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August, 2015 • germantownnewspapers.com • gtavenue.blogspot.com • Philadelphia, PA 19119
Foster Survives Republican
Petition Challenge
On Ballot for Mayor of Philadelphia ... page 3
Lou Lanni Writes on Apathy ... page 5
The Union Exclusion by Olivia Drake ... page 7
Fresh Visions Theater of Germantown ... page 13
Page 2
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Foster Beats Back GOP Challenge
At about 1 p.m. on Wednesday August 12, 2015, Jim Foster, Independent Candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia, overrode a challenge to his petitions by Matt Wolfe of the Philadelphia
Republican party.
That challenge was filed just one minute before the deadline
Aug. 10. Signatures gathered in the prior two weeks were just
short of triple the number required for ballot access.
Since Foster is a life-long registered Independent, he can gather
the signatures from individuals of all party registrations and the
gatherers can be from all political parties as long as they are registered voters in the City of Philadelphia.
Foster intends to formally define his candidacy at several locations in the next few days beginning with Germantown and moving across the city.
Foster said his platform “will focus on current and past fiscal
mismanagement, corruption and how a government run on distractions has shielded the citizens from the facts.”
He will be amplify his charge that “it is a well-established fact
that Philadelphia has the highest level of deep poverty in the nation and that leads to the greatest disparity between the haves and
have nots.”
Scott Alloway
Democrats Hold Three House Seats
Philadelphia Democrats retained three Pennsylvania House
seats which were vacant due to two criminal convictions and a retirement by former lawmakers. The districts all have large Democratic Party registration majorities.
The winners were Donna Bullock, Joanna McClinton, and City
Councilman Ed Neilson. All three seats had been held by Democrats. Two were vacant because of resignations tied to guilty pleas
for corruption charges. One was vacant because the officeholder
won a seat in the state Senate.
Even with the three-seat pickup for Democrats, Republicans
maintain a large majority in the House. The GOP will hold 119
members while Democrats will have 84 in the current session.
There are 14 months left in the terms won yesterday and all three
will be on the ballot in November, 2016.
MAAG Seeks A New Home
M
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er
’s
The Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG) lease will expire August 31,
2016, and unexpectedly, we have not been granted the option to
renew it. This means that, as we look toward next year, the Mt.
Airy Art Garage will need to find a new home. The Mt. Airy Art
Garage will be launching a major campaign to help find a new
home and to hire paid staff. We are convinced, with community
and city-wide help and commitment, together, we can do this.
— Community Meeting, Thursday, Aug. 20, 7 pm at MAAG (11
W. Mt. Airy Ave.) Next steps.
— ArtBash, Sat., Sept. 19, 6 pm featuring James Dupree. Music
with Dena Underwood
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New Foundations, Inc.
Open your heart and home to a child in need.
Become a resource parent.
Please call 215-203-8733
or visit us at www.nfi4kids.org
Page 3
Page 4
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
Making Peace around the World … Interview with Senator George Mitchell
by Sabina Clarke
I am on a transatlantic call with former
Senator George Mitchell ensconced in the
Meridian Piccadilly Hotel in London’s
West End near Piccadilly Circus. I want to
lapse into a leisurely conversation about
The Troubles and his penetrating and insightful book Making Peace (1999) which
I devoured. It is a riveting behind the
scenes account of his coddling , cajoling
and patiently listening to all the dissenting
Northern Ireland parties — their ancient
grudges, their laundry lists of grievances
and their dramatic ‘walkouts’— while
doing a balancing act between the two
governments .
It is like having a front row seat to history in the making while illuminating the
painstaking task Mitchell undertook as
special envoy to the North that led, after
two and a half years of intense negotiations, to the cobbling together of the historic April 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
I want to talk about the public face of the
Northern Ireland Peace Process that began
with the August 1994 IRA ceasefire and
the granting of Gerry Adams’ visa and his
October 1994 visit to Philadelphia —but
I am here to conduct an interview about
Mitchell’s memoir The Negotiator…Reflections on an American Life ( 2015 ,
Simon & Schuster, New York, NY,
$28.00) which I highly recommend. It is
a fascinating mix of the personal and professional filled with entertaining anecdotes
and serious reflections on his remarkable
life.
I first heard George Mitchell address the
World Affairs Council in Philadelphia on
March 17th 1998 about the state of the NI
Peace Process. At the time I wondered
why there were no sanctions against the
Unionists for refusing to talk to Sinn Fein
during a particular impasse in the talks. I
now understand that he was walking a very
delicate tightrope during the entire time of
the negotiations. He had to choose his
words carefully and wisely as the neutral
facilitator. A few months later he received
the prestigious Liberty Medal for his
peacemaking. It was then that I had the opportunity to meet him face to face.
Despite his amazing portfolio, he struck
me as a humble man who just happened to
accomplish great things. And in my
dreams last night I asked him what was his
favorite subject in school —an innocuous
non-sequitur –obviously this interview
was on my mind.
SC You say that your mother was the
most influential person in your life—what
was her impact on you?
GM She was a very strong forceful
person who kept us going through difficult
times. She had more common sense and
good moral judgment than anyone I have
ever known.
SC What is the greatest lesson you
learned from your father?
GM Never give up. My father had a
tough time. He was the son of Irish immi-
grants but never knew his parents. Although he didn’t have any schooling, he
was an avid reader. He left school after the
4th grade to begin a long life of hard work
and low wages. His childhood was short.
SC In addition to your parents you are
grateful to Elvira Whitten your former
English teacher at Waterville High School;
how did she influence you?
GM She was a very influential person
in my life. She opened me up to a world of
books. My big regret was not going back
to thank her personally.
SC Your portrait of your brother Robbie and your last conversation with him
was poignant. Do you miss him?
GM I miss him every day. He was a
great guy. Although I am close with all my
brothers and sister, I spent the most time
with Robbie. His wife Janet still lives in
Waterville. They have seven children. I
often see reminders of him in his children.
SC Your three older brothers were all
star athletes winning the State Championship and the National Championship—
and you were not—did that bother you?
GM I had a massive inferiority complex; I was not in their league and they
teased me about that.
SC You say that your father encouraged you to succeed in other ways—what
did he say?
GM He urged me to study, to read, and
to get the education he never had. He encouraged me without discouraging them.
He kept sports in the proper perspective.
He said ‘Someday your brothers will look
up to you the way you look up to them.’
SC Did it happen?
GM In a big way on election night in
1982 when I was elected to the Senate. Just
as I was about to address the crowd, my
brother Johnny, the greatest athlete in the
family and one of the best known athletes
in Maine history posed with me in a victory photo. He had his arms draped around
me mugging for the camera. The next day
the Portland Express carried the photo of
me with Johnny referring to him as my
“unidentified supporter.” (laughing). I still
tell that story today.
SC You have said that although your
parents died penniless they achieved their
dream because all their children went to
college.
GM My parents were intelligent people
but they had no education and so they had
an exaggerated sense of belief in education. My father could not imagine us graduating from college and not succeeding in
life. In his mind, you could not possibly
fail if you had an education.
SC Why do you think they were so successful as parents?
GM I think it was a combination of factors. One was their total dedication to their
children and their concept of education.
Also, the simple good luck that we were
born in America. My father was an FDR
Democrat and a very devout religious Maronite Catholic and my mother lived the
ideals of the gospel; she did not just recite
them. She never had a bad word to say
about anybody. Their values were simple:
faith, family, work, country.
SC Do you feel you have lived the
American Dream?
GM I do. I feel very very lucky in my
life and I am very grateful.
SC Do you think the promise of the
American Dream is disappearing?
GM Well, I think that a child born
today would not have as good a chance
as I did.
SC President Bill Clinton nominated
you to the Supreme Court—but you turned
it down; do you have any regrets about
this?
GM Only when I read a decision with
which I particularly disagree as in the Citizens United case on campaign finances –
—one of the worst decisions ever made by
any Supreme Court in history. It is already
causing problems for our country and its
future.
SC As Chair of the Northern Ireland
Peace Talks, you made a promise to all
parties involved—what was that promise
and why was it so important?
GM I told them I would listen to anything they had to say and they could talk
as long as they wanted—which I came to
regret later (laughing) because I had to listen to the same speeches over and over for
hours on end. And at the start of the negotiations, I told them that any agreement
would be theirs; that I was not there to impose an agreement on them on behalf of
President Clinton or the United States and
that every single word in the agreement
would be written by them.
SC What was the greatest challenge
you faced when chairing the NI peace
talks?
GM I think the length and intensity of
the conflict hardened the positions on all
sides. There was very little inclination to
listen to the other side let alone compromise with them. I think that is why it took
so long.
SC Did you ever get all 10 political
parties representing both governments in
the same room at the same time?
GM Never.
SC Four months after the April 10th,
1998 Good Friday Agreement, a bomb
planted by the Real IRA went off in
Omagh. Can you describe your feelings
meeting with the Omagh victims?
GM It was a very moving meeting.
After the bombing, President Clinton
asked me if I would accompany him to
Northern Ireland for a meeting with the
families of those who were killed and the
survivors who had been injured. It was a
very humid Saturday evening for Northern
Ireland and it was jam packed with hundreds of people in a recreation center. After
the President spoke I met with some of the
families and some of the victims—one of
whom was 15 year old Claire Gallagher.
Claire was an aspiring pianist who lost her
sight in both eyes because of the blast. She
was quite amazing. She urged me not to
give up and to go on.
SC Of all your many awards and honorary degrees—which are you proudest
of?
GM I would say my time in Northern
Ireland and the honorary degree I received
from Queens University in Belfast; and
later being asked to be Chancellor of
Queens University.
SC The convergence of your Lebanese
and Irish ancestry with your appointments
as Chair of the Northern Ireland Peace
Process and Special Envoy to the Middle
East seems preordained; does this amaze
you even now?
GM It does and that is why I ended the
book with reminiscences about my two
parents and the two countries and my dual
heritage
SC The signing of the Good Friday
Agreement was an historic event— how
were you able to resolve this 800 year old
intractable conflict? What skills did you
bring to the table that enabled you to succeed where others failed?
GM It wasn’t just me; I think that many
people had a lot to do with it. I think the
real heroes were the political leaders and
the people of Northern Ireland who came
together in a crucial moment. In my case,
I tried to be patient and fair and to treat
everyone with respect and give them a
chance to make their case and search for
common ground which might serve as a
basis for an agreement, ultimately.
SC What are your children doing now?
GM Yesterday my daughter Claire had
a kind of a graduation ceremony—she
goes to the Spence School in New York.
When they leave the 8th grade, they have
a mini graduation ceremony. My son Andrew goes to Loyola, a Jesuit High School
in Manhattan. Right now he is on a college
tour visiting Boston College.
George Mitchell served as Democratic
Senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995
and Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to
1995. He was appointed Chair of the
Northern Ireland Peace Talks and U.S.
Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. In
1998 he was awarded the Liberty Medal in
Philadelphia; and in 1999 he was awarded
the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has
received more than 50 honorary degrees.
In 1998, he was nominated for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Lou’s Views
Thoughts on Apathy
To our readers:
We welcome the inclusion of Lou Lanni
as part of our regular commentary team
with this issue. Lou is a lifelong
Philadelphia resident and currently in
the real estate business. Educated in
Philadelphia Public Schools and Temple
University, he served with the Philadelphia Police Department in challenging
assignments and has an above average
grasp of how this city operates, and who
does the operating. Informed and committed to better governance, we have
heard from Lou in letters to the editor in
the recent past and now welcome him on
a regular basis.
JIm Foster
Publisher
Like every other Philadelphian, I am
sick and tired of hearing about our hopelessly failing and perennially broke public schools. I am equally sick and tired of
the yearly tax increases that never seem
to be enough to make things right, and
collectively speaking, the useless, so
called leaders we have who seem incapable of bringing us through this mess.
The recent primary elections put those
who would lead our city on full display.
With one or two exceptions, they are absolutely oblivious to the existence of this
growing failure, or to the consequences
to our city of letting it continue, let alone
having any idea of what to do about it.
You would think these people lived in a
different country. They rarely, if ever
talked about the schools, or it's first
cousin - poverty. And why should they ?
They knew that only 15 or 20 percent of
the voters were going to turn out on election day - even when we were selecting
a new mayor and all members of city
council. Why talk about a ticking time
bomb when all one has to do is to keep
his head down, speak in general terms,
and coast to another four years on the
public dime. Apathy is their best friend,
and our worst enemy.
I say this as a graduate of the Philadelphia Public Schools, albeit the class of
1977, who remembers having a good educational experience. And as a life long
Philadelphian who remembers a time
when the schools were not in constant
crisis. And as a former city policeman,
who knows well how important a good
education is when it comes to preparing
the youth of this city for a bright and
happy future - and what comes of those
who fall through the cracks. I spent years
locking a lot of people up who, if they
had the opportunities that others have in
many other communities, did not have to
end up in prison.
Now I said ticking time bomb. I see our
failing schools not just failing the youth
of this city, but setting us all up for much
deeper problems that grow by the day, in
spite of the rosy pronouncements coming
from city hall. The people who talk to
you about a growing city should take a
trip outside of their insular worlds to
West Philly or Kensington Avenue. It's
rough out there. And - it doesn't have to
be this way.
Uneducated people have limited, if any
opportunities at a rewarding career. But
they still have to eat. The result is that
they go out on the street to "get paid" rob, steal, peddle drugs and victimize...
to get by. A lot of them become wards of
the government by relying on expensive
social programs for their housing, food,
and medical care. Thousands of them
crowd our jails and prisons. Too many of
them get killed in the process. After a
while, they loose all hope, and settle in to
a life of despair. The result is institutional,
life long poverty. Our city has the highest
poverty level of any of America's big
cities. And - it doesn't have to be this way.
In our city, where our mayor and council never saw a tax they did not like, we
have chased every thinking business person across City Avenue where they can
make a profit without being taxed into
the poor house. That's what businesses do
- they make business decisions. If you dig
your hand too deep in to their pockets,
they leave. The result is, in a city that was
once known as the "workshop of the
world" because everything from hats to
railcars was made here - there are no jobs
to support a middle class. We all can't be
doctors and lawyers. Those who do not
go on to college have no opportunity at a
family sustaining job in Philadelphia in
large part because all the jobs have
moved on to more business friendly
HARMONY
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That’s especially true of music. The Cathedral Village musical
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outings to The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera, and Ballet.
Call 215-984-8621 for more information or to schedule a tour.
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215- 4 87-1300 | www.cathedralvillage.com
A premier continuing care
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Page 5
communities.
The problem grows when people stop
paying their property tax and water bills
so they can eat. The city let's them get
away with it for a while, then pulls the
rug out from under them, when they're so
far in debt they can't dig their way out,
by selling their houses to satisfy their tax
bills. Take a look at the monthly Sheriff's
tax sale listings. There are so many that
they need three or four days of each
month to pump them all out.
Further still, the poverty that results
from all of this negatively effects the
city's ability to borrow money in the public markets. The people who set the rates
we as a city pay for public debt examine
the things I have talked about here. Their
business is based on risk. And the risk is
greater when we do not educate or employ our population, or effectively collect
levied taxes.
The problem gets worse, but you must
get the idea by this point. We cannot continue to ignore this growing threat to our
city's health and vitality. We cannot continue to elect people to public office who
specialize in the status quo, and kick the
can down the road. We cannot continue
to accept our failings as "as good as it's
going to get". And - we must shed our
collective apathy. We have to start giving
a damn again. Every one of us has a direct interest in seeing the schools and our
city succeed. And - every one of us will
continue to pay the price when we don't.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Lou Lanni
Philadelphian
Page 6
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
Opinions & Commentary
Change How Philly Operates
In response to the recent indictments and convictions of several local elected officials, I was
invited to share thoughts from Seventy with the
Philadelphia Inquirer editorial page. I've included the piece with additional thoughts.
David Thornburgh, President and CEO, Committee of Seventy. (Note: this was the piece as
written; an edited version appeared in the Inquirer)
Les Taha is a freelance cartoonist, writer, and former columnist for the
Tacoma Tribune. He is the author of the controversial book, “The Architects of Rap”, and has appeared on many local and nationally syndicated radio and television talk shows. His highly acclaimed cartoon
panel “Off My Meds” is currently running in numerous community and
college newspapers throughout the U.S. He currently resides in Minneapolis, MN with his wife and two pugs. He can be contacted at:
[email protected]
Germantown Newspapers, Inc.
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Philadelphia, PA 19119
Office: 215-438-4000
fax: 215-754-4245
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Jim Foster
publisher@germantownnewspapers.com.......................................Publisher
Scott Alloway
[email protected] Editor, Production
Les Taha
lestaha@gmail.com.............................................................................Cartoonist
David White
White’s Wine Columnist
Nick Thomas
Tinseltown Talks Columnist
Sabina Clarke
Contributor
Sales and Office Staff
Francine Ferrell
classifieds@germantownnewspapers.com.............................Administrator
Canada Brown
advertising@germantownnewspapers.com..........................Sales Associate
The Independent Voice, incorporating the Northwest Independent and
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Last week's 29 count indictment of Congressman Chaka Fattah on charges of bribery, racketeering, money laundering, bank fraud, mail and
wire fraud, and filing false statements reminded
the people of Philadelphia that a corrupt and corroded political culture still lies beneath the surface of Philadelphia's well-recognized
renaissance. As the case against Fattah proceeds,
Philadelphians are faced with a familiar choice:
shrug at public corruption as common practice
and a cost of doing business in the city, or assert
that our standards have changed, and that we expect more from our leaders and our political system.
Public corruption is not a victimless crime: it
turns citizens off to the democratic process, lowers expectations for a responsive and effective
government, and unfairly casts doubt about the
integrity of all public officials. It also, dangerously, leads to a closed system with entrenched
elected leaders who think the status quo is acceptable, stifling public policy innovation. It's
also particularly infuriating in our impoverished
city, as every time a public official steers a dollar
to serve his or her interest rather than ours, it's
one less dollar that could help educate a kid, or
keep a neighborhood safe, or help a neighbor
struggling with substance abuse.
Unfortunately, we sometimes treat public corruption as a local joke, perhaps not realizing it's
an inside joke whose humor is lost on the rest of
world. As Philadelphia's visibility on the world's
stage increases, yet another charge of corruption
sends a signal that its closed, parochial system
that protects those who play the game and repels
everyone else remains intact. This matters because we depend on the rest of the world to create opportunities (for investment, jobs, people,
and education) that are critical to our future-a future that needs to face the reality that Philadelphia is the poorest big city in the United States.
What's most frustrating and outrageous about
these latest charges is that we've been on a roll
the last few years when considering ethics the
city government. The city's campaign contribution limits and disclosure requirements implemented after the Pay-to- Play scandals of
2003-2004 have worked. Unfortunately, thanks
to the Citizens United decision, they haven't kept
money-the "mother's milk" of politics-out of
local elections. But they have accomplished
what they were intended to accomplish: breaking (or at least fraying) the tie between city contracts and campaign contributions and making it
illegal to write big checks directly to campaigns.
Big money in direct pursuit of big contracts is a
thing of the past, but more remains to be done.
At the city level, the Committee of Seventy has
called to make the Office of Inspector General a
permanent part of city government, not just subject to the whim of any particular Mayor. We've
also endorsed the idea that the City's Chief Integrity Officer, a position created by Mayor Nutter to help city employees steer clear of
violations, should be carried on by the next
Mayor, and both party nominees support this.
But more and better laws are not alone sufficient
to change the way we operate and restore confidence in government from our citizens. It's
about changing our culture, our shared expectations and unwritten rules about what's acceptable
behavior and what's not. Let's admit that culture
is hard to change. As Peter Drucker, one of the
most influential management gurus of the last
century, put it "culture eats strategy for breakfast". Or as the Eagles' Chip Kelly puts it "culture beats scheme every day".
This means we must let our leaders know we're
serious and we're paying attention. First, as the
folks at Amtrak encourage us, if you see something, say something. Use your voice-at the ballot box, in public forums, in all the many ways
that we can now reach each other and our communities-to send a message that you won't support, won't respect, won't vote for, public
officials who put their interests above our own.
Tell your friends to do the same, and ask them
to tell their friends, use your networks to be a
leader. Today's communications tools make this
easier than ever.
Second, in order to change the culture, we must
change the game. This means offering voters
better choices by making it easier for qualified
candidates to enter races and reach voters. This
also means exploring ways of increasing participation: online voter registration, non-partisan
primaries and other methods to bring more people into the electoral process. Seventy plans to
take these challenges on in the coming year, with
hopes of breaking the debilitating cycle of cynicism and frustration that has enabled our tolerance of poor ethics and lackluster leadership.
Only when we all expect more, when we reward
men and women who work to improve our communities, and punish those whose selfish and
self-serving behavior tells us they forget why we
elected them to serve, will Philadelphia become
the city we need and deserve.
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Page 7
The Union Exclusion – Part 1
We welcome to our pages Ms. Olivia
Drake, a person of diverse educational
and professional background, and the
only black female steamfitter with a 20
year history in the Philadelphia Building
Trades. In addition to her academic and
professional studies, Olivia completed a
a four year apprentice program with
LU420 and has been a union steamfitter
with multiple other certifications for
over 20 years. Here work experience
on major constructions sites and internal challenges with the trade unions and
contractors network that no one has
been willing to discuss, is part of a series
that begins with this installment.
Jim Foster
Editor
What’s done in the Dark, always come
to the Light. Let me, Olivia Drake, the
modern day Spook Who Sat By the
Door, who chronicled over 2 decades of
my experience while working as a
steamfitter in Steamfitters’ Local Union
420 (LU 42) light the lamp. In 36 years,
I am the only Afro American woman to
complete the Philadelphia apprenticeship program to become a certified
steamfitter in accordance to the Department of Labor. What does it mean, not a
damn thing?
Harm to One, Is Harm to All, not if you
were an Afro American woman in
Steamfitter’s LU 420. I was always
treated as Unequal, but Separate, relegated to temporary second-class status.
When I took a stand against racism and
discrimination by one of their favored
contractors, JJ White, Inc., I was subject
to a PUBLIC LYNCHING by Steamfitters’ LU 420. There were three sets of
rules for members, rules for whites, rules
for black males and rules for Olivia
Drake. I am not that Amazing Grace
singing, forgiving Afro American.
Let me outline some background on the
Building Trade Unions in Philadelphia.
In 2015, it is evident that Philadelphia’s
civil rights reforms have not produced
any substantial fundamental change in
race relations in those Building Trades.
In 1963, the combined 7,300 members
of the city’s plumbers, electricians, and
steamfitters’ unions included only one
Afro American (Bass E. was a fair
skinned, light eyed Afro American in
Plumbers Union Local 690) and there
was not a single black worker employed
in a skilled position on a municipal construction site. These are the same unions
who formed a human chain, locked arm
in arm, chanting, “We don’t want any
N*ggers in our unions.” The Steamfitters LU 420 has managed to keep black
women out of their union. Not a single
law firm, city or local agency or politician in PA has the wherewithal to shut
them down for failure to provide transparency in the actual number of minorities in their union. Instead they file a
falsified report sent to MBEC with inflated numbers of over 1,100 minorities,
where 900 white males claim to be Native American. My initial question was
what’s your Nation? In over 50 years,
there will never be 100 black members
in LU 420, let alone 1,100. There was a
commercial, where a black male said he
was a ‘proud member’ of LU 542, the
Operating Engineers. My recollection of
LU 542, seven (7) black men in 1971
sued the Operating Engineers local for
discrimination to gain admission into
that union. The treatment (Public Lynching) that those seven (7) black men experienced is only a story they can tell.
Whatever happened to the black operating engineer who went to the media after
finding a noose in the cab of his crane?
The last I heard, he was blackballed by
that union.
In 2015, fifty-two (52) years later, during
the Mayoral race, what were black citizens in the city of Philadelphia still complaining about? The lack of opportunity
and racism within the building trades.
Any black person who takes a stand
against racism in these building trade
unions, are hung out for a public disgrace and will be blackballed. Thirtysix years later, black women continue to
be the lowest paid with the highest
amount of unemployment in the building industry. Diversity training, affirmative action and discrimination policies
do not exist in the building trades, regardless of propaganda. Many of these
very same unions, in the past, would
never throw their support behind a black
candidate, even if he/she was a Democrat. LU 420 refused to endorse Wilson
Goode, telling the majority white membership to vote accordingly. While some
of these building trade unions continue
to work hard to exclude blacks, especially black women, from their unions,
they attempt to mask their racism by endorsing black politicians.
The union mantra is “Harm to One, Is
Harm To All.” Don’t believe the lie. The
only time that mantra applies is when
that Color Line is drawn. Bigotry,
racism, segregation and exclusion still
exist in LU 420. There are no black
union officials - Business Agents, Organizers, Classroom Instructors, officers, board members, administrator or
administrative workers. For 20 years I
was denied the positions of job steward,
foreman, etc., but some white women
were put into these positions upon completing the apprenticeship. Not only was
I harmed and endured profound racism,
hatred, ethnic intimidation and discrimination while a dues paying member of
Steamfitter’s Local Union 420, in every
incident the union ALWAYS took a
stand with the contractor. All I got was
AGGRAVATION,
DAMNATION,
FRUSTRATION, THE PLANTATION,
SEGREGATION AND TERMINATION, but never LIBERATION or
REPRESENTATION from Steamfitters’
LU 420. I was NEVER accepted as a
member of that union and neither was,
Renee English, the first black woman
plumber in Plumbers Local Union 690.
LU 420 and LU 690 do not believe that
until all of us have rights, none of us do.
# 1 - The Apprenticeship Program. In the
70’s, I was studying Mechanical Engineering Technology, with a minor in
manufacturing at a local college in
Chestnut Hill. In the second year I decided to take a break from college. On
the advice of my manufacturing professor, he suggested that I apply for an apprenticeship program with the
Steamfitters union. I obtained an application, took an entrance exam at the
local unemployment office and two
months later I received my results, along
with a letter admitting me to the apprenticeship program (I still have those letters). For the record, I completed that
apprenticeship program on my own
merits, no one provided me with copies
of the test answers or the final exam;
which reportedly has happened.
When I started the apprenticeship, there
were six black women, including myself, three were Girl’s High graduates,
one Chinese male, four white females
and one black male whose father-in-law,
was the first black plumber in LU 690.
Both I and the Training Coordinator’s
son had no car. I was sent to a job in
West Chester. Every day it was a 4:30
AM wakeup call, taking a bus, the El
and hitch hiking from 69th Street to
West Chester. I did that for several
months, until I was transferred to
Coatesville, (outside of Honeybrook,
PA, "Klanstown, USA”) where I had a
3:00 AM wakeup call taking several
busses, the regional rail, walking a mile,
then hitch hiking to the job site. The contractors would play ping pong with their
few minorities So they could fake minority participation on multiple jobsites.
To prevent the loss of their contract, they
would send you to another site so the
company and union could prove they
had minority workers. The union did
everything they could to seek favor
some and challenge others with an effort
to see us fail.
Six months later, three white females decided they wanted to join other unions
and the other five black women quit the
apprenticeship program. They were not
learning their craft, endured racism and
discrimination, subject to injury (one
was told to unload ten 8” gate valves
without help or a mechanical lift) while
being faced with unsolicited advances.
At the end of the four years, I was the
last Afro American standing in the apprenticeship program. Many white
males did not want to work with or teach
black apprentices their craft; which is
wrong on so many fronts. For the first
three years of the apprenticeship, an
EEOC representative would come out to
the jobsite every week and check on me.
They made sure I was learning, not
being harassed or threatened and that the
contractor was maintaining its minority
participation. After the three years went
by and the EEOC representatives
stopped coming out to the jobsite, everything changed.
On one occasion I was finishing up a
weld while at the training school, and I
overheard a classmate, Tim, tell the
white male apprentices that we worked
for the same company, and at AT Chadwick “Nobody at the company likes her,
because she’s black.” When someone
shows you who they really are believe
them; the first time. (Maya Angelou)
From that moment on, if it did not pertain to work, I had no conversation with
him. In this same welding shop, posted
on the wall for over a decade was a flyer
that read: The Top TEN ways to “Have
a black woman when you visit Lousianna.” #1, Make sure you get some of
that Cajun Brown Fried Ass. Was I offended? Your damn right I was, but they
did not take it down. Which ties into
their stereotype that blackblack women
are dumb b*itches and wh*res? Those
devils did not know me from a can of
paint, nor did I ever meet anyone from
that company. Those Devils at Chadwick resented my existence, but used me
to maintain their contracts and minority
participation status.
Years later, the “Nobody likes her, because she’s black resurfaced.” After a severe snow storm, I was handed
paychecks and told to deliver them to
various job sites. To my surprise, I discovered all the white male apprentices
in my class for the past three years were
being paid at a higher rate of pay and for
every single day, whether they were in
school or absent from work. I took a
stand and the union was outraged.
Everyone on the job ceased talking to
me. The only communication I received
was when the foreman presented me
with a new assignment. I was laid off by
AT Chadwick, not before my brand new
car was keyed in the parking lot of the
Apprenticeship School. I filed a police
report and three days later I traded that
Continued on next page
Page 8
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
The Union Exclusion – Part 1
Continued from page 7
car in for a better model; one
which I had to park a block
away. The day of the hearing,
the union found me a job,
which I could not accept because of the hearing - - another
setup. The union never fought
for me. I was not compensated
with back pay or equal pay.
There was a black woman activist who stood with me when
the union did not. In retaliation,
I was sent to work for the worst
and most racist contractor, JJ
White, Inc. This is the tactic
when the union wants to teach
you a lesson. This is another
company that has an all-white
staff and refused to hire black
steamfitters. The union would
send them out to the job and
when they arrived, their white
so-called union brothers refused
to hire them, claiming no call
was put into the union. The general foreman let it be known
that he hated black people;
which explains why a black guy
in my class was called a N*gger
every day he went to work at JJ
White. There was a steamfitter
who found it appropriate to say
“black women should not be
Miss America, because they are
not as pretty as White women”,
after Vanessa Williams was
crowned Miss America. While
a staff worker Dennis, responsible for tool repair, said “black
people were a waste of human
life.”
In 2015, people wonder how
Dylann Storm Roof, at his
young age, carried a profound
hatred in his heart for Afro
Americans, resulting in the
death of nine innocent victims.
Having grown up during the
Civil Rights Era, then 20 years
later I encountered individuals
in a union who hated me because of the color of my skin, I
was not shocked by Roof’s actions at all.
Last week NBCUniversal,
owned by Comcast and Univision, cut ties with Donald
Trump after he made derogatory comments regarding Mexican immigrants. Does this
union, the United Association
(UA) and contractors associated
with the building trades have respect for the dignity of all people? No. Let me repeat that,
Hell NO! To this very day, I am
yet to receive an apology from
a contractor, LU 420 or the UA.
For a labor union to conduct itself in such a racist manner,
knowing full well illegal activities were operating in plain
sight of the very member they
hated.
An intelligent person knows
when you run an operation, #1.
Keep your people happy, #2.
Keep them loyal and #3. Give
them no reason to turn against
you. One of the ways these
unions handled that was that a
bookie is always a job steward.
Let me repeat that, a bookie is
always a job steward. Gambling,
drugs,
whites
claiming/passing for black to
meet standards, filing false insurance claims, committing
identity theft to collect multiple
vacation checks from the union
or avoid paying the IRS, prostitutes on the jobsite and on the
payroll, how to avoid paying
City Wage Taxes, get injured
playing basketball, always say
it happened at work, how to
continue driving on a DUI - - and the beat goes on. All of this
standard fare in the trades. But,
as I was told numerous time,
“Ain’t nobody gonna believe
you, because your black.” It’s
more important for the union,
its officials and the UA to receive its perks, i.e., kickbacks
and maintain their relationship
with the contractor. Even if the
contractor is dead wrong, LU
420 will support the contractor
any way they can to take you
down, while the UA refuses to
intervene or get involved.
As a pioneer, through my struggles, determination, and undying strength, I paved the way
for every female and minority
male that came after me, breaking down barriers that they’re
currently benefiting from with
a position, a decent wage and
better working conditions than
what I endured. I hear some
Public School educators complaining about the lack of toilet
paper in schools. Can you
imagine not having a bathroom
to use at work for 12 years?
How about the Jim Crow tactics
at JJ White? It was not 1863 or
1963. I was not allowed to use
the same bathroom white females used. Instead, I had to
drive around the corner to the
Rising Sun Shopping Center to
use the bathroom at Caldor’s.
Sounds like 12 Years A Slave,
right?
Olivia Drake
Continued on next page
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Page 9
The Union Exclusion – Part 1
Editor’s Note: This newspaper
first became aware of Olivia
Drake through the WURD
radio call in program “The Independent Voice” we hosted
from December 2013 through
October 2014. The purpose of
that program was to reach and
interact with Philadelphians
outside of our original circulation area, as we feel the message we carry is reflective of
city-wide malaise in an often
dysfunctional
government.
During that process we outlined
what many Philadelphians
know and for some reason tolerate in the building trade
unions that featherbed, racketeer, and definitely practice discriminatory hiring practices.
Ms. Drake’s experience is compelling and very much reflective
of practices with similar intent
that I have first-hand knowledge were standard practice
and still are in many areas.
This is the first in series on
these issues. There is reason to
believe that on-air discussion of
subjects like these is what led to
our program being forced off
the air.
Jim Foster
Editor
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Page 10
August, 2015
Multi-Cultural Academy Charter School
3821 N. Broad St. Philadelphia
Board Meetings Scheduled for 2015-2016
5:00 Thursday, August 20, 2015
5:00 Thursday, December 3, 2015
5:00 Thursday, February 4, 2016
5:00 Thursday, May 26, 2016
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5:00 Thursday, December 8, 2016
All scheduled Board meetings will be held at
5:00 PM in the school auditorium and are open to the public.
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The Independent Voice a
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
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Page 12
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Page 13
Local Theater Magnifies History But Faces Logistical Challenges
Fresh Visions Youth Theater
has celebrated its 26th year
with some of the most compelling and professional presentations by young children
from the community. At the
same time, the future of the
18th Century converted barn
that has been a theater since
the 1930s is in jeopardy.
Two recent presentations
have received widespread acclaim and the troupe went to
Washington recently to perform “March Into Freedomland”
a
composite
retrospective on the civil
rights era.
Just recently their production of “Lord, Why Did You
Make Me Black” visits cultural challenges that move
from historic situations to the
present day. A joint venture
by local poet and author, RunNet Ebo, and theater director
Bruce Robinson was performed to capacity audiences
for three weeks through July
26th. A highlight of theater
performance was a captivating
performance of an original
number by Ms. Ebo entitled
“Pull Your Pants Up - - We
don’t want to see your butt no
more, no more” sung to the
tune of the classic “Hit the
Road Jack” with a cast of
young females circling two
males in defiance.
The quality and magnetism
of the offerings of this theater
group cannot be overstated
and needs greater recognition.
A board of dedicated parents
and interested parties meets
and sets the programs and
schedules. Director Bruce
Robinson, with assistance
from local artists like RuNett
Nia Ebo and actress and vocal
coach Maxine Canada Brown
have long been dedicated to
regular participation in the
creativity and opportuinty that
Fresh Visions offers.
Unfortunately, some unexpected and still unexplained
legal and real estate transactions, done largely in the dark,
have brought concern and uncertainty to the future of the
theater. Long a consistent rent
and utility paying tenant to the
owner of 4821 Germantown
Avenue, and with a valid
lease, it seems a bankruptcy
hearing took place without the
Court knowing of the long
tenancy and substantial payments made under that lease.
Further complicating matters
was the possibility that the
bank holding the mortgage
also was not aware of the income producing aspects of
this part of the property and
has scheduled a sheriff’s sale
for September 1.
A postponement of that sale
is in the best interests of the
theater, according to director
Bruce Robinson, so that the
theater can make its case to
the responsible parties involved; something
it has
been denied during the bankruptcy process.
Jim Foster
Editor
Cast of Fresh Visions Youth Theater renders with intensity their captivating version of “Pull Your Pants Up
- - we don’t want to see your butt no more, no more” to the tune of “Hit the Road Jack”. Only part of an
electrifying performance that blended the creative writing of area playwright and poet RuNett Ebo with the
cheoragraphy of Artistic Director Bruce Robinson at the recent production of “Lord Why Did You Make Me
Black”. Merging the tragedy and history of racism with the reality of today’s culture challenges, have resulted in some exemplary productions with recognition across the U.S.
Bruce Robinson
RuNett Nia Ebo,
Poet of Purpose
RuNett Nia Ebo, Poet of Purpose, is a local resident of NW Philadelphia and married to William
Gray, Sr. She has been writing since age 10. She is
published in several anthologies including Stand our
Ground © 2013 and she collaborated with eight
other senior poets on the anthology, Seniors Rockin’
the Pen. She has self-published 8 chapbooks, 3
books of poetry, one CD and one fiction story, All
For You © 2002. Her signature poem, Lord, Why Did
You Make Me Black?, is also her contribution to
Chicken Soup for the African-American Soul ©
2004. Recently (Feb 2015) RuNett and Victoria, her
Partner-In-Rhyme, released a poetry book they coauthored entitled Truth With Purpose.
In 1998, along with her brother, Darien and another musician, the late Keno Speller, Poet Ebo established Nia’s Purpose: Poetry and Percussion @
Work. The trio used this vehicle to visit churches,
schools and community centers to share poetry, percussion and Black History with audiences of all ages.
She has appeared on cable and public television,
been featured or guest hosted on cable and regular
radio and acted
on the local stage
in Philadelphia in
addition
to
speaking
and
presenting
at
community
RuNett Nia Ebo
events and local
schools on every level in Philadelphia, New York,
Houston, Los Angeles, and St. Croix as well as several cities in New Jersey and Delaware.
In addition to other awards received over the years,
she was recently presented with The 2014 Philadelphia Black Poetry Honors for over 20 years of Poetic
Excellence by Poetic Ventures and The Black Authors Tour (May). She also received the Golden Mic
Award from Rick Watson and World Renowned Entertainment (July).
In 2006, Poet Ebo, established POET-IFY: Poetry
to Edify, a poetry venue she hosts bi-monthly from
Feb. to Oct. with her co-host, Victoria “The Axiom”
Peurifoy.
Page 14
August, 2015
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August, 2015
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Answer on page 18
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August, 2015
Page 17
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WE ARE THE DIREC
TP
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www.ccp.edu
www.ccp.edu
• We install BATHROOMS
• DRAIN CLEANING
• Repair or Replace BROkEN pIpES
We’ll beat anybody’s price
or we’ll take 10% off!
Cell: 267-586-2809
Lic. #0390
Miranda’s
Cement
Work
Pointing
Spot Pointing
Stone Pointing
Basements and Garage
Walls
All Types of Cement
Work
FREE Estimates
I Do My Own Work
215-300-6437
Page 18
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
Classified Advertising
Real Estate, Rent, Buy
House for sale
For Sale: Beautifully renovated row home
in East Mount Airy one block from Sedgwick Train Station. 3 bdr/ 1.5 baths.
Everything new: gas heater/central air;
new wiring; new kitchen and bath; new
oak hardwood floors. Very friendly neighbors; many young families.
$199,800.00
Move in ready. Call or text
Ellen at 215-264 -5589
[email protected].
_______________________________
Apt for rent
$495 plus utilities frist last and 1 month to
move in.
Near 23 bus stop.
Please call 215-713-0346
_______________________________
Germantown
2 bedroom house for rent. Garfield Street
(Germantown & Wister),small clean, new
carpet & paint.
$725 a month plus gas & electric. $2175
to move in.
Please call 215-659-5348
_______________________________
Buy Homes
All cash for your House.
Any area any condition.
Call 267-499-68447
_______________________________
Real Estate
One Bedroom Apt.
16xx East Duval St.
Newly Renovated.
Near Transportation
$700.00 monthly plus utilities
215-247-1210
_______________________________
Germantown / East Falls
Rooms for Rent
Wall to Wall carpet
No Pets.
Washer & Dryer
Near Super Market ($450 Monthly)
215-715-7999
_______________________________
Furnished Rooms
Clean & quiet, no drugs
private entrance
Call 267-988-5890
_______________________________
Garden Style
Apartment Complex
in Mt. Airy. Nice 1 & 2 Bedrooms
Utilities included except for electric.
Leave message for
Court Rentals.
215-842-2500
_______________________________
Want to Buy Real Estate
I BUY HOUSES;
I PAY CASH
Any Condition
Private, Professional,
Personal Services.
Call Brennan Properties
215-990-4137
_______________________________
Germantown Area
64xx Musgrave St.
Spacious straight-through.
EIK, porch, more.
$66,900.
Call Marlene
Prudential Prime Real Estate
215-338-3200
CLIVEDEN STREET
Newly Decorated
One Bedroom Apartment w/w carpet,
tiled bathroom, garbage disposal.
Off street parking, No Pets.
$595 plus utilities
215-782-8030 EXT. 2
_______________________________
Gorgeous 2 bedroom Apt. 2nd floor
(Germantown Area).
Rent $675.00 per month includes
(water), first & last month's rent plus one
month's security.
Call 215-288-1615
_______________________________
REDUCED $239,900
16XX E. CLIVEDEN ST. (19150)
Single Colonial-style home with gas
range, beautiful hardwood floors, large
EIK, 3 BR, 2 full baths, large master BR
with large closets, full basement, secluded fenced-in yard, 2 patios, all appliances stay.
Take a look at the website:
www.1607eastclivedenst.info.
Warner-Ball R/E
215-224-0300, Ext. 229
Elaine Carr: 215-260-1710
_______________________________
Ultra modern four & five bedroom
houses for rent. Many to choose from.
Freshly painted. Hardwood floors.
Washer & dryer hook ups. Close to
transportation and shopping. We accept
all programs.
Call Coldwell Banker Realty One at
215-637-3600
to set up an appointment to see.
_______________________________
House for Sale
Rent to Buy!
71XX Woolston Ave.
3 Bedrooms and 1 Bath.
$90,000.
Need $5000 to move in.
Newly renovated.
215-740-4629
_______________________________
W. Mt. Airy
Large Beautiful 1 bedroom for rent,private entrance, must pay utilities, no
smoking, no pets. Also newly renovated
Furnished rooms for rent,private entrance,close to transportation,no smoking, no pets, utilities included.
Call 215-490-0620
______________________________
For Rent
2nd floor, 1 Bedroom. Newly Renovated,
Near Transportation.
Conveniently located.
($675) First & last Month + Security
Call 267-226-4965 _______________________________
Germantown/East Falls Rooms for Rent
Wall to Wall carpet
No Pets, No smoking!
Washer & Dryer
Near Super Market ($450 Monthly)
215-715-7999 _______________________________
$$$$ CASH PAID $$$$
FOR ANY COMPLETE JUNK CAR!!
Up yo $1,100 for car with bad engine.
$500 Cash for Any Complete Car With or
Without Title
Notary Service Available
215-669-1000
_______________________________
MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE
500 BLOCK OF
WESTVIEW STREET
Clothing, furniture, electronics,
games, books, home decor,
kitchen stuff and more!
Saturday, May 16th
9am - 12pm
In case of rain we’ll
be on our porches!
_______________________________
Germantown Area One Bedroom Apt. Third Floor.
Newly Renovated, quiet neighborhood,
near transportation.
$650 Monthly. 2 Months Security & First
Month Rent (Section 8 Accepted)
Call 215-380-0455.
_______________________________
Legal Notice
Wissahickon Charter School will be holding its monthly board meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. All meetings
are from 6:30-8:30 pm and will be held at
the Awbury Campus, located at 815 E.
Washington Lane.
All meetings are open to the public.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Tuesday, February 9, 2015
Tuesday, March 15, 2015
Tuesday, April 19, 2015
Tuesday, May 17, 2015
Do It Rig ht
D r a i n & P l u m b in g
6300 Block of Gardenia Street
1 bedroom Apartment
Washer, dryer, hardwood floors,
& garage
Hardwood Floors
$625 Monthly
Call Mr. Massey 267-507-8427.
_______________________________
For Rent
Germantown Area
45xx Fernhill St.
3 Bedroom house for rent
newly renovated $800.00 monthly
1st month and last month, security
Call 267-625-3832
_______________________________
For Rent
Comfy 1-2 Bedroom, 1st Floor Apt($640).
Off Broad & Erie, near Temple Hospital.
Tenant must pay all monthly rent + gas +
electric.
First month, last month & Security required.
Call Fred at 215-844-6592
_______________________________
Room for Rent
Looking for roommate in mid-60's to
share living space with person in 60's.
Must like peace & quiet.
For info call 215-840-3473
______________________________
Help Wanted
School Drivers & Attendants Wanted
To qualify- Must pass criminal background,child abuse,drug test. Must have
valid PA driver license.
Apply in person, 5350 Belfield Ave,
Philadelphia, PA 19144.
215-844-4444 option 5
_______________________________
Employment
G’Town Restoration Corporation
Job Opening
Neighborhood Advisory Committee
(NAC) Coordinator:
This position provides citizen advocacy
and community engagement on behalf of
the residents and communities within the
greater Germantown Area. The position
is responsible for organizing various activities and programs benefiting low to
moderate income residents and community improvements.
For consideration submit resume and
cover letter to:
[email protected]
Or mail to
G’Town Restoration Corporation
5539 Germantown Avenue
Phila., PA 19144
G’Town Restoration Corporation is an
Equal Opportunity Employer.
_______________________________
!
#
"
!"
WANTED
Cash paid for diabetic test strips!!
Most brands accepted.
Will pay up to $35.00 per box.
Call James
610-453-2525
215-782-8030, EXT. 2
Antiques
OLD FURNITURE
& ANTIQUES
(Also: paintings, crafts, coins, gold,
oriental rugs,
dolls, pottery, clocks & jewelry)
We Buy The Unusual!
Call Tyler’s at
215-920-7310 (cell) or
215-844-9272 (store
Help Wanted
Human Service Agency seeks motivated person to work with two
women in Willow Grove who require teaching and assistance in
living productive lives within their
community. PA driver's license, HS
diploma required, experience preferred.
Call HAP Inc. at 610-539-8450 or
send resumé via fax 610-5396156 or email [email protected].
EOE
Classified
Needs?
Call Francine
215-438-4001
!
! "
The Independent Voice
August, 2015
Page 19 a
There’s a 5-star nursing home
right in your neighborhood.
Located on a beautiful 13.5 acre park-like
campus in the heart of Northwest Philadelphia,
Germantown Home is easily accessible by all
major roadways and public transit.
www.germantownhome.org
1-888-614-3150
6950 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119
Call 1-888-614-3150 today to schedule a tour.
Page 20
August, 2015
The Independent Voice a
ANOTHER “NO CHOICE”
ELECTION FOR MAYOR?
12% OF THE ELIGIBLE VOTERS RE-ELECT THE SAME INSIDER CRONIES
TO RUN YOUR CITY.
RIGGED PRIMARY FUNDED FROM OUT OF STATE.
ETHICS BOARD FINES LEVIED ON FUNDERS.
YOU CAN HAVE A CHOICE
JIM FOSTER
AN INDEPENDENT FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES & REFORM
Reasons to replace corrupt city machine!
• TOP HEAVY ADMINISTRATION/CZARS
• MUNICIPAL CORRUPTION & CONVICTIONS CONTINUE
• CITY BUDGET FALSIFIES FINANCIAL CONDITION
• POVERTY LEVEL CRISES IGNORED/ELITES PROSPER
• TAX STRUCTURE AND COLLECTIONS MANIPULATED
Read Jim Foster Bio and Platform at germantownnewspapers.com/fosterinfo
To sign Petition for election, call 215-438-4000/215-438-5171
Paid for by Foster4Reform