Social Media Revolution

  
This video was posted on YouTube on July 30, 2009. It is about the impact of social media and its ever growing reach. If you've ever needed something to prove to your bosses, funders, politicians, reporters, etc. as to why social media is important, this is it. Check it out.

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Move Your Money

 
As part of my work with Youth Worker: Collective, I have been working with Mission SF Community Financial Center to secure financial services and classes for youth workers. Mission SF Community Financial Center is a counterpart to the Mission SF Credit Union. Through this work, I am learning more and more about the investment cycle and how financial institutions work.

Huffington Post had the video below on their front page on Tuesday, December 29, 2009. I found its message very similar to that of the credit union: it is time for us to invest in our communities.

Take a view below and learn why community banking is a must for our financial wellness.

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ondt_ai's "Master Plan" & Hi Caliber's "Patriotic People"

I recently came across these two videos in the same day. It was interesting to me to see them almost back to back. I saw the first, ontd_ai's video for Adam Lambert's "Master Plan", and quickly got behind its message of pluralism, equality, and lgbtq rights.

Then, I saw the second, Hi Caliber's "Patriotic People". I wanted to turn it off immediately, but something compelled me to watch. As the video unfolded, I became angry at its message of intolerance and fear.

What struck me at the conclusion of the second is that both videos speak to resistance to conformity, albeit in very different ways. The first is about non-conformity as related to being lgbtq or an "other". The second is about the non-conformity of conservativism. One speaks to an "actual" (for lack of a better word) experience. One speaks to a perceived experience. Together, both show that regardless of "actual" or perceived experiences, what is important is image and message as related to audience. Both are very effective at communicating what they believe.

Here are the two videos:

ontd_ai's video for Adam Lambert's "Master Plan"


Hi Caliber's "Patriotic People"


What are your thoughts about communicating message?

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Connecting the Dots: San Francisco Politics, Healthcare Reform, MUNI Fare Increases, Homeless Youth, ADAP, and Senior Housing

   
Dot: The Worst Run Big City in the U.S. (via SF Weekly) I've worked in the San Francisco non-profit scene for almost 12 years interfacing and working with a variety of city departments during that time, and I agree with the basic premise of this article: San Francisco needs real reform that decreases waste and duplicated services. I also agree with the premise that lack of accountability of both The City and the non-profit industry is perpetuated by a lack of people really wanting to step up into leadership positions and make difficult decisions of which the decision-maker holds him/herself accountable. Well...it's not put that succinctly, but you get the idea.

But the problem goes deeper. Those that do stand up and point out inefficiencies, duplications, and challenge the status quo are the ones that get silenced, transferred, replaced, or torn down not only by city government but also by the community at large. As someone who has been trying to make changes for 12 years, I have seen this situation repeated again and again on multiple levels. The victim here: all of San Francisco.

Dot: States with Expanded Health Coverage Fight Bill (via New York Times) This article shows how states that are already providing expanded Medicaid coverage are going to be picking up the tab for states that currently do not provide expanded coverage. Federal poverty levels are being used to define this expansion. Currently, the federal poverty levels are:

The 2009 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia

Persons in family	Poverty guideline
1	$10,830
2	14,570
3	18,310
4	22,050
5	25,790
6	29,530
7	33,270
8	37,010
For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.

(From: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/09poverty.shtml)

These are not new poverty levels. They do highlight how unrealistic it is to use these levels to determine poverty. Take for example a VERY low estimate of paying $300/month in rent AND $300/month for health insurance. These expenses are $600/month. Times that by 12 months and the total is $12,000. That doesn't include food, clothing, or any other basic need and still exceeds the poverty level.

In the expansion of Medicaid, eligibility will be based on 133% to 150% of the federal poverty level based on the Senate and House bills respectively. Thus the new chart will be:

The Eligibility of Expanded Medicare

Persons in family	Poverty guideline
1	$14,403 - 16,245
2	19,378 - 21,855
3	24,352 - 27,465
4	29,326 - 33,075
5	34,300 - 38,685
6	39,274 - 44,295
7	44,291 - 49,905
8	49,223 - 55,515
For families with more than 8 persons, add $4974 - 5,610  for each additional person.

(Based on table above times 1.33 and 1.5 to get range.)

Still using the estimates above for insurance and housing, that leaves $2403 - $4245 per year in for purchase of other necessities.

This doesn't even address the millions of people that struggle in the working and middle class that find themselves straddling increased expenses (everything from food to gas to rent and mortgages) and lower living conditions. These citizens find little relief or support from outside sources until they finally fall into low income or poverty definitions or break the ceiling into upper class.

States that already provide expanded Medicaid coverage will now be burdened with finding ways to fund the federal expansion. For states like California, that increased burdened is matched with a reduced state-wide budget. Trying to find the money is worse than finding a needle in the haystack because the needle does not even exist. This means having to create a new needle, also known as new revenue, which will result in either deeper, more painful cuts to public programs or increased taxes. Either way, the lower income and middle income citizens will be disproportionally affected, all for a program that is supposed to benefit them.

Dot: Newest SF Muni fare increase my further affect access to education (via Examiner) This week it finally hit the papers that after SFMTA slashed service on December 5th, 2009, they were also increasing FastPass prices on January 1, 2010. This increase is said to cover the burgeoning costs of providing public transit. SFMTA are now providing two different FastPasses for adults. The A Pass will now be $70 (up from $55). It is the A Pass that provides free BART rides within the confines of San Francisco. Currently ALL ADULT FastPasses are A Passes.

SFMTA will also be providing the new B Pass. The B Pass will be $60. It will not allow holders to ride BART within the confines of San Francisco for free. These types of passes did not exist previously.

Now, match the fact that riders are being hit with a $25 increase in six months for reduced service with the SF Weekly article above, and you start to see just how ineffective our own reforms are at supporting low and moderate income citizens. In the article they mention the mismanagement of Prop A funds, which gave SFMTA millions of dollars in parking meter money. Other public agencies were upset that SFMTA got the set-aside and started charging SFMTA for services that they were providing for free (e.g. The SFPD started charging for police coming on to Muni to escort off passengers. Isn't that their job? Don't they already receive money from The City to "protect and serve"?) How is any of this helping the residents of San Francisco?

Dot: Homeless Youth Struggle through the Season (via Bay Area Reporter) In all of the goings-on of the holiday season, the crumbling economy, and the turmoil of health reform, it is easy to lose focus as to whom is being directly impacted and effected the most by this tumultuous economy: youth, seniors, and the vulnerable. This article directly addresses what homeless youth face in the ever changing landscape of San Francisco. Much needed resources provided by agencies such as Larkin Street Youth Services are being cut drastically. The support services that Larkin Street Youth Center and other community-based organizations and public institutions rely on are shutting their doors or reducing services so much that they are inaccessible. Thus, it is becoming increasingly harder to match the increased need for aid with the decreased services available and will create a pool of people that will fall through large cracks in safety net systems and services.

If history is an indicator, than it is fair to assume these people will later be blamed for being in the situation they are in. All we have to do is look at the blame shouldered by "welfare mothers", the homeless, teens with unwanted pregnancies, etc.

Dot:  ADAP Action on City Hall Steps (via JW Reports) The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federally-funded and state-administered program to subsidize expensive and needed HIV/AIDS medications, is currently under the budget cutting guillotine. It is estimated that the cost of HIV prescriptions are around $1000/month minimum. These drugs cannot be afforded without either government or insurance subsidies or the drug companies lowering their prices. The drug companies will not lower their prices, insurance companies find ways to disqualify HIV positive patients even though it is illegal. This leaves the government to fill the gap. If the program is cut, it will result in low income folks losing life-saving medicine. In essence, it is a death sentence.

Dot: Housing Projects for LGBT Elders Stalled Due to Economy (via New America Media) The shrinking of the economy is also having a dramatic effect on housing for elders. Projects that have been in the works for years are now being stalled by HUD matching requirements and the inability for the developers to meet those matches. This inability for the developers to match the requirements is directly related to the shift in the economy and people not being able to afford homes at market value, especially homes for people on fixed incomes (like seniors). So instead of figuring out new guidelines from HUD, all development on the projects stops. And it stops at a time when the services and resources are needed the most.

Connecting the Dots: All of these things in isolation don't look too bad, but together paint a much larger picture of how the poor are bearing the brunt of these new efforts to balance budgets and change health care. Instead of making policies that actually work for those populations, lawmakers are continually put into positions of compromise. When in that position, the poor are rarely heard because they are not funneling money into lawmakers pockets. This is nothing new.

And that doesn't mean we remain silent. 

In fact, thanks to the ability to get news from multiple sources in a matter of seconds, we can start laying bare the connections between things and showing people how all of these decisions are not isolated but interconnected. They are a part of a larger web that is spun by folks that aren't looking for these patterns; they are looking only for a short term solution. It is up to us to help them see the connections, so they can no longer ignore them. We must halt the assault on the poor and working class.

Action: Taking action is easy. Here are three easy ways you can take action:

1. Click through the links and read the articles. Leave a comment that connects A DOT between the article and another story or experience you have. Share something personal. While risky, it is anonymous and makes your comment more compelling to read. 
2. Call you representative and senator and let them know what you think. They work for you! While it may seem intimidating, be confident in your own experience and voice; it is powerful. You can find who your House Representative and Senators are here. 
3. Get involved in sites like Change.org. Change.org is a great place to learn more about and get involved with the issues you care about. Just don't forget that it's all connected. Help connect the dots between various issues by keeping your mind open and reading more than just what your comfortable with. Change comes for learning and being open. 

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Renttecca Rings in Her Birthday Herr-A-Chick Style

 
On Wednesday, November 18, 2009, Rentecca rang in her birthday with a blow-out bash at Herr-A-Chick. It was a night of rock, debauchery, and nightmares of Elm Street.

The evening was kicked off by Hydrogen Babies. It was followed by the witty, comical banter of Herr-A-Chick hosts Anna Conda and Renttecca. This evening they were in even better form culminating in Anna Conda unveiling Rentecca's gift: a set of construction paper make-up "accessories". Envelopes were labeled eyes, mouth, and cheeks and were coordinated for ease of use. Renttecca graciously accepted the gift adding, "You shouldn't have. No really. You shouldn't have."

The evening was capped off with performances by Hoku Mama Swamp, Holy McGrail, Aurora Styles, and Pristine Condition.

The next Herr-A-Chick is Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009. The show features Pinky Swear and a drag cabaret including Anna Conda, Phatima, Lady Bear, Renttecca, Visa De Klein, Pristine Condition, and more. Doors open at 9pm. Show is at 10:30pm. Cover is a measly $5.00

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Financial Literacy for Youth Workers

  
Mission SF Community Financial Center (Mission SF) is home to the Youth Credit Union Program (YCUP), a one of its kind opportunity for youth to learn how to manage and save money. Youth operate as tellers, educate other youth about financial literacy, and create marketing campaigns to encourage other youth to save their money and not divest it by cashing checks at check cashing chop shops.

Youth Worker: Collective has been partnering with Mission SF and YCUP to bring these vital financial services to youth workers, the professionals who work with and for youth. It started with a simple Financial Literacy class in February 2009 held in the Green Room of the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families. This led to creating a six month program to help deepen financial skills and empower workers to interrupt the cycle of poverty by bringing these skills back to their job.

The follow-up to this program is developing a stand-alone three to four hour training that will be delivered through AFATAC Leadership Tracks' Learning Circles and Learning Academy, a unique training opportunity for San Francisco workers in after school programs. This will lead to even more workers empowered and emboldened to make critical changes to their personal habits as well as analyze how wages and stipends are paid to youth. 

To sign up for the upcoming Financial Literacy classes, visit the AFATAC Leadership Tracks homepage.

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ADAP Action on City Hall Steps - November 30, 2009

Yesterday (11/30/09), advocates gathered on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall to call on the Governor to fully fund California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The program, funded by both federal and state dollars, provides life-saving medications to low-income people who are either uninsured or underinsured. More than 34,000 people state-wide depend on the program to manage the disease, keep healthy, and thrive.

Dana Van Gorder, Executive Director of Project Inform, called on the Governor to not "delay the cost of health care" by cutting funding to ADAP adding that the cuts will "cost HIV positive people their health, and even their lives."

According to the press release issued by Project Inform:

Advocates estimate that the states ADAP faces a shortfall of approximately $100 million for fiscal year 2010-2011. Failure to close the shortfall follows the Governor's elimination of $85 million in state funding for other vital HIV/AIDS services earlier this year. It also comes at a time when President Obama has committed to renewing the nation's fight against the domestic HIV epidemic through the creation of a National AIDS Strategy.

Mark Cloutier, Executive Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said "This country has worked very hard to provide funding to AIDS efforts globally." He found it disturbing and alarming that California is "abandoning that commitment in this state." He said "[Our] work will not be done even if we keep AFAP funds. It is a long-term fight we need to ingage in for the long run."

Other speakers included Jason Villalobos and Stacia Scherich both recipients of ADAP. "Five years ago, I was told that I had full blown AIDS," said Villalobos. "ADAP was the foot in the door between life and death."

Scherich echoed similar sentiments saying "If I don't have my meds, I will die. If I don't have ADAP, I will die."

While much emphasis was placed on what would happen without ADAP, hope still filled the air when speakers talked about how their lived changed because of ADAP. Scherich said because of ADAP she was one of the "lucky ones" and has been "in school for eight years so I can give back to the community."

Cecilia Chung, Chair of the Human Rights Commission, added "[We are] not here today to just speak about our rage...We are here talking about our lives!"

"[I am] part of a generation that has vanished because of the disease," said Bevan Dufty, San Francisco Supervisor of District 8. He brought Villalobos to the podium to show the positive impact ADAP has had noting "[it is because of his] access to anti-retroviral drugs that he is here today."

Ann Donnelly, Director of Health Care Policy for Project Inform, was the last speaker and concluded with by urging everyone to action. "We need the voice of everyone that benefits from ADAP and those that love someone that need antiretrovirals." She encouraged people to get involved in the fight. "Act up! Fight back! Save ADAP!'

For more information on how you can support the fight, visit Project Inform.

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AFATAC Learning Circles Announces 2009-2010 Cohort Participants

 
The Youth Worker: Collective, as a part of the AFATAC Leadership Tracks funded by the Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families, is happy to announce the 2009-2010 Learning Circle cohort participants. Cohort members will be helping co-develop one learning circle to ensure needs of cohort members are addressed, attending all ten learning circles to improve their job-related skills, and sharing their learnings with the broader community through blogging and curriculum development.

To continue reading, click here.

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