Growing a Personal Anti-racist Voice and Identity, my self-guided study, has now been completed. It takes approximately 90 minutes to finish and can be done individually or in small groups. With faith as its foundation, the study helps us find ways to restore oppressed people and bring racial healing, equity, and justice to the community. It includes discussion questions, definitions about racialization, ways to become involved in anti-racist movements, poetry, prayers, and other resources. The study is available as a single scrollable web page on Louisville Seminary’s website at lpts.edu/antiracistidentity and also as a 16 page downloadable pdf from the Anti-racism Digital Library.

Anti-racism is a part of Christian discipleship, a harmonious outpouring of the inner life. These tools are not to make anybody feel afraid, guilty, or ashamed. Nor do I mean to add pressure to add anti-racism as another commitment. Rather, they illuminate our journey and discern our next steps as disciples of Jesus Christ in today’s global and multi-cultural society.”

I began work on the Anti-racism Digital Library in 2015 with seed funding from the Presbyterian Women of the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii and the Center for Applied Research on Human Services at San Jose State University. Development of this edition of Growing a Personal Anti-racist Voice and Identity study came at the behest of Louisville Seminary President Alton B. Pollard, III, and several others from the seminary’s faculty and students. Thanks to Chris Wooton for all his help in making it accessible on the LPTS website.

Growing a Personal Anti-racist Voice and Identity. was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

After “acknowledging privilege” there is often little to no discussion of power, wealth, or material resources, and very little discussion or movement towards how one can or should organize themselves to overthrow white supremacy, develop an Antiracist voice and identity, and end the oppression of racism. Some people become ‘Allies’ but very few discuss all that needs to be changed with regard to systems of power and privilege. Will you make a determination today, the Holy Day of Pentecost that you will do more?

This Sunday is when we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples, 50 days after Jesus left. The Advocate that Jesus promised was now with the disciples to guide them. The Day of Pentecost is also the day the Christian Church was founded. The Advocate is with you, me, the church. It is time now for all who acknowledge privilege to live beyond acknowledgement. Time for Allies to do more. May we step up to the task with confidence. The Spirit of God is in us, individually, collectively guiding us. May we unite in the cause of justice to end the systems that have caused so many to say “I can’t breathe.” Breath of God, help us. Amen.

Beyond praying this with me, what will you do regularly, consistently, faithfully, to end the racist systems so that not another person will ever again have to say, “I can’t breathe?”

A Pentecost Prayer: Beyond Acknowledging Privilege, Allyship, And Solidarity To Ending Systems… was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I took the picture of this spider last summer and created interesting graphics. I was trying to come up with interesting variations on bioblitzing. How could it be done in backyards? I was stunned by the extinction numbers of insects: 40% of the 30 million or so insect species on earth ate threatened with extinction. I changed the spider’s gender and named her orb-weaver!

It was bliss bioblitzing! And, the pleasure lasted way beyond that magical mystical afternoon, when I sat in the lush California backyard habitat amid freshly harvested sweet smelling lavender.

Months later, I still am filled with happiness and sadness as I play with these graphics yet again. My friends who are gardeners tell me they haven’t seen many spiders recently. Has COVID19 killed them too? Or is it that my friends, mourning losses, have lost the ability to see? And what about airlines and flying? I’d stopped flying more than once or twice a year for almost a decade. Now, Covid19 may be helping many more people do that. Will insect species survive better now? Is that a gain or a loss? What do you say?

Carbon Free Flying in the Time of #Covid19 was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

French sorrel, a culinary and perennial herb, grows for the ninth year in a row in our garden.

The French sorrel is a perfect item for vegan cuisine where it can be used as both a green and a herb. Quite appropriate too, given the origins of the word herb. After all, in modern English, the word herb comes to us from Middle English, where it arrived via Old French from Latin herba meaning grass, green crops, herb.

Sorrel, lightly sautéed, pairs well with rice, potatoes, lentils, leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, mustard. Give it a try, and you’ll fall in love with the lemony tangy flavor. It is fantastic with pasta and the perfect lift to mixed salads, soups, pesto, and pizza. And whether you’re a new cook or an experienced chef, sorrel is virtually indestructible.

Oh, one thing the versatile French sorrel is not is stupid, although it might grow like weed (and weeds).

I say this because the Urban Dictionary notes that the origins of the word ‘herb’ lie in New York City, with a national commercial campaign by Burger King where it stated «Don’t be a herb, get the Whopper.» In it Herb was a combination of a nerd and a moron. Thus, on the streets, herb is a stupid person; on the internet, a herb is a geek or a dork; and, a weed!

Herb, of course, in my context is also the short form for herbivores! (Aside: I’ve begun to explore veganism.)

French Sorrel, in our suburban garden, grows year round and comes back year after year, without dying. Easy to grow, needing almost no care. That’s the magic of two growing seasons in Southern California. The sorrel grows like a weed, always plenty for the human herbs! If you don’t have it, find it in your local farmer’s market or try to grow it yourself. Sorrel is easy to grow in a pot on a sunny patio.

In the current Merriam Webster dictionary, herb has three different meanings: One. A herb is a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial plant that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season. Two. A herb is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities such as parsley, basil, and rosemary. Three. Herb is a slang word for recreational and medicinal marijuana.

The French Sorrel growing in my garden is an edible herb, a perennial green, a perfect ingredient for human herb cuisines! 🌱 Imagine a world where everyone is on a plant-based vegan diet, healthy and happy!

Bonus info: Sorrel is listed on the National Library of Medicine garden web page! Here’s their entry for sorrel: Sorrel – Rumex acetosella or Rumex acetosa – The cooling leaves of sorrel are known to allay thirst and aid in fevers. These leaves also serve as a diuretic. The NLM garden cultivates 75 to 100 herbs and Medline, the national medical digital library/database carries an incomplete list of herbs in their Herbs and Supplements section.

Is it a Weed? Is it a Green? No, it’s French Sorrel, a New Herbal Delight for your Vegan Cuisine! was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Millennial Man aka M&M texted Mom late into the night and then again, first thing, Saturday, a good morning greeting. Soon, a call and then, after making sure it was convenient, a visit. Equally impulsively, spontaneously, Mom offered M&M a handful of home grown blueberries picking it fresh from the bush. M&M was already tucking into a reheated leftover birthday party deep dish pizza slice.

Lazy Saturday. Being present. Nothing on Planet Earth — money, status, power, prestige, or anything else — match these magical mindful moments of simple living. An abiding love. A shared peace. Assertive hope in the future despite a world gone mad and bad with the predatory, exploitative, alienating gig economy, increasing greed triggering unbelievable human violence, species extinction, and a poverty of the collective mind amid amazing scientific and technological progress. Inexpressible experiences. Refuting the derogatory me. Reinforcing Generation We.

#FlashFiction #CreativeRealism #Millennials #SimpleLiving #Gardening #AdultChildren #Relationships #SaturdayBrunch #AlfrescoDining #PlanetaryPleasures #Sustainability #Reciprocity #Gratitude

Anybody who’s taken a statistics course knows that numbers don’t tell the whole story. In fact, one of the most popular and famous books is ‘How To Lie With Statistics.’ This is one reason why news reports which quote homelessness data end up confusing good people. A case in point is homelessness. Exactly how many people are experiencing homelessness? Is homelessness increasing or decreasing? Let’s take a look at 3 different reports that came out this week.

Fox News reported that statewide, California actually had the biggest overall decrease in the number of homeless people of any state from 2017 to 2018. Fox’s News is based on the December 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress by US HUD. It uses Point in Time (PIT) count data prior to 2018.

Given that many counties have new PIT Counts since 2017 (PIT is mandated every two years by HUD) this is pretty old data 😞. Which is ok but the sticky factor stats are important — have people stayed housed — and HUD also provides a 10 year assessment. Fox conveniently neglects to highlight the 10 year data because it does nothing to bolster their argument that homelessness is decreasing in California. The screenshot (above) from the report shows that over the last 10 years homelessness in California did NOT decline. Compare with Florida. You will see that homelessness in Florida decreased in the one year period of 2017–2018 as well as the 10 years from 2007–2018. Thus, it’s great that California has accomplished a decline in one year, but the important question is, will it sustain the decline over the next ten years?

The answer to that question from two other regional news that came out this week are regional suggests otherwise. California is not yet on track to sustain the decline in homelessness.

Here, in OC, according to CalOptima there’s ~ 10,000 people experiencing homelessness which is an increase from the Everyone Counts OC PIT Jan 2019 count of ~7,000. CalOptima expanded the HUD definition of homelessness to include people who are staying with friends and family/couch surfing, which makes sense from an insurance point of view.

In what is even more shocking news, “officials stunned” LA county too found their numbers have soared to ~59,000. LA reported that as people move into housing, more people are falling into homelessness because of economic hardships.

Again, all these different numbers makes sense if you’re in touch with non profits in housing/homelessness, housing advocates, and people experiencing homelessness themselves. The statistics will not confuse because you know there’s many different crises and systemic inequities in California that are also a part of the booming economy: mental health crisis, affordable health crisis, emergency shelter crisis, social nets failing, rents rising, gig jobs aren’t exactly paying top wages, income isn’t keeping with pace with living expenses in So Cal.

BL: Data is great but it can also distract, confuse, and overwhelm. The real truth is homelessness is yes, a large scale problem. But instead of trying to merely reducing people to numbers, we should remember these are individuals? People just like you and me with unique stories, no two of which are alike and in a civilized and affluent state such as California, not even one person should be living unsheltered.

#StoriesBehindNumbers #GetTheFacts #HomelessnessStatistics #California #OrangeCounty #LosAngeles #SoCal

The Stories Behind the Numbers: Is Homelessness in California Increasing or Declining? was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Thank you Mayor Don Wagner and Irvine City Council for allocating $3 million from the housing-in-lieu monies to the Nightmist Affordable Rental Housing project by the Irvine Community Land Trust (ICLT). In response, ICLT is adding extra low income units and reaching out to homeless veterans too.

In researching Irvine housing a few weeks ago I learned that the Irvine Community Land Trust’s Chelsea Development Agreement — called the Nightmist/Salerno Project - was almost ready to break ground. What was lacking was ~$1 million, shortfall in funding. Now, thanks to Mayer Wagner and the Irvine City Council, the project will begin with some much needed extra units. The Nightmist project had originally planned to make available a total of 102 units of which 35 permanent supportive housing units (i.e. housing with wrap around services) would have been built within one year (2019 end?) from breaking ground. Well done, Mayor Wagner and City Council. It is most encouraging to see how the Irvine City Council is working together to help end OC housing shortages and homelessness. Integrated housing, not segregation, is the Irvine way.

Credits: I am grateful to an I4E member for alerting me to Nightmist.

For more information: The Irvine Community Land Trust <http://www.irvineclt.com/contact>

References:

Irvine Community Land Trust. Budget for 2018–2019. URL: http://www.irvineclt.com/uploads/Agendas%20Minutes%202018/AgendaPacket5-21Meeting.pdf (Chelsea Development Agreement (Nightmist/Salerno Project) $3,800,000 — Attachment 4, page 20 of 56, pdf file)

Request for Irvine City Council Action. April 24, 2018. APPROVAL OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS 2018–2019 ACTION PLAN FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS. URL: http://irvine.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=68&event_id=1296&meta_id=85402 (draft Draft 2018-2019 Action Plan — pages 4, 52, 63 of 84 pages, pdf file)

Government, A Barrier or Catalyst Towards Healthy, Equitable Communities. Irvine Community Land Trust presentation, THRIVE Conference, Santa Ana, 20 April 2018. URL: http://www.sa-bhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/THRIVE-Santa-Ana-20-April-2018.pdf (slide 18 or 2, describes Nightmist).

Sean Joyce. April 2017 Priority Projects Status Report. Irvine Community Land Trust The Irvine Community Land Trust has issued a Request for Proposals for an affordable housing rental project on a 2.5-acre parcel conveyed to it by the City. The parcel is located at the corner of Sand Canyon and Nightmist Avenues. Five submissions were received; the Land Trust interviewed two developers in March and may select a developer by June. URL: http://legacy.cityofirvine.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=29219 (item 10, page 5 of 9 pages, pdf file).

Nightmist Affordable Rental Housing Development [report and presentation]. Irvine Community Land Trust Board meeting, June 19, 2017. URL: http://www.irvineclt.com/uploads/Agenda%20Minutes%202017/ICLTAgendaPacket06-19-17.pdf (Approve minutes of May 15, 2017 meeting, Agenda item 1; Nightmist is Agenda item 4, page 7 of 32 pages, pdf file)

Executive Director’s Report. Irvine Community Land Trust Board Meeting. Agenda February 21, 2017. URL: http://www.irvineclt.com/uploads/Agenda%20Minutes%202017/ICLTAgendaPacket02-21-17.pdf (Agenda item 2: Approval of minutes of January 23, 2017, page 7 or 16 pages, pdf file)

Sean Joyce. 30 January 2017. Priority Projects Status Report. The Irvine Community Land Trust authorized issuing a Request for Proposals on July 18, 2016 for an affordable housing rental project on a 2.5-acre parcel conveyed to it by the City. The parcel is located at the corner of Sand Canyon and Nightmist Avenues. Proposals were due January 18, 2017. Five submissions were received, which the Land Trust will be evaluating over the next six months. URL: http://legacy.cityofirvine.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=28619 (item 12, page 5 or 11 pages, pdf).

June 28, 2016. Request for City Council Action. AFFORDABLE HOUSING LAND TRANSFER AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF IRVINE AND THE IRVINE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. 69 pages. URL: http://irvine.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1105&meta_id=72657 (includes site location — attachment 1, page 4 on)

May 10, 2016. ACCEPTANCE OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE IN CYPRESS VILLAGE EAST (PLANNING AREA 40), PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE IRVINE LAND COMPANY, LLC DATED SEPTEMBER 29, 2006. URL: http://irvine.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=68&clip_id=3805&meta_id=71854

Nightmist Gets The Green Light was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In June the jacaranda trees in Irvine are in full bloom and the grass beside the sidewalks is still green. What’s caught my attention this June though is not the pretty pictures of beauty but the seamy underbelly of the city where I’ve lived for most of my life.

I spent a long time talking to two young people earlier today. I was getting to know them but then, I also wanted to make sure I’d got the basic facts right. She’d signed the I4E SOS and had reached out to me. UCI student living in Irvine. We agreed to meet for coffee. She brought a friend. It turned out he’s homeless, 29 years-old, a Veteran. Scammed by an Irvine landlady. She took $2k deposit for his room. The nice landlady said her printer was giving her problems. She would give him his copy of the lease later. She never did. He trusted her, she had kids, was living in this nice house in Irvine, world’s safest city, right? Long story short, after a couple of months, she calls the cops, has him evicted, won’t give him his security back. He has no proof. He lost his job.

Now, he’s living in his car with his survival gear. He has not been able to get a new job. Most of his time is taken up keeping himself clean, living balanced like he has a home and job, and disciplined (e.g. finding a way to cook and eat healthy, working out, biking, plus he saved when he worked as he always lived below his means). His statement that he was always looking for places to shower, keep clean, resonated Dr. Jacob Avery’s The Vicious Circle of Homelessness: homelessness is exhausting. Another shocker: It wasn’t until the very end I learned that she — the UCI student — who brought the young man to our meeting is homeless too.

Do you still think there are no homeless people in Irvine? Do you still think that homeless people don’t want to work? Do you still think Irvine should not offer its own residents — the young, the poor, our adult students — emergency housing and services? The truth about homelessness in the OC is in the 2017 UCI study: OC is one of the top ten most expensive places to live in the nation; income has grown only 10% while rent has grown 24%; people need to earn ~35 an hour to make the median rent of ~1,900 per month. Every city in the OC has homeless people. It just looks a little different in each of our 34 cities.

The NIMBY resistance, coupled with unjust landlord practices, is increasing OC housing shortages and contributing to homelessness. Some of the solutions that have been suggested are:

1) Every city, including Irvine, comply with its SB-2 zoning in the Housing Element and start providing emergency housing (and services); furthermore, every city comply with its SB-35 RHNA determinations to start increasing its supply of extremely low and very low income housing;

2) Offer much more public education and community engagement using data driven, objective, non-partisan analysis of this survival issue social problem;

3) Encourage more inclusive zoning “by right;” and

4) Shift land use decisions to a regional authority (e.g. proposed AB 448)

So to answer the title question: What do a UCI student, a veteran, and a landlady in the world’s safest city have in common? They all “live” in Irvine; but two are struggling to exist daily with the horrors of being homeless in the world’s safest city, while the third is probably safely fleecing another inexperienced new renter. To learn more about housing in Irvine, check out the I4E Digital Library.

#Irvine4Everyone

What Do A UCI Student, A Vet, And A Landlady In The World’s Safest City Have In Common? was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Irvine4Everyone Digital Library is one of the creative outcomes from an I4E meeting with Mayor Wagner and City staff, on May 15, 2018. I4E is a growing group of residents who have come together in the wake of horrific protests against siting a temporary emergency shelter on county-owned land across from the Orange County Great Park in Irvine. I4E supports the creation of the full spectrum of housing in Irvine, including emergency housing that is part of an integrated housing campus and county plan for ending homelessness. The Mayor welcomed the I4E signons and responses. Efforts to help leaders and residents learn about homelessness are welcome and valuable, he encouraged. Community outreach and education that de-stigmatizes homeless people, increases awareness about homelessness, and supports local leadership is critical for successful homelessness plans (OC Grand Jury, 2018; ILG, 2018). Public libraries, churches, and social networks are “third places,” easily accessible, trusted community builders, who strengthen communities as key hubs.

Thus, we have created I4E Digital Library as a housing hub, a third place; it exists to de-stigmatize and de-mystify homeless people, empower learning about Irvine housing development, and create permanent solutions for ending homelessness and increasing housing supply in the OC. The I4E Digital Library brings together high quality, peer-reviewed research, evidence based information resources, carefully curated community stories about housing and homelessness, and tools for advocacy and bold conversations.

One such collection is Keep Irvine Safe and Strong collection. KISS is a growing set of peer reviewed research resources and reports about homelessness related to crime, publicity safety, and security. When completed it will have the classic resources, data, and best practices to help residents find research data to questions such as: Does homeless housing increase or decrease crime? Does it increase or decrease property values? What is the public safety approach to homelessness? E.g. After the shouting, do shelters and supportive housing harm neighborhoods?

The Housing Irvine collection, HI, brings together resources that help residents easily stay updated about the development of the full spectrum of housing in Irvine. E.g. Changing Household Characteristics of Irvine (2010–2016).

Tools:

• Bold Inclusive Conversations — Resident talks on polarizing topics
• Ready to Advocate? Contact information for local elected officials and talking points.
• Want to Serve? Opportunities to get to know a homeless/formerly homeless person.
• Story to Share? Contribute personal Images, Narratives/Stories, and Hyperlinks

Featured Item: Answers to Questions: About the Current Homelessness Crisis in the OC — Answers to 8 questions sent by those planning to attend the UCI Sociology Professors Forum on Homelessness hosted by the OC Chinese Americans Parents Book Club and Future Chinese Leaders of America on May 31st in Corporate Park, Irvine.

Educators, librarians, and web developers, especially if you are located in the city of Irvine or Orange County, CA, are invited to join the I4E DL advisory team. Send requests, comments, questions and recommendations for shaping and using the I4E digital library and housing hub to: irvineforeveryone@gmail.com

The I4E Digital Library to Support Local Advocacy and Community Outreach for Ending Homelessness in… was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Yesterday (05/30/2018) we were privileged to see our community engage in an informative and thought-provoking event: Homelessness Forum with UCI Sociology Professors. Thanks to Jing Sun who organized the forum (see his invite at end) and reminded the audience “we read to change our life.” Dr. Su (social movements researcher at UCI) moderated; Dr. Snow (author of the classic text on street homelessness “Down on your luck” and the “2017 Costs of OC Homelessness” lead researcher opened with these words: “Ongoing debate has concerned us deeply as UCI faculty.”Dr. Jacob Avery researcher of street homelessness and poverty has lived with homeless people; Dr. Snow also did so when he did his research on homelessness.

We all know the humanitarian and moral costs of homelessness. We learned the financial costs of housing first model it is much more economical, and the cost of doing nothing is expensive, not an option.

Stunningly, we heard and saw ‘laws’ and ordinances in cities for “status offenses.” Homeless people are being increasingly criminalized for doing things that’s not their fault: sleeping in public places, hanging out; fined, jailed for not paying fines, circle continues. Dr. Avery called it The Vicious Circle of Homelessness. People who are poor become homeless because there’s a housing shortage for very low incomes. Just imagine it: You have no home. Yet, you must sleep, eat, keep clean, etc. How do you get a job without an address, clean clothes, or a car in image conscious sprawling So Cal? You sleep in the park because you don’t have a home and you get fined; you can’t pay the fine because you can’t afford it, and so you get sent to jail. Then you come out, back on the street again, except now its worse. You have a record. So you’re even more worse off!

You can see the entire photo album of the presentations here in the I4E Facebook album <https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.627015884303086.1073741832.610484419289566&type=1&l=bb655436c8>

The forum was hosted by the Orange County Chinese American Parents Book Club (OCCPBC) and the Future Chinese Leaders of America (FCLA). I’m very happy and proud to count some of them among Irvine4Everyone. We’re all working towards a solution, not just as individuals but also as one community. This is the Irvine I know and love, working together, smartly, looking out for one another, our homeless neighbors and the domiciled, to solve one of the most “vicious” problems of our times.

#Irvine4Everyone #IrvineForEveryone #EndHomelessnessOC

Invite from Jing Sun: More than a month ago, a lot of discussions and debates erupted among Southern Orange County residents in the wake of a group of homeless people. In an effort to help community know more about the history, the current situation and potential solutions of homelessness issue, The Orange County Chinese Parents Book Club (OCCPBC) and Future Chinese Leaders of America (FCLA) have invited professor Dr. David Snow, Dr. Jacob Avery and Dr. Yang Su, three experts in researching homelessness, social inequality and poverty from Department of Sociology of UCI, to present their research results on the true cause of homelessness and the better initiative to combat it. Please come and join other socially-conscious community members to understand this issue in our lives so we all can make a difference in fighting to end homelessness in Orange County.

The Vicious Circle of Homelessness was originally published in Charis Research on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.