Town Hall Event Looks Beyond Obama on 7/22

It should be no surprise that Obama has already wrapped up my vote as well as most Richmonders*, for that matter. But what do we do in the meantime? How can we infuse Richmond's local politics with the inspiration and energy to change for the better en route to and after an Obama victory in November? On Tuesday, July 22nd, a gathering is set to take place to promote a "people's platform" of local issues and potential solutions. They'll be uniting under the slogan, "Yes We Can." (see press release below for details) and probably starting a blog soon as well.

I think the event is very encouraging and hope that loads of people turn out. Obama voters have many different political points of view in this city and we need to find commonality. In trying to get a little clarification, I contacted the group for a comment about the connection from the potential of Obama's campaign to civic participation here in Richmond. Here's what I got from Preddy Ray, from C-NEED:

Clearly Obama is the inspiration and the fact that hopefully thousands of people who have never participated in the political process will be turning out to vote. Their turn out will be directly related to Obama. We see this as an opportunity to have those persons see that Change must include and extend beyond Obama. That true change will happen when these new voters see the bigger picture. We also hope to be able to develop a cadre of people who we will rally together to address local issues as well as issues that will be raised as a result of the Obama Presidency.

Our premise is that Richmond needs to launch a campaign to End Poverty, all of our problems relate to the high number of people in poverty and the city's failure to address it.

Preddy D. Ray Sr., Executive Director

Center for Neighborhood Empowerment and Enterprise Development

Press Release: For Immediate Release
Contact Person: Preddy D. Ray, Center for Neighborhood Empowerment and Enterprise Development (C-NEED).
804-648-4800
July 14, 2008 Monday

“Yes We Can” Town Hall Meeting Scheduled”

The “Yes We Can” Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday July 22, at Ebenezer Baptist Church , 216 W. Leigh Street . The meeting which starts at 6 P.M seeks to gain input from citizens in the creation of what is being called the “Peoples Platform”. The “Peoples Platform’ will include innovative strategies to end poverty, create jobs, build truly affordable housing, develop alternatives to crime and build vibrant neighborhoods.

The “Yes We Can” meeting is non partisan and not connected to the Obama Campaign. It however fully endorses the concept of “Change” and is a response to concerns that many important issues are not being addressed in the platforms of candidates. According to Lillie A. Estes, a planning committee member, “Change begins at home”. Through the People’s Platform, for the first time citizens will have a chance to direct what the “Changes” for Richmond should be. Candidates for mayor, school board and city council will be invited to attend however, unlike “meet the candidates’ forums” they will not be allowed to use the meeting to make campaign speeches.

It is the hope of the planning team that the “Peoples Platform” will be a document that will guide political candidates and serve as a tool to hold them accountable after they are elected. The meeting is sponsored by the Center for Neighborhood Empowerment and Enterprise Development (C-NEED). For more information call 648-4800 or email grchh1@gmail.com.

*City of Richmond residents have voted democrat at a rate of 70% each of the last two elections.

Richmond, Is There a Doctor in the House?

Karen and I have both quit our doctors and we need new ones. It's actually been about a year since we saw our old general practitioners. Instead of getting stuff checked out, we've just been consulting the WebMD and the Prescription for Natural Healing b00k. Sure, it's empowering to diagnose yourself and overspend on naturopathic treatments at Ellwoods (go to the Vitamin Shoppe instead). But at some point, only an expert's opinion will do. So, we each need a doctor. Who would you suggest? Bloggers and blog-readers, who is Richmond's best doctor?

Obviously, we're not looking for one of those docs whose loyalty to schilling for the drug companies takes precedence over satisfying the patient's concerns. Karen's last doc would listen to her list of maladies and then write a prescription for one of them and dismiss the rest before leaving the room, shuffling Karen along his conveyor belt of half-assed service. Discussing possible treatments? Heck no. Treat the cause instead of the symptoms? That's crazy talk. My doctor was a naturopath and very attentive, but his practice was falling apart. He spent an hour with me each visit (for a $25 copay), but after losing his receptionist and letting the voicemail fill up, eventually he just stopped showing up to work. No notice, no referral, nothing. Bizarre. For those interested, there are other naturopaths out there, but I need some reassurance before I make an appointment to see anyone at this point (and they sure as hell better take Anthem CoVaCare: State employee insurance).

We're looking for an imaginative problem solver - an accessible, intellectually curious, and thorough doctor (or two, but we don't mind sharing). Is that too much to ask? Is there some kind of online reputation system to help us make an informed choice? How do doctors wind up on the Richmond Magazine's best doctors list? And why do I have to wait six months to see any of them? Why do so many doctors simply fill up their waiting rooms each morning and let patients spend hours waiting and watching Montel Williams just so they can see the dude for 5 minutes, blurt out a word like arthritis or migraines and then take away a slip of paper with an expensive drug written on it?

Okay, that's a slight digression. Am I alone in my negative assessment of modern medical services? Regardless, Karen and I would really like to start having slightly less negative experiences with Richmond's medical practices. No one likes going to the doctor, but in this age of information, neither of us is willing to feign stupidity so the doctor can pretend that s/he is giving adequate service. By the time we've made an appointment, we've done our homework and tried a few adjustments (maybe years of experiments) and come up empty-handed. What's up, doc? Can we start the conversation there? (end second digression, please commence advising)

Funeral for the Death of VA's Minimum Wage Increase: DOWNTOWN RVA, Wed, April 4th

Does the General Assembly make you feel ashamed? Do you ever feel like those legislators are personally out to get you, promoting ignorance and bigotry just to perpetuate the most oppressive aspects of our state's legacy? This time, don't let them get away with it. On Wednesday, April 4th, help the Virginia Organizing Project remind the GA that they cannot keep people down without being publicly shamed for thier campaign against progressive values.

Reasons and signifiance... Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. protested for civil rights and against war. But it wasn't until he waged a "poor people's campaign" that he was killed on April 4th, 1968 while supporting underpaid black janitors in the South. Sound familiar? At this symbolic public protest in downtown Richmond, we will mourn the fact that our government continues to kill the dream of economic justice.

Funeral Announcement for the Death of the Minimum Wage Increase in Virginia

Funeral services for the proposed Minimum Wage Increase in Virginia will be held Wednesday, April 4, 2007 in Richmond. Mourners will gather at the corner of Broad Street and 5th at 10:30 a.m. and join in a funeral procession beginning at 11:00 a.m. going to the Bell Tower in Capital Square with services at approximately 11:30 a.m. Pallbearers will be the working families and residents of the state who fought diligently for the bill's passage in this year's General Assembly.

The Minimum Wage Increase, which is a decade overdue, was killed on Tuesday, February 20, 2007, in the State Capitol by the Virginia House of Delegates on a 53-43 procedural vote. This came despite the efforts of thousands of hard-working Virginians to raise the minimum wage for the first time in a decade and despite the fact that 29 other states have already increased their minimum wage.

Please Join us for either the procession or the services to mourn the loss of the Minimum Wage Increase in Virginia.

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Help Virginia move toward fairness, justice, and equal opportunity for all.