That Face…
will NOT become a Victim of
American Greed
&
Gentrification
while on "My Watch."
will NOT become a Victim of
American Greed
&
Gentrification
while on "My Watch."
DATELINE: Saturday, October 13, 2018
November 5, 2018 marks CALi’s Second Year with Robert & me. We’ve never been happier, despite Bob’s Aches & Pains. Sharing “The Joys of CATHood” with the BEST CAT EVER IN THE WORLD, EVER has
immensely inspired me in Ways I would never have imagined. She has enriched our Lives oh-so much since I
first laid Eyes upon her on November 1, 2016 and immediately FELL IN LOVE, a Love that continues to
grow larger every Moment. Little did I
know that because of her Entry & Entrance into Our Lives, I’d be #CAT_apulted
into a strange and brutal World lined with incorrigible Thinking & despicable Actions where People (aggressive
Real Estate Developers operated by greedy and ruthless Tycoons, Corporations and
Government) exhibit a heinous Degree of Cruelty towards ANIMALS and The People who
love them.
That is:
Displacing – Evicting Families so that these Families are unable to take
their beloved PET with them to their next Home due to escalating Property
Hikes. Whereby, many Buildings “going CONDO” are totally rendered UNAFFORDABLE
to those Seniors who (for the most Part) are on a Fixed Income and/or Set Allowance.
That CAT or DOG (or more Family Pets) are then turned out onto “The Street”
(ruthless and menacing as those are) to fend for herself or himself. Alone in the Cold. Hungry and confused. Shelters
and Pounds are over-crowded; Pets are euthanized and tossed in a Dump. The Families
(now in transit who are forced to move away) are caught between “The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea.”
To add insult to injury, many Landlords
affix a $300-500 Pet Rental Fee if a Family/Person wants their Cat or Dog to
continue to live with them. When “growing
up Koopersmith” in the 1950-1960s, this was never ever heard (of). Living in Mendota, Illinois 61342, a small
Farming Community 100 miles southwest of Chicago, my Family’s 4 Cats & Dog
ran freely the Neighborhood. Breakfast
at 6 AM; then they were allowed to go outside. All wore Collars stating who
they belonged to. They came home for
Lunch; they ate. They returned outdoor for a few more hours to exercise and be “The
Animal they were meant to be;” then returned home to bed down, sleep and rest
until their Activities started up again the next Day. Of course, if The Weather
was inclement, they remained indoors. Our Neighbors knew our Cats & Dog by
name as We did theirs. There was a
Special Bond exhibited here that has since been shattered today and eroded away. This unthinkable Conscience is an inhumane
Nightmare that registers in the same Realm as African Poaching.
ALWAYS
REMEMBER: Your
Cat and Your Dog are Family Members.
Hearts are broken if something happens to your Cat(s) or Dog(s). The Death
of a Pet is never forgotten. A Candle
still burns in their Human’s Heart. Separation Anxiety is a Physical Symptom. If
outed, The Animal instantly becomes Prey for larger, fiercer Breeds and/or for
Vehicles in Traffic, Shooters, Animal Haters (as Poisoners) and Gang Members undergoing sadistic Initiation Rituals. IF a CAT is declawed (as my CALi was), she has no Chance (whatsoever) of
Survival on her own. Rats (in our old Neighborhood)
were half of her Size. Some may have been rabid. CALi was
“no match” for “Street Life.” I cringe when
I think what happens in this Case Scenario.
Being
the Creative Writer & CAT-Mom that I am at 65 (at the Time,) I decided an:
“Every
Senior must have a CAT in their Lap” Campaign
would
do wonders and be appropriate in order to bring this Dilemma to light to the General Public and as an applicable Human Interest Story. Plus, to extol “The Wonderfulness” of
what it means to have a CAT in One’s Life. Life suddenly has an Added Dimension
and Meaning when a PET enters a Human’s Domain.
UNDERSTAND THIS: Many
Seniors are Empty-Nesters. Their Children
are grown and moved out of the Family Homestead. The Couple may be
divorced or widowed, becoming single. Their Friends may be “few and far between.”
Relatives may be “distant” (in more than one way). A CAT provides ~PURRvides Companionship &
Company and asks for barely anything in return. A Window in The Sun; a Bowl of
refreshing Water to lap up; tasty Meals & an assortment of Snacks; a clean Litter
Box; perhaps a Walk outdoors to stretch those Little Legs and to breathe in the
Cool & Fresh Air and experience the Squirrels, Rabbits & Birds frolicking
in Nature. I never laugh harder than when I see CALi
begin to stalk one of the 14 Rabbits that live in our “OutBack” which is “out back.”
What CATS give-back to us Humans (in
return) is immeasurable.
So
I embarked on that CAT Campaign:
þ Blogs were
written.
þ Photographs
were taken as CALi is very photogenic. With the Psychology
being: Everyone stops to look at a “Cute
CAT Picture.”
þ Flyers
were created and distributed addressing The Issue; now The Issues have taken on a new paralyzing Role, ranked as ALARMING.
þ Posts were
placed on Social Media Platforms to activate Concern.
þ Repeat
& carry on…
THE UNDERCURRENT OF
CHICAGO & URBAN LIFE & LIVING:
Then,
when I realized I had been “displaced”
and had lived at 6 different Addresses within 5 years (from May 28, 2013 –
September 1, 2017), I knew I had become a Gypsy and something economically
& socially wrong was happening here in Chicago (the third most
sophisticated, cosmopolitan and metropolitan City in The USA) that needed to be
ADDRESSED AT ONCE. Another (appalling) Facet of Seniors + Pets
was to open. Worse than “My Scenario” is that within meeting CALi (during our initial 9-Month Period that CALi, Robert
& I were together), she lived in 6 different Places – loCATions. Yet, she adapted
and stayed at my Side & on our Bed every Night and has thus been doing so
since; knowing We will not let her down; protect her and make sure she has “The Creature Comforts” she deserves.
Yes,
another Definition of The Word: Address
was to be unveiled that few know about, consider or would ever think could
happen…unless it happened to YOU. Especially
so, since giving Animals a Voice has become My Calling as CALi urges me to do so. With that being said, our current Home (and
that of 56 other People [all Seniors
over 55 years of age] living at The Levy House at 1221 West Sherwin in Chicago)
is now FOR SALE & again We face “The Peril of Uncertainty.” My Neighbors & I (many life-long Pet
People as I never use The Word, “Owner” when it comes to Animal Equality) will
not stand for this Injustice and Form of Animal Abuse & Cruelty to happen)
& have joined Forces with JASC: Jane
Adams Senior Caucus in order that CALi, China, Harry, Dandy, William Shakepeare & Faith’s 16 year old CAT, Ty Neo have a warm,
safe, sound and comfy Home with People
who love and adore them endlessly -- besides We Humans who need “Shelter from The Storm.”
“After all,
Pets rescue us.
It’s NOT the
other Way around.”
Please
view CALi & my Testimonial at:
October
12, 2018 is The Date these Videos were posted by their Producer, Venice Johnson, a FilmMaker & Author who resides at The Levy House with us. This Segment will give the General Population an Idea of who we are; what We stand for and how our Pets are Family - an integral and interwoven Part of our Lives as ours is to theirs. To know us is to love us.
CALi is
sitting in my Lap. You cannot miss
us. She has her SAY in this Production,
also. After all, she has been shifted, shuffled and shuttled around as Robert &
I have been. A Total of 6 Times in 9 Months. Yet, CALi persevered and was at my Side, adapting with every Move and Movement. And, yes, I usually dress
in her Colors: Copper, Black &
White.
Furthermore,
you will be happily pleased to see and hear Donna (China’s CAT Mom);
Barbara (Harry’s CAT Mom); Betsy
(Dandy’s DOG Mom); and Gayle (William Shakespeare’s
DOG Mom) speak about “The Unconditional Love”
they have for their Pet and The Comradery, Safety & Affordability We feel
here at The Levy House. Being blessed to have an endearing PET spend their Time with us and having
The Peace of Mind to know that Creature has The Life that Cat or Dog was meant
to have is another Point We are grateful for. Make it: THEY were meant to have without any
Obstructions to their Welfare & Wellness.
“Blessings on 4 Feet is what We call them.”
ASK Quote:
Saturday, October 13, 2018 – 11:32 AM CST
TAKING A PAUSE:
A
very special, heart-warming Thank You goes to Venice Johnson, Levy House
Resident and Filmmaker/Author for taking her Time/Talent/Expertise to sit down, tell and
authenticate our Individual Stories and turning them into Online Videos –
Personal Testimonials that can be viewed and shared by others, The Media, etc.
who may get caught in this horrible Situation, sweeping The Continental USA, if not further.
Ms.
Johnson composed the following Caption to join this Series reading as:
Filmed
by resident, Venice Johnson, here are the stories of seniors at Levy House
experiencing housing insecurity. Residents effectively organized and received a
commitment from CJE
SeniorLife that they will sell the building to CHA and preserve all units.
Levy Senior Family Residents will continue to stay vigilant to make sure their
needs are being met now and into the future, and will continue to fight for
housing for all. #SaveOurSeniorHomes
IN CLOSING:
Let’s
hope there is a Degree of Civilization left in Mankind and that GREED & CONTEMPT FOR SENIORS do not become Commonplace and “The
Norm” in The American Fabric.
ööö
CALi’s & I sharing a Moment ~ #MEOWment
on our Back Porch at our former Home at 1258 West Loyola
in December of 2016
before Robert, CALi & I
were kicked out due to aggressive Real Estate Developers, BJB Realty
began buying up every Parcel they could find.
She, too, became a Victim.
FYi: I am ASK: ASK:
ADRiENNE SiOUX
KOOPERSMiTH fondly d/b/a CALi’s Human and a Creative Writing Activist (based in Chicago circa
May of 1974) who began writing about Senior Issues in February of 2002 right
before I turned 50 on Friday, August 9, 2002 under The Title of AFSEE: ADVOCATES
FOR SENIOR EQUALITY & ENRICHMENT ©2002.
Reachable
at:
ASK: ADRiENNE SiOUX KOOPERSMiTH
3i’s: implant. involve. influence.
Screenwriter – Author – Eventologist –
Promoter – Video Actor
ADRiENNE
SiOUX KOOPERSMiTH
THE AΣSΘP
OF THE 20TH & 21ST CENTURIES
KOOPERSMITH’S GLþBAL COMMUNICATIONS
“People read what ASK writes about…”
STUDIOS 1437 –
5820 - 1258 – 3100 – 1710 - 1221
1221 West Sherwin – 6E – Chicago, Illinois
USA
Cell:
847-890-1489
Gmail:
Adrienne(dot)Sioux(dot)Koopersmith(at)gmail(dot)com
PS: OF
TANTAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO NOTE & KNOW:
We residents at The Levy House are extremely grateful to Lilly, Leah & Kelly of The JASC and We encourage you to further investigate their Mission at:
We residents at The Levy House are extremely grateful to Lilly, Leah & Kelly of The JASC and We encourage you to further investigate their Mission at:
Jane Addams Senior Caucus
“The Seniors Who make Change Happen”
Housing Justice Organizers
www.seniorcaucus.org
www.facebook.com/janeaddamsseniorcaucus
@JaneAddamsSeniorCaucus
because
YOU never know when this Injustice can or could
happen…TO…YOU. I know We never imagined it - even in
our Wildest Dreams…
***
ON FILE: My
First #SAVEOURLEVYHOME Blog #1 at:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER
28, 2018
tinyurl.com/yb96q4u5
with 96 Readers as
of Saturday, October 13, 2018.
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