free rice because everybody's hungry.

4/23/08

it seems like there are problems everywhere i go. most days, i like to listen to npr and take in the happenings, but lately, i've been on sabbatical from the news. there's a problem with prioritizing in our world, and it seems like international powers cannot decide between people and profit.

by now, everyone must know about my passion for food security. one of the big issues in the world is-- has, and always will be-- hunger. since the development and implementation of corn-and-soy-based ethanol, people around the world are feeling an economic pinch. these grains are being converted to fuels for cars rather than for our bodies. feed for livestock is more expensive, and so that is driving up the price of dairy, meat, and eggs. that, in turn, is increasing the cost of other foods in which these animal-derived items are main ingredients.

it's a good time to be a farmer, but a bad time to be any other kind of impoverished person. if you have been to the grocery store lately, you've been feeling the pinch. after all the bills are paid, how much of your income can you use for food? many of us are lucky; we may not be eating everything we want , but more often than not, we aren't going to bed hungry.

i heard this story about local food banks and the food stamps system on npr and it made me cry. i can't imagine what it would be like to know that you can't afford to feed your children, they must fend for themselves while you are away. many children are heading to soup kitchens. fortunately, there has been a great program created with funding from the united way to open schools and feed children who might otherwise go without.

for anyone who can, please volunteer or donate to one of the local food pantries. as the economy is in decline, more people are in need. in times of high demand, people stop giving. but, if we needed the help, where would we turn if those food banks weren't there? would we be too proud to stand in lines at a soup kitchen, rather than dishing it out?

i remember our diversity and anti-oppression training on classism, everyone was really upset. they were'nt upset about the condition of things as a whole, but specifically that they were promised breakfast, and were only given rice and oranges. in the real world, when someone is hungry, those things can be a godsend. we're lucky that p.a. helps us out with foodstamps. there are people in our communities who still needd help. and the problems we have here are always exponentially worse in the international community. with the dangers of violence, hijackings, and the price of gas, food aide organizations are sending less because they can't afford it. a co-worker of mine sent a link to me, and it's a fun and easy way to expand your vocabulary as well as helping provide food to the hungry. all you have to do is click on the definition of a word, and for each correct answer, 20 grains of rice are donated to the united nations world food program.

what are you waiting for, go out and feed the people!

NAMI walks

4/21/08

last week, we had a diversity and anti-oppression training on ableism with 2 guests from disability wisconsin and the national alliance on mental illness (NAMI). they were both really engaging and informative, fielding difficult questions with genuine interest and expertise.

unfortunately, i missed out on a lot of the speaking, because there's this asinine policy of locking people out if they aren't on time. i have been on time for everything lately, with the exception of this day. but on this day, there was a topic i actually needed to hear about. nice.

anywho, after brenda wesley discussed her experiences taking care of family members with mental illnesses, i was taken aback. everything she talked about, i have gone through-- either myself or in dealing with a family member. she also brought up the fact that the stigma attached with mental illnesses aren't attached to things like diabetes and heart attacks. (if someone goes off medication for mental illness, they are judged and ostracized; on the other side of the coin, people with chronic illnesses who neglect themselves are catered to and comforted in times of need.)

the presentation was so informative. i know the wrong she has felt. it's hard to talk about those kinds of things, because i know that people flag that socially. stay away from her, she's crazy... it's not right. something else brenda talked about was the fact that african americans are often misdiagnosed or given improper treatment. the clues of mental illness within the context of black culture are different; if there are no psychiatrists who are familiar with the culture, how can the signs be appropriately identified? apparently, african americans metabolize drugs differently, and that can have an adverse affect.

at the end, brenda invited public allies to join the awareness campaign by participating in NAMI Walks, the annual fundraising campaign to raise awareness about mental illness and resources. i've decided to form a team with a few public allies, friends and family. we'll be walking may 17th at veteran's park. you can donate to our team "public allies, friends, and families" by getting in touch with me, or any participating ally.

if you'd like to walk with us, or to donate, please contact me. i'd like our team to raise at least $500. there's more information on the walk at the website or by calling brad montgomery at 414-344-0447.