׉?ׁB!בCטFFu׉׉ 7cassandra://dW0i6IpXJuyMr_yfMz6L_Cg0F_HmkuAKW5xF0Z8aVmM`׉ 7cassandra://OZsnbrpn3VhHi4ZIyIZ_hWlhKcC9b1U-JopFnKNuyuÝ`h׉ 7cassandra://rXzEsKgO_5T8We0HE1SP_1TifSCK-3araQak1u7Mf1k-G`fX&meטFu׈}\׈EfX&me׉E2 $ MAY 31, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 12 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Then and now — reflections on the Diag encampment. Page 4 TONY SCHOHL #9 ASK YOUR VENDOR: HOW DO YOU COOL OFF ON A HOT DAY? GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Abolitionists and activists rally for moms in jail on Mother's Day. page 6 Activists, community supporters and families of inmates protest outside the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility on Mother's Day, May 14. Photo submitted. 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://rXzEsKgO_5T8We0HE1SP_1TifSCK-3araQak1u7Mf1k-G`fX&mefX&me בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://tqtWudBw4lRe2oYnFAHtj7Vt3aLpnkChGWdQzD9xp80$`I׉ 7cassandra://8N_ZHow121hI5hd1TjtP7ghqIx66NDoRRzFO-ahPWVw`׉ 7cassandra://o2Y8OODRzKva-sEFYpZWE1J-ZnxC_DuU04LMyJtnfDoN`fX'meנfX&me9׉Hhttp://www.groundcovernews.orgGׁ ׁ rנfX&me9׉H http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsGׁ ׁ rנfX'mev̺9ׁHmailto:Tabbyron99@gmail.comׁ ׁ ЈנfX'me^u9ׁHhttp://mgoblue.com/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E72 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER Why street newspapers? Street newspapers are produced, purchased, and sold by the homeless and those facing poverty. These newspapers provide a source of income and a platform to interact and build relationships in the community. Street newspapers mainly focus on topics concerning homelessness, poverty, local issues and events. Publications such as these provide communities with a unique perspective for readers on topics and issues of being unhoused and/or facing financial hardship. Street newspapers are non-profits; the community itself can be involved through volunteering their time and services. Students from various colleges and universities also do their internships at these publications. The homeless and the community at large provide the community with a wide perspective for the reader's enjoyment. Like any other publication, street newspapers provide advertising opportunities for local businesses and organizations. These publications are a part of a MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 street newspaper syndicate called International Network of Street Papers. INSP supports a network of 92 street papers, in 35 countries, published in 25 languages. • 3.2 million readers worldwide. • 904 volunteers worldwide supporting our network • Over 390,000 people in poverty supported since the first street paper was published in 1989 • 5,730 vendors sell street papers at any one time • 13.15 million street papers were sold across the world in 2021 • 1,350 towns and cities had a street paper presence in 2021 I would like to talk about my experience as a street newspaper vendor and writer. There is an old saying, "Life is what you make it.” This is true when working for a street paper. In the beginning, I was oblivious to the true meaning and purpose of a street newspaper, and the possibilities this occupation would lead me to. Before becoming a full time vendor at Groundcover News, I was a cab driver for over ten years in Ann Arbor. Being a driver and selling newspapers are a lot alike; you communicate with the public daily. That is what I like most about these two jobs. It took me some time to find my voice as a street paper vendor. After jumping in the water and getting my feet wet, I finally got my pitch down pat. Once you learn how to vibe and communicate with the public, one should have no problem making money and new friends. Just like any other job or occupation there are a lot of ups and downs. At times it can be like riding an emotional rollercoaster. Some days are great and others MAY 31, 2024 not so great; the same with cab driving. When things are good I go home and reflect on the good day. When things don't go so well, I make my way home to meditate and write. Bad weather doesn't help the cause of street newspaper vendors; the best time to sell is when the sun is shining and the weather is nice, at least tolerable. There are other financial opportunities within these publications structures through means of: writings, recordings, workshops, and through different public engagements. I find this very helpful in two ways: first, it helps make ends meet, and second allows vendors to explore their creative inner self. I like to write and street newspapers allow all voices to be heard; that’s one of the many special things about these publications. By becoming a street newspaper vendor and participant you won’t get rich anytime soon, but you will find yourself engaged in a way with your fellow vendors and community that surpasses any purchase, monetary donation or gift. By becoming a street paper vendor, I landed on the greatest ship that ever sailed: friendship! PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes 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 Hanan Husein — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Basham Roberto Isla Caballero Jim Clark Ian Earl Cindy Gere Hosea Hill Mike Jones Tabitha Ludwig Jane Reilly Ken Parks Wayne Sparks 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 CONTACT US PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Zachary Dortzbach Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Simone Masing Emily Paras Caelan Saunders Melanie Wenzel Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Emily Yao Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + 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://o2Y8OODRzKva-sEFYpZWE1J-ZnxC_DuU04LMyJtnfDoN`fX&me׉EMAY 31, 2024 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR How do you cool off on a hot day? Sweet lemonade. — Tony Schohl, #9 Pour water over my head. — Jane Reilly, #611 Go swimming. — Derek Allen, #177 Go to sleep. — Roberto Isla Caballero, #347 Stay inside and take a cool shower. — Hosea Hill, #532 Suck on a popsicle. — Wayne Sparks, #615 I rest in the shade and drink water. — Ken Parks, #490 Go to a sink, turn the cold water on, run it over the inside of your wrists. Do that for 15 minutes and your body temperature will drop. Another option is to hold ice packs on the inside of your thighs. — Cindy Gere, #279 Chew ice cubes and drink hot coffee. — Jim Clark, #139 Go jump in the pool! — Mike Jones, #113 Wear my sun hat. — Juliano Sanchez, #174 Get in the shade! — Mary Vanover, #636 Stay in the A/C. — Mark Gigax, #620 Go to the Huron River, the pool, Lake Michigan — I need a vacation! — Terri Demar, #322 I keep a cool, wet towel around my neck and/or over my head. — Joe Woods, #103 Ice lemonade. — Keith Wilson, #637 The heat doesn't bother me. — Teresa Basham, #570 La vida del submarino When I was born, my mother gave me to my grandma. She took care of me. My grandma took me to see my father and my brothers. My father would not speak to me because of what my mother did. The first time I was married I was 13. My wife was 12. My grandma wrote a letter to my mother and she came to the marriage. Everyone said we were too young, including the judge. Many people do not know my real name is Ramón Roberto Isla Caballero. The “Isla” represents the island of Cuba. In the 1970s, the world did not ROBERTO ISLA CABALLERO Groundcover vendor No. 360 know the true depths of the sea. I saw a submarine in Cuba for the first time; it was from the Soviet Union. It was like the Titanic. En Español: En los años 1970 el mundo no conocía la verdadera historía del mar. Un hombre de la edad en avanzada como primer ministro de un barco como el Titani dego a vordo un niño sin escuela y le poso solamente el nombre Ramón al conocer un significado de la Isla no supo que aker con la madre sin cariño al cual avandono. Las abuelas no supierón que hacer solamente callarón y al miran un padre no comprendieron que solante miro y callo. TABITHA LUDWIG Groundcover vendor No. 360 HOSEA HILL Groundcover vendor No. 532 Michigan Women’s Tennis May 11, Michigan versus Miami, Michigan was victorious 4-0. Player highlight: Jaedan Brown and Kari Miller played women’s doubles and they won 6-1. May 17, Michigan versus Pepperdine, Michigan came up short and lost 1-4. Player highlight: Kari Miller played well to start but fell off and lost both sets. On the other hand, Miller will be participating in the GROUNDCOVER NEWS Michigan tennis update and Eastern Michigan baseball NCAA Singles Championship! Let’s wish her luck, go Kari Miller! Listen to Head Coach Ronni Bernstein here: mgoblue.com/ podcasts/conqu-ring-heroes133-ronni-bernstein/1204 Men’s Eastern Mich. Baseball May 10, I attended the EMU baseball game at Oestrike Stadium versus Bowling Green. Eastern won 10-9, Go Eagles! I noticed something in the outfield, some sort of memorial. Later, I found that it was dedicated to former player Michael Sacha. Eastern will never forget him and they pay tribute to him with this image. He was a player in 2007-08 and after graduating, he was Kid Rock’s personal assistant. He passed away in 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee due to an ATV accident. Let’s give a moment of silence to Michael … Thank you, Groundcover readers, and have a good day! Lena's first birthday My baby's first birthday is finally coming. I'm asking for everyone to please help my baby girl be able to have a birthday. I can accept donations at Groundcover’s Venmo account — just put in the note: "Happy Birthday Lena #360." Also sending money to the CashApp $flyhighsis is an option. Just put in the note: "Happy birthday Lena." I also have a wishlist on Amazon. My Amazon is Tabbyron99@gmail.com I would love to be able to do a “Sweet One” strawberry theme for her birthday. However, anything you can donate would be greatly appreciated, either Venmo or Cash App to be able to get the cake and food or even just Amazon to get a gift sent to my house. I would greatly appreciate it. Sincerely, Tabitha. EMU baseball field Michael Sacha 3 fX&mefX&me בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://Gv4pmJ51L4SCm4_0v1RlwE1mPcfUvNQ9Oz90GBw-upE `I׉ 7cassandra://Tdfl4-7h9yfeY7bRhfKpHy74sGDCOSgK7hhmr06XKrM+A`׉ 7cassandra://GDhBuhiHPoZLKRsaufVFh3pC2gBcdXBoP_UJOc1e4roS*`fX'me׉E4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GAZA U-M TAHRIR meets resistance to demands Days that live in infamy: Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance Movement attacks Israel, the Israel-Hamas war begins; May 15, 1948, the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, known as the war of Independence in Israel and The Catastrophe ('nakba' in Arabic) in Palestine, begins; June 5, 1967 the Six-day War between Israel and the Arab states surrounding it leaving Israel in control of the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Sinai Peninsula and Jeruslaem; Sept. 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda attacks America, starting the Global War on Terrorism. "Maybe we shouldn't have gone to war after Sept 11," said Avi Tachna-Fram, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, one of over 81 organizations that are part of the University of Michigan TAHRIR Coalition. TAHRIR, Arabic for liberation, was part of the U-M Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the Diag April 22-May 21 protesting the Israel-Hamas war. The acronym is Transparency, Accountability, Humanity, Reparations, Investment and Resistance. "A lot of Jewish people in America have come to the understanding that war and genocide anywhere, ultimately, is a crime against people everywhere," said Tachna-Fram, a 2022 U-M Bachelor of Science honors graduate in math and computer science. Tachna-Fram is a media liaison for JVP and TAHRIR. Palestinian and Israeli civilians want statehood and self-determination. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar says his daily. It also controls humanitarian aid into Gaza. The United Kingdom, America and the United Nations are providing aid by land, air and the Mediterranean Sea. "My family is not looking to ‘escape’," JANE REILLY Groundcover vendor No. 611 said Mariam Odeh, a fifth-year student at the U-M Ford School for Public Policy. Odeh's uncle, aunt, cousins and grandparents live in the West Bank. It is home. Odeh is also a TAHRIR spokesperson. TAHRIR said it protested outside the sole mission is to destroy Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vehemently rejects Palestine statehood, wants to destroy Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the United States and Israel but not by the United Nations Security Council. “Hamas protects us,” said a group of men singing “From the River to the Sea,” along S. University Ave. after May 21. Hamas gets its weapons from Iran, Russia, China, North Korea and Bulgaria. For America to be an ally, both Palestine and Israel need to choose separate democracies. Egypt's border is controlled by Hamas and one Egyptian government-controlled company. All other borders in the vicinity are closed. The company charges a fee to enter. The current rate is $5,000 per adult and $2,500 per child, plus documentation, passports and visas. Egypt is taking about $1.3 million University Board of Regents’ homes, May 15, because the Regents refuse to listen to its demands and meet. The Coalition posts on social media that it is being harassed by the police. TAHRIR posted a video of members peacefully protesting outside the U-M Museum of Art, May 3, while the state police peacefully rode bicycles. The next segment shows protesters with police bicycles. Then, the police handcuffed one protester, police pushed everyone else back with metal barriers, one protester pushed to the ground by the barrier and one police officer spraying chemicals on protesters. Volunteers at the Encampment said eight protesters were ticketed for trespassing. More than 40 protesters from the U-M Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE) were cited for trespassing, Nov. 17, 2023, for being inside the Ruthven Administration Building MAY 31, 2024 Poster on display in the Diag during the encampent. after hours. Four are facing felony charges of allegedly assaulting or attempting to disarm the police. The University police are a daily presence all year. The Encampment was cited for fire hazards May 17. U-M President Santa Ono ordered evacuation by police at 5 a.m. May 21 for non-compliance. The protesters said the “hazard” was “blocking the Diag.” The protesters' demand for the divestment from Israel of U-M's $17.9 billion endowment has been turned down. The Regents say less than one tenth of see TAHRIR page 11  Then and now — reflections on Diag encampment WAYNE S. Groundcover vendor No. 615 Life has a way to make you listen to lies, to believe those lies and act upon them. How, you say, is this possible!? Well folks, the way I see it, as we forge forward we tend to be blinded by a faulty memory. I remember, or no, it happened like this, or he remembers it like that. So is it just that we remember things differently or is it much more? I believe that it is much much more about where we met, how we met, what we were doing when we met. How could we get it so wrong? I want so much out of others so I start believing things that are not true just to be with them. Breaking down things that would not break, speaking about our leaders, their leaders and world opinion. It was 2014 and I had a menial job at the local car wash. Every morning on my way to work I would stop and have my coffee at our local gas station, one of the few places open at six in the morning, and have my morning coffee with Amir. We would talk, and this developed into a true friendship and one morning Amir asked if I would come work for him at the station. I was immediately accepted and from that moment on I felt like a true member of the family. His sister Malik made me feel like a family member which I so desperately needed at that point in my life. I remember being trusted and, yes, also loved. To be taken in made a profound impact on me. I watched my life begin to change — all because of my life with my new friends. Then came COVID which changed my life drastically but that’s a different story. That is just the background for my opinions today. Ann Arbor, the hub of liberalism, is the place where social change is in our DNA. And rising up in times of political upheaval is in our very existence. I see it on the streets everyday. But I also see other things as well. Our spirit is being crushed and manipulated by what I call the status quo, and I see a group of bad businessmen banding together and supporting it with vigor. Because we all see it. Now what does this have to do with the student protests in a world that is getting turned upside down? The homeless and the poor could identify with these young people. These visitors to the camp might not know the issue very well but they know big hearts when they see them — and let me tell you, they saw plenty of them. And knowing the people, they took time to try and know the issues. I wandered into the camp and I was taken back in time to my foray into political activisim on this very campus. The issues were different but the love and the fellowship was the same. I saw townies gravitate towards this place and the admiration I saw and heard was amazing. What I learned is that just like then (back in the day), love is the most powerful tool we have in our toolbag. And it also gave the townies a chance to get the protestors’ side of the story. So the most I can take away from this experience is that I had a chance to meet people who were kind and loving and who would be an asset to any community. I for one am glad I had the opportunity to learn that love is the answer to a lot of the world’s problems, and I found an abundance of it at camp at the University of Michigan with people who are heroes — not enemies. I found the people at the encampment to be a ray of sunshine in a world of turmoil. What’s going to happen next, I have no idea! I know with young people like this, the future is a little bit brighter. ׉ 7cassandra://GDhBuhiHPoZLKRsaufVFh3pC2gBcdXBoP_UJOc1e4roS*`fX&me׉E]MAY 31, 2024 GAZA The war in Gaza comes to Ann Arbor Understanding Zionism is the key to understanding the war on Palestine today. The call for a homeland for Jews has roots in the 19th century European anti-semitism with its many pogroms over the centuries. Targeted as the murderers of Christ and blamed for the bubonic plague and whatever problems of the time, Jews were especially at risk “beyond the Pale,” the common phrase for beyond the ghetto. Zionism was more popular with European elites than among European Jews. Zionist Israel was promoted as the solution to the Jewish problem in Europe and the WWII Holocaust was the excuse to implement the Balfour Declarations of support for a Jewish state in Palestine. The first Balfour declaration is of WWI vintage as the British led the way in the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The British left Palestine in 1948 and set up Zionist Israel to take their place. It is another settler colonial project. South Africa knows a lot about apartheid settler colonialism. Look at their presentation to the International Criminal Court to understand the current genocide. Israel and its allies, especially the United States, dispute the court’s opinion. The United States does not want the court to look at its war crimes and is now putting sanctions on the court. The world is the final judge. Study Edward Said for a better understanding. The context of every war is financial and ideological. The ideology of supremacism is part of the imperialist era as it superseded the colonial model of supremacism. Imperialism’s financial sophistication organizes the cash flow to the ruling class which uses that wealth to buy political power, organize coup d'états, civil wars — anything to promote wealth supremacism. It has been very lucrative. The great gap of wealth and power concentration is built on endless war on the working class, especially in the Third World. Today Palestine is the front line of this war as all settler colonial states unite around Israel. Many young people see the writing on the wall and know that a better future requires organized participation which begins with divestment from genocide. The many actions around the world to support Palestine include numerous camps on U.S. college campuses. The Diag at the University Michigan became one of these liberated zones on Earth Day April 22, 2024. Our People’s Peace Bank meeting was postponed so we could all go to the camp. It was immediately clear that this was a well-planned and organized given to leave the camp which was immediately trashed. Did the prayer flags end up in the dumpster? The Nuremberg Code is not considered. The Israeli-Palestinian ConfederKEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 ation is planning sessions on questions such as “Is anti-Zionism anti-Semitic?” Since Arabs are Semites, I consider Zionism to be anti-Semitic. If you are Palestinian you know about Zionist supremacism and the deadly results. Liberal Ann Arbor tolerated the phenomenon. There were tents for everything —medics, literature, wonderful and plentiful food, educational presentations and meetings. Prayer was part of the camp. The Diag had become sacred space. More than once I sat down and was in communion with one or more people as we shared the struggle for freedom from our lived experience. I got some Tibetan prayer flags which were displayed at the volunteers tent. The global war machine is built on wealth supremacism and donors to politicians went on the offensive to demand that they shut down the camps on campuses. The chain of command responded with orders which were followed by campus, state and municipal police who hold the legal monopoly on violence. The war on Gaza came to the Diag early Tuesday morning, May 21. Orders were camp on the Diag for one month before the dogs of war were unleashed. People are recuperating and court dates are pending. Search TAHRIR Coalition to learn more. There are 81 U-M groups in the coalition. Follow up and follow through. I met a number of wonderful people whom I hope to meet again. Stay with the prayers that deepen our solidarity with primordial life. Breathe power. The struggle continues. The last weekend of May had a People’s Conference on Palestine in Detroit. Organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, over 3,500 people registered for a high energy summit. Surround the White House on June 8 and demand an immediate ceasefire, an immediate end to the siege on Gaza, the freedom for all Palestinian prisoners, and an end to the occupation of Palestine. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5 Michigan State Police and U-M Campus Police issued a 10 minute evacuation notice to the encampment at 5 a.m., May 21. fX&mefX&me בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://-U5zFVNeiXHF_0yrTPn8_-QFcWFvfhe3YAcYvoMSCIQu`I׉ 7cassandra://K7QZTkCBLQ5toFZ2D22BUo9YX18jbmT5bYkIr8EyktA`׉ 7cassandra://wm69nEyXtOrHWpJdgedaCV2vJ0QxSEdMtagIzzhe3gAS`fX'meנfX'meF9׉H$https://dream.org/day-of-empathy/%20Gׁ ׁ rנfX(meI9ׁHhttps://dream.org/dayׁ ׁ Ј׉E6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS INJUSTICE MAY 31, 2024 Activists, community supporters and families of inmates protest outside the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility on Mother's Day, May 14. Abolitionists and activisits rally for moms in jail on Mother's Day On a warm, spring afternoon at Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, there was a gathering of activists, neighbors and family members of inmates. About 100 people formed a demonstration line along Bemis Road across from the prison. It was Mother’s Day and Krystal Clark, a mother of four, is one of the inmates. I spoke to four individuals — Tyronda, Kat, Andrew and Lark — who represented a cross-section of people who are not caught up in the prison system, but who are greatly affected by it. Tyronda Clark I met Tyronda Clark with her eightmonth-old son Prince and three cousins. GCN: What brought you to the event? JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 TC: Today, they're having a Mother's Day rally for the women who are incarcerated, who are not receiving proper health care or proper treatment behind bars. One of the inmates that is in there, who has been speaking out, and that has been getting retaliated against, is my sister, Krystal Clark. Fourteen years ago, Krystal picked up a family member who had asked for a ride. What Krystal didn’t know was that the family member had committed a crime and was fleeing the scene. Krystal was arrested for being an accessory to the crime. She was pregnant at the time. Her child was born in prison. Tyronda and her family have been raising and caring for the child ever since. GCN: How much longer will Krystal be in prison? TC: Right now, I think it's still like three plus more years that she has to do. And honestly, the way her health has been declining, we don't know if she has that much time. Anytime she tells them that something is going on with her, they just totally disregard it. GCN: How did you get involved with the people who staged the event? TC: My sister reached out to me and told me that she has been receiving numerous supports from different people from all over the world and they were putting together an event and she wanted me to drive down from North Carolina to meet some of the people. I don't know much about them, but I know that they have to have a big heart to come and support someone they don't know. To hear her story and to hear what she's going through and then to take time away from their day, you know, away from their mother or away from their children and coming and supporting someone you don't know says a lot about you. That's powerful. GCN: What are they trying to accomplish? TC: I think personally the goal is for everyone to be treated as human beings, to be treated with dignity, to be treated with respect, regardless of what walk you have in life, regardless as to what mistakes that you make in life, to still be treated like a human. A lot of women there have not taken anyone's lives or anything. My sister didn't. My sister has been here for 14 years, and her health has steadily deteriorated. We get numerous calls. My sister doesn't even look like herself. My sister has mold growing out of her body, and nobody feels like that's important. They [the prison] get money from them [the prisoners] being there. We pay for them being there, you know, so give them the proper health care that they need. I asked if there was anything she wanted to add. Tyronda replied: “I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been supporting her and who continues to support her.” For more information on how to support Krystal Clark, see the February 9, 2024 edition of Groundcover News. see MOTHERS next page  Officer Grouchy Pants does NOT want you on his lawn! ׉ 7cassandra://wm69nEyXtOrHWpJdgedaCV2vJ0QxSEdMtagIzzhe3gAS`fX&me׉E MMAY 31, 2024 INJUSTICE  MOTHERS from last page Kat Layton Kat Layton, who is running for County Commissioner in District 6, said this about turning out for the rally. “Today, I am here in solidarity with the many parents, loved ones and mothers of people who are incarcerated in the Women's Huron Valley prison. I appreciate seeing people here today standing together and standing for what is right and what is just, and that is freeing people from these systems of harm and freeing these people from systems of oppression. “The conditions of the prison are historically not [good], and people are dying at disproportionate rates.” Layton believes it is time to use government funds for building healthy communities as opposed to maintaining a broken system." We were interrupted by people chanting: “End Mass Incarceration!” and “Free Krystal Clark!” “I did the Day of Empathy a few years ago, where we talked to different legislators about ending the practice of leaving people in shackles when giving birth and of having their child ripped away from their hands the moment that they do give birth. It's very traumatic,” Layton added. She speaks from authority as she graduated with a degree in Human Development. She continued, “Having a child born in prison is traumatic to the mother, the child and the community. It damages family connections and it damages community connections … It's all interrelated, it's all interconnected.” A common question people have about abolition is, “If we abolish prisons, what will we do with all the criminals?” Layton challenged the assumption. According to her, we don't often think of abolition as something we build as opposed to something we destroy. She believes it is imperative to think through what we can build that is new so that one day we can start relying less on those systems of oppression. Abolition doesn't happen overnight, but it starts with the basics — respite centers, housing, education opportunities, access to medical care. Layton concluded, “It's all of the things that are truly investing in the community. We will have less people perpetrating harm because there's no harm being perpetrated on them.” A sense of community also leads to crime prevention because to be part of a healthy community is to have Lark from Lansing General Defense Committee people who love and support you and also put you in check if you behave counter to cultural expectations, According to Layton: “Accountability is community.“ To learn more about Day of Empathy, visit https://dream.org/day-of-empathy/ see MOTHERS page 11  GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 fX&mefX&me בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://N2wV8Ym5t1DMVbKqK71hk-Yo8KI0zOIeJrfNsURA7546`I׉ 7cassandra://UC4B1Qhshw5mPGurQW8NYDgAr8A6HlUt8p0sPblwNlw`׉ 7cassandra://_uRZDcTBLGw7g1dacMh514vBy7qNXeDdKkHG-3BFwaYK`fX(me׉E8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS POETRY Pen to Paper The Copycat WAYNE S. WAYNE S. Groundcover vendor No. 574 As I went to get pen and paper to write some profound thought, I got distracted by another. I’m trying to figure out why I do this, and I can’t remember it’s frustrating you see when you put pen to paper. I worry about the written word am I really describing what I see? Or am I living in one world by describing another? Is it easy to rhyme? It must be I hear it done better than me, all the time. Constantly thinking is what I do hoping no one does the same. Any better! I started my poem with Mary and Sue, who am I kidding it’s been done a thousand times before. It’s a copycat I am there’s no other way to put it. Mixing and mashing and using different spellings, it’s all been said before, I’m trying to figure a way to say what’s never been said in history. It’s a copycat I am let’s not forget it. I’m sure I’m not the only one – I imagine there’s copycats galore. So if these words sound familiar don’t be mad because I admit it. It’s a copycat I am for now and ever more. I know love izn’t eazy, I know you’ll alwayz be, My sweet baby, I’ll alwayz be your lady, I also know, I’m not sleazy, I don’t hustle for money, Nor do I hustle fo a man, Don’t need a hand out, Thatz without doubt, I’m not like thoze, Otherz you’re use to, I’m a different breed, That came from another seed. TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 Not MAY 31, 2024 ׉ 7cassandra://_uRZDcTBLGw7g1dacMh514vBy7qNXeDdKkHG-3BFwaYK`fX&me׉EMAY 31, 2024 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS BRIEF REPLIES Peter A. Collins 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 a voluntary purchase. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling past monthly issues. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor Corner Policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code please email contact@groundcovernews. com or fill out the contact form on our website. ACROSS 1. "The Kiss" painter 6. Expresses disdain 10. "Shane" star Alan 14. Pet store purchase 15. Composer Satie erik 16. Small Chevrolet 17. Event promoted by Eunice Kennedy Shriver 20. One-time Edison employee 21. Piano parts 22. Equipment for emergency medical care 26. Mai ___ 27. Neighbor of Wash. 28. Rod's partner 29. Ripped 30. University in Chicago 34. Museum worker, at times 36. Founder of an eponymous coffee and doughnut chain 38. Afternoon shows 41. Rises 45. Greek god of war 46. Drops in a puddle? 48. Slippery swimmer 49. ISP choice 50. Pet store purchase 54. Kind of issues aggravated by gluten 56. Interoffice communications 57. Knee-jerk reaction (and a hint to each group of circled letters?) 62. Muffin pans 63. Without rocks 64. Big name in online financial services 65. Body-bending exercise 66. Succumbs to gravity 67. Schoolyard retort DOWN 1. Canadian hwy. distances 2. Pass on the track 3. Freezer container 4. Knight clubs? 5. Degree-of-difficulty enhancer 6. The Fresh Prince's TV home 7. Guadalajara gold 8. Address a squeak, maybe 9. Army chaplains 10. Friday's employer, for short? 11. Amelia Earhart, for one 12. Make known 13. Spies file 18. Like 19. Intersected 22. Chick-___-A 23. Altar response 24. Bank account addition 25. She played "I" in "The King and I" 29. Carrie Underwood might carry one 31. Elevator maker 32. "Hamilton" creator ___-Manuel Miranda 33. Yanks 35. Milk dispenser? 37. Cops 38. Wisconsin's capital, slangily 39. Hall of fame? 40. Indicative 42. "What do you say we give it a miss" 43. Director Spike or Ang 44. Camera type 47. S.F. Giants' foes, at times 50. Chiang ___-Shek 51. "___ Miserables" 52. Louvre pyramid architect 53. Saws and such 55. "___ Small World" 58. Bucolic expanse 59. Duster 60 ___ Paulo 61. Former Roxy Music member Brian fX&mefX&me בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://21YCjFOdDQMOEAI-9GMFHBSbHtU7Z36J6Lsr20wQsf4 4`I׉ 7cassandra://MvMuIBNFREMUkoIuUCnaZ1h-jiE3ULif9gzCYNiIxlQ.`׉ 7cassandra://gSFaSMujZHtNxqezfdR8glnOA1fBrNzm2mloOj073woUI`fX(me׉E010 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ART INTEL Undercover art intel: Ypsilanti pottery creations On a crisp fall day, I walked into this small but quaint store filled with pre-made ceramic molds. I was fascinated with the many varieties and kinds of molds. There were plates, bowls and cups but also vases and Christmas ornaments. What made me go “wow!” were the animals — including my favorite, a peacock, and many mythical enchanted unicorns and fairies. As I walked around the store, Glaze Studio, I was looking at the molds, and I saw Christian and Jewish molds, as well as molds for other religions. Holidays were represented as well, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas. Hanukkah was also shown. It felt so inviting to see such a representation of what this nation truly is about. Two young women happened to show up and both picked out two items; one was a vase and the other a plate. I watched as they picked out the glaze colors for their items. One talked about doing Japanese spring cherry blossoms on her vase with pink and green. I myself picked out a small cute owl. I named him Hooty. As I painted him, I found the paint to be very thick. This was to make sure the glaze was going to truly stay on and shine. I gave the item back to Tobi, the owner of Glaze Studio, to fire it for many hours at 2,000 degrees and then let it cool for 14 hours and dry before pickup ten days later. The store appeals to people of all ages, though children have to clearly be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Another surprising thing is the variety of get togethers at Glaze, such as AA groups for sobriety, baby showers and women's groups. The space is for people across all spectrums to come and experience a new, but old, form of art. Each person picks out four to five paint colors. Glaze has sparkling colors with glass and plain colors as well, and other kinds with muted or plain colors. There are 50 available total. Tobi’s Glaze store is located at 54 N. Huron St. in downtown Ypsilanti. This was my first time getting to know Glaze as it is a fairly new business. What drew me here was very clear: all the white clay pre-slip molds that dry solid and ready for painting. How did this all start? Well, it began in the 1970s during the heyday of the hippy era and creating molds. Mainly artists had kilns in their backyards, and this was about free love and sharing art in large groups. What Tobi told me was people would just come together and do art in large exp. 01/31/2025 - CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 Glaze Studio has a ceramic creations for everyone and everything! groups and family events — it was a very different age! What I discovered was a whole past of pre-made molds created in the 1970s. This world started out with people who owned and operated kilns out of the love of the process and end result. Then they started getting family and friends together in parties and gatherings for the love of taking a solid item home that could be placed on one's mantle to show off to the world. Tobi loved collecting the molds made with plaster of paris. She realized this dying art form was yet another perfect opportunity. Tobi had an inspired vision to bring back old art into a new age of public consciousness. This all happened with the encouragement of her kids. They told her, “Think of it, mom, paint your own pottery shop for other kids like us!” Tobi transitioned from being in the corporate world of web design and computer graphics to open the Glaze store in January and February of 2023. ”When I first opened my doors,” Tobi told me, “The community support and outpouring was extreme.” There truly is an art community in Ypsilanti that rivals Ann Arbor. There are many ways to express art and, to me, with people who feel they have no talent in art this is the most open inviting and exploration in art there is. I myself plan on taking my own family to experience this wonderful shop. So take a small day trip to the Glaze shop and discover a wonderful new form of old art. My next endeavor will be a real dragon for the year of the dragon we are in. — Kung Fu Panda MAY 31, 2024 ׉ 7cassandra://gSFaSMujZHtNxqezfdR8glnOA1fBrNzm2mloOj073woUI`fX&me׉E,MAY 31, 2024 THINK ABOUT IT  MOTHERS page 7 Andrew A young father named Andrew was there with his wife and six-month-old son. When asked about his connection to the gathering, he replied that his wife was a member of the hosting organization, Michigan General Defense Committee. Andrew is a big fan of GDC’s advocacy and outreach to the homeless in our county. That work drew him to this event. I asked him how he felt about abolition. “It needs to be done,” he said, “it needs to be done immediately. The conditions that are in our prisons are inhumane to say the least. There’s got to be another way.” I asked, “How do you think we should go about abolishing prisons?” and Andrew replied, “It is going to take something big, some cataclysmic style of events, that turns public opinion against prisons. Because I think right now the general popular opinion is that prisons are something that can be reformed and changed and kind of shifted when in reality it’s the idea of prison that has to go.” Lark As I meandered through the crowd, I saw a sign that contained a piece of the abolition puzzle. Lark from Lansing General Defense Committee had a beautifully made cardboard sign. An artist who tried cardboard as canvas for the first time, Lark usually does collages and other styles of art for personal fulfillment. They are a member of GDC and came out to support the GDC abolitionist working group. According to abolitionists, prisons and incarceration are harmful to the community. If incarceration happens because there is a breakdown of community, then the alternative to incarceration is to build stronger communities. To end the prison system, humans must have a safe, stable and supportive environment where ALL of their needs are met. Basic needs of food and shelter are essential, but do not end there. Humans need opportunities to grow, to express themselves, to be heard, to be important to the community, and be accountable to their peers. Making sure those needs are met, the entire spectrum, may be the way to end the need for incarceration. To get a picture of the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility’s sign, I had to walk across Bemis Rd to get closer. As soon as my foot met the lawn, the guard challenged me. “Get off the property!” the guard yelled. It reminded me of when I was a kid; the angry old man next door shouting “Get off my lawn.” I asked if he would answer some questions. He said no. On my way home, I thought about my own mother. I imagined her getting arrested and sentenced to 14 plus years in prison. In 1972 I was five years old. My dad was in the Army and we had to move across the country. Even at five years I knew this meant never seeing my friends again. A five-yearold is capable of understanding that GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 their mother will be locked up such that they will never see her again. To a child, fourteen years isn’t just forever, it’s unfathomable. I remember wailing and sobbing for hours as we drove from Michigan to New York. I remember feeling homesick for my grandmother for weeks. What if the thing that was taken from me wasn’t just a childhood home but my mother? I would wail and sob. My development as a human being would suffer. It is well-known that physical contact between mother and child is essential for life. If my mother had been imprisoned, I would never know her touch or affection as a child. I would never have her soft body to soothe my wounds, her hugs and kisses to celebrate my successes, or her hand to show me tough love. Then I realized that is exactly what is happening to Krystal Clark’s children, and to every other son and daughter whose mother is incarcerated. I leave the task of drawing personal connections to the reader.  TAHRIR from page 4 one percent of the endowment is invested indirectly in Israeli companies. That is $17.9 million. Since 2017, Michigan is one of 38 states that have a law that is interpreted to forbid state contracts with anyone who supports divestment from Israel. The word “Israel” doesn’t appear in Act 526 of 2016 as published. However, according to the Brandeis Center, these measures condemn national origin discrimination by the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement (BDS). According to the Act, the provisions don't apply if the boycott is based on bona fide business or economic reasons, or to a boycott "against a public entity of a foreign state when the boycott is applied in a nondiscriminatory manner." According to the Act, the provisions don't apply if the boycott is based on bona fide business or economic reasons, or to a boycott "against a public entity of a foreign state when the boycott is applied in a nondiscriminatory manner." U-M has 501(c)(3) non-profit tax exempt status. U-M can turn down donations. In 1978, the Regents created a policy to create an ad hoc committee of the University Senate, students, administration and alumni when issues involving serious moral or ethical questions might require deviation from the normal investment policy. All Regents meetings include time for public comment. There are five Regents meetings remaining in 2024: June 20, July 18, Sept. 19 and Dec 5 in Ann Arbor and Oct. 17 in Flint. There is also an email option. Many students, faculty, employees and staff have asked for oversight of the endowment at least since 2014 as reported by the Detroit Free Press. The Encampment calls it "a people's audit.” U-M Finance posts a Consolidated Annual Report. There is no individual endowment investment listing. TAHRIR obtained part of the endowment investment listing through a Freedom of Information Act. An oversight of the Investment Advisory Committee was created because of the Free Press investigation. The Encampment also demands a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and abolishing campus policing. President Ono and the Regents have endorsed an unarmed, non-police emergency response. After May 15, the Regents said they would "not defund the police." Both can exist. TAHRIR adds: conduct a formal inquiry into anti-Palestinian, antiArab and Islamophobic racism and harassment and release a formal statement that clearly defines the massacre in Gaza as a genocidal ethnic cleansing campaign led by Israel and aided by the United States. “This struggle is not just solely and entirely a struggle to achieve something for Palestine, although it very much is,” Tachna-Fram said. “It is also a struggle that brings all of us together in Southeast Michigan and a much broader area in the globe that really care about justice.” PUZZLE SOLUTIONS K 1 14 17 M S 22 27 30 L 38 45 49 54 57 62 T 65 Y O M A D C I F I 2 L A P 23 I D O 39 A R S E N I 3 I C E 20 T R A Y 40 T E L L I N G Peter A Collins 4 M A C E S 31 O 36 T I S 50 55 I T S A K A I 5 T W I S T 32 L I N 18 A L A 33 A M E 46 R I 63 66 C A N S 37 H E A T 58 L E A 6 B 15 E L A I 28 R 7 O R O 24 D E 34 P O S I T 59 R A G 8 O I L 25 K E R R 47 N Y 56 M E T S 51 L E S 52 I 64 67 M P E I 53 T O O L S 9 10 S K Y 21 P I 41 L O T S L 16 19 M E T 35 C O W A P D 29 T U N E 11 A V I A 26 T O R 42 L 48 E T S N O T 12 D E C L A R E 43 L E E 60 S A O 13 D O S S I E R 44 S L R 61 E N O fX&mefX&me בCטFu׉׉ 7cassandra://zu8LE6Kxb4cClNRfRofXZfy-9pZbvR7nOBdoINcmGc8L`׉ 7cassandra://8ui5haqYcLo0l8r9PBys5dfdbUicUIlxFFknoTnnsq8͏`h׉ 7cassandra://Y-yLJhH64VkkCrRe9D6MA1Lo9ONLLs0qVxzZaTqoSGM.`fX(meנfX)meT-%9ׁHhttp://a2gov.org/a2zeroweekׁ ׁ Ј׉E12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Spam fried rice IAN EARL U-M student contributor Ingriedients: 1 can of Spam Vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 cup diced carrots + peas, canned 1/2 cup green onions 5 cups cooked rice 4 tablespoons soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Rinse off the green onions and chop them until you have dime-sized pieces. Set these aside. Dice your spam into penny-sized squares. Pour vegetable oil into a pan and coat it. Keep oil on medium heat until heat is felt when your hand is placed over the pan. Add Spam, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir until most sides are crusted. Add peas and carrots to pan. Stir. Cook until all vegetables are soft and warm. Crack the egg into the pan and whisk quickly. Cover the pan for a minute or so until the egg firms. Finely chop the egg with your spatula. Add rice to your pan with another helping of vegetable oil and leave the rice turns gold (around 5-8 minutes). Stir, adding in the soy sauce. Raise heat to medium for one minute, then turn off heat. Plate with green onions to taste. Enjoy! Using generic ingredients, recipe only costs $1.39 per serving. this MAY 31, 2024 A2ZERO Week Join us in celebrating the City of Ann Arbor’s A2ZERO Plan for achieving a just, equitable transition to community-wide carbon neutrality. June 9 – June 15 Fun, free events throughout the week! Find your climate action connection: a2gov.org/a2zeroweek ׉ 7cassandra://Y-yLJhH64VkkCrRe9D6MA1Lo9ONLLs0qVxzZaTqoSGM.`fX&me׈EfX&mefX&me ,May 31, 2024fX%}\n