One Ohio Now Street vibes
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
PG 7
APRIL 1 5 , 2 0 1 1
Prostitution: Crime or controversial career?
1
PG 11
ISSUE 197
ADVOCATING JUSTICE • BUILDING COMMUNIT Y
$1
Health Care For the Homeless Program is a Mobile Marvel The Cincinnati Health Network is in charge of the Health Care for the Homeless Program, and the medical van and the Elm Street Clinic are parts of the Health Care for the Homeless Program. The Cincinnati Health Department provides the medical staff, support team, laboratory and pharmaceutical services and other important aspects of the programs. The clinic opened on November 15, 2010. Carly Tamborski Contributing Writer
O
n a cold, brisk afternoon, light snow falls from the sky onto downtown Cincinnati, prompting a steady flow of people to make the walk to the Drop Inn Center on 12th Street. Not only do these people hope to seek shelter from the weather, they know that it’s Wednesday: the medical van will be there today. Every Monday and Wednesday, the McMicken Health Collaborative’s medical van visits the Drop Inn Center at 2 p.m. to offer medical care to residents who can’t afford it themselves, and it doesn’t cost them a dime. When it’s not at the Drop Inn Center, the van also visits shelters, transitional housing and other area locations where the homeless congregate, as sometimes the homeless are reluctant to come to the Elm Street Clinic. On this particular afternoon, Stephanie Blackwell, a medical assistant, walks into the Drop Inn Center and across the open cafeteria to a small room, where she unlocks
Med Van. Vinit Murthy, Streetvibes Photographer a door. About 15 homeless people are sitting at tables surrounding the room, waiting patiently to sign up to see the doctor. Some rest their heads in their folded arms on the tables, looking too tired for words, while others energetically look around the room. Sometimes, people may wait for 2-3 hours to see the doctor on the medical van, who sees about 25-30 patients during one visit. Blackwell has worked with the collaborative for about six months, so she’s familiar with the procedures of the care system. “We basically provide medical care to the homeless, today for people that are in the Drop Inn Center.,” Blackwell said. “We can give injections, EKGs -- anything that we do in a doctor’s office we do in here on the van. We can do minor things like IUDs, incision and drainage, staple removals; we can do pap smears here. It’s like primary care for the homeless.” The van also provides pregnancy tests, blood draws, strep screens, urine analyses, blood sugar tests and HBA1c and INR tests. Patients needing radiology, referrals and
Med Van. The Mobile Marvel, providing care to those in need Vinit Murthy, Streetvibes Photographer other special tests are referred to University Hospital and given an order signed by a Health Care for the Homeless physician. While Blackwell’s coworker gets the van ready, she uses the small room to triage the patients. She passes around a sign in sheet and light paperwork for the patients, who are required to provide their name, social security number and contact information, if they have any. They are also required to sign a declaration of their homelessness. Blackwell takes their vital signs and asks what prompted the patient to seek help. She assesses the type of care they may need and then individually sends the patients outside to see the doctor on the van. There’s usually one doctor and two medical assistants -- like Blackwell -- present during the van’s operating hours. The vehicle has two exam rooms on either side of it, and in the middle, has a sink, file cabinets, supplies and patient files, truly making it a doctor’s office on wheels. To summarize the nuts and bolts of the operation, the Cincinnati Health Network is in charge of the Health Care for the Homeless Program, and the medical van and the Elm Street Clinic are parts of the Health Care for the Homeless Program. The Cincinnati Health Department provides the medical staff, support team, laboratory and pharmaceutical services and other important aspects of the programs. The clinic opened on November 15, 2010. According to the network’s 2009 data, the Health Care for the Homeless Program helped approximately 7,035 patients, and the van assisted 4,502 of those people. The program sees the types of patients one might expect to see in the underprivileged urban setting: primarily adult males and few children, with 69 percent of patients being males. Children living in poverty in Ohio qualify for other types of coverage that adults do not, which reflects why only about 6 percent of patients were under the age of 19. “The largest group of people we see are African American men, which I think is what you typically see in a shelter as well,” said Jackie Campbell, program manager for the Health Care for the Homeless Program. “Fifty-six percent of patients are African American men and 2 percent are Hispanic/Latino.” Campbell, who has a Master’s in public health, has been the program manager for about a year and a half but has always worked in non-profit healthcare. A van existed in the early 90s, but a revamped one was introduced in 2006. The Cincinnati Health Network purchased the van but leases it to the Cincinnati Health Department. The services offered on the van and in the clinic differ somewhat. The clinic offers dental, behavioral and primary care services, while the van mainly offers primary care. The van works with doctors and medical assistants, but the clinic has doctors, nurses, a nurse manager, a practice manager, a dental team, medical and dental students, volunteers and two mental health counselors, among other staff members. “With the clinic, we’re trying to provide a ‘medical home’ for homeless people instead of going to the ER every time where they’d see a different person,” Campbell said. While the services performed are at no cost to the patient, running the program (the clinic and van) is quite expensive and does require funding from multiple sources. Some support comes from federal funding and the American Recovery Act, as well as donations and grants. Even though the services are no cost to patients if a patient is homeless but has some sort of income, they may be asked to pay a small amount. “The cost of operating the van is fairly expensive,” Campbell said. “We have to pay doctors, pay for equipment, pay for medication. Less than 10 percent of our patients have any form of insurance to pay with.” See Health Care for the Homeless Pg. 4
Editorial
2
150
The percentage homelessness has increased in Cincinnati in the past 15 years. ‘Health care for the homeless program is a mobile marvel’ Page 1
Every 2
…minutes in the United States that someone is sexually assaulted. ‘Editorial’ Page 2
25
The number of years now local, published author of the book ‘Sworn Not To Betray’battled with the legal system before completely turning his life around with his paroled release in 2005. ‘Sworn Not to Betray’ Page 3
120
The number of members performing with SCPA’s Primary Strings. ‘Building Bridges with Neighbors’ Page 4
1,300
The number of people who attended the 50th Anniversary General Meeting for Amnesty International in San Francisco on March 18th. ‘Shine A Light on Human Rights!’ Page 5
25
The percentage of African Americans nationwide that do not have a government-issued photo ID. ‘An Article from the Free Press: Ohio Republicans pass new Jim Crow bill disenfranchising 900,000 voters’ Page 6
4-5-2011
The date The People’s Empowerment Coalition, GCCH Staff, and volunteers went to the Columbus Statehouse to fight for health care and Ohio Social Programs that are in danger of being cut. ‘One Ohio Now’ Page 7
5
The number of poetry books that Elisa Hill has written. ‘By the Grace of God, A Story of Survival and Strength’ Page 8
1972
The year New York Times columnist Gail Collins founded The Connecticut State News Bureau. ‘Q&A with New York Times columnist Gail Collins’ Page 10
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
A quick production note to the readers: After careful consideration, we have decided to change the production and distribution schedule for Streetvibes to every other Friday instead of the twice-monthly printing on the first and fifteenth. There are many reasons behind this but the one I find most important is that this gives our distributors a solid, standing date and time that they can receive their papers. This is to let you know and of course, this will allow for two extra issues of Streetvibes per year! You will also notice a change in the way Streetvibes looks. This is due to our incredible lay out artist Liz. Elizabeth Schulenberg put together the amazing new changes to the look and feel of the paper. She works tirelessly as a volunteer, in her spare time, for free to literally map out the entire paper. For that, I cannot thank her enough. It is because of her that our paper is taking its next steps to being the best looking street paper in print. Now about this issue: I am really proud of one particular feature we have in this issue, an inspiring story by a local woman named Elisa. I met Elisa Hill a few months ago. She came into my office to ask if I had received her work. “Nope.” I said. “Never saw it.” I had just come in as Editor, and the transition especially right at Christmas was difficult. She explained to me that she wrote poetry and had even put together an autobiographical piece about her life. She went further into detail and asked for my advice and if I would be interested in the story. I expressed my attention and encouraged her to be honest in her writing, as honest as she could despite how hard it may be. Looking at her, I could see a strong woman, a fighter. I saw me. She is beautiful but you can see she has had to kick, climb, and struggle to survive. When we did the March Women’s Herstory Issues, I asked Elisa to write a piece for it. After I got all the stories from our writers and the other features as much as I did not like it, there was just no room for Elisa’s story. I am so pleased to share her story in this issue of Streetvibes. I cried when I read it through the first time. Elisa suffered like so many others silently at the hands of another who assaulted her. Every 2 minutes someone in our country is sexually assaulted.* Here is the math. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey -- the country’s largest and most reliable crime study -- there were 248,300 sexual assaults in 2007 (the most recent data available). Moreover, 15 out 16 rapists will never spend a day in jail for their crime. I am honored to share a story of hope and bravery with the other women in Elisa’s own words. You can read her story on page 8. Bravery and hope are nothing new to this community of Over the Rhine. This is a community that fights day after day to just live, to survive. The day I write this is April 7th. This afternoon I attended the remembrance of Timothy Thomas at the corner of 13th and Race. The strength this community has to overcome is beyond anything I have ever seen. The people here in this core are stronger than most. 10 years after the Civil Unrest and this community still stands tall despite people and groups that come in trying to take it apart. I wanted to share with you something so beautiful and profound written by our Education Coordinator Jeni Jenkins. These are her thoughts on the Ten Year Remembrance of the Unrest. “When a community is replete with the belief that certain individuals are inherently superior to other individuals and when a belief becomes institutionalized and drives discrimination, hatred and violence, eventually it becomes necessary for the victims to come together, rise up and speak out. Those who have been taught to hate difference must decide to analyze where that hate comes from. They must decide to listen. They must decide to walk in the shoes of difference. If those who speak out are not heard they will rise.” *Statistics courtesy of www.rainn.org
Everyone Poops (and pees)! From the Director
Josh Spring Executive Director
So it seems to finally be getting warm. For a while it seemed like winter might just continue forever. But after so long to see and even feel a ray of sun is a welcomed gift. Thoughts of spring and summer conjure visions of people. It is in these months that folks emerge from wherever they have been taking winter-refuge and begin to once again interact with one another. As a result, these are months to cherish. As more people come out to enjoy the warmth, parks will begin to become active. It seems that most folks enjoy a nice rest in a neighborhood park or a conversation with a friend on the edge of a park. Perhaps the conversation is about the latest proposals coming from congress or the attempts to stop the proposals. Perhaps the conversation is about the most recent sports game, or a mutual friend down the block. Some people may be talking about things they see eye to eye on or subjects they completely disagree on. However after some time out in the community, everyone is brought together by one common denominator. Eventually, if one spends enough time out, she or he will have to go to the bathroomto take care of the necessities. That’s right, I’m talking about it. Eventually, after enough time out everyone is going to have to pee and/or poop. Relieving oneself is a simple fact of life. If we can agree on nothing else, we can agree on this. The other thing we can agree on is that most people prefer to take care of the necessities with a certain level of privacy. And finally, with these two commonalities behind us, we can probably also agree that most people do not want to step in another person’s necessities or watch another person complete her or his necessities. Over-the-Rhine and the Central Business District are about to become stinky places. This is because our common denominator in Over-the-Rhine has been torn down. 3CDC has torn down the public restroom in Washington Park and despite promises to establish temporary port-o-lets, has now said they will do no such thing. Normally these restrooms would re-open in mid-April after a winter hiatus. What happens when a highly relied upon public restroom is removed with no temporary replacement? Do people stop having the need to evacuate waste from their bodies? Certainly not. Again, everybody poops (and pees). So when a highly used public restroom is removed with no temporary replacement, many people use the bathroom outside. And if you are in an urban setting like Over-the-Rhine and the Central Business District, using the bathroom outside probably does not mean behind a tree or in a grassy field. At best using the bathroom outside means using an
See Everyone Poops Pg. 3
Streetvibes is an activist newspaper, advocating justice and building community. Streetvibes reports on economic issues, civil rights, the environment, the peace movement, spirituality and the struggle against homelessness and poverty. Distributed by people who are or once were homeless, in exchange for a $1 donation, Streetvibes is published twice a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Address: 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513.421.7803 x 12 Fax 513.421.7813 Email: jenmatrin@cincihomeless.org Website: www.cincihomeless.org Blog: streetvibes.wordpress.com
Streetvibes Staff Editor Jen Martin,
jenmartin@cincihomeless.org
Art Director Elizabeth Schulenberg Contributing Writers Jim Luken, Saad Ghosn, Jeni Jenkins, Willa Denise Jones, Jennifer Martin, Josh Spring, Sheli DeLaney, Lee McCoy, Corey Gibson, B. Clifton Burke, Cleo Wombles, Mayuko Hida, Yushin Toda, Dan Moore, Kelissa Hieber, Sandra Knollman, Brenda Zechmeister, Judge Leslie Isaiah Gaines Photography/Artwork Chris Kromer, Sheli DeLaney, Amiee Willhoite, Rico Green, Saad Ghosn, Corey Gibson, Dan Moore, Brenda Zechmeister, Jimmy Heath The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to eradicate homelessness in Cincinnati through coordination of services, public education, grassroots advocacy and Streetvibes.
Local
Street vibes
3
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Sworn Not to Betray Local Cincinnati man Darryl Owens made it through incarceration and addiction to pursue his passion for writing. Darryl Owens/Tess Suetholz Streetvibes Contributors
Darryl Owens. Darryl proudly shows his finished product Tess Suetholz I, Darryl Owens, born and raised in the West end Community of Cincinnati, Ohio, am the youngest of eight boys. I’ve lived in almost every neighborhood of the City. At forty nine years of age, I am the proud father of a very beautiful daughter and the grandfather of an equally beautiful grandson. Abandoned by my mother at an early age and raised by a father, whom the State determined to be incapable of supporting our family, I was placed in the home of a family friend. At the age of thirteen, I returned home to live with my family in the Laurel Homes housing project. With a tumultuous life-beginning and an unstable foundation, I was soon forced into a life of petty crime by friends of one of my seven brothers. Over a period of years, I couldn’t seem to escape the life of crime that had become my way of life. It soon became my gateway to a life of drug and alcohol abuse. Eventually, a Thirteenmonth parole became a twenty-five year battle with the
judicial system. I was finally a free man and released from parole in 2005. During the 23 years of recidivism, the desire to write became a passion, which soon grew into an obsession. My addictive personality manifested itself in many ways. The irony of it all is that my obsession, help me to overcome another obsession, my crack-cocaine drug addiction. On days when I felt like ending my life, the yearning to commit my thoughts to writing would overrule my thoughts of hopelessness. Despair was counterbalanced by my imbedded thought of not wanting to leave this earth without having done something meaningful with my life and face my God on the Day of Judgment. During my many periods of incarceration, support from family and friends waned. I supported myself by writing letters for my fellow inmates. I was self-inspired by the realization of how creative my mind could be. I became very fascinated and intrigued by how great authors, like Sidney Sheldon, Jackie Collins, Harold Robbins and John Gresham, all of whom were great inspirations, could take a totally fictitious story and make it appear real. This became my quest and how I came to write my first novel, “Sworn Not To Betray”. As the years went by, Cincinnati began to feel less like home. To escape the city that imprisoned me both behind bars and on the streets, I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in search of a new life and a home with an address. Homelessness is my new prison. Today I live in a Minneapolis shelter. I long for the day when God will bless me with a place of my own. God has surrounded me
“ During the 23 years of recidivism, the desire to write became a passion, which soon grew into an obsession. My addictive personality manifested itself in many ways. The irony of it all is that my obsession, help me to overcome another obsession, my crack-cocaine drug addiction.” with beautiful people. I can’t thank or praise him enough for the letting my supportive angels come into my life and aid me in fulfilling my life-long endeavor -to share with everyone the gift that he has bestowed upon me. I pray that everyone who takes the time to read “Sworn Not To Betray” will be completely content at the book’s conclusion.
Everyone Poops (and pees)! Continued from Pg. 2 alley-way. But because the alley’s are also being gated off by 3CDC, using the bathroom outside more likely means using the sides of buildings, doorways and the privacy behind parked cars as a restroom. Again, this is not because anyone necessarily wants to use the restroom in these places, but because the accepted option has been torn down without replacement. What will this change mean for our community? Of course it will mean that things will be stinky and less healthy. More importantly what will this change mean on a very basic human level? People will be forced to use the bathroom in degrading ways and will therefore feel disrespected. People will have to watch others using the bathroom in this manner or step through the waste from another person and feel disrespected. In the end everyone will walk away feeling disrespected. Even still the greater problem is that not everyone will simply walk away. This unnecessary change will create tension, arguments and potentially violence in our neighborhoods. Can you imagine people on the sidewalk corner arguing because person one peed on person two’s front stoop and person two saw it happen. Person two
says hurtful things because she or he feels disrespected because her or his property has been urinated on and person one feels disrespected at being told they are not accepted anywhere; they don’t even have somewhere to carry out the most necessary task. Now these two folks are fighting and growing to dislike one another and making assumptions about one another despite the fact that neither of them created the actual problemneither of them tore down the public restroom. Now imagine that after this scenario plays out a couple of times, person two calls the police and now the police spend time citing the first person with public indecency. Not only are tax-dollars being wasted on a run of this manner, but there is conflict between the first person and the police. Person one is charged with a crime that she or he must go to court to take care of. Here again at court we have more contention. If the person comes out with a final charge it could be as bad a sex-offense, because yes, one can get a sex-offense charge for going to the bathroom outside. I know to some this scenario may sound extreme. However, when you consider the number of people that use a public restroom
like the one in Washington Park and the number of months it needs to be open and the already existing contentions over issues like these, the situations painted above are not extreme. Without temporary public port-o-lets we will without doubt see increased contention, arguing, and less peace, not to mention the expenditure of more tax-dollars to squelch the fighting. The frustrating factor in this situation is that all of this is preventable. 3CDC has been planning the work in Washington Park for years. 3CDC has been told for more than a year that temporary bathrooms will be a necessity. They have even at times said they will follow through in providing temporary bathrooms. Despite all of this, 3CDC currently refuses to simply make up for the necessity that they have removed. Here at the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless we hope that the City of Cincinnati, the Park Board and 3CDC hear from Citizens demanding that they provide temporary bathrooms before we hear arguments between neighbors and see media reports of more police runs to site people for public urination. Why would we create an ill that we have plenty of time to prevent?
“Based on two major crimes which take place within six months of each other, on the same exact date, after the first crime is committed. Cincinnati police commissioner Jake Thorn and F.B.I. head Ryan Schaffer have reason to believe a beautiful blond orchestrated the first crime, but that’s all they have is their suspicions until six months later, when the second crime is committed on Tuesday morning February 8th, and a particular individual becomes the victim of the second crime, this event corroborates both Thorn’s and Schaffer’s suspicions, but still they have no actual proof this beautiful blond is the mastermind of both crimes, so to gather the actual physical evidence they need to prove she is the mastermind, Thorn assigns his three lead detectives, to lead the investigation of the second crime, which is just an extension from the ongoing investigation of the first crime, in the middle of the investigation, Thorn learns one of the three detectives, is possibly working with the woman an her small group of friends, trying to keep them informed of what steps state and federal authorities are planning next, to capture those who committed both crimes. This investigation eventually culminates into one of the biggest crime investigations, to ever take place in the state of Ohio. The police are turning up the heat with everything at their disposal, while an anonymous caller is trying to help the suspects stay one step ahead of the law.”
Sworn Not to Betray By Darryl Owens available now: Hotbooksale.com, Barnes&Nobel.com, Borders.com, and
Local
4
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
Building Bridges with Neighbors Jeni Jenkins Staff Writer
O
n Thursday March 17, 2011, 5 elementary students from the School of Creative and Performing Arts performed for an active audience at the Drop Inn Center shelter. Music teacher Steve Mason led the students on piano as a group of residents leaned back and listened to the beautiful violins. The students are part of a 120-member group of K-3 violin students in SCPA’s Select Primary Strings. In addition to performing at the Drop Inn Center, students from the same group performed
“ This particular project is the product of efforts to build a relationship between the Drop Inn Center and SCPA.” for residents of Tender Mercies, another neighboring shelter, earlier in the month. The concerts are part of a larger effort of a local committee determined to build bridges and a solid relationship between SCPA and the Over the Rhine Community as a whole. Since SCPA opened at the new location in August,
many people were concerned with its proximity to the Drop Inn Center, Cincinnati’s largest homeless shelter, as well as other social service agencies in the community. Since September, the committee has worked actively with SCPA’s Principal Stanley Flower to initiate educational opportunities as well as service learning and community engagement projects. The members of the committee include invested parents, SCPA alumni, artists and Over the Rhine community members. This particular project is the product of efforts to build a relationship between the Drop Inn Center and SCPA. Joe Wilmers, SCPA social worker and advisor to the committee helped to set up the concerts. Wilmers and the committee also helped to set up educational tours of the Drop Inn Center for staff and faculty of SCPA, an effort that has already changed perceptions. In addition to the concerts and the tours, the committee has helped educate the SCPA community by providing an opportunity for the entire high school to hear from Lauren Lovette, a formerly homeless 20 year old in the Voice of the Homeless Speaker’s Bureau program at the Coaltion for the Homeless. The Speaker’s Bureau is designed to educate students about the realities
Health Care For the Homeless Program is a Mobile Marvel Continued from Pg. 1 Campbell estimates that the whole program costs about $1.5 million a year just for the medical aspect, for the clinic and van. As Blackwell triages patients, Gregory McIntosh quietly fills out his paperwork. McIntosh has been a resident for three days (WILL CHANGE DEPENDING ON PRINT DATE) and heard about the medical van services from the staff at the Drop Inn Center’s front desk. His hands shake as he holds the pen, spelling out his name, but that’s why he’s here. “I had surgery on my right arm and I wanted to talk to the doctor about my hands swellin’ up and shakin’,” McIntosh said. “When I sleep my arms go numb and stuff, and when I carry stuff or pick up stuff my hands cramp up. My left arm goes numb, too. I had the surgery a long time ago because I had a bone infection. I don’t know what caused it, but for the last 20 or 30 years I’ve been going through this.” The services provided in both the van and the clinic may play a major role in the lives of the homeless who receive their services. Having a good health care center impacts the ability of the homeless to keep jobs and housing. “People who are homeless tend to have a lot of health issues,” Campbell said. “They have no control over their diet. They may over or under eat at times. A lot of them have diabetes. They have injuries and get hypothermia. A fair amount have mental illness or substance abuse problems. We see a lot of cold and flu patients. We also see a lot of people with HIV and hepatitis, and sometimes people with serious cardiac problems.” One of those cold and flu patients is La’Shae Parker, who’s been a resident at the Drop Inn Center since February 8th. Parker walks out of the triage room with a bag of cough drops in hand. Receiving them doesn’t require an examination in the van, but she has been on it before.
SCPA Concert. Students take stage Leslie Hurst of homelessness and combat harmful stereotypes. Committee member David Rosenthal, director of Prairie Inc., a non-profit arts education organization, is also working with high school students of SCPA creative writing teacher Dr. Joy Fowler, in a photography and writing project called
“I usually use the services every time they come, you know, just to get cough drops,” Parker said. “I get cough drops a lot. You get sick in here a lot. I mean I’ve been to the van. I was having back pains and they gave me a script for some muscle relaxers, and then I took it down to the clinic.” The issues of McIntosh and Parker are mainly physical, but not all of the residents hoping to see the doctor suffer from physical pain or the symptoms of cold weather. “Mental health issues are very common among the homeless, and providing behavioral health services is a very important part of our program,” said Campbell. Behavioral health counselors are not present on the van, but it does have a list of phone numbers and other resources available, and guidance is given to patients who express a concern with their mental health. Behavioral health counselors do work at the clinic, which has two mental health counselors. They provide counseling and treatment to those with anxiety and mild to moderate depression. One person who knows just how important that service is Joe Valencik. Valencik was on his way from Arizona to see his brother in Pennsylvania when he stopped at the Drop Inn Center. He’s been a resident there for a few weeks. “I’m here to get my medication. I got a little issue with depression and anxiety, and around here this place can build up so much depression and anxiety, you know what I mean?” Valencik said with a light laugh, as he motioned to the room around him. “It sounds like they provide an awesome service. From what I’ve been told, they will give me an analysis and they will prescribe me what’s needed, and then I can take it down to the clinic. I was told that with the issues I have, I need to see [the mental health counselor], and talk to him, so, especially being this far away from home and having nowhere to go, that’s a lot of anxiety. Today I’m gonna give him my ex-doctor’s number.” The medical van provides common prescription and over-the-counter drugs, but does not prescribe controlled substances. If a patient at the medical van needs a certain prescription filled, the van will provide a script but does not fill it there. Patients need to take the prescription to the Elm Street Clinic, along with a special Cincinnati Health Department form that must be signed by a Health Care for the Homeless medical van physician. According to the Cincinnati Health Network, the homeless population in Cincinnati has increased 150 percent in the past 15 years.
New Voices. New Voices gives SCPA students an opportunity to learn and voice their opinions about the community of Over-the-Rhine. Through out the project the students are teaming up with residents of Over the Rhine Community Housing, another SCPA neighbor.
Great Books! visit
www.cincybooks.com
Autism Awareness Month
Street vibes
5
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Shine a Light on Human Rights! Amnesty International kicked off its 50th Anniversary year with a record breaking crowd at its annual meeting. Held in San Francisco on March 18th through the 20th 2011, a record-breaking crowd of over 1,300 people attended this Annual General Meeting. Over the course of our historic weekend, Amnesty International members, friends and visitors enjoyed the variety of workshops and speakers, which was held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, CA – the same hotel where the delegates gathered for the International Conference which led to the birth of the United Nations, in the late 1940’s. Laura Osborn-Coffey Contributing Writer Amnesty International USA Group #86 Coordinator
T
he program was packed with many activities. Friday was a day for the membership teams to meet – which included everything from ‘Human rights educators for social justice,’ to a town hall meeting with Amnesty’s Board of Directors. That evening the opening ceremonies included an inspirational speech from Larry Cox, current Executive Director of Amnesty International. He exhorted conference goers to not only participate during the weekend – but also to commit to continued participation in human rights events over the next year, as Amnesty begins its 50th anniversary year. Special entertainers that evening included music from Saul Hernandez of the Jaguares, who spends much time working on behalf of the women of Atenco, Mexico. Steve Earle – activist, author and musician – was the next guest, and he wowed the crowd with his usual appropriate music. Finally Joan Baez came on stage to share some of her own stories of her activism and of joining forces with Amnesty’s work back in the 1960’s – long before half of the conference goers were born! She told one particularly funny story about herself and another woman, who were trying to smuggle money into a ‘un-named’
prisoner in an ‘un-named’ country. Her friend packed the money into her hosiery, while Joan hid it in a more discreet area. As they were on a bus and trying to get through what passed for custom’s back then, her friend’s hose broke and the money was all over the floor of the bus. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Baez’ story and her singing song’s she’s made famous, plus joining with Steve Earle to sing his tunes. Saturday started with a large presentation by many people – including a video message from former President Jimmy Carter, and an introduction to the
Conference Goers Pose with Larry Cox Laura Osborne-Coffey
is an annual award given to the Amnesty Local or community group who did terrific human rights work in 2010. Workshops which were presented during the weekend included topics such as: A Mother lost every 90 seconds – Maternal Health around the World, Unimpeachable Voices Against the Death Penalty, Hi-Tech Activism, Human Rights Defenders at Risk, Holding Oil Companies Accountable, Caught in the Dragnet: Migrants in America, and Security with Human Rights. I attended a workshop titled: Muzzling the Watchdogs – Journalists and Freedom of
“ The energy and passion that was brought to the conference was awe-inspiring. The members and friends of Amnesty who attended the 2011 Annual General Meeting walked away with a renewed confidence, and the commitment to carry it forward for the rest of the year with passion and energy for the human rights movement.” day by Larry Cox. The keynote speech was given by Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Salil Shetty, who highlighted the importance of building the movement and recruiting new members to become an even louder voice for human dignity. The leadership awards for Amnesty USA were also presented to local groups and student activists – including our own Cincinnati Group 86! Our group was one of the runner’s up for the Sister Laola Hironaka Award, which
Expression under Fire. The speakers in this workshop were Lydia Cacho, Roxana Saberi, and J.S. Tissasanayagam (‘Tissa’). They each made very poignant speeches on their arrest and release, mainly due to Amnesty’s efforts. I was touched, as our Cincinnati group had worked on the case of Tissa, and he has been a feature of a previous article in Street Vibes. Roxana was also a case featured in the March edition of Street Vibes.
The height of the weekend occurred at the Saturday afternoon Plenary session. Michael O’Reilly of the Atlanta Amnesty office promised us a ‘very special guest’. This guest was Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, released Prisoner of Conscience from Burma! A call was arranged for her to address the Annual General meeting, and Daw Suu Kyi thanked the conferencegoers for their unceasing efforts on her behalf over the last fifteen years of her house arrest, in Myanmar (Burma). She made a point to ask that we not forget the other 2000 people still in jail in Myanmar today. When O’Reilly asked her “What gave you strength?” her answer was clear, over the thousand mile call: “Because of people like you. Little Actions all add up to a lot.” She also told the gathered activists that “Your biggest challenge is to let people around the world know that they have human rights. I would like to urge everybody to make a change, to get where we want to with security and freedom.” When the room stood to applaud her call, O’Reilly told Daw Suu Kyi – “That’s what a standing ovation sounds like.” The energy and passion that was brought to the conference was aweinspiring. The members and friends of Amnesty who attended the 2011 Annual General Meeting walked away with a renewed confidence, and the commitment to carry it forward for the rest of the year with passion and energy for the human rights movement.
An Article from the Free Press Ohio Republicans pass new Jim Crow bill disenfranchising 900,000 voters
The only IDs that will be accepted to vote in Ohio if this bill passes the overwhelming Republican State Senate are a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID, an Ohio driver’s license, or an Ohio state ID. This is the most restrictive standard in the nation.
Dr. Bob Fitrakis Editor & Publisher of The Free Press (freepress.org), which first published this article. March 23, 2011
W
hile Ohio public employees’ rights to bargain collectively are under siege, the Ohio Republican Party executed a perfect sleight of hand by disenfranchising nearly 900,000 Ohio voters. In the most vicious and direct attack on voting rights since Bull Connor ran amok in the deep South, Ohio House Republicans passed HB 159 that requires Ohio voters to produce one of four state photo IDs at the polls. The only IDs that will be accepted in Ohio if this bill passes the overwhelming Republican State Senate are a
U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID, an Ohio driver’s license, or an Ohio state ID. This is the most restrictive standard in the nation. The Republican Party’s target is obvious. Studies indicate that 25% of African Americans nationwide do not have a government-issued photo ID, 18% of voters over age 65 do not have a photo ID, and 15% of voters with incomes under $35,000 lack the ID as well. Besides going after blacks, the elderly and the poor, the bill also sets its sights on college students. What do these people have in common? They tend to vote Democratic. The Republicans refuse to discuss an amendment that would have accepted a college student ID with a photo from their own state-funded university, including The Ohio State University, one of the nation’s largest institutions of higher education. Usually cautious critics like Dan Tokaji, Professor of Law at Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law, offered dire assessments: “’Disenfranchisement’ isn’t a word to be used lightly. But it is necessary to capture this bill’s purpose and impact. Passage of this bill would restore our state’s unfortunate reputation as our nation’s capital of vote suppression.” See Free Press Pg. 6
6
Interest
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
Mark Twain Was Right: Stories from the 2001 Cincinnati Riots and Unrest Dan Moore Author and Illustrator
M
ark Twain Was Right: Stories from the 2001 Cincinnati Riots and Unrest is a soon to be released graphic novel about United States’ first urban uprising in the 21st century. The following excerpts depict events that occurred during the day on Tuesday and Wednesday April 10th and 11th, 2001, just days after the killing of Timothy Thomas. Of all of the 10-year reflections of the civil unrest, one piece that few people have mentioned was the broad involvement from community members in Over-The-Rhine. While the majority of the media focused on property destruction perpetrated by very small groups or community leaders, hundreds and hundreds of people of all ages and
races were consistently involved in marching through the community, shoulder-toshoulder, demanding justice. It was not uncommon to see people abandon their car on the sidewalk to join a march that they saw marching by, nor uncommon to see eager community members pouring out of the side streets as a march passed. I believe the broad base of the movement made City Hall realize that this was not a movement that could just be stamped out without any political change. This was not a movement that could just be marginalized as a few trouble-makers. This was a movement that represented the very fabric of the community, where some of the poorest members of Cincinnati’s voices were propelled to the forefront.
An Article from the Free Press Continued From Pg. 5
The Republicans are justifying their assault on the most basic and fundamental right by invoking the myth of “voter fraud.” Not only have academics like Lori Minnite documented in detail the absence of voter fraud in U.S. politics, Tokaji addressed the issue in Ohio: “The only documented case of impersonation I could find in recent Ohio elections involved absentee voting by a mother pretending to be her daughter. This isn’t surprising. The few people who attempt voter impersonation aren’t likely to risk criminal prosecution by showing up at the polling place; they are much more likely to vote by mail. The bill won’t do anything about mail voting fraud.” Ohio Republicans have frequently cried “voter fraud” while at the same time they’ve hired their political allies like Triad, ES&S and Premier voting systems (formerly Diebold) to secretly count Ohio’s vote with proprietary computer hardware and software.
The only way to understand House Bill 159 is to acknowledge its historical significance as the new Jim Crow, which is an even more insidious form of apartheid. This new apartheid encompasses African Americans, and also fits into a deliberate attempt by Ohio Republicans to wage class war against the Buckeye State’s most vulnerable citizens. What the Republican Party did first with Senate Bill 5 by attacking the pensions, health care and collective bargaining rights of public employees was to establish the shock doctrine, outlined by Naomi Klein. The Ohio Republicans are using the state’s projected $8 billion debt as an excuse to destroy the political base of the Democratic Party. First they destroy the public unions and now they’re going after those constituencies who are likely to support the progressive programs of the New Deal and Great Society.
Another way to look at the recent activity in Ohio is to see how closely it parallels what the CIA calls “economic destabilization” in the Third World. This tactic throws economies into crisis in order to achieve regime change. Since Ohio is one of the nation’s most important swing states, and no Republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio, both Senate Bill 5 and House Bill 159 are the obvious opening shots in the Republican presidential campaign. The Republicans are astute students of numbers and demographics. They understand that they can’t beat Barack Obama in 2012 unless they cheat by restricting voting rights. Sadly, the history of Ohio’s Democratic Party is to roll over and allow the Republicans to do whatever despicable racist and undemocratic acts they wish.
State Issues
Street vibes
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
7
One Ohio Now On April 5th, 2011 The People’s Empowerment Coalition, GCCH Staff, and volunteers took a road trip to the Columbus Statehouse for a very important reason‌ to rally for health care and other important social programs in Ohio that are in danger of being cut. Riccardo Taylor Civil Rights Outreach Coordinator
A
trip to the Capital, I had the pleasure of going to Columbus to address some of the concerns of the people of the great state of Ohio, Tuesday April 5th 2011. Our objective was to meet with some of the representatives to voice the concerns of their constituents. The ride in the Charter bus was pleasant, as the excitement of opportunity gripped us all. A more determined group of people likely could not have been found for this particular venture, and
although we knew not what to expect we traveled with confidence in our mission. To get to the heart of the occasion, we broke into small groups each with an appointment with representatives to air our concerns. My group leader Ron was up to the task, as he was armed with the letter of introduction and grievances we were presenting. Meandering through a crowd of several hundred people from all points of the state we found our way to the office of Representative Ron Maag the fact that we did not have the chance to address Mr. Maag personally was not lost on me, it was understood that being a
Standing United for Ohioans Rights Matthew Huff
facebook.com/streetvibes cincinnati
twitter.com/streetvibesnwes
streetvibes.wordpress.com
The Statehouse Matthew Huff person of his standing, that he had many other important things to do in his job description, so we were interviewed by his aide. With a pleasant smile and direct
attention Samantha, (the aide) heard our grievances and noted every detail. The young lady left us with the confidence that everything we presented would be forwarded to her employer and we left with a feeling of accomplishment. Of course the budget cuts were the theme of the day and again, I believe we have started the first phase of voicing the peoples concerns. On to our next stop, we entered the office of Representative Shannon Jones, and being prepared from our first stop we met with the aides of his office. Again the pleasantness of their audience was appreciated and it allowed some ease of tension, when the reality came that we were relying our concern by way word. Of course the aides could not give us definitive answers, but we were assured that our concerns would properly be channeled. All in all, I feel that we made a good impression and again, this I believe was only the beginning of our march to unite a voice for all Ohioans and bring about the fairness in distribution of wealth and equality.
8
Local
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
By the Grace of God, A Story of Survival and Strength A true and inspiring story of one Cincinnati woman and her struggle to raise her children despite abuse and fear Elisa Hill Contributing Writer My name is Elisa Hill. I was born and raised in Cincinnati Ohio. I am a mother of three handsome sons, who live with me full time. Christopher is 19, Christian is 17 and Jamar is 13. However, I started out as a young mom giving birth to my first son at age 17. I still had the determination in me to make sure that I graduated high school. So after my son was a few months old, I attended The Cincinnati Job Corps, to receive my GED and to try to master a trade while I was in school. I got my GED when my son was six months old and then received my certification as a Receptionist and a Clerical typist. Two years after my first son I gave birth to my second son, this made things difficult. I had signed up to go to school for my degree in Medical Record Management at Cincinnati State, but ended up quitting school. I had my son in a daycare provided by Hamilton County at the time when he came home one day with bruises on his arm I was told were caused by the daycare provider hitting him with a switch. I had no choice; I removed him from the program and called the police. I filed charges against the woman in question and thankfully she was found guilty and her Child Care Provider license taken away. I tried to continue to work and use other babysitters but it seemed like something would always come up and I did not feel comfortable leaving them. Eventually I had no choice but to stop working just to make sure my children would be safe. Eventually I got a job that allowed me to get my CNA certification so that I could work in nursing home facilities all over. This allowed me to provide for my kids the best I could. After having my third son, I applied to Queen City Vocational School of Nursing LPN Program; I was accepted and began the program in 1998.
Elisa Hill Elisa Hill This was a tough task for me and many other mothers in the program to try to maintain a balance between being mothers, providers for our children as well as nursing students. This made things hard, so hard in fact that I had failed my second term in school, but I did not give up. I audited the remainder of the term, then returned in the new term and continued my nursing education. I graduated in 1999. I received my nursing license in 2000. Then began working as a nurse I had done work in facilities on staff in addition to doing other agency work when I was not on staff just to keep working. Throughout pushing myself through hard times and through the trials and tribulations called life, I was living with a secret that was so embarrassing it made it hard to just get up in the morning and take care of myself, I was truly suffering inside. One day had changed the way I saw myself. One boy’s vicious actions permanently switched my mindset. Many times it made it hard to keep a job because of the depression I suffered, the
Elisa Hill and sons Christopher, 19 Christian, 17 and Jamar, 13 Elisa Hill anxiety that plagued my made it difficult to even get out of my car to go into a job. This secret had been inside me since I was little and it is so hard to think or talk about it. It was just a day, just a normal day. I was out in the neighborhood, hanging out with two of my cousins. When one of my older cousin’s had seen a guy she knew, we decided to ride around with him for a while. Well we ended up at one of his friend’s houses somewhere I had been before or I just could not recognize it at that time. Now I know it was in Skyline Acres. We went into this house down into the basement where these two brothers were hanging out. We sat down them my older cousin got up to go outside with her friend and me and my other cousin stayed in the basement with the other two guys. I was young so I was trying to act mature, talking to one of the guys about music. He asked me if I wanted to go to his room with him and just listen to some music and talk. I said yes. Dumb me. I was not in the room with him a minute before he was barricading us in by blocking the entrance to the room with the door from the closet. In my mind I thought, ‘oh my God no.’ I got a sinking feeling in my stomach so I asked him again if we were just going to listen to some music and chill. He replied, “Yeah, it’s cool…were just going to talk.” He turned on a radio next to his bed, called me over to sit on the bed next to him. I went over to sit next to him then he immediately started trying to kiss my neck. I was trying to pull away I told him I wanted to go back down to the basement. He said he was not going to do anything else; he just wanted to kiss me. I was still pushing him off me, I could tell he was starting to tired of it, he seemed to get mad. I said I wanted to go back down to the basement. He told me that even if I screamed cousin and the rest would not hear me because they were in the basement and the music was loud. He stood up in front of me and started taking his clothes off. I was so scared, I started to cry and say no. He told me either I take my clothes off or he was going to do it for me. Damn, I was so scared I did not know if he would beat me or hurt me so I did what he had said. Then he pulled me over to the bed and lay on top of me. I was crying, panicking inside. I had never had never had sex. I was just a young girl. When he first tried, I pushed at him again. I felt numb with fear. My mind kind of lost its way for a moment I think because I felt like I was in a dream. I heard no music…I did not even feel him on top of me. In my head I was sitting in my mother’s arms with a smile on my face happier than I had ever been before. Then just as quickly, I was back in the room trying to push him away and then there was a knock at his door. Damn it was his father he was in the next room sleeping and heard what was going on. He yelled, ‘God damn girl out of my house now!” He jumped off me. I got up and put on my clothes. He opened the door, the father was standing where I could not see his face but again he instructed his son to get me out of there. I hurried down the steps to the basement where my other cousin was still sitting down and the other guy watching TV. I told her we needed to go. She asked me what happened but I could not even speak. Her friend was driving us away. I started crying hysterically, she was asking me what happened but I just kept crying then I told her I feel like I had peed on myself, that my clothes were soaked. We went into another house so I could use the bathroom; the guy there said we had to be quiet because his mom was home. When I got to the privacy of the bathroom I looked at myself, ‘Oh my
God’ I thought. My panties, my pants were full of blood. I started to feel extreme pain. I screamed and cried and her friend told to get me that we had to leave before I woke up his mom. I could not stop crying. Shit, by then everybody was scared. I had to tell her that one of the guys tried to rape me. Everyone was scared; I even got blood on the car seat too. Well we were too afraid to go back to my grandmother’s house where we were staying the weekend. We did not want to get in trouble so we waited outside until one for our friends mothers went to work so we could lie and say that we had been there all night. My friend and my cousin’s ran bath water so I could wash myself and they put my clothes in the washer. I remembered it for a minute and suddenly, I was lost, back in that moment of being in the room with him. I could now feel the pain of him trying to get inside of me but he could not, I was a virgin and biologically it just did not work. All it did was hurt and make me bleed. I believe that if his father would not have said something he may have forcefully raped me. Thank God. Nevertheless, he did enough damage that I will never forget his face. I never pressed charges, I was simply too ashamed.
Two years ago, I found out his name, Hank. The bastard. I saw him in a bar and he kept staring at me as if he wanted to talk to me. I figured he did remember me and was scared that I would say something. I felt like he was acting as if he was going to come over and talk to me. Again, I paralyzed by fear. I asked the guy I was seeing what his name was. I explained that he was the guy who tied to rape me when I was younger. I was amazed by his response. He just said that Hank never seemed like that type of guy to him. What type of guy is a rapist? How do we know? I guess unless you are the victim it is hard to say for sure. I know it was not my fault, but there is still a part of me that feels like I should have been smarter, stronger. Like I should not have gone to his room or I should have fought harder. I carried this pain with me every day. I could barley take care of myself; I felt I was not worth it. However, my children were a different story. I always managed to make sure my kids were clean, healthy and happy like kids should be. Even though that is all I would have the strength to do. I was raised a proud black woman. My family would not accept mental illness, they thought you just had to work harder and in time, the depression would fade. I believe they thought, ‘if you just stop making yourself depressed you could be alright. You have a weak mind and you need to be harder, do not let things or people hurt you feelings.’ Being the sensitive person I have always been that was impossible for me. I felt so much hurt, pain, rejection, fear, and disgust for myself that I had no clue what love was for me. I allowed people to hurt me, use me, abuse me, and talk about me like I was less than trash; after all that’s the way I also felt inside. I have had many years of calling the suicide hotline, because I was just so down that I could not see any way that I would survive the night sometimes. I felt I deserved to die. I diluted myself into thinking I could not sufficiently care for my kids. I had two baby fathers who were not helping the way I needed them to. I was just so lost. My children and I had been in three homeless shelters and one battered women’s shelter. I went to the battered women’s shelter because I was so lost that I figured marrying a man who would help me care for a home and my children so that we could live better would help me. That turned out to be one of my greatest nightmares. We were not even married a month before he began to verbally abuse me then he physically me. For me, it just took that one time and I did not go back to him. I left town and went to shelter in Louisville KY. While in the shelter and being in a new city, I felt still so lost and alone that I told my husband that I wanted to work things out maybe get some counseling to work through our problems so that we could keep our marriage together. That lasted a few weeks then I had to have him removed from my home by the police. Not only was he verbally abusing me he was jealous
See By the Grace of God Pg. 12
Street vibes
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Local
9
10
National News
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
Q&A with New York Times columnist Gail Collins Originally published by Spare Change News © www.streetnewsservice.org
a lot of them having to do with just how you balance work and family, which is a huge issue that I run into all the time wherever I go.
And also, often at work things will be complicated; they might feel that the whole place is run by men and that the men don’t quite get them, but it’s not like the men are running around like they did back in the day saying, “Oh, we don’t hire women for this job,” or anything like that. It’s all kind of complicated, and to deal with stuff like that is much harder than to deal with the stuff that we dealt with, which was just so completely out in the open. But I know that young women today are incredibly strong. They don’t generally like the word feminist, but nobody’s ever liked the word feminist. It was popular for only about three seconds in the entire history of the world. So, I always say if they just had another name for it, like Fred or something, it would work out better. Sennott: What are some of the things that you think may have stalled the women’s movement, or may have had a negative impact on it?
New York Times columnist Gail Collins: “I’d love to see conservative women who really thought things through in a serious way taking the lead.” Photo: courtesy of Spare Change News Adam Sennott: You’ve had an illustrious career; along with writing four books, you founded the Connecticut State News Bureau in 1972 and have written for the New York Daily News and Newsday - and you were even editor of the New York Times Editorial Section. When did you first discover your passion for writing, and did you ever imagine it would take you where it has?
Gail Collins: No, I was in school in the 60’s and I remember very clearly having to talk to somebody one day about what we wanted to do with our lives and somebody said, ‘Oh maybe we can work for the New York Times.’ and we all said, ‘Oh no, mainstream media. Sell out, oh no. We would never do such a thing. ‘ That was a long time ago. So no, I never envisioned it working out like this, but it’s been a great ride. Sennott:When did you first discover your passion for writing?
Gail Collins: I did that when I was really young. My mother had always wanted to be a writer and she had to drop out of college and get married and stuff. So it was kind of in the air from the time I was really young. Sennott: So you grew up around writing?
Collins: Yeah. If you’re a kid you can just tell what really knocks your parents out. Whenever I did something that involved writing, it was really special for my mother.
Sennott: In your book Scorpion Tongues you discussed a rumor that Hillary Clinton had thrown a lamp at her husband, President Bill Clinton, shortly after he was elected. You also wrote that “by passing along the rumor that Hillary had physically attacked Bill Clinton, people were expressing their secret fears that she (and maybe by implication all women) would try and push her husband aside and run things herself.” Though 18 years have passed, do you think America has gotten over its fear?
Collins: Yeah, that was written a while ago. To some degree, sure. It was much heavier back then, and that was right when they were first coming into the White House and they were doing the whole thing about “you buy one, you get two,” and people were not used to that. It was a new thing. But I do really think that often, if you’ve got these sort of rumors at large that don’t seem to come from anywhere in particular, that it often has to do with some kind of trauma that people have, a worry that people have. Sennott: Two of your books, America’s Women: Four Hundred Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines, and When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present covers nearly 450 years of women’s history in the United States. Where do you think feminism is now, and what direction is it headed? Gail Collins: Older women always say to me, “younger women don’t appreciate what we went through” and yada yada yada. It’s almost like, “we’ve walked many miles and we weren’t allowed to wear slacks, and we were in the snow, and it was so terrible, and we were suffering.”
But I always think that we were very lucky, and that young women today face a much more complicated challenge then we did. I mean, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world to be out on a picket line, or protesting, and not only knowing what you’re doing is right but knowing everybody knows it’s right, including the people you’re protesting and that it’s going to be changed. You really did feel, back then, that the wind was at your back and that this was going to work out, mostly because of the success of the civil rights movement. But young women today, it’s all very complicated. They have all kinds of problems,
Collins: Well, I don’t know that anything stalled it. I don’t really think it’s stalled. The biggest problem for women, and I think that it sort of leaps off into everything, is that work/ family thing - and that’s something that doesn’t have a simple solution. The most important thing, if you want a really serious career and a family, is to make sure you’ve got a partner who wants to take half the responsibility, or more. Other than that, it’s not clear how you deal with these things. It’s very complicated, particularly for single mothers. The source of most of the poverty in the United States is women who are trying to raise families all by themselves. Sennott: Do you think the public has a better understanding in this day and age of how difficult it is to be a single mother?
Collins: Yeah, they do. The interesting problem is that the response is different from different places. At least when we did the end of welfare and entitlement there was a very clear (it seemed to me at the time) agreement that meant that there was going to be quality childcare available to everybody who needed it who was going to go out and work. That promise really hasn’t been kept. So that’s just a huge, huge problem for working women. Also, there are many people who think that the answer is that you should just tell people not to have sex unless they are married. That doesn’t work. Preventing teenage pregnancy is really important, but there’s a lot of states in which they’re teaching abstinence only sex education, which isn’t helping stuff any. So it’s a very complicated issue.
Sennott: In When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present, you tell the stories of women such as Lois Rabinowitz, who in 1960 was thrown out of a New York court room for wearing slacks as she tried to pay her bosses speeding ticket. How did you go about finding these stories, and which one impacted you the most?
Collins: Well, Lois was not hard. It was such a huge subject, and when I first started doing the book I was just sort of like, ‘Oh my God, where do I go? Where do I start? What do I do?’ So I just went through the Times in 1960 and looked for every reference to women, and there were surprisingly few actually, but one of them was Lois in her great day being tossed out of motor vehicle court. So her story popped right up the first week I was working on this sort of thing. One of the women that I just really loved was Lorena Weeks. She was this very simple woman in Georgia back in the 60s who had grown up very poor, had always worked, and who was married with children and worked for the phone company and just desperately, desperately wanted to send her kids to college - and was prepared to do anything for that. She wound up, because she applied for a promotion for a job that they said only men could do, she wound up at the end as being sort of the critical, Seminal court case that made it possible for women all over America for the next generation of two, to not be discriminated against in this way. What they used to do was always say, “Oh yeah, that’s open to anybody but you’ve got to be able to lift thirty pounds, otherwise you can’t do it.” And these poor women who had been lifting their babies and stuff forever were all sort of blocked off. Lorena had been lifting a thirty-five pound typewriter every day at her job; they said that didn’t count either. She was in semi-rural Georgia, and nobody thought the suit was a good idea. I think even her family was even embarrassed by the fact that she was out there doing this, and her coworkers hated it. She said one of the ministers in her town preached against it. And she just kept on going because she thought it was the right thing to do. I grew up in a time when we were so supportive of women and we do all these meetings and we say “You go girl” and do the whole thing. These women from the past, who just did it even though nobody thought it was a good idea and they got no support, they just went ahead and did it. They just knock me out, and they’re my favorites by far.
Sennott: Were there any stories that you had to take out in the editorial process that you wish could have been told?
Collins: I had researchers, and they were mostly college students who went out and interviewed many of the average women that I have in the book. I didn’t want to skew what they were doing so I generally just told them to go and find me a woman who worked in the 1960’s and had children at home or something like that. They would often find their relatives which turned out to be great because I think they were a little bit more open than they might have been if some stranger had come in and talked to them. And that was the hardest part of the book: you can’t put them all in. There were just a trillion of them, and weeding them down was the hardest thing to do. There were amazing, wonderful women who never got in the book at all just because I didn’t have room for all of the stories. Sennott: During your recent speech at Bunker Hill Community College, someone suggested that both America’s Women: Four Hundred Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present could be used as textbooks in colleges. How do you think women are currently portrayed in history books?
Collins: Well, actually, my book is used some places. I am thrilled to have people get up and suggest it should be used in more, but it does get around. Right now, it’s a good time for that kind of stuff. Everybody sort of goes out of their way to try and make this telling of America’s story more expansive than it used to be and include more kinds of people, so that’s all great. Sennott: You were the first women to ever be named editor of the New York Times Editorial Section. What was it like to have earned that position and to set a milestone similar many of the other great women you have written about? Collins: The nice thing was that you could just tell when they named me that everybody was happy. They weren’t particularly happy about me as a particular person, but everybody in the building was just really happy that that was going to happen - that there was going to be a woman doing that. You could just kind of feel that. That’s kind of the way the Times is and that’s why I love working here so much. It was really a great adventure. I had never really thought about being an editor on that level, but it was a great time. I was really thrilled to do it. Sennott: Did you expect it at all? Collins: Oh God, no.
Sennott: You’ve written columns about both Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton. Though they are both on opposite ends of the political spectrum, what do you think their success says about how far women have come politically? Do you think you will see a female president in your lifetime? Collins: Yeah, and whenever I say that people say, “Well if it’s not going to be Hillary who else could it be?” Which is not really fair. I mean, name me what guy out there who you think is going to be President in the future. We don’t tend to have long running successions that’s going on here. So yeah, I think probably there will be one in my lifetime. As for Sarah Palin, I wrote once during the campaign that she really is a product of the women’s movement. She’s a person who, whatever else you think of her, is not constrained by her gender. I really doubt that there was ever a moment in her life where she thought, “Well I can’t do that because I am a girl.” That’s just not the way she is. So in that sense she really is a product of the women’s movement herself. I wrote that once and Gloria Steinem called me and said, “Okay, I am shooting myself now.” But I still think it’s true. Sennott: Both Palin and Clinton have been able to climb the ladder in their respective parties. What do you think it says about how far each political party has come that they are willing to accept women in leadership positions? Collins: It’s an interesting thing. I think you have to take very seriously the fact that the Republican Party has managed to produce all of these very high-profile female leaders. I find it worrisome that they all seem to be A-hot. It’s very weird that you seem to have all of these very good looking women, I am kind of wondering what the role is for a normal looking women in the Republican Party right now. We’re not seeing quite as many of them. And as far as Sarah Palin is concerned, it’s very troubling for me as a woman who roots for women of both parties that she’s not better prepared. I’d love to see conservative women who really thought things through in a serious way taking the lead. Sennott: In April 12, 2009 the New York Times published an article about street newspapers across the country. As someone who understands the power of written word, how important do you think it is for the homeless and economically disadvantaged to be able to get their opinions and voices out there?
Collins: It’s important for everybody to get their voices out there, particularly people who don’t have many kinds of outlets because they are homeless or disadvantaged.
Street vibes
International News
11
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Prostitution: Crime or controversial career? Last September, Ontarian prostitutes Terri-Jean Bedford, Valerie Scott and Amy Lebovich cried out in victory. The judge at the Supreme Court in Ontario declared the criminal code articles that condemn prostitution as unconstitutional. Far from rallying everyone together, Himel’s trial urges Canadians to voice their opinion in the debate on the decriminalization of the oldest job in the world. L’Itinéraire (Canada) 29/03/2010 Translated into English by Bouchra Mojtahid, editing by Amanda Fortier. Originally published by L’Itineraire © streetnewsservice.org For a majority of organizations that work with sex workers, this trial is considered a blessing - real progress for the safety of prostitutes. Judge Susan Himel denounced the articles that prohibit the solicitation of prostitution. Making a living from prostitution is under the jurisdiction of brothels. The trial is currently awaiting a final decision by the conservative government. If the law is passed, it will apply to all of Canada. According to its supporters, this judgment will allow prostitutes to organize themselves against the aggressions they face. While some have supported the decision of the Supreme Court, the “Concertation des Lutes Contre l’Exploitation Sexuelle” (CLES) has voiced its opposition: “we are in favor of the decriminalization of prostitute women, but we don’t think that it’s in their interest to decriminalize pimps” said Diane Matte, a spokeswoman for the organization. Some groups say they must encourage women to speak out and admit that many get involved in prostitutions by choice. However, opponents of decriminalization remain steadfast. According to Diane Matte, the inequality between sexes forces women into prostitution. “In fact, we can talk about choice; it’s like when talking about those women who, despite being beaten by their husbands, want to stay with them anyway. What is important is that regardless of personal choice, society says that men do not have the right to beat women”. However, according to Emilie Laliberté, general coordinator of Stella, prostitutes support the organization. “It’s like assuming that making a living from prostitution means forcing yourself to do so. It’s not true,” argues Mrs Laliberté. It’s difficult to know the numbers of prostitutes working in Quebec, as an indiscriminate number are in Canada without their legal paperwork in order. This makes it difficult to identify those who are suffering from different addictions, or from psychological distress. “The only numbers we have are those we were given by the police when girls were arrested,” says Maria Nengeh, a professor of social work At the University of Quebec a Montreal (UQAM). The data show only a minute image of those who have had problems, and this is not significant”. The two opposing views rely on facts and figures that support their cause and rely on particular experiences that draw out specific conclusions.
Within the framework of her research, Maria Nengeh Mensah frequently met with prostitutes. For her, the majority has made conscious decisions. “For instance, they explained that they are better able to manage their time than I am as a professor at University and who is often up late correcting papers,” she said with a laugh. For the professor who is doing her research on prostitution, once decriminalized, it’s these girls who will be able to help other prostitutes who are caught up in vicious circles of addictions. According to Robert Rousseau, director of Rézo, the only organization that supports male city prostitutes, “it’s criminalization and oppression that may lead to drug addiction.” Prostitutes are forced to stay in illegal networks. At one point, we wonder what causes what…” he wonders. He sees in decriminalization an opportunity for the organizations and health sectors to work hand in hand to install a viable and healthy culture in the prostitution field. However, organizations speak with one voice and claim that the current legislation regarding prostitution causes more harm than good. The CLES suggests instead a Swedish example (read “Elsewhere in the world…”), which criminalized customers and pimps and aims to change mentalities with the ultimate goal of stopping prostitution. “Changes made to the criminal code must be accompanied by an awareness regarding the inequalities between men and women and the result that this may bear in the sex industry”, insists Diane Matte, who wants a thorough investigation and who criticizes those who affirm that the oldest job in the world is here to stay. As for the organization Stella, ignoring reports that criminalize prostitution is fine. However, prostitution should not be bound to any particular regulations. This is how the legalization of prostitution in Switzerland works. “The government creates a permit system, but people who do not comply with this find themselves in the black market”, warns Emilie Laliberté. But, Maria Nengeh rather believes in the necessity of adding some rules in the labor code concerning the sex industry. Some restrictions that include, for instance, safety standards or the right to unionize. According to Lucie Lemonde, professor at the department of juridical sciences at UQAM, it’s impossible to decriminalize without supervising. “There is no job in the world which has no regulations! Supervision must be installed, if we want to acknowledge that it’s indeed a job like any other one,” she affirms and further states if it does happen and the Supreme Court rules in favor, each province will create its own legal measures.
Sex workers and their supporters protest in front of City Hall in celebration of International Sex Workers’ Rights Day in San Francisco, California March 3, 2008 Photo: REUTERS/Kimberly White For those who support decriminalization, it’s still far from reach. “I have always thought that decriminalization issue is a dream, especially now with our conservative government”, says Maria Nengeh Mensah. Lucie Lemonde also sees that the government has a tendency to make legislations on moral issues. “The Harper government uses the criminal law to promote moral purposes, she said. This is juridical populism.”
Elsewhere in the world
• Switzerland legalized prostitution in 1992, and though prostitutes must hold permits and pay taxes, there is still a black market and there are sex workers coming from abroad to work
in the Swiss brothels. - Sweden prosecutes hundred of clients per year; pimps can also be tried. The country has succeeded to reduce the number of prostitutes without criminalizing them. It has therefore been blamed for transferring the problem to its neighbors who have, on average, three times as many sex workers as Sweden. The Swedish example does not acknowledge the fact that a man or woman has the choice to make a living out of prostitution. • New Zealand decriminalized prostitution in 1991. It is the only country to have done so. Authorities have not seen any increase of the number of prostitutes.
Interest
12
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
Meet Up A look at the life of a proud Streetvibes Distributor Jim Luken Contributing Writer
M
eet Ronnie Phillips. Age 37. And proud to be a Streetvibes distributor. Ronnie is also very proud and happy to be living in his own apartment in Westwood, since February. Before that, he lived for a year and a half at the Drop Inn Center, as part of its “Step Up” dorm program, working with staff and social workers to prepare him for being on the “outside” once again. In spite of the difficult turn his life had taken, Ronnie Phillips looked at it positively, “When I realized I was going to homeless,” he says, “I knew it was gonna be good.” He seems very clear on this. “You gotta be strong to work in the Drop Inn Center. I used my experience as a homeless man to make me stronger.” He loves his new apartment, and the independence it provides. “My first memory of being in my own apartment was of not being able to sleep. It was so quiet, compared to the Drop. Now I have my own radio and can listen to my own music.” When he wants to watch TV, he goes to visit his mother. For a time the apartment will be provided for him as a transitional home.
For now, he gets by on food stamps and on the money he makes selling everyone’s favorite Cincinnati newspaper. “Last week,” Ronnie says, almost excitedly, “I made thirty dollars.” Phillips grew up in Millville, the only child of single mother. He describes himself as bi-racial. He can see that growing up without brothers and sisters may not have been always been the best thing for him. “I was a spoiled brat,” he says, “but I got over that as soon as I got
not respecting me.” The responsible job brought Phillips various benefits. He was able to live in his own apartment, pay his bills, and even keep a bank account. But in 2006, Ronnie got fired for, as he describes, “Something Ronnie didn’t do.” One day, some money was missing from the shift receipts. It took three weeks for the boss to determine who was responsible. But Phillips had already been let go.
“ Phillips remembers his work history as well as his various living situations with incredible accuracy, recalling to the month, and sometimes to the day, when he moved from one apartment to another, or lost a job only to find another.” my first job. “ That job came while he was a student at Western Hills High School. He worked as a janitor’s assistant, then, in his senior year found work doing maintenance with Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing. He graduated from West High in 1993, with a B average, on the honor role. He also received an American Citizenship Award. Ronnie had a number of entry level jobs until, he says, he began working for Taco Bell. His goal was to become a shift manager. His friends were dubious. At times Ronnie talks of himself in the third person. “There were some doubters. They thought Ronnie be too nice a guy. But he became a certified shift manager.” Then he adds. “I proved them wrong. Sometimes I had to send people home for
Instead of looking immediately for work, Ronnie lived for a year on his savings. “I was lucky,” he says. I had one thousand, two hundred, and forty-six dollars in my bank account.” But that was a good thing and a bad thing. “I got lazy,” he says, “I didn’t look for as many jobs as I should have.” Phillips remembers his work history as well as his various living situations with incredible accuracy, recalling to the month, and sometimes to the day, when he moved from one apartment to another, or lost a job only to find another. He especially remembers the three times he lived in the Evanston Neighborhood. In Phillips’s estimation, Evanston seems to come as close to hell
as he ever wants to be. “Ronnie was an individual who was known to work hard. He makes some mistakes. He would not be able to make it in Evanston.” The final time he “stayed” in Evanston almost did him in. One day in 2008, he got into an argument with his landlord. “I had a bad day,” he says. “I guess I took it out on her.” She called the police, who wound up tazing him the back. He went to the hospital, but no charges were filed. “The cops said it was best I get out of Evanston.” That’s when he knew he needed help and placed himself in the competent hands at the Drop Inn Center. Life on the streets is tough. He recalls all the fights that happened around him while he stayed at the Drop and at other times in his life. Fir the most part, he stayed away from them. “I always remember, a real man will walk away from a fight. If you don’t, you suffer the consequences.” Phillips immediate plan is to find part time evening work, while he continues to distribute Streetvibes. At some point, he hopes to find a full-time job and put himself back into the workplace. After that? “Eventually I’d like to settle down with the right girl. If she was the marrying type, I’d settle down with her.” In the meantime, he says, “I’m just thankful I got my own apartment. And I appreciate doing Streetvibes.” And there’s one more thing, Ronnie Phillips says, shaking his head, “I got something I call peace.”
By the Grace of God Continued from Pg. 8
and did not trust me at all. Even though I never gave him reason not to trust me. After we separated, I came back to Cincinnati, in less than a year and tried to work and care for my children. By 2002, I was in the second shelter because my employer just up closed down and our work checks bounced. Then when I went to pick up my first check of the New Year in “03”, the job had closed its doors and none of the employees were paid for the work we did over Christmas and new years. We had nothing. I could not believe this I had enough troubles on my own trying to make it month to month. The way this economy had been, forced my employer to shut their doors and not pay its employees. I had no money, no way to even buy food. I was beside myself in agony and fear. I was so angry that I put all my effort into a job and they treated me this way. I called Channel Nine Newscaster Brian Patrick and told him what happened with my job. He immediately came to talk to me and helped me with my situation. He got my story out and volunteers called into the news station saying they wanted to help my children and me. I am so grateful to Brian Patrick for that help. He also prayed with me in my house for my children and me to make it through that tough time. I remember saying to him that I needed to get out of Cincinnati. I had no help from family or my children’s fathers. I still had not gotten the help I needed for my severe depression and anxiety. Needless to say I had put my children through a lot in there short lives. Despite the help we received, it just was not enough, back to the homeless shelter I went for the third time. This time in Lexington, because again at that time that was the only way I could keep my kids and me together. There was not a shelter in Cincinnati at that time that would take my older sons, just my baby and me. I had tried to stay with family but it never seemed to work out long enough for me to get on my feet and get going again. My only option was the homeless shelter. I stayed in the shelter in Lexington two times. Then back to Cincinnati, again. I had to come back because while in the shelter I had problems with my blood pressure and I was so tired and sick that I could not see myself even surviving much longer. I was scared that after all those
times of feeling I should die and wanting to die. Shit now I though it’s not my choice now I just may die. I was actually calling both of my children’s fathers to see who would keep all my children together if I would pass away. It was crazy…I was preparing to die. Well God sure did show me that I had no clue what he actually had in store for my life. Now I was about to see. I came back to Cincinnati in 2005, I worked until March then I had lost my job and my depression was at and all time high. I needed help. After talking to a suicide hotline worker one night, she told me that I needed to get some help for myself. Finally, I saw no way out and agreed. She referred me to Mental Health Access Point in Cincinnati where they evaluated me and set me up with a case manager and Psychiatrist. This was what I needed to start to understand what happened to me. It was what opened my eyes to see that it was not my fault and I am worthy of life and all its blessings. Since my therapy, counseling, and case management I have been maintaining a better life for my children and me. It has been tough not being able to work but I understand that if I don’t take care of my myself I may not always be there for my children. Now we are stable and I have been writing poetry for a few years. It has been my saving grace, helping me get through these tough years. I thank God that when I first wanted to take my life as a young girl at 14 that He sent me an angel to save my life. While standing in the bathroom I was about to cut my wrist I heard a voice say. “Elisa your story has not yet been written.” I swear this voice showed me my own funeral and said, “They will only cry for you for only one day. Then you will never be spoken of again. If you would just choose to live, God will bless you. You just need to believe in Him.” Therefore, I did choose to live and believe that God had a greater purpose for me. However, I still struggled with my depression and not truly feeling worthy of life. Somehow, I am still here by the grace of God. I have been sexually assaulted, abused, had nine bladder surgeries, a reconstructive surgery to put my bladder back in the correct place, a lump removed from my breast (non cancerous, thank God), I have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and recently lost my
sight in my right eye due to a blood clot. I tell you these things not for pity; I share this because I still refuse to give up. I believe that God has a special plan for my life and my story will be a great one. I had an ex once tell me that my many health problems and emotional troubles were too much for him to deal with. Well I say to him, “That’s bullshit!” We as woman are supposed to stand by our men through whatever the struggles and men are only supposed to stand with a woman if it is what he can bare. Ladies we are not valued as the precious people that we are. I may not have found one man who could stand with me, but God sent me three young men who loved me through the struggles, hurt, pain, being poor and never once did they decide it was too much. They could have done what so many other young black men do… they could have just walked away and sought out what they could on the streets. God gave me these children to show me there is a man who will love me, care for me and be with me through whatever and He is my Father God! Now five poetry books later, two certifications for my first two books as an Author of poetry in the Library of Congress, and a stable home my children I am doing well. So are my kids, they are good students and good people. Yes! I could complain that life has dealt me a very rough hand to play. However, I know now that it was to build me up to be what God had planned for me all along. His precious glory right here on earth. So what would I say to the next young girl who maybe going through some of the same challenges in life today? “Never give up!” You are worthy to live through your struggle and be the blessing God has made you to be. I know it may seem that no one else could ever understand your pain, but I do. Just know that like me, God loves you too. I had to take life minute by minute, which turned in to day after day then year after year and I am still here today. Do for your life what you need to, to survive. Do not try to live your life through another person’s eyes. My name is Elisa and I truly love me. I hope you find it your on heart to love yourself too.
Street vibes
Story & Poetry Corner
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Believe It
Intoxication
Willa Denise Jones Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor
Willa Denise Jones Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor
Believe it when you see someone bundle up sleeping in the street Believe it when you see someone looking in the garbage for food to eat Believe it because all of these things are real and none are made up Believe that there are many men, women and children who are down on their luck Believe that with the economy all twisted and headed straight to hell Believe that there are many who just give up, commit suicide or take leave for a jail cell Believe that to the homeless, jail with three hot meals, cell buddies for friends and a cot Believe to some may mean nothing but to the homeless means one hell of a lot Believe with faith all things are possible for all including you and me Believe in God, have faith, and pray then change will come all you have to do is believe
I’m Just a Man! Elisa Hill Contributing Writer Can you hear me moaning with a drunk and cowardly call? Can you see me hunched down vomiting, my demeanor so small? Do you know me by the tears and redness in my eyes? The alcohol controls me, can’t you see the fear and sadness in my eyes. I’m deeply in debt with misery and pain. I am severely unkept with chaos in my brain. I try to sustain myself with a drink in the day. I try to sustain myself with a drink in the noon. I try to sustain myself with a drink in the night. Unsobering for myself, I know that I have no life. Pretty as a picture, some days you could capture my smile. I portray silly like a child, in my drunken stupor, for I live in denial. Thought it may be blurred, I can see that I have no real future. My true and sobering fact is that my life is in ruins. I fill a lonely tomb with mountains of my destructive past and a broken soul brewing. Yes! I keep these memories hostage as a captor of my own damn fear. I do the alcohols bidding without a care in the world. See, I am the one sitting with hell on one hand and mental instability on the other. I am your neighbor, brother, father and on a good day your friend. I am the coward living endlessly, while the real man wants to live. Yes! Yes! I have prostituted your love and care for my life. Hell, if you’re not paying then get out of my site. To many times I have given into compassion and loves will. To be the one left homeless and ash end by hatred and abuses fill. It has left me burnt in my soul and taunted in my ear. My only peace is drowned now in good Ole’ beer. Here now is where I float above the torture and sail above the rains. You may call me a drunken bum. Well I call myself a man. You should not judge me with and outside view. Inside I am tortured and living in a tomb, filled with abuse, hatred, chaos and fear. Of loneliness, hurt and needing my Father’s love, oh how I have cried so many tears. So, though you view me by the horror in my eyes. You still need to have love for me with the faith of the most high. No matter what I am still, just a man, don’t you see the tears in my eyes.
Intoxication is being drunk if only for a little while Intoxication can become a bad habit with a crooked smile Being high and drunk all alone really makes no sense Being homeless, a panhandler and a drunk can be a bad defense The fear of not knowing what your next move can possibly be Can be intoxicating without a drink, please believe me The fear of failure constantly day in and day out Can be a eye opener to a drunk to make a change, no doubt Once you realize that there is another way to live everyday To work, maintain your money and eventually find a place to stay Things start to fall in order for you surely but slowly As you start to make a change in your life ever so boldly Intoxicating thoughts will no longer be able to hold you back Understanding that with the help of God you can get your life on track So don’t stay intoxicated by the fears of the world today Go to church, read the bible and get on your knees and pray!
Now I Give to Thee! Elisa Hill Contributing Writer Damn, I have a space in my throat that just won’t let me scream. I try to weep to keep myself from going fucking insane. Most times I don’t even know what is going on in everybody else’s life. Yet and still, I am always treated as the outcast, now pass the pipe. I’ve tried to give of myself in and unselfish way. Only to be torn down and treated like less than a damn slave. It makes you lose your self esteem. That anything that you could be in this life, is nothing in there site. I have tried hoping that there is one damn person who feels me worthy to be alive. Only to look the fuck around and see that there is no one sitting by my side. Cry tears, for what? They only make it worse, now I feel that I am forever cursed. I feel like I have no love, no life, no hope and no real plight. God please save me! What am I doing here just filling in for empty space. Even he regrets my presence because; I just seem to get in his way. How can this be when I am especially made? I am a blessing that you my God gave to this life! I am a bright star burning throughout the verses. I flow demolishing misconceptions and misunderstood purposes. Lord, I do have a great will to live and I know what it takes to survive. I won’t let them to continue to do this to me. I will believe in myself and know that soon, you my father, will provide. Then like a surprise snow ball to the side of my face. I hear my God say, “now I give to thee!”
You and I Willa Denise Jones Contributing Writer and Streetvibes Distributor You and I must make a pact To be mindful of how we act Toward each other no matter what And not hold hatred down in our gut We must understand that everyone is unique And know that a change is what everyone seeks With time and patience, with help from up above We can conquer the hatred we feel and replace it with God’s love For only with God’s guidance and his so many blessings Will we understand living life together without ever guessing? We’ll finally know what it is to live on this planet together To love each other for who we are and not what we are for now and forever!!!
13
14
The Signing of Senate Bill 5 What it really means for You Corey Gibson Contributing Writer Signed Into Law While signing the bill into law at the statehouse early this month Gov. John Kasich said “This bill ... does not cut anybody’s salary ... does not take away anybody’s pension ... does not destroy anybody’s health care. And anybody who’s been out there saying that is just factually wrong.” Yet it seems most people disagree with Kasich. Many people know the bill has been signed into law, a law that takes place immediately, yet hardly have any clear indication of what it means for this particular bill to be signed into law. As people already know, Senate Bill 5 has a major impact on unions, specifically taking away their rights to collective bargaining, their right to strike and many other bargaining rights unions had in the past. However, many people do not know about the
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
many other implications the bill will have. Although the bill will eliminate the ability of unions to negotiate wages, it will still allow them the right to negotiate health care, sick time and pension benefits. The bill will also eliminate automatic pay increases. Teachers For teachers Senate Bill 5 may take away tenure for many teachers. Instead of taking into account the length of teacher’s service at a school, administrators could point out one flaw in the teachers past and have them fired on the spot. The bill will also affect the way teachers receive a raise. Instead of the old way of giving a teacher a raise based on the degree he or she has, Senate Bill 5 will force teachers to gain raises based on merit and performance, although Senate Bill 5 gives no methodology of how to determine either. In other words, one teacher may get a significant raise because he or she received a reward, while another teacher, in another district, who won the same reward, could receive no raise at all. Possibly the worst repercussion for the teachers is the dismantling of the cap size on classrooms. Senate Bill 5 will do away with the classroom cap of 25 students to every one teacher. Firefighters and Police Officers As for firefighters and police officers, Senate Bill 5 may take away much of the budget they have for training, buying new equipment and other necessities that are paid for partially through unions. Senate Bill 5 will mean fewer police officers, at less pay, with fewer benefits, according to the Marietta Times.
Police and firefighters will not be able to bargain with cities over the number of people required to be on duty at one time. Senate Bill 5 will eliminate their ability to negotiate the number of police or firefighters allowed in police cars and fire trucks. Steve Loomis, president of Cleveland’s local police union, told CBS News “one of the biggest worries is one-man patrol cars.” As of now, Cleveland police are required to have more than one officer in the car in certain neighborhoods. However, state lawmakers did make a last-minute change in the bill that allowed police and fire fighters to bargain for vests, shields and other safety gear, according to CBS News. It could be Council’s Decision Senate Bill 5 will also, essentially give city councils in Ohio more power over police and firefighters. The bill will allow city council to make the final decisions on any bargaining that is still allowed by the bill. As of now, if there is a stalemate between police and firefighters and a city, an arbitrator and a fact finder would be hired to investigate the most reasonable way for the issue to be dealt with. If Senate Bill 5 is not repealed, the issue is handed over to city council to decide. Opponents of Senate Bill 5 are trying to get the bill repealed and put on the November ballot for voting. They need to collect over 230,000 signatures in over half the counties in Ohio to have the bill put on the ballot. For a full review of the bill, please go to http://www. legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_SB_5_EN_N
Street papers battle against illegal sales
Over the bitter cold Christmas and New Year period, all official Hus Forbi vendors have also been equipped with brand new and easily recognizable vendor uniforms with Hus Forbi’s logo in yellow on the jackets as well as trousers.
Street papers are a winning formula and many want a share of it. Problems with fake vendor IDs and even organized crime have been reported, but street papers are fighting back. A new, hard line approach is proving successful in Denmark.
In conjunction with the vendor ID card system and the introduction of the new uniforms, Hus Forbi has tightened the rules for homeless shelters who distributing the paper across the country. Mass sales are no longer allowed, and a maximum of 50 papers per vendor per day has been imposed. Staff at the shelters have been instructed to carefully check vendor badges and only distribute copies to vendors with an official badge. “We will be very strict on imposing the rules”, says Skou. “If distributors do not follow them at all times, we will stop working with them immediately and shut down the distribution point.” Vendors of the street paper have applauded the hard line approach. Martin Mogensen, vendor representative at Hus Forbi, says: “If we do not clamp down on organized illegal sales now, I fear that it will spiral out of control. I fully welcome the measures taken, like the new IDs, new uniforms and the tougher rules for distributors. It is crucial to eliminate illegal sales for the benefit of the legal vendors, both Danish and foreigners.”
Hus Forbi (Denmark) Translated into English by Jesper Bach Originally published by Hus Forbi © www. streetnewsservice.org At the start of this year, Danish street paper Hus Forbi introduced new, more foolproof vendor identification badges. At the same time, the organization has tightened its existing rules for selling and distributing the street paper. It is an effort to crack down on the illegal sales of the street paper. Ole Skou, board chairman of Hus Forbi, says: “We have encountered problems with illegal vendors, who amongst other things use fake vendor ID badges to sell Hus Forbi. We discovered that these vendors get hold of the paper through vendors with legal IDs, who -contrary to the rules- buy the paper for redistribution. Other vendors managed to get magazines from a distribution point without a valid ID.”
Organized crime
Unfortunately, the Danish street paper has also
Strict rules
Vendors of Danish street paper Hus Forbi showing off their new uniforms. Source: Forbi/Simon Ankjaergaard
discovered a more organized form of illegal sales. Skou explains: “We have discovered a network of ‘middle men’, who -on a regular basis- bring people from poorer European countries to Denmark. Upon arrival, they provide them with ready-made fake street paper vendor ID cards. They even give them a list of good areas and pitches to sell the magazine.” Skou is appalled by the way in which the ‘middle men’ take advantage of the vulnerable position of the people involved. “As EU citizens, the targeted individuals can stay in Denmark for three months, after which the middle men organize them transport home. These people arrive home just as poor as they left. They become the victims of organized crime, which we neither can nor will support.” As a result, the board of Hus Forbi has decided to change all vendor IDs to new ones, which are harder to copy. Skou emphasizes that there are also many foreign vendors who legally sell the street paper. “All foreign vendors in the possession of a legal vendor ID card also have had their ID exchanged and can of course perfectly legally continue to sell Hus Forbi”, he states.
Vendors of Danish street paper Hus Forbi showing off their new uniforms. Source: Forbi/Simon Ankjaergaard
15
Street vibes
a p r i l 15, 20 1 1
Summer Internship Program The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) is currently accepting applications for 5 part-time unpaid summer interns. Each intern will create an individual work plan and be assigned a specific project or provide general support for a particular program during the specified time period.
ABOUT:
GCCH located in Over-the-Rhine is a non-profit social action agency established in 1984 with the solitary mission of eradicating homelessness. GCCH works towards this mission by coordinating services, educating the public, grassroots organizing and advocacy and publishing and distributing the Streetvibes newspaper. Homeless and formerly homeless individuals are incorporated into all programs and initiatives at GCCH.
PROGRAM DATES:
Summer internships range from a 2-3 month commitment which is negotiated on an individual level and flexible between May and September (dependent on university summer term).
TIME COMMITMENT:
Flexible hours, approx. 15-20 hours per week; must be able to attend weekly staff meetings. Summer interns typically attend school and/or work part-time jobs as long as they do not interfere with the internship commitment.
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Development Intern- reports directly to the Director of Development and Operations Education & Outreach Intern- reports directly to the Director of Education & Outreach Statistics Intern- reports directly to the Director of Education & Outreach Information Technology Intern- reports directly to the Executive Director Journalism, Media & Public Relations Intern- reports directly to the Editor of Streetvibes
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Hard working and have the ability to work independently with limited supervision. Creative and willing to bring fresh ideas to the table and a positive attitude. Have a minimum of one year of undergraduate work completed Must be able to use a computer Good written and oral communication skills and diligence about checking work for spelling and grammar mistakes Familiarity with Microsoft Office including Excel and Word Interest in learning about local area nonprofit agencies A commitment to serving those in poverty Comfortable working with and speaking to homeless individuals Good interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate with a wide range of individuals Dependable
TO APPLY:
If interested please send a cover letter and resume with desired internship title (e.g. Development Intern) in the subject line to HYPERLINK “mailto:gcch. intern@gmail.com” gcch.intern@gmail.com by noon on April 22nd. Interviews will be held in early May. Direct any questions to the email listed above.
INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTIONS: Development Intern:
Intern currently studying or interested in: Non-profit business development, administration, fundraising, marketing, individual giving, grant writing and pursuing donors. Intern will assist and report to the Director of Development and Operations.
Key tasks:
Maintain and improve development plan Coordinate and acquire In-kind donations Research and apply for grants Lead an individual giving campaign Work on Summer fundraiser as well as prepare for Winter Annual Dinner Communicate with donors via phone and letters Attend development committee meetings Streamline fundraising database
Other tasks TBD.
Education & Outreach Intern:
Intern currently studying or interested in: education (teaching and curriculum development), sociology, social justice, social work, program coordination & development, service learning and working with youth. Intern will assist and report to the Director of Education and Outreach.
Key tasks:
Main project: develop a plan for the implementation of the 2011 City-Wide Shantytown program during Homeless Awareness Month. Assist with improvements to the educational and service outreach plan Research and update list of schools and social service agencies throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area Assist with the facilitation of educational and service learning activities as needed Assist as a receptionist as needed Other tasks TBD.
Statistics Intern:
Intern currently studying or interested in: research, statistical analysis, math, social science research, computer science, engineering or related field. Intern will assist and report to the Director of Education and Outreach.
Key tasks:
Main project: Work independently to assess GCCH’s programs; compile, review and analyze data; develop a plan for tracking data and analyzing outcomes; track and analyze outcomes for a specified time period and create a final report. Gather, collect, record, track and verify data and information. Uses software to compile and generate reports, statistics, timelines, tables, graphs, correspondence and presentations. Assist with the development of a database for tracking and analyzing program data. Assist with compiling updated statistical data related to homelessness and poverty with a focus on Ohio and links to national statistics.
Other tasks TBD.
Information Technology Intern:
Intern currently studying or interested in: information technology, networking, managing software and hardware, computer science or related field. Intern will assist and report to the Executive Director.
Key tasks:
Main project: Work independently to assess GCCH’s stock of computers, swipe old computers of data and recycle; assess and update computer software on computers in use; determine networking capabilities and develop and implement a plan to put all computer data on a server. Other duties related to computer management including: assessing security risks and updating anti-virus software. Assist with the development of a database for tracking and analyzing program data. Assist with the launch of GCCH’s new website. Other tasks TBD.
Journalism, Media & Public Relations Intern:
Intern currently studying or interested in: Journalism, public relations, social networking, advertising, marketing or related field. Intern will assist and report to the Editor of Streetvibes.
Key tasks:
Main project: Work independently to upload articles and pictures from old Streetvibes editions to the Streetvibes online blog as well as GCCH’s website. Develop a viable newspaper recycling plan. Build up readership and support of Streetvibes and GCCH’s via social networking sites. Assist with reporting, photojournalism, production, copy editing and advertising as needed.
Other tasks TBD.
16
Street vibes
april 15, 2011
Women Helping Women Barbara Houghton’s photographs are about her as a woman and about women in general.
“
I am a person alive who looks at and questions our humanity,” says Barbara Houghton. “I do not see the people in my photographs as other but as people who could be me. In the beginning all my work was about me, who I was and my place in the world. Later, it naturally expanded into addressing womanhood and women’s role in society.”
By Saad Ghosn Contributing Writer
Houghton, an artist photographer and art professor at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), grew up in Chicago, the 2nd child in a family of 12, many with strong artistic talents. Always creative herself, drawing and painting as a kid, and enrolled in all art classes in her high school, she was destined to become a commercial artist. In undergrad at the University of Illinois, she
When she 1st got to NKU she did a series of photographs on the unknown, Terra Incognita, examining boundaries and where she fit in the world, using images of navigation instruments as metaphors. It was followed by Journey, a combination of photographs and objects about one’s personal experiences, revelations, interactions, relationships in life. Dancing with Galileo, a multimedia installation including modified photographs, objects, text, music, dance, video, was about her affinity and love for a brilliant scientist, a man who like her was free-spirited, unconventional, and willing to fight for the truth. Galileo, raised Catholic, did not hesitate to battle the ignorance and hypocrisy of the church, supporting on the other hand its principled spiritual teachings. To document and create her works, Houghton traveled throughout Italy, visiting places where Galileo lived, his house, the institutions where he made his discoveries and taught, the convent where resided his beloved daughter. She took many photographs that she later manipulated; adding to them researched elements from books, text and images, composing the all like a montage. When confronted with political upheaval and violence, Houghton witnessed and reflected through her photographs. In her Popular Culture series she used images about the war in Iraq and the Abu Ghraib case, popular images she noticed or reacted to wandering the streets, thus using her camera to speak not only for herself, but also for the common individual, stating what she felt both would condone or condemn. In Learning the Sport/ Unsportsmanlike Conduct, she commented
Barbara Houghton in her studio holding one of her photographs of an Indian woman. Bill Howes networks to connect local and global markets, social security networks for maternity needs, health care and life insurance. Houghton wanted to travel to India to experience first hand their work, meet the women members and document in her photographs their various supportive activities. After seeing the movie Water by director Deepa Mehta, she had also learned about the abused situation of widows in India, often chased from their husband’s house after his death, forced into poverty and left begging on the streets. Researching the matter, she came across the work of Dr V. Mohini Giri, a social activist and leader in the Indian women’s movement; her organization Guild of Service which helps the displaced widows; and the new shelter Ma Dham she had built in Vrindavan to lodge, feed, train the destitute widows, and help them lead a healthy dignified life. Houghton contacted Dr Giri and headed to India, traveling many places, photographing women: mothers, wives, workers, widows… depicting their condition, yet their beauty, their potential power. Her photographs gave birth to her series Changing India, One Woman at a Time, which she exhibited in 2010 at NKU. Widows of Ma Dham, a photo from the series, represents widows rejoicing, singing and swaying at the news that they will be finally receiving their government’s pension, now that they had a home and not considered homeless anymore.
“I wanted to photograph women helping women, and empower them in the process,” says Houghton. “India was a good place as women there are often ignored. But this was also true of America where women are frequently valued mostly based on their looks. As a middle age woman, I recognize myself the feeling; when I leave my hair grey, I become almost invisible…”
Widows of Ma Dham Barbara Houghton discovered, however, her love for photography and ended up graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a MFA degree in photo. She taught photography for 18 years at Metro State College in Denver, CO, then came in 1992 to NKU as Chair of the Art department, and more recently as art faculty professor.
Houghton’s photos have always been personal, initially self-portraits and pictures of people from her family, allowing her to explore and be who she wanted to be. While in Denver, she did a series of self-portraits in infrared, then a series of large photograms of her clothes, of old and ripped underwear. “I was putting myself out on paper,” she says, “also wanting people to think and laugh.”
on the intricate relationship between sports, sex and violence, on how sports had become religion-like in our country. All along Houghton had also been concerned by the unequal condition and neglected role of women in many parts of the world. She became very interested in SEWA, Self-Employed Women’s Association, a trade union of poor, self-employed women in India, started in 1972 by Ela Bhatt. Bhatt, a young female Indian lawyer, had experienced the economic exploitation and lack of power of working Indian women and wanted to organize them so they would become protected by labor laws and self-reliant. SEWA, essentially a women helping women organization, grew quickly to form its own banks, build trade cooperatives, trade facilitation
Houghton also brings her concern to liberate and empower women to her classroom. She strongly associates with her young girl students who frequently are lost trying to figure out who they are. They remind her of herself, of how she metamorphosed from a weak woman to a more assertive one; and she does all she can to help them, guide them, teach them how to be strong.
“All trajectories of my works are connected,” says Houghton. “They all fall in the broader context of the human; from the questioning about myself, a woman, an artist, what I wear, where and how I fit in the world, my journey; to the free-thinking and rebellious Galileo, the image of a man I fell in love with; to the oppressed and exploited women of India; to women in general…
When I make art it empowers me, helps me find my way; it has changed my life. I want to share it with others hoping it might achieve the same.
Artists as Activists is a regular column highlighting Greater Cincinnati artists who use art as a vehicle for change. Saad Ghosn is the founder of SOS Art. Ghosn can be reached at saad.ghosn@uc.edu.