Volume 14: Issue 7 February 8 - 21, 2017
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Street Sense is the street media center of our nation’s capital. We aim to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are facing homelessness in our community.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES www.StreetSense.org • Author Gerald Anderson reflects on the Women’s March on Washington: StreetSense.org • The founder of our film cooperative has a brandnew project elevating marginalized voices. Check out the trailer: Facebook. com/streetsensedc • See photographer Ken Martin’s shots documenting Metro’s handiwork (to accompany his essay on pg 15): Streetsense.org
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OUR STORY Street Sense began in August 2003 after Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions with the idea to start a street paper in Washington, D.C. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, Street Sense published its first issue in November 2003. In 2005, Street Sense achieved 501 ( c ) 3 status as a nonprofit organization, formed a board of directors and hired a full-time executive director. Today, Street Sense is published every two weeks through the efforts of four salaried employees, more than 100 active vendors, and dozens of volunteers. Nearly 30,000 copies are in circulation each month.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jeremy Bratt, Max Gaujean, Margaret Jenny, Robyn Kerr, Jennifer Park, Reed Sandridge, Dan Schwartz, Jeremy Scott, John Senn, Kate Sheppard, Anne Willis EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brian Carome EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric Falquero COMMUNICATIONS & SALES MANAGER Jeff Gray VENDOR MANAGER Mysa Elsarag EVENTS & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Dani Gilmour INTERNS Ashley Clarke, Bryan Gallion, Ariel Gomez, Ji Kim, Jeffery Murray, Jeanine Santucci WRITERS GROUP LEADERS (VOLUNTEER) Donna Daniels, Susan Orlins, Willie Schatz OPINION EDITORS (VOLUNTEER) Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Britt Peterson EDITORIAL & PAPER SALES VOLUNTEERS Jane Cave, Roberta Haber, Leonie Peterkin, Andrew Siddons, Marian Wiseman, Eugene Versluysen VENDORS Shuhratjon Ahamadjonov, Gerald Anderson, Charles Armstrong, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Aida Basnight, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Melanie Black, Phillip Black Jr., Maryann Blackmon, Viktor Blokhine, Debora Brantley, Andre Brinson, Donald Brown, Joan Bryant, Elizabeth Bryant, Brianna Butler, Melody Byrd, Conrad Cheek, Aaron Colbert, Anthony Crawford, Walter Crawley, Kwayera Dakari, James Davis, Clifton Davis, Charles Davis, David Denny, James DeVaughn, Ricardo Dickerson, Dennis Diggs, Alvin Dixon-El, Ronald Dudley, Charles Eatmon, Deana Elder, Julie Ellis, Jemel Fleming, Chon Gotti, Marcus Green, Barron Hall, Tyrone Hall, Richard Hart Lorrie Hayes, Patricia Henry, Jerry Hickerson, Ray Hicks, Sol Hicks, Rachel Higdon, Ibn Hipps, Leonard Hyater, Joseph Jackson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Harold Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, Morgan Jones, Linda Jones, Darlesha Joyner, Juliene Kengnie, Kathlene Kilpatrick, Hope Lassiter, John Littlejohn, James Lott, Scott Lovell, Michael Lyons, Jimmy M. Ken Martin, Joseph Martin, Kina Mathis, Michael Lee Matthew, Authertimer Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Jermale McKnight, Jeffery McNeil, Ricardo Meriedy, Cynthia Mewborn, Kenneth Middleton, Cecil More, L. Morrow, Evelyn Nnam, Moyo Onibuje, Earl Parkin, Lucifer Potter, Ash-Shaheed Rabil, Henrieese Roberts, Anthony Robinson, Doris Robinson, Raquel Rodriquez, Lawrence Rogers, Joseph Sam, Chris Shaw, Patty Smith, Smith Smith, Gwynette Smith, Ronald Smoot, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens James Stewart, Beverly Sutton, Sybil Taylor, Archie Thomas, Shernell Thomas, Craig Thompson, Eric Thompson-Bey, Sarah Turley-Colin, Carl Turner, Jacqueline Turner, Leon Valentine, Grayla Vereen, Ron Verquer, Martin Walker, Michael Warner, Robert Warren, Angelyn Whitehurst, William Whitsett, Wendell Williams, Sasha Williams, Judson Williams III, Ivory Wilson, Denise Wilson, Charles Woods
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STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
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LOCAL NEWS
Economic Experts, D.C. Residents Discuss 2018 Budget
George Jones, CEO of Bread for the City; Lecester Johnson, CEO of Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School; Angela Hodges, D.C. Resident; Judith Sandalow, Panel Moderator and Executive Director of Children’s Law Center; Keyla Ryland, D.C. Resident. LIVESTREAM SCREEN CAPTURE
By Jeanine Santucci jeanine.santucci@streetsense.org District residents, government officials and nonprofit representatives gathered on Jan. 31 to discuss the impact of potential demands from the federal government on the city’s 2018 budget. The event, Progress Amidst Uncertainty, was organized by the nonprofit D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute in order to learn about the needs of the city and the residents who use its services well ahead of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s budget proposal that is due this spring. Economic experts Jared Bernstein, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, and Executive Director of D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute Ed
Lazere discussed the impact of the budget on the District and the current limitations D.C.’s fiscal policy places on the budget. Bernstein urged District leaders to be mindful of low-income families and not adhere to President Donald Trump’s trickle-down economic proposals. In light of the federal context, it is remarkable that 96 percent of D.C. residents “rejected Donald Trump,” Bernstein said. “Here in the city, here in the District we have an asset that nobody else has,” he said. “We have a huge majority who represent what I’m calling a bastion of rationality, a bastion of people in support of economic justice, folks who understand that process of policy, of legislation, of what it takes to get from here to there, folks who understand the plight that nonwhites face in today’s economy.”
According to Bernstein, the cost of long-standing,” Jones said. “Often we economic justice could be tested by look for solutions that are based on the changes in federal spending. Lazere added individual, but I want to reiterate that that policymakers must counter current those kinds of disparities are generated tax cut triggers, policies requiring that by our system, not by individuals.” surplus dollars be put into savings and Assistance programs are often necessary a lack of budget cushioning in case of to break a cycle of poverty, according to federal cuts, all current D.C. policies that panelist Angela Hodges, who credits resources are issues facing the 2018 budget. like Medicaid for helping her overcome selfSafety-net services are crucial, even for destructive behaviors earlier in life. other service providers, according to panelist “If it hadn’t been for the groups I Lecester Johnson, CEO of the Academy of attended such as the Women’s CollecHope Adult Public Charter School. tive, which helped me go from denial to “The hardest part of our job as adult acceptance and getting the treatment I educators is not teaching people to read, needed to survive, I wouldn’t be sitting write and do math,” Johnson said. “We here today,” said Hodges, who lives in a lose adults residential because “[D.C. has] a huge majority who community housing for homefalls apart, represent what I’m calling a bastion of less women there’s food rationality ... who understand the plight w h o a r e insecurity.” HIV-posithat nonwhites face in today’s economy.” t i v e . “ We Nineteenyear-old —Jared Bernstein, Economist don’t just Keyla Ryland, take and who also spoke on the panel, described take. We know how to give back and help.” going through high school while her Bernstein said his hope for the event was family was homeless. She spoke to the to outline the progressive agenda that D.C. determination it takes to simply get by, policymakers will have to adopt in order to despite public misconception that people address low-income residents’ needs while in poverty seem to “manage fine” without responding to federal pressures. services. Panelist George Jones, CEO of “I want to take our 96 percent asset, Bread for the City, emphasized health I want to take our kick-ass agenda, care coverage as a necessary service, not and I want to work with this awakened just “a nice thing to do.” opposition to make that not just a “The challenges that people of color D.C. agenda but the national agenda,” have experienced in this country are so Bernstein said. ■
D.C. Seeks to Improve Its Comprehensive Plan By Ashley Clarke ashley.clarke@streetsense.org The D.C. Office of Planning is amending the Comprehensive Plan, a long-standing document that outlines priorities for D.C.’s future growth and change. In a statement from the Office of Planning, Director Eric Shaw encouraged residents to read the Comprehensive Plan and make suggestions for changes. “‘Planning an Inclusive City’ is the guiding vision for the DC Comprehensive Plan. An inclusive city is one where every member of the community feels welcome wherever they are in the city, and where everyone has a fair and equitable opportunity to live a healthy, successful and fulfilling life,” Edward Geifer, associate director of the Office of Planning, wrote in an email to Street Sense. A heterogeneous coalition was born out of the Office of Planning’s call to the public. Community organizations, for-profit and nonprofit developers, faith groups, tenant advocates and other
local organizations have formed a loose coalition of interested parties to identify priorities for creating more affordable housing and community support for under-resourced communities in D.C. The coalition met over several months to reach an agreement on a series of priorities that are listed on their website at www.DCHousingpriorities.org. According to the 2016 annual census done by the D.C. Council on Homelessness, 8,350 people experience homelessness on any given night in the city. Coalition members want to see growth in the city but also want the Office of Planning to know that growth does not mean pushing marginalized people further to the margins. “It is possible to build new housing, including a good measure of affordable housing, and grow the District’s tax base in a way that makes business sense and advances the public good. The result can be a combination of new housing and amenities for residents and increased revenue for the city so it can continue to enhance quality of life,” said Aakash Thakkar in the a news
release. Thakkar is the senior vice president of EYA, a real estate development firm that is part of the coalition. Coalition members believe that more affordable housing and targeted support for D.C. communities should be in the Comprehensive Plan. Philip Stump-Kennedy told Street Sense that Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) joined the coalition in hopes of using the Office of Planning as a tool for their mission. StumpKennedy is the regional tenant organizing manager at LEDC. He said he is tasked with the preservation of affordable housing in D.C, which is one of the priorities the coalition wants addressed. He referred to the lack of affordable housing in D.C. and said it is important that subsidized housing like Section 8 housing is maintained in D.C. Stump-Kennedy also believes rent control is an important part of affordable housing preservation. The rest of the coalition agrees and lists the protection of tenants as a priority. Stump-Kennedy said that the LEDC focuses on organizing tenants, connecting them with attorneys
and other tenant associations. StumpKennedy said there is strength in numbers and organization. “We need policies that preserve the affordable housing we already have as the District develops. It’s clear the city needs more units to meet the demand of the people coming here, but we also need strategies to protect tenants who are struggling to stay in the city. Those goals don’t have to be in conflict,” said Rob Wohl, a tenant organizer for the LEDC, in a news release. The coalition members believe that the development of affordable housing and equitable economics requires the participation of all D.C. communities in order to move toward a solution. A full list of organizations and businesses in support of the D.C. housing priorities can be found on their webpage. Residents can get involved by signing up for updates at plandc.dc.gov and submitting proposed amendments during the open call period for amendments. ■
Muslim Advocates Demand More Than “Lip Service” from D.C. Council By Cassidy Jensen Editorial Intern More than 200 people demonstrated outside D.C. Council on Jan. 26, protesting President Donald Trump’s then-planned order to ban immigration from some Middle-Eastern countries and his executive order to build a border wall along the U.S.Mexican border and increase enforcement of immigration laws. The D.C. Justice for Muslims Coalition, which according to a report by DCist includes the Washington Peace Center, the Muslim American Women’s Policy Forum, Collective Action for Safe Spaces, the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms and Hindus for Justice, demanded that the D.C. Council go beyond the resolution introduced Jan. 24 affirming the human rights of District residents and reiterating D.C.’s status as a sanctuary city. The coalition asked that the Council and the mayor preserve Washington as a sanctuary city for Muslim communities, in part by issuing a statement that D.C. will not comply with orders to ban Muslims, create a Muslim registry or criminalize Muslim organizations. “While it is commendable that the D.C. Council has passed a resolution affirming the human rights of the District’s residents, it is important to note that for many of our communities, our rights are stripped by the law and it is the law that upholds our dehumanization,” said Darakshan Raja, co-director of the Washington Peace Center. “It is not enough to give lip service,” she said. The statement Raja read also called on the Council to fund refugee resettlement programs, prevent the Metropolitan Police Department and Department of Corrections from engaging in immigration enforcement or sharing information with federal authorities, and block the implementation of registries of people investigated for national security purposes. Finally, the coalition demanded
The sun sets on rotesters gathered outside of the John A. Wilson buidling. PHOTO BY CASSIDY JENSEN
that the D.C. government prevent the loss of benefits for marginalized groups that depend upon them. The protest was in response to Trump’s reported plans to block immigration from Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Iran, as executive order that has since passed to tighten border security. Muslim American Women’s Policy Forum, which organized the rally, also asked citizens to call into the D.C. Council and the mayor’s office on Jan. 26. As wind violently whipped the flags outside the Wilson Building back and forth, organizers requested solidarity with targeted groups, including Muslims, immigrants and refugees. Speakers from Black Lives Matter DMV, the Washington Peace Center, GABRIELA Washington D.C. and MAWPF critiqued Trump’s policies toward immigrants and more broadly, global U.S. imperialism. Councilmember Robert White appeared at the beginning of the rally to assure protesters’ that he will protect D.C. residents, standing up for Muslims, LGBTQ people and Latino people. “We represent America, we look like America,” he said. “I want you to know that as one of your representatives on the City Council that I stand with you and I know my colleagues stand with you.
Dr. Maha Hilal, executive director of National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms, said that six of the seven targeted countries are currently being bombed by the United States. “Yet we consider them a threat,” she said. “The countries that are being bombed are a threat to the United States.” Noor Mir, a member of MAWPF, recounted the March 2016 story of a police officer at the Shaw Public Library who intimidated a a Muslim woman wearing a hijab, demanding that she remove her headscarf. She called for lawyers and interpreters willing to volunteer their services to help those facing deportation and for the establishment of local safe spaces in community centers and churches that could serve as havens for Muslims and other immigrants. Mir also explained what a Muslim registry would look like, describing the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, a system developed after Sept. 11, 2001 that tracked non-citizen men from 25 Muslim majority countries and South Korea. Although the policy ended in 2011, the Penn State Law and Rights Working Group found in a 2012 report that NSEERS resulted in 13,000 deportation proceedings. She told non-Muslim listeners not to volunteer to register themselves for any future Muslim
registry, saying it would be ineffective. Government Affairs Manager for Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbi Joseph Berman read a passage from the Torah describing the treatment of the ancient Israelites at the hand of the Egyptian pharaoh. After recounting how midwives disobeyed orders to kill young Israeli boys at birth, he led the crowd in a chant: “Be like the midwives! Resist Pharaoh! Choose life!” April Goggans, an organizer with Black Lives Matter DMV, told the crowd not to depend on the government for protection. “Will our actions match our words?” she asked. “People need to access how far they are willing to go to liberate and protect each other.” She referenced the consequences for D.C. if the Trump administration follows through on threats to defund sanctuary cities. O t h e r s p e a k e r s i n c l u d e d M WA P F member Ramah Kudaimi, WPC co-director Día Bùi and Office Manager Jessie Sheffield and Jo Quiambao from GABRIELA Washington D.C., a group that works with Filipina human trafficking victims. “We hope we can count on you to show up, we hope we can count on you to resist, and we hope we don’t get deported!” said Hilal to close the rally. “We will fight fire with fire, we will fight Trump with fire!” ■
“A protester speaks to the crowd, aided by a microphone. She stands in front of a banner that uses “Innocent Until Proven Muslim” as a hashtag. | BY CASSIDY JENSEN
Volunteers Canvas City to Account for D.C.’s Homeless Population By Bryan Gallion bryan.gallion@streetsense.org Approximately 275 volunteers searched 20 D.C. neighborhoods for the annual Point in Time homeless count on Jan. 25. Volunteer Jesse Rabinowitz helped canvass the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. Despite his experience working as an advocacy specialist at Miriam’s Kitchen, a Foggy Bottom-based nonprofit that provides meals and other services to chronically homeless people, Rabinowitz was surprised by what constituted shelter for some individuals his group surveyed. “People are sleeping in places you walk past and wouldn’t be aware of,” he said. T h i s o n e - n i g h t s n a p s h o t o f D . C . ’s h o m e l e s s
population aids the city government in establishing year-by-year trend data to inform budgeting for housing resources and other necessary solutions, according to Laura Zeilinger, director of D.C.’s Department of Human Services. “ I t ’s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o m a k e s u r e t h a t w e acknowledge people, that we are counting them and that we are understanding a little more about folks who experience homelessness,” Zeilinger said while participating in the count. The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (CPPH) has conducted the count on behalf of D.C. since 2001 to discover the number of homeless people in the District and demographics of the population. PIT counts took place across the country. The D.C. count was one of nine searches conducted in the
Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The national project is managed by the Department of Housing and Development (HUD) and carried out through Continuums of Care (CoC), community service organizations that receive HUD funding to combat homelessness. To receive funding, CoC’s must participate in biannual homeless surveys. The CPPH instead conducts the street search every January. A total of 8,350 homeless people were counted in D.C. during the 2016 count, up from 7,298 in 2015 — a 14.4 percent increase. Prior to participating in this year’s survey, volunteers congregated at National City Christian Church to be addressed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of city government. With public attention focused on a new presidential
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
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LOCAL NEWS
Gray’s Public Safety Bill Crticized for Not Addressing Poverty By Ariel Gomez and Ashley Clarke Editorial Interns A crowd gathered in front of the Wilson building on Monday, Feb. 6 to voice their outrage in response to emergency legislation that had been introduced by Ward 7 Councilmember and former mayor Vincent C. Gray. His proposed Police Officer Recruitment and Retention Act, introduced Jan. 10, aimed to retain and increase the ranks of the Metropolitan Police Department The demonstrators rallied against the increase of police presence in D.C.’s Black communities. They held signs stating “D.C. Spends More Money on Policing and Prisons than we do on Public Schools,” “#FundBlackFutures” and “Police are Supposed to Serve and Protect not Judge and Kill.” Gray’s legislation proposed a salary doubling program whereby officers eligible for retirement could stay on the force for an additional five years and their salary would be doubled in the final year. This incentive would remain in effect until the size of the department reached 4,200 officers. As of December, it stood at 3,786. The program was budgeted at $63.8 million and left room for raises throughout MPD. Following the introduction of Gray’s public safety bill, several advocacy groups spoke out against it, claiming funds would be sent to the wrong people. Bread for the City, a nonprofit that provides food, clothing, medical, legal and social services to vulnerable D.C. residents expressed concern that the city government spends approximately three times more on policing than it spends on housing, even though the District is in a housing, homelessness and displacement crisis. “The true public safety emergency is the housing crisis,” Bread for the City said in a press release responding to Gray’s proposal. According to fiscal year 2017
documents, D.C. government is spending $459,018,810 more on policing than it is on housing. However, out of the $13 billion budget for the current fiscal year, the District allotted $235 million to go towards affordable housing, consistently higher than previous administrations. “Ultimately, we must begin to consider the government’s investments not on the basis of what has been done in the past, but rather, we must demand investments that move us closer to meeting the actual need — a number closer to $5 billion,” according to Bread for the City’s statement. “Homelessness is killing people.” Movement for Black Lives D.C. also opposed the bill and participated in the Feb. 6 protest. “The Act suggests that increasing the number of police officers is critical to public safety,” Movement for Black Lives said in a press release. “In fact, no such evidence, other than anecdotal statements by the police, actually provides support for this assertion ... [The proposed legislation] also suggests poor prioritization on the part of District leaders.” Instead of investing more funding in law enforcement, protestors demanded that D.C. Council fully fund the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act, which went into effect June 2016 but was not fully funded in the mayor’s budget. The NEAR Act was championed by Councilmember McDuffie to approach crime as a public health concern and invest in communities to prevent violence through mentorships and other supports. Outside of the Wilson Building that Monday, demonstrators expressed their fear of excessive use of force and a sense that there is already an overwhelming police presence in their communities. “I am not anti-police, but I am anti-police brutality”, Beverly Smith said at the protest. Her son, Alonzo, died in 2015 at the age of 27. He was found unconscious after a confrontation with special police at a Southeast apartment building. The D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
administration, Bowser told volunteers that the city must remain committed to its values, which include ending homelessness. “Our values are going to be tested,” Bowser said. “They are being tested right now.” Recent policy improvements regarding homeless services resulted in the allocation of $100 million for affordable housing in the city during fiscal years 2016 and 2017, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee. “With the right amount of resources and execution, we really know that we can end homelessness in our city,” Bowser said. Teams were comprised of between 10 and 20 volunteers, depending on the size of the neighborhood.
ruled his death a homicide. Ms. Smith told the crowd that she represents mothers whose sons and daughters have been unjustifiably murdered by law enforcement. She believes funding for the NEAR Act should be increased. Comments made during a community conference call on public safety, hosted last month by Mayor Bowser, also illustrated this perception. Much of that discussion focused on the police force. According to one caller, MPD needs to acknowledge its past as an abusive power and the damage this has had on the relationship between the public and the force. “I believe that that damage still has an effect on our ability to solve crimes today, but also in terms of how people respond to the police,” said resident Terri Quinn. “It is not a good thing for citizens or the police when people react in a way that demonstrates they are afraid of the police.” However, McDuffie joined Councilmembers Anita Bonds, Jack Evans, and Trayon White in co-introducing Gray’s Police Officer Recruitment and Retention Act. “Councilmember Anita Bonds ... wants to work with Councilmember Vincent Gray to alter the bill to appropriate up to $2 million of the surplus funds to assist police officers, firefighters, and first responders with down payment assistance of up to $100,000 for them to purchase a home in the District of Columbia,” the councilmember’s chief of staff, David Meadows, said in an e-mail to Street Sense. Bonds formerly chaired D.C. Council’s committee on housing and community development.
Bowser and Zeilinger helped count homeless people around McPherson Square. Volunteers undergo training within the two weeks before the event to understand the PIT count’s purpose, learn the most effective interviewing methods and review the questionnaire to ensure accurate data is obtained. Talking to homeless individuals like friends or family is the best way to approach people identified during the count, according to Rabinowitz, who also volunteered in 2015. Rabinowitz, who searched a park near the White House and streets surrounding The George Washington University’s campus, recalled an unsettling encounter with a man in his 70s who had only been homeless for a few months. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about the adjustment process from being stably housed for 70 years and then
Similarly, one of the reasons McDuffie co-introduced and ultimately voted in favor of Gray’s bill was to highlight the “significant concerns” people were bringing to his office. Community members want a higher level of engagement and officers who have a certain level of cultural competency, according to McDuffie. “The NEAR Act is still my top priority,” he said, adding that many officers feel like they are being spread thin, so there is a real need for more people on the force. He does not see support of the two bills as mutually exclusive. On Tuesday, Feb. 7– Gray’s bill failed, with four members in support of the legislation and nine opposed. However, D.C. Council unanimously agreed that there needs to be an effort for improving MPD retention rates. During the council meeting, many members voiced that they are committed to finding a solution for reducing crime. The advocacy organization Stop Police Terror Project D.C. is hosting a community meeting Thursday, Feb. 9, to discuss their campaign to fully fund the NEAR Act. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m., 617 Florida Ave. NW. ■ Leah DiBianco contributed reporting.
leaving your house and being forced to stay on the streets,” Rabinowitz said. The average age of a chronically homeless individual was 53 as of 2011, with a life expectancy of 64, according to the Corporation for Supportive Housing and Hearth, Inc. Concluding its search around 1:45 a.m., the Foggy Bottom team counted a total of 72 people. For Rabinowitz and the 12 other volunteers from the Miriam’s Kitchen staff, counting the homeless near Foggy Bottom provided them with valuable insight. “We don’t normally see the neighborhood at 1:30 in the morning,” Rabinowitz said. “It was important for us to see what our clients are going through when we don’t see them in our dining room.” ■
Philadelphia >> Denver One Step Away’s Tammy Karuza interviews Denver Voice’s Raelene Johnson via Skype. 8.How did you feel about the world? “I wondered why I had to be in it, because of all the pain.”
One
Voice Athens Michalis Samolis, age 59, sells Shedia in Greece. What has been your biggest achievement? The birth of my children What has been your biggest challenge? Managing to move out of the (homeless shelter) and into my own home What are you hopes for the future? No hope for the future. I simply live and enjoy each day as if it is my last. What is special about your country? It is the cradle of democracy. Teaching history and spreading Democracy to the whole world, thousands of years ago If you were boss of the world for one day, what would you do? I would feed all the hungry people in the world and give shelter, a home, to all homeless people in the world. How has selling Shedia your life? It saved my life. I stopped thinking about committing suicide. Apart from the money that saved me, the greatest achievement is that I was saved psychologically. Because of the magazine, I met amazing people -publishers and vendors- from other street papers from around the world. When I sell the paper, people stop and say “kalimera” (good morning) to me. I feel truly proud. Interview by vendor Aspasia / Shared with permission via INSP.ngo
1.What is your name? Raelene Johnson 2.What paper do you sell? Denver Voice 3.For how long? Nine years as of January 14 (top female vender for 9 years) 4.Were you homeless, or were you near-homelessness? “I have been homeless nearly my whole life. I was a run-away at fifteen, I don’t have a license, I don’t have a home, I don’t have a GED, I’m a convicted felon, so trying to get a job is almost impossible. When you’re homeless, you have no references or anything like that. I was sleeping under a bridge when I started with the paper.” 5.How did you feed yourself? “Mostly I went to the feeds, and there are people who go around with wagons with food for the homeless.” 6.How were you treated by others? “They didn’t look at me. They didn’t acknowledge I was there. They would walk past and turn their heads away from you. ‘why don’t you get a job? They’d say things like that. When you’re homeless, people look at you like you’re trash.” 7.How did you feel about yourself? “I didn’t think I was worth anything because people would always told me that I’m no good, that I’m stupid and retarded. I believed I was too stupid to work.”
9.How did you hear about the paper? “I was in a shelter called The Carriage House, and on the bulletin board, it said ‘Denver Voice: be your own boss, work your own hours.’ So, I checked into it and I started working for the paper in January of ‘08’. 10.Has the paper affected your life? “It’s given me self-worth and selfrespect. I know now, that I am worthy of being something. I was a 30-year crack-cocaine addict, but I’m 7 years clean on March 1st because of the paper. It gave me a job when no one else would. It didn’t care about my past. It was like, if you want to work, here it is. Once you get good at what you’re doing, it really helps you build confidence in yourself.” 11.How do you feed yourself now? “I do get food stamps because I’m on disability, and I’m allowed to sell the paper and earn a little extra income. I still go to feeds sometimes too.” 12.How are you treated by others now? “People come up to me and tell me how proud they are and how far I’ve come. They treat me with respect now.”
Tammy Karuza is a former Street Sense vendor and poet, now working for One Step Away in Philadelphia!
BY ALEXIS WRIGHT-WHITEY
13.How do you feel about yourself now? “I looooove me today!” 14.How do you feel about the world now? “I love the world. I love helping people. It’s sad when people want to hurt others. That still bothers me. I go out and try to be the most up-lifting person I can, so I can be an inspiration to others.” 15.What opportunities has the paper given you? Writing or editing? “I do a lot of writing. I taught myself to read and write at age 28. Sarah says that I write with a lot of passion.” 16.Social services (i.e.: peer counseling, referrals to counseling or housing)? “No.” 17.If you could tell the world anything you wanted them to know about these papers, what would that be? “This is the quickest way to get yourself off the street.”
#VendorWeek VendorTalk: Street Paper vendors find common ground around the world.
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
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#VENDORWEEK
D.C. >> Manchester On Jan. 13, Street Sense Vendor Patty interviewed Big Issue North Vendor Steven via Skype. They compared cities, people, papers and more. Patty: Steven, what were you doing before you got with the newspaper? Steven: Drinking and taking drugs. Patty: Were you living in a place or were you not living in a place? Steven: I was living in a place and then I ended up not living in a place. How long did you live there? 11 years. How did the drugs make you feel? They just made me feel everyday normal. Did it give you a specific high or something? Were you doing it with your friends or things like that? How did you really get into the drug scene? It came to me, the streets in the local area, everyone started taking drugs, all sorts of heavy drugs. It just progressed over a few years. What part of England do you live in? It’s called Manchester. Describe Manchester to me. Alright, eh rain, eh? Smells like dog shit. How long have you been selling your magazine and what’s it called? My magazine is called Street Sense and I’ve been selling 11 and a half years. How I got to the newspaper was, at that time I was living at the YWCA, and my mother was paralyzed in a nursing home and we had just lost our properties. One of my girlfriends said “why don’t you go back to school, get some kind of education.?” So that’s what I did. And on the Internet I found Street Sense. What education were you learning? It was an entrepreneurship program through Westmoreland in an area called Shaw. Then I was in Washington, D.C. and I was on Rhode Island Ave, where the YWCA was, and that’s how I got started selling Street Sense. Life before Street Sense was hanging out at the YWCA without a job, even though I was in an efficiency. I didn’t have a job, but that only lasted for a couple of years because I went to and from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, visiting my mom she still had property. Right, do you do anything else apart from the magazine? No, not really. I took this magazine and went to school, went to another school went to a university called Strayer University, right in the heart of downtown and I took some business classes. Does the magazine support you well or do you struggle with the magazine? It’s a day-to-day living, something like hand-to-mouth, like hand-to-mouth. Some days I make a lot of money— —Some not. I totally understand that. Are you experiencing the same thing?
Totally, 100 percent the same. Good days and bad days. Good days and bad days. Some terrible and great days. I was at the shelter for 6 months after leaving the YWCA and probably making the same amount of money. But what I experienced at the shelter was I could hardly find any bathrooms to use. The thing about the shelter was, I would go to near the area of the YWCA and the girls totally treated me nice and everything. Some weekends I would sit inside the YWCA just mingling with the girls using their bathrooms and they were cooking for me and everything. So those girls at the YWCA, even though I was homeless, they still helped me out. They still buddy-buddy with me: good support system ever since I left the drug scene. You say you’re totally off of the drugs? What specific event made you know that you had to get off drugs? Ill health. My health deteriorated. Bad stomach. I have ulcers, do you have ulcers? Yes, That’s why it had to stop. My aunt died 8 years ago. This is the aunt that took care of my mother when she was paralyzed and went in a nursing home. The aunt was her baby sister and she was taking care of my mother. She had died while I was at Strayer. I had a bad drinking problem. I couldn’t recover from my aunt dying and that’s how I got out of school. I just gave up drinking — snap. A decision, you just decided you’re done, that’s enough? Worried about who was going to take care of my mother... I want to tell you that my mother died 2 days before the New Year’s, she just died. Sorry to hear that. Thank you. I don’t know if my mom’s alive or dead. When’s the last time you saw your mom? Can’t remember, more than 10 years ago ... So how are things with ya now? Everything is coming b a c k t o g e t h e r, I ’ m getting back in working, I’m loving this job I’m loving this work, I’m loving my support system from Street Sense buddies. And my mother left me a little bit of money. So if everything comes through, I get it.
Use it wisely. Ok I will. I live in a little CRF, I share a room with another girl and everything’s good and I hope one day to get my Army pension. Let me ask you how long you’ve been selling the magazine. I don’t know, 10 years? How old are you, what’s your age? I’m 62. You look good, haha. I’m 54 the end of this month Thank you, you look good too. I’ll be 63 just 2 months from now So we’re both Aquariuses. I’m a Pisces ... How were you treated by others when you were homeless? Good and bad, in about equal measures. Were you living on the street or were you living in a shelter? Living in the streets and the shelter, it changed the whole time. Streets, then shelters, then streets. What is the weather conditions like to allow you to live on the street? Hot? No. Cold and wet. What’s the temperature? 30-40 degrees? 7 degrees, you’re talking in Fahrenheit, we’re talking in Celsius. It’s snowing today [ B i g I s s u e N o r t h s t a ff m e m b e r interjects: It’s about 2 degrees Celsius, so that’s about 32 degrees Fahrenheit]
Now,32 degrees, did you have a duffle bag or something like that? No I had a tent. And I had sleeping bags. I had an Army one, I stayed warm in it, a good one. Oh that sounds nice, that sounds nice. When I was in Pittsburgh, PA one time I slept under the bridge, but they had heat. But down to the water in Pennsylvania can be about 30 degrees and kind of cold. The wind can really blow. Sounds like Manchester. Windy, wet. Then, I had been home with my mother but I decided to go into a shelter, because me and my brother couldn’t get along together. Now we’re together, but at that time we couldn’t get along. You’re better now though? We’ve patched up our differences. Do you have siblings? No. Are you married? No Got any kids? Yes I do too, whatcha got? 5. They’re old now, they’re all in their 20s-30s That’s nice, that’s nice. How do you feed yourself now with your job and do you have an extra job? And you said you do live in an apartment now? I cook for myself, I make my own food What’s your favorite meal to cook? Spaghetti Bolognese I like spaghetti too. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you! It was a pleasure! ■
Street paper vendors are micro-business owners!
Celebrity Vendors Filmmakers Co-op Partners With DCTV to Tell Stories Wednesday, Feb. 8 4 – 4:30 p.m. 13th & F St. NW
David Grosso D.C. Council, At-Large
Thursday, Feb. 9 8:30 – 9 a.m. Rhode Island Ave. Metro
of Homelessness By Jeanine Santucci jeanine.santucci@streetsense.org Te n m e m b e r s o f S t r e e t S e n s e ’s Filmmakers Cooperative have begun film classes with local station DCTV following a successful campaign that raised well over $6,000 to provide a learning experience for homeless filmmakers. The twice-weekly classes began Jan. 10 and will last for 10 weeks, culminating in the completion of three DCTV certifications in producing, videography and Adobe Premier editing for the co-op members. The co-op, which was founded in 2014 by D.C. filmmaker Bryan Bello, provides a platform for men and women who are or who have been homeless to not simply be on camera, but to have control of that camera. Since its founding, members of the co-op have produced five participatory documentaries about the reality of homelessness in the District. DCTV’s partnership includes the opportunity to produce public service announcements and mini-documentaries that may air on television. The program is customized to meet the individual needs of the Street Sense artists, and will serve to aid the filmmakers in recording previously untold stories of homelessness in the city. Sasha Williams, one member of the co-op enrolled in the DCTV
program, filmed one of the co-op’s previous documentaries and finds videography to be a powerful method for sharing her experiences. “Creating my documentary really was life changing,” Williams said of “Raise to Rise,” a film about her and her young daughter’s journey from D.C. General to their own home. “It took courage to show everything so raw, to put my personal experience up on the big screen.” Williams hopes the skills she learns
Melting Butter By Levester Green Artist/Vendor
Kenyan McDuffie D.C. Council, Ward 5
You know I got your back when we interact as a pack that’s in black but when push come to shove and there’s still no love, well then you can forget about all of the above! Acting all in-between, so now I guess I’ll just hangout in the seams,it seems. Building up my own team since they wanna be jealous supreme cuz they knew this was more than just a dream. The rest is just new to this but they can get diss for not believing in a King! I persevered through the years until it came into being! So even if I didn’t achieve it, the effort can still be seen, like two that there is no denying! Back at Street Sense pursuing the filming thing thanks to Bryan. D.C. unifying! I’m still applying cuz I been trying... I mean really reeling in, relying! Hoping to bring this to an end, like I’m signing!~
in the program with DCTV will help her go on to make films about the most important aspects of her life. “I definitely want to do different projects and be able to work with people. I definitely want to stay active and do more,” she said. “Probably my next documentary will be about me having another child … I think something about that or something about my medical condition or something that speaks volumes in my life and something I can show on a different level, I’d be excited to do that.”
More info at streetsense.org/VendorWeek Anthony and Second Story Cards process,” said Sandridge. He is working on setting up a website where customers can purchase cards online. Since long before he began cardmaking, Anthony has been selling Street Sense papers on the corner of 19th and M St in Northwest D.C. For thirteen years, Crawford has witnessed the continual flow of people and their lives on those streets. “I see them come, and I see them go,” he said. His established position there has gained him loyal customers for Street Sense papers, and now his cards. “He’s the Mayor of 19th and M,” joked Sandridge. “He’s there everyday on the corner, so people know him.” It was on this corner that Sandridge and Crawford first met in 2009. Sandridge was in the first months of his “Year of Giving,” during which he gave 10 dollars to someone he passed on the street everyday. Anthony was one of the recipients, and from their initial encounter a lasting friendship formed. The pair met frequently for coffee, and in 2013, Sandridge helped Anthony navigate the complicated process of finding housing. “I almost gave up on it. It wasn’t moving fast enough for me. Reed kept encouraging me to hang in there, hang in there, hang in there,” Anthony said. This was how, after 20 years of homelessness, Anthony found a place to call home in 2013. Sandridge’s idea to start Second Story Cards grew out of his, “passion for letter writing” and his recurring collaboration with men and women experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty. Sandridge has observed that people faced with these circumstances often lose their self-esteem and confidence. He views
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#VENDORWEEK
Celebrity Vendors
Friday, Feb. 10 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
By Ellida Parker ellida.parker@streetsense.org Street Sense Vendor Anthony Crawford has been getting his customers ready for Valentine’s Day. With the help of Second Story Cards, a startup project run by his longtime friend Reed Sandridge, Crawford has been making cards for the occasion. The final products have designs on the front ranging from a simple stamp of a heart to a catchy slogan about love. When he doesn’t have a specific holiday in mind, Crawford designs cards with funny slogans for a variety of life events. The front of one of his recovery cards reads, “Feel better. If the meds don’t work, polish off a bucket of fried chicken and a half gallon of ice cream.” In terms of his inspiration for phrases like these, Crawford said that he looks for the comical aspects in everything around him. Finding reasons to laugh has always been an essential part of dealing with the challenges he has faced. “I can think of a whole lot of reasons to cry. But to laugh, it takes a good heart to do that,” he said. Crawford began making cards around New Year’s, shortly after Sandridge started the project. He enjoys the process of making them. “It shows you the creativity you have,” he said. The cards are produced primarily through embossing and stamping, both of which demand a steady hand and intense focus. The slightest movement of the paper can cause smearing. “They don’t always come out perfectly, which I think is the beauty of Anthony and other people making the cards...they’re perfectly imperfect,” said Sandridge. Second Story Cards currently operates out of Sandridge’s apartment. “It’s really in the startup phase of the
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
Location TBD
card-making as a form of entrepreneurship that can help people gain this back while also earning an income. “Creating something is very powerful,” Sandridge said. “When someone purchases one of Anthony’s cards, that means something. He’s able to think, ‘this is something I created and you want it.’ This is something he can feel proud of.” Anthony agreed. A short paragraph about Anthony’s life story is printed on the back of every card he makes, and seeing people read this when they receive a card makes him happy. “I have made a step up in life. I don’t live on the street anymore. I’m putting myself back together, like I should,” Anthony said. The creativity involved with card-making and the rewards of seeing the final product brings muchneeded joy to his life. Last year, Anthony suffered two heart attacks and a stroke. “It wasn’t fun. It took something away from me. And this way, I’m gaining it back,” Crawford said.
Brianne Nadeau D.C. Council, Ward 1
All TBD
Andy Shallal Busboys and Poets
Councelmember Robert White sold our paper with Evelyn Nnam at Metro Center on Monday, Feb. 6!
OPINION
How Identity Politics Poisoned My Race and Destroyed this Nation
By Jeffery McNeil
The Women’s March on Washington, Jan. 21, 2017. | PHOTO BY CASSIDY JENSEN
Frightened Friday By Gerald Anderson
I never seen nothin’ like inauguration Friday. It was the biggest excitement I seen since I been here. To me it looked like Mardi Gras, except they wasn’t throwin’ beads or nothin’. There were so many people. After I got to my selling spot, there was 10 or 12 members of the National Guard and other military. I thought they weren’t gonna let me work here because of the security and all the crowd. But then the national guard seen people speakin’ to me, shakin’ my hand. One downtown lady told the military guy that I was cool. “This is his spot, where he work every day,” she said. The guards was tellin’ the usual folks who hang here — some of them homeless, some intoxicated — that they had to move; they couldn’t block the Metro. I introduced myself to the military guy. I say, “Where you from?” And he say, “Texas.” I say, “You right next door. I’m from New Orleans.” I told him I’m a writer. He say how can he get my book, and I tell him on Amazon. He introduced me to some of the other guards. I was telling him my new lifestyle. That for 11 years I was homeless. That this is where I sell my book from and that I sell a homeless newspaper called Street Sense. I told him I been to prison here, and I live in a recovering house now. That I had a brother who was at Fort Hood. The guard was a young guy — younger than me. Maybe 35. He was tellin’ me how he liked D.C. But then he was tellin’ me it was funny how the military sent him here to protect the city for violence, but they didn’t let him have his weapon with him. He didn’t feel comfortable — but bein’ in the military they have so many techniques in how to bring it down if people get out of hand. As we was talking we seen a lot of guys in black masks pass. They was waving a black-and-white flag. The guard tell the other military guys, “Hey look at this.”
He say, “I wonder who they is.” I say, “It look like they anonymous. They look like they White underneath there.” After that we seen this guy walkin’ in the middle of the street with a microphone, protestin’ and sayin’ Trump was a pedophile and that Trump bragged about it. He was sayin’, “How can he run the country if he don’t wanna show his taxes?” People was listenin’ to the guy and was clapping and yellin’, “Yeah, you speakin’ the truth!” The guy had a film crew with him. Now to be honest, my point of view of the whole election: I hate to judge and be judged. When I was goin’ through my ups and downs, like when I went to court, I wanted a chance. Everyone deserves a chance. Ain’t nothin’ we can do about it, nothin’ we can do to change what already happened. Whatever somebody do, it come back to them. Just like when I used to steal cars and then my scooter got stolen. The way I look at Trump is he thinks he better than other people. I don’t like the way he speak out. I think he need to read more. Other presidents show they taxes and everything. I wonder how he gonna change things. It should be more than getting back at people who was against him in the past. He ought to be breathing better now — helping people rather than look down on them. What he wants from us is to think better of him. But I wonder how he can say how we should all come together as God’s children when he look at Black folk as different. And then I say, what? He believe in God?! God don’t like people who don’t like other people. We can’t live in fear, try to move on. Gerald Anderson is a vendor for Street Sense. He wrote a book called “Still Standing: How an Ex-Con Found Salvation in the Floodwaters of Katrina.” It is available from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
When I was young, I was taught to hate Black conservatives. I regarded African Americans like Clarence Thomas and Ben Carson as Uncle Toms and sellouts. However, after the age of Barack Obama, I had to reassess my thinking about Clarence Thomas. Was he right all along and the civil rights establishment wrong? What have Black Republicans done, how have they harmed the Black community? How has being loyal to Democrats benefited the Black masses? Recently, the civil rights establishment jumped on Steve Harvey and Ray Lewis for meeting privately with Donald Trump. It gets irritating that the liberal establishment hand-picks the Don Lemons and Joy Reids to be our spokespersons. Why does anyone African-American need to consult the civil rights establishment for anything? They sold their soul for Obama, and the Black establishment failed the Black community. A warning shot to our failed Black leaders: I’m done being Black or African. From this day forward my allegiance is to America, not the Black bourgeoisie. When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, many Blacks did not understand what emancipation meant. It didn’t mean you were going to be compensated or receive any material benefit. There was nothing in the memo about thinking as a bloc or group. Emancipation means to be liberated, free to make your own decisions. It meant I don’t have to be controlled, or share allegiance to a race, identity or group. If I want to be African, American or Black, it’s my call — not Al Sharpton’s or the NAACP. For decades, Democrats have relied on convincing Black Americans that they are African-American before American. When Blacks refuse to be called anything but American, you send reverberations to the liberal establishment because they no longer can manipulate or control you. African Americans have been programmed to believe that Blacks who advocate for self-determination are traitors. I deal with this grievance mentality in my own life. There are some in the Black community who believe I owe them because they’re miserable. They think because I have a roof, job and money, I lived a charmed life. They don’t understand that I’ve been there: I was homeless, ate at soup kitchens and struggled for survival. The difference between me and my poor counterparts was I didn’t wait for someone to do something for me, I was proactive. I did the uncool things, I didn’t care about what my penniless homies thought, I was mocked for selling Street Sense. Those same people that mocked me are still at the shelter waiting for free housing. I
worked a job that didn’t pay a living wage but instead of listening to ACLU lawyers, I saved what little income I made until I found something better. Today I work at a gym. I started part time but persevered, and today I’m the sales manager. I’m not saying this to brag, I’m saying this because I’ve been there. I was once a good liberal. It was drummed in me to be committed to social justice and equality. I defended Black people even when they were guilty. I defended Marion Berry even though he embarrassed the Black community. Ditto with O.J. I believed in settling scores instead of being fair. I defended the riots and looters in Ferguson and Baltimore even though I was ashamed at their behavior. Enabling and alibis haven’t helped us but has created contempt and hatred toward us. We had a black president; as a race, we squandered an opportunity. To not acknowledge that the Black majority fared worse not better under Obama is a dereliction of duty. I don’t know what happened to the civil rights movement. Where did we take a wrong turn? Once upon a time we fought blatant bigotry and discrimination; today it’s about trigger warnings, microaggressions and wanting safe spaces because someone says something you disagree with. Identity politics has been the ruination of our country because it focuses on special rights for specific groups instead of finding universal solutions regardless of class, race and gender. Liberals try to put people in groups and boxes with their own unique grievances instead of treating them as human beings. I don’t belong to a race; I belong to this country. I’m not African; I’m American. I was born in Ohio, not Nigeria. This doesn’t mean that I don’t acknowledge our history. However, I have forgiven my oppressors and want nothing from them but liberty. I want to address people as humans, not as special interests or labels. All lives matter, not specific groups. But somehow progressives can’t grasp that they would be better served if they were coherent and strategic, instead of ideologically pure. Sometimes you have to compromise — which isn’t selling out. It’s better to get a half a loaf and feed your flock than be pious and allow your sheep to starve. The rich liberal can be pious and high-minded. After he fights for you and loses, he stays rich, while you continue waiting on his promises. We fought to end segregation — but identity politics is only segregation in reverse, granting privileges to specific groups instead of thinking about what’s best for everyone. Jeffery McNeil is a vendor and regular contributor to Street Sense.
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
Have an opinion about how homelessness is being handled in our community? Street Sense maintains an open submission policy and prides itself as a newspaper that elevates community voices and fosters healthy debate. Send your thoughts to opinion@streetsense.org.
OPINION
What Would Make Me Love Trump? By Ronald Smoot I do not like Donald Trump. If I could have, I would have voted for Hillary. I don’t even like the look of him. He looks funny, phony. I don’t trust him. But if he helps me get a job, I’ll love him. He’s going to put the wall up and get people that did not come here legally out of the country. We U.S. citizens are going to get our jobs back. Now that I’ve come back from being incarcerated, all of the new people are in all of the jobs that I can
qualify for. I just want one job, but hell, I’ll work two or three if I have to. And that’s why I respect Donald Trump. I want to work. I’d love to work. But I can’t get a damn job. Hillary would have been able to do a much better job. When Bill was in there, she ran that office. I’m sorry that she didn’t win, that they voted Trump in. And now they’re protesting? YOU vote him in, so why are you standing out there complaining? Ronald Smoot is a Street Sense vendor.
MOVING UP: How to Deal With Food Insecurity in D.C. By Arthur Johnson One of the toughest parts of poverty is hunger and it could get even harder under the administration of President Donald Trump. With control of both houses of Congress, Republicans will very likely seek to reduce the safety net that millions of people depend on to feed themselves and their families. Part of the anger the GOP has toward the food stamp program stems from a story on Fox News from several years ago that featured Jason Greenslate, who lived in La Jolla, California, and received $200 in food stamps that he got very easily. Greenslate was a singer in a group called Ratt Life and surfed and did not have a job, which made many people upset. It also did not help that when Fox went with him to the grocery store, he bought lobster (though he pointed out it was on sale). That story helped fuel outrage by conservatives who are intent on reducing the food stamp program as much as possible. Residents of the District who struggle with hunger have several options available to them. One is the food pantry at Bread for the City. They can provide you three days’ worth of food. The only requirement is that you must be a resident of the District and have an income that is within 200 percent of the federal poverty line. They have two locations in D.C.: one at 1525 Seventh St. NW and the other at 1640 Good Hope Road SE. Both are open
till 5 p.m., but the NW location opens 30 minutes earlier. You need to bring ID (though they state you will not be turned away for lack of an ID) as well as proof of address and income. The other place you should know about is the Capital Area Food Bank Network. They are located in the District at 4900 Puerto Rico Ave. NE and they also have a location over the river in Virginia at 6833 Hill Park Drive. One of the things they do is help people sign up for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — food stamps — but they do so much more. They partner with other organizations to serve 540,000 people in the District area. They work to provide meals for children in school and during the summer as well as after school. They also help provide senior citizens with bags of groceries. There are several soup kitchens in the District and the addresses and phone numbers are found in the back of this paper. In the next issue, I am going to explain all about SNAP: how to apply for it, the qualifications, how much you can get. I will make suggestions on how to make your SNAP benefits work so that you can eat all month instead of running out of food. If you have any questions or ideas for things you want me to write about, please email me at ajohnson@streetsense.org. Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer for Street Sense.
An Open Letter to the Trump Resistance By Leonard Hyater Dear protester and resistor: I understand how some of you feel about President Donald Trump’s order to build the new wall across the Mexican border and implement a 90-day travel ban against citizens of six countries and against those from Syria indefinitely. However, there is a solution to the problem: Vote next year in 2018 midterm
elections. Both the House and the Senate have a Republican majority. What we the people need to do is fill Congress with Democrats. Not just any Democrats, mind you, but those who will not be afraid to speak out against Trump’s policies. I don’t agree with the president’s decision. It is flat out unconstitutional. We need to hold him accountable for that. Leonard Hyater is a Street Sense vendor.
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“Say No to Abortion” A fence surrounds the Capitol building on Inauguration Day 2017. | BY GWYNETTE SMITH By Gwynette Smith President Donald Trump is against abortion in most cases. The president’s adviser Kellyanne Conway and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the March for Life here in Washington on Jan. 27. (Pence was the highest-ranking government official to ever speak in person there.) Many people whose moral compass tells them that life should be protected are probably uplifted by their rallies and their ideology. Conway spoke and stated, among other things, that women “who face unplanned pregnancies are … protected and cared for and celebrated.” A heartbeat can now be detected during the first trimester of pregnancy. The administration intends to not use any taxpayer dollars to fund abortion. Foreign aid will not be given to countries that permit widespread abortion. Pence said at the rally, the government “will not rest until we restore a culture of life in America.” He went on further to say that he supports “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” I wrote a novella called “Gayle Tyler, J.D.” that, in part, explored the financial options of a woman who thought she might be pregnant without the baby’s father to help her. For many reasons, the father of the child may not be involved, nor may be the mother or father’s family. If the government is going to encourage women to have children, possibly without marriage, then it must be willing to help the mother care for the child or children. Otherwise, the strong stance against abortion makes no sense and can put children and women at risk, and possibly
put the child in a situation where he or she could become a juvenile delinquent or possibly murdered by the police under circumstances that are unclear. Rents are high, and the proposed new secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has no experience in the area. This is extremely important because HUD is currently involved with drug and alcohol rehabilitation, employment and other vital services. Republicans have vowed to repeal Obamacare. What will the replacement insurance, if any, be? What if the mother has received welfare for the maximum amount of time permitted? Are there enough day care centers and 24/7 centers for child care? If the mother is a new employee, she may have to work a night shift or a swing shift. She may also need to go to school part time. When the child starts school, he or she may have to go to a charter school, which would mean the mother would have to purchase uniforms. What if the mother is looking for work? Presently, federal jobs are frozen, and there is no indication as to when the freeze will be lifted. Food stamp allotments are also being cut back. Having good intentions is one thing. At times, even suppressing the will of most of the people could be wise. However, policies should be compatible. Is the capital now restricted, or is it in chains? Or rather is it in a straitjacket? It doesn’t know where to go or how to get there. Gwynette Smith is a Street Sense vendor and her book is available through Amazon.com in Kindle format.
Repeal and Replace With What? By Hope Lassiter What should Obamacare be replaced with? And what does it do for homeless people? Affordable care is when someone has to have insurance, meaning it makes health better and makes it cheaper to go
to hospitals in an emergency. It also stops other costs. So why repeal it, if repealing it could mess up other health plans? It could go private. Private can mean more money for doctors. But what about homeless people? Hope Lassiter is a Street Sense vendor.
The Street Sense Writers’ Group is led by writing professionals and meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. The group’s goal is to develop ideas and collaborate on the next great issue of Street Sense.
s i t a h W
CE, I V R E S , H T I A F , P I H FRIENDS N, O I T A C I N U M M O C , Y JO SAFETY, GE, N A H C K, R O W TIME,
“Puppy love.” | ILLUSTRATION BY LEVESTER GREEN
Back in the [Valentine’s] Day By Ricardo Meriedy Artist/Vendor Valentine’s Day is for the one you love. It’s giving a gift to make your companion happy by letting them know that you are their valentine. I remember back in elementary school, when I used to pass a Valentine’s card to a girl in class. Those days were fun! The card read “Are you my valentine? Yes or no?” And believe me, it hurt if the answer came back “no.” We all know that it was just puppy love and it can’t compare to my love for my young lady. That’s why this Valentine ’s Day is so special for me.
I was floating somewhere between dreaming and awake when I felt a touch as gentle as a snowflake landing on my hand in an instant, my soul warmed to her plan and love so sincere it burned in our souls until sweat baked our skins true love shares a Valentine’s Day with each breath and step regardless of trials and tribulations in a relationship. the successes of love sprout from a seed into a tree that bears the fruits of its struggles through windy storms and lightning bolts in order to show its foliage in the sunshine could it be this was happening again? We thought about work and how berserk, we decided to stay home and play after all, it was Valentine’s Day.
? e v o L
T, S U R T , Y T SI O R E N E G , UNITY HY T A P M E , M O D E E R F RESPECT, U O Y , E M O ,H T N E M T I COMM
My God she snores, so I threw her on the floor;
Homeless in Love
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
Making a Point
By Derian Hickman, Artist/Vendor I started going in circles, then I stopped to make a point. I started going in circles again, and almost reached the bottom. Then opted to make a point. Rose to the top and thought, “Will I always be my own valentine?” A gift, maybe flowers, a box of chocolates or sweets, a quiet night. Home alone, maybe with you, valentine.
VENDOR WRITING
My Lovely Child By Latishia Graham Artist/Vendor Hi Street Sense family and friends, I’d like to take the time out to say Happy Birthday to my daughter. Joy Wynn is my third child. I thank God for her each and every day. She just turned 21 years old!
|ILLUSTRATION BY SASHA WILLIAMS
My God she's warm, so I held her through the storm; we made love on the leaves instead, cause last night the bench was our bed.
I mean, on the leaves instead, cause last night the bench was our bed.
True Love.
By Ron Dudley a.k.a. “Pookanu” Artist/Vendor
Happy Valentine's Day! By Evelyn Nnam Artist/Vendor It’s that time of year again, where loved ones show their care and appreciation to those who have been with them for any length of time. Many celebrate by buying flowers, preferably roses and chocolate delights for that special person in their life. Sometimes people use the opportunity to patch things up with people they may have left upset or hurt. Others ignite their relationship with Valentine’s Day goodies. Valentine’s Day is when people love to laugh, smile, kiss, and share the day with one another. Loving that person who you have been through thick and thin is evidence that shows each other that there is still a bond within. Many love putting romance out there in the air and fill the day with a nice card, a nice fruit basket or just a call from that special someone to remind you that they mean something to you. So, whenever you get the chance, enjoy Valentine’s Day to the fullest. You may not have a valentine, but be a valentine to someone. Thank you and Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!
13
ldest My o day r’s birth daughte m o n t h : st was la s 1 . I m is 1 Jan. . h c u her so m i e d She d n c e r, f r o m c a es ak which m ant w e m a ll n r t o le a go , n I ca nd a k l wa ey n o send m e. d u J to St. ells w d e Sh her in with me She . y a own w if matter said no me, l a e h n’t God do t h e H o ly e was , il l G o d t s ew sh is e H s. He kn cepted it in u s e J d n she ac Spirit a ie. And d o t g goin g to way. ot talkin her own r daughter is n c h a n g e s . e that My othe w. I h o p is coming up. o n t h m e r ig irthday , I just dson’s b present a My gran im h o give t me. I want t she’ll le if w o n don’t k
COMICS & GAMES
Columbe Thies ar heroes on lift, far oute, now appearyng small. Sherdys we gatherid to save, wæl-scel Heo spread as tha waue.
—By Franklin Sterling Artist/Vendor
In Memoriam of The Columbia Space Shuttle crew. February 1, 2003
STREET SENSE February 8 - 21, 2017
15
COMMUNITY SERVICES Housing/Shelter
Food
Clothing
Showers
Outreach/Case Management
Health Care
Transportation
Laundry
Education
Employment Assistance
Legal Assistance
Vivienda/alojamiento
Seguro
Educación
Bread for the City: 265-2400 (NW) | 561-8587 (SE) 1525 7th St, NW | 1640 Good Hope Rd, SE breadforthecity.org Calvary Women’s Services: 678-2341 1217 Good Hope Road, SE calvaryservices.org
Central Union Mission: 745-7118 65 Massachusetts Avenue, NW missiondc.org
Charlie’s Place: 232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave, NW charliesplacedc.org Christ House: 328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd, NW christhouse.org Church of the Pilgrims: 387-6612 2201 P St, NW churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach food (1 - 1:30 on Sundays only) Community Family Life Services: 347-0511 | 305 E St, NW cflsdc.org
Lavandería
Covenant House Washington: 610-9600 2001 Mississippi Avenue, SE covenanthousedc.org
D.C. Coalition for the Homeless: 347-8870 1234 Massachusetts Ave, NW dccfh.org
Línea de juventud
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: (202) 749-8000 Línea directa de Violencia doméstica
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE: 1-888-793-4357
Assistencia Legal
Community of Hope: 232-7356 communityofhopedc.org
Línea directa de alojamiento YOUTH HOTLINE: (202) 547-7777
Duchas
Transportación
Assitencia con Empleo
Academy of Hope Public Charter School: 269-6623 | 601 Edgewood St, NE aohdc.org
Catholic Charities: 772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp
Ropa
Comida
SHELTER HOTLINE: (202) 399-7093
Línea de Salud del Comportamiento Jobs Have Priority: 544-9128 425 Snd St, NW jobshavepriority.org Loaves & Fishes: 232-0900 1525 Newton St. NW loavesandfishesdc.org Martha’s Table: 328-6608 2114 14th St, NW marthastable.org
Samaritan Ministry: 1516 Hamilton Street NW | 722-2280 1345 U Street SE | 889-7702 samaritanministry.org
Sasha Bruce Youthwork: 675-9340 741 8th St, SE sashabruce.org
So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 O St, NW | 797-8806 some.org
Father McKenna Center: 842-1112 19 Eye St, NW fathermckennacenter.org
Miriam’s Kitchen: 452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave, NW miriamskitchen.org
Food and Friends: 269-2277 219 Riggs Rd, NE foodandfriends.org (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc)
My Sister’s Place: 529-5991 (24-hour hotline) mysistersplacedc.org
Thrive DC: 737-9311 1525 Newton St, NW thrivedc.org
N Street Village: 939-2060 1333 N Street, NW nstreetvillage.org
Unity Health Care: 745-4300 3020 14th St, NW unityhealthcare.org
New York Ave Shelter: 832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave, NE
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St NW | 328-5500 legalclinic.org
Patricia Handy Place for Women: 810 5th Street, NW, NW | 733-5378
The Welcome Table: 347-2635 1317 G St, NW epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable
Foundry Methodist Church: 332-4010 1500 16th St, NW foundryumc.org/ministry-opportunities ID (FRIDAY 9-12 ONLY)
Friendship Place: 364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave, NW friendshipplace.org Georgetown Ministry Center: 338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave, NW georgetownministrycenter.org
Keeping Your Health By Joe Jackson Artist/Vendor What it felt like, dealing with homelessness and trying to stay healthy, was like having a 30-pound stone up under my stomach and two on my back. I have gallstones and can’t eat certain foods. I have so much pain and lately have noticed that my body has started to break down from the stress. I try to eat healthy so I can take better care of myself.
Samaritan Inns: 667-8831 2523 14th St, NW samaritaninns.org
Blue Dream By Frederic John, Artist/Vendor Hit Heavn's Café, JB & me "See c'n a man's world we need Woman (or girl). Black, proud. So, Clown, get off your Cloud!" Please join my “D.C. History” walking tour at 1 p.m. on Feb. 12, leaving from the old Carnegie Library at 8th and K St NW. Walk-ups are free!
St. Luke’s Mission Center: 333-4949 3655 Calvert St. NW stlukesmissioncenter.org
Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St, NW | 745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave, SE | 797-3567 whitman-walker.org
Again, the Metro By Ken Martin Artist/Vendor Metro has too many low-priority tasks at hand to manage its patrons high-priority desires. With safety being the riding public’s greatest concern, the powers that be (more power to them?) have seen fit to direct resources to upgrade the look of WAMATA’s website by maybe adding underground Wi-Fi. I admit, in the event of
derailment or other calamity resulting from “under-sight”, Wi-Fi may come in handy if stranded for hours in a tunnel. However, cutting regular service by hours to enable repairs and then tackling minor cosmetic tasks such as painting fare machines at a time when they will remain wet and unusable during the morning rush, does not exemplify a well-planned operation. What are they thinking? Photos on StreetSense.org
February 8 - 21, 2017• Volume 14 • Issue 7
Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW
Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Washington, DC
Washington, DC 20005
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