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This is a repost from Black Star Project. I salute Altgeld Gardens residents and supporters for challenging Rosebud Frams. I used to live in Eden Green near Rosebud Farms in the 1970s. I had a car, so did my husband, so we could drive to where we needed to shop. I never really shopped at Rosebud Farms, even when their prices were cheaper. I supported a lot of Black business and some major stores, but mainly shopped with the Collins' Brothers-owned stores, Grace's Garden of Eden on 64th and King Drive, Jewel Grand Bazaar on 87th, and a store in Roseland on or near 115th and Michigan Ave--it went out of business: | The Residents of Altgeld Gardens Have Launched Occupy Altgeld Gardens in Support of Occupy the Hood/Wall Street |
| | Worst Food Desert In Chicago Strikes Back |
| | $5.00 a gallon milk and $30.00 hams too much for public housing community | Update on OCCUPY ALTGELD - Day 4 "We have turned around about 300 cars from shopping with Rosebud Farm and we have stopped about 50 walk-ins from shopping at Rosebud Farm."
From Altgeld Gardens in Chicago, Illinois - This is a protest of the Rosebud Farm near the Altgeld Gardens Public Housing Community at about 500 East 130th Street in Chicago, Illinois. The current merchants in Rosebud Farm take advantage of a community described as the worst food desert in Chicago. The current Rosebud Farm store also services the residents of Golden Gate, Concordia Park, Riverdale, Dolton and Roseland. The current Rosebud Farm merchants lease the building from the Corporate Rosebud Farm who are housed in Indiana. Rosebud Farm products are sold in major food stores such as Jewels, Dominicks, the now closed Moo & Oink, Pete's, Ultra etc.
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| | Cheryl Johnson, standing with her mother who passed away this year, Hazel Johnson (sitting right), the "Mother of the Environmental Justice Movement" | Cheryl Johnson, President of People for Community Recovery (PCR) is leading the protest, because neither the Corporate Rosebud Farm President or the current Rosebud Farm merchant will meet with Cheryl Johnson to discuss the issues of concern for the residents of Altgeld Gardens. The Occupy Altgeld Gardens major strategy is to peaceably turn around shoppers from shopping at the store. This includes providing transportation to people who walked up and had no transportation to go elsewhere.
A woman who disregarded the protest and shopped at Rosebud Farm was upset after she saw what she paid to shop at the store and she showed the protesters the receipt for the groceries, which included 1 roll of toilet paper for $1.53, 1 gallon vitamin D milk 4.99, 1 jar salad dressing 7.99, a ham butt $30, 1 small pot roast $15, etc.
What is even more outrageous is that this merchant refuses to accept WIC certificates, which stands for Women, Infants and Children (a government program to ensure proper nutrition for poor mothers and children). How can a merchant refuse to accept this voucher which is paid for by the government? Why? Because the government is not going to refund the prices they charge for food. Again, this is outrageous and unacceptable, because it forces recipients with the voucher to have transportation to go elsewhere.
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| | Altgeld Gardens Public Housing Community | The nearest major grocery store is Food for Less, 142nd Sibley or Ultra or Aldi's at 127th Ashland both about 3 to 4 miles away. Any stores in-between are probably price gouging as well.
Late Friday evening, the police came and told protesters that Rosebud Farm reported the protesters were threatening their customers. Occupy Altgeld protestors were asked to disband because they had no permit to protest on public property. The protesters moved to the property across from Rosebud and continued until 8 pm. They did not want to risk being arrested without a plan. Cheryl Johnson is adamant that the protest will continue until the owners sit down at the table to discuss the issues at hand.
At various times, there were about 13 protesters present but more protesters are needed. Occupy Altgeld needs help. Occupy Altgeld needs legal advice. Occupy Altgeld needs financial support. Occupy Altgeld needs an action plan to solidify their list of demands with acceptable solutions, and most of all, they need support from all communities in and around Chicago.
They plan to march through the holidays. You can help too. Talk to anyone you know who lives in the above areas, participate in the protest, contact Cheryl at PCR, 773.840.4618 (office) to find out how you can help. You don't have to walk all day, but numbers show power and eventually, someone will sit down and talk to them.
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http://greenthinktankfordisabilitycommunity.blogspot.com/2011/06/nppma-and-impruve-demand-transit-summit.html GET THOSE DECLARATION SIGNATURES IN OR COME TO DISABILITY PRIDE PARADE JULY 23, 2011 TO SIGN OR DELIVER. DON'T FORGET TO dONATE AND GET A TEE SHIRT -- Minimum donation for tee shirt gift: $15 for 1x (XL), 2x; $20 for 3X, 4X Discount to those who march with us in the parade or volunteer: $ 10 Call Maat 773-416-7366 or Cece 773-544-9488 Special order in advance for small, medium and large CHILDREN WELCOME TO MARCH, TOO IMPRUVE (Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles, Equality) WE WILL NOT BE SILENT Thanks to all who made it possible for us to travel to Washington, to all Congressional staff who graciously received us and to Charles Idol for rescuing us when we were stranded at Clyde's of Gallery Place while dining, 3 of us in wheelchairs without any accessible transportation or help to get back to our hotel. Note: Except for June, we meet 2nd and 4th WEdnesday by 800 teleconference. For June, we meet June 15 and June 29!! That is at 2 pm Central time. More special and detailed discussion is conducted by special invitation on Rondee by Dr. Maat as needed -- No paratransit service boards or transit authority staff, please. Much Light, Love and Peace always and without fail. DON'T GIVE UP. DON'T ABANDON THE MOVEMENT. MOVING FORWARD LIKE A KANGAROO, NEVER BACKWARDS! IMPRUVE is psosnored by BNICEH. IMPRUVE is a member of The Green Think Tank for the Disability Community and the National Paratransit People's Movement Assembly The Green Think Tank for the Community is Of, by and for people who are disabled, their supporters, and those who want to reduce our impact on the environment, so we are cleaner, wiser about energy and wealth as well as nanofabrication and nanotechnology, greener, and have more sustainable lives and income...without poverty, lowered employment, devalued lives, isolation due to non-accessible, non-green transportation, chemical food and housing, respiratory failure, and death and health issues that are preventable by going green (including organic, veganic)! Stay in the Light and Darkness Flees. Ase.
 Paratransit Peoples Movement Assembly Action Ideas – April - May 2011 "Never underestimate the power of one person." Eleanor Roosevelt
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”- Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. Atty General
Paratransit Blog - Part 1 – April 25, 2011
These action ideas are for paratransit riders, drivers and transit advocates for mass transit and paratransit. Relief for CTA, RTA, Pace, METRA or your public transit service board is for them, not the paratransit rider or fixed route rider. The service boards’ ADA advisory boards are usually powerless to enact the changes to bring real relief for paratransit riders, unless bylaws and selection are set up by the riders themselves or they become part of a mutual settlement agreement; relief such as lowering the fares for persons who have low income, ensuring that if there is there is a monthly pass and student U-Pass on fixed route, there is one that is affordable on paratransit, or preventing a fare increase. They serve at the discretion of the service board, not the riders. We must look out for ourselves and those who have environmental illness and respiratory illness. IMPRUVE has no problem with Pace. Our problem is with the fares they charge and the policies, which have become so oppressive and manipulative that persons who are disabled (PWDs) are unable to ride and feel that it is a waste of carfare to go to Pace and RTA board meetings and public hearings in Illinois, and service board meetings in other cities.
Twelve Action Ideas for Paratransit People’s Movement Assembly
- Attend benefit Friday May 13, 2011 7 p.m. to midnight (or later) for IMPRUVE Paratransit People’s Movement Assembly (PMA), so we can attend National Paratransit Memorial Rally in Washington DC May23-27, 2011. Info: 773-416-7366; 773-255-2113 $35/40 The Heartland Café 7000 N. Glenwood Chicago IL 60626. Food, Live Entertainment, Silent Auction. Bruh Luuh performing at 9 pm, Joyce Walker performing –time TBA
- Donate cash. Donate items to the Silent Auction. Examples: gift cards, gift services, timeshares, airline mileage points, hotel stays, transportation, taxi service, laptops, cell phone minutes, stationery, envelopes, postage stamps, texting, email blasts, phone blitzes, articles, press releases, food or restaurant gift certificates, massage services, etc.
- Write to your U.S. Senators, U.S. House Representative (Congressman), and Senator Rockefeller, chairman of Senate Committee On Commerce, Science and Transportation for a hearing on the issue of paratransit inequity and oppressive policies that do not meet Transit Equity under ADA guidelines, green Paratransit run by PWDs to provide Green jobs for PWDs to lift out of poverty and have sustainable income. Contact impruve2@yahoo.com for letter samples.
- Promote the IMPRUVE Paratransit People’s Movement Assembly on your website and newsgroup
- Organize 50-4000 paratransit riders and their advocates in your region
- Submit names of paratransit riders who passed away 2010-2011; Make your own Memorial posters to carry to DC or you may go as far back as 2008 if from Chicago as March 28, 2008 is when the Zone system went into effect in Chicago
- Set up your own fundraising or ask 30 people to donate $10-30 on your trip
- Attend press conference and farewell rally in Chicago at Union Station the day we leave for Washington DC. Or set up one in your city. For info on the rally and press conference, email impruve2@yahoo.com and ask to be invited to the weekly Rondee planning teleconferences or email: ayomaat@hotmail.com
- Organize phone blitzes now through the entire month of May until a meeting or hearing is granted to us in DC. Call state legislators and mayor’s or City Council disability offices to send letters on your behalf, too, but especially call or send emails to the White House, Congress, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation chaired by Sen. Rockefeller, House Committee of Rep. Dan Lipinski Jr. that pertains to Transportation, U.S. Access Board, National Disability Policy Consortium, FTA, and print media, TV, radio, cable stations
- Choose a partner to share rides, hotel room, food while in DC
- Pray, chant for an end to the disparate impact and oppressive treatment of people with disabilities who ride paratransit. Ask faith leaders to lead a prayer vigilance for paratransit riders and our People’s Movement Assembly
- Request “The Paratransit Is My Transit” song by email: impruve2@yahoo.com Sing, learn the melody. Bring with you to DC. Add new stanzas pertaining to your city, county, state if your region is missing from the original song.
IMPRUVE has declared freedom from draconian transit policy on paratransit riders and finds it critical to go to Washington to meet with Congress and transportation officials, and have a national public rally.
We have a plan to improve the current paratransit system and a solution to end or prevent Transit Eugenics that we plan to launch step-by-step between now and 2016—it is a national plan that can be replicated city by city, state by state. By 2020, we expect nanotechnology and green technology to be a natural progression within all paratransit systems to reduce energy consumption and reduce the carbon footprints of PWDs across the world. Those who choose to ride the carriers of their current service boards may continue. We will be an alternative that is strictly rider-owned, rider-controlled, Green, and owned or controlled by us—PWDs!
Visit www.greenthinktankfordisabilitycommunity.blogspot.com
We will provide the Green alternative at a lower rate, with more humanity and compassion, that will be healthier with less environmental harm, and ability for PWDs in oversize wheelchairs to ride, too; we will provide an on-demand and monthly payment plan. The competitive process should not exclude persons who are disabled from having their own service powered by solar energy and other green vehicles. It’s an oppressive situation---the transit system was not set up to be fair or transport PWDs daily though the Law says it must be. This is a human and civil rights issue, plain and simple. It is the Congress and the DOJ (Dept. of Justice) who must mandate that the FTA enforce the ADA. We must bring high fares down for paratransit and ensure that all who need the service will receive it. Paratransit was created for us, not the service board, the FTA, Congress, DOJ are obligated to provide Transit Equity and enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. z The service cuts of Congress and local government are undesired for the masses and draconian for the disability community, not just ridiculous, but life-threatening. Dr. Cornel West said [of the service cuts to American society], "We may have to use civil disobedience, but all of us do not have to get arrested." There are ways for abled-bodied society to accomplish this at the ballot box, in spending choices, boycotts, alternative transit such as walking, skating, bicycling, carpooling, segways, etc. Boycotts do not work without alternative choices. For people who are disabled and lownincome and have no access to free or affordable Medicars, and cannot ride mainline fixed route buses or trains or do not have accessible buses and trains that run within close proximity to them, there are no alternatives to the paratransit. Most paratransit riders even if supportive of the cause, would be willing would be unable to boycott. Therefore, boycotts would be ineffective for us without alternative accessible transportation. Unlike the Montgomery Bus Boycott, we cannot walk or catch a ride to our destinations. There are no wheelchair taxis in most cities. Chicago has them, DC has them, even St. Petersburg FL has them, but the costs are beyond reach of the average paratransit rider. Building our own paratransit system is the most effective. Having the ear of Congress and the President for our cost-cutting plan, advocacy and meetings with the FTA and U.S. Access Board, and a DOJ to mandate enforcement of the ADA are more effective. 
Okay, Progressives and Independents--time to step up whether Green, Democratic or Republican in the past election. Time to heal the political ills of Illinois, Cook and other counties, and it's not too early to plan for 2011 for city of Chicago. Talk to Dock Walls and the Greens, too, but note my loyalty lies with those who support people who are disabled, Green concerns, youth concerns, and are not afraid to raise Black people out of poverty while still helping other ethnic groups. If we stop making excuses and start making alliances with the right people, with the youth, with those who want out of nonproductive activities, who want to leave something other than a funeral bill or a bad reputation behind, and those who are not afraid to break rank with the party bosses and the Illuminati, and form an allegiance with the Most High or what we term the highest and loftiest of thoughts and actions, we won't give energy and false power to the naysayers and doubting Thomases and those who are not worried about the vote for Dock Walls and the Black vote or the Hispanic vote or the people's vote for good government. Meanwhile, pay attention again to the list from Green America of the Top Ten Corporate Criminals beginning with - WalMart as number 1 with its worker policy that does not show social conscience or corporate responsibility, and the manner in which it treats its women employees, has been accused of running out small local business, and in New Jersey store was accused of racism; and
- McDonald's as number 10,
while you focus on the Supreme Court decision to allow no limits on corporate funding of election campaigns!! It's not just the pharmaceutical companies, nursing homes, and insurance companies that we have to monitor their giving!!! - ExxonMobil is number 2;
- Coca Cola is number 3, all you Dasani water, Fanta, Sprite, Coke, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Crush, and Schweppes fans;
- Nestle is number 4, chocaholics, cereal eaters, and ice cream lovers--this is just a microscopic list of their products: Cheerios, Trix, Shredded Wheat, Ice Mountain water, Poland Spring, San Pellegrino water, Nestea, Nesquick, Libby's, Growers Direct Organic Fruit Juices, Carnation, Gerber baby products and food, Coffee Mate, Edy's Ice Cream, Push-Up, Nestle Drumstick, Oreo (Canada), Power Bar, Pria, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, 100 Grand bar, Kit Kat (INDIA), Turtles, Wonka candy brands, Alpo dog food, Friskies cat food, Toll House cookies, etc.;
- Monsanto is number 5 with its GMO (genetically modified) crops and seeds contaminating farmland that was set up to be organic and frequently putting small farmers out of business while destroying heirloom seeds);
- General Motors is number 6, all you Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn, Pontiac, Saab and Hummer fans; while Green Paratransit Think Tank and Green Think Tank for the Disability Community are pushing for the Soular Car
- Dominion is number 7 due perhaps to predatory nationwide lending and bad real estate financing;
- Citigroup is number 8, and at one time held 40% of the home equity loans received the largest bailout of the banks; and
- Shell Petroleum is number 9, whether due directly or indirectly for supporting apartheid in South Africa when U.S. corporations were asked to support the trade embargo and Shell got into trouble in Nigeria due to environmental and tribal activists who were tried illegally and executed; remember this as you shop and snack at Shell's mini-marts and fill up on their gas.
http://images.drmaat.multiply.com/image/2/photos/upload/1200x120/SjhE2QoKCGAAAHTucac2/cover.jpg?et=x4c4KjqzSqt35h9ILAb81Q&nmid=256507059 Water can add serenity to any event or quench the thirst. Flowing water is healing, cleansing, soothing, compelling, forceful.  Consider this talk by Dr. Yurasek "a cold cup of water" to those who thirst for whole health in the desert of illness and pain or those in the healthcare field who thirst for more knowledge of healing techniques that work and can enhance their practice or skills. This talk may compel those who work in health and well-being and those who desire it to seek more information, training or help to set up an AcuCenter in their community, community center, clinic, office, school, or doctor's office; or try an externship in Guatemala, Africa or the United States with other barefoot doctors.
Reminder: Date: Sat. July 11, 2009 Time: 2-6 p.m. Location: United Church of Rogers Park 1545 W. Morse Ave. - 3rd floor (near Ashland, 6930 North) Chicago IL 60626 RSVP to acuwerks@gmail.com or cal 773-416-7366 Co-sponsors: Acuwerks, BNICEH, Green Think Tank for Disability Community There is still time to sponsor.
 Ah, the sound of running water, a welcome sound for a life interrupted by pain and stress. Even the sight of it is refreshing.
Are you a physician, massage therapist, Pilates practitioner, acupuncturist, chiropractor, mental health practitioner, naturopath, Reiki Master, aromatherapist, family member of someone who is chronically ill, holistic dentist, podiatrist, opthamologist, physician assistant, anger management specialist, public health advocate, nurse, patient or client of any of the above, medical assistant, medical student, patient or client of any of the above, healing arts practitioner, metaphysical practitioner, minister, person who is uninsured (for healthcare), or person who wants to learn how to heal without doing harm? Do these concern you: High medical costs, high insurance costs, unnecessary lab tests to satisfy insurance requirements and to diagnose disease that gets no better even after treatment, high rates of disease and untreated ailments? We have heard many promises about single payer health insurance, social medicine. Doctors do their best to help patients manage health, but disease continues as costs continue to rise. Listen up: I have met and conversed with Dr. Frank Yurasek, Sy Bounds and Dr. Christian Nix. I give a thumbs up to Barefoot Digital Medicine and Barefoot Doctors:  Dr. Frank Yurasek has a solution that works and takes the politics out of healthcare management. Even persons who are disabled, seniors and those who have chronic illness can have access to better health management when there is an even playing field not predicated solely on where one lives (suburbs vs. inner city, rural vs. urban, apartment vs. condo or home, peaceful vs. war-torn country), how wealthy one is, how much insurance one has, if you have a disease that can reel in lucrative insurance benefits. Each community can have Acucenters and train experienced as well as novice healers to practice techniques that are effective. These methods can even be used to treat persons who are institutionalized (jails, prisons, nursing homes, etc.), have addictions (food, alcohol, other drugs),and have chronic pain. These methods can work from a public health perspective. This introductory session is a humanitarian act of Dr. Frank Yurasek Learn how each city's ward, county health jurisdictions, and state health regions in this nation, rural areas, and global villages may effect more effective healing and reduction in healthcare costs for all by setting up Acucenters using the One Village approach, digital flash technology and distance training with hands-on learning and training.
"Barefoot Medicine Goes Digital"
Please join Dr. Frank Yurasek of
Acuwerks, Heal Land, Barefoot Medicine Society www.acuwerks.com
Creator of One Village Pain & Stress Acucenters
Theme: "How One Village Pain & Stress AcuCenters can revolutionize global healthcare and heal the planet."
When: Sat. July 11, 2009
Time: 2 - 6 p.m.
Where: United Church of Rogers Park
1545 W. Morse - Overdier Hall 3rd floor
Chicago IL 60626
Cost: FREE to the Public Wheelchair-accessible, elevator building
Register (see below)
Meet Sy Bounds,  the blog professor and technology person who created the digital flash drive  business technology used by Dr. Yurasek, Acucenters, Teishin Institute,
and physicians working across the nation and in Guatemala.
Learn how you can work with others to set up Acucenters and train to revolutionize global healthcare. Learn how healers and other health practitioners are using digital flash technology of the blog professor Sy Bounds to perform best practice in digital technology, safeguard patient directives and medical information, run their businesses more effectively, use a digital public health model to heal the planet.
Sponsored by BNICEH "be nicer," since 1992, a Rogers Park nonprofit concerned with green living, sustainable health and living, youth and family community health, disability issues, ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and other drug use) and prevention, mental health and emotional well-being, financial literacy, and eliminating poverty and poor health where possible.
BNICEH is the Black Network In Children''s Emotional Health. Our Recreating the Village ATOD projects provided successful mentoring, employment, volunteerism, No Butts No Booze music fests, family job affairs, for 13 years in Rogers Park for youth, families, and community residents. We also worked in several wards to provide smoking prevention programs and our culminating tobacco quiz bowls through 2006. We are proud to co-sponsor Dr. Frank Yurasek's Barefoot Medicine Goes Digital More sponsors are welcome RSVP: Call 773-416-7366 Dr. Ayo Maat greenthinktank@comcast.net or email Dr. Frank Yurasek acuwerks@gmail.com Copyright 2009 Acuwerks and GreenThink Tank for Disability Community |
