The Freedom Movement left an enduring legacy by overcoming a brutal and seemingly all-powerful form of segregation that Vincent Harding calls a “terroristic system” of violent subjugation. Its legacy now extends far beyond America’s shores, for it has ignited the hopes of millions of people waging struggles for freedom overseas.
The Patron Saint of Charity and Justice
Martin de Porres was a defender of homeless people, a healer of the sick, a protector of unwanted animals, and the patron saint of all victims of racial prejudice. Martin broke through all the stereotypes and racial prejudices of his society and offered charity wherever it was needed.
The Street Spirit Interview with Vincent Harding
Martin was attuned to the Hebrew prophets, and that was their constant message: Don’t talk about loving God or being religious unless you stand with the outcasts and the weak. Jesus said the same thing. There’s no way to understand Martin’s urgency about standing with the poor without taking into consideration his deepest religious grounding.
A Poet’s Sendoff for ‘Saint Carlos the Melodious’
In a city full of poets, there are few whose very lives are poetry. Carlos was one whose whole life was poetry. He radiated kindness and good will. No one can remember hearing Carlos say an unkind word about another person. His phone message was a musical invitation that included waltzing bears.
First Victory for Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights in California
Rhode Island has already passed a Homeless Bill of Rights. Oregon, Vermont, Connecticut and Missouri are joining California in calling for one. A Homeless Bill of Rights is particularly significant today. The federal government has abandoned any pretense of its responsibility to “ensure safe, decent and affordable” housing for the poorest people.
Nationwide Protests Demand That Congress Uphold Immigrant Rights
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin accused ICE of undermining her city’s devastated economy in the middle of a recession. “Their firing is a violation of their human rights. When they say that [immigration] raids are targeting criminals, it’s not true. People who are just trying to make a living are being targeted big time.”
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University Student Suffers Due to Unaffordable Dental Care
Editor’s note: Longtime Street Spirit contributor Robert L. Terrell is a journalism professor at Cal State University East Bay. Edgar Segura, one of Professor Terrell’s journalism students, wrote this important account of the hidden poverty many college students face — burdened by rising education costs, student loans, low-paying jobs and soaring medical costs.
by Edgar Segura
I made my first visit to the dentist last month, my very first. I had never been to the dentist or had a tooth cleaning until recently. But yes, my first time going to a dentist was May 2012. Of course, you can imagine I was very scared.
Growing up I didn’t have the privilege of going to a dentist. My parents couldn’t afford it and my parent’s employers would never offer us dental coverage, nor would I ever qualify for help under a public program to receive treatment for that.
I’m 24 years old now, and in less than six days, I’ll be having my graduation ceremony. I’ll be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. For me, it’s been a difficult struggle on multiple levels getting to this point.
For one, it’s been very painful having to study for an exam with an aching, fractured tooth. This happened very frequently to me during my undergrad years and to several of my teeth, too. It’s something I’ve had to hold back and keep to myself since I wasn’t sure how others would react to this news.
It is unfortunate, though an undeniable fact, that my oral hygiene is in poor health because I couldn’t afford dental care. My dentist is great and so are the staff there, but even she can’t reverse the damage of gum disease with the latest tools and techniques modern medicine can offer.
One thing l learned from my first visit is that I have a very serious condition of gum disease, but it is treatable. At best, this means I’m going to have eight extractions. Four of those are my wisdom teeth, while the other four are far from savable.
Next month, I’m scheduled for a consultation on these extractions, at which point I’ll have to come to a decision on the procedure. I’m anxious about this date and hesitant. It’s a heavy decision since the procedure is a debt I’ll have to carry in addition to my student loans — which I don’t have a means of paying back at the moment.
Had I received dental care at an earlier and younger age, my situation would be very different today. Art by Christa Occhiogrosso
My insurance doesn’t cover implants and at $2,000 a tooth, I’m going to need four of these. All this leaves me feeling bitter and upset. And helpless, especially knowing that this could have easily been prevented and much less painful.
Next month, I’m scheduled for a consultation on these extractions, at which point I’ll have to come to a decision on the procedure. I’m anxious about this date and hesitant. It’s a heavy decision since the procedure is a debt I’ll have to carry in addition to my student loans — which I don’t have a means of paying back at the moment.
My insurance doesn’t cover implants and at $2,000 a tooth, I’m going to need four of these. All this leaves me feeling bitter and upset. And helpless, especially knowing that this could have easily been prevented and much less painful.
Had I received dental care at an earlier and younger age, my situation would be very different today. Over the years, I have found myself moving from one part-time job to another trying to meet my expenses. But an hourly minimum wage makes it unbearably difficult to do so, much less to build savings and plan for my future.
Quite bluntly, I’m tired of pushing this around in my own thoughts, pretending that everything is okay when it is not. As we move further into the 21st century and with the presidential elections just around the corner, I would like to see dental care take equal precedence to health care in this country. I mean come on, it’s not like I’m asking for the world!
Tags: Christa Occhiogrosso, debt, dental care, dental coverage, Edgar Segura, health care, Robert L. Terrell