I wanted to share Igor’s Instagram post about the unprecedented Chicago Tribune News Room strike that took place on February 1. As I often remind people, there were only three days in the whole Chicago Tribune’s history when it didn’t come out of print. February 1 can be considered a “thrid and a half” time, since the newspaper came out with only five pages instead of fifty:).
Category: social issues
Homelessness
I am on my way back to Chicago, and that means I am back to facing (literally) people experiencing homelessness. Yesterday, I signed up for a WTTW kickstart of a year-long initiative exploring homelessness in Chicago.
Last week, the city conducted an annual “point-in-time” count of homeless in the shelters and on the streets, which is often criticized for showing a lesser number of people than other surveys indicate. I still say it’s better to count that way than not count at all – see this article.
During the extreme cold of the second half of January, the Night Ministry doubled the effort to protect people from severe weather conditions, but I know that that was only that many people one organization could reach. And although the weather is way milder now, it’s still dangerous to be outside for extended periods of time.
My usual thoughts when I am anywhere in Europe – why are there so fewer people on the streets there?
Gender Bias
There is one more episode that happened at PG Conf EU that I wanted to talk about. Several weeks before the conference, I received a dinner invite from the Swiss Postgres User Group for the third evening of the conference. Having my previous experience with that group, my original intention was to decline, but then I decided to give their organizer a third chance (he is a very nice person!) I accepted, and we went.
The group was bigger than their largest table could accommodate, so the restaurant added a smaller table, and somehow, Boris and I decided that we would have a better conversation if we chose the seats at this smaller table, especially because the organizer sat there as well.
Well, we were wrong. It was the same story as in the summer of 2022, after which I decided to “never-ever.” Six people at the table; Boris and I are the only two who do not speak German, and the conversation keeps going in German with the occasional “attempts” to talk to us on the usual topic: “So you are Russian, and you drink vodka.” BTW, it started when a Romanian at our table asked for still water, and the waiter brought a pitcher “which looked like vodka,” according to other people at the table. After the second round, I asked to drop this conversation; however, it continued. Another attempt to include us in the conversation was, “So you are from Chicago. And you traveled that far?..
I silently lamented the wasted time and thought about leaving when, all of a sudden, the conversation changed. These two, who were speaking German all the time and asking me about vodka, suddenly started to talk about Postgres, asking me questions, taking notes, and saying that their DBAs should buy my book.
On our way back to the hotel, Boris said he couldn’t understand why they suddenly started behaving “normally.” But I knew. It started after I saw them checking the conference schedule on their phones and asked them whether they decided where to go the next day. Apparently, until that moment, they thought that I was a plus one of Boris. And after I asked them which talks they liked and answered a professional question, they finally realized that talking to me may be helpful!
The moral of the story:
- That’s why we need “Barbie talks” at community conferences.
- “Never-ever”
Bias Against Bodies Podcasts
WBEZ’s Sasha-Ann Simmons ran the Bias Against Bodies podcast for most of 2023. Here are just three of the episodes.
“Trying to be Barbie…” Talk
There was one more talk at the PG Conf EU, which I wanted to mention. I am not posting in my professional blog simply because I already saw at least a dozen posts about it, and I have nothing to add. But since not all of the readers of this blog follow me on professional platforms, I thought it’s worth sharing here.
My friends and peers, two fantastic women whom I genuinely admire, Laetitia Avrot and Karen Jex, delivered a talk, “Trying to be Barbie in Ken’s Mojo Dojo Casa House.” Unfortunately, the conference organizers put this talk in parallel with another very important talk, so the attendance was lower than it should have been, but there was still a big crowd attending, and Laetitia and Karen received a standing ovation. The recording of the presentation is not available yet, but both slides and the talk transcript are available. I am posting both links here, so that anybody interested could download, see and share.
Some pictures:
Unfortunately, there were some reactions from some attendees to the effect that “why can’t we have just database talks at the database conference, and why should we instead focus on the gender of a few people?” I believe the response on the social media was perfect: “a few” is exactly why.
Guaranteed
The two-year pilot program, which provided guaranteed cash payments for its participants, ends in December.
Here is a WBEZ episode that recaps the results of the program. The most important aspects highlighted by author and scholar Eve Ewing are the following:
More flexibility. A lot of other assistance programs dictate how funds can be spent. Guaranteed income programs let people use the money however they want.
An investment in public safety. Ewing says when people return from jail or prison and have alternative forms of income, that decreases the likelihood they’ll resort to violent crime.
One word: Dignity. Ewing says guaranteed income challenges the notion of “deservingness,” and that the right to safety, education and housing should not be decided by economic status.
Our Small But Important Victory
Not sure whether this Tribune article is visible to non-subscribers, so copying it here:
Aldermen move to establish quiet zone around downtown abortion clinic
By A.D. Quig
Chicago Tribune
•
Published: Nov 13, 2023 at 3:47 pm
Following anti-abortion protests and alleged “attempts to harass and intimidate women seeking health care services” at a downtown abortion clinic, aldermen moved Monday to create a new “noise sensitive zone” in the streets surrounding the facility.
The City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted to bar protesters from using a bullhorn, loudspeaker or hitting a drum or other object “to produce a sharp percussive noise so as to interfere with the functions” of Family Planning Associates clinic.
Two aldermen voted against the proposal, citing concerns about protesters’ rights and how officials would decide whether protests crossed a line.
The ordinance from Ald. Bill Conway, 34th, follows what he said were multiple noise complaints about loud and disruptive anti-abortion protesters at the clinic, including from nearby residents as well as FPA clinical staff. The clinic offers abortion care and other gynecological services.
Continue reading “Our Small But Important Victory”About The Situation Around the Clinics
Now we know why the journalists ignored our requests not to come to the clinic: see the article.
It is very well written, and it rightly focuses on Alderman Conway’s activity, which we really appreciate! Also, valid concerns about the bike lane blocking and the noise level.
Here is a picture from the article:
That day, I was there. My shift was over at 9-30AM. I saw that the situation was getting worse, but I was just three days back from our trip, and Boris was arriving on the evening of that day, so I could not stay later.
One thing I forgot to mention in my previous blog: when I was staying at the street corner on a lookout, a lady who passed the clinic entrance earlier stopped by me and asked: how are you doing this? I didn’t understand the question first, and she repeated: how are you doing this? I still didn’t get it. She continued: how can you keep doing this and not get mad? I won’t be able to do it! I would kill them! I said: I understand! But that’s why you are not doing this :). We are here for the patients, to make a safe passage for them. She paused: yea, I can see that…
To my point – that’s not the place to express your feelings towards antis. But the article is good 🙂
Mega March for Ukraine on August 26 – please come!
Event details here
On 32nd Anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Illinois Division calls on all the communities to participate in the Mega March UKRAINE-UNBREAKABLE NATION. We will start at the Congress Plaza Garden 501 S. Michigan Ave at 3:30pm, march will end with a program on the west end of Riverwalk (upper Wacker & Orleans/Franklin. For Sponsorship opportunities and inquiries please email at info@uccaillinois.org or inquire via messenger
Clinic Escort, And All Thing Related
I saw this map in Time Magazine, and it’s terrifying: look at Illinois surrounded by states where abortion is banned or restricted. So we are in the center of public interest. I get it.
Last Saturday, a group of reporters from one of the city’s progressive newspapers came to the clinic at the start of our first shift. As I was told, they were asked not to come, but they came anyway. And just so you know – the situation is increasingly bad there. The number of antis is growing; they are loud and intimidating.
I understand that many people are outraged. However, for some reason, they don’t understand the difference between an anti-abortion rally and escorting. For the first event, you want as many people as possible; you want to be loud and visible. But when you are escorting patients to the clinic, you want the opposite. I can’t even start telling you how many bad things happen when counter-protesters start to attack antis by a clinic. Recently, we were asked not to put anything regarding escorting on our social media; that’s how bad things have become.
So, friends – it’s not a field trip.
Hettie's Reflections 