My name is Kimberly Keplar, and this is my first report from my new column. I'm a 25 year-old mother presently living on welfare and I desperately need the media's help. My son was born in November of last year.

At the time I had been working at Starbucks for almost two years. Through them, I carried insurance sold by Aetna and Unum. After my son was born, the financial outlook for my family changed.

The problem was that I was working without pay, in as much as my paychecks were going directly to the insurance contract. Due to this, I was concerned that I'd be unable to provide my family with food and shelter.

Understandably, I didn't want to lose my job, so I tried to speak with Starbucks and Aetna about the situation. The moment that I started asking questions I was "encouraged" to shut up, in such a way as that I couldn't get a straight answer from either of them and was blocked at every turn.

So, all of my earnings were going directly to Aetna, I had no choice but to quit my job. There's no sense in paying Starbucks, or anyone else, for me to work. This is crazy. This is the kind of madness which is all too common in corporate circles, it's how they get you.

How does this continue? Fear. People are terrified of taking on the corporate mindset. These large corporations isolate us from each other, to the extent that we feel powerless to effectively handle our affairs.

All I wanted was an honest day's pay for an honest day's work. Instead I get hustled by Starbucks, Aetna, and Unum. I'm now having to spend the peoples' tax dollars to eat, see a doctor, and pay my rent, all on account of a set of standards and practices which we feel entirely unable to confront on our own.

What are people supposed to do about this, when there is seemingly no legal recourse to fight it? This is why I make efforts now to report such abuses of power. If we don't stand up together against these giants then how are we ever going to see any change?

If we remain discouraged from communicating, in person, with one another, we won't find common cause with our fellows - the time to stay isolated is over. We must recognize the need for community. Until we admit that we need one another, we'll continue to play into our own demise.

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Kimberly Keplar

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