Romanticizing the Amish...

A visit to "Amish Country"
Ohio, May 2011

Picks to Ponder:

A weekly post featuring a few notable items I've found to be thought provoking, and/or a positive influence on my outlook on life.  


In my Home State:
Renegade Amish.

I grew-up about an hour from one of the largest Amish settlements in the country. Visits to "Amish country" {as my mother says} is an aspect of visiting my family home I most treasure. Day trips involve flea markets, strawberry patches, home-made cheese and jams. It involves seeing people live a simple life. No electricity. No cars. Uncomplicated. Lovely. Romantic.

Almost.

As with any romanticized idea we have about people or places, there are realities that counter. The New York Times recently ran an article citing a rift in the Amish community. Four terrifying assaults have resulted, and arrests have been made.

Assault and Amish are two words I never thought I'd utter in the same sentence. Nothing is perfect though. This, we must remember.

Click here to read more about the conflict.

In Journalism:

{Update!} A Good Man is Harder to Find

Last week, I featured  Katie Bolick's article "All the Single Ladies," under my journalism "Picks to Ponder". The article is still creating buzz. Therefore, I felt it only appropriate to provide an update!  

Bolick's been busy with interviews since her article went to press. I've loved listening to her speak! She has a charismatic demeanor, and answers questions with a sweet yet unyielding honesty. Her recent radio interview at WHYY with Marty Moss-Coane on Radio Times, I found particularly thought provoking.  During this interview people called in with questions, stories, and varying opinions in which Bolick responds.  

Intrigued?

Listen to the interview here!

On the Map:

Memphis Love!

I am road tripping to Memphis in a month. Wahooo! A favorite blogger of mine recently posted details of her road trip there. And in turn, my own enthusiasm increased ten-fold.

Share in my excitement by clicking here to see her fabulous blog post!

Chicago Love!

If you love the windy city as much as I do, click here to view one blogger's fabulous visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  She captured the beauty of this city and its famous zoo undeniably well!

I would love to read your thoughts on this weeks Picks to Ponder.

 Please leave comments & questions below, so we can discuss. 

{Missed last weeks Picks to Ponder? Click here.}

Travelin' Tuesdays - Six

Baggage, Baggage, Baggage.

"What is all this?" my friend Monica shouted as she furled her brow looking at her computer screen. She was in the middle of booking two round trip tickets to New York City, when she realized her airline of choice was going to charge her for carry-on and/or checked baggage.

"Which airline are you using?" I asked in an irritated voice.

"Spirit," she announced casually.

Hearing her speak of an airline with the guts to charge passengers for a carry-on bag made me sick to my stomach.  If one airline charges for this, others would surely follow.

Trying not to let panic set in as I visualized all my future travel plans crumbling under the weight of all the extra fees I asked, "What are they trying to charge you?"

"$28 for checked bags and $30 for carry-on if I pay online ahead of time. Pay the fee at the airport and the charges increase.  $38 for checked bags and carry-on bags range from $40-$45."

The thought of paying up to $45 for a carry-on bag was maddening. But as I engaged in some research the following day, my rage simmered down to a low boil. I was relieved to find that no other airlines well known in the U.S. has started charging for carry-on bags. Although, I cannot imagine other airlines skipping out on the extra revenue for long, as fuel prices continue to sore.

I also learned that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the airline industry took in almost $5.7 billion in 2010 in revenue, from baggage fees and reservation change fees. $5.7 billion seems outrageous at first glance, but profit (the true measure of a business' financial success) from these fees was only $958 million.

Airline industry experts like George Hobica of airfarewatchdog.com and Rick Seany, co-founder of farecompare.com, note that these fees keep the airline industry profitable. Without the fees they may be on their way to asking for a government bailout, because simply raising ticket prices decreases the number of passengers significantly. Personally, I am highly against a "bailout" situation for an industry that enables me to indulge in a luxury, rather than a necessity.  Additionally, the American Transportation Association stated to ABC News that "Without sustained profitability airlines cannot add routes, add workers, or buy new airplanes-- all in the interest of airline customers and the global economy."

Other positive notes of interest include the U.S. Department of Transportation's expansion of passenger rights, first publicly announced in April 2011. Included in this expansion of rights, was the requirement of airlines to fully refund a passengers baggage fee, in addition to reimbursement of lost items if the bag was missing indefinitely. This requirement had to be met by all airlines by the end of this month. (Note: airlines have limits to how much they will reimburse a passenger for a lost bag. Read each individual airline's policies closely.)

Taking into account the bigger picture when examining increasing airline fees, my anger decreases a bit. I understand that the cost of travel can be highly dependent upon rising fuel costs. I understand travel is a luxury and depletes a non-renewable resource that promotes environmental degredation. I also understand a business must make money in order to continue to offer their services and meet customer demand. But I will also continue to consider the difference between profit and greed.

The airline's revenue from fees (which became a common place practice as of 2008), increased 10% between 2009 and 2010. And as I looked at article after article, commentators on this subject seemed convinced that travelers should be bracing for further "add-on's" and increased fees. It is my hope that a balance can be struck; a balance between making this industry profitable and sustainable, while fairly charging customers for the services used.

Photo Credit: Microsoft office.

Continue to join Underlined and Bold every Tuesday for inspirational travel content. Tuesday will be set aside each week to inspire us all to get out of our comfort zones, plan our next adventure and be open to whatever we find along the way. If you would like to see how "Travelin' Tuesdays" got its start on Underlined and Bold click here.

The Interrupters

& Creating Compelling Narratives

Tuesday evening I made my way downtown to the Gene Siskel Film Theatre to see the documentary The Interrupters. I had initially heard about the film during my attendance of a lecture at the Harold Washington Library. The lecture featured one of the film's producer's Alex Kotlowitz.  Kotlowitz spoke about non-fiction storytelling and approaching all research with an honest sense of curiosity. He spoke clearly and passionately about the importance of narratives; that narratives affirm histories, introduce audiences to people and ideas they wouldn't otherwise encounter, and elicit empathy. He referenced fictional work like The Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as non-fiction works like Johnathan Kozol's Savage Inequalities, and his own work There are No Children Here to illustrate his point. He also reminded the audience comprised of aspiring writers, that our purpose for writing is not that we will immediately change the circumstances in which we find the world. Rather, our writing can (at least) challenge assumptions, and nudge the rigidness in how one may think about people and ideas.

Leaving the lecture, I was left with a strong sense of respect for Kotlowitz and the messages he conveyed. I  yearned to understand his ideas about writing and relaying compelling narratives more fully, so attending his film seemed like the next obvious step.

His film co-produced with Steve James, did not disappoint. The Interrupters, a documentary featuring the violence prevention organization called CeaseFire, was compelling and moving. The film's success  is driven by the richness in which they develop the narratives of three key conflict mediators ("interrupters"); Ameena Matthews, Eddie Bocanegra, and Ricardo "Cobe" Williams. Matthews, Bocanegra, and Williams are all former "gang banger's" who were heavily involved in drugs and violence. Their willingness to be candid about their pasts and their journey toward changing their behavior, becoming positive role models in their Chicago communities, is inspiring. It moves the audience beyond "shocking" six o'clock headline news stories, painting  a more dynamic picture of Chicago street violence. Their past's also provide them the credibility needed to steer youth away from solving conflicts with violence and death.

If this film and the topics in which it explores seems to be of interest to you, you're in luck! The Interrupters will be playing in downtown Chicago at the Gene Siskel Film Theatre for one more week. The film has been showing to sold out audiences, so get your tickets in advance!

Don't live in Chicago? Check out this schedule to see where else the film will be showing.

Dead Man Walking & the end of Capital Punishment in Illinois

"Forgiveness is never going to be easy. Each day it must be prayed for and struggled for and won."

Above is one of my favorite quotes from the book, Dead Man Walking. I read Dead Man Walking after meeting the spunky charismatic nun and author, Sister Helen Prejean. I met Prejean in 2008 during her visit to DePaul University to support students working on Anti-Death Penalty legislation for the the state of Illinois. Listening to her speak about innocent men put to death, the disproportionate application of the penalty on poor and minority people, and its overall financial drain on tax payer money was heartbreaking.

A couple months later, I found myself heartbroken all over again as I finally read Dead Man Walking. The book chronicles Prejean's journey of becoming the spiritual advisor of two death row inmates; Patrick Sonnier and Robert Willie. Additionally, it sheds light on social inequalities and crime Prejean observes while living in the housing projects of New Orleans. Despite the book being repetitive at times, I found it engaging. Her ability to intertwine well researched statistics and information with her spiritual beliefs rooted in biblical text is unprecedented.

Three years later I share my influential encounter with Prejean and her book because of Governor Pat Quinn's decision to abolish capital punishment in the state of Illinois earlier in March. I am truly overjoyed that Illinois is now the 16th state in the union to rid itself of the death penalty!

As the signing of the bill moves out of the headlines, I long for Gov. Quinn's decision to influence other states. Richard Dieter of Washington's Death Penalty Information Center is quoted in a Huffington Post article stating that Illinois may have the power to influence other states "...because it was a state that used it, reconsidered it and now rejected it".

Parking Spot Dibs

Whether you are for or against "parking spot dibs", individuals asserting their stance in favor of the Chicago tradition are everywhere in the wake of “snowmaggedon” (check out photos below). Stools, crates and even lamp shades decorate the streets as I trudge through mounds of snow.

If you aren't familiar with the tradition, let me get you up to speed. "Parking spot dibs" allows Chicagoans to place furniture in a public street parking spot that an individual has cleared of snow. When the individual leaves she will be assured a place to park upon her return.

As a full time pedestrian, who relies on public transportation, I've never given the tradition much thought. Over the years, snowy days accompanied by furniture in the street served as entertainment. Today, I realize the issue is no laughing matter for some individuals. Groups like Chair-Free Chicago are urging law enforcement, politicians, and civilians to actively enforce the law that bans the tradition. TimeOut Chicago covered the issue in a recent article entitled, "Dibs debate". The short article presents both sides of the argument through interviews of two civilians.

Despite reading the article, I'm not sure where I stand on this debate. My hope is for people to remain civil despite the madness of parking around 5 and 6 feet snowdrifts!

Chicago Snowmaggedon 2011

I began to experience Snowmaggedon 2011 at 2:00pm on Tuesday. Walking down North Ave near Dearborn, I was nearly blinded by icy snow as I headed east down the street. Later, I made it to the South Loop only to be dismisssed from my job early. I tried hopping in a cab, but the cab's back wheel drive didn't allow us to make it more than 1 block before almost slamming into 2 buses and an SUV. Fearing for my life I kindly told the driver to let me out. I jumped on the Red line train, a much safer choice, to meet my co-worker at a the Grand stop armed with a Jeep with 4 wheel drive.

Hungry, we wondered what establishment downtown would be open. We passed many places with small signs in the window stating they closed early due to weather. We tried our luck at one of our usual spots--Timothy O'Tools. O'Tools was open for business and extremely busy. We enjoyed Nachos and beers waiting for rush hour traffic to die down before heading back out into the blizzard.

Driving west to my apartment in Ukrainian Village was quite the trip. Although we faired much better than people driving on Lakeshore Drive or heading out to the "burbs"-- we saw many struggling motorists and pedestrians as we flew by in the Jeep. Even a Chicago Police SUV was fish tailing down the street!

Finally cozy in my apartment away from the elements, lightening flashed through the sky accompanied by little rumbles of thunder. What odd weather!! Wednesday morning I woke up to the sounds of people digging out their cars and clearing sidewalks. The photo above is the mess people have been contending with post-snowmaggedon. Being carless in the city has never felt so good!

Despite having to head to work for a short while on Wednesday evening, I was happy to spend the majority of the day nestled in my bed, eating snacks, responding to my parent's voicemails with concerns of my survival, and catching up on some reading. I hope Snowmaggedon 2011 brought everyone exciting stories and a nice lazy day off!!!

Also check out this small news clip: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/03/us-weather-chicago-idUSTRE71180W20110203

Reflection, Alaska and the Recession

From August 2009 to August 2010, I lived in Bethel, Alaska as part of the Jesuit Volunteer Corp Northwest. My full time volunteer placement was at the Tundra Women's Coalition, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter. Despite making the decision to move back to Chicago, I think about my experience out there almost daily. I think about my 5 lovely house mates, the people I worked with, the teen program I ran, hospital visits, village travel, ice roads, pot lucks, the tundra and beyond.

Last week when surfing the web, visiting my favorite sources of news, I came across R. M. Arrieta's article "The State of Native America: Very Unemployed and Mostly Ignored" on Commondreams.org. It reminds me with such clarity the one of many hardships Alaska Natives face living in the "bush". Arrieta's article does a phenomenal job illustrating the importance of using statistics that provide a more holistic picture of unemployment among Native people in general across the U.S. The statistics used are derived from the article "Different Race, Different Recession: American Indian Unemployment in 2010," which is based on the Current Population Survey.

The two statistics that stand out with reference to my volunteer year included:

"By the first half of 2010, the unemployment rate for Alaska Natives jumped 6.3 percentage points to 21.3%—the highest regional unemployment rate for American Indians."

"The employment situation is the worst for American Indians in some of the same regions here it is the best for whites: Alaska and the Northern Plains."

The second statistic rings with incredible truth. Teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers and law enforcement are all positions in high demand where I lived in Alaska; positions requiring advanced degrees and/or specialized certificates. Therefore, many Alaska Natives are excluded from employment opportunities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core Data in 2005, only 46.8% of Alaska Native students graduated from high school. This statistic is indicative of Bethel Regional High School (the local public high school where I lived) being referred to as a "drop out factory". Thus, the majority of the time qualified candidates for these positions in high demand are white people from outside the community.

Sitting at my kitchen counter in Chicago reflecting upon Arrieta's article, coupled with my personal experience in Bethel, I don't pretend to have concrete solutions concerning unemployment of Alaska Natives. I do believe, more often than not, the best solutions come from the people rather than larger removed systems and institutions. I also understand that sometimes systemic issues have to be reformed in order for "the people" to have more say in changing their circumstances.

Mostly, this article serves as a vehicle aiding in my continued reflection upon my time in Bethel, Alaska. It reminds me to continue my understanding and awareness of marginalized experiences. It is in the understanding of marginalized experiences that help us all make decisions in a democracy (where resources and allocation of funding seem to be increasingly scarce) that are not only beneficial for ourselves, but for others as well.

Thank you to all those who were apart of my JV year in Alaska!

Also check out The Dropout/Graduation Crisis Among American Indian and Alaska Native Students:Failure to Respond Places the Future of Native Peoples at Risk report.