Good News Thursday!
As you can see by Itzl's concerned look, this group is for us to check in at to let people know we are alive, doing OK, and not affected by such things as heat, blizzards, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, power outages, or other such things that could keep us off DKos. It's also so we can find other Kossacks nearby for in-person checks when other methods of communication fail - a buddy system. Members come here to check in. If you're not here, or anywhere else on DKos, and there are adverse conditions in your area (floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, etc.), we and your buddy are going to check up on you. If you are going to be away from your computer for a day or a week, let us know here. We care!
We are sharing the publishing duties, and we welcome everyone in IAN to write a daily diary for the group! (HELP!) Every member is an editor, so anyone can take a turn when they have something to say, photos and music to share, a cause to promote or news! (Help to keep IAN going; you know you have a diary or two in you just waiting to express itself!)
Ok, so we do have a diary schedule. When you are ready to write a diary, either post in thread or send FloridaSNMOM a Kosmail with the date. If you need someone to fill in, ditto. FloridaSNMOM is here on and off through the day usually from around 9:30 or 10 am eastern to around 11 pm eastern.
Finally some good news for these people!
Three minute interview describing the Vanguard episode "Rape on the Reservation" which I saw on Sunday night on Current TV.
In the Vanguard episode, the mother, Martina, explained in the story how the opportunity to commit crime is made so much easier by the many abandoned homes on the Rosebud Reservation. For her, it is personal, as her daughter's body was discovered in one of those empty buildings.
Rosebud (St. Francis) is one of the two resevations I have supported here during my short tenure at DKos; I donate money to purchase heaters and propane. I also support the Okiciyap (we help) Food Pantry and Community Center in Isabel on the Cheyenne River Reservation. And, I would remind you of the Pine Ridge Reservation, often used as an example of both how bad reservation life can be, but also how activism is bringing positive change to South Dakota.
So this diary is to spread some good news, brought to my attention in Aji's New Day diary Monday.
The HUD federal grants for housing on the reservations have been authorized, and the three reservations above will be getting substantial sums to improve housing. Rosebud will get $3,488,737, Cheyenne River is awarded $5,172,880, and Pine Ridge will have a grant of $6,227,670 to improve their housing stock.
Martina got agreement from the tribal council that they would investigate ways to remove unlivable housing from the community. The grant should allow the council to have some of the buildings razed, and also upgrade housing for others living in homes in need of repair.
Is there anything happening with housing where you live ?