BNICEH (be nicer), the Black Network in Children's Emotional Health, consists of BNICEH SmokeOut Campaign, IMPRUVE (Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles and Equality), and Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Consortium.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Stand Up With BNICEH in 2015-16: Black Lives Matter, Lives of PWDs Matter, Youth Lives Matter, Paratransit Riders' Lives Matter

Black Lives Should Not Be Neglected To FulFill a Gentrification Plan Or Reclaim Of their Neighborhoods or the City By Those Escaping the Suburbs

Lives of PWDs (Persons with Disabilities) should not be put on hold to FulFill a Plan to Institutionalize Them in Nursing Homes and Jails

Youth Lives Matter

 They should not be Misled to Think that they Can Earn the Same Living Without An Education In School or Online

 Or Without 1-On-1 Mentoring By A Successful Entrepreneur 

Reach the Same Financial and Social Status As A Millionaire or Billionaire Who Has Political Connections Or Inherited Wealth 

Whether that Millionaire or Billionaire Dropped Out of School or Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Black Youth Should Be Trained to Identify
  the Signs of Racial Profiling and Racism and 
Learn How to Avoid Them, Reverse Them or Obtain Credible Evidence to Prove Them 
Should They Be Arrested

All Youth, Especially Black & Hispanic Youth, 
Should Be Provided with Tools of Survival 
Other Than Guns, Bullying, Drug Sales and 
Other Unlawful Activity

 Paratransit Riders Should Not Have to Wait  2 hours on A Ride Scheduled In Advance 

Nor Be Rode Around for 2-3 Hours From One End of the City to Another Many Miles Away In the Opposite Direction When They Are Only A Few Minutes From Their Destinations

Paratransit Riders and People In Wheelchairs Should Not Have to Wait 6 Hours on an Open Taxi Order  

or Never Be picked Up By a Wheelchair Taxi on an Order Placed with Open Taxi here or elsewhere

Whether Called from the App or hailed from the street  or phoned in the day before

_________________________________________________  

All Lives Matter

WE WILL NOT BE SILENT








We stand up for fairness, inclusion, youth, human rights, civil rights, disability rights and the right to live. We have a right to run for office whether our disability is hidden or visible, whether we have a million dollars in campaign funds or personal wealth or only a few dollars.

We have a right after arrest to be represented in Court by an advocate or lawyer who overstands or innerstands or comprehends disability law or disability rights and when the disability requires medical intervention, receive it.

We have a right to a fair trial by judge or jury.  We have a right to compensation for false arrest due to racial profiling or disability discrimination that causes us distress, more disability or illness, or loss of income, dignity, employment or housing. We demand that judges, lawyers, and law enforcement be trained in disability rights and policy , so as not to mistake seizures, muscle spasms, involuntary movements due to cerebral palsy or Parkinson's, ADD, ADHD, PTSD, deafness or hearing loss, and Tourette's, etc.,  for intoxication or intentional disrespect of law enforcement.







We are green. We support organic, plant-based dining, health, tobacco prevention, IT literacy, government of the people, employment of people who are disabled at equal pay for supported employment or equal work,    and real government transparency.

We are hosting two Black History programs:

 FREE - Monday Feb. 16, 2015 * at Eisenhower Center Conference Room 1701 S. 1st Ave. Maywood IL 
12-4 pm. Doors open at 11 a.m. for vendors to setup and program setup RSVP on facebook or to Cecelia Jackson 773-544-9488 Bring children, guests, but be sure to register.  Refreshments served.  Black History charades and youth Black history Quiz.  Vegan, vegetarian, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and without canola oil Vendors, contact Dr. Maat 773-916-MAAT Bring your own tables.  Small love offering required of vendors. Call for information or.  Limit: 5-10 vendors
* This is a federal holiday. President's Day. No school.


 FREE - Sat. Feb. 21 1-4. Doors open at noon. No admittance during libation, candlelighting so arrive early or after 1:30 pm. at 21st Century Classroom pictured above
846 S. 17th Ave, Maywood IL  Light refreshments. Smaller venue. RSVP to Cecelia Jackson  773-544-9488 bniceh@yahoo.com  No vendors except performers selling their books or DVDs or CDs and volunteer selling her hair products.

Looking for seven Black elders, each one  to represent one of the 7 principles of Black living, aka Nguzo Saba; people who are 65 and over to give one sentence explanation of the principle they represent and why.
Must actually be an example of that principle and a positive force in the family, church, school or community. Dress Africentric.

Looking for 7 youth who represent positive ideals or walking in the footsteps of wisdom to escort them and one to bear the Afrikan flag during the march-in of elders to be seated.  Any age from 13 to 40 as escorts. Any age from 10 and up to carry the flag.

 

Black Network In Children's Emotional Health, an IL nonprofit, which has been affectionately referred to as BNICEH "be nicer" or abbreviated by financial institutions and others, as it is generally too long a name to fit in their database name field, was founded at a time in March 1992 when Black youth were being labeled with psychiatric disorders at high rates and warehoused at alarming rates in juvenile detention facilities, group homes or psychiatric facilities without adequate holistic treatments that did not require them to have chemical treatments or electroshock therapy or be removed from their families or homes to be treated properly.  It was lucrative for residential treatment facilities to recommend institutionalization for the child and no respite care for the family caregivers.

The youth were falling through the cracks and miseducated or abandoned due to their race, behavior or being at risk of mental illness, or having fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal crack cocaine addiction or severe reaction to toxic environments or trauma.

Some had labels of ADD, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, Tourette's syndrome, and OCD, though most were labeled with conduct disorder and oppositional defiant behavior.

Some had primary physical disabilities with secondary behavioral health issues or disabilities that parents and school systems misunderstood or could not or would not handle effectively.

Black Network In Chldrens Emotional Health (BNICEH) eventually became a voice for Black youth in behavioral health, child welfare and juvenile justice in December 1992 whether from Chicago, New York, Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, Compton, Europe or the nations of Afrika (intentionally spelled in the Swahili language) and  a charter chapter in the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health.

Other children were just labeled juvenile delinquents. Our programs were so successful that others began calling us to help their children who were not Black, but were from families that had low income.

In the disability movement, we prioritize our focus to work with and on behalf of youth from the Black community, but we work with youth of any race or culture who are both disabled and non-disabled, referred to as simply one term when we say "This-Abled," a word coined by Javier Robles.  In addition, we have the Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles, Equality or  IMPRUVE, our accessible transit arm to prioritize its work in accessible services and paratransit and organize with other disability advocates and activists.



In this time of trials and thinkers, we call on youth to join our movement, register and vote in massive numbers, and help us stop the violence against them, reverse the economic downturn and boot out unworthy and shameful elected officials not only in Chicago and Illinois but across the nation.

Black Network n Children's Emotional Health is the parent company to IMPRUVE,
Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles, Equality, a member of Chicago ADAPT and Alliance for Community Services.

Though a state nonprofit in Illinois, we are a national group, intentionally not a 501 (c)(3), seeking help from volunteers and supporters of humane human services, justice, political equity, and higher quality of living with and for those we represent and those we support.

Dr. Ayo Maat recommends William Dock Walls III in the February 24, 2015 mayoral race and a massive demonstration against those and their sponsors who refuse to invite and allow him to speak in equal time at mayoral forums with the other four candidates.

Dr. Maat also recommends in 2016, Bernie Sanders for President, and ran for delegate in March 15, 2016 IL primary.





In paratransit activism, we call for a massive letter writing campaign, phone calling to the appropriate legislative and FTA offices, and federal service provider/contractor, and demonstration against those who refuse to help paratransit riders regain dignity in services and provide us with on time drop offs and pickups and fair and appropriate routing by all carriers.

At this time, BNICEH's affiliate IMPRUVE, which assisted in lawsuit in 2007 Crosby et al v. Pace et al 07 C 6235 in which plaintiffs settled with Pace, RTA and CTA in 2012 for the same or similar violations of the ADA and FTA policy as occuring now, recommends six actions now and throughout the year:
www.impruve.org


1. Target SCR, a multimillion dollar Black paratransit provider first for the most incompetent routing, late pickups and arrivals way beyond Pace standards and inhumane service to seniors and other riders of paratransit who are disabled without thought for their well-being, need to get to work or healthcare or school or theatric performances, need to get home to allow personal caregivers to ASSIST THEM WITH FOOD, MEDICINE or GETTING TO BED, or fact that they have taken them miles out of the way in circuitous routes often riding them around for 2-3 hours after being one hour late on pickups that occur during good weather and no traffic disaster or war that caused the delay !!!!!!!

2. Renew efforts for Congressional Transit Summit on Paratransit, Wheelchair Taxis and Medicars with Congresswoman Janice Schakowsky (IL-9) at the helm with several Congressmen as co-sponsors and possibly Senators and Congressional transportation Committees from both Houses of Congress working with the Planning Committee already formed by  Rep. Schakowsky, but step up the pressure and stop allowing this to be pushed back every year while people suffer and the states and cities do nothing

3. Target CDT, an even more lucrative multimillion dollar paratransit provider next for having the next  incompetent routing, equal late pickups and arrivals way beyond Pace standards and inhumane service to seniors and other riders of paratransit who are disabled without thought for their well-being, need to get to work or healthcare or school or theatric performances, need to get home to allow personal caregivers to ASSIST THEM WITH FOOD, MEDICINE or GETTING TO BED, or fact that they have taken them miles out of the way in circuitous routes often riding them around for 2-3 hours after being one to two hours late on pickups that occur during good weather and no traffic disaster or war that caused the delay!!!!!!!

To their credit, CDT has a bit more compassion and will often call you when running late.  Or you can ask for relief through supervisors if you can reach one at night that will intervene if you are the victim of such inhumanity.  In most cases, they will send another vehicle if you know that they are about to take you on a route that takes you in opposite directions far from your destination and would keep you in the vehicle far too long.

4. Target the Mayor's Office, Pace, RTA and FTA for protests and relief from unfair and circuitous actions of the paratransit instead of more years of time wasting meetings with Pace that have led to empty promises and worse service even for people who are blind despite meetings that the Friedman Place and ADA Advisory Committee have had with Pace.

5.  File Public Accommodation complaints with Chicago Commission on Human Relations, Cook County Commission on Human Rights and Illinois Department of Human Rights to show unequal transportation service that is not comparable to fixed route trains and buses using federal and state dollars and failure to provide reasonable accommodations for protected classes: seniors and persons who are disabled

6. Work with Independent Movement of Paratransit Riders for Unity, Vehicles, Equality (IMPRUVE) to establish our own green paratransit owned by people who are not only disabled and competent,




but people who have compassion for persons who are disabled, care about improving the service first and employing screened and qualified persons who are disabled,  retirees, youth and ex-offenders.  Then Lobby the federal government (FTA US DHHS) and Congress, state and city government  (CTA, IDHS, RTA, IDOT, MOPD (Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities), Mayor's Office, City Council Dept. of Transportation, Chicago Dept. of Economic Development to award us the contracts to supplement this horrible impostor of compassionate service and professionalism.


Though some of my friends from the Disability Network supported another candidate and are not acquainted with what William Dock Walls III has to offer to the disability community and all other persons in Chicago, I still recommended and supported him.

He is the real thing, unbossed and independent of the machine that holds the 99% hostage to false promises and the wiles of the rich and powerful as they refuse to pay their fair share while we are taxed, services cut, wages below a fair living standard, have low disposable income, and need a champion for our cause who does not take orders from the elite political empire that has eroded Chicago with its privileged system of favors and corruption.  

In 2016, I am proud to support Bernie Sanders as a clean, honest human being and no-nonsense public oficial and presidential candidate. He is the real thing for all people, unbossed, indeendent, democratic, and is not bought by the billionaires on Wall Street. He will clean up campaign reform financing, unfair tax loopholes to the billionaires,  disproportionate incarceration of Black males, unfair labor contracts, fracking, and other issues.

I remain as always in Love and Peace bringing order to chaos as your local and national advocate for disability, civil, human, political  and organic, non-GMO food rights, and animal rights.  I am pro-Life, pro-God, pro-choice for women, and pro-good. No malice intended toward any human being. Maat  (two syllables pronounced mah-ott as in Mama and dot)


WE WILL NOT BE SILENT