The second half of the refugee resettlement meeting Sept 28 at my house features Suzanne’s story of living in a refugee camp in Burundi and eventually being relocated in Western Mass.

On September 28th, 2016, we had a house meeting at my house in Florence to talk about Northampton’s plans to resettle 51 refugees in 2017. Susannah Crolius of Catholic Charities presented,

Next week’s show(#81) will be part two, where Suzanne of Burundi shares her story coming to Western Mass as a refugee.

Diana Sierra is a labor organizer with the Pioneer Valley Workers Center. She talks about the wage theft ordinance being drafted, how it will work, and why it’s important to to pass this as one way to address systemic racism in Northampton. The ordinance wouldn’t add more bureaucracy to the City other than requiring businesses to sign an affadavit, when they got their license, that they will abide by state labor laws. If they are found by the state to be in violation, the City will revoke their license. People of color and people without documentation are disproportionately affected by wage theft, so this ordinance would help level the playing field.
Diana also talks a little about her personal experience coming to the US as a child and living undocumented for over 20 years.

The first 15 minutes are random short clips about little community interactions of the past week: Betty Wolfson, a Florence neighbor who ran out with a homemade smoothie when I was picking up trash; Chris McCulley walking his bike down the sidewalk with a table saw on the milk crate; reactions I got Friday wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt; Ben Ross’ facebook post inviting people to meet in Pulaski Park to talk about whatever was on their minds;  butterfly spotting at the Florence community gardens; and a minute rant about fuzzy speaking toys in the trash.

At 16:00 min, Alex shares a story about hopping  a freight train home to Maine.

In the second half hour, Northampton City councillors Bill Dwight and David Murphy share their thoughts on a potential wage-theft ordinance in Northampton.  Bill Dwight wonders how we can make it effective, and David Murphy says it is the State’s role, not the City’s.

To break up or not to break up, that is the question.  My personal life has been in emotional chaos the past week, so it’s hard to think about doing a radio show.  Anyway, I managed to fill the hour, thanks to running into Alice K on Round Hill Road/Crescent St, and her telling me about her wooden ladder trellises, and how she unsuspectingly became a painting contractor in her early 40s, which she continued for 25 years.  Thanks to music for helping get me through this show as well.  And a word from Ernie of Ernie’s Garage about his pebble parking lot, and Chris P and Tyler in front of Haymarket answering relationship questions (or not).

After arriving in Chinatown NYC in 2002, Lingeng worked in restaurants for 14 years, including the last 9 at the former Zen restaurant in Northampton.  Despite long hours that left little time and energy to build a life in a new country, and pay ranging from $4-$10/hour, he has learned English, gone to college, and been organizing with the Pioneer Valley Worker’s Center.  (AND become a Pedal Person!)    www.pvworkerscenter.org

Clips from my trip:  woman collecting trash/recycling by trike on the HighLine in NYC; Borderland Bike Billboards in Knoxville, TN; Food Not Bombs in Knoxville; and I have lot to say about VIP helicopter travel in New York City, along the path by the river where people are trying to breathe.

Northampton author and cyclist Susan Stinson comes to the studio and we talk about biking, triking, and her book Fat Girl Dances With Rocks. (The book was published in 1994, but I just read it this summer.) It’s a coming of age novel about 17-year old Char, who explores and treasures her large body and her love for women.   You can read more about Susan’s literary works at susanstinson.net.

Oh, and at the beginning of the show, a boy I ran into on the rail trail in Easthampton yesterday talks about his lemonade stand.

Kelly Silliman and her oldest daughter, Rosalie, come to the studio for a live interview today.  They live in Leeds.  Several years ago, Kelly started the Tinydance Project, a dance troupe with about 5 members who are going on their annual bike tour August 6-13.   There will be free shows in public outdoor spaces, like along rail trails.   The dancers and stage and families travel with bikes and bike trailer, use natural light, and their own voices for background music. (www.tinydanceproject.com).  Please support them!

Kelly also talks about her decision to not drive this summer.  She and her husband have 4 children.

First off in today’s show, some little stories from around town, including Maurice DeBois talking about his visit yesterday to Smead Island by Montague in the Connecticut River.  He was looking for pre-colonial artifacts… and then the Northfield Mountain Reservoir was released and the water was rising, so he called for rescue.

Next is coverage from the re-opening ceremony of Pulaski Park, Northampton’s main downtown public outdoor gathering place.  Initial design and community input sessions started in 2007.   Demolition and construction started last year.  Lauren Stimson, of Stimson and Associates, the designers, talks about special features of the park, including the rain garden/drainage ditch which takes dirty water from Main St and filters it naturally.  Also there is a play structure of natural materials, cafe and picnic tables, oaks and sycamores planted to replace trees that were cut, a drinking fountain, and more.  The Expandable Brass Band plays as part of the celebration, and people give feedback about the park.