Story Archives 2003

by Joe B.

Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003 is the last hectic day.

Earlier Ms. M. called about rehearsal of the play which I still say is a skit but don’t tell Lisa that since she made it up and constantly complex it up with help from other ‘PO poets.

Its not participating in the play that’s the problem its adding extras like words, props, and not letting the basic thing be what it is.

This is why I didn’t have my script with me I had been practicing for two weeks then stopped because I see more directions, props, changes, more tweaking of the script until one page becomes five.

I’ve learned to reduce my work to its essence so I don’t have to work any harder than needed and I always warn new POOR Magazine Interns, ‘PO Poet’s to start reducing work because if you write a six or seven page short story; guess who’ll be reading it or sharing with others and don’t share too much personal stuff because its all "grist for the mill" in POOR’s way of working.

Few people listen and then when they come up with 4 to 8 pages and begin to read the poor snooks look at me sideways finally getting it but too late so I’ve learn to warn once then keep my mouth shut.

Again, Sunday I planned to sleep because I know tonight will be full of drama, nervousness, angst, and feeling of "What Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong"

I help Lisa again but not as much this time because most of the butcher paper, drawings and lighting are already set and I race back home to sleep.

Calling Ms. M. at 2:30 pm I said I’d be there by 3 and we’d be at the old 9th street I.L.W.U.(International Local Warehouse Union) local 6.

After taking a shower I leave later and when I get to Ms. M’s home she’s just finished taking a shower, hair, face wet.

Letting me in while she stays in her bathroom emerging only when her white bathrobe is tight and secure on her.

"I race over here thinking you’d be mad at me for being late but your not dressed."

"I’m mad at you Joe, really mad just plain mad she joked as I wait in another area while she changes into her clothes.

By 3:35 we both know we’ll be late and using her cell phone Ms. M. calls Lisa and of course she pissed "Where are you Joe?"

"We’ll be a little late, be there at 4:30."
"That’s not alright, why are you…?

I wasn’t going to argue while walking down the street on a cell phone.

"We’re going be there by 4:30, We’re On Our Way Now, we will be late.

"Lisa’s began getting loud but stopped going off the phone."

"Joe, you don’t talk to Lisa that way" M. says.

At when thinking of the late night Tuesdays when I had to double back after work and continue to work beside on the book because I wanted to get published too.

Then realizing what I’m writing is totally different what everyone is writing had nothing to do with the main theme of Diaspora, housing, but had to with life extension, android/flesh women, other worlds and sexually graphic material that I’m constantly told won’t do for POOR’s Publication so I save it somewhere else because I’m ‘thinkin really "S" Graphic Novel for another publication.

The book was done at least text wise but added to it is graphics and it nearly made me let the book go because there is more and more extra junk to do.

Later I found out people have to see pretty pictures then look at the text.

I concede but under duress.

Now the "being late thing I guess I wasn’t ‘feelin the book release party all that well even though I Lisa, Connie Lu, Willie, our ‘tech guy is working to wire the place for the stage and projector for Dee’s "Hands & Lester" ‘PO Cat’s speak back books.
my pigeon character’s Dee had graphics made of her cat’s with my pigeons in their mouths I decide not to compete with her cats even though my pigeons are more than they seem.(immortal, mind readers who gained other unique powers being in the home of a successful Alchemist who achieved) "The Great Work." better known as the "PHILOSOPHER’S
STONE"

Dee, Mother of Lisa, Co Owner of POOR Magazine’s likes cat’s better than pigeons as do I.

Its another concept but I won’t place my character’s to be constantly on the losing end because she’s my boss, editor and like cats more than pigeons.

I’ll have them recreated somewhere else where they can develop and shine in their own books.

I call my mother before meeting Ms. M. and she’ll be in if possible my brother and his wife had to go back to Chicago or somewhere else.

It’s a world wind kind of event with an author’s panel talking, reading from and about their works, Dee’s Cat story, vegetarian, meat, ice cream, soda’s a "The ‘Houzin Project Play" and upstairs live reading of stories by authors of the work.

And lots of mingling, selling of books, and afterwards I leave with my mother because I know the clean up will take all night and I’ve done that twice but not this night as me and mama head for bart and parts unknown.

On the same train our tech guy Willie and fellow author, poet, and D A M O
(Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization)

As soon as I’m in my mother’s, we talked, I cooked some eggs and tomatoes together for a late dinner, kissed mama good night going to that comfortable backroom foldable bed and instantly fell into a comfortable deep restful sleep.

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Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

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Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

I’m pissed off as it is because of a gash in my thumb that finally stops bleeding through band aids.

It mean frustrating days of worry, being extra safe sex cautious thumb protectors, smaller round band aids near other minor cuts on the wrists.

A doctor and another guy from cable’s They’re on a late night X-R rated talk show.

The tall guy is or was on "The Man Show" [you know the end of the show, ladies in skimpy nightgowns, bikini’s, short shorts, or flimsy underwear bounce around on a trampoline Sometimes I really miss cable TV.

The "Stern" person is on and some other folks talking about Britney Spears and a guy who supposed to have (by mutual consent) had her.

This is why most women see men especially straight on as dogs, wolves, or as a strange alien species altogether deadly to them and the planet.

Ms. Spears is young, famous, and popular singer and as her due because she’s earns her money with Goddess/God or spiritual given talent (you choose which).

She does what she pleases including the most obvious in the privacy of her home, apartment, or in any motel-hotel she temporarily dwells in at the time.

Private is private even if she has a public persona
her other persona should not be forced and mixed in with her private one.

I guess anything is grist for the mail or public consumption.

This is exactly why stars are secretive about their private lives they must be or they’d have no peace/ place to concentrate on their craft.

It sells newsprint, magazines, TV, and radio ads but socially its scum ridden, crude, and shows at least to bad personal self loathing not of the one exposed but the one doing the exposé themselves.

A friend, lover, lost, gone forever or never to be called visited again because of a deep hurt, distrust caused.

She’ll get over it in time though trusting will be harder on whoever she next shares herself with.

Yet men exposed in this way are still lionized as studs, great lovers, or celebrated in other ways.

Maybe a Madam President of the United States is needed for Economic, Abortion, and Women’s lives in general because our male presidents have done little in nothing to ease their lives.

Years ago I thought most men relate knowing females takes more time to enjoy and patience is needed later I’m told what’s normal and abnormal.

I’ve recently found out my own private shame or

medical problem caused delays during coupling makes some fems happy.

What chills me at first is what I saw as a problem is not abnormal or norm just a sliding scale.

Its good to know people are people and they seek what’s good for them as Ms. Spears I hope she has her own grape vine ["The Girls Are Talking" by TLC]. so her side of the story also filters out because going on the Stern radio show would may lead to further humiliation if any of you’ve heard or seen the Stern show.

I don’t know how these things work but as a pop star she has equal or more power don’t know how she’ll use it bud she does have the choice.

I was mad at something else today, oh, Black History.

Well, that’ll be on the last day all I’ll say now is folks of color are still catching Hell-On-Earth and as we all know the true naked, brutal, face of America as its victim, witness, survivors, and saviors Black, Brown, Red, Asian’s, and Pacific Islanders.

We, collectively have the goods on the Ms., Mr. or Mrs. America, ‘Unc Sam or any of the other names.
America understands two things Violence & Money.

They’ve caused so many tears, deaths, its time for them to pay in interest for bloody crimes they’ve literally got away with murder wiping out bloodlines at their whim.

That’s all I’ll say for now. Bye.

OH, forgot. Don't send angry letters, emails, or faxes to the Stern show, they live for that and use it on-air.

Instead send possitive thoughts, good will toward Ms. B.Spears, She's got to know she's not alone in trusting some jerk in her life.

Give her props for having a heart worth giving there are people she can trust.(that-&^%$#@*^)
show ticked me off doing that to her or anyone else.

Its wrong to do that to anyone.
famous or not.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94109 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

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#645

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Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

There is a show probably its been on an left about the sexiest people in America.

Now come one, so an audience emails or phones what they thing is sexy but these people are making themselves up to enhance whatever good looks and bodies they have already.

I don’t know about you folks but that’s kind of indefinable like the old Clara Bow "It" girl she was suppose to have "IT" an indescribable something that when seen through a camera lens made her an incandescent, instant star of the silent screen.

Rudolf Valantino was so full of the stuff women would swoon from the image on screen.

Certain people in Holly-world still have that something that makes the camera and people go after them like bears to honey.

Yet from another screen legend Actor Ricardo Montalban once said "The best lover he knew was his father, who loved his wife (Montalban’s mother) to the end of his life.

Now that’s sexy and looking good didn’t matter to the woman who loved him, to her he was her sexiest man alive.

Another thing, there was some commercial with a well built man bare of chest holding an infant it made women swoon as well.

He’s a nice looking guy with a decent body (doesn’t matter to me) but I believe it was the way he gently held the infant, kissed his/her head that melted women’s hearts.

Yeah, he’s young, handsome but even if he was balding and old would invoke a similar response.

Because these men showed more than a good looking hunk but can be gentle, nurturing, playful when with a child.

It’s almost a shock to see men that way.

Women melt because their maternal instincts kick in and then for a moment want a guy like that and also if he’s that, loving and gentle with a child the question is: How is he be in bed?

I’ve handled a few children, infants, and tenderness does come out taking care of newborns, tots, or young children my paternal the male equivalent of maternal instincts come to the fore and can be equally as gentle a mother’s caress.

All I wanted at that moment is protect the child and when I’m outside with a child do I notice females looking at me with a child in tow?

No, because they are not my focus I don’t realize ignoring them just as women with children or younger siblings do the same as men try catching their eye.

Would I know how sensuous, or sexy I am just then?

No because my total focus is on the wee person to keep them out of harms way.

Women’s perception are he could be lover, father, boyfriend material honestly men don’t realize being themselves with a child is a turn-on women.

And in my so called sexiest irresistible moment I dare not use that hidden charm for self gain because my charge, a small child is more important to me than getting a women’s phone and address.

Maybe woman can test their dates by seeing how infants, children, react to them.

We know about dogs, cats, birds, or other animals react but there unpredictable infants and children on the other hand may be better gages and though sometimes they too can be fooled its not very often.

I guess its all in the eye of the beholder my nearly ex girlfriend would gently slap the back of my head if she saw me looking at other ladies especially going to the movie.

"I’m just looking is all" I’d say rubbing my head
"It’s what your thinking while you looking, Joe."

Though I never completely got out of the habit of enjoy the bodies, faces, figures, and shapes of lovely looking young and mature women I stop looking at them in my then girlfriends presence but her nickname of "horny little devil" stuck.

All of us fine each other sexy at one time or another it all depends on perspective and beholder’s eye.

A television show to tell us who has "IT" all over again is just so much hogwash. There are times when walking nowhere in particular someone catches you or you them in their most innocent, sensuous, and playful when we’re at peace with ourselves.

Wait A Minute! We’re at our most sexy, sensual when we are at peace within ourselves.

I don’t know about you folks but I gotta take a walk and think maybe volunteer an help a friend by taking their child to the park for a few hours to relive them of some excess family stress and reconnect again. Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

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San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Ok, Folks, my blurb.

I, Joseph O. Bolden as
Office Manager/columnist in POOR Magazine have
A book a out entitled: ASK Joe, Holding Up The Sky.
New World Raped, Gifts From Earth & Other Stories.

As you see by the title and sub titles my book could be a bit different from the rest.

[Cut my work/words to the bone and still errors are made sorry about that it couldn’t be helped our schedule was so tight it couldn’t be helped.

I’m thinking of doing it over again but with all the so-called rated X-R material included].

But for that another publisher w/editor and illustrator(s) might also be needed if it can be turned into a full color graphic comic novel.

For now if there are publisher, editors, illustrators out in San Francisco, across the bay, L.A., New York, or other cities who are interested in something daring, and slightly risqué.

If its banned in(you decide city, state, country).
it’s a guaranteed hit.

That’s my short blurb folks and forPOOR Press Catalogue to order other books including mines you might want to read.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

PO Box #645

San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

On Going Quest

Remember the middle ages?

Unless you were their in other lifetimes with past memories of them or a really successful Witch, Wizard, Magi, Ascended – Enlightened, or Awakened one.

You probably know the period as not really good for anyone but royalty, merchant’s, and early con artists or thieves.

Women in all stations of life were as bad off as the lowliest serf.

To combat boredom or beef up flagging reputations knights in armor, regular soldiers, roaming minstrel’s, Kings, Queens, Princesses, and Princes also would try their hand to journey on a quest.

It is something bigger, nobler than themselves; a way of self improvement and show courage, bravery, intelligence, sensitivity, and to be open to other kinds of ideas and knowledge and along the way if they ran into mentor instructing them along the way it is all the better.

Quests flourished in the blood wars when the west were supposedly saving souls for a paternal male God.

I’m sure many a knight, soldier, citizen, peasant had their own personal quest to survive, the times they are in protecting family, friends, and loved ones from former soldiers, knights turned cut throat marauders stealing food, kidnapping wife’s, children, rape and pillage of villages.

In the middle ages, patches of dark and light.

If you - a Alchemist had successfully reconstituted the fabled Philosopher’s Stone your troubles continued especially if your aging process is arrested, you are rejuvenated, and if woman who were known to be barren began giving birth to healthy children.

One had to learn quickly the powers gained or be discovered and tortured for the secret only supposedly only God reveals.

Yeah, it must have been hell for the survivors but for woman who achieved this state of grace its worse.

Being reproductively prolific yet outliving your offspring or they inherit regenerative, recuperative, powers, physical and mental abilities they must hide to survive.

You may have taken lovers out of loneliness, kept them younger longer or watched them age naturally.

You even may have chosen a lover first as child watching her/him grow and became their parent, instructor, friend, lover, wife, and mother of their children.

Many careers in your long life as you faked aging and almost died in wars, by the hands of lovers you may have had to leave or kill to survive.

Then there’s remaking the red swirling galaxy in a glass test tube again before time ran out.

Soon you figure out alternative biological ways others than the "thousand year stone fix"

If your extremely lucky you find lovers among your many times great grandson’s, daughter’s, nephew’s, or an- other alchemist either old-rejuvenated young as you or a still-in-first youth to be your equal, friend, lover, wife, husband and both of you will always be in touch no matter the distance by telepathic means.

Since few people believe in quests or Alchemists any more both of you are safe unless science rediscovers the truth which is likely as anything else these days.

My quest is to travel a bit, learn languages, more about mind/body/soul connections, how far they can really go when subtly pushed and of course to rediscover if that pesky philosopher’s stone is real.

If its not it’s a great journey I’ve been on but if its true My quest multiplies and as the ancients before me I’ll keep my own council.

Folks, may you find your Quest worthy, enlightenment, and friends along the way.

I should’ve been happily married, with children, and a wife to love, adore but if not that why not have personal lifetime quest where father time and mother nature might pass me up.

Then with all the time in the world my soul mate may find me if I don’t find her. Bye.

PS. Anyone have a personal they’d like to tell me about? Or are on already, any old/young or visa versa alchemist’s want unload do it or visit my place.

[You know I’m talking unconventional ways of travel so your not discovered]..

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

PO Box #645

San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by TJ Johnston/PNN

THE PITCH: "Put out a call for poor rural families for a reality show. Parents in their 40s, their children ages 17 to 25 and throw in grandparents and other kin for good measure. Take the family out of their surroundings, move them to a mansion in LA and videotape their fish-out-of-water antics. Pay them half a million dollars for their trouble. Bill it as an update of The Beverly Hillbillies and hilarity will ensue."

As such programs as "Joe Millionaire" and "The Bachelorette" proliferate, a rural activist might keep "The Real Beverly Hillbillies" from making the pilot stage.

Credit Dee Davis, executive director of the Kentucky-based Center for Rural Strategies, for gumming the works at CBS. Davis's non-profit collected money to buy ad space in the New York Times, USA Today and other major papers denouncing the network's plans and attitudes towards the nation's country-folk.

The progress on the program? CBS spokesman Chris Ender says, "It's a program in development and we're not sure where we're going with it. We have no further comment." For now, auditions for a contemporary Clampett family have stalled.

Davis would like CBS to put the kibosh on displaying "poor, white trash" stereotypes. "They're looking to put them in a fishbowl so everybody could look at it as a comedy. We think they're crossing a line." The criterion for CBS's "hick hunt" insists that the family has little formal education and travel experience.

To refresh your memories, "The Beverly Hillbillies" revolved around the Clampetts, an Ozark family who accidentally discover bubbling crude oil on their land. The suddenly wealthy clan then migrate westward to Beverly Hills, replete with "swimming pools and movie stars." The family comprised of patriarch Jed, mother-in-law Granny, daughter Ellie Mae and cousin Jethro.

The original sitcom from the '60's, Davis points out, cast actors pretending to be these characters and required a suspension of disbelief. Often, the Clampetts' sensibilities prevailed over Southern California frivolity and class-consciousness.

Flash forward to today, where network suits ponder about an episode where they interview maids. "They need to splash cold water on their face and make money another way besides laughing at people less fortunate," Davis continues. Rural Strategies has partnered with some 40 organizations (including Tolerance.org and the Independent Television Services) in waking up CBS about marginalizing a significant population.

According to their web site, the "flyover" area is home to over 56 million, a population comparable to France, Italy or Great Britain. It's also an ethnically diverse sampling: 50% are Native Americans, 15% African-Americans, 9% Latinos (representing the fastest growing population) and 5% Asian-Pacific Islanders. Less than two per cent earn their living in agriculture, with the balance in service and industrial sector jobs. Their median household income is 20% less than their urban counterparts. They also have higher poverty rates than people in metropolitan areas.

Suffice it to say, that's a world far removed from CBS chairman Les Moonves, his associates and bosses at Viacom.

"How hard is it," Davis implores, "to find a hard-working and talented family? Not hard, I think."

Besides, if the corporate media needs to poke fun at a formerly impoverished person in plush surroundings, Anna Nicole Smith is on E!

To learn more or participate in the campaign, contact the Center for Rural Strategies at info@ruralstrategies.org or (606) 632-3244. You could also call CBS's Feedback line (212) 975-3242 or log onto to their web site. For a unique perspective, read "Hillbilly Slams CBS" (Jan. 28, 2003) on poormagazine.org.

by Leroy F. Moore Jr /Illin’ And chillin’ Executive Director of DAMO

It's a common trait to follow the rules of your family, your household and society at birth or at a young age. Once you enter this world your head and all of your senses are fixed upward from doctor to mother to teacher to supervisor or boss for guidance, advice, information, rules and some times material items until you become the person giving advice and guidance. What makes the title so interesting is that the two, the masses and leader need one another but the masses has the real power in this relationship.

If you look at history you'll see that the masses were and are leading the leaders. Slaves led President Abraham Lincoln to act on the issue of slavery. Rights movements or any other movement have to have masses of people. From the masses comes the birth of leaders. Leaders can't do their work without the knowledge, foot power, voices, struggles and determination of the masses. The masses controls the leader but once the leader separates or overlooks the concerns of the masses then the masses must split from the leader and start their own movement. Does the leader need to know everybody or certain people that have the same goals as he/she has in the masses? What happens when the leader can't communicate and have different issues than the masses? Splitting from the leader is the subject of this short essay.

I've read, studied and researched very closely civil rights movements in different communities’ i.e. African Americans, women, gays, and lesbians and individuals with disabilities and I noticed that every one has a ladder and are very tunnel vision in the beginning. Although civil rights movements demand civil rights and equality for all, they often leave great numbers of members at the first step of the ladder. Once the movement starts climbing this ladder of equality, the mass movement becomes the few and elitist at the top looking down and fearing the masses who look, act, talk and live differently compare to them. In this situation, the masses of the movement have two oppressors (1) the mainstream dominate culture who pushes their rules and life styles on them and (2) the top elitist of their own movement who are disconnected from the masses and are representing only issues they can relate to.

We've seen it time and time again when splinter groups break off from the main movement to educate the main movement, the mainstream dominate culture and to rescue their own history, voice, legal rights and to provide a sense of empowerment. Authors like Bell Hooks, Angela Davis and others are writing and speaking about the concept of Race & Sex. They are looking at sexism and racism in society and in the Women\Feminist Movement and how we are or aren't dealing with it. Authors like Keith Boykin and Cheryl Chark and more are writing and speaking about the role of Race & Homosexuality in the gay and lesbian movement. Many splinter groups have created their own national and local organizations to get their voice and issues on the 'mainstream civil rights movement' and into mainstream society. Organization like the National Black Gay & Lesbian Leadership Forum is representing a group that's been oppressed by the dominate White heterosexual society and the dominantly run White gay and lesbian movement. Without Authors like Patrica Hill Collins and the late Essex HemPhill and national organizations representing and giving a voice to the most oppress of the oppress than who would take on their issues? Like Martin Luther King's title of one of his book, Why We Can't Wait, these splinter groups can't wait any longer. They've gave their hearts, time and foot power to the cause of the main movement to only see a lack of progress, awareness and equality in their lives.

Some people will say that splinter groups\movements are attacking their own people and only creating stumble blocks for the whole movement. I disagree! In today society, we can't focus on one subject or goal because life is not always so simple. The Black Civil Rights Movement dealt with racial equality and as a Black man I've benefited from that Movement, but wonder if the Black Civil Rights Movement dealt with sexism, homophobia and disablism. A Black disabled lesbian has to spread herself very thin between three movements and communities that haven't connected yet! I think the only way Blacks or any other disabled people of color can really voice their views and educate the two or three communities and mainstream society is to split from the Disability Rights Movement and form their own organizations. In his book, Here I Stand, Paul Robinson writes about the power of organizations. Could this be our downfall as disabled people of color because until very recently there were no organizations for and by disabled people of color? A shocking element today is that there is not one major national organization for and by disabled people of color in the US.

Are we calling the movement racist, sexist, disablist or homophobia when we set up our own organizations? Yes, I think so, but the bigger issue here is a lack of awareness of our issues. The finger that splinter groups are pointing points to themselves too for letting the main movement overlook them for so long. I see it as the leader\teacher going back to school and letting the splinter groups/students or masses teach them. Leaders are climbing down the ladder to the masses and learning because splinter groups are demanding to be heard. Splinter groups are an educational process, but the question is when is graduation! When can splinter groups rejoin the main movement and work as one?

To graduate two important things must happen: (1) The splinter group\movement must see that the main movement is listening and taking real action to the splinter group\movement demands, issues, laws and their life styles and (2) the main movement must outreach to these groups and make them feel apart of the movement. This is easy said than done! The reason why is power and fear. Like many people in power it's hard to give this up. Can you see the director of the National Black Gay & Lesbian Forum or any other national or local splinter organization let go their organizations and fall back to the main movement? The sense of fear of not knowing if the main movement will go back to their old ways of overlooking the demands, rights and issues etc. will always be the reason why splinter groups and their local and national organizations will continue to educate and be a source of empowerment for their members.

So to end this discussion on the masses and leaders, I return to the question, who leads? The masses can't be trusted to lead themselves because nine times out of ten the masses will become disarray and fight among themselves. Once there is a leader than the masses give him or her the knowledge and issues to do their job, lead. The leader provides structure and leadership skills but in this frame lays the picture. What I'm saying is that the masses have provided the picture of the movement but some times the frame is not big enough to include the whole picture.

You can reach Leroy by emailing him at sfdamo@Yahoo.com

by Ashley Adams/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

The word Grace means hope, wisdom, strength, beauty, a sense of what is right, thoughtfulness toward others, and divine influence acting in humans to make them pure and morally strong. Grace Wells, a Poverty Hero by POOR Magazine’s standards, is all of these things and in her fight against eviction she is bringing these qualities out in others.

On Thursday February 27th, I walked to the corner of Haight and Fillmore in front of the Café International. The 4 o’clock hour was one of clear skies, sunshine, and occasional cool breezes sweeping the people along in the hustle and bustle of the intersection.

This is where I met Ted Gullicksen of the SF Tenants Union who has been fighting with Grace against her eviction. Ted was the organizer of today’s march and picket. At first, it was Ted, myself, and one other woman. As minutes passed quickly amongst the shuffle of cars, buses, and pedestrians, people began to gather for the picket, getting off buses, or coming from around corners.

Grace Wells is an 87 year old African-American woman who lives at 908 Page Street. She has been served with her 3rd eviction notice under the Ellis Act which allows one to terminate responsibility as a land lord. The new property owner, June Croucher, has decided she wants to live in the entire Victorian rather than the empty flats above Grace’s apartment.

“Mark my words. This is about greed.” Tommi Avicoli Mecca from the Housing Rights Committee spoke through the megaphone to picketers and neighbors in front of Grace’s home which was the destination of the march.

This is not the first time an eviction attempt has been made. The landlady tried previously to evict Grace under the Ellis Act. The last attempt was a bluff. Grace refused to go, as she is a fighter, and the landlady, June Croucher, never followed through with the procedures to continue the eviction. Here we go again, though… she has been served with another notice.

“This neighborhood, this city is gonna change forever if people don’t stand up and fight for this…” These are just a few of the words spoken through the megaphone that echoed through the neighborhood of Grace Wells. About 25 people were present and the crowd grew by attracting neighbors and passers-by who were open and receptive to this issue. People were asking picket participants for flyers and information and the general consensus was one of care. People do care, the next step is to act upon what we care about.

Angela Alioto, former SF supervisor who is currently running for mayor, came to the picket in front of Grace’s home and spoke. “There is an American attack on Elderly people and it has got to stop. I pledge to go to court, or do whatever it is I can to stop this… we shouldn’t accept this. We should go after these people and see to it that Grace can stay here for the rest of her life.”

“Its not alright to pick on our elderly to make a quick buck.” Sam from the Tenderloin Housing Clinic spoke out as well as Dean Preston who is representing Grace in court.
“We must send a strong message to landlords that this is not alright. At some point the landlord will listen to us and stop this eviction.”

What can you do to help? Ted tells the picketers “We plan to go the courtroom and carry on protests to show judges that tenants have rights, not just landlords.” Support is needed during the jury trial in attempt to remove Grace from her home. The trial begins Monday March 3rd. At this time the courtroom number is unknown, but you can call the Tenderloin Housing Clinic starting Monday to find out where to go. 415.775.9850. You can also check the Tenants Union web site at www.sftu.org.

The protest was one of heart with people coming together from all over the city to care about the future health and well-being of an elder. Grace, who lives with arthritis, diabetes, and a heart condition should not be displaced into a system of carelessness when it comes housing, especially when proper, humane housing and care for our elders is practically non-existent unless a lot of money is involved.

I was happy to see Grace with my own eyes after being involved in a literary art project with POOR Magazine which transformed Grace into a Poverty Hero including myth, metaphor and fantasy and then included her story in the book “The Poverty Hero”.

The name Grace means one who is responsive, cool-headed, imaginative and she never forgets those who have helped…

When the picket was over, a man came down the front steps of Grace’s porch while Grace waved from the window he spoke on her behalf “Grace gives a big thank you for coming. She appreciates your support. We are hoping for the best.”

by Christina Heatherton/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

There was never any fire, but the toxic stale smell of singed clothes and carpet lingered in the apartment for days. A burnt brown shirt fished out of the smoky pile and held in my mom's tensed hand shook me out of my ambivalence. Things were not going to be alright. In our newly fatherless apartment, our lives lay in cluttered heaps on the floor. We'd pull out the appropriate articles as we dashed off, mom to work, sister and I to school, leaving behind unpaid bills, unfinished assignments, unwashed dishes, and uncertainty to be dealt with later. All the while, tension smoldered like the lamp we had accidentally left lit under a pile of clothes. There was never any fire, but for a long time, the disaster that we were always waiting on gained a persistence we could breathe.

Listening to the testimonies of the 6th Street SRO tenants last Tuesday night made me think of my family’s own combustible combination of poverty, stress, and electricity. An unusual coalition of 6th street SRO (Single-Room Occupancy) hotel tenants, owners, activists, community organizers, and developers congregated.. at the meeting of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, sporting neon pink stickers proclaiming “Listen to the 6th Street Community!” The coalition urged members of the agency to divert $500,000 from the SRO Rehabilitation Loan Program to upgrade wiring and increase the number of outlets in hotel rooms. Nearly forty people showed up to City Hall in support, half of them testifying publicly before the agency.

Sam Dodge of the Central City SRO Collaborative, one of the main organizers of the event, described the “pandemic” problem of outdated wiring in the SROs. Their electrical facilities are often only up to 1911 standards. The problem significantly contributed to a rash of fires that destroyed hundreds of units. Updated wiring would save lives. “Poor wiring”, he explained “leads to fights, fires, and instability” enabling “no stable community environment.” Many other SRO residents echoed this sentiment.

Phyllis Trammell spoke movingly of the constant fears she must battle after being an SRO fire survivor and current SRO resident. “I wonder when I wake up each morning if I’ll have to leave. I hear fire trucks 2-3x day and I don’t know if I’ll have a room when I get back. I have three grandchildren and I’d like to see them grow up...All we want is electricity in our rooms. We’d like to listen to the radio, use the TV or a phone. We’d like sprinklers in out rooms. We’d like to know that we are going to survive. We don’t want to die....We are a family. We want electricity and we want it bad”

Another resident, Terrie Frye testified to how electricity improved her quality of life. After living in an SRO for 7 years, she developed a gastrointestinal disorder, not having enough electricity to cook in her room. On Feb 2nd she got Section 8 housing and has been able to prepare her food on her stove at home. She hasn’t had to take her stomach meds since. “It’s amazing how much electricity can help.” She said with a smile.

Residents and owners testified to breakers short circuiting anywhere from once to twenty-five times per hour. Not only does this constitute an unbelievable nuisance but, as one tenant explained, it is also a security issue. When a breaker needs to be reset the person at the front desk has to leave to fix it. With the front person gone, other residents can not be attended to leading to further instability. Additionally, the hotel becomes more vulnerable to vandalism and robbery.

Many tenant groups, housing and SRO advocacy groups have been trying to attack the problem of wiring for a while. The Central City Collaborative, along with a host of other groups engineered a strategic partnership with SRO owners to address the issue. The money taken from the SRO Rehabilitation Loan Program comes in forgivable loans which have limited repayment restrictions. This grant-like financing gave owners an incentive for making the necessary upgrades to the SROs.

Since September, owners, tenants groups, and community organizations have worked on the issue with SOMPAC, the south of Market Planning Area Committee, which advises the Redevelopment Agency. The diverse interests reached a historic and unprecedented consensus. This put pressure on the Redevelopment Agency to acquiesce.

Ironically, it was the agency that ultimately untied the owners and tenants. "The “deal breaker” that most speakers on Tuesday spoke out against was something called the “right of first refusal”. This was restriction in the loan where the owners who accepted loan money would be required to offer the city the first bid on their property if they ever sold it. The clause is basically an attempt by the agency to “steal buildings” and makes owners feel “disrespected by the city” said Dodge. Owners and tenants all testified passionately against this restriction.

Many including Randy Shaw of the Tenderloin Housing Clinic argued that the board should defer to the united sentiment of the people of 6th street. “This vote will allow you to make the greatest difference in people’s lives more than anything you’ll ever vote for.” Arguing against them, he said, would set a dangerous precedent. Lauren Alden, an SRO tenant added “failure to fund this project sends a clear message of indifference to a community that deserves far more.”

In the end, after over 2 hours of testimonies and deliberations, the 5 member committee voted to approve the loan money minus the “right of first refusal” condition. The decision was a huge victory for the tenants, owners, and organizers who have been battling with this issue.

The most pressing argument for the funding was never brought up during the meeting. Most 6th street tenants have not actually benefited from any of the redevelopment agency’s money. $90 million dollars has been spent on the redevelopment of 6th street SROs so far. Almost all of this money has gone to a handful of hotels and the benefits have been extremely limited. Sam Dodge commented before the meeting, "Look up and down 6th Street and you know that they've spent $90 million dollars. But ask any tenant how has his life improved and he'll laugh at you." Many groups have been organizing around the mishandling of this money. Tuesday’s victory was only part of this larger battle.

by Michael Vizcarra/ PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

On Sunday, February 23, 2002, I attended POOR Magazine’s launch of its newest project, POOR Press, with a book release party featuring newly published works from low and no-income youth and adult poets and journalists. The night was beaming with energy as the community came to support the project and its authors.

Marvin Crutchfield was one of the new authors published by POOR Press and were featured at the event with the release of his first book, Paradise Ventures. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he moved to San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point 29 years ago when he was 9. It wasn’t until recently that he discovered a talent and love for writing poetry, though. In 2001, while working at his job, he wrote his first poem. He grabbed a pen and paper and started writing. "It just came to me," he says, "God inspired me." That first poem, "Don’t like my life of sin in the world we live in," startled a few friends who didn’t know Marvin had a penchant for writing. He’s been writing poetry ever since.

A lot of Marvin’s writings deals with being black and oppressed. His poem, "Clean Slate," reflects on the public’s perception of black, reformed ex-convicts, trying to make it in society but are not given a chance. Another poem, "B.L.A.C.K.," focuses on problems within the black community; whether it is the police, drugs, or the black community itself. What’s wonderful about Marvin’s words is he can take complex social issues and refine the complexity into poetry.

Religion is also a prevalent theme in Marvin’s poetry, perhaps the main theme. Marvin accepted Jesus Christ in 1998 because he wanted him to save his soul. "I believe he died for us," Marvin says. His poem, "Kicking it," eerily shows what might happen when you die without repenting for your sins, a ‘no admittance’ sign. Another powerful poem, "Guilty," depicts an omnipresent being from which no one can hide their sins, and when judgment day comes, he will know everything you have done.

Marvin has also found inspiration from other areas; his family, the state of the world, his love for his wife and two children, to name a few. He always shows his poems to friends and family, he says, because he values people’s opinions.
And his writing is not all about doomsday. There is always a sense of hope in Marvin’s poetry. As tough as life may seem, religion and God are always there to be a guiding light. "I just want to help people," says Marvin, "to help people get inspired."

Another new author releasing a book through POOR Press is Byron Gafford. His book of poetry, Through The Eyes Of A Child," deals with child abuse. Also growing up in San Francisco in the Double Rock Housing Projects, Byron also accepted Christ as his savior. In November of 1999, Byron received a message from God. His aunt for lying to her was beating his godson, Ronnie. Byron was about to intervene when he heard a voice tell him not to. The voice told him to just watch and take it all in. That experience was the epiphany he needed to start writing poetry.
"The Lord uses me as the vessel on child abuse," says Byron.

His friends and co-workers started telling stories from their own experiences with child abuse and Byron started putting it down on paper, making poetry out of it. The poetry is not just for kids or their experiences, he says, but for adults of every nationality and every culture. "My poetry is worldwide so it’s not about one person," says Byron. He also gets the titles of his poems from God. God also suggested the introduction of his book. Byron is on a goal to write 2000 poems. So far, he’s got 1855 written.

With the release of his first book Byron has had nothing but positive responses. A lot of the people who saw the book are ordering it. "It’s very spiritual, very powerful. If you take offense to it then there’s something there to hide," he says.

It’s amazing to see this kind of achievement and talent. It’s even better to see this talent recognized and heralded. These two men had never received any kind of computer training. It was only through their training here at POOR Magazine as part of the Digital Resistance Program were they able to learn and gain the skills and knowledge of putting together a book of poetry.

The book release party was great exposure for both Byron and Marvin, who in addition to Joseph Bolden and A. Faye Hicks released there first books through POOR Press It was also a rewarding culmination of everyone’s hard work and effort to bring these books as well as several other powerful books by POOR Magazine to fruition. There are powerful words and images within the pages of all of these books, and a message that transcends any race, cultural, or religious beliefs which would be a great addition to any school curriculum or gift list .

These and many more books are available now through mail order . To order the books by mail order please call POOR (415 863-6306) and ask for the POOR Press catalogue to be sent to you or and click here to access the on-line POOR Press catalogue.