׉?ׁB!בCטFFu׉׉ 7cassandra://kRDtuAiZEmn6XyZw5Xtu3vCBOEsQK6PLEJXHAj70r9wG`׉ 7cassandra://P8GaQF14pMWTrhR-LGmIUIGOzf4F8hOB_3JTr_znKlA͡s`h׉ 7cassandra://4o-jarTsRivqMLYi2ndzctC55EPH97fP_wQx35h8Eog7`׉ 7cassandra://BPj-1WULFEtDqx5N17bcizYnxRH3giTt2nLdbMi4I_EA͠4duFז0?HRNטFu׈K0Y2׈EduFז0?HR5׉E+2 $ JANUARY 27, 2023 | VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 3 YOUR DONATION BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Are you really listening? Street paper vendors engage in everyday acts of communication. Page 7 MEET YOUR VENDOR: JUSTEN WHITE PAGE 3 GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. VENDOR APPRECIATION WEEK FEBRUARY 6-12, 2023 THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor # ׉ 7cassandra://4o-jarTsRivqMLYi2ndzctC55EPH97fP_wQx35h8Eog7`duFז0?HR6duFז0?HR5 בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://ei1Izs1bTHCipTT43v8jqwuQFkXV22YDy4MVClT42Ss `I׉ 7cassandra://IbbtqH3KSLnUp5683xzkvr8BDYiwfo6dLCx566M08MU`׉ 7cassandra://CqgUEQ1PeBpfoy02JBf6ECieBBdBfCJq0IQ-0ZMkL_sR`׉ 7cassandra://tmzMl03MbfJOryGyQOmi94bN5RVXB7N_qRV_Cbe878kV̌͠ iduFז0?HRVנduFז0?HRQǁ9׉H!http://www.groundcovernews.org%20Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRR܁9׉H http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsGׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRSJ̜9׉H*https://www.instagram.com/groundcovernews/Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRT_9׉H%https://www.facebook.com/groundcover/Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRUc9׉HKhttps://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=44BP4PSNVKWD4Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HR]9ׁH http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HR\ʁ9ׁHhttp://www.groundcovernews.orgׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HR[ 9ׁH"mailto:contact@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HRZN!9ׁH&mailto:submissions@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER Vendor Appreciation Week spans February 6-12 this year. Vendor Week is the seven days we reserve each year to celebrate Groundcover News vendors and all they do in the community. This edition you are reading now is the Vendor Appreciation Week issue, which we fill with vendor voices and messages that affirm the work of selling Groundcover News. We receive complaints every now and then at the Groundcover office. We typically do not publish them, unless they are specifically submitted as Letters to the Editor, in which case we are obliged to publish. Still, some complaints rise to the level of necessitating a response. The following message is a complaint that was filed to the Michigan Attorney General’s office in October, 2022. “Groundcover news is parading as a nonprofit foundation in Ann Arbor Michigan established to assist homeless people in the community [to] get their act together and get back into society rehabilitated. These individuals who LINDSAY CALKA Managing Director ground cover is providing vendor licenses are not at all homeless or in need of rehabilitation. These men and women are regular people who are using these licenses to steal money from unexpecting hard working people. Their pitch is usually, ‘can you buy a newspaper to help support the homeless of the community? 100 percent of the process [sic] are given to those who are in need.’ This is in fact a lie. These individuals are pocketing 100% of all monies collected. Some of these individuals are making over a thousand dollars a day via cash another torrent Venmo sales and cash app or square sales which go directly to their personal bank accounts. The people running ground cover know of these but continue to support This behavior because these fraudsters are keeping their organization valid and afloat. Most of these homeless vendors are making anywhere from 5 to 10000 a week. This terrible theft needs to stop immediately. The organization is stealing from the innocent. Please look into this immediately and stop this crime.” I’ll admit, it's not a great Vendor Appreciation Week message. Although it is upsetting to read, I wanted to put it out into the world in order to correct the false accusations and grand misunderstandings, and to open a conversation about Groundcover News. “Groundcover news is parading as a nonprofit foundation in Ann Arbor Michigan established to assist homeless people in the community get their act together and get back into society rehabilitated.” False. Groundcover News is JANUARY 27, 2023 from the DIRECTOR's DESK: clearing up misconceptions a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower low-income persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. We recognize these people as members of the community (and society) already, not people needing to be brought into society. “These individuals who ground cover is providing vendor licenses are not at all homeless or in need of rehabilitation.” True. Not all Groundcover vendors are experiencing homelessness. The only qualification is self-identified experience with homelessness and poverty. This means vendors can be years out of homelessness, looking to fill in the gaps in their income by selling the paper. Vendors can be actively experiencing homelessness, or, never experienced homelessness at all — just seeking low-barrier employment to avoid homelessness. Successfully selling Groundcover can make it see MISCONCEPTIONS page 10  CREATING OPPORTUNITY AND A VOICE FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WHILE TAKING ACTION TO END HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor Jim Clark — vendor manager ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Basham Elizabeth Bauman Susan Beckett Beverly Boss La Shawn Carlisle Cindy Gere Alexandra Granberg billy hill Mike Jones Cynthia Price Jo Reddit Ken Parks 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 VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Luiza Duarte Caetano Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Mira Simonton-Chao Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Claude VanValkenburg Navya Yagalla PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Alexandra Granberg Zachary Dortzbach Jesse Owen Anabel Sicko Sandy Smith Erin Trame CONTACT US Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, PITCH 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 ׉ 7cassandra://CqgUEQ1PeBpfoy02JBf6ECieBBdBfCJq0IQ-0ZMkL_sR`duFז0?HR<׉ERJANUARY 27, 2023 VENDOR WEEK MEET YOUR VENDOR GROUNDCOVER NEWS Vendor Appreciation Week: February 6-12, 2023 Show vendors how much they are valued in the community! There are many ways to get invovled with Vendor Week festivities. 1. Bring a treat, snack or hot beverage during office hours for vendors to enjoy while buying papers (Monday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) 2. Bring your vendor a hot chocolate, cup of coffee or pack of hand warmers if you see them selling. It's cold out there! Justen White, vendor No. 543 In one sentence, who are you? A man striving to keep chivalry alive. Where do you usually sell Groundcover News? Main Street. What is your favorite thing to do in Ann Arbor? Play pool and challenge the public to chess. What is your favorite spot in Ann Arbor? Anywhere not in Ann Arbor, haha! What motivates you to work hard selling Groundcover News? I’m motivated by the chance to better other people’s lives. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. What words do you live by? Be better than your yesterday’s self. What is your superpower? To make anyone smile when they are upset. What change would you like to see in Washtenaw County? More affordable housing for people who make less than $30K a year. What are your hobbies? How did you get started doing them? Pool, chess, skateboarding. I simply gravitated towards them. What is something someone on the street wouldn't know? I am a huge nerd and outdoor enthusiast. What's the best or worst thing about selling Groundcover News? The worst thing is dealing with rude people. If you could do anything for a day what would it be? Go shopping in Japan. If you had a warning label what would it say? Caution: Born and raised in Hell, Michigan! What are you most likely to be famous for? My one-handed pool skills! Gary Leverett: Most likely to remember your name Shillington Morgan: Healthy food expert Brian Hargrove: The most relentlessly optimistic and loving person James Tennant: Most thought provoking debater Joe Woods: Most determined haggler and seller of ideas James Manning: Most creative embroidery Cindy Gere: Most earnest and personal multimedia artist Mike Jones: Most iconic townie Lit Kurtz: Ardent homelessness advocate Christopher Ellis: Prolific poet Ken Parks: Deepest thinker and biggest believer in humanity Justen White: Most humble chess player and extreme sports enthusiast Lonnie Baker: Best dressed (Go Blue!) Shelley DeNeve: Most loyal Felicia Wilbert: Future NYT Bestsellers List Snap: Most knowledgeable about all there is to know about soccer Fred Allen: Mr. Fix-it 3. Tip your vendor when buying a copy of Groundcover News. 4. Take a photo with your vendor or of your copy of Groundcover News and share on social media. Tag us! @groundcovernews on Instagram and Twitter and @groundcover on Facebook. We will be reposting all week. 5. Tell your Groundcover vendor how much you appreciate them and their steady presence in the community. 6. Talk to your friends and family about how selling Groundcover is legitimate work that changes lives. 7. Show your support for Groundcover News vendors by buying and displaying a sign in your front lawn or in the window of your home or business! Signs are $30 and can be pre-ordered by making a $30 donation on the Groundcover News website. Signs can be picked up at the Groundcover News office during Vendor Appreciation Week. They are yellow and black. Proceeds will go towards purchasing new, protective Groundcover vendor vests. Lonnie Baker, Groundcover vendor No. 99, and board member Jack Edelstein in October. THANK YOU GROUNDCOVER VENDORS! I BUY AND READ GROUNDCOVER NEWS. Best of Groundcover News Derek Allen: Best bars Teresa Basham: Fiercest defender of those she cares about, and of justice Mary Bolden: Epitome of Southern charm! Pony Bush: Best smile Amanda Gale: Most personable. Can have an interesting conversation with anybody! Gary Robinson: Best dance moves Leon Odom: Devoted father and caregiver Hal Klenk: Best singing voice Larzell Washington: Can make anyone’s day by saying "God Bless You!" Tony Schol: Could win the Tour de Ann Arbor Will Shakespeare: Most giving and best book recommender Sean Almond and Tabitha Ludwig: Best couple Beverly Boss: Boss saleswoman Tre McAlister: Most likely to help out a friend Denise Shearer: Most loveable La Shawn Courtwright: Most tenacious poet 3 duFז0?HR=duFז0?HR< בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://WPIbT8thvN9ehEHl3TRrCChCynQZbiPzmMqVYQLlON0 0`I׉ 7cassandra://Ut9h-GtNt9kZWKkYLjEkhPyCJ4xL_u3lIWN324DGw1U.$`׉ 7cassandra://y58dK7HCGm2Qb7HxGA3gEP4I1AhWP6oiXTR1qWVJus4Q`׉ 7cassandra://wZuWAaMbuL3j_pABn1Dq3-TFsJLTh4RZisY7uJErGXEw͠ iduFז0?HR^נduFז0?HRXkR9׉H&http://a2gov.org/SupportiveConnectionsGׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRY̺9׉H&http://a2gov.org/SupportiveConnectionsGׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRe <x̴9ׁHhttp://AADL.org/shelfserviceׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HRd W9ׁHhttp://AADL.org/ׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HRc fT9ׁHhttp://wread.orgׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HRboR9ׁHhttp://a2gov.org/ׁ ׁ ЈנduFז0?HRaD9ׁH$mailto:portiveConnections@a2.gov.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉E 4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HOMELESSNESS The Washtenaw County Continuum of Care completed its annual Point in Time count early Thursday with dozens of volunteers taking a snapshot of people experiencing homelessness. Mandated by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Continuums of Care are bodies charged with ending homelessness, in particular through getting involvement community-wide. The result? The count of unsheltered people, conducted from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday, increased over the previous year’s count by more than threefold, up from 6 to 22. Volunteers and Washtenaw County staffers scoured the entire county in the light snow, handing out snacks and even offering a one-night hotel stay if the people they encountered wanted it. In some sense, the increase in unhoused persons found for the count reflects greater diligence and location information going in, but it is also likely that the sheer numbers increased. It is important because it JANUARY 27, 2023 Point in time count seeks snapshot of homelessness CYNTHIA PRICE Editor An intrepid group of Point in Time volunteers ready to leave for the count. Organizer Andrew Kraemer is seated in front. informs how much funding a county CoC receives from HUD. The volunteers, recruited and organized by Washtenaw County CoC Data Coordinator Andrew Kraemer, must watch a training video, and they receive a route. Many have years of experience. Teams were able to connect before going out for the count. They also give a brief survey to anyone they find experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The challenges inherent in that snapshot approach likely result in underreporting, but that condition applies equally to all of the 400 CoCs in the U.S. The online 2022 count report for Washtenaw County warns, “The reader is … cautioned that since compliance with these [methodology] standards may vary, the reliability and consistency of the homeless counts may also vary among CoCs.” (That report may be found at the HUD exchange website by filtering the search for MI-509.) The 2022 report states that there were 172 homeless people in the County as of the 2022 Point in Time Count. The full figures for 2023 will be released at the end of February. Different CoCs make detailed plans to get the number of people experiencing extended houselessness down to zero. The Point in Time count is just one way they obtain data that shapes their planning. Critics say that even within the snapshot framework there are ways to take a more accurate count. Outreach to see PIT page 9  Family housing emergency resources – HAWC back on track Family homelessness is exploding this winter. When Covid emergency funds ended and inflation spiked, families fell off the cliff, especially large families. To make matters worse, the Washtenaw County single point of entry, HAWC, was undergoing a rocky transition from being run by the Salvation Army to being run by Washtenaw County’s Office of Community and Economic Development. Staffing HAWC services has been the main challenge in transitioning the hotline to a new service provider. With phone calls often not answered and messages not returned for days or more, even the resources available for imminent emergencies were not reaching those who needed them. Word got around to not even bother calling HAWC. The Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and MISSION were providing limited emergency hotel stays with funds from the Emergency Sheltering Program. David Goldbaum, Program Manager of MISSION's Family Emergency Sheltering program, was concerned about the conditions families with children were living in due to systemic dysfunction. Kathy Wyatt, Executive Analyst and Assistant to the Washtenaw County funding from the County and its cities. At the height of the pandemic, when SUSAN BECKETT Publisher emeritus sheriff, reported that judges are just sick over the evictions they are forced to sanction by law, knowing that these families have nowhere to turn. Fortunately, HAWC staffing is now in place to both answer calls and provide immediate stipends or hotel stays for those who would otherwise spend the night exposed to winter weather. The County provided $50,000 in funding to the Emergency Sheltering Program for the stipends and hotel stays, but with 29 families on the literally homeless list and an average wait-time of 101 days for placement in permanent housing, officials expect the sheltering program will need $695,000-$995,000 to shelter those families through March. They are hoping for additional proximity to others posed danger of infection and hospitalization, the Covid Emergency Rental Assistance program provided federal funds to help people pay for their own lodging. Now the CERA program has ended and rental prices, along with the cost of everything else, has made self-sufficiency impossible for some families. The Covid-19 risk to vulnerable family members makes the traditional doubling up of families untenable for many. Most of the families now on the waiting list for housing are new to the system. It has been especially difficult for larger families who require multiple rooms. The average size of the families now calling HAWC is 3.8 people. HAWC does the initial intake and provides emergency shelter assistance if needed, then refers families to SOS Community Services and individuals to the Shelter Association (the Delonis Center) for a thorough assessment that could lead to permanent housing. SOS has hired three additional staff to do these assessments. They were completing training in late January. The Shelter Association was trying to hire two additional assessment staffers as of late January. Families can now expect an assessment one to two weeks after their HAWC intake. Call 734-961-1999 to get started. Having financial records on hand will expedite assistance. Urgent cases — those with no shelter — can come in person at 8:30 a.m., Monday-Thursday to the Delonis Center or SOS. Editor’s note: During the Continuum of Care board meeting on January 18, HAWC call center data was presented, praised for improvements and then critiqued after further examination. It was determined that many metrics were missing from the call center’s data presentation including time between intake and assessment. Groundcover News will follow up on the stated improvements of HAWC staffing and oversight to determine if HAWC begins to meet community standards across the board. Individuals and families should continue to call HAWC, as CoC representatives are concerned that improvement in call center metrics is due to widespread frustration with the hotline rather improvement. than operational ׉ 7cassandra://y58dK7HCGm2Qb7HxGA3gEP4I1AhWP6oiXTR1qWVJus4Q`duFז0?HR@׉EJANUARY 27, 2023 AGENCY SPOTLIGHT Supportive Connections now open for referrals in Washtenaw County LA SHAWN CARLISLE Groundcover contributor Hi everyone. I'd like to present Supportive Connections, an Ann Arbor City criminal deflection service. I interviewed Karen Field, the program director, to get to know the program better in order to share with Groundcover readers. LC: When was Supportive Connections founded? KF: Supportive Connections started when I was hired as the program director in July 2022. We opened for referrals on November 2, 2022. LC: As the program director, what are your goals and/or plans for Supportive Connections? KF: The mission of Supportive Connections is to assist individuals who are in crisis or need of social service supports and at risk of becoming involved or re-involved with the criminal justice system. Our primary focuses are substance abuse and mental health. Our program is not directly connected to the court or law enforcement, so we rely on the community for referrals. Anyone can refer to our program. A person can even call to ask for services themselves. Once a person is referred to Supportive Connections, we reach out to the referred person. Participation with Supportive Connections is voluntary. If someone wants to participate, we look at the individual's needs and concerns. Our case manager, Johnathan Laye, works within existing community resources as much as possible. We also have some funding to support our mission, which can pay for things such as substance abuse treatment and mental health services. We have many people in our community doing great work. I am not looking at stepping on anyone's toes or reinventing the wheel. If a referred person is already working with or receiving services from a community agency, we will reach out to that agency or worker to see if there is any assistance that we can provide. We are hoping we can help fill any gaps and coordinate assistance. As much as possible, we want to help where needed and not duplicate or undermine other efforts. I believe there are enough people in need in our community for all programs to coexist and work together. LC: With this being said, I'd like to note that in my mind it is a wonderful idea to have supports in place. Yet, fundamentally, it is a much greater provision to implement community access resources that aid and/or assist in preventative programs that are able to detect and look at how to avoid further injury to people in crises. A format where we can be taught what to avoid in some cases. To allow questions to be asked by the consumers, then have some tenured advocates or recipients that are successful in the utilization of specific programs and services to answer them. Another key part of offering services is to address the need for transportation to access these supports and/or services. Many people give up or are discouraged due to limited or the lack of safe and adequate means to access and receive services that are and may become available. Yes, the limitations that exist in order to access these benefits and services that aid in support from community programs can make some people give up, while others are even more frustrated because of the gap that does not bridge access for provisions to be made. What are you doing to make people aware of the program? KF: Community outreach is, and will continue to be, vital to our program. We have contacted a number of community agencies and community leaders. We have made presentations to over two dozen organizations and groups. We are continuing to reach out to community agencies and respond to all inquiries about our program. LC: Where is the office located? KF: Our office is currently located at the Justice Center, 305 E. Huron Ann Arbor, Mich. If someone is not comfortable coming into the Justice Center Building, we will make efforts to meet them at another community location. LC: How many agencies are aware of the Supportive Connections program? KF: We have reached out to over 50 community agencies, organizations, and groups by email and inperson. I also think word of mouth is working as we have received referrals from agencies with whom we have not yet met. LC: Is there any data that you are using to design the Supportive Connections program? KF: We are collecting a number of data for this program and will utilize it to continue to develop and refine this program. This is a new and a dynamic entity, which is open to some modification as determined by community needs. LC: I know that it is wise for individuals to review records and documents with agents/people who gather information. This way, if there seem to be or are things that the client does not see as an accurate record, they can have that noted. A person's needs are met better when they are more clearly understood, stated and documented with a meeting of the minds. Most importantly let us always keep in mind that it is more productive to prevent a crisis and address things that are preventable. Let us not leave the marginalized in a place to use substances as an answer. Let us restore hope and trust in our communities and their professional and voluntary agents. As a further update, as of January 19, 2023 there is a free Narcan vending machine in the front vestibule (Huron St. entrance) of City Hall. Obtain this at your own discretion and purpose of comfortability for a crisis that may arise, whether it be known or unknown to you. Thank you, City of Ann Arbor, for your willingness and ability to move forward with a unified goal to connect the otherwise silenced and unheard (because of shame or the lack of connection) to community facilities and their resources. For anyone looking to contribute to or engage with Supportive Connections please contact them by phone at 734-794-6934, or by email at SupportiveConnections@a2.gov.org, or online at a2gov.org/ SupportiveConnections. Sunday, February 5 • 4–6pm Downtown Libary As part of the 2023 Washtenaw Read, AADL hosts Kiley Reid, author of the 2023 Washtenaw Reads title Such a Fun Age for a talk, reading, and Q&A session. This event includes a signing with books for sale. For more information about Washtenaw Reads and previous years’ reads, go to wread.org. GROUNDCOVER NEWS What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Hang out in any of our five locations across town, browsing books, magazines, newspapers, and more, or check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, and science tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out. Databases at AADL Did you know all AADL library card holders have access to databases? You can search consumer reports, genealogy, and much more! Visit AADL.org/ collections/databases. AADL Shelf Service Place your request with our Shelf Service and let AADL know the types of things you’re looking for–AADL staff will fill a bag with items we think you’ll like! For more information visit AADL.org/shelfservice FEATURED EVENT 5 duFז0?HRAduFז0?HR@ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://_KccRNINv9ajFWdCLaJmRLM8mknwnLrWpoQvYySIuQgĺ`I׉ 7cassandra://PdnaZBxulvRiEZlOrAOLfX4rAwm7AYLPXLiwNEos2vQ&`׉ 7cassandra://ondW0fgXqcR41MHuUL1MZ96PrGBrELnSoOaO4O-pLU4T`׉ 7cassandra://aeUrFKLX-bE_kyCEyTv6iMtCM8a1M6PSIO3rGqjZe_U `}X͠ iduFז0?HRf׉Ep6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES Old world vs. New world order MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 Illustration by Cindy "Kung Fu Panda" Gere, Bold moves have been made of late by conductors of ideology of the old world order, as the new world emerges. One must ask, is it out of desperation and fear of a new world order and ideology? Taking a look at global affairs and issues: Russo-Ukrainian War, Roe v. Wade Supreme Court reversal, the deadly protests in Iran after Mahsa Amini died in the custody of Iran morality police. And there are the culture wars, race relations in the United States and Europe and tension between the U.S. and China. As I reflect on the old world order, I must say, I can’t wait to see what a new world has to offer. Let's talk about “isms” — racism, sexism, nationalism and so on. Unfairly, these "‘isms” will exist in the new world, let us not be naïve. But I'm quite sure that those who look forward to the new world are conditioned to resist by any and all means necessary, because the old world is not going out without a fight. Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine is simply an attempted land grab, reclaiming territory lost in 1991 as a result of the fall of the USSR. He thought the war with Ukraine would be a walk in the park but underestimated the will and the resolve of the Ukrainians. September 16, 2022, was the start of civil unrest in Tehran and throughout the region, over the death of Mahsa Amini. Young Iranian people, especially young women, are outraged at the Iranian government for abuse against women. This struggle is the age-old war on and against women. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court reversal was a low and unexpected blow. As a result, it turned up the heat for midterm elections. A lot is on the line here: we take two steps forward, we can’t afford to take three steps back. This was one of the major reasons for the record return of absentee ballots in midterm elections. Are there culture wars in the United States and Europe? I know many culture defenders in the United States. “Isms'' is a problem in Europe as well. Groundcover vendor No. 279. Illustration colored by Cameron, office visitor, age six. These remnants of old ideology and the old world philosophy are a testament of the will and audacity of a people stuck on ideology of the past. China, North Korea and that region are a hot and contentious region of the globe, to say the least. It’s hard to know where the leaders in that region stand in regards to Russia and the war on Ukraine and also China’s plan to “landgrab” Taiwan. No doubt about it, it’s going to be a tight fight. We must look forward to embracing the unknown and the new that is to come, and learn from our past history in order to CO-EXIST. JANUARY 27, 2023 Challenges being a houseless woman selling Groundcover News assault and assumptions. These are the extra weights to carry. The first weight is all the rudeness and hostile attitudes about homelessness. People assume you are lazy, don’t want a job, do drugs or are just begging. People think they are higher class than you. The second weight — which is speBEVERLY BOSS Groundcover vendor No. 583 There are a lot of challenges being a houseless woman selling Groundcover News. Some of them are attitudes about homelessness in general and extra challenges of dealing with sexual cific to being a woman — is the sexism, sexual assault, invisibility, verbal assault and assumptions you are a prostitute. Many people in the community are only one check away from being homeless. Have empathy! Angelz in the sky (part 2) TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 I know I'm missin you, Some timez I wanna cry, Some timez I wish I could touch, Give ya a kiss, Some timez I wanna talk, I love & miss ya so much, All tha time I wish, All tha time I ask why, Therez so much I wanted ta do, Now I just gotta move on, Wit chu in my heart, Izz where you'll stay, Til that end day. ׉ 7cassandra://ondW0fgXqcR41MHuUL1MZ96PrGBrELnSoOaO4O-pLU4T`duFז0?HRB׉ETJANUARY 27, 2023 VENDOR VOICES GROUNDCOVER NEWS Are you really listening? Street paper vendors engage in everyday acts of communication The need to communicate with another human being is quite human. Passersby also have their share of stress on a daily basis. Here's what I tell my clients: "I'm here to sell a magazine, but I'm here for you first." Selling is important, but so is listening to passersby. The pink flowery hijab In a cheerful tone, and spontaneously, I call out to her: "Your hijab is beautiful!" She smiles. Then I add: "You are very pretty." Seeing her radiant face, I understand that I have touched a sensitive chord. She moves forward, rummaging in her bag. I refuse the money. She doesn't understand. I am just happy to see her smile at me and I feel grateful. She insists on giving me the money. I refuse it and wish her a nice day by giving her the magazine. The elderly lady JO REDWITCH L'Itineraire street paper vendor An elderly lady stops, wallet in hand: "Would you like a magazine, ma'am?" She answers me with a nod. "Do you want today's or the 1 November issue, which contains two pages I wrote? It's the article called ‘Letter to my younger self.’" I show her the photos that accompany my article. She might be the more visual type, you never know. She holds her purse tightly, it's rush hour and it's crowded, but this detail doesn't bother her at all. "My niece just had a baby. Her husband works a lot and my niece is exhausted. I’m going to her house to help her cook. " I listen to her patiently in spite of the traffic in the subway. It's 5 p.m. sharp. Her story over, she leaves me with a big $10. "Keep the change, thanks Jo." The early childhood educator Another woman stops and calls out to me: "I read your piece: ‘Letter to my younger self.’ Then, as you suggested, I tried to do the same – I wrote as if I were talking to myself as a child. I wondered if I had made the right choices, especially in early adulthood. As I reread it, I started to cry, tore it up and threw it in the trash." "Why?" I asked her. "You know, I work in daycare and have had some serious health issues this year." I nodded... "And I had an epiphany. Since the health thing with my heart, I've come to the realization that I never thought about myself. I sacrificed my whole life for my husband, my children. Now I feel stuck." I listened to each of them. The elderly lady needed empathy and recognition for helping her niece. My regular client needed me to tell her that it was not too late to take care of her own needs instead of those of others while the young woman in the hijab simply needed to hear a compliment. Active listening, for me, is listening without intervening. Just listening. I try to understand the other person's inner world, show real empathy, and then give the person time to tell their story. Also, it's always good to verify with the person to make sure that I have understood. Maybe the person doesn't need you to help them solve their problems, maybe they just need an ear. Genuine listening gives importance and value to people who need to talk, and even more to the person who is too often silent. Courtesy of L’Itinéraire / International Network of Street Papers. L’Itinéraire is a street paper located in Montreal, Quebec. Welcome refugees and consider being a co-sponsor Immigrants are often refugees from economic or natural disasters. Many post-colonial — poor — countries are impacted by a disaster, some by two or more. In a homeland targeted by the global investor class for “regime change,” a type of coup d’etat by sanctions and financial destabilization, we see full spectrum warfare. The "flood" of refugees at the United States border is on our social screen. The cause of this exodus from third (poor) to first world (rich) countries is well studied by Monthly Review in particular, with its focus on the “politics of underdevelopment” and the “new world order,” better known as the neoliberal form of imperialism. “The Open Veins of Latin America” by Eduardo Galeano is a classic book on the subject. The Biden administration has addressed this situation, not by looking at the causes, but by shifting USCIS (Citizen and Immigration Services) policy to allow Haitians, Cubans, Nicarauguans and Venezuelans with family in the United States to be sponsored by a supporter from that family — but only if the sponsor qualifies. I do not qualify as a supporter because my income is too low, but with a backup supporter we could apply and bring some of my Cuban family to Ann Arbor. KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 apartment, Cuban culture could easily accommodate six or more people. We would, however, abide by Ann Arbor residency compliance rules. My life is complex and interesting. All the above-named persons, except Santiago Alberto, are active on Facebook, and I pay to keep their cell phones open. With this background, I invite you to friend-request them, and consider being a backup supporter or possibly a lead supporter — and I held two babies in my hands in Cuba; Daniela Valdes Negret in 2001 and Kevin Toledo in 2006. I committed to be padrino — a mentor, protector, spiritual friend. So I am a co-parent with the biological father. This is a serious responsibility in Cuba and I am being implored to start the work to bring them here. Daniela has a threeyear-old, Santiago Alberto, named after my middle name, Albert. He is my third ahijado, spiritual child. I held him before he was born. I want to invite mother and son to live with me. We know how to live in a small space. I also have a stepdaughter, Daymara Rovira Negret, who was once a Cuban national weightlifting champion in her age and gender class. She is a physical trainer. If we had a two-bedroom become a part of our ever-growing extended family. We are all part of a large global family between Cuba and the United States, as well as Canada, Mexico and other Caribbean islands at the center of our lives. Our experience of natural borders will open our understanding of the nation state. Let’s do something good together. Consider sponsoring or co-sponsoring someone you find a connection with. My phone number is (313) 918-2453. 7 duFז0?HRCduFז0?HRB בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://XOXB5QkQwFdvYogbYUr8HF8amwT7AxDN5xhuqCT3nJcu`I׉ 7cassandra://XuPSwKW2rGQXv02atX9Y_GWzWdH8UNgfNSNJSR35v8g%U`׉ 7cassandra://iZBAz4jZiBHX01MBeijsM-m90nixPMiVVklMAQmmIjQS`׉ 7cassandra://6n1GCMmj1j12Sr7mTgRQJ1yj-hPVC7EI4Vtbh-_rBKA͠ iduFז0?HRjנduFז0?HRi̛9׉Hhttp://peacehouseypsi.orgGׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRq9ׁH"mailto:contact@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Ј׉Eb8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS COMMUNITY JANUARY 27, 2023 The brunch revolution — Around the Kitchen Table with Peace House Ypsi ALEXANDRA GRANBERG Groundcover contributor Waffle iron sizzling. Kids laughing. Community mingling. Around the Kitchen Table with Peace House Ypsi is no mimosa-and-avocado-toast, reservations-only, kind of brunch. Free, weekly brunches — a concept sprouted from Peace House, run by Sheri Wander and her husband Pat — were already underway a couple of years before the pandemic hit. When that happened, the brunch had to be re-imagined. Wander started running weekly food deliveries instead. But it just wasn’t the same. “The whole point of the brunch was building community, and I was mourning the loss of that,” said Wander. A few months earlier, Wander had met Lisa Gizzi, a long-term food enthusiast and vegan. Gizzi had run her own, fully vegan prepared food business before realizing “I just wanted to feed my friends, my family, anybody.” So she quit her food business and started thinking about how to make food — tasty, healthy, and, in her case, vegan — more accessible. “Food should be free.” In September 2022, Gizzi and Wander thought the timing was right to restart communal meals. Peace House had been approached by Growing Hope, a nonprofit focused on strengthening the local food system in Ypsilanti. “There was a natural space for collaboration,” said Wander. They all met up, decided they liked each other and that they wanted to work together. The previous brunches had been held at the small space that Peace House provides. Growing Hope had a much larger space to offer, and that’s where it clicked. The bigger space could accommodate more people, and its central location in downtown Ypsilanti made it more accessible. Bee Mayhewn, the kitchen manager at Growing Hope’s Incubator Kitchen, was able to use her connections to get food donations for the brunches — though a lot still comes out of Wander and Gizzi’s own pockets. All three are involved in the cooking along with other volunteers, a setup they hope will grow more sustainable. To that end, Wander would like to be able to get grocery store gift cards to people who want to contribute with their cooking or baking but can’t afford ingredients. Beggars can be choosers The renewed brunches have brought a more diverse clientele than those at Peace House: a lawyer mingling with someone experiencing homelessness; a college student sitting with a dad of five. Some bring food to share, others just happen to walk by. Gizzi estimates that the brunchgoers are a fifty-fifty mix of people who need a free meal, and people who just crave a good brunch. “Whether you’re seeking community or are food-insecure, it doesn’t matter once you’re through the door,” said Wander. And community is what it’s mostly about, according to Wander: “Food is an important tool in community building, such a natural way of sharing our cultures, family stories, experiences. The act of sitting around a table together often creates a relaxed space.” But why brunch? Gizzi says they tried dinner at first, but once they switched to brunch “it exploded” — from some 20 people in the beginning to upwards of 75 last Sunday. Part of the explanation could be that many other places offer free dinners, but elaborate breakfasts are hard to come by. The more diverse brunch crowd was “more what we wanted it to be, and what the community wanted,” said Wander. Then there’s this: Brunch is considered a bourgeois luxury, something they wanted to “flip on its head.” “Sometimes beggars can be choosers,” said Wander. The statement carries a fundamental doctrine. “The expectation is often that one should be thankful for whatever food, if it’s free. We tried making this brunch a celebration, a treat, with vegan and gluten free options — fancy stuff. We all deserve that.” Wander used to think of Ypsilanti as a food desert, but now views it more as “food apartheid” — a systemic limit to easy access to healthy, fresh food. The tagline for the now monthly brunch is Relationships are made around the kitchen table. Unofficially Gizzi adds and revolutions — because “food is political.” These brunches, however, are meant to be a low-barrier event, where anybody and everybody can come and sit down with others, sharing informal knowledge and information over a meal, or just taking the food to go. Making a free meal into a luxurious Top: Saif and Malaika, two Around the Kitchen table attendees, enjoying full plates of brunch food. Bottom left: Grace Wu and Heidi Bechtel are kitchen volunteers from Growing Hope. They assisted with serving the buffet-style brunch. Bottom right: The vegan waffle bar at the January 15 brunch was complete with berries, coconut, candy pieces, sprinkles and so much more! brunch is about making a statement. But, Around the Kitchen Table is also about good eating. And the brunches can be just that — waffles with whipped cream, or the best vegan cheesy potatoes around. The next brunch is February 19, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the Growing Hope Kitchen on 16 South Washington St, Ypsilanti. More info: peacehouseypsi.org. ׉ 7cassandra://iZBAz4jZiBHX01MBeijsM-m90nixPMiVVklMAQmmIjQS`duFז0?HRE׉EJANUARY 27, 2023 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS 9 Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads and signs before receiving a badge and papers. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenets of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting our County. • Groundcover will be distributed for a voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling past monthly issues. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor Corner Policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code please email contact@groundcovernews.com or fill out the contact form on our website. MATH PUZZLES JAN GOMBART GROUNDCOVER CONTRIBUTOR 1. Bruce was a pupil at Madison Elementary School in 1945. The year of his birth is a perfect square. How old was he on his birthday in 1988? 2. Three men are lined up behind each other. The tallest man is in the back and can see the heads of the two in front of him; the middle man can see the one man in front of him; the man in front can’t see anyone. They are blindfolded and hats are placed on their heads, picked from three black hats and two white hats. The extra two hats are hidden and the blindfolds removed. The tallest man is asked if he knows what color hat he’s wearing; he doesn’t. The middle man is asked if he knows; he doesn’t. But the man in front, who can’t see anyone, says he knows. How does he know, and what color hat is he wearing?  PIT from page 4 people in the community who know where to find people could be stepped up, and the data in the report on sheltered homeless people (which is obtained separately) could include houses of hospitality and other stopgap measures. One local critic notes that the universities could provide information about unhoused students, since they offer assistance to those students. While those who “couch-surf” are not unsheltered, attempting to derive information about them for the report would round out the picture. Look for an analysis of the 2023 count in a March issue of Groundcover News. duFז0?HRFduFז0?HRE בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://iOB9psXZ-IuBh8F_-K3KUiC2bgAWIEAUtm40Xdm1Ys8 0`I׉ 7cassandra://jWSw7Lv6SBhU3mjMqwa627ZINus2GHqinaDajdRdDAw"`׉ 7cassandra://AWeSzG7OuG9adCp1p3UQZ1IrEcrhGhJvocj8COmRgS8P`׉ 7cassandra://lmAvBHD-pwZFT_Nm7z2_lY3Iz6hVlmab_BsHYcHarW4 <͠ iduFז0?HRrנduFז0?HRm 9׉H_http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/04/an-ode-to-%20giving-people-money/622835/%20Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRn"9׉H_http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/04/an-ode-to-%20giving-people-money/622835/%20Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRo89׉H_http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/04/an-ode-to-%20giving-people-money/622835/%20Gׁ ׁ rנduFז0?HRu9ׁH$http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR WEEK  MISCONCEPTIONS from page 2 possible for vendors to move out of homelessness. Homelessness can take many forms, and poverty even more. You never know what someone’s life experience is, and we know that definitely cannot be assumed from what meets the eye. “These men and women are regular people…” True! No explanation needed. “... who are using these licenses to steal money from unexpecting hard working people.” False. Groundcover vendors are individually licensed for charitable solicitation by means of selling newspapers. Groundcover News is a real publication that has a real purchase price. I personally think that Groundcover is worth more than just $2 — especially with that $2 Co-op coupon in every issue! “Their pitch is usually, ‘can you buy a newspaper to help support the homeless of the community? 100 percent of the proceeds are given to those who are in need.’ This is in fact a lie.” False, though this one toes the line. This is a pitch that someone, usually new, might use to distance themselves from the transaction. It is not the norm, not what is taught and gets corrected once observed. The information in this pitch is true but phrasing it in third person makes it sound like the money is going to a third party, instead of that member of the homeless community, who is speaking. “These individuals are pocketing 100% of all monies collected.” True. That is how Groundcover works. Groundcover vendors purchase the newspapers they sell at a wholesale price and re-sell them on the street to customers, keeping the revenue they make, including tips. The money vendors receive on the street is the vendor’s income, as selling the newspaper is the job. “Some of these individuals are making over a thousand dollars a day…” False. Many community members are very generous, and sometimes, vendors are surprised with a larger gift that exceeds what someone might consider just a tip. But, those gifts are few and far between and certainly not enough to warrant the daily take-home pay to be anywhere near $1,000 a day. “... via cash another torrent [sic] Venmo sales and cash app or square sales which go directly to their personal bank accounts.” True. Groundcover vendors are encouraged to use personal accounts to accept cashless payments from customers. This is something we pushed during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued ever since. It has truly been a successful, safe and easy way to facilitate the exchange. Unless a vendor uses the Groundcover Venmo account, the money goes directly to them. If a vendor uses the Groundcover Venmo account, the money goes directly to them as cash on a weekly basis. “The people running ground cover know of these but continue to support this behavior because these fraudsters are keeping their organization valid and afloat.” False. Behavior that deviates from the Vendor Code of Conduct puts Groundcover News, and therefore, other current and future vendors’ employment/income at risk. We have a standardized violation policy that we act upon if we witness an incident or can validate a reported infraction. “Most of these homeless vendors are making anywhere from 5 to 10000 a week.” False — for now. Some Groundcover vendors sell the paper to fill in gaps in their income, selling only one or two times a week, and some consider selling Groundcover a fulltime job. To make $10,000 selling the regular $2 paper (that vendors profit $1.50 off of) would take selling 15,000 newspapers in a week. On average, all 35-45 active vendors sell 1700-2200 newspapers every two weeks. If, in the future, the newspaper is in such high demand that one vendor can make $10,000, we would celebrate, not shame them. Groundcover News values economic autonomy. “This terrible theft needs to stop immediately. The organization is stealing from the innocent. Please look into this immediately and stop this crime.” Homelessness and poverty are already highly criminalized identities. Selling Groundcover is legitimate work and exists because so many other informal employment opportunities are criminalized. I do not write this in blind defense of every Groundcover vendor, and every Groundcover News transaction, or interaction. Even though I wish there was, there is no guarantee that every interaction purchasing Groundcover will be a positive one — people have bad days, might be stressed, traumatized from the experience of being unsheltered, or just from being a human in this world. I know many complaints are valid. We welcome them, especially in view of the earlier point: holding vendors accountable is necessary to ensure that Groundcover vendors can keep doing what they’re doing. I write this to shine light on the many misconceptions that community members have about our newspaper, and our workplace. I want to recognize that the experience of selling Groundcover means going up against the guilt, fear and/or hatred people have towards another person asking them for money. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS JANUARY 27, 2023 About a year ago now, Mary and Max Wisgerhof, office volunteers, shared with me an essay from the Atlantic by James Parker entitled, “An Ode to Giving People Money.” It is a short, profound narration of someone’s experience when asked to give money. Its concluding paragraphs: “Here’s my tip: If you’re temperamentally indisposed, keep your money. A penny given a poor man 'grudgingly,' wrote the French Catholic mystic Léon Bloy, 'pierces the poor man’s hand, falls, pierces the earth, bores holes in suns, crosses the firmament and compromises the universe.' So don’t do that. “But if you are inclined to give, then give wholeheartedly. Not for charity, not for empathy, not for any groaning abstraction, but that the divine economy of giving might circulate through you unobstructed. Through your glands and through your veins. The person before you needs money, and you need to give it. Unplug the wellspring of life, and hand it over.” The entire essay can be found at: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/ archive/2022/04/an-ode-togiving-people-money/622835/ This week is Vendor Appreciation Week. Recognize this paper not as a prop for asking someone for money, but as a unique and valuable asset in our community. Recognize the act of selling Groundcover not as a crime, but as a service to the community. Thank your vendor for distributing a newspaper filled with solutions-based journalism, community voices, puzzles, recipes, stories and a chance to communicate. Look to the back page to see ways to go above and beyond in this celebration. Thanks for buying — and reading — Groundcover News. Math puzzle solutions: 1. 52 years old. The year of his birth was 1936 = 44 x 44. 2. Since the first man doesn’t know, he can’t see two white hats (otherwise he would know his hat is black), so the other two can conclude that their hats are white and black or black and black. If the second man saw white, he would conclude that his hat must be black. Thus, the third man knows that his hat is black. ׉ 7cassandra://AWeSzG7OuG9adCp1p3UQZ1IrEcrhGhJvocj8COmRgS8P`duFז0?HRJ׉E JANUARY 27, 2023 THINK ABOUT IT untitled billy hill writer there are times in individuals' lives where things make sense. a certain familiar sense of simplicity, we allow ourselves to return with from time to time — where the truth speaks with us. when we collect ourselves we can begin to notice how things are, beyond how we think about life. when we withdraw from fleeting thoughts and silly identifications, and move into our purpose — the soul of our being — and connect with our inner person — the voice of wisdom in life — we remember who we are and where our life’s work has been this entire time, still. in the bigger picture, the small details of existence appear self-evident. like all those options we just realized were always here, in this very moment. it has been stated that most of human psychology is a dance of relating self to others as a strategy of self organization. as one wonders about what is beyond the borders of the known, eventually a clear picture emerges within the same truth we are. plato’s cave analogy, the story of captives who, restrained in a cave to near complete darkness and oblivion, save through the shifting glimmer of a partial ray of sunlight that casts semi silhouettes of the hostages themselves. from the point of view dependent on desperate grasping at truth, the same truth in the described scenario; displaced circumstantially, the cave dwellers assume that their relative awareness is all there is in existence in the universe (a so-called optical illusion of the self). plato further illustrates, through this tale, with the additional twist of philosophy: if one of the cave’s victims of fate were to manage an escape and release from their indentured servitude to the ignore-ance of wholeness in the cave’s obscurity and set free to learn the greater world they are a part of, their past ignoring the rest of life would become irrelevant. the freed individual would take their place in the greater life they are part of, in direct sunlight for the first time to see the world first person. if, plato continues, the free person were to, after exploring their world, return to the cave to report to the others of the greater existence of life they’d been deprived of, the captives would disbelieve, perhaps ridicule and probably resent the messenger due to their condition. through which the messenger must be forced to the solitary return, to beyond the cave. modern day life has inspired a new lens to add to the allegory of the cave: plato’s cell phone. that nowadays a lot of folks forget to look past the screen on their palm to see to the rest of the world they seek to know. the antidote to the situation is an old one; empower ourselves to enjoy where we are whether thick or thin. the way things are in this moment is what our lives are like, actually. being able to find our balance with the universe as it GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 happens is how growth teaches us who we are. to be able to enjoy ourselves both is an asset and an ability and the enthusiasm is contagious. it brings us back to ourselves. duFז0?HRKduFז0?HRJ בCטFu׉׉ 7cassandra://BiAJougBKi0fuI4Rs7tERwnaR7wncb0viEXi5lBvv84c`׉ 7cassandra://Zgq1Walv2e5M_lHIJPizvofUszCAq8o7Z15qbbAsbjsͅ`h׉ 7cassandra://7Gj7P4vKeX7V26vtbIOQ3E99i4UwmOCoPsGpYvXEdTQ,`׉ 7cassandra://rayPGCYMTKFQw_DY23XPV5Snw9vjYKv15p7VbWiaBu4F*z͠4duFז0?HRvנduFז0?HRxP&9ׁHhttp://CommuteandWin.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉E12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Vegan butternut squash chili ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 1 red onion, diced 2 cups vegetable stock 2 cloves of garlic 1 green pepper, diced 2 ½ to 3 cups cubed butternut squash 28 oz can diced tomatoes 1 1/2 cups canned black beans 1 1/2 cups canned kidney beans 1 tablespoon chili powder, more or less to your preference ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Cilantro, chopped Directions: Sauté onions in ¼ cup of vegetable stock or water for 3-5 minutes, then add garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the green pepper and sauté for 3 minutes. Add butternut squash and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Finally, add the beans and spices and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve topped with cilantro. JANUARY 27, 2023 BECOME A GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR • Make money on your first day • Choose your own schedule • Work for yourself • Join a supportive community • Get started this week for FREE NEW VENDOR ORIENTATIONS ARE EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 10 AM @ THE GCN OFFICE. Trainings take 90 minutes. New vendors will get a temporary badge and 10 free papers to start. BLAKE TRANSIT Willam St. AADL The Groundcover office is located in the basement of Bethlehem United Church of Christ (423 S 4th Ave, downtown Ann Arbor) Conquer the Cold is Back! The challenge returns January 10–February 10, 2023! Register now at CommuteandWin.org #OwnWinter @getdowntown The getDowntown Program provides commuting programs and services to downtown Ann Arbor employees and employers. A program of TheRide, getDowntown's partners include the City of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor DDA. Packard St. Fifth St. Fourth Ave. ׉ 7cassandra://7Gj7P4vKeX7V26vtbIOQ3E99i4UwmOCoPsGpYvXEdTQ,`duFז0?HRL׈EduFז0?HRMduFז0?HRL ,January 27, 2023du?UŎ|