One Year Since the Start of Occupy, Much Work Still Needs to Be Done

Written by Daniella Levine, Catalyst Miami President/CEO

One year anniversaries are momentous occasions. A first birthday party or a first wedding anniversary hopefully bring joy and happy reflection. So why does the one year anniversary of Occupy Miami seem like a distant dream? 

Image by Brian Tatosky

The Occupy Movement was born in New York City from a deep rumble of dismay and discontent. What was wrong with America? How could those with wealth be doing so well while the heralded middle class was no longer in the middle? The steady but gradual shift away from opportunity and equity in America was going largely unnoticed. Until the occupations began, first in New York, then in cities across the country. The 99% called out the 1%, and America stood up and listened.

Occupy made it safe to acknowledge the obvious: we were increasingly becoming two Americas, the rich and the poor. The American Dream was becoming all too distant for too many. 

What has happened in this past year and how has Occupy influenced the course of events? We are locked down in a death rattle election, in which once again we are pitted against each other in America: the 53% who "produce" versus the 47% who "mooch." Yet we have also been once again awakened to a stark but formerly hidden reality: inequitable tax policy in America. The wealthiest in fact get the biggest handout from government, while those in the "middle" pay the highest effective tax rates. And Congress has stalled on deciding who will get to continue with lower tax rates: just the rich or everyone? 

With a skyrocketing deficit and our nation in hock to China, can we afford to let the rich continue to get richer? What do we get for our unequal policies? An abysmal record on child well-being. High incarceration rates. Little social mobility. All of this is driven by that very inequality which fuels discontent among all people.

Oh Occupy, we cry for thee. It seemed for a few brief months that America would listen and learn. But we are once again harshly divided, with those most affected by our gaping wounds oblivious to their own self- and shared-interests. No birthday candles for you, Occupy. Your brief but illuminating flame was obliterated by the power of partisan politics and increasing manipulation of public opinion by the champions of polarization who benefit from our many divides.

Aging and Voting with Grace

Written by Daniella Levine, Catalyst Miami President/CEO

I am in Dallas right now attending the annual meeting of OWL, the national organization that promotes the voice of midlife and older women. I joined OWL's board of directors when I turned 55, and now at 57, membership in OWL is helping to remind me that as I age, I am proud. While there are many new challenges that come with age, there is also a wisdom and serenity for which I am supremely grateful.

So, reading in today's OWL e-newsletter about the recent YWCA survey of women's concerns, I was struck by how these concerns resonate. Eighty percent of women, across all divides and regardless of political affiliation, agree on 80% of the issues.

Top concerns among women across the board include (quoting from OWL):

• Disappearing middle class
• Social Security and if it will be there when they retire
• An unaffordable medical expense for themselves or family
• Health insurance that is affordable and secure for their family.
• The economic downturn continues to loom over women. Its consequences are writ large in their concerns:
• 41% of women have been the primary breadwinner in the last four years.
• Women report hardships ranging from postponing medical care to losing a job or falling behind in rent or mortgage payments. Most importantly, even women who have not personally experienced these difficulties express concern about these issues.

These are also the concerns of Catalyst Miami and our constituents. These are the motivators for our work. We seek to end poverty through civic engagement, connecting people to opportunities to make a difference.

I am so very proud of my affiliation with both OWL and Catalyst Miami, two organizations that focus on ways we can protect and promote the best of our democracy: civic participation AND economic opportunity. I urge you to consider these issues as we countdown to election 2012 in six short weeks. Who are the elected leaders to help us with these pressing concerns? What is the pathway to a more prosperous and engaged future?

Where the people lead, the leaders will follow. Most important: learn the issues, discuss them with friends and neighbors, and participate! Democracy is not a spectator sport and we at OWL and Catalyst are excited to provide tools and connections to help you to participate with wisdom and grace. You don't have to be 57, or a woman, to care about these issues. We are raising up civic leaders every day to show the way.

Keeping it Catalyst at the Office

Bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-95 and Metrorail delays are no surprise to anyone traveling to work Monday through Friday. Catalyst staff confront these and a host of travel factors when heading into downtown Miami during the work week. Even with the best intentions of being on time, each one of us is bound to experience that moment when easing into the office a few minutes after the “estimated time of arrival” is coupled with a hope that no one notices our tardiness.

Not to worry. Rather than harsh reprimands for late arrivals, the Catalyst Miami family has started a unique tradition. 

Walk into a meeting late and you may be asked to lead the team in the chicken dance, speak in a British accent or perform an impromptu tap routine in front of everyone in the office.

Sneaking in without notice isn’t an option thanks to this tradition, which was introduced by Chief of Civic Engagement Gretchen Beesing. What started as an idea during a team meeting turned into a longstanding practice in which the entire meeting group votes on something funny a latecomer has to do.

These quirky requests lightly admonish people for being tardy and fit the culture of the organization, where ice-breakers, team-building exercises and get-to-know you activities are common.

Gretchen found that people were less likely to be tardy when they had to face some sort of embarrassment if they did. Staff have reacted favorably to this tradition mentioning all the fun it's been watching their colleagues perform an impromptu dance or speak in various accents. The takeaway is that it's possible to have a little office fun while reiterating the importance of punctuality in the work place.

After all, better late than never, but never late is always better.

Ring the Alarm. SoundOut is Here.

For the second consecutive year, the Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI) will provide an opportunity for teenagers in Miami-Dade to have their voices heard on issues that matter most to them. On Tuesday, September 25^th, the youth component of FLTI, “SoundOut” will welcome its fifth class at Booker T. Washington High School.

“SoundOut,” which is facilitated by Catalyst Miami staff, Public Allies and VISTA AmeriCorps members, will provide a space for teenagers to explore issues related to community involvement, education and school improvement all while enhancing the students’ leadership, project design and development skills during the 22-week series. This year, students will address issues surrounding stereotypes, decision-making and so much more.

The after-school “SoundOut” series will also be held at Miami Beach Senior High beginning October 10, 2012. We are looking forward to hearing all that the students have to bring to the conversation this year! For more information about this and other Family Leadership Training programs, contact Santarvis Brown at santarvisb@catalystmiami.org or Lizabeth Verjano at lizabethv@catalystmiami.org.

Maria Ruiz: Community Catalyst

Maria Ruiz is a mother and a lawyer, an immigrant and a community health worker, a published author, and also, a survivor of domestic violence. We are proud to say she is a recent graduate of Catalyst Miami’s Parent LeadershipTraining Institute.

Maria and her three children endured abuse throughout her 21-year marriage. When she came to Miami from Venezuela in October 2009 it was with only two of her daughters. Her oldest child had committed suicide, as Maria puts it, “to break free from domestic violence.” At that time, Maria was coming to understand that her husband’s violence was not merely an element of marital strife; it was deeply affecting her children.  This realization put her on a path to becoming an advocate and a healer in her community.

After a short time in Miami, Maria’s husband came to see her and their children. His violent behavior eventually led to a visit from the police. One of the officers encouraged Maria to get a restraining order and wrote down directions to the courthouse. The very next day Maria was on a bus headed downtown to begin the process of separating legally from her husband and becoming a resident of the United States.

In getting a divorce, Maria gave up quite a bit of money and property, but gained tranquility and liberation for her daughters. As a barista at Maxine's Restaurant and Lounge in Miami Beach, she started saving up to start her own organization, Fundación AngelMariposa, to help families affected by domestic violence heal themselves and break the cycle of violence.

As a participant in the latest class of the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), Maria learned how to match her dreams with resources that could help her launch a community project, which she calls Mujer Mariposa. Through this program, women participate in support groups, attend workshops on healthy eating and take Zumba and Raiki classes. Maria believes that for children to be healthy, their mothers must also be healthy, which is why she is passionate about helping women seek therapy and support.

When Maria reflects on the journey she has taken, she doesn’t sound bitter towards her ex-husband. She comments that he still has their big house in Venezuela, but he is alone in it; he doesn’t have his family. She speaks proudly of how her daughters have learned to demand respect. Having seen such transformation in her own family, Maria is not content to rest; instead she is using the lessons she learned to help others heal.

FLTI Graudation Class of 2012

By Jill Gedeon,  AmeriCorps VISTA

Graduation-- the day that we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. After 20 week long sessions meeting one night per week, our parents, teens and children have been given the tools necessary to become strong advocates for their children, neighbors and their fellow citizens of Miami-Dade county to implement change and to inspire others to take on the same path. The graduation took place at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens and the institute has graduated 12 parents, 3 children, and 5 teens.

The evening started out with some encouraging words from our CEO & Chair Daniella Levine by congratulating our graduates and in honoring Janet Pereyra the founder of F.O.F (Federation of Families) in collaborating with her in being a part of our PLTI curriculum. The atmosphere during the event was very joyful and nobody in the room could not stop smiling and congratulating one another solidifying the fact that everyone in the room made it here with the support from their fellow classmates, Catalyst Miami, Federation of Families, PLTI and The Children's Trust to make it all a reality. During the ceremony, we also honored Gina Ha, Lizabeth Vejano, Abby Asgaralli from Catalyst and other facilitators who made it possible each and every week in obtaining supplies and/or assist with facilitating the program. Before the graduation procession began, the Youth Move choir performed 3 different songs in 3 different languages: English, Spanish and Haitian Creole to reflect the common languages that are heard in Miami and represents the cultures of the parents, children and teens. 

While during the graduation procession I was happy to see all of my young adults transition into knowledgeable Youth Advocate Leaders as they grace the stage with confidence, when receiving their diploma. Even though I myself had the pleasure of being a facilitator for the second half of Soundout weekly program. It was a great feeling to see so much hope, inspiration, and collaboration.

Congratulations to the 5^th year and 7^th FLTI class of 2012!

ReServists in action: Woodie Pagan

Contributed by Islara B. Suoto, Alliance for Aging Director of Planning & Special Projects

The workshop planned for a recent Tuesday in Little Havana was to train 15 elders in safe-walking behaviors. All arrangements had been made and materials prepared: 15 Certificates of Completion were printed for each "older graduate" and 15 Safety Kits assembled as a graduation gift. The room was set up, the attendance sheet ready, curriculum module loaded on the laptop, a new light bulb in the projector, and all systems a "go."

The trainer for the workshop, a ReServist named Woodie Pagan, called my cell phone the night before the Little Havana event. "Hi. Guess how many participants are coming to the workshop tomorrow?" he asked. "Oh, the 15 we planned for," I responded. 

"Nope," he continued, "there will be more than 300 elders at the workshop in the Little Havana Activity & Nutrition Center!"  

I gasped, caught my breath and said, "Woodie, do you want to do this?" He quickly responded, "Yes."

I asked him, "Can you do this?" He replied with a simple, "Yeah, sure, no problem."

That, in essence, is Woodie Pagan--lawyer, ex-New York Traffic Court Judge, former high school football coach, college baseball and football player, HUD developer--and now, in his encore career through ReServe, a Project Specialist for the Alliance for Aging. There is nothing too big or too small for this exceptional person to tackle when he commits and believes in what he is doing.

Woodie is proving to be an invaluable employee who has embraced the opportunity to make our diverse elders throughout Miami-Dade County safer. His inimitable and friendly style makes everyone around him feel at ease, and his approachability transfers into the community as he trains hundreds of older people how to be more careful about walking on the streets of Miami. His experience base includes years of diplomacy, a teaching background, practical understanding of nonprofit operation and programs, and a keen legal mind. More importantly, though, this ReServist exemplifies how the "right fit" between a person and a job--no matter what stage of life--can revitalize and invigorate both.

To learn more about ReServe Miami, please visit www.reserveinc.org.

The Supreme Court Healthcare Decision: What Does it Mean for Florida?

Contributed by Greg Mallowe, Florida CHAIN
On June 28, the two-year legal challenge brought by Florida and 25 other states to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), reached its dramatic conclusion with a (split) decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

In two sentences, what did the Court decide?
They upheld the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) as constitutional*. So the ACA is the law of the land and is fully in effect.

Why the asterisk (*) though?
  The Court did identify one problem related to the Medicaid expansion component of the ACA that would make most Americans up to 138 percent of the poverty level Medicaid-eligible as of 2014. Because the expansion is such a significant change to the Medicaid program, the Court said, it would be unconstitutional for the feds to enforce an older Medicaid law that would have allowed withholding of all federal funds for a State's existing Medicaid program if it refused to expand. Bottom line: Florida can't beforced to expand Medicaid (but see below).

When Governor Scott stated his intent not to do anything to comply with the ACA, what was he talking about?
Although it seems unlikely that the Governor has any immediate plans to change his practice of rejecting all ACA-related funding and taking no action to implement the law, he was mainly referring to two main ACA components. First, he said Florida would likely: 1) not expand Medicaid, and 2) not launch a Florida-based Health Insurance Exchange where Floridians could find and buy quality, affordable coverage - with assistance available to households up to 400% of the poverty level to ensure affordable coverage.

Was the Governor specifically threatening to break the law or ignore federal authority?
Although the Governor appears ready to break his pledge to implement the law if upheld by the Supreme Court, so far he has not discussed anything that would be illegal. Here's why:
1) As a result of the Supreme Court's decision, Florida could reject Medicaid expansion without fear of losing federal funding for its current Medicaid program. So such a decision would be legal, but extremely foolish. Medicaid expansion would provide desperately-needed coverage for a million very low-income Floridians, while bringing in almost ten federal dollars for every State dollar invested in the next decade.
2) If Florida did nothing to set up its own "state-based" Exchange, Floridians would still have access to a "federally facilitated" exchange. That wouldn't necessarily mean that the federal government would run the whole thing. The Exchange could take the form of a federal-state partnership, where the state would perform some function and the feds perform others.

Who will make the financial decision about what to do and by when?
If the State plans any involvement in the initial operation of an Exchange - either on its own or as part of a federal-state partnership - it would need to tell the feds in writing and submit a detailed plan by November 16. The Exchange must be ready to perform a wide array of complex functions by next fall, and Florida is still at "square one." Significant federal involvement seems inevitable. The Legislature will have a say, but unless there is a special session, their input may come too late, at least for Round 1. As for Medicaid expansion, the Legislature could decide that question next spring, but that really doesn't allow enough time to prepare, even if the feds determine eligibility.

Voting Just Got Easier with TurboVote!

Written by Jennifer Villaroel, Catalyst Miami Summer Intern

In 1790, the United States voting law only permitted white adult property-owning males to cast their to vote. Today however, thanks to the tireless efforts of trailblazers of
the past who fought for increased suffrage, all American citizens over 18 years old may vote regardless their race, color or gender. The work is not yet done however to make sure all voices can be be heard. For example, thousands of African-Americans and Latinos who are eligible to vote are underrepresented in local and national elections every year. Additionally, new Florida laws make it harder for community-based organizations to register people to vote.


One way Catalyst Miami is trying to tackle the problem of voter disenfranchisement is by promoting “TurboVote,” a free and easy-to-use technology that allows users to register to vote online, as well as sign up for election reminders, so you never miss an election! 
We believe that promoting and facilitating the use of TurboVote within our community can create change, and we hope you will help us spread the word to increase the number of voters in Florida. Together we can build a more democratic nation.

President Obama Proposes New Home Refinancing Program

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen in on this month's White House conference call that addressed home mortgage refinancing. The purpose of this call was to spread the word about President Obama's new proposal to enact three streamline home refinancing programs: Responsible Owner Refinancing Act, Expanding Refinancing Opportunities Act, and Rebuilding Equity Act. Americans who bought houses before the financial crisis and are locked in at high interest rates will benefit from these streamline refinancing programs because it cuts through the red tape that is attached to modifying mortgages and help home owners make affordable payments. Individuals who are not behind on their mortgage payments but have been unable to get traditional refinancing because the value of their home has declined, individuals may be eligible to refinance their own loan through MHA's Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). Click here for a more detailed eligibility criteria.

Why streamline refinancing?

Individuals may be eligible to refinance through the
Home Affordable Refinance Program

Increased competition amongst lending services will give borrowers better deals and lower fees on their loans. In addition, the programs allow automatic appraisal that will remove the additional cost of manual appraisal. The Rebuilding Equity Act will also offer aid to families whose loans are underwater-- the mortgage is higher than the value of the house. Short term loans allow people to recover from their loans quicker. Lower monthly payments mean lower foreclosure rates, helping property values in your community. 

The conference ended with a question and answer segment where several realtors from South Florida called in to make their enquiries. Overall, my first experience with a White House conference call was a positive one-- however, I left the conversation still feeling confused about the specificities each program would provide within President Obama's proposal. Let's hope that the U.S. Senate will quickly add this to their calender and considers this proposal with the attention it deserves. I believe there should be a greater effort to keep an open dialogue between the administration and the American public and explain the proposal in easy to understand terms. On the same token, Americans who think they might be eligible for home refinancing should proactively educate themselves on the various programs to see which one suits their financial situation the closest. Home loan refinancing is a tedious and complex process that effects many Americans and I think it's a matter of public concern that should be addressed sooner rather than later.