[Marxism] Social innovator: Marian Kramer

[Charles Brown]

Social innovator: Marian Kramer
PURPOSE PRIZE WINNER

By C. Kelly
The Michigan Citizen

Water is a human right. Despite criticism, personal attack and in some cases indifference, that ethical viewpoint has guided Marian Kramer.

For more than 40 years, Kramer, 63, of Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO), has worked to eliminate poverty in Highland Park, Detroit and communities throughout Michigan. Last weekend, her local work won national acclaim. Kramer walked away with the $10,000 Purpose Prize for her “grassroots, legal and legislative fight for the right to affordable water in Detroit.”

The Purpose Prize, awarded by San Francisco-based Civic Ventures, is part of an initiative to “invest in older social innovators by recognizing outstanding achievements, creating a network of people wanting to use their retirement years for the greater good, and channeling funds and assistance to these new pioneers,” reads the website. Five received a $100,000 prize. Ten received prizes of $10,000—all winners are over the age of 60. 

Organizers say: “The Purpose Prize is not a lifetime achievement award, but is rather an investment in a new generation.” 

“It makes becoming a senior citizen that much more golden,” said Kramer who attended the award ceremony held in Palo Alto, California. “It was just amazing. People have obtained these skills and are still putting them to work. I met a woman from Chicago, an African American medical doctor. She might have retired from the hospital but she is going back to New Orleans, her home, to help build a clinic.”

Kramer, long respected in the community, has championed, among many initiatives, a Water Affordability plan. After learning that Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) had shut off water to 40,000 people, Kramer declared the action a public health emergency. Kramer, along with Maureen Taylor and Michigan Welfare Rights mobilized people, protests and community meetings. Kramer even collaborated with lawyers, drafting what would become—in essence—the city’s current Water Assistance Program.

The city made the announcement, adopting the Water Assistance Program, in September of 2007. Kramer, in the meantime, says she wasn’t even invited to the press conference. And, she added, the water fight isn’t over. 

Although the current plan accounts for city residents who must be at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Income guidelines, there are some changes that should still be made to the current plan suggests Kramer.

The city has moved to get the Dept. of Human Services to implement the program and Welfare Rights is still scheduled to go before city council. As of today, according to Kramer, DWSD director Victor Mercado has cancelled the meeting three times.

Yet, the Purpose Prize award ceremony allowed Kramer an opportunity to connect with “like-minded individuals” with shared values. Kramer said she came away with the ability to “dig deeper” and continue her struggles in Detroit.

At the event, many of the attendees and award-winners were shocked by the water shut offs in Detroit.

“Some were just shocked at Detroit. Shocked by what is happening. In a city that is known for organized labor and has historically been progressive ... That we would even entertain that some 40,000 are without water...or entertain that Mercado was able to shut off 6,000 residents’ water? You should have seen people’s faces. The ironic thing is that we live in the Great Lakes. You see the situation in Georgia and all of these other places [currently experiencing water shortages]...in the dry areas. It is something you never thought you would live to see in the Unites State of North America.”

The MWRO’s Water Affordability Plan has become a national model. Kramer says Michigan residents from small cities are trying to get this plan before their respective city councils. She says they even got a call from Boston.

Winners of the prize also won new laptop computers. Organizers say the new computers are supposed to arm the winners with the newest technology to accomplish their community-minded goals.

And that best part of the whole weekend said Kramer, “Sidney Poitier gave the awards.”

Michigan Welfare Rights Organization annual fundraiser is Friday Nov. 30 from 7 p.m. until midnight at the International Institute, 111 E. Kirby (corner of John R) $15 donation. Contributions to: MWRO, 23 E. Adams, 4th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226.
Phone: 313.964.0618 

http://www.michigancitizen.com/print_this_story.asp?smenu=1&sdetail=5268