Vigilance

GALLERY WALK SUNDAYS

I look forward to Deena Tyler's performance and book release of Ready for Me: Rough and Raw at the Grand Cafe/ Sir Pizza of Lansing in Old Town tomorrow, Nov.4, on Gallery Walk Sunday. The show starts at 2pm and is free.

Don't miss the Survivin' & Thrivin' open mic I'm hosting after her show!

And my official release of Blame It on Eve! is December 2, also on Gallery Walk Sunday at the Grand Cafe, starting at 2pm with open mic following.


IN REVIEW

October offered our community a wealth of Domestic Violence Awareness events. Thanks to Relief After Violence Encounter in Owosso, MI, for inviting me to perform at their candlelight vigil October 1.

Unfortunately due to health reasons, I canceled my out-of-state performances. But I performed at Lansing's candlelight vigil organized by EVE Inc. and partners on Oct. 30, with Deena Tyler for our second year performing as Survivin' & Thrivin'.

We were honored to perform in the company of musician Barb Barton, who also graced the SPEAK OUT for Safety on Oct. 1. Here are MSU's State News articles for vigils this year and last year.

Later on Oct. 30, I hosted the East Side Poetry open mic at Magdalena's Tea House, where first-time open-mic poets read alongside regulars.

Thanks Miguel, Nancy, Jonathan, Deena, Neil, and Jessi for sharing your poems! And thanks to the moral-support folks who kept showing up throughout the night.

PROMOTING PREVENTION

I still am urging city officials to put preventing violence against women on Lansing's crime fighting agenda. Last Monday, Oct. 29, I returned to City Council to make public comment, including a poem inspired by interactions with local officials.

The comments I gave city officials with the poem "VAW" is available at this index (file: CityCouncilMtg29oct07.pdf), as is my follow-up letter from Oct. 30 (file: LetterCityHall_30oct07.pdf).

The Safety Union gathers on Sunday, Nov. 11, at the Gone Wired Cafe from 3 to 5pm. Neighbors from across Lansing, anti-violence advocates, and officials are deliberating neighborhood safety and preventing violence against women.

We are sounding off our challenges about pursuing safety goals and will problem-solve strategies with one another. Also, resources will be offered by community groups and officials.