International Workers' Day - May Day Santa Cruz County
Photos by TARMO HANNULA>
By SARAH RINGLER
Joining people from around the world, 80 county unionists, workers and their supporters gathered in downtown Santa Cruz to celebrate May Day with music, the spoken word and a march. Grant Wilson (in the yelllow shirt) read from the autobiography of local Wobbly, logger and saw player Tom Scribner next to Scribner's sculpture by the Bookshop Santa Cruz. Nationally famous labor musician Jimmy Kelly led the group in song and a march followed down Pacific Avenue, with a stop at the now closed Poet and Patriot Pub to remember owner and union supporter, Chris Matthews and others.
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Revolutionary Lawyering, Homeless Self-Organizing and Systemic Change
By SARAH RINGLER
It’s not surprising that living on the streets is dangerous. Mateo Salvador and Sofio Sotelo Torres were sleeping in the bushes by a roadway in Escondido in north San Diego County on Feb. 12. That night, a 13-year old girl who had stolen her mom’s Ford Explorer, ran from the police after being stopped for a traffic violation. She lost control of the car, went off the road into some shrubbery and killed the two men. March 15, Craig Voss, 71, driving through a tunnel near a San Diego community college drove his Volvo station wagon up on the sidewalk where people were living in tents and makeshift shelters. Nine people were struck and three were killed. Five went to the hospital with two in critical condition. In September, a 68-year-old homeless woman sleeping on the sand at Oceanside Harbor was killed when a large tractor ran over her. These incidents happened in the last year in San Diego County alone according to Genevieve Jones-Wright, attorney and executive director for Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance, “MoGo” in San Diego.
On April 23, the National Union of the Homeless and the National Lawyers Guild Committee on Housing and Homelessness cosponsored a zoom conference entitled, “Revolutionary Lawyering, Homeless Self-Organizing and Systemic Change: What COVID-19 has taught us and where do we go from here?” It was a powerful event that presented a nationwide scope of the housing crisis from on the ground.
Chicago, the Windy City, where Arctic winds blast through the streets has had fifteen people die this year. James Peery, founder of the Chicago Area/Gary, Indiana Union of the Homeless spoke about the importance of sympathetic and responsive city governments. Under Mayor Harold Washington in the 1980s, homeless numbers dropped from 137,000 down to 78,000, Single Room Occupancy Units were constructed and Peery’s organization won the right to vote for people who didn't live in a home. When Washington died, the organization lost momentum and fell apart. They have reorganized lately and started taking over unoccupied houses and putting pressure on Lori E. Lightfoot’s government.
Closer to home are the “Mariners,” a hundred people living on boats in Sausalito and Marin City. According to Robbie Powelson of the Sausalito/Marin City Homeless Union, the Coast Guard was brought in to sweep out the Mariners by setting fires to their boats and then crushing them with backhoes. One man’s dog was killed on a burning boat.
Every time there is a homeless camp sweep, people lose critically important belongings like birth certificates, driver’s licenses and government IDs. Crystal Sanchez from SOUP, Solidarity of Unhoused People, the Sacramento Homeless Union, said her group is fighting sweeps of the camps through the courts.
Willie Baptist, Senior Advisor of the National Union of the Homeless, a board member of “Picture the Homeless,” and a unionist in New York City emphasized the importance of organizing and letting the homeless drive solutions. He also talked about class issues and questioned how some people have no home where as others have “a winter house, a summer house and more.”
Organizing stressed out people who have to live moment to moment to survive is challenging at best, but race issues can make it worse. Rev. Tonny Algood from Mobile, Alabama talked about how poverty and homelessness are an equalizer but if you’re white and cross the line, you could face the wrath of the Klu Klux Klan and their ilk.
Sometimes, like in Albuquerque, there are protections but no enforcement, reported Marie Griego, Director of the Office of Economic Equity for the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. Without education people don’t know their rights and without enforcement the rights are worthless.
Forty percent of the US population or 140,000,000 people are poor according to Shailly Gupta-Barnes, attorney and policy director for the Poor Peoples’ Campaign, A National Call for Moral Revival. She said there is a need for a lift from the bottom where all people can benefit. According to Brookings Institute research, every dollar that is given to the poor generates $1.20 to the economy, whereas when the same amount is given to business, it only generates $.30. Her organization believes there are 8-10 million homeless, not 500,000 like the government says. If you count people living in vehicles, doubled up in houses, young people who can’t afford to move out of their parent’s place, the number quickly expands. Joe Peery said that in Chicago, city government said there were 7,000 homeless, but when the Chicago Teachers’ Union teachers asked students how they were living using the criteria just mentioned, they came up with 137,000.
Jeanne Mirer, President of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers believes lawyers have constitutional tools that can help. Representatives from fifty nations met in San Francisco in 1948 to organize the United Nations and on June 26 they adopted the United Nations Charter. Article 25.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” The U.S. ratified the UDHR in 1948 making these rights a part of U.S. law. Lawyers need to use them.
This conference showed that lack of housing is a larger socio-economic problem than government figures show. It’s not just people on the streets but those who are living in vehicles, at home as adults and in cramped housing with friends and relatives. Organizing is the key, as Willie Baptist from New York emphasized, as well as letting the people affected by the situation drive the solutions. For local groups who are action oriented and believe in the power of the people, contact Alicia Kuhl, President of the Santa Cruz Homeless Union, Food Not Bombs, Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom, and the Warming Center.
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Bread & Roses: Artist Honor Labor - Reel Work Labor Film Festival
By SARAH RINGLER
Local artists and musicians have long created works that honor workers and celebrate the need for social justice and equity. Sometimes this is referred to as bread and roses. Bread stands for need for food, clothing and housing; roses stands for the need for beauty and for the arts.
Utah Phillips (photographed above) will be featured in a film about his life, "Tales From the Long Memory." The film shows compassionate acts that are occuring in communities around the U.S. Here in the Monterey Bay region, Compassionate Monterey County (CoMoCo) honors local individuals who offer support to those experiencing homelessness in our area. Watch the film, "Tales From the Long Memory," that portrays Utah Phillips's stories of riding the rails, living without a home and learning about the struggles of poor and working class people.
Following Tues. May 11 at 7pm, please join the online discussion on art and labor with Jennifer Colby, artist and moderator; Charles Hall, filmmaker; Jimmy Kelly, musician; Sarah Ringler, artist; Shirley Flores Muñoz, Pajaro Gallery Curator; Linda Bynoe, CoMoCo; Lisa Berkeley CoMoCo; and Marissa Kobylenski, honoree from iHelp Homeless program, Monterey. Register here to join the discussion and watch the film. Once you are registered, you will receive updates by email about the event and a link to watch the film from May 5-11.
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HOMES NOT TENTS - SCRAP THE TOLO
Protest starts at Santa Cruz City Hall
Tues., May 11, 5pm
809 Center St., Santa Cruz
Please email the Santa Cruz City Council and and demand that the May 11, Santa Cruz City Council meeting be moved to the Civic Auditorium so our opposition can be heard. Tell them to scrap the Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance, TOLO, and demand that all unhoused people are provided with a safe place to live.
Changes to be voted on at the May 11 meeting include:
Prohibiting camping in “open spaces,” such as Arana Gulch and the Pogonip, that had been previously on the list of places where unsheltered people could live.
Directing the city manager to open a “managed encampment” for unsheltered people at 1220 River St., and look into the possibility of more transitional encampments in the city.
Exploring the creation of a “restorative justice” diversion program to allow those who violate the ordinance to avoid jail time and citations.
Adding more oversight and data collection efforts to determine how effective the ordinance is, and what the costs associated with it are.
Creating maps to show where people who are unsheltered can camp and sleep.
Crafting more narrow definitions for what behaviors would constitute a misdemeanor offense, and adding in protections to prevent the arrests of homeless families with children.
Delaying implementation of the ordinance until Santa Cruz County reaches the yellow tier of COVID-19 transmission and risk, or U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on homeless encampments during COVID-19 changes, whichever comes first.
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"We know that we, the Blacks, and not only we, the Blacks, have been, and are, the victims of a system whose only fuel is greed, whose only god is profit."
James Baldwin
From "An Open Letter to My Sister, Angela Y. Davis"
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
A male Western Blue bird watches the cows at Arana Gulch in the late afternoon.
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Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
The Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. As of May 6, there were 16,029 cases that tested positive. That is a .3% increase from the previous week, the lowest seen since the pandemic started being recorded. Deaths increased by one to 205. There were no changes in all the categories.
Santa Cruz County moved into the Orange Tier on March 30. For information, go here.
The county's Effective Reproductive Number is staying below one. See chart below. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.
To get tested without a doctor’s request, call 1-888-634-1123 or go online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. Other testing sites that may have restricted access can be found here.
For vaccine information in Santa Cruz County, click here.
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% deaths by ethnicity/% of population:
White - 56%/58%
Latinx - 36%/34%
Black - 0/1%
Asian - 7%/4%
American Native - 0/not available
% deaths by gender/% of population:
Female - 51%/50%
Male - 49%/50%
Other - 0
Under Investigation - 0
Deaths by age/202:
30-39 - 2%
40-49 - 3%
50-59 - 2%
60-69 - 13%
70-79 - 21%
80-89 - 30%
90+ - 27%
Tested positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 21%/12%
North county - 20%/60%
South county - 58%/29%
Under investigation - 0%
Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19 - 7%
June 19-26 - 23%
June 26 to July 3 - 22%
July 3-9 - 23%
July 9-16 - 40%
July 16-23 - 20%
July 23-30 - 27%
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July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%
Aug. 6-13- 12%
Aug.14-20 - 16%
Aug.20-28 - 10%
Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%
Sept. 3-10 - 6%
Sept. 10-17- 8%
Sept. 17-24 - 7%
Sept. 25- Oct.1 - 5%
Oct. 1 - 9 - 4%
Oct. 9-15 - 4%
Oct. 15-22 - 5%
Oct. 23-29 - 4%
Oct. 30-Nov. 5 - 6%
Nov. 5-12 - 10%
Nov. 12-19 - 11%
Nov. 19-26 - holiday
Nov. 19-Dec. 3 - 29% 2 weeks of data for this week only
Dec. 3-10 - 16%
Dec. 10-17 - 17%
Dec. 17-24 - 14%
Dec. 24-31 - 19%
Jan. 1-7 - 13%
Jan. 7-14 - 14%
Jan. 15-21 - 11%
Jan. 21-28 - 5%
Jan. 28-Feb. 4 - 5%
Feb. 5-11 - 2%
Feb. 11-18 - 2%
Feb. 18-25 - 1%
Feb. 25-March 5 - 1%
March 5-11 - 1%
March 11-18 - 2%
March 18-25 - .5%
March 25 - Apr. 1 - .7%
Apr. 1-8 - 0.1%
Apr. 9-15 - 1%
Apr. 16-22 - 2%
Apr. 22-30 - 2%
Apr. 30 - May 6 - .3%
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Fashion Street - Tie Dye
By SARAH RINGLER
Tie dye and Grateful Dead classics will surely cure you from whatever's ailing you whether it's all the gentrification or just the traffic. This group often plays Grateful Dead classics on Pacific Avenue creating a warming sense of déjà vu and hope for the future.
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Labor History Calendar for May 8-14:
May 8,1994: Bolivian Workers' Congress reaches agreement to end 23-day strike.
May 9,1972: Quebec general stike against jailing of union leaders.
May 9, 1980: Auto workers in Gorky, Russia strike to protest food shortages.
May 9, 1992: 26 miners die in Westray Coal explosion, Nova Scotia.
May 10, 1894: Pullman strike begins.
May 10, 1898: U.S. and Canadian workers form Western Labor Union.
May 10, 1920: East End London dockers refuse to load weapons to Russia.
May 11, 1791: First known U.S. building trades strike in Philadelphia.
May 11, 1891: National building trades strike in U.S..
May 11, 1894: National U.S. rail strike.
May 12, 1916: Execution of James Connolly, IWW organizer and Irish freedom fighter.
May 12, 1972: Nine towns occupied as Quebec general strike spreads with 300,000 workers out.
May 13, 1913: 10,000 dock workers strike in Philadelphia.
May 13, 1968: Strikes in Paris leads to general strike by 10 million workers.
May 13, 2014: 310 killed in Soma mine disaster after Turkish authorities ignore union's safety warning.
May 14, 1993: 11-day East German metalworkers strike settled.
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Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Salt and pepper Fried Mushrooms
By SARAH RINGLER
It’s the end of season for wild oyster mushrooms but you can still buy them in the store. This little dish is easy and calls for few ingredients. Primarily, it is crispy and salty, a major requirement for popular food.
A year ago, I toured some ancient Silk Road cities in China with a group of twenty people from around the world. The group was an odd mix of Socialists and Libertarians. Although this group rarely agreed on anything, and towards the end of the tour kept their distance, this dish, that kept turning up in different cities became the universal favorite each time it was served. The little side dusting of Sichuan pepper mixed with salt really added the spicy, Hot Cheeto touch.
This is a very simple dish but it does involve deep fat frying so stay by the stove the entire time and make sure the pan you are frying in sits firmly on the stove at all times. Splattering oil can make the cooking surface slippery. Clear your frying area of clutter and prepare a strainer over a bowl and a cookie sheet covered with paper towels to drain the mushrooms.
This recipe can use any mushroom but will look different depending on whether you have a round mushroom or a long stringy one. I’m not a real oyster mushroom fan because they contain so much liquid, but they are great for this recipe and more affordable because they can be grown commercially. Also, David Arora, in his “Mushrooms Demystified” recommends not mixing mushroom varieties, so going with his vast expertise, just use one.
This recipe is from Elaine at chinasichuanfood.com. Potato starch is the magic ingredient that turns the mushrooms so crispy. I bought Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch, unmodified and Non-GMO from Staff of Life. It is grain and gluten free. The second time I made this dish, I forgot to add the egg and it was just as good so it can be vegan too as well as vegetarian.
1 pound oyster mushrooms, remove the tough ends
1 egg, optional
1 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 to 3 cups high heat oil for frying
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorn
Remove the tough ends of the oyster mushroom and then tear into edible strips. Wash, drain and wrap in a dish towel to dry out.
In a large bowl, sprinkle potato starch, salt and pepper over dry mushrooms. Toss to coat. Beat the egg until well mixed. Pour over starch and mushrooms. Mix well by tossing After mixing, all the oyster mushrooms should be coated with a thin layer of starch mixture.
Mix salt and ground Sichuan peppercorn in equal parts.
Heat around 2 cups of oil in wok over medium high to almost high heat. Stay near the stove at all times. When oil is hot, slide a handful of mushroom strips into the oil. They should immediately start sizzling and soon rise to the to surface. They are done when the mushrooms are light golden brown. Serve immediately with Sichuan peppercorn and salt.
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YOUR STORY OR ART HERE: Please submit a story that you think would be of interest to the people of Santa Cruz County. Try and keep the word count to around 400. Also, there should be suggested actions if possible. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com
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Welcome to Serf City Times. Over time, our county has grown more stratified and divided with many people feeling left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer.
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Ringler - All rights reserved
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