KNOCK- KNOCK

Dear Neighbor:

 

In the last couple of years, a noisy group of women has sprung up advocating for “women’s rights “in Hartford, Connecticut. Suddenly, we are afflicted with aggressive females on public television talks shows yelping about the mistreatment of People of Color. These Women of Color are serving demands on public officials, and profess to speak for the residents living in impoverished districts throughout Hartford, Connecticut.

 

It’s time to set the record straight. The Equal Rights Amendment states:  “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”  So what’s wrong with that? Well, here are a few examples of what’s wrong with it. Men from the community are allowed to attend the meeting’s, yet, they are not allowed to voice their concerns. No man is allowed to speak during the meeting, they are told in advance, you can sit in and listen, however if you speak out you will be asked to leave.

These women have been known to publicly discredit Black and Latino women on welfare. The former President of the VOWOC,  J. Fleming has often stated “All we have to do is give these women from the projects some jelly shoes and popsicles for their children and they will work for free”VOWOC are under the mistaken impression that if they offer temporary employment (forty dollars) opportunities to work in the community as door-knockers then the indigent resident in the community will be satisfied.

 

Often these temporary workers are registered to vote and then told that they have to work for free during election time in order to gain experience for the next election. When the next election comes up they are recruited again and given the title of “foot soldier”, then they are told that all they have to do is work four hours a day and they will be given ten dollars an hour. However when the day is over they are told there is not anymore work, and they will be paid at the end of the week.

Once it comes time to pay the temporary worker, the VOWOC issues a check that is made out in the workers name. So what’s wrong with that? These checks have a tendency to bounce. The worker went to the bank that the check was drawn on and was told by the Branch Manager that there were insufficient funds in the account. This has happened numerous times to temporary workers. When contacting the VOWOC to inquire about the bounced checks. J. Fleming stated” maybe these women don’t know how to cash a check!”

 

Martha Hood paid all the temporary workers that she recruited to door knock for the VOWOC out of her own pocket. No one wants to work all day and not get paid, whether they are unemployed or on welfare. It took two weeks before Martha Hood was repaid by the VOWOC; all checks were held and returned to J.Fleming with the word void written on them. J. Fleming apologized for the VOWOC in a letter which enclosed all monies that were paid out of pocket. The Brick House Foundation no longer recruited workers or volunteered with the VOWOC based on the credibility of Janice Fleming.

My name is Martha Hood; I was District Captain and Community Service Investigator for the VOWOC. I am not a politician, nor a community leader; I just live in a neighborhood near you. My job as your neighbor is to inform, empower and encourage you. That is where I do that at, I believe in giving 10% to my community.

 

 

In a neighborhood near you,

 

Martha Hood

Hartford 7th Assembly District

 

Dear: State Rep. Douglass McCrory,

 

 

 

“It has always been my belief that a good education is essential for the future success of our children, we as a legislature; need to make sure that every child in Connecticut us receiving a first class education at the public school level. I think after school programs are almost, if not equally, as important as being in school as the reinforce lessons learned, encourage self- esteem, and afford another option to going down the wrong path in life.”...State Rep. D. McCrory Feb 2014

For State Rep. Douglas McCrory, giving back has always been a top priority. Elected as the Democratic candidate for Hartford's 7th Assembly District in 2004, Doug promised accountability and accessibility. Doug has been an educator for over 20 years. Beginning as a teacher at Sarah J. Rawson Elementary School, he has also taught at and served as vice principal at Lewis Fox Middle School. McCrory also served as a vice principal at Weaver high School.

February was Black History Month and the beginning of the Connecticut’s 2014 Legislative Session.  With this in mind I would like to remind State Rep. Douglass McCrory that there are two issues that he has always addressed and claims that he will continue to fight for until the system is equal for everyone. Many of you have heard repeated conversations regarding State Rep. Douglass McCrory belief that he fights for education and justice: Yale or Jail? “Most of our kids won’t be going to Yale, but that shouldn’t mean that their only option is jail.” … State Rep D. McCrory March 2014

Yale or Jail?

 

 

 

 

Pair this information with the fact that When Mr. McCrory was the principle at Weaver High School in Hartford, Connecticut. He gave my sixteen year old son permission to leave school at ten a.m. on a daily basis. He allowed my son to roam the streets of Hartford every day without parental consent. State Rep. McCrory you will find that these issues are very much connected.

 “It is too easy to be led astray when people at such an impressionable age simply have nothing to do and nowhere to go” said State Rep McCrory March 2014. Let me remind you to think before you speak, you coached my son when he participated in the North End Little League; became his vice principle and mentor when he attended Lewis Fox Middle, then you had the privilege to be his vice principle when he attended Weaver high school. 

If you were so concerned with providing quality education to youth, how then did you fail my son? How could you grant permission that was not yours to give? You never notified me that you gave my son permission to wander the streets of Hartford, you gave him access to drug dealers you helped him to sell drugs. Did you listen when I told you that I was the best person when it comes to making decisions in the best interest of my son? The incarceration of my teenage son has weighed heavily on my family.

Yale or Jail?

I met with you several times at Weaver High School to discuss my child and why you felt it was necessary to give him permission to leave school without my consent. I expected you to educate my son; you did not do what you said you would do. Nor did you apologize, or acknowledge that you made a mistake, nor did you try to rectify it. Instead you resigned and ran for State representative.

 My evidence is located in the record books at Weaver High School, the mere fact that you hid the mistake, lets me know that your credibility is eroded. Honest people admit mistakes; your mistake could have promoted learning, which could have prevented me from holding you accountable in a public forum. When someone provides you with poor service, what do you expect? Mr. McCrory I am not afraid to speak out, I hope my words inspire people of color to not vote for you in the next election. You are not one of the talented ten. You have done my family and injustice.

Look I don’t know everything Mr. McCrory; I am a public servant just like you. My job is to hold CEOs of color accountable for their actions in the community. If your leadership is viewed as a service then you should hold yourself accountable to the same standards that you claim to have confidence in; your mistake has cause inconvenience, loss and injury to my family. I want you to know that I am serious about this and I will do my best to live up to our collective beliefs.

Mr. McCrory you stated that “ Currently, in the city of Hartford there are over 3,000 residents incarcerated as we speak, which is enough people to fill First Cathedral Church. Think about the impact that has on their families, community, city and state.” State Rep. D. McCrory were you aware that my son was the youngest person to be sent to federal prison in the state of Connecticut. Had you not given him permission to leave school every day, he would have graduated from Weaver High School. Instead he earned his high school diploma while incarcerated.

 

There has never been a time in the history of Hartford that one group of people has not dominated, suppressed or persecuted another. If I don’t show you dedication, then judge me based on the metaphor, we tend to give people “three strikes and you’re out” The first time you made a mistake, I said “he still learning.” The second time, I said maybe “he’s a slow learner”. The third time, I said “He’ll never learn” and that is where I will not allow you to do that at in the City of Hartford.

I have a problem with Mr. McCrory he is a fraud; State Rep. Douglass McCrory and I grew up in the same district where he now lives with his family. Doug you have not done your best when Hartford residents reach out to you about issues that are important to them. The words you say can influence others to take action on particular missions and projects. My mission is to hold you accountable. My son could have went to college , but you choose another option, you made a choice that was not yours. How would you like it if I gave your child permission not to go to school? sent my child to school to be educated, you gave him permission to roam the streets of Hartford. 

Yale or Jail?

In a Neighborhood near you,

 

Martha Hood

 

 

 

“All politics is local “

When we talk about the local election, we are not talking about sound bites or door knockers. We are not talking about leaders who aspire to be exalted in the community.

Tip O’Neil former speaker of the house said … “all politics is local “

I can’t think of any part of the political spectrum of our city that is more important than those local elections for; school board member, Court of Common Council , zoning boards or the office of the Mayor.  We are talking about democracy on a local level!

 

 

Our job is to keep the community informed, Martha Hood is here to inform, educate and empower the average voter. Any man or woman can make a difference in the life of the community. Politicians & community leaders, who have a vision for the future, should not be obsessed with money, power and respect. Any good politician will be recognized as a builder; they see a problem that they want to fix- be it large or small.

Local or national – a good politician takes on the challenge of correcting the problem – not for them and their family, but to prevent the problem from continuing to affect every family in the community.  I am not a community leader, nor a politician; I just live in a neighborhood near you. I am being held hostage & oppressed by socioeconomic disparities that plague my community, the stench of poverty and homicide makes a toxic cocktail in any urban setting.

Every day I roll my sleeves up and go to work in my community to find real solutions to the problems facing my community. So when we talk about local elections – we are not talking about community leaders or politicians. I am addressing democracy in the purest form; I serve the public, my job is to inform, educate and empower the residents in my community.

I am not a community leader, nor a politician, or a religious leader I just live in a neighborhood near you. This is where I do that @ in the City of Hartford, I serve the public, and my job is to inform, educate and empower all the residents living within my community

 

Sincerely yours,

Martha Hood

Dear: Governor, Mayor, & State Representatives

Politicians who advocate or stand for principles that aren’t representative of the City of Hartford won’t be able to mobilize the general public to vote on one accord. In Hartford, Connecticut politician’s promises are really “sound bites”—In order to lead voters, politicians must follow through on commitments and show the community.

Actions speak louder than words. It’s not enough for governors, Mayors or State Representatives or community leaders to deliver an inspiring speech or talk about patronizing ideals or promising futures.  Compelling words may be essential to getting donations, but politicians need to know that voters in Hartford expect City Leaders to show up, to pay attention and to participate directly in the process of getting extra ordinary things done.

City leaders set an example for all constituents based on a mutual understanding of what’s expected. In order to gain a consensus on a common cause, such as POVERTY, all elected official must be able to build on a common set of principles. Leading by example is how politicians make visions and moral values tangible; the only way to provide the community with evidence that they are personally committed. And that evidence is what residents of Hartford are looking for.

We often hear Elected officials state “I try to lead by example” or “I lead from the heart”; then they turn the other cheek and state, “Yes, there are many residents living in North Hartford with complaints of the lack of employment and the quality of housing, those people need to help themselves and stop seeking support from AFDC”. I encourage residents to not cast your vote for elected officials that have the audacity to offer sound bites that demoralize an indigent constituent. No politician should use a press conference or give a speech to put any poverty-stricken resident of Hartford, Connecticut down.

It’s not just the words that politicians use to convince the average voted on why he or she should hold office. “Its behavior”, every decision an elected official make have an effect on the destitute voter. We as a community must assess and evaluate every result; we must start holding City leaders accountable. What we politicians do truly does speak more loudly about what they believe than what they say ever can.  As a community we need to visibly see the Politician in the neighborhood door-knocking and soliciting for his or her own votes. They need to be asking questions and taking surveys on “how they can serve” the citizen that voted for them.  

When was the last time you seen the Governor, Mayor or any State Representative checking the City of Hartford’s pulse, in regard to the clarity and consensus of its poverty stricken resident. On no account, have you ever seen any elected official walking the streets of impoverished districts in Hartford, Connecticut. They offer no pity when a child or adult is slaughtered on the city streets of Hartford, nor do they comfort the grieving family.

Newtown, Connecticut is not the only city in the State of Connecticut that was affected by gun violence. The city of Hartford is suffering from chronic poverty, homelessness and substandard housing. Residents  are suffering from post traumatic stress, many are on the verge of suicide from being Hungry, they want and need to provide basic necessities for their families has caused an increase in the crime and homicide rate.

Never forget where you come from; or who voted you in office. I encourage the Governor, Mayor & State Representatives to visibly spend time on legislature that will eradicate poverty and develop jobs; I encourage you to show the City of Hartford that you are a committed policy maker that has put his time and money where his mouth is. Cohesion at every level should be developed.

It is time we get down to business and demand fair wages, and legislation that address policy and procedures. Ethnic transgressions and evidence of discrimination still run rampant in the City of Hartford. In Hartford the focus of political power in recent years has been on the electoral achievements of Blacks and Latinos, for example Mayor Pedro Segarra, State Representative Douglass Mc Crory and State Representative Brandon McGhee. In the near future, our political power must rest in our ability to build alliances to elect representatives in state legislatures and congress who successfully put forth proactive legislative agendas to address inequality and ethnic disparities in our communities.

I am a voice for the voiceless in Hartford, Connecticut; I offer no apologies when it comes to open an honest dialogue relating to racial injustice and inconsistency I am a fierce advocate for the North end community. I fight against poverty and the lack of human dignity; I have dedicated myself to this struggle.

Martha Hood PhD

5th District

Dear Neighbor

Dear Neighbor:

Martha Hood lives in Hartford, Connecticut and needs no introduction, she spent her entire life time as a leader, organizer and advocate for justice and peace and economic development in Hartford, Connecticut. She has achieved a well deserved reputation as an activist for social and economic change, a defender of the poor, oppressed and disadvantaged. Martha is well known in the ghettos of Hartford as the voice those oppressed.

Martha Hood would proudly boast: “I am not a product of my environment; my environment is a product of me.” Though I was born as a descendant of slaves I was left a legacy that set the standards to live by. Ms. Hood became active in politics in 1981 when she campaigned for Chief Executive Officers of Color. However she constantly changed her political affiliation, finally settling to become a democrat.

Martha Hood is a woman with a mission. Her mission is to hold city leaders and corrupt politicians accountable in the city of Hartford. She has never ceased fighting for fair housing rights for residents living in the north end of Hartford.Ms. Hood did not hide her activities from those that would listen. Fighting for the rights of the oppressed has become her sole occupation.  

  To observe Ms. Hood at work in her community, anyone can tell that she is a calculating political tactician and a strategist. She has the type of personality that appears too verge upon being a fanatic and at times demagogic. 

 “I play chess not checkers in the political arena”.  "Shut em down with ethics early morning or late night". 

Post Traumatic Stress: Secondary Chemical Dependency

Politicians, community, and religious leaders have failed to recognize that chemical dependency is a disease that is running rampant throughout the greater Hartford area. Community and religious leaders tend to blame it on bad parenting, or the lack of morals and ethics. Politicians tend to blame it on being dependent upon social services. 

Many people don’t understand addiction in relation to illness; they can get a basic understanding of chemical dependency through reading recovery literature or listening to those who are addicted or recovering from drugs.  It doesn't make a difference whether you’re a pothead, crack head or a dust head, whether you downed shots or shot drugs. It isn't the drug alone that entraps and hooks the addict; it’s the overwhelming stench of poverty and homicide that has crept into every district in Hartford, CT.

The City of Hartford has an addictive personality; some people will argue that drugs have the power to entrap and hook the addict. I beg to differ; chemical dependency doesn't seem to be about a particular substance or a personality type but about the relationship that forms on a physical, mental and spiritual plane with those that become addicted.

Many will not agree with me, this is all right; they are entitled to their opinions. However the lives of people living above and below the poverty level are endanger by people who are addicted or preoccupied with their drug of choice; they tend to stand on every corner in a neighborhood near you or me. Never wanting to go anywhere they don’t have access to their drug of choice.

When I take a walk through my neighborhood, I see people that are hooked on drugs loitering in front of Bodegas and package stores. I can safely assume through a visual and verbal assessment that one of the biggest excuses I have heard used for drug addiction or relapse is some variation of this: “if you had to deal with being unemployed, homeless, and no social support system you’d get high too.”

Let’s face it- being on the verge of eviction, being unemployed and having knock-down-drag out fights with someone you loved, or just  wanting to get high to escape the pressure of poverty – are all serious and involve socioeconomic factors that have been created by preexisting ethnic and economic disparities.

We can agree that everybody has problems, but not everybody is unemployed and on the verge of eviction. We can also agree that everybody has problems, but not everybody is an alcoholic or drug addict.  It is also safe to say that people get high for reasons other than “life’s problems”; some get high because “they like to get high, have fun, to enjoy sex, or when they are bored, or just to fit in, or maybe it was their birthday, or because it was Friday and they just wanted to get high on any day at all.

It is a known fact that once a person is addicted to any drug in a particular class, he or she has built up a tolerance for any drug in that same class. So when I hear Politicians, community leaders or religious leaders give sound bites of encouragement and empowerment; it makes me question the message of the leader.  How do you empower a person living below the poverty level to not rely on the social system for the basic necessities of life, how do you encourage a drug addict or alcoholic  to stay sober  when there is a package store in a 2 block radius  in every neighborhood near you or me.

Poverty is becoming a progressive disease in greater Hartford; it has spread into neighborhoods, knocking on the doors of people that refuse to believe that Hope and faith are nonexistent in a City that is considered to be among one of the richest States in America.  People have a hard time accepting being impoverished in a City who slogan boasts “Hartford is where it’s at”.  I wish a politician, community leader or religious leader would tell me “where they did that @” How do you gather power when you are in a downward slide with no resources or economic development on the horizon.

Do you suggest they call the Mayor, The Governor or the local City and State Representative? Do they go speak before the State legislature only to be shut down with “who are they to complain?” They are the citizens of Hartford that voted the elected official in office. They are the congregants that come to church and tithe a widow’s offering; they are the volunteers that work in conjunction with community leaders that door knock registering and bartering for the vote of the impoverished resident of Hartford. They are the inhabitants living within the City of Hartford struggling to live above and below the poverty level in a district near you.

 The stench of poverty and homicide makes a toxic cocktail in any urban setting. Parents are no longer chasing away the boogey man; they are chasing dreams that have been deferred from the lack of economic development in a City who main source of funding is based on federal grants for the poverty-stricken citizen. ! A parent worst nightmare usually consisted of teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school or incarceration. Now they are threatened with the nightmare of Homicide, Sandy Hook was not the only neighborhood affected by gun violence in Connecticut.

No one goes to jail, drops out of school or gets pregnant to rely on the social system. However; corrupt officials are elected into office based on the misunderstanding that they would help the indigent residents living within the City of Hartford. Former Governor Roland was a robber baron that shut down public services, and put into operation a program designed to wean indigent people off of social service; the primary mission of AFDC is to help those people living below the poverty level however; Roland’s hand was deep in the cookie jar. Former Mayor Eddie Perez and Former Council woman Veronica   Airey-Wilson refused to hear the complaints of residents living in North Hartford tormented by slum lords who failed to comply with State and Federal fair housing laws; however they accepted bribes and renovations to their own homes. The list goes on and on of when it comes to tainted politicians working in the best Interest of Hartford residents.

Yes, there are many churches scattered throughout Hartford collecting tithes and telling their members not to worry have faith; rely on God and he will provide all your needs.  We can agree faith is believing without seeing. The pastor can preach that worry and fear is stopping your blessings and “God won’t give you what you want when you want it”. They will preach” either God is in charge or he isn’t”. Yet, they still accept love offerings for their contribution to the Church…Suggesting that the impoverished church member is welcome to the food pantry, or questioning the amount of tithes that was paid. However FEAR is real! Fear can be defined as “False Evidence appearing real”. Are you better off today than you were yesterday? Are you better this month compared to last month or last year? 

Community leaders are the go between the politician and the community, yet the leaders develop nonprofits/profit organizations to gather grants and federal funding. They say we want to develop leaders in our community, we want to empower the impoverished residents of Hartford, however; when you contact them they say we don’t have any monies or resources to assist you. Contact 211 so that they can add you to their data bases of people in need. Politicians, community, and religious leaders, who have a vision for the future, should not be obsessed with money, power and respect. Any good leader will be recognized as a builder, they see a problem that they want to fix- be it large or small.

There is no middle ground between “Broke or Better ™” There are not enough benches to sleep on in Bushnell Park, there are not enough shelters, or bridges to contain the thousands that are unemployed and denied the opportunity to access resources that should be readily available to them.

My name is Martha Hood and I don’t aspire to be a politician, community or religious leader. I just live in a neighborhood near you, where the stench of poverty and homicide is overwhelming. I have witnessed many of my friends bury their children secondary to the gun-violence that plagues my community. My job as a citizen of Hartford is to educate and empower my neighbor who is an average voter. Any man or woman can make a difference in the life of the community.

I was asked recently …”Could Jesus Walk with you for one day”

My answers were No when they should have been yes. Jesus could not walk with me; we would have to take turns carrying each other. Picture me and Jesus dodging bullets, ducking poverty, escaping homelessness, only to be oppressed by politicians, community leaders and religious leaders who claim to spread God’s love, yet, they refuse to stand in the trenches.  So when I ask my neighbor to help me hold them accountable I am asking that you use democracy when casting your vote to  hold all elected officials, religious and community leaders accountable to find real solutions to the problems facing our community.

This is where I do that @ in the City of Hartford, I serve the public, and my job is to inform, educate and empower all the residents living within my community.