Meat Love

My mother shows her love with meat. Some mothers show their love with clothing, others with supportive hugs, some with useful goods such as irons and coffeemakers. My mother has done all of that, but like far more mothers, she shows her love with food. Mine in particular chose red meat. Birthdays, holidays, days offs, Sundays, it's always been similar: bacon frying, sausage grilled with peppers and onions for sandwiches, thick burgers topped with bleu cheese, tender steaks, barbecued ribs dripping in sauce and so tender they fall off the bone. I believe this is tradition handed down many years. Is is the very thread that runs through generations past, through my maternal Slavic, Germanic, Hungarian, and Romani ancestors who provided, when they could, a meal of meat.

Perhaps this is why I ultimately could not survive as a vegetarian, especially when I found myself in the motherland of the Czech Republic, the pangs of my mother and my Czech roots pulling me away from processed vegetable balls in sauce towards the succulent pork tenderloin medallions bathing in gravy and topped with raspberry preserve and cream and surrounded by thick dumplings. This was Svickova, a traditional Czech dish with a smell so rich and delicious, I put in a request that night to be switched from the vegetarian option to the meat one. This was Czech love, I could feel it, and I was missing out. I had only been a vegetarian for three months, but those three months couldn't have been forgotten sooner.

In Prague, if I ever felt homesick, all I needed to do was walk outside, and I was covered in the meat love of home. On the street, I could buy delectable, swollen, greasy sausages (klobasa) that snapped when you bit into them for less than a dollar. In restaurants, I ordered the requisite 'pivo' or beer that came in huge mugs that demanded meat dishes of beer gulash with dumplings ( hovězí guláš s knedlíkem), roast pork with cabbage and dumplings (vepřo-knedlo-zelo), pork schnitzel, (smažený vepřový říze), and fried cheese (smažený syr) with boiled tartaroes and tatar sauce, so rich it fell into the meat category. The Czech language with its 'zuhs,' and 'shus' and constants filled up my mouth with the same satisfaction as the food. I became obsessed.

After several months of tutoring a Czech boxing promoter in English, I finally had the nerve to ask about an old recipe that my Grandfather had referred to in Czech, which he had inherited from his mother called "michanice" meaning a 'medley' or a 'hodgepodge.' My mother explained it as 'depression' food, a stew of whatever was around ('everything but the kitchen sink' food). My mother served it the same way every time, a stew of beans, noodles, paprika, catchup, onions, and ground beef that cooked for hours. It became the ultimate winter soul food that I craved.

The boxing promoter said that michanice is made with 'eggs, potatoes, anything.' An odd contrast to the michanice that I ate at home.

'Can I get it at a restaurant?' I asked.

'No,' he said, 'it is now illegal in Czech Republic.'

I was shocked. My only Czech food connection was illegal. He explained that chefs could put in any kind of old, spoiled vegetables or meat into the stew, and cheat people. After asking other Czechs, I determined that every Czech has a version of 'michanice.' My family's version is, our course, includes red meat.

And so it is, that I crave meat as a connection now not only to my mom and my family, but also to Prague.

The Price of Housing in Baltimore

After an exhaustive search for new (rental) housing in Baltimore, my mind still reeling from the experience, I must now beg to ask the question: what is a fair price for housing in Baltimore? What can I expect to get for my money? And more importantly, why? The answer, proves that the lines of economic (and often racial) segregation in Baltimore couldn't be clearer.

Backstory:

After two years of living in a rented apartment in Bolton Hill while my girlfriend finished her degree at MICA, we are now both teaching in the city schools and want to expand so that we can both have office space.

Summary of the Search:

The affluent 'urban oasis' of Bolton Hill.

We decided to look at other apartments in the neighborhood.

Here's what $1200/month gets one in Bolton Hill:

1) 2 bedroom apartment (missing screens, holes in walls, non-insulated windows)
2)Quaint, tree-lined streets
3) Snobby neighbors who won't acknowledge your presence unless you're over the age of 35 or own property
4) Occasional break-ins and robberies (affluent areas are often targeted)
5) Management companies that operate as slum lords, not updating apartments because they have a constant stream of students (and their parents) who will pay above market prices for area apartments
6) Credit check prior to filling out application
7) No one directly in your business

Over in Remington, closer to Johns Hopkins, but in a more residential area that doesn't include many restaurants or amenities, $1200 gets:

1) 3 bedroom house (front porch, large yard w/o fence, sun room)
2) A few trees, fairly regular car traffic
3) Partially rehabbed interior (kitchen)

Fells Point

(On Broadway)
1) 2 bedroom apartment
2) Concrete yard with parking
3) Rehabbed house
4) Small, basement rooms

South of Patterson Park
1) 2 bedroom apartment
2) Small kitchen
3) Rehabbed, but lived in
4) Alley entrance

North of Patterson Park
1) Fully rehabbed, 3 bedroom rowhouse
2) Central air
3) Friendly neighbors, but in your business
4) Few trees, litter on street
5) Blue police lights and police presence


So, which place is the winner??

You decide.

It's clear that in Baltimore, you often pay for the neighborhood. Many people wouldn't want to live in a 'blue light' neighborhood for fear of crime or murder. Hence, the prices are lower. But sadly, many middle/upper middle class people are missing out and losing money in the process because they are afraid of being uncomfortable or living with people who aren't of their class/race.

Well, what's new?

Who Cares about Gay Marriage?

Yeah, I said it. And yes, I meant it.

Ok, sure everyone should be allowed to tie the knot if they so desire. And yes, I suppose everyone deserves the tax and medical benefits that go along with being married.

But is this really how the powerful gays are choosing to organize? Is this really the most important issue that our community faces?

I think not.

Powerful gays are not wanting to face the real issues.

What this does show me is how out of touch and socioeconomically segregated the gay community really is.

It figures that, suddenly, a bunch of hetero liberals in California are concerned with the 'rights' of the gays. 'Oh hey, I'm planning my big white wedding, and it's totally not fair that my favorite gay from college can't get married too!'

Yeah, it really sucks.

But you know what else sucks:

1) The HIV rate. According to the Center for Disease Control and Protection, we are entering a 'second-wave' AIDS epidemic where the AIDS rate is up 12%, the steepest rise being seen amongst black males aged 13-24.

2) The lack of mental health services and sex education for LGBTQ youth in most urban, suburban, and rural areas (There is no true health class to inform students about risky sexual behaviors at the high school where I teach in Baltimore City, and incidentally Baltimore-Towson has the 2nd highest AIDS rate of any major metro region as of 2006).

3) All pervasive homophobia in most areas of American life, except where money can be made such as marrying gays, and television shows depicting women having sex with other women.

But let's face it, marriage is a comfortable warm and fuzzy that unites all Americans in an ever-ending quest for the American Dream. Our televisions are saturated with images about marriage, so it's not a terrible surprise that powerful gays would rally around an issue that most Americans are inherently concerned with.

Let's also face the reality that the gay community is deeply segregated and the issues facing the 'gay community' almost always seem to be issues facing powerful, rich, and often white gays.

Gays, what messages are we promoting? Equality, social justice, and democracy?

I think not.

The End of White America?

check out this really amazing article from hua hsu in this month's issue of the atlantic, a short clip:

The Election of Barack Obama is just the most startling
manifestation of a larger trend: the gradual erosion of “whiteness” as
the touchstone of what it means to be American. If the end of white
America is a cultural and demographic inevitability, what will the new
mainstream look like—and how will white Americans fit into it? What
will it mean to be white when whiteness is no longer the norm? And will
a post-white America be less racially divided—or more so?

The End of White America?

Harlem Children's Zone

A colleague of mine recently shared a book with me about the founder of the Harlem Children's Zone, Geoffrey Canada, whose vision of social equity is reshaping Harlem and the lives of those who live there. The concept is as follows: to fix the problems of a community, you need to need to take a comprehensive, holistic approach. Communities that work together are successful, and thus provide ways of addressing all of the communities needs. Education, public health, social welfare, safety, and economics are all entwined.

Canada's vision has grown to over 100 blocks of comprehensive services in the Harlem area known as the Harlem Children's Zone. There are charter schools, a "baby college" which offers classes to parents on the importance of reading to children from an early age, a pre-school program, and asthma and obesity initiatives to inform community members about controlling the diseases.

The Harlem Children's Zone seems to have had considerable success already. 100% of their pre-K students are ready for kindergarten. 81% of parents who took classes are increasing their rate of reading to their children (a friend of mine in Harlem also remarked that he constantly sees parents reading to their children on the subway from similar looking books, perhaps provided by the HCZ?) 98% of 3rd graders are on grade level in mathematics.

All of this begs the question: can something similar work in Baltimore? If so, how? Where? How can such a program be created and organized?

Do such programs already exist in the city, and if so, how can they be better supported?

white like me...response to 'activists' and beyond

The Persistence of White Privilege
From Wikipedia

In her personal account of experiencing white privilege, Heidi A. Zetzer, the Director of the Hosford Counseling & Psychological Services Clinic in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara explains why white privilege is such a persistent problem. She categorizes it as an “institutional and individual manifestation of racism, however indirectly or unintentionally.” This indirectness of white privilege is what makes it so prevalent. If people are not educated on the matter, it is unlikely that they will take note of it. Secondly, those that are aware of it suffer under the stigma of benefiting from an unfair system. Zetzer asks “How can I see myself as a just person when I willingly participate in a system that is inherently unfair?” The guilt formed by this opinion creates a spirit of inactivity in solving the problem. “White guilt,” as Zetzer deems it, is an impediment to change. Consequently, even if people become educated on white privilege it is unlikely that they will take action to change it and instead allow the problem to persist.
Zetzer also specifies the type of changes necessary to make progressive steps in dealing with white privilege and its implications. She notes that most people who become educated on white privilege undergo a first-order change in which they gain increased awareness, knowledge and skills. However, for progress to be made in equalizing problems such as white privilege, individuals need to undergo second-order change. Second-order change is characterized by a paradigm shift in which people use their awareness, knowledge and skills to take action. Zetzer believes the first, and easiest, way to initiate this transformation is through dialogue. Honest and multicultural dialogue is the first way to build alliances which can then “transform people and systems and turn intention into action,” thus slowly changing the persistence of white privilege.
-from Wikipedia's article on White Privilege

While I agree with Zetzer's argument, those few white folks who are aware of their privileges, don't know what action looks like. White guilt often places 'well intentioned' white people in teaching positions in urban schools, most of whom ultimately leave after a few years to return to the 'civilized' world of non-profits, law firms, etc. and who speak of their 'white knight' teaching experiences like military heros returning from war with purple hearts for valor and bravery.

Ultimately, those white people who are aware of their privileges, and who have seen the effects of such privileges (and lack thereof) on certain communities of people of color need to RETURN to their communities and EDUCATE white people not aware of their privileges, but especially those white folks who see themselves as the 'white knights.' I consider them to be the most dangerous, the wolves in sheep's clothing. They are individuals who have dipped their toes into some of these issues, and consider themselves authority figures on what 'poor children need.' They are not open-minded to their own racism and flaws. But then again, how could they be? I know firsthand that the education of white children in most predominately white schools promotes a sense of white superiority and faultlessness.

white folks need models of direct action against white privilege. But do such models of direct action against white privilege exist within white america? Yes, the intention might be there, but white people don't know how to act. Some direct their action towards people of color, and while I clearly understand the importance of understanding the 'other america,' the logic of this action makes little sense . As I try to better myself as a human being, I seek to find other such individuals to learn from, and sadly, I can't seem to find them. This only confirms to me how deeply white privilege and power is ingrained in our national consciousness. I think a lot of my frustrations come from the disconnection of american society due to residual effects of segregation. When there is a lack of understanding, there is distrust. Of course, many white people would deny any distrust. My approach to these issues is considred so radical that even 'progressive' whites accuse me of being racist against white people.

So I realize such tactics of anger and TRUTH will not work on the vast majority of white people. The rules of the game need to change. But...I AM ANGRY. And yes, I question if I, too, am a wolf in sheep's clothing, unknowingly. And until I can get rid of some of this anger and find productive ways of action and dealing with white people of all kinds, I cannot return. I am young and learning. I am passing. Insider/Outsider. Looking for strength because yes, this is a battle.

issues in attendance

great article on the importance of connecting students to their education in inner-city schools to improve attendance rates. i'm especially interested in this approach because this teacher uses media and technology as a means for indirectly improving attendance.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/one-class/