Six Months After Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rico At the Intersection of Racial Injustice and Climate Change

Elizabeth Yeampierre’s words about climate change could aptly be applied to systemic racism.

“I think it is all overwhelming,” she said, at a talk titled From Puerto Rico to Rhode Island: Raising Voices for Climate Justice. “We need to respect that what is happening right now is the manifestation of years and years of extraction and abuse to basically make a few greedy people happy at the expense of our people and at the expense of our future.”

And that is, in fact, part of Yeampierre’s point – that a necessary response to climate change must include a response to the world’s long history of injustice. On March 20, the six-month anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s pummeling of Puerto Rico, a crowd gathered in downtown Providence to hear Elizabeth Yeampierre talk about climate justice and Puerto Ricans’ local movement to take ownership of the rebuilding of their communities. Yeampierre is the executive director of the Brooklyn non-profit UPROSE and co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance.

Her work begins as a Puerto Rican organizer in Sunset Park – a community situated by a large marine industrial site in south Brooklyn, New York. Puerto Rican, Dominican, Ecuadorian and Mexican immigrants make up about half of Sunset Park’s population and people of Asian ancestry make up another 40%. UPROSE, directed by Yeampierre, organizes residents around issues of social well-being and environmental adaptation. Residents in the area are concerned that gentrification will strike their community with unaffordable rent prices and amenities for the wealthy. Yeampierre explains that they have fought to clean up instead of get rid of the industrial presence in the area – for, while industrial pollution is hazardous to residents’ health (especially during extreme weather events), the industries also provide jobs to community members and stem the flow of wealthier buyers who are supplanting locals across Brooklyn. It is a harsh reality, but gentrification and extreme weather events are both forces working to disrupt their lives.

This is a kind of climate adaptation that may sound unusual to environmental advocates. But Sunset Park residents lack the luxury of separating the many forces contributing to their insecurity. This is “intersectionality” – the idea that systemic problems are intertwined instead of isolated, a way of approaching environmental challenges that grapples with the tough reality that there is uncomfortable nuance to the solutions people need to live healthy lives now and in the future. Yeampierre brings this perspective to Puerto Rico’s recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria – where a confluence of political and environmental forces threatens Puerto Ricans’ self-determination.

The hurricane was devastating. Hurricane Maria struck the island with 155-mph winds on September 20, 2017. More than 1,000 people were likely killed in the storm, although the official death count remains at 60. Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans are still without power, as the Puerto Rican Electric Power Authority (PREPA) struggles to repair an old and severely damaged electric grid.

Yet, Puerto Rico’s challenges did not begin with Hurricane Maria – the territory has $74 billion in public debt, $49 billion in unfunded pensions owed to workers, and a looming foreclosure crisis. Led by a financial oversight board appointed by Congress, known as PROMESA, bondholders are pushing to ease the debt crisis by closing schools and cutting other public services.

This legacy of extractive colonialism and neo-colonial oversight of the territory’s finances are challenging grassroots efforts to take control of the recovery on the islands and take control over their communities and futures. Yeampierre defines climate justice as the intersection of racial injustice and climate change. She calls on Rhode Islanders to look for community-led solutions to environmental challenges, leaving time at the end of her talk for intra-audience conversations about the role of local Puerto Rican families in island recovery efforts, a discussion of the No LNG in PVD campaign against a proposed natural gas liquefaction facility in South Providence, a conversation about the territorial status of Puerto Rico, and input on Rhode Island’s upcoming Resiliency Plan.

Yeampierre smiles wryly as she describes the number of graduate students who have called her to discuss projects they want to complete in Puerto Rico. She calls on everyone who is concerned about Puerto Rico’s recovery – from political officials to non-profits to eager PhD students with Hurricane Maria-based dissertation ideas to green companies bidding to transform Puerto Rico – to look more deeply at the self-interest embedded in their proposed solutions.

“They can come in and turn our communities into passive recipients of their good intentions,” she says. “The biggest obstacle to addressing climate change is asking people to check their privilege and work in a way that is more of an ally and not a contemporary missionary.”

“As we speak, there are 500,000 Puerto Ricans still in the dark,” Yeampierre says. “The time to do something radical is now.” Alt-Health: Who’s Responsible for Opioid Addiction?

As adults, we are responsible for the choices we make. But when we ask trusted caregivers for help and are given instead a prescription that leads to our doom, we are no longer making choices; we are being manipulated and used. Herein lies the real tragedy of the opioid epidemic: Its victims did not exactly volunteer for their own addictions. Those responsible for planting the seeds of this epidemic were the pharmaceutical companies themselves, and the physicians who prescribe their drugs.

While this may sound like a conspiracy theory from Oliver Stone, the National Institute on Drug Abuse at drugabuse.gov concurs. An article posted in 2014 states: “Several factors are likely to have contributed to the severity of the current prescription drug abuse problem. They include drastic increases in the number of prescriptions written and dispensed, greater social acceptability for using medications for different purposes, and aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies. These factors together have helped create the broad ‘environmental availability’ of prescription medications in general and opioid analgesics in particular.”

Not all doctors made the transition from trusted healer to pusher, but the rewards were great for those who did. An article published in The New York Times on March 17, 2018 sheds light on the mechanisms of corruption. In 2013, Dr. Gordon Freedman, a physician practicing on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was already a top prescriber and paid promotional speaker for Subsys, a spray form of the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl made by Insys Therapeutics. That year, Insys offered to increase the cash it was paying Dr. Freedman if he would increase the number of new patients prescribed Subsys. The doctor soon became one of the highest paid reps and top prescribers of fentanyl in the nation. Later, in a federal indictment unsealed in March 2018, it was revealed that Insys paid Dr. Freedman, and others, more than $100,000 annually, in return for prescribing millions of dollars worth of the company’s painkiller product. Dr. Freedman and four other New York doctors were charged with participating in a bribery and kickback scheme and Insys was indicted for funneling illicit payments through a sham “speakers bureau.” In this scheme, doctors were paid for purportedly giving educational presentations about the drug; most of these presentations were nothing but social gatherings at high-end Manhattan restaurants. All five doctors charged denied culpability and were released on $200,000 bail. Unfortunately, the addicts created by this pharmaceutical marketing campaign are left with a life-long struggle.

Kick-backs are not limited to opioids; they extend across all profitable drug genres. If you go to the government website openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/summary, you will find that in 2016 (last comprised data summary) a total of $8.19 billion was spent on promotional payments, by 1,479 drug companies. On the receiving end, over 630,000 physicians were paid nearly $4 billion in cash and investments, with an additional $95 million for research studies. 1,146 teaching hospitals were also included on company payrolls, each of which received an average of $723.66 million, with an additional $870 million for research. If you look back further, you will discover that payments by pharmaceutical companies have literally doubled since 2013, when the annual spending total was a mere $4.08 billion.

The size of the kickback payments may have been the source of an outbreak of outrage when, as of January 16, the state of New Jersey made it illegal for any one doctor to accept more than $10,000 annually from pharmaceutical companies, and placed an additional $15 spending cap on complimentary meals. An editorial in Medical Economics by Keith L. Martin, content channel director, called this ruling “simply regulatory nonsense” and declared that NJ legislators have “created an atmosphere that not only hurts physician compensation for assisting pharma in new scientific endeavors…but also harms patients.” Mr. Martin went on to say that “fear of racking up a $15.01 lunch tab for a meal means no more ‘lunch and learns’ on new prescriptions and likely a reduction in samples for patients who cannot afford medications.” This tirade brings up some interesting points.

If your doctor is a good one, he or she reads clinical studies on medications they prescribe. However, many physicians receive most of their information about prescribing drugs directly from drug company representatives. Considering that aggressive marketing by pharmaceutical companies is a reality in our country, these “lunch and learns” set the stage and opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to influence doctors to prescribe whatever drugs the pharma rep offers incentives for. Although it doesn’t receive the same publicity, another epidemic is still climbing beneath the cover of opioid deaths: benzodiazepines, prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, have reached social acceptance and broad dispersion that rivals that of painkillers and heroin. Though they have several known safety risks, they are routinely prescribed far longer than the single month advised, a practice leading to overdose, falls, fractures, motor vehicle accidents and addiction.

That America is drug-dependent is undeniable, but it is equally true that we were given no small pressure by the pharmaceutical companies and the doctors who are their willing pawns. Even health based pharmacies such as CVS sell individual physician prescribing information directly to the drug manufacturer companies, who then use this information to target physician prescribers. So…who can you trust? Well, my friend Dr. H is angered by such practices and abhors the whole kick-back system: “The act of accepting a gift obliges the receiver to give something back to the giver.” My guess is, find a pissed off doctor who won’t prescribe Oxycodone no matter how much you beg … and that’s the guy you can trust.

Advice from the Trenches: Help Me Help Him! Dear C;

My friend Rick is driving me crazy. He has type 2 diabetes and knows that he should not be eating sugar or drinking on an empty stomach. But he does this over and over again. I’ll hear him complain about how he’s feeling lightheaded, or get an email saying that he almost passed out while driving after he had three glasses of wine on an empty stomach, and all I can do is get angry. It’s his own fault! How can someone have a medical condition and completely ignore the restrictions that are aimed at saving his life? He has a heart problem as well as diabetes, and has already had a heart attack and two minor strokes.

I almost feel like I don’t want to be friends with him anymore because he’s just an idiot and I am wasting energy worrying about him. But he is a really good person in so many ways — he is always ready to help someone else, and is generous to a fault…but he just won’t take care of himself. It boggles my mind, because he’s an incredible painter and you’d think he’d realize the effect his carelessness is having on his ability to work. I know there have been times his blood sugar problems have kept him away from his studio.

What can I do? It’s getting to the point where I honestly just want to scream at him.

Juiced Jacquie

Dear Juiced,

People are strange creatures. Despite the fact that we all know, intellectually, that we are perishable beings with an expiration date that will come even faster if we don’t take care of ourselves, part of the human condition is to live in denial of these inescapable facts. Men seem to be particularly good at this. I wish I could explain it to you, but I am hyper aware of my physical frailties, so I can’t imagine how Rick manages to not put two and two together when it comes to his episodes of weakness and his bad eating/drinking habits. So instead, I’ll relate something that my martial arts sensei told me.

My sensei was also a healer and had many people come to him for shiatsu and therapy. Over the course of 30 years of practice, he noticed something: People who want to get better, get better or they at least learn to live intelligently with whatever conditions they have. But other people just don’t want to get better, and they never will. These people spend most of their time bitching about their problems and zero time doing anything to solve them. The problems serve a purpose — their conditions are their source of identity, and part of how they relate to others. These people cling to their illnesses, and they use their problems to manipulate the emotions of others.

Then there is another category of people: those who are angry about their physical problems and are at war with them. They feel entitled to freedom of movement, without snags, and every illness or symptom is an annoying and unimportant piece of garbage on the sidewalk that they ignore and walk around. Their own agenda is all they see; everything that gets in their way is the enemy. They deliberately do things that are bad for them, if it suits their own purpose, to prove that they are in control and their bodies are lowly servants who should do the master’s bidding. They push themselves past their limits with stimulants, drugs and alcohol.

But neither anger, denial, nor a desire for sympathy will help anyone recover from a chronic illness such as diabetes. This requires intent, consistency and self-respect.

So, what can you do for your friend Rick? Well, you can make suggestions and attempt to enlighten him. But it will probably just frustrate the crap out of you. He’s unlikely to change. If you really value him as a person, ride out the friendship. But this situation could prove to be emotionally draining. And here’s something else that he — and you– should think about – if Rick gets dizzy or faints while driving, he could hurt not just himself, but also his passengers and others who happen to be in his way. Ask Rick how he’d feel if a 6-year-old child died, or his friend was crippled for life, because he wouldn’t pay attention to his blood sugar levels.

Rick seems intent on damaging himself; just don’t let him damage you.

Girls Shred Too: An Interview with Mariana Myer

Mariana Myer, 13, of Rhode Island, is already very accomplished. Her background is in surfing, skating and snowboarding, and she’s received a lot of exposure in RI as one of the best young skaters in the state. I got a chance to talk to Mariana about her career so far. She’s focused, but laid back, and answered my questions cheerfully and with purpose.

Haley Nunes (Motif): I’ve been doing some research, and it seems like you’re pretty young.

Mariana Myer: Yeah, I’m 13.

HN: How did you get into skating and surfing?

MM: When I was really young, I went to the beach with my family. My dad surfs, and I would watch surfers on the beach. So I started off surfing. Then I went to surf camp and got really into it. The next summer I [would watch] people skating, which made me really want to try that. I borrowed my friend’s brother’s skateboard one day and just really liked it.

HN: What made you fall in love with it so easily?

MM: It was just so different. It wasn’t an organized sport; it was independent and a “do what you wanna do” type of thing. It wasn’t structured; it was just easy and fun. HN: It came naturally to you?

MM: Exactly. It wasn’t competitive either; it was fun to do it when you wanted to do it.

HN: I’ve recently taken up skating, and it seems very much like a no-judgement sport.

MM: Yeah, there’s no judgement; it’s just relaxing.

HN: There’s a lot of pressure for girls in such a male-dominated sport. That definitely gets to me sometimes; do you ever feel that way?

MM: Sometimes when there’s a lot of guys [at the park] and you’re the only girl, it does. But it’s also just to do what you love. You’re not there to show off; you’re there because you love it and you just want to ride. So if they’re gonna judge you, let them. You’re there to do what you love to do.

HN: I’m very new at it, but even though I don’t know much it seems like guys at the park are happy that I’m trying to skate in general.

MM: It’s probably cool for them to see another girl trying the sport. It’s different because it’s always guys, guys, guys, and they’re just surprised that a girl is doing it. It’s so rad.

HN: Any advice for first time or beginner skaters as to what gear is best?

MM: Yes. I started off with a carver, which has softer and bigger wheels. This lets you cruise around the park and get used to skating. Then you can move to a regular skateboard with harder and thinner wheels.

HN: I was reading about you, and you seem pretty famous around RI. That’s a huge accomplishment.

MM: Thank you. It’s just fun. People give you so many looks when you first start out, but you have to remember you’re just doing this because you love it.

HN: What are some of your biggest accomplishments or proudest moments you’ve had since you started?

MM: There’s an event in Jamestown called Skatefest. The first year I went I was 11. It was the 15 and under division, and it was all guys. I just decided to pop in and skate around. It was a competition, but in my heart I was just riding. This was the first year of me actually skating, and I wound up getting third place. That was a huge accomplishment, especially against these 15-year-old dudes. I went back the next year and got first, and first again the year after that. But the first year I began skating and got third is probably my biggest accomplishment. There was also the OMF [Old Mountain Field Skatepark] fundraiser this year, and it was so rad to see more girls skating.

HN: Do you have any goals for this year? Any tricks you want to learn or competitions you want to do?

MM: I’m just kind of having fun with it for now, but a sick trick I would want to learn would be a front smith around the bowl corner at OMF in Wakefield.

HN: Awesome. Is there anything else you want to add or something you want us to know?

MM: If you’re a girl, don’t be worried or nervous about getting judged. Just go for it. It’s so cool to see more and more girls get into [skating]. When I started, there were pretty much none. Remember that you’re starting out in it because it’s a cool sport.

A Bout of Badassery: The Roller Derby Experience

How much do you really know about roller derby? Unless you lace up your skates regularly and hit the flat track, you’re like me — a total newbie when it comes to this nearly all-female sport. Before consulting a team member, I fostered a few vintage misconceptions concerning these unsung athletes. Being a child of the ’70s, I remember being awestruck by a gang of Amazonian women on skates. Clad, sans bras, in both tank tops and Larry Bird-style short-shorts and tube socks, they whipped around a banked arena, tearing at each other’s hair and clothing, while chucking one another over high railings. While those days are over, the modern-day roller derby is a much more civilized, but no less badass experience.

I had the pleasure of ramping up my derby knowledge when I spoke with the captain of the Killah Bees, Rikki Davis, better known as Retro Rocket. Sidebar: Another fun tidbit about roller derby? You get to pick a badass nickname, but more on that later. The first myth she dispelled pertained to ageism and gender. Rocket, a 2018 member of the Providence Roller Derby All-Star Team called the Riveters, gave me the following insight, “First off, we’re all over the age of 18, so the term ‘Roller Girl’ isn’t quite right. At the very least, most of us are ‘Roller Women.’ Plus, roller derby is a trans and non-binary inclusive sport. We have a number of non-binary skaters in the league — I personally prefer ‘Roller Babes’ or ‘Roller Folks’ — but to each their own.”

The high-banked track is another relic of the past. According to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), roller derby declined in popularity after the ’70s, and saw a resurgence in the early 2000s, but the playing field had literally changed. Someone in Austin, Texas, had the idea of discarding the cumbersome, hard-to-store, banked tracks in favor of an easily marked flat track. All anyone needed for a bout was a large open space with a decent floor, and it was game on. Our own Rhode Island Roller Folks map out their track in both the Thayer Arena in Warwick and the West Warwick Civic Center. However, they’re looking for a permanent home for both practices and bouts. Their requirements: 6,500 square feet of smooth flooring with minimal pillars, and if you happen to know of such a place, they’re offering a reward for a lead.

So what does one actually do in roller derby? How are points scored? Think of it like football on skates, except one member of your team is the ball. Your team needs to get that person past the other team’s defensive line. Simultaneously, the other team is doing the same thing. In this scenario, the ball is called the Jammer and is identified by a star on their helmet. The defensive linebackers are called Blockers. Points are scored when the Jammer skates by the other team’s Blockers during the second pass. This, by the way, is an over-simplification for a derby rookie like myself. If you want to learn more about the nuances, go to wftda.com/new-fans/ or, better yet, go see a bout.

While you’re there, take a moment to acknowledge these fierce athletes. Individuals on roller skates who push their way to victory, zipping in a circle at high speeds. You’ll notice a certain look to roller folks, too. According to Rocket, “We all have tattoos and piercings and wear punk band t-shirts, but first and foremost, it’s a sport and we’re athletes.” Another team member, Betsey Swardlick, aka, Nutritional Beast, had this to say, “Derby is a cure for body issues. I mean, it will give you body issues like sprained knees and bunions, but a lot of my insecurities about my shape completely evaporated when I started skating. Skaters are every shape and size, and you see people doing unbelievable things on the track and it’s like, ‘Oh, can I do that?’”

A typical practice consists of the initial off-skates warm-up, which is followed by gearing up in skates, helmets and a whole variety of pads. Rocket stated, “When we’re called onto the track, things get very focused, but we’re usually still laughing. We start with on-skate warm-ups, the same ones every week to get our feet under us, and then we do more intense drills for the remainder of practice — blocking formations, strategy, endurance training, you name it.”

When asked to describe the team relationship, Rocket had this to say, “I would describe our team less like a family, and more like a pride of lions or a pack of wolves. We rely on each other and depend on each other for our communal success, and we all have a common goal that binds us together. We’re also very protective of our fellow skaters. You don’t want to mess with one of our skaters unless you’re ready to mess with the whole pack.”

I can’t think of a more badass group of individuals, and in my mind, these fine folks are just as amazing as their Amazonian ancestors. The best part, however, is their names. Take it from Retro Rocket who said, “Picking your own name is the most empowering thing in the world. I love being called Rocket!” I Googled a roller derby name generator and was quite pleased with the outcome. Star Machete aka The Blood Destroyer has a nice to ring to it. For more information about the Providence Roller Derby, be sure to visit their website at providencerollerderby.com.

Catch You at the Flip Side

Pinball seems to be everywhere. In any given bar, movie theater lobby or arcade, you can find the games. However, Flip Side in Westerly caters exclusively to pinball players, and holds tournaments in a competitive twist on ’80s-era nostalgia.

Walking into Flip Side, you are immediately confronted with an array of pinball machines devoted to pop culture favorites. From Star Wars to “The Walking Dead” to “The Sopranos,” you’re bound to find a game that suits you. A vintage jukebox lives in the corner of the bar, featuring real vinyl 45s. It’s a delightful throwback to yesteryear, and brings in a crowd of all different types.

The women’s pinball tournament is a big selling point of the bar. Each week, the league of pinball enthusiasts, known as the Double Danger Dames, go head-to-head, competing to get the high score of the week. The league attracts a varied crowd — some play pinball as a tribute to their childhoods, while others are fresh-faced pinball newbies. One of the former was Justine Buck, whose love of pinball began when she was a teenager in the ’80s.

“Pinball has a special appeal because it’s kind of a physical game,” Buck says. “As you play, you get to learn how you can aim your shot. And then once you get familiar with different machines, you know what to aim for.”

The tournament usually begins with open play, where people have the opportunity to score as many points as possible to make it to a later round. There are head-to-head matches as well, where one can directly compete against another player.

Another selling point is the camaraderie of the sport. Women from all backgrounds come together and are ultimately there to meet like-minded people.

“Especially at the beginning of the tournament, you’re meeting all kinds of people, very often from out of town,” Buck goes on to say. “And everybody’s just kind of into pinball. That’s why you’re there, so you instantly have something in common.” Another player, Kerry Holmes, expressed a similar sentiment. One of the younger members of the league, Holmes has loved pinball since her childhood, when she played the older pinball computer games. She brought her love to the league, and now finds both fun and friendships as a result of the game.

“It’s funny because I always see a different kind of group in here,” she says. “It’s really cool seeing all of the different generations coming together … everyone’s willing to teach you.”

In addition to the women’s league, there is a co-ed league, so anyone can give the game a shot. That league is run by Mark Carvey, one of the founders of the bar. The other founder, his wife Dana Carvey, is in charge of the women’s league. I talked to her about the origins of the tournament, as well as her personal goals within it.

“You show up, get placed into groups of three or four players, and you play a total of four machines each week,” Carvey explains. “Scores are tallied for eight weeks. The top score player for each week wins a prize. Your best five weeks count toward your final score. The top eight players move onto the finals, which is held in week nine.”

“My goal for the league is to bring players together who identify as women and foster friendships with them in a fun, slightly competitive environment. We also want to teach pinball skills, techniques and gameplay to help the players become better at pinball in general.”

The bar opened in November 2016, with the two leagues beginning the following January. The husband and wife duo have been pinball fans since they first met in 2011, and along with the bartenders and regulars, continue to practice their craft together.

“Overall, it’s extremely rewarding to grow the pinball community right in our hometown as we’ve spent the past six years playing pinball in so many other places,” Carvey concluded. “We finally have a place of our own.”

The Double Danger Dames have games every Thursday night at 7:30pm at Flip Side (1 Railroad Ave, Westerly), while the co-ed league, Westerly Pinball League, runs on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm. There are no dues or fees, so anyone who wants to be a part of the sport can join in.

Sarah Fraza: Climbing Walls and Breaking Ceilings

Sarah Fraza is a local boulderer turned sport climber, a woman successful in a sport traditionally dominated by men. I spoke with her the day before she moved to California to join a wildland fire module to help put out wild fires and research their impact on the environment.

Emily Olson (Motif): I have to know about your California plans. Sarah Fraza: I was going to school at URI, joined the volunteer firefighters, switched to PC and got a bachelor’s in fire science. I decided moving to California to join the wildland fire module would be a great way to incorporate firefighting into my field of study. It’s seasonal work. I’ll be going out for two to three weeks at a time, putting out fires and doing training and research. I’m really excited. Firefighting is not something I thought I would love, but I love the adrenaline rush and the excitement.

EO: Will there be other women on your module? SF: There will be two other women on our crew of 10, which is a lot. I’m hoping we have a good relationship because I love women supporting women. I had a friend who did the same thing, but

she was on an engine crew in wildland firefighting. She dealt with a lot of sexism, but I think these generations are just going to have to push for equality. I’m hoping that this paves the way a little bit. There are a lot of women in leadership roles in the forestry service — one third — that’s big. I’m pretty sure the forestry service is leading in [equality in] firefighting. EO: If you encounter sexism in your new career, how do you plan to deal with it? SF: I worked really hard to get where I am and I’m really well qualified. I’m hoping that doing the work will speak for itself. And if it doesn’t, I think having open communication as opposed to arguments helps. My captain seems really positive about having women on the crew. Hopefully they won’t feel I’m attacking them for beliefs they’ve probably held their entire life. I don’t want to get on anyone’s shit list for being passionate.

EO: Rock climbing is also male dominated, isn’t it? What’s your experience been like? SF: My experience has been incredible from the get-go. I learned with another woman in high school and that was empowering to learn with another positive and supportive female. We encountered some mansplaining. When you’re climbing, the intended route is called the beta; it’s the intended way you should execute the climb. A lot of times men would come up and try to give us beta on climbs that they knew. They assumed that because they were men they could climb stronger than us. And it might have been true at first. but rock climbing evens the playing field. You’re not strong for a woman, you’re just strong. EO: Do men generally have greater upper body strength than women, though? SF: If you work hard, it’s an even playing field. When you first start, it can be frustrating to look at the guy keeping up with you on their second day and it’s your first month. But the upper body strength plateaus in the first six months. As a result, beginning women climbers are forced to learn a good technique before they haul it up the wall. Men can haul it up the wall, and then they have to learn technique. I think with climbing, you’ll hear people say, “This climb is for a tall person or shorter person, but that’s just not the case. If you watch any of the professional climbers, you’ll see that it really doesn’t matter. You just learn to adjust. So what? Women are shorter so we have to make a bigger move? You just find another way. Smaller moves can be hard for a tall man. EO: You were fairly young when you started climbing. SF: I started climbing at 19. That can be a volatile space for women. I was super insecure about my body — a lot of women in those years are — and it really shifted my focus from what my body looks like to what can my body do. I realized I could show my body respect and appreciate what it can do for me. Women often are taught we’re here to be desirable to men, to be appreciated by men, and it’s just not the case. EO: What makes you a successful climber? SF: My ego is my biggest factor in my success. As soon as I feel I’m super strong and am talking myself up in a boastful way, the rock climb will shut me down. It’s a great reset. It builds you up so that your confidence is pure. You realize very quickly in rock climbing that if you’re doing it for your ego and for other people, that you’re not going to enjoy rock climbing. EO: What would you recommend to someone interested in climbing? SF: There are two companies that own gyms in RI. Central Rock in Warwick and Rock Spot Climbing in Wakefield and Lincoln, which is such a welcoming spot. Take a class and learn how to top rope and learn how to lead. As an adult, it’s hard to start a sport because it’s embarrassing — you should already know how to do this. But you can learn this at any age and set your own pace. Go with someone who’s going to be supportive so you can laugh and have a good time. Talk to the people next to you. Rock climbers are one of the best communities. The group of friends I’ve made here are really supportive. If you enjoy it, go at least once a week and you’ll be surprised how quickly you jump grades.

Calling the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup

It took nearly six years, but this year, I found myself overseas among some of the world’s most inspiring and resilient athletes representing their nations for several days of fierce competition. Was I at the Winter Olympics? HELL NO! I was in Manchester, UK, in February for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup!

Of course, I didn’t compete (I’m fragile); however, I did represent the United States as a broadcaster, live announcer and producer for the four-day event. Thirty-eight nations competed with their all-star teams to take home the third-ever World Cup. I have never been more excited and proud to be part of one of the fastest growing sports in the world. To put it in perspective, the first World Cup was held in Toronto in 2011 and only had 13 nations. The second, in Dallas in 2014, expanded to 30 nations. This year featured newcomers that made statements in their own right about all-women athletic teams and cultural identity. Teams such as Team Iran and Team Philippines made a great show. Team Korea refused to be identified by North or South as they symbolized unification in cultural spirit. When talking about spirit, the standout team was Team Indigenous, composed of “First Nations and Indigenous” skaters from around the world. Also given the chance to show off their skills were Team Baltic and Team Israel. Another first was an exhibition scrimmage of junior derby stars from Europe who competed just before the final two bouts.

That seems like a lot to take in, but that’s nothing compared to the ever-present energy that rolled around the four flat tracks at the Event City center. Many fans came in their nation’s colors or cosplaying as iconic characters, and celebrated every moment regardless of the size of the accomplishment. Within the swarming masses were notables and future stars of the sport who were all there to watch and cheer on fan-favorites and underdogs alike.

Anyone else could rave about the jam highlights and epic bouts, but what many didn’t see were the little things hidden between the various international vendors and blaring officials’ whistles. Instead of wearing stars on their helmet covers, jammers would wear their nation’s symbol (Canadian maple leaf, Irish shamrock, Romanian bat, etc.). Instead of longer lines at the ladies’ room, bathrooms were comfortably integrated. Instead of one local cuisine, various snacks and foods were brought by teams, officials, announcers and volunteers for everyone to try.

Speaking of announcers, the team of more than 40 voices and personalities became quite the machine. For two months prior, we got to know each other online. We educated one another in pronunciation and dialects, shared tips for saving our voices and quickly became a family — one that continues to keep in touch daily.

Most nights, all the staff, officials and skaters would meet in the hotel lounges and discuss everything from derby to more derby over drinks. I told myself I wouldn’t bring up politics, especially as a representative of a country with a not too favorable leader. But inevitably others started the serious conversations and every talk was very light-hearted and filled with laughter. I expected my new friends to be well-educated about the US, but I was astonished by how detailed their knowledge was about our health care system, our educational institutions and our domestic and foreign policies, right down to naming all those in charge of each. I was surprised to discover who is really paying attention and how everything we do affects people of other nations — which includes serving as a source of inspiration.

That inspiration couldn’t have been more present in the air than during the championship bout between the USA and Australia. Every seat and bit of available floor space around the center track was taken, and I was given the honor of being the producer for the BBC Sports broadcast (BBC has never carried roller derby up until now … no pressure!). Many names who took to the flat track have been or are part of teams who have won the Hydra – the trophy of the annual WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) Championships. The whistle blew to start one of the greatest all-star bouts, and it lived up to the expectations.

It’s been one month since my experience at the World Cup, and I still feel every bit of the intensity, jubilance and honor from being among the finest I have ever known. Soon begins the start of the travel season with my home league – Providence Roller Derby. For more than a decade, they have added the next generation of roller derby athletes to their roster, not only with new skaters who have joined the ranks, but by advancing their own Providence Junior Roller Derby. If I get the opportunity in another three years to announce at the next Roller Derby World Cup, I hope to call the action for some of the awesome and inspirational humans I have the privilege to call at home.

Follow Providence Roller Derby on Facebook or ProvidenceRollerDerby.com for updates on upcoming bouts and how you can join. How Pure Is Your Drinking Water?

On February 6, I received a letter from the City of East Providence Public Works announcing that they had “recently violated a drinking water standard.” Since this was not the first such notification I’d received, I began looking into just what goes into monitoring the safety of the water systems in our country today. What I discovered was both enlightening and a bit disturbing.

In theory, the EPA, under the Safe Drinking Water Act, has regulated drinking water since 1996. But exactly how far does that protection extend? Between 2004 and 2009, an Environmental Working Group analysis of 20 million tap water quality tests found 316 contaminants, including industrial solvents, weed killers, refrigerants and rocket fuel. The EPA regulated only 114 of those contaminants at the time, with 92% compliance from suppliers. While new candidates of concern are put on the waiting list every year, there is a long list of contaminants waiting to be approved, and the EPA is required to add new ones only once every six years. Of these, only 30 unregulated contaminants are chosen for monitoring each cycle and far fewer are accepted. Unregulated pollutants have no mandatory federal safety standards, though they can potentially produce toxic combinations for long-term consumption. It is not uncommon for people to drink tap water laced with 20 or 30 chemical contaminants. This water may be legal, but it raises serious health concerns.

Drinking water contaminants are linked to millions of instances of illness in the US each year. Sometimes drinking water violations are one-time events, posing little risk, but records show that illegal contamination persisted for years in hundreds of water systems. In 2009, a New York Times analysis of federal data found that since 2004, more than 20% of the nation’s water treatment systems had violated key standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act, delivering illegal concentrations of arsenic, radioactive substances and sewage bacteria to more than 49 million people. The regulators from these public systems were notified of violations as they occurred, but fewer than 6% of them were ever fined or punished. State and federal officials, including those at the EPA, simply let the cases go. Has the situation improved any in the intervening years? In 2015, water systems serving nearly 77 million Americans were in violation of safety regulations. Today, as before, very little is being done about it.

How dangerous can water contaminants be? In healthy adults, symptoms of waterborne diseases may be debilitating, but seldom life-threatening. However, for people with compromised immune systems, infants, the elderly and pregnant women, these illnesses can be severe or fatal, and some pathogens can be dangerous for even the healthiest people. Liver failure, kidney failure, neurological conditions and more have occurred; a connection to water contamination is not always immediately obvious. A study published in February 2018 just confirmed that most of the more than 90 cases of Legionnaires’ disease during the deadly 2014 – 2015 outbreak in Flint, Michigan, were caused by the city’s water supply.

I found archived records for RI at the 2012 New York Times database (nytimes.com/interactive/projects/toxic-waters/polluters/rhode-island/index.html) listing US water violations. Out of 281 violations listed between 2003 and 2008, only four fines were imposed; one company guilty of eight violations in a row was given no fine at all. The EPA provides recent data on all state environmental regulations and compliance at echo.epa.gov

On the up side, the recent East Providence violation concerned the presence of trihalomethanes, which are a disinfectant by-product, rather than an invasive contaminant. And although long-term exposure to this substance can cause damage to the kidneys, liver and central nervous system and pose an increased risk of cancer, the city promised it would resolve the problem by August 2018. On the down side, for those with compromised immune systems, this is not reassuring. Trihalomethanes can easily be absorbed through the skin and inhaled during showers; other than moving, there is little citizens can do to protect themselves while repairs are made.

So, how concerned should you be? While there are parts of the world where even brushing your teeth with tap water can cause a nasty fungal infection, the water in RI is generally safe to drink. In a 2017 comparison study (bestlifeonline.com/worst-drinking-water/), our state was in neither the top 25 best cities for water quality nor the bottom 25 offenders. Our Scituate reservoir is carefully protected to maintain the pristine quality of its water, and local regulators are conscientious. However, as with any system, the communities at the farthest end of the pipes are at the greatest risk of contaminants entering the water – hence a higher incidence of violations in East Providence and Bristol than in Scituate. To access the RI data guide for water quality in your city visit ewg.org/tapwater/#.WqGB-62ZPIE

If you want to protect yourself and your family, your best bet is a distiller with a carbon filter, which removes not only bacteria and organic contaminants, but also heavy metals and other chemicals. A high-quality filter system for your tap usually assures safe drinking water, but don’t be fooled by pitcher filter systems. Some models can actually add bacteria to your water because bacteria grows on the surface of the filter, and companies recommend testing your water to be sure their filters will be effective at all. To learn more about which filter type is best for you, visit epa.gov/ground-water-and- drinking-water/home-drinking-water-filtration-fact-sheet

A Night at the Death Café

A death cafe may sound like an Agatha Christie novel or a long-lost Edgar Allen Poe poem, but it is something real and can be found right here in Rhode Island. I was brought to my first one by a dear friend, and she said it would be right up my alley. Nothing could prepare me for what I was to experience.

Not as grim and gloomy as one would perceive, a death café is a gathering of people from various beliefs and backgrounds to have an open discussion over food and drink about the last great social taboo: death. As DeathCafe.com best describes the goal, it is “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” The idea, started by Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Bernard Crettaz in 2004, was to discuss the subject that led to great fears and anxiety in a majority of people around the world for centuries. This led to the first Death Café founded by Jon Underwood in 2011 and quickly spread to more than 55 countries.

My first café was in Panera Bread in Providence Place Mall this past December. There I was joined by several others in ages ranging from their early 20s to mid-70s. The conversation was kicked off by the host, Ainsley Rousseau. Throughout the two hours together, complete strangers became friends. We shared stories of our own mortalities, theories on ghosts, out-of-body experiences and how a loss of a loved one could inspire life changes.

For the purposes of anonymity, I won’t share names, but I can share a moment of electricity that jolted through me. One individual was talking about how a very young cousin had suddenly passed away. When describing his tattoo, the person sitting across from her jumped out of her seat – it was a dear friend of hers. The two embraced and cried, finding comfort that they didn’t realize they still needed. I didn’t know this person they lost, but even I felt sense of relief. As I made my exit toward the end, I felt energized and optimistic after being given the opportunity to discuss death with so many people. It was probably the most effective free therapy session I’ve ever had. Now I eagerly await the next!

The next Death Café is to be held Wed, March 14 at the Panera Bread in Providence Place Mall. Stay tuned to deathcafe.com to see when and where the next local café awaits your mortal company.