UJohn Potash noLaurel Carpenter
UCheri Honkala ungumbungazi ovelele
umamukeli ongusihlalo-kanye Wamalungelo Ezenhlalakahle Kazwelonke
Union, kanye nomholi wePhiladelphia
I-Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU), esezingeni eliphansi
inhlangano yabamukeli bezenhlalakahle abebehola
umkhuba wokungalaleli umphakathi ngemibhikisho yasemgwaqweni, ulahliwe
ukuthathwa kwezindlu, nokwenza "amadolobha amatende."
Bakhe imifelandawonye eqine ngokungajwayelekile nendawo
abaholi bezinyunyana nabaholi bezenkolo abazihlanganise nabo
imibhikisho yabo ephazamisayo, kusukela ekuvimbeni iminyango iye kwesinye
izakhiwo zamahhovisi, ukumisa isiminyaminya, kanye nemigwaqo ehlukahlukene
imidlalo yaseshashalazini efana nezindali zezigqila mbumbulu. Umklomelo we-Academy
abenzi bamafilimu abawine uPam Yates noPeter Kinnoy bawathwebula
iminyaka emihlanu nge-documentary yabo I-Poverty Outlaw
obengowamanqamu weSundance Film Festival. I-KWRU ihlela uku
imashi isuka ku-Liberty Bell e-Philadelphia iya e-United
Izizwe eNew York City, kusukela ngoJuni 21 kuya kuJulayi 1, ukwenza a
isitatimende sokuthi ukuguqulwa kwezenhlalakahle kwakamuva e-US kuyinto
amalungelo abantu emhlabeni wonke. I-KWRU isekelwa ukwesekwa okubili
amaqembu abantu abangabamukeli bezenhlalakahle. I
I-Underground Railroad iyinethiwekhi yochwepheshe kubandakanya
odokotela, abameli, osonhlalakahle nabanye, kanye a
iqembu lezishoshovu labafundi elibizwa nge-Empty the Shelters, zombili ziyasiza
I-KWRU.LC: Siye endaweni yokusebenzela
mayelana nokuthi abasebenzi bezenhlalakahle bangasebenza kanjani ngokubambisana ne
I-Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU). Bekuyini okwakho
isipiliyoni sokusebenza nosonhlalakahle, phakathi kokunye
ochwepheshe? Imaphi amasu abe yimpumelelo nokuthi yini
awusebenzanga?CH: Ngicabanga into enayo
kube yimpumelelo lapho izinhlangano zabantu abampofu ziye
baye bahlonishwa: ubuholi babo, ikhono labo lokuthatha
bakhokhise futhi banqume isiqondiso sabo. Lapho engakaze
kusetshenziwe lapho abantu abanezisusa ezinhle kanye nosonhlalakahle
banqume ukuthi bayazi ukuthi yini engcono ukudambisa abantu
ubuhlungu. Isebenza kangcono uma iningi lomfelandawonye lishaywa.LC: Ungakwazi ukuchaza ngokuqondile
izibonelo kanye nenqubo owadlula kuyo ukuze ufike lapho?CH: Hhayi-ke, sibe nakho sobabili
okuhlangenwe nakho okuhle nokubi. Ngicabanga ukuthi sidlule ku-a
izigaba ezahlukene zomzabalazo mayelana nalokhu
udaba oluthile, lapho kuye kwadingeka sibambelele kolwethu
izimiso futhi nixoxe ngempela ngezinto, futhi nisize ngempela
balolonge ukuthuthukiswa kwephrojekthi ye-Underground Railroad.
Akukho okwake kwaba lula. Kwesinye isikhathi kwakufika osonhlalakahle
endleleni futhi babezofaka izindlela zabo kanye nezabo
imibono futhi kwadingeka nje sibe nezingxoxo ezibalulekile
nabo mayelana nokuthi yini esisebenzelayo nokuthi yini esisebenzelayo
umphakathi. Futhi mayelana nesipiliyoni esibi, eNew York
isipiliyoni ngabasebenzi be-WEP yisibonelo [Work
Uhlelo Lolwazi luyimali yokusebenza yaseNew York]. Ekuqaleni,
isiqondiso sasibekwa ngabamukeli bezenhlalakahle, bese-ke
kwaqashwa omunye umuntu ukuba angene kuleyo nqubo, futhi mina
cabanga ukuthi banezinkinga ezinkulu manje. I
cabanga ukuthi ukwakha ubuhlobo nokusebenza ndawonye kuyinto
kubalulekile. Ekuphileni kwangempela, siyazi ukuthi abasebenzi bezenhlalakahle kuphela
ama-paychecks ambalwa ukusuka ekubeni sesimweni sethu ekuqaleni
indawo. Lapho nithuthukisa ubudlelwano ngokuhlanganyela
ukwesekwa, kunezinto esingazibuyisela emakilasini
kanye nezingxoxo, kanye nokusiza ngomsebenzi wethu kanye
imibono. Ngempela sihlakulela ubudlelwano bokuzwana kulezo
uhlobo lwezinto.LC: Mayelana Nosizo Lomphakathi,
ingabe unombono wokuthi kungasebenza kanjani kangcono kulokhu
izwe? Ucabanga ukuthi kufanele isebenze kanjani? Ucabanga ukuthi thina
kufanele bonke babe nemali encane eqinisekisiwe noma unayo
indlela ethile yokucabanga yoSizo Lomphakathi?CH: INational Welfare
I-Rights Union ilwela iholo eliqinisekisiwe lonyaka. E-
ngesikhathi esifanayo, silwela ilungelo lomsebenzi kanye a
iholo lokuphila. Siyazi ukuthi isimo sezepolitiki kanye ne
iqiniso elikhona manje lingenye "yokuthola umsebenzi."
Sisho kahle, ngokuphelele, inqobo nje uma kuyi-
umsebenzi oneholo eliphilayo, sonke siyawuvuna. Ku
ngokwemibandela yohlelo lwezenhlalakahle, ngokusobala, lokhu kungenzeka
lapho sihambisana nama-conservatives. Siyayizonda inhlalakahle
uhlelo njenganoma ngubani kuleli zwe, uma kungenjalo,
ngoba kuwuhlelo olululazayo, olululazayo lokho
kuphoqa abantu ukuthi baphile ngaphansi kwezinga lobumpofu likahulumeni. Ngakho, thina
bafuna ukubona umphakathi omusha lapho abantu kanye nezabo
iminikelo iyaziswa. Ngethemba ukuthi sizofika osukwini
lapho singaludingi uhlobo lwezinhlelo zezenhlalakahle esinazo
ube kuleli.JP: Kukhona uprofesa
ogama lakhe linguDavid Gil eBrandeis School for Social Change,
okuyinto efana nomsebenzi wezenhlalakahle kodwa hhayi ngempela, kangcono ku
ingqondo yami. Uthi uphambene nenhlalakahle njengoba kwenzeka
uphethwe futhi uyingxenye yeMisebenzi Yabo Bonke
Umkhankaso, futhi. Ngakho-ke, nginomuzwa wokuthi "i-radical left"
uyavumelana nawe, kodwa "i-liberal left" icabanga,
vele ubeke imali lapho, unikeze abantu inhlalakahle, futhi ugcine
bancike kubo. Uba khona kanjani uMkhandlu Wezempi? Wenza njani
bavota nawe njengomholi wabo okhethiwe?CH: Awu, uMkhandlu Wezempi
ngokuyisisekelo siqukethe abantu abazibophezele ngokuphelele
impi hhayi nje izimpi zomuntu ngamunye. Uma bekwenzile
wabonisa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ikhono lokuhlala
ukubamba iqhaza emzabalazweni kanye nekhono lokubamba iqhaza a
zonke izimpi, futhi baye babonisa ukuzibophezela kwabo
imfundo yabo yezombangazwe, kufanele badlule emakilasini kuwo
i-Annie Smart Leadership Development. Ngokuyisisekelo yini ephelayo
okwenzekayo yilabo bantu abakha ibhodi le
inhlangano futhi sikubiza ngokuthi uMkhandlu Wezempi, ngoba sizizwa
sengathi yimpi. Sivota kuyo yonke inqubomgomo kanye nokukhulu
izenzo iqembu elilungiselela ukuzithatha, kodwa ngokuyisisekelo
ubulungu bugcina sebenze lezo zinqumo. Uma sinayo enkulu
inani lemindeni ebhekene nenkinga x, kune
yilokho esigcina sibhekene nakho. Uma sithola amanye angama-30
imindeni engenamakhaya njengamanje, bese siya phambili
elinye idolobha lamatende noma ukuthathwa kwezindlu ezinkulu noma yini.Ngakhethwa njengo
umkhulumeli wenhlangano ngenxa yemininingwane
mayelana nePennsylvania. Ngenze ihlaya izolo ngakho:
I-Pittsburgh ne-Philadelphia, ne-Alabama phakathi. Kodwa
kukhona okungokoqobo kwangempela kuleso sici futhi. I
iningi labantu abampofu kanye nosizo lomphakathi
IPennsylvania imhlophe. Sikubonile ukukhohlisa lokho
abezindaba basebenzise ukwenza lolu daba lube yidolobha kanye namnyama. Ngakho
sidlala indima yethu ekuzameni ukucacisa lokho.Sibe nabantu abaqhamukayo
kithi phakathi Pennsylvania lapho silele phezu
izitebhisi. Bebekhala bethi, "indodana yami
abangenakhaya esifundazweni sasePennsylvania...ngaphambi kokuthi ngikubone, nga
bengingacabangi ukuthi kungaba yiqiniso ngempela ukuthi kungenzeka
kwenzeke endodaneni yami." Sizwe kubuhlungu nje
izindaba lapho abantu bekwazi ukuhlobana nami.
Ngikwazile ukusebenza njengesibuko isikhathi esiningi
nabantu, kuhlanganise nabafundi abaningi.JP: Ngiyezwa ukuthi usutholile
imisebenzi eminingi enikezwa ezindaweni eziningi ezahlukene ukuze ikuthathe
kulokho engingakubiza ngokuthi ubuholi obunamandla, obunamandla
iqhaza emzabalazweni lapho ukhona manje. Ubhekane kanjani
ngalokho? Uyengwe kangakanani?CH: Iqiniso liwukuthi, ngiyamkhumbula
ukuphila okuvamile, noma ngabe kuyini. Angiyena umfel' ukholo.
Kuncane kakhulu ukuthandana ngalo msebenzi. Nginga
ngiyathanda ukuya eholidini, ngingathanda ukuyothenga, ngithenge okwami
ndodana, futhi ngingathanda ukukhokhela irenti yami
izinyanga ezimbili ezedlule. Nokho, ngicabanga ukuthi ziningi
izinto eziyisisekelo ezenzeke kimi empilweni yami ukuthi
kwangiwisa kakhulu, ekukhuleni nasekuthathweni
umama ukuthi ngizidonse ngezintambo zami zebhuthi kulokhu
izwe bese ngingenakhaya nendodana yami, bese-ke
ukungcwaba amathani namathani abantu njengomphumela oqondile wokuba
mpofu. Lezo yizinto ezingenza ngempela ukuthi ngingubani, futhi
nginike amandla ukuze ngingathathi indlela elula yokuphuma. Empeleni, it
ngempela bekungeke kungisebenzele. Ngicabanga ukuthi uma usunayo
amehlo enu avuleka, futhi niyabona ukuthi kwenzekani kulokhu
umhlaba...mina angikwazi ukuphindela emuva. Ngingase ngikwazi
ukuphatha ukusebenza kwenye yalezo zinhlobo zemisebenzi mhlawumbe embalwa
amasonto noma yini, kodwa ngangizosangana. Kukhona
into ejulile engangizolahlekelwa yiyo kuleyo nqubo. Kulungile
manje, ngingase ngingabi nayo imali. Nokho, ngilala kahle
ebusuku, futhi ngiyakwazi ukuvuka njalo ekuseni futhi ngizizwe kahle ukuthi ubani
Nginguye. Ngempela ngizizwa sengathi ngiphila ngokuphelele. ngicabanga ukuthi
nakuba ngingenayo imali, nginento a
abantu abaningi balwela impilo yabo yonke, okungukuthi
phila impilo ngokugcwele.JP: Kunjani ukuba neziningi kangaka
abantu abakukhathalelayo kangangokuthi bazokhetha wena
vuka uma uwela ngaphandle kwemali..CH: Kunjalo
ngokwengxenye iqiniso. Ngayo [ukuba umholi] iza nokuba ne
umqhele ogqokwa yindlovukazi.JP: Ngeke amalungu
uMkhandlu Wezempi uzokulanda?CH: UMkhandlu Wezempi,
lokho akubona abanye abantu. Abantu abaningi abakwazi ngempela
kholwa isikhundla sami. Bathi, "Ungasebenza kanjani
isikhathi sonke ekwenzeni lolu hlobo lomsebenzi, futhi ungakhokhelwa
umuntu wabasebenzi?" Bona ngokwabo basebenza nabasebenzi babo
nonobhala nazo zonke lezinhlobo zezinto, futhi bona
angikholwa ukuthi abantu abampofu bangasebenza ngaphandle
lezo zinhlobo zezinto. Kodwa empeleni, nginokuningi
umndeni omkhulu owandisiwe wabantu engiwutholile
ngubani ozokwenza ibhizinisi labo uma ngingenalo
okudliwayo etafuleni lami kulobubusuku.LC: Ukushilo lokho
unenqubo yesikhalazo ngoba wena
ngeke isayine Isivumelwano Sokuzibophezela Okuhlanganyelwe.
Yini esingayenza ukuze sisize?CH: Izinto ezimbalwa. Lapho
kuzoba umbukiso ngoMeyi ozoqhamuka ngo
Isakhiwo samahhovisi ombuso lapha ePhiladelphia. Kungaba kuhle
uma osonhlalakahle ababekhona bengathumela itelegram
noma behle ngoba empeleni yimi ngedwa
umamukeli wezenhlalakahle ezweni lonke owenqabile ukwenza kanjalo
hambisana nohlelo olusha lwezinguquko zezenhlalakahle. Kungaba kuhle
ukudonsela ukunaka kuzwelonke odabeni abasebenzi bezenhlalakahle
futhi abamukeli bezenhlalakahle bame eduze komunye nomunye,
ethi "Lokhu akulungile, lokhu akukona ukuziphatha, futhi
siyakuphikisa ngokuhlanganyela."JP: Ungacabanga ngezinto thina
angayenza ukuze asize esikhathini esizayo?CH: Ngicabanga ukuthi okubaluleke kakhulu
into ngokuqhubeka nokubhala iphephandaba lakho [Social
Isenzo Sobulungiswa Ngekota] ngalolu hlobo lolwazi,
ngoba sibhekene nokucisha ugesi ngokwemibandela ye
abezindaba. Ukuthula kwethu kuyasibulala. Okuningi esingakuthola
leli phepha likhishwe futhi lisakazwe kubo bonke osonhlalakahle,
kulapho okuzosisiza kakhulu ukuthi siphume sodwa.JP: Wawuhlala kanjani eThendeni
Idolobha? Wayebhekene nemvula namakhaza kanzima ngaphandle
indawo yokukhosela? Yiziphi ezinye zezinkinga ezimbi kakhulu futhi zenzeke kanjani
ubhekana nazo?CH: Umbuzo wokuziphatha kwaba
okunzima kakhulu ukubhekana nakho kunesimo sezulu sangempela. ngithole
ukuthi empeleni kwakuphambene. Ungahlala ekutheleleni
imvula futhi kuya ngokuthi ukuphi ngokuziphatha kwakho,
izakhi azibalulekile kangako. Kwakufanele sibe nothando
futhi kube mnene komunye nomunye. Lokho kwakunjengokudla komphefumulo,
okwakuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu ngaleyo nqubo. Uma
besingakaqapheli lokho komunye nomunye, kunjalo
bekungaba yinto enzima kakhulu. Sasingenakuzikhethela.
Ngokuyisisekelo, sasithembele emphakathini. Kwakungabanye abampofu
abantu abadlula basinika izitembu zabo zokugcina zokudla, bathola
othayela abadala ezindlini zabo, futhi bakhipha umbhangqwana wokugcina
wezingubo zokulala ababenazo endlini yabo. Kwakuyilolo hlobo
izinto ezasenza siqhubeke.JP: Inhlangano Yezenhlalakahle
I-Rights Union ikumadolobha amangaki?CH: Singaba ngu-20
amadolobha futhi kuzomele ngikutholele uhlu lwazo zonke izindawo
esikuyo. Noma nini lapho osonhlalakahle bevakashela a
idolobha elithile futhi ayikho Inyunyana Yamalungelo Ezenhlalakahle lapho,
sazise futhi sizosiza ngalokho.UCheri Honkala muva nje
okhethwe eMkhandlwini Kazwelonke Wenhlangano Yezabasebenzi njengomunye we
abameleli abahlanu. I-Kensington Welfare Rights Union ingakwazi
kufinyelelwe ku-215-763-4584; i-Underground Railroad e-
I-215-724-1908.