Page 6
November 18, 2015
New Prices
Effective
May 1, 2014
O PINION
Martin
Cleaning
Service
Carpet & Upholstery
Cleaning
Residential &
Commercial Services
Minimum Service CHG.
$45.00
A small distance/travel
charge may be applied
CARPET CLEANING
2 Cleaning Areas or
more $30.00 Each Area
Pre-Spray Traffic Areas
(Includes: 1 small Hallway)
1 Cleaning Area (only)
$40.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
(Hallway Extra)
Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
Other Services) : $25.00
Area/Oriental Rugs:
$25.00 Minimum
Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) :
$40.00 Minimum
Heavily Soiled Area:
Additional $10.00 each area
(Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying)
UPHOLSTERY
CLEANING
Sofa: $69.00
Loveseat: $49.00
Sectional: $109 - $139
Chair or Recliner:
$25 - $49
Throw Pillows (With
Other Services) : $5.00
ADDITIONAL
SERVICES
• Area & Oriental Rug
Cleaning
• Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning
• Deodorizing & Pet
Odor Treatment
• Spot & Stain
Removal Service
• Scotchguard Protection
• Minor Water Damage
Services
SEE CURRENT FLYER
FOR ADDITIONAL
PRICES & SERVICES
Call for Appointment
(503) 281-3949
It’s My Right to Talk about Life’s Inequities
Fighting for
justice to end
AIDS epidemic
p aul k awata
I have a lot of
privileges in my
life. I am an Amer-
ican who received
a good education
and a home in a
safe neighborhood.
I shop online and don’t think
about where or how the items are
made, I just want the lowest price.
I expect to be treated with respect
and dignity and when that doesn’t
happen, I feel empowered to com-
plain. Initially, I didn’t know these
things were privileges. Most of my
friends had the same opportunities
and we never discussed or thought
about the privileges granted to us.
I grew up believing that if I
worked hard enough, I could ac-
complish anything. America was a
country where anything was pos-
sible. I bought into the dream and
seldom thought about how it was
a privilege and not a right. Secret-
ly, I sometimes felt like the people
who complained just didn’t work
hard enough. I took everything for
granted. So what happened?
HIV showed me that all the
things I took for granted can be
taken away. Early in the epidem-
by
ic, HIV didn’t care if you were
rich, powerful or well connected,
the disease killed everyone. Insur-
ance was no guarantee of quality
medical services. My safe home
became undesirable when some-
body with HIV died in the
bedroom. Disease changed
the way the world saw me
and the way that I saw the
world. I was no longer a
person, I was a vector for
transmission of a virus.
My “lifestyle” was equat-
cess to care and medications, but
the disease outcomes varied wide-
ly by race. If its not about access,
then why is race a determining
factor for HIV infection and dis-
ease outcomes?
How do I talk about the injus-
tice of health outcomes and not be
the “angry person of color?” How
can I suggest that race may be a
factor without people feeling like
I’m “playing the race card?” How
can I talk about privilege and not
piss off the people I’m trying to
going to stop, my sense of entitle-
ment tells me that it is my right to
talk about race. It is my right to
talk about life’s inequities. But it
is such a hard road and it is not fun
being pigeonholed.
I’ve been doing this work for a
long time. Many of you know me
personally – I’m not that guy who
complains about how the world is
unfair. Yet that’s how I feel when
I bring up race. I need your help
to unpack this difficult conversa-
tion in a way that allows people
The Affordable Care Act, Ryan White Care Act and
Medicaid expansion gave most people living with HIV
access to care and medications, but the disease outcomes
varied widely by race. If its not about access, then why is
race a determining factor for HIV infection and disease
outcomes?
ed with being a dirty, irresponsi-
ble, sex hungry, drug using addict.
For the first time, I was treated dif-
ferently and it made me angry. It is
tough being a second class citizen
in a first class world.
As treatment became available,
the balance changed again. We
used to all be in the same boat,
but now not so much. The Afford-
able Care Act, Ryan White Care
Act and Medicaid expansion gave
most people living with HIV ac-
reach?
In the abstract everyone wants
to talk about race, but when it’s
about real life situations, it is
amazing how defensive and angry
it makes the world. The National
Minority AIDS Council’s mission
leads with race to urgently fight
for health equity and racial jus-
tice to end the HIV epidemic. I’ve
tried to include race in my discus-
sions with colleagues – I failed
miserably. That doesn’t mean I am
to be heard and not stereotyped.
I need your support when I make
mistakes. Talking about race is not
easy.
Fighting HIV taught me about
privilege and how quickly it can
go away. Hopefully now is the
time to address race. If we don’t,
we will never end the HIV epi-
demic in America.
Paul Kawata is executive direc-
tor of the National Minority AIDS
Council.