Reflection: Choosing Positive Change
Sister Susan Rose Francois, CSJP
July 17, 2016
“It’s hard to make a good choice when there is not a good choice available.” – Peter Meinecke, youth program manager of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee in Toledo
One phrase that has been running through my head over the past week is that “actions have consequences.” Is it any wonder that we have a widening wealth and income inequality gap when our nation has chosen, for the past three decades, to prioritize tax breaks for the wealthiest individuals and corporations over using our resources to invest in the common good?
The negative impacts that our nation’s policy choices have on people who are struggling are crystal clear in every state where the Nuns on the Bus have visited so far, and it’s not just in urban areas. Our route has taken us through small rural communities, mid-size towns, and larger cities. At each stop along the way we are blessed to mingle with the local community. During site visits we have heard first-hand stories from ordinary folks unable to make ends meet, no matter how many shifts they work. I have learned that too many Americans are unable to provide for their families or to access things most of the rest of us take for granted, such as transportation, health care, safe and affordable housing, or non-predatory lending.
During our caucus events in the evening, we talk with folks in the community who are concerned about the widening gaps. Many of the participants have chosen to volunteer in their local soup kitchen or shelter, visiting at the local prison or helping kids in after school tutoring programs. These experiences have helped them to understand that in 21st Century America it is very difficult, if not impossible, to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”
Our lack of investment in basic public infrastructure, such as public transportation systems, limits the choices available to low-wage workers in places like Jefferson City, Missouri where we learned that the public transit system stops running at 5pm, and does not operate on Saturday or Sunday. In Terre Haute, Indiana we learned that job seekers without their own transportation are unable to access new higher wage assembly jobs located in the outskirts of the city, because the transit system does not travel to these industrial areas. In Fort Wayne, Indiana we learned that even when a worker saves up to buy their own car, predatory lending practices mean that it is often impossible to keep up to date on car payments.
It has also become clear that structural racism limits the choices available to our nation’s children. Racism is not limited to individual acts of prejudice, although we certainly heard many stories of this variety. In every city and town, we also heard people making connections that point to structural racism directing the allocation of resources. Schools in communities of color have less resources available because of inequity in school funding, and students are more likely to face harsh disciplinary penalties such as suspension. Meanwhile the neighborhoods where they grow up are more likely to have broken street lights, boarded up houses, and empty lots instead of state of the art playgrounds and well-lit streets.
On the day before the Nuns on the Bus headed into Cleveland, we visited with the FLOC Homies Union in Toledo, a social movement that brings the skills of labor organizing to young Latinos aged 14 to 24 to empower them to make change in their community.
We heard about the program from Peter Meinecke, youth program manager for the Farm Labor Organizing Committee. FLOC has an employment readiness and youth empowerment program that places youth, called Homies, in work sites in their community to gain first-hand experience. They also learn the basics of leadership and community organizing which they put into practice.
Several of the Homies joined us for conversation around the table. Billie shared the story of how her Homies class, which was mostly made up of young women, realized that each had experienced sexual harassment at school. They organized a march in June to raise awareness about sexual harassment and domestic violence. Three members of the Homies Union then met with Toledo Public School officials where they successfully negotiated adding training on sexual harassment and assault to the health class curriculum, posting information about sexual harassment in schools and the student handbook, and funding a Prevention Specialist in collaboration with the YMCA to work full time on the issue district wide. They managed to make all of these positive changes in just one meeting with school officials!
Another Homie, Alejandro, shared a compelling story of when he was pulled over and harassed by police because the air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror was “distracting.” Many of the Homies have had similar experience with the police, which is why they are recordings their experiences to compile into a video to share with the chief of police. They are also actively negotiating a code of conduct between the police and the community.
The FLOC Homies are making choices to create positive change in their community. I wonder, as we the people face choices on the ballot in our local and national elections this fall, can we do the same?
This morning as we prayed together and shared the scripture of the day, I was struck by this particular feast of Mary Magdalene, the woman who proclaimed to the disciples after the Resurrection “I have seen the Lord.” Thinking of the people I have met these two days, I too, “have seen the Lord” in the face of Christ in each of them. I have been blessed by their trust in sharing their stories, their dreams, and yes, their passion for justice and equality for all their brothers and sisters.
In the afternoon, the Granite State Organizing Project of New Hampshire invited us to visit a public housing development in Manchester composed of 250 units which are occupied by an extremely diverse community. The residents proudly described their newly organized Resident Council, whose motto is “togetherness is community.” I thought of the tagline of my ministry at Providence House – “Creating Communities – Transforming Lives.” I felt a synergy with the residents’ desire here and the strength that we all find when we are part of a caring community that supports one another! We learned in our visit that in the past 2 years the council has developed a Homework club, English language classes, and other social activities for the whole community. Dot who participated in their leadership training program spoke of how she learned to plan and prioritize her goals, and after 2 years was now on track to move to Georgia to reunite with family. Dot was thrilled that we had come to visit and hear their stories. Another humbling moment, as I thought of the women and children back home at Providence House – have I missed similar opportunities?
The evening was a caucus event at Holy Cross Center Manor. Spirited conversations with men and women from the local community ensued on the seven gap issues, each sister being responsible for a different gap conversation to moderate. Mine was affordable housing -– a natural fit!
I sat with a young man, Franco, who came to the church every week for dinner with his friend Luke. Their ages were quite disparate but they were trusted friends. Each made sure the other had enough food, salt, and drink. Franco immediately welcomed me to sit with them. Franco came to the church because he knows that his faith and belly would be fed there. He looked out for Luke because they were pals.
In the evening, we went to the caucus at St. Paul’s Parish Center. We divided the tables into our gap issues. Every team reported out after good discussions regarding visions of a nation wherein the gaps had been mended. It was remarkable in that so many folks were willing to envision such a nation. Other times, we have needed to guide folks so they would not detour into a litany of problems. These Erie people had the hope of a mended gap society. They all noted that, if gaps were mended, community would be warmer, less violent, and more productive. They were willing to continue the conversations past tonight, too.
Our site visit began Friday at Vincent Village in Fort Wayne, IN. We were greeted warmly by families and staff of Vincent Village who had crafted welcome banners for our arrival.
In the evening, we were greeted by Father Phil Widman and the community of St. Mary’s Catholic Church for the Caucus. All who gathered for the Caucus were engaged and eager to discuss the gaps facing the people of Fort Wayne. In equal measure they were visionary and hopeful in discussing what their neighborhoods and communities could look like if the inequalities were addressed and everyone had the opportunity to experience justice and peace. We pray that our brothers and sisters in parishes and places of worship throughout the United States take their responsibility of faithful citizenship and living the Gospel as seriously as the Father Phil Widman and the faithful of St. Mary’s.
We were blessed by some wonderful speakers:
Our first stop was Integrity House in Newark, New Jersey, the largest residential addiction treatment center in the state. The caring, family-like environment there was amazing, especially given the size of the program. The director there identified a huge “gap” when he explained to us that residential drug treatment is not covered by Medicaid. This gap became very real when a few of the residents shared their experience of finally realizing they needed help, only to be told by other treatment centers that since they were on Medicaid, they could not come until that had the funds to pay for their treatment.
Once again, local residents shared the Gaps that touched their lives, including wage theft – a situation in which employers do not pay the promised wage or neglect to pay overtime rates to those working more than 40 hours a week. When we came out of the Church, we were greeted by a beautiful rainbow – and a wet bus. Those attempting to sign our bus had to dry a spot first!