As many of you know, One Roof: Uniting Central Alabama to End Homelessness and homelessness are causes close to my heart. We are gearing up for National Homeless Awareness Week 2016 and are co-hosting an event this year with St. Paul and The Broken Bones. I hope some of you will join me on November 17th at Saturn Birmingham for a special screening of The Homestretch, an award-winning documentary that follows three youths growing up and navigating homelessness in Chicago. The screening will be followed by raffles, awesome prizes, and an interactive simulation of youth homelessness.
*This is a free event, but donations are accepted.
The world has lost another beautiful, spirited, creative person to addiction. I’m sharing her dad’s post (with his permission) to further his efforts to destigmatize this issue for families like theirs.
Cassidy Aspen Cochran was born on June 22, 1994. She was a precocious child. As soon as she could talk, she was quoting lines from Shakespeare. She loved to perform for friends and family. She called herself the “Queen of Make Believe.” She was so smart, so funny. Even when times got tough, she could always make you laugh. She had a huge heart. She loved animals. All animals. Especially Harambe. She was also so beautiful; stunning really. She recently had plans to marry her fiancé, Frank Calzone. She loved him and he loved her. She wanted to create a life with him. She seemed genuinely happy over this past year with him. Unfortunately, Cassidy also struggled with addiction. Her addiction finally won. She died of a heroin overdose in the early morning hours of November 11, 2016. I write this not to dishonor her memory but to shine some light on an illness that is taking the lives of far too many. If we allow shame, guilt or embarrassment to cause this illness to become a dark family secret, hiding in the shadows, everyone loses. Cassidy now joins the ever expanding list of daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, and grandchildren taken far too soon by this growing healthcare epidemic. But, please remember, Cassidy isn’t just a statistic, she was our sunshine, even when she kept us awake with worry. Everyone on that list was the light of someone’s life. Thus, it is important to remember that Cassidy wasn’t just her illness; she was our daughter and our friend. Words cannot describe how much she will be missed. Cassidy was survived by her fiancé, Frank Calzone, her father, Chris Cochran, her mother, Charla Hale Bocchicchio, her grandparents, Tom and Barbara Cochran, her granfather, Robert Hale and far too many aunts, uncles, and cousins to list. Final arraingments will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, please call or write your state representative and plead with them to make Naloxone available over the counter, without a prescription.
A friend on Facebook recently posted this after the election and I fell in love with it and immediately asked if I could share it. Here you go:
Here is my plan. It does no good to say it, but it does do good to do it. I post it here just in case you’re up also for tackling this daily, hourly, active hard work–or in case you want to hold me accountable, days and weeks and years from now. Peace, friends. See you tomorrow. ~ G.h. Burgin Mathews
A few weeks ago, I had the distinct honor of chatting privately with civil rights activist and former mayor of Atlanta, Andrew Young. He shared with me a humorous and rather encouraging story of native son, Fred Shuttlesworth. “When the water hoses started firing, we all started hiding behind trees… we looked over and Fred was in the street with his chest out.” That’s our legacy, Birmingham… Unshakable bravery. An unwavering commitment to justice… regardless of who’s in office, regardless of who’s in power. It’s through that lens which I look upon this election and upon this nation. Those who fought for us faced down much worse. I hope, in our own ways, we can honor their courage.
