Annette's journal of the process

 
Twenty Photostories Selected

City Name Experiment with PhotoStory

The Story Behind the Scenes

September 23, 2000 - A Day of Stories

Experimenting with PhotoStory in Your Community

Tools To Use
Story Tool: Developing Your Story: A How To

Praise Poems: A How To

 
From "Good Idea" to Reality

Annette's journal - August

Annette's journal - After the Second day
Annette's journal - October

Annette's journal - December

Annette's journal - Final Entry
 

From "Good Idea" to Reality

In The Beginning

Nurse B and I met in April. Her flight had been cancelled and of the 15 passengers promised a seat on the next plane, she was the only one who didn't get on. She made it onto the third flight to Denver. I was on that flight. Neither of us is chatty on planes. Who knows why we started talking? We just did.

She told me she was a nursing practitioner and I said I was a consultant. When I found out that she had been banned from a (shall remain unnamed) School System I knew she was special. One of her community nursing students took her advice and took "action" by writing a letter about there being no toilet paper in the children's bathroom in a City Name school. It seems that the kids would make a mess with the toilet paper so the administration's decision was simple: no toilet paper, no mess. All hell broke loose. We giggled about that much fuss over a letter in big looped cursive writing on the pretty flowered stationery of an 18-year-old nursing student. Two heretics had found one another.

I told her that I had been searching for a partner who was as willing to rock the boat as I was - to try out some non-traditional community action. At the same moment I mentioned using storytelling as in intervention - she rushed in with a description of something she saw at a conference called "photovoice." A group of health researchers handed out disposable cameras to allow the population that hoped to help (in this case women in China) to document and dialogue about issues. In an instant we combined the two ideas and promised to try and make it happen in the community that Nurse B served.


Emails through May, June, July and August firmed up our plans. Nurse B applied for a grant and I booked my ticked and designed a day of "training." During that time we had some pressure to produce "measurable results." We indulged in a bit of ranting and raving:

Annette's Email: Measurable Outcomes!!...don't get me started. Measurable outcomes have destroyed more good ideas, good education and good working practices than drugs, guns, and alcohol put together. I liken it to obsessive compulsive disorder. Management types hate the idea that they are not in control, can't be in control, and don't know what is going on (the unavoidable dilemma of being human)--so they react in the exact same manner as someone with OCD. Like Jack Nicholson in As "Good as it Gets," they count whatever they can count purely for the comfort of the counting. Locking the door exactly 8 times is just as rational as standardized tests for pupils to evaluate the competency of teachers. This is one of my major pet peeves.

In corporate they call it accountability - like performance reviews - a special form of mutual persecution that feeds the cycle of abuse throughout the system. It is so much a part of the system that it never occurs to anyone that monitoring might be unnecessary (at the very least less necessary) if they'd spend half as much time and money developing trust as they do number based information systems that treat adults like untrustworthy children. ... But you can't measure trust. And without empirically validated evidence why it must not exist...like I said, don't get me started.

Nurse B's response: We in "health care" spend considerable time and money doing "assessments" that I have come to believe are pretty much irrelevant --- we set up a list of questions or some set of criteria that we think we need to know (which usually has no significance to the people we are asking) and we are surprised when they give us irrelevant answers. For instance, there is a woman who says she can't see how this will work (photostory), told a "story" one day at a conference about how the foundation previously used a needs assessment questionnaire in communities to find out what services people wanted or needed. But dental needs was not listed because no one at the Foundation thought there might be a need. No question — no need! One university has been talking about doing a "needs assessment" for this community for 3 years but it hasn't done it yet. And what kind of needs assessment would you do? There are 33,000 people in X Community. Do they all have the same needs and does a check in a box really reflect or more importantly convey to others what this means in the lives of people who live there?

I worked with this community for over 2 years before I found out that you can't get pizza delivered to your home if you live in X Community. Pizza places won't deliver - too dangerous. But the people who live there can tell you exactly what goes on after dark, where those people hang out and usually have some pretty good ideas of how to fix or get rid of the offenders. If they had some support from the appropriate authorities or money to do it themselves, they probably could. They have city buses and even a nice big bus terminal station at the edge of the community that service the residents but what that doesn't tell you is that it takes two transfers (three buses) to get to the other side of X Community (a distance of 5 miles) to get to the health clinic where you will sit for approximately 6 hours if you have an appointment and then will wait another 2 hours to have prescriptions filled. "

We fed off each other's righteous indignation and forged ahead. The first day was to be on August 27, 2000. I flew in the night before. Nurse B and I had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and crashed. She has four teenagers and I had been traveling way too much. The next morning after coffee, we were out the door by 7:00 a.m. looking for a store that sold markers and masking tape. Nurse B had worked so hard getting the right people, making phone calls, fending off worried parties, and answering questions that markers and masking tape had had to wait.


Annette's journal - August

My personal journal: Reflections after Day One (on 8/27 after Aug 26 day long "Storytelling as a Form of Influence" introduction training)

Nurse B is a saint. I had no idea of the difficulties she encountered in setting this up. Her university committee was deeply suspicious of my motivations. She never told me. This resulted in a legal-ese form for every person to sign before they were photographed. Among other things signing this form would give a particular group who considered themselves as protecting the community the right to, "use reproduce, exhibit or distribute such recording and/or photograph in perpetuity, in whole or in part with out restrictions or limitation for any education or promotional purpose which the XXXXXXX Board and those acting pursuant to its authority deem appropriate." The form even requires a WITNESS!!! I just lost it. What were they thinking??? Here we are asking people to go into a community and take pictures of people who will already be suspicious of why someone wants to take their picture and now they are supposed to whip out this form? I believe that fear of exploitation, egos, concern about who gets credit for what, and unrestrained fantasies about worst-case scenario liabilities create very weird behaviors in human beings - and that these behaviors prevent lots of projects with good intentions. (I've aborted several projects myself because getting through the maze was too much trouble.) It doesn't feel good to be treated with mistrust. Apparently Nurse B defended my character to the group, "I think she might just be a good person." This kind of thing is justified by the old "you can't be too careful" rationale. I believe that you can be too careful. The Risk Police hold too many good people hostage.

Nurse B caught flack too. The week before Day One, a generalized panic took hold of some of the community organizers and they began to deconstruct the plan, "couldn't we do it in half a day instead of a whole day?" They asked Nurse B questions that laid their anxieties on her shoulders (I guess if it flopped that person could say, "well, I suggested half a day" and sidestep mutual responsibility for the flop). Thank goodness it didn't flop, but this always happens - mutual anxiety about success gets passed around like a hot potato when you try something new. Nurse B also had to write a report for the university she attends to "get their permission" to do this. That took her a full day! This, in addition to the work she did sourcing the cameras, setting-up, organizing and the rest.

Enough griping. Finally the day had come. I flew in on Friday afternoon. Nurse B drove me around the area. Rows of dilapidated houses had been painted by the city, not fixed -- just painted. No big grocery stores. The one tiny grocery store in X Community has prices appreciably higher than chain stories in white neighborhoods a few miles away. You can't get a pizza delivered - too dangerous. And one social worker found kids rummaging thought the McDonalds dumpster looking for lunch in the summer when school lunches aren't available. Right in the middle of City Name.

She took me to Grace’s house. Grace is about 60 years old. She survived spinal cancer but the radiation treatment left her nerves raw and exposed. She has a morphine pump in her abdomen but you can tell she is still in pain by how carefully she moves. It is impossible for me to imagine that kind of pain. Harder still because her smile is bright and she laughs easily. We talk for over an hour. We told stories. Grace did without water for two years. On her crutch she would get water from her neighbors hose to flush the toilet, wash and cook. (Nurse B told me of another woman recently diagnosed with cancer only to discover the cancer was evident in a three-year-old x-ray already in her file.)

The next morning began late just like Nurse B said it would. It's a culture thing. She was good enough to let me know ahead of time that we would begin and end with a prayer. I was able to demonstrate respect for that custom. After the prayer, I told about growing up with a father who was a social worker and a schoolteacher mother. I told enough of my own story (leaving corporate to find better ways to collaborate) to earn a bit of trust. Then we did a mixer exercise where people tell mini-stories of how they got their name, their favorite pet, the nicest person they know and why. It was only marginally successful. The group was not accustomed to providing content for their own learning. They are used to being fed content. Much of the day I devoted to stirring their enthusiasm and skills for looking to their own wisdom and finding their own answers. I used the movie "Amistad" to talk about what we need to do to "influence others" and "achieve the impossible." Two scenes in the movie give a structure to the four principles we discussed:
1. Find inspiration that blossoms the more you lose (build sustainable hope by supporting each other), 2. Aim Lower (Covey's circle of influence - put your effort where you have impact),
3. Combine Grace with Erudition (balance facts and self-righteous soap boxing),
4. Tell the story (whoever tells the best story wins).

In terms of influence it was pointed out that everyone you want to influence wants to know, "Who are you and why are you here?" No matter who you are or what you need/want. They don't want information they want faith. They want to know "so what is your story?" People need to have faith in us before they help us or let us help them. Before we can convince people to have faith in us, our ideas, our ability to use new resources, we much first have faith in ourselves. This led to the exercise where everyone present divided into groups of three and told their story: "Who I am, and why I am here?"

There were incredible stories. Moving stories. Mrs. Meegan told about how she was widowed on May 10, 1997 and would still be sitting in her living room feeling sorry for herself if it weren't for Mrs. Berry. "She come over and told me to get dressed and get involved." When I told her I couldn't drive she said, "then we will cart you around." The first meeting I went to I was elected president. She'd call and tell me she was coming to pick me up and 'cause I didn't know any better I'd be dressed and standing outside waiting when she arrived. I'm involved in more committees that I can remember and I have Mrs Berry to thank for that." Her smile was vibrant and lively and told the rest of the story.

Another woman, 30 years old, very beautiful, and well dressed said, "I grew up in X Community and I grew up hard. At 13 (1983) I had to find a job, my mother was in the house but she wasn't "there." I had to take care of my little sister. I made sure we always had food. Sometimes it was just eggs and bread - but she didn't know any different. For two years we got electricity from our neighbors house (which wasn't anybody's business but ours). Now, I've made it. I've worked in more jobs than you can imagine working my way up. I have nice things. We go on cruises, we eat good and I've been raising my kids with all the nice things I could afford. But I realized two years ago I had made a mistake. When I asked my six-year-old son what he wanted for breakfast and he said, "lobster" well, that was it. My kids were cream puffs. My little sister had turned out a cream puff. I didn't want that. I wanted them to know what it's like. I wanted them to learn how to give back. That's why I'm here with my daughter. We don't celebrate Christmas anymore. We go to the homeless shelter. We volunteer as much as we can."

Stories are always followed by "Appreciations" and one of the girls in the group (probably 13 herself) said "What I appreciate about her story is that she didn't let being poor bring her down and she didn't let being rich bring her down, either." Another said, "I like how she wasn't embarrassed to admit she made a mistake." (I was excited. We were already achieving the goals of this process - to elicit wisdom/learning from the community for the community.)

Carl is 14 years old and probably 6 foot two. His daddy is a preacher. With some urging, he spoke up. "I just want to say it is hard to be part of a group and still remember to do right. But it is dangerous not to be a member of a group. And I don't like that way all of the groups are isolated from each other. If you do something good you end up isolated and that is dangerous." The other teenagers (particularly the boys) nodded their heads - more animation than they had shown all day. Mrs. Berry promptly got up and made a speech about how "wonderful a young man he was and how the other young people should...etc,etc." Carl looked embarrassed and the teenagers lost their animation. I noticed that the pattern of the "leaders" in the community is to preach at those they want to help. They contribute enormous amounts of time and energy and so no one will dare challenge them. Me included. Nurse B says that no one starts talking at a meeting until Mrs. Berry arrives. I was silenced several times by her and two other elders of the community who felt called to speak. When I stood up, Mrs. Berry said, "And let me just say this too, before I yield the floor...." which was my clue to sit down and that I would be given notice when it was my turn again to speak.

This is a bias that I need to watch. I believe that the very complaint "our community is just lazy" is exacerbated by the high control, high preaching behavior of the community leaders (the ones complaining). I even felt myself grow lethargic when they got on a roll.

Logistics are very important. The entire emotional high can be lost in one moment of chaos. It almost happened when we began to divide into groups. Here we were a speeding train of empowerment that hit a brick wall of confusion. Forty-five people were asked to divide themselves into groups of 7-10 standing behind one of the five facilitators at the front of the room. Not a good idea. The noise level escalated in seconds and every control freak there (me included) went into high gear. Questions that weren't questions raised above the confused murmur. "Why don't we find out where people live?" "Wait a minute, how many kids do you have in your group?" "Don't you think we should...?" Then Mrs. Berry started, "Did all of you facilitators get a flyer?"..."Did you read the flyer?"... "Did you read the whole flyer?" We finally figured out (without Mrs. Berry ever being explicit in her concern) that the flyer said facilitators were to be residents of X Community and one wasn't - which of course added an extra level of confusion to the mix. Eventually we got the groups straightened out, the "alien" facilitator replaced with a resident, and handed out calendars, cameras, traded phone numbers and brought the day to a close with a prayer.

As people were leaving Grace with her beatific said, "You really can change things. You just have to have the right people." I told her, "We do have the right people. We have you, me, Nurse B, and the rest of the people in this room." She smiled, "and the Lord!" "we have everything we need right here. Mm-m-m-humph." I am very excited about the prospects of the next month. I can't wait to see the pictures.


Annette's journal - After the Second day

Personal Journal Sept 25 - Memories and thoughts about the Dialogue day on Sept 23.

Injustice doesn't feel good. Standing in the Frequent Flyer line I was ticked off when the male agent motioned to the man standing in the "regular line" before me. If I had been a man standing in the Frequent Flyer line I bet he would've helped me first. Okay, I know this is petty but stay with me...My body flushed with anger, as I thought, "Hey! I was here first AND I am standing in the line that is supposed to reward my frequent flying with faster service." I wanted to speak up and say something but I'm afraid of sounding petty-- afraid of sounding like one of those "femi-nazis" with a chip on my shoulder. The female agent saw it all go down. When she saw my face, she quickly motioned that she would help me next. I know too well how much stress buried resentments can create. To stay silent would invite my mind to replay the event over and over looking for ideas of what I "should've said." As she handed me my ticket, I said,"Would you mention it?" I didn't need to say what. She said, "I intend to." I replied, "We have to stick together or it will never change." She smiled wistfully.

A tiny injustice and yet I can still feel my face flush a bit and my jaw tighten slightly as I think about it now. What if I was African American? How would I feel then? Does being ignored more often make it hurt less? I doubt it. I'd probably feel even angrier. What physiological toll does frequent injustice and the resulting anger take on the body?

Nurse B has the data. She said they studied monkeys in hierarchical social structures. The monkeys with low status had more heart-disease causing plaque in their bloodstream than the high status monkeys. Change the social structure and you change the plaque levels (health) of the monkeys. Why? Well, in this case the plaque is a clotting mechanism and you can hypothesize that low status means higher levels of fear and fear tells the body to get ready to clot in case of a wound. Candace Pert's book Molecules of Emotion is helping me understand the physiology of mind/body but this is the first time I realized the implications for our social system. Poverty not only decreases the level of healthcare, but at a much more basic, molecular level decreases health.

We know that healthcare in poor neighborhoods is bad. Last month an older X Community woman was bitten by a spider. She didn't go to the doctor because she didn't have any money. Mrs. Berry the archangel of X Community, heard about her and went to her house. When she took her to the hospital they cut off her foot. It is easy to say she should've taken herself to the hospital earlier. It is difficult to wonder what is wrong with our system that she didn't. It is more difficult still to wonder what if she had been white and went to the hospital with her white lawyer son, instead of tiny black Mrs. Berry? Would they have recommended immediately that they cut off her foot?

Nurse B says arms and legs get cut off all the time around there. The violence is so built into the system that we call it healthcare. Am I a bleeding heart liberal? So many who hear these stories rush to the conclusion that "facing reality" means "you can't help people who won't help themselves." But what if "facing reality" means looking deeper for an answer? What if it means letting in the truth that it is just not that simple. What if facing reality means forcing ourselves to keep looking long enough to see how complex the problem is, and what part we all play in the problem. We lost a few. Some thought it was at the same place as last time. When we keep changing places we lose people. We had about twenty.

The primary impact of the photos and stories was to change what we see - to shift our perspective - take our attention to that which we usually ignore. That is what the main comment was..."this opened our eyes." The people of X Community themselves were ignoring their plight - no wonder other's were ignoring it. They got used to it being that way so they just shut it out. The process of taking the pictures opened them up to letting the "reality" in. An unexpected result is that letting it in, also let in a lot of pain. Ignoring the dumping, the dilapidated houses, the sickness is a defense mechanism. Shutting down is how they survive.

Clarice came up to me at lunch. "I need some therapy." I thought she was kidding at first but she wasn't. She began to cry as she said, "I just walked past it every day. My own house is just as bad as those houses in the pictures. I didn't see it." The tears welling in her eyes almost panicked me, "What are we doing? Is this the wrong thing to do?" Here we are, taking the blinders off of twenty people who were coping the best they could. Who are we to take away their blinders and open their eyes even further to their condition?" Then I felt another reaction behind the panic. My own tears began to well up. Oh dear. What am I doing to myself? Letting it in, letting myself see, really see the reality means letting in the pain and the tragedy.

A friend of mine pointed out that being high status in a society means cutting yourself off from your emotions. Because when we are in touch with our emotions we cannot remain idle in the face of injustice. I knew action would come from getting people in touch with their hearts, first the people in X Community so they could begin to feel their own hope and inspiration and then ignite the hope and inspiration, in those who the have resources and money to help.

What I was not prepared for, was that in order to "go there" - to really see their world as it is, they would have to be ready to feel great pain. It is almost overwhelming. No wonder the teenagers disappear into apathy. No wonder they love their rap music. Music reflects emotion. Their music reflects the deep anger and pain of no hope for the future. When we talked about rap I realized that even their own parents won't talk to them about their feelings. The poor community is steeped in hierarchy. Blacker children are teased by lighter children. Parents take an authoritarian stance with kids. The "saved" berate the "sinners." The result is increased isolation. One thing I know for sure. I can't bear the pain without someone's hand to hold. If I feel alone, I will have to shut it out.

This is part of why yesterday was so important. It was important to "open our eyes" and talk about what we saw together. Emotions were raw when the defenses of apathy and blame were removed. I now understand at a much deeper level how blame and powerlessless are necessary armors against "facing the facts." Dialogue is designed for dangerous truths...but I had no idea how dangerous these truths were until we began to shift our perspectives together. As the view of the pictures and the stories came into focus, it was easy to see why anyone with a heart would rather not look. In the neighborhood they "don't look" by ignoring it, blaming it on others, or giving up. In our affluent neighborhoods we "don't look" by filling our lives with work, soccer games, church or hobbies. We don't look by oversimplifying it and saying "someone ought to do something. "Or I give plenty of my tax dollars - what else do you want," or by volunteering at the homeless shelter once a month.

The photovoice original design lasted six months. Our version is six weeks with two full day sessions. Our version has more of an intervention aspect. Teaching models like circle of influence, emotional intelligence, storytelling as self-advocacy and then the facilitated process of dialogue means that we imposed our ideas on the group. BUT the design of the selection process was very democratic and the dialogue process itself is very democratic. Did we create change?

Well, twenty people stopped their regular lives and took time to look at and discuss their community. They listened to each other. They dropped their defenses and stopped pretending either that they didn't care OR that they were doing everything they could do already.

These twenty pictures will now go on tour to every civic club, church, restaurant, barber shop and beauty salon in X Community that will display them. Now we get to see...will telling the story, hearing the story, thinking and talking about the story create action so they can change their story? I hope so.

 

Annette's journal - October

Meeting

Date: 10/17/00

From: Nurse B

To: Annette

It started out tragically but ended up OK. Clarice and Andre came from the Photovoice (Andre is the kid (23) that spoke about the police chasing them off). The Old Guard were effectively excluding them at first, made sure Andre did not receive a copy of the handouts and when I got more and passed them that way, Mrs Meegan KEPT all three copies. I did finally get him a copy. The group dynamics are that everyone mumbles so you can't hear anything, there is so much focus on Parliamentary Rules that there is no discussion. THERE IS NO DISCUSSION. I finally had to fix it a little even though I'm not officially on the board. Got some discussion going. The woman who was worried that you wouldn't give enough bathroom breaks and who constantly says "I know my community and they are lazy" wanted to critique and chose which photos would be shown. I almost had to kill her. THEN she comes up with the statement about how she is a very positive person and only wants positive goals. The discussion centered on "how do we present the photo display and what do they say."

Andre came up with the idea that everyone loved: The City Name Community:

What do you see? Create a New Vision For City Name. Not a suggestion box because that implies something is wrong but an idea box - an open survey. Even Ms Positive liked it. So we will start in the MultiService Center and then go to a church or to Andre's school, I think. We had to waylay Ms. Meegan because as President of the Governing Board she recommended that we cancel all meetings until January. At least I wasn't the only one that objected. So by the time we meet in a month the Photos should have been displayed in at least three different places for a week each.

Yes, you should call Clarice and Andre for coaching and advice. Andre's number is XXX-XXXX. He actually was pleased with how the meeting went. He had been hesitant because he thought it would be too formal. Clarice and Andre were both voted to be on the Board. And they would like another day of dialogue for planning if you can still come on Dec. 16th. I think that would be great to mingle the old guard with the new. The Banquet is next week. Seppie sent out invitations to this meeting and the Banquet but I haven't gotten mine yet and Toni (the 30 year old who came back to AH) showed up about 8:45PM and said that she had just gotten it in the mail that day when she got home from work and had rushed right over.

Well, this is getting long and I know there is more to tell you but I'll have to remember it first.

Love, Nurse B

Journal entry Oct 18, 00

I called Clarice and we chatted. She was surprised at the resistance she felt at the government board meeting. She said "But they invited me to be on the board…and then when I got there all of a sudden it changes to filling out an application to join." Her voice is so unexpectedly soft. I would be angry — she is just mildly surprised. She wants to know how if we can get a grant and make sure the money goes to people in the community. I told her we have to get people into action — productive demonstrable action —something someone is willing to pay for. In other words, the money will go to whomever is taking action and making things happen — and in their case, they need to demonstrate a track record of action before they can convince grant people that they are doing something worth financing.

She also asked about when people ask what we should be doing, "What do I tell them?" I told her…tell them to come on December 16. I should’ve remembered that list of things we made up. Where did that list go? It is supposed to be displayed with the pictures. I’ll have to ask Nurse B.

We underestimated how entrenched the old guard is, and how little they realize that their efforts to "help" actually shut down the rest of the group. Being "positive" translates into denial. Parliamentary procedure looks fair on the surface but discriminates against those who don’t understand the rules. Obstacles in the name of "proper process" simply wear out the renegades until they give up.

Subj: Acres Home - Photovoice

Date: 11/22/00

From: Annette

To: Nurse B

Dear Nurse B

I talked to Andre this morning. He was asking about Thursday - I didn't really know what to say (what's on Thursday?) but I told him all anyone would want him to do is to tell his story. I hope that's right

He was saying "I didn't really do nothin at the governing board meeting" - and I told him "That's not what I hear. I hear your idea forged the path to agreement!!!" He was pleased. I think he was getting scared about getting involved - I could hear it in his voice. The Moses thing - "don't pick me Lord, pick someone else." We all go through it. So I talked him through and then I picked up on Clarice's comment - "if we get this money how can we keep it for us, here?"

Andre was into that. He said "yeah I don't want the government coming in and telling us how we should be and what we should do" so I said - dealing with grant people is just like someone coming up to you and asking to borrow $500 - the first question you want answered is "for what?" and even if they say "my grandmother is sick" you are probably going to want to meet this guy's grandmother and talk to her doctor. So the grant people want to know that you really need the money for something worthwhile and they want to know you have a plan and know how to follow through with that plan. And I also told him it will take forever (getting them ready for the long haul) before you ever get to a meeting where you get to talk to the people who can actually make the money decision. The people you talk to first are the people who can take you to the people who make the decisions. He got it. I'm excited. I talked to him about the Dec meeting. He was hoping I would be at the banquet. I wish I could.

He told me about his suspicious feelings "In the beginning - see, I love my hood - I ain't saying I didn't care but I wasn't going to take pictures to made it look bad - I figure you were just coming in and going to use us to get inside and see whatever you wanted to see. But after the second meeting--it wasn't like I didn't care before but after that meeting -- I could see that there were things I could do. Things that needed to be done to make things better. I felt like I wanted to do something"

That is an important part of his story — the cynicism and mistrust. I believe that anyone who wants to help any group has to understand THAT part of their story first.

Subj: thanks

Date: 11/13/00

From: Andre

To: Annette

Hello, I know it’s been a long time but I have not forgot about you. I've tried to call a number of times, but you weren't at home. My time is short, and I have to go. I will write you later. Until then thanks allot for every thing. Its been a real pleasure being involved in every thing that has taken place. In some odd way I feel I have power. I will expound on it all later. I just want to say thanks for believing in me.

Subj: Re: thanks

Date: 11/13/00

From: Annette

To: Andre

<< In some odd way I feel I have power. >>

You do, Andre. You have a LOT of power. I look forward to watching that power at work. I just got back from Cambodia and Thailand where I was at an international conference talking to people who do the same kind of work I do. I learned some very interesting things that are going on in Bogata, Columbia that might be helpful for us in City Name. When we finally connect on the telephone I will tell you more. I look forward to seeing you in December.

Subj: Fwd: Acres Home - Photovoice

Date: 11/21/00 9:24:34 AM Eastern Standard Time

From: Nurse B

To: Annette

Here is a note from someone at the university:

<< Hi Nurse B,

I'm really excited about making a web site from the Photovoice

materials. It seems like such a natural idea, and the materials are

engaging, exciting and -- most wonderfully -- already in a digital

format. Frankly it should be a lot more interesting and worthwhile (and

fun!) than a lot of stuff that I do, which is more in the realm of

internal communications. For example, I just finished a huge web site

that put an entire accreditation self-study, comprised of hundreds of

pages of stuff, online. Not too exciting, to say the least.

Talk to you soon.

XXXXX >>

Thought you'd like to read this note. He seems like a nice guy.

Last night Acres Home Governing Board Meeting went very well. I think we are actually dialoguing. Everyone is looking forward to Dec 16. Clarice gave a long and lovely description of the plan she and Mary had done in Lego's. A grocery store with a community garden beside it to grow fresh vegetables. A day care along with a senior center so the two generations can mix. Dental office. Drug rehab center and classrooms for programs for people who are just out of jail and don't know what to do next. A main intake office so people can be directed to the appropriate services. Of course, we mentioned not to forget Andre's gym and weight room and he looked pleased that I had remembered. Mr. Jones even spoke up and said we need office space. He wants a community "Home" where the business of the community can be conducted. I assure you that University people and other members of the "in" and "out" leadership will be there. Even Miss "bathroom breaks" is engaged. We have been getting comment sheets. I love Andre. He watches the display from afar to see people's reactions. He saw two separate occasions where people (and these are young kids his age) read the display and wrote comments that they wanted to help and left name and phone number and he couldn't believe it because he didn't think either one of them was the type. I have been given the responsibility of compiling the notes and having them blown up on posters for the 16th. Will email to you ahead of time. Anyway, it seems to be going very well and they are taking control. Evelyn is going to try writing a grant. It's $1,000 from our local basketball team. I told her I would help her or look at it when she was done but she sounds pretty confident that she can do it. Oh, and she is officially on the Governing Board now. And every member was there except one last night. Usually we are lucky to have two or three.

Love, Nurse B

Subj: Fwd: Acres Home - Photovoice

Date: 11/28/00

From: Annette

To: Nurse B

Dear Nurse B,

So we almost have a totally new crowd on Dec 16...I'm thinking and thinking on what to say and how to design the day. I'm going to ask Clarice and Andre to tell part of the story. I'll call them to give them a heads up. I was hoping we would have some big guns there — and you did it!!! That is so-o-o-o cool.

I'm very excited about what we are doing. Over Thanksgiving, a lady in my mother's Sunday school class was talking about her community work and pointed out that she never wanted a project that was "fully funded" that any workable community project needed to continue to justify itself over and over again to the community it served. I'm hoping that we can make that happen in City Name - the ideas we are coming up with certainly have that potential - a web of giving and receiving.

Love, Annette

Subj: Fwd: Acres Home - Photovoice

Date: 12/01/00

From: Nurse B

To: Annette

I'm attaching the comments from "what do you see" sheets. The thought was to enlarge them on posters for the group. There is someone at the school who would do it but I'm not sure they are relevant enough to be worthwhile. What do you think? Of course I'm behind but am enjoying having a more rounded life. Even though papers are not done, we spent time this weekend doing Christmas stuff. Tried to take the whole family out to look for a Christmas tree together as a bonding experience.

See you soon.

Nurse B

Create a New Vision for City Name

Responses to the Question: What do you see?

"This really caught my eye because I’ve always lived here in City Name and I like to know where I should and shouldn’t shop at and who need help because I believe in helping my community. And I would encourage anyone to please continue to help those who can’t help themselves."

"I see a problem that has never gone unnoticed but always neglected. This piece is indeed an eye opener. How can concerned people like me get involved?"

"This is my "hood" (neighborhood) and as long as we talking about doing something nothing not going to be done but I like the idea of cleaning up and fixing up to make the recreation parks look better. Help people who are disable but dat sh__ is a dream."

"I see a lot of misused words!"

"Self-esteem program for kids (girls) ages 8 — 18."

"I live off (Two Street Names). I pass through City Name every day. I see a neighborhood that is just not taking care of like many neighborhoods in that area. Maybe the government don’t care, maybe that’s how they want it. However, something must be done for our future, the children’s future. Action Must Be Taken!"

  1. Cleaner streets
  2. Better living
  3. Clear walls (no paint or graffiti)
  4. bigger library
  5. more community activities
  6. make more convenient stores

"I see City Name one day a sub-division with out all the trash & illegal dumping. We need more people to report illegal dumping by taking a license plate # and giving it to the police and charges being brought against the criminals, because it’s basically the same people that do the dumping over and over again."

"I do not see the laughing children, people with nice homes and driveways, or schools. Some people are doing positive things in and for the community."

  1. More community support
  2. More money

"The City is guilty over 90% of these pictures. We are not in the country, we pay City taxes but get no City service."

Subj: hello

Date: 12/2/00 12:04:07 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: Andre

To: AnnetteGPC

hello Annette

Hey this Andre. I was just thinking about you and

decided to say hello, By the way I can't wait to see

you on the sixteenth. My mind is drawing a blank on

ideas for the meeting on what can be done, but I'm

still contemplating. One thing that we do need here is

employment, and thats really been on my mind. So a

food mart of some-kind would be great. maybe even two

because the "44" is so big, (‘44’ refers to the bus line through

City Name) and the transportation can

be scarce for some people. I know that won't cure

unemployment but it will make a small difference.

Another thing thats been on my mind is "Wilson Park".

To my knowledge there are only three parks City Name,

Wilson park is one of them. This is not the the

park that I have brought up on occasion, and I haven't

been their in a while. But the situation is this: The

two other parks have full time staff along with

programs set for the youth (I say youth like I'm a Old

man). Any way this is what i believe to be the biggest

and most beautiful park in the the neighborhood. But

nothing is going on there. Johnson (my Park) has

almost everything, if not everything. To add on to

what is already had Johnson is getting an indoor

gym. this is good, and bad. The good part about this

is; the regulated goals, the rain and cold factor,

wood floors,etc.. but the bad thing is that when the

doors close what is there for the local people to do.

At the present time you can come by at 10 at night,

and find people playing basketball. This won't be

possible with a indoor gym, and I know of know of no

gym thats open on Sundays. In a way we are getting

whats needed but at the same time we are being

controlled. Back to the subject, Wilson Park has

nothing along with the space for every thing. How come

Wilson can't even get a building just so people for

youth functions. To my knowledge there are three

people that work for Johnson City, maybe four. If you

talk to them they will tell you that they love their

jobs, and I am so happy for them. They might not get

payed that much, but are proud to go to work every

day. Wilson can have that as-well. After school the

Johnson City park is unofficial transformed into a

kind of day-care. some working parents that can't

afford baby sitters, or have no one else to turn to

leave their kinds at the park(this is a Good Thing).

those employees of the park watch after the kids as if

the kids were theirs. They are supervised, the kids

also do their homework there, and is helped with it if

needed. During the summer there is a lunch program for

the kids, and other things as well. The list can go

on and on, Johnson City is a great park. Wilson park

could be the same but their isn't a building their to

start these kinds off things started. If Wilson park

had a building this would provide employment as-well

as "unofficial" day-care, along with programs that

will allow the youth to have something to do, like

basketball leagues for both girls and boys. A whole

lots more can happen also, The first thing we need is

a building.

Thats all, my original intentions were to say Hi, but

it turned into this. Talk to you on the sixteenth

Subj: hello

Date: 12/4/00

From: Annette

To: Andre

Hey Andre,

Great to hear from you! I'm looking forward to the 16th as well. I really liked reading your thoughts. You have a good mind. These are good ideas. I want you to be a little careful talking about the "unofficial" daycare though. I can just see some government person getting all upset about "unqualified" people taking care of the kids or risk of insurance or liability issues and screwing that up. I love that they do it. I just have been around the system long enough to have good instincts about what breaking rules (even to do good) looks like to the people who love rules. Some people really love rules - the rules make them feel safe. And if you are serious about being the kind of man who creates change (for the "youth," you old man!) then one of the skills you will need is a deep understanding about rules and people's relationship to rules. They aren't wrong - they just look at it differently. You and I do not love rules - we aren't wrong either. We just need to watch ourselves and make sure we don't get cut off before we have a chance to do some good.

So keep thinking. Keep your eyes open and your heart open (even around the rule-lovers). We have a real opportunity here to change lives. I'm excited.

See you soon, Annette


Annette's journal - December (at Nurse B's house)

Yesterday was pretty cool. We started 1 1/2 hours late because the university people were late - most of the community was there and ready to go. I think six months is a conservative estimate to expect a group to decide to start on time. And we aren't there yet.

About twenty-five of us met in a local church. At first they put us in a tiny Sunday school room with Popsicle stick dioramas of the crucifixion and fold-out metal chairs. We had walked past a big comfortable looking fellowship hall and we asked - politely-- if they would be needing that space. The minister asked us back, "well...how long did we want it for?" And we asked "well...who was going to be using it" and "when did they need it?" After four iterations, which got us nowhere, he disappeared and then came back and said we could use it until that evening. It seems like no one needed it at all, they just weren't sure they wanted us in there.

So Evelyn and Marcus laid out breakfast, there was lots of hugging. Marcus was obviously not going to participate - I think he got mad when he couldn't "preach" his committee-of-one sermon last time. Evelyn stayed. Andre came up and was almost giddy - if you can imagine a 23-year-old black man with jeans hanging on his hips and hip-hop clothing being giddy. Carl still makes no eye contact, talks to the floor, and says the most amazing things. He brought a yellow school folder of his poetry. He wouldn't mention it but he waved it around until I asked if I could read some of his work. He said, "I don't care." (Yeah, right.) He has written some amazing stuff. One of his poems (blue ink on lined notebook paper) includes a verse out of a favorite Robert Frost poem. Frost's last line says "nothing is gold" and Carl wrote "I am gold."

The university people finally arrived and we did a process designed to fold in the new people and review for the regulars what we had accomplished. I asked "What did you think that first day. Andre said, "I thought here is this white chick supposedly coming to help and all they want to do is make us show how bad our neighborhood is so they can come in and take over." Others shrugged their shoulders and said, "we didn't expect much - not this, anyway."

Answers to the question - "What has happened in X Community that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't done the Photovoice process?" - included: Billboard has been posted that "Dumpers will be prosecuted" Neighborhood Clean-up Andre and Clarice are now members of the Governing Board "The Graffiti Wall" (in one of the pictures) has been painted and might be torn down. Clarice got help for her brother who is a crack addict. Andre said "This has totally changed his life. Now I can be proud of something I am doing." He said he hadn't been to church in a long time but since being on the governing board, he now has a sense of duty, a part to play, he feels like a better person. Later we found out the blind man's old house has been torn down and a new one is being built. And the "old lady" house has been restored.

I told my story of Joan of Arc to make the point that Joan at some point decided that she was special and that she believed she could save France. It was that belief in herself that made people listen to her. I asked the group use the Praise poem format (an old African tradition) as a vehicle to get their story straight on who they are and why they are here. We shared our poems. This process never fails to bond a group and deepen mutual respect. I told them my poem.

I am Annette, daughter of Harriet, granddaughter of Olive, who was the daughter of Dallis, who was the daughter of Hattie, I am tall, and I take up a lot of space, When I see conflict, my eyes sparkle because I know I stand before people who care. I seek out the fruits of knowledge and the bread of wisdom So that I may lay a table for the weary to nourish themselves and Take refuge in community. I have breathed in the exhaled breaths of Cambodians, Costa Ricans and Californians. I have prayed with Thai Buddhists, Spanish Catholics, and Southern Baptists. I do not give up.

I know how to wait, But I do not give up. Then others shared theirs. Some of the poems are here:

Carl's Praise poem
I am the son of Carl Sr. who is the son of Levi.
I am the only boy out of 5 children.
I am a useful and worthy vessel of brown skin with a thin frame but all structure, with two large foundations.
(at this point he looked down at his size 14 feet - we cracked up) Yet at 6'6" and 215 pounds, I'm just a teenage eager to learn, still able to mold, the center of the crowd.
I'm athletic but artistic, open-minded but optimistic, with a heavy desire for success. Friendly sociable, intelligent, and strong willed, blessed with courageous and God fearing parents, who always push to keep me in the right direction. I love to be with my church family as well as my own, with a strong-will to play basketball and develop literary skill. There's much I think I know, but there's still lots of wisdom to enstow.
I will be successful, I will survive, and I can achieve anything with God on my side.

My name is Clarice and I am the daughter of Betty Ann the daughter of Clarice Parker. I am fat, black and incredibly awesome!
(she brought the house down!)
I reach from here to there and stretch myself as I'm developed. I'm here to reign in myself. I no longer want to hide (out in the opening), but I want to be used of God to bring unity of heart to my community. I want to see my community free from bitterness, self-hatred, and self-destruction. I want to see the encrusted beauty within, become the beauty and outshining of God's marvelous concept that we are jewels that make up His crown.

I am the son of Nellie Ann and George,
whose parents were Hubert and Lizzie and Colbert and Christine Their forebears came from Ireland, England, and Scotland. I am tall, male and I don't have much hair, my eyes are hazel and I am reasonably fair. Early in life I learned that, while life can be good, most people are short on the stick and they don't get a fair shake in life. The result are two-fold: first I want to enjoy life and I do but there is another part that everybody should enjoy life and there are ways to make that happen. So I spend my time pushing the good things, my family, my friend, and some company and trying to fix the things that are broke so we can all have a good time.

The kids didn't want to say their poems. From somewhere I found just the right thing to say. I told them that "this entire process is designed to give everyone a voice--to have power you must find your voice and this process gives you practice in having power by having a voice. If you want power you have to learn how to speak up for yourself." It worked. They got up and spoke. And we could tell that they understood.

We then moved into a dialogue. It centered around positive vs. negative. And it got a bit tense at times. Just at the height of polarization one man said "why don't we forget about the labels and just focus on telling the truth, whatever that is." He completely changed the conversation. Someone else said, "this isn't supposed to be a TV commercial for X Community." It was necessary for the "we have to think positive" folks to come, to say their piece, and to be given the space to form a new perspective that story incorporates both positive and negative and that negative doesn't always bring people down. Sometimes, it helps gets us on our feet. It is important to note that Ms. Positive is the very one that said, "I know my community and they are lazy." Her beliefs seemed to be polarized and as a result of the dialogue she seemed more moderate.

They also discussed the fact that more people needed to see the pictures. (Groups can be so slow sometimes! But try to rush it and it screws everything up). They said that there needed to be a human being with the pictures to answer questions. We have to demonstrate that people care. The belief that kids don't care came up. "They just want to know what is in it for them" "That's not true - even when I try to pay kids to help clean up they don't show." "Maybe it is neither of those things - we never really asked them what they think." An enthusiastic but totally invasive group of adults pounced on the kids present. They never really gave them a chance to answer their questions. Granted you feel like you are waiting forever for these kids to talk. So it wasn't a total solution but it was a step in the right direction. There is no denying that 5 kids were there-- 5 kids who could've been enjoying their Saturday somewhere else. Something is happening to make them feel connected.

A discussion centered on what are we going to DO? The ideas slowly gelled into a plan. We will send letters to local churches and schools for dates - then a representative would take the photos and the message "let's improve our community" to any group who invited them. We will get a couple more sets of photos made up (the university said they'd pay) and on that set would be the list of things we'd like to see in our community (this was created with a group process) and an update with new pictures of success stories. We will contact local press and seek publicity for our efforts. We will contact the City Name Chronicle for outside publicity. We will target Oct 27 as the next clean up date. This will be a half-day of community meeting/town hall meeting/pep rally format and then move to an afternoon of clean up. Seppie pointed out that we couldn't just pick a date - that there were many, many things that had to be arranged - police, city trash service, child care - and the group as a whole said "we will just figure it out as we go." Seppie's husband turned to her and said "THAT will be a new paradigm for you!" Everyone laughed. We are all getting our ideas about "how the world works" stretched and reframed.

The closing statements allowed me to think on the changes that I've seen. The preachy preacher didn't wag his finger once. The adults were beginning to aks good questions of the youth and sometimes even tried to wait for an answer. Seppie who is a self-confessed action-plan-addict agreed to set a date with no idea of a plan of how to get there. The woman who thought "I know my community and my community is lazy" is becoming a major player in the group and acting respectful to everyone. Another person who didn't show up for the first two meetings and hated that the pictures were so "negative" is slowly entertaining the idea that "negative" doesn't necessarily drag everyone down. I am continually reminded how much people can change and how stupid it is for us to allow our first impressions to write anyone off. Because, that very person might be the most important force for good in the end. Cynicism is just a defense used by people who care.

The decisions that we reached at the end of the day are similar to what I had hoped would happen in September. It took longer than I thought but who cares-- it is happening!

I gave Andre a copy of my book and signed it. His email back to me made me cry.

Subj: Re: hello
Date: 12/18/00
From: Andre To: Annette
hello Annette.

I really wanted to tell you Thank You for the book, and every thing else that you are doing for the neighborhood. I really enjoyed the meeting, and I love the book cover. If I'm right you I told that story on the first time we met. I started reading it the same day, and I really can tell that I will love it. Thank You again. This is my first book ever, and to have it written and signed by someone who I admire as a mentor as well as for their work really means something to me. Until now I really didn't understand and appreciate the art of storytelling. It's a really powerful tool that if known can be used in every day life. So I Will do my best to learn it. I really love what you do and I am looking forward to seeing you again when ever you come down to the "44" again. I will have to get you one of these "44" shirt so you can wear it where you live. I forgot you state name but, I will find out sooner or later. By the way I went and took pictures of the 3 place that construction has already taken place. I'm sure they will come out perfect, but the Hopkins place was kind of hard. I think I took about 3 pictures of that place and I hope come out clear in understanding. I'm worried about this one because its pretty hard to take a pictures of something that isn't there. BJ,s house will the best set of pictures I believe. It's nothing there also but dirt, and the old porch, but it all stood out. In the dirt were the tracks of the big trucks and the other heavy equipment that forced it's way across the earth. The tracks were every where symbolizing and displaying two messages. The first a sign of strength and power: the destruction of what was. The other is the making a way for a new life. By looking at the track you could imagine the new life that will be bought out of this. You could almost see a new house in this yard, with the happiest bunch of kids playing in it. I don't know how this house will look, but I know it will be beautiful.

Talk to soon I hope.

Andre

Annette's Journal - Final Entry

It is now two years since I sat next to a stranger (Nurse B) on an airplane bound for Denver. Now I call her a friend. Over the last two years we have tested four one-day community-building experiences designed to create social capital and a sense of personal responsibility within a neighborhood that had no hope. We found that when people (who have been "powerless") find their voice/power they disrupt the old distribution of power. Storytelling reveals truth… beautiful truths and ugly truths.

The process awakened members of the community, stimulated introspection, a redefinition of identity and it created momentum, excitement and (surprise, surprise) conflict. The results included profound changes in individual levels of self-efficacy, isolated change in the community (a new house for several who needed it, clean ups, etc.) a temporary collective effort, failure (momentum lost in parliamentary procedures), and a continuing re-organization of collective efforts outside of the partnership framework Several individuals are pursuing a block nurse program on their own. Their frustration with the slow movement of the governing board (after five years they have done nothing except determine that they probably need to do another needs assessment) finally caused them to go around the existing structure and act independently. Which, frankly was EXACTLY what we had hoped for.

The University people who were hired to support the partnership came after us with a vengeance. We presented our methods and results at a conference along with one of the community members and all hell broke loose. On hindsight I can see it didn’t make them look too good. They stirred up enough anger with some of the community members (governing board officers — also part of the lack of action) to get them to send a letter out (not to me, of course) accusing me of "exploiting" the community for my own" personal profit". Here I had donated all my flights (several thousand dollars) and all my time … I was deeply hurt. I had to question myself — was I doing this for my own personal profit? I’m pretty sure I want to evangelize about what story can do — so I do have an agenda — but I’m turning down business so it is hard to imagine the "personal profit" angle. I put this on the web so you don’t have to hire a consultant — so you can experiment with PhotoStory with a little more confidence than if you only read a recipe. I’m confident that my motives are clean. I want to create community action and if it ticks off the current power structure — so be it. Ultimately I’m hoping more stories will appear here — yours, in fact.

In August, 2000 when we passed out 40 disposable cameras and asked the group to create pictures that "told the story" of their community — we had no idea what power we were unleashing. According to one participant, choosing which pictures to take, what story to tell, and discussing each other’s stories: "opened our eyes." New eyes see new possibilities. If you think about it — this was bound to stir up trouble. Hell, I CHOSE Nurse B because she had stirred up enough trouble to get kicked out of a school system. But consider some of the results:

Bobby a 7th grader told his mom "Now I understand why you want me to do good in school." His grades improved significantly.

Andre, only 23 years old, began participating in the dialogue by defending rap music from the attack of a minister who called it trash. He was suspicious and cynical. After the two days, he joined the X community governing board and found his voice. He actively pursued equipment for a local park. He said, "This has totally changed my life. Now I can be proud of something I am doing." He was awarded a "volunteer spirit award" by one of the community civic clubs in 2001. Unfortunately he quit the governing board in 2002. But he continues to work with civic clubs that are more active.

Clarice, a childcare worker began to dream again. She also joined the governing board. She built a model of her dream with Lego: a town center with childcare, pharmacy and a co-op grocery. And….she also quit the governing board. She is spear-heading the block nurse program. She set up amps in her back yard and "broadcast" her thoughts every Friday night for several weeks. She is also beginning to preach in more conventional settings.

The group chose twenty pictures to "open the eyes" of others. These "photostories" went to churches, schools, civic groups, and to relevant government agencies. A few individuals decided to stop waiting for "somebody to do something" and try to "do it ourselves."

When Clarice and Andre joined the "governing board" ideas were pitched and rejected. They were told they needed to "understand how things were done." They quit a year later. Efforts to transfer "new" leadership strategies and collaborative decision making techniques were eclipsed by old habits of parliamentary procedures and traditional power structures.

And yet…there is Grace:

The day before our first intervention - Betsy took me to Grace’s house. Grace is about 60 years old. She survived spinal cancer but the radiation treatment left her nerves raw and exposed. She has a morphine pump in her abdomen but you can tell she is still in pain by how carefully she moves But her smile is bright and she laughs easily. We shared our stories for about an hour. Grace did without water for two years. On her crutch she would get water from her neighbors hose to flush the toilet, wash and cook.

During the intervention Grace nodded off a lot — the effects of the morphine. But at the end she smiled and said, "You really can change things. You just have to have the right people." I told her, "We do have the right people. We have you, me, Nurse B, and the rest of the people in this room." She smiled and added, "and the Lord!" Her hope was to build a town center like Clarice had constructed — or at the very least a clinic.

During the first day we used the movie "Amistad" to illustrate "overcoming impossible obstacles" and "whoever tells the best story wins." Grace rented the movie and watched it four more times. Unfortunately, the clinic Grace had hoped for, doesn’t look like it will happen. However, Grace is instrumental in the new program organized outside the governing board through Clarice to develop block based homecare. Four months ago she had her morphine pump removed….she is in more pain…but she doesn’t fall asleep quite as often. She is awake…very awake.

Ultimately that is what this exercise was about — waking people up. I learned that this should never be done lightly. I was blind too. I was blind to the amount of suffering that had caused all of us to keep our eyes shut. It was almost unbearable to hang with the process of opening our eyes — it would have been so easy to close them again. I was also blind to the fact that some of the problems for poor communities are actually reinforced by the systems and structure of the social services that are supposed to help them.

Next time (and there WILL be a next time — already in process) I plan to run the PhotoStory process at two levels — first with the agencies that are supposed to be helping the community and THEN, with the community. It is cruel to wake a community up and have their new hopes dashed by over-controlling committees or "governing boards." I won’t make the same mistake twice…I’ll make NEW mistakes! (smile, which is the only way I learn). I am deeply grateful for this experience and for the people I met. I got a letter from Clarice this week, she says:

"Dear Annette,

Words really escape me and I attempt to write you and express my joy in having met you — having learned from you. (some really nice stuff) …I love you. Thank you, With my most sincere prayers.

Clarice"

It is I who have learned. And my joy in meeting Clarice (and Grace, and Andre, etc.) is profit enough. When we went to the conference to present PhotoStory, Nurse B, Clarice and I all stayed in one hotel room. One night we started singing. Clarice taught me this song:

I know a place

Ain’t nobody crying

Ain’t nobody worrying

Ain’t no smilin’ faces

Lying to the races

C’mon and help me now

I take you there

I’m hoping that story is going to take us all there.