and needed a caterer, and both he and Sorge realized each one was the answer to the other one’s prayers. Food For Thought had already connected with Trinity Episcopal Church regarding the historic place of worship’s unused spaces and how the two groups might partner in social justice endeavors. Schiewer, a pastor and former restaurant owner and manager, saw potential in the kitchen and eatery on the second floor, above the church’s offices. Perhaps it could be used to provide job training while also
allowing downtown professionals a simple, practical way to participate in revitalizing the lives of human beings? A perfect fit for Sorge, who has always ministered and communicated best through food. Now it’s Sorge’s turn to continue the dream of My Brother’s Place becoming a site for the community to be its brother’s keeper. And she is trying to do it all debt-free.
Fortunately, Sorge is not alone. Not only has Trinity donated the paint, the flooring, and split the cost of electrical renovations, a team of volunteers have donated countless hours of labor to see the transformation through. Individuals from Sorge’s church, from teenagers to retirees, have taken on painting, drywall, woodworking, refinishing, laying the floor, cleaning up the patio, and more. It was one of these helpers who drove the repurposing of the pews and choir cupboards. “I have one individual, Greg Tillman, who really has a passion and vision for this,” she commented. “He built his own house, and he has really partnered and really feels passionate about seeing this “My Brother’s Place” continued on page 6
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Vendor Spotlight James Perrine
Jimmy’s Story... My name is James Perrine and I’m 27 years old. I’m from Detroit, and I’m the oldest of two brothers and one sister. I grew up in an abusive household and most of my childhood is something I would forget if I could. My father was an alcoholic and my mother spent most nights away, with different babysitters watching us each night. As I got older, I started to have a desire to play sports. One thing led to another and, before I knew it, I was on top of the world with two state titles in wrestling, and I was all-conference my sophomore and junior years of high school football for the Evergreen Vikings, until halfway through my senior year, when I tore my shoulder up in a tournament. That was just the start of a downward rollercoaster ride that would eventually lead me to prison and a world of uncertainty. I went from having everything to losing it all in a split second. It’s been nine years now since that cold December night, and I think that through it all God knew what he was doing. I still wonder if I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for that night. Was it a message or a wake-up call? I took it as both because I truly believe that what doesn’t kill you in the end will make you stronger. I might have lost a lot, but I gained so much more and I thank God for opening my eyes and showing me that because he gave me a voice, and with that voice a mission – a mission to tell my story and how someone can get back up and push forward through all of this and in the end make a difference that may one day change this country. I know I can do it. All I have to do is believe and reach for the stars because the only one that can stop me is myself.
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Jimmy listens to the Sunday morning service at Tent City while waiting to give his story and read his poem. Photo: Unknown
Poem: only god knows Late at night when no one’s around, I get on my knees and bow my head to the ground, I close my eyes and begin to pray, And I ask for forgiveness, the only right way, Because deep within my heart I know I was raised better than this, But how can I prove to my mother, brother, sis, That I’m not the animal everyone makes me out to be, The one they threw away behind lock and key… I’m no animal, I’m no animal, I’m a human just like you. I made a mistake, what else can I say? I’m now left with a scar, A scar I can’t erase, A scar of six digits across my face, A scar for life, A scar I can’t hide no matter how hard I try. Is this the life planned for me? I ask that question every night as I’m down on bended knee…
Want to help vendors like Jimmy? Here are some ways you can help our vendors and the mission of Toledo Streets: Tell others about the paper and our vendors. Sponsor a vendor. After their initial “start-up” supply of free papers are sold, vendors purchase each paper for 25¢. When you sponsor a vendor, it covers their paper costs and allows them to keep 100% of their sales. Contact us for more information. Encourage our vendors. Smiles, handshakes and conversation are always appreciated. Hold vendors accountable. Our Vendor Code of Conduct is printed on page 2. If you ever see one of our vendors violating this Code, please notify us.
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My Brother’s Place, continued from page 4 reach so many people through this one little restaurant . . . He was huge in the vision of how to reuse all those pews.” More volunteers – fifteen so far – have come on board from area shelters and Harbor Career Connections. One person in particular has taken advantage of the opportunity and became the restaurant’s first hire. Julie Napier, currently living in a shelter, has proven to be a great asset the last three months, and has already progressed to assisting with catering jobs through Sorge’s original business, Cater Me. Sorge hopes to hire more people like Julie who have the heart to change their own lives.
people,” Sorge claims. Like the church’s pews, “people should not be discarded. They have value. And I think that if they have a desire to make a difference in their life, this is giving them an opportunity.” My Brother’s Place is located at 316 Adams Street, 2nd Floor, Toledo, OH. Regular hours: Monday – Friday, 11AM – 2PM.
“You gotta crawl before you can walk – that’s how I think about it,” said Julie, whose major motivation is to get her own place. “I want to become somebody reliable so Elizabeth A simple statement of the restaurant’s mission. Photo: Robin Charney can feel comfortable about going off and doing a catering job and leaving me in charge.” Julie’s path to employment with My Brother’s Place was her willingness to help out wherever she could. The plan is to do the same with other employees.
History of My Brother’s Place
KAREN LANDIS On October 4, 1976, 320 persons arrived for an opening day lunch in My Brother’s Place (MBP). Gene Parker Jazz Quartet greeted the diners with music. An art display from local artists adorned the walls of the restaurant and a wide choice of lunches was available. Expectations were exceeded as staff had planned for 250 people. MBP grew out of a dream of Trinity Church. The purpose of the restaurant was to create a noontime ministry for those who lived and worked downtown, to feed the bodies of Trinity neighbors, while providing them with programs for their mind and soul. Entertainment, art displays, bible study, growth groups, counseling, and quiet rooms for non-profit group meetings were part of the dream. The first year of MBP continued to surpass expectations. Over 220 people ate lunch daily. Music, radio discussions, opportunities to create a piece of art were provided 3 days a week. Mayor Harry Kessler held a weekly talk show in cooperation with the public radio WGTE. A separate non-profit, Levis Square Ministries (LSM) was created as the fundraising entity to support programming and to encourage community involvement in the project on a wider basis than Trinity Church. The restaurant was unique in many other ways. Diners sat a long table, holding up to 8 people at a time. Menu items included one hot meal, two different kinds of quiche, two kinds of soup, and a variety of sandwiches made fresh by a volunteer. Home-baked pies were also on display on a long table and tempted many a lunch patron to stay a little longer. Church members volunteered every day to meet and greet customers and provided staff support to help keep costs of the restaurant to a minimum. After the third year, patron numbers dropped off and LSM began creating other programs to support the restaurant.
“They can start out in the restaurant, whether it be prep, dishwashing, bussing, things like that, and then maybe work their way up to great communication skills with customers, servers, or even catering jobs,” said Sorge.
In 1983, a capital funds campaign was implemented in order to renovate My Brother’s Place dining room. One year later, with renovations completed, MBP attendance and revenue had risen dramatically. In May of 1988, new management occurred under the Trinity Committee. Several different managers were hired over the next few years as attendance, volunteers and programming dwindled.
There is space beyond the open Julie pulls a homemade dessert from the oven. Photo: Robin Charney layout of the restaurant, rooms that with some cleaning up and minor adjustments can serve as an extension of the ministry of the business. Plans abound, such as using the rooms for everything from meeting areas for business lunches to having intimate spots for celebrations for individuals and families getting back on their feet. Again, the idea of salvaging the existing space and materials comes into play, and more. “We are reusing resources in
Inside, above the doors to the patio, there is a hand-lettered motto which sums up the vision for the café: “A Place to Nourish Body and Soul,” which has also been incorporated into the logo for My Brother’s Place. Some may find the saying more meaningful upon discovering it has been posted there many years. Even the name of the space isn’t new, nor is its designation to function as a base for serving the economically disadvantaged...
Volunteers working to get the restaurant ready. Photo: Robin Charney
The end of 1995 was another transition for MBP. Trinity church was no longer able to subsidize the restaurant. A board replaced the MBP committee and a new purpose was defined. My Brother’s Place was deemed to be a business and must be run like a business. Toledo area restaurateurs were contacted, inviting them to consider operating MBP for Trinity. Tom Cousino submitted a letter of intent to Trinity Vestry and a partnership was formed. The original vision of a place to feed body and soul remained in place with Mr. Cousino and again attendance soared. In 2001, management transferred from Tom Cousino to Jen-Gil and the mission remained the same. However, in 2003, a Trinity Committee decided My Brother’s Place mission was no longer being fulfilled. The restaurant was seen as only a restaurant. And so the music and programming of previous years was silenced as MBP doors were closed for what was thought to be the last time.
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A new LifeLine for The Bonfiles: Light up the darkness Toledo STEVE NORTH
I used to dream huge things. Things larger than life. I’d see my/self jet-setting around the world; fashionably dressed, the press hanging all over me, the woman of my dreams on my arm. I was the ultimate thespian; I was political, & rich & athletic. . . I was everything that I could imagine – from cowboys to covert ops. “I spy” baby, the Coz taught me when to “flame on” – & to dream on. . . Some things you should know. . .
Steve North on the steps of the new LifeLine Mobile Health Education Unit. Photo: Robin Charney
It looks like peanut butter and jelly – heavy on the jelly! LifeLine Toledo’s Mobile Health Education Unit (MHEU) is a big, purple and gold new kid in town, joining ranks with agencies, churches and parachurch organizations, and individuals working to help provide health care options to those who have limited access and resources in Lucas County. The mobile unit will allow health care professionals to make “house calls” coto take low-level health care and referrals to people who are unhoused, uninsured, or have limited access to health care. These services may include various kinds of health screenings, such as for blood sugar, HIV, and more, as well as general examinations. Additionally, health professionals may do talks or classes in self care for people with various conditions, or such presentations may be offered on video. Of course, medical professionals staffing the unit in various contexts will be able to provide referrals to health care providers that may be able to assist with health conditions observed in the course of its service.
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The back portion of the unit is an examination room, and has a medical examination table, lockable storage, privacy curtains for both inside and outside windows, and a bathroom. The front two-thirds of the unit is set up to double as a waiting room and a classroom. It’s equipped with TV and DVD equipment for video presentations, a table, and flexible seating for various configurations. The classroom can seat up to 20 people at a time. The unit has its own on-board power supply, in the form of a 4000 watt gasoline-powered generator. This feature gives the bus great flexibility and independence for operating under any light conditions, most weather conditions, and under difficult circumstances. The converted school bus arrived in Toledo on October 27, just three days before Tent City 2009, the annual homelessness awareness project, where it was immediately placed into service. Health professionals offered prostate exams in the exam room, and a class in self-care for diabetics was held in the classroom. “LifeLine” continued on page 9
The thing about winter, and cold, is that it exposes everything. It’s damp. It’s dark. & it’s desolate. I was noticing how the bird’s nest is exposed once the leaves are gone, and is there a softer, more magnificent wood than pine? & I can tell you unequivocally, that PLAYING “less than” is a heck of a lot easier than BEING “less than”. & the thing about divorce, is that it doesn’t kill you immediately. It could take years for the body to actually die. But the heart, the mind, the soul. . . are the first to go. Facing death is the ultimate test of character. It’s winter & I am weary. Winter in America. . . you were right, Gil. I am angry. I’m angry so I’m not despairing. Anger is more useful than despair. & the thing that’s been pissing me off is that I want to go to heaven, but I am unwilling to die. I just told you that facing death is the ultimate test of character, but now I believe that living is the ultimate test. I’ve come to this because I’ve had to lower my own expectations in order to succeed at anything. The other thing that’s pissing me off is this preoccupation w/ race. It is disingenuous to feign patriotism while trumpeting the cause of moral/racial/ social superiority. And while it may be true that white is right – what is equally correct is that black is back. No, that is not what I mean, & I should keep this simple – I’m not black, & you’re not white. We are colors. Part of a greater thing, larger than the sum of our parts. & what really matters, is that our children will not be so severely handicapped as we have been. Our children will not know race. They will know ethnicity, color
& beauty, but they will not know race. . . light up the darkness – take back the night.
Why, I hear tell that America is a country where any/everything is possible. I’ve heard it offered that America is far more than just a country – it’s an ideal – means more than ‘that’ particular thing. That the fire & brimstone of the sixties; the anger & resentment of the seventies; the apathy of the eighties; the economic boom of the nineties; the super information highways of the new millennium, have all been a part of the certification of American history. & that Lincoln & John & Martin & Barack & Imamu have all been here before – of course they were jettisoned out into space, (some time capsule thing), for having the audacity to hope. But they were here, and responsible for the changing of the guard in America. On a more personal note: my bad dreams turned out to be a form of mental illness, so I need to be a client somewhere. & I’m beginning to embrace my mortality and accepting the fact that someday, I will be eating jello & fruit cocktail out of a little plastic cup – with a spork. Large amounts of it will dribble down my chin onto my shirt, finally resting in my lap – where it will stain my pants right around the area of my zipper. My vanity will compel me to offer some plausible explanation for the stains, but the reality will be that all that lovely flat wear I’ve invested in is now unsafe for me to use. Same w/ the dishes. It takes cheerful resignation/heart & humility. . . I can see that now, Joni. Light up the darkness. Take back the night. Be vigilant, w/ due diligence. & while I still have strength in my fingers, I want to crumple what’s left of my own prejudices. I want them out of my heart. I want to get rid of all of my character defects & shortcomings, too. I want a clean bill of health – this is some serious health care reform & won’t you too vote for that? Light up the darkness – take back the night & about Fannie Mae & General Motors. . . Fannie Mae is irrelevant to me because “Light” continued on page 10
poetry
Shunned Exhibitions
The morning light’s illumination pierces my eyes, Urging me to awaken; Rolling over – I moan – pulling the blanket over my head, Not wishing to face the world. Sitting up – cursing voices – mass confusion – Mission rising – two hundred men waking; The background – a loud din. The bitter sounds are grating. Dressing – I see a crippled man. He winces and groans as he stands. As I brush my teeth, I feel the strong urge of nature. I have toilet paper, but where can I find a clean place? In luck – I sneak into the downstairs staff restroom. After doing my appointed duty, coming out, There is no silent place to pray. Sitting on the edge of my bunk, I pray up anyway. The memory of a friend comes to mind, a man small in stature, But big of heart – a gentle person – who always extended kindness. Soft-spoken and easygoing; I can still see him smiling. He fought hard against fits of debilitating depression. It became too much; one day he gave up. We found him hanging in the basement. I am haunted By the feeling there was something I could have said or done To make a difference. I should have known. I am consoled by the belief that Dale is in a better place. My palms are sweating; I think that could have easily been me. I hitch up my pants and suck it up. As I walk out the mission doors, I sip on my coffee. Cars stopped at a traffic light; People stare at me as though I am some sort of alien creature Being viewed at the mission zoo exhibit. I feel small, discounted, less-than – dehumanized. I shake my head and continue on. On the sidewalk I console a friend Who has lost everything in the downward economic spiral. His wife is staying at one of the women’s shelters. I can see the pain etched in his face. Their separation grinds hard on him, But tomorrow will be better; he will be able to see her. I wish him a good day and leave. In the parking lot to my left, life is in full session. An insane man bantering with an invisible person. A dialogue of unending insults. Reagan comes to mind; in the early eighties, he closed the mental institutions. Callous and uncaring, dumping the mentally ill on mean city streets. Most do not have doctors or proper medication. On barren streets their pleas rain day and night. Stripped of their humanity, left to their own incapable ends. Human outcasts pushed to the vagabond fringe. A nation’s indifference; cold sin and shame. A benevolent few do advocate; the missions do their best. The majority really do not give a damn. A teardrop falls from my sunken eyes.
I turn the corner. The blue rhythm is pervasive. Seeing abandoned and boarded up buildings, A grim tapestry of a city in decline. To my right, a wailing street preaching – telling no lies And promising salvation. At the bus stop, weather-beaten and grizzled old Warriors of the street drink pints of cheap wine. They are trying to kill their pain. I feel their pain, Their searing pain reaches deep into my heart’s core. Come and look – get close to our world, And come to understand. The beautiful, well-heeled, well-employed people have left. Good jobs are gone, never to come back. Yes, the all-American dream, downsizing and outsourcing. And we are the leftovers. Society’s castaways. Life happened. We are the unwanted people who do not count. Hopelessness and despair fill the hearts of many. High mountains – handholds – few and far between. I am an actor in this dreary street play. Sometimes I feel broken, suffering the pain Of being rejected, despised, and abandoned. Like a foreign sculpture on display in a Gallery of shunned exhibitions. Homeless nation living in unseen shadowlands; For a blind and apathetic country we are nonexistent. A twisted picture, off-center and tilted. People, what have we done? People living on the street. Lost are all social graces; don’t tell us you can’t see our faces. It’s late in the afternoon; I draw on the inner spirit For the strength to keep my head up. Continuing my walk, looking deep in my soul, I feel this. Who am I – who are you – and where are we going? What of this economic oppression? Our system has failed miserably. America – the richest country in the world. We have the power to end poverty and homelessness, But do we have the will? It is self-evident; we have the resources. Advocate for those who have the least. Become aware; pass it on o a neighbor. Create concrete ways to change the conditions. Put the tools in our hands – we will do the rest. Back to the mission; the day long at last done. Night draws nigh – her curtain falls across the city. As I stand, I breathe a waking dream Defeat the growing cycle – Perpetuate a new cycle. Homeless people are real people. We have hopes and dreams. Bring us back home from shadowland, Into the light of common decency. I peer out a window. Under a street lamp A forgotten man stands. A stark figure Shaking against the hard, cold night. A gesturing sculpture in a gallery Of shunned exhibitions. -- Gregory Peters
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living faith
Pineapples on porches I used to wonder what the flags were all about that hung from people’s front doors, porches, and fences – you know, the ones with a gigantic pineapple. I was amazed to find out this was a demonstration of hospitality. If you were a sojourner and passed by a home with a pineapple on the porch, it was a signal you’d be welcome there for a meal and possibly a roof over your head for a night. Though I cannot say I’ve witnessed an actual pineapple on a porch, I think the notion of hospitality is one that is more important than most of us give thought to. (I would love to see the look on someone’s face if I knocked on their door looking for a meal because of their pineapple flag waving invitingly in the wind.) Most of my life I was taught caution when it came to strangers – a caution that made hospitality in the sort of pineapple flags impossible. My childhood gave me an overdeveloped sense of fear of the sojourner – and ultimately of the poor. I expected to be taken advantage of if I attempted to give an outstretched hand. As an adult I have begun to see how this may have destroyed the world we live in. Of course there is risk at extending hospitality to someone you don’t know – but the risk of no hospitality may be even greater. Our culture has become one of fear and suspicion – prudence and prudeness. We have a fear of others receiving for nothing what we worked so hard to obtain for ourselves. My perspective is different, now. In the past few years, I’ve discovered the beauty of generous hospitality – offering something to somebody without expectation of return. What a blessing to indulge someone for no other reason than they are present. I must tell you this was not an instantaneous change – I wasn’t struck by lightning, I didn’t have a near death experience; rather, I encountered G_d. His hospitality and generosity surprised me. What may have struck me even more was the man G_d chose to be father of His people – Abraham.
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LifeLine, continued from page 7 pastor Don M. Schiewer
There is this great scene in the Text angels to destroy it. Could we have where Abraham is in conversation been wrong about this moment? with G_d when he notices three men We’ve made Sodom about something approaching. Abraham has the audacity it really wasn’t. Let me point you to to leave G_d to another place in So let me get this straight: run out and greet the Text where these strangers Abraham is in a face-to-face G_d declares the (May I mention, sin of Sodom: with G_d and puts Him on Ezekiel 16.49 Abraham had just been circumcised. Behold, this was hold in order to greet three If I’m him...I the iniquity of guys he’s never met before. ain’t running thy sister Sodom: anywhere!) So pride, fullness of G_d, by the way, seems to let me get this and careless be quite okay with Abraham bread, straight: Abraham ease was in her and is in a face-toin her daughters; putting a stranger first. On face with G_d neither did she the other hand, most of and puts Him on strengthen the us can’t be bothered by a hold in order to hand of the greet three guys poor and needy stranger when we are just he’s never met (JPS). Allow me walking down the street by before. G_d, by to paraphrase the way, seems – Sodom was ourselves. to be quite okay inhospitable! I with Abraham putting a stranger first. have no doubt these stories are told On the other hand, most of us can’t together to contrast a way of being: be bothered by a stranger when we One is a life of “generous hospitality” are just walking down the street by and the other is inhospitality. ourselves. Too many of us live a life more like This is where it starts to get good Sodom than the life G_d has called – Abraham offers the three men “a us to live – a life like that of Abraham. morsel of bread” and something to May more porches in our city be the drink. That’s pretty nice – nothing too residence of a pineapple or two. Be exciting – and one might ask, “How well and love well. is this generous hospitality?” This is where Abraham surprises the reader: he has a fattened calf slaughtered and has Sarah make three seahs of flour. That’s twenty quarts of flour! So much What does your faith teach about for a morsel. This is a feast fit for a compassion and caring for others? To king. (My experience in the religious foster discussion and understanding , world is quite the opposite; we promise we invite leaders of all faiths to a feast and give a morsel – and then contact us so we might publish your we get indignant if the “strangers” thoughts and engage our community. don’t seem floored by our “generous We seek to encourage the discovery hospitality”.) Now the feast seems to of common ground so we might move be appropriate when we learn these forward together to change our city are angels of G_d and they are passing and the lives of its citizens at every through on their way to destroy a city level. – Sodom.
What do you think?
Hmm...Sodom! Most of us seem to have a misunderstanding of what must have been going on in Sodom that made G_d so angry He is sending
You can reach us via phone at 419825-6397, via email at amanda@ toledostreets.org, and visit us online at www.toledostreets.org.
LifeLine Toledo expects the MHEU to facilitate collaborative efforts between itself and other organizations in the city, such as Food for Thought, the Mildred Bayer Clinic and others as opportunities present themselves. There are currently plans to have the unit in service at least two Saturdays a month, in conjunction with Food for Thought’s weekly food and friendship gathering at the main library downtown. LifeLine expects the MHEU to be in service to migrant workers during the spring and summer months. Doctors and/or nurses will staff the bus, providing services and referrals as appropriate. LifeLine also expects to use the MHEU to provide similar health education services, as well as other direct services, to unhoused people and settlements. These additional services may include delivering supplies for survival, such as food, clothing, firewood and water. The bus has two 50-gallon water tanks and outside spigots, which will allow the ministry to supply needed water to people without another source. LifeLine Toledo is a three year old urban ministry aimed at delivering incarnational ministry to people living on the socio-economic and spiritual margins in Toledo. In addition to the new medical assistance services offered by the MHEU, the ministry develops spiritual communities in various neighborhoods in the city, focusing on people disconnected from and skeptical about institutional churches. LifeLine provides ministry in the form of hospitality, small group process, writing and speaking in a variety of venues, all in the context of long-term relationships. The ministry is affiliated with New Harvest Christian Church in Oregon. For more information, or to book a speaking engagement for your group or church, call Steve North at 419-806-6617, or send an email to lifelinesteve@yahoo.com.
Black Cherry, continued from page 3 creative alternatives to those who are unable to compete in the “free” market or just those who want something better. We employ many different schools of thought including, but not limited to, work-trade, gift economies, localized currencies, and barter. We provide free food, clothes and Internet while accepting donations/work for books, coffee, and events. We have plans to integrate a tool lending library, a for-donation barbershop and a housing cooperative in the upcoming year. Sustainability A value and a way of life we hope to reach by using sustainable infrastructure and practices of old and new. Rain water collection, wind generators, community based organic farming, reducing
consumption and bicycle culture are all things we and everyone can to do to live in better harmony with the land. Here at the Black Cherry we share bonds of equality, freedom, consensus , autonomy, community and decentralization. These and other anarchist principles fuel our projects and desires in creating alternatives and solving the problems that plague our world. We are always looking for more volunteers and raw materials. Please contact us if you want to help, have/need donations or need space. You can reach us at 419-720-7305 or contact us online: www.myspace.com/blackcherrytoledo.
City farms, continued from page 3 replace a physician’s care or prescribed medication. Rather they are provided as an additional source of information and a possible alternative regarding a number of illnesses and how they were treated before expensive modern medicine became available.” And John Keim, writing in his book Comfort for the Burned and Wounded (1999, The Philosophical Publishing Company), reflects on his search for folk treatments for burns. “I tried to think of all the things a man might find on an island to help treat such burns. I thought of water, mud, rocks, bark, wood, and leaves.” Finally, James A. Duke, Ph.D., observes
hey...
in his book The Green Pharmacy (1997, Rodale Press) that “herbal [folk] medicine is not risk-free. To benefit from using herbs, you need to have some basic background information. Then you need to have confidence in the herbs you use and in any herbal practitioner you consult. This is no different from conventional medicine, where you need to have confidence in your physician and any pharmaceutical you take.” Our pursuit of folk medicine begins with city gardening. For more information about city gardening, contact Toledo Grow/Toledo Botanical Garden, 5403 Elmer Drive, Toledo, OH 43615, or 419-536-5566.
Could a local business or non-profit you know benefit from reaching readers interested in social justice issues? Our advertising rates are very reasonable! Call or email us at 419.825.6397 or amanda@toledostreets.org.
Light, continued from page 7 I have not invested well. Actually, not at all. But I am a tax payer, & they’re living just a little bit too large for my liking. The executives I mean. & I know that you’ve read the stories ‘bout those huge settlements some executives have gotten from failing companies. General Motors – there must be ten thousand engineers in Detroit, so you’d think they’d be able to build a car that Americans wanted. Practical & affordable. Bet they wish they had all that money back spent on lobbyists to defeat progress in the auto industry, while the Japanese WERE building cars that Americans wanted. Detroiters are suffering now, foiled by their own filibustering, or shooting themselves in the foot. They could have Two pairs of shoes laid out to dry on an old cement wall just outside of a remade themselves, and the makeshift shelter along the Maumee River. Photo: Robin Charney industry, with the hydrogen engine, harnessing our planet’s most plentiful resource. & again w/ magna gas, a biofuel that comes from cow plop. Only Florida & Michigan have invested in this, putting Michigan motors at odds w/ its own legislature; who know this to be a viable option to dwindling oil reserves, & it’s cheap, too. Cow plop sells for a penny a pound, & this is genius to use it for more than making bombs. Light up the darkness – take back the night. Lest our issues of homelessness, poverty, hatemongering, mental illness, violence to our elders, apathy, & an overall lack of respect to each other diminish our future. Being American is more than wearing T-shirts w/ popular logos, like eagles & Harley Davidsons & flags. Have you forgotten that we began as revolutionaries? Were fighters for independence/demanded freedom of speech & press/have an insatiable appetite for liberty – you willing to give up all that?? Now, when it matters most?! My God, we routinely go half-way around the world to help others, while dismissing our elders to nursing homes; our homeless to anonymity; our mentally ill to the streets; our young people reduced to half-life. When budget concerns close schools & playgrounds, we risk losing our children. Do something, get involved; but first – “Are you American? Well, I am. . .” Don’t you remember what you learned in grade school?. . . “one nation, under God, indivisible, w/ liberty, and justice for all.” You should say it sometime, lest you forget. Those of you here w/ me now, are local leaders of the free world. All artists in your own right. You, too, have dreamed a dream. Say this with me. . . “one nation, under God, indivisible, w/ liberty & justice for all.” Light up the darkness. Take back the night. Bonfiles. . .
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Hoboscopes
MR. MYSTERIO
Scorpio | In the Mysterio household, it is a longstanding tradition on Thanksgiving, before diving into our cosmically preordained portions of traditional American foodstuffs, we each tell one thing we are thankful for. Sometimes I say something sarcastic like “I’m just thankful I’m not a Capricorn.” Sometimes sincere, like “I’m thankful I get to be here with all the other Mysterios,” but every year there is something. What are you thankful for this year, Scorpio? Even if it’s just the gravy on your mashed potatoes, it’s worth taking note before you stuff your face. Sagittarius | The islands of Hawaii have no native snakes; however, one species has made a home there quite comfortably. The burrowing blind snake came over from the Philippines in potting soil and rapidly spread across the Hawaiian Islands. The primary reason these snakes have been so successful at colonizing there is they are all female and can reproduce without a partner. This just goes to show, Sagittarius, that everywhere you go, there’s a snake in the grass (or under it). The question isn’t whether or not you’ll run into one, the question is how you’ll respond when you do. Capricorn | This holiday season, it’s easy to let all your self-discipline fall to the floor like a frozen turkey from an overstuffed fridge. Here’s a quick formula for keeping track of your holiday food intake: subtract your height from the height of the shelf where you keep the cookies, add that to your weight and multiply it all times pie. Look, Capricorn, the holidays are a time to enjoy yourself, so as the temptations abound, feel free to indulge. Just make sure it’s an indulgence that multiplies your enjoyment and not your guilt. Aquarius | They say “you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip,” Aquarius. I don’t think they should say that. Not because it isn’t true, but because it’s quite graphic and what if there are children listening? Maybe aphorisms should have some kind of rating system so we can decide who should be allowed to use them and under what conditions they should be used. Like that one about killing two birds with one stone would be rated “Mature Audiences Only” for violent imagery, whereas the one about the bird in the hand would be rated “13 And Older” due to implied violence. You should probably stop using aphorisms altogether until we can get something set in stone*. (*“Set in stone” has been approved for all audiences.) Pisces | Sometimes I worry the fortune cookie industry is cutting in to my core business. I mean, how can you accurately predict a person’s future when all you know about them is whether they prefer Shrimp Lo Mein or General Tso’s Chicken? You’ve got to have some real, hard facts to tell a person what’s going to happen next. I mean, birth-dates are the bare minimum, people! I’m just saying, Pisces, that sometimes you may feel unappreciated by the general public, even though you know you’re doing better quality work than the competition. Don’t lower your standards. Keep doing the good work you know you can do. By the way, your lucky numbers this month are 16, 55, 8 and 11. Aries | We always miss the ones who go on ahead, Aries. We always wonder why. I’ve looked up at the stars for many a night and they’ve still never told me why it works this way. But I do think it’s worth it. I think the time we get together is good even though the time without is so hard and so long. Mourn the losses as they come, Aries. Feel all you need to. But when the mourning passes, live your life and love the ones around you all the more. Taurus | Taurus, we’ll get back to our regular excellent astrological
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programming in a moment. Right now we’d just like you to think about all the good times and great advice you’ve gotten from Mr. Mysterio over the years. As you know, Mr. Mysterio depends on readers like you to continue consulting the heavens for this amazing predictive programming. Just think about how the glorious future in which you are now living, is in no small part thanks to Mr. Mysterio. If you call now, Taurus, you’ll receive this beautiful Mr. Mysterio lunch sack and you’ll be automatically entered in a drawing to win a trip to the legendary Mysterio Ranch. Gemini | I’ll tell you your future, Gemini, but first, you’re going to have to do The Truffle Shuffle...Ok? ...Are you doing it yet? This format makes it really hard to tell. Ok, I’ll just go on in good faith. You’re about to have a wacky adventure with your unlikely team of misfit friends. I know, it seems far-fetched given you’re 36 and all your misfit friends either ended up in prison or got jobs with Dell. I just read ’em like I see ’em. Don’t forget your inhaler, say “Hi” to Chester Copperpot and bring me back some rich stuff. This is gonna be great! Cancer | Was it Andy Warhol or Andy Griffith who first suggested that in the future, everyone would be famous for 15 minutes? In any case, your 15 is coming up, Cancer, but it’s not like it was in Mayberry. Modern technology and instant communication makes it easy to feel like you’re gaining a following, just remember that a following isn’t the same as friends. Hold on to the people who really know you, and don’t get them confused with your fans. Just like Opie needed Aunt Bea, you’ll need the ones who knew you when. Leo | The Stars tell me you’ve got a little bit of a cold this week, Leo. It’s no fun, I know. Sniffing, coughing, sneezing, fever, aching, drippy tissues, bleaaachh. So take your Vitamin C and get your liquids and rest, but while you’re getting better remember something; these little colds have a purpose. They remind us what we aren’t doing with our bodies when they’re healthy. So once you’re back up to snuff, take that bike ride you’ve been meaning to or go for a run. Renew your YMCA membership and join a class. That sniffle in your nose should help you remember, these things don’t run forever. Virgo | Recently a group of neurologists decided to place a dead salmon in an MRI machine and ask it questions about a series of photographs of humans in social situations. Yes, really. When the brain scans of the deceased fish were analyzed, they indicated the salmon (which, I should emphasize, was not alive) was actively thinking about the pictures it was viewing and the questions it was asked. The point of this exercise, Virgo, was not to establish proof of the intelligence of a formerly-alive migratory trout. No, the point is that sometimes we find what we are looking for only because we are looking for it–not because it is actually there. Libra | Your continued attempts to completely understand the actions and motivations of others are admirable, Libra, but let’s try to get down to the heart of the matter. There’s always another theory or another explanation for why other people do what they do. The energy you put in to trying to comprehend is starting to wear you down. It’s like the more you know the less you understand. Here’s the thing - it may not be about understanding at all. Maybe it’s like the man says, I think it’s about forgiveness. Yes, even if. Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, registered dietician or certified pre-owned car. Hoboscopes appear courtesy of The Contributor street newspaper in Nashville, TN. Want more pearls of undeniable truth? Follow Mr. Mysterio at: twitter.com/mrmysterio