‘Cover Stories’ Archives
A Peace of My Mind a place to hear voices for peace: Stories
David A. De Lampert Jr. has been living on the streets of Minneapolis for the past 30 years. A veteran, he survives on disability checks and through gratuities people offer him. David spends his days inviting people to sign his coat with a permanent marker. When they sign, they will often give him a dollar or two “to help keep me going.” He has filled up more than 100 coats with signatures over the past decade, as well as hats, umbrellas, and canes. For David, collecting signatures began as a way to survive, but eventually became a way for him to reach out to other people. I feel it”'s the richest thing you got going for you is your name. As we fight in this world to obtain something for ourselves and to be somebody - nobody wants to feel like they”'re nobody, no matter who it is. I encourage people to believe, in my travels, that we are somebody. That everybody is somebody, regardless if you are an addict, alcoholic, or whatever. Whatever your vice is [...]
Tell your story
by Harvey Winje, Editor Children worldwide have said, “tell me a story” in all languages for centuries. Don Hewitt used those words explaining his success as the Emmy Award winning creator of 60 Minutes. People”'stories were a main source for A People”'s History of the United States by Howard Zinn. Studs Terkel was another preeminent master of recording stories. He said “curiosity didn”'t kill this cat” as he explained his life time of interviewing people. These men died in the last two years. With their deaths, we lost three giant chroniclers of people”'s stories. Fortunately, their example and legacy has been continued and taken further by others still recording the lives of common people. The Alley Newspaper is pleased to present the superb portraits entwined with stories by photojournalist John Noltner as a preview of a much larger collection to be displayed at Midtown Global Market beginning from Sept. 21st to Oct. 24th. [...]
i think i can i think i can-“Thinking I can,” just ain”'t enough
Commentary By Harvey Winje For decades neighbors here have said, I think I can. I THINK I CAN! That “Little Engine That Could” chant became “We think we can. WE THINK WE CAN!” Thinking alone wasn”'t enough so they added hard work””phone calls, meetings, leaflets, lobbying, money raising, and much more. Finally, they were often able to say, We thought we could, WE THOUGHT WE COULD, We Did, WE DID!” Remember this old ad? “When America has a problem, America turns to Black and Decker.” In America, after 911, when the United States government had a problem it began increasing employment of Blackwater and other private, profit making companies for high level security intelligence work. Locally, when we have a problem, we don”'t turn to Black and Decker or Blackwater. Initially, we don”'t turn to private companies, politicians, or bureaucrats to solve our problems and innovate. We depend again and again on neighbors. [...]
