TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER Social Justice Good Trouble As a Strategy for Addressing Injustices Ed Conn interviews Lorna Gonsalves who has drafted a children's book on social justice called: Mina Makes Some Good Trouble. Page 9 Land as Good as Gold: The Wildwood Story Scott Carpenter, Director of Public Relations of Metroparks Toledo, weaves the fascinating tale on how the country estate of Champion Spark Plug co-founder, R.A. Stranahan, became a public park. Page 8 INSPIRING HOPE • FOSTERING COMMUNITY • CULTIVATING CHANGE Toledo Streets is a member of the International Network of Street Newspapers Issue 110 $1 One Dollar suggested donation. Your donation directly benefits the vendor. Please only buy from badged vendors.
TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER 3 4 4 6 7 P 8 The Wildwood Story Photos courtesy of Metroparks Toledo Mina and Omara from Mina Makes Some Good Trouble P 9 11 9 13 The Tulsa Massacre P 11 8 Social justice Ed Conn shares his baby steps into social justice activism. Looking at Bias in the Mirror Connie Huss-Boyle shares her personal story of unconscious bias. Who are Today's Change makers? Student founders of Teens Against Racial Injustices help identify today's change makers. What is Causing the Violence against the Asian American Community? Ed Conn explores the root causes of violence against Asian Americans, which traces back to the 1800s. Socal Justice Reading Franco Vitella of Toledo Lucas County Public Library shares 5 book titles on social justice. Land as Good as Gold: The Wildwood Story Scott Carpenter, Director of Public Relations of Metroparks Toledo, weaves the fascinating tale on how the country estate of Champion Spark Plug cofounder, R.A. Stranahan, became a public park. Good Trouble as a Strategy for Addressing injustices Ed Conn interviews Lorna Gonsalves who has drafted a children's book on social justice called: Mina Makes Some Good Trouble. A Warning from History Steven MacKenzie interviews historian Scott Ellsworth about the events that destroyed a vibrant black community in Tulsa. Director's Desk Arika Michaelis, Executive Director of Toledo Streets, thanks the generous supporters who continue to believe in the TSN mission. Page 2
Social Justice By Ed Conn Two weeks after moving to Toledo, our downstairs neighbor Lorna Gonsalves (Goo d Troubles as a Strategy for Addressing Injustices page 9) asked if I would join a protest downtown. Someone she knew was on death row convicted on charges that were less than credible. We loaded up the protest signs and headed for Lucas County Courthouse. A small group of around ten people were waiting and gave us a generous greeting. Five minutes later, after receiving instructions on what we can and cannot do legally we began to march around the court house. Two policemen kept an eye on us, admonishing one of our members when he stepped on the courthouse grounds. We continued to circle the courthouse, singing and chanting along the way for another 45 minutes. At 1 pm we stopped, hugged one another, and retreated back to our vehicles, agreeing to gather again for another cause. Admittedly, I am not the activist in our family. That honor went to my older brother Andy, who worked diligently until his dying day to fi ght the injustices of economic inequality, police brutality, and public water rights in California. I have always admired the Andys and Lornas for carrying the torch of activism. As our country becomes more toxic with political, cultural, and racial divisiveness, I am fi nding it harder to stand by and watch as others hit the streets. I am far from woke but will admit I am trying harder to make my voice heard. Thom Hartmann, the radio commentator on Sirrus Progressive Radio, ends his broadcast each day with this message: “Democracy is not a spectator sport.” It is time for all of us to stand up for what is right. Issue 110 of Toledo Streets is themed Social Justice. Connie Huse-Boyle (Looking at Bias in the Mirror page 4) writes about her fi rst hand account of unconscious bias as a school teacher. Students and founders of Teens Against Racial Injustice, Zoe Reid and Isabelle Whitehurst, ask Who are the Change Makers? on page 4. I explore the history of violence against the Asian American Community on page 6. Our good friend and librarian Franco Vitella offers up 5 book titles on social justice available at the Toledo Lucas County Public Libraries (page 7). Scott Carpenter, Director of Public Relations of Metroparks Toledo, weaves the fascinating tale on how the country estate of Champion Spark Plug co-founder, R.A. Stranahan, became a public park (Land as Good as Gold: The Wildwood Story page 8). A Warning from History page 11 tells the story of theTulsa Massacre 100 years ago which all but destroyed a vibrant prosperous black community by an angry white mob. We close our issue with a word of thanks from our Executive Director Arika Michaelis for the generousity and kindness of the people of Toledo in helping us get through this past year. Buy a Paper Get Informed Take Action Toledo Streets and its vendors are a powerful, community driven solution to the problem of homelessness. Our vendors earn their way out of their individual situations through a collaboration of journalism, local business partners and their own hard work. Use these four steps to be a part of the solution. Meet Vendors • Vendors -- the people who sell the paper -- are at the core of Toledo Streets' mission. Each year more than 70 indiviuals work as vendors with Toledo Streets. At any given time, more than 25 vendors are at work, in the rain, snow, or heat. Vendors play an active role in the management of TS, meeting regularly to discuss issues of concern and even serving on our board. • With the money made selling the newspaper, vendors are able to secure basic needs, independence and dignity, and work toward obtaining housing. Vendors buy papers for a quarter and sell them for a $1, keeping all income and tips for each sale. Toledo Streets tries to tie its editorial to three basic principals: • Inspiring Hope, Fostering Community, and Cultivating Change. We are a member of INSP, our global organization of street papers around the world which provides us with content relevent to social justice, homelessness, and street community around the world. • Donate to the organization and give vendors experiencing homelessness and poverty a hand up. It supports not only the paper but also issues throughout NW Ohio. • Volunteer your time and expertise and help the organization grow. • Share Toledo Streets with your network, and tell people about the organization. Page 3 The Buck Starts Here
Looking at Bias in the Mirror By Connie Huss-Boyle Have you ever experienced meeting a person for the fi rst time and making a snap judgment – positive or negative – before learning the truth later? Perhaps you were conned or even worse, you denied yourself the friendship of another beautiful human being! In my time on this earth, I have learned so much about my own preconceived ideas. I have an unpleasant memory from my teaching days of the judgment of two students. One student was slovenly and slothful. The other was a clean-cut young man who wore a religious medal, a possible winner of the “good student award.” Their outward appearances didn’t refl ect their personalities.The fi rst pupil was truly a caring person, helping people living in a shelter, while the second student was arrested as a drug dealer. So much for making wise judgments about other people! I believe this behavior happens too frequently in our daily lives. Hopefully, I have evolved and am more guarded in pre-judging others. As a child, I remember meeting a classmate who was born with cerebral palsy. Marian had tremors and a speech impediment, so I was nervous when she invited me to her home for a sleep-over. We had a lovely time - the beginning of a lifelong friendship, truly a best friend. Putting a face on a fear might dispel angst and ignorance! As my husband and I raised our large family in an integrated neighborhood, many experiences expandPage 4 ed my understanding of others’ cultures and lifestyles. It was an environment in which many parents practiced the belief that “It takes a village to raise a child,” and we corrected each others’ children. I quickly learned the Black moms had to teach their sons in a manner that would prepare them for situations in which authority fi gures might be different from our wonderful neighbors. A couple of our teenage sons experienced such a situation. They were driving their usual route home from school when they were pulled over by the police and ordered to get out of the car. The teens and the car were searched. The judgment was they were the wrong color for that particular section of Toledo. I realize that does not happen too often to people of Irish-German descent! That incident enlightened me on the daily worries of African-American parents. Listening to the stories of my neighbors, I came to the realization I have never been followed in a store, complimented on being a credit to my race, or asked to speak for all the people of my racial group. These were all things they were experiencing in their daily lives. I also recall the time we hosted a foreign exchange student. Phaisan was from Asia, a son of wealthy parents, working on his second doctorate degree. He needed some expensive school supplies and asked me to help with securing them. I was mortifi ed at the way Phaisan was treated by an American clerk. Not a way to feel welcome. Another memory is regarding a wonderful, well-liked neighbor living across the street. The gentleman lived an alternative lifestyle, but no one hesitated getting free advice from him regarding the well-being of their children. He was a doctor! The moral of this story: those who discriminate against others are not just working havoc in others’ lives, but they are also denying themselves the opportunity to expand their knowledge, compassion, and very possibly a best friend. In other words, neither party is able to use the gifts they possess, nor accomplish their true vocation or passion.. In reality this is such a waste when the well-being of our society would truly profi t from inclusion. Who Are Today’s Changemakers? By: Zoe Reid and Isabelle Whitehurst Zoe: As a teenage woman, and a part of the 98% of my community that is White, I have noticed that some believe that ignorance can be bliss. We have lived our lives with the white privilege we didn’t even recognize, the biases we didn’t even know we have. But how can we ignore the 9-minute police body cam footage of the breath leaving George Floyd’s body? How can we ignore the quote by Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor,” that is fl ooding our feeds? With the immediate response to deadly hate crimes often being this hit too close to home, who’s home will be next? In the days following the murder of George Floyd, I was unsure how my activism journey would begin. I opened my social media accounts on a summer Tuesday morning and did not see the usual selfi es with friends and videos of cute animals. Post after post was a simple black square with the hashtag #blackouttuesday. After a quick search, I agreed that my personal content needed to be silenced to create national and worldwide awareness to those who have been affected by racism and police brutality. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a black square told countless stories about tragic deaths and the severity of the racism that plagues our nation. Walking up to a nearby park near sundown on a summer night, I was unsure of what I was getting myself into. I had spent all morning making signs out of cardboard and hoped to see familiar faces in the crowd. Seeing community members that, like me, wanted to put in the work to dismantle racism was a step in the right direction towards equality and inclusion. Hearing passing cars honk their horns in approval while we shouted chants made my heart swell with enthusiasm. Seeing hearts that were hurt gather together safely to show their empathy and alliance showed how ready we were to take on dismantling racism. And this was only the beginning. Isabelle: As a teenage woman, and a part of the 0.3% of my community that is Black, I have realized that understanding the complexities of racism can be tough. It allows those with white privilege to not particularly notice their privilege and to be oblivious to the problems happening around them. That is the diffi cult aspect of being a person of color and having to advocate for myself and my minority and help those understand what is going on. Beforehand, I was a young Black person not exactly understanding or necessarily wanting to know about my history and the world’s problems with racism. During quarantine is when my mindset and my way of thinking evolved. I started to realize that people in the world don’t recognize racism and therefore contribute to it, that people of color do get the short end of the stick. Being home much more due to online schooling and COVID-19, I paid more attention to the news, did research, and started to realize that people of color are being abused by the system; the police, government, healthcare, society and much more. It hurts me knowing that people around the world are dying and being taken advantage of all because of the color of their skin. During the summer of 2020 and following George Floyd’s death, I was indescribably sad. For the fi rst time, I watched the bodycam footage of the cop interacting with George and I started bawling and could not watch the whole video because of George’s deep emotions. His expressions showed he did not want to die. This is a very typical thought for a person of color to exCultivating Change
perience when getting stopped by the police. That is what my family members worry about when we notice cops or others who do not seem to see beyond our color: we get scared. These deep feelings of emotion have allowed me to grow as an individual for the better. I am becoming active, I am wanting to make a change, advocate whenever I can, allow my opinion to be heard. I was a little girl unaware of the trials and tribulations I may face due to the color of my skin, but now I realize the power I possess to make a difference. Having peers who understand the constant troubles, sympathize, and are actively working to be anti-racist, is the best thing to have. They understand you and want to do what they can to help because they acknowledge all that is happening in the world today. Uniting in the Cause: Walking into this all-new class at our school, sitting next to each other felt safe. Being good friends since elementary school, familiarity eased our nervousness about Mission: "To encourage We sent out a simple e-mail to African American Leadership Council at United Way, Women of Toledo, and YWCA of Northwest Ohio requesting a virtual meeting to chat with some of the leaders of their racial equity divisions. Hearing their advice and answering their questions made us more confi dent in our mission and assertive when describing our ways for reform. anti-racism in our community and seek reform in the education system." the unknown. Our main project for the semester was to complete a community service project and have a corresponding artifact. With such broad guidelines, honing into a specifi c area of need was one of the fi rst decisions we needed to make. Going so bold and choosing racial injustice was something that excited us. The opportunity to fi nally create a more welcoming community for everyone made the wheels in our minds start to turn. But there is the pressure of you better do this right. This is more than a little lemonade stand, this is correcting and dismantling centuries of prejudice and injustice. Our work was defi nitely cut out for us. What does a person do to lay the groundwork for those to come? That is a loaded question that we have tried to dissect and answer throughout the semester. We fi rst met with some amazing Toledo-area organizations that have already started projects similar to ours. These organizations are idols to us, outrageously intelligent and amazing advocates for minority voices. In such a heterogeneous area, combatting racism takes education and effort. Making this easy and fun for our neighbors will make learning about racism and Black culture second nature. Shows, movies, music, podcasts, and books are all forms of media we felt our community would enjoy most. With an anti-racist message, diverse cast, or simply highlighting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) stories, the effort is lowered and education is not seen as a chore. The work that we put in to achieve social justice will never have an end date. We’re hoping to create a legacy that lasts long beyond our years in high school. To be an advocate is to be an upstander, to assert wrongdoings from a place of love and passion for growth. To be an advocate is to love your neighbors for who they are and how they are unique. So when it comes down to it, who are today’s changemakers? Today’s changemakers are our youth. If parents, friends, and the community instill values like inclusion and respect into the sponge-like minds of our children, they will grow up to be leaders of a kinder nation. In addition, having a school system that acknowledges and wants to be a part of the solution is one of the many steps needed in this long and rigorous process. With our youth being more diverse and open-minded, it has allowed us to better understand the world around us. It has led us to be changemakers and want to make this world better than it has been in the past. The generation ahead of us is going to be even more active in this area because our youth keeps getting more and more educated and knowing how to get their point across. Page 5
What is Causing the Violence against the Asian American Community? By Ed Conn In the past few months, we have seen these headlines on the news: Shocking video shows 91-yearold man senselessly pushed to the ground in Oakland’s Chinatown. Man slashed across face in subway speaks out, mayor denies crime problem. Grandmother 64, Robbed of $1,000 in Cash for Lunar New Year in San Jose. Family of Thai immigrant, 84, says fatal attack ‘was driven by hate.’ Family: 30-year-old Navy vet died after Northern California police placed knee on his neck. These incidents all occurred in a two-week period in February 2021. And they are not isolated incidents. Violence against Asian Americans is on the rise. •20 incidents in the months of January and February in Oakland Chinatown •1900% increase in Asian-American hate crimes in NYC •2,808 incidents of violence in 2020 recorded by STOP AAPI HATE Page 6 From 2017 to 2019, the organization received less than 500 reported instances of hate against Asian Americans. 150% increase in hate-fueled attacks across major cities (ED – is this sentence in the right place?) Three factors are attributed towards the increased violence: Anti-Asian sentiment propagated by the government; the model minority myth; and lack of media coverage. Government Influence and A History of Exclusion Since the late 19th century, we have seen anti-Asian sentiment through government action and policy-making decisions. In 1880, resentment of immigrants coming from China to work paved the way for the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was the first, and remains the only law to have been implemented, to prevent all members of a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the United States. With the increase of anti-immigrant movements like ‘100 percent Americanism,’ the second major piece of anti-Asian legislation came in 1917, with the enactment of the Asiatic Barred Zone Act that aimed to restrict immigration by imposing literacy tests to immigrants, and bar all immigration for Asian Pacific countries. The third major government action against an Asian community was President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, which allowed regional military commanders to designate zones where any or all persons may be excluded. Although it did not mention any group by name, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps under this order. Families were displaced, and homes and businesses were confiscated. Recently, Americans witnessed President Trump make several ethnic slurs as he provided alternative names to the coronavirus including Chinese Virus and Kung Flu. We now have new evidence that shows such radicalized language prompted many Americans to blame Chinese Americans for Covid-19. Model Minority Myth Another phenomenon contributing to the scapegoating of Asians is the Model Minority Myth, coined in 1966, which suggests that “Asian Americans are more successful that other ethnic minorities because of hard work, education and inherently law-abiding nature.” This myth has been propagated with movies and series such as Crazy Rich Asians and Bling Empire. On the surface, it reads like a compliment. Positive phrases like educated and hardworking might look good on a resume, but in reality, this overgeneralization of a racial group is incredibly harmful. “These stereotypes hide the differences within Asian communities,” says Xiaobei Chen, A professor of sociology at Carleton University in Ottawa. In fact, income inequality in the U.S. is rising rapidly among Asians. Asians have displaced Blacks as the most economically-divided group in the U.S. In New York City, Asian Americans have the highest poverty rate, but stereotypes make the issue all but invisiMedia's Role Media coverage of the Asian-American communities, or lack of it, has played a major role in keeping the minority myth alive and downplaying the true economic picture. Asian Americans are one of the fastest-growing minority groups in the country with the populations doubling since 2000, but in comparison to white Americans, Black Americans, and Latinos, research suggests Asian Americans do not receive as much media attention. Many academics have used the words such as unseen and absent to describe Asian American portrayal in media. Researchers also found that Asian Americans are displayed differently in news ads than other minorities. Black and Latino models are shown in a wide variety of settings while Asian models are shown often in the workplace. Older Asian Americans are also shown as wealthy and secure while elderly African Americans are displayed in the opposite manner. South Asian and Southeast Asians are less visibly seen in ads. So, what? All of this leads to unreported incidents of violence, along with a stigma that Asian Americans don’t experience racism and discrimination. Collectively we can fight it by educating ourselves, speaking up, and standing by our Asian American brothers and sisters. ble. Despite the poverty rate, Asian Americans aren’t receiving many resources in New York City. From 2002 to 2014, they received 1.4 percent of the city’s social service funds.
Toledo Lucas County Public Library: Social Justice Reading Franco Vitella The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have only exasperated disparities in society: wealth distribution, available opportunities, and the general privilege that some have over others. Many individuals and organizations are working toward creating a more equitable society through social justice initiatives. If you want to learn about what you can do, or just want to gain more knowledge about these movements, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library has some books worth reading. Rights movement, is perhaps the seminal graphic novel on social justice. Visceral, important and accessible, this graphic novel is fi nding its way on many schools’ required reading lists just a few years after its publication. Adults looking for an excellent book on the subject would be keen to read as well. The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage by Joan Chittister Sister Joan Chittister is a nun and theologian and with The Time is Now, provides a guide for those who are disillusioned with systemic inequities upheld by institutions. Coming from a unique perspective of personal faith and spirituality, Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It Undocumented: Great Lakes Poets Laureate on Social Justice edited by Ron Riekki and Andrea Scarpino This collection of poems is specifi c to the Great Lakes region, organized on themes related to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Ten Ways to Fight Hate” – act, join forces, support victims, speak up, educate yourself, create alternatives, pressure leaders, stay engaged, teach acceptance and dig deeper. The book calls on readers to act and undo injustice. March written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin; art by Nate Powell The March trilogy, documenting the late congressman John Lewis’ life and involvement in the Civil by Jamie Margolin In Youth to Power climate change activist Jamie Margolin offers a guide on how to create change aimed at the young people who are ready to lead social justice efforts. With practical advice on how to write and pitch op-eds and organize events and peaceful protests, Margolin turns to young activists to share their own guidance. Chittister offers ways to confront oppression. WELCOME TO GRAB & GO PICK UP Here’s what you need to know: You can use the catalog, app (App Store | Google Play), or call your preferred location during open hours to request materials you wish to pick up using contactless Grab & Go from tables in the lobby. Once the materials arrive at your preferred location, you will receive notifi cation by your preferred method (text, email, or phone) to schedule a pick up time. Follow the prompts to schedule your preferred time and location for Grab & Go pick up. If you need help or have any questions, just call your location or 419.259.5200. Don’t Label Me by Irshad Manji Ugandan-born Canadian educator Irshad Manji proposes ideas on how to bridge political, racial and cultural divides in Don’t Label Me, based on her work for the Moral Courage Project. Advocating against shaming and cancelling each other, Manji’s approach seeks sustainable remedies for racism by generating buy-in, embracing different viewpoints, and avoiding labels. Page 7
Land as Good as Gold: The Wildwood Story By Scott Carpenter Director of Public Relations Metroparks Toledo The country estate of Champion Spark Plug co-founder, R.A. Stranahan, would be perfect for a public park. It was a beautiful natural setting on the outskirts of town with varied topography – a rarity in northwest Ohio. But making it a Metropark wouldn’t be easy. The tale begins in September 1973. Plans had already been announced for the nearly 500-acre property to become a subdivision with upscale homes. The development promised an economic boost during a national recession. There were also plans to extend nearby Reynolds Road from where it ended at Central Avenue northeast to Corey Road, dividing the Stranahan property. The road would have gone right in front of the 30,000-square-foot family mansion known today as the Manor House. Then there was the price tag: about $4 million. That was $4 million more than the park district had to spend. To some, those were insurmountable obstacles, but to the late Dr. Bill Mewborn, Jr., a local veterinarian, they were just “lame excuses.” Mewborn “Well, let’s get going,” Dr. told Robert Metz, former director of the park district. “He had me talk to the park board and they said if you get enough people to sign the petition we’ll support you. That’s when I started my talking.” He talked for a year. He talked to civic groups, schools and neighborhood associations. He kept talking until he had talked the majority of the community into voting for a 0.5 mill levy on the November 1974 ballot. The narrow passage of the levy, and a short-term loan from The Nature Conservancy, are to thank for Wildwood Preserve. With its scenic trails, a boardwalk along the Ottawa River and iconic estate buildings, it is the most-popular of the Metroparks. Most of the nearly 1.5 million people a year who visit the park probably don’t know the story of Bill and the small army of volunteers – many of whom he didn’t know – who captured fi rst the imagination, then the support of a community. The Movement The campaign to preserve the Stranahan estate was born during a larger movement of environmental awareness. It was just four years after a fi re on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland ignited a passion for change; three years after the fi rst Earth Day. “It’s important to keep in your mind what was going on across the nation in the ‘70s,” said Steve Madewell, former executive director of Metroparks. “It’s easy to forget that we had an energy crisis, we had a global recession, the country was experiencing double-digit infl ation. So for the community to really move forward with an effort to pass a levy to preserve this open space spoke volumes about another widespread social value that was emerging. And that was this notion of environmental protection and enhancement.” “Grassroots activists and (the) environmental movement and the preservation movement all came together here,” added local historian Dr. Ted Ligibel, director emeritus of Eastern Michigan University’s Historic Preservation program. He was just beginning his career when he signed on to help Dr. Mewborn with the campaign. “We went door to door. I’m just a worker bee at this point – I’m in my early ‘20s just out there doing what I believe in. We went door to door to every single household in Lucas County, probably more than once,” Dr. Ligibel recalled. “When it came down to the vote, it actually passed!” Dr. Ligibel said. “Now, it wasn’t a huge majority but it passed. That’s the way politics is. And so we were ecstatic, but it wasn’t without the work of people like Bill Mewborn and John Lusk and the Kimbles.” The late Mr. Lusk was Dr. Mewborn’s partner in the campaign. He and Jim Kimble, who also worked on the campaign, would later become members of the Board of Park Commissioners. The Lusk-Mewborn Trail at Wildwood and Kimble’s Landing at Providence are now familiar names to park visitors. Together Again A little more than a year after Dr. Bill Mewborn began the campaign to save the Stranahan estate, just before the election of November 6, 1974, a young journalist named Steve Pollick penned a lengthy article for The Blade Sunday Magazine. Nearly the entire issue was devoted to the debate over whether to preserve or develop the property on Central Avenue, which the newspaper dubbed “Land as Good as Gold.” “(Bill Mewborn) and I walked this property several times and he was just absolutely passionate about the property and seeing it turned into a Metropark,” said Pollick, retired outdoors editor. “He said it was a readymade park. He remembered it from childhood and walking the bridle paths and so forth.” Dr. Mewborn’s partner in the endeavor, businessman John Lusk, “was more a managerial or the operational guy,” Pollick said. “Bill was the one that lit the matches to set the Fast forward to September 2014 when a documentary, “Wildwood: Land as Good as Gold,” fi rst aired on WGTE Public Television. For the fi rst time, Mewborn, Pollick, Lusk, Ligibel and many others shared on fi lm about the fi ght to preserve the estate and the reasons why it still matters for a whole new generation of northwest Ohioans. Art Weber, who was new in his career as the park district’s public information manager at the time of the campaign, worked in front of and behind the camera during production of the documentary. A longtime employee of the park district, the nature photographer and writer was on staff before Wildwood Preserve was a Metropark. “It was very emotional on a lot of levels,” Weber said of the campaign. “I think about that a lot. But (today), I see the kids that are here and thinking about how this is here for them, it’s going to be here for their kids and hopefully it’s here hundreds of years from now. “Things around us are going to change, the buildings will change, the things that we’ve built will change, but hopefully nature will be pretty much the same as it is today. It’s pretty much a constant for people. There’s a reliability here.” Director’s Note: While the documentary “Wildwood: Land as Good as Gold” fi rst aired on WGTE Public Television in 2014, I watched this recently and was struck by how relevant it is today. Because of these leaders’ vision, Wildwood provides a place for solace, gatherings and just enjoying nature. As Toledo Streets prints articles about area Metroparks each month, we decided to share Scott’s 2014 article. fuse. He was the passionate side of it. Between the two of them they got the community fi red up for the levy. There were a lot of other people, but they were the two principals that I had dealt with.” Page 8 Photos courtesy of Metroparks Toledo
We have had visionary leaders who have urged us to work together to achieve this kind of society. One of them is the great John Lewis who called upon people to speak up and work together to do something when they encountered injustices. And building inter-racial solidarity is vital in our fi ght against systemic racism, our common enemy. You have recently drafted a children’s book entitled “Mina Makes Some Good Trouble” and you have quoted Mr. John Lewis in that book. What inspired you to start work on this book? We have to move beyond one-shot “diversity trainings” and cultural song-and-dance routines and towards a sustained multi-pronged approach that is both reactive and proactive. I tend to disagree with people who are appalled by the brutal violence directed at people of color and who exclaim, “This is not who we are, as Americans.” Bigotry and hate have always marked who we are as a nation. Good Trouble as a Strategy for Addressing Injustices Ed Conn Interview with Lorna Gonsalves Lorna, thank you for sitting down with Toledo Streets. You’ve devoted much of your career to teaching and working with youth to examine and address racial bigotry. Today, as we witness increasing racial bigotry and violence, what are some insights that you would like to share? In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in violence directed by many descendants of older immigrants towards citizens of color as well as towards newer immigrants. First, we have to remember that the problem is not about a few bad apples. The problem of racial bigotry and the ensuing violence directed at various racial and ethnic groups is one that is woven into the very fabric of the United States. Racial bigotry is systemic and it is built into every institution in this country. Laws and policies to monitor and hold institutions accountable are necessary but not suffi cient. For long term change, we have to work with our children. We have to help them to think critically, act responsibly, and imagine new possibilities for a kinder, gentler world. This brings me to the next question. As a sociologist, educator and community worker, what insights do you have to offer? I have taught Ethnic Studies and Women’s Studies and have facilitated a number of community forums in which people talk about matters related to race, class, and gender. I can tell you that the majority of my students as well as community members have never really refl ected on or discussed these matters. Many of them regretted not having done so at earlier ages and they are hungry for opportunities to learn more and do something about racial bigotry in their communities. If we are to build a just and equitable multi-racial society, then we must engage students at a much deeper level. We have to help them to develop their ability to recognize and appreciate their common humanity and their individual and collective responsibility to speak up and push for a society in which everyone feels respected and valued. Children, today, spend far too much time watching television or playing video games. Many of these shows and games reinforce bigotry and violence. A large proportion of today’s kids hardly ever engage in conversations about feelings, emotions, or the state of our world. These same children are also at a loss when it comes to handling diffi cult situations. Parents and teachers express the need for engaging children in these kinds of conversations. They help children to develop empathy and to reach out to others who are hurting. John Lewis’ call to make good trouble is one that has great signifi - cance in today’s world and it has to reach young children too. In recent years, children have been bombarded with images of large groups of people marching through streets. Some groups march and chant and hold signs that called for justice. Other groups march carrying weapons and symbols of hate. Children remain afraid and confused. It is important for children to distinguish between making good trouble and making bad trouble. The former helps to promote the common good while the latter is divisive and dangerous. “Mina Makes Good Trouble” tells the story of a little fi sh who could not bear to see other fi sh getting hurt. Remembering her grandmother’s stories about making good trouble, the little fi sh worked with her friends and they set out to make some good trouble of their own. Have you shared the draft with any individuals or groups? If so, what was the reaction? Yes. I’ve shared the draft with a few children and adults and am heartened by the ensuing discussions. Parents like it because it provides an entry point to discuss some important issues of our time. A couple of groups have spoken with me about reading the story to groups of children and following up with discussions. Are you concerned that for all the social justice awareness we can bring to our children there will be a continued push from others to teach their children hate and prejudice? Prejudice and hate are learned at very early ages. They are reinforced in many homes, schools, and places of worship. Sadly, far too many children feel left and left behind. The protagonist in Mina Makes Good Trouble is emphatic when she declares that “everyone belongs everywhere.” Teaching young children to appreciate our common humanity, to develop empathy, to speak out and do something about problems that they encounter, and to employ non-violent approaches to resolving confl icts might be some of the most important lessons that we can introduce in our schools today. Dr. Lorna Gonsalves,is a sociologiest, educator, and community worker Mina and Omar Page 9
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International Network of Street Papers an elderly white man attempted to disarm one of the veterans, a shot was fired, and the massacre had begun. The Tulsa police then showed up. But instead of stopping the violence, they deputised members of the lynch mob and provided them with arms, telling them to “Get a gun, and get a n*****.” A Warning from History In May 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin, a serving police officer. The killing shocked the world and galvanised the Black Lives Matter movement. Change is coming but it is long overdue. In May 1921, the worst incident of racial violence in America took place in Tulsa. The Greenwood district of the city was known as the Black Wall Street, its destruction likened to Kristallnacht. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, died. Only now, nearing the 100th anniversary, is its story being told. Scott Ellsworth is a historian leading efforts next month to exhume unmarked graves of victims. He explains why we need to remember. Interview by Steven MacKenzie The Big Issue: What was the Greenwood district of Tulsa like before the events of late May 1921? Scott Ellsworth: Greenwood was an incredibly vibrant community, and home to 10,000 African American men, women and children. It was home to two newspapers, two schools, a hospital, a public library and a dozen churches. Thirty restaurants served everything from sandwiches and bowls of chilli to barbecue and steaks and chops with all of the trimmings. Two theatres – the Dreamland, which sat 750, and the Dixie, that had seats for 1,000 – offered motion pictures, jazz concerts, lectures and boxing matches. In Greenwood, there were three dozen grocery stores and meat markets, as well as clothing and dry goods stores, a photography studio, a feed and grain store, tailor shops, billiard halls, five hotels and the offices of more than a dozen African American physicians, surgeons, dentists, and lawyers. The wealthiest of Greenwood’s merchants lived in beautiful one and two-storey homes, complete with pianos, fine china and garages for their automobiles, while most citizens lived in simple wooden homes. But throughout the community there was a deep, abiding sense of pride. This was their neighbourhood. They had built it. And soon they would have to fight to defend it. What were the roots of unrest and what was the spark that led to the riot? The late 1910s an early 1920s were an especially dark time for race relations in America. Segregation was on the rise, in 1915 there was a rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan, the largest and most powerful terrorist group in US history. Race riots and lynchings were common nationwide. In 1920, an 18-year-old accused murderer was lynched by an all-white mob in Tulsa. From that moment on, Black Tulsans knew that they could not rely on white Tulsa police officers to protect African American prisoners from mob violence. What happened on May 31 and June 1? On the afternoon of May 31, the Tulsa Tribune, one of the city’s white daily newspapers, published an inflammatory front-page story claiming that a 19-year-old African American shoe shiner named Dick Rowland had sexually assaulted a 17-year-old white female elevator Page 11 operator in a downtown office building. The Tribune also published an editorial titled ‘To Lynch Negro Tonight’. Within a half hour of the newspaper hitting the streets, a lynch mob began to gather outside the courthouse in whose jail Dick Rowland was being held. When word hit Greenwood that evening that the white mob was storming the courthouse, a group of 75 African American World War I veterans went down to the courthouse and offered their services to the sheriff to help protect the prisoner. As they were leaving to return to Greenwood, For the next few hours, crowds of whites murdered innocent African Americans – who were just getting off work – downtown, while gangs of whites took part in drive-byshootings along residential streets in Greenwood, firing into parlours and children’s bedrooms. Some fires were set, and there was an attempt to invade the African American business district, but that was repulsed by armed Black home and business owners. By three o’clock in the morning, it seemed like the worst of the violence was over. It was not. The next morning, just before dawn on June 1, thousands of whites invaded Greenwood, killing any African Americans who resisted, and imprisoning those who did not. Then the white mobs systematically looted and set fire to Greenwood. Not only did the police and local National Guard units fail to stop the invasion, but they also fired on Black citizens. Machine guns were unleashed upon Greenwood, and in at least one instance, an airplane dropped sticks of dynamite. Before the violence finally ended that afternoon, more than 1,000 African American homes were destroyed, while 10,000 Black citizens were now homeless. Thirtyfive square blocks, the entirety of Greenwood, had been reduced to ash and rubble. How many people were killed? To this day, we still don’t know. Reasonable estimates run from somewhere in the 70s to 300. Nor do we know what the ratio is between Continue on next page
white and Black casualties. Not many people in the UK have heard of the Tulsa Race Massacre – is it better known in America? Only fairly recently. I’ve been researching and writing about the massacre off and on for 45 years, and I still regularly hear from people who say, “Why haven’t I ever heard of this before?” The Watchmen series introduced the massacre to millions of television viewers worldwide. Why isn’t it better known? Initially, the massacre was front page news across the United States. Indeed, the massacre was even mentioned in London newspapers. But the white politicians and businessmen who ran Tulsa soon realised that the massacre was a big public relations problem, and so they planned to bury it. And that is exactly what they did. Official records were stolen, incriminating articles were cut out of newspapers, photographs were seized. For 50 years, the city’s white newspapers went out of their way to not mention the riot, while researchers who attempted to look into, talk about, or write about the massacre were threatened – some even with their lives. But the massacre wasn’t discussed, at least in public, in the African American community either. Some survivors suffered from PTSD as late as the 1990s. And many survivors didn’t want to burden their children and grandchildren with the painful stories of what they had endured. So they just didn’t talk about it. So for 50 years the story of the massacre was actively suppressed. During the past 50 years, we’ve finally been getting the story out again. It’s been a long haul. But we’re getting there. What happened after the riot and what is its legacy? Tulsa was then touted as being the Oil Capital of the World, and Greenwood rebuilt itself. In less than two years, there were again two and three-storey brick buildings along Greenwood Avenue. Many old-timers told me that the Greenwood of the 1930s and 1940s was even bigger than the one that had existed before the massacre. And pride among the African American community skyrocketed. They had fought to defend their district, and after it had been destroyed, they rebuilt it again. But there were also undeniable losses. It’s been recently estimated that had the massacre not occurred, there would be an additional $851M in generational wealth in Greenwood today. That represents decades of university fees, childcare payment, books for children, down payments on houses, seed money to create new businesses. Then, Greenwood was attacked once again, beginning in the 1960s, by the forces of urban renewal. An eight-lane interstate highway was built right through the Greenwood commercial district, while racist practices prevented African Americans from securing home and business loans. Today, while the heart of Greenwood Avenue is experiencing a renaissance, including the construction of a brand new, stateof-the-art museum, Tulsa’s African American citizens are burdened with significantly higher rates of poverty than their white neighbours on the other side of town. What has recent research uncovered? Nearly 25 years ago, I launched a search for the unmarked graves of massacre victims, most of them African American, who were hastily buried by the white authorities while their family members were still being held under armed guard in detention camps. Well, after getting a lot of help, and after interviewing some 300 survivors and eyewitnesses, this past October we discovered a mass grave in Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa of what we believe contains the remains of at least a dozen African American massacre victims. On June 1, our team of archaeologists and forensic scientists will begin exhuming the remains. The scientists will study the bones for clues as to the age, gender and ethnicity of the victims, as well as to seek to determine the causes of death. The surrounding soil will be carefully sifted for bullet fragments and other artefacts, while DNA will likely be extracted in order to attempt to identify some of the victims by name. The remains will then be buried with honour, and an appropriate memorial will be constructed. Ninety-nine years after the riot, also in May, the murder of George Floyd reignited debate around race and racism in America. Can better understanding the Tulsa Race Massacre lead to a better understanding of the issue today? Yes, absolutely. The famous African American historian Dr John Hope Franklin – who grew up in Tulsa and whose father was a survivor of the massacre – once remarked that in the aftermath of the tragedy, “Tulsa lost its sense of honesty.” Well, even though there’s been real progress made in terms of Americans gaining a fuller sense of our past, we still have a long way to go. I know that the same is happening in the UK. It isn’t easy to do, especially after people have been taught one version of history all their lives to learn that, in fact, our past was significantly different. But it’s important that, as best as we can, we tell it like it was, the good and the bad and the in-between, without pulling any punches. A century on, is there a way to pay a fitting tribute to the victims? There are many ways to do so. The first is to learn about, and tell, their stories. The second will be to properly honour the dead, which is what we are doing now. And the third way, in my opinion, is to pay some form of restitution to the remaining survivors and their descendants. There is no doubt whatsoever that the citizens of Greenwood in 1921 were let down by their city, their state, and their country. Even the insurance companies refused to honour their claims. We need to do something to right this wrong. Courtesy of INSP.ngo / The Big Issue UK bigissue.com @BigIssue Page 12
Director's Desk THANK YOU, TOLEDO, FOR YOUR SUPPORT By Arika Michaelis As things are starting to warm up and open up, including the Toledo Streets offi ce, I fi nd myself in a bit of a paradox. On one hand, through the pandemic the only constant has been uncertainty. So, as everything opens up, I remain concerned for TSN vendors’ health and safety. On the other hand, I am absolutely thrilled people are back downtown for larger events and to enjoy all the wonderful local spots. As a result, TSN vendors are becoming more invigorated to be out selling papers knowing their sales and profi ts will be ramping up. Vendors are visiting the offi ce more frequently as the colder weather is breaking. It seems, whether we’re ready or not, life is carrying on. So shall Toledo Streets Newspaper. In a typical fashion, the warmer weather has brought back some Toledo Streets vendors from their winter safe havens. Just yesterday Elizebeth, a TSN vendor, came in and proclaimed she had already sold eight papers since coming back a few hours prior. She immediately bought more papers to go back out to sell. The warm weather has continued to encourage TSN vendor Glen, as he sells his papers at Bike Night at Wesley’s on Adams to regulars he met last summer. Lastly, I continue to be amazed by the generous support from our Toledo Streets Newspaper community. The last year has certainly been one for the books and all the while our community has shown up for our vendors and the organization. I am seriously looking forward to being able to gather as a great, big community in the new Toledo Streets offi ce in the not-sodistant future. Until then, if you want to stop by and say hi to our vendors and see the new space, please do! Our offi ce hours are still a bit limited as we transition to reopening to a larger capacity, but we welcome all of our TSN family to come down and hangout with us. Thank you for your continued support of our vendors as we navigate through this new normal together. See you soon! IN LOVING MEMORY - JAMES I AM INCLUDING A ONE-TIME DONATION OF: � $1000 COVERS COST OF PRINTING ONE MONTH OF TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � $500 ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT BY PROVIDING ALL NEW VENDORS WITH VESTS, SIGNS AND BADGES � $250 SUPPORTS TOLEDO STREETS EMPLOY VENDORS’ CREATIVITY IN STORY-TELLING, POETRY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE � $100 � $50 PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES SUCH AS SOCKS, HATS, HAND-WARMERS AND PONCHOS TO TSN VENDORS SETS 20 NEW VENDORS UP FOR SUCCESS AFTER ORIENTATION BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 10 FREE PAPERS EACH � $______ A GIFT AT ANY LEVEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE NAME ______________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________ CITY _______________________________ STATE _______ZIP________________ TELEPHONE ____________________________ EMAIL_____________ � I AM INTERESTED IN RECEIVING EMAIL NEWSLETTERS FROM TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT HOW MY COMPANY/ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER CREATES INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY BY PRODUCING A NEWSPAPER AND OTHER MEDIA THAT ARE CATALYSTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE Page 13
PuzzlePage THEME: 1970s LYRICS ACROSS 1. *Carole King: “But you’re ____ ____ away” 6. “I Thee ____” 9. Ring practice 13. Hacienda brick 14. *Billy Joel: “I love you just the way you ____” 15. What speakers do 16. Leg of lamb 17. Styling goo 18. Spooky 19. *Rod Stewart: “Oh, Maggie, I couldn’t have tried ____ ____” 21. *Stevie Wonder: “Very superstitious, writing’s on ____ ____” 23. Type of constrictor 24. Can of worms 25. *”____ Cola, what a beautiful drink” 28. Capital of Peru 30. *Carly Simon: “I had some dreams, they were ____ in my coffee” 35. Bad luck precursor 37. Swing seat, possibly 39. Macaroni shape 40. Capital on the Baltic Sea 41. Figure with vertex and rays 43. Venetian magistrate 44. Not fitting 46. Sealed with a handshake 47. Wise man 48. Annotator and commentator 50. Facts and figures 52. Bambino 53. Chinese monetary unit 55. International Labor Organization 57. *The Knack: “M M M My ____” 61. *Sister Sledge: “We are family, get up everybody ____ ____” 65. Last European colony in China 66. Pastrami’s partner 68. Sheik’s bevy 69. Movie premiere, e.g. 70. Gunk 71. Ancient assembly area 72. Used to be wild? 73. Attila, e.g. 74. Part of mortise joint DOWN 1. Long story 2. War god in Norse mythology 3. Same as fogey 4. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s project 5. Reorganize or modify 6. $7.25/hour, e.g. 7. Old fashioned ‘before’ 8. Nile’s mouth 9. Boatload 10. What paralegal and parachute have in common 11. Seed covering 12. Angler’s spool 15. Punch buggy car 20. Indian cuisine yogurt staple 22. Drunkard’s sound? 24. Enter uninvited (2 words) 25. *Bruce Springsteen: “Tramps like us, baby we were born ____ ____” 26. ____ acid 27. “And Seth.... ____ Enos” 29. *Eric Clapton: “Darling, won’t you ease my worried ____” 31. Oldsmobile founder 32. Lusitania’s destroyer 33. Grown-up pupper, in social media 34. *ABBA: “Dancing queen, young and ____, only seventeen” 36. Back of the neck 38. Dashing style 42. Spritelike 45. Test (2 words) 49. *Terry Jacks: “We had seasons in the ____” 51. One tritely familiar 54. Frustration, in print 56. Missouri River tributary 57. Old World duck 58. *Creedence Clearwater Revival: “____ you ever seen the rain?” 59. They’re hidden up a sleeve? 60. Goes with rave 61. Eon, alt. sp. 62. *Black Sabbath: “I am ____ man” 63. Infamous Roman emperor 64. J. Edgar Hoover’s man 67. *Queen: “Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will ___ do the Fandango” 70's lyrics Page 14 Solutions
TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER Mail: 1216 Madison Avenue Toledo, OHIO 43604 TOLEDO STREETS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CORP. Board of Directors – 2021 Chair Lauren M. Webber Treasurer Candace Bishop Secretary Kristy Lee Czyzewski Ken Leslie Michelle Issacs Abby Sullivan John Brindley III Shawn Clark Amy Saylor LaParis Grimes Wanda Boudrie Julia Hage-Welsh a new job, because he lost his old job because of presiding judge, Leonie Mengel, as he summed up the case after the two-day trial. Michael P. has said that he wants to fi nd attack. “I was drunk,” he admitted in the courtroom. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have done such a stupid thing.” P. seemed depressed as he described in court how he felt that his life had been slipping through his fi ngers. He has suffered for many years from a rare nerve disease: problems with walking and balance are consequences of the disease and sometimes he is unable to leave the house despite using medication. The fact that he could only calm his nerves with alcohol was confi rmed by an expert. Did the combination of alcohol and pills make him aggressive? This possibility cannot be excluded, according to the expert. However, “how [the attack] actually happened remains unclear,” said the his sentence, mainly as a result of his behaviour after the attack. While it is true that he ran away on the night of the attack, shortly afterwards he apologised to the victim in person on several occasions. And, although the victim told him that he didn’t need to go to the police, P. did so a little while later. “I wanted to take responsibility for what I did,” he said in court. Sven, his victim, did not appear in court, but later said in a conversation with Hinz&Kunzt that, “if he hadn’t contacted the police then they never would have found him, so he has my respect for that.” Michael P. only vaguely remembers the The 27-year-old got off so lightly, in terms of Seifert, the coroner, in the court proceedings that were held nearly seven months after the attack. Sven, a homeless man, had to be taken by ambulance for treatment in hospital. The sentence for the attacker was rather mild: he was sentenced to one year and three months in custody for causing grievous bodily harm and given a further two years on probation. This was just what the prosecution asked for. After he completes his sentence, Michael P. will be a free man. “He was incredibly lucky,” said Dragane he could sleep deeply. It was 6.20pm when a dark fi gure suddenly appeared in front of him at the Ohlsdorf station in Hamburg, where he had settled down to sleep. Then things kicked off. “I was only just able to prop myself up,” the 45-year-old remembers. Then came the pain as a 12-centimetrelong cut was slashed across Sven’s throat. It could have been fatal. Vendor Representative Marthia Russell Julie M. McKinnon Ken Leslie Chris Csonka Deb Morris Zobaida Falah • Kristy Lee Czyzewski• • Treasurer Lauren M. Webber Secretary • Vice-Chair Tom Kroma For Sven, the attack came out of nowhere. In the evening, he had some drinks so that By Benjamin Laufer and Jonas Füllner Ohlsdorf station in Hamburg when he was slashed across the neck in an unprovoked attack that could have cost him his life. His life-threatening injuries were infl icted on him by a 27-year-old, who admitted that he was drunk at the time of the attack and who later handed himself into police after running away from the scene of the crime. Hinz&Kunzt learns more about the attack and its repercussions. Translated from German by Hazel Alton Courtesy of Hinz&Kunzt / INSP.ngo • • • • Bryce Roberts Chair respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer, and will position myself at least two blocks away from a working vendor unless otherwise approved; 45-year-old Sven was sleeping outside • “I get scared by every little noise”: The aftermath of a violent attack • Board of Directors – 2018 Mail: 913 Madison Street Toledo, OHIO 43604 CONTINUED FROM P 3TOLEDO STREETS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CORP. OUR GLOBAL INSP COMMUNITYOur Global INSP Community Page 19 understand I am not a legal employee of Toledo Streets but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income; • not buy/sell Toledo Streets under the infl uence of drugs or alcohol; agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper; his illness. “I want to get my life back on track,” he said, after four months in custody. Sven’s life has been unsettled since the attack last winter. “Sleeping has changed,” he explains, “I get scared by every little noise.” Sven would most like to have his own apartment, or at least a room of his own. When you have your own place, he says, “you can sleep properly again.” agree to treat others- customers, staff and other vendors - respectfully, and I will not “hard sell”, threaten or pressure customers; only purchase the paper from Toledo Streets staff or volunteers and will not sell papers to other vendors; agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Toledo Streets by any other means; All vendors must agree to the following code of conduct to: The following list is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads through 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 positively impact the city. While Toledo Streets is a non-profi t program, and its vendors are independent contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. Vendor Code of Conduct understand Toledo Streets strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the unhoused and underprivileged. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. understand my badge is the property of Toledo Streets and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge when selling papers. I realize badges cost $1 to replace when lost or damaged; always have in my possession the following when selling Toledo Streets: my Toledo Streets badge, a Toledo Streets sign, a vendor’s license waiver from the mayor, and Toledo Streets papers; agree to only use professional signs provided by Toledo Streets; Toledo Streets is a monthly publication called a street paper. We are part of a worldwide movement of street papers that seeks to provide simple economic opportunities to homeless individuals and those experiencing poverty. Our vendors purchase each paper for $.25 and ask for a dollar donation. In exchange for their time and effort in selling the paper, they keep the difference. They are asking for a hand up, not a hand out. By purchasing the paper, you have helped someone struggling to make it. Not just in terms of money, but also in dignity of doing something for themselves. We thank you. FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER Crystal Jankowski Our Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Keegan WRITING TEAM LEADER Jonie McIntire ART DIRECTOR Ed Conn Toledo Streets seeks to empower individuals struggling with extreme poverty to participate on a new level in the community through self-employment, job training, and contributorship. Our Mission Toledo Streets is a registered nonprofi t corporation in Ohio. While your gifts to the vendors, who are independent contractors, are not taxed deductible, any donations you make directly to our organization are deductible. These monies go to supporting programming, which includes job training and skills development. Our vendors purchase each paper for $.25 and ask for a dollar donation. In exchange for their time and effort in selling the paper, they keep the difference. They are asking for a hand up, not a hand out. By purchasing the paper, you have helped someone struggling to make it. Not just in terms of money, but also in dignity of doing something for themselves. We thank you. Toledo Streets is a monthly publication called a street paper. We are part of a worldwide movemment of street papers that seeks to provide simple economic opportunities to homeless individuals and those experiencing poverty. Toledo Streets is a registered nonprofi t corporation in Ohio. While your gifts to the vendors, who are independent contractors, are not tax deductible, any donations you make directly to our organization are deductible. These monies go to supporting programming, which includes job training and skills development. Our Mission Toledo Streets seeks to empower individuals struggling with extreme poverty to participate on a new level in the community through self-employment, job training, and contributorship. Our Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Arika Michaelis VENDOR MANAGER Claire McKenna ART DIRECTOR Ed Conn OFFICE ASSISTANT Julia Holder Trinity Episcopal Church Vendor Code of Conduct As a vendor representing Toledo Streets Newspaper , I: • • • • • • • • • • • • agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for agree to treat all others—customers, staff, pressure customers. agree to stay off other private Toledo property and highway understand I am not a legal employee of for my own well-being and income. Streets Newspaper Toledo under the in luence vendors—respectfully, exit Toledo and ramps when selling Streets Newspaper agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper. will not buy/sell of agree to only use professional signs provided by Streets badge, a Streets sign, and Toledo Toledo Streets understand my badge, vest, and sign are the property of them in any way. Toledo will always have in my possession the following when selling Toledo but drugs I Streets will Toledo a or Streets Newspaper. Toledo papers. Toledo understand that when you are wearing your vest you are representing inappropriate behavior while representing by any not contracted alcohol. will respect the space of other vendors and will position myself at least two blocks away from a working vendor unless otherwise approved. Streets Newspaper agree that badges and signs are $5 to replace and vests are $10 to replace. Toledo Streets Newspaper may result in Streets Newspaper : my Toledo will and Streets Newspaper, disciplinary not alter thus action any other means. “hard sell,” threaten Streets Newspaper. worker responsible or Page 15
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