She came to our class with a microphone…three microphones actually.

Francesca is a Journalism graduate student at the Annenberg School of communication.

Maybe she will go report in Hong Kong next year. Maybe I can carry her bags?

She had heard and read about the arts and gardens program.

She loved our blogs, and when she met the kids, she fell in love with them. It would take a hard heart not to. Cute, charming, intelligent, inquisitive (sometimes a bit TOO inquisitive) open, innocent and fresh (like flowers, not sassy although sometimes…) what’s not to like?

She interviewed the kids’ one by one outside in the garden.

When I peered out the window, I saw that they had spread out into a chorus line and were performing an improvised number just for her (and the camera.)

The kids were drawn to the camera like oleander aphids to milkweed and like ladybugs to aphids. It appears that most of them are frustrated screen writers.

 She wants to do two programs on us!

One on the arts and one on the gardens!

Later in class, she interviewed me. She wired me up with a smaller mike.

How come I didn’t get to talk into that one?” Casey demanded

“Because you’re not a teacher,” I said

 I waxed eloquent on the need for art. The need for greenery and gardens. The need to learn about other species, to respect all life.

“You were Good Miss,” Said Letty (They often call me Miss.)

 I do believe that the problem is not racism but specism. If we can be cruel to other, more helpless creatures, how can we love our sisters and brothers and ourselves?

“ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Gandhi

After all, Not only do humans share 99% of DNA with each other, we share 98% with chimpanzees and at least 50% with plants! (Some people I know share a lot more.)

Actually, this is a number we need to be careful with.

There is only one type of DNA!  ALL animals and plants share the same DNA (a code of only 4 ‘letters’ for amino acids from which all proteins are made.) It is not surprising that all animals and plants have the majority of their  genes in common. On the other hand, some genes are very significant. After all, only one gene is responsible for sex. However, this gene acts as a switch and directs other genes to produce the huge range of differences.

Although the DNA of any two people on Earth is, in fact, 99.9% identical, even a tiny difference can have a big effect if this difference is located in a critical gene.

 Still, all have a place in this wondrous web we call the world.

I believe in the need to learn about other species and to respect life, even life that often goes out of its way not to be respected, like snails.

 We (as in we humans, specifically French humans) brought over our pesky garden snail (Helix aspersa.) It was actually imported for munchies (escargot.) And like most imports, it fled and thrived in a land not designed for it. No predators stopped its migration, unless you want to count the French and a few ducks.

Snails have REALLY interesting sex lives, (after all they are French) as well as being simultaneous hermaphrodites (both male and female at the same) and engage in mutual copulation.

 Mating begins with a courting ritual. Garden snails court anywhere from 15 minutes to six hours, circling each other, touching with tentacles, and biting on the lip and genitals.

Then each snail snails fires a dart (made of calcium) into the genital area of their partner (which happens to be just behind the head on the right side).

(Love darts are strangely common: 17 of the 65 families of terrestrial snails use them.)

We aren’t certain why, but it may be that the dart causes contractions in the female part of the reproductive organs, helping the sperm find its way into a sperm storage chamber.

When it comes to mating, snails could easily star in “Big Love.” They copulate frequently with many partners and can store sperm for up to two years.

And now, for a good word for the evolutionary benefits of switch-hitting.

Snails, who don’t exactly travel fast and have no access (that we know of) to internet dating, might never meet a mate. So it helps to be able to you mate with any adult of your species you come across, not just half of them.

The ultimate ability (one that some hermaphrodites actually have) is to fertilize yourself. It seems like some superhero/heroine ability. Super man indeed, how about Super Snail!

Incidentally, snails evolved more than 600 million years ago. They live anywhere from 15-25 years. Snails are Mollusks. (Mollusks can be very different! From clams to octopus but they all:

•  Lack skeletons and have soft bodies.
• Some, but not all are covered by hard shells.
• Bodies are divided into three parts: head, foot, and mantle.

 Notes from Art Class

Our Melon… with clay snowflakes

Brandon made an innovative 3 story bird a frame.

“I never thought I’d make something like this,” he told me excitedly. “I never could have believed it. I kept thinking ‘I’m done,’ and then another idea would come to me!”  

Kids spent last night making xmas hangings and bird houses.

In our Garden…our wildflower seeds are emerging. White/ green poppy leaves, dark ear-like fox gloves (digitalis, the same digitalis from which the heart medicine is made) and the tiny hands of the Lupine.  The lupine’s roots, like other legumes (beans, peas, lentils, etc.) have nodes with colonies of nitrogen fixing bacteria, Rhizobium that takes nitrogen from the air and “fixes it into the soil.

Lupine gets its name from the Latin word for wolf – lupus. (You Harry Potter Fans ought to know that one.)

 Due to its nitrogen, fixing qualities lupine can survive in poor soil.  Seeing lupine growing, even thriving in poor soil, it was thought that lupines robbed or “wolfed up” all the minerals from the soil. We now know that the opposite is true. . Lupine actually deposits nitrogen into the soil , enriching the earth so that other plants can grow!

Lupine has made it to the far, shores of New Zealand, where like Monsieur/ Madame Helix aspersa in California it is a pest.

It grows lush and lovely there. The most vigorous, healthy lupine I have ever seen! It spreads out, claiming riverbanks, leaving no room for native birds to nest.

Last winter (their summer) when I was there, volunteer groups along the river were pulling up lupine. As they pulled, the birds sat and waited impatiently, with twigs in their beaks, for the clearing of the banks.

Notes:

Create Now has generously donated Nutcracker tickets.

 “I always watch the Nutcracker movie every December on TV.

This will be my first time seeing nutcracker so I am excited.” – Arizbe Garcia.

Thanks, Create Now for making opportunities like this possible!

I remember dancing every year!

Community residents gathered at Mercado La Paloma last Saturday to celebrate Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe.   It is the most important celebration among the catholic tradition, especially in Mexico. 

December 12 is celebrated in honor of when Virgen de Guadalupe revealed to Juan Diego in mount Tepeyac in the year 1531.  On this date, thousands of people make the most important pilgrimage and La Virgen de Guadalupe is honored with roses, music and Aztec dancers.

The celebration was organized by Juan Antonio owner of Oaxacalifornia, a vendor at Mercado La Paloma. 

Esperanza promotoras and many others attend action at City Hall.

A cohort of nine community-based organizations and community residents rallied around City Hall on Thursday to celebrate Human Rights Day 2009. On December 10, 1948, members of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Sixty-one years later, in single file form, two hundred people marched through the farmer’s market and encircled City Hall. We called for our mayor and the City Council to prioritize one main issue: that housing become an inalienable right for Angelinos.

As we gathered around the Christmas tree adorned with big presents and bright lights (see image below), some stuck their picket signs in the wrapped boxes hoping to receive the gift of secure housing this holiday season. Korean drums could be heard amongst car honks and foot traffic on another “business as usual” downtown day. But for us, the action symbolized a unity of cultures, races, and organizations that marched for changes in housing policy.

Sadly, in Los Angeles, low-income families and individuals have been subjected to harassment from landlords, housing insecurity, gentrification, homelessness, and forced evictions. Although City Hall fails to uphold the principles of the UDHR, on Thursday many of us were saying “si se puede, yes we can” have the right to housing.

We ended the action under the Sister Cities post, on the corner of 1^st and Main. (see image below)Residents shared testimonies with their experiences with housing and homelessness.  One woman said “I was one of these stuck up people with their head up their you know what, until homelessness hit me” after that she decided she would “fight for this her whole life.” Her and many others understand the gravity and urgency of “housing as a human right”, and to secure this right for all Angelinos we will continue to fight for years to come.

Leading a presentation in a college classroom, Linda Valverde organizer for the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), asked students to describe Skid Row using one word. Students overwhelmingly characterized the community with words such as “prostitution, drug use, mental illness, and homelessness.” Linda said, “Well, I’m here to say: demystify the myth, because I am a community member of seven years in Skid Row, I live AND work in Skid Row.”

Although many characterize the Skid Row community with negative attributes, Linda and many others not only live in Skid Row but are also working to change conditions for themselves and their neighbors. Homelessness has never been a political priority over the last 30 years. There is a myth that people choose to be homeless (see Linda’s story). The myth that there are 100’s of beds available in the missions, but more importantly how folks actually get into shelters, the long, long waiting lists, programs being discontinued because of the economic crisis which is now leading to more housing crisis.

It is Monday morning. Eight Skid Row residents are gathered around the table at City Hall; to oppose the allocation of up to $20,000,000 in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds to the Amerland Company for the Roslyn Hotel rehabilitation project at 112 W. 5^th Street. Among them is Linda. They outnumber the City Hall official, and a lobbyist for the developer who is trying to take over the Roselyn Hotel petitioning for federal money. This developer, Ruben Islas also received over 100 million dollars in public financing for two projects in the City of Los Angeles; the Alexandria Hotel and the Frontier Hotel now known as the “Roslyn Lofts” The history:

1. The LA City Attorney filed criminal charges against Amerland Group for fire code violations at both of their properties in April 2008. The violations were corrected with Amerland pleading no contest to criminal charges.
2. A federal lawsuit was filed against Amerland Group/Logan Property Management by ten current and former Alexandria Hotel tenants in December 2007 due to race and disability discrimination and other illegal business practices. The suit was settled in February 2009 resulting in a $1,000,000 combined payment among defendants that compensated about 100 wrongfully displaced tenant and 10 named plaintiffs. The City and CRA/La (also named in the suit) paid $450,00 in cash toward the settlement, spent almost $400,000 dollars in outside legal fees, as well as incurred the legal expenses of the City Attorney’s office.

One by one they share their testimonies recounting the inhumane conditions they endure where they live: bug infestations, no running water, and cut-off electricity. The Skid Row community members are on a mission: they have come not as “experts” in public policy, but as “experts” in the problems of poverty who want their voices heard before government officials.

Ms. Barbara an older woman speaks out about her experiences as an Alexandria resident. She warns the city official that “the main problem” at the Roselyn is the landlord’s attitude. Ms. Barbara explains to the city official that “they can be nice to you, but they will come with a knife to your back,” metaphorically speaking. Barbara refers to the eviction threats she has received. She witnesses unidentifiable bugs that crawl everywhere, making some residents break out in hives. She highlights the harassment residents endure from the security guards who patrol the property.

Al, another a long time resident of the Roslyn Hotel, reiterates many of the problems Ms. Barbara has highlighted. He describes the residents who signed the petition he led in the building. Many of them he says, live on our below the poverty level. He collected ninety-six signatures from his neighbors who opposed the Roselyn take over. Although residents might be labeled poor, leaders like Al inspire neighbors to sign a petition, demonstrating that they care about issues that affect them.

These are examples that the students in Linda’s class, did not get a chance to see. Al, Ms. Barbara and Linda are examples of Skid Row residents who are on the frontline, fighting on behalf of the disenfranchised.  They understand the pressure residents feel knowing they might end up in the streets. Anyone present in the room at City Hall filled with Skid Row residents would have witnessed their passion and energy. The mission is far from over, but hope remains. Community members like Linda, Al, and Ms. Barbara are driving it forward.

Story by: drea

Published by: LACAN

Imagine you are a mother living in a single room with your husband and four small children, 4 boys and 1 girl. The space you occupy with your family is infested with roaches and rats, and there is no central air to cool the hot summers nor is there heat to warm the cold winters. The kids are constantly getting sick. Some are coughing, some have tummy aches and others have a cold that never ends. You repeatedly find yourself in the emergency room in a desperate attempt to cure your child’s ills.

When you go home, and you get a moment to yourself, you feel ashamed because the living environment is causing your family pain. You are ashamed to invite family and friends for dinner because there is no were to sit. This was the story of Alejandra Cruz before she became a tenant of Esperanza Community Housing Corporation at a building called Senderos.

For twenty years, Alejandra has been a resident in South Central Los Angeles moving from single room to single room with her 5 children; one of them was Roberto. When he was in 5^th grade Roberto remembers moving into a building on the corner of 2141 Estrella Ave. Before Esperanza renovated the building, Roberto remembers the space being a little bigger than previous rooms, but still not big enough for a family of seven, “there was no space,” he says. “Our parents, my brothers and sister all shared one bed.” “It was hard to go to school and get ready in the morning.”

Now think back to when you were 11 years old and you want to invite your friends over to hang out. If you were Roberto this was unthinkable because of the lack of space. You show up to school with bug bites all over your arms, because the building you live in is infested with bed bugs. One day your mom says “we’re moving they’re going to remodel the building” you don’t know what the move entails but you pack up and leave.

Roberto had no idea the next time he would move back into the building on Estrella avenue, he would be walking into a completely renovated 3 bedroom apartment. Alejandra says that the emergency visits were officially over. Gone were the tummy aches, and incessant coughs. The bed bugs have also vanished. The Cruz family is breathing easier, and finding time to consistently go to school and stop missing work.

This is what it means to have healthy housing, this is what it means to transform a life through housing restoration. As Alejandra puts it,“ the newly remodeled building gave us our health back.” Now Angela and her children, Roberto who is now 21, can enjoy the company of family and friends in their spacious  apartment. Alejandra loves seeing Roberto and her other children hang out in the living room.  “Everybody works and goes to school,” “We’re all doing good,” she says as her face lights up.

Senderos Interview to Alejandra and Roberto Cruz

Interview: Monic and Fabiola. Story written by drea.

On Sunday, November 1st, 2009  community members, mercado vendors and Esperanza staff gathered at Mercado la Paloma to celebrate Day of the Dead.

Private altars honoring those that have passed populated el Mercado la Paloma decorated by marigolds, sugar skulls, bread (pan de muerto), pictures of loved ones, and fruit. In addition to that the traditional papel picado hung above and  face painting of Calaveras took place. Finally there was a touch of musical entertainment from Los Angeles native 16-year old Leily Sanchez  and community member of Salvadorean descent Moises Matamoros filling the air with melodic singing.

Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico and by many Latin Americans in the United States. Many other cultures across the world celebrate this custom of honoring the dead and celebrating the living. If you’re interested to read more about Dia de los Muertos link here.

So there it was.  Right across the street.  A dry strip of land just calling to us.  like our patch of soil, between sidewalk and street, but without weeds, onlydirt. 

 ”Should we start a new garden?” I asked. “YES!” the children cried in chorus.  “Do you think we need to ask?” “No,” everyone agreed. “We never see anyone over there.”  There is a dog behind the gate.  He carries in his mouth a dish.  The kids say he is hungry and thirsty and want to give him water and food.  We take a plastic bowl from the art class; fill it with water, gingerly pushing it beneath the fence.  The dog laps at it a bit, but I suspect his real joy lies in having something new to carry about in his mouth.  Casey runs home for a sausage.  The dog eats it hungrily, but then any dog would.  We plant our new garden with cuttings from the old.  Succulents, which are filled with water, make good cuttings, as do mints.  All mints have square stems.  “Sedges have edges; rushes are round; grasses are hollow right up from the ground”.

The next day I arrive with seeds, humming bird and butterfly flower mixes as well as pumpkin and watermelons.  It’s really too late i the season, but hey, it’s LA.  We have no seasons here.  And then the rains begin…Not for long but for long enough.  The residents smile as they walk by.  They enjoy the plants and children.  “Butterfly seeds,” I say, “We will have many lovely flowers.

Our Sunflowers grow huge.  The sunflower belongs to the “composite family.”  This means that every flower contains two kinds of flowers “Ray flowers” (The petals) and “disk flowers” (Inside).

Composites have miniaturized and simplified each flower, then packed them together, so that the many flowers look like one. 

In other words, the sunflower (any composite) is actually a bouquet of hundreds of flowers!

(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

A child said What is the grass?  fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child?  I do not know what it is any more than he.

I guess…it is the handkerchief of the Lord,…

Or I guess the grass is itself a child…Sprouting alike in broad zones and narrow zones, Growing among black folks as among white, …And now it seems to me the beautiful uncut hair of graves.

I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars

–Walt Whitman