2 $ JUNE 14, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 13 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. A tale of two shelters. page 6 MEET YOUR VENDOR: DENISE SHEARER PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Association Football Club shows Ann Arbor that everyone belongs in “the beautiful game.” page 7 AFC-AA women's coach Kevin Taylor gives his team advice before the start of the second half in a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Force, May 24. THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER 2024 VISUAL ARTS CONTEST GROUNDCOVER NEWS STAFF This summer, Groundcover News is not limiting our arts activities to the weekend of the Ann Arbor Art Fair. The first ever Groundcover News Visual Arts Contest is officially live, and we need your help determining the popular winners! We accepted art submissions from homeless/low-income artists in four categories: photo, drawing, painting and mixed media. There will be two winners per category: a juried winner ($250 cash prize) and winner by popular vote ($200 cash prize). Photography submissions are featured in this issue of Groundcover, along with a QR code that leads to the online ballot. Our June 28, July 12 and July 26 issues will feature drawing, painting and mixed media, respectively. Readers can vote for all categories at the same time. Just look for the colorful frame insignia on the cover of the next three issues. For the next eight weeks, Groundcover readers are encouraged to follow along with the contest by buying consecutive issues of Groundcover News, visiting the gallery displays at the AADL and Makeshift Gallery, and voting for your favorite pieces — online or in-person. Popular vote will be calculated based on online votes and in-person gallery votes combined. One vote per individual. The panel of judges choosing the jury winners is composed of artists representing different facets of the Washtenaw County arts scene: T’onna Clemmons, Barry Chattillion, Denali Gere and Ria Daugherty. These judges were hand selected by the production committee because of their arts expertise and committment to community! Special thanks to the Ann Arbor Art Center, the Ann Arbor District Library, the Makeshift Gallery artists and donors for making this possible. TIMELINE OF EVENTS June 20 - July 22: All submitted artwork will be on display at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown branch. In-person voting open. July 24 - September 1: All submitted artwork will be on display at the Makeshift Gallery at 407 E Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor. In-person voting open. Sunday, July 28, 12-2 p.m: We will launch the Makeshift showcase with musical performances, coffee, snacks and words from the artists. August 5: Online and in-person voting closes. August 9: Winners announced. Follow @groundcovernews on Instagram and Facebook to follow arts contest programming throughout the summer! JUNE 14, 2024 PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELFDETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. 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 toward 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 Hanan Husein — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bauman Jim Clark La Shawn Courtwright Robbie February Hosea Hill Mike Jones Tabitha Ludwig James Manning Earl Pullen Jane Reilly Felicia Wilbert 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 PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Zachary Dortzbach Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jane Atkins Jessi Averill Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Simone Masing Emily Paras Caelan Saunders Melanie Wenzel Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Emily Yao Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO A STORY + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org linktr.ee/groundcovernews 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
JUNE 14, 2024 ON MY CORNER MEET YOUR VENDOR Truth or lies: Winter A warm soul with a radiating Denise Shearer, vendor No. 485 Where do you usually sell Groundcover News? On Main Street in front of Your Media Exchange that sells DVDs, CDs and tapes and media stuff. When and why did you start selling Groundcover News? A couple of years ago I think. And I wanted to help myself and help the community and have my own money. What is your favorite thing to do in Ann Arbor? I like to sell Groundcover, I like to go to Sonic Lunch and I like to look at artwork. What is the best thing about selling Groundcover? I help myself and the community at the same time. I get to earn my own money which is something that helps everybody. If you could do anything for a day, what would it be? Go to Frankenmuth. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Hot dogs and chicken noodle soup. What is your superpower? I like to walk. What are your hobbies? Writing and drawing and coloring. What changes would you like to see in Washtenaw County? People not being rude, and better customer service. What would be the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery? Buy some clothes. What song do you have completely memorized? Joy to the World, the Christmas song. smile. I would always see this young lady rolling in her chair down the street when my truck broke down and I started walking to get around. Every time I saw her in the street, she was either rolling in the same direction I was walking or rolling towards me. I often wondered, where did she live? How far did she travel going to Walmart? I would think inside of my head that she is a strong young lady. I know she can’t walk. Her chair is raised in the air, and her legs are stretched out. However, she never let her circumstances hold her down. You could see the resilience in her. Winter would always wave her hand and smile. One particular day I was getting off work and driving with my son in the car. I saw her sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. I pulled over and spoke to her because she was on my block. Now I could find out where she lives. My son asked her if she needed any help. Winter said her battery was dead. She just FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 needed to be pushed over one hump in the sidewalk. I parked my car. Me and my son got out to assist her. As we started pushing, her 16-year-old daughter came to help. Winter started telling us how she had five days to move. I asked her why and what happened. She said that her apartment was not handicap-equipped; how she cannot get up and down the stairs in her apartment. When she got a lawyer from legal aid, they informed her she had been served an eviction and had to move out in five days. I looked at her chair. The left tire was ripped almost into shreds. I wondered how the chair was rolling. I asked her if Medicaid would give her a new chair. Winter said she had gotten the chair when she was living in Kentucky. Here in Alabama, Medicaid would not replace her chair or fix it. Her daughter was pushing with my son. The chair hit the hump and she flipped over! With all the strength we could muster, the three of us picked her up and put her back on her chair. She was embarrassed, however I assured her there was no need to be embarrassed. I explained to her that we are all here to help one another. We continued pushing her home. The sidewalk was cracked up and missing pieces. There was only a makeshift kind of ramp covering the broken sidewalk so she could roll into the house — the house that is not handicap-equipped for her chair or her. After meeting Winter, I could only feel sorrow and shame. Is the world we live in so greedy and uncaring that people really have to live like this? GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 Six years since my world was shattered TABITHA LUDWIG Groundcover vendor No. 360 How am I doing just six short/ long years after my sister's murder? I can honestly say I am handling it a lot better. But am I completely better? No, of course not. I know I will never be completely over it. I think about my sister every single day. I sit and find myself wondering, what would she be doing right now if she was still here? I completely believe her ghost is always with me. I still hate Carla Cole for taking my sister, my best friend, my mom, my protector, away from me. I hate that my sister is gone. But I have a necklace with her ashes inside of it, so I will always have a piece of her. I was able to go to her grave site and see her this year on her birthday. So even though the days are getting better (to be able to cope) that don't mean I don't think of my beautiful sister every day. I try my best not to dwell over what happened because she can't rest in peace if I'm constantly dwelling over what happend. I only listen to songs for her once in a while. And only allow myself to cry about it once in a while. I know I can't change what happened even though I would in a heartbeat if I could. I can't, so I do my best to let my big sister rest in peace. Even though I am technically older now, Crystal, you will always be my big sister. I wish I could see her just one more time. Talk to her again and hear her voice. But I can't. So here is a letter to my sister: To Crystal, I miss you so much, big sissy. I wish you was here. I want so bad to talk to you and hear your voice again. I really hope there is really a heaven. And that you are so happy up there with Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie and Katie B. And everyone else. Please keep dancing in the sky and don't ever stop. Keep an eye over me. Don't get mad at me when I make mistakes and know that I am always thinking of you. I would give anything just to spend another day with you. Know that I love you with all my heart. You was taken way too soon. But I Crystal and Tabitha know that you're not in pain anymore. And you're now able to look over all of us that you love and care about and be our angel. And I just know that is what you're doing. You was the best big sissy I could have ever asked for. I don't want to ever think of what I would have been without you. Thank you for always being there for me when I needed you the most. I love you and I miss you so much. I know you're looking down and very proud of me right now. You will forever be missed. Please rest in peace, I miss your whole face. Love, Your little sister, Tabitha.
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMUNITY CARE Nonpolice rapid response On one of the chat apps there is a group called "Non-police Rapid Response.'' The 41 members of the chat are neighbors, community activists and radicals who attempt to respond to community emergencies in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a volunteer fire department. What the NPRR seeks to accomplish is to respond to 911-level crises for the street community. The crises could be violent conflicts, campers who are being evicted by police, or first aid and mental health emergencies. In its infancy, NPRR did not have the capacity to respond to emergencies until recently. Many of the members are involved in homelessness solidarity activism where there is a lot of need for camping assistance, propane, clothing and other basic life needs. These kinds of calls are routine. A call was made to Pastor Anna Taylor-McCants of FedUp Ministries on Saturday May 4 by a local business owner. Someone experiencing homelessness was on her doorstep threatening suicide. Here is the chat app conversation: Anna: Anyone available to rapid respond to a business owner in Ypsi who just called me with a suicidal man in her shop? I'm at least 15 minutes away. Blue*: where's the business? Anna: A2 Vintage, Michigan and Washington. Red: I'm available, feel free to DM. Orange: Same. Anna: How close are y'all? If you can go there, that would be amazing. Will DM. Yellow: I can be there in 15 minutes. Blue: I think I'm too far away at the moment, looking at the map. I'm also about 15 minutes away, and I have to wait here for a second. Orange: I could be there in the next 10. Anna: you're all so amazing! Red, please call for backup, and Orange or I will join you. Green: Wow, this is beautiful. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered. This is exactly what I hoped would happen with this group chat. Sending y'all and the person in question lots of warmth and good vibes. Anna: I'm on my way too. Was waiting for someone to pick up bikes at my house. Thanks for going, and for all y'all who are willing to go. Backstory on this particular business owner. They seem to be good people who care about those in our marginalized street community who they have a relationship with anyway. This was the first time someone from JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 the general community reached out to the NPRR chat to call in an emergency. The members represent community organizing groups like FedUp, Growing Hope and Care-Based Safety to name a few. The NPRR hopes to be an alternative for the community’s vulnerable population, calling for compassion and peer-based care instead of calling the police. Anna tells the group, “They [the local business owners] feel pretty abandoned by all the powers that be in the community. Pastorally, I hear that and feel it deeply with all the businesses. The City of Ypsi has failed so many people lately.” She adds that while we are aware that our folks on the street have issues and challenges, we also know that our community is better when everyone is thriving. “We're here to support everyone and reduce harm everywhere.” Here are the last communications on the chat: Anna: The owner just texted me that [Red] got there, and I'm so thankful. There will be so much more of this throughout the summer. So it's nice to know our team will have a place to turn when we need reinforcements. It's going to be a beautiful summer! Yellow: standing by in case another person would help. FYI. Red: Things are definitely under control. Thanks, y'all. Kelly Callison has been the proprietor of a2vintage for over 10 years. Earlier that Saturday a man came into the store and struck up a conversation with Kelly. They talked about music and culture for a few minutes then he said goodbye. A few minutes after he left, it started to rain. The man came back, Kelly assumed because of the rain. He approached her and asked if she knew of any mental health resources. He began tearing up and said he was contemplating suicide. Kelly offered him space to cry, vent, and process. She invited him into her sitting room and gave him water, company and reassurance. “I didn’t know what else to do at that point, so I called Pastor Anna of FedUp. A few minutes later a member of the chat showed up and together we JUNE 14, 2024 Posted on MPD150.com talked, laughed and played games,” said Kelly. “The man somehow came here from another city where all his personal possessions were being held by the police. Anna was able to take him to the places he needed to go to collect his things.” Kelly says she was happy to help. People come into her store all the time to talk and hang out. She stressed how important it is to watch out for each other in the neighborhood. “I am all about community, I do my part. I would like to see the other business owners step up.” Kelly said. A few days later another member of the chat was approached by a woman stranded in Ypsilanti. “Mary” was dropped off at St. Joseph's Hospital from Indiana, where she is from. She never explained how she got there, but her ride abandoned her. She was slightly disoriented and needed a bus ticket to get home. The problem was that she had no cash. The call went out on the NPRR chat at 10 a.m. By 4 p.m., an hour before the bus was due to depart, the members of the chat pooled $125, bought the ticket and sent Mary home. Local activists find that some members of the street community, people who are actively or formerly homelessness, have had negative interactions with the police. Some have been incarcerated or are currently in the legal system. Often people on probation or parole do not want to be around police simply because their presence is triggering. Even though these people are not doing anything wrong, their fear keeps them from calling the police for help. Situations escalate, neighbors or bystanders call the police, people on the street seen as the problem regardless of their involvement or motives. Someone who is defending themself from another individual experiencing a mental illness episode may get arrested for fighting. It is this breakdown in our community safety system the NPRR is trying to patch. The group is still trying to decide how organized they should be and what kinds of emergencies they can respond to. At the core though, they agree the police/carceral system is obsolete. The reality is police and prisons disrupt the synergy of a community by dividing it as opposed to organizing it. It’s time to stop the revolving door. Not just by replacing the door, but by tearing down the building to which it is attached. There are successful models of community-based safety collectives. One example is the MPD150. Don’t let the name fool you, the Minneapolis Police Department 150 is an activist group made up of a cross section of the demographics in Minneapolis. The primary purpose of the group is to push the police-free-communities discussion from reform to systemic change. The name of the group is based on a report titled “Enough is Enough: A 150-Year Performance Review of the Minneapolis Police Department." The group is not affiliated with the police department. Here are some suggestions they make about community-based safety: 1. An easy one: STOP calling the police when it’s clearly unnecessary. 2. Get trained in first aid, crisis de-escalation and restorative justice. 3. Build community all the time, not just in times of trouble. 4. If you DO need police, go to them instead of calling them to you. 5. With mental health crises, remember to center the person in crisis. 6. Make a list of local services/ hotlines you can call instead of the police. 7. Support organizations that really do keep our communities healthy. 8. Zoom in and find solutions where you are. 9. Engage in policy work that can prevent, rather than just punish, crime. 10. Dream bigger: there was a time see RESPONSE next page
JUNE 14, 2024 COMMUNITY CARE FedUp Ministries grand reopening From Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti, FedUp Ministries has been feeding low-income and homeless people, not only food to sustain life, but also food for thought and spiritual growth, while also providing employment and volunteering opportunities in our community. Servicing the Washtenaw Community for four years, FedUp has now opened their ministries of presence in the heart of downtown Ypsilanti. Their first day of operation was June 3. In the month of April, FedUp Ministries announced they had made an agreement with Growing Hope to rent the front space in the old bank at 16 S. Washington Street (now called Black Lives Matter Boulevard) which Growing Hope is using as a farmers’ market and incubator kitchen. The agreement is that FedUp Ministries will rent the building to provide services for those in need of food, clothing, showers, laundry, bathroom, and more. FedUp will rent space for the summer on a trial basis to see how things turn out. On June 3, 2024, FedUp Ministries opened its doors for free services that include (see schedule on next page): • Church service • Prepared hot meals: breakfast and lunch • Showers • Laundry • Bathrooms • Fun activities and more! I got to speak to my friend Pastor Anna, and I asked her how she feels about serving the community in the heart of downtown Ypsilanti. She said, ”It is exciting and there is a need for a ‘third space’ — your first space is your home, your second space is your work, and third is where you can come (without the expectation to have to pay money) in order to have a social space to https://fedupministries.org/give, please donate because these provided services are needed in our community." As I continued to mosey around, MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 belong; most people we serve can’t afford to patronize local restaurants and bars to socialize. We want to create a space where people can get their basic needs met and have a community environment where all people feel welcome to come and be social and find a sense of belonging, which they might struggle to find elsewhere.” I asked her, how do you feel, and plan to adjust to serving the community five days a week versus 2-3 times a week, basically going from a parttime to a full-time operation? “ We do usually work five to six day work weeks with our catering services, that helps with providing our free services to those in need, so we are used to working a full-time schedule, and I’m hoping this provides better scheduling structure for staff by having a base, and a daily routine, as we also continue to serve in a mobile capacity as well.” I wrapped up by asking: Is there anything else you would like the public to know? “I would like for people to know they can donate to our organization on our website: I ran into kitchen team lead Caelan Saunders and one of the cooks, Todd Crawley, at FedUp Ministries. I asked both of them how the first day has been so far. Saunders said “... exciting to see all the people come by and enjoy themselves and get the food they need because I believe these services should be happening year round, so I’m really happy to be a part of getting this all set up for a fun hot summer.” Crawley said, “This is the best job I ever had because I love to cook and serve the community.” I then asked Crawley, “What is your favorite dish to dish out?” “Chicken wings," he said; “they are better than Buffalo Wild Wings.” So, there you have it folks. Free food, showers, laundry, bathrooms, Sunday worship, and other services and activities right there in downtown Ypsi. FedUp Ministries Summer 2024 Schedule: Sunday: Church Service 10 a.m. and food truck 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Growing Hope location, portable showers and bathrooms available. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: Breakfast from 9-11a.m. Lunch from 12-3 p.m. Portable showers and bathrooms available. Every Wednesday: food truck will serve free lunch at Liberty Plaza at 12 p.m. in Ann Arbor and at the Ypsilanti Transit Center at 1:30-2:30 p.m. 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 home tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out. The Summer Game If you’re reading this, the 2024 Summer Game has officially commenced! Use your Library this summer to find codes, solve puzzles, attend events, and earn points toward awesome AADL prizes. Visit aadl.org/play to learn more and get started! Michigan Activity Pass With a valid library card from any Michigan public library, you can print a pass to participating organizations, including museums and state parks, through the Michigan Activity Pass website. Some partners offer complimentary or reduced-price admission; others, discounts in their gift shop or other exclusive offers. FEATURED EVENT AADL AT RESPONSE from last page before police, and there will be a time after. Community-based safety has been around in other forms: volunteer fire departments, neighborhood watch programs that include “safe zones” which are trusted neighbors whom kids can turn to for help. I remember being in the safety patrol in elementary school. Our primary goal was to make sure our peers were not hit by cars on the way home. We had structure, training, guidelines and leadership. Our purpose was simple and our method based on community response. Each volunteer was posted near their own home and would stand on the corner blocking students if there were cars in the intersection. We wore orange sashes to indicate our role. We had no authority, we were simply taking turns keeping each other safe. There are many community-based safety organizations popping up around the country. Hopefully, with them will come the shift in consciousness necessary to replace our current justice system with something that works better — a system based on compassion and care as opposed to policing, control and oppression. *Names have been changed. June 14–30 at Ann Arbor Summer Fest: Top of the Park AADL is thrilled to partner with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival to host a medley of performances and events for 2024, including family-friendly Kids Rock performances and Top of the Park editions of World Famous Trivia and Nerd Nite! Check out the full schedule of AADL events at A2SF at aadl.org/a2sf. 5
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS LGBTQ+ A tale of two shelters ROBBIE FEBRUARY Groundcover contributor Imagine being in a situation where you have no home, no place to feel safe, and on top of that, you're facing challenges just because of who you are. This is the reality for many transgender couples experiencing homelessness. We’ll compare how two shelters, the Delonis Center in Ann Arbor and the Salvation Army Safety Dorms in Las Vegas, Nevada, support transgender couples. The Delonis Center: Ann Arbor The Delonis Center is like a big safety net for people without homes in Ann Arbor. It’s run by the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and offers meals, medical care and help finding permanent housing. They do their best to welcome everyone, but let’s see how they handle the specific needs of transgender couples. Inclusivity and Sensitivity: The Delonis Center aims to be welcoming to all, but imagine being in a place where people don’t quite get your unique struggles. Transgender couples sometimes face discrimination or lack of understanding from staff and other residents. Housing Accommodations: Here’s the tricky part. The Delonis Center has separate sleeping areas for men and women. This can be a big problem for transgender couples because it might mean they have to sleep apart, which isn’t great for their emotional health. Privacy and Safety: Everyone needs to feel safe, especially those who might be more vulnerable to harassment. The Shelter Association tries to provide private rooms for families, but there aren’t always enough to go around. Support Services: While there are case management and medical care, transgender individuals might need more specific help — like counseling for gender dysphoria or hormone therapy. These services are often not available or in short supply. Salvation Army Safety Dorms: Las Vegas, Nevada Now, let’s travel to Las Vegas. The Salvation Army has set up special Safety Dorms for LGBTQ+ individuals, including transgender people. They’ve created a space specifically designed to be safe and supportive for this Lynnie and Sean community. Inclusivity and Sensitivity: The Safety Dorms are all about inclusivity. The staff here are trained to understand the unique challenges faced by transgender individuals and couples. This creates a much more welcoming environment. Housing Accommodations: Unlike the binary setup at the Delonis Center, the Safety Dorms offer flexible housing arrangements. This means transgender couples can stay together, which is super important for their well-being. Privacy and Safety: Privacy and safety are top priorities here. With private rooms and secure facilities, transgender residents can feel protected from harassment and violence. Support Services: The Safety Dorms go above and beyond with specialized support services. They offer medical care, counseling, and even legal assistance tailored to the needs of transindividuals. This kind of gender comprehensive support is crucial for helping them rebuild their lives. Lynnie and Sean: a transgender couple at the Delonis Center Meet Lynnie and Sean, a couple who found themselves at the Delonis Center in November 2023. Because of the gender-segregated sleeping areas, see SHELTER page 8 JUNE 14, 2024 Vote for your favorite photo and view submissions to the other three media categories online at linktr.ee/ groundcovernews Voting closes August 5! Mike Jones Cindy Gere Joe Woods Norma Jean Cisneros Hosea Hill
JUNE 14, 2024 SPORTS GROUNDCOVER NEWS Association Football Club shows Ann Arbor that everyone belongs in "the beautiful game" Creating history is hard. Eliminating bigotry is difficult. The Association Football Club - Ann Arbor is proving both are possible, even exciting, wonderful and especially fun. Jamey Amrine, one of the AFC-AA founders, said it is a community-based soccer club, focused on equity, justice and anti-racism. The men's team started in 2014, the women's in 2018. Both teams play in the Great Lakes Division of the United Soccer League, a national pre-professional league. The women play in USL W and the men, USL League Two. The USL wants to increase gender equity and provide opportunities to play, coach, officiate and work in soccer in a safe, inclusive manner, according to its website. “As a white guy, I know about undue power and bias," Amrine said. "We try to challenge bias and figure out how to change things." Some changes are unusual, such as risking a league fine for not playing the National Anthem because Francis Scott Key was a slave owner, or allowing Claire Cahalan to wear the captain's "C" on her right pride sock instead of her arm. AFC-AA midfielder Thiago Dos Santos wears his pride stripe on his left arm and a USL fourth official wears his on the right cuff of his red jacket. Some innovations are major, like helping found the Anti-Racist Soccer Clubs Coalition in 2020 and Community Leadership Revolution Academy of Ypsilanti in 2021. Some changes are local, like partnering with Food Gatherers, the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program and the Humane Society on Father's Day June 16 for the women's match vs. the Michiana JANE REILLY Groundcover vendor No. 611 7 Lions. Or hosting a food and household goods drive for SOS Community Services, June 30, at the women's final home game against Detroit City FC. United Way for Books will also participate. AFC-AA players and staff also are volunteering for cleanup and landscaping projects at all five of SOS Community Services' Ypsilanti locations, according to AFC-AA Facebook. Some promote thoughtfulness such as donating six trees to the City of Ann Arbor for each Mighty Oak goal this season in honor of Ann Arbor's bicentennial celebration May 25. AFC-AA also acknowledged the Anishinaabe people of the Three Fires Confederacy — the Ojibwe, Ottawa, Potawatomi and the Wyandot before the game and dressed in "Tree Canopy Kits," tree green uniforms. Some changes are about different styles of protest. In a chippy 0-0 tie on June 1 against Michiana, the referee gave a yellow card (a behavior warning) to the AFC-AA men's bench saying, "It's about respect." As the game progressed, the referee said to AFC-AA coach Rod Asllani, "I'm just trying to explain the logic of the rule, about why I made that call." Asllani replied, "I don't understand that logic." Top: Orion McHugh taking a corner kick in AFC-AA'S 1-0 victory over Oakland County FC. Bottom: (L-R) Ami Komori, Chiara Premoli (standing), Yuliana Herrera, Lina Berrah, Emily Eitzman, Holli Brown (GK), Sydney Osgood, Sandra Pedersen. Players from both AFC-AA teams meet with fans after every home game, weather permitting. Photo courtesy of the Eitzman Family. Both coaches spoke in calm, neutral tones until the 90th minute, when both teams were striving for the winning goal. The fourth official said, "Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet," also neutral and calm. There were no physical fights or tantrums and rarely cursing in a game that featured some dangerous play on a field slick with light rain. There were eight yellow cards, four per side, and one red card to AFC-AA. Surprisingly, it was the AFC-AA fans that cursed a call during the women's first loss, 1-0 to Midwest United, June 2. Through June 3, the men are 2-1-2 and the women 3-1-1. Some changes are financial, like free admission every game for 13-under and a $2 ticket discount at the gate for fans who donate to AFC-AA community partners. AFC-AA donates $2 for every ticket purchased online. Some changes are historic. AFC-AA right defensive back Emily Eitzman, the Outreach Coordinator for the U-M Adaptive Sports Student Group, was honored on Women and Girls in Sports and Community Day for starting the first amputee soccer program in Michigan in November 2023. The U-M Amputee Soccer team played a halftime exhibition at the AFC-AA Interest women's home opener, a 1-0 victory over Kalamazoo FC, May 19 at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School's Hollway Field. There was free admission for all who identify as women, girls and non-binary. The USL accepts transgender athletes. Midfielder/Forward Bridget Kopmeyer, 14, became the youngest player in Mighty Oak history to score a goal, May 29, a 3-1 victory over Michiana. Kopmeyer, a Pioneer sophomore in 2024-25, plays U-15 for Internationals Girls Soccer of Medina, OH, an Elite Clubs National League regional team. The previous youngest player was Eitzman, 17, in 2019. "She's been selected to a national pool for her age group," AFC-AA coach Kevin Taylor said about Kopmeyer, who is very fast. "She's willing to do whatever needs to be done to be part of the team. When you come to a team like this, when everyone's a top player, the goal is to just come together as a team as fast as possible." Taylor, Asllani and opposing coaches are available to fans after each game, win or lose. Jenna Trubiano, the U-M Women's Ice Hockey Club Coach, and see SOCCER page 11
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS LGBTQ+ SHELTER from page 6 they had to sleep apart. This separation added to their stress and made it harder for them to access the support they needed. Despite the center’s efforts, the lack of specialized services and understanding from some staff members made their stay challenging. Lynnie felt forced to misidentify to a gender that was not her own in order to stay with Sean. Safety was also an issue. Sean stated, “There were many times while staying at the Delonis Center where we felt unsafe. It felt that the staff were not listening to our concerns when we were often threatened by other guests.” Lynnie continued this thought by saying, “When we were staying there, we couldn’t sleep. We were unable to exist without harassment for who we were. I was physically assaulted many times before I felt forced to fight back. My assailants were not punished, but when we stood up for ourselves; we were banned from Delonis.” Lynnie and Sean took to the streets from there. They are very thankful for MISSION helping them with daily tasks, food, showers, etc. They are hoping that past projects like the “Lavender Project” return so that they can find temporary housing without social stigma and fear of violence. Now, let’s time-travel back to 2022 and meet Lynnie and Sean again at the Safety Dorms in Las Vegas. They found a welcoming and understanding environment where they could stay together. The flexible housing and specialized support services helped them feel safe and supported. With access to medical care, counseling, and legal assistance, they were able to start taking steps towards independence. Lynnie had some good experiences there. She felt comfortable expressing herself and was able to find community in the dorms. Sean stated, “I felt comfortable in the safety dorms. I felt the staff were looking out for us. I was able to get identification and get a job with their help.” Policy recommendations So, what can be done to improve shelter options for transgender individuals and couples? Here are a few ideas: Flexible Housing Arrangements: Shelters should adopt housing arrangements that respect the identities and relationships of transgender individuals. This means more private rooms and non-binary accommodations. Specialized Training for Staff: Staff should receive training to better understand and support transgender residents. This includes learning about gender identity and the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Comprehensive Support Services: Shelters need to offer services tailored to the needs of transgender individuals. This includes medical care, counseling, and legal assistance. Inclusive Policies and Practices: Implementing inclusive policies can help create a safer and more supportive environment. This means having anti-discrimination policies and measures to prevent harassment and violence. Community Partnerships: Shelters should partner with local LGBTQ+ organizations to enhance their support services. These partnerships can provide valuable resources and expertise. The Delonis Center in Ann Arbor and the Salvation Army Safety Dorms in Las Vegas both aim to help people experiencing homelessness, but their approaches to supporting transgender JUNE 14, 2024 individuals and couples are quite different. The Safety Dorms’ focus on inclusivity, flexible housing, and specialized support services provides a more effective model. By learning from these examples, other shelters can improve their services for transgender individuals and couples. Flexible housing arrangements, specialized training for staff, comprehensive support services, inclusive policies, and community partnerships are key to creating a more supportive environment. Let’s work towards a future where all individuals, regardless of their gender identity, can find a safe and welcoming place.
JUNE 14, 2024 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS CROSSWORD from the International Network of Street Papers 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. ACROSS 1. Happening 6. Accommodate 11. Barbie's beau 14. Wilkes-___, Pa. 15. Biblical gift 16. Anger 17. To shorten a word 19. Adage 20. Correct, as text 21. Puddinglike dessert 23. Become attached 26. A type of gun dog 27. Arm ___ 28. Jump in 29. Choice food 30. Nonsensical 31. "___ lost!" 34. Enormous birds of myth 35. In a fitting way 36. ___ fruit 37. ___ Wednesday 38. Gray 39. Jack 40. Fancy trim 42. Hang around 43. "Joe ___" 45. Vacuum cleaners 46. Russian chess master 47. Cheese 48. Victorian, for one 49. Oil revenue 54. "___ alive!" 55. Dickens's ___ Heep 56. Convex molding 57. Born, in bios 58. ___ bear 59. Australian slang for "Yank" DOWN 1. "The ___ Daba Honeymoon" 2. Marvelous, in slang 3. Sun, e.g. 4. Solar system art 5. Pours metal 6. Nitrogen compound 7. Pair 8. "A jealous mistress": Emerson 9. Immediately 10. Husky voice 11. Keeps livestock in 12. Clear, as a disk 13. Supports a winding staircase 18. Docs for dachshunds 22. Commercial prefix with vision 23. African capital 24. Pandemonium 25. An advertising slogan 26. Disgrace 28. Used for securing mooring lines 30. Arguments 32. Young eel 33. Layers 35. Burn treatment 36. Another name for gastropod 38. To spoon ice cream 39. African antelope 41. Babysitter's handful 42. Forte 43. Coil of yarn 44. Bill of fare 45. Ado 47. Alum 50. Bolivian export 51. Chop (off) 52. Matterhorn, e.g. 53. "Winnie-the-Pooh" baby
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS THINK ABOUT IT Human rights are not universally inherent Humanity and its history of attempted peaceful coexistence can be reasonably described as a series of epic failures. Our history, pockmarked with countless wars and conflicts, provides compelling evidence that getting along with each other is not a priority among us. So though we may view our present-day world as one that is civilized and considerate of all people, reality seems at odds with this optimistically polished self-assessment. There are many people out there whose lives are a living hell and very unlikely to improve despite whatever actions they take towards a better life. Unfortunately, all the talk we hear of equality and human rights can't even be called naive promises for the simple fact they are distant dreams. Many people truly believe and wish for a world where everybody gets a fair shot at a happy life, and there may come a time where that may be a possibility, but for the foreseeable future the systems we have in place not only undermine universal human rights, but actually reject them. That is unless you are born into privilege. If not, your public image can develop social stigmas that can truly make everything you set out to do devoid of any significant value based on the fact that you only can be whatever stereotype is assigned to such stigma. Furthermore, should you make any meaningful progress despite society's utter contempt, there certainly are people so invested in their intolerance for you that they would not stand by and allow such undeserved victories to ever be present in your life. Sadly, as I mentioned, what you're born into will probably play a substantial role in the direction your life takes and whether you receive support or face constant trials. Now some would argue the whole overcoming adversity and finding success in some rags to riches motivational story. I have my own brand of skepticism of such accounts. Especially when I suspect the reason there never seems to be any statistics attached to these accounts is because such occurrences are actually extremely rare, and the motivation of these stories is manipulation. Perhaps they keep you in line by distracting you from the odds you actually face, and therefore make you unlikely to take a more drastic approach towards your dream of happiness and contentment. That may sound extremely negative, pessimistic and —for lack of a better word — evil. But if you consider what humans are capable of doing to each more than just being handed all the money I could ever desire would award me happiness. All I want is that chance I was promised. But that time has passed and this JAMES MANNING Groundcover vendor No. 16 other along with our tragically flawed history — it goes from possible to predictable. Then there is the influence of my own life experiences which does nothing to help my outlook either. I was certainly not born into ideal circumstances, not to mention the damage and difficulty spawned by the associating psychological traumas and abuses! The reason I can easily call the very notion of human rights naive and immature is obvious: I lived a good deal of my life without them. This is thanks to that social stigma I mentioned. Thanks to the convenient stereotype that without doubt my situation is of my own design and definitely well deserved because the truth — well, screw the truth! — because the here and now views me as a second-class citizen, regardless of what happened, and I deserve every disadvantage and hardship I face. And if I got cheated out of the chance I was told everyone in our perfect world received? If I hit adulthood five years earlier than the standards applied to everybody? Well, the day my life went from suspecting betrayal to confirmed betrayal, I lost any rights as a person when I was discarded like trash by those who raised me. The moment I faced poverty completely alone, I was no longer an underage teen or worthy of investment. I was undesirable, only useful for exploitation. And I haven't mattered since. So I consider the notion of human rights laughable because if this is acceptable, then we as a species have a very long way to go before we have the right to even think about achieving equality. If you're an uncompassionate, “hang them-all and let God sort them” type wondering why I'm not suing people left and right, it's because at times going through hell can make a better person out of you, and contrary to popular belief, I don't care about petty revenge because that is not what I truly desire and it would serve no useful purpose to me. No world will never ever willingly see me granted one. Because the past and what was done doesn't change the worthless non-entity I am now perceived as. If I'm given any thought at all, the nature of my life story will be labeled a fabricated pity generator to justify doing stereotypical bum things. Unreflecting people seem to think my life situation is as a result of character flaws. So I don't have an abundance of hope for anything because my goals will be fought against every step of the way in a rigged system that will passively receive my organs but will award me no lenience in my unwelcome life. So back to the question: do human rights exist? In a broad and general sense, no they do not, and they won't for quite some time. I wish I could reassure those who are concerned about this assessment that I have some optimism, but then I would feel like I lied. I'm very familiar with the disappointment of putting stock into something as many people do in human rights, and would not wish it on others despite whatever is wished on me. I find it amusing in some sick-joke kind of way that one strategy that may work at escaping financial hardship is to adopt the acceptable character trait of normality that is never applied to the less fortunate. You have to be “wanted” in some way in order to get some of these privileges. Otherwise, people are happy to just consign you to oblivion. It would require dishonesty, deception and lying to create so much distance from the stigmatizing label that you become completely unrecognizable. So if one wanted any hope at some kind of life that doesn't end in a labor camp, they just have to be the kind of sell-out jerk you promised to never be, and somewhere in the back of your mind consider it one more insulting defeat. Additionally, there is no guarantee I am speaking for others in similar positions due to the diversity found among the homeless. Despite the generalized characteristics assumed for uncaring, simplistic sake. In my particular case, I find myself facing a messed-up dilemma made more complex by my unique view of things and the weird morality, born out of rebellion against my self-appointed overlords, - that I assign a good deal of importance to. Of course that grates against the only method I believe to be effective for my pursuit of better days. And so that about sums up my thoughts on the issue of human rights and their implementation or exclusion in America. Whatever you believe, and hopefully somebody finds this informative instead of depressing, because it's not my intent to promote defeatism but rather attempt to underscore the humanity of the world's abused and doubtless unwanted. The parting wisdom I wish to leave you is my suggestion that if you don't approve of the visible reminders of how inadequate and imperfect the system that blesses you actually is, then perhaps try approaching the issue more open-mindedly and create avenues of escape for these folks rather than entrap them in stagnating hopelessness that leans towards the solution of sterilization rather than healing. I mean how can anyone seriously expect somebody who spends every day fighting without end to just concede to a life of discontent as the system seems to want? Expecting people to do that is worthy of ridicule! JUNE 14, 2024 exp. 01/31/2025
JUNE 14, 2024 POETRY Finding Clarence LA SHAWN COURTWRIGHT Groundcover vendor No. 56 Lion's roar EARL PULLEN Groundcover contributor They said that they cared for Clarence but they don’t Haven’t seen my baby Since he was three days old Been trying to locate him for seven years now The date he was born 11-21-1998 He’s almost 26 years old They want me to pay to find my baby They gave away Social services are a messed up thing All they brought to my life was other disasters and continuous pain I just pray to God almighty to see My baby Clarence again As a lion roars He’s a majestic beast Does he get his roar From the west or the east? Some people wonder about this thing Called a beast He’s got his pride Or so it seems He has no plot And he has no scheme Just a magical dream Or so it seems. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 SOCCER from page 7 International Football Association to environmental activist Isabel (Izzy) Sutton, a Pioneer junior in 2024-2025, were also honored before the women's home opener as Sports and Community Role Models. Sutton, who convinced AFC-AA to switch from single-use plastic, is nationally recognized for helping Ann Arbor nonprofits, including those for wildlife, education and the homeless, according to the Ann Arbor Public School District News and MLive. Eitzman, a 2024 U-M graduate in Neuroscience, wants the amputee soccer program to become an official club in the U-M ASF Program. ASF has four official club programs, adaptive track and field, wheelchair basketball, tennis and rugby. ASF also began the Adaptive Sports and Inclusive Recreation Initiative in 2021 which today has adaptive sports in all middle school grades in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, according to the ASIRI web site. Eastern Michigan University also has an adaptive sports club. The Ann Arbor YMCA integrates everyone into the same classes. Along with the Y, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Parks and Recreation offers swimming and other sports to athletes with disabilities. LaQuinta Haynes, a U-M Amputee Soccer player, and Eitzman were roommates when the United States Amputee Football Federation (USAFF) was invited by the Federation promote amputee soccer at the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Eitzman is USAFF Director of Collegiate Development, Technical Director and on the Board of Directors. Haynes, a right defensive back for the United States National Amputee Women's Soccer team, will compete in the inaugural World Amputee Football Federation Women's Amputee Soccer World Cup, Nov. 2-11, 2024 in Barranquilla, Columbia. The U.S. National Amputee Women's Team is in its second year. "I didn't play sports," said Haynes, who lost her right leg from cancer. "It's about mastery. I kept doing everything. Now what can I master?" "If you really want to do something in this sport, U-M opens the door for you," William Mullen said, "but you have to want to do it." Mullen and Haynes, who played in the halftime exhibition, travel from Columbus, Ohio to work out with the ASF program. Both U-M Amputee Soccer and the ASF Program are open to everyone in the community including non-students and non-limb deficient athletes. U-M Amputee Soccer began five weeks of practice every Tuesday June 4-July 2 at Hubbard or Mitchell fields. Contact emily@amputeesoccer.com for more information. "We want to be inclusive," Eitzman and her friend Danae Moriarty agreed. "We don't want to close it off to anyone." Moriarty, born without her left arm, and Eitzman grew up together playing at the Saline Soccer Association for Coach Mackenzie Gilmore, who today is the President of the USAFF. The USAFF, founded in January 2023 according to its website, encompasses all ages and genders. It believes "through soccer all can be elevated, empowered and respected." "We're very forward thinking," said Nick Lacy, in charge of AFC-AA’s sponsorship and community outreach. "We love Ann Arbor and appreciate [its] support. We like to be a place where families can come out and have a great time watching some sports. We like to be a place where everyone can come together regardless of who they are. That's one of the things about ‘the beautiful game.’ It brings people together from all walks of life."
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Easy homemade pizza dough ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F) 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1 teaspoon white sugar 2 ½ cups bread flour 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Directions: Add yeast and sugar to the warm water. Mix and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, oil and salt to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth. You can do this by hand or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to make it easier. Let it rest for five minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread crust with sauce and toppings of your choice. Bake in the preheated oven at 450 degrees until golden brown (15 to 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Topped with just cheese or some delicious fresh vegetables, this is delicious! PUZZLE SOLUTIONS JUNE 14, 2024
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