Streetvibes Sept. 14-27, 2012

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VOL.16 ISSUE 19 (No. 234)

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Vote Hard!

From the Director JOSH SPRING Executive Director

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ote. In activist, social justice, struggle circles the demand to register to vote and to vote is almost a cliché- we talk about it so much. But we talk about it so much for good reason: one- voting is very important and two, in America many people do not treat voting as important. This year we have another vote coming and we have got to make sure we vote ourselves, our families vote, our friends vote, our co-workers vote, people we meet vote- everyone votes.

We spend a lot of time protesting about how certain politicians are in the pocket of big business, or don’t

EDITORIAL support basic human justice or human life- and we should spend a lot of time protesting this, but our protests certainly will be more real if we vote.

And we can work as individuals and organizations (sadly not under the banner of a 501c3s) to oust politicians that are harming the People. We can then work to get other folks in that we trust more- and by the way, if there is no one we trust; as is often the case, we can work to run someone we do.

All across America voting has been under attack, Ohio’s government has been one of the leaders in this attack on voting. Strong attempts have been made to make it difficult for people with low incomes, people experiencing homelessness or people studying at colleges and universitiesto vote. The fact that there are powers diligently working to make it hard to vote and disenfranchise potential voters- is yet more proof that voting is important.

Tell those you know that if they

have not registered to vote, they should. If they have moved since they last registered, they should register at their new address. If they are the least bit unsure as to what address they are registered under, they should simply register again. You can pick up registration forms at the Board of Elections office downtown; you can assist anyone in registering to vote.

You can also go to: http://www.sos. state.oh.us/SOS/elections/Voters. aspx for more information. You must be registered before 30 days prior to the vote.

On that important day in November, not only make sure you and everyone you know is at the polls, but also pay attention. Make sure the poll-workers let you know the correct table to be at, make sure your ballot ends up in the right location, make sure you sign the docket, make sure everyone around you is given equal access to the polls. Come at it with eyes and ears wide open. This is a re-

sponsibility of all of us- we can never assume that if we see something that is going wrong and don’t say something that someone else will. We must take the responsibility to say something ourselves and if needed, work to get others to say something as well.

Please, when you vote, look at the details first, vote for the people and issues you believe will best serve the People- not the best yard sign or slogan, not the most known name or party, please vote in every way to best serve Justice for the People. By the way, the League of Women Voters will soon put out a guide to the candidates and issues- you should get a copy.

Voting is certainly important- spread the word.

-Josh Spring, LSW, Executive Director

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate diversity!

JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

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eptember is Hispanic Heritage Month and Sept. 28th marks Native American Day. They seem like appropriate moments for us to reflect on our nation’s history. We are after all a nation made up of mostly immigrants and yet throughout our history there has been so much anti-immigrant fervor. Unfortunately it remains with us today.

Today the plight of Native Americans is almost ignored completely even though they face the greatest amount of poverty in our nation. Our history has been so bloody and brutal yet our culture pretends that it is glorious or perhaps somehow divine.

For instance Cincinnati was referred to as the Imperial Queen City of the West. Sadly Native Americans

continue to receive abuse from our government they are not only ignored, but we live in a culture that still accepts racist caricatures of them in mainstream venues.

The Cleveland Indians’ logo “Chief Wahoo” is just one example and a sign at a local car dealership on Paddock road is another one. Would we accept these kinds of caricatures of any other ethnicity in the mainstream today? Columbus Day remains a national holiday despite the atrocities that he engaged in and America still pursues imperial policies around the world and even here at home.

Many Americans seem completely ignorant of the fact that nearly half of the U.S. was Mexico before it was stolen by force. You have people who are the decedents of European immigrants telling people of Mexican descent to go home. In our city we have placards that note the history of German immigrants and the

anti-immigrant fervor they at times faced, but there’s almost nothing acknowledging the indigenous people that were here first. This is why it’s important to acknowledge our past and work to change our present and future.

This September 8th and 9th people gathered at the Hamilton County Fair Grounds for the 21st annual Hispanic Festival. It was a vibrant celebration of Latin American cuisine, music, dancing and culture. It was the kind of event that should be celebrated by the entire city. Cincinnati has always been a city of immigrants and we should celebrate and encourage more diversity.

Sadly there’s a culture that continues the mindset of imperialism in our country and even in our city today. We have people that think of themselves as “urban pioneers” as if a “pioneer” should be glorified. And there’s gentrification that is removing

poor communities of color that have been in neighborhood‘s like Over-theRhine for decades that is being celebrated as a big achievement. It seems to be a form of neo-colonialism.

This September 11th marked Patriot’s Day. One great American named Frederick Douglas once said that, “A true patriot is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins.” That seems like a better definition than simply supporting government policies without questioning if they are just or not.

Sometimes people complain that here in Streetvibes we can sometimes be too negative. But if we truly want a better city, nation and world shouldn’t we challenge the injustices we see instead of pretending that they don’t exist? A world is possible and we ought to start building it together today.

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LOCAL

Three File Lawsuit against Park Board Sunday, September 16th Award winning investigative journalist Amy Goodman will speak at the Crosley Telecommunications Center, 1223 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio, to benefit Media Bridges, Cincinnati’s Community Media Center. The event will take place from 1pm – 3pm, with doors opening at 12:30pm.

Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door.

Monday, September 24th 7p.m.

Our Beloved Community: A Performance of Poetry, Story and Song about Over-theRhine Join us at the Main Library, 800 Vine Street Saturday, October 20th 1 p.m.

Homeless Awareness March Washington Park Benches. Photo: Nick Swartsell

BEN STOCKWELL Contributing Writer

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he rumblings of the People’s Movement have once again sprung forth in Over-the- Rhine.

Lack of transparency and a lack of democracy are again the complaints. And the collusion between government and 3CDC is again the catalyst. Last week, three citizens who live near Washington Park filed a lawsuit against the Park Board and its director, Willie Carden, alleging that the board abused the law and unfairly developed rules for the new crown jewel of the parks system.

According to the new lawsuit, the Park Board and Carden “are violating Plaintiffs’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights,” which deal with freedom of speech and assembly, by arbitrarily adopting rules and placing signs without public input and without public consent. These arbitrary rules lead also to arbitrary application and arbitrary prosecution. The Park Board created these signs under Rule 28 of its own rulebook. The lawsuit alleges that the use of Rule 28, which states that the Board may issue new provisions for parks simply by erecting signs, creates a system of rulemaking that is totally outside of “proper public legislative channels.”

These signs are essentially laws; and criminal citations and prosecutions have occurred in the past for violations. Such a system effectively creates special criminal jurisdictions where special laws exist, but only within the boundaries of the parks.

In Washington Park, the rules posted after the reopening in July were clearly directed at discouraging people experiencing poverty and homelessness from using the park and its facilities. In general, park rules do not prohibit the sharing of food on park grounds, at Washington Park they do; they generally do not forbid the inspection of trash and recycling containers, in Washington Park they do; and they generally, do not prohibit the use of amplified sound, in Washington Park they do.

As the lawsuit alleged and emails obtained through an Ohio Public Records request show, these rules were not debated publicly, on the contrary, they were discussed between a few parties including the Park Board, Cincinnati Police and 3CDC, this sort of backdoor legislating is not acceptable in a democracy. According to the lawsuit, such a scheme creates “quasi-criminal laws [which] were wholly written and adopted by a private corporation and a member of the executive branch of government outside the public process and immune from public participation.” And the discussions that led to the rules show that they were developed based on the preferences of those who did have a voice. Rather

than consulting with the Drop Inn Center, or asking those who use its services how the park can best serve them, the Board deferred to Captain Daniel Gerard of the city police, who wrote in an email dated December 18th “Until the Drop Inn Center moves, the line about food and clothing drop off being prohibited is absolutely needed.”

This all underlines the way that city leaders and redevelopers see Over-The-Rhine heading in the coming years--services are being moved elsewhere, and those experiencing homelessness, and others who rely on services, will be forced to move with them. The park and the redevelopment in general simply isn’t for them.

Jerry Davis, one of the plaintiffs and a Distributor of Streetvibes, has been asked by police to move away from the park.” As a result, he has refrained from engaging in his chosen activities in Washington Park for fear of violating the rules,” according to the lawsuit. , As the lawsuit alleges, this has created a chilling effect on his first amendment rights, as he is unable to distribute Streetvibes and is thus less able to raise awareness for the work that he does as a homeless advocate.

The suppression of free speech during Occupy is also referred to in the emails obtained where; Captain Gerard wrote “After what we’re dealt with during our Occupy protests, adding a line about no camping or personally owned tents can’t hurt.”

A similar situation with the rules emerged during Occupy, when the Park Board changed the general rules, adding a section to stifle the encampment and make it easier to remove the protesters from their home base at Piatt Park. The encampment was evicted on the eve of the funeral parade of Carl Lindner, which was set to pass by the park on 9th and Vine Street.

The other plaintiffs, Andrew Fitzpatrick and Ann Brown, have almost completely avoided the park, which they frequented prior to the renovation, for fear of violating one or more of the new rules and risking arrest or citation.

Andrew Fitzpatrick, who is a member of the People’s Platform, boiled the rules down to a question of service to others saying, “I want to be able to give food to a hungry person or clothes to a cold person without getting in trouble. This right should be accessible to all people and faith communities.”

But if the Park Board rules are allowed to stand, these services will have to take place outside of Washington Park, and likely eventually outside of Over-the-Rhine. Community groups like the People’s Platform for Equality and Justice, who hold monthly grill outs to connect with residents wouldn’t be able to readily hold such grill outs on

Saturday, October 26th 6-9 p.m.

Day by Day Calendar Launch & Exhibition Emery Theatre, 1112 Walnut Street Friday November 2nd 7 p.m.

Faces without Places “Yellow Bus Ball” The Syndicate 18 East 5th Street Newport Kentucky 41072 513-549-3155 or www.faceswithoutplaces. org TBA December Homeless Coalition Annual Dinner If your organization is having an event, demonstration, etc. and you would it like it included on the Streetvibes calendar, please email with the details:

streetvibes@cincihomeless.org

park grounds. Because these grill-outs include members of the homeless community, they would likely be less successful, and regular attendees like Davis, Fitzpatrick and Brown would be unable to do the work they do. Other groups like Food Not Bombs which shares food for free with anyone who walks by, would also be unable to continue with their program in the park.

Crying wolf is often the first step in creating the environment for renovation and permanent demographic change; the opponents of the Anna Louise Inn routinely attempt to criminalize the Women living in the Anna Louise Inn in hopes they will be proven unworthy of living in the prime real estate of Lytle Park, in the shadow of Western and Southern.

The lawsuit touches on a similar theme in Washington Park; alcohol being of primary concern. When the public relations push to renovate the park was being made several years ago, the issue of alcoholism was raised in nearly every article in the various news sources. The rules, as they are written allow only the Park Board to grant permission to sell or possess alcohol in any park; however 3CDC, who runs the park, is effectively able to circumvent the official path to liquor licensing and, at its convenience, sell alcohol at any time and any event.

The case is not unlike that which the major players in redevelopment have seen before; when residents were removed from their homes in the Metropole Hotel, 3CDC and the city deceived the Tenants. After the Tenant Association filed suit, the developers were forced to settle and caved to some of the demands of the Residents. The three {Continued on page 4}

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Lawsuit {Continued from page 3} plaintiffs in the Park case are carrying the torch lit at the Metropole for citizen’s voices and accountability in the changes taking place.

It is portrayed as if it is always the residents, the poor, and the homeless who are at fault when others come to push them out of their homes and neighborhoods. Such language alienates residents from the very beginning, and develops latent assumptions that anyone appearing to be homeless in the park is going to be using alcohol. But the case is not about freedom to consume alcohol, as those who vilify the homeless would like to make it out to be. The case is about a different kind of freedom, the democratic freedom to have a say in how this city is run and how the downtown is redeveloped; it is about the freedom to have a say in true transformation that few would say is not needed or wanted. The public needs to be disabused of the notion that these anti-democratic sanctions are somehow the norm.

Were the city and 3CDC actually interested in stopping the rummaging of trash cans or the distribution of food, they would implement policies that got people off the streets permanently, attacking the root of the problem, and effectively making the job of organizations like the Homeless Coalition and the Drop Inn Center obsolete. They would include the voices of the residents, including the poor and homeless in a meaningful way, not just at public forums. They would allow citizens to help draw up redevelopment plans, a system that has worked in other places. They would not deliberately shutter the process at every step, which has been the norm for the last 10 years.

LOCAL 3CDC: Volley Ball’s Good, Basket Ball Courts & Swimming Pools Are Bad JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

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he AVP came to Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The weather was nice and a good time was had by those that were talented enough to play professional volleyball and those that could afford the cost of the tournament.

It was Friday morning and I was on my way to the office and I couldn’t help but notice something quite unusual. There was sand volleyball going on in Overthe-Rhine. So I pulled over to investigate and it turns out that the Association of Volleyball Professionals’ Cincinnati Open was in town. So I decided I’d cover the event.

AVP in OTR. Tonya White (L), Kelly Schumaker (C) Unknown player (R). Photo: Justin Jeffre It turns out there were fessionally for three years. And Kelly However, I can’t help but think about some of the best volleyball players said she used to play professional bashow it’s perfectly OK for people that in the world there which included at ketball player, “but I just had a love can afford high priced alcoholic bevleast three gold medal winners from of beach volleyball.”

She played in the erages to drink in Washington Park the Olympics. I don’t follow sports WB for 8 years and says it was always now while those that can’t have been very closely so I just watched my first her dream to switch over. “And I and continue to be treated like crimitournament and interviewed the winfound an athletic partner to play with nals for doing the exact same thing. ning team. me,” she said.

How many poor people were arrested It was an exciting match and both for doing that before or would be if I had noticed that there was teams were clearly very competitive. they drank alcohol that wasn’t pura young girl watching their match The winners, Tonya White from Hawchased from 3CDC? and asked them if they felt like role thorn, CA and Kelly Schumacher from models and if they had any advice Also, Streetvibes readers probright here in the Greater Cincinnati for aspiring young girls. Tonya said, ably remember that 3CDC got rid of area, Mt. Healthy to be exact. They “Don’t give up. I was cut from my the deep water swimming pool and were gracious enough to grant me an college team. I was cut a lot and told I basketball courts in Washington Park interview. couldn’t do stuff a lot. So if you want despite the overwhelming support It was their second tournament. it, then you’re going to find a way to for them in the community that was They had played in the Jose Cuervo make it happen. “ repeatedly expressed in public “input” tournament the weekend before. It sessions. The community didn’t ask Kelly said, “It doesn’t come easy. was the first day of the tournament for much and sand volleyball courts As much as it looks easy to people but they had played the day before in weren’t on the list. who are watching other successful the qualifier. They had been in town sports figures as much as it looks easy The narrative that is being repeatsince Tuesday and Tonya said she had it’s not.

So we all deal with different ed that people couldn’t enjoy the park already tried Larosa’s. trials and tribulations.” I ran into before 3CDC’s $48 million renovaKelly said, “This is all new. When them the next day. I could tell they tion just isn’t true. There were plenty I lived here Washington Park wasn’t had just finished so I asked how they of kids that swam in the pool, played here, but this is a really nice facility. did. “We came in 13thplace. It was a on the basketball courts and enjoyed We love it. We love the courts and good tournament,” said Tonya. the park. I’m all for improving our all of the broken down buildings,” wonderful parks. But when we say we I have to say I enjoyed watching said Kelly. “Yeah, this is so cool”, said want the parks to be for everybody a little bit of the tournament.

And I’m Tonya. let’s act like we mean it. glad more people are coming down to They both have been playing proenjoy our parks and Over-the-Rhine.

9/11: An Important Day To Remember & Why JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

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think we can all agree that September 11th is a day that changed the world and that we should always remember. I happened to be in Manhattan, New York on 9/11 2001 and I saw the smoke smoldering from the twin towers in person as we drove across the George Washington Bridge to get out of the city and back home to Cincinnati. But 9/11 has historic significance beyond just what the date means to Ameri-

World Peace Bell, Newport KY.

Photo: Justin Jeffre

cans and we should never forget that.

Most of the world sympathized with us following the Attacks. One Chilean paper’s headline read “Today we are all Americans”. It also noted that they too had their own 9/11. On September 11th 1973 their democratically elected leader President Salvador Allende was overthrown in a bloody U.S. backed coup and a brutal dictator named General Augusto Pinochet was installed to power.

Pinochet ruled with an iron fist for nearly two decades. During his rule approximately 3,200 people were murdered or disappeared and scores of thousands were detained, tortured and exiled. Fortunately he was eventually arrested in London in 1998 for crimes against humanity and torture after Spanish authorities petitioned UK officials.

Anti-apartheid leader Stephen Biko was being beaten in a police van by U.S. backed apartheid forces on September 11th, 1977. He died early the next day.

In 1990 on September 11th, Myrna Mack, a renowned Guatemalan anthropologist was assas-

sinated in Guatemala City by a U.S. backed death squad. She was targeted for exposing the destruction of Indigenous communities. The Presidential High Command was acquitted despite direct evidence of their involvement.

In Haiti Antoine Izméry, a Haitian businessman was killed on September 11th, 1993 in a U.S. backed coup as he was commemorating a massacre of parishioners at the SaintJean Bosco Church that occurred on September 11th, 1988.

Perhaps the most important September 11th to remember is that this year 9/11 marked the 106th anniversary of the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolent resistance movement which eventually gained India its independence from the British Empire - the most powerful military in the history of the world at the time.

The nonviolent tactics of that movement were followed closely by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement in America with tremendous success.

Since the attacks on the U.S. on 9/11 we have been attacking numerous countries with full scale invasions and increasingly with drone attacks.

Our Peace Prize winning President has even killed U.S. citizens without due process, including a 16 year old American boy. He also has a secret kill list that we aren’t allowed to know about. We currently spend more on our military than most nations on the planet combined.

Leading intellectual and social critic Noam Chomsky has argued that the best way for the U.S. to reduce terrorism in the world is to stop engaging in it. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that, “The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today is my own government.” And Gandhi famously said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

The last century was filled with war. The first decade of this century has been filled with war and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.

Let’s fill the rest of this century with peace instead of war. It could be the key to saving not only our nation, but our species.

September 11th should be a time when we reflect on the victims of terror and war. And it should be a time when we say ‘not in our name and no more war’.

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Move to Amend and the Future of Corporate Power

David Cobb speaks to local Move to Amend Chapter. Photo: Justin Jeffre

BEN STOCKWELL Contributing Writer

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n 2011, workers fought against attacks on union rights in Ohio and Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street burst onto the scene nationwide. What ties these movements together is the understanding that the growing influence of money, especially corporate money, in politics is unacceptable. But these movements certainly weren’t the first to challenge the monied interests, in 2009; the Move to Amend (MTA) coalition began organizing to help reverse some of the worse effects of the corporate control of our political system.

On August 28th, David Cobb, the 2004 Green party presidential candidate and founder of Move to Amend, spoke at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian church to make the case for why people should back his movement. MTA, a grassroots organization created after the Citizens United ruling, believes an amendment to the constitution is the best alternative to create a democracy for the people. It’s important to understand, according to Cobb, that a democracy would have to be created, not re-created--he believed, like many in the room, that Americans have been lied to about myths of American “Liberty, Justice and Equality.”

Various institutions, like slavery and disenfranchisement, have historically stood in the way of that ideal, and today large multinational corporations are the culprit, but, he declared that “we have it within our capacity to completely transform the world that we live in, if we would only address the fact that what we do is just built on old-fashioned exploitation.”

The amendment MTA proposes has 3 simple parts: 1) A corporation is not a person and can be regulated, 2) money is not speech and can be regulated, and 3) the amendment should not be mistaken to limit freedom of the press. Cobb, a former trial lawyer, was quick to explain that in his law classes, the professors always stressed

“corporations are a legal fiction,” meaning that they are simply an idea of a group of people, rather than a physical entity—the word corporation, translated from Latin, even means “to make or create body.” Because they lack this important characteristic, Cobb says, they are not afforded similar rights as corporeal humans, in fact, they don’t exist in the same private sphere as humans.

Cobb wove an hour long story starting from the formation of the first corporations in Rome which were responsible for building the aqueducts and the roads for the benefit of the public. He reminded the audience that Rome was not always an empire, but existed as a republic for many years--and suggested listeners revisit this story to help them remember “what happens when a republic turns into an empire.”

During the colonial era, joint stock companies like the East India Company and the Massachusetts Bay Company which did the bidding of their home countries, archetypes for modern corporations. When new colonies in America were chartered, they were created for the benefit of the king, and the stockholders of the company tasked with the development.

And today, five corporations own almost all of the media while groups like American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) hand off legislation to government officials and an unprecedented amount of corporate money is spent on elections every year. Until the time of rapid industrialization that occurred roughly around the turn of the century, corporations had to prove their worth--what public function was lacking and how they would fulfill it--before they received a charter; the process of creating a corporation was political and placed corporations in the public sphere where they had duties, but not rights. Cobb feels this amendment would reverse the worst aspects of corporate dominance and return them back to being for the benefit of the public.

This public-private dichotomy is important--the public, essentially the government, is under the dominance of the private citizens, which should just be human beings, but Citizens United re-categorized corporations to have the same rights as people, even though they can’t breathe or love or die. These rights include meddling with elections.

Cobb stressed that he does not want to abolish Corps, just remove their power, stressing that he believes “it is naive and superficial to be anticorporation.” It is hard to imagine a world where corporations can exist

without “old-fashioned exploitation,” but MTA isn’t trying to fundamentally transform the system outright, or challenge basic political beliefs, Cobb said his message has resonated with every group he has talked to. And for this movement, he seems to be on point, he has given the talk hundreds of times, to Republicans, Tea Partiers, Democrats, and is on track to give it 150 times this year, and was very proud of the fact that his talk could affect with so many.

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NATIONAL

Sleeping Cabins Provide Safe Ground For Homeless

KEVIN ROBERTS

Homeward Street Journal (USA) www.street-papers.org

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afe Ground has been working towards developing a community for people transitioning out of homelessness. They will be a revealing their next phase by building a prototype sleeping cabin at Cesar Chavez Park in Downtown Sacramento on September 19. They will be giving demonstrations of the cabin and community designs through September 22 at the park.

Safe Ground volunteer professionals reviewed many potential designs from a structural, permitting and cost perspective. A structural modular panel construction that is both locally designed and built was selected. These cabins will be made to Safe Ground’s custom design specifications and manufactured as component panels that can be assembled in the field and disassembled for moving in the future. Safe Ground’s look at the many alternatives on the market

was highly influenced by the requirements including local standards for acceptable temporary habitats, extreme wet winter weather, hot summers and a strong desire to create the type of community environment that addresses the particular needs of the homeless individuals taking a first step out of homelessness.

The Safe Ground 10 x 12 foot sleeping cabin design has been developed by a Safe Ground Volunteer Cabin Design Team consisting of Kerrin West of Studio 81, Michael O’Brien of Pressey and Associates, and Kyle Wicky of Mogavero Notestine Associates, all three from the Sacramento area. Their unique design utilizes factory built, insulated panels as the major structural components. Each panel is manufactured to include predesigned electrical components, as well as windows and doors. The exterior is covered with durable hardi-trim siding and long lasting paint. The Cabin Design Team has consulted with local engineering and construction expert

Inital images of the Safe Ground Initative’s sleeping cabins, designed to help people transitioning out of homelessness. Photo: The Safe Ground Initiative

Dan Wilson, the Construction Director at Sacramento Habitat for Humanity. Dan has been consulting with local colleagues on the design, and in locating local suppliers of the panels and other required materials, including solar panels for the roof.

Fulltime Workers Still Face Poverty In USA JESSE CALL The Contributor (USA) www.street-papers.org

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ne of the most common criticisms leveled at people experiencing homelessness comes in the form of the well-worn phrase, most often shouted from the window of a passing car: “Get a job!” The presupposition, of course, is that if the person would simply get off their butt and find work, she or he wouldn’t be out on the streets in the first place. But, for many in Nashville, having a fulltime job is not enough to guarantee housing security, because the amount of money earned at most low-paying jobs hardly covers one’s most basic expenses. Which means it’s all too possible to hold down a fulltime job and still remain in poverty.

The federal government set up a standard called the minimum wage when it passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. While the minimum wage has increased since that time, to the current rate of $7.25 per hour, the actual purchasing value of

the minimum wage has declined since its highest point in 1968, when it was equivalent to about $10.50 in 2012 dollars.

If workers were paid that amount today, that would exceed what is called the living wage or subsistence wage for a single-person household, the actual amount of money that people working fulltime would need to cover basic expenses such as housing, food, transportation and medical care.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) calculates that for a single-person household in Davidson County, Tennessee, a person would need to make $9.51 per hour to cover basic expenses. Or, to put it another way, at the current minimum wage of $7.25, a single adult would have to work 49 hours a week to cover basic expenses.

If the person has a child, the wage rate needed to cover the cost of childcare and basic needs for that child nearly doubles, to $18.36 per hour. Thus, working today’s minimum wage, a single-adult with one child would have to work 94 hours a

week to cover basic expenses.

A one-adult, one-child household with the parent working a fulltime minimum wage job, therefore, still falls below the federal poverty guidelines used to calculate whether a family is eligible to receive federal benefits. That household would earn $15,080 per year while the federal poverty level for that household is $15,130.

A two-adult, two-child household would need to earn $19.51 per hour to cover basic expenses, which is less than the amount that could be earned if both parents worked fulltime minimum wage jobs in Tennessee. At the current minimum wage, a two-adult, two-child household would have to work 100 hours a week to cover basic expenses.

State and local governments in the U.S. have the ability to establish their own minimum wages higher than that of the federal level.

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia currently have minimum

Safe Ground will debut the sleeping cabin at Caesar Chavez Park on Wednesday September 19, starting out with the construction of the prototype cabin led by a Habitat for Humanity team followed by a press conference.

wage rates higher than the federal standard, with the state of Washington offering the highest at $9.40 per hour. Twenty-three states match the federal minimum wage. Tennessee is one of only five states without its own minimum wage.

Some metropolitan cities have also set their own minimum wage laws higher than that of the state or federal level, including San Francisco, Calif., which now requires employers to pay workers at least $10.40 per hour.

In recent years, Nashville has refrained from any formal consideration of a citywide minimum wage.

However, in 2010, the city did adopt a living wage pay standard for some employees of the Metro government. {Continued on page 6}

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INTERNATIONAL

Mobile legal aid for the homeless POUL STRUVE NIELSEN Hus Forbi (DENMARK) www.street-papers.org

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awyer Take Gøttsche, Aarhus, has initiated a mobile legal aid in cooperation with the homeless organization, SAND, and the Church Army(Kirkens Korshær). The aim is to have help close at hand when the problem occurs, through mobile legal aid in the form of a phone service.

In places where homeless people congregate, a number of mobile phones will be made available.

The phones can only call one number: The mobile legal aid. Dialling this number puts those in need directly in contact with a legal advisor, usually a law {Continued from page 6} The lowest-paid city workers now make $10.77 per hour.

A similar measure was passed in Memphis, where the lowest-paid city workers now earn higher than the federal minimum wage, thanks in part to a push from the Workers Interfaith Network, which is now targeting the state-operated University of Memphis to raise it lowest pay rate to a living wage.

“We’re people of faith and we feel that workers should be treated with dignity and respect and part of that is being paid well for what you do,” said Rev. Rebekah Jordan Gienapp, the group’s executive director.

Workers Interfaith Network was also responsible for organizing a major petition drive to stop a proposal before the Tennessee General Assembly in its 2011-2012 legislative session aimed at prohibiting local governments from establishing their own minimum wages. The bill did not pass.

“Not only would it keep future workers from earning higher pay, it would have potentially cut the pay of workers who had at least met their basic needs on their paycheck,” Gienapp explained about their opposition to the bill.

“Minimum wage does not work and neither does it show any respect.”

Gienapp says the few arguments they heard in favor of the bill were “ridiculous,” such as the claim that different minimum wage standards could confuse businesses operating in various locations throughout the state.

What many independent businesses consider ridiculous, however, are government-mandated increases in their costs during a recession increases, businesses say, that will force them to hire fewer employees and increase prices. Many businesses believe the government should not establish any minimum wage, let alone a wage that covers the costs of living.

“About 80 percent of our members opposed minimum wages,” said Jim Brown, Tennessee state director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), in reference to a survey his organization conducted a few years ago. He says many business owners simply believe the market should control and the government should not intervene.

But, some NFIB members in Tennessee have claimed that they would be less likely to hire less qualified

student, based in Gellerup, Aarhus. Most calls are received from socially excluded people in trouble.

This may include people who are deprived of their subsidies, because they have not shown up for an interview or further activation, says Tage Gøttsche.

Giving examples of other social problems for the homeless and socially excluded, Gøttsche mentions people who have been evicted, or those who fall between two municipal departments, such as those seen frequently by the Danish street paper Hus Forbi.

With people who have so many social workers in the municipality, it is not possible to coordinate between them, not to mention the homeless, who are often caught between two or more municipalities.

workers such as teenagers and those with disabilities if they perform less work during the same time period, Brown explained.

Consequently, that would mean that these individuals would not get the work experience necessary Photo: Al Levenson to be more competitive in the job market in the future.

“For those young individuals, they don’t get the work experience that they could have had,” Brown said.

However, while teenagers working at fast-food restaurants might be the first image that comes to mind when thinking of minimum wage jobs, it is those over the age of 20 who would most benefit from a minimum wage increase, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), which finds that 91.6 percent of minimum wage workers in Tennessee are 20 or older, compared to 87.9 percent nationally.

Letting the market control could also be a bad idea, according to David Cooper, economic analyst at EPI, especially given current economic conditions.

“During periods of high unemployment, employers have no incentive to raise wages when people are lined up around the corner,” Cooper said. Thus, he says, it will take government action to ensure people receive a fair wage.

The best way to have a quick impact on the economy is to raise wages, even if it makes small cuts into the profit margins of corporations, Cooper says, because those earning lower wages will spend that money instead of sitting on it.

“It has a stimulative effective on the economy because it shifts dollars from people less likely to spend it to those more likely to spend it,” Cooper said. “You shift dollars from corporate profits to low-wage workers. Lowwage workers are far more likely to spend all of their income.”

Similarly, Cooper says he believes a higher minimum wage would equal the playing field between big-box retailers, which already get special tax incentives to build their stores

The phones will be placed in the Church Army shelters and at all the SANDsocial councils. There will also be a telephone in the Hus Forbis cafe in Bragesgade, Copenhagen and in a shelter in Jægergårdsgade where Hus Forbi is based. The service is now live, and the during the initial test period the phones will available from 10 am to 2 pm.

Translated by Hans Rahbek.

and then can hire many employees at low wages, and small businesses that have no choice but to pass on the costs of lost business to their customers in the form of higher product prices.

“Big-box retailers are able to offer lower prices because they pay their workers lower wages,” Cooper said. Forcing all businesses to pay a fair wage to their employees would cut into the advantage of larger retailers and could send more consumers to small businesses.

Another economic boost of raising the minimum wage would be that it would bring people using public benefits out from under the poverty line and save taxpayer money. Cooper says some corporations that pay their workers low wages are basically subsidizing what should be their costs of providing health care onto taxpayers.

And while people earning below the poverty line impact the federal budget by using benefits, social services and through having the majority, if not all, of their income taxes refunded, there would be no significant cost on the federal budget if it passed a higher minimum wage, Cooper contends.

“It doesn’t impact the federal budget to raise minimum wage,” he said.

Sandy T., a vendor for The Contributor, says the current minimum wage may be fair for workers who are just starting out at an employer, but only as an introductory rate of pay.

He believes raises should come quickly to employees who demonstrate they are hardworking and reliable.

Sandy says he recently left a job because they refused to pay him more than minimum wage after having been there for almost one year. The employer failed to show him dignity and respect for the hard work he was doing.

“I’d been there nine months and never got a raise, so I ended up leaving,” Sandy explained. “If you’ve done the job, you should get a raise at some point.”

But, even with a minimum wage income, Sandy says he could not afford to house his wife and two children on that income alone. That’s why he continues to sell The Contributor

- to use that supplemental income to cover his rent at a local motel. Without that income, he says he isn’t sure where he would turn to make sure his children had somewhere safe to stay.

One Nashville organization dedicated to improving the lives of lowwage workers is the Workers’ Dignity Project, or Dignidad Obrera (DO), which provides training and support to workers on how to stand up for their rights as workers.

“Minimum wage does not work and neither does it show any respect,” said Sarah Passino, an organizer for the worker-led outreach program, adding that the work of the organization strongly corresponds with Frederick Douglass’s statement that all work is work that has dignity.

“Our questions is never ‘what is the least?’” Passino said.

As such, the organization focuses its energies on confronting employers who fail to pay minimum wage to workers or who engage in other kinds of wage theft. The organization emphasizes that most businesses in Nashville are reputable and want to do what is right. Therefore, they believe if a living wage became law, businesses would support it.

Garnering political support for minimum wage increases has been historically difficult. It was not until 2007 that the federal minimum wage was increased incrementally from $5.15 per hour to the current rate, because it was included as a tagalong on a bill about troop support and Hurricane Katrina recovery. The rate had been at $5.15 since the mid-1990s.

There are currently several bills before the U.S. Congress aimed at raising the minimum wage to $9.80 per hour or more, and indexing it for inflation, meaning it would rise each year to reflect the true purchasing value of $9.80 in 2012 dollars. One such bill is the Rebuild America Act, which EPI has endorsed.

Besides federal legislation, some of the biggest successes in minimum wage increases have been accomplished on industry-wide or local levels. Passino of Workers’ Dignity encourages those wanting to take local political action to get involved in the organization’s work by attending the various labor rights workshops it holds at its location at 3753 Nolensville Pike. “We believe there are real opportunities to win victories,” she said.

Until another major shift in the minimum wage comes, however, individuals working fulltime may continue to face a long road out of poverty.

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ARTS & CULTURE

LULAC Celebrates 10 Years Of Hispanic Progress In Ohio LEYLA PEÑA

Contributing Writer

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n the midst of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic/ Latino immigrants are embracing the opportunity of a deferred action executive act that opens up their possibilities for educational attainment and economic empowerment; two of the fundamental priorities of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). As these young dreamers transition their aspirations into actions, our communities can look up to a brighter and better future. Since its beginnings in Ohio ten years ago, LULAC is prepared to embrace the future by recognizing the hard work of these dreamers and acknowledging those individuals and

-Lourdes Ribera

organizations that have contributed to the advancement of the Hispanic/Latino community in Cincinnati. The 2012 LULAC Cincinnati Community Awards Gala: Embracing the Future will be held on Saturday, September 29th, 2012 at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College.

Every year LULAC awards scholarships to Hispanic/ Latino students. This year, 23 students from the Greater Cincinnati area will receive scholarship awards so they can pursue their post-secondary dreams. Likewise, the organization will recognize individuals and organizations for their efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion in our communities. The honorees have A female mariachi group performs at the LULAC National Convention in Cincinnati in 2011. made a significant impact in the Photo: LULAC multiple fields they represent in the public school system of Ohio. nati, Dayton and Columbus. including government, education, According to OCHLA, the educational “LULAC welcomes you to join us diversity, business, service institution attainment level of the Hispanic/ in our mission as we head in to the and corporate.

Latino community lags behind the future; a future where Hispanics are Hispanics/Latinos represent 3.1 state as a whole. Through LULAC’s destined to contribute to our country, percent of the total population in community-based programs, Hispannot only in numbers but in strength.

Ohio. In the past decade, Ohio has ics/Latinos have access to resources It is our duty to make sure they are experienced a significant growth that will help improve their lives. But prepared to be that future,” stated stemming from Hispanic/Latino at the core of LULAC’s mission is Lourdes Ribera, LULAC Ohio State immigration. Slightly over 200,000 advocacy. LULAC is the largest HisDirector and President of the CincinHispanics/Latinos lived in the state panic/Latino civil rights and advocacy nati council. of Ohio in 2000. Currently, there are group in the United States. It was 354,674, a 63.4 percent increase since founded 83 years ago but in Ohio, this To register for the LULAC Cincinnati 2010, based on the data of the Ohio decade since its inception in Dayton, Community Awards Gala: Embracing Commission of Hispanic/Latino Afadvancement for the Hispanic/Latino the Future, visit: http://www.eventfairs (OCHLA). community has been consistent. Curbrite.com/event/3957117846 For the 2009-2010 school year, rently, three councils operate under 49,000 Hispanics/Latinos enrolled the LULAC Ohio umbrella: Cincin-

Cincinnati’s Salsa Scene JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

S

eptember is Hispanic Heritage month so it seems like the perfect time to cover one of Cincinnati’s most exciting and diverse social scenes. I first discovered this largely unknown scene about 20 years ago at the Corinthian and have seen it grow and change over the past decade.

How did a salsa scene get started in Cincinnati you ask? According to Nick Radina, DJ Rudy Alvarez and Tino Barbosa in the early days built this scene with their famous weekend nights at the Corinthian in Clifton. ”I think early bands like Bailando Desnudo and Latin Xposure took some of that momentum out to the masses, playing the music all over the area and bringing awareness to the scene. Organizations like CincyLatino and MidwestLatino as well as bandleaders like Barry Miller (Salsa Caliente, Cla’ve Son), Jaime Morales (Son Del Caribe), Larry Feldner (Tropicoso) and Victor Vélez (Orquesta Kandela) and all of the other wonderful musicians have carried the torch, added and shaped what we see as Cincinnati’s Salsa Scene,” said Radina.

Radina is a fixture in the salsa scene and is an extremely gifted musician that has probably played in nearly every local salsa band at one time or another. But it wasn’t just the bands that breathed life into it. “What helped make Cincinnati

unique across the area is the diversity of really talented musicians and live Latin bands, in addition to some great DJ’s. DJ Rudy Alvarez has been spinning Latin music in Cincinnati for as long as I can remember, from the exciting days at the Corinthian to various nightclubs today, a true legend,” said Radina.

And of course there are the dancers that helped shape the scene.

Diana Hoffman was one of the first Salsa teachers and she is still active today. Doni Jessen and Michael Beck continue to teach as well. And Ivana Adler taught for years. She is one of the talented dancers you don’t see out locally as much anymore but over the years she and others have had a huge impact on the salsa scene.

Michael Beck is the founder of MidwestLatino and has been a part of the Cincinnati Salsa scene since the mid-nineties when some of his Colombian friends started taking him Salsa dancing. Little by little he got better at it to the point where he now often teaches others. He has some very fancy moves and a real passion for the scene.

“I moved to Cincinnati in 2002 and since then I’ve been involved in organizing many of the Salsa events here. The scene has definitely got bigger and more diverse. In the beginning the majority of dancers were of Latin American descent.

Now we can proudly say that there is no other event in Cincinnati that

draws a more diverse audience. We have people of all races, all ages, all ethnicities, all social status’ - it is truly the United Nations of Salsa,” said Beck.

Like most social scenes over time many faces change. One thing that has always struck me is how you always see some familiar faces, but there are always many more new faces.

And it is truly the most diverse social group in this city that I have come across.

“As with every dance scene, people are coming and going, Local dancers at Mad Frog. Photo: Michael Beck but there are few who see across the United States and had a big impact and other non-South American parts of are still around. First, of course, is the world. It’s a New York style. So the already mentioned legendary DJ instead of moving circular, the dance Rudy Alvarez, who was the first DJ happens primarily in a ‘slot’, more in Cincinnati to offer Salsa dancing. linear I guess you could say.

It’s hard to imagine the Salsa scene However, I would argue that without him. It was thanks to him you can see many different styles that more and more people were depending on which dancers are introduced to Salsa music, got to there. Sometimes you see people know it and love it,” said Beck. from Puerto Rico, Cuba or Columbia One dancer told me that the and they all have slightly different salsa style of dance was very South flavors. And everybody kind of adds American based in Cincinnati 10 their own personal flavor to salsa years ago. It was a style called Cumbia and the movement was more more generally.

According to Radina, Latin dance circular. Now the style you see in music is everywhere in Cincinnati Cincinnati is pretty much what you

9

ARTS & CULTURE now. “This is a win for the Latin music lovers. People love to dance. This is what drives the scene today and in the past. Cincinnati is very fortunate to have the ability to dance to Latin music almost every night of the week with a variety of truly great bands, right in our own backyard. Every year I see new faces in the scene, all with a big smile. It’s such a great social scene and a pleasure to have been a part of for such a long time,” he said.

If you’re like me you may feel a bit shy about trying to learn what looks like a complicated style of dance.

I took lessons but was reluctant to jump into it in public. I eventually figured out that the salsa dancers are very supportive of new people and even if you don’t think of yourself as a good dancer nobody seems to notice if you aren’t exactly cutting a rug. Everybody is supportive and just having fun.

Another interesting thing about Salsa dancing is that it’s not uncommon for people to dance with nearly every other dancer in the place.

Even when people are on dates it’s perfectly acceptable to respectfully ask anyone to dance.

And there’s good news for you fellas. The ladies have often complained over the years that there’s a shortage of guys to dance with.

For some reason the ladies seem to feel less insecure about trying out some new moves. It’s a great way to meet new people from all ethnicities, cultures and classes.

Latin Night’s on Mondays with Tropicoso at the Mod Frog in Clifton Heights has been the longest running Live Latin Music event in Cincinnati’s history. Every Monday for nearly 15 years a ten piece band called Tropicoso has been playing there and you can get free salsa lessons there. It’s casual, but there are usually people who like to wear their fancy dance shoes and other attire.

On Wednesday’s Latin nights are free at the Penguin on 5th street.

Beck says they recently celebrated the 7 year anniversary of Salsa

Wednesdays, the most popular Salsa event in Cincinnati. “It was amazing to look at the pictures from the first events - there are still so many people who are coming every Wednesday over all of these years,” he said.

On Thursday’s there’s Club Lunar which features a slightly younger crowd with more of a club feel. They play Raggaeton as well as salsa. Thursdays during the summer Fountain Square features Salsa on the Square. Now in its 5th year, it features local, regional and national Latin bands and a free dance class every week.

On Friday’s there is Salsa in Blue Ash, at the Cactus Pear. On Saturdays the location changes, but twice a month there is Salsa at Dao in Mason.

The weekends host various Salsa events at venues like MVP in Pleasant Ridge.

According to Beck the weak economy has always had a negative effect on the scene because people are more careful about spending money, “but that’s why we are organizing so many free events, so the cover fee shouldn’t be a reason for not going and having some fun. I would like to invite everybody to come out and check it out. We have free dance lessons every Wednesday night at 8pm at The Penguin, so there is no financial risk in trying it out, and you might love it,” he said.

And in case you aren’t convinced yet. I asked Beck for his final pitch.

“According to the British Heart Foundation (BFH), dancing counts as a moderate intensity exercise which, if done for 30 minutes five days a week, can halve your risk of having a heart attack. Italian researchers found that dancing three times a week was as good as spending the same amount of time on a treadmill or exercise bike.

So as you can see, Salsa is not only fun, but an excellent cardio exercise,” said Beck.

Cincinnati Music Heritage Foundation celebrates Herzog studios

Cincinnati Music Heritage Foundation at Herzog Studios. Photo: Justin Jeffre

JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

T

he Cincinnati Music heritage Foundation has been leading the way when it comes to educating and celebrating Cincinnati’s rich musical heritage. More and more Cincinnatians are beginning to take in our history because of the work of people like Elliot Ruther.

Ruther was instrumental in helping to get a placard in front of the old King Records building. There’s also a placard in front of the building that once was the home of Herzog studios.

Recently Ruther gathered a gang of musicians on the second floor of CityBeat’s building on Race Street in downtown Cincinnati. It was the home of Herzog studious in the 1940’s and 50’s. It’s the place where Hank Williams Sr. recorded some of

For more information go to: www.midwestlatino.com

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his biggest hits like, You Know That I Know, You’ve Been Lonesome Too, and The Love That Faded.

The musicians he gathered played tribute and recorded the performance in the very space where the songs were originally recorded.

Guests could also walk around what now appears to be a museum and look at pictures from the days when Herzog and King Records were thriving.

Cincinnati was the place where country music met the blues and funk music was born. Please check out the Cincinnati Music Heritage Foundation and help preserve our rich musical heritage.

For more information go to: www.takingyoutothebridge.org

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INTERNATIONAL

Streetvibes is a member of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP). The network supports over 120 street papers in 40 countries on six continents. Over 200,000 homeless people have changed their lives through selling street papers. The content on this page is reprinted from our colleagues around the world. Learn more at www.street-papers.org.

A young man sipping a sachet of tujilijili in Chaisa compound, Lusaka, Zambia.

Officially he risks a two-year prison sentence by doing this, as these sachets containing hard liquor have now been banned. Photo: Jorrit Meulenbeek

Z

ambia’s government has banned the manufacture and sale of liquor in small plastic sachets, commonly known as ‘Tujilijili’, which have been blamed for an increase in alcohol dependency amongst Zambia’s youths and poor communities. Sold by street traders at cheap prices, the brightly coloured 60 ml ‘killer sachets’ appear innocent but contain over 40 per cent alcohol.

Despite reports of school children drinking the sachets in class, security guards sipping them on duty, and several deaths attributed to tujilijili making national headlines, manufacturers and traders of the sachets are still fighting the ban in court.

For concerned parents like Peter Mbewe from Lusaka’s Chaisa compound this decision was long overdue. “You have seen how youths are dying at a tender age because of these things,” he says. “The minister was right to ban the substance. It was destroying our children.” (INSP)

Marinaleda’s Mayor and Izquierda Unida (IU) Parliamentarian Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo has become a cult hero for staging robberies at supermarkets and giving stolen groceries to the poor. Photo: REUTERS/Jon Nazca

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Spanish mayor has become a cult hero for staging robberies at supermarkets and giving stolen groceries to the poor. Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo, mayor of the town of Marinaleda in Andalusia, said the food stolen went to families hit hardest by Spain’s economic crisis.

“There are people who don’t have enough to eat. In the 21st century, this is an absolute disgrace,” said Sanchez Gordillo, whose aim was to draw attention to the human face of Spain’s economic mess. Seven people have been arrested for participating in the raids and while Sanchez Gordillo has political immunity as an elected member of Andalusia’s regional parliament, he says he would be happy to renounce it and be arrested himself.

But the conservative government says an official has no business flouting the law. “You can’t be Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham,” said Alfonso Alonso, spokesman for the ruling People’s Party. “This man is just searching for publicity at the cost of everyone else.” (Reuters)

caught in the act of Protest

Anna Louise Inn supporters Dorsey Stebbins (L) Mike Shyrock (R) protest daily outside of Western & Southern. Photo: Justin Jeffre

Underprivileged teenagers in India, Peru and Morocco are using photography to escape poverty through FairMail, a fair trade postcard business started by Janneke Smeulders and Peter den Hond in 2006. Photo: Courtesy of Freieburger

U

nderprivileged teenagers in India, Peru and Morocco are using photography to escape poverty through FairMail, a fair trade postcard business started by Janneke Smeulders and Peter den Hond in 2006. What began as a photography project with local teenagers in Peru soon grew into a successful company which exports fair trade postcards around the world.

FairMail introduces participants to digital photography, and then creates postcards using their images.

FairMail works in partnership with local groups who look after vulnerable young people to help them to find youngsters who could really use an opportunity in life. For each postcard the young photographer sells, they are given 50% of the profit to help finance their education and living conditions.

As well as local young photographers, regional printing houses, national tax authorities and local exporters who send their cards out to customers all around the world, also profit. (Freieburger, Germany)

Danielle Paffar, co-founder of Move Your Money UK. Since their launch at the start of 2012 the group estimates that 500,000 people have already switched their current accounts to ethical banks.

Photo: The Big Issue in the North

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new campaign is encouraging people in the UK to consider the ethical alternatives to major banks. Since Move Your Money UK launched at the start of 2012 the group estimates that 500,000 people have already switched their current accounts to ethical banks. Co-founder Danielle Paffar explains, “We want to encourage people to use their consumer powers to build and support a better banking system.”

Sally Dalton from Leeds recently moved her accounts to an ethical bank: “I was really uncomfortable with some of the businesses that the big high-street banks were investing in - things like weapons and dictators and countries with bad human rights records.”

Malcolm Hayday, chief executive of Charity Bank, which finances social enterprises and community organisations with its depositors’ money, hopes the campaign will encourage individuals to question the big banks: “We need to ask: ‘What do you do with my money when I go to bed at night?’ If they were honest, we’d be horrified.” (The Big Issue in the North, UK)

11

STREET VOICE

Street Paper hits the Cincinnati Film Festival JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

O

ne of the most entertaining and enlightening films that was shown at the Cincinnati Film Festival is Street Paper.

It’s a documentary about a street paper in Nashville called The Contributor and how it has grown to become the largest circulating street paper in North America.

It’s an inside look at the people that have made The Contributor such a success – the founders, staff, writers and most of all the vendors. It is compelling, touching and inspiring to see both the hardships and triumphs of some of the individuals that are struggling to get out of homelessness.

The filmmaker, Chris Roberts, says he didn’t know much about homelessness or street papers when he decided to do the documentary. Roberts studied broadcasting, journalism and video production at Belmont University but says he mostly is self-taught. He’s made some shorts and some videos over the years but it’s his first feature length film. Documentaries are his passion and he hopes to make more. “The goal of documentary is to not have an agenda or slant,” he said.

Roberts says his goal was to be like “a fly on the wall” so he used a wireless mic that he would put on whoever he was focusing on so he could be far enough away from them that they could do whatev-

er they do naturally without making turning it into a reality show. He was very effective in not being a part of the story. “There’s so much time when they aren’t interacting with people so I had to show you a part of those people’s lives. From the beginning the focus was going to be the individuals and not the content of the paper,” said Roberts.

Towards the end of the film one of the founders of the paper says that they don’t know what exactly has made the Contributor so much more successful than other street papers. “I personally think there’s somewhat of anomaly just as she admits it.

She doesn’t fully understand it. I think the fact that they obviously give their vendors motivation and incentives to go out and bust their butt and do they best that they can do with that particular thing. I think that helps and maybe the generosity of the south and what not may factor into that as well but beyond that I don’t have any insights,” said Roberts. “People buy these papers for different reasons.

Plenty of people are going to buy it that never look at it and throw it in the recycling. That’s a whole a different issue altogether.”

In a question and answer session that followed the screening another filmmaker from Nashville that was in attendance described how his wife buys The Contributor from a vendor and that the fact that she has a relationship with one of the vendors it is part of what makes her want to support it. They

are part of the community. “They take it seriously like they are showing up to their jobs so it gives that guy a sense of community because he knows your wife and says hi to her regularly.”

According to Roberts the biggest challenge was shooting everything himself. Even getting people to sit down to do an interview was a challenge because he wasn’t willing to pay them and many of the people he filmed live a lifestyle where they are constantly on the move and hustling just to survive. “A really big challenge was having to deal with emails while holding a camera and doing sound,” said Roberts.

The film cost less than $10,000 and Roberts was basically the entire crew until the film was about 80%. It took less than a year to make.

When asked what he learned about homelessness he said, “I would say that affordable housing is the number one thing that probably didn’t make it into this film that people mentioned as their stumbling block to getting out of [homelessness], cause even if their making money there’s still no real option, nowhere to go. There’s just no avenue.”

And, “There were so many experiences I had that couldn’t go into the movie. I’d say pretty much say that every stereotype that there is can be broken.

If you’re not part of the 1% of our population you could end up being homeless. That’s the reality.”

Tommy Thompson, Speaker & Advocate Transcribed by: JAMILLAH LUQMAN

M

y name Staff Writer is Tommy Thompson, I am 42 years old; I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I grew up in the suburb of Lincoln Heights. I have two brothers and one sister, I am the oldest. Growing up I had a good family life. My parents did their very best to raise me and my siblings, to be honest, caring and responsible adults. My mom was a school teacher, and my dad was a factory worker.

Even though my parents were employed we were still poor. At that time in my life, I had assumed that we were rich, because my parents provided everything that we children needed, and we had stability. We were not a religious family we were non- denominational. I have never been married; as a result I do not have any children. I graduated from a trade school (Scarlet Oaks), in Industrial Maintenance that includes plumbing, electrical and HVAC. I have some college experience, but the majority of my skills were self-taught. 35 high schoolers listen intently as Tommy Thompson speaks about his experiences with homelessness at Ursuline’s ShanOver the years I have worked as a plumber. tytown 10/26/2011. Photo: Jeni Jenkins During this time in my life, I was working for a company that required me to travel. It was great, did he want me to be when I grew up and he always and Development at GCCH. I was surprised and I did this for about five years, I got an opportunity responded that I could be anything that I wanted to shocked, Ms. Jenkins, talked with me as if she had to visit different cities, I probably would not have be as long as I put my mind to it. I always believed known me all of my life. She asked me if I would be gotten to visit otherwise, plus the salary was good. him. interested in becoming a distributor of Streetvibes, At one time in my life I worked for myself. I started I lived in my van for eight months, I would not I explained that I was not interested in selling a Handy Man Services. It was successful for about ask family for help because, and they had never Streetvibes, I did not want anyone to see me standtwelve years until the economy started to decline. I experienced job loss, or homelessness, or any ing around the city selling papers, what I needed also started a music production company; I wrote other crisis. Their perception of the predicament I was a job. Ms. Jenkins explained to me that being a songs and played Bass instruments. The majority of was in was that there was some other cause. Their Streetvibes distributor is not about selling papers, the people that I worked with during that time are thoughts were, “He lost his business, what did he it is about networking with the public by sharing doing great things in the music industry today. do to cause that”. your story. Initially, I did not agree with Ms. JenWhen I became homeless, I was in denial for At first I did not seek assistance from the kins, but she was so nice that I thought that I would a long time. I did not have any substance abuse resources that are available to homeless persons at least give it a try. issues, or mental illness that would contribute to in OTR, like the soup kitchens. I started meeting One day I was out and I met a gentleman, I me becoming homeless. Those are the images that others that were in the same situation as me and asked him if I could have two minutes of his time, I had associated with homelessness. The economy had become homeless because of the decline in also I informed him that I was not going to try and started declining and I started getting fewer and the economy. I could relate to them, and became sell him anything, I just wanted him to hear my fewer contracts for work so eventually I had to aware that my situation was not unique and that story. After the two minutes, the gentleman asked close my business. Eventually I was unable to afthere are different causes of homelessness, and that me how much the Streetvibes publication costs; I ford housing. everybody has a story. After that realization I had told him a one dollar donation. He said to me that As I stated, I was in denial, I just plain refused only one goal, and that was to get off the streets. I one dollar is not going to help me get back on my to believe that I was homeless. I was constantly job started to pray and ask God to give me the strength, feet. He ended up donating about forty- three, forty seeking, months on end. Eventually I started living and to help me help myself out of this situation, – four dollars to me. That was a blessing, it helped in my work van. During my life the only struggle I and that this situation is not in vain. out, and more than anything else the experience had encountered was being a perfectionist. I had One day I was walking past the Greater Cincin- gave me hope that things were going to be ok. always expected one hundred and ten percent from nati Coalition for the Homeless, I said to myself, This business man did not look down on me or my myself, with any situation that I encountered in “that is a long name.” I walked in and was told situation, and gave me the respect that all humans life. I had always had a sense of self and felt that I that because of my homeless status I could use the deserve despite their circumstances. I showered was destined for greatness. I believed that I would telephone for free and use the Coalition’s address at Mary Malden House and started to get more do great things in life and I had always expected to receive mail, since I did not have a mailing adesteem and confidence in myself. the best performance from myself. dress. I started reading the literature that is posted There was a fast food business that I would During my school years the teachers and my for resources for the homeless population, as I was classmates always elected me to represent the reading I heard a woman’s voice; she introduced {Continued on page 14} class. As a child I would always ask my father what herself as Jenni Jenkins, Director of Education

12

POLITICS

It’s Time For A New Sheriff In Town

JASON HAAP Contributing Writer

I

t seems like Simon Leis has been Hamilton County Sheriff forever, but he has recently decided to retire – and this fall, there are two names from which to choose on the ballot: Sean Donovan and Jim Neil. Streetvibes contacted both candidates, to see where they stood on issues of interest to our readers. Donovan failed to respond to multiple requests for an interview, but Jim Neil provided us with insights

-Jim Neil

concerning his style of leadership.

Neil would like to see greater collaboration between Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati.

“My vision is a cooperative working relationship with the Cincinnati Police Division,” he explained. “I will call on my personal experience as the regional Commander of the Bomb Squad and history of collaborating with the various Chiefs of Police in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to help forge a stronger working relationship – one built on cooperation and mutual respect.

Working together will benefit both agencies, but more importantly, the citizens of Hamilton County and the City of Cincinnati benefit the most.”

On so-called “crimes of Hamilton County Jail. Photo: Justin Jeffre homelessness,” Neil calls for County sheriff is more about serving common-sense and compassion. community than scoring political “It is not a crime to be homeless in points. “As the next Sheriff of Hamilton County,” he said. “We must Hamilton County, I will place more remember that there is the ‘letter of emphasis on service and less on the law’ and the ‘spirit of the law.’ I politics,” Neil explained. “On my expect police officers to use good watch, the Sheriff’s Office will be judgment and common sense when more transparent and cooperative enforcing any laws in Hamilton with the public and employees County.” beginning with a full unbiased What could such a position independent fiscal and operational mean with regards to how Neil audit of the agency. No longer will might work with agencies, such as employees be permitted to double-dip Streetvibes’ parent non-profit the just to take advantage of the pension Greater Cincinnati Coalition for system for their own personal gain.” the Homeless? “I would be happy Jim Neil has a versatile set of to work together with community experiences, too – and he knows what organizations on homelessness,” it means to put himself in danger in promised Neil. the name of service.

“As a leader, I Neil thinks being Hamilton

displayed physical courage while on the job after being involved in a shooting with a murder suspect in Queensgate and also while disarming live bombs during my ten years as the Bomb Squad Commander,” he described. “During my 30+ year tenure, I continually perfected my craft as a police officer and administrator through education and practical application. I am not part of the political establishment.”

“My department will not be managed by fear and intimidation,” Neil concluded. “I am an educated and experienced law enforcement officer and will be a breath of fresh air for the employees and the community.”

Shouldn’t we fund good causes instead of corrupt political systems? the scripted pomp and circumstance, a letter from a long-time alternative presidential candidate went unheeded ow that both the Republican by both political parties. Perhaps now, and Democratic National before our memories of these convenConventions have come to a tions’ extravagances dim into distant close, what can we learn from reflectmemory, we can reflect on an open ing upon their aftermath? Pollsters letter from Ralph Nader written one were quick to notice statistically insig- month before each convention. nificant changes in opinion from day After describing the desperto day, speculating about the effect of ate economic circumstances facClint Eastwood’s speech to an empty ing millions of Americans, Nader chair, or Bill Clinton’s reminiscences offered a novel concept. “Against of the economic boon from the 1990s. this background, what have the two Yet, amidst all the pageantry, all parties done?” wrote Nader. “This year they have each taken $18.2 million in taxpayer money for their national political conventions in Tampa, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina later this summer. The money comes from taxpayers via the Treasury Department’s ‘$3 Tax Check-off’ found on tax return forms.”

“Taxpayers who opt for this partial public funding of elections,” continued Nader, “may not like funding political extravaganzas for the two parties, festooned by banners, Ralph Nader with Justin Jeffre. Photo: Streetvibes JASON HAAP Contributing Writer

N

musical entertainment, food, drink and other amenities. They might not want their tax dollars associated with nearby lavish corporate hospitality parties loaded with lobbyists lusting for access, subsidies and other special privileges.”

Or, as he more succinctly summarized the issue later in his open letter, “Pay for your own parties, your own liquor and your own entertainment.”

Nader goes on to suggest the RNC and DNC give this money to charities in both Tampa and Charlotte, as those non-profits struggling to provide food for the hungry need the money more than the GOP and the Democratic Parties, each sitting on war chests filled with millions upon millions of dollars.

So, if I may be so bold, let’s apply Nader’s thinking right here in Cincinnati. Do any readers of Streetvibes donate money to the already drenched bankrolls of bigger-thanlife, corporate funded candidates?

How about taking that money, and giving it to a local charity instead?

What if instead of sending $20, $50, $100, or $500 to Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, we sent that money instead to the Freestore Foodbank, making a change people can believe in right here at home?

I know some will say the stakes are too high – and that it important to support the candidate who can have such an influence on the direction our

country takes. But perhaps you will also consider making a matching donation to a local charity for any dollar you give to a politician. Let’s at least allow Nader’s challenge to the RNC and DNC haunt us as we consider how much money gets pumped into overdramatic television ads aimed at manipulating as opposed to educating voters. Let the thought haunt us, as we consider the best way to make change.

13

POLITICS

Ohio Socialist Sen. Candidate wins in court JUSTIN JEFFRE Streetvibes Editor

D

an La Botz challenged before the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) the ONO’s (that is, the eight major newspapers in Ohio) decision to invite only the “top two” candidates for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat to the debate before live television audiences. The FEC ruled that the ONO’s decision was permissible under Federal law. Mr. La Botz appealed this decision to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Wash., DC), which reversed the FEC’s conclusion.

The court ruled that federal law prohibits corporations, including news organizations, from providing benefits to candidates for federal office without doing so equally.

Federal law states that in order to do so equally, corporations that sponsor debates must use “preexisting, objective criteria” that do not categorically include only the major parties’ candidates. ONO produced no evidence before the FEC that it employed pre-existing objective criteria to exclude Mr. La Botz.

Rather, the ONO simply claimed that it picked the two most popular candidates, which is not permissible under federal law. While the ONO

Dan Labotz at Xavier University. Photo: John Hughes

need not have included Mr. La Botz, it had to at least provide him with the criteria it employed to pick its participants. And these criteria could not simply be that it chose to pick the two major candidates.

The issue has been sent back to the FEC. “I hope for a decision there, or if necessary back in the courts again, which would strengthen the rights of candidates to be heard by the public. All certified candidates should have equal rights to present their views to the public. It is especially important at a time like this of high unemployment, housing foreclosures, rising educational debt, and growing numbers of people living on food stamps and other government assistance that people have an opportunity to hear the democratic socialist alternative. We need a profound transformation in this country that would put power in the hands of working people, the employed and the unemployed, those with unions and those without them, to create a government that would meet their needs and the needs of all. People have a right to hear that alternative put forward, and that opportunity was denied them in the November 2010 Senate

-Dan Labotz election,” said La Botz.

“We are happy to hear that the U.S. District Court has decided in our favor. This is a victory not so much for me as for the voters. Voters should have the right to hear from all of the candidates who qualify for the ballot, not just the Republicans and the Democrats,” he said.

14

THE REST OF THE STORY

Continued from page 11 visit often; I would always ask the manager if there were any job opportunities available. I was always told that there was nothing open at that time, I feel that the manager thought that I was not serious or that I would not be reliable. I persisted and continued to enquire, the manager saw that I was sincere and offered me a position. I started out as a back house cook, eventually I did not know what my job title was because I was performing every job duty at the establishment. I did whatever needed to be done so that the business would run smoothly. I did all of this in a uniform. During my life span I had never thought that I would be employed by an employer that would require me to wear a uniform. It was a humbling experience. I stopped buying chips, and other snacks that I had Tommy Thompson. Photo: Amy Willhoite called a meal, and started saving Streetvibes distributors donate 50 my earnings. I found an efficiency cents per copy and sell it for a oneapartment and when I received the dollar and fifty cent donation. They keys I had a really big sigh of relief. keep the profit that they have earned.

Eventually I bought another This program has helped hundreds of truck, and I promised myself that, people find and maintain housing. as long as I was able to, I would help Streetvibes targets homeless and others that were going through the formerly homeless individuals who same experience that I had underrequire supplemental income. For me gone. Today, I am an advocate for the Streetvibes was a hand up and that homeless population. Since March helped me move from homelessness 2009, I have worked with the “Voice to housing. My experience with homeof Homeless” Speakers Bureau at the lessness has had a positive outcome Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the and I’ve dedicated my life to helping Homeless. The Coalition understands homeless individuals. I started a nonthat education is a key component in eradicating homelessness. The Speak- profit, tommygives.worldpress.com.

The mission statement is: “To inspire ers Bureau is made up of currently or and engage in giving on all levels in formerly homeless individuals who order to build a stronger more conare willing to share their experiences nected life.” I plan to purchase abanbeing homeless. I believe that telling my story is therapeutic and empowers doned buildings and turn them into affordable housing. (i.e. Transitional me to move forward with my life. and Section 8).

Since coming to the Homeless At most homeless shelters an Coalition I have spoken to over 3,500 individual has to have mental or subpeople through over 150 speaking stance abuse issues to qualify for long engagements. I also spoke in 2010 term services. My desire is to target at the Affordable Housing Advothe population that has been dislocates Annual Meeting as well as lead cated because of the economy, and / student groups on tours of downtown or job loss, they are the new homeless Cincinnati where I talked about life and a growing population. My experion the streets and teach students ence being homeless has changed the how I and other Streetvibes distribudirection of my life for the better. tors vend the Streetvibes Newspaper.

Do you know what you feel...

Do you hear yourself when the world is standing still?

Do you reconize the diffrence in the sounds that you hear ?

Do you believe that you can make a diffrence in this world today? Be for real!!

Do you reconize the world and hear the the world as it so slowly revolves aroud?

Do you understand that it is your life that you are hearing and only your life youv’e found!

Do you know your rights to live without disrespect being happy, and loving your life?

Do you know anything about your past, present not to mention being born in strife?

Realizing that we are born from one womb and destined to die in one tomb ALONE With all this knowledge do we know right from wrong or how to be strong!

Now knowing everything an living our lives and forgeting where we derived from.

Now seeing deceit and can’t do nothing about it, NOW don’t we all feel dumb!

NOW I beleive that there is a power greater than any man’s understanding right here today!

Looking around today trying to distinguish what was and what I see NOW! Everyday I have to Pray!!

Changes everywhere I look, from where to catch a bus to where do the hungry eat Changes in every walk of life and that includes if you homeless NOW where do I SLEEP? NOW think are you happy, sad , disillusioned, misunderstood, confused or simply LOST? NOW IS THE TIME TO BELIEVE IN THAT POWER GREATER THAN MAN. I KNOW GOD AND HE IS BOSS!!!

By Willa D. Jones

15

RESOURCES Shelter: Women and Children

Churches Active in Northside 591-2246

Central Access Point 381-SAFE Bethany House 557-2873

FreeStore/FoodBank 241-1064

1841 Fairmount Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45214

Grace Place Catholic Worker House 681-2365 6037 Cary Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45224

Salvation Army 762-5660 131 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259

Shelter: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525

5 E. Liberty St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

112 E. Liberty Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Health Resource Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363

4600 Erie Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45227 Serves area codes: 45226, 45227, 45208, 45209

Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Mercy Franciscan at St. John 981-5800

1125 Bank Street, Cinti, Ohio 45214

NAMI of Hamilton County 458-6670 PATH Outreach 977-4489

4230 Hamilton Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45223

Madisonville Ed & Assistance Center 271-5501 St. Vincent de Paul 562-8841

Treatment: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853

40 E. McMicken Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45202

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

Other Resources

Prospect House 921-1613

Center Independent Living Options 241-2600 Emmanuel Community Center 241-2563

Starting Over 961-2256

Peaslee Neighborhood Center

Mt. Airy Shelter 661-4620

Treatment: Women

Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart 381-0111

Shelter: Both

First Step Home 961-4663

Goodwill industries 771-4800 Healing Connections 751-0600 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811

1419 Elm Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Justice Watch 241-0490 St. Fran/St. Joe Catholic Work. House 381-4941 1437 Walnut Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Anthony House (Youth) 961-4080

2121 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

682 Hawthorne Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45205

2203 Fulton, Cinti, Ohio 45206

2728 Glendora Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45209

Treatment: Both

1821 Summit Road, Cinti, Ohio 45237

AA Hotline 351-0422 CCAT 381-6672

Caracole (HIV/AIDS) 761-1480 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 217 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Interfaith Hospitality Network 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Youth) 221-3350 3330 Jefferson, Cinti, Ohio 45220

Housing: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 OTR Community Housing 381-1171 114 W. 14th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Tender Mercies 721-8666 27 W. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services 751-0643 Volunteers of America 381-1954 Anna Louise Inn 421-5211 Cincinnati Union Bethel 768-6907 300 Lytle Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Food/Clothing

Lord’s Pantry 621-5300 OTR/Walnut Hills Kitchen & Pantry 961-1983 OTR: 1620 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202 Walnut Hills: 2631 Gilbert, Cinti, Ohio 45206

830 Ezzard Charles Dr. Cinti, Ohio 45214

Joseph House (Veterans)

241-2965

1522 Republic Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Hamilton County ADAS Board 946-4888 Recovery Health Access Center 281-7422 Sober Living 681-0324 Talbert House 641-4300

Advocacy

1800 Logan St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

People Working Cooperatively 351-7921 The Caring Place 631-1114 United Way 211 Women Helping Women 977-5541 Off The Streets 421-5211

Hamilton/Middletown St. Raephaels 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276

Catholic Social Action 421-3131 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242

Northern Kentucky

Franciscan JPIC 721-4700 Gr. Cinti Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803

ECHO/Hosea House 859-261-5857 Fairhaven Resuce Mission 859-491-1027 Homeward Bound Youth 859-581-1111 Mathews House

859-261-8009 Homeless & Housing Coalition 859-727-0926 Parish Kitchen 859-581-7745 Pike St. Clinic 859-291-9321 Transitions, Inc

859-491-4435 Welcome House of NKY 859-431-8717

1227 Vine Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

117 E. 12th Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

Intercommunity Justice & Peace Cr. 579-8547 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Ohio Justice & Policy Center 421-1108 Faces Without Places 363-3300 Stop AIDS 421-2437

Health

Brighton Center

859-491-8303

799 Ann St. Newport, KY

205 West Pike Street, Covington, KY 41011

Center for Respite Care 621-1868

St. Francis Soup Kitchen

Crossroad Health Center 381-2247

535-2719

621-5514

214 E. 14th St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

1223 Main St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

Our Daily Bread 621-6364 1730 Race Street, Cinti, Ohio 45202

1308 Race St. Cinti, Ohio 45202

3550 Washington Ave, Cinti, Ohio 45229

Women’s Crisis Center

859-491-3335 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 VA Homeless 859-572-6226

PainterStreetNew:Layout 1 4/17/2012 11:10 AM Page 1

Compliments of

Judge Mark Painter United Nations Appeals Tribunal 2009–2012 Ohio Court of Appeals 1995–2009 Hamilton County Municipal Court 1982–1995

Judging strictly on merit for 30 years www.judgepainter.org

16

CODE OF CONDUCT

STREETVIBES IS DISTRIBUTED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO PURCHASE THE PAPER FOR 50 CENTS PER COPY AND SELL IT FOR A $1.50 DONATION, KEEPING THE PROFIT THEY HAVE EARNED. BECOMING A DISTRIBUTOR IS A GREAT WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FINANCIALLY POOR TO GET BACK ON (OR STAY ON) THEIR FEET. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME FOR THOSE UNABLE TO SECURE OTHER EMPLOYMENT. MONEY EARNED HELPS MEET BASIC HOUSING, FOOD AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS. THE PROGRAM IS A HAND UP FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTEN IN A PLACE OF GETTING ONLY A HAND OUT, OR EVEN NO HAND AT ALL. ALL DISTRIBUTORS WEAR A BADGE AND CAN BE FOUND SELLING THE PAPER IN DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, CLIFTON, NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND AREA CHURCHES.

CURRENT DISTRIBUTORS

ASRES AYENAW SINCE 2012

DOUGLAS JONES SINCE 5/2012

BERTA LAMBERT SINCE 1997

GRADY COOK SINCE 2/2002

BRANDON NELSON SINCE 4/2008

JAMES BROWN SINCE 3/2009

CLEO WOMBLES SINCE 10/2003

JAMES DAVIS SINCE 8/2003

CRANDALL COBB SINCE 2004

JERRY DAVIS SINCE 5/2011

All Streetvibes Distributors must abide by the following rules. They are made aware that any infraction of the rules may result in suspension of their privilege to distribute Streetvibes and possible termination from the program.

Streetvibes will be distributed for a dollar fifty ($1.50). Distributors agree not to ask for more than $1.50 or solicit donations for Streetvibes by any other means. If a customer donates more than $1.50 for a paper, distributors are allowed to keep the donation.

Distributors only purchase papers from the Homeless Coalition. Each paper can be purchased for a cost of 50 cents. Distributors must show their badge when buying papers.

Distributors will never buy papers from and/ or distribute papers to other distributors.

Distributors agree to treat all others – customers, staff, and other distributors – respectfully. Distributors will not use abusive language or force someone to buy a paper.

Distributors will not give a “hard sell” or be aggressive. Distributors will not continue to ask someone if they want a Streetvibes after they have verbally or non-verbally said no and they will not make someone feel threatened.

Distributors will not panhandle while distributing Streetvibes.

JIMMIE GIPSON SINCE 2001

KEITH EUTSEY SINCE 2/2011

JON DARBY SINCE 2/2006

KENNETH STONITSCH SINCE 12/2007

JOSEPHINE BASKERVILLE SINCE 9/2008

KIM GREEN SINCE 1/2010

JULIE WALKER SINCE 6/2007

LARRY BROWN SINCE 10/2007

KAREN COLLETTE SINCE 7/2008

LEE MCCOY SINCE 7/2009

Distributors agree to stay off private property when distributing Streetvibes. Distributors will not distribute Streetvibes door to door.

Distributors will not stand in front of doorways, walkways, crosswalks or parking meters nor will I impede traffic or sit down while distributing Streetvibes.

Distributors understand they are not employees of Streetvibes or the Homeless Coalition but a contract worker responsible for their own well-being and income.

Distributors agree not to distribute additional goods or products when distributing Streetvibes.

Distributors will not distribute Streetvibes or purchase Streetvibes under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

LEONARD JACKSON SINCE 2/2005

MARK ANTHONY SHEARS SINCE 12/2007

MARY MUELLER SINCE 5/2005

MICHAEL BEHYMER SINCE 2/2012

RAESHAWN GIPSON SINCE 3/2009

There are no territories among distributors.

However, distributors must respect the space of other distributors, particularly the space of distributors who have been at a spot longer.

It is unacceptable for any distributor to persuade or ask customers not to purchase Streetvibes from other distributors. Coercion will not be tolerated. If a customer prefers to purchase from certain distributors that is up to them.

RAYNARD JONES SINCE 10/2008

RICCARDO TAYLOR SINCE 2001

RICHARD WIGGINS SINCE 2012

RONNIE PHILLIPS SINCE 10/2009

SAMUEL JACKSON SINCE 10/2006

TERRY RANSON SINCE10/2008

TIM NEUMANN NEW 7/2011

TOMMY THOMPSON SINCE 2/2009

WILLA JONES SINCE 1/2010

W. KENNETH BUSSELL SINCE 10/2009

WILLIAM BURDINE SINCE 8/2009

For questions or comments pertaining to the distributor program contact: Jeni Jenkins, Distributor Program Manager.

Ph:513.421.7803 Ext. 14 jenijenkins@cincihomeless.org

Distributors will not deceive the public by saying they are collecting for a nonprofit charity or collecting for the “homeless” in general. Distributors will be honest in stating that all the profits from the sale of Streetvibes go to the distributor. Distributors will only use the word “donation” when referring to themselves, not the Coalition.

There are special rules for distributing at Findlay Market. Only distributors with approval may distribute at Findlay Market at a time. Other rules as established by Streetvibes and Findlay Market.

Distributors will attend monthly meetings.

Monthly meetings occur every 4 weeks on Fridays at 1PM, (dates are posted in the lobby) these meetings are mandatory. Anyone who cannot make the meeting must talk with the Distributor Program Coordinator, before distributing Streetvibes for that month. Ten papers will be given to those who attend the meeting.

It is the responsibility of each distributor to police fellow distributors or former distributors. Distributors will report violators of the rules to the Homeless Coalition. The value of the paper depends on keeping it credible.