The good news

As 2019 is coming to an end, the 1DIVINELINE2HEALTH Love Tribe survived purely on faith, hope, and love. These key ingredients expose the human suffering on Sullivant Avenue by sounding the trumpet of injustice through the written word, media, and by exercising the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. As a result of the word of our services for the sick and victims of human and drug trafficking and injustices – both locally and globally – has been promoted, the Love Tribe has expanded.  

An earthly angel donated a house in the red-light district of Sullivant Avenue on behalf of his soul mate, Tracy Sheffield. Tracy was a mother, wife, sister, friend and advocate for victims of systemic injustices who had lost her battle to acute myeloid leukemia. However, Tracy’s love and legacy has become the remedy to the metastatic cancer on Sullivant Avenue caused by the ineffective leadership of city officials, their friends, and the Hilltop civic organizations. Tracy was the self-fulfilling prophecy of “No greater love than this, than to lay down one’s life for her friends.” Currently, we are waiting for the permits to be cleared to begin the renovations.

Last month Next Level, an emotional intelligence training program, adopted 1DIVINELINE2HEALTH as their public charity – thanks to Susan Sparling who gave the 35-member team a 45-second message about the trenchwork on Sullivant Avenue and abroad. In under three weeks they raised the money to renovate Tracy’s house that will be used as the Drop-In Center we have been dreaming of for many months. It is amazing to see money donated from all parts of Ohio, even including our allies in Michigan. The full-time Drop-In Center will be the beacon of love and hope on Sullivant Avenue due to all the donors and advocacy for victims of systemic injustices.

What I see

Daily, I see street sisters walking on Sullivant Avenue. I am tired of seeing women with tears in their eyes as I clean a laceration telling me about her rape in our four-hour Drop-In Center or on the streets. I have seen tears in the eyes of the parents, friends, relatives and fellow community activists of Donna Dalton, Bobbie Simpson, Brittany McDowell and the countless girls murdered by men with and without uniforms, as well as those from overdose deaths.

I see cops on administrative leave, after they have broken the law. It has taken over 20 years for a Columbus cop to be indicted – thanks to Dalton family and community activists who stood their ground and said “Enough is Enough!” Donna Dalton, Bobbie Simpson, and Brittany McDowell were lovely human beings. The death of my ‘shero,’ Donna Dalton, has demanded a clean slate for Columbus Police Department. And I see the young black men who have been shot and brutally beaten by cops –  with all the videos in evidence. Aside from all the cops being trained on de-escalation strategies, they need random drug testing, they need to check for memberships of racist organizations that promote white supremacy. They need to be checked for anabolic steroids because one of the side effects is an increase aggression.

I saw the city leadership agree with the Columbus Police Department to give a $450,000 settlement to porn star Stormy Daniels and $75,0000 to the other two strippers who were wrongfully jailed for doing their job in the presence of undercover cops.

In addition to the neglect and death toll of innocent lives on the West Side, I see the highest infant mortality rate – over twice the national average, the highest crime rates, and highest number of abandoned properties of all of Columbus neighborhoods. A 2018 research study by the University of Toronto on large metropolitan cities found that Columbus has the second highest rate of economic segregation in the nation. I see that economic development is at the forefront by our city and state officials, instead of human development.

I see gentrification in Columbus as euthanization of the people Jesus served. Modern day Jim Crow/share cropping laws favoring developers and not a nonprofit to represent the most resilient people in our city. Government and City funding goes towards multimillion-dollar nonprofits with CEO’s who receive six figure salaries and live in suburbs, while the people they serve live in crowded quarters like sardines.

Do you see it too?

As the giving season approaches, please consider donating to a small nonprofit in the trenches. Please select a fiscally responsible one that is not grant funded or choose a grassroot movement that promotes a healthy community and earth. I ask of you to donate to our just cause to eradicate human suffering locally and abroad. 1DIVINELINE2HEALTH is an apolitical 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization. Donate via PayPal at https://1dl2h.org/ and become a love contagion producing the love epidemic that saves lives. Please remember our motto “Love Heals the Sick and Love Heals the World” as you consider your donation.

Esther Flores is a registered nurse and the founder of 1DIVINELINE2HEALTH