Sketch artist visits Elder Voices group

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

Aug. 29
A sketch artist shows up at Elder Voices (Telling Our Stories/Sharing Our Journeys).
Her name is Anita White. She wants to sketch us as we meet. We agree. There are six of us at today’s meet up. All Messenger readers. Two new people. Toward the end of the meet-up, I propose that I take a picture of her composite sketch of Elder Voices and that I include it with my submission of this column. We all agree. There is no danger that her sketch of me will replace my head shot.
I keep my word that I will bring up the opportunity for myself and others to explore our identities as activists building on what Karen was doing at our last meet-up. I share that justice and the common good are clues to my own identity. Jim offers that mutual respect is a clue for him. That reminded me that respect for persons is important for me. I observe words are important if we are able to identify specific behaviors that give expression to those words.
So, dear reader, what words/ behaviors have you discovered that express your identity as an activist if that is important to you like it is for Karen. Tell yourself, tell others or tell me via tesha@tmcpub.com. And if you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river (flow) of life experiences that is Stories and Journeys.
Elder Voices (Telling Our Stories/Sharing Our Journeys) meet up is the last Friday of each month, 10-11 a.m. officially, at Turtle Bread, 4205-E.34th St. Look for the table with the Elder Voices sign.

Sept. 2. My Return to Mind Body Solutions OnLine Adaptive Yoga Class.
After being away for several months due to scheduling issues, I am re-united with my primary instructor Amy who happens to be a Southwest Connector Stories and Journeys reader. She also lives in the part of southwest Minneapolis where the school shooting took place at Annunciation Catholic Church. I told her I intend to write about this. She says, "I hope you do." I will for now echo what south Minneapolis state Senator Scott Dibble said in his Star Tribune (9/11/25) Voices opinion. He wrote, "It’s the guns." Remember the phrase it’s the economy stupid? I’m telling myself it’s the guns stupid.

MORE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AT AGE 90
Thanks to the reporting of the folks at Social Security Works, I now know that Elon Musk and staff copied the entire Social Security Administartion Numerical Identification System. It contains sensitive personal financial information about everyone who has ever been issued a Social Security number. Everything a hacker would need to steal our identities. This was never about waste, fraud and abuse. Not within the Social Security Administration.

AND THEN THERE IS MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT
Once again, I repeat: Medicare Advantage plans are not Medicare. They are private insurance plans using the name Medicare to market themselves. Sadly, slightly over half of Medicare enrollees have signed up for an Advantage Plan. The legislation to change this has yet to pass.
As one who is enrolled in what I call actual Medicare plus supplement plan, I have plenty to be concerned about with Mehmet Oz in charge. Farming out prior authorization to AI is a Medicare Advantage practice.

'ON TYRANNY'
A few years ago my neighbor Gary stopped by my house. He wanted to give me a book called "On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder. At the time I had never heard of him or the book. I accepted the book and over time managed to read it. More recently at a monthly meeting of the Minneapolis Regional Retirees Council (AFL-CIO) I noticed one of our members with a copy of this book. And even more recently the subject of "On Tyranny" came up as I was conversing with a Meals on Wheels driver, who was also sharing with me that she reads Stories and Journeys in the Messenger and knows about All Elders United for Justice. So now I’m re-reading "On Tyranny."

SEPT. 20. MINNEAPOLIS AREA CHAPTER DFL SENIOR CAUCUS
I attended via Zoom the monthly meeting. Featured speaker was Collin Beachy, chair, Minneapolis Public School Board on “Schools and Cuts to Medicaid.”
Note. I am now getting around with a walker.
In gratitude. Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice Board of Directors.