Canto 3

Canto 3: Remembrance Day needed for the millions of women and children killed, raped and/or abused from American policy.
I can fall asleep to Harry Potter playing and know good will win.
With American GOPers, I expect another Reichstag fire if they could. Perhaps a tanning machine overheat from Boehner and Virginia Foxx.
Some days visiting agencies, doing placement planning with sites from the White House, UN, VA, OSI, hospitals, shelters, schools wherever the amazing cohort of students aspire to make a difference.
Contacting my fellow socialist communist fagloving athiestic radicals such as Prez Obama, Pelosi, Hoyer, Baldwin, Wasserman-Schutz, Polis, Nadler, Waters.
Still, Where were all the DADT and equality folks in the health care debate?.. well many are GOPers.
my wish lists in the hands of nuns like Network, with compassion.

2013 reunion of our Vrboska, Croatia forebears!

Honorable Milanka Opacic

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy and Youth

Republic of Croatia

Dear Minister Opacic:

It is a pleasure to follow policy developments in Croatia. I am in the 5th generation of Vrboska, Hvar immigrants to the United States. II am a social worker and adjunct college professor with training in comparative social policy (masters degree and doctoral study at Columbia University, New York).

A friend and social work colleague does strategic planning for the Open Society in New York City. I follow the Open Society Mental Health Initiative on Facebook. I was impressed by the posting today. While a doctoral student, I spent much time in Zurich, Berlin and Rotterdam visiting agencies working with people with AIDS, substance use and mental health services immigrant and lgbt services. Open Society finances a number of initiatives on drug policy in particular.

 My undergraduate students  and my graduate students in NYC come from a broad swath of nationalities and comparative social policy is important to them. Students of mine have done internships in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Pakistan and London.  I am happy to share the website of your Ministry with the current cohort.  It is a joy to have undergraduates from Dalmatia in recent times.

This summer the family of siblings, cousins etal of my maternal grandmother  held a reunion. There are so many pages in the online family history book from the reunion showing much love and caring. I cannot imagine the voyage of our great-great grandparents with 7 children taking the boat to the United States and starting a new life in Chicago, Illinois. The family males made money diving in Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, some were musicians, and some ran a tavern (with a live bear). There are so many cousins which includes a Chilean branch, and a popular contemporary musician in Chile. What a legacy from little Vrboska!  For multiple reasons so many emigrants from Hvar, named "heaven" in a recent BBC series, into the world. 

I am happy to share an interest in policy and advocacy on mental health issues with my Mother. She was the mom of 9 children and found time to advocate for people. On her death she was given a memorial by the State of New Jersey for her advocacy. I made a short video on YouTube about her life.  The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQppEXGoSOk.  My undergraduates critique the video as a memoir qua method. 

Thank you very much for reading through my email. It is a pleasure to see the development of good services and know of the spirit of advocacy in your ministry. Thanks also to your many staff and colleages who are making a difference in the lives of others. It makes me proud of my Croatian legacy (25%, 75% Irish). 

Best wishes.

Sincerely yours,

thoughts on how research happens

Paradigm and paradigm change are integral in research. In my Methods of Research bibliography is an Open Society Institute video on their drug policy advocacy around the world. 

http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/what-world-can-learn-switzerlands-drug-policy-shift

As ever one's  personal experience is just that, one's personal experience.  Most of my interest in drug policy has been in terms of clinical social work since 1982 with clients having substance abuse concerns. Caregiving as presented in the work of Ann Burack-Weiss has so informed my practice. I routinely refer to mindfulness as per Buddhist thought.

Policy is another lens. In my experience, luck has had it that I have known several drug policy advocates who are also tied to the Open Society. The first is a Swiss legislator who I visited in Zurich in the early 1990s and was then involved in the work presented in the Open Society video. I also observed the experiment to allow drug use in a Zurich park. My trips were in the time of my doctoral study in cross-national social policy, and I visited social work programs in Berlin and Rotterdam. 

Secondly, I have known the strategic planner for Open Society programs throughout the world and heard about initiatives since the 1990s. Third, I have done recent consulting with a drug policy organizer in San Francisco whose program is funded by the Open Society.

The work of these advocates as well as my lens as a social worker qua researcher are examples of how research can and does happen, and is utilized. The Zurich project initiated as action research  for real life social welfare activity and is presented as a case study video (case study is a method of intense focus on a case, group, community,  program or policy).  My friend at Open Society has put together resources around the world about drug policy, i.e, meta=research. The San Francisco activity is  case study and action research: the process of needs assessment and implementing solutions with real time evaluation feedback.

Thinking from the lens of Kuhn, paradigm shifts. Drug policy is changing as data analysis shows best practices from real life activity. There are many ways of knowing. 

Turk thoughts March 08, 2009

President Obama is making a brilliant decision to visit Turkey this April after the G20 summit in London! Turkey is one of the countries that I look at in keeping some paradigm about the world. I have known a number of Turks over the years, and I read theorists who see Turkey as that bridge between the Europe and Asia.

1987 pastel of a graduate school friend from Columbia University. She and I would pal around a lot. She came with me to visit my Mom and siblings one holiday. She came to a Citibank company picnic with me one summer. We were residents at the International House. She worked in television. She was one of the political refugees from the Turkish Army coups in the 1970s. She came to NYC from Paris. One of the many who could not go back home. Dunno what happened to her... she moved to Queens and we lost touch.

This past year I read Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul! Wow, such a fascinating read! A book I lived through, looking up references online, looking at my own memories in other ways. A fascinating book.

From my SIPA days, I have thought about the end of the Ottoman empire and the absence of a muslim political entity in international politics. The Ottoman empire was cut up into pretend nations by the European powers after WWI. Today we have nations such as Iraq, almost 100 years old, part of the Ottoman empire for centuries, and still the power vacuum. The whole mideast and the Muslim world does not have that power it had as an international broker for centuries. We have yet, as a world community, to figure that power gap out. Today, we have Iran versus Saudi Arabia, orthodox versus modernists say in Lebanon, and the sad legacy of no resolution for Palestine.

I think it quite astute that Open Society aka the Soros Fund, has an office in Istanbul. Turkey plays a significant role by its years of brokering as a NATO member and part of other multinational relationships. Not only the Ottoman legacy, but also the years of Turkish emigration in the EU. The Turk presence particularly in Holland and Germany. I am quite pleased by Obama's decision!

peace, hugs, compassion

Obama visions

Have a calmness since the election of Barack Obama that fits within the spirit of an essay by Slavoj Zizek. In the London Review of Books (http://www.lrb.co.uk/webonly/14/11/2008/zize01_.html), he writes from a Kantian perspective on measuring true ethical progress in history. It helps explain some of my calmness in that we made history, lenses can change, possibilities are out there, history can become more progressive, i.e., democratic and fair. I do believe that there will be a paradigm shift.

I especially think in that way what with all of the economic and social problems facing the US and the world. I am not happy with the Prop8 etal votes, but I do believe that a President Obama is not with legalized heterosexism. My district leader emailed me about why should the AfAm community support lgbt people from some alleged ostracism of people of color. There are many worlds, but in my experience, most of the supporters of lgbt rights have been people of color. My hetero neighbors have been supportive of marriage equality whilst my gay neighbors have been real DL about it all. In particular, Obama has the history of talking to the AfAm church about being inclusive and respectful of its lgbt members.

I also trust the wisdom of George Soros and I hear President-elect Obama verbalize some of Soros' views. There is the talk of economic challenges but also that this is the time that new technology can lead us forward. He uses the wisdom of Susan Rice and Madeline Albright in his international policy views. Obama has lived in various countries and has multinational roots. I am particularly concerned with the violence in the DR Congo. Active genocide is ongoing as I sit in my highrise, with cable tv, some heat (lol), a notebook, and even a toilet (in a world where half of the planet does not have adequate toilet facilities).

Being a Columbia alum with a history of community organizing as well, I understand his focus on process and inclusion with an understanding of the social/political fields we live in. I just intuit and feel a zeitgeist! Of course, things could turn out wierder. There is a narrative to be written by Obama as there are narratives being written just now by others, including his detractors.

Above photo is a doddle by Barack Obama via the blog England for Obama (http://www.englandforobama.com/sunday-art-special-obama-can-draw-too). So pleased to think of how one can imagine new possibilities, opportunities, progressive change ahead!
hugs peace compassion

Viva Obama

Wow! Viva Obama! We won! so thrilled to vote for the first President that I really supported! My first vote was in 1972 Colorado for McGovern. I may have been excited but mostly by the first ability of 18 year olds to vote! So many reasons for my support of Obama. I like the latest idea out there, the "white grandmother effect". A romantic idea. Anyhow, I usually like grandmothers of any background, and loved my own! (love the gospel song, A grandmother who prayed for me!) In reality, I like Obama's style and ideas. As a fellow Columbia grad, I understand his motivation and commitments. I also did community organizing in NYC in the 1980s and understand the importance of engagement and change. So many identifications. Newark, NJ, via CCTV, voters in my building 4 Nov 08

In the days following his win, I applaud his appointment of Rahm Emanuel! Bravo to the 70%+ Jewish vote for Obama, but I also sense President elect Obama will bridge and educate about Israel and Palestine! I have Chicago family roots and admire the tenacity of Emanuel and those Chicago Democrats. My Mother (a Park Ridge, IL mom) was the first person to tell me how good Obama is! President elect Obama will need tenacious advocates like Emanuel. Of course, I worry about how our economic crisis will be handled. I so like reading George Soros, and applaud Obama appointing Warren Buffet to his team. As a former Citibank person, I am emailing a former colleague, now a senior executive to get her opinion, and hope she is helpful. President elect Obama needs all the help he can get.

In all, I just feel so happy and do not really have a critical perspective on his election and the road to the Presidency yet. After the election, wore my button, talked with my college students about the history and the advent of change. Endless talk with my neighbors and friends. My buddies in SF and Colorado spoke with me election night, Bravo Obama! I appreciate hearing the comments by so many of my African American neighbors of their pride in his achievement, and in fact, all of ours. My friends in Zurich emailed me with excitement! Relishing the zeitgeist!

The only downside is the loss of Prop8, marrige equality in CA. My sense is that this is still a new issue and it is being processed. I find in teaching issues about gays/lesbians etal, that my college students have seldom had much opportunity to openly discuss such issues. The media may have entertainment images but they are often of the rich white gay man, not the reality in fact. This semester I teach Ethics and the Family which has allowed the opportunity for the class to discuss issues about gay/lesbian families. Fascinating narratives as ever.

I am saddened by the uproar about Prop8 and African Americans. I dunno the outreach to all communities by no on 8 organizers but perhaps not enough done in all communities. I question the CNN methodology of 70% AfAm supporters. In short, African American supporters contributed but not the tipping point. On the other hand, the church has long been an institution in African American society and homosexuality not seen positively in most of the churchs. Although the Newark Episcopal diocese has been quite inclusive, interviewed a gay minister for a Bishop vacancy. At the same time, in Newark, I worked as a social worker in America's second largest HIV in-patient hospital program and witnessed the often homoignorance by staff, families, and the community, even in this first 2000 decade! There still is the stigma and shame about HIV. So, gay, lesbian, trans...... Well, Obama has always mentioned gays in his speechs!

I am not proud to see that gay identified voters were 27% for McCain, 7% less than for Kerry. Ugh. So many black/white/Latino gays supported Clinton and that may have been the revenge. I dunno why the no on 8 organizers did not involved Clinton to do some ads. Most importantly, the racial stratification in gay worlds is an issue to address. One sees it on Christopher Street everyday. All in all, much work to be done and I know President elect Obama will bridge and educate as he can.

I feel optimistic for once in my life about national politics. I admire President elect Obama's style and ideas. I have faith in his concerns about building bridges between communities for a shared better future. I really like his supporters. I am really excited by what our society may produce!
peace, hugs, compassion

Blessings for George Soros!

looking for leadership and perspective on the financial crisis, I am really pleased to read George Soros in the New York Review of Books, and see him on various television media. He presents a very succinct perspective on our crisis citing "market fundamentalism" as well as the low-tax mentality, and the credit frenzy we have created as a society of all consuming.

A buddy from graduate school works for the Soros' Open Society Initiative. Several of us Columbia University, MS social work grads got together in May. I was impressed hearing about the work of the foundation. I have since been reading their newsletter and following their initiatives in the press. Their advocacy work for the Roma in Italy and their conference on the plight of North and West African boat refugees to Europe were particularly poignant and relative! Yesterday, I read that the OSI's collaboration with Newark mayor Corey Booker seems to have brought about much needed funding for substance abusers. Bravo!

I pitched several of my college students for jobs at OSI. I assume the competition is fierce but a job there would change their lives! 25 years ago, I was priviledged to live at the International House, NYC. Another Soros, Paul, is quite active in their fundraising and programs. Later, as a doctoral student at Columbia University, taking SIPA courses, I had my opportunity to interview for the UN Secretariat. I was wierdly rejected at the UN. This summer I received a guilt letter from a person who conspired with a high ranking UN official to have me cut. I knew the UN person thru her husband. I had my opportunities at least although such pitiful drama from disturbed people who are miserable today.

Watched George Soros being interviewed on Fareed Zakaria (another International House alumn) this afternoon. Struck by the civility and humanity shown by Soros. In a world of greed, self-importance, deviousness, all of the negatives, he supports many initiatives that change the world for those most of us ignore and even oppress.

Many many blessings!