What I'd do with 15 (more) minutes of "face time" with Barack Obama

President Barack Obama hopped on a a train to trail through America -- from Illinois, to Washington DC -- for his inauguration last week. He made stops in Philadelphia, Delaware and Cleveland. Bedford Heights to be exact. Within 10 miles of my humble, but teetering on foreclosure, home in Cleveland Heights. It got me to thinking what I would do with 15 minutes of sit down "face time," as I've learned they call it in campaign parlance, with our new President. It also got me to thinking about how I might actually get 15 minutes of sit down face time with him. I realized I could do this. I could get it down on paper, send it out to the universe, and see what happens.

You see, I too, have The Audacity of Hope. And, perhaps even better, I have the Audacity of Action. I have the skills and resources to get things done, to pioneer through any challenge, to build bridges, to shake things up. My business card doesn't say "rabble rouser" for nothing. So here it is: What I'd say in 15 minutes with President Barack Obama: You need me, Barack, and I need you.

I forgive you if you don't remember meeting me, here in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, back in the early fall of 2006. You were in the Green Room at the Civic waiting to keynote in support of Sherrod Brown and Ted Strickland. I was on a photographic mission. The Green Room door opened long enough for Connie Schultz to catch sight of my camera-wielding sleuth, grab my arm and pull me into the private space of your company. "Have you met our friend Barack Obama?" Schultz asked me -- the "our" referring of course to Sherrod who was casually chatting with you. Introductions were exchanged.

I offered to take a picture of you with Connie and Sherrod. Somewhere in those speeding minutes you stepped to the other side of the room to make a call. I asked Connie if she would take my picture with you. I felt an urgency. My 16-year-old giddy bounding impulsive energy took over and I impatiently called out to you to hurry up and come back over here so I could have my picture taken with you.

Except, as I can sometimes be a tad dyslexic, what came out of my blithering mouth was... "Obama, Obama... come on!!!" At first I didn't realize my blunder. Schultz laughed, I think. "Oh... Barack, Barack... I am so sorry," I think I chanted in that plea for mercy voice summoned from my still 16-year-old self. You laughed and said it happens all the time. And, you explained that, yes I'd get my picture, but it was your daughter's birthday and you needed to talk to her first.

OK. At that moment I did not know if you would decide to run for President. But I did know -- and I'm sure I'm not alone in this -- that in 2004 as I watched the National Democratic Convention in Boston, having never heard of you, you had me at the very first applause. At the end of your speech I declared that I wanted you to be my next president. But now, on a chilly day in November 2006, stumping for two other fine fellow democrats, with a pulpit of all the fine brother and sister democrats in Cuyahoga County, an overflowing congregation waiting, you needed to spend some dad time on the phone with your daughter and I would gladly wait.

I got my prized photo and was off and running. Rather, off and shooting to be exact. I got amazing pictures that day. Maybe you've seen them. Maybe Schultz or someone emailed or texted you to check out my photo gallery website at http://www.brynnafish.com.

My absolute favorite picture of that event is a picture of your shoes. You were sitting next to Sherrod and through the pulpit staging (did I mention the event was in an old synagogue turned church?) with my telephoto lens I captured the yin and yang of two souls. Literally, in two soles! Your shoes next to Sherrod's shoes. Your shoes, effervescent, stunningly handsome, shining, glowing in fact. Sherrod's shoes, probably Rockport's, sensible shoes, well worn, like it was he, and not Eric Fingerhut, who had literally walked across the entire state of Ohio.

Omigod, I've just entirely eaten up 4 minutes... let me get back to my original point: You need me and I need you.

I believe in your vision. I especially appreciate that of your many roots, are those of a community organizer. I got my MSW in social work, not the clinical kind, but rather in community organization. I get the big picture. I'm a creative passionate idea person. I can see the macro and micro all at the same time. So can you.

I spent over 30 years professionally working for social change, 20 of it working with victims of domestic violence while educating and advocating for the prevention of intimate partner and family abuse. I've raised my nephew, now 23, as a result of the abuse he suffered from birth to 18 months old, by the neglect of his mother, my sister, and by the hands of her many boyfriends, while his father was in prison for drug dealing.

I saved his life and I have literally saved the lives of hundreds of women and children in the Family Violence Program I helped create in 1996 targeting suburban families who would not dare access the services of a Battered Women's Shelter, especially one located in the inner city of Cleveland.

But, again, I digress.

You need me to be a voice for those who cannot speak their truth. For those who don't know how to speak their truth. For those who know their truth needs spoken but have no idea whose ears to trust, or how to even find effective listening ears.

All my social work training, my own strong Jewish and social justice upbringing, all my professional service and community volunteer work, did not prepare me for what I face today.

Today, I am two-and-a-half years into a complete and unplanned catastrophic transformation.

I'm sick, I can't work. SSDI is taking WAY too long. And, even once I get it I'll have another TWO YEAR wait for Medicaid. My house is in foreclosure. And I have just started a "friends and family" effort to raise $80,000.00 by March 15 to save my house. That's just under half what I owe on my home but with the economy tanked I'm counting on my bank accepting this buy out. Let me catch you up.

In July of 2006, after being sick for two years and taking Family Medical Leave Act time away from work, I was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, hypogammaglobulinemia. A month later I was fired from my job at Jewish Family Services where I birthed the Family Violence Program and grew it so successfully I was honored by Doris Buffet (yes, Warren's sister) and her Sunshine Lady Foundation, for directing cutting edge innovative domestic violence intervention and prevention work.

Be the way, I believe the reason I was fired is because the new exec, an orthodox Jew, didn't like that I was a lesbian who challenged how my agency was reporting on grants (read possible misrepresentation of say over a half million dollars of community dollars). But, that's another story. The lesbian part is not another story. Discrimination in housing and employment faced by lgbtqqi folk is absolutely something that needs addressed. Yet, to be honest, I have more pressing needs so I'll get back to my health and my home.

I took advantage of COBRA while it lasted. I spent through my savings. Then I spent through my son's savings and then my mothers. All of it going to pay my mortgage, car, utilities, COBRA, co pays, and when there was no more Cobra, I had to cover my meds out of pocket while most of my docs agreed to keep me out of collections.

With a chronic illness that hinders my ability to work I applied for SSDI. Negotiating and managing my health care treatment, I discovered, is less expensive "uninsured". Notice I didn't say, "affordable". My meds run me over $ 800 a month. The supplements I need run another $ 300 a month. I'm able to maintain two teaching jobs at temple because each is only a few hours, twice a week. I'm sure you're getting it; that my income is no where near covering my health care let alone my living expenses. Last winter I moved my mother into my home to help me out.

Ends up I'm helping her more than she's helping me. But, that's what family does, we help each other.

I met a few weeks ago with the Ombudsman for our local Jewish Community Federation to explore what they could do to help me. I already knew that there is no Jewish agency, or any other social service agency for that matter, that has any services I need. There is no agency that provides case management or community resource matching for folks in need unless you have a sever mental illness and are on SSDI. I rattled off for her all the work I'd done on my own to manage my own health care and she was stunned at all I'd learned that she herself did not even know. And, it's her JOB to know what's available in the community!!

In addition to seeking help I also expressed my burning need to share what I have learned with SOMEONE, anyone, who would in turn be able to help others in my situation.

On my own I had to get help to fight foreclosure on my home because even though I was communicating with my bank, at the point, this time last year, when I was 3 months behind they filed for foreclosure. Did you know that, anticipating the inevitable I tried to find some agency or lawyer to help me stay OUT of foreclosure??? No such thing. I would be eligible for free legal aid through a state wide program out of our Atty General's office, only after I had paperwork from the court to prove that my home was in foreclosure. It's crazy.

Did you know that I could health coverage through the Cleveland Clinic?

Neither did I until I could not make an appointment to see one of my doctors because they would not even make an appointment unless I had insurance. Outraged I called several folks until I found someone who gave me "misinformation" that fortunately got me to a financial aid counselor who got me totally set up in less than 10 minutes to get full coverage through the Clinic's "charity" program.

Did you know that our local United Way has a 211 program where you can call and get referred to the social service agency that most meets your needs? Well, I called and asked if there was any agency that provides case management to help someone who needs financial assistance, help for being uninsured, help to access any assistance for paying or subsidizing utilities, any agency that could provide pro bono attorney to help me with my SSDI appeals and... nope, not a one.

Because of the housing crisis there are agencies to help with foreclosure and I was referred to one that accomplished nothing. I tried another such community housing agency and found out that once I have a mediation agreement from my foreclosure process I would be eligible for up to $9,000 in federal, state and county money and this place sent me the paperwork. But again... I have to wait to get through the mediation process. Oiy.

Did you know that because my doctor has supplied the SSDI folk's reports stating that due to my health I am disabled and not able to work, that is all I need to apply to get my property taxes reduced through the Homestead program? I found this out when I called a number published in my temple bulletin for emergency energy assistance through the county. Ends up I am already getting HEAP and therefore I already have what they offer, but a lovely woman named Mrs. Moses asked me a few questions and viola... my application to apply for the Homestead Tax reduction program was in the mail. I told her that she is now my Moses!

And did you know that Dennis Kucinich has social workers in his office? I didn't either but I met one at an election night local Democratic Party event and she was able to get the local Social Security Hearings and Adjudication office to "red flag" my case. Otherwise, I might be waiting for up to a year for hearing.

Bottom line: I am on the ground, a social work soldier, an American citizen, alone, on my own behalf uncovering community resources that others need to know about. And, even more, I am articulate and can explain what works and what doesn't to folks in a position to understand the macro and micro changes that need to take place in our communities to assist folks in need. And I know you know that right now we have folks in every community in our country who have no insurance, have lost their home or are at risk of losing their home, have lost their job and our social service agencies and our government agencies are not equipped to address these needs.

I am making myself available to you so I can be this voice, the voice of hope and of action.

Barack, I need you to call on me to be this voice in support of steps you will take, with your cabinet and congress, to reach into the bowels of our systems and shake them awake, to renew the spirits and invigorate the energy of the folks working in our community soup kitchens and social service agencies' and even in our churches and synagogues, that faced with budget cuts, downsizing and limited access to resources, can still and must help all those in need.

Need more proof that I can speak out for those in need? Go ahead; I know you still have your BlackBerry, Google me.

More importantly, put my email address in your address book.

OK. There, I did it. I got it down on "paper," so to speak. I edited it -- I know it could probably use some more -- read it out loud and clocked it. 15 minutes. I'm waiting for my face time.

From Cool Cleveland reader Brynna Fish bfish6557ATaol.com
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