10) The needs are increasing. The needs of people served by the healthcare and human service systems are increasing mental health challenges, substance use disorders, trauma, homelessness, food insecurity and more. These needs make it more critical we approach care as whole-person care and be sure to include supports to address social determinants.

Ken Bates is the president and CEO of Worcester nonprofit Open Sky Community Services, where he led the $82-million merger of The Bridge of Central Massachusetts and Alternatives Unlimited.

9) Social determinants of health contribute more than 60% of an individuals health status. Social and environmental factors such as housing, nutrition, employment status contribute in a big way to the health and wellbeing of everyone.

8) Healthcare and human services systems must continue to align with and support each other. Each sector has unique strengths, and by working together we can leverage those strengths to improve the health of our community.

7) Cultural responsiveness and inclusion matter. We must provide culturally responsive, equitable and inclusive supports. We must make intentional efforts to ensure our organizations are reflective of and responsive to the communities we serve.

6) There is a workforce crisis. Our society must more strongly value the work of the direct care professionals who provide services for the most vulnerable among us.

5) There is an increased focus on value-based care. The health and human service system is moving away from fee-for-service payment structures to one valuing quality over quantity. To thrive, we must collect and share data demonstrating the impact we are having on peoples wellbeing.

4) An aging population brings additional challenges. 10,000 people turn 65 every day in this country, putting more pressure on healthcare and human services. More people will need more services while fewer workers remain to provide those services. Moving the focus of care from institutions to home- and community-based supports, as well as exploring technology use, will be needed.

3) Technological advancements are vital. Technology must be leveraged to improve patient outcomes and experiences, while reducing costs.

2) Grassroots community organizations are critically important. While the integration of health and human services is ongoing, grassroots community organizations and initiatives must remain strong and engaged in creating healthy communities.

1) Peer supports will continue to grow. Peers enhance the recovery of people with mental and substance-use disorders. Peers offer their unique lived experience and work one-on-one as role models, mentors, coaches and advocates.

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10 Things I know about...Healthcare and human services integration - Worcester Business Journal

New York, NY.With dailyrace motivated hate crimes happening globally,pausing to participate in a National Day of Racial Healing (#NDORH) is vitally important. On Tuesday, January21, 2020, many organizations, individuals, and communities will be taking collective action during the W.K. Kellogg Foundationsfourthannual National Day of Racial Healing to celebrate our racial diversity and reinforce and honor our common humanity. Among these organizations are the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Racial Equity Anchor Institutions (The Anchors). The Anchors will be creating space toexplore our common humanity and build the relationships necessary to create a more just and equitable world.

The racial equity groups have a formal partnership that has seen them work collaboratively over the past8years to clear barriers toa racially inclusive democracy, champion the humanity of undocumented communities and communities of color, organize to stop mass incarceration and end the criminalization ofNative, Black,Latino,and Asiancommunities.

The purpose of the National Day of Racial Healing is to:

1.Reinforce and honor our common humanity, while noting and celebrating the distinct differences of our various communities.

2.Acknowledge the deep racial divisions in America that must be overcome and healed.

3.Commit to engaging people from all racial and ethnic groups in genuine efforts to increase understanding, communication, caring and respect.

The racial equity organizations have participated in the National Day of Racial Healing since its inception in 2016. The day was established by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation grantees and partners. The day is a call to action to mobilize communities, organizations, and individuals across the United States in support of truth, racial healing and transformation.To participate in local events, please check theNational Day of Racial Healings website.Participate online by following the hashtag #HowWeHealor joining the national livestream.

TheAdvancement ProjectNational Office,Asian & Pacific Islander Health Forum,Demos,Faith in Action,National Congress of American Indians(NCAI),National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP),National Urban League,Race ForwardandUnidosUSare a collaborative of nine leading national racial equity anchor organizations supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Together, we work to promote racial equity, advance racial healing, and ensure that all children, families, and communities no matter the color of their skin have genuine opportunities to reach their full potential.

Advancement Project, National Office:

If we fail to confront racialized bigotry and hatred in our nation, our only expectation can be the perpetuation of the countrys racialized system of oppression. While we must acknowledge the fact that deep-seated racial divisions continue to propagate institutional injustices, we, like our ancestors must engage people from all backgrounds in sincere attempts to elevate the humanity of all people.

Judith BrowneDianis,Executive Director, Advancement Project, National Office

Asian andPacificIslanderAmericanHealthForum:

In an age when our country is divided, it is important to pause and reflect on our racial diversity, truth telling,and trust building. They are the foundation of our great nationfrom the Atlantic to across the Pacific, including our diversity, and shared history that continues to preserve and sustain our democracy. Today on the National Day of Racial Healing, we must come together as a nation and celebrate our successes and most importantly, remember that there is stillworkto be done to heal our communities from racial injustices. As we find solutions and act to bridge gaps in our communities, we move closer to a more equitable and prosperous country.

Kathy Ko Chin, President & CEO, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum

We are in a critical moment in this country where the far-reaching roots of racism is breeding new virulent forms of white nationalism,said Demos President K. Sabeel Rahman. If we hope to realize the promise of a truly inclusive democracy, starting today we must be willing to engage in radical conversations about race, commit to dismantling systems of power that harm Black and brown communities, and together embrace a bold vision for racial equity.This is the only path to healing as a nation.

The National Day of Racial Healing sets in motion a constant reminder that we all are in need of healing, and that healing must begin by letting our collective guards down and opening our hearts and minds to understanding each other. This is a country whose potential to be great on all fronts is constantly hindered by our inability to get out of our own way and stop tripping over the false narratives that have held us back. Dr. King knew that in order to change legislation and make a better world for future generations, we needed to change how we see ourselves in order to help others. It is through healing that we can operate from a place of respect, faith, and love and begin to create a Beloved Community.

Rev. Alvin Herring, Faith in Action Executive Director

National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples:

In the face of rampant hate crimes that threaten the future of children across this nation, white supremacy and threats on our right to vote, now more than ever, it is crucial that people of color mobilize and voice their experiences in order for us to achieve a just America, saidDerrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.On this Day of Racial Healing, we encourage all people of color to share their stories and start the essential conversations needed to create a path towards an equitable society.

National Congress of American Indians:

Despite what some proclaim, Americas greatness depends not on the degree to which this nation advances policies of racial and economic inequality that privilege one group of people at the expense of all others. To the contrary, Americas greatness has always risen and fallen on the degree to which this nation embraces its incredible diversity and provides equal footing to all Americans to seize opportunities enabling them to realize their full potential. As the first peoples of this land, Native people are an integral part of the American mosaic, and we will not rest until we secure our rightful place in this countrys future, and equal opportunities to thrive.

Kevin Allis, CEO,National Congress of American Indians

We have been dismayed to see a devastating surge of racial tension and violence over the last few years, saidMarcMorial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. Finding a way to move forward with unity and respect for one another is a matter of survival for our national identity. National Day of Racial Healing is more than a way to embrace diversity and inclusion, but also an opportunity to confront the institutional biases that confront us at every turn. We at the National Urban League are grateful the opportunity to work together with our brother and sister partners in the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Racial Equity AnchorInstitutions, andcommitted to a robust and meaningful national dialogue.

In order for us to achieve racial justice, we must take steps towards a multiracial, democratic society, free from oppression and exploitation, in which people of color thrive with power and purpose,said Glenn Harris President of Race Forward. We must see through the intentional and structural efforts to divide our communities and work towards a shared understanding and shared liberation. This National Day of Racial Healing serves as a continued reminder that organizing is possible, that mobilizingenmasse is inevitable, and that racial equity is achievable, when we commit to trust, love, and the collective advancement of justice.

A few months after a shooter killed 22 people and wounded 24 others in El Paso, TX after being motivated by the white nationalist-inspired myth that Mexicans were systematically replacing White Americans, the need for racial healing in our country has never been greater. As the Kellogg Foundations National Day of Racial Healing recognizes, it is not enough for us to simply call out these and other racially-motivated rhetoric and incidents. We must also come together as Americans, and as human beings, to confront, engage and ultimately transcend the challenges of a diverse nation in order to fully benefit from its promise.

JanetMurguia,President and CEO ofUnidosUS

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Leading Civil Rights and Racial Justice Organizations Support and Applaud the WK Kellogg Foundation's National Day of Racial Healing, January 21, 2020...

The following feature was originally published in our annual Guide to Baltimore Independent Schools. To view the guide in its entirety, click here.

Passionate educators, beloved teachers, and inspiring mentors: Meet the educators leading the way at area independent schools.

R. Brandon Mollett, Head of Middle SchoolThe Boys Latin School of Maryland

The journey that led Boys Latin (BL) Middle School Head Brandon Mollett back to his alma mater began after his graduation from Middlebury College and a stint as a journalist. Nineteen years ago, the 1994 graduate returned to Boys Latin, where he has served as an administrator, teacher and coach.

What drew you to education?After college, I pursued my dream of being a writer and worked as a journalist at Inside Lacrosse magazine, eventually serving as managing editor. I had what I thought was my dream job, but something was missing. I was a volunteer lacrosse coach after graduating from college and realized that working with young people always gave me satisfaction. This realization led me back to Boys Latin. I stayed connected to my teachers, and, with their encouragement, I took an intern role 19 years ago, and the rest is history.

What do you like about your current school?I am deeply tied to Boys Latin. My dad, my brother, and I are all alums. Every day, I have the privilege to work with, to learn from, and to mentor middle school boys. What I value most about Boys Latin is that the well-being of the individual student, family, and faculty always comes first.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?My goal is for each student to have an experience at Boys Latin in which he feels valued, cared for and confident. To create an environment where boys challenge themselves academically and personally safe in the knowledge that they are supported by their teachers and classmates.

***

Christine Szala, Head of SchoolInstitute of Notre Dame

A passionate advocate of all-girls education, Christine Szala was drawn to the Institute of Notre Dame (IND) for its legacy of nurturing girls with potential into young women of purpose. As head of school, she is forging important partnerships among Baltimores business and civic communities, identifying key sources of new funding, and is working in concert with the Board of Trustees to develop a strategic plan to guide IND into its third century.

What drew you to education?The growth. Learning happens in so many places and in so many moments throughout the day: in class, on the athletic field or the theater stage, during a service project, etc. Witnessing our girls walk through the doors of IND as freshmen, ultimately graduating as strong, confident young women its such a blessing.

What do you like about your current school?The enduring tradition of empowering girls through a Catholic-based education. IND hasbeen a pillar of Baltimore for 172 years, and in return, our city opens its arms to help give our girls the kind of unique, stimulating education that only a big city can provide. The result? IND girls are driven, mindful, compassionate and, as we like to say, IND Fierce.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?IND has always been a magnet for suburban students looking for a vibrant high school experience, but there are so many talented girls right here in Baltimore City for whom an IND education would be transformational. Making IND more accessible to deserving students is our primary goal. Our city needs it.

***

Kathy Cullen, Assistant Head of School for Finance and OperationsInstitute of Notre Dame

Kathy Cullens deep experience in guiding the strategic, fiscal, and operational aspects of organizations has taken her from the executive suite at PricewaterhouseCoopers to the head seat in the Finance Office of the Institute of Notre Dame. She is passionate about the role of education in shaping the character and minds of young people, and the responsibility of educational institutions to all the communities they serve. In just two years, Cullens effect on IND has been profound, including important advances to two of the schools proudest programs its technology and security initiatives.

What drew you to education?The desire to use my talents to ensure that a quality, meaningful education is available to all our children.

What do you like about your current school?IND has such a distinguished track record of educating women leaders from innovators in Congress, to trailblazers in the military, to the many IND graduates who improve the lives of people around them every day. I see IND making an enormous difference in the lives of young women who will one day be the leaders of their communities, the nation and possibly the world.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?I am committed to promoting the mission and the vision of the school. In my role, that means prudently managing current resources and helping to secure additional resources to provide for INDs long-term sustainability and equal educational opportunities.

***

Lisa Wetzel, Assistant Head of School for AcademicsInstitute of Notre Dame

The Institute of Notre Dames mission statement is built on the concept of joyful learners. Lisa Wetzel epitomizes that phrase, her omnipresent smile manifesting a deep love of education. In just her second year at IND, Lisa has spearheaded significant curriculum enhancements, including a new computer science program, an expanded fine arts program, and a new dual-enrollment arrangement with Notre Dame of Maryland University, where students can earn college credit while taking IND classes.

What drew you to education?Having spent the first part of my career in the pharmaceutical industry, stepping into the field of education allowed me to merge my background in science and lifelong love of learning into what has ultimately become my dream job.

What do you like about your current school?At IND, I work with a wonderfully unique and bright group of students and a deeply dedicated faculty and staff who support one another like family. You can feel the history and tradition of IND the moment you walk through the front doors; it is a privilege to be here.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?I hope to inspire our students to work to their full potential while providing them experiences and opportunities not offered at other schools. I hope to nurture joyful learners who desire to make the world a more kind and just place. I am committed to continuing the IND tradition of strong college-preparatory academics, while also exploring new ways to educate the whole person for success in todays world.

***

Tracey H. Ford, PresidentMaryvale Preparatory School

For seven years, Tracey H. Ford has served as President of Maryvale Preparatory School. Her tenure is punctuated by enviable growth in enrollment, giving and brand recognition. Her prior experience as Senior Director of Development for Towson University has served her well in her current role. Recognized in 2015 by The Daily Record as one of Marylands Top 100 Women, Ford is a role model and leader for girls.

What drew you to education?A number of things, including the opportunity to transform lives. I dont know any other vocation that offers you the chance to make a profound difference in young peoples lives.

As the daughter of a first-generation successful career woman, I know the value of education, scholarship, and tenacity.

What do you like about your current school?Everything! A campus that embraces the outdoors, an iconic historical building the Castle and state-of-the-art innovation, tech and theater spaces it is a jewel of a campus.

In addition, its feel is unique. Its truly a personalized experience for each girl and a place where ideas and change are encouraged.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?In todays world, I am hoping to make Maryvale counter-cultural. Everything we do is under the umbrella of the Maryvale Way, an intentional commitment, founded on the tenants of respect, dignity and diversity, to keep our community focused on our mission and values. Every day our girls are challenged to question and ensure that their decisions and interactions are consistent with the Maryvale Way.

We also want our girls to use the Maryvale Way as the foundation for their lives.

***

Kevin J. Costa, Ph.D., Director of Innovation & LearningMcDonogh School

For 25 years, Kevin J. Costa has been a successful teacher and administrator in education, currently serving as the director of innovation and learning at McDonogh School where he oversees strategic planning, faculty professional development, and institutional innovation.

What drew you to education?As the son of working-class parents who didnt finish high school, education has opened every door for me. I believe in its value not only for the opportunities it creates, but also because the process of learning is joyful. Learning makes you a more complete person. I like being part of a profession that can help people love learning and use what they learn to do the greatest possible amount of good.

What do you like about your current school?McDonogh School believes that education should be transformational. The school celebrates all students and helps them to discover and develop their unique abilities. I have reinvented myself and my career many times. McDonogh encourages everyone to continually learn and discover their purpose.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?As one of the core designers of LifeReady, McDonoghs academic strategic plan, I have led the school in implementing this plan that helps prepare students for the future by teaching them to communicate well, ask questions and solve problems individually and collaboratively, and adapt, lead and think for communities global and local. I hope that, over the course of my career, Im able to work with my talented, dedicated colleagues to enhance LifeReady and further enrich the lives of McDonogh students. To me, this would constitute a life of real purpose and meaning.

***

Jeanne Blakeslee, PrincipalMercy High School

Mercy Principal Jeanne Blakeslee is an accomplished academic leader with a special gift for sparking a lifelong love of learning in girls. As a nationally recognized teacher of AP Psychology, she is involved in just about every aspect of school life ensuring that Mercy girls and their parents know her as a trusted teacher, mentor and friend.

What drew you to education?What drew me to education was really curiosity and the life of the mind. I began my career working in college admissions and fell in love with the Great Books Programat St. Johns College in Annapolis. As I continued my own studies, I decided to stay in education because of my interest in the discipline of psychology, the world, and how education prepares young people to be good citizens.

What do you like about your current school?What I love about Mercy is the mission! The approach of the Sisters of Mercy is the foundation of our mission and our mission reflects their work:

Insistence upon excellence and giving whatever youre doing your whole heart; hospitality and a deep respect of everyone you meet; resourcefulness and diversity.

What do you hope to achieve in your role?I want Mercy to be the best it can be. To do that, the path we have chosen to take at Mercy was to become an International Baccalaureate World School, which fits so well with our mission. Our next step is to explore the IB Diploma Programme, the most rigorous academic program available to students worldwide.

***

Joanne Jones, Principal and Executive Director of AcademicsNotre Dame Preparatory School

Joanne Jones brings 30-plus years of teaching, administration and leadership experience to her new job. The Michigan native and University of Michigan graduate served as principal and director of development at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Holland, Michigan. There, she instituted a Spanish immersion program, integrated a STREAM curriculum, re-opened a tuition-free preschool, and led the schools accreditation effort. In addition, she has served as a team mentor and presenter for the University of Notre Dames Latino Enrollment Institute.

What drew you to education?My mother and aunts were educators. I admired their passion to better the lives of all students. I was taught from an early age that education was the great equalizer. Some students have great aptitude and a wealth of experience to draw on, other students learn through embracing every opportunity to learn in the classroom.

What do you like about your current school?The community and the mission: Where girls become women who transform the world. Everyone who is a part of Notre Dame Preparatory (NDP) feels fortunate to be a part of the community and shares a commitment to personal and professional excellence.

What do you hope to achieve in your role? As the principal/executive director of academics, my primary goal is to support the academic life of our faculty and students. NDP has a long-standing tradition of excellence in education. I am committed to drawing on our strengths and ensuring that we keep our eye on our mission and strategic vision and continuously support the professional development of our faculty and staff.

Dr. Ian Clark, Lower School HeadSt. James Academy

St. James Academys new lower school head, Dr. lan Clark, arrives on campus with extensive experience and a passport full of international credentials. Most recently, the U.K. born educator served as the lower school head at San Roberto International School in Monterrey, Mexico.

What drew you to education?As a boy, I saw my fifth-grade teacher in the window of his house across the street grading papers late into the evening. I thought, what a lucky guy, reading all of those stories we were writing today at school! I genuinely feel the same joy every day. I became a teacher because I also felt that students and parents need to feel that joy.

What do you like about your current school?When I saw the posting, read more about St. James Academy and visited over winter break, I felt it would be a great fit for my family and me. I also noticed how focused the faculty are on the kids, and I saw children who were engaged in learning and eager to share with me what they were doing. The way the school differentiates its teaching to allow the children to access the curriculum is very impressive, and I could see that the students were attaining high levels of academic achievement.

What do you hope to achieve in your new role?As with any school, there is a special culture that needs to be supported, and maintaining it will be a priority. I am excited to develop the strengths of the school.

I hope to make the school a place where all students feel appreciated in their journey.

***

Jeff Huang, Ph.D., PresidentThe St. Pauls Schools

This summer, Jeff Huang assumed the newly created role of president of The St. Pauls Schools, uniting the boys and girls schools and the co-ed Pre and Lower school under one umbrella. The former vice president of Claremont McKenna College brings a breadth of experience to his new job, where he will provide oversight and vision for the schools unification.

What drew you to education?In graduate school, I took a campus job overseeing an undergraduate residential building. I realized how important co-curricular education is to augment students formal classroom learning. I then entered a decades-long career in college administration.

What do you like about your current school?From the first moment I drove onto the campus of The St. Pauls Schools, I felt something special. The physical campus felt like a college, with its beautiful buildings and landscaping. Then I met the people and it got even better. Theres an unmatched warmth to the St. Pauls community.

What do you hope to achieve in your new role?The first step is to stand back and look at the entire curriculum, from preschool through grade 12, and ask, What is the very best we can reasonably do for our students? We will challenge and liberate our faculty to collaborate and design the best program they can. We will ensure smooth transitions between grades and continue to refine our unique gender model, where boys and girls learn separately and together. We will build transformative new spaces that inspire our students to innovate, create and collaborate. Moreover, I intend to build new bridges between St. Pauls and the world beyond.

***

Ghada Jaber, Academic Dean St. Timothys School

Since 2008, Ghada Jaber has served the St. Timothys School community in many capacities as a mathematics department chair and International Baccalaureate (IB) math teacher, academic dean, and IB coordinator, and even a current parent. She brings a rich and unique background to these roles, having been born and educated in Beirut.

What drew you to education?Although the start of my career in education was incidental, sticking with it for 30 years was a highly intentional choice. Born and raised in a country torn apart by regional conflicts and civil strife, I learned firsthand about the damage a lack of good education can cause. Working with principled educators to develop and implement educational programs with much higher goals than just getting kids to college was a rewarding career option for me. Through attending and leading workshops in over 20 countries, I worked with diverse groups of students, educators and parents who shared a common vision of a better world led by thoughtful, reflective and grounded young individuals.

What do you like about your current school?St. Timothys School is a school with unique character, helping girls develop skills for lifelong success. Guided by the school motto of Truth Without Fear, students are taught under the rigorous International Baccalaureate program, which adds equity, reliability, validity and a globally respected education to the schools curriculum.

What do you hope to achieve through your role?Our hope is that [our graduates] see the value of immersing themselves joyfully in the fun traditions as well as local and global experiences St. Timothys provides, while working tenaciously to meet rigorous academic, athletic and service requirements.

***

K. Marguerite Conley, Principal, Trinity School

As a 30-year educator, K. Marguerite Conley has embodied strong leadership, a commitment to academic excellence and a dedication to faith-centered learning. Her experiences poise her to assume the role of Trinity Schools new principal. A Catholic University graduate and 2006 recipient of the Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership Award, Conley will uphold the schools mission of academic excellence rooted in faith and family.

What drew you to education? I wanted to nurture childrens natural curiosity by actively engaging them in the process of their own learning. School should be a dynamic, not passive, experience that leads to knowledge and understanding of the world and self.

What do you like about your current school? Initially, I was captivated by the picturesque 48-acre campus. But once on campus, the living, breathing mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur spoke to my heart. Respecting the dignity of each child, Trinity faculty and staff actively engage students in their own learning, nurturing happiness and success.

What do you hope to achieve in your role? Inspired by the legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and guided by their mission, I want to build on Trinitys firm foundation to ensure its vibrant future.

I am eager to explore opportunities of growth in the area of school advancement and look forward to working with the Board, faculty, staff and parents.

Sponsored post content is generated by our advertisers: local businesses, merchants, schools, and non-profits. All sponsored content is created in collaboration with the advertiser.

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The Influencers: Teacher and Administrator Profiles - - Baltimore Fishbowl

TORRINGTON Its all about a seat at the table.

Nationwide, on social and traditional media, millennials and xennials are generally panned as being lazy and uninvolved. Older generations get a kick out of sharing articles about whatever industry the younger folks are killing that week, or sharing memes about avocado toast.

But here in Goshen County, a handful of young professionals led by Banner Community Hospital CEO Zach Miller and farmer and business consultant Colby Ochsner are seeking to change those perceptions and be more involved in the community.

The group had its first meeting last week, and while a name hasnt been finalized, between 30 and 35 people showed up for the first meeting of a local young professionals network Thursday night at the Open Barrel Brewing Company. The goal, according to Miller, is to bring like-minded people together.

I think theres a need for those younger professionals to get more involved in those community and civic organizations so the voice of the younger parents and the household is heard, Miller said. We can shape a lot of things if were at the table.

Both Miller and Ochsner believe its time for their peers to take a seat at the table.

Miller, in addition to his day job, serves on the Goshen County School Board. Ochsner is on the Eastern Wyoming College Board of Trustees. Both serve on the Goshen County Economic Development Board of Directors. Miller was named to the Wyoming Business Report 40 under 40 list in 2019, and Ochsner was nominated.

According to Ochsner, it was that connection they shared with GCEDC that led to the formation of the young professionals group.

Zach called me a few months back, and he brought up the idea that in a lot of communities there are professional networks and opportunities for leadership development, Ochsner said. That was something our community was lacking. It was something Zach felt the need for and he asked if it was something Id be interested in.

The duo put together a list of names, made some calls, and from that, the first event was planned.

They all came to a planning committee meeting and it kind of launched out of there, Ochsner said. Its been an organic thing so far. We want to be inclusive and organic, and if people want to get involved on the steering committee or in growing the idea and what the organization becomes, the more, the merrier.

Were developing a mission statement to summarize what the idea is. Its an organization for people that are seeking leadership development, who want to make connections, for collaboration. Its a group to make the meeting an intentional thing.

Those connections, Miller said, are the main reason for the group.

Were kind of in the defining stage of what it all is, he said. I think our main goals right now are to first connect individuals together. Healthcare is insulated. Educators are insulated. Ranchers are insulated. Its about getting people together so they can learn from one another.

The group is planning to meet on the second Tuesday of every month. The first meeting was a social event, and the next will be what Miller described as a development meeting, which will be held at the Loft at 21st and Main on Feb. 13 at noon. The plan, as of now, is to alternate between social meetings and development meetings.

The idea is to do something of a social-type event every other month and then on the off months to do a development event, so you have social and some sort of development, he said. It could even just be a business presenting to the group, saying this is what I am and these are the challenges I face.

While it was advertised through social media as a young professionals event, Ochsner said the focus is more on the connections, not necessarily the age of the participants.

We invite everyone, he said. We had people last night that ranged from mid-20s to 65 or over. We might be geared toward up and coming professionals, but its open to anyone. Were not going to set a limit on anything, but the majority of the people were from 20-40.

Both Miller and Ochsner are already fairly plugged in to the community. For others, this group could be a way to get involved.

Its important to be engaged in your community, Ochsner said. I heard something on NPR about successful rural communities, and it said that in order to be successful, it takes community engagement.

I think each person needs to seek out what they need to be involved in and go be a part of it. There are a lot of opportunities in the community to do that, and Ive been fortunate to be engaged in that.

Continued here:

Young professionals group seeks a 'seat at the table' - The Torrington Telegram

Family conversations can be awkward, even downright difficult, according to Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, Director of the Office of Health Equity for Kentuckys Department for Public Health. Despite the discomfort, honest discussions are crucial, she remarked at the kick-off of a lively interactive session on health equity last week in Louisville, at the offices of Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

The purposes of this unique family gathering were to assess the factors contributing to health equity (and inequity) in Kentucky; examine the Foundations mission in regard to unmet needs, and begin to chart a path to the future using a process of meetings and workshops that will present a final report and action plan in November.

To establish common ground for meaningful communication, Ms. Lasley-Bibbs assured the group, This is a safe space. You can ask questions with no judgment.

In an environment that welcomed candor, she encouraged participants to share their lived experiences, so even uncomfortable exchanges akin to Grandma, no more fruitcake were welcome.

Sometimes listening is all you need to do, Ms. Lasley-Bibbs continued. Whats important is that you leave here enlightened.

For the next four hours, about sixty Foundation leadership, staff and board members, Advisory Board members, and health care leaders and advocates from throughout Kentucky explored the meaning of health equity. They itemized causes of health disparities, the differences between equality and equity in terms of health, and underlying issues that affect the health of individuals and communities.

A close look at the Foundations mission To address the unmet needs of Kentuckians by developing and influencing policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks and disparities, and promoting health equity zeroed in on the significance of every word.

Follow-up discussion explored the challenges associated with transforming words into meaningful policies. To do that, We need to have people who have lived the reality, remarked Fran Feltner, Director of University of Kentuckys Center of Excellence in Rural Health.

Dr. Feltner is well acquainted with reality. She started her career as a Licensed Practical Nurse but went back to school when she realized that Registered Nurses earned better pay. Struggling successfully with school and working two jobs was possible because of encouragement from her family.

So many kids dont have the You can do it behind them, she said. Because she did, she understood its role in helping her overcome barriers.

I went on and got my Ph. D. just to show my kids they could do it, she quipped.

Foundation board member, Carlos Martin, Assistant Dean of Community and Cultural Engagement at UKs College of Medicine, talked about his own experiences related to equity. What do you think is the most-asked question I get? he said.

The answer: Where are you from?

A native of southwest Texas, Mr. Martin has been in Kentucky forty years, but his name alone raises questions, based on faulty assumptions. He pointed out that Kentuckys population is changing, along with the rest of the country. Multi-cultural communities are not confined to the cities; rural areas are becoming more diverse too.

To engage the audience in small group discussions, Carlos Martin introduced a case study about a little boy named Bobby, a resident of West Oakland, California, who had asthma.

What are the factors that contribute to Bobbys health? Carlos asked.

Discussion was animated and responses varied as each group of four reached agreement on the most important factors affecting Bobbys health. Most groups identified socio-economic issues, including possible health hazards in the boys physical environment. Some discussion also considered the role of local political leadership in ensuring health equity.

With all the pressures on budget and crumbling infrastructure in rural counties, community health is not on the priority list of most County Judge Executives, one participant remarked.

Over the next eight-to-ten months, the insights and ideas generated from the days activities will forge ahead and provide input into strategies that address unmet health needs of all Kentuckians.

We need to be more intentional and talk about these issues more, declared Ben Chandler, the Foundations Executive Director.

Board president Dr. Brent Wright, a family physician from Glasgow, challenged the assembled group to stay involved as the process evolves, so the Foundation can become the health conscience of Kentucky.Dr. Wright stressed comprehensive feedback as a key factor in making an impact. Embrace this opportunity to drive this state forward, he concluded.

Information about the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is available at the website. Offices are located in Louisville, 1640 Lyndon Farm Court, Suite 100. Phone is 502-326-2583.

Constance Alexander is a columnist, award-winning poet and playwright, and President of INTEXCommunications in Murray. She can be reached at calexander9@murraystate.edu. Or visit http://www.constancealexander.com.

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Constance Alexander: When addressing health equity issues, having the difficult conversations is often key - User-generated content

Find all our Lessons of the Day here.

Featured Article: Rural Montana Had Already Lost Too Many Native Women. Then Selena Disappeared.

In the featured article, Jack Healy covers the ongoing crisis of Native American women who have gone missing or been found murdered in southern Montana. The article states that in 2019, 5,590 Indigenous women were reported missing to the F.B.I.s National Crime Information Center, but advocates say the staggeringly high rates of violence suffered by Indigenous people are still not fully reflected in official accounting.

In this lesson, you will learn about the disappearance and community-led searches for Native American women, and the activism to create awareness and hold law enforcement accountable for locating those women. Then, we will ask you to respond artistically to what you have read, both to process your own reaction and to educate others.

Note to Teacher: The articles linked below contain statistics and detailed information about violence, sexual abuse and disappearances of Native American women. Teachers should review the articles in advance before assigning or presenting the lesson to students.

In the April 2019 article Native American Women Are Facing a Crisis, Maya Salam highlights data from various sources on abuse and disappearances of Native American women. Choose one of the statistics below and then answer the questions below:

84 percent

Thats how many Indigenous women have experienced physical, sexual or psychological violence in their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Justice.

1 in 3

Thats how many Native American women have been raped or experienced an attempted rape, according to the Justice Department, more than twice the national average.

13 percent

Thats how many sexual assaults reported by Native American women result in arrest, according to the Justice Department, compared with 35 percent for black women and 32 percent for white women.

506

The number of Indigenous women and girls who have disappeared or been killed in 71 urban American cities in 2016, according to a November report by Urban Indian Health Institute.

116

In 2016, 5,712 Indigenous women and girls were reported missing, but only 116 were logged by the U.S. Department of Justices federal missing persons database, according to the National Crime Information Center.

Now, respond to the following questions about the statistic you selected:

What was your first reaction to the statistic? Why did it stand out to you?

How does the statistic make you feel emotionally?

What more do you want to know? What questions are you left asking after reading the statistic?

As you read the article, see if your questions are answered or if new ones are generated.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. How would you summarize the situation in southern Montana and in Big Horn County? What facts or numbers in the first several paragraphs stood out and helped you to understand the issue?

2. What are some of the reasons that violence and disappearances of Native American people have not been accurately or effectively documented?

3. How do law enforcement officials and families differ in their understanding about why these cases have not been adequately investigated? What are some of the things that families are doing to encourage law enforcement officials and politicians to more aggressively respond to the cases of missing women?

4. The article states, At 16, Selena already knew the toll of violence too well. What does that statement mean in the context of the article? What does Selenas familys experience with violence illustrate about the larger issues that many Native American communities are facing?

5. Why did Jay Harris, the county prosecutor, declare a state of emergency? Why were some families disappointed about the timing of his declaration?

6. Why have the stories of Kaysera Stops Pretty Places and Selena become intertwined? What were some of the questions and concerns that Kayseras family wished law enforcement had asked?

After reading the article, take a moment to reflect and respond emotionally to what you read. Individually, respond with this Color, Symbol, Image activity from Facing History and Ourselves. Choose one idea, concept, quote, statistic or image from the featured article and respond artistically:

Choose a color that you think best represents what you selected.

Choose a symbol that you think best represents what you selected.

Choose an image that you think best represents what you selected.

If you are in a classroom, take a moment to do a gallery walk around your classroom and, without responding verbally, look at the different colors, symbols and images that your classmates selected. Are there any similarities to what you created? Does your classmates work evoke an emotional response in you or make you think of any part of the article differently?

Use these questions from Visual Thinking Strategies to engage with the hanging artwork on the left side:

Now, well let you know a little more: The piece is called Every One and was created by Cannupa Hanska Luger, an artist who was raised on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Each hanging clay ball is meant to represent one of the missing Native women. The article explains that Mr. Lugers idea for his artistic creation came as he contemplated the statistics on the murdered and missing women. I was trying to figure how to humanize that data, said Mr. Luger, who lives in Glorieta, N.M. That number of 4,000 is really impersonal.

Now that you know why Mr. Luger created the piece, do you see the message he was trying to convey through his artwork? Does the artwork carry any additional meaning for you now?

If you still have time, transform your Color, Symbol, Image piece into a piece of art that could be used to educate people about the issue of the missing Native American women. See if you can rely solely on images and symbols to communicate your message. If you think your message would be stronger with words, you can add some as well, but be intentional about how much text you include. See if you can communicate your message to someone who does not know a lot about the situation through artwork, similar to what Mr. Luger has done.

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Lesson of the Day: Rural Montana Had Already Lost Too Many Native Women. Then Selena Disappeared. - The New York Times

The Hakhel organization, dedicated to fostering Jewish millennials around the world, has just added 27 new communities to its network, from US to Europe and Australia.Hakhel founder and general director Aharon Ariel Lavi says that Jewish millennials are becoming increasingly less involved in traditional Jewish structures such as synagogues, Jewish community centers and federations. Therefore, he says, Jewish intentional communities are ever more necessary in order to engage young Jews in their 20s and 30s within an organized framework.Lavi told The Jerusalem Post that the purpose of the program is to strengthen Jewish life in the diaspora... especially for those who are not part of an established Jewish community. He explained: We believe that the second most important component of Jewish identity, after the family, is the community , and without community, Jewish survival chances are very low... Jewish Intentional Communities are more intimate, tangible and emotional, and so we think this is something there is a real need for and that can work.Founded in 2014, Hakhel works in cooperation with the Hazon organization and the Israel Diaspora Affairs Ministry. It provides professional support for the development of such communities, including funding and advisory services for maintenance and growth. Hakhel currently has a budget of $7.2 million, half of which is provided by the ministry, and the other half from various foundations and donors.The communities Hakhel supports are largely self-organizing; they coalesce together around a particular enterprise or undertaking, such as arts, culture, environmentalism, spirituality, Jewish learning and so on. The European communities that have recently received backing include Kehilla Hashira in the UK, the Hungarian Minyan in Berlin, the Paris Sustainable Community in France, the JewSalsa Brussels program in Belgium and the Oslo Jewish Family Group in Norway.New communities come from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, the US and Australia and have undergone a rigorous vetting process, including both written statements and interviews with Hakhels staff and the Diaspora Affairs Ministry. These communities will receive support from Hakhel over the next three years in order to develop their community based on their unique needs, which may include increasing participation, fundraising, branding, programming, education and more. They will continue to work with Hakhels staff to develop sustainable models, helping to ensure the continuation of the connection to Jewish identity and services for their members.There are a total of 120 supported communities in 36 countries on 6 continents around the globe, including places as far away as Kyrgyzstan and South Korea, and across Australia, South America, the US and Europe. Lavi explained that, Our goal in working with such a diverse group of communities is to ensure that any Jew seeking a connection to our faith has a place to do so. If we are innovative in our approach, it can have a meaningful impact for generations.

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27 new communities added to Hakhels Jewish Intentional Communities - The Jerusalem Post

Mary Huang is 54 years old, unmarried with no children and a career that has taken her all over the globe.

When she returned to Ottawa to help care for her aging parents, she started to think about what she wanted for herself as she grew older. Ever the researcher, Huang, who builds complex planning and forecasting systems for large companies, set out to discover a way to build my own village and soon found one a cohousing community.

I lived in New York for six months. I definitely saw where people didnt know their neighbours and its pretty sad, said Huang, one of about a dozen people who form the nucleus of Concorde, an intentional community in the planning stages.

Concordes members are seeking not just to share a roof over their heads, but also whatever they choose to share of their lives. You hear the world potluck often in the cohousing world.

Cohousing is considered to be a model of living that can help avert loneliness and social isolation as more Canadians face aging without a partner or children, or with families that live far away. According to Statistics Canada, the number of people living alone has more than doubled between 1981 and 2016, from 1.7 million to four million.

York University anthropologist Margaret Critchlow has described cohousing as a grassroots model of neighbourly mutual support that can help reduce social isolation and promote positive, active aging.

Cohousing encourages independence through awareness that we are all interdependent, Critchlow wrote in a 2013 article in the journal Social Science Directory. In a senior cohousing community, giving and receiving co-care is entirely voluntary. Members may choose to support each other through such activities as doing errands, driving, cooking, or going for a walk with a neighbour. Being good neighbours helps people age well in a community and they have fun doing it!

It was this idea of voluntary support that resonated with Huang. I am pretty self-sufficient and can be an introvert at times. At other times I strike up conversations with random strangers and had some very interesting conversations, she said. The idea that this type of interaction can be had just outside my door if I wanted really appealed to me.

Margery Street, 69, worked for more than 40 years a pharmacist. She has a 32-year-old son with a disability. In the last half decade of her working life, Streets job took her to retirement homes to talk to residents about their medications. The experience was an eye-opener, she said.

One woman said she missed her garden. She was so depressed. So what do they do? They give her anti-depressants. I thought to myself, Theres no bloody way Im going to live in one of those, said Street, who is also a Concorde member.

Im an only child. My son is an only child. I currently rent an apartment. Im concerned about social isolation.

Mary Huang is one of the founding members of Ottawas Concorde, a multi-generational cohousing community still in the planning phases.Ashley Fraser / Postmedia

Could cohousing be one of the answers to helping people age well together? Many think so.

Lynne Markell, 74, is one of the nine core members of Convivium, a proposed cohousing community for older adults.

Im single. I live alone. I dont have any children. I wouldnt call myself lonely, but I realize I could live healthier and better with other people around me, she said. We believe in the value of community support. Giving help and getting help back.

People in cohousing communities have the independence of their own private units, which they usually own and can buy and sell, although some communities have low-cost rental units for those who cant afford to buy in. Residents share communal space that acts as a focal point for gatherings, usually a large kitchen and dining room. There may be a suite for guests or a caregiver, which opens up the possibility of sharing an in-house caregiver.

Most cohousing is set up under the same legal framework either as condos or co-ops, so the legalities and responsibilities are established.

Critchlow has suggested that building a social portfolio might be as important as building a financial portfolio. Cohousing could be a made-in-Canada model for ageing, not just in place, but in community, she wrote.

But so far, both Concorde and Convivium are still in the ideas stage. Neither has land or a design to show prospective members. And this is where cohousing appears to be stuck in many cities in Canada.

Ontarios only completed cohousing community is Ottawas Terra Firma, which opened in 1997 after 12 families bought and renovated two three-door townhouses on Drummond Street near Saint Paul University. The members later added an infill building between the townhouses which includes a seventh residential unit and common space for hosting events ranging from community meals to dance parties and art classes. The yard behind the units is shared by all and contains a trampoline, treehouse, swing and sitting areas.

In a way, we re not doing anything different than what people with condos do. We just have a different intent, said Steven Fick, who has been a member in Terra Firma since the beginning.

Fick was in his 40s when he bought into Terra Firma. He wasnt thinking about social networks and their connection to healthy aging at that point, but has since realized how much his community may help him age well.

One of the strongest predictors of longevity is social connection, he said.

But the real estate market in central Ottawa has changed in the past 22 years. Like most other cohousing groups across the country, Concorde and Convivium have stumbled on the hard reality of acquiring land, a developer and bridge financing to take the idea from concept to reality, all the while keeping the momentum going and the group cohesive.

Convivium started about four years ago as an effort to get a seniors cohousing community at Greystone Village on former Oblate lands between Main Street and the Rideau River. When that didnt work out, the group started the search for its own land. But raw land in a central location is expensive, and the group would have to self-finance the project through the planning and design process until the members were ready to swap the equity they had in their homes and move into their new units. Its all a matter of timing, said Convivium member Markell.

The group now wants to buy a small apartment building or perhaps a couple of adjacent buildings to retrofit them. Its faster than starting with the land, and at least people can look at the buildings and imagine what a retrofit would look like, she said.

In Perth, a cohousing community called Tay Commons began more than four years ago when a group of friends held a potluck and agreed they didnt want to end up in long-term care. What they wanted was a sense of community, caring for each other and living in a modest and environmentally-friendly way.

In theory, you can live together more cheaply, said Tay Commons member Doug Burt, 74. A lot of cohousing people are independent thinkers. They want control over their own destinies. And privacy.

The group decided it didnt need a large property and acquired an option on a small plot of land that was once part of a municipal works yard a few blocks from Perths historic downtown. They envisioned a three-story apartment block with units ranging from about 850 square feet to about 1,000 square feet and hired an architect.

But Tay Commons is far off from being bricks and mortar. It takes a lot of moving parts to establish a cohousing community and keep it going. One member of the group had a partner who was not sold on the idea. Another was supportive, but didnt see herself moving in, said Louise McDiarmid, 76, who is one of Tay Commons founding members.

The costs ballooned. The original quote to build came in at $3.3 million, which included about $150,000 for the land. But because the space was tight, it had to be designed to allow access for emergency vehicles. The next quote came in at $4.4 million, plus an estimated $300 a month for each unit to cover condo fees.

That put the nail in the coffin, said McDiarmids husband, Don, 82.

Because of the costs of buying land, designing the community and perhaps hiring a consultant to shepherd it through the process, cohousing is usually an option only for the solidly middle-class. We might be the last generation to be able to do this, notes Don McDiarmid.

Historically, most attempts to build co-housing dont work. At the end, they founder on cost, said Burt. The first thing you want to do it build a relationship. You want to make sure it will last. If you cant knit the community together, then it collapses.

Cohousing originated in Denmark in 1964, when architect Jan Gudmand-Hoyer and a group of friends came up with a plan for 12 houses with a common house and swimming pool. They bought land, but the project never got built. Still, the idea attracted attention and two communities were completed in Denmark by 1973. Cohousing has taken root in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the U.S. and B.C. But its been slow to get off the ground in Ontario.

Typically, cohousing units are modest in size. Huang said 550 square feet would suit her just fine. The Fick family unit in Terra Firma is only about 1,200 square feet. The Ficks have raised three children in it. Their two daughters still live within a block of the community.

Its another way to live lightly, said Steven Fick. I dont need to own things, I just need to have access to things.

Louise McDiarmid started thinking about aging after she read Betty Friedans 1993 book Fountain of Age, which looked at the longevity boom and what it would mean for society.

I wanted to have control of my own aging. Betty Friedan spoke of it as a new stage of life with its own challenges and joys. Youre not responsible for children anymore, so youre willing to take on new risks, she said. I feel strongly about the need for community, I feel we need to belong to a group of people who value you for who you are. It was an opportunity to belong to something larger than yourself.

While many see cohousing as a seniors concept, it can work any way the members want. The age range among Tay Commons members is about 20 years. Convivium is for older adults. Concorde aims to be multi-generational.

Concorde member Valerie Thacker Smith, 38, first experienced co-housing when she visited a friend near Ann Arbor, Michigan. The residents shared a massive kitchen and tool room. They took dance courses and barbecued together. Later, Thacker Smith lived in Haiti, where it is common for families to live in enclaves that cluster around a courtyard with an outdoor kitchen.

People are so much better off. Its not just the emotional benefits. It has financial benefits, she said. Co-housing gives people of all ages a chance to be part of a community and contribute.

The Concorde members believe it will take at least 25 people to get the project off the ground, just because so many people are unable to commit. They also know that they face a red-hot market for raw land. The group had considered buying a small apartment building and renovating, but these kinds of buildings rarely come up for sale, and when they do theyre snapped up quickly.

Its a Catch-22. People dont want to commit until they know where it would be built, said Thacker Smith.

Members of Concorde, front from left: Valerie Thacker Smith, Margery Street, Mary Huang, Diana Armour, Jane Keeler, and back row from left: Caroline Balderston Parry, Elliot Sherman, Jennifer Craven, and Jake Morrison of Concorde cohousing Saturday November 30, 2019. Ashley Fraser/PostmediaAshley Fraser / Postmedia

Concorde member Margery Street has visited cohousing in B.C., where the Canadian Cohousing Network lists nine communities as completed and another four as under construction. Part of the reason for the success on the west coast is that theres a financial institution willing to advance money until projects are completed, said Street.

No one has really stepped up in Ontario, said Huang. You need a bank or financial institution that understands the concept.

Legally, cohousing takes a lot of attention to detail, especially the what-ifs as members age. What if a member develops dementia? What if someone remarries and the new spouse doesnt subscribe to the philosophy? What about adult children who return to the nest? Some communities have legal wording that gives the surviving members the first right of refusal if a unit is sold so the philosophy can remain intact.

MacDiarmid sees herself losing freedom as she ages. Already she doesnt drive at night. The members of Tay Commons dont plan to be personal support workers for each other, but they would like to share resources, such as driving for groceries. They have pledged to remain a community, even without a common roof over their heads. Some already live within walking distance of each other, and others may join them as houses in the neighbourhood come up for sale.

How do you maintain the philosophy of cohousing without a house? The challenge for aging seniors is how to develop community without an actual building, said Burt. There is a desire, even if we dont have a house, to be as close as possible.

Steven Fick in front of his home in Terra Frima. He bought into the cohousing community in 1997 and still lives there.Tony Caldwell / Postmedia

The original members of Terra Firma are getting older. But so far, none have left, said Fick.

We will deal with that when it happens. People want to age here. That might mean needing help with care or meals. Its a creative process, he said. I think part of the attraction is that Terra Firma is like an extended family.

Steven Fick and his neighbour Suzanne talk in their back yard in Ottawa Tuesday Dec 3, 2019. Steven is part of Terra Firma, a cohousing community on Drummond Street in Ottawa.Tony Caldwell / Postmedia

Other intentional communities may have a shared religion, a charismatic leader or a utopian philosophy, said Fick. Cohousing is more down-to-earth and practical. Its just people trying to figure out how to live closer. For me, its not about utopia. Its about making it as good as it can be under the circumstances.

The members of Convivium are regrouping and plan to have a refined vision within the next few months, said Markell. Were guinea pigs and were choosing it. With some luck, I think well be able to show whats possible.

Concorde is still looking for more members and land. We need more members to help do the work since its not a simple and easy process, said Huang.

I know how much richer my life is, said Fick of his life in Terra Firma. I have a life that is worth living and I see my life as significant to other people. A lot of other people have my back. That gives me a lot of inner peace.

This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, Journalists Network on Generations and the Silver Century Foundation.

Link:

Cohousing is a potentially key way to combat loneliness but it's difficult to get off the ground - Ottawa Citizen

At Columbias National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Jaishree Beedasy studies how to help vulnerable communities recover after a disaster.

In her prior life,Jaishree Beedasywas teaching chemical engineering courses. Then she decided to pursue her main interest, which is studying the impact of disasters on the health of vulnerable communities. While disasters dont discriminate against people when they strike, the fact remains that during the aftermath of disasters, the most vulnerable groups of society bear the brunt of the burdens.As research project director at Columbia UniversitysNational Center for Disaster Preparedness, Beedasy studies those impacts and how to facilitate disaster recovery.

Children, particularly, are the most vulnerable, and Beedasy says that other factors like socioeconomic and immigration status, race, housing stability, and disabilities come into play during the lengthy process of recuperating from a disaster. In an interview with State of the Planet, she talks about her research focus areas and her observations from the field.

Can you start by telling us more about your research work on the long-term recovery from Hurricane Sandy?

Wefoundthat household income had a major influence on whether individuals could go back to living their normal lives after Hurricane Sandy. In fact, those who had applied for assistance through the Build It Back program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had lower odds of recovering from such a massive natural calamity as compared to those who did not apply in the first place.

In New Jersey, one of our findings showed that children, particularly those who were living in houses that had minor damages postHurricane Sandy, were four times more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological issues and twice as likely to have sleep disorders as compared to children whose houses were not damaged at all. Interestingly, when we studied their mental health impacts further, we found these children were experiencinghigher levelsof emotional and mental distress as compared to children who were living in homes with major structural damage.

What did you learn from studying the aftermath of theBP Gulf oil spilloff the coast of Louisiana, and how are the communities recovering from it nine years later?

We recently completed the last stage of our research that focused on the socioeconomic and health impacts and related changes in the same individuals over the last few years. Our study began in 2014 in Louisiana.

Even nine years after the disaster, the problems that continue to linger for coastal communities in Louisiana are related mostly to economic hardships. Many individuals lost their jobs or main source of income, as many of them belong to fishing communities. Their children still have some effects on their health. Children are particularly vulnerable to the pollution and the economic consequences of the oil spill. Exposure to tar, dispersants and oil being burnt and dispersed in the air may cause respiratory and dermatological ailments.Symptoms may include shortness of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest, burning sensation in the nose. Also, other issues like being depressed, sad, nervous and having sleeping problems.

We found positive relationships between Gulf oil spill exposure and adverse health effects in children. While the health symptoms are not as bad as they used to be nine years ago, they still continue to linger. It is really sad to see how children may have been the most vulnerable to the health impacts of environmental degradation that took place after the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

While we were in the field, the one thing that was encouraging was the fact that these fishing communities, and even those who work in the oil industry, became closer by volunteering to do a lot of activities together. This included beach clean-up activities and connecting other locals to government officials who could help in providing the resources required.

We also share the results of our research with the local community, peer researchers, and policy makers to promote more effective public health policies.

What more do you think should be done to improve access to resources for vulnerable communities following a disaster?

It is important to give the affected community, in particular the children, the opportunity to participate in disaster preparedness programs, because that is what they want to do. And they do it well. With our youth empowerment program,SHOREline project, which stands for Skills, Hope, Opportunities, Recovery, and Engagement, they showed us how they were ready to take on any project and make it a success.

Beedasy (front, right) with a group of SHOREliners. The SHOREline program empowers youth to help them recover from disaster. Photo courtesy Jaishree Beedasy

The youth of the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi have survived the most disasters in the last decade as compared to any other part of the country. They need the opportunity to develop skills that go beyond the regions traditional fields of fishing and oil work. Our SHOREline project was carried out in five high schools across those three states and we taught them how to develop their leadership and communication skills. This included initiatives like equipping them with the skills required to cook during power outages and how to handle emotional distress in times of disaster, among others.

What new project have you been working on lately?

Currently, Im working on social medias role in disasters. I am specifically looking at how communications between individuals online affected them during the Gulf oil spill. Also, what kind of online communications were taking place before and after the oil spill and whether there was intentional or unintentional false information being circulated, and how such information was being countered.

Im particularly interested in understanding how people and organizations on social media interacted to share information and resources, contributed to mitigating the impacts of the oil spill, and how social media can be leveraged for future disasters.

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Empowering the Communities Most Vulnerable to Disaster - State of the Planet

By this time next week, well have hung up our wardrobe of 2019 and begun wearing our new suit of clothes labeled for 2020.

There are at least two ways to deal with what is coming your way in the New Year. We can approach every day doing whatever appears to work. Lets call this chasing audibles. While theres nothing wrong with going with the flow, we should strive to build a sure foundation on tried and true, positive, spiritual principals.

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

We know what we believe, so we must trust the Lord in everything we do, just as the hymn, I Trust in God Wherever I May Be by William C. Martin says.

I trust in God wherever I may be, Upon the land or on the rolling sea, For, come what may, from day to day, My heav'nly Father watches over me. I trust in God, I know He cares for me, On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea; Tho' billows roll, He keeps my soul, My heavn'ly Father watches over me.

Its important to know that no matter how many are against us, whenever God is on our side, the fight is fixed to our advantage. God is more than the world against you.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lords glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (II Corinthians 3:17-18).

The focus of spiritual formation is the Holy Spirit, who guides the ongoing journey.

The response is submission, a combination of orthodoxy, orthopraxy and orthopathy. The process includes the right thinking, orthodoxy, right behaviors, orthopraxy, and right feelings, orthopathy, of individuals and communities.

Spiritual formation is our intentional desire to be in a true and deep relationship with God and our fellow person. This demands our pursuing, embracing, and applying the principals of spiritual formation.

Jesus invites us to conduct serious spiritual formation. Jesus knows that the closer we are to him, the more effective and powerful we are in life. Jesus beckons us to allow Him into our lives.

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Morningstar Pastor Greg Reed said that spiritual formation is pursuing and treasuring the Father's agenda where we live, learn, work, and play.

As the New Year is here let us always desire a deeper walk with God and humankind.

Happy New Year!

Peace with justice, be blessed real, real good, attend worship, and families matter.

Dr. Carson serves as Consultant to the North District and Sacred Soaring South District of the Indiana Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Church for Fund Development and Spiritual Formation. He is Founder of Refreshing A Ministry For Pastors, Ministers, and Laity Needing Restoration, Refreshing, and Healing. A Personal & Professional Development Ministry.

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Strive to become closer to God in 2020 | Opinion - Kokomo Tribune

Businessman Igor Shekhelev, who is currently a co-owner of the Piebalga brewery in Latvia and has been investing significant sums in the development of the yacht port in Ventspils for several years, resolutely refutes the rumours that he has personally got into the sanction lists.

Recently, business communities around the world are increasingly forced to reckon with the new phenomenon of economic reality various interstate sanctions and restrictions.

Information about persons under similar sanctions and restrictions of the USA is published for public inspection on the official website of the U.S. Department of the Treasury https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/sdn-list/pages /default.aspx, that is, it is public, easily accessible and well-known.

This means that today anyone can independently and without any effort check and make sure that the name of Igor Shekhelev is not on any sanction lists.

This also means that any allegations that Igor Shekhelev is under sanctions are an intentional dissemination of knowingly false information that discredits his business reputation.

Defamation of this kind can be a consequence of media negligence, as well as a form of an unfair competition.

At present, we are considering a possibility of suing for compensation of possible moral, material and business reputation damage to the media resources, which disseminate knowingly false information about Igor Shekhelev.

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J. Duklavs's business partner for the brewing business is not on the sanction lists - Baltic Times

Gene Policinski

By GENE POLICINSKI

At years end, First Amendment issues are as controversial and multi-faceted as anything in our fractured, divided society.

The least-recognized of the amendments five freedoms assembly and petition are facing perhaps the most-immediate challenges,though freedoms of press, speech and religion dont escape unscathed.

Most immediately, a Black Lives Matter activist faces a lawsuit from a Baton Rouge, La., police officer who blamed the activist for injuries he suffered at a 2016 protest over the police killing of a black man. The suit doesnt claim the activist threw or even encouraged the throwing of a rock; rather, it seeks damages because the man led others to block a highway where the violent incident occurred.

A recentWashington Poststory notes that Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) plans to introduce legislation to hold protesters arrested during unpermitted demonstrations liable for police overtime and other fees around such demonstrations.

In more than a dozen states in recent years, from Oregon to Florida, lawmakers have faced proposals to increase penalties for obstructing streets and highways and to limit the financial liability of drivers whose cars injure protesters. In Arizona, a failed 2017 proposal rooted in that states racketeering laws would have permitted the arrest and seizure of homes and other assets of those whom simply plan a protest in which some act of violence occurs.

In a similar financial penalty vein, several major news operations face defamation lawsuits seeking massive damages over their coverage of news events claims certain to roil public debate once again about the role, credibility and performance of the nations free press. Critics also say such lawsuits even if unlikely to succeed are effectively attempts to chill reporting and intimidate corporate owners.

Prominent among those filing the lawsuits is Rep. Devin Nunes, (R-Calif.), whowants $435 million dollars from CNNfor a report he says falsely linked him to events in the ongoing Ukraine-Biden investigation controversy. He also is seeking $150 million fromTheFresno Beeover a report involving a workplace scandal at a winery in which Nuneshas a stake, $75 million from Hearst over anEsquirearticle regarding a family farm in Iowa, with the claim the magazine has an axe to grind against him and a $250 million lawsuit against Twitter for what he says is its intentional effort to downplay conservative content as well as two parody accounts that mock him.

In the introduction to the most recent lawsuit, Nunes says CNN is the mother of fake news. It is the least trusted name. CNN is eroding the fabric of America, proselytizing, sowing distrust and disharmony. It must be held accountable.

Moving to another area of contention, campus free speech issues continue to vex collegiate communities, from complaints that conservative speech and views of faculty and staff are stifled, to a move by President Trump that he says will fight against anti-Semitism but that critics say is really intended to punish student or faculty advocacy for the BDS Movement boycotts, divestiture or sanctions aimed at ending international support for Israel.

Much like the campus controversies, interpretations of religious liberty regarding public policy continued to swirl through the year. As the Supreme Courts 2019-20 term began in October, at least eight cases touching on faith issues the most in recent years were scheduled to be heard. A number involved LGBTQ rights regarding employment or health benefits. While some cases do not directly involve religious organizations, the courts decisions would affect arguments over whether religious beliefs can negate claims of discrimination on the basis of sexual preference.

An expansion of First Amendment protection for commercial speech (which at one time did not exist in law) continues, as courts at least give serious consideration to a variety of business arguments. In several instances, corporate lawyers are arguing that to force companies to make certain disclosures about product content or sources is an unacceptable requirement that violates the First Amendment by forcing companies to speak.

Other cases involve claims of free speech protection for hospitals facing a Trump administration rule requiring disclosure of secret rates. Industry groups filed a lawsuit earlier this month, also claiming it is compelled speech in violation of the First Amendment.

New technology continues inexorably to challenge long-standing law. In a mix of free speech and public safety concerns, a Texas man was sentenced in February to eight years in prison for using a 3-D printer to construct a plastic handgun and ammunition in violation of a prior court order against owning of a firearm. Advocates for the so-called 3-D gun argue the computer instructions in such 3-D printing projects are speech and not subject to federal or state firearms regulations. Government officials say existing criminal law on issues such as possession and manufacturing should allow them to regulate or ban making or owning such weapons.

Government officials and social media critics continue to hammer operations such as Facebook and Twitter which are not government entities, but private concerns not governed by the First Amendment with regulatory threats over political advertising, hate speech and evidence of foreign election interference.

Threatened action ranges from using anti-trust legislation to break up the largest social media companies, to removal of what is known as Section 230 protection for companies (from the Communications Decency Act of 1996) that now permits them to avoid legal responsibility for content they simply carry, rather than material they create or significantly edit.

Opponents of watering down or removing Section 230 protection say either action would, in effect, end the web as we know it by shutting down the flow of information to the mere trickle of items or articles that could be independently verified by internet providers, or to bland factual accounts devoid of opinion or interpretation.

The year 2019 may well go down in First Amendment history as a turning point, in which those working to limit or control information avoided direct confrontations over First Amendment rights and turned to tactics designed to make it much more difficult, much too costly or even financially ruinous to exercise those rights.

Gene Policinski is president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at[emailprotected], or follow him on Twitter at@genefac.

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First Five: We're divided in new ways over 1st Amendment Posted Dec 28, 2019 - Salina Post

The upcoming transformation of a long-abandoned car dealership on Cummins Highway into 76 units of affordable housing just steps from a new commuter rail station on the Fairmount Line in Mattapan was greeted with the adage that many hands make light work during a groundbreaking ceremony at the site last Wednesday.

The project Cote Village was hailed as a milestone by Mayor Martin Walsh, who initiated the effort in 2014 when he directed the citys Department of Neighborhood Development to seek private partners to redevelop the property. Walsh was joined at the groundbreaking by other city and state leaders, including Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

Today were breaking ground on projects that mean so much to the Mattapan community and for the entire city of Boston. Were creating affordable homes at a variety of income levels, something that we strive to do every day. Were adding commercial space that will bring economic opportunities to the neighborhood, when you think about a complete development, thats what this is, said the mayor. The city of Boston is proud to support these new developments as part of our commitment to keeping housing affordable and keeping neighborhoods strong.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) originally approved the project in 2016, putting its cost at $31.2 million. After a number of community comment sessions, final approvals were given last July.

The development is a collaboration of the Planning Office for Urban Affairs, Inc. (POUA) and the Caribbean Integration Community Development (CICD) group. The non-profit agencies worked in a unique partnership, with design services added by Davis Square Architects.

The units will be available to residents at a range of incomes, including 12 units for residents with incomes at or below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI) people earning less than $27,900 for a household of three). Of these units, 8 will be set aside for formerly homeless individuals and families.

Two units will be reserved for residents with incomes at or below 50 percent of AMI; 42 units for residents with incomes at or below 60 percent of AMI; 12 units for residents with incomes at or below 80 percent AMI; and 8 units for residents with incomes at or below 100 percent of AMI.

Cardinal Sen OMalley was on hand and offered a prayer after saying a few words about the moral significance of affordable housing.Being the wealthiest country in the world with half a million homeless people, no one can deny the great challenge that is before us providing decent housing for our people, this is one more effort along those lines. This is an ongoing challenge in building a more just society, so Im very grateful for all of you who do so much.

Mayor Martin Walsh, left, spoke with residents who gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of Cote Village in Mattapan on Wed., Dec. 18. Isabel Leon photo/Mayors OfficeWe have a full house today and that really speaks to the commitment for this site, said Donald Alexis, President of CICD. I want to thank the many members of the community who worked for this community asset. Our goal was to create housing that reflects the needs of the working-class residents in Mattapan and I believe weve accomplished that here.

Along the way it has been tough. Weve had many community meetings. In Haitian-Creole we have a saying, Men Anpil, Chay Pa Lou, meaning many hands make light work. A lot of people here were involved, and we did it, added Alexis.

Rep. Dan Cullinane called the groundbreaking an incredible celebration for so many people. This building has been decaying and sitting empty for over 30 years. Its been a public safety risk, its been an eye-sore, and today we couldnt be happier to say that this has been an intentional investment in affordable housing right here in Mattapan.

He added: On days like this when were breaking ground or cutting a ribbon, it can seem like it was simple to get this done. But as so many of the people sitting here know, thats never the case. We know as a delegation, under Mayor Walshs leadership and under this administrations leadership, Rep. [Russell] Holmes, Sen. [Nick] Collins, and former Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, who deserves tremendous recognition for making this a reality, that this doesnt happen by accident, said Cullinane.

The city and state helped to finance the development through a combination of tax credits and loans, as well as a $750,000 award from the Neighborhood Housing Trust and $4.8 million from the Inclusionary Development Policy fund.

The creation of new affordable and workforce housing options is a moral imperative and critical to maintaining the city of Boston and the Commonwealth as a vibrant community and a place to live, said William Grogan, president of the Planning Office for Urban Affairs at the Archdiocese of Boston, co-developer of the project.

We are especially grateful to the Commonwealth, the city, our funders and supporters who have made the development of Cote Village possible, especially to our partners at the Caribbean Integration CDC, he said. The groundbreaking represents an important step in our collective efforts to address the housing need in communities like Mattapan.

Original post:

With shovels in the ground, start of Cote Village hailed as a milestone for Mattapan - Dorchester Reporter

By: Heather Williams

Muncie, INThe Muncie Action Plan spent 2019 working to address the issues identified by the community during the MAP3 planning process. MAPs five task forces have focused their efforts on Linking Learning, Health, and Prosperity (TF1), Fostering Collaboration (TF2), Strengthening Muncies Pride and Image (TF3), Creating Attractive and Desirable Places (TF4), and Managing Community Resources (TF5). As we close out this year, we would like to share our successes as we approach our Annual Community Meeting on January 28th at Muncie Central High School. This is the first of five reports from our task force leaders.

Task Force 1 is concentrating its efforts on a Cradle to Career Initiative.

The Cradle to Career Initiative continues to move forward and gain traction in the community. Collaborative Action Network (CAN) teams are forming and leaders are emerging for each of the steps along the Cradle to Career Continuum. BY5 has agreed to lead the effort with a strong collaboration among many other partners in Kindergarten Readiness. This is a natural fit for BY5 with their mission focused on early childhood awareness and education.

United Way volunteered to lead the third Grade Reading CAN. United Way has a goal for all third graders to be reading at grade level by 2024 with the ultimate goal of addressing generational poverty. The Innovation Connector has taken on the leadership role for Middle Grade Math. The Innovation Connector, with its entrepreneurial approach, focuses on problem solving and STEM based strategies through their TechWise Academy coding program. The Innovation Connector will facilitate a collaborative approach with schools and other organizations that are focused on improving performance in Middle Grade Math.

Muncie Community Schools is leading groups focused on High School Graduation. The focus would be to increase the graduation rates of Muncie Central High School. Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Delaware Advancement Corporation has signed on to lead the Career/Employment CAN. They are focused on attracting and connecting talent to employers in the county. We are hopeful that in 2020, natural leaders will be identified in the post-secondary enrollment and completion CANs to complete the Cradle to Career Continuum.

Another vital piece of the Cradle to Career Initiative is the importance of mentors or significant individuals in the lives of young people. Behind every successful person is a team of individuals who has helped guide them along the way. An approach that has worked successfully in other communities over the years is Derek Petersons Web of Support concept which states that all people need at least five trusted adults in their lives. Without a web of support in place, it would be extremely hard for an individual to reach their full potential.

Muncie Action Plan (MAP) has partnered with United Way, the George and Frances Ball Foundation, Muncie Community Schools, Ball State University, and Sustainable Muncie to address the need for supportive relationships for all people in the community. Based on community input, MAP identified the publics desire to expand and develop local mentoring programs. Dereks Web of Support will offer a community-wide approach for connecting people to one another in intentional, and meaningful ways.

After months of planning, an initial face-to-face conversation about Web of Support took place on October 23rd with approximately 15 community leaders. Derek was then able to visit Muncie on October 31st. He held a two-hour presentation as an introduction to Web of Support with approximately 40 community leaders in attendance. MAP is continuing conversations with Derek, and he will be visiting Muncie from January 28th-31st to lead four days of training with two very diverse groups of 50 adults and 50 teens. He will also be giving a public presentation as part of the MAP Annual Report Meeting to be held at Muncie Central High School on the 28th, as well as a community-wide presentation on January 30th at Muncie Central High School.

We want to encourage everyone in the community to attend one or both of these evening sessions to better connect with this key community initiative.

Heather Williams isAssociate Director, Office of Community EngagementProgram Manager, Building Better Neighborhoods atBall State University.www.muncieneighborhoods.org

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Muncie Action Plan Task Force 1: Linking Learning, Health, and Prosperity - munciejournal.com

As homelessness surged to crisis levels in California in 2019, so did the violent attacks on people living in tents and on sidewalks and the political and law enforcement efforts to keep homeless encampments off the streets.

Physical assaults and criminalization efforts combined have made 2019 a particularly grim and terrifying year for many Californians struggling to survive without a roof over their head.

They are trying to shove us underneath the carpet, and its just not fair, said Shanna Couper Orona, 46, who is currently living out of an RV in San Francisco. San Francisco is supposed to be progressive, a place where you love everyone, take care of everyone But theyve turned their backs on us just because were unhoused. They are leaving us with nothing.

In a state with the worlds fifth largest economy, an IPO tech boom and some of the richest people on earth, Californias severe affordable housing shortage has become what advocates describe as a moral failing and public health emergency.

Los Angeles experienced a 16% increase in homelessness this year, with a total of 36,000 people now homeless across the city, including 27,000 without shelter. San Franciscos homeless count surged 17% to more than 8,000 people. There was a 42% increase in San Jose, a 47% increase in Oakland, a 52% increase in Sacramento county and increases in the Central Valley agricultural region and wealthy suburbs of Orange county.

There were patterns across cities: huge numbers of people experiencing homelessness for the first time, evictions and unaffordable rents leading people to the streets, families and seniors increasingly homeless, and higher rates of the homeless not getting shelter.

Homeless people are everywhere now, and they are becoming more and more desperate, said Stephen Cue Jn-Marie, an LA pastor who was formerly homeless and now works with people living on Skid Row, known for its massive encampments. All of these people are human beings. We need to respond to this as if its an earthquake.

The growing visibility has led to an increase in complaints, news coverage focused on housed people who reside near encampments, and intense media attention on the rare cases of violence perpetuated by people living on the streets.

Communities have largely declined to treat the crisis like a natural disaster that demands humanitarian aid. In many places, what followed instead was a backlash, and in some cases overt attacks.

There were at least eight incidents in LA where people threw flammable liquids or makeshift explosives at homeless people or their tents this year, according to authorities and the Los Angeles Times.

A 62-year-old beloved musicians tent was set on fire in Skid Row in August, killing him in what police say was an intentional killing. That month, two men also allegedly threw a firework at an encampment, causing a blaze that grew into a major brush fire just outside of the city. One of the men arrested was the son of a local chamber of commerce president. Police said this fire was intentional. In a separate attack, a molotov cocktail destroyed tents and donations.

In San Francisco, a man was caught on video appearing to dump a bucket of water on a homeless woman and her belongings on the sidewalk in June. Witnesses said it seemed to be a deliberate attack.

Three months later, San Franciscans who said they were upset with homeless people in their neighborhood paid to install two-dozen knee-high boulders along a sidewalk in an effort to stop them from living on the streets.

In neighboring Oakland, a resident recently put up an unauthorized concrete barrier in the middle of the street to deter homeless people from parking RVs. A real estate developer taunted homeless people by shouting free money at them and offering to pay them to leave their encampment in Oakland.

Residents repeatedly organized against proposed homeless shelters in their neighborhoods, most notably in a wealthy San Francisco area where locals crowdfunded $70,000 to hire an attorney to fight a shelter project.

A lot of it is brought out by this fear of the other as if their homeless neighbors are not neighbors at all, or not even people for that matter, said TJ Johnston, who is currently staying in shelters in San Francisco and is an editor with Street Sheet, a local homelessness publication. Hearing wealthy residents complain this year was like watching angry online comment sections come to life, he said: Its very dehumanizing to be looked upon as a nuisance.

As the crisis has worsened, local governments have spent billions to create new housing and provide services, but the scale of the response has been inadequate. Cities have increasingly looked to law enforcement and legal maneuvers to tackle the problem.

Those political efforts to further criminalize the homeless in turn have sparked intense anger and fear among the homeless population and their advocates.

LA leaders fought to ban people from sleeping on streets and sidewalks throughout the city. In Lancaster, a desert city north of LA, the mayor has pushed a proposal to ban groups that provide food to homeless people and suggested people should buy firearms to protect themselves from violent people on the streets.

This month, in a case closely watched by many west coast cities, the US supreme court dealt a victory to homeless advocates by allowing an existing ruling to stand that states governments cannot ban people from living on the street if they dont offer enough shelter beds.

Officials in Oakland have proposed a new policy to cite homeless people in parks while some have suggested setting up a shelter in a defunct jail. Law enforcement leaders in Bakersfield in the Central Valley pushed a plan to throw homeless people in jail for misdemeanor offenses. A state taskforce has also suggested a similar system of forcibly placing homeless people into shelters.

These efforts ignore the overwhelming evidence that criminalization and locking people up are costly and harmful responses that fail to fix the crisis, said Eve Garrow, homelessness policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

Theres a dangerous and disturbing movement in California to address homelessness not by expanding access to safe, affordable and permanent housing but by jailing people, she said. Its a terrifying prospect of a world in which we segregate, incarcerate and restrict the civil liberties of people just because they have disabilities and they are too poor to afford a home in our skyrocketing private rental market.

Fears and unfounded stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness seem to be driving these policy pushes to jail those in need, she said.

The Trump administration has created further anxiety by repeatedly suggesting he might pursue some kind of police crackdown in California to clear the streets of encampments.

The president has used the crisis to attack Democratic leaders in the state, and has complained about homeless people in LA and San Francisco taking up space on the best highways, our best streets, our best entrances to buildings where people in those buildings pay tremendous taxes, where they went to those locations because of the prestige.

Its a huge concern are they just going to take people to jail? said Kat Doherty, an LA woman who became homeless this year and is living at a shelter at Skid Row. Trumps talk has terrified her and others, she said. Its horrendous. It sounds like a death camp situation.

With the president promoting criminalization, it could inspire some anti-Trump Democrats in California to push back, said Jennifer Friedenbach, the executive director for the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco. Theres some hopefulness that it will force the local municipalities to shift in opposition to Trump and talk about how criminalization doesnt work.

But some are not optimistic about 2020, especially since the crisis is on track to continue escalating, with people falling into homelessness at rates that far outpace governments ability to find housing for those on the street.

Conditions are going to get worse and the responses are going to get worse, said Jn-Marie.

If the political attacks continue next year, some said they hoped to see more communities fighting to stand up for the homeless.

I want people to give a fuck and help. Dont just ignore it, Orona said. Just because were unhoused doesnt mean were not San Francisco residents. We still have a heartbeat. We still buy food. We still exist.

Originally posted here:

Theyve turned their backs on us: California's homeless crisis grows in numbers and violence - The Guardian

As more and more of our lives are spent in the digital world, its important that that world is accessible to everyone. Technology has allowed for huge strides in disability accessibility, from improved voice-to-text functions to apps that connect someone with a virtual assistant, but experts say theres still a lot of work to be doneespecially when it comes to simply using the internet. Americans with disabilities are three times as likely as those without a disability to say they never go online, according to the Pew Research Center.

Advancements have been (and continue to be) made for those who are visually, hearing, or physically impaired, but Gregg Vanderheiden, director of the Trace Research and Development Center at the University of Maryland, says we havent yet tackled the most challenging area: differing cognitive abilities. As were about to enter a new decade, he hopes this is a gap technology can help fill.

For somebody who is blind, you can turn visual communication into something auditory, and for someone who is deaf, vice versa. But you cant take information and transform it from cognitive to some other dimension, Vanderheiden says. The biggest thing weve found in the last period of time is that many more people are having trouble accessing information than we had suspected.

This even includes people without cognitive disabilities, he addspeople who functioned in society just fine before technology infiltrated everything. Weve started adding complexity to things, he says. You used to walk over to the thermostat and turn it . . . now its a digital interface. Being technology savvy is a separate skill set from other kinds of intelligence, and this act of technifying everything can be alienating to parts of the population who suddenly find they need to be behind a computer to do their jobs, their work in school, or even complete their menial tasks like paying bills and buying food.

Vanderheiden is working on two solutions to this problemone which will be available soon and another longer term solution that requires getting a lot of people on board. Like lots of disability focused technologies before them, these solutions would also make things easier for those who dont have a disability, just less technology-abled or looking for a convenience.

The first is Morphic, an assistive technology spearheaded by the Trace R&D Center. Morphic is an operating system extension that would personalize a computer to an individuals needs, whether that means changing the font size, language, contrast, or making certain features easier to find. In pilot testing now and slated for an early 2020 release, Morphic would allow anyone to sit at a computerwhether in their home, a library, an office, or a school laband have its settings be tailored to their abilities, like putting on a pair of glasses with their prescription. When they log out, the settings will revert, so the next person doesnt have to manually change everything.

The longer-term solution would change the way our tech world approaches accessibility. Right now, each individual company has to make sure their systems are accessible. While some companies (like Apple and Microsoft) have been putting a lot of effort into making those changes, they still may not have the right resources or enough time to figure out the best accessibility solutions. Rather than having these companies try to create an interface thats usable by everyoneespecially as future technologies look more and more different from todaysVanderheiden proposes that developers create interfaces for mainstream users, and then a separate entity would build tools to interpret those interfaces for disabled communities.

This would be an extension of the assistive technology model, but these tools could work with any interface. An example Vanderheiden cites is the idea of a public Info-Bot that could understand a mainstream interface and then create user-specific versions for a variety of accessibilities. You might think companies would oppose this if they want to control their own designs, but Vanderheiden says its actually the opposite: The companies want to have control over the main interface design, and all the rules about accessibility put all these constraints on what they can do, he says.

One problem with putting the onus for accessibility solely on a company is that there will probably be some oversight, intentional or not. Autonomous cars could be breakthrough for the visually impaired, but if developers make clear speech a requirement in that interface, that limits the accessibility for another whole section of the population. Even ordering a pizza is restrictive: a blind man sued Dominos after he was unable to order food from the companys website or app, even though he had screen-reading software. Attorneys for the pizza chain tried to argue ADA requirements dont extend to online platforms, but when so much of our lives are conducted online, how is the digital world not a public space? The courts sided with the man, and accessibility advocates considered it a win, noting that if businesses dont maintain accessible websites, theyre essentially shutting people with disabilities out of the economy. Its a ruling that will reshape how companies make decisions about their websites and technology for years to come.

A separate tool that adapts technology for each individual could be the answer to making sure everyone has a fair chance of participation, and proves thatwhether companies like Dominos agree or nottheres a societal understanding that the internet is for everyone. If anything, the idea shows that our approach to accessibility needs to be rethought. Technology is ever changing, Vanderheiden says, and so how we approach it needs to also change.

The rest is here:

What's coming in the next decade in technology accessibility - Fast Company

The problems galled local officials, who vented deep frustration that a utility they often work closely with kept failing them.

After all, they are the ones dealing with a shutoff's consequences. They must dispatch ambulances, run jails and water plants, direct traffic through darkened intersections, set up community shelters and much more.

"It's almost as if it's intentional disregard of all the warnings we gave them," said Napa County Supervisor Diane Dillon, whose district north of San Francisco has experienced nearly every shutoff.

___

Sixteen million people --- more than the population of nearly any U.S. state --- depend on PG&E for power. The shutoffs were an inconvenience for some and extremely costly for others. For society's most frail, they brought questions of life and death.

Those who rely on medical devices in their homes were particularly vulnerable.

"PG&E did nothing to help us who depend on electricity to run our life support," recounted Grace Lin, a polio survivor who needs a ventilator to breathe and uses an electric wheelchair. "It's not like we could simply grind our teeth and tough it out by holding our breath."

Lin said she was confused by the notifications PG&E sent ahead of the first shutoff that affected her San Francisco Bay Area home on Oct. 9. The company website they referred to for updates was frozen. Lin considered herself lucky that she had the means to evacuate 20 miles away, to a quadriplegic friend's house that had electricity.

PG&E could identify "medical baseline" customers such as Lin based on billing records. Local officials working to identify everyone who might need help repeatedly asked PG&E to share its list, so no one was overlooked.

Regulators said PG&E promised it would release medical baseline addresses during a shutoff. Yet when each of the first four hit, PG&E insisted that locals sign a legal agreement not to disclose the addresses, causing delay and uncertainty that regulators said could risk lives.

On the eve of the first massive power outage, Malashenko of the utilities commission was urgently emailing company officials in frustration.

"This issue has been discussed many times over the last several months" yet "has once again become an issue with PG&E," she wrote on Oct. 8.

Malashenko said state officials also pushed PG&E to improve in other areas. Starting in April, they met at least weekly with PG&E, pointing out needed improvements and stressing that aspects of the utility's preparation was inadequate.

PG&E argued that the commission's own privacy rules meant it couldn't share the addresses without a non-disclosure agreement, spokesman Jeff Smith explained. Resolving the problem took an order that the commission's executive director sent three hours before the first massive blackouts began.

Other groups of vulnerable Californians endured shutoffs without the help they needed.

"A lot of them don't have support, a lot of them don't have family," Betty Briggs, 84, said of her elderly neighbors in the well-touristed Napa Valley town of Calistoga. "It makes it very difficult, and it puts them in danger."

Briggs can get around without help, but her husband requires 24-hour care due to dementia. He lives nearby at Cedars Care Home, where seven residents in their 80s and 90s experienced three shutoffs before mid-October.

The outages created anxiety for people reliant on routine, as well as practical problems.

Beds and wheelchair lifts require electricity. So does the heat and air conditioning. When the freezer got too warm, staff tossed 30 days of backup food.

Owner Irais Lopez still hasn't restocked fully.

"Now, we only buy small quantities," Lopez said, "because we don't know what will happen."

___

At PG&E's high-rise headquarters in downtown San Francisco, the emergency operations center springs to life with each shutoff.

Employees in different colored vests that distinguish their expertise cluster around banks of computer monitors showing real-time updates. Maps track wind speed and direction, as well as which circuits are down. Conversation hums in the background.

This is where decisions are made and answers can be found --- and local officials said they felt they had little access to either.

Fed up with communication gaps, one hard-hit county requested a presence at PG&E headquarters during the September shutoff. Regulators required that the utility hold seats in its emergency operations center for local representatives, but a lawyer for Sonoma County instead spent her day in a conference room several locked doors away.

"There was just a lack of understanding on behalf of PG&E of why local government needs timely information," said Petra Bruggisser, a deputy county counsel.

PG&E already had a shaky reputation in its Northern and central California territory.

The company spent three years in bankruptcy starting in 2001, after California's attempt to deregulate its power market went awry.

Maintenance failures led to a natural gas pipeline blast near San Francisco in 2010 that killed eight people. PG&E was found criminally liable and paid a $1.6 billion fine.

In late 2017, its equipment was suspected of starting the Tubbs Fire that killed 22 people and destroyed more than 5,600 buildings.

The utility revealed in spring 2018 that it would start using power shutoffs when fire danger was high and extreme winds blew.

PG&E then began to explain what to expect, sending millions of emails to update its customer contact files, running advertising in multiple languages and holding hundreds of meetings with community leaders, public safety agencies and residents.

The California Public Utilities Commission started writing guidelines for how utilities should roll out "de-energization." The guidelines were published as a 176-page document in June.

By that point, PG&E had again filed for bankruptcy protection, crushed by liabilities for fires in 2017 and 2018, including the Camp Fire that nearly wiped out the town of Paradise and killed 85 people.

The utility now has a market value of about $6 billion --- a drop of $30 billion in just over two years --- and is working with the state and a federal judge to emerge from bankruptcy by June 30.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he expects PG&E's entire 14-member board of directors, including Johnson, its CEO, to step down before the state will approve the utility's plan to regain its financial footing.

"PG&E's recent management of the public safety power shutoffs did not restore public confidence," the Democratic governor warned the company in a Dec. 13 letter. "Instead, PG&E caused extreme uncertainty and harm for Californians who rely on power for their health care and their livelihood."

PG&E said Johnson was not available for an interview. The utility's point man on the shutoffs told AP that he believes Johnson, while testifying before lawmakers last month, was referring to its ability to kill and safely restore power to an extremely complex electrical grid.

Sumeet Singh, a vice president who oversees PG&E's community wildfire safety program, listed a litany of ways the utility is investing in fixes that he said will lessen the need for future shutoffs. Those include trimming more vegetation near power lines and burying some lines in areas most at risk of igniting.

Singh also acknowledged that the utility had some struggles during the early shutoffs but that it strove to improve and disputed any characterization that it did not succeed in some ways. He cited how quickly the utility restored power as one improvement, along with the timeliness and accuracy of customer notifications.

"Did we hit the mark on every single improvement? No. Do we have more work to do? Yes," Singh said.

Power shutoffs are likely to be a feature of life in California for years to come. PG&E must invest billions in infrastructure upgrades, and communities are spreading into lands once populated by trees and brush.

Regulators promise to be watching closely.

"If we have an outcome that doesn't meet the public expectation and what we need to run as a state," said Malashenko of the utilities commission, "that means that we need to rethink our approach and try something different and drive to a better outcome."

In November, the commission launched an investigation into whether it should sanction PG&E for violating shutoff protocols.

PG&E said it will need to improve how it reacts after it shuts off the power.

"I think we thought the big event was turning off the power," Johnson told lawmakers. "And I think we focused on that as the main event instead of the impact of that, right, on the people it affected."

(KR)

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PG&E's History of Blackouts Troubling - DTN The Progressive Farmer

For two full hours yesterday afternoon, Los Angeles Grand Park reverberated with the simultaneously furious and joyous roars of Azadi! (Freedom!) and Inquilab Zindabad! (Love Live the Revolution!). Indians, South Asians, and Americans from various backgrounds came together to demonstrate their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC), and Indias deepening authoritarian nightmare as a whole. Since the calamitous signing of the CAA into law on December 13, similar rallies have been held all across North America and many other corners of the globe, from Chicago to Sydney to Abu Dhabi.

As a political organizer and budding activist-scholar, I often despair at the lack of Stateside awareness, concern, and action with respect to India and South Asia, even within leftist circles. As such, I was heartened by the LA rallys sizable and diverse turnout, its warm but defiant spirit, and its broadly anti-fascist consensus.

Attendees read key passages from the Indian Constitution that the Modi regime has flagrantly, gleefully contravened with its recent measures, such as Article 14, which guarantees the right to equality before the law. They condemned not only the CAB and the NRC but the sadistic brutality and internet blackout inflicted upon Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University students and the residents of Uttar Pradesh, as well the ongoing crackdown in Kashmir that has left eight million people to scream, suffer, and die in darkness. They raised placards displaying some pretty ingenious slogans and graphics (fellow South Asian kids who grew up eating Amul dairy products will particularly appreciate Utterly Butterly Barbaric, placed over an image of Modi as the Amul girl holding the CAB and NRC). They recited poems, led chants, and even sang songs in English and Hindi. They passed around cashew nuts and Parle-G biscuits to keep everyone going.

I came away more convinced than ever that India and South Asia can only pull back from the precipice at which they currently find themselves through concerted mass action. Not by the whims and dictates of self-serving politicians, businesspeople, spiritual gurus, and civil society professionals, but through the sheer, audacious, organized willpower of everyday people. By militantly securing and cultivating autonomy, dignity, equity, justice, and resilience at every level of society, in every corner of the country and the region, and in solidarity with every single individual, community, and movement in the cross-hairs of the ruthless and shameless neoliberal capitalist Hindu chauvinist Indian state.

Merely demanding our freedom is insufficient: we have to seize it from the blood-soaked hands of our oppressors and refuse to let it go. Asking a proto-fascist government and its collaborators, apologists, and assassins to respect our rights is nothing short of suicidal. We are the only ones who can protect each other, which behooves us to stand with the most vulnerable among our ranks: Muslims, Dalits, Bahujans, Christians, Kashmiris, adivasis, peasants, migrants, women, and LGBTQ+ people. Agitating for political, religious, and cultural freedom is also meaningless to the extent that we fail to grapple with the economic and ecological underpinnings of the Hindu nationalist project and its positioning within the global neoliberal capitalist order. After all, fascism, as Lenin famously asserted, is capitalism in decay.

We can no longer satisfy our consciences with half-measures. Grudging, tenuous, and even entirely illusory top-down concessions that ultimately insult and degrade the emancipatory spirit of our mobilizations simply wont suffice any more. The national, regional, and transnational political, social, economic, and ecological, threats we face are frighteningly existential, and we will not get a second chance to overcome them. Our righteous rage must thus be more than a flash in the pan. Rather, it must be the fire that reduces the entire extractivist, majoritarian, and totalitarian saffron state apparatus to ash, fertilizing the soil for truly egalitarian, cooperative, and redistributive self-determination. This is to say that our organizing cannot be a temporary diversion, a mere flirtation with direct action that is quickly subsumed by our more humdrum, cynical, and ultimately self-defeating impulses. Rather, it has to become a defining force in our lives, an essential part of our individual being that ripples outward to build coalitions, reconstitute communities, and advance movements. School is not important, and work is not important, as Black Panther icon Fred Hampton famously said. Nothings more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.

Who, if not us? When, if not now? Where, if not here?

And by here, I dont just mean India, and Im not only talking about Indians, because we shouldnt have to fight alone. Now more than ever, we need politically engaged people of goodwill in the United States the foul stench of Hindu nationalism festering under their very noses. We need them we need you to recognize that Hindutva has wrapped its tentacles around many political figureheads, educational institutions, and cultural associations and programs in the United States. Furthermore, it influences and even seeks connections with burgeoning white supremacist activity and relentless capitalist accumulation in this part of the world, on top of drawing inspiration and purchasing resources from Israels settler colonial project and military-industrial complex. Stateside anti-authoritarians and anti-fascists have the opportunity and thus the responsibility to tear down the saffron flag that is firmly planted on American soil. Please dont ignore, sideline, or abandon us in our time of need. Im begging you.

At the same time, Indians and South Asians studying, working, and living in the United States must join Americas most urgent popular struggles if expect our American counterparts to care about our woes and dreams. The model minority status that South Asians and South Asian Americans are accorded is a bone thrown to us by the American state. It aims to make us accomplices to its white supremacist capitalist patriarchy by pitting us against Black, migrant, and other marginalized populations and even the more marginalized members of our own communities. We must thus reject it entirely and reclaim the promise of intergroup, internationalist solidarity foregrounded by the likes of the Black Panther Party, the Third World Liberation Front, and the (real) Rainbow Coalition.

We have to condemn the Los Angeles and New York Police Departments for lynching people of color at the same time as we decry the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force for their state-endorsed malice. We have to burn down the concentration camps and prison plantations of California, Arizona, and Texas at the same time as we burn down the concentration camps of Assam. We have to chop off the many heads of Jeff Bezos capitalist hydra as the same time as we bring the vampiric Ambani, Birla, and Tata corporate dynasties to a long-overdue end. Beyond the US, we have to join the ongoing battles against injustice, inequity, and tyranny unfolding in Bolivia, Iraq, France, Haiti, and so many other parts of the world at the same time as we stand with our courageous comrades who have taken back streets, squares, and campuses in Mumbai, Chennai, and Srinagar.

India was born through rebellion, and it must be reborn the same way and not as a sham (neo)liberal social democracy, begging for yet another inevitable descent into authoritarian hell. It must be reborn through intentional, well-planned collaboration between the regions myriad populations and popular movements. It must obliterate the last remnants of feudalism, enable workers to enjoy the fruits of their own labor, and finally finally allow its many persons and peoples to take their fates into their own hands.

The war will continue, as Bhagat Singh famously declared, for the state of war does exist and shall exist so long as the Indian toiling masses and the natural resources are being exploited by a handful of parasites. We are once again fighting a war for our souls and the soul of the land that binds us together in all of our complexity and contradiction.

To invoke Assata Shakurs immortal chant, with the most widely, deeply liberatory intent, It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

Power and love to everyone who came out yesterday and to everyone who has been fighting all the good fights back home. Let the ruling classes tremble before us before the awesome, irrepressible power of the people for we have a society and a world to win.

Azadi! Azadi! Azadi!

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Los Angeles Roars for Azadi! Reflections on an Indian Solidarity Action in Southern California - CounterPunch

With some cohousing, co-living inhabitants share chores and a kitchen; for others they live more independently and share expenses. Photo: Courtesy Red Oak Realty

Home Truths, a quarterly report on the state of the Berkeley real estate market, is brought to you byRed Oak Realty.

Most of us in the East Bay live exclusively with our nuclear families, but not all.

Some East Bay residents choose to live in intentional communities that transcend the traditional nuclear family makeup of home exclusively with partners, parents or children.

The East Bays grand Victorians (and other homes of course) have always hosted communities of roommates, some more organized than others. In this post, we highlight the latter shared housing that formalizes the living relationship between unrelated members to a greater degree.

While most East Bay real estate consumers live more traditionally, some East Bay residents (and some of our clients) choose to live in intentional communities.

These different living situations vary from independent, personal arrangements between just two people or families to those at higher scales with a framework provided by a corporation or person to organize living for many families in one place. While not always the case, living in intentional communities can be a more affordable way to live in the East Bay.

Collaboration lives at the heart of these arrangements, which, of course, can vary greatly. In some cases, co-living inhabitants share chores and kitchen space, in others they live more independently and share expenses for upkeep of shared property and expenses.

Intentional communities come in two flavors: cohousing, where individual homes are clustered together in a tight-knit community with more privacy, and co-living, where between 12 to 30 people can share a large house, including all common areas. Co-housing communities tend to offer more permanent living situations than co-living, which can have higher turnover rates.

Residents find these communities in a variety of ways, including by visiting Cohousing California or by participating in the East Bay Cohousing Meetup group, which covers student coops, collective and co-living households, urban and rural eco-villages, faith-based or service-oriented, moshads, Kibbutzes and income-sharing communes.

Typically, co-housing developments have between 15 and 40 homes.

Below, are just a few East Bay co-housing communities.

Located three blocks from the Bay Trail, The Ranch at Dogtown in West Oaklands Dogtown neighborhood features a variety of nine buildings, from houses and apartments to cottages and lofts.

On 8,000 square feet of reclaimed land and surrounded by a tall gate, the community, established in 1990, features a central garden, a chicken coop and bees. The community has approximately 30 members who share the communal garden and taking care of the land.

Diversity, in all senses of the word, plays a big role in what makes the East Bay so great. The areas diverse geography, races, cultures, mindsets and living situations make us all richer. Stay tuned for future celebrations of our home markets diversity.

Established in 1994, Berkeley Cohousing has 15 units (cottages and duplexes) in 10 buildings on a former farm in West Berkeley. The 0.8-acre community has an arrangement with the city that keeps price appreciation of the communitys homes under market value; they currently go for approximately 50% below market rate, but buyers have to meet certain low-income requirements and pass a community interview.

The community has approximately 34 adult and nine child members, and, like many cohousing communities, features a common house where joint meals and gatherings take place.

Members in each housing unit pay between $300 and $400 each month in community dues, which covers the cost of group meals (which occur from two to five times each week) and other upkeep needs; members participate in cleaning and cooking duties. Members make decisions based on consensus, which can be supplemented by a vote if necessary.

Founded in 1999 when a community of five families bought three adjacent duplexes, Temescal Creek Cohousing, in Oaklands popular Temescal neighborhood, has 11 units on 0.75 acres with approximately 20 adult members.

The community calls itself a cohousing retrofit, as the founders took traditional homes and converted them into their intentional community. The community shares between two and five meals each week and makes decisions by consensus with a fall-back option of winning an 80% majority.

The community also has a common house, which the community members financed by taking out individual home equity lines of credit.

Home Truthsis written and sponsored byRed Oak Realty, the largest independent real estate broker in the East Bay, serving the community since 1976. Readmore in this series. If you are interested in learning more about the local real estate market orare considering buying or selling a home, contact Red Oak athello@redoakrealty.com, 510-250 8780.

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Home Truths: Co-housing in the East Bay offers an alternative to traditional living - Berkeleyside

Published: Friday, December 13, 2019 @ 2:31 AMUpdated: Friday, December 13, 2019 @ 2:30 AMBy: The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio's elections chief referred 18 voters for investigation this week who allegedly voted twice in last year's general election.

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said the voters referred to prosecutors Wednesday were identified through the Electronic Registration Information Center, a data-sharing partnership among several states.

The review found 10 Ohioans who first voted in another state before voting in Ohio and another eight who voted first in Ohio before voting again elsewhere, LaRose's office said.

Cases were from eight Ohio counties: Cuyahoga, Franklin, Geauga, Hamilton, Lorain, Medina, Summit and Wayne. Each county had either one or two cases where allegations are being reviewed.

Last week, LaRose referred more than 350 apparent non-citizens to prosecutors for investigation. A coalition of voting-rights groups pushed back against the effort, saying the probes rarely turn up serious offenses or intentional fraud but intimate and scare immigrant communities.

LaRose said one of the big reasons that voter fraud is so rare is because states are "stepping up to enforce the law whenever it is broken.

Originally posted here:

18 voters accused of voting in two different states in 2018 - WHIO