BZurk does Work
Monday, November 12, 2012
New York City
I've moved to NYC and its been loads of fun. I'm surrounded by friends and family and am feeling more fulfilled by the work and creative outlets every day.
I have been working as an organizer with New York Communities for Change and have learned a tremendous amount in the 6 short months here so far. I have been organizing on the Brooklyn Team, a fantastic group of mostly local folks who know how to get shit done and have a good time. I'll never forget these people. My bosses and mentors at the organization, especially Harold Miller, have taught me so so so so much about organizing, life, balance and New York City. Its been great exploring so many neighborhoods at this job and the folks in the community I'm organizing with are great.
The living situation has also been pretty ideal. I live in Bushwick in Brooklyn in the McKibbin Lofts with a revolving door of artistic and dynamic roommates and houseguests. The current incarnation of the core squad in our 8 bedroom house is sleek, solid and amazing.
Halloween was a hoot but Hurricane Sandy has really made a profound impact in NYC. Occupy Sandy has been doing a great job. It has inspiring to see neighbors and communities coming together in this difficult time.
Tonight a collective of 19 individuals came to our apartment to try to start something new. Basically a locally based news, arts and culture blog and video hub. Its going to be revolutionary and incredible, stay tuned for more updates. The next meeting is Sunday the 18th at 7 for a potluck dinner and 8 for the meeting if you want to swing by leave a comment or call me or whatever.
Happy fall everyone!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Millions Suffer Under Anti-Immigration Policies
Originally published for the Occupied Washington Times on January 3: http://owt.occupydc.org/millions-suffer-under-anti-immigration-policies/
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The Beginning is Near
A wake
A path
Creosote soaked
Black, translucent, petrified leaves
Fracture and burn
Inside of skull
Pellet breath
And a heart roaring, destroying
These souls no longer
Flat and cut from a flag of
Blood, lies and idolatry
Red, white and hypocrisy
Terror in peace packed, moon-caked boots
A nightmare purpose on this plane
Christmas bulbs snap between teeth
Our lacerating smile of
Crimson teeth in a blood filled mouth
Swallow. Rise.
We will no longer stay silent.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
A Really Incredible Day
Wish I had more time to write a blog post but things are really amazing these days. Yesterday I got arrested on K Street protesting political corruption. Also, I got an article I wrote on World AIDS Day published on the Huffington Post. Check it out below:
Secretary of Health Calls for Local-Global Partnerships to End AIDS
Published December 7, 2011 in the Huffington Post.
Last Thursday was World AIDS Day, the 30th anniversary of the discovery of AIDS, and a major milestone in the fight against the epidemic. On a cool winter's night in our nation's capital with the trains of Union Station rumbling under their feet, a packed house of public health activists and policy makers came together to celebrate progress and remember those who have died of AIDS related diseases.
That morning President Obama, joined by former Presidents Clinton and Bush, pledged millions of dollars for international and domestic HIV prevention and treatment.
The message was clear: the value and impact of prevention and treatment has been proven, and now we can get to zero new infections and zero deaths. This is a paradigm shift in how the public health community talks and thinks about the HIV epidemic. It is difficult task with over 1.7 million people living with HIV in the U.S. and over 30 million in the world. The domestic and international AIDS research and activism must "join forces," according to Deborah von Zinkernagel of the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief, to achieve an "AIDS free generation."
Keynote speaker, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius praised PEPFAR and the Affordable Care Act and was determined to create local, national and global partnerships to "get to zero." As Washington squabbles over taxes and the deficit, and the Occupy movement calls for the 99 percent to fight for an end to corporate money in politics and just democracy, it was well-received to hear Sebelius declare "HIV is no place for partisanship."
In July 2012 the International AIDS Conference will be coming to the U.S. for the first time in 30 years. Washington, D.C., the U.S. city with the highest AIDS case rate, will be the host for the conference and George Kerr, executive director of the harm reduction center START at Westminister, is the co-chair of event coordination for the D.C. Community Coalition.
The Coalition presented its AIDS 2012 policy platform, which called for political leadership and research so that D.C. can gain real ground in the local fight against HIV surrounding the conference. The U.S. was barred from hosting the international AIDS conference until 2012 because of its policy of refusing to grant visas to people who were HIV positive. The shift in that policy is a sign of hope that the United States' has renewed its commitment to eradication of the epidemic.
With the giant patches of the AIDS quilt as a backdrop; the important decision-makers on the dais reaffirmed the crowd's feeling that we are gaining ground on the epidemic.
The Hope for Africa Children's Choir from Mukono, Uganda gave a beautiful performance with very frank language about the effects of AIDS that brought everyone to their feet.
The evening closed with a challenge from Kerr "we now know how to end AIDS: Will we?"
Also had a cool article on HIV and inequality published in the Occupied Washington Times. Stay tuned for more action.
Inequality Fuels D.C. HIV Epidemic
Published November 23, 2011 in the Occupied Washington Times
Those who want to help combat HIV in Washington can find a broad range of opportunities. The Whitman-Walker Clinic encourages people to get tested, talk about the issue and protect themselves during sexual activity.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Down South - Long drives and good eats
Thanks for showing us around Amy!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Returning to the Mile High
After leaving San Diego, we arrived in Joshua Tree with Sir Daniel "Sneezebird" of Cohen and set out for a one night out-and-back trip to MARS! Joshua Tree is truly specatcular and if you haven't been, I highly recommend it. We did an awesome loop hike called the Panorama Loop, so as you can imagine, the views were simply divine. The silhouettes of the wacky Joshua Trees (not actually trees mind you, they're closely related to the yucca cactus) at sunrise and sunset were a personal favorite. But the weekend ended (a little too quickly) and Danny had to head back to LA to get his grown man on.
The next day was our slowest of the trip. But, slow is relative for us. We headed back west, ("But I thought you guys were headed east now?") to check out DEATH VALLEY. Now, we headed west because we did really want to see this crazy geological valley and hit the lowest spot in the United States, but we also had a piece of great news that we're about to share with you readers. A fifth person had agreed to fly into Las Vegas the following day to join our road trip and D.E.A.R.T. (drop everything and road trip). As much fun as we had in Vegas, we couldn't spend another full day there. We kicked it in the scalding-hot Death Valley before the arrival of our new roommate, companion, chef extraordinaire, fellow CC grad, and best friend, Miss Andrea Christine Graeter!! You heard it here first ladies and gentlemen.
After a wild, wonderful, and Police Free (a feat for travelers with out-of-state liscence plates) time in Utah we headed to Colorful Colorado. After a quick pitstop for burritos at Los Jilbertos in Grand Junction, we made it to Aspen to see the changing colors at the Maroon Bells.
We had planned on doing arguably the best hike in Colorado, the Four Pass Loop, but with rain in the forecast for the next five days, we reluctantly moved on. We stopped in Leadville, the highest town in the U.S. at 10,152 ft and went to some awesome thrift stores and the one of a kind Melanzana outdoor store where Paul and Kate each bought highly coveted hoodies. After another brief stop in Idaho Springs to get some hot-sauce at Two Brothers Deli, we made it to Littleton where Aunt Laurie greeted us with open arms (not really, she hosed us off outside).
Today we're headed up to Longmont, Boulder, and Fort Collins to hit an assortment of Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Boulder, and Odell's Breweries. We'll let ya know.