Women Warriors

SUSAN CLOKE

Columnist

Santa Monica Mirror

September 16, 2016

Women Warriors.  Contagious energy and enthusiasm filled the large 1^st floor south room of the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles on Friday, September 9.  Women veterans from all the armed services were celebrating being together.

They had come to be part of the “2^nd Annual Women Warrior Freedom Fest.”  The Festival had live music, free hair cuts, and tables loaded with information about medical benefits, housing connections, educational opportunities and staff to answer questions and help.  Congressman Ted Lieu and State Senator Ben Allen’s representatives were there with information on how to contact their offices for assistance in getting their assigned benefits.  The Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration, HCS Women Veteran Patient Advisory Council organized the event. 

“Never forget both sexes and all people are equal in God’s sight,” were the words of the Chaplain who opened the Festival.  She was followed by a Marine bugler who played Taps, an a cappella performance of the National Anthem by the singer Montie, and an emotionally charged Minute of Silence in honor of the fallen men and women who had died while on active duty.

Most of all they came to have fun, share information and resources, help each other and to tell their stories. 

The oldest veteran was Santa Monican Nancy Cattell, a WWII veteran and a former Santa Monica College Trustee.  The youngest were the veterans now attending Santa Monica College.

Housing.  Blue Butterfly Village, housing for homeless women veterans is a project of Volunteers of America.  They worked with FOCUS (Families Overcoming Under Stress) to get the village up and running.  FOCUS, started a UCLA/NPI had a three year grant which made it possible for the FOCUS staff to provide support for the Blue Butterfly Village.  The Village is a success story which will be a model for other villages and FOCUS will go on to support other projects for women veterans.

https://www.voa.org/housing_properties/blue-butterfly-village

“According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there
are more than 4,456 homeless female veterans in the U.S., many of whom have children. They account for 8 percent of the nation's 58,000 homeless vets.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/female-homeless-veterans-blue-butterfly-village-san-pedro-los-angeles/

Healthcare for blind veterans.  Talking watches and alarm clocks, calendars and thermostats, even a talking device to tell you the color of the clothes in your closet.  These are provided free of charge to returning veterans who are blind due to combat related trauma and injury through VIST, a specialty clinic of the VA.   In one on one work with rehab specialists Dunia Lara and Ted Zadourian blind veterans are taught to read using special equipment.  The specialists work with patients in the clinic and make home visits.  The goal is to make it possible for the veterans to lead independent lives.

Fatma Batuman MD, FACP
Director Women's Health Clinic
Los Angeles Veteran's Administration

Healthcare for women veterans.  A brochure on the table reads, “VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System is Dedicated to Providing the Highest Quality of Care to Every Woman Veteran.”  It might sound too good to be true.  That is until you meet the Medical Director of the Women’s Health Clinic, Dr. Batuman.  

“I stand up for what I believe.  I take care of patients as whole people.  I teach values,” said the dynamic Doctor.  “We see 8 – 10 thousand women veterans a year.  Patients who left the VA are coming back because of the quality of care in our clinic. 

“We are a comprehensive women’s clinic providing primary care, mammograms, gynecology, maternity care, mental health – anything a women might need.  We provide one stop medical care.  We make it as easy as we can for our veterans.  We hold clinic on Saturdays.”

Art.  2^nd Lieutenant Phyllis Miller, a Navy veteran, is now working as an artist.  She was able to attend Design Center because of her veteran status.

Miller is working on a military project series where she brings veterans together and uses art as a way for the veterans to be able to talk about their combat experience.  “It’s my way

of helping and giving tribute to their service,” said Miller.

www.meroegallery.com

Army Veteran Roslyn Battle
SMC Faculty John Rogers

Beauty.  John Rogers was one of several teachers and students from the Santa Monica College School of Cosmetology.  They were giving free haircuts as part of the Woman Warriors Fest. The teachers and students also give free haircuts at local shelters and to homeless people who come to the School on Mondays.  

Education.  Santa Monica College had two tables at the event.  Staff offered special help to Veterans and were there to explain the career and technical degree programs, the transfer to 4-year colleges and help with high to enroll at Santa Monica College.

Throughout the event, the women collected information and connected with service providers, networked with each other and enjoyed the music.

Women Warriors Fest organizer and veteran Aretta Gottke promises another festival next year.

The veterans at the Festival were impressive. The spirit in the room was high.  They deserve our tribute and our support and the Festival

What say you?

*If you see a vet on the street that needs help you can contact:

Veteran Angela Russell who now works for the VA in their Community Engagement Reintegration Services.  An ‘outreach worker’ with special training in helping Veterans who are homeless and who need help receiving the benefits they are entitled to as veterans. 

Angela.Russell3@va.gov

Homeless Veteran’s Outreach Team members are on call

24/7 at 1 877 424 3838  / 1 877 4AID VET

Celebrating Medicare’s Birthday & Wishing Medicare for All

Sheila Kuehl and Jackie Goldberg
PNHP Medicare for All Event  July 24  Santa Monica
photo credit Susan Cloke

the Billionaires
photo credit Susan Cloke

Celebrating Medicare’s Birthday &Wishing Medicare for All

Susan Cloke

Columnist

Dressed in tails and evening gowns the singing group, “The Billionaires” poked tuneful barbs charging profiteering by Health Care Companies in the United States.

Listening, sometimes singing along, sitting in a beautiful Santa Monica garden, were a large group of people who had come to celebrate the birthday of Medicare and to support the work of the PNHP CA (Physicians for a National Health Program CA) to open Medicare to all Americans.

Council Members Ted Winterer and Gleam Davis welcomed everyone to the event and spoke of the City Council official statement in support of Single Payer in CA.

State Senator Ben Allen spoke about the successful work of the State Legislature to extend Medicaid to the children of undocumented workers in CA and their ongoing work with the Federal Government for a waiver to allow undocumented workers to be able to buy insurance on the Health Care Exchange.  He also spoke about data showing health care high costs and poor outcomes in the U.S. as compared to Countries with National Health Care.   

Sheila Kuehl, now Los Angeles County Supervisor and formerly a several time Member of the State Legislature, spoke about the history of health care, the beginnings and growth of Medicare and her Bill to establish a Commission responsible for the program for Single Payer Health Care in CA. 

Her Single Payer Bill was introduced several times, to wide support, but was not realized.  She reminded the audience that even if it had been successful it would have needed to go to the voters for approval. 

Kuehl continues to be optimistic saying that she believes incremental changes will continue until “Single Payer becomes inevitable.”

MedicareResources.org outlines the history of Medicare in the U.S from the 1912 platform of President Teddy Roosevelt, which included the idea of a national health plan.  President Franklin Roosevelt had wanted health care to be part of the Social Security Act.

§       In 1945 President Harry Truman called for the creation of a national health insurance fund to be open to all Americans.

§      President John Kennedy made an unsuccessful push for a national health care program for seniors. 

§      Finally, in 1965 President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation that started Americans receiving Medicare health coverage.  President Truman was at the ceremony and received the first Medicare card.

§      The retirement wave of baby boomers was once expected to cause Medicare to become a budget buster. The Congressional Budget Office is now projecting lower increases than once thought, thanks in part to cost savings embedded in ObamaCare.

§      MedicareResources.org records 49,435,610 people as receiving health coverage through a Medicare program in 2014.

§      https://www.medicareresources.org/

PNHP CA focuses their action on creating Medicare for all

and works to support every effort to increase access to health

care for everyone. http://pnhpcalifornia.org/

Jackie Goldberg, former State Assembly Member, former Los Angeles City Council Member and former Los Angeles School Board Member, attended the event to show her support for PNHP and Single Payer and ably led a successful fundraising from the stage.

I believe universal health care, like universal education, will make our democracy better and stronger.  I’m grateful to PNHP and to all the people and organizations working to make quality health care for all a reality.  I am grateful to all the Presidents from Teddy Roosevelt to Barack Obama who moved the cause of universal health care forward. 

In this election year our health care is a front and center issue.  I am grateful to Bernie Sanders. We have all benefited from his commitment to health care for all and for helping our nation to focus on this issue.  

I am grateful to Hillary Clinton.  We have benefitted as a nation by her successful work to make a reality of the plan to insure millions of American children and by her long-standing commitment to achieving health care for all.

& like Sheila Kuehl, I think it’s inevitable.

What Say You?

Heal the Bay Honors Felicia Marcus with The Dorothy Green Award

SUSAN CLOKE

Columnist

Felicia Marcus received the prestigious Dorothy Green Award at the Heal the Bay Awards Ceremony held on the beach in Santa Monica on June 9th.

Marcus first knew of Dorothy Green when working for then U.S.  Congressman Tony Beilenson.  Green and Marcus didn’t meet in person until they were both at a Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting in Los Angeles in 1985.  “Within 5 minutes of meeting Dorothy I had agreed to be her lawyer,” said Marcus.

Felicia Marcus

Felicia Marcus is now the Chair of the State Water Board. 

“Right now we are in water crisis but there is plenty of water to meet our real needs in California if we understand how to use it,” said Marcus.

 “Water is wondrous, precious.  We need to be grateful and respect it.  To start, we need to understand it and not take it for granted.

“Urban Californians spend half of our urban water outdoors on ornamental landscapes and lawns – trying to trick our lawns into thinking we’re really in Scotland.

“In the 80’s and 90’s we focused water saving efforts indoor use, on toilets and dishwashers and showers.  In our current drought cycle we are focusing on water use outdoors.

“More importantly we are in a decade of experimentation as we figure out what we could do differently.”

Marcus is an Angelino, born in West Hollywood, going to Birmingham High School in Van Nuys.  When she was in high school sports were still mainly for boys.  “There were special teams for smaller boys to compete, called the ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams.  “The Coaches were working to eliminate those teams so they could have more money for the Varsity teams,” said Marcus.

Marcus learned about the issue from her High School teacher and Marcus thought it was wrong.  With the support of her teachers, Marcus went to the Board of Education to express her support for the ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams.

“I won,” said Marcus, “and I got the very naïve sense that it was pretty easy to win.”

“I didn’t know about East Coast schools and I only knew about Harvard from the movie ‘Love Story’ but I applied.  When the letter came from Harvard I was at camp.  My Aunt Charlotte called and asked if she should open it.  “Yes,” I said.  She did and we both burst out laughing in a combination of relief and happiness.”

“I was a CA girl going from the newness of LA to a school where everything was old.  I loved it.  For me it was a fascinating exposure to all the ways to be and think.”

The Root Tilden Fellowship at NYU attracted Marcus to the law school at NYU.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root-Tilden_Scholarship)  “I was interested in issues of environmental health and public health – issues which affected everyone.  I wanted to become an environmental lawyer.”

Marcus had clerked for Judge Harry Pregerson and then, later, when working at Munger Tolles and Olson, she represented Heal the Bay on the Clean Water Act case requiring LA City to meet water quality standards for treatment plants discharging into Santa Monica Bay.

“Judge Pregerson heard the case and he made us all sit together.  It meant we got to ask our questions of the people and the agencies we saw as the polluters.  It also meant we had to listen to their answers.  There were a myriad of “aha” moments as we began to understand each others’ skills, problems and the potential solutions to protect water quality.”

Marcus has a distinguished resume as an environmental attorney:

working at the firm of Munger Tolles and Olson where she did pro bono work for both Heal the Bay and Planned Parenthood; 

working as the Director of Litigation at Public Counsel

and leveraging volunteer lawyers in public service work;

serving the City of Los Angeles as a Public Works Board Chair with a focus on water quality and recycling;

serving as the EPA Regional Administrator in San Francisco for the EPA during the Clinton Administration 

serving as the chief Operating Officer at the Trust for Public Land.  “In communities across the country TPL connects people to land by creating parks of all kinds;”

working at NRDC as the Western Director.

As Chair of the CA State Water Board Marcus talks about the seriousness of her responsibilities. “Water is part of everything.  It’s essential to life.  We can’t take water for granted. We must use water intelligently so we can meet all our needs.

“Drought has accelerated the conversation about water use.

Climate change accelerates it more.  With even a few degrees rise in temperature we get more rain than snow and that’s a disaster because our snow is about 1/3 of our water storage in a typical year.

“The only way we can approximate that storage capacity is to use our aquifer.  Even in agriculture one farmer’s flood irrigations can be another’s ground water recharge.  It’s a geologically complex issue.

“To deal with the freight train of Climate Change means there can’t be just one solution.  We have to do everything.  Conservation is first.  We also must capture storm water, recharge our aquifers, manage our ground water basins.  We have to make ourselves water resilient.

Felicia Marcus says, “I learned from Heal the Bay and from Dorothy Green that our greatest strength, our power, comes from not just caring about the ocean and the environment but honoring and caring for people.”

Contact Susan Cloke

susan@smmirror.com

Vigil for Orlando

Rainbow Flag Santa Monica City Hall

ORLANDO

SUSAN CLOKE

Columnist

Santa Monicans gathered in front of City Hall at the end of the day on June 14^th to honor and remember the victims of the Orlando shooting.  They called for gun control and for the banning of assault weapons. 

Ross Altman led people in singing ‘We Shall Overcome” and the assembled group joined in and crossed their arms, Civil Rights Movement style, to grasp the hands of the people on either side.

Welcoming remarks were made by Mayor Tony Vazquez and Council Member Ted Winterer.  Welcome also came from Janet McKeithan, the Minister at the Church in Ocean Park, President of the Interfaith Council and the organizer of the Vigil.

Representatives of Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Bahia faiths spoke of the shared values of all faiths.  The message from each religious leader was one of love and compassion for all people. 

Rabbi Neil Comess Daniels said, “In my tradition we are told ‘You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.’  It is not a suggestion.  It is a mandate.”

Torie Osborne, political and community leader, spoke of being part of a world-wide community, of demonstrations in London, Paris, Los Angeles, Orlando, Tokyo.  The Eiffel Tower, she said, was lit the colors of the LGBT flag.  http://www.politico.eu/article/eiffel-tower-orlando-lights-mass-shooting-anne-hidalgo-isil-terrorism/ 

Osborne spoke of the compassion of the people of Orlando, saying, “Straight or gay, the people stood in the blistering son for over 5 hours to donate blood to the wounded victims.”

Community leader Lucy Taylor read her poetry, written for Orlando.

“We are that sister, brother, man, cousin, friend to those beautiful souls that were robbed of their life and stolen from our hearts.

“We are that survivor of your wounds and will continue to stand strong with our LGBT Community.  Together we will continue to live in freedom and love.”

The vigil concluded with the names of the Orlando victims being read out and a resonant bell sounding with the reading of each name.   

Names of the victims. City of Orlando

http://www.cityoforlando.net/blog/victims/

Theresa Bonpane and Ross Altman

The Santa Monica Vigil for Orlando was over, but the words of religious and community leader Theresa Bonpane were remembered, “We join with tens of thousands of people all over the world,” and people left City Hall knowing this was not over.  

Santa Monicans: Talking about Voting

Santa Monicans:  Talking about Voting.

SUSAN CLOKE

Columnist

Voting Day is Tuesday, June 7.  Santa Monicans are talking about the upcoming California Primary Election.   Really they are talking about the issues impacting us and the world: what is the future of our health care, education, immigration, human rights, international rights, women’s rights, worker’s rights, can we put an end to terrorism, the place of the United States around the world, civil rights, safety, violence of all kinds, and who is the most qualified, in all ways, to be able to do the best job of being our president.

This column gives voice to Santa Monicans, well known for their contributions to their neighborhoods and to the City.  People supporting Clinton, Sanders and Trump have answered the question:  “Who do want to be the next president of the United States and why?  The hope is that that their answers will help forward the discussion in Santa Monica.

Sheila Kuehl

Los Angeles County Supervisor

I'm so passionate about electing Hillary Clinton.  I know her, and I know her historic Presidency will make a huge difference in the lives of women, families, working people and children. 
She is vastly experienced, compassionate, and deeply grounded in all the areas that make a difference in American lives: from the economy to the environment, from work to family.  This is a critical presidential election and we need Hillary in the Oval Office.

Jim Conn

Founding Minister of the Church in Ocean Park and former Santa Monica Council Member and Mayor

I support Bernie because this is the only time in my life I’ll ever be able to vote for a democratic socialist.  I been following Bernie since the 70’s because what he was trying do in Vermont, I was trying to do in Santa Monica.

Cristyne Lawson

Former Dean at California Institute of Arts

Hillary Clinton is the only viable candidate as far as I can see.  She’s the only person who has the insight and experience to solve the problems of our Country and to represent the US abroad.  It’s not about who you like it’s about who would be able to take on the task of the job of President of the United States. As I see it the other two candidates are the same person at opposite ends of a teeter-totter.

Bob Holbrook

Former Council Member and Mayor

I plan to vote for Hillary Clinton.  Trump’s the opposite of any politician I ever worked with.  I can’t imagine Mr. Trump as our president.  Hillary has the broadest experience.  She knows how to handle tough issues.  She has made some mistakes in her many years of political life but it’s hard to find a politician who hasn’t made mistakes.  I know I did.  I hope voters will listen to all the candidates and make their decision for the person they think will best represent America.

Polly Benson Brown

Past President of the Santa Monica Republic Women’s Federation

Speaking only for myself, I’m waiting for the Republican Convention to make my decision about the person I will support.

Jason Islas

Journalist

I support Hillary because governing is hard.  One thing that I really appreciate about her is that, although she isn’t as good as I’d like at expressing herself in political slogans, she is very good at expressing herself in the act of politics.  I respect the fact that she has been able to make decisions in the face of hard choices. The landscape of America has not been open to a woman president previously.  I hope we are ready now. She’s more than ready for the most difficult job of being the President of United States.

Douglas Brown

Engineer and owner of Brown Marine Engineers

“At first I supported Trump because he threatened to infuse a little backbone into the Republican Party.  I moved to Cruz because he seemed more government knowledgeable.  He dropped out and so now I’m supporting Trump again. Trump is the only one opposing Sanders, the admitted socialist and Hillary Clinton, the closet socialist.”

Patricia Hoffman

Co-Chair of SMRR (Santa Monicans for Renter’s Rights)

Bernie is my choice.  I think Bernie Sanders is taking bold positions about real issues that impact the lives of millions of everyday Americans. 

Gene Oppenheim

Family Physician

Bernie basically is expressing the democratic wing of the Democratic Party and the issues the Democratic Party should have been pushing for 30 years: income inequality, the working poor, Medicare for all health care.  Finally admitting and addressing a whole racial issue that has been ignored.

Paul Cummins

Educator, Founder of Crossroads and New Roads Schools

I’m voting for Hillary Clinton.  I believe it’s time for America to have a woman president.  We couldn’t find a more capable, wise and experienced person.  She’s by far the best choice of anyone running.

I say, listen to everyone, read everything.  Get your questions answered.  Make your best decision and then VOTE.

What Say You?

*Note:  So many good, knowledgeable, interesting people live in Santa Monica.  If you’d like to share your thoughts about the election please post them in the post section below this column and/or email me at susan@smmirror.com