2 $ DECEMBER 30, 2022 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 1 YOUR DONATION BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Women, life, freedom: What you should know about Iran's protest. Page 8 MEET YOUR VENDOR: BRIAN HARGROVE PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Undercover art intel: Native American art store opens in Ann Arbor. page 7 Inty Muenala in front of his store, NTVES, a Native American fine art and craft store located at Briarwood Mall. THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor # NEW ISSUE EVERY OTHER FRIDAY!
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER from the DIRECTOR's DESK biweekly edition of Groundcover News. The date of publication will be the date printed on the paper. Don't be alarmed if it is a different month or year than the day you purchase (like you might see with this issue). In addition to the outcome of consisLINDSAY CALKA Managing Director Did you notice the yellow banner on the cover? "New issue every other Friday!" It's not a big change but it's an important one. The issue you are holding right now will only run for 14 days — two weeks exactly — and there will be a new edition out January 13, 11 a.m. The decision to go "twice monthly" last year was one we did not regret, but in 2023 we wanted to make the publication cycle as consistent as possible for both the vendors and our customers. This is the first tency, this change will increase the amount of issues we will be publishing in a year. Even though it is small, the uptick from 24 to 26 issues means more space for more writing, and therefore new contributors! Remember, anyone can write for Groundcover News. The submission deadline is every other Monday — the Monday after each new issue release — and can be done by emailing submissions@groundcovernews.com. If you are interested in writing as a community reporter, consider attending our news writing workshop with Ypsilanti District Library in late January (details listed on next page). If it isn't already, Friday is about to be your favorite day of the week! DECEMBER 30, 2022 letter to the EDITOR Dear Michigan Ability Partners, I wanted to thank you for all of the support you have given me over the years. I spent a night outside a few days ago in Ann Arbor, from around noon till noon the next day. This was once an everyday occurrence for me. As the evening got colder, walking past many of the places I used to “sleep,” I recalled how miserable and hopeless I was. I was thinking, “How do people do it?” “How did I do it?” — even though I knew I would eventually return to my apartment (MY apartment?!). When I did eventually return I was overwhelmed with relief, gratitude and an appreciation with an understanding: had I not been housed I truly do not know where I would be today, or even if I'd be alive. I didn't realize the healing process would take so long. A counselor at Delonis said I was a success story, which (at the time) I balked at, as her definition of success was quite different from mine. Sometimes it seems as though I knew more people who passed away in my three years of homelessness in Ann Arbor than all the people I have met in my 50 years of life! All were wonderful amazing individuals in their own way and are gone mainly because of becoming homeless and all that comes with being such. I still have a long way to go to become the “success” in my mind and knowing with your continued support I wouldn't have made it this far and still have a hope for the future. Again, Thank you! Sincerely, David Winey CREATING OPPORTUNITY AND A VOICE FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WHILE TAKING ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor Jim Clark — vendor manager ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Basham Elizabeth Bauman Odile Hugonot Haber Cindy Gere GEO Abolition Caucus Mike Jones Emma Kin Ken Parks Denise Shearer Kevin Spangler VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Luiza Duarte Caetano Glenn Gates Alex Granberg Robert Klingler Mira Simonton-Chao Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Claude VanValkenburg Navya Yagalla PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Anabel Sicko Sandy Smith @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, PITCH A STORY + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org linktr.ee/groundcovernews GROUNDCOVER NEWS ADVERTISING RATES Size 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/2 full page Black/White $110.00 $145.00 $200.00 $375.00 $650.00 Color $150.00 $200.00 $265.00 $500.00 $900.00 Dimensions (W x H in inches) 5 X 3 or 2.5 X 6.5 5 X 4 5 X 6.25 5 X 13 or 10.25 X 6.5 10.25 X 13 PACKAGE PRICING Three Months/Six Issues: 15% off Six Months/Twelve Issues: 25% off Full Year/Twenty-four Issues: 35% off Only run for two weeks/one issue: 40% off Additional 20% discount for money saving coupons CONTACT US Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098
DECEMBER 30, 2022 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR Facing the new year It can be hard coping with Brian Hargrove, vendor No. 158 In one sentence, who are you? I’m Brian Hargrove. Where do you usually sell Groundcover News? Around everywhere. When and why did you start selling Groundcover News? I restarted December and it's been good for me since I’ve been selling them. What is your favorite thing to do in Ann Arbor? Talk to people and have fun meeting people. If you could do anything for a day, what would it be? Eat some food and be around good friends. What motivates you to work hard selling Groundcover News? I’m motivated by the prospect of getting off the streets by making my situation better. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza, ice cream and soul food! What words do you live by? Keep my focus on God. What is your superpower? I can lift a lot of things. What change would you like to see in Washtenaw County? More people helping homeless people get off the street. This would make it better for everyone in Ann Arbor. What are your hobbies? Reading a good book at the library. What is something someone on the street wouldn't know? I’m a happy person who likes to make everybody smile. What's the best or worst thing about selling Groundcover News? The worst thing is people who are rude. facing a new year. It can be hard because you never know what’s going to happen in a new year. It can be hard facing a new year because you never know what’s going to change; sometimes people and things change for the bad instead of for the good. You never know who or what you are going to lose that makes life happy and pleasant for you. Sometimes good things happen in the new year. Sometimes you gain new people and things that make life pleasant and happy. Music is always pleasant and DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 Jesus always makes life more pleasant. Having a cup of iced tea or lemonade is a good way to cope with the day, anytime of year. Singing a spiritual song in your mind about God and Jesus is always a good way to cope any day of the year. Toys are also something pleasant to help cope anytime of the year and on any day. Things change for the good happy. Nice artwork is always pleasant and happy anytime of the year. Celebrating God and sometimes; things change for the bad sometimes. I like to love and celebrate God and Jesus when things change for both the good and the bad. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 The killing machine: mass incarceration Mass incarceration rips apart families and communities, disproportionately hurts people of color and costs taxpayers $260 billion a year. Michigan has an incarceration rate of 599 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democracy on Earth. There are two million people in the nation’s prisons and jails — a 500% increase over the last 40 years. Changes in sentencing law and policy, not changes in crime rates, explain most of this increase. What is the cause of mass NEWS WRITING BEST PRACTICES INTERVIEWING SOURCES AND IMPROVING YOUR ARTICLES TUESDAY, JAN 24, 2023 6:30PM YDL-WHITTAKER 5577 WHITTAKER ROAD WRITING A NEWS STORY TAKES A KEEN EYE AND A LOT OF LISTENING. GET GUIDED PRACTICE INTERVIEWING YOUR SOURCES AND TIPS ON INCORPORATING THEIR THOUGHTS INTO YOUR STORY. YOU'LL ALSO LEARN TO HIGHLIGHT THE MAIN HOOK OF YOUR ARTICLE AND HOW TO WRITE IN A WAY THAT KEEPS EVERYONE READING UNTIL THE LAST LINE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YPSIWRITES AND GROUNDCOVER NEWS. MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 incarceration? Drug offenses still account for the incarceration of almost 400,000 people, and drug convictions remain a defining feature of the federal prison system. Police still make over a million drug-possession arrests each year, many of which lead to prison sentences. I had a chance to interview a childhood friend, Brian, who has been incarcerated several times. Brian's first prison sentence was in 1996 and he was just released from his most recent stint in April 2022. Now homeless and staying at the Robert J. Delonis Center after getting kicked out of statefunded housing, Brian said, “It's not easy making it in society without housing, a place you can call your own.” Brian added, “Being homeless, staying at the warming center, is like prison because you are always in a toxic environment. Drugs, violence, etc.” Register online for Groundcover and Ypsilanti District Library's workshop by scanning the QR code!
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS OPINION DECEMBER 30, 2022 “Fund safety, not police:” How U-M administration makes us less safe and stifles alternatives U-M GRADUATE EMPLOYEES' ORGANIZATION ABOLITION CAUCUS On November 17, as University of Michigan President Santa Ono was leaving after his speech at the Ross School of Business, he was confronted by a march of two hundred members of Graduate Employees Organization 3550. This march, which kicked off our union’s contract negotiations with the University, featured speakers calling for a living wage and for a campus free from policing. Our march was trailed by four U-M police cruisers. Ono’s hasty departure presented an opportunity: two GEO members held up a banner, created during the 2020 strike, to block the president’s path and prevent him from continuing to ignore us. The banner read “FUND SAFETY NOT POLICE.” The underlining of “ICE” also signals GEO’s current demands for codifying protections for international graduate student-workers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The two students were quickly pushed aside by members of the President’s security detail, eager to shuffle off the disruption so Ono could return to business-as-usual. Each year, the University of Michigan spends over $32 million on policing and security. While the university’s endowment reached a record $17 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic, essential student services (such as Counseling Services, Services for Students with Disabilities, and the Center for the Education of Women) remain underfunded and the salaries of graduate students and other workers have not kept up with the rising cost of living in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. This is why, in fall 2020, GEO went on strike for a safe and just campus. In the two years since, U-M has failed to redirect funds from policing. It has instead used diversion and counterinsurgency tactics, such as starting a toothless task force on public safety and a scholarship in the name of George Floyd. It has also attempted to normalize policing across campus. Under the “Ambassadors Program,” the university sent campus police officers and work-study students to enforce social distancing rules — a plan that was quickly canceled under pressure from the undergraduate Students of Color Liberation Front and the 2020 strike. As we wrote in the Michigan Daily earlier this year, “When it comes to campus safety, the university is trapped in an endless cycle of scandals and promises to do better.” U-M is quick to cry poor when it’s cutting budgets, freezing wages and raising tuition; yet the cost of policing continues to grow. The Division of Public Safety and Security, which houses the U-M Police Department, currently receives over $32 million dollars annually from the university. But what do they actually do in and around campus with this enormous budget? To answer this question, we obtained the daily activity logs of U-M police from January 2001 through July 2022. These data reveal several crucial facts that support the abolitionist call to dismantle U-M police and redirect its resources towards the life-affirming services that graduate workers, undergraduate students, staff, faculty and community members need. First, the vast majority of U-M police activity is not in response to violence, but rather to property crimes like a stolen bike or laptop, traffic violations, or drug and alcohol use. In 2021 for example, there were over 200 police activity logs related to drug or alcohol use. Likewise, most arrests are for drug and alcohol offenses (33%), traffic violations (13%), or disorderly conduct (18%). Disorderly behavior includes people experiencing a mental health crisis, urinating in public, and sleeping, resting, or hanging out in public spaces (such as the Nichols Arboretum). Contrary to what the cops say, it is police involvement in such things that is the major source of violence in communities. These statistics show how U-M police criminalize poverty, displace the poor, and effectively control who is allowed to be in or near campus — thereby further gentrifying the Ann Arbor area. Second, U-M police are involved in situations they shouldn’t be — and they make things worse. For example, campus hospitals are major hot spots for police activity. Michigan Medicine pays tens of millions of dollars to maintain a Division of Public Safety and Security presence in hospitals. As a result, people seeking care are harassed and arrested for things like possession of marijuana; the narrative “Marijuana was found in patient property” appeared 128 times in the police logs in 2022 alone. This is part of a long history of medical providers collaborating with police and other state agencies to criminalize or commit disabled people; those with unmet mental health and/ or housing needs; Black, Indigenous, Latinx, queer and trans people; and immigrants. For many marginalized groups, seeking care comes with surveillance, policing, punishment and Percentage of police activity between 2001-2022 that involved arrests, broken down by police activity type (excluding ambulance/fire calls). Absolute numbers of arrests shown in parentheses. control. Policing in hospitals negatively impacts patient and community health outcomes. Police violate patient-provider confidentiality and trust and deter patients from seeking out necessary care out of fear of persecution by police, as well as child/family welfare and immigration authorities. In U-M’s case, we found that police are often called to handle suspected cases of domestic violence, child neglect, or mental health crises (including suicide attempts). All of these are serious matters that the police are ill-equipped to handle, and which require a noncarceral, non-police, community-controlled and anti-racist response. Third, U-M police directly collaborate with other police agencies, from the Ann Arbor Police Department to the Washtenaw County’s Sheriff’s office to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The logs reveal that U-M police have detained and turned people over to these other police forces, including ICE. Campus police are thus part of the larger system of racist violence that inspired the 2020 uprisings and GEO’s strike. The recent U-M task force on policing has failed to provide more information about these collaborations. Aligning with police is predictable given that U-M’s current Director of Housing Security, John Seto, was the Chief of the AAPD when police shot and killed Aura Rosser, a Black woman, during a domestic dispute (Aura had moved to Ann Arbor to find safe access to community mental health). These are only three main takeaways about U-M police activities. For more, see the interactive map on the GEO website: abolitiongeo.org. You can use this map to see what U-M police do in the place where you work, study, teach, and live — and ask yourselves whether this keeps you safe. Yet this data is incomplete. The map does not show the activities of police forces that collaborate with U-M police, such as ICE or AAPD. The City of Ann Arbor has denied our FOIA request for similar data on AAPD’s activities, and the city administrator, Milton Dohoney, subsequently denied our appeal. The data are also incomplete with respect to U-M police activities. Critical information is missing, including the race of the people arrested by U-M police during each incident, which the DPSS website does not make available. We know these data exist because the Michigan State Police publishes aggregated statistics about arrests made by U-M police broken down by race. U-M has denied our Freedom of Information Act request for these data, and the University President’s office has rejected our appeal of that decision. In a letter dated September 15, 2022, the Office of the President wrote that “the university is not required to make a compilation, summary or report of information, nor create a new public record, in order to respond to your request,” and pointed us to the existing DPSS website which doesn’t contain the information we have requested. This chain of events demonstrates that the university president is also the campus’s top cop: actively committed to concealing police activities amid calls for even a modicum of transparency. While the recent U-M task force on policing has called for more transparency, so far we have only faced institutional opacity. This active hiding of the racist nature of policing is intended to protect police power and undermine abolitionist efforts to build safe alternatives. But police power can and must be dismantled. Crucially, U-M police is relatively new. The campus police was see POLICE next page
DECEMBER 30, 2022 AROUND TOWN How to be happy during the Michigan winter As the days become shorter and the weather becomes colder, it becomes difficult to maintain a positive attitude on life. The sun setting as early as 5 p.m. depletes motivation, and fatigue makes it harder for individuals to continue their daily activities. Some may even experience Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is due to the lack of sunlight the body receives, resulting in higher levels of melatonin, drowsiness and depression. In addition to the psychological effects, Northwestern Medicine reports that low temperatures can increase the likelihood of getting sick. The immune system weakens and becomes less effective at fighting viruses. Once there is snow on the ground, it becomes important for individuals to be aware of their mental and physical wellbeing. Luckily, there are ways to combat the dangers of Michigan winters. Here are some easy accessible methods that you can participate in to take care of yourself during wintertime. Considering how long Michigan winters tend to last, this season is the perfect time to start a new project with an end date in mind. Dr. Supriya Blair, clinical psychologist, suggests this solution to create a sense of excitement, curiosity and fulfillment. Having a goal helps individuals to stay motivated throughout winter as they attempt to accomplish their projects. Depending on the timeline of the project, this motivation can sustain people against the cold temperatures for a long time. Even the smallest efforts towards a goal can provide encouragement to continue the season with a positive attitude. This is adaptable for everyone as there are multiple possibilities: beginning a new workout plan, cleaning out a room, or setting a reading down and view oneself in a new light can help relieve feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Finally, those struggling to make it EMMA KIN U-M student contributor goal every week. This practice is very versatile since it is up to the individual to decide what they can manage. Staying accountable and setting small achievements can change one’s entire life during winter. Journaling is a creative outlet for people to release tension and worries by becoming intimate with themselves. When the lack of sunlight takes a toll on the human body, journaling can deliver self-care and contentment. Because of this, Dr. Blair also suggests journaling and making it a habit. What to journal is up to the writer as the purpose is to make one aware of one’s wellbeing. Many begin with a gratitude journal and answering simple questions. Some examples to consider for gratitude are to think about the relationships, achievements or lessons that developed during this year. Reflecting on the year is a productive way to stay mentally healthy since it helps lower stress levels and allows clarity of one’s being. Once again, this resource for joy is obtainable for the majority of people since it only requires paper, pencil and one’s thoughts. Even in this day and age, paper is an option though electronic devices have become the new norm for writing. Taking time to sit through the winter should focus on three components during their daily lives: exercise, diet and sleep. These three components are essential to having a healthy body and mentality. Exercising reduces multiple health risks like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. Getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day is very important for one’s health, and everyone can experience the health benefits of physical activity. Although it may be difficult to afford a gym, taking a brisk walk outside is just as helpful as working out in a gym. Eating a healthy diet is just as critical as moving the body. An extra emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein energizes the body throughout the day, and the nutrients help cells to grow and repair, resulting in a healthier and stronger immune system. Again, cost for produce may be an issue for some, but there are resources available to gain nutritious food. The Maize & Blue Cupboard provides healthy and nourishing food to those who lack equitable access. They also provide cooking utensils and household items to support the community. Lastly, sleep is key for good health and well being in the winter. Getting between seven and nine hours of sleep is important for hormone and cell growth. It can also affect how well one thinks, works, learns and gets along with others. Because all three of these factors occur naturally, extra focus should be placed on these activities to avoid the effects of winter. GROUNDCOVER NEWS What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Hang out in any of our five locations across town, browsing books, magazines, newspapers, and more, or check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, and science tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out. Fifth Avenue Studios To foster the creation of original audio content, AADL has launched Fifth Avenue Studios to support local podcasters, musicians, and audio creators in the Ann Arbor area. Want to launch a podcast? Record and release an album? Produce an audio drama? Visit AADL.org/ fifthavenuestudios and pitch us your idea! Fastest WiFi in Town Every AADL location has loginfree wireless inside all buildings and parking lots, available 24 hours a day. No restrictions, no monitoring, and some of the fastest speeds in town! FEATURED EVENT 5 POLICE from last page only established in the early 1990s. On a campus with a long and proud history of radicalism, university administration also hoped that police would crack down on the anti-racist student activism that had intensified in the late 1980s. Their demands have yet to be met. Today, GEO members are committed to creating a safe and just campus for all, just as earlier generations of activists were. Our platform for negotiations with the university includes the demand that U-M fund the proposal for a non-police, unarmed emergency response being explored by the City of Ann Arbor. Led by the Coalition for Re-Envisioning Our Safety (CROS), the proposal would create a community-based program and hotline modeled on the best practices of crisis response teams across the country. GEO is proud to be among the more than forty community groups — including mutual aid groups, housing justice groups, and abolitionist groups such as Liberate Don’t Incarcerate — that have endorsed the plan. DPSS’s over $32 million budget can be put towards alternatives such as CROS, as well as towards other beneficial ends, including: better wages for staff and student workers, better health and mental care, better support for survivors of sexual violence, or housing for the unhoused — all of which would be preferable to a dangerous, bloated and racist police force, shielded by unaccountable administrators. Sunday, January 29 • 1–4pm Downtown Libary Looking for a preschool? The annual Preschool Expo brings representatives from area preschools to one location on one date. Connect with schools in Washtenaw County and explore your options to find the best preschool for your child. For more information visit AADL.org/preschoolexpo
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMONS DECEMBER 30, 2022 Odile Hugonot Haber was visisting People's Park in December 2022 when she documented the destruction of the park by the University of California. They intend to build student housing in its place. People's Park is a very famous historical place and the site of an epic battle ODILE HUGONOT HABER Groundcover contributor A battle of epic proportions is happening in Berkeley, California even now, a continuation of a battle first fought in the 1960s on 62 acres in the middle of Berkeley. It was won by the people and gave birth to the famed People's Park. In the aftermath of the “Free Speech” which consisted of students speaking about the effect of the war in Vietnam, in particular we remember the Mario Savio speech: “There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part! And you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels…upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you got to make it stop!” When, in the summer of 1969, the peace activists were kicked off Provo Park, they went to do their peace events on a piece of land nearby, off campus. There they built a Free Speech Stage where they could continue their anti-war speeches and actions. That land had been seized by the University under eminent domain a year before. They had demolished the 53 red, shingle-topped houses that had served as habitations to students, leftists, artists — a poorer population that the university blamed for being the "counter culture” that was at the base of the peace and freedom movement. The UC said they wanted to build student housing but left the land in shambles and progressively people moved onto it, women with their children at first. People started digging, laid sod, planted flowers, trees, and built a playground for the children. Some people were crucial in advancing the project and raising money for it. They were Michael Delacour, Jon Reed, Wendy Schlesinger, Frank Bardacke, Stew Albert, Judy Gumbo and so many others … The idea went public and grew big … They reclaimed the land that had been taken long ago — from the Costanoan Indians, also known as Ohlone; they believed that the land was under the care of the people who used it and lived on it. On May 15, 1969, known also as Bloody Thursday, 5,000 people gathered and marched to the steps of Sproul Hall. They also confronted the police, erecting a fence around the park. Mayor Johnson called for martial law and Governor Reagan activated the National Guard. Eventually buckshot was fired; 150 people were wounded, 40 were hospitalized, one became blind and James Rector was killed. The battles lasted a week. Eventually people put flowers in the guns, and peace came back. People’s Park went on. People’s Park was well known around the world as a people’s victory and a successful Commons. The park was neglected by the University, but it grew more beautiful as the people worked. "Everyone gets a blister” was the park’s motto, posted on a mural outside. Over the years, as Berkeley grew to be exorbitantly expensive, artists and activists left, so the park was neglected and some drugs dealers moved in. Nevertheless the garden continued to grow, sheltering many bird species, and while the University liked to call it a “crime scene,” there was apparently much less crime there than in the 20 blocks around that area. Recently the University decided one more time to grow student housing. On August 22, 2022 they came with Caterpillars and started butchering all the remaining plants — redwoods, palm trees and rose bushes — and destroying gardens. The park looked terrible with parts of trunks thrown everywhere. They said they are building 1,100 apartment for students and some for community members, and that 60% of the park will remain and be memorialized, as they will abide by the landmark designation. The Park Defense has challenged the University in courts for its failure to have an adequate environmental report. For now, activists got the courts to place an injunction on any construction until November. They would like to see the University consider other alternatives. Activists fear that the university will wait for a time when no one is paying attention to continue their sinister business. While 48,000 students, researchers, and staff are on strike at the University of California, the cost of living seems to be more of an issue to them than People's Park, even though climate change is so forward in the consciousness at this time. Student classes are disturbed by the strike, says the Daily Californian. It seems that the actions of the UC system indicate an overall lack of respect and understanding for nature, the community it serves and their workers. This is a deplorable way to administer a university. Michael Delacour is one of many organizers who conceived, built and fought for the People's Park in Berkeley, California. The above picture is from 1969.
DECEMBER 30, 2022 ARTS + CULTURE Art intel presents international Native artist Inty Muenala. He has traveled the world and has landed on the shores of Ann Arbor. I was wandering the Briarwood Mall and lo and behold, right before me was a very colorful shop named Natives written in a unique way NTVES. I, as a Native Canadian from the Kaska Dene Tribe, was in fact shocked to see this store. We tribal people are so underrepresented in the mainstream. I personally have known Muenala for years as a vendor for his artwork at the Ann Arbor Pow Wow. As a native dancer I always had people come up to me after the fact saying, “When is the Ann Arbor Pow Wow going to be held?” Sadly I would tell them it was now in fact over and to look for it the next year. But now I can also tell them NTVES is here and we all hope to stay. NTVES was created by Inty Muenala and his wife Lizbeth Conejo Kawaii. Muenala comes from the Kichwa tribe of South America Ecuador in the Otavalo region; his tribe honors the Condor, a bird of greatness representing liberty, love and protection. He has has been making art for 25 years. He was educated in the capital of wonderful His beautiful wife helps create the jackets and GROUNDCOVER NEWS Undercover art intel: Native American art store opens in Ann Arbor My last question was what the store fashion designs. His son is finishing up at his university, studying international marketing and business. He hopes to join the family after graduation. What is found in the new native CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 Ecuador at the Central University of Quito, and he was also educated in New York in 2002 at the Art Students League. Muenala’s art reflects the web of life and natural native spirituality of the ages before 1492. His colors blast on the canvas and create vibrant images that tell stories of native life. Muenala has traveled across continents to display his works in France, Russia, Italy, Canada, the United States and his home lands of Quidore. I asked him what made him come to Ann Arbor. He talked about how the lakes and water reflect his home village back in Ecuador. He loves the lush trees here as well. store? Wonderful paintings and native-made clothing from Lizbeth. There are wonderful sculpted pipes, beadworks and blankets. Other items are sage dreamcatchers and, of course, Muenala’s paintings. My personal favorites are the shields, jackets, blankets and the wolf pipe in the image shown below — all reflect my Wolf Clan. My clan of wolf represents family, loyalty and warriorship. Muenala can also be seen with his artworks at the Ann Arbor Art Fair in July and the Dance for Mother Earth Pow Wow. The Pow Wow will be held this year Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, 2023. was about — besides just bringing Native American culture to every American home. He replied, “Where there is no representation other than reservations and online, I want to bring together the sacred part of our native ways and strength, with the web of life — unity of all — and show off the native tribes of the Americas to the world.” Native Americans are very important to the original cultures of the Americas. My tribe is Kaska Dene from the Yukon, Canada. Seeing the store brings faith back into my world and I hope and pray yours. Let us all join together in the sacred ways of this shop and bring back the unity of the United States of America because that was the original dream of the Indian soul. Yours truly, Kung Fu Panda aka Kulema, Fire Woman. NTVES.COM FACEBOOK.COM/NTVES2020/ INSTAGRAM: @NTVES.CO 7 Conquer the Cold is Back! The challenge returns January 10–February 10, 2023! Register now at CommuteandWin.org #OwnWinter @getdowntown The getDowntown Program provides commuting programs and services to downtown Ann Arbor employees and employers. A program of TheRide, getDowntown's partners include the City of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor DDA. Top and bottom left: Decorative pipes and a wolf shield available for purchase at NTVES. Bottom right: Muenela's largest pieces, including "Water is life, Sacred Protector" are on display throughout the store.
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS WOMEN'S RIGHTS DECEMBER 30, 2022 Women, life, freedom: What you should know about Iran's protest September 16, 2022, is a day that will forever be remembered in Iranian history. On this day, the religious morality police in the country of Iran killed an innocent woman by the name of Mahsa Amini. She was only 22 years old. In present day Iran, the government in power is an strict Islamic regime, forcing authoritarian religious laws on its citizens. One of these laws is forcing all women to wear a hijab in public. On September 13, Mahsa was out walking with her hijab only partially covering her hair. The morality police took her into custody and three days later, she was dead. The government tried to claim that her death was caused by pre-existing medical issues, but her family vehemently denied this, saying that Mahsa was completely healthy and did not have any medical conditions. Since her death, protests have shot up all over the country as the Iranian public was enraged after hearing the news of her death. These protests have continued across Iran and have gained traction all around the world. In response, the government has responded with cruel and extreme actions, from arresting thousands of protesters, to detaining political prisoners for long periods of time, and in RYAN YOUNESSI U-M student contributor many cases executing some of them. Even with the horrifying actions taken by the government, the protests have not been quelled. Iranians have responded to the situation in a multitude of ways. Individuals of all ages have marched demanding that change take place in the country. The majority of these protesters are young people, sometimes as young as 14 or 15 years old. Some protests have even gone to the extent of shutting down different sectors of the economy, with workers boycotting and not showing up to work, even in critical areas of the economy such as oil and steel. The protests have significantly differed from ones in past years. First, instead of calling for reforms in the law or modernization of the government system, protesters are demanding a total upheaval of the regime and the ushering in of a new government. Second, the protests do not seem to have a singular figure representing the movement. Third, the individuals participating in the protests are from regions all over Iran and even in the heavily religious areas of Mashhad and Qom. This phenomenon has never happened in the past. Additionally, there has been a resounding reaction from the international community. From foreign leaders all across the world, including figures like President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emanuel Macron, to the European Union and United Nations, a response like this has not been witnessed. People all over the world have been protesting in big cities and even in their local communities. Just in the past two months, six different protests have taken place in the city of Ann Arbor. The protests have not stopped yet, and it is the hope of many that some long overdue change will take place in Iran. Since the start of the protests, the Iranian government has responded with violence and condemnation. Due to Join the Conversation! Unarmed Crisis Response Team Public Forum In April 2021, the Ann Arbor City Council passed Resolution R-21-129 to develop an unarmed crisis response team. The City of Ann Arbor asked Public Sector Consultants, a nonpartisan research and consulting firm, to gather feedback from community members about the best way to create a team of unarmed social and human services professionals to respond to crisis and public safety calls in the city. Join the conversation at one of the upcoming public forums! Monday, January 9 1:00 PM Downtown Ann Arbor District Library 343 S. Fifth Avenue Multipurpose room— basement Thursday, January 12 6:00 PM Pittsfield Ann Arbor District Library Branch 2359 Oak Valley Drive Program room Thursday, January 19 6:00 PM Virtual via Zoom https://pscinc.co/discuss Meeting ID: 859 4501 3079 Passcode: 090446 censorship of the government, it is not known the exact number of individuals who have been arrested or killed, but outside groups believe that over 15,000 people have been arrested, and several hundred people have been killed. The government has tried to claim that Western nations instigated the protests in the nation and that they are behind the protests, but this is simply not true. With the government in control of all media and the internet, they have used state-run television to provide misinformation to the Iranian public about the protests; they also shut down the internet, disconnecting social media apps like WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram to stop Iranians from communicating with one another and the outside world. Even with the horrible actions taken by the government, the Iranian people have refused to give up. With protests still going on, there is no sign of them stopping. The new generation of Iranians are ready for a different Iran than they grew up in and there is no stopping them from achieving their goal. There is a long fight ahead but the international community must coalesce see IRAN next page
DECEMBER 30, 2022 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS 9 Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads and signs before receiving a badge and papers. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenets of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting our County. • Groundcover will be distributed for a voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling past monthly issues. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor corner policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code please email contact@groundcovernews.com or fill out the contact form on our website. IRAN from last page around the Iranian people and support them. As the child of two Iranian immigrants, I have heard firsthand the difficulties and oppression that exists with living in Iran. Family friends of mine have had loved ones killed for speaking out against the government. The fight for basic human rights must go on in Iran and cannot stop until real change is made. I encourage you to get involved. Join protests, call your representatives and urge them to take action, take the time to hear and learn from Iranians in your community. Finally, always remember these three words: Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom).
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES Mother nature's last call KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 When I was a child I knew the Earth was flat because I went to the edge in a dream, looked into the fog far below and saw the mystery of the bottomless void. We lived in Oregon and California in my early childhood so I saw the Pacific Ocean and the curve of the horizon. The Earth is round. What a great discovery. Then I learned that China was on the other side and started digging holes in the ground. I learned that the diameter of the earth is big enough that it would take a lot of digging to get to the red hot molten core at the center — another void that was found in my six-year-old mental capacity. My sense of awe and curiosity grew from there, as all children who love dinosaurs well know. Where does power come from? Every sentient being — a being with consciousness — has perceptions and emotions that lead to actions and, ultimately, results. Karma is the word. Everyone has a karmic accumulation of actions and results that is carried throughout life until awareness arises and we see the depths of reality. There is no bottom. The debate about the extent of human influence upon geological time is raging now. Is our awareness and intelligence up to examining what geological age we live in? Are we in the Anthropocene? Alan Haber, the Ann Arbor Commons guy, mentioned that we may be in the Pyrocene (age of fire). Whatever the case, our Paleolithic heritage lives in indigenous culture and our DNA. I am back from a break after some adventures in the alleys of my mind. The downtown library has a large magazine collection. I was fortunate to find the November issue of Monthly Review and a good article by Carles Soriano entitled, “Anthropocene, Capitalocene and Other ‘Cenes.” Soriano is a geologist from the Geoscience Barcelona Institute of the Spanish National Research Council. Monthly Review is an important voice, as the editors have been studying, writing and publishing about the “metabolic rift” (the damage that occurs due to capitalism’s extractive nature) that Marx observed. As capitalism evolved, the expropriation of nature and the exploitation of labor created great wealth known as capital accumulation. It takes great mental focus to understand this process of commodifying everything, largely because we are addicted to the consumerism that is the global culture. It drives excess wealth in the first world and poverty in the third world, where people are consequently fleeing to the first world. Fortunately, the Editor’s Note in November’s Monthly Review is a good place to learn about and focus on the basics of capitalism and geological age. I want to be in a group studying MR’s article “Anthropocene, Capitalocene and Other ‘Cenes.’” It is not long but goes deep quickly with much to meditate on and analyze. My past articles usually refer to what I consider essential reading, from “Black Elk Speaks” to “Inflamed: Deep Healing and the Anatomy of Injustice.” Maybe we will come up with some shared language. It’s a wonderful thing to share a language that helps you navigate reality. I am asking for help in organizing collective study that will enable us to come to some conclusions on how to approach this examinat ion and organize ourselves. Groundcover News has an important relationship with the University of Michigan and it is time for us to take a fresh look at what we can do together. My good karma connected me with the 50th anniversary celebration of the Native American Student Association where I met some brilliant minds fully embodied in indigenous-centered life. What a blessing to meet a professor there from the School of Environment and Sustainability, Kyle White, who is aware of history and science as we face our current situation. I believe we can lighten the load of individualism as we share in the intellectual organizing work and get our hands in the dirt. Every kind of labor is precious and it is the commodification of everything that distorts our perception of reality. Human beings and our labor power become alienated when commodified. The perception of self and others is a limiting cognitive bias, which we can heal into an experience of completeness. Everything is interconnected; solidarity includes all living beings without exception. When Mother Nature calls, it's best to get the message and look forward to the next step. Boober Pink Castle EDM Club. Boober update KEVIN SPANGLER Groundcover vendor No. 307 It has been a while since Boober has put out an article. Where do we start? We last left off getting a new 3200 square foot warehouse. That was interesting. I found out what it was like to get into a five year lease. We didn’t move in because we were having to put a garage door in to make the space work for Boober. Then we started learning about permits … time … architects … We never moved in and I went to the guy we signed a lease with and said long-term this agreement will not work and offered $2,000 to buy the lease out. He didn’t like this and said it would cost a lot more to get out. It was at that time I shook his hand and said I’ll figure it out. That was July 1. We decided to throw a rave because my friend has DJ equipment. So we rallied the troops on social media and threw a rave on Sunday, July 3. We had 100 people show up to the new venue Pink Castle EDM Club. We took the name from the previous name; the space was previously called Pink Castle Fabrics. Well, we only operated for two months. Towards the end we were running an after-hours club, 2:30-7 a.m. It all ended when the landlords found the whole parking lot covered in chalk and they checked the cameras including the cameras inside. They said to me, “You can’t do that.” Well, we do what we do to try to make the rent. Honestly it just barely made the rent. But the experience was worth it — the stories we created, the fun we had. And we were able to hang out which I have not done in seven years. My friend and I maintained sobriety through the whole thing. In the end we were let out of the five-year lease with a better story that will be remembered in many hearts. Now, the Boober progress. We started another business called Action Jackson Electric Bicycle Parts. We have invested our money into parts for pedicabs and electric bikes. Our next step is setting up an Amazon account. Been working on these projects for a while and collecting many parts. Oh yeah, we bought a party bus for the Pink Castle but it now serves as storage for all our parts. We also started a nonprofit called The Royal Road and will be creating a cultural center that teaches how to forgive, reprogram our brains and create goals. We have increased our fleet with eight new carriages that fit four to six people. We have also expanded the fleet to 25 pedicabs; some are projects to resell and learn how to fabricate different products. We have expanded to an old auto shop with four garage doors. We’ve patched the roof, put insulation in and currently we are grinding the floor and basically freshening up the whole place to store all of our equipment and have space to work on projects. We have two new sponsors, JARS cannabis and Spa Daze. We now have accomplished one of our goals of massages once a week. Oh, one more thing. I got my license to drive again after 20 years so we can operate pedicabs in major cities. All in all, we have been enjoying this time on Earth and will continue to spread the message of forgiveness. DECEMBER 30, 2022 -
DECEMBER 30, 2022 POETRY To my Lil Boodaboo TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 There comez a time, In your life, To where ya don't want drama around, You want peace of mind, Don't wanna be on shaky ground, Don't wanna be a tool of any kind, Don't wanna be lied to, Don't need that knife Going through your heart, Don't wanna fall apart. You do wanna be next to One you wanna love, The one you dream of, The one you fell in love, Somehow you'll know, That cha don't wanna go, There'll be somethang in your heart, That will let you know, You never wanna be apart. To my Lil Boodaboo RON PAGERESKI Groundcover contributor My poetry is bad I must admit. On the open mike, I'm not a hit. But bide your time if you've got a while I'll do my best to make you smile. Inspired to write by one I met who later said I made her fret. She thinks I'm weird, my mind all bubbly but I'm as harmless as a Teletubby. She looks down on me, I fault her not, a humble life is all I've got. Where she went is all a blur, I still long to be friends with her. But social class is her life's story I fall quite short in every category. I'd love to take her out, eat fried chickens she looks down on me like slim pickens. In her mind my face does reside, reminding her of a horse's backside. I said, let's go out and have a beer, she told me, take a long walk on a short pier. I know her heart I'll never win, I thought I told her I don't know how to swim? My thoughts of her are pure, not kinky, But, I'm as virtuous as Tinky Winky I'll never get a letter or call on the phone, I guess I'll eat some fried chicken alone. GROUNDCOVER NEWS Swimming with chickens 11
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Garbanzo bean and vegetable soup ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 2 stalks celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 cup sliced Bella mushrooms (I also use white) 2 tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp tomato paste 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 32 oz. vegetable broth 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1 small zucchini, sliced ¼ cup parsley Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Using a heavy pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add celery, carrot and DECEMBER 30, 2022 onion and sauté for five to six minutes (onions should become translucent). Add the mushrooms, garlic, tomato paste and tomatoes and sauté for another 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the vegetable broth, beans and zucchini. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for a few more minutes. Serve hot. So perfect on a good winter day! PUZZLE SOLUTIONS BECOME A GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR • Make money on your first day • Choose your own schedule • Work for yourself • Join a supportive community • Get started this week for FREE NEW VENDOR ORIENTATIONS ARE EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 10 AM @ THE GCN OFFICE. Trainings take 90 minutes. New vendors will get a temporary badge and 10 free papers to start. BLAKE TRANSIT Willam St. AADL The Groundcover office is located in the basement of Bethlehem United Church of Christ (423 S 4th Ave, downtown Ann Arbor) Packard St. Fifth St. Fourth Ave.
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