׉?ׁB!בCטFFu׉׉ 7cassandra://ypIbL8KdEQ4twzQi8J1MXja8mY5KIjC_GB5L2dFkClY`׉ 7cassandra://BMKrPNI1T7oCTnECRyjsCShdyWSDLfNMHE07bZ49R2Y͍`h׉ 7cassandra://z3SYaXXwhmGL1H654WYsG_YYgQYfPhWVEzjXE40QaNg1;`f3phcטFu׈ҷf׈Ef3phc׉E2 $ MAY 3, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 10 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Is being homeless a criminal act? Supreme Court to decide. Page 6 JULIANO SANCHEZ #174 ASK YOUR VENDOR: WHAT WOULD YOU BRING TO A COOKOUT? GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. U-M Tahrir Coalition joins nationwide student movement for university divestment from Israel. page 4 "Popular University of Gaza" on the first day of the encampment, April 22. Photo by Mike Jones. 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://z3SYaXXwhmGL1H654WYsG_YYgQYfPhWVEzjXE40QaNg1;`f3phcf3phc בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://WWM50jOEo5dmlJo9cgsp35-Y5xfmHIrT1vVckDtvVkk`I׉ 7cassandra://inqH0jgTUvO2hFmEFYLPE5wKgogtYSjXoOro8s5NlmA `׉ 7cassandra://iKSmbSIyvvCukcD13RPltaHn37ZPVjFTxzRD6Y9MrckOP`f3phc נf3phc9׉H!http://www.groundcovernews.org%20Gׁ ׁ rנf3phc9׉H http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsGׁ ׁ rנf3phc9ׁH http://linktr.ee/groundcovernewsׁ ׁ Јנf3phc9ׁHhttp://www.groundcovernews.orgׁ ׁ Јנf3phc  9ׁH"mailto:contact@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Јנf3phc F!9ׁH&mailto:submissions@groundcovernews.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E 2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER MAY 3, 2024 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 Simone Masing — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Jim Clark Christopher Ellis Cindy Gere Izzy Hedin-Urrutia Kaylie Karsch Ken Parks Elizabeth Reidy Scoop Stevens Erin Turn Wei Zhou PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Jane Atkins Zachary Dortzbach Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Emily Paras Holden Pizzolato Liem Swanson Melanie Wenzel Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Emily Yao 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 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org linktr.ee/groundcovernews GROUNDCOVER NEWS ADVERTISING RATES Size 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/2 full page Black/White $110.00 $145.00 $200.00 $375.00 $650.00 Color $150.00 $200.00 $265.00 $500.00 $900.00 Dimensions (W x H in inches) 5 X 3 or 2.5 X 6.5 5 X 4 5 X 6.25 5 X 13 or 10.25 X 6.5 10.25 X 13 PACKAGE PRICING Three Months/Six Issues: 15% off Six Months/Twelve Issues: 25% off Full Year/Twenty-four Issues: 35% off Only run for two weeks/one issue: 40% off Additional 20% discount for money saving coupons ׉ 7cassandra://iKSmbSIyvvCukcD13RPltaHn37ZPVjFTxzRD6Y9MrckOP`f3phc׉EMAY 3, 2024 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR What would you bring to a cookout? Lentils, rice, hummus and organic garlic bread. — Juliano Sanchez, #174 Charcoal or a soccer ball. Or both. — Jim Clark, #139 Water. — Roberto Isla Caballero, #347 Ribs. — Shawn Swoffer, #574 Potato salad. — Wayne Sparks, #615 Probably some beef ribs and watermelon! — Pony Bush, #305 Barbecue ribs, mac 'n' cheese and corn. — Derek Allen, #177 An appetite! — Ken Parks, #490 Barbecue sauce — good for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters! — Monte Smith, #487 Whatever is needed. Soda, chips, potato salad, hot dogs and buns are the classics. — Hosea' Hill, #532 Vienna sausages and crackers. — Denise Shearer, #485 Macaroni and cheese. — Joe Woods, #103 On a hot day? Cold water! — Mike Jones, #113 People. Me, myself and I. — Tony Schohl, #9 I love every year walking through the wonderful W.E. Upjohn Peony CINDY GERE Groundcover vendor No. 279 Visit the Peony Gardens for some fun in the sun! Garden at the Nichols Arboretum (what I like to call Peonies Park)! I start in the woods on the Washington Heights entrance. With my love for dogs, I am often happy to run into many on their daily walks. As we make our way through the bushes, we come out onto a vista overlooking the rest of the Arboretum. As I wander through the woods, I come out onto the back end of the peony park where I often see wedding parties taking pictures of the brides walking down between the flowers in their big fluffy wedding dresses. Professional and amateur photographers are often there as well, taking many pictures. But what I find so much fun is the number of people who come to admire the peonies for the brief time they are in full bloom. So between April and May this is a fun event for friends and family — a day in the park and fun in the sun! GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 People’s Food Co-op annual meeting discusses A2 development goals SCOOP STEVENS Groundcover contributor On April 16 the People's Food Co-op had its annual meeting at the Downtown Ann Arbor Public Library and it started with a 45-minute panel discussion. PFC Vice President Conner Levy started the discussion by stating that the primary objective of the PFC downtown development plan was food justice and food accessibility. Ann Arbor City officials who participated in the panel discussion were Lisa Disch (City Council member), Maura Thompson (Executive Director of the Downtown Development Authority) and Jane Dixon (City planning consultant). At the end of the discussion these officials were asked about their shopping credentials at PFC. All of them shopped extensively at PFC; Dixon mentioned that while she was a graduate student she didn't shop there because the prices were too high. Even though PFC is the only grocery store in downtown Ann Arbor, many people do not shop there because of those high prices. Right now, they are far from accomplishing food justice and food accessibility. Before the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world into submission with its draconian lockdowns, mandatory mask wearing and social distancing reminders, there were already shopping and workplace changes happening. The pandemic only accelerated the pace of these new trends, like working from home at least part of the time and, as they stated in the panel discussion, social spaces outside of business establishments (mostly restaurants, I assumed). A PFC downtown development plan taking these trends into consideration could create a vibrant social life and new type of prosperity. This would make food tap into a different view of what makes for prosperity (that is, outside of the Gross National Product mindset) and possibly even bring down prices if it generated enough business of a social nature. f3phcf3phc בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://8AYvWWrZRDe21QpKUQKI4l02bKMGG6SEqPZEGyN0Looi>`I׉ 7cassandra://EFhQlsU1zUElSBuqCSKop8Ptw-Hw4odnJBzFoxyOgOo-`׉ 7cassandra://JU7pa1xNp1z6HTeefU17wxePycg5vUNvVAtFrbdWNikF`f3phc׉E4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GAZA U-M Tarihr Coaltion joins nationwide student movement for university divestment from Israel There are tents on the Diag, but they are not occupied by people experiencing homelessness. The encampment is the “Popular University for Gaza at U-M,” and is composed of University of Michigan students, faculty, staff and community supporters of university divestment from Israel. On Monday, April 22, at 6 a.m., over 60 student members of the Tahrir Coalition joined the national call from Students for Justice in Palestine to “occupy college campuses and demand that their institutions end their complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine.” This Diag occupation began four days after Students for Justice in Palestine at Columbia University began occupation of the East Butler Lawn in New York City, escalating this nationwide student-led movement for divestment from Israel. Hundreds of student activists at Columbia have been arrested or suspended, but the repression has only led to more and more support. The U-M Tahrir Coalition was formed in November 2023 in response to Central Student Government ballot initiatives AR 13-025 and counter-initiative AR 13-026, calling on U-M to LINDSAY CALKA Publisher formal inquiry into anti-palestinian, anti-Arab, and islamophobic racism and harassment. 3. Support and reaffirm the faculty and staff members who are being vilified for their support of Palestine. 4. 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.” The encampment intends to occupy condemn the state of Israel, and Hamas, respectively. The coalition is composed of more than 80 U-M student organizations that are “united for the liberation of Palestine at the University of Michigan.” To join the coalition, an individual or organization affiliated with U-M must sign on to the following demands to the University of Michigan President Santo Ono and the Board of Regents: “1. Divest from any and all companies that presently, or in the future, profit off of the human rights violations committed by Israel, and aid in the apartheid system maintained against Palestinians. 2. Conduct a the Diag — disrupting business as usual — until they achieve divestment from Israel at the U-M. Dozens of other universities across the country are organizing similar direct actions, with near-identical demands. What business does an academic institution have investing in another country, and what does “divest from Israel” really mean? The University of Michigan maintains an endowment of $17.9 billion that is invested in multiple companies in order to grow funds. There are staff persons that manage everyday decisions about the endowment, but at the end of the day, the University President and the statewide-elected Board of Regents make the final call about where funds are allocated. “Divestment from Israel” is a condensed phrase that draws the connections between large multinational companies that receive investments from the endowment that directly fund Israeli military activity in Gaza. The University has over $6 billion invested in funds that profit from Israeli companies or military contractors. This includes Hewlett-Packard, which supplies the electronic identification systems used to immobilize Palestinians at Israeli military checkpoints; Lockheed Martin, which has supplied Israel with billions of dollars worth of military equipment and training since 2001; and the Boeing Company, which expedited delivery of 1,000 bombs to aid Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. Other investments include drone manufacturer Skydio, military contractors Cobham and Ultra Electronics, Israeli spyware firm Oosto, and Israeli prisoner surveillance company Attenti. In a public letter, the Tahrir Coalition stated, “As long as U-M invests in these companies, we are paying tuition to a university that profits from apartheid, see TAHRIR page 7  MAY 3, 2024 Who's in charge? If you have been on a picket line or march for peace and justice, you likely heard the police asking, “Who’s in charge?” The usual response is “Everybody” or “No one.” I think a better response would be, “I am in charge of what I do, are you in charge of what you do, or do you have orders?” Chain of command thinking begins early. Two-year-olds have learned the word “NO” and use it often enough to have a reputation … THE TERRIBLE TWOS. As adults we are more likely to hear, ”You can’t do that here.” Your assembly may be declared illegal or more commonly, ”You can’t sleep here!” Camping on the commons, on any unused land, is usually a big “NO!” You can discreetly disappear into the bush but if you are discovered, you may lose all your possessions and be issued a ticket to appear in court where you will be fined and/or jailed. The hypocrisy of property rights becomes obvious as your body becomes the property of the state. We have yet to abolish slavery in prisons. Those who have eyes to see and a KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 heart that feels will be inspired to continue the struggle for freedom. “An injury to one is an injury to all” is a quote on the letterhead of some unions. It is a poignant expression of universal truth. Hillsdale College talks of transcendental truth and the constitution as if it is the domain of conservatives. We need some deep debate here. Nial Ferguson presents the conservative view in his “Treason of the Intellectuals.” As the Rev. James K. Parks said, “A little bit of truth is a dangerous thing.” How to be in charge of your life My 77 years of post-kindergarten graduate studies continue: life is an experiment, and I have discovered that I am a true son of Western civilization, that is Judaeo-Christian, Marxist and Einsteinian culture. It was the Vietnamese, then the Tibetans, who helped me weave all those Western threads into a workable fabric. Some Western threads need critical reflection, in particular the Enlightenment ideology and its bourgeois expressions of capitalism and rocket science. Relativity and quantum theory stand on the shoulders of Isaac Newton just as Marx stands on the shoulders of Hegel. The conceptual world of thinking and how we understand reality is a dialectical process that requires exploration of whatever limits, obstacles or insights arise. Rene Descartes, whose work became the Cartesian worldview, is author of the famous quote “I think, therefore I am.” This puts being in the context of thinking as understood by reason. The rational mind decides what is real. Any experience outside compliance with this model is dismissed as “illusion.” What if the appearances of the material world are so complex and interrelated that they only make sense in the light of a holistic view, before thinking imposes its prejudice of being the judge? If you observe your mind you will see that “Who is the thinker and who is the observer?” is the question we all face. Google gave me a wonderful essay on the difference between Descartes and Newton written by a philosophy student, Stephen Trochimchuk, actually a review of Thomas Kuhn’s “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.” I got lost trying to follow Descartes, largely because I disagree with his assumptions, in particular dualism as best illustrated by the mind/body split which plagues us to this day. Descartes can only be understood by accepting his assumption that the world is a machine. Isaac Newton focused on the mechanics of the machine and gave us rocket science. Are the thinker and observer aspects of one mind, or is this see CHARGE page 8  ׉ 7cassandra://JU7pa1xNp1z6HTeefU17wxePycg5vUNvVAtFrbdWNikF`f3phc׉EMAY 3, 2024 GAZA A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR MIGHT MUZE GAZA Where is the pogrom here, we were the real survivors, the ghetto were at our backs, not this small GALILEE; (WE DON’T COMPARE) Night trains stole away, against moonless dark skies our ghost-like shadowy forms, toward BUCHENWALD We were butchered in the heart, our children pierced in the streets, not this Delilah missile dropped on dusty sandled schoolboys at soccer: (WE DON’T COMPARE) THEN, a frenzied black-booted, dictator circled the terrified, barbwired the psyche in ovens, killed, and killed. not small fire pouring from Jehoavuh’s sky (WE DON’T COMPARE) We were skulls, bones, soulless skeletons, praying for our death, not the feeble wails of Galilee mothers, this: (WE DON’T COMPARE) Go down Moses, GO down there, can you see the sea is it red Moses is it red Moses IS IT CHRISTOPHER ELLIS Groundcover vendor No. 483 GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5 RED. Author’s note: I trust that this poem will be received in the spirit, conscience and humanity in which it was composed. There is no attempt to ostracize any part of our collective humanness. It is solely an artistic endeavor to speak about our oneness, with a view toward unification and the betterment of all peoples and races. exp. 01/31/2025 f3phcf3phc בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://jZthtQMDQwiBD19KmrnylQktVEIRwoRsUc7oAv8L0Ms `I׉ 7cassandra://ugOkd88iqoZNz5JRgzp8M3EF7GpAgLyVOmv1lHw2XZA`׉ 7cassandra://t9NvvYHuhSADuXQD6A7Rj7BV_uHXOFUGOED5wB7_R1sO`f3phcנf3phc ,b&9ׁH(http://intheworld.history.lsa.umich.edu/ׁ ׁ Ј׉E'6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HOMELESSNESS Cartoon by Izzy Hedin-Urrutia Is being homeless a criminal act? SCOTUS to decide MAY 3, 2024 come in and say as to that, [you can], but as to that, you can't do that?” Kagan continued, “For a person who has no place to go, sleeping in public is kind of like breathing in public. Your statute says that a person cannot take himself and himself only and take a blanket and sleep some place without it being a crime. It just seems like you're criminalizing a status." "If every city, every village, every town lacks compassion and passes a law identical to this? Where are they supposed to sleep?" asked Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said it seems, "... both cruel and unusual to punish people for acts that constitute basic human needs. We're talking about sleeping. That is universal, that is a basic function." One of the striking things about the In Grants Pass, Ore., there is a conflict between the City Council and locals experiencing homelessness. The case Johnson v. Grants Pass began in 2018 with lower level courts and has escalated to become a U.S. Supreme Court case. The main argument is whether or not punishing people with fines and incarceration for sleeping outside violates the eighth amendment, which prohibits cruel or unusual punishment. The plaintiffs Gloria Johnson and John Logan are being represented by the Oregon Law Center. Both Johnson and Logan are residents of Grants Pass who lost their housing. They have been sleeping in their vehicles since and have been given many citations for sleeping in public. They are involuntarily homeless as are many of the 600 people who are currently experiencing homelessness in Grants Pass. The city has expensive housing and has no homeless shelter, so anyone who loses their housing may end up sleeping on the street but Grants Pass has made that illegal. There is absolutely no place for them to survive. The Grants Pass City Council does not want homeless people to sleep in public parks. The ordinance makes outdoor camping a criminal offense punishable by a $1,250 fine and up to 30 days in jail. The City Council president, Lily Morgan, said at a council meeting, “The point is to make it uncomfortable enough for them [the homeless] in our city so they will want to move on down the road.” On April 22, SCOTUS heard oral arguments for Grants Pass v. Johnson. “Grants Pass says civil and criminal punishments are necessary for enforcing laws banning homeless individuals from public spaces. Lawyers representing a class of homeless residents argue to address root causes of homelessness and only exacerbates the crisis.” Another advocate for the homeless JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 in Grants Pass is The National Homelessness Law Center, a team of human rights attorneys and advocates fighting to solve homelessness by challenging criminalization and protecting the rights of homeless people across the United States. The National Homeless Law Center penalizing people who have nowhere else to go constitutes cruel and unusual punishment — a violation of the Eighth Amendment,” Jeremiah Hayden reported in Portland, Ore. street newspaper “Street Roots.” An April 2023 press release by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition stated, “The court will soon decide whether localities that have failed to address the affordable housing and shelter needs of their community can issue fines or arrest people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside even when there is no adequate housing or shelter.” An amicus brief is a court document submitted by someone not directly involved in a legal case; it provides information, expertise, or insight relevant to the case. These briefs aim to inform the court about the consequences of a ruling. One entity that submitted an amicus brief in the case was the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, “dedicated to achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice.” The NLIHC brief argued that "criminalization fails recently entered the arena by delivering “over 42 friend of the court briefs in the landmark case. These [amicus] briefs reflect support from more than 1,100 groups and public figures who join us in calling for protection under the U.S. Constitution of the rights of over 260,000 Americans who sleep outside every night,” stated a newsletter from Jesse Rabinowitz, Campaign & Communications Director. During the two hour hearing on Monday, April 22, the justices made these comments: "How do we draw these difficult lines as to whether the Eighth Amendment would prohibit a municipality from punishing other acts like public urination if there are no facilities available or trespassing,” asked Justice Amy Coney Barrett. "Many people have mentioned this is a serious policy problem, and it's a policy problem because the solution of course is to build shelter, to provide shelter for those who are otherwise harmless," Justice John Roberts said. "But municipalities have competing priorities. What if there are lead pipes in the water? Which one do you prioritize?” Justice Elena Kagan asked Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler, "Where is the line where the city can say our legitimate municipal interests can case is that some of the judges don’t believe they should weigh in on the matter at all. The arguments were already heard by a district court and the 9th circuit court who determined the unconstitutionality of the ordinances. In 2020, the district court in Medford ruled that the city's ordinances regulating homelessness were unconstitutional. Grants Pass appealed that decision to the 9th Circuit Court, based in San Francisco, which upheld it in a three-judge decision. Arguments in favor of keeping the laws and ordinances come from the belief that state and local authorities are closer to the problem so have a better perspective on addressing it. Also, since the impact of homelessness and the solutions for it directly impact the community they are in, the local government should have the final say. Those who support the imposing of fines and penalties argue that these things are commonly used to address criminal activity and are not cruel or unusual. The case also brought a discussion about “where to draw the line.” For instance, is someone who lays out a blanket at night to watch the stars and ends up falling asleep guilty of camping in public? What if someone urinates in public because there are no public toilets? What is the difference between camping for survival and camping for recreation? Should they both be prohibited? As of the time of publication, the decision is waiting to be made. If the Supreme Court upholds the 9th circuit court’s decision, what will be the ramifications for people who are camping for survival? How would that impact Washtenaw County? If they decide to overturn the ruling, allowing municipalities to draft laws targeting the homeless, will Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and the rest of Washtenaw County adopt tougher laws and ordinances against their homeless citizens? ׉ 7cassandra://t9NvvYHuhSADuXQD6A7Rj7BV_uHXOFUGOED5wB7_R1sO`f3phc׉EMAY 3, 2024 DIVESTMENT  TAHRIR from page 4 genocide and mass ethnic cleansing.” According to an article published by the University Record on March 28, “The Board of Regents has announced it will not divest from companies linked to Israel, reaffirming its longstanding policy to shield the endowment from political pressures and base investment decisions on financial factors such as risk and return. ‘The Board of Regents has heard multiple calls for divestment from our endowment of companies linked to Israel. We have listened carefully,’ Regent Sarah Hubbard said at the board’s March 28 meeting. “We are not moving to make any divestment of any kind.’” The Regents nor President Santa Ono have made a public statement since the beginning of the encampment, although a University spokesperson issued a statement to the Michigan Daily that it supports the right to peaceful protest. Interviews from “It’s Hot in Here with Silver Lining” Students and community members have been giving updates and reports about the encampment through social media, messaging apps and freeform radio. WCBN DJ “Silver Lining” interviewed campers and played live interviews over the radio during their show on April 24. The first student they interviewed is Palestinian and has relatives who survived the 1948 Nakba. “There is a sense of urgency … I am grateful for that … we need to recenter ourselves and remember the reason we’re out here… is for Gaza and for the people who are facing the worst of it. "We get to use new tents that we set up with no threat of bombardment. While people are sleeping in makeshift tents, among the rubble, [with] multiple family members lost, missing and deceased … We are definitely privileged … we should be using that privilege any way we can to fight for them and to get the university to stop funding genocide.” They continued, “The University pushed us to this point. We didn’t just wake up and decide ‘Oh this is what we’re gonna do.’ We got to this point from the disruptive action policy proposal, where the University was trying to suppress student protestors through arrests of peaceful protest, refusal to meet with us, refusal to listen to what we have to say, ignoring it when we do say it. “We’re forcing the University to listen to our demands and listen to what we have to say.” A sign flies above the camp reading “Liberated Zone.” To another interviewee, this simply means that participants “have control over what is happening [at the camp].” This second camper said, “[The police] are aware this movement on campus is popular. They saw that when the [New York Police Department] arrested 150 students at Columbia, over 200 took their place. So, we hope that the administration knows they can’t successfully repress this movement … If the university tries to repress this encampment, the community will come out and will respond … What it will look like in the next few days, no one knows. We fully intend to grow; we anticipate having a lot of community support. We’re only growing stronger.” “It’s Hot in Here with Silver Lining” airs on WCBN (88.3 FM-Ann Arbor) Wednesdays at 2 p.m. You can also listen to the archived show on Spotify by searching “It’s Hot in Here with Silver Lining.” Legacy of student movements for divestment In the spring of 1977 the U-M Southern African Liberation Committee and the African Students’ Association began a campaign for divestment from South African apartheid. Through similar actions led by student organizers — protests at Regents meetings, campus pickets, building a “shanty” GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 on the Diag and occupying it 24/7 — divestment from South Africa was achieved. On April 14, 1983 the Board of Regents passed a historic “90% Resolution” that directed administration to divest “from all American corporations with operations in South Africa except for those with notable economic presence in Michigan.” Before that, from 1965-1972, the anti-Vietnam War movement led by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Students for a Democratic Society organized anti-war actions that disrupted the university’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Notably, the U-M Central Student Government originated from these student protests. A detailed history of these student movements can be found at michiganintheworld.history.lsa.umich.edu/ antiapartheid/ The Tahrir Coalition carries this torch. Activities at the Popular University for Gaza at U-M include rallies, teach-ins, movies, art builds, Passover ceremonies, traditional prayers and more — and are led and attended by the many, increasing encampment participants. Amidst it all, you can still find students working on finals and end-of-semester assignments. At the time of publication, the encampment stands: alive, well and growing. 6 24/7 mental health and substance use support 734-544-3050 LEARN MORE about programs funded by the community mental health and public safety preservation millage f3phcf3phc בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://-iZQgwsMLNIYAHo3n7ywXKZrhD5sGST0veWKe20_FisƘ`I׉ 7cassandra://8poQ7G8tfNUincDyEzDEZQORiZw8G7sSo6-PpWQAkxY2`׉ 7cassandra://UHakVpGQG5w-DItHNK1pxe1b1-unirMA7CqTzzKPrRUT``f3phcנf3phc9ׁH#http://annarborcommunitycommons.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉E8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS CONTINUED  CHARGE from page 4 dualism permanent? We can only resolve this dilemma by choosing the assumption that speaks to us and living it out. We tend toward dualism or holism based on our current understanding and stay with it because it works or change it because it is not working. Mindfulness training usually begins with mindfulness of the breath. Mindfulness can be used with all the senses and go from tranquility to insight meditation. A teacher will help you navigate the stages of the path and master them a step at a time. We are fortunate to have Khenpo Choephel at the Karuna Buddhist Center, located in Bethlehem United Church of Christ. Khenpo is an honorific for those who have taken Dharma vows and mastered years of study and practice. Dharma is a Sanskrit word meaning reality, particularly the sacred reality that is full and complete enlightenment, that is awakening to the buddha nature inherent in all sentient beings. Ignorance, with its many habitual patterns, becomes an addiction to illusion. Splitting reality into its constituent parts in search of something substantial becomes an obsession. Dualism becomes a habit as we look for the missing part. The most common dualism is self and other. This egocentric view is powerful and promotes a very competitive lifestyle. It makes some people rich and powerful. Wealth is a social marker of success in bourgeois society. The disparities in wealth and the destruction of nature by wealth extraction has brought us to the point where we must look at our assumptions and choose what works best. You may be a bit crazy as you leave bourgeois compliance culture and embrace the struggle for something more authentic. This choice is becoming more popular during my lifetime. Many aspire to a more cooperative and compassionate life and are beginning the shift. We are in a period when there is a growing sense that something is wrong, that our lives are out of control. We are not able to stop the war machine and its declared purpose of full spectrum domination which may lose one war after the other but continues vigorously in the financial and ideological fronts. These two fronts continue into space as the colonization of Mars is the next step towards the sole superpower of the universe which will storm the gates of heaven in its quest for dominance. "The Great Taking” by David Rogers Webb and “The Trading Game” by Gary Stephenson clarify our current situation of centralization of power. Lynette Zang is important in this analysis and I believe summarizes a growing collective view that the only solution to our growing crisis is to build community. We can start by growing our own food in community. Willow Run Acres and the Argus Farm Stop ethic that “The Future Is Local” will thrive when we come together as human beings who are children of the earth. Remember “The Earth Is My Witness” in the March 8, 2024 edition of Groundcover News. Our relationship to Earth Day and annarborcommunitycommons.org is an excellent opportunity to focus on a felt sense of the body and accept the wisdom of the body as the best advisor on the proper direction for the MAY 3, 2024 next step and inspire us to step onto and stay on Freedom Road. May Day celebrates the solidarity that keeps us together. May 27 is Memorial Day. Veterans For Peace celebrates this day with the Arlington Midwest display of crosses all day at Grand Circus Park in Detroit. It’s a collaboration of southwest Michigan veterans. They need a truck to move the many crosses in the display. I will use mindfulness of the breath as a step to mindfulness of the body — and eventually mindfulness of the mind as we mature on the stages of the path. The completion stage awaits us as our ego dissolves into the all good expanse of primordial purity. ׉ 7cassandra://UHakVpGQG5w-DItHNK1pxe1b1-unirMA7CqTzzKPrRUT``f3phc׉EXMAY 3, 2024 PUZZLES Either Way by Tracy Bennett and Victor Fleming 1234 5678 13 17 20 21 24 25 28 30 36 41 42 46 47 49 50 52 54 62 65 55 56 57 63 66 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 "Getting closer," in a guessing game 5 Soy-based broth 9 Inflict serious injury on 13 Vicinity 14 Take in or take on 16 Defeat, barely 17 "Mean Girls" song about being "hot" in silly Halloween costumes 18 Follower of an Afro-Jamaican religion 19 ___ as dishwater 20 Rubber duckie locale 22 It's cast at the polls 24 Start of a humorous quip about decision-making 28 "Yes, captain!" 29 Like thick fog, figuratively 30 Fang output 31 Deliver, as a pitch 32 Loafer or flip-flop 36 Abbr. after a comma 37 Part 2 of the quip 40 DuVernay who directed "Selma" 41 Actress Seehorn or Perlman 43 Cuts off, as branches 44 Toddler's booboos 46 "Another Saturday Night" singer Sam 48 ___ in motion (gracefulness) 49 End of the quip 52 Caught in a downpour, perhaps 53 Peril 54 "Beloved" author Morrison 55 Encourage persistently 58 Caught in a drizzle, perhaps 62 British prep school of note 63 Coffee break snack 64 Some are golden 65 19th-century Democrat opponent 66 "No ifs, ands or ___" 67 Baseball great Berra known for humorous quips like the one in this puzzle 51 53 58 59 60 61 64 67 DOWN 1 Existed 2 "Butterflies ___ Free" (1972 romcom) 3 Latin word for "king" 4 "It's possible" 5 Joan of Arc, for one 6 Pocatello's state 7 Distress signal 8 Get off the fence, say 9 Relatives of "mashups," in music 10 Former minor 11 Domed home 12 Become liquid 15 Side order at Haifa Falafel 21 Jungian principle 23 Band's sound booster 24 "Christina's World" artist Andrew 25 "It follows that ..." 26 Illegally seized 27 Party poppers 28 Declare 31 Pipe type 33 Port-au-Prince's land 34 Conspicuous 35 "No sweat" 38 Deluged 39 Alcoves 42 Loser to a pair of deuces 45 Timeslot for many soaps and talk shows 47 Assayer's material 48 Art supplies 49 Fang 50 Capital northeast of Bangkok 51 Fish in the Au Sable 52 All-in-one meal 56 Uncertain amount 57 African antelope 59 In times past 60 Oldest daughter in "Little Women" 61 Tire gauge reading: Abbr. 37 38 43 48 31 39 44 45 26 27 29 32 33 34 35 40 14 18 22 23 15 9 16 19 10 11 12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS 9 f3phcf3phc בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://anLpQmMoLRm-4peQUqAQchZFAiO29s2TkdZZBsHsWYg <`I׉ 7cassandra://dUPtctnmKE1z80BaI4Z6AUIT8R1BVd-sV0m_ENrJlpE5`׉ 7cassandra://FSmETqOmNkHChR4VaqE4u-YHCeJoSqMZ4uXZ6MS6ckUU`f3phc׉E}10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS STUDENT SOLUTIONS Street medicine: bridging the gap of accessibility ELIZABETH REIDY U-M student contributor I recently spent a Saturday morning serving potatoes and scrambled eggs at a house of hospitality in Ann Arbor. As I left the house, I noticed a group of volunteers standing on the back porch, clad in their Michigan merch, casually sipping on coffee from their thermoses. As I emerged from the crowded kitchen, carrying the scent of grease and charred potatoes with me, I wondered what these volunteers were doing relaxing on the back porch. I would’ve remained naively judgemental of them had they not been approached by a breakfast-goer at the house. I watched as they leaned over the man, intently examining his arm. It wasn’t until one of them pulled out a little red kit with a white cross on it that I realized what they were there for: it was the Wolverine Street Medicine group providing medical care. In hindsight, I felt very foolish for not realizing that sooner. This was my first time ever seeing medical services being provided at a gathering center. I was surprised to see that this was being provided, and even more surprised to find that there is a term for this type of medical care. “Street medicine” is the practice of providing medical care to unhoused populations. The street medicine movement was first established in 1992 by a Pittsburgh physician, Dr. Jim Withers, who later founded the Street Medicine Institute, a national nonprofit organization and membership community that promotes accessible healthcare for the homeless. According to the SMI, there are an estimated 50 independent street medicine programs operating across the United States today, and Wolverine is one of them. These organizations are funded in a variety of ways; some programs are run by students and volunteers, some are independent nonprofit organizations and some are facilitated by hospitals. Street medicine has been revolutionary in promoting accessible healthcare for low-income communities. Through organizations like SMI, healthcare is tailored to address the unique needs of those on the streets. Street medicine is even advancing towards becoming its own health care discipline. Despite its undeniable value, the existence of the street medicine movement in the United States is somewhat ironic. The United States is one of the richest nations in the world, and yet — according to a September 2023 report from the Census Bureau — 26 million people remain uninsured. In such an affluent country, how is it that 7.9% of the nation’s population are denied healthcare? MAY 3, 2024 Wolverine Street Medicine volunteers retrieve medical supplies from their van in downtown Detroit. Photo courtesy of Michigan Medicine. Street medicine is an invaluable service for many, but its existence indicates a glaring flaw in the current U.S. healthcare system. Rather than select hospitals, nonprofits, or even student organizations providing this service, accessible healthcare should be regulated across all healthcare providers. Accessible healthcare shouldn’t be a practice provided out of the kindness of one's heart. Healthcare is a right, but it is treated as a privilege in the United States. While it is daunting to consider the deeply-rooted, systemic issue of inaccessibility pertaining to healthcare in the United States, it is comforting to know that there are initiatives that prioritize marginalized communities. In Ann Arbor and across the world, street medicine is taking steps to provide assertive, coordinated and collaborative care management to those who need it most. Student organizations and initiatives striving to alleviate homelessness WEI ZHOU U-M student contributor One of the greatest challenges that homeless and low-income people face is the accessibility of free or lowcost goods and services within a community. This is especially true in Washtenaw County, home to the University of Michigan which prides itself as being one of the wealthiest school systems in the world. The University offers free and low-cost services (such as healthcare and food pantries) to those who are a part of the school system; to others, these services are locked behind the University of Michigan paywall. Recently, however, student organizations and other student-led initiatives have begun to take notice and strive for change, paving a path for addressing the needs of the homeless people in Washtenaw County. Michigan Health Aid is a student-run organization that focuses on providing health checkups and other related services for the homeless. They typically operate biweekly on the second floor of the Delonis Center on West Huron Street, where certified and trained volunteers take and interpret health metrics (such as blood pressure, blood sugar level) and provide insights on how to manage these health symptoms. Paul Silaghi, the president of MHA, describes MHA as “striving to provide basic health information to temperature andpeople who may not have the opportunity to know it otherwise.” He also describes MHA’s goals for expansion, which was guided by their surveying effort after collecting over 50+ responses on what resources the responders would need. They recently started pushing for an increased rate of checkups as well as funding from the University to provide over the counter medicines. After asking Paul if he thinks he - made a difference, he responded: “I hope so. We heard great things from the resource partners coordinator from the Delonis Center, who we have been working with very closely to implement this. We’ve had great testimonials from people who both had great things to say and also have offered some feedback on maybe where they would want certain tests they would want, or certain services that they want in addition to what we have, and we’ve been doing our best to implement those, especially if we see patterns in what people want that they may not have access to right see STUDENTS next page  ׉ 7cassandra://FSmETqOmNkHChR4VaqE4u-YHCeJoSqMZ4uXZ6MS6ckUU`f3phc׉EMAY 3, 2024 STUDENT SOLUTIONS Meet and greet with Michigan Movement ERIN TURNER U-M student contributor You might sometimes wonder what the students at the University of Michigan care about. Here’s one of the thousands of answers to that question: homelessness. Students care about combating homelessness and they care about the people experiencing it. This is evident in the multiple organizations founded by students that work to address this very pressing issue. I did a deep dive on one of these clubs, Michigan Movement (MIM), to highlight the efforts of this specific club and bring awareness to those who want to get involved in the fight against homelessness. In order to get a better understanding of this club and its inner workings I interviewed one of its presidents, Liem Swanson. He explained to me some of their ongoing projects and what he hopes for the future of the club. Founded in 2015, Michigan Movement’s mission is to provide aid to those experiencing homelessness and poverty in Ann Arbor, increase community involvement and reduce the harmful stigma surrounding homelessness. They do this by providing basic necessities, promoting the idea of self-governance through education, health and wellness and having a passion for community engagement and activism. They have one focus: empower those struggling by working WITH them. It’s a great launching pad for those who want to get involved but are new to the scene. Right now, the club’s main efforts go towards clothing and food drives, group volunteering at the Delonis Center and Mercy House, and educational club meetings. One of their biggest projects, which occurs a few times over the school year, is Project Connect. This is a one-day event where students in MIM distribute care packages, known as MIM Kits, that contain food, masks, clothing, hygiene products and more, to people experiencing homelessness. They also provide testing strips for drug and overdose prevention, menstrual products, blankets, ponchos and whatever else is appropriate for the time of year. They get doctors, dentists and barbers involved so those stopping by can get vaccinated and screened, update their documentation, or get a dental exam, a fresh haircut or any of a broad list of benefits. Students also distribute a meal during the event as well as have music playing in the background. This event usually aids anywhere from 25 to 50 individuals. This is made possible by partnerships with Mercy House, the Delonis Center, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and others. A club of 20 plus active members, MIM is intending to put their effort into new activities that will get more students involved, according to Swanson. He hopes that the club will continue to grow its numbers and expand its influence within the university and City of Ann Arbor. He told me that there is currently an idea of creating a club social media account GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 Project Connect at Mercy House on April 13. Photo credit: Liem Swanson. that posts interviews of Groundcover News vendors for the general public to get to know the people and their stories. Another idea for the future is hosting homework help and resume workshops for people trying to find jobs or go back to school. The Michigan Movement is a great starting place to get involved in this noble cause. This club allows community-oriented students to make a difference and grow their own perspective. They make meaningful connections within the club and outside the university community. If you are a student and want to join the fight against homelessness, join the Michigan Movement! Project Connect at Liberty Plaza on October 29, 2023. Photo courtesy of Michigan Movement.  STUDENTS from last page now”. He concluded by saying: “It’s always our goal to do our best for the people we serve, and we have gotten a lot of great feedback and were always willing to improve as well.” Another service that the students provide is the returnable shelves initiative, which is part of the University-wide sustainability effort. Recently, the initiative started installing returnable shelves on trash cans around central campus in which passing people can deposit their “returnables.” Returnables, in this context, are bottles and cans that are recyclable and have a cash value (deposit value), which is paid once the returnable is brought back to the store that sold or carries it. Not all bottles and cans are returnables. Despite their cash value, these cans and bottles typically end up in landfills, so this initiative strives to not only prevent them from ending up in the landfills, but also benefit those in need with a small additional income. I recently had the opportunity to interview Josh Davis, who brainstormed this project idea after being inspired by similar shelves in Copenhagen where he studied abroad. I asked, what is the goal of the project? He responded, “The goal of this project aims to enhance recycling efforts and support community members in reclaiming bottle and can deposits. This not only promotes environmental sustainability, but also economic benefit through a simple yet accessible innovation.” He hopes that this initiative will provide a “tangible solution to the challenge of recycling public spaces” through offering a designated spot for people to leave their recyclable cans and bottles. He hopes it can help the homeless through “simplifying the process for those who collect these items for the 10-cent deposit return, reducing the need to search through the trash bins.” On campus, the overall attitude towards homelessness has been shifting, especially with the rise of student organizations that actively strive to create a solution to the homelessness problem within Washtenaw County. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS W A R M 1 13 17 A R E A S B 24 28 30 36 41 A V E R Y E S I R E N O M T C 37 A H E A 42 46 49 T 52 54 62 65 W H I G S O A K E D 55 T O N I T O N 63 E 56 57 E G G O N D O N U T B U T S 66 50 H 47 C O O K E E R O A D T 51 53 R 38 F 43 L O P S 48 P O E T R Y A K E I T I S K 58 64 67 59 60 61 D A M P A G E S Y O G I 31 25 W H E X Y 20 2 3 4 5 14 18 21 A R A S T A 22 T H E N Y O U 26 29 S O U P Y 32 H U R L O R K I N 39 44 45 O W I E S 33 A 34 35 S H O E 40 V A 27 C O M E T O B 23 A 6 M I A 7 8 9 S O D O P T 15 16 19 E D G E D U L L L L O T 10 M A 11 12 I M f3phcf3phc בCטFu׉׉ 7cassandra://CAsSd0_W3ZM6tM3xL8Pa7nLt5vOVcEtmcokVs_VxG4Y`׉ 7cassandra://oYHRfwZR2Hce7-NtF6q97E_Gw9GNtAHSjCaGrOyOSUÝ`h׉ 7cassandra://WLmYJ4RasBzmpeDhWIAANgwk_nKWMdVoLoLLSJT-iB0+ `f3phc׉E%12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Chicken fajitas KAYLIE KARSCH Groundcover contributor Ingriedients: ¼ cup lime juice ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ¼ cup (+1 tablespoons) neutral oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 lb boneless chicken breast 2 large bell peppers 1 large yellow onion Tortillas Salt and pepper to taste Directions: In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, red pepper flakes, ¼ of oil, and 1 teaspoon of cumin. Add salt and pepper seasoned chicken into bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. While marinating, chop vegetables and remove bell pepper seeds. When the chicken is finished, add the DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 MAY 3, 2024 remaining teaspoon of oil to a saucepan on medium heat, cooking until golden brown and fully cooked through, around 8 minutes per side). Remove from heat, let rest, then slice into strips. In the same saucepan, add bell peppers, onion, remaining cumin, and salt and pepper, sauteing until soft (around 7 minutes). Combine chicken and mix. Take off the heat and serve with tortillas. ׉ 7cassandra://WLmYJ4RasBzmpeDhWIAANgwk_nKWMdVoLoLLSJT-iB0+ `f3phc׈Ef3phcf3phc ,May 3, 2024f3ҷf=