01.23.2019

VOL. 16 ISSUE 6

$2

JAN. 23 - FEB. 5, 2019

Real Stories

Locals helping locals survive the longest government shutdown in U.S. history

Real People

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY

LIVING COOPERATIVELY:

Co-ops, communes, and community support

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2 // ST REET SENS E ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

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INTERESTED IN BEING A VENDOR? New vendor training: every Tuesday and Thursday // 2 p.m. // 1317 G St., NW

The Cover

The Street Sense Media Story, #MoreThanANewspaper

Street Sense Media artists document the government shutdown, a city strives to take care of its federal workers and a woman traces her journey through community support.

Originally founded as a street newspaper in 2003, Street Sense Media has evolved into a multimedia center using a range of creative platforms to spotlight solutions to homelessness and empower people in need. The men and women who work with us do much more than sell this paper: They use film, photography, theatre, illustration, and more to share their stories with our community.

Our media channels elevate voices, our newspaper vendor and digital marketing programs provide economic independence. And our in-house casemanagement services move people forward along the path toward permanent supportive housing.

At Street Sense Media, we define ourselves through our work, talents, and character, not through our housing situation.

DESIGN BY TIFFANY NEWMAN

www.TiffanyNewman.com

VENDORS Shuhratjon Ahamadjonov, Dele Akerejah, Wanda Alexander, Gerald Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Katrina Arninge, Lawrence Autry, Charlton Battle, Lester Benjamin, Reginald Black, Rashawn Bowser, Clarence Branch, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Laticia Brock, Donald Brown, Lawrence Brown, Elizabeth Bryant, Brianna Butler, Dwayne Butler, Melody Byrd, Antoinette Calloway, Anthony Carney, Alice Carter, Conrad Cheek, Anthony Crawford, Kwayera Dakari, Michael Daniels, Louise Davenport, James Davis, David Denny, Reginald Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Patricia Donaldson, Nathaniel Donaldson, Ron Dudley, Jet Flegette, Jemel Fleming, Duane Foster, James Gatrell, Kidest Girma, Chon Gotti, Latishia Graham, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Mildred Hall, Dwight Harris, Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Jerry Hickerson, Ray Hicks, Vennie Hill, James Hughes, Joseph Jackson, Chad Jackson, Fredrick Jewell, Henry Johnson, Mark Jones, Morgan Jones, Linda Jones, Reggie Jones, Darlesha Joyner, Jewel Lewis, John Littlejohn, Scott Lovell, Michael Lyons, William Mack, Marcus McCall, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Angela Meeks, Ricardo Meriedy, Kenneth Middleton, Amy Modica, Richard Mooney, L. Morrow, Collins Mukasa, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Earl Parker, Aida Peery, Hubert Pegues, Marcellus Phillips, Jacquelyn Portee, Angela Pounds, Henrieese Roberts, Anthony Robinson, Chris Shaw, Gwynette Smith, Patty Smith, David Snyder, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Archie Thomas, Shernell Thomas, Eric Thompson-Bey, Harold Tisdale, Joseph Walker, Michael Warner, Robert Warren, Sheila White, Angie Whitehurst, Sasha Williams, Robert Williams, Clarence Williams, Wendell Williams, Susan Wilshusen, Ivory Wilson BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mary Coller Albert, Jeremy Bratt, Margaret Jenny, Brian Leonard, Jennifer Park, Reed Sandridge, Dan Schwartz, John Senn, Kate Sheppard, Aaron Stetter, Annika Toenniessen, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brian Carome

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Falquero

COMMUNICATIONS & SALES MANAGER Jeff Gray

VENDOR MANAGER Muhammad Ilyas

EVENTS & WORKSHOP MANAGER Leila Drici

CASE MANAGER Colleen Cosgriff

WRITERS GROUP ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Willie Schatz

OPINION EDITORS (VOLUNTEER)

Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Sara Reardon

ADVISORY BOARD John McGlasson

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Grace Collins, Jordan Tobias, Noah Telerski

EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS

Ryan Bacic, Jason Lee Bakke, Grace Doherty, Roberta Haber, Thomas Ratliff, Mark Rose, Andrew Siddons, Sarah Tascone, Jackie Thompson, KJ Ward, Howard Weiss, Marian Wiseman, Howard Weiss

OFFICE SALES VOLUNTEERS

Miya Abdul, Bill Butz, Jane Cave, Emma Cronenwethe, Pete Clark, Orion Donovan-Smith, Maria Esposito, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Bill Magrath, Alec Merkle, Nick Nowlan, Sarah O’Connell, Leonie Peterkin, e Versluysen, Natalia Warburton

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EVENTS

// 3

NEWS IN BRIEF Unhoused people are more frequently victims of hate crimes, report says

BY JENNY-LIN SMITH Volunteer

2019 Winterhaven Homeless Veteran Stand Down Saturday, Jan. 26 // 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Washington DC VA Medical Center // 50 Irving St NW, Washington, DC 20422 This annual major outreach event for homeless and at-risk Veterans includes a full day of services which address many of the contributing factors associated with homelessness such as: employment, education and housing counseling, financial planning, substance abuse and rehabilitative programs and psychosocial services. Veterans will also receive VA benefits assistance, community resource information, health assessments, HIV testing, and specialty care exams including: dental, podiatry, audiology and women’s health. In addition to receiving new boots or shoes, participants will be treated to warm clothing, haircuts, personal care packs and a hot meal. More than 70 federal, local and community organizations will be available to assist attendees.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30

UPDATES ONLINE AT ICH.DC.GOV

THURSDAY, JAN 31

Legislating Reproductive Justice

D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness Meetings

#FeminismToMe: RESPECTAretha Franklin and Political Activism

Housing Solutions Committee Feb. 6 1:30 pm / / Location TBD, Likely at 1800 MLK Ave SE

6:30 p.m. // 1990 K Street NW #03 Goethe-Institut Washington

6:30 p.m.

Shopkeepers // 1231 Florida Ave NE A facilitated dialogue about how to make your voice heard when it comes to reproductive justice legislation in our current political climate. The event will be guided by leading advocates and Congressional staffers.

*Committee schedules only.

For issue-focused working groups, contact ich.info@dc.gov.

MORE INFO: www.tinyurl.com/reproduct-justice

Dialogue and listening session about Aretha Franklin’s role as a political and social activist and how music influences activism to this day. The event will be guided by historians, musicians, and community members.

MORE INFO: www.tinyurl.com/aretha-activism

Submit your event for publication by e-mailing editor@streetsensemedia.org

AUDIENCE EXCHANGE Steve Berg @sberg0

Erik Salmi

@Erik_Salmi

The DC street newspaper published great stories about Homeless Persons Memorial Day all over the country. Headline: How can we accept that 13,000 Americans die without a home?

Yet one more #TrumpShutdown effect @streetsensedc venders downtown aren’t seeing many of their regular customers. If you can, maybe pay a little more when you grab the next issue.

9:00 AM - 11 JAN 2019

7:56 AM - 11 JAN 2019

The FBI does not recognize a protected status for people experiencing homelessness and thus does not record violent crimes that target homeless people as hate crimes.

2013-2013 data ommitted for space.

CHART COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS

In December, the National Coalition for the Homeless concluded homeless individuals are far more likely than the general population to be victims of violent crime.

In their latest report, “Vulnerable to Hate: A Survey of Bias-Motivated Violence against People Experiencing Homelessness in 2016-2017,” the NCH documented at least 112 anti-homeless attacks that occurred in the United States in 2016 and 2017 and analyzed 1,769 reported acts of violence committed against homeless individuals from 1999-2017. Of the 1,769 violent acts, 476 victims lost their lives as a result.

NCH studied attacks that occurred in 48 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Perpetrators tended to be males under 30 years of age, and violent crimes included murders, beatings, rapes, and mutilations. Violent incidents between homeless individuals were not included in the analysis. The organization has produced an updated report on these data every one to two years since 1999.

Victims typically were middle-aged men. On average, 69 percent of the victims were over the age of 40 and 87 percent were male. NCH estimated the actual number of bias-motivated violence against homeless people is much higher, since many incidents go unreported.

Though some of these attacks were merely opportunistic and committed due to the victim’s vulnerability in public space, NCH confirmed that many of these violent acts were perpetrated because of a bias against a victim’s housing status.

NCH tracks these attacks to educate lawmakers, advocates, and the general public about the prevalence of violence committed against people who are homeless.

Fear and disgust for homeless individuals have led many cities and states to criminalize homeless individuals and deny them services, according to the organization.

Unhoused people are often segregated from society; are subjected to laws that make it illegal to be poor or have their property legally stolen; receive a criminal label; refused a place to sleep; denied food, bathrooms, and healthcare; are verbally abused; have their existence denied; and sometimes, are attacked by housed community members with a bias against homelessness. This dehumanization leads to the marginalization of people experiencing homelessness and leaves these groups unprotected.

Read the full report at https://tinyurl.com/nch-hate-2018

4 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

NEWS

DC officials, businesses, and service providers rally around residents affected by the shutdown

BY GRACE COLLINS AND ERIC FALQUERO Editorial Intern, Editor-in-Chief

W

hen Street Sense went to press, the partial government shutdown had lasted 32 days, the longest in U.S. History. According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 361,000 federal workers and 400,000 contracted employees in our region are directly affected by the shutdown. That number does not account for employees and business owners whose companies rely on federal workers as part of their customer base. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington told WAMU that area restaurants alone "have reported a 20 percent average decrease in sales, with some losing as much as 60 percent."

Beyond these economic effects, still more people who rely on federally-funded safety net programs have been warned about when funds will run out if the shutdown continues. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are deemed “essential” services and continue to operate during the partial shut down. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps, do not.

The D.C. Housing Authority, which manages federal public housing properties and housing vouchers for approximately 50,000 D.C. residents, said in a statement that federal funds would be available for February and that DCHA is prepared to use its financial reserves to continue services through March.

Nationwide SNAP funds, which are loaded on to a debit card for recipients, were released on time for the month of January and were released early for the month of February, on Jan. 20. No other funds for the food stamp program will be released until funds are appropriated and the federal government re-opens. In the District, 123,000 people or 18 percent of D.C.’s population rely on SNAP, according to a 2017 report by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Other cash assistance programs in D.C. will not be

Kitty, a Street Sense Media vendor, received a legal notice in November stating she needed to turn in more paperwork to keep her subsidized housing in good standing. She satisfied the requests in the letter within the required 30-day period. However, as the partial government shutdown began, she still had not received confirmation that her account had been updated. As the shutdown held up processing of her paperwork, Kitty worried for more than a month that she was in jeopardy of becoming homeless once again. Finally, in 2019, she received confirmation that everything was approved.

PHOTO BY JEMEL FLEMING, ARTIST/VENDOR

affected, according to the D.C. Department of Human Services website. These include but are not limited to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, General Assistance for Children, and Interim Disability Assistance.

In the meantime, nonprofit service providers have been striving to keep up with the demand for food, rental assistance, and other supplies in the broader community.

And many local businesses have rallied to provide free or deeply discounted goods and services to federal workers who provide their ID. At the D.C. Council’s Jan. 22 legislative meeting, councilmembers voted on the Federal Worker Housing Relief Emergency Act of 2019. The act protects federal workers and contractors from evictions or foreclosures during the government shutdown. It does not prevent landlords from filing for eviction in court during this time, but it requires that judges withhold a verdict for 30 to 90 days after the government shutdown ends, under the assumption that employees will receive back pay and be able to make up for missed rent payments.

When introducing the act, At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds noted that 78 percent of American workers live paycheck to paycheck, and that many landlords in the District will evict tenants after only one missed rent payment. She gave an example of a furloughed Internal Revenue Service employee whose landlord threatened to evict her and her spouse after only one missed payment. Bonds chairs the Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization.

Additionally, Bonds noted that an increased number of

evictions during this time period would lead to an increase in homelessness that would strain the city’s resources, a concern that was shared throughout the council. Taking this into consideration, councilmembers unanimously voted to pass the resolution with an amendment that clarifies the difference between a temporary and emergency act.

According to Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, calling the resolution an emergency act allows the legislation to protect certain non-federal workers, such as D.C. courts employees, who are also directly affected by the furlough.

Before moving on to the next vote, councilmembers said they are continuing to explore options for providing additional relief during the shutdown, though no details were given.

Later that day, Mayor Bowser pledged $2 million from the city’s contingency reserves to continue providing food stamp funding to District residents. In the same press release, Bowser announced she is sending emergency legislation to D.C. Council that would make it possible for “essential” federal employees, those who are required to continue working without pay, to collect unemployment insurance benefits. The mayor had previously requested this option for essential employees in a Jan. 14 letter and was denied by the U.S. Secretary of Labor.

“As we enter the second month of this aimless and unsustainable government shutdown, millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of District workers and families, are feeling the full impact of lost income and the anxiety that comes with not knowing when you’ll receive a steady paycheck,” Bowser said.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

PHOTO PHOTO ESSAY ESSAY BY BY MARION MARION HARRIS HARRIS Artist/Vendor Artist/Vendor A A quick quick trip trip to to Union Union Station Station during during rush rush hour hour will will show show you you the the far far reaching reaching effects effects of of the the partial partial government government shutdown shutdown on on our our local local economy. economy. Just Just the the long long line line of of available available taxis taxis and and the the short short line line of of customers customers at at the the McDonald’s McDonald’s counter counter are are enough enough to to know know something something is is wrong. wrong.

NONPROFIT MEALS FOR ALL Charlie’s Place 1820 Connecticut Ave NW (202) 744-5184 Tuesday-Friday: Doors open at 6:30 a.m.

Saturday: Doors open at 8 a.m.

Closest Metro station: Dupont Circle Closest Bus Stop: Conn. Ave. NW and Leroy Pl NW Shirley’s Place 1338 G Street, SE 202-544-3150 Lunch served between 9am-2pm Closest Metro: Potomac Ave Closest Bus Stop: M6, 30S, 32, 34, 36, 39 Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Ave NW (202) 452-8926 Monday through Friday Breakfast 6:30-8:00 a.m., Dinner 4:45-5:45 p.m.

Closest Metro Station: Foggy Bottom-GWU Closest Bus Stop: 23rd and G SOME 71 O Street, NW 202.797.8806 x2109 Breakfast Hours: 7:00am to 8:30am Lunch Hours: 11:30am to 1:00pm Closest Metro: NoMa-Gallaudet U Closest Bus Stop: 80, P6

Thrive D.C. (Morning Program) 1525 Newton St NW (202) 737-9311 Monday to Friday 7:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: hot breakfast.

Tuesday & Thursdays: fresh sandwiches and salads from Pret A Manger.

Closest Metro Station: Georgia Ave- Petworth Closest Bus Stop: 16th and Newton Thrive D.C. (Evening Program) *Available to 20-40 women + their dependents

1525 Newton St NW (202) 737-9311 Every day, 2:00-4:00 p.m., Meals served at 3 p.m.

Closest Metro Station: Georgia Ave- Petworth Closest Bus Stop: 16th and Newton Georgetown Ministry Center Clubhouse 41 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 338-8301 Clubhouse is open everyday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Closest Bus Stop: 30N, 30S, 31, 33, 38B, D5, GT-US,RS-DP *Not a meal program, but they do try to have coffee and sandwiches available in their Clubhouse day center.

A list of links city services is bavailable here: dc.gov/shutdown

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES #ChefsForFeds 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW free lunch with fed ID 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily >>Pop-up resource center next door, opened Jan 22.

Groceries, diapers and pet food to employees on furlough 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily Glen’s Garden Market 2001 S St. NW Hiring “furloughed friends” Short-term projects for pay benefits. Email Danielle: glensmarket@gmail.com

&pizza free pizza with fed ID (or $5 pizza for contractors) 3-5 daily Loft in Georgetown free breakfast discount on purchases D.C. Pet Pantry humanerescuealliance.org/ petpantry Audubon Naturalist Society Free membership to furloughed feds and contractors

Washington City Paper is maintaining a thorough list of resources for federal workers, including food rental and utility assistance, and entertainment. www.tinyurl.com/wcp-shutdown

// 5

6 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

NEWS

Co-op Tightshift gives ex-prisoners a new way to work

BY KIRA BARRETT Editorial Intern

D.C. Office of Planning Director Andrew Trueblood, centerright, addresses the D.C. Grassroots Planning Coalition.

PHOTO BY REGINALD BLACK. ARTIST/VENDOR

Interim agency head aims to focus on affordable housing

BY MARK ROSE Volunteer

On Jan. 12, in the basement of Union Temple Baptist There will definitely be more public engagement before Church in Southeast D.C, Andrew Trueblood, acting the edited and revised OP version of the Comprehensive director of the District’s Office of Planning (OP), spoke Plan goes back to the Council, Trueblood emphasized. to a room full of community activists about the city’s He said another round will likely happen in May or June. main planning document, the Comprehensive Plan.

Conventional tools of the Comprehensive Plan that Trueblood told the attendees that the OP needs to do have been used by planners previously, such as Small more public engagement around the Plan.

Area Plans (which specify details of particular areas of Around 70 to 80 people showed up and spoke at the the map such as shopping centers and office parks that meeting, according to an estimate by the non-profit use land intensively) and Future Land Use Maps (which community action group Empower DC, which sponsored aid in building new structures and show future plans the meeting. Trueblood wants to hear from not just affluent for more intensively developed areas) will be amended, people, but low-income and homeless Trueblood said. people as well, his office said in a He told the crowd that he response to an e-mailed question. wants to use data analytics in the He wants to talk, really, to anybody planning work to visualize and interested in planning. analyze housing that already exists “That’s what’s really meaningful to sensibly determine what more to me,” he told the crowd at needs to be built.

Union Temple. “I hope this can Eric Sheptock and Chris Otten, be an ongoing conversation and both community activists and dialogue. I hope trust can be affordable housing experts, asked carried out and developed.

Trueblood to assure them he would “We need to start planning for people consider the District government’s first. Then the people will come.” promise that a share of new housing Andrew Trueblood “We have to think years into the plans would save a portion of what future,” he said. “What is our positive vision for the city? they build for affordable low-income housing for the What are the tools we can use to get there?” segment of the community that needs it.

Trueblood has been in the job less than three months, Activist Mary Bolton wished the Office of Planning so he and his staff are still working to formulate a strategy would break housing statistics down into manageable for implementing his vision, he told Street Sense Media. pieces so the public can understand with the information Trueblood replaced Eric Shaw as planning director. more readily. Trueblood responded that he’d like to The Bowser administration and OP were inundated systematize affordable housing data so that people can with 3,000 community amendments for this revision of work with it. the Comprehensive Plan. During the prior go-around, in Trueblood said he’d like to start a housing matrix that 2006, they received a mere 200. incorporates other planning analyses, which would be A big indicator of interest Empower D.C. Executive part of a positive future view of the city.

Director Parisa Norouzi told the crowd, was a D.C. City Norouzi remarked that she’d like to see the Bowser Council meeting in March, 2018, during which so many administration have more small meetings for the citizens signed up to testify that the hearing lasted 13 hours public about various parts of the Comprehensive Plan, and did not end until the early morning of the next day. It rather than try to deal with the entire document, which demonstrated, she said, just how much citizens, whether numbers 1,000 pages. poor or affluent, want to be heard.

I hope this can be an ongoing conversation and dialogue. I hope trust can be carried out and developed.

The minimum wage in Washington D.C. is $13.25, and for people coming out of prison, even many of those jobs are out of reach.

Guidance, too, is, hard to come by.

Juan Reid wanted to change that.

“Forming as a cooperative shows a new model to the world,” said Reid, co-founder of the Tightshift Laboring Cooperative.

Tightshift, founded in 2016, is D.C.’s first worker-owned cooperative business founded by returning citizens, according to their website. Workers get texts about jobs as they come, which include hauling, cleaning, moving and similar work. Workers get paid above minimum wage, between $15 and $17 per hour.

“If we’re working for someone else and they aren’t sharing the profits or leaving space for you to influence decisions, it’s just exploitation. Cooperatives show that people don’t have to exploit other people in order to have a business,” Reid said.

Reid has personal ties to the issue. He served 10 years in prison, including seven in solitary confinement, and when he got out, he was left with few options.

He was living on the streets, in a U-haul, trying to find gigs on Craigslist, trying to find a minimum-wage job. But he wasn’t satisfied. He met Allison Basile when she was promoting a solidarity economy and grassroots organizing in Reid’s neighborhood. She explained her ideas about working co-operatives, where everyone is a co-owner and their own boss. Reid felt enlightened.

During his time in solitary, he had time to think about the way our society functions.

“Solitude granted me access to this world’s most exploited human natural resource: my imagination,” Reid said. “It forced me in a situation where I had to choose between despair and hope.”

Tightshift formed about two years ago. Basile and Reid now have seven regular employees. Some of them have had similar experiences to Reid’s. They were unsatisfied with the current system and wanted a way out of it.

One current worker, Mike, said that before Tightshift, he was working on and off in retail jobs. He says Tightshift gave him a new perspective on life.

“I love the work environment,” he said. “I’m grateful to be able to meet new faces and exchange different cultures from time to time, and learning new ways to live away from capitalism.”

Mike estimated that he’s worked at least 20 jobs through Tightshift. He has been able to use his dynamic marketing and artistic skills as well as work with his hands, a combination he hasn’t experienced in past jobs.

Sometimes, Tightshift isn’t able to provide enough hours for their workers to sustain themselves and their families, Basile said.

This is an issue being addressed as the program works to expand opportunities for hours. She said some workers, while she has been sad to see them go, have moved on to work at traditional businesses.

Basile and Reid, however, hope to grow Tightshift even more in the next few years — to take on more workers, provide more services, and even create a healing center on community-owned land in Virginia, sticking to their values of “freedom, integrity, and love.”

“We work with others to come up with solutions on how we all can survive by sticking together,” Mike said.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 7

At Compersia, sharing is more than caring — it’s life STORY AND PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA CARUSO Editorial Intern

A

s children, many of us were encouraged to learn how to take turns. For some, sharing toys, emotions and common spaces with those around us was an early lesson in societal values. But Compersia, an “intentional community” in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., has taken the concept of sharing to a new level.

The cooperative derives it name from “compersion,” a term that appears in urban dictionaries, though not in Merriam-Webster Unabridged. The online definition of “compersion” is “the feeling of joy one has experiencing another’s joy.” Compersion is the opposite of schadenfreude.

The seven adults and four children who are members of Compersia share basic economic necessities, including their house and individual incomes.

Founded in March 2016, Compersia is the first commune in D.C. to be recognized by the Federation of Egalitarian Communities.

Members log their labor — both incomegenerating work like a paid salary, and non-income generating work like childcare and household chores — to ensure that all contribute significantly to the commune.

Anthony Telos, a Compersia member, has been at the cooperative for about a year.

Before coming to D.C. he spent time at housing cooperatives that “share some things, but definitely fewer things.”

“I was in search of a community that shared my values more so,” Telos said. “And that’s what sent me into Compersia, a more resourcesharing community... You don’t see a lifestyle like this validated from the outside very often.”

Members share funds via a joint bank account, which differs significantly from the

practice of most sharing communities. “Any out of the ordinary spending that’s over $100, we ask each other about that,” Telos said. In the spring, for example, he asked for the group’s permission to take a community herbalism course, which they allowed.

Right now, Telos mainly contributes nonincome generating labor: He volunteers on two local urban farms, one of which gives much of its produce to Bread for the City, and canvasses for petitions organized by groups he supports.

On Saturdays, he runs a farmers market.

Another Compersia member, Kathryn Johnson, works at the American Friends Service Committee as a policy advocacy coordinator and contributes mostly incomegenerating labor. With her family, she lived in an intentional community in Washington state from ages 12-14, and missed doing so throughout her adult life.

“I’d always been really interested in living in another intentional community, but had just gotten distracted by other things in my life like travel and activism, so I’d just lost that vision of being a part of [an intentional] community,” she said.

She joined Compersia in the early spring of 2017.

“Since I work full-time [outside] the home, it’s been really nice to have other people take care of the domestic stuff,” she said. “I do less domestic stuff, but still sometimes cook and clean at dinner. I’m not home that much.”

Vital to the success of Compersia and happiness of its members is its Clearness Process, which members consider to be a cornerstone of the community. All members must, at different points throughout the year, have conversations with every other member to air grievances and brainstorm solutions to communal problems.

The dining room at Compersia Community.

Dried herbs from the garden —Tulsi (Holy Basil) Lemon Balm and Nettle — sit out in jars.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CARUSO

“Instead of letting things kind of build up, we actually have a time to sit down and discuss with each other the experience of living together,” Johnson said.

In addition to the Clearness Process, the entire community meets once a week to discuss smaller issues that affect everyone. “[It] is kind of like a business meeting,” Telos said. “We talk about projects we’d like to do and things we’d like to spend money on, those decisions that we make together as a community.”

A frequent topic of discussion is their progress toward saving enough money to make a down payment on a house that could fit up to 15 community members, which is one of Compersia’s “savings goals” right now.

B o t h Te l o s a n d J o h n s o n s a i d t h e practice of “deep sharing” does not come without controversy.

“We’ve all been raised a certain way with certain values, and when we tell people we share our money, they’re like, ‘Whoa, that’s weird. I could never do that,’” Telos said.

“Sharing this deeply is not a value that we see reflected in many places in our society. It’s not like we all move in and we start sharing our paychecks hunky-dory. There’s resentment.

There’s sometimes conflict between the people who make more money and the people who make less money.”

Ideological differences in race and racial

equality and gender and gender equality can also complicate the process, Johnson said.

For Johnson, sharing income is not just about living a life detached from capitalism; it’s also about giving back to a world she believes has unfairly given her too much.

“I’m white; I’m from a middle-class family; I went to college; I’m a U.S. citizen. So, I think I have a lot of privileges that made it easier for me to get to a place where I could earn the income that I do,” she said. “But I don’t feel like that income is only mine. It comes from a country with a history of exploitation of land, of slavery, exclusion of immigrants... [factors that] built the supremacy that I then benefit from.”

Living at Compersia has helped Johnson work toward a personal goal of expressing her needs.

“I’ve really pushed myself to be more vulnerable with people in the community and ask them for help when there are things they can help me with,” she said. “I think I’m slowly getting better at that.”

Think you’re ready to commit yourself — and your bank account — to Compersia? Just make sure you’re ready for a radical change in how you share, Telos said.

“It’s the kind of thing where you can grow a lot doing something like this, but you have to come to the table already comfortable with the idea of sharing that much,” he said.

8 // ST REET SENSE ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

ART

BY COURTNEY DOWE Artist/Vendor

I

Community Ever After

used to love fairy tales as a young girl.

But let’s cut to the chase, I’m 42 years old and “the prince” never came. While I was waiting for his non-existent majesty, I did learn a few things about transforming my former dream of a whirlwind romance into something more stable and less likely to blow off my wig: the reality of “community.”

That word is thrown around a lot these days. Not to sound condescending, but I don’t think most people really take the time to ask themselves what it means to them.

Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t claim to definitively know what community is either. I just know that without it, I probably wouldn’t be alive to write this article.

Into Transition It’s difficult for me to describe my childhood. If I had to choose one word, it would probably be “complex.”

My mother was regarded as a guru by some of her close friends. More evenings than not, anywhere from three to 10 people would congregate in the living room HOME of our Section 8 apartment. Our household was full of PORTRAITS poetry, music, theater, and whimsy. Unfortunately, it also

BY RODNEY included addiction.

CHOICE I was put into the foster care system when I was 9 years Volunteer old. I hope it will suffice to say that it was better for me than it was for some, and worse for me than it was for others. I hate to sound like a human fortune cookie, but I often do. Consider yourself advised.

Some of the worst things in life can turn out to be the best things. Being separated from my biological family meant that I suddenly had to learn how to make a family out of any kind of people I came across. On the one hand, being adaptable makes it relatively easy to connect with people from different backgrounds. On the other hand, being able to adapt and change can make it very easy to lose yourself.

I ended up going through about five different foster homes over the course of five years. When I was 13, my two siblings and I were almost adopted by our foster family, but our foster mom went into a diabetic coma and died. Our foster dad was devastated and he couldn’t keep us. Once again, when I was 14, my two siblings and I were put into a foster home with the possibility of adoption. When I was 16 years old, I was finally adopted.

But by that time, the last thing I wanted in life was more parental figures.

What no one tells you about being a retired foster kid is that even if you get a 4-year full tuition scholarship to Morgan State University, if you don’t address the pain MUSIC PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN BURGESS Volunteer

of your childhood, there is a strong chance that, at some point, you will be blindsided by a Mack truck-sized amount of unprocessed trauma.

I returned home from my attempt at college, defeated, only to remember that I didn’t actually have a home.

I moved in with my best friend from high school and his family. I was sleeping on the couch, watching lots of late night cable, and eating way too much ice cream. In short, I was doing my part to strengthen the traditions of the cultural phenomena that would come to be known as couchsurfing.

At some point, I knew I was in a downward spiral. I left the suburbs and went to the city with no place to go.

As fate would have it, I ended up taking the subway to Dupont Circle. Everything seemed so animated and surreal. But as the hours quickly passed, reality started to set in. I did not have a plan for where I was going to sleep that night.

The next morning, I woke up and someone had decided to sleep next to me in the grass of the Dupont Circle park. He introduced himself, told me he had slept out there to make sure I was going to be okay, and left. At the risk of sounding silly, to this day I think of him as a guardian angel.

I was on the street or in transition (moving from one short-term living situation to another) from the late ‘90s until about 2002. I basically survived on a combination of work trade, barter, and charity. I played music in public pIaces. I swapped cleaning services, child care, cooking, house sitting, pet sitting, etc. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was slowly but surely entering the world of cooperative economics.

A Spiritual Home Setting up a physical home was not a major priority for me because I had seen how quickly a physical home could be torn apart forever. I wanted a level of security that could not be taken away.

Eventually, I realized that the only kind of home I could bring myself to believe in was a spiritual one. I imagined that home as giving me a sense of indestructible peace.

As the years passed, it wasn’t clear that I would ever find one. Then, one day, I found Falun Dafa.

I first heard about Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, from a friend who described a chilling scene from the international news media. The leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Jiang Zemin, had sentenced thousands of Falun Dafa practitioners in China to incarceration, for peacefully appealing to the government.

I went home and looked up the practice online, tried

to teach myself the exercises for about 20 minutes or so, and then gave up. But the first time I ever met Falun Dafa practitioners in person was not long after that.

I was on the National Mall for a reparations rally in 2002 when I came across a couple of Falun Gong practitioners handing out flyers and demonstrating exercises as they often did in public parks. I took a flyer and introduced myself. One of the practitioners was also named Courtney. The coincidence was enough to stop me in my tracks. I decided to try out the exercises then and there, and I have been studying Falun Dafa ever since.

If it seems odd to imagine a Black woman at a rally for African liberation doing a meditation practice from China, welcome to my life: Expect weirdness.

The Labor Of Peace Even though I wasn’t the most disciplined student of Falun Dafa, I did find a sense of security in the focused study of a spiritual practice. I decided to settle down and turned my adventures toward the world within.

One day I was headed from New York City to Baltimore by bus. I fell asleep during the ride and woke up in Washington, D.C., instead of Baltimore. I had missed my stop. I called an old friend who lived in D.C. to see if I could stay over for the night. That’s how I ended up at the Peace House.

The Peace House was a collective living space near the Convention Center. The community still exists, but has moved to a location in Northeast. Its residents supported the decades-long continuous anti-nuclear vigil across from the White House, in Lafayette Park. It was founded

by William Thomas (now deceased), and maintained by countless other activists over the years. It is maintained to this day.

The first time I met William Thomas, he suggested that

The Peace Tent, a continuous demonstration started by William Thomas in Lafayette Square in 1981.

PHOTO BY GWYNETTE SMITH

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

I move into the Peace House. But by the time I got there, he had passed. I worked out an agreement with his widow, Ellen Thomas, to work in exchange for a bunk in the house.

Ironically, some of the people who lived at the Peace House the longest were deeply at odds with each other for extended periods time. I learned that sometimes making peace just means staying out of each other’s way.

During my time at the Peace House, I met the man with whom I would conceive a child. He didn’t turn out to be the same man that would help me to raise one. This is where the story gets hardest to tell.

Through a combination of bad decisions, bad luck, and gentrification, I became homeless while I was pregnant. The family of a very close friend invited me to come live with them for free and to give birth to my child there since I wanted a home birth. They literally saved my life and the life of my child. There are just no words for that level of generosity.

Every week, their family observed Shabbat, the Jewish .

The rhythm and beauty of the ritual had a calming effect on my spirit. I found midwives who were willing to overlook my financial situation. Miraculously, one of my high school friends lived close enough to my new location that she was willing to organize a blessing circle for me. Many women in the neighborhood attended the blessing circle and brought gifts for my unborn child, even though none of them had ever met me before. The kindness and generosity of that family and of that community will stay with me for the rest of my life.

On May 23, 2012, I gave birth to my only child, Solomon.

His name means “ Peace.”

It took me a long time to get my bearings. I came back to the D.C. area. I tried not to wear out my welcome at the homes of distant family and friends, but I needed more support than I ever needed before. I couldn’t see a clear way forward.

I tried to rent a cheap room in a group house and ended up being unceremoniously evicted when someone else defaulted on their rent payment. I went to the local social services office, but I didn’t even have enough documentation to get into a family shelter.

I wondered if I was being selfish by keeping my child instead of putting him up for adoption. I couldn’t give him the life that I felt he deserved and I couldn’t see how I would ever be able to provide for him. If anyone reading this is thinking about using a permanent solution for a temporary problem, please reconsider. My breakthrough was just around the corner.

The same day that my son and I were denied admission to a family shelter, I found a flyer for a women’s empowerment seminar. It was free and I decided to go even though I didn’t have a babysitter. The seminar was full of professional Black women who were learning how to cultivate a deeper sense of community through sister circles. I decided to share my story with the group. Before I knew it, there was a hat being passed

around to take up a collection. The women sent me home with $700, food, a stack of their business cards, and so much love.

I felt like I had received a powerful vote of confidence and I wanted to be worthy of it.

I reached out to a family of Falun Dafa practitioners and asked them if I could live with them while I figured things out. They said yes. With that bit of stability, I soon found the House Of Ruth family housing program. And before long I was in a beautiful 2-bedroom apartment in D.C. with income adjusted rent. House of Ruth offered free therapy as part of their program and I started going to weekly sessions. I was tempted to start taking classes or try to get a job, but instead, I decided to prioritize my healing.

I talked to my case manager from the Department of Human Services and asked to have six months to focus on my mental health. During that time, I enrolled in three different women’s empowerment programs, including “WomenStrong” at Bread For the City. With the help of Bread For The City and WomenStrong, I conceived of a women’s radio co-op project that would highlight the stories of local women and broadcast live sister circles. I applied for a grant from the D.C. Commission for the Arts and Humanities and the radio co-op was funded at $60,000.

At that point, I was more stable but I felt painfully isolated inside of the day-to-day work of raising my son. I needed a deeper sense of community.

During my early pregnancy, I had started researching intentional communities, and through a series of unpredictable events, I was eventually referred to the urban, income-sharing, intentional community that I would come to call my home: Compersia Community.

Wall art in a Compersia Community common room.

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA CARUSO

My favorite way to describe Compersia is “ the dysfunctional family that I’ve always wanted.”

The alternative economy of the community allows my son

// 9

and I to have a lot more material security than we would have on our own. We all share our income and our labor to best meet our individual and collective needs. The best part about living in this community for me is the ongoing opportunity for personal growth. This is definitely easier said than done, but finding people who believe in me so much has motivated me to take my personal growth and healing more seriously than ever before.

Looking Back To Move Forward One day I returned home to the commune to find that there was a big meeting with the DMV Land Collective being held in the living room. The collective is basically a group of local folks pooling resources to buy land together. A little over a year before, I had created a proposal for a women and children’s refuge on a land trust about three hours south of D.C., held

by The School Of Living, an educational organization that supports the establishment of sustainable communities. Now, that proposal had been tentatively approved, I just needed more people to help me with it. I joined the meeting and became fast friends with the founders of Tightshift Laboring Cooperative (a local worker-owned business) that focuses on the needs of returning citizens, the homeless, and at-risk youth.

Today, I am an advisory board member of Tightshift and I am working with its founders to establish a land trust-based healing village where people who have been excluded from the mainstream economy can practice sustainable living while living in close relationship with each other and the Earth, indefinitely. I serve on the board of directors for The School of Living, The Fellowship For Intentional Community, and Earth Rights Institute, a nongovernmental organization recognized by the United Nations. I’m also currently being considered for the board of Bread For The City.

The different instances of support that I have received over the course of my life are far too many to remember, but there is one person that I would like to acknowledge by name. My son’s godfather came into my life when I was two months pregnant and he has been a consistent source of love and support for more than seven years now. Thank you, Pablo.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to anyone who ever put a dollar in my guitar case or a smile in my heart, as I played music on the street, in and out of the D.C. area, for over a decade. Your encouragement and support was invaluable.

I hope that my story will help others to appreciate the many forms of community in their own lives. These days, I’m just as excited about being part of a circle as I am about being part of acouple. I still don’t claim to be an expert, but I have definitely been blessed by an abundance of community in my life. And with that, I believe that I have already started my happy beginning.

1 0 // S T REET SENSE ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

OPINION

My 2 Sense

BY ANGELA MEEKS

Dear Angela, Most of the restrooms I am able to use in D.C. are very dirty and definitely not sanitary. How can I try to fix this problem without having to clean them myself? —Robert Robert, I know exactly how you feel! Every time I am downtown and need to use the bathroom, it takes three or four tries at different establishments before I can find a place that will allow me to use the facilities without making a purchase. Then, once I get into the restroom, I am almost too scared to use it because it is far from clean! It is a dreaded and horrible experience.

We all have a right to use a clean and sanitary restroom. It would also be really nice if more businesses would allow the public to use the restroom free of charge. Not everyone can afford to buy something every time they need to go.

I would start by letting the manager of the establishment know exactly what the issues are. If this doesn’t fix the problem(s), I would write them a letter explaining the situation and list problems that need to be addressed. I would keep a copy of the letter for your records because if it doesn’t seem like that has solved anything or encouraged them to clean the facilities, report them to the Better Business Bureau and to the city council. I would even write to the local papers, like this one, and let them know about the conditions the establishment is in. I am not sure what exactly is going on with the public bathroom vote the city council took, but I hope that if and when they do put more public restrooms in D.C. they make sure that they will be kept clean and sanitary. Hopefully the pilot program to offer businesses downtown a tax break or some sort of incentive to offer their restrooms to the public free of charge will start soon. That should mean more clean restrooms for us to enjoy! —Angela Dear Angela, I have my Section 8 voucher and I stay on Benning Road in Southeast.

My front door locks do not work properly, two of my windows do not lock, my shower has a huge hole in the tile through the wall into the living room closet (I am sure it has black mold), and my heat works when and how it wants to. How can I get this under control? I thought I was promised a safe and secure place to live. —Brianna Brianna, That sounds very unsafe and most definitely uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I hear about this same situation with way too many people I know that have their Section 8 voucher. I was in almost the exact same situation myself! When we are homeless, a lot of times we are so happy to get a roof over our heads that we allow little problems to slide when we first get to move in. The problem with that is… How a situation begins is typically how it ends. If there are issues that passed inspection, even though they should never have, and you didn't bring them up as soon as you saw them, the landlord won't see them as a problem. And then the little issues become big issues.

I would get your case manager to come take pictures and contact the property manager to get them fixed. If nothing gets done with that route, I would call the Department of Human Services and request an emergency inspection. When they come out, make sure to show the inspector all the issues. Your landlord will have a certain amount of time to fix any issues that they found during the inspection. If everything is not done by the due date, DHS will start the process of issuing you a new voucher. Your case manager will help you find a place to move and getting the DHS to help with moving to your new safer and better housing.

My personal thoughts on this recurring issue are: It is the landlords fault for being a slumlord and not having their units fixed. But the responsibility also rests with the inspections department at DHS. Their inspectors are passing units that should NEVER pass a safe and secure inspection. If you have any follow up questions feel free to email me anytime. —Angela Angela Meeks is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media. Send her your own questions to askmy2sense@gmail.com

If you hate Trump, what are the alternatives?

BY JEFFERY MCNEIL

While many in Washington, D.C., love to crow about how they went to Princeton or Harvard, being highly educated is meaningless when it comes to human interaction.

The D.C. establishment is elitist, clueless, and out of touch. But these snobs are in uncharted territory in the Trump era. And not only in America. People are rising up in France, Brazil and Great Britain against a ruling class who seem to think everyday people don’t matter.

Because many of these liberal elites and country club Republicans have walled themselves off from everyday people, they can’t understand why the working class has made Donald Trump their hero. They can’t understand that what is ideal is not realistic.

Someone high on a hill can afford to hold out for the ideal candidate, while those struggling to survive may sell their soul for a chance of fame and fortune.

The elites have told you the American Dream is dead. They said the factories aren’t coming back. Progressives say solar panels and windmills will replace the coal-burning stove and fireplace. However, some of us like the burning and don’t want to live on dandelions and ragweeds.

I don’t mind sacrificing and saving to buy my own stuff. I don’t want charity, I want to know where I stand in the marketplace. I’m not interested in liberalism, I don’t want to be treated like a noble savage that needs to be made Anglo, enlightened or Middle Class. I’m okay if my presence embarrasses polite society.

I like Popeye’s chicken. I’m American. I’m a straight male Christian who respects those who respect me. I treat social issues like smoking cigarettes: I don’t care if you smoke as long as you don’t blow it in my face. But unfortunately,

radicals and extremists are not interested in live-and-let-live.

What are the alternatives to Trump? Julian Castro wants to dramatically raise the taxes for the wealthiest tier of Americans.. While some are born wealthy, others start with nothing.

They sacrifice and become wealthy. Overly taxing someone just because he or she made something of themselves is why America had a Revolutionary War. The other Democratic choices are just as radical. Elizabeth Warren doesn’t know what would make her more relatable, being a Native American or a beer drinker. Kirsten Gillibrand stresses feminism and identity politics.

What was Trump supposed to do about shutting down the government? People voted for him because of issues such as illegal immigration. It’s the moral issue of our lifetime, like slavery or the Civil Rights movement. This is an issue where a president has come along to do what’s right rather than what’s politically convenient. We either are a nation of laws or just open ground where people can come here and do whatever they desire.

The Democrats could put a better foil for Donald Trump than Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker. Having Maxine Waters run the financial services committee and giving air time to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is deliberately divisive. Like with Nixon ‘72 and Bush in ‘04, if the Dems keep this up, many moderates and independents will hold their noses and beat back the socialist onslaught to re-elect Trump in 2020.

Many of these liberal elites and country club Republicans have walled themselves off from everyday people.

Jeffery McNeil is a Street Sense Media artist and vendor who also writes for the Washington Examiner.

Join the conversation, share your views - Have an opinion about how homelessness is being addressed in our community?

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- Interested in responding to what someone else has written?

Street Sense Media has maintained an open submission policy since our founding. We aim to elevate voices from across the housing spectrum and foster healthy debate.

Please send submissions to opinion@streetsensemedia.org.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

/ / 11

Praying for an end to the government shutdown

BY AIDA PEERY

Pennsylvania Ave NW, between the White House and Lafayette Square is usually busy with tourists, locals commuting to work. As the shutdown drags on, crowds have dwindled except for when a demonstration is taking place. PHOTO BY REGINALD BLACK. ARTIST/VENDOR

Trickle-down shutdown-omics

BY COLLY DENNIS

The federal government has been shut down for almost five weeks now, and people who are not even federal workers can feel the effect, including me. This trickles down to way way more than just the 800,000 federal workers who are affected. Of federal workers in the DMV region, 15 percent live in the District of Columbia, and many people depend on them to survive. When they don't get paid, we don’t get paid.

As a newspaper vendor, this is getting really hard to watch. Sales are down. I haven’t seen many of my regular customers in the last few weeks. Many are federal workers. I am seeing fewer people around in general.

Consequently, I am running late on my bills, to the point where I have been forced to put in more hours selling my papers and to do some small gigs like bartending and performing, just to add up for the lost income. I still don't see any end in sight.

It’s not just me. The babysitters that I see regularly where I sell my papers no longer have any kiddos with them, since some parents are now able to be home. Most dog walkers that used to buy my papers on their way to the S Street Dog Park aren’t working either. I also sell papers near a grocery store and a fast food restaurant; fewer people are patronizing those businesses, and the employees tell me their hours have been cut. The list can go on and on, all the way to the vulnerable people on our streets who rely on donations. They have been pushed to the wall.

Our federal workers bring so much to the table for this city and the people who live and work here. And most of them support their own families or other relatives.

This stupid theatrical shutdown is affecting so many people, all due to the selfishness of one person who by any means necessary wants to fulfill a campaign promise he didn’t even take seriously. This debate could have been had without forcing someone to work without a paycheck. It’s a different scenario to work for free and report zero income on taxes while your businesses are bringing in loads of money.

There are so many families, people with disabilities, and homeless individuals that rely on federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But thousands of recipients around the country are only guaranteed pay through February.

At least Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are considered mandatory spending and will not run out during the shutdown.

But millions more poor, homeless and marginalized people that rely on government benefits will feel the real impact. For example, if they don't receive their food stamps from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on time, they will struggle even more to put food on their table.

Colly Dennis is an artist and vendor for Street Sense Media.

The government shutdown is affecting me as a Street Sense Media vendor. I don’t get an extra check, nor do I have a part-time job to keep me afloat during government shutdowns. I have to rely on Street Sense Media to pay for my monthly bills, too.

But many customers who support me and my colleagues every two weeks are also government workers.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m grateful to my other customers that aren’t part of the shutdown and that do support me when I am selling my papers. In fact, I am so very grateful to you all during this terrible shutdown.

But I am asking all of my loyal and my colleagues’ loyal customers to help us spread the word about our wonderful paper (and of course your favorite vendor), so that we, too, can survive during this terrible of time.

I am praying for all the government workers that the shutdown will end soon.

And during this time that seems so scary to many who are not able to pay their monthly bills, I pray they use this time to pray, unwind and relax. Once the government opens back up, it’s back to stress and chaos all over again before you can take a vacation.

But I do pray that Democrats, who are now in control of the House, can ease the pain and fear. I pray that other businesses and communities can help the lighten these fears and feelings of embarrassment. I pray, too, for all of the people that have to choose between medication, and whether to provide for self or family, during this time. And I am praying for people that are about to be homeless or are homeless. I hope they can find shelter during this terrible shutdown. Amen.

Aida Peery is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

1 2 // S T REET SENSE ME DI A / / JA N. 2 3 - FE B . 5, 2019

ART Treading the Waters, Part 12

My Routine Facing the Cold

BY MARCUS GREEN Artist/Vendo

More Than I Can Bear

BY REGINALD DENNY Artist/Vendor

Life, for me, ain’t been no crystal staircase Its vicissitudes have ended me up everywhere In places and spaces where I need not be Just maybe, one day, I’d truly be free to just be me Free not be caught-up in the foolishness and folly Of another’s opinion of who they think I am I cannot and will not submit me To who and what you think I am supposed to be Yes, truth be told I have lived my life recklessly I’ve said things I should not have But who is anyone to judge me?

“He who is without sin, Cast the first stone.” (John 8:7) So, who really has the authority to tell me Who I am and cannot be?

We all must remember “We see through a glass, darkly.” (1 Corinthians 13:12) If we look again in that mirror We truly see and find the enemy within...the worst kind.

I should not, cannot, and will not Waste all my positive energy Meddling with the affairs of others.

First of all, I have sickle cell anemia, which can lead to some intense pain if I’m exposed to the cold for too long. Cold weather narrows the blood vessels in anyone’s extremities. But for someone with sickle cell disorder, this can lead to a painful crisis. It’s important for me to stay warm and dry.

So I layer up, eat right, juice more and take my vitamins.

When push comes to shove, I go somewhere and take a heat break.

Going back to Fort Knox, Kentucky, our military gear was wool: hat wool, socks wool.

Cotton shirts, cotton pants, cotton coat, leather gloves with wool lining, leather jump boots.

From another, more recent perspective, we sleep on cardboard boxes to block the cold and use blanket after blanket to lock in every ounce of body heat and survive the coldest time of the year.

The warm hearts of you customers is what makes the day worthwhile. Without you all, there’s no me. Thanks for the inspiration and God bless.

But If I take 12 hours in a day To mind my own business— And the other 12 Working out solutions for that business I’ll be alright.

All my life I have lacked stability. As a child, I never lived in one place. It was always meet new friends, move, and do it all over again.

Back then, I wanted to be an architect and to buy a house by the age of 30. But things didn’t go as planned. As an adult turning 40 this year, I’m just happy to be alive.

And I can finally say I’m comfortable with my living situation.Things aren’t perfect, but I have no reason to complain. Having a seizure disorder limits my job options, so I’ve had to create my own opportunities. My goal is to help more Street Sense Media vendors do the same.

I know how it feels to stand outside for hours and sometimes not sell any papers or receive any donations.

Selling the paper was beneficial mentally and financially,

When we were last with Gerald he was coming out of jail on pass, asking around about his best friend, Gregory, and the rest of their crew...

I ain’t see the news. I was coming home.

I hearing they come pick me up in a Deuce 25. My partner, Marlin, come around, pick me up.

I’m like, “Man, what y’all been doing?”

They say, “Baby Gerald, man, s***. It’s Christmas time, man. We been putting on a lot of robbin’.”

I say, “Man, y’all been doing a lot of robbin’? S***, where y’all be going at?”

They say, “Across St. Charles, Irish Channel.”

I say, “S***, I’m out here on pass, man. I ain’t trying to get … I barely be out. But, you know ... You ride, I ride.”

What went on to happen is, I’m out there with them but I don’t get down. Most time they go out, out there they can’t catch me. Because really I’m out chasing girls because I’m out on pass, I’m trying to get me some girls.

A while later, dude told me, “Man, man, Baby Gerald! Man, you seen the news!?”

I say, “What news?”

“Man, these n****s out here robbin’ got about hundred and something counts of robbery!”

I say, “Whaa??”

I look on the news. It was them! You know, it’s Gregory, Marlin, all my men.

I say, “Damn! Glad I ain’t messed with them n****s.”

But I used to ride with them. The only thing kept me out was I went back on my pass.

So I say, “Damn, I wonder how much time they gonna get?”

To be continued. You may also enjoy Gerald’s book “Still Standing: how an ex-con found salvation in the floodwaters of Katrina,” available on Amazon.com

I’m building opportunities for others

BY MARCELLUS PHILLIPS Artist/Vendor

BY GERALD ANDERSON // Artist/Vendor

so no matter what, it was always worth going out and trying. But there’s a lot more money to be made.

I’m currently working with a temp agency for maintenance work while I plan out my customer service and credit card processing business. I’d like to provide employment to those in need. Just like the paper, I want to help people help themselves.

I have set up a home office and made progress in several certification courses, including a project with Intuit Turbotax. I took my first call from home on Dec. 16. Ever since I started doing sales and customer service work, I have always wanted to be able to work from home. Now, after hard work and research, I have been able to make that happen.

I have always been honest and have been taught to be a leader instead of a follower, which has kept me alive and out of jail. I’m living proof that a homeless person with medical issues can set and accomplish any and all goals set in life.

This Year

BY MARCUS MCCALL Artist/Vendor

This year I’m working on becoming a better man. 2018 showed me great pain I had never felt before. I felt so alone in a world full of opportunity, where the cards of life are at your disposal. As I prepare myself for another round with the political world — yes, we wanted Hillary but got stuck with a “Donkey.” — I look forward to inspiring my readers with fantastic storytelling through Street Sense Media.

Hello, New Year. I am ready, serious, and humble!

I also want to talk this year about getting to know my family tree and getting my health on better footing. I need to be learning all I can about myself. This year, I promise to stay free of entanglements, listen, and not get caught up in my head.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

// 13

THE HOBO: Black Fields swears, “DC DON’T STAND FOR DODGE CITY!!!”

BY DUANE FOSTER Artist/Vendor

A strong gust of wind caused litter and debris to scatter along the pavement and the gutter. Black Fields noticed a Washington Post “Metro” section sailing in the wind.

“Do you know’ wut time it iz?!” echoed Little Benny in the far reaches of Black’s mind, body, and soul.

Things were moving along slow, so he decided to take a moment to find out “what time it is” and get somewhat updated on current affairs.

He hustled to grab the newspaper before it blew away. “Let me see wut'z happenin’.”

He immediately noticed the headline, “Police identify 19-year-old as first homicide victim of 2019.”

“Oh no!” Black gasped.

He swiftly scanned the column for details.

He didn’t know the victim, Shamar Marbury, but he was very familiar with the neighborhood.

Belmont Crossing apartments, in the Washington Highlands neighborhood, is no stranger to gun violence. For years, Black had lived on Fourth Place, which was hollering distance from where this shooting took place. He was certain that even though this 19-year-old was the first victim of the year, he wouldn’t be the last.

Just a few weeks prior, Black had been crushed by the news of a 15-year-old Anacostia High school student who had been shot 17 times by an assailant that was only 16-yrs-old himself. This occurred in the Garfield Heights neighborhood in Southeast, D.C., only blocks from Seventh District police station.

Garfield Heights has always been a hotbed of activity. Over the years, Black had seen this ‘hood embroiled in many different “beefs” with various crews. He was not surprised when he read that the motive was a “neighborhood dispute.”

“It’s like we living in the ‘Wild West,'” Black said to himself.

The killer was found days later wearing the victim’s signature Helly Hansen jacket. Fifteenyear-old Gerald Watson not only lost his jacket, he lost his life.

“These (bleep!) done lost their minds!”

Black wasn’t totally sure, but he had the inclination the young man may have been the nephew of an associate, Doodu. They had been meeting each other for years at Langston Lane.

Doodu sold weed and PCP, but Black didn’t see him very often because Doodu’s product at times was low quality. Black only called him as a last resort.

Anytime he'd meet Doodu, there would always be a group of youngsters outside his place. He told Black that they were his nephew and his friends. This made Black uneasy because it was a “trap house” (drugdealing location). He didn’t like seeing the impressionable young men being exposed to

the debauchery that pervades a dope spot.

Over the years he'd seen and heard about many tragic and unfortunate stories of hopes dashed and lives lost. One particular tragedy will haunt him forever.

It was March 3, 2010, and his monthly $200 SNAP benefit credit to his EBT card had posted.

The benefits were allocated alphabetically over the course of the first ten days of the month.

The last name Fields meant he typically got it on the third.

Black had lost the battle with the “monkey on his back” and desperation had prevailed. He had decided to head to the Murry’s grocery to sell his food stamps. He was going to sell $100 dollarsworth for $50 cash, and use the rest on a later date.

As he was walking down First Street, he ran into Will and Travon. They hung out at the corner house, across the street from the Murry’s. Black asked Will about a bag of weed on credit until he sold his food stamps.

“I need sum' bread moe. Come back wit’ five and I’ll throw you ‘da dime,” promised Will.

Neither realized this exchange of words would be one of Will’s last.

Black flew across the street to the Murry’s and stood by the entrance. He already had his budget set: $35 for two dippers, $5 for the weed from Will, $5 for Metro, $4 for eight single Newports, and $1 for a chocolate Dutch Master cigarillo.

However, those plans wouldn’t come to fruition.

Before he even had a chance to solicit anyone, shots rang out, “POP!-POP!-POP!...WA da-dada DANG-WA da-da-da DANG! LISTEN to ‘da AK-47 GO BANG-POP!!!”

“OH (bleep!)!!!” Black shouted. His first instinct was to get out of dodge. He bent down, remained low, and used the parked cars as cover.

He heard screams, shouts, and sirens, as he ran around the corner and out of harm’s way.

He didn’t know who the shooter was or who had been the intended target. Rubbernecking or becoming a “hood reporter” wasn't a priority.

However, when the dust settled, nine people were shot. One died on the scene, and eight others were transported to area hospitals. Three of them died soon after.

Later, it was discovered that all this carnage stemmed from a lost bracelet covered with fake diamonds.

It was hours before he found out what had happened. He was smoking a dipper with Tim, on his balcony on Atlantic Avenue, watching FOX 5 News through the sliding glass door.

He cried like a baby as he listened to the news analyst run down the details.

“I had jus’ seen ‘dem (bleep!)! I’d just’ talked to ‘em. ‘Dey wuz sum’ good men, GOOD MEN!” Tim said as he poured out some of his Steel Reserve 211 over the balcony rail.

“Why is ‘deez dudes so angry?” Black pondered.

He thought of an interview he had read with James Garbarino, PhD, a famed professor at Loyola University. “Most killers are untreated traumatized children who are controlling the actions of the scary adults they have become,” the professor had said.

Black was in the Catholic Charities drug rehabilitation and transition program at the time, and he found Garbarino’s theories to be very similar to those Narcotics Anonymous promoted. “Y’all stopped maturing once the addiction set in.” Dr. Thomas, the head addiction counselor, had told him. “When you started getting high daily, your mentality ceased to progress. Devotion to drugs and alcohol is very childish behavior.”

Garbarino also spoke about how those who were exposed to violence and trauma may have a different value system. “Another dimension is the legitimization of aggression — the belief that when you're threatened, you're morally entitled and psychologically required to defend yourself,” he said.

Black could remember vividly when he was around 4 years old and his mother saw him quarreling with another little boy. She pulled him aside and scolded, “If I ever see one'a theez' lil' (bleep!) hit you and you don’t hit ‘dem back, I'm whoopin' yo' (bleep!) myself! You betta' go fight right now, OR ELSE!” He ran back out there and fought his heart out. Win, lose, or draw — he'd been fighting ever since. He couldn’t help but to be a soldier, always fighting some imaginary battle. That’s how he’d been taught to live.

Black found it hard to fathom that all mothers didn’t “raise their child not to be no punk.” Everyone he knew had the same experience. Garbarino calls this way of thinking “hypervigilance.”

Garbarino also spoke of a concept that Black found to be very familiar, “pre-emptive assault — get them before they get you.”

Black agreed. He’d rather be judged by 12, than carried by six.

Garbarino said that if you combine “hypervigilance” with the belief in “pre-emptive assault”, the result is a “war zone mentality”.

Garbarino had traveled the world studying the behavior of individuals whom had experienced trauma and found the patterns to be consistent across the cultural board.

Black found these concepts to be profound.

What Garbarino was inadvertently describing, in his opinion - was ‘the Code of the Streets’.

He couldn’t help but to come to one conclusion. He felt he was too far gone to be saved, but the younger generation behind him still had a chance. “We gotta start teachin' these babies different!” he screamed from Tim’s balcony.

No One Knows

BY RASHAWN BOWSER Artist/Vendor

No one knows the pain that I feel No one knows the heartache within My heart breaks with each passing moment My tears are always there No one knows the hurt that’s inside No one knows the loneliness I feel I walk around like everything’s fine But deep down inside, I know that’s a lie With each passing moment I slowly die No one knows the sadness that is there No one knows because no one cares.

Walking in My Shoes

BY REGGIE JONES Artist/Vendor

Man, you talking about the blues Every day I watch the news Then I go out and look for jobs Which shows me this life is hard What am I doing wrong?

Is it me?

Why won’t they give me a chance?

Why? Thank God for Street Sense.

1 4 // ST REET SEN S E

FUN & GAMES

3 7 8 1 2 9 6 5 4 5 9 1 7 4 6 8 2 3 7 DI3A /2/ JA 5 8 1 4 6 9 ME N. 2 3 - FE B. 5, 2019 8 4 6 2 9 3 7 1 5

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Sudoku #5 4 7 5 1 6 3 8 4 1 2 9 7 7 5 2 6 9 4 6 8 8 1 3 5 3 8 7 9 5 9 4 2 2 6 1 3

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3 6 9 1 8 3 4 2 3 5 1 7 7 4 2 9 6 1 5 6 4 2 6 7 1 8 3 4 ©820179KrazyDad.com 7 5

6 4 1 5

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

Sudoku #7

If you use logicFill you in can solve the puzzle without guesswork.

SUDOKU: 5 2 6 8 4 1 7 9 3 the Needblank a little squares help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. so each the row, Usethat it to identify next square1you9should 4 solve.

2 the8 answers 6 5page 7 3Or use if you really get stuck. each column and 7 8 3 9 5 6 1 2 4 each 3-by-3 block contain all of the 6 1 2 5 9 4 3 8 7 digits 1-9.

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LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION >>

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Sudoku #4 8 4 1 2 3 6 7 9 3 8 4 5 6 2 5 9 1 7 1 3 2 6 7 4 9 8 6 5 2 1 4 5 7 3 8 9 3 6 8 1 5 2 2 7 9 4 6 3

BY ANGELA MEEKS // Artist/Vendor 5 1 4 7 9 8

Horoscopes from the street!

KrazyDad runs on electrity and caffeine. Want to buy me a cup of coffee?

You can donate at http://krazydad.com Or by mail: Krazydad, P.O. Box 303 Sun Valley, CA 91353 USA Thank you for helping out!

Sudoku #3 2 8 4 1 5 6 9 7 3 7 3 Novice 2 6Volume 5 16, Book 1 1 Sudoku 4 8 by 9KrazyDad, 9 5 6 7 3 2 1 4 8 1 2 8 6 4 3 5 9 7 6 7 5 9 2 1 8 3 4 4 9 3 8 7 5 6 2 1 8 4 2 5 9 7 3 1 6 5 1 9 3 6 4 7 8 2 3 6 7 2 1 8 4 5 9

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7 4 3 2 6 1 4 7 9 1 5 8 3 2 6

I reviewed six different websites to find you the best advice for the last two weeks of January.

Sudoku #6 4 7 3 closest 8 6 family Aquarius (born 5Jan.2 209- Feb. 18):1Your members will give 1 7you8 the2best 6 advice.

5 9 are 3 4 Changes waiting for you at work. Although emotions will be strong, 4 3 6 5 8 9 1 7 2 you will not be interested in romance.

9 4 1 7 2 5 6 3 8 Pisces (born Feb.819 5- March 3Thanks 4 9to concentration 2 620): 1 7 and courage in defense of your beliefs, you will show 3 6 7 1 9 8 5 2 4 everyone that you have leadership skills. It is a perfect 5 9 and4 set7your 8 own 2 1 habits 6 course.

3 time to change harmful 6 9 3 8 1 2 7 4 5 Aries (born March 21 - April 19): Your success will 7 8 4 3 5 6 2 9 1 depend on cooperation from work colleagues and friends.

You may need to show flexibility and, if necessary, put your pride in your pocket to make concessions or compromises.

Sudoku #8 2 120 -6 May 4 Think 7 20): 9 8 about 3 5what is Taurus (born April most important to you 2want 4 you 8 and 9 to6accomplish 1 7 what 3 5 in life. You will succeed if you focus on yourself and your 9 5 3 6 1 8 7 4 2 needs. It is a very good time to start new ventures.

3 6 1 4 9 5 2 8 7 Gemini (born May This3is a1time5of planning 7 9 20): 8 21-June 2 6 4 and change. If you feel your potential is wasted, it’s time 5 4 2 1 8 7 3 9 6 for a change. There may be commotion at home, but if you 8 it5will3resolve 4 6quickly.

7 9 1 2 take the time to talk it out, 7 3 5 9 2 6 4 1 8 Cancer (born June 21-July 22): Your professionalism 6 9 4 8 7 1 5 2 3 and commitment can help you gain professional success.

You can count on the support of your close friends and family. There will be a lot of additional opportunities to earn money, though you may find yourself arguing with partners more than usual.

Leo (born July 23 - Aug. 22): Now is a great opportunity to use your passion and skills to improve your material situation.Think about buying real estate or long-term bonds.

You will prefer time at home with a loved one to partying with others. Make time for relaxation and positivity.

Virgo (born Aug. 23 - Sept. 22): You will be able to verify your outlook on things and see that your position has been correct all along. However, your spending may currently be more than your budget allows.

Libra (born Sept. 23 - Oct. 22): Focus on your inner self and realize what’s best for you. Stop being so stubborn, now is not the time. Spend your money carefully. Tell your loved ones how much you value their presence.

Scorpio (born Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): This is a very good time for selling or buying property and an interesting time for your relationships with your relatives. You may feel motivated to volunteer or give back — this is a great time for socializing and undertaking charitable activities.

Sagittarius (born Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): To handle problems, you must control your emotions and pay attention to the feelings of others. You will have peace regarding professional matters. Avoid risky investments and prepare for a significant drop in energy that will be difficult for you to fight.

Capricorn (born Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): You should remember that reaching compromises is a good route to success. Do not be afraid to use the advice and help of relatives and friends, because there will be many duties to fulfill. Logical thinking will be your strong point.

Author Gene Weingarten is a college dropout and a nationally syndicated humor columnist for The Washington Post. Author Dan Weingarten is a former college dropout and a current college student majoring in information technology. Many thanks to Gene Weingarten and The Washington Post Writers Group for allowing Street Sense to run Barney & Clyde.

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All services listed are referral-free Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org

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Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW ID (Friday 9am–12pm only) foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities

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Georgetown Ministry Center // 202-338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW georgetownministrycenter.org

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd St., NW jobshavepriority.org

Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 Newton St., NW loavesandfishesdc.org

Church of the Pilgrims // 202-387-6612 2201 P St., NW food (1-1:30 on Sundays only) churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 2114 14th St., NW marthastable.org

Community Family Life Services 202-347-0511 // 305 E St., NW cflsdc.org

Miriam’s Kitchen // 202-452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave., NW miriamskitchen.org

Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

Covenant House Washington 202-610-9600 // 2001 Mississippi Ave., SE covenanthousedc.org

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW dccfh.org

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

1-888-793-4357 Laundry Lavandería

Patricia Handy Place for Women 202-733-5378 // 810 5th St., NW

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE

JOB BOARD Receptionist/Customer Service

Mb Staffing Services // 601 New Jersey Ave NW Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org

Samaritan Ministry 202-722-2280 // 1516 Hamilton St., NW // 202-889-7702 // 1345 U St., SE samaritanministry.org

This position is responsible for greeting and providing friendly customer service to clients at an employment agency, as well as answering phone calls.

REQUIRED: Communication skills, flexible schedule, ability to answer multi-lined phones APPLY: www.tinyurl.com/reception-mbstaffing

Store Associate

Modell’s Sporting Goods // Washington, D.C. Sasha Bruce Youthwork // 202-675-9340 741 8th St., SE sashabruce.org

So Others Might Eat (SOME) // 202-797-8806 71 O St., NW some.org

This position is responsible for inventory control, ensuring customer satisfaction, and supporting customer loyalty programs and promotional events.

REQUIRED: Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel APPLY: www.tinyurl.com/modells-assoc

Facility Housekeeper

U-Haul International, Inc. // 2215 5th St NE St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-333-4949 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

Thrive DC // 202-737-9311 1525 Newton St., NW thrivedc.org

This position is responsible for cleaning storage units, hallways, restrooms, elevator and other areas of the facility, as well as maintaining/stocking cleaning supply inventory records and requesting new supplies.

APPLY: www.tinyurl.com/uhaul-clean

Food Prep Worker

Aramark // Washington, D.C. Unity Health Care // 202-745-4300 3020 14th St., NW unityhealthcare.org

Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St., NW // 202-328-5500 legalclinic.org

This position prepares ingredients for assisting cooks, chefs, and food service managers while adhering to sanitary food handling procedures. REQUIRED: Ability to obtain food safety certification, basic math skills APPLY: www.tinyurl.com/aramark-prep

Restaurant Team Member The Welcome Table // 202-347-2635 1317 G St., NW epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable

My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

N Street Village // 202-939-2060 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

// 15

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org

For further information and listings, visit our online service guide at StreetSenseMedia.org/service-guide

Moe’s Southwest Grill // Washington, D.C. This position greets guests and prepares food, as well as performing other tasks set by the manager. It is expected to be a friendly and welcoming team member.

BENEFITS: Paid vacation for employees who average over 35 hrs/week, health, dental, and vision insurance for employees who average over 30 hrs/week REQUIRED: Flexible schedule APPLY: www.tinyurl.com/moes-restaurant

Hiring? Send your job postings to editor@StreetSenseMedia.org

Giving back to my community

BY CHON GOTTI // Artist/Vendor

Above: Chon Gotti kneels in front of the National Coalition for the Homeless outreach team. Right: The outreach team speaks with a man on Connecticut Avenue NW. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHON GOTTI

Let us give a hand to all nine of my amazing college students from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. WOOOO-HOOOO! This was my first event mentoring and facilitating an outreach group for the National Coalition for the Homeless. Another speaker, Karen, and I led these students to provide food and water while they got to know our brothers and sisters on the street. Helping to open these students' eyes and giving back to my city of Washington, D.C., was beautiful. Thank you for your help, future leaders: Sonia, Alex, Fridah, Vivian, Zoeb, Kaitlyn, Bela, Brittany, Francesca.

You guys were amazing!

Street Sense Media family, I was just selected into the NCH Speakers Bureau as a professional speaker. I came from being homeless myself over eight years ago. Now I'm proud to say I have multiple streams of income.

New Year Hopes

BY PAT DONALDSON Artist/Vendor

My New Year’s hope is that things will change, and the future will be better for the homeless to have a place to come home to and be safe in the streets of D.C. I’d like to see people smiling and happy, every day.

Thank you for reading Street Sense!

From your vendor ILLUSTRATION BY BARBARA POLLARD

JAN. 23 - FEB. 5, 2019 VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 6

The Monkeys Are Back

BY MICHAEL CRAIG // Volunteer

The Monkey felt down and out. All of its interactions with others seemed to be artificial, empty and awry. This made the Monkey feel distant, disconnected.

It was distraught. There seemed to be no point anymore. The clock was ticking, and it felt like there was nothing left in life. Its existence was basically through.

The Monkey thought it was knocked out: dazed, mesmerized.

But it saw this little glimmer of light, and with its last breath, the Monkey jumped up. Once it realized there was a little light left, the Monkey got excited. Its courage came back, and its adrenaline level went flying through the sky.

The Monkey realized that all of these challenges that confront us are to be overcome. Like a boxing match, you just have to take each one, one bell at a time, swing by swing. This world is a challenge, but you don’t have

to lose to it. The Monkey realized that inside of itself, it was still a champ.

There was a lot left in life; it wasn’t over. The Monkey was on the ropes but it got back in the ring when it realized it could take the battles. It was here for the battles.

Everyone’s got to go through another battle, every day, guaranteed. That challenge might be miniscule; it might be humongous. And once you win one battle, you go on to the next. But if you recognize that, you know what’s in front of you.

And by by doing this, the Monkey became a true CHAMPION. It didn’t lay down and die. It learned to take each challenge with beauty and grace. Slowly but surely, all of the monkeys learned to take life one day at a time and became champions, too.

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