Community Coalition for Justice and Peace

A letter from Madeleine Fletcher

Call Michele or Rick at 202.397.2277 or e-mail them at Mirico5@aol.com for more details about the following: Many of us know and love Michele and Rick Tingling-Clemmons, long-standing community activists. After Michele was fired from her job as director of the food programs for the DC's public, charter and parochial schools, child care, summer feeding and commodity programs because of her refusal to allow federal dollars earmarked for children's meals to be diverted to other uses; and Rick, an adult educator with a masters degree, had major back surgery to correct a decades-old injury; she and Rick have fallen on hard times. Doors are being shut in their face and they are unable to find adequate employment. Both are working part-time as teachers in an employment-training program but it is not enough. They feel that they are being blacklisted because of their political and social justice activism in many areas of this community - in housing, education, literacy, hunger, environment, poverty, seniors, welfare reform, health care - also exacerbated by Michele's ongoing whistleblower lawsuit against DC government. As the Health Department epidemiologist who was fired for doing her job by exposing the infestation and molding of food being stored in the DC Public Schools food warehouse, I can attest to the agonizing delay in resolving and eventually winning my own whistleblower lawsuit. Let alone being able to continue the lawsuit, they are struggling to make ends meet. First and foremost they need jobs. But they are now at a critical juncture where they need "a little help from their friends" so as not to lose their home of many years. Please send your donations to Michele or Rick Tingling-Clemmons at 4614 Central Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20019. This is a time for us to show our appreciation and support to Michele and Rick for all their hard work and dedication to progressive causes. Please "pass the hat" around and forward this message to those of your acquaintances who know Michele or Rick.

Thank you,

Madeleine Fletcher

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