Opinion: Emergency Crisis: Power Outages and Food Shortages - Ignored Working Class

Kimberly Brown - Brown on ClevelandPhoto byThe Brown Report Newspaper

(Disclaimer: This article is an opinion piece by Kimberly F Brown, also known as Brown on Cleveland. This article is not the opinion of Newbreak or any of its affiliates. The views expressed are the sole opinion of Brown.)

Cleveland, Ohio. - I live in the State of Ohio and am a Cleveland resident. I have the proper authority to express my opinion of the critical emergency that Clevelanders have suffered and are suffering during this trying time. By the way, I also experienced a blackout or, as some would say, a power outage for four days.

My experience may not be yours, but what I experienced was a matter of discomfort, financial loss, and a hopeful next day that would cause me to think about why Americans - Clevelanders - Northeast Ohioans must be prepared for emergencies at all times. We have to be proactive rather than reactive. We should not be caught in a place where we must depend on systems and programs to take care of all of our needs at once; yes, assistance can be helpful - I don't doubt, but we must be able to fend for ourselves in case assistance never comes, or we don't qualify because of the title that we carry, and the income that can't help us - that has no substance or a matter of fact when a crisis occurs.

Never be too proud to seek help!

An old popular saying is, "I ain't too proud to beg." However, in a crisis, I am unsure if begging is the politically correct term, as some independent movers and shakers see it as demeaning. One thing is for sure: hunger is hunger, in the dark means being in the dark, and having electric current travel through your home is just that. Let's be real; it does not matter what your artificial title is or how great or important you think you are. When a crisis hits, we are all in the same boat - paddle less looking for a way out or simply looking for help that may never come or come for a certain few due to programs built for them but not the working class - you know that group they call the middle class who pay lots of taxes and barely get anything in return but more taxes and decisions made about their income when others may not have an income and get everything. Go ahead and judge me.

I am not angry. I am in a thought-provoking situation. This issue is an awareness-self-teaching moment for me.

It's Election Season - The Silly Season of Promises Made to Be Broken

As many folks are campaigning for office, some seeking re-election along with challengers trying to just the incumbent, we must ask ourselves, what have they done lately to earn a vote? For Ohioans, one measure would be where you were on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. The number one question may be, what did you do to help Ohioans? You see, if you did not help, we should ask why we should help you get a seat.

Let me give you an example. I shopped for groceries on Monday evening, unaware of what would happen on Tuesday afternoon. I spent approximately $150.00. Four days later, I had to throw out the food because I did not want to take a chance of becoming ill. Here's the deal: I spent money eating out, waiting for gas, and going to places to charge my phone and laptop so I could keep my line of communication open. I would have appreciated a food voucher to supplement my loss. There was nothing for a person like me. However, in Cuyahoga County, some places offered free ice and water to residents. Not to sound ungrateful, what was the ice going to do? The bottled water I bought before Tuesday was available because it had already been paid for. I asked if they knew me as I was thinking out loud. Yes, I am chubby - and need to lose some weight (LOL), but I am not on a water and ice diet!

As I scoured the internet from my phone, trying not to waste too much time due to fear of losing too much power on my cell phone, I discovered a story from 19 News that said that food assistance was available for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. I got excited. I told my co-workers who were in a similar situation. We all got excited. We went online only to find out that this help was only available to those receiving government assistance. What a blow to your pocketbooks; we don't qualify! The working class who don't get assistance don't qualify for emergency assistance, although hunger pains are hunger pains, resources are resources, and a crisis is a crisis; no one should be excluded from being helped - not the poor - not a millionaire and darn sure not the working class Americans!

All I know is that I took a loss, like many others. Who is helping our group? The working-class group had no food, power, or help! To make matters worse, some folks lost their vehicles and had massive home and property damage.

Property Damage Cleveland OhioPhoto byCharlene Tucker

Where is the help? Should we expect to help everyone or continue to exclude helping certain groups due to the mere ignorance of decision-makers who beg for our voice and vote?

I hope that whoever is elected to serve in Ohio will use this crisis as a teaching lesson to develop new, innovative policies and procedures that will help everyone, regardless of race, creed, or financial status.

(Disclaimer: This article is an opinion piece by Kimberly F Brown, also known as Brown on Cleveland. This article is not the opinion of Newbreak or any of its affiliates. The views expressed are the sole opinion of Brown.)