Comments from Peter Haberfeld

From: phaberfeld@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: absolutely horrible news
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:45:07 +0000

Very very sadly, it is true. Understandably a lot of grief and suffering on the part of Francoise and Steve.

They left last night for Cleveland. They do not know how long they will stay, perhaps three weeks. They plan to have a memorial in the East: perhaps one for her friends from college and perhaps another one at the family. property. They are talking about a get together here in the Bay Area when they return.

Our feeling is that a short contact by email or phone is appreciated, perhaps needed to assure them that others share their pain and that they are part of a community of people whose love will help them get through the initial part of the tragedy.

I have, as Steve's cell number, 415 302 9440.

Because it is unclear what to say at a time like this, let me tell you briefly what Steve talked about yesterday.

Steve asked what my favorite memory was about Sylvia and I talked about the piece she wrote for the journal that was issued at the Dinner honoring his life and contribution.

Sylvia graduated from Yale in May. She went to Cleveland because her best friend from High School was there.

Steve believes that Sylvia's work and her thesis says a lot about who she was. The thesis was written in her field, Urban Planning. She interviewed residents of low income projects and concluded, contrary to popular wisdom, that residents do not report low level crime like tagging because they know those responsible and do not want to sacrifice the community they have by calling in the police. Steve talks admiringly about her courage, both going to an area that is unfamiliar and creating respectful relationships that enabled the people she interviewed to be candid with her.

She began working for an organization called Hard Headed Women, a group that secured unconventional jobs for women, such as working with the fire department. Sylvia did things her own way, according to her parents, bringing creativity and insight to everything she did.

The email address is smbingham@earthlink.net.

Peter